chowcito's Profile
Solo lunch -- enjoy bar seating, good wine
Thanks all for the recommendations -- thought I'd report back on my experience. Ended up going to Comme Ca for lunch and had a solid meal. Oysters, burger and a few cocktails, exactly what I wanted and nicely prepared -- good start to the weekend. In general I was impressed with the Cosmopolitan and their restaurant options (even if I can get most of it in NY) -- and even though its got a slightly annoying New York hipster vibe -- it's a nice retreat from the mega-hotels of the strip.
Other meals we had that were good included Craft Steak which we enjoyed immensely. Huge and varied wine list that's not found at all steak houses. Thumbs up.
Solo lunch -- enjoy bar seating, good wine
Thanks for the response guys. I hadn't thought of Emeril's but that just might work!
Looks like Sage is a dinner only place but does look pretty tasty.
Anyone have an opinion on Comme Ca?
Solo lunch -- enjoy bar seating, good wine
Arriving into Las Vegas well ahead of my friends and just in time for lunch. I'd like to sneak in a good meal by myself before everyone else arrives. Eating at the bar is a favorite pastime of mine, solo or not. That said I'd love to hear some recommendations on a place where I can have a leisurely lunch at the bar. I'm thinking multi-course and having a good wine list, not overly formal but not a glorified diner either. Staying at MGM Grand and thought l'atelier joel robuchon would be good but they're a dinner only place. Any thoughts on Comme Ca @ The Cosmopolitan? Others?
I'm not in any way tied to eating at my hotel...any suggestions for a solo diner?
El Tesoro Paradiso Tequila
I ended up buying (and sharing) this bottle with my Dad. Extremely smooth bottle and to be honest a little too round for our tastes. This isn't to say that we didn't enjoy it BUT it really lacked some of the bite that I enjoy while drinking tequila. However if you enjoy Anejo tequila you'll like this if you can get over the sticker price.
El Tesoro Paradiso Tequila
For father's day I'm considering splurging on this interesting tequila. According to my research this is an anejo that's been barrel aged in cognac barrels. Normally I don't (nor does my Dad) go for anejos -- we prefer reposados. BUT I'm thinking this might be something cool to try out. Anyone out there given this particular bottle a whirl? Care to share your impressions?
FROM EL TESORO (please excuse the superlatives)
Created by Don Felipe Camarena and Alain Royer of A. de Fussigny Cognac, this unique, handcrafted blend of 100% blue agave tequilas takes on a remarkable elegance from its distinct, Cognac-barrel aging process. Aged for 5 years, El Tesoro Paradiso® is irresistible and deliciously smooth.
Quick lunch near South Station or Commonwealth Pier?
Thanks, Yanz. Ideally seafood, in the same vein as BG Oyster. So...oysters, lobster rolls, good beer/wine selection. Prefer casual setting, though not a sports bar.
Quick lunch near South Station or Commonwealth Pier?
Any suggestions on the topic above or are we out of luck for lunch in this area?
k-cup coffee, god help me
greeting folks, the office has just purchased a k-cup machine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-Cup_Coffee#K-Cup_system) and I'm hoping we can get a decent coffee to go with it.
I'm a coffee drinker and enjoy stumptown beans at home. Anyone out there know of a decent brand that makes these k-cups?
Yes, I've googled options but am not familiar with any of these brands so suggestions are welcome!
Tulum: El Tabano - crazy good!
We were there in March/April 2009. Tabano was indeed our favorite -- our review of Tulum here:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/609047?tag=post-content-5313828;post_5313828_content
Long time, no posts on Zihua... anything Chowish there?
Thank you Dee!
We're staying close to Playa La Ropa. First time visit for both of us so any suggestions are appreciated. I'll check out Tango today.
We're intrigued by La Gula, who claims to be a Slow Food restaurant (http://restaurantelagula.com.mx/index_en.html)
Any help is appreciated!
Long time, no posts on Zihua... anything Chowish there?
Anything to report from your January trip? We'll be going in May for our honeymoon and am looking for recommendations from the upscale to the taco stand -- any and all welcome!
Our dinner line-up: Cochon, Rib Room and Pelican Club
Ended up going to Luke, Cochon, La Boca and Bacco.
Luke was nice for a relatively casual meal. The place itself pretty staid and lacking in ambiance but the food was fair and prices not outrageous.
We all loved Cochon. Ordered each of their appetizers to share. The fried oyster and bacon sandwich was incredible, also good was the oyster roast and the gator was interesting. The brisket and horseradish potato salad was a hit too.
The winner of the trip however might have been the Argentine steak place, La Boca. Fantastic steaks, absolutely top notch beef grilled to perfection. The gaucho platter with sweetbreads, sausage and empanadas was also excellent.
Bacco was just ok -- had the lobster ravioli which was nothing special.
