We have been coming to Paris for many years now and have always had wonderful experiences at most restaurants here.My husband and I chose to dine at Café Sud on April 22, 2010 because it was included in the Best Restaurants Paris guide and liked what they offered in the menu. Frankly, it was one of the worst restaurants we have tried in Paris.

We were seated by our hostess/server around 7:30 p.m. and after perusing the menu, we ordered the mussels for appetizer, filet of turbot, and beef filet with foie gras. Our server brought the mussels and after my husband asked for 2 plates so that we could share, the server had a strange, surly reaction. We were willing to overlook her attitude until we found that the mussels had a terrible, off taste. Furthermore, the Tabasco sauce that we requested was dark and old.

I also took a photo of the mussels, only to be reprimanded by the server that I was "not allowed to take photos of the plates/food". I was taken by surprise because my husband and I have dined at the best restaurants in the world and photos were always welcome. I've also seen photos of the food at this restaurant elsewhere on the internet. Because of this treatment and the rotten mussels, we paid for our drinks and the mussels and left. In retrospect, we should not have paid for the mussels and I should have told your server exactly how we felt about her inferior service, but I was so speechless that I stayed outside while my husband paid.

This was the worst dining experience we have ever had in Paris and will be sure to post our reviews on other popular food and travel websites. If they do not allow photography in your restaurant, it should be clearly stated in their menus and in signs inside and outside the restaurant. Photography inside restaurants is commonplace now, and I found the server's "rules" to be absolutely ridiculous.

The server's poor attitude and the mussels literally and figuratively left a bad taste in our mouth.