What are TJ's? I am probably going to feel really stupid when you answer.

I have made my own pancakes, virtuously, for years. Used fresh, quality ingredients. On a whim recently tried Costco's Krustees, both whole Wheat, & plain. Hey Mom, homemade is not necessarily better. In this case, not even as good. I will try some of the suggested additions. I have used vanilla, blueberries, and chocolate chips. But you have opened a whole new range of possibilities.

I am here in fascinating Roma. Due to a fortunate (for me,I think) water leak, our apartment is on Via Lorenzo il Magnific. So our window look out on a lovely courtyard with orange trees & singing birds. But a different location re food. We walked past Ristorante da Franco last night. Anyone know about it. Of course we will still walk to Via Padova. And we are in walking distance of Tiburnia Statione. So the world is ours! I will post as I try different places. Grazia.
A

We will travel by train to Hadrian's Villa, will try Sibilla, thanks for the report.

We will definitly go to this area, really want to do somethings the kids will enjoy. I have been reading so much, beginning to get a little Italy drunk, even without vino. We leave Italy mid June, but hoping to have wild strawberries. My first trip to Rome, about 10 years ago, in a somewhat touristic restaurant, we had those tiny flavorful strawberries. I realized the effort that went into that preparation and thus the emphasis on food in Italy. We get giant strawberries at the supermarket which have absolutely no flavor, be it June or December.
Thanks for the help!

What a great review, loved reading it. All this makes me so excited about my upcoming trip (less than two weeks away!) The discussion about under/overcooked vegetables is quite interesting. Living and growing up in the southern part of America, all veggies were cooked to be soft AND well seasoned. Still love that taste. This discussion reminds me of comparing green beans cooked with bacon and onions until the very soft beans absorb the flavor of both. Or small tender green beans sauteed in oil and butter, still very crisp and sweet. They are both delicious, just two completely different tastes.

I am from rural Kentucky. So my accent is more hillbilly than southern. But I found in traveling internationally my attempts at native languages prompts the natives to speak Englsh!, This trip will differ in that we will be staying in a non tourist area. Two weeks from tomorrow. Yahoo!

Wow! Any food post that gets this many replies makes me so excited about my five weeks in Rome next month. All this passion about food. What a city this must be. I hope I get to meet some of you regular posters. Wear name tags.

Thank you so much. This is exactly the info I wanted. I want to become a regular at these places. Will I be handicapped in this area by my motto umpo Italian? And my very southern (country) accent? Although we southerners are very friendly. And in the past I have found Italians to be the same.

I have tried to search for posts but all I find are for the region of Bologna. How can I find the posts I want?

We will be staying on Via Padova. One of the apartments recommended by a local. My many books tell me it is a good area, but nice to hear again. My earlier trips to Rome were not during the high season, so tourist free may be very important. Since this is the first trip for most of my family, we will brave the highly touristed area but will be ready to come home to a residential area.

I defintely want the kids to go on train trips to see some of the countryside. I am considering Spello for one of those trips. I was there before for a day and fell in love with it. I live in a very small town too. Meals there?
Thanks!

One of our party will be working-hence the length of our stay. He has previously worked there for a period of time, and says that the food in cafeteria is very good. But I think he will be happy to try out some restaurants also. He too loves Italian food. For the most part I think we will follow your routine of" eating in" for our dinner. The wonderful luxury of a kitchen!

David Downie has a very helpful page on the area - markets, etc. But I feel the need for some recs from Chow. There is also a very interesting section on the area in "Rome the Second Time". I will also look for the Gambero Rosso Rome guide - where? Amazon? When packing, I will have to make the dreadful decison as to which of this stack of books I am accumulating will travel with me. Fortunately some are on my small e-reader..
Thanks so much for your reply.
Grazie!

Thank you much for the thoughtful reply. Love the idea of making purchases at the markets and food shops I have lusted over when staying in hotels. And had not thought of the late dining hours for the boys. However, at least part of the time, my family will be all adults. So then we will try the wine bars and the more formal restaurants. I told the boys that Romans llike children so expect to be cossetted at times if they are well mannered. We are all studying conversational Italian with somewhat mixed results. It is difficult for those of us with southern accents to roll those rrrrrrs!

As for sightseeeing, I have found old Rome mindboggling,it is truly incredible. But I will probably people watch from a cafe while they tour the colosseum.

