citygirl's Profile
LOOKING FOR GREAT TWEEN FRIENDLY RESTAURANTS IN ARUBA
We are heading back to Aruba (Palm Beach) in Feb. and are wondering if anyone has any good recommendations besides Matthews, Flying Fishbone, Aqua Grill, Que Pasa, Yemanji, Madame Suzettes, Wacky Wahoo, Texas Di Brazil, and Casa Tua. We are looking for something local and new... any ideas? We will have a car. Thanks!
MARTHA's Vineyard Restaurant Recos?
Thanks for the great info! I too am surprised not to see more reviews of this area!
Moderne Barn Rest. in Armonk?
I ate there on Tues night with a girlfriend and the food was very good. The service, however, was atrocious. There were loads of busboys who did not speak English, and just a few waiters who were running around but could not support their tables well. Many men in suits were running around and seemed helpless and unable to improve the slow service.
To start, we both had great appetizers including a prosciutto and fig pizza and a wonderful tuna tacquito which was wrapped with jicama, not fried. For entree, I had a wonderful diver scallop dish with English peas and mushrooms. My friend had a skate fish with an Asian preparation that was a bit overly complex so that too many flavors were competing.
The ambiance was great- very Ralph Lauren ranch style... and mostly couples and friends- no children. I would definitely return to this spot and give it another try!
Any feedback on Gigino in Manhattan?
Does anyone have any feedback on Gigino in Manhattan? We are supposed to celebrate a family birthday there and are wondering if it has good food/service/ambiance?
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Gigino
323 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10013
MARTHA's Vineyard Restaurant Recos?
We will be traveling to the Vineyard in August, and are wondering if anyone has had any great lunches or dinners on the island this summer? If so, where did you feast? Would you recommend it? We will be in the Edgartown area...
HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE RESTAURANT RECOS?
We are traveling to this area with two 4th graders and am wondering if anyone has any good restaurant recommendations for our family? My children are very flexible eaters and enjoy any Asian, Indian, Italian, and Greek/Middle Eastern restaurants. We would prefer that it not be a formal restaurant with a dress code but just casual with really great food. Thanks in advance for your feedback.
CHEF'S TABLE RECOMMENDATIONS IN NYC?
We are looking for a great Chef's Table experience that is not absurdly stuffy or expensive to celebrate a family member's 70th birthday with children, grandchildren, etc. Any great ideas for a party of 9 in July?
kid friendly restaurants near Courtyard Marriott, Phillie
We will be in Phillie this weekend at the Courtyard Marriott with 8 year olds. Any good places near there for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Also, what meal and which place should we go to at Reading Terminal Market? Sat. lunch or Sun. breakfast? What is a good pick near the Liberty Bell? Any recos would be appreciated.
Mezze is a loser- HELP!
Tonight my family and I dined at Mezze with high hopes for a fine meal. Instead, we were greeted by a snotty, cold waitress who acted like we were too embarrassing for her to wait on us. The bread arrived and it was a sourdough -ish version of a plain white focaccia which was heavily salted to the point that we almost had to spit it out... it certainly kept us drinking lots of bottled water. Then we all ordered their basic green salad ($*) which we were told would be a mild vinaigreete. The dressing was so mild in fact that it tasted like heavily salted olive oil with no herbs or spices of any kind. no one could eat it since it was so very plain. I ordered the house pate which was adequate at best. Then, my daughter had the gourmet mac and cheese with breadcrumbs which was pretty tasteless as well except for heavy salt. My son had a parparadelle bolognese which was ok, and my husband had the halibut which was bland as well. I ordered the Ribbollita which was deconstructed and heavily salted as well. Overall, a very expensive and disappointing meal. Does anyone have any good recommendations in Pittsfield or Williamstown?
HELP finding restaurants in Rochester NY
I have another question about Rochester, NY food searches: we will be traveling and need to find a great bakery near Pittsford so that we can pre-order 3-4 great dessert items. Any recommendations? We love Carrot cake and chocolate ganache. Also, we like great pies as well. Please feel free to give me some names. Wegman's items are not quite good enough... Many thanks!
