They are greeted by platoons of white-aproned waiters who start out brusque and formal but are soon treating everyone at the table like an old friend.

The food was effortlessly good - served by white-aproned, professional waiters who were able to turn their hands to tableside flambées while dispensing information about wine and chatting about football and the weather.

"In here, sir, if you please," said a white-aproned waiter, gliding forward to take Tom's leather coat and Mary's jacket of like material.

Tables and wicker chairs spilled out of the fortress's broad gate; a white-aproned waiter circulated with fat glasses of Duvel beer.

She scarcely noticed that the white-aproned waiters had come in from the kitchen and were drawing close.

"I often come here because of the good memories," he said, as white-aproned waiters rushed cups of coffee around the Cafe Flore.

When the white-aproned waiter came by, Banks ordered a bottle of De Koninck, a dark Belgian beer he had tried and enjoyed once at Belgo, a London restaurant.

Several salons of original gilded tilework and frescoed ceilings are attended by white-aproned waiters.

He moved aside slightly as a white-aproned waiter finished clearing away the dishes from their lunch.

To savour real Apfelstrudel or Sachertorte served on a silver tray by a waistcoated white-aproned waiter is to taste style itself.