I am still waiting for info about the Bologna area of Rome. According to my information, it is a middle class suberb, no tourists, but quick access to the center by public transport. There must be some good places to eat there. Surely some hounds know. Also, we are open to 1-2 hour bus trips out of Rome, which could be food destinations.
Thanks again, I always enjoy your posts.

We are spending five (5!) weeks in an apartment near Piazza Bologna, from mid May to mid June. I have been in Rome three times before, but shorter times, and never with a kitchen, although not my own fully furnished kitchen. I am a decent cook, not a chef. I have loved the food on my prior trips to Italy and look forward to taking advantage of the markets and the season in which we will be there. But will not be tied to my kitchen.
“We” includes a changing cast, at most, four adults and two boys, 13 and 10. We will take shorter train or bus trips out of Roma. Our budget is somewhat limited (such a long time!) but we are up for a few splurges. And we are all adventurous eaters. Sightseeing is good, good food is better.
Really looking forward to living with and like the natives, hoping to make friends.
I am doing lots of research. Reading Fred Plotkin, David Downie, Dianne Seed. And, as always, travel with Rich Steves. I have the apps – Eat Food (Elizabeth Minchilla), Rome (Flaminia), Rome Dream of Italy (Kathy McCabe), Rome Foodie (Katie Parla), and my latest, Rome Trips, discussing sights and restaurants within two hours of Rome.
And, of course, I regularly read Chowhound!
It appears that there are great places to eat more inexpensively outside of the city center. I see many recommendation for the center, which we will use when sightseeing, but few for the area in which we will live. I am interested in all types of food resources – open markets, supermarkets, bakeries, deli-type stores, cheese, wine----I am drunk at the prospect!
I would also like suggestions for a cookbook to take, or buy there. Something not so time consuming as Marcella Hazan, tho I may bring that.

Whew! Appreciate help from you all.
Nora

Several family members and I are fortunate to be spending five weeks in Rome this Spring, beginning mid May. We will be staying in an apartment with kitchen in the Bologna area, close to the Piazza Bologna. I have been in Rome several times, but never for so long and never with a kitchen. I am interested in good, relatively inexpensive restaurants in the area as well as shopping (food) opportunities. Have always had wonderful food in Italy. What foods are particularly in season at this time, so I can search recipes.
Thanks for any help.
Nora

So glad to know about T and F. In a new city, location can be a plus factor. I had considered Cafe Ferreira,, so F is a real possibility. I am considering canceling ADPC in favor of this. No comments here on a5c. Which should I cancel?

Hey, hate to be ignorant, but what are T and F?

What about Kazu? Read wonderful reviews although it does not fit either of my categories.

The two of us will be in Montreal for Thursday and Friday nights, September 23 and 24. Flight is to arrive at 4PM. I have reservations for Thursday night at AuPied de Cochon and Friday night at Au Cinqueme Peche, wanting some typical Quebec experience and also French food. We plan to spend Friday (morning anyway and maybe longer) at the Jean-Talon market. We are staying at the Hyatt on Jeanne Mance.
Does this sound like a good plan? Having read some semi-bad reveiws (maybe mediocre would be a better description) of APDC, I am having second thoughts. My husband is a lighter eater and would probably have fish, but I was planning the duck in the can. Do not want to waste a meal on least than great!
Certainly want to sight see in the old town. Any reccomendations for lunch/brunch there on Saturday? Is there anyplace good close to the hotel? Must try the bagels and Schwartz?
Open to suggestions.

We will be in Montreal for two days and nights. Staying on Jeanne Mance Street (Hyatt). We like all types of food, but since we will have such a short time, would like to try some uniquely Montreal food. Husband loves any seafood. We will have one day in Quebec, so would like a noon meal (dinner?) there. We plan to go to jean tolun (spelling) market and could eat in that area once. Help?

Thanks for the good advice, two weeks til our trip, counting down. We will definitely bring a cooler to bring back some of the good local food. Any more suggestions?

We are definitely foodies and are looking forward to Jungle Jim and Findlays. Now we can add Party Source to that list.

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Jungle Jim's Cafe
1923 N Peoria Rd, Springfield, IL 62702

Planning a week in Cincinnati. We will be staying downtown, but with GPS have the ability to find different areas. We want locally owned restaurants. Is goetta a specialty at certain places or it it the same everywhere? Love reading chow, first post!