Will be back to sample more. Wonderful city with food, drink and people to match.
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Cochon
930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130
La Boca Restaurant
857 Fulton St., New Orleans, LA 70130
Bacco Restaurant
310 Chartres Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
Our dinner line-up: Cochon, Rib Room and Pelican Club
Howdy folks, this is our potential dinner line-up for an upcoming weekend. We'll be 6 old college friends getting together for good food, drink and convivial atmosphere. During the day we'll get our fill of the more casual food New Orleans has to offer. Does this trio offer a nice snapshot of New Orleans? Any and all input on these venues would be much appreciated -- OR suggestions on other places where 6 guys can let loose with good food and drink would be welcome. Thanks in advance!
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Cochon
930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130
Pelican Club Restaurant & Bar
312 Exchange Alley, New Orleans, LA 70130
Rehearsal dinner recommendations in San Miguel de Allende
We've been to The Restaurant and think it's pretty good -- though we're hoping for Mexican food if possible. I'll check out Casa Luna too, thanks.
Anyone eaten dinner at the hotel Villa Santa Monica? It is on our list of candidates.
Rehearsal dinner recommendations in San Miguel de Allende
Hello, I'm searching for a venue in San Miguel that can accommodate 50-75 guests for a rehearsal dinner. We're kicking around the idea of having it include drinks and passed food however it'd be nice to have the option to have a sit down dinner as well. As for cuisine we'd like Mexican food - traditional or Mexican-inspired are both ok. We're both food lovers as are our guests -- looking for something with equal parts atmosphere and food/drink.
Any and all suggestions are welcome and appreciated.
Salud!
Best Resturant in Tulum
Here, here for Tabano! See my review of it and a few others here:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/609047
PHX Steak -- City Hall or Ruth's Chris OR . . . . . . .
Thanks all for the input. Can anyone compare the pricepoints at these restaurants? City Hall, BLT, Ruth's Chris, Donovan's?
PHX Steak -- City Hall or Ruth's Chris OR . . . . . . .
Howdy folks:
I'll be in town for the holidays and to celebrate a birthday. The guest of honor has requested steak and we're weighing these two options. Have heard good things about City Hall and we're also considering Ruth's Chris as a known commodity.
Looking for some locals to share their thoughts on these two OR other great steakhouses. I'll share my concerns with each of these two venues.
1) City Hall: have heard that it's a scene -- however if the steaks AND service are good I'm willing to forgive some attitude from the clientele.
2) Ruth's Chris: it's a chain and therefore might be lacking in ambiance -- and the food could be uninspired even for a steakhouse.
Thanks in advance to any and all PHX carnivores for weighing in here and helping an out-of-towner treat a birthday girl to a nice night out.
Oaxaca on Smith St.
Best mexican we've had in the neighborhood. That's not saying much but for two Mexican expats we were happy and really hope this place holds on. We ordered carnitas, asada and chicken all great. . .and tortillas were good quality.
ISO: vietnamese sandwich upper west side
UWS has some culinary chops but for lunch is a relative wasteland. Any ideas on uws vietnamese sandwiches?
Looking for good Father's Day Juice
Excellent, thanks for the recommendations!
The Onix and Rotllan I've had and like -- I'll give the l'Obac a try.
Looking for good Father's Day Juice
Howdy folks, looking to bring three or four bottles over for this weekend to share immediately. The recipient is a fan of Spanish and Italian wines with preference towards Priorat and Brunello. I'm heading to Astor Wines (NYC) to select a few bottles -- any input on the few below -- or suggestions on alternatives you've found at Astor?
Prieto Picudo "Gamonal", Pardevalles - 2006 -- have never tried this grape but it sounds unique
Brunello di Montalcino, Mastrojanni - 2003 -- have had the 99 and 01 of this and liked -- any idea how the 03 fares?
Schramsberg, Brut Rosé - 2004
TULUM REPORT
We spent four nights in Tulum and did not have a disappointing meal in this time. We did research some, thanks to this board and others and think that informed most if not all of our dining decisions. Here we go, in order:
From Cancun airport we stopped in Playa del Carmen for tacos at La Floresta. This taqueria is open air and very clean – it’s right along highway 307 on the west side of the street between Constituyentes and Juarez. The options here are tacos or tostadas (they may do ceviche too) and when we were there the fillings were: shrimp (lightly breaded and fried), fish (same, breaded and fried) and crab (shredded and in a lime and chili sauce). We tried all three with the shrimp being the standout. Each taco was $1US and made for a great way to ease into the trip. I’d give anything for a Floresta taco as I type.
