The title says it all... If you were going to eat at Kirin on a holiday, would it be lunch or dinner? Does it matter? Thanks!

Greetings Vancouver hounds:

We will be visiting for just a few days over NYE and need to find a good sushi or izakaya place for an EARLY dinner on NYE (in by 6pm, out by 8pm). It should be central downtown. It would be good to have a nice atmosphere too.

So far, we're considering Okada and Guu based on reviews and location only. Would these be appropriate? Any other recommendations are welcome! Many thanks in advance...

I suppose I should clarify that I'm looking for feedback on the options already listed (ranking? must try? not all that?), or other options if you have any.

Or maybe this board is more about the fine dining and not so much about the burgers? Worth a try anyway... Thanks.

I've searched this board but still not clear where to find the best burger for lunch in Vegas. Should be on the strip since we'll have no car. Please tell me WHERE you love them and WHY. Thanks!

Here's what I have so far:
Mesa Grill (Caesars)
Burger Bar (Mandalay; though maybe not as good as it once was?)
Stripburger (at fashion mall)
BLT Burger (bad reviews here when opened)
Bradley Ogden (Caesars)
Brasserie at Paris
anywhere else?

hi again vegas hounds,

I'm looking for a good tasting menu for a night out in vegas, but would like to keep cost below $200 per person including wine... I've read a lot of threads here and posted a question at the link below, but no one has answered it yet:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/507923

I think I've narrowed it down to michael mina or nob hill. what do you think? what's the difference? (food, atmosphere, trend?) are there other good tasting menus in this range? again, we're trying to keep the cost below $200pp before gratuity.

many thanks in advance!

thanks so much for your input! I guess I did list everywhere in town, but we were trying to figure out how to narrow it down. the last meal I had in big sur was camping at julia pfeiffer burns state park, so this should be very different. thanks everyone!

we'll be in big sur 2 nights and looking for some input on our meals. we get 2 of each! I've read the threads here, but we still need help narrowing it down. we love breakfast. lunch should be more scenic, but not a waste of money. dinner should have good ambience, food, and wine.

dinner: we're definitely going to big sur bakery one night. we're trying to decide on the second. we've never been to deetjen's, but it seems to get positive reviews here. any suggestions/feedback?

dinner (need 1 more):
- deetjen's
- roadhouse (seems like bar food?)
- cielo at ventana (better for lunch?)
- nepenthe (better for lunch?)

breakfast/brunch (need 2):
- big sur bakery
- deetjen's
- cafe kevah (nepenthe)

lunch (need 2):
- big sur bakery
- cielo at ventana
- nepenthe (patio or lower cafe?)
- sierra mar at post ranch

many thanks in advance~

ok, nevermind Q#3 unless you know something about wynn's -- I just read the "smackdown" and now would go to paris over bellagio for bk-fast buffet... good to know. thanks.

greetings vegas hounds,

we're coming to vegas (staying at bellagio) for just 2 nights in june and having a hard time deciding on dinner. one night we'd like to do a tasting menu (for our anniversary), and the other night, we'll probably go to a show and dinner. so... I've got a few questions for you. any advice is appreciated. thanks in advance!

1. tasting menu -- michael mina is in our hotel, but the menu at nobhill looks a little more exciting. alex may be a bit more than we want to spend. based on my research here, it seems like nobhill would be a good choice. how does it compare with other tasting menus? comfortable setting? any other ideas?

2. showtime -- seems like it's hard to have a good dinner after even an early show (at 10pm). am I mistaken? any recommendations? or, should we go to a later show instead and go to an early dinner nearby? we may go to see "love" at the mirage -- is there anything nearby so we don't worry about rushing?

3. brunch buffet at bellagio -- yay or nay? it's right there, but I hear wynn's is good too... (I've seen other threads on brunch buffets, but not many mention bellagio...)

many thanks again!

hi again seattle hounds! thanks so much for all of your wonderful recommendations. we just returned from our seattle weekend and I'll begin by saying there were simply not enough meals in the day (we tried, really we did)! there were some definite highlights, but we'll have to return to try some other spots, especially those beyond belltown/downtown. so here's my report overview:

Th. lunch: Matt's in the market. yumm. we had a perfect table at the end of the bar by an open window overlooking the market on a sunny(!) day. we shared the wasabi crusted ahi sandwich and lamb burger with goat cheese on the most delicious brioche bun. good thing we ate the ahi first -- it was good, but the burger was phenomenal. thanks for the tip. also tried a local ale and ice cider.

