These all sound wonderful! The Googling and discussion has begun. BTW, hope I didn't come across in anyway as judgmental with the "no pomp" request. I'm certainly not against nice and not against spending some money, but, yes, I am definitely more interested in the chef-driven experience. Thanks so much again. Open to more if others have them.

Hi all! What a great group of commentators on this board.

My wife and I will be in Philly for two dinners in what is essentially a birthday getaway for my better half. I'd love to get your take on where we should go.

We're staying in Society Hill but have a car and don't mind a bit of an adventure, although there does seem to be many good places right downtown.

We both love good food, with particular hankerings for high-quality ingredients inventively prepared. We tend to go the fish and veggie route but neither of us say no to red meat on occasion. We generally veer toward lighter, New American and Asian preparations as opposed to heavy, classically European dishes.

The one thing that we don't like is stuffy, overly formal atmospheres and we certainly aren't interested in paying extra for exclusivity. We prefer livelier places where the emphasis is on the food and not on the pomp. We'd also prefer something that is either unique to Philly or originated in Philly.

A few places mentioned on this board already have caught my eye. But I think I'll hold off on mention those and just see what people offer.

Thanks! Greg

Now I get it! Thanks Lau.

Lau, I can find a Kun Jip, but not a Do Kun Jip. Kun Jip is on W. 32nd between 5th and BWay. Is that the place you mean? Thanks!

Thanks Lau. I'll check them out/.

Any suggestions on a good, relatively inexpensive (but sit down) lunch in Koreatown?

just got aboolt of the '04 quivira dry creek at $18. Any thoughts on this wine?

Great suggestions on the riesling. I live in the Finger Lakes and have many favoriates (Standing Stone, Dr. Frank, Treleavan) and will be sure to have one on the table.

But will definately want a red too, especicially since I try not to make the dish too spicy.

Any other thoughts on a red?

Thanks!

I'm making a family favorite for a holiday meal (the first time I have actually cooked it myself) and was wondering what you chow hounds thought would be the perfect wine to serve with it.

The dish is beef tenderloin that's coated with a thin layer of a thick spicy Asian sauce that features ingredients like Sambal Manis and Sambal Oelek.

The trick is to put on enough sauce that it seals in the tenderloin's juices but not so much that it overwhelms the beef. When done right, the beef has a lingering spice but at first you only taste beef itself.

So, which wine? I'd like to keep it between $15-$25 a bottle. I was thinking perhaps one of the less expensive Ridge Zins. I thought a zin would stand up well to the bit of spice, but am a bit concerned it might be too fruity for those used to Bordeaux.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Happy Holidays!

Maybe this place: antiquegaragesoho.com. Solid restaurant btw, or at least it was for a great jazz brunch they have on Sundays. Not sure they actually sell the Antiques in there, but it is a neat spot.

sounds great. I'll definately give it a try.

Momofuko Ssam is definately something I've wanted to try and we're up for something Asian to throw into the mix. How long would one expect to wait for a table during prime time (like 8:30 or so) on a Friday or Saturday? Forever? (Btw, love Bar Veloce. Have had many a lovely glass of wine there.)

Thanks cimui. Great suggestions. I really like the look of the menus of both Insieme and Cafe Gray, and both August and Blue Ribbon Bakery look like great choices in the village.

Any other thoughts out there?

If not, and you had to choose one meal between Cafe Gray, Insieme and Milos, which would it be?

And if you had to choose two meals among August, Blue Ribbon Bakery, Alta (and what the hell, I'll through Stanton Social in there too), which two would you pick?

Thanks!

I found Bluewater to be pretty good and affordable.

Snagged my father's apartment in Manhattan for my birthday over Columbus Day weekend and can't wait to give the handful of restaurants that sustain me Upstate a rest for awhile.

Have three meals in the city. One will be with my dad, and since he is a generous man indeed, I can go all out, although I don't feel the need to go over the top. He works midtown and the apartment is at 55th and 6th. There is no need to stay in that neighborhood, but I've been intrigued by Milos on 55th and my wife and I are big seafood fans. Anyone been to Milos of late? Other suggestions for my birthday meal? (Nothing too pretentious, just great food, stylish setting.)

For the other two meals, I'll want to keep the bill a bit lower and the atmosphere a bit livelier, and I'd be more apt to head downtown. Alta sounds like a good choice from perusing the forums. Any other suggestions?

To give you a little idea of our tastes, the last time my wife and I were in the city we hit The Modern as our expensive meal and loved it. Very fresh, flavorful food and gorgeous setting without being stiff. For our more "fun/cheap" meals we hit Spice Market and Rosa Mexicano. We thought both were fine, and perhaps all we could expect, but certainly nothing special and a bit too commercial.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

Haven't been to that bistro/bar in years but have fond memories of it for its dark lighting, lively atmasphere and solid food. Going to be back in town in mid-October and am lining up some reservations. Anyone been to Raoul's (in SoHo, I believe) recently? How was it?