Once settled in Tulum we walked from our hotel to Zamas which is a restaurant attached to a hotel with the same name on the beach. The menu was fairly eclectic and ranged from Mexican food to seafood to pasta and pizzas. (We found it odd that so many people were ordering pizza, who knew) We worried that such a range meant that they didn’t have anything worth while on the menu. Nonetheless we ordered some guacamole and quesadillas to start which served their purpose and a michelada and margarita. The tequila for the margarita was pretty bad so I might recommend calling your own tequila if you order one. For our entrees we each ordered grouper though different preparations. She had the whole fish with achiote sauce which was really good and nicely prepared – and I had the grouper steak (which they call mero) with chorizo which was nice but not as good as the whole fish which we think is their specialty. That night there was also live music playing which was a nice bonus. I recommend getting there early as the sizeable dining area was packed by the time we left at around 8:30pm. We paid around $70US for this but left satisfied.
For breakfast we usually ate at Casa Banana. They served strong and tasty coffee and made pretty good chilaquiles which we’re suckers for. Under $20 for breakfast.
Apparently the owners of Casa Banana and the adjoining hotel, Nueva Vida de Ramiro are from Argentina so every Friday they and some of their paisanos who also own a hotel in Tulum have an Argentine cookout and offer grilled ribeyes. Being the carnivores that we are we gave it a try and were not disappointed. We each got a sizable ribeye accompanied by a baked potato and some grilled onions and peppers. It was a nice convivial atmosphere. We each had a glass of wine and shared a beer and the total was around $75.
Another thing that I read about this restaurant that I really liked was that all of the proceeds from it go back to the staff – which if that really happens makes them a true model for other places in this area. The hotel, as many others along this stretch do, promote themselves as being sustainable and eco-friendly – as part of that mission they hire within the community of Tulum and seem to give back which I thought was cool.
In Tulum Pueblo we tried Don Cafeto for lunch. The menu here again, was far ranging but we had a good experience. To start we shared a ceviche mixto which was really superb and quite substantial. After we each had the arrachera (beef) tacos -- the meat and tortillas both very good. Service curt bordering on rude. . .whatever. Ran us $25 US.
For dinner we tried the much lauded El Tabano two of the nights. First off the space, which is entirely outdoors, was very charming and welcoming. The tables were spaced out nicely in a garden of local plants and some quirky sculptures strewn throughout. The owner is from Mexico City and his “mujer” as he called her from Catalonia, Spain. While everyone working here might not be related they did seem like a family as you could see them working together in the open kitchen like a normal family might for a big dinner. The menu was displayed on two large chalk boards and each of the dishes were prepared very simply but deliciously. The wine list had about 20 wines, approximately 10 red and 10 white paying homage mostly to Spain – and all bottles reasonably priced as compared to the U.S. Our first night we each again tried grouper two ways – hers ala veracruzana and mine al horno (in oven) – veracruzana was better but each were good. To start the meal we shared the jalapeno rellenos which were stuffed with chicken which I’d have again. That night we had their Priorat which we paid around $30US for – a relative bargain. And for dessert we had a bread pudding with a tangy yogurt sauce which was outstanding. The bill was $70 and would have been much less had we not splurged on the wine.
On our second night there she had the onion soup to start which was almost like a consommé and a nice surprise. I think this goes to show how wide ranging yet successful this menu is – everything simply prepared yet not pigeonholed into one type of cuisine. Anyway. . .I had the ceviche mixto which was just ok, there’s better to be had in Tulum. For wine we had an organic Rioja which was their second least expensive bottle at around $17 – drinkable but that’s it. Our entrees were for me the meatballs served in a tamarind like sauce, very good but oddly topped with potato chips which didn’t bother me but funny considering how much attention went into the rest of the meal. For her the tortilla lasagna which she loved. For dessert we had a fruit pie which was spot-on delicious. We will definitely be back next trip.
Tulum: El Tabano - crazy good!
What'd a dinner for two cost you with drinks, appetizer, tip, etc.?
All Clad Grill Pan -- Can it go into broiler?
From All-Clad:
All-Clad Nonstick Round Grill Pan:
All-Clad LTD pans have 3 layers, bonded together to ensure even heating. The pure aluminum core is fused between the extra-thick, anodized exterior and the durable, nonstick cooking surface, which won't react with food. Handles are fastened with non-corrosive rivets. Pan will never scratch, chip or peel.
What's the danger of using it in the broiler, damage to the pan?
All Clad Grill Pan -- Can it go into broiler?
The pan is partly non-stick -- does this mean I can't use it in my broiler?
New Grocery on Court St: Gourmet Fresh
Yesterday was the grand opening of the new grocery store on Court (btwn 3rd and 4th Place), Gourmet Fresh. Any initial thoughts from folks who stopped by? It's a welcome sight for people in this area as the closest grocery is either on Court/Union or Henry/Degraw. Convenience aside any thoughts on the products, prices and how they'll fit in with the locals?