HELP finding restaurants in Rochester NY
These are great recommendations! Thank you. I have another question about Rochester food searches: we will be traveling and need to find a great bakery near Pittsford so that we can pre-order 3-4 great dessert items. Any recommendations? We love Carrot cake and chocolate ganache. Also, we like great pies as well. Please feel free to give me some names. Wegman's items are not quite good enough... Many thanks!
Dining and food shopping in Woodstock
The Bear Cafe is hands down, the BEST restaurant in Woodstock. Foodies trek from all over to go there. It will not be cheap, but it is well worth it as the food is delicious and the ambiance is unrivaled. Ask for a table with a view of the creek at sunset/dusk. It is also casual. If you do not want to spend as much and want good Middle Eastern food, try Joshua's in the town of Woodstock on the main strip/drag.
The best bakery is clearly Bread Alone which has a store on the corner in the town of Woodstock. Get there early to try their famous "Morning Glory" muffins as they sell out quickly. Pricey but high quality...
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Bread Alone
22 Mill Hill Rd, Woodstock, NY 12498
Bear Cafe
RR 212, Bearsville, NY 12409
Is "Flames" Steak house worth it?
Thanks Jessheslin! I like your humor... we also love Iron Horse too... but it it is not geographically convenient for us... where is Haven?
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Iron Horse
20 Washington Ave, Westwood, NJ 07675
Aruba Restaurant Recommendations?
We will be traveling to Aruba for a winter holiday week 8 year olds. Any recommendations for good restaurants for lunch and dinner? Any near the Hyatt Regency? Also, any amazing romantic spots for dinner for two? Thanks for your input.
BRIARCLIFF AREA RESTAURANTS?
We have been very disappointed with Terra Rustica in Briarcliff and are looking for a great restaurant in the Briarcliff area. It can be a neighboring town. It is for a couples birthday dinner... and can be formal or casual. All info is welcomed.
Thanks for your response.
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Terra Rustica
550 N State Rd, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510
Is "Flames" Steak house worth it?
Has anyone been to FLAMES STEAKHOUSE in Briarcliff? Is it good for a birthday dinner? It loooks a bit cheesey from the outside, so I cannot tell.
Harvest Supper in New Canaan?
My husband and I felt that the portions were offensively small for the price. The tables are quite intimate, and on top of each other which gives it a very cozy, NYC feel. Just be prepared to have everyone hear your conversation!
The salads were disappointing and unremarkable and small, but our fish dishes were outstanding and perfectly spiced. Our dessert was also quite good but barely 3 bites.
I do not think that I would go back, since we left starving and our meal was quite expensive for that to have happened. We also felt extremely rushed so it was a fast and unsatisfying dining experience.... hopefully they will hear this feedback and ammend their ways! Clearly the chef has talent, but there are other issues at hand.
August 2009 Martha's Vineyard Feedback
Dear fellow Chowhounders-
We spent a wonderful week in the Vineyard and had some uneven meals while we were there so i though I would share my thoughts with the group and we can compare notes. Here it goes...
Our best meal by far was at The Grill on Main in Edgartown, which was surprising. The service was very lacking, as the help was high school and college kids who were uninformed about the menu. I had an amazing scallop dish, and my husband had a great cod dish. Our children actually enjoyed their food as well. The bread pudding was divine as well. A big hit...
My husband and I ate at nancy's in Oak Bluff's since we wanted to sit outside in the evening and watch the boats in the harbor. The fattoush salad (like a greek salad) was surprisingly good, and the crab cake was average as were the mussles in white wine.
We also ate at the Friendly's-like Linda Jeans for lunch since our kids LOVED it and found that the best thing on the menu was clearly the special "famous grilled cheese" which had swiss, turkey, and lots of grilled veggies packed with flavor in it. The Greek salad was lacking, and the spaghetti and meatballs (Mondays- Ed's special) were quite good.
We felt that the best ice cream on the island was Ben and Bill's in Oak Bluff's and we tried Mad Martha's and numerous other places. Ben and Bill's also had great toffee crunch and other signature chocolates.
We ate a terrible lunch at FISHBONE on the pier in Oak Bluuf's. Dreadful sandwiches and salads and completely overpriced with slow and rude service.
We also ate at a great place in Menemsha called the Menemsha Cafe which was fantastic. It was BYOB, and you order at the counter and then they proceed to serve you a very gourmet meal. They only have 3 entrees a night, one is always catch of the day, and it was terrific. They also had vegetarian food as well. Quite reasonable prices for the island.