Th. dinner: this is kind of funny. Cascadia happy hour turned out to be our dinner -- multiple sliders went down way too easily. my hub ate 4, loaded with cheddar and grilled walla walla onions, gone in a perfect 4 bites each. I tried the beef and salmon, beef was better. hub was intrigued by the alpine martini, he really enjoyed it and found it refreshing.

we had a long list of options for dinner where no reserves were needed (e.g., lark), but we were too full to eat again! we have to pace ourselves better...

Fri. breakfast: it was hard to find a place open early on Fri. and we planned to go be tourists for the day and got a late start. so instead of heading to Crave, we just grabbed a quick pastry at Macrina bakery near our hotel. quiche was ok but too cheesy and hub wasn't impressed with his turnover. we should have stuck to the cupcakes and other things that looked and smelled really good.

Fri. lunch: the goal was either the ID for vietnamese or malaysian, OR Paseo in Fremont then Ray's for drinks -- but we never made it to any of these (the horror!). we ended up with quick forgettable pub grub in lower Queen Anne -- nothing else nearby was open at 2pm. but don't worry, we made up for it later...

Fri HH: we tried to go to Zigzag but it wasn't open yet. so we made our way to an early HH at Umi Sake House. we really enjoyed this, though we also ordered from the menu. how could we resist the special salmon and incredible sake menu? we did a salmon and sake tasting, with 3 kinds of each: atlantic (standard HH fare), wild copper river sockeye and wild white king salmon, which were each melt in your mouth delicious big chunks of fish. one yummy sake was made from red rice (with hints of honey and hibiscus) and tasted like a lovely provencale rose. we also had some crab, yummy and fresh. we never made it out for other sushi, though chiso and nishino were both on the list...

Fri. dinner: I didn't think we could fit another meal, but we had some small plates at Marjorie's around the corner from our hotel -- grilled plantain chips, spinach salad, chicken tikka masala, and a special quail stuffed with pears, goat cheese and greens over grits. highlights were cocktails and dessert. I had the best mojito ever, made with Westerhill rum from Grenada and served chilled and straight up, just like candy... also had a wonderful oregon pinot later. for dessert, hub tried the stout ice cream with espresso, and I had a delicious brioche bread pudding (though the bourbon caramel sauce was too much; the dollup of whipped cream was just enough). the food was good though we stuck to the small plates, and we enjoyed the fun atmosphere of this warm and cozy spot.

Sat. brunch: Maximilien's. the view was outstanding, but I wish we had gone for lunch instead of brunch so I could've had the mussels and salad with dungeness crab and salmon. I couldn't bear to eat that so early. we ate well though. I had the crab crepe (big lumps of dungeness crab was tasty with scrambled eggs). hub had a special beef tenderloin with eggs that was a bit heavy for so early... oh, and our server forgot our basket of pastries, first before and then again after our meal. but don't worry, because...

Sat. snack: we headed out to Ballard and found Cafe Besalu. wow! I wish we had saved room to try the quiche, but instead we had some pain au chocolat which were the best I've had outside of paris. I had an incredible housemade chai too, with fresh ginger. while we sat and enjoyed our treats, they sold out of 2 quiches.

Sat. snack #2: Old Town Taproom. does beer count as a snack? sure it does. hub tried some local ales (dick's cream stout and some double amber) and I had my fave belgian ale on tap (hoegaarden). I know it's not local, but good. great spot. never made it to jolly rose taproom.

Sat. snack #3: we discovered (5th st. downtown) Top Pot Donuts when we least expected it... it was after 6pm and they were near closing, but I tried a choc. frosted with sugar, and hub had a plain one. next time I'll have to try the maple and other seasonal treats! loved this spot, very cool.

