Glad to see this thread has some interesting dialogue going on. I guess there can be different interpretations of the questions, but I just copied exactly from the LA board. Looking forward to reading more replies. Hope everyone stays "cool" this weekend.

I saw this posted on the Los Angeles Board and thought it might be fun to try on our board.

The questions:

1. SD restaurants everybody loves but you (either actively dislike or think is overrated.)

2. SD restaurants nobody loves (either actively derides or just doesn't know about) but you.

3. SD restaurants everybody loves that you also love.

4. SD restaurants everybody loves that you've never been to.

For me:

#1 Bencotto - I only ate their once, but I must have either ordered the wrong thing or they were having a bad night. It wasn't terrible, but I didn't love it.
I also need to mention Searsucker, as our meal was terrible and overpriced.

#2 - Trattoria I Trulli (Encinitas) - I never see this restaurant mentioned. They make the best lasagna I've ever had and I love their bur-rata.
Mi Ranchito - Amazing taco shop in PQ that I never see mentioned. Fresh seafood and quality ingredients.

#3 - Farmhouse Cafe, Sushi Ota, Market, Trulucks, Sea Rocket Bistro

#4 - Kitchen 1540, Georges on the Cove, Mariscos German Truck

We ended up going to Ombra. Overall, I thought it was very good and reasonably priced. I had the Octopus salad and the Squid Ink Risotto. The salad was a bit too salty, but enjoyable. The risotto was really good and I would get again. The corkage fee was $13 and they waive it if you also buy a bottle from their menu. Thank you for the recommendation.

Thank you for the recommendations. We have been to Carnival and love it. I definitely will consider The Six and Raphael. Both seem to have nice menus. Much appreciated.

My wife and I are driving up to the Valley this weekend from San Diego and are looking for recommendations of a fun restaurant with good quality food that isn't too expensive to go with some friends. Ideally, $30-40 per person (we will bring wine). We come up to LA every couple months and usually hit up one of the many great Sushi spots. This time we are looking for something new and fun to try where maybe the chef is putting out some unique dishes. We are open to all kinds of food (Italian, French, Asian, Mexican, American, etc...) and are very adventurous. We will be driving in from Agoura, but are open to anything in Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Encino, Sherman Oaks and even Studio City. Any suggestions? I've been searching the boards, but haven't seen anything jump out. Thanks in advance.

Thanks. You are correct about some restaurants being more receptive than others. We visited Cowboy Star a couple years ago and I must have been on an off night. I have read so many good reviews on this board that I've been meaning to try it again. I will give them a call.
How was the dinner at Arterra? I haven't been in over a year.
Thanks again.

I am looking for some suggestions for wine friendly restaurants that will allow a group of 8-10 of us bring our own wine for a special meal?
We recently had one of these dinners at Farmhouse Cafe in the private room upstairs and it was a fantastic evening. Rochelle and Chef Olivier went above and beyond to make the whole night memorable. They allowed us to bring as many bottles of wine as we wanted and even paired them with special dishes that they created for the evening.
We will definitely be going back to Farmhouse again, but I was looking for some other suggestions to try. One of the couples does not eat meat or shellfish, but everyone else is eager to try new and interesting wine friendly dishes. We have been to and enjoyed Amaya, Market and Flavor recently (we live in North County). We understand we would need to pay a corkage fee, but many restaurants frown on tables bringing more than 2-3 bottles.
Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

We just got back from 6 glorious nights at the St. Regis. I would agree that Kauai is definitely not a food destination island, but the beauty and majestic quality of the island will keep me coming back for many years to come. Our highlights included:
- The Tavern at The Princeville Golf Course - Amazing shrimp and grits and fried chicken. The hamburger also looked really good, but we didn't have the chance to order it. It's nothing fancy and the prices are pretty reasonable compared to other places nearby.
- Bar Acuda - This was a really fun tapas restaurant with a nice moderately priced wine list. We loved the Duck confit, smoked salmon pizza and Ono.
- Tahiti Nui - Didn't eat there, but I everyone told us they loved the pizza's, but you have to go just for the Mai Tai's...They were the best on the island hands down.
- Pats Taco Truck - Wow! The carne asada quesadilla was better than most I've had here in San Diego. Worth going just for this.
- The Garden Cafe in Kilauea - This is an amazing place to go for breakfast or lunch. Probably the best "foodie" restaurant we found. All local and organic ingredients. The pork eggs benedict with pineapple was fantastic and very filing. The restaurant is in a beautiful garden inland from the main road.
- Kauai Grill - We celebrated our 10th Anniversary here and were not disappointed. Yes, the prices are higher than you would pay for a similar meal on the mainland, but it's Kauai and really the only fine dinning option. We loved the grilled black pepper octopus, the crispy poached eggs with caviar and vodka creme fraiche as appetizers and the Veal Chop as the main. They went above and beyond to help us celebrate this wonderful day.
Some of the disappointments included:
- Postcards Cafe - Had really high hopes, but our fish came overcooked and the serving staff was not very present.
- St. Regis Bar - We loved the setting and view, but the sushi was beyond overpriced for what it should be. It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't anything special. The best item was the Wagyu sliders.
There were a number of places that we wanted to try, but didn't have time to. One of my recommendations if you are staying at the St. Regis is definitely go to FoodLand or another local grocery store to buy breakfast, snacks and alcohol. Those items can be pricey at the hotel and it will save you money to splurge on dinners and island activities.

The Wall was absolutely amazing. The visuals and effects were just beyond anything I've seen at a concert. I'm not a huge fan of seeing shows at the Sports Arena. Parking is terrible, bathroom lines are long and the concession options need updating. That said, they have tried to improve the acoustics as best they can. It's better then I remember it being, but I would much rather see a show like this at Cricket Wireless.

Thanks Fake Name. We went to Sessions Public and it was great. The bacon lollipops were awesome and they have a really nice selection of beers on tap. Our bartender was very knowledgeable and offered some great recommendations. Some items that stood out were the Duck fat Fries (way better then Searsucker) and the Crabcakes. I would like to go back and try the burger and a few other things on the menu. I appreciate the suggestions. The concert was also amazing. Roger Waters performed The Wall. Great evening.

We are going to a concert tonight and I was looking for a fun place to grab dinner and some drinks before the show that is within walking distance. My first thought is Phill's, but wanted to know if anyone had any other suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Has anyone try the new tasting menus at WD-50 yet? I believe they just changed the menu this week and are offering two tasting options. We have a reservation next Saturday and I'm excited to see what new dishes are.

Is Nobu closed for good or are they just relocating? Does anyone know? I love the sushi at Nobu. Some of the freshest fish and sitting with Nobu was always a lot of fun.

Blue Ribbon pizza in Encinitas is amazing.

Kathryn, yes, $35pp for just food. I was also hoping to find a restaurant with a nominal corkage fee ($10-$15/bottle) as I would love to pick up some good wine at a local store. Thanks so much.

My wife and I will be in Manhattan for a couple nights mid-May.
I already have a reservation for WD-50 on Saturday night.
We are meeting my wife's friends, who are not foodies, for dinner on a Sunday night and for some reason they asked me to pick the place. We are staying near Times Square, but I am open to eating anywhere within a 15 min taxi ride. I know they aren't looking to spend a lot on food (maybe $20-$35/person), but I still want to try something memorable. I was thinking of Italian or Asia, which I know gives me endless options. My wife's friends will be coming in from Westchester, so that's something to consider as well. Any recommendations? Thanks in advance.