PaulaK's Profile
Best Sunday Brunch?
Can you toss out good brunch recommendations, please? I have booked Balthazar but am open to suggestions.
Your Go-To Favorites
My family and I go to the city several times a year to visit my nephew. Always looking for a good, solid restaurant (any meal), preferably with a little atmosphere, reliable food and service and not necessarily frequented by tourists. Not too high end, for dinner entrees no higher than high $20s. Brunch spots welcome, too. No price fixed. Any cuisine but not too out there, a menu that will appeal to the average guest with a moderately sophisticated palate. Where do you go often where you' always leave sated and happy?? Thanks!
Recommendations for Albuquerque?
What a wonderfully comprehensive response - thanks so much.,
Recommendations for Albuquerque?
Thanks Jerry, as it happens I am a Rhode Islander as well. Do you miss weiners, Del's and coffee milk? Thanks for responding.
Recommendations for Albuquerque?
Headed to Albuquerque for the first time, looking for your favorite restaurant recommendations! Ideas for all three meals are welcome. We are New Englanders with a mild palette so places with some less than spicy offerings would be great. Not to $$, and places with character especially. Thanks!
Fried Clams on the Cape?
I'm going to the Brewster area today, then heading back to Providence. Looking for awesome seafood (not that I can't get it in RI, but want to try out the competition). Any reqs?
Short trip to Providence, what can't be missed?
Ok, my two cents.
Skip Al Forno. Yes, it's been written up in Bon Appetit, Gourmet, blah blah blah. It's not all that, even though my niece waitressed there and loads of celebs came in, including Hillary Clinton. They are resting on their laurels and I have a tough time justifying $29 for a pork chop.
Also skip Gracie's. I have boycotted this ever since I got a cheese plate to share with 4 people for $15 and each piece of cheese (5 in all) was the size of a quarter.
Yes, have a weiner and if you want to sound like a local, order it "all the way" (it'll come with onions, mustard, meat sauce and celery salt). Have a Del's frozen lemonade too, while you're at it.
Ok, restaurants that fit your bill.. RiRa is a fun, upscale Irish pub. 10 Prime Steak and Sushi is a great steak place, as is Prime (which Bill Clinton happens to like). On Federal Hill, which you can walk to, I very much like Meditteraneo and Pane e Vino. Angelo's is no frills and serves ravioli homemade across the street (this was Dustin Hoffman's favorite restaurant when he was filming in RI). Pastiche is cozy for dessert and Cafe Dolce Vita is sleek - different but both good. For fun casual, I love Cuban Revolution.
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Cafe Dolce
5 Coggswell St, Pawcatuck, CT 06379
Bon Appetit Cafe
5 River Rd, Wilton, CT 06897
Visiting Newport in late August....
Not on your list is Eveyln's Drive In, which has a gorgeous setting on the water, with an upscale "shack" atmosphere, if that's possible. I am a lobster salad lover and generally a purist, but they make it with just meat and bun and melted butter and it's heaven. (It was featured on Drive Ins, Diners and Dives and the video is on the restaurant's website but do NOT get the lobster chow mein). Consider driving down the road into Narragansett, the food is just as good, less pretentious and less expensive. Aunt Carrie's is a favorite, very no frills but it doesn't get any fresher (I saw a former RI governer having dinner, the last time I was there). If you want to stay in Newport, skip the Red Parrot, it's good but not for seafood. The Black Pearl is great but noisy and again, not somewhere I'd head for seafood. My sister-in-law grew up near Flo's and says that's fabulous, so consider that. Keep in mind the word "shack" does not mean "cheap", you're going to pay for lobster no matter where you have it.
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Red Parrot
348 Thames St, Newport, RI 02840
Aunt Carrie's Restaurant
1240 Ocean Rd, Narragansett, RI 02882
Group Birthday Dinner In RI
That's funny, I just went to Cafe Itri and I liked it very much. I can also recommend RiRa in Providence,, the upscale Irish pub, that's got a fun atmosphere. On Federal Hill, I like Pane e Vino and Casserino's has an upstairs room for small gatherings
Lunch in Sharon, MA
Going to a performance at the Unitarian Church in Sharon, about 20 miles from me in RI, and looking for a nice place for lunch. Just about anything but Mexican would be great. Thanks!
Lunch in Sharon, MA?
Going to a performance at the Unitarian Church in Sharon, about 30 minutes from me in RI and wondering if anyone knows a nice spot for lunch. Burgers, seafood, just about anything but Mexican would be great.
Suggestions for a First Time Visitor?
Looking for your favorite places for lunch and great spots for dinner, as well as snack places that might be "don't miss". No Mexican or sushi, please. Local steak place would be great!
Saturday Brunch?
Looking for a nice spot for brunch on a Saturday. We'll be in the theater district for something ending at 10:30 a.m. and returning to the theater district for a 2 p.m. matinee but there's enough time in between to venture out, so any suggestions are welcome.
Dining Near Lincoln Center?
I have tickets to the Met for a Friday evening and am looking for a place for dinner, nearby. Am considering Cafe Luxembourg but looking for other options. Would be great if entrees were under $20. Thanks!
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Cafe Luxembourg
200 W 70th St, New York, NY 10023
Lunch Near MOMA?
Adult nephew and I heading over to MOMA Friday, looking for a good place for lunch. We'll be coming from the Battery Park area so somewhere between is ok too, not necessary next to MOMA. He's mid 20s so something with a little funk would be fun, but just a great burger works too. Thanks!
Good Reasonable Italian?
There are at least 5 of us for dinner, maybe a couple more. Maybe $20 per entree? The Luna partly owned by Mario Batalli, is the one I'm referring to. Thanks for your help!
Good Reasonable Italian?
