at this point, we are not really looking for romantic- just better food and shorter wait times!

Which would you pick for a date with the husband?

If a group showed up at 11 am, would we have to wait over an hour? haven't been in many years.
Thanks

An out of town friend just announced a last minute visit and is requesting Italian. We want to stay downtown. These two places have reservations available. I have eaten at Falai Paneteria and like it; Cacio e Pepe was on my list of to go places but never made it and can't find any new reviews. Has anyone been to either of them? Which one would you choose?

Thanks everyone! Hoping the weather will cooperate now!

We'll be visiting Portland with two 5 year olds, and we are looking for places with great food where we can take them. We have a sitter so we can go to Le Pigeon and Ned Ludd, but would love suggestions particularly for lunch and trucks. Keen on finding places that have interesting food but also something that kids will eat- these are pretty ok eaters, will have veggies, new stuff etc but we need places where, for example, not EVERYTHING is spicy. Does that eliminate Pok Pok? What truck / pod would you recommend? And what about donuts?
Thanks!

Yeah, 4th and Mission. Thanks- i'll look into these options.

Yes, it is for a work lunch. We really don't have much time, so it can't be too far from the meeting site (Marriot). I'll look into your suggestions, thanks.

If pressed to choose between mediocre hotel food (chicken Marsala and baked pasta kind of thing) or John's Grill, what would you choose? I am realizing the dearth of options around US is a serious problem, so I think those might be my choices. Any input would be very appreciated.

Hi,

We are looking for a place where we can host a working lunch with the following characteristics:
- Walking distance (short!) from Union Square- hopefully 4 or 5 blocks top
- We will have a group of Cuban who like their hearty food- meat, lobster etc
- Can accommodate a group of 1o people
- is relatively quiet
- It's delicious :)

Though is not as Brooklyn Commune hasn't been 'discovered', we had dinner there last night and I wanted to spread the voice about the pretty good choices they had. I didn't know they do a plate of 3 "sides" for $10, and they had yummy options such as sesame chicken wings, thai sweet/spicy meatballs, papas rellenas, hominy cakes with shishito peppers, roasted kale, and a delicious bok choy, shiitake and dried plum salad with cashews (warm). It was a ton of food for a very reasonable price, and it's so easy with the kiddos. I hadn't been there for dinner much and was happy to see the choices. Open until 9 pm.

I meant food wise. With kids I find often the less formal the better. But something more unique than a taqueria would be appreciated by my hubby for how only meal in town ( no that we don't love a good taco!)

I'll be in sf in a couple of weeks. I have reservations at Zunni, Slanted Door and delfina I am also trying to get a seat at Frances. My husband and daughter will join me for one night, and I am looking for a place to have dinner with them. Hopefully not too far from Union Square, but delicious so my hubbie won't hate me for what I will eat before. Naturally Mexican seems like the obvious choice! But any suggestions for something a bit more special but where we can bring our 4 year old would be great.

thanks. I am already going to Slanted Door. i was looking at Eater- any input on Bar Agricole or Canteen?

I will be in SF at the end of May (22-25), and I am looking for a restaurant that:
- I can make reservations for 3 after 7:30 pm at this point
- I can access by public transportation from Union Square
- I'm not looking for fancy, but rather innovative, unique etc. Something I won't find in NY!
- It's awesome but isn't pre-fix $160 per person kind of thing.

i know I should be doing research but maybe you guys can give me some entry points? Please!!

We are landing in Miami on Wednesday from NY, and would like to have dinner somewhere where we can have latkes or other Hanukkah-appropriate food. We have a well behaved 4 year old with us, so it doesn't have to be fancy. Any suggestions? We'll be staying in Coconut Grove but willing to travel within reasonable distances.

Thanks! I'll check it out

My daughter asks every morning if there are arepas, but we just don't make it enough to Jackson Heights, where I usually buy them. I saw them at Fairway last month, but wondering people know of any other Latino store, supermarket or bakery that sells them so I can freeze at home. Thanks!

Husband and I will be in AQ on Friday night on our way to Lightning Fields and after much board search, we had chosen Casa Vieja for dinner. But we just saw the wall collapsed and it's closed! So, any suggestions for a similar place? We would like a place that a) is open for dinner at 8 pm or so, b) offer some NM dishes, c) it's good!!

We'll be staying at Parq Central but we'll travel for the right place. Please help!

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Casa Vieja
4541 Corrales RD, Corrales, NM 87048

Thanks so much! Great info.

OK- please mark your TOP choice for DINNER from the following:

Abuelita's New Mexican Kitchen
Barelas Coffee House
Casa de benavidez
Cervantes -
Duran's Central Pharmacy
El Patio New Mexican/SW
El Modelo Mexican Foods
Frontier
Los Cuates New Mexican
Sadies

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Barelas Coffee House
1502 4th St SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

Los Cuates
4901 Lomas Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110

El Modelo Mexican Foods
1715 2nd St SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

yes! Thanks. I am intrigued by Frontier, Ezra and Casa Vieja. How far is the drive from the airport to Casa Vieja? Would you recommend that over more 'traditional' NM places given that my husband has never had NM food?

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Casa Vieja
4541 Corrales RD, Corrales, NM 87048

thanks everyone for the recs. I am definitively looking for a place where we can eat closer to 8 pm! Maybe I'll repost later one, as people must indeed be out of town! :)

Hi,

My husband and I will be on our way to the Lightning Fields in mid-October, and will have one evening in Albuquerque on our way there. We would like to see a bit of the city as neither of us have ever been there and have a great New Mexico meal. I have yet to choose the hotel where we'll stay and would like to pick one relatively convenient to the restaurant we choose or close to a breakfast place before our drive to Quemado (that's the kind of girl I am). Is it possible to have a great meal in Old Town?

Looking at older posts, the recommended places are Mary & Tito's, Cecilia's, el Modelo and El Pinto. Someone mentioned Monica's El Portal in Old Town but I couldn't find any other rec. Barela's seems to be a favorite, so we might want to do that for breakfast before heading out. As it seems that everything is relatively close, i wouldn't mind driving somewhere to have the right meal. Could you pitch in re your favorite places, and what to order there?

thanks!

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Monica's El Portal Restaurant
321 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104

El Pinto
10500 4th St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114

Two NY chowhounds going out for our anniversary while the in-laws stay with the baby. Leaning towards avec, but happy to hear if anyone strongly suggests one of the other two options. Interested in incredible food and fun atmosphere over "romantic",

how is Redwood's buffet? What type of things do they offer? I have to say that Lia's menu doesn't wow me.

I made two reservations: Redwood and LIA's. Any input on either of them, and which one would you prefer?

Ok, so that is a LOT of requests. BUT we will be in Bethesda (we live in NY) for a family function next weekend and want to find a place to celebrate father's day. We'll be a group of 7 people which includes a (mostly) well behaved toddler. So I am ooking for something super yummy and hopefully a bit special/different, but not too fancy and that takes reservations. I am happy to travel, and happy to go into the city for the right place.

I've only been to APDC once, as a tourist, and while the duck in a can can be amusing, I have to say I didn't love it. Not because of flavor, because It is TASTY, but because of texture. The boiling of the duck results in a big fat piece of fatty duck sking which competed in unpleasantness with the smily foie gras. And dont get me wrong: i LOVE duck and foir, but i think texture/crip is very important for both of those ingredients. I ended up just eating around the sking and the foie, and the meat and veggies were very tasty, and the foie sort of infuses everything with a nice taste. But I do regret not having gotten something else- maybe some pork.

I'm considering this place for my anniversary dinner 9coming to NY), but i wont if wait is around 2 hours or so. What is it normally like?