I really liked The Modern, the relatively new place in the remodel MoMA. Very slick space with a beautiful bar and surprisingly good, flavorful, healthful New American cuisine.

Cafe des artistes...agreed. Beautiful resturant, but kind of like Tavern on the Green (at least when I last ate there), the food is simply not the focus. Very traditional and yet lacking any depth.

good call on the Shortstop and the ice cream, although Purity is pretty good too. The Shortstop is 24-hours, and after a night in Ithaca my friends and I usually grab a sub there before heading back to Auburn, NY. Good Chicken parm sub.

Ditto 4snisl's recommendation on Just a Taste. Tasty food and great wine list that offers very affordable flights of wine. They have nice outdoor seating in the back. I particularly like this place for Sunday brunch. Casual, affordable, tasty.

I've always liked Viva Taqueria for casual, lively Mexican and good cocktails. Likewise, The Nines up on the Cornell hill has great pizza and beer. If you are a beer fan, don't miss the Chapter House. If you like dive bars, don't miss the Chantecler. It's not nearly is scary as it looks, has a couple of good pool tables and decent beer given the price/general atmosphere. If you want a burger with your beer head to the Pines, just outside of town on Cayuga Lake.

4Snisl may know better, but John Thomas's Steak House was a favorite of mine before I moved out of Ithaca a few years ago. I still live in the area and eat in Ithaca often but haven't hit JT's in awhile. It used to be first rate.

I also agree with 4Snisl on Dano's if you are looking to travel into wine country. Also on Seneca Lake are the Stone Cat Cafe and Red Newt Bistro, both of which are excellent. In Skaneateles, about 50 minutes away and an adorable town, there are several great restaurants, most notable Mirbeau (high end but fairly casual atmosphere with an amazing tasting menu of New American delights) and Roselli's, a lively, upscale and very tasty Italian restaurant.

I go to the Great New York State Fair every year, although I won't exactly be able to answer your question, because I am really not sure.

For the most part, the fair is a great place to eat "bad" food. There are some great sausages vendors -- the Syracuse area is smitten with Gianelli and Basilio sausages.

That, in addition to corn on the cob, speedies, bbq and other greasy delights makes up the lions share of the food booths. (The New York state wine tent is also a big and fun attraction.)

But there are so many food vendors I wouldn't presume that one of them doesn't do kosher. Your best bet may be the international food court, where they have a great eggplant parmesan, perogies, and some middle eastern food like falafel and grape leaves that may well be kosher.

Great question, because you want it to be good, but you don't want it stress you out too much, or take too much prep time while your guest is over.

What always works for me in times like that is my mother's filet of beef tenderloin. And, as a guy, I can tell you there is no faster way to a man's heart than filet of beef.

The meat is so good all you need to do (other than pay for it, which kind of sucks) is make sure you don't over cook it. But I also suggest some type of coating for the beef, which will add some flavor andhelp seal in the juices.

My mom's recipe uses a combination Asian spices -- sambal manis, sambal oelek and a think, sweet soy that I think is called kitjap manis (I don't have my recipe with me). The combination of these sauces is spicy, but a thin coating of them on the beef browns up beautifully, seals in the juice, and doesn't overwhelmed the beef.

With something as impressive, tasty and filling as beef tenderloin, you don't need much else. I'd make a big colorful salad in advance. Then maybe cube some nice potatoes, coat them in oil and get them ready for roasting, also in advance of your guest arriving. Get the beef ready too, simply by tying it to form a strip of uniform thickness and coating it with the sauce. Make up some side bowls of dill and goat cheese to sprinkle on top of potatoes after roasting, and bang, your done until after your guest arrives. When he gets to your place, you can throw the potatoes in the oven. Then when you are almost ready to eat stick the meat in. Have a good bottle of red open and ready to go.

Warning: You better really like this guy, because he'll be hard to shake after this meal.

I ate at a wonderful resturant in Burlington right at the start of the pedistrian mall. I thought it was called the Pump Jack Cafe, but I can't seem to find a listing for that and suspect I have the name wrong. Anyway, it was a very contemporary resturant with a lively relaxed atmasphere, great New American food and fantastic wines by the glass.

Upstate they are called halfmoons. There is a bakery in Utica, I think now closed, that is credited with their invention. My current favorites are from a bakery in Auburn, NY, called Carmen's. A good halfmoon (or black and white, take your pick) is not really a cookie at all, but rather more like the top of a giant cup cake. So dry is the last thing it should be.