Looking for a great Italian restaurant anywhere in the city that will not break the bank. Had hoped for Carmine's but they are booked solid. Not a fan of Becco. Heard good/bad about Luna. Any recommendations, please?
Lunch in the Village
My nephew lives on 12th, dropping him back home from Christmas tomorrow. Looking for somewhere in that area to have lunch, somewhere a little offbeat maybe? Any ideas?
Favorite Restaurants in Sausalito? Around Pier 39?
Will be spending the afternoon either in Sausalito or in the Pier 39 area, looking for a good place for lunch or dinner. Open to anything, no Mexican, sushi or Chinese though. Looking for something perhaps outside the box in terms of atmosphere and uniqueness (think fun, as opposed to elegant). Thanks!
Lunch in San Jose
I'll be visiting the Winchester House and will be looking for somewhere for lunch. Some place with a little atmosphere (and we'll have a 10 year old girl with us). Maybe Italian, upscale burgers, something like that. Thanks!
WEEKEND IN PROV
For your non-casual night, Pot Au Feu was Julia Child's favorite French restaurant (there's a salon upstairs, more dressy, and the bistro downstairs). Also, New Rivers is great (my friend's favorite restaurant). Hemenways is great for seafood. Cappriccio (I may have that spelling wrong) is often voted "best restaurant for a first date" and I've always had good meals there. Cafe Nuovo (another bad spelling) was the favorite haunt of Providence's former (federally indicted) mayor! You say no steak place but 10 Prime Steak and Sushi is very good. For casual, your Broadway choices are fine, but Ri Ra is a great, fun Irish-themed restaurant. For lunch, I'm a fan of Cuban Revolution! Another person responded Gracie's, but i have to say I boycott Gracie's after 4 of us split a $15 cheese plate and there were 4 cheeses, all the size of a quarter. I am ok spending money for dinner but I can't stand a pretentious meal.
Just about every place I mentioned, aside from the salon at Pot au Feu, you can probably get away with jeans or other casual attire.
Upscale in SF (But Not Too!)
I will be taking a friend and his wife to dinner when I stay with them this summer at their home in Mill Valley. Will want to take them to a nice place. They are not particularly fancy people but obviously I want to spend a little $$. Perhaps upscale Italian or Mexican, if there is such an animal nearby? Or just a great place for a steak, maybe?
Restaurants near Pawtucket?
There's not a whole lot in Pawtucket. On the Massachusetts line is a restaurant called Spumoni's that I have been going to for years. It's American/Italian/seafood food, nothing fancy but always good. It's on Newport Avenue. Also there is a little Italian restaurant called Bella Pasta that is run by a chef who worked in the North End of Boston and that's quite good (on Benefit Street). These are both reasonable. But as another responder replied, your best bet is to cross the city line and head into Providence and oh my, there's a wide assortment of wonderful places for you. There's a fabulous Thai place called Apsara on Hope Street. There's choice after choice on Federal Hill, as well as Wickenden Street (which has two good pizza places, Pizza Pie-er and Fellini's, and I knew there's a Japanese place or two on that street). Federal Hill has a no frills pizza place called Casserta's that's a landmark - try a wimpy skippy! For BBQ, the area's a little iffy but you can't beat Wes' Rib House (conveniently open until 4 a.m.!), Downtown Providence has Cuban Revolution with great pressed sandwiches. I'm a chowder fan too but I'm blanking on who's got a really good one. As for Stanley's - yup, that's another landmark and open until 2 a.m., I think, on weekends.
Dahlia Lounge/Pink Door/Assiaggio/Wild Ginger!
Going to Seattle this weekend; being taken out to the Dahlia Lounge. Any reqs as to what's good? I know the menu changes daily. Pink Door, Assiaggio and Wild Ginger are my choices for my other meals; how are these places? Again, any reqs? Thanks!
Breakfast in Times Square
I am looking for somewhere to have breakfast prior to heading over to TKTS on Wednesday. It does not have to be gourmet, just good and a good price. We'll have plenty of time so it can be a brisk walk away. Any suggestions are helpful! Thanks!
Eating Out in Seattle
I won a trip to Seattle! Looking for places for all three meals, and looking for some character as well as good food. Would be great if they weren't wildly expensive, too. Any ideas are welcome!
Reqs for Christmas Gift/Restaurant Certificate?
This is a very good suggestion; thanks!
Reqs for Christmas Gift/Restaurant Certificate?
I'd like to get my nephew a certificate to a restaurant in Manhattan, for Christmas. It would be for $100 so I'd like it if that could come close to covering a meal for two. It doesn't have to be upscale as much as a cool spot you've enjoyed and recommended to others, with good food and service. American or European cuisine would probably be best, unless you know of a place that's just fabulous. Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks!
Weekend booked in Newport, RI
The Red Parrot isn't seafood, necessarily, but certainly a reasonably priced restaurant in a sea of expensive ones. The Salvation Cafe is decorated with Salvation Army finds and as such is quirky and fun inside; again, not just seafood, and entrees about $22 or so. Remember the further you get away from Thames Street, the more prices go down. Also, Purini's (spelling?), Italian (still no seafood, sorry!) is great and not a wallet breaker. As a rule Narragansett is cheaper than Newport, if you want to take a little drive one night.
Help, please! Dinner after Sunday matinee
I will be seeing a show tomorrow afternoon and am looking for a place for dinner around 6:30. Does not have to be theater district, and would prefer non-Asian/seafood. It will be me and my young-20s niece and nephews, so it would be great if it had a little atmosphere. Looking for entrees around $25 - less is just fine, of course, not looking for high falutin'. At this point it will have to take walk-ins, as making reservations has proved fruitless but of course we'll wait as long as necessary. Do you have any smaller, kinda secret spots - or bigger, not so secret spots - that are just good food with a flair, you'd care to share? Thanks so much!
