Group in Downtown Portland, separate checks

There MUST be something, Chowhounds! Anyone have any ideas? The group is likely to only be around 10 or fewer people.

hc489 in Metro Portland

Group in Downtown Portland, separate checks

We're the program committee for a convention coming to Downtown Portland (Hilton Towers) in February. We'd like to set up some informal dinners for conference attendees to join in. Requirements: walking distance from Hilton Towers downtown. Ability and willingness to do separate checks since everyone will get reimbursed by their respective companies.

Ideas please?

Thanks,
Lontime Chowhound (formerly from CA & NYC boards)

hc489 in Metro Portland

Arriving by Ducati - 50th bday dinner in Westside, San Fernando Valley or in between

Thanks everyone. We ended up at Bouchon in Beverly Hills and frankly were disappointed. I will be checking out all the other suggestions though, starting with La Cachette. (We haven't been there for 10 years!)

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La Cachette
Little Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90067

hc489 in Los Angeles Area

Casual Dinner San Fernando Valley

Don't be fooled by the multiple locations of these spots:

If your vegetarian friend can deal with a limited seafood/fish menu, (salmon salad only?), Versailles Cuban is the place that I crave now that I've moved away. We hit this place everytime we visit LA.

Jerry's Famous Deli is a proper Jewish deli. Yum. Could really use a matzo ball soup and a reuben right now. Never been disappointed with anything here.

And again, if you consider "roy's" a chain. It's not the best meal I've had but it's fun, casual, and located in the SFV. If you haven't figured it out yet, SFV is not exactly the food mecca of SoCal.

hc489 in Los Angeles Area

Private Chef

I appreciate all the fancy posts since I love good food. But how about some options for a private chef that aren't so pricy? Does great food fit for a foodie have to be at Iron Chef prices?

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Iron Chef Cafe
4275 E Concours Dr Suite 130, Ontario, CA 91764

hc489 in Los Angeles Area

HELP! Inexpensive Sunday activity (brunch or other) for 25-40 people in San Fernando Valley?

Help please!

We're flying in for a 90th bday and need to figure out an activity for the Sunday following the big party or else my mother-in-law will stress herself out trying to host a last-minute brunch for 30 people at her house.

Ideally, we would go somewhere that is active KID-friendly (ages 1.5 to 8) so nowhere they have to sit still with ties on for 1n hour, but not cheesy Appleb**s type chain food. Real food please.

We thought of Warner Center Marriott but it's preposterously expensive. We could be anywhere between 25 and 40 people; I just don't have a spare $1500...

OR a catered picnic?

Or something else?

We tried PEtersen's Car museum for their kids birthday packages but they're booked on Sunday.

Thanks!

hc489 in Los Angeles Area

Arriving by Ducati - 50th bday dinner in Westside, San Fernando Valley or in between

Wow! This is all super. Am in the process of checking these places out. Have nice memories of La Cachette so that is a great idea too. Have been to Morimoto's sushi bar in Boca (saw the master himself!) but I haven't been to Nobu so that is always a possibility... Will check out the others...

Another recommendation was Bouchon in Beverly Hills. Thoughts?

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La Cachette
Little Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90067

Nobu
11357 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

hc489 in Los Angeles Area

Arriving by Ducati - 50th bday dinner in Westside, San Fernando Valley or in between

It's my husband's 50th birthday. I'm going to surprise him with a Ducati rental so we can take a ride and then have dinner. Suggestions for a really yummy dinner at the nicest place we can arrive in motorcycle gear? Granted - it's a Ducati, but that means I won't be in a dress).

We'll leave from the San Fernando Valley. Favorite riding areas include PCH, Mulholland, etc. I considered Saddleback but didn't love it. Maybe something in Santa Monica, Venice, Marina Del Rey? That would make for a nice ride through the canyon...

hc489 in Los Angeles Area

Eugene, OR: open new year's day/evening?

Thanks everyone. I've officially lived here over a year now and have tried many of the places you've suggested. Boy, you're all right: Eugene's food scene sucks.

(For New year's, we ended up cooking at home!)

The best Chinese food in town is in my house. No point in eating out. In fact, the only Chinese place I can tolerate is Panda Express. I mean, at least you know what you're getting. It's pretty sad.

The one place we go often is Marche. My son does great there; in fact, it's one of his favorite restaurants. Other places we like are Newmans' on Coburg, and Provisions for pizza. And the Excelsior.

We'll have to try Full Boat / Fisherman's market.

Thanks again!

hc489 in Pacific Northwest

easy dinners in PDX?

We come to Portland about one weekend a month, staying in the Riverplace area. We have yet to find an easy, dependable dinner spot. Suggestions?

What we're looking for:
* Easy, casual/casual upscale
* Reservations accepted but not required
* sit-down place. no food carts please
* prefer quieter places
* fast-ish service. (1 hour dinner, not 3)

What we're not looking for:
* No diners or dives please
* No "reservations only", booking months ahead type places
* No stand in line and wait - I know it might be worth it, but that's usually only if you don't have a starving toddler in tow.
* Not fast food
* Not totally fancy - we're looking for the "can go anytime and are sure to find something for everyone menu."
* no buffets
* Not too spendy
* No "kids friendly," type places that mean grilled Velveeta on white bread kind of places. The kid knows how to eat; why should we all suffer?
* No

Who we are:
2 Incurable foodies, with a well-behaved 3-year-old foodie-in-training and another on the way. Our son is an adventurous eater and loves food, but doesn't do well so well with Thai.
Plus I'm pregnant so can't eat at delis (nitrates) or salad bars (listeria), peanut products. Otherwise, fairly omnivorous.

Where we've been:
* Three Degrees - at the Riverplace. It's convenient and good, but too fancy for the pregnancy stomach. And a bit on the spendy side.
* Cafe Broder - good, but need more variety for what we're looking for. Plus it's so hot in the summer.
* Newport Seafood Grill - didn't like it. The quality just isn't there.
* Salty's - didn't like it. my salmon was fishy and overpriced for what it is.
* Bread & Ink - great vibe - that's the kind of place we're looking for, but with perhaps a broader menu? Food could be just a tad better too.
* Wong's King for dim sum - just not like in SF, despite what people say. except for the long wait times. haven't been for dinner.
* some Japanese place in the Pearl - can't remember the name, but it had a bar, a bunch of tables, a sake barrel outside and a few tatami rooms. It was decent, but not a staple.

Out-of-town references:
For those of you who know these places, we'd LOVE a place like this:
* 17th Street Cafe, in Santa Monica on Montana Avenue
* The Barking Dog, in NYC in the upper east side

hc489 in Pacific Northwest