DaveLaf's Profile
Santa Fe Eatinerary
Totally agree on The Shed, do not miss it. La Choza is good also, has the same ownership.
Maria's New Mexican is great , excellent margaritas.
Denver Convention Group Dinner
I am attending a convention at the Denver Convention Center and we will have a group of 15-20 people for a dinner. Any suggestions, preferably walking distance? With that many people we need to make reservations. Thanks Dave
Baltimore Convention Center Area
Hotel by the convention center, with no car. I also won't have a lot of time with a busy schedule.
(Sorry for the delayed response, haven't been at Chowhound for awhile)
Baltimore Convention Center Area
I am going to a conference at the Baltimore Convention Center, will not have a car. Any 'chow-worthy' restaurants in the area? Thanks, Dave
Nibblers in Pleasant Hill
We were there in Nov, and the place is still great. Very inventive but low key too. No major attitude. Daniel the chef was featuring foods f Uzbekistan, seemed like mostly meat and potatoes but who has done the 'Stans? We were in a more Medit mood so passed but I highly recommend Nibblers in Pl Hill CA
San Antonio Restaurants
Was in San Antonio for a conference downtown. I didn't have a lot of time to explore, but we had a great dinner at Las Margaritas in the International Center, about 1 mile walk from the convention center. The margaritas were great, and my colleagues had the 4 person fajitas including cabrito (goat). Never had that so it was a new experience. I had the chile verde which was very tasty. Definitely recommend Las Margaritas.
As others on CH have commented the restaurants along the Riverwalk are a tourist rip off. The line at Boudros was way too long (on a Sunday night...) so I ended up at Iron Cactus, a local chain. Drinks were fine, but the sauce on my beef fajitas tasted like they put way too much salt in it. Maybe I am channeling Marion Nestle, but it was not very good. If I were a Riverwalk restaurant, I'd be the best to differentiate from all of the other places, but then what do I know. All of the Riverwalk restaurants were packed even with the bad reviews here.
I'd love to explore more of SA, maybe on a future trip.
"Taste" in Plymouth, CA
Taste - Plymouth
We found Taste in Plymouth CA (www.restauranttaste.com) and highly recommend it - menus on the web site are accurate. We started off with the mushroom cigar appetizer (a signature dish) which was very Rich but tasty. The romaine salad was a nice accompaniment. I had the halibut which was delicious and well presented with fresh pea sprouts. Mi esposa had the duck confit which was also well prepared and very good. The cherries were not overwhelming, no globs of cherry jelly as some prepare it. Dessert was a trio of creme brulee's, all distinct and a nice way to end the meal. Wines feature the local excellent Amador county wineries, in our case Terra Rouge Rousanne and a Wilderotter Sauvignon Blanc. Very good representations of the excellent local wines - Amador has greatly improved over the past few years, not as many big fruit bombs as in the past. I can't think anything that wasn't great about Taste, highly recommended.
Favorite Wineries Amador/El Dorado County
Wineries in Amador: Just got back from tasting at a number of Amador wineries. Overall the quality has dramatically improved since the last time we there (.10 yrs....) Our list:
1. Terra Rouge/Easton (the best…)
2. Wilderotter (True to the grape essence)
3. Bray (Unexpectedly good)
4. Sobon
5. Karly
6. Youngs (Not our taste, still doing fruit bombs, but if you like sweet big red wines you might like these)
Dave
Melograno is moving...where?
I had reservations tonight but the place was closed, dark with mail stuck in the door. Hope they make it in a new location. Ended up at Le Petit Greek on Larchmont which is a great sidewalk dining street.
Artisan Bistro meal (Lafayette CA)
Dinner at Artisan Bistro, Lafeyette. Went on a Tuesday night so the noise level was fine as it was only 25% full. I can definitely understand how this place would be unbearable on a weekend. Until they fix the noise, go during off hours. BTW Michael Bauer in the Chron blog has mentioned the employee noise exposure issue, and I think the fashion trend of the super loud restaurant may very well expose the employees to noise levels above OSHA limits.
Enough complaining - The food is brilliant. I started with the beet salad which was well balanced and beautiful to look at. Mi esposa had the foie gras which was very rich, not to my taste but she loved it. Main courses: I had the monkfish wrapped in bacon, which was a balanced flavor along with the mushroom ragout. Excellent. She had the duck which was also very well prepared and flavorful. For dessert, since it wasn't too loud unlike skwid above, our server could hear us order the goat cheese torte. I am not a big cheesecake fan but using goat cheese gives it a twist that was tasty. Wines: Fair selection by the glass, mark up wasn't too gouging. Started with glasses of J Cuvee sparkling and then I had the Vielle Vignes Pouilly Fuisse which went well with the monkfish. Service was superb. Their website is accurate on menus.
As soon as they fix the noise problem, I will go back.
Toledo Fine Dining
Visited Toledo over the last weekend and ate at three
Places:
The Beirut: This remains the best place in Toledo.
There was a large crowd there so Toledoans are voting
with their stomachs. The appetizers are probably the
best thing on the menu. We had hummus, with a little
olive oil on it, greek olives and grape leaves. The
hummus was creamy and really superior to many
versions. I thought about just ordering several other
appetizers which all looked great, but wanted the
kefta dinner. This is ground lamb on skewers with seasonings. We had a Lebanese wine, don't remember the name, but it was the least expensive of
the several Lebanese wines. It was reminiscent of a
French Cote d' Rhone, which went great with the food.
overall the Beirut never fails.
Tony Packos is a Toledo landmark. Of course I had to
have a Hungarian hot dog, sitting beneath the
autographed hot dog buns from local celebrities like
Jamie Farr (played Klinger on MASH for those who
started watching TV in the current century...). My
companion had the cabbage rolls. very authentic
central European cuisine. The original