chowchap's Profile
Two Dinners in Venice in September
Just returned from Venice on Thursday. We enjoyed Il Ridotto and had the chef's menu. This is a lovely restaurant and the chef was most accommodating and caring. Think fish as there is little or no meat on the menu! We liked the "fan" of langoustine atop zucchini puree, and the homemade ravioli filled with sea bass, lightly sprinkled lemon and oil. The fee was reasonable for the quality and amount of food.
My second suggestion would be Al Covo. The evening was beautiful and we ate outside. Choices we made: Homemade buckwheat pasta with fresh anchovies and olive oil. The wonderful, thick spaghetti with spider crab sauce served “falling out” of the large peach-colored shell is a must, with excellent flavor and great eye-appeal! The rolled fillet (roulade-style) of sole and zucchini had seared edges. Don't miss their signature dessert: delicious moist dark chocolate cake with chocolate pink peppercorn sauce. The owner, Diane Benelli, (originally a Texan) was charming and gracious when we spoke with her after dinner.
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Il Ridotto
Sestiere Castello,4509, Venezia , IT
Al Covo
Campiello della Pescaria,Castello 3968, Venice, Veneto 30122, IT
Dosaduro area of Venice in early August?
Where should we eat in the Dosaduro area of Venice in early August? All price ranges...we like great food with character!
Can't Decide - Tetsuya's or Quay???
Just returned from 2 weeks in Australia.
Really enjoyed the meal (and bridge/opera house view) at Quay. The menu was diverse and the combination of foods in each dish featured many different textures and tastes. It is very expensive compared to top NY restaurants, but the food is more complex. They suggest a 4- course or tasting menu for dinner. Don't miss the "snowball for dessert.
We need WEGMAN'S!!! (And how does it compare to Fairway?)
YES.. we need WEGMAN's in WESTCHESTER!!!!
My kids went to Cornell in Ithaca and Wegman's is the best! We shop at Fairway every week and Wegman's is better. Please come to Mt. Kisco, we need a great grocery.
Last Weekend at LA BOCA and SANTACAFE
Just returned from Santa Fe and enjoyed the restaurant scene. La Boca was a great, casual place to go for dinner. The young staff was very accommodating and friendly. Don't miss the Black mussels steamed in oloroso mustard cream with tomatoes, garlic and oregano.
Dockside Pub in Mahopac reopening under new ownership with former chef from X2O
At last a casual place that has very good food! The menu is short but well executed and a little bit different than all the other boring and mediocre fare in the area. We enjoyed everything we tasted and reminisced over the coconut shrimp that was a signature dish of the Four Seasons in NYC many years ago...an oldie but goody. The service was good with a young and positive waitstaff. If the weather is nice positively dine outside at lakeside.
La Chassagnette post-Rubinel
For more about La Chassagnette -chef:Armand Arnal, view the Gourmet Magazine link:
http://www.gourmet.com/diaryofafoodie/video/2008/03/211_france_preview
It is the middle of the video
Enjoy
Dijon
Thank you so much for your input on Dijon. Did you have any thoughts about dinner in Beaune? Are you also "up on" places to dine in Lyon? I like really good food and don't mind paying for something special but feel really ripped off it is just okay. I love atmosphere and elegance but not at the sacrifice of the food!. I don't care if it is 1 or 3 stars if it is fabulous food...a combination is good. One cannot eat too much or too expensive every day.
Dijon
Will be in Dijon and Beaune in July. Any suggestions for dinner or a nice lunch? Short drives are not a problem.
Le Pigonnet in Aix
We stayed at Le Pigonnet in 2006 and had a lovely experience. We did a lot of homework on where to dine and everyplace we ate in Aix was less than memorable except for dinner at Le Pigonnet. My notes: Le Pigonnet – nice menu and very good food that was well presented. Dinner was served in the garden patio area. Elegant and attentive service. Superior cheese course selection. Be sure to try the banon (goat cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves).
La Chassagnette post-Rubinel
La Chassagnette is what Blue Hill at Stone Barns would hope to be someday. The commonalities are organic and farm-to table foods. Almost everything else pales by comparison except the wonderful stone barn. La Chassagnette with Rubenal was a most memorable meal with over 20 different mini courses. Stone Barns was memorable too...for just okay pricey food, not honoring a week-day reservation in a timely manner (waiting over 1 hour to be seated) and then waiting again for over an hour to be served the main course.