We also ate a terrible lunch in Edgartown at the Atlantic Cafe on the water. The food was overcooked, and overpriced, and the chef was unwilling to make ANY alterations to the menu. It was a BUST as they say....
So, we LOVED ARTCLIFF DINER in Tisbury, and lunch there and breakfast are both a real treat. It was worth the wait outside and very reasonable for teh island. A very modest roadside place, but quite gourmet....
We also enjoyed the Black Dog for BREAKFAST ONLY... white chocolate pancakes for teh kdis and creative egg dishes were delicious. Long waits, though...
Just some thoughts... and thanks to everyone who made recommendatiosn to us...
Spice Markets in Westchester/Tri State Area
I am looking for a market that sells very FRESH spices, specifically Herbes de Provence. Does anyone have any recommendations? The spices from Balducci's and Whole Foods are not really that fresh. Perhaps some ethnic gourmet markets? I have already tried Apple Farm as well and they do not have Herbes de Provence. Also, does anyone have experience with a good website to buy spices from?
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Smokin' Joints-BBQ in WC
Q in Mt. Kisco is very good, but when it gets crowded, they really struggle to put out quality food. The Port Chester one is a bit more consistent, though not as large or as nice an ambiance. Another great BBQ is in Valhalla called Southbound BBQ . It has a roadside casual pub-bar kind of atmosphere. It is very family friendly in the early dinner hours, and can have long waits. At night, it turns into a bar scene with live music. I have heard about a new place in Mamaroneck, but I have not been.
Le Pain Quotidien, the new place in Rye
We adore their coconut macaroons and their whole grain bread.
FINE LUNCH DINING in MANHATTAN?
I need a restaurant place to take someone out for a celebratory lunch. I usually loved to go to Gotham for the great food and service, but that was years ago. He likes Italian. Any ideas?
Martha's Vineyard with kids
Thank you so much for your lengthy, detailed response. We really appreciate it! Will probably get a sitter a few times, what are your favorite restaurants on the island for couples? Maybe a lobster place on the water?
Springfield Area Restaurants?
Does anyone have any recommendations for good family-friendly restaurants in Springfield, CT?
Mt Kisco, Jamaican?
Yes, I walked by it last week. It is a sliver of a tiny place in the Mt. Kisco Mall across from Okinawa (Hibatchi place) and around the corner from Starbuck's. It is a takeout place, and has a counter with hot table behind glass for the proprietor to serve customers. It looked rather inexpensive, and had basics like Jerk chicken. It was empty at dinner time, but I did not try the food. They are trying to also do catering.
New Canaan, CT Restaurants
Last night we ate at Cava for the first time. The ambiance was very cool and romantic, although the main room was quite noisy and needed soundproofing. We moved to a quieter bunch of tables near the attractive and striking bar with exposed cave-rock wall. These were the best seats in the house for couples. Our salads were quite large and perfectly dressed with delicious dressings. I had the house salad with goat cheese and orange sections, and my husband had the Caesar. The warm bread was the best I have had outside of NYC and tasted like Ecce Panis. The olive oil served with it was also a high quality extra virgin. However, our main dishes were quite bland, and lacked proper spices. My husband had a Seafood Risotto Milanese with saffron, but there were no other flavors of onion, garlic, or any green herbs. It was so bland that he had to ask for extra pepper, olive oil, and lemon to try to add flavor. I had the Seafood Pan Roast which was a generous sized portion of mussels, scallops, shrimp and a large lobster tail with tomatoes and again NO FLAVOR. I too had to try to add lemon to give it some flavor as it was a one-note dish without any spices. I noticed that other couples were sharing main dishes, and the portions were certainly large enough to do this. AFter dinner, we ate at a nearby gelateria which was DELICIOUS and very crowded. We plan to try BONNE NUIT next time which was packed! Has anyone been to Bonne Nuit? We also really like Ching's Table with the children, and the Indian Place there as well. Aloi was very disappointing, as was Sole. Any other recommendations?
Martha's Vineyard with kids
We will be spending a week in August in Edgartown with 8 year-old twins and are looking for fun, family friendly restaurants. Any ideas or recommendations for lunch and dinner? Thanks!
