JUST under a decade ago, in this newspaper's "Table for Two" column, we lavished praise on a small little restaurant called Dominique's Restaurant, near Caherdaniel in Co Kerry.

The chef was Dominique Nasson, who ran it along with her partner, Christophe Chauvet. Dominique lived in Ireland between 1980 and 1987, before returning to France. Our critic loved Dominique's cooking a rich fish soup; quiche with a green salad; hake baked with cider; fillet of turbot baked in vermouth and served with a butter sauce; profiteroles with home made ice cream. "Worth a detour," he decided.

M. Chauvet writes from France, with the sad news that Dominique died on December 1st, in Paris, aged only 39.

"Her sudden death makes her friends remember those years during which this lively person was part of the south Kerry community", he writes. "She loved Ireland and Irish people." We are sure all who enjoyed Dominique's cooking will wish to extend their sympathies to her family.