Sat. dinner: this was a tough one. so many places, so little time. we were reluctant to try many of the places that don't take reserves on a sat. night... but we tried palace kitchen anyway, and were really happy with our choice. when we walked in at 7:40 they said it could be a 45 minute wait. so we found a perfect spot at the end of the bar, two stools by the bread station with a perfect view of the kitchen. the bartender was completely attentive and we settled in, ordered some drinks and apps. then just as we were starting to get comfy and enjoy the view, a table opened up. we considered eating at the bar, but took the booth...

we had the goat cheese fondue and another willamette fontina-style cheese tasting. hub had the wagyu steak and it was great, though he also really wanted the burger (next time!). I really enjoyed the trout with brown butter and almonds, cooked perfectly. it was huge, I've never seen such a big trout before and I couldn't finish it. I had the featured pinot too. for dessert, hub's fave is coconut cream, so he was in heaven. I couldn't decide, I'm normally a choc. person but I tried Tom's famous creme caramel and loved it, like a creme brulee sans brulee. and then we hurt a little bit after all these good eats....

Sun. brunch: we met some friends at Steelhead Diner. they're locals who wanted to try it and liked it, though it didn't feel like a real "diner." I took your advice and got the Sequimbled eggs, (and even pronounced it right). great crabcake (no peppers, I hate peppers in my crabcakes!). hub went nasty and got the chicken fried steak, because he figured why not, and friend got the Hangtown Fry which was huge. in all, a fun way to spend our last meal...

so many things we missed (e.g., lark, mistral, sitka&spruce, union, cafe campagne, ray's, paseo, nishino, etc.). but many thanks again for all your great recommendations -- now we have a list for next time! until then...

thanks again everyone! please note this was continued on a new thread due to technical difficulties: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/485674
sorry for any confusion!

thanks, Lauren. any other dinner recs then? where do you take your guests? no reservations have been made yet... thanks!

Thanks for the tips. We're planning on hitting Crave on a Fri. morning, so hopefully it won't be so bad.

I've added Oliver's Twist. And that makes two so-sos on Serious pie. So that helps, thanks!

Thanks for all your recs. I was literally just going to post that question about Cascadia. The HH menu looks awesome too. We may have to take Three Bowls' advice and do a HH and late nite bites to squeeze in 4 meals one day...

Is Steelhead not all that or are the others are just better or more unique? (Someone had recommended their crab cakes and I love me a good crabcake...) thanks!

Also, I meant to say Tamarind Tree or Green Leaf. I'm leary of no reservations but we'd probably try lunch. How do you feel about GL compared to TT? (I know, several threads on this, but since you mentioned it..) thanks!

See initial post here: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/484525
I hate that you can't edit anymore. I was hoping for some more feedback, please!

Thank you ALL for the wonderful suggestions! We'd need a month to get through them, and a solid week to even make a dent! But alas, we only have 3 days and way too many good eats for our 9 meals (all problems should be so hard)...

We'll probably spend a day being tourists (haven't been there in 11 years) and a day out in Fremont/Ballard (thanks for all those recs!). I've been trying to narrow down our food options (hard!) and we ALMOST have a food itinerary. Any further ADVICE is welcome. (I know it's tough to compare some of these, but it's the best I could do so far...) Thanks again for your help. I'll be sure to report back.

Breakfast/brunch (need 3
)Steelhead Diner
Etta’s
Crave
Cafe Campagne

Lunch (need 3)
Matt’s in the Market
Jack’s Fish Spot
Tamarind Tree
Serious pie
Chiso (Fremont)
Paseo (Fremont)

Dinner (need 3)
Marjorie’s
Restaurant Zoe
Cascadia
Palace Kitchen
Nishino

Happy Hour OR lounges/bars
Umi Sake House
Cascadia
Brasa
Black Bottle
Brouwer’s café (Fremont)
Jolly Rose Taproom (Ballard)
Ray’s Boathouse Café
ZigZag

Coffee, Tea, Desserts
Café Besalu
Caffe Ladro
Dahlia bakery
Mighty O Donuts/TopPots Donuts/Trophy Cupcake
Panama Hotel (tea)

Thank you ALL for the wonderful suggestions! We'd need a month to get through them, and a solid week to even make a dent! But alas, we only have 3 days and way too many good eats for our 9 meals (all problems should be so hard).

We'll probably spend a day being tourists (haven't been there in 11 years) and a day out in Fremont/Ballard (thanks for all those recs!). I've been trying to narrow down our food options and we ALMOST have a proposed food itinerary. Any further ADVICE is welcome! (I know it's hard to compare some of these, but it's the best I could do so far...)

Also, is there anywhere to get good coffee or a snack near Seattle Center? (Have to check out the EMP.)

Thanks again for all your help!

Breakfast/brunch (need 3)
Steelhead Diner
Etta’s
Crave
Cafe Campagne

Lunch (need 3)
Matt’s in the Market
Jack’s Fish Spot
Tamarind Tree
Serious pie
Chiso (Fremont)
Paseo (Fremont)

Dinner (need 3)
Marjorie’s
Restaurant Zoe
Cascadia
Palace Kitchen
Nishino

Happy Hour OR lounges/bars
Umi Sake House
Cascadia
Brasa
Black Bottle
Brouwer’s café (Fremont)
Jolly Rose Taproom (Ballard)
Ray’s Boathouse Café
ZigZag

Coffee, Tea, Desserts
Café Besalu
Caffe Ladro
Dahlia bakery
Mighty O Donuts/TopPots Donuts/Trophy Cupcake
Panama Hotel (tea)

hi three bowls, I will be in town from 28 feb. to 2 march. are there any food events that weekend? thanks~

Thanks for your replies. I know my question is so broad, but the initial research is a little overwhelming. Landguy, I did search for a few categories, but many looked like old posts. Equinoise, thanks for the recs, they are now added to the list. I'm sure as our trip gets closer I may have some more specific questions. In the meantime, thanks again. Anyone else please feel free to add to my growing lists of yum-spots.

hi, SFBA pup apologizing in advance for the very broad nature of this query...

we're coming to seattle for a long wk-end and need LOTS of help deciding where to eat. we're staying downtown/belltown(?) at the el gaucho with no car, and unlikely to venture too far (but definitely willing to hoof it or hop a cab if it's worthwhile). we're willing to spend on dinner but would prefer reasonable and high quality to super-trendy and overpriced...

any recommendations for any of the following would be very welcome. feel free to include any must-do's or why you love something (or don't). if you could let me know the area of your faves, that would be helpful too. many thanks!

- breakfast/brunch
- japanese/sushi (Nishino, Chiso and Ume Sake House?)
- asian/southasian (Tamarind Tree, Green Leaf, Monsoon?)
- seafood (Flying Fish?)
- steak
- burgers (only if they're that good...)
- local, sustainable ingredients, eco-meats, etc.
- any other special experience (how's that for catch-all?)
- teahouse?

Hi, I'm looking to order lunch for about 20-25 people, not your usual sandwiches (something warm?), buffet style and easy. Any fast ideas? Thanks in advance!

Try Fat Angel Bakery in Fairfax. High quality pastries and custom-made wedding cakes and it's on the way to Inverness...

In case no one has mentioned it, the Buckeye in MV is excellent.

Looking for a good place for an early dinner before heading to the theatre for an 8pm mid-week show. Preferably nearby so we only have to park once. I'm sure there are great spots not too far away, but must be easy in-and-out... Any recommendations? Absinthe? Soluna? Market St. Grill? paulk? OTHER? Thanks in advance!

Looking for good recommendations for authentic style falafel in the Bay Area. Where do you get it and why do you love it? I'm not often in the S. Bay, but if that's all you've got I'll take it. Thanks in advance!

Hop Kiln near the Russian River has a nice picnic area, but bring your own food.

Looking for a good grill book of simple recipes for a friend who is not impressed with those with too many ambitious dishes and sauces. He's more likely to look something up online if he has a question. But we all know a good book can provide inspiration too... Any recommendations? Thanks!

Cowgirl Creamery has delicious artisan cheeses using local ingredients. They are at the far end of Pt. Reyes Station (and also in the SF Ferry Bldg).

purple goddess, where are you? I know they can really get out of control but that sounds like crazy talk!

I'm with Amanita, too lazy to make jam (though I love it!) and more likely to make a cobbler or crisp...

any other ideas?

I'm already thinking of:
blackberry ice cream and sorbet
blackberry ginger/lemon sauce
blackberry vanilla crisp or tart

Looking for clever ideas and especially recipes for salad dressings, meat marinades, and more...

Thanks!

My fave is just olive oil and garlic with red wine, a little dijon, s/p, and some herbs des provence. I'll often throw some rosemary on the grill (indirect), or use it to baste the lamb while roasting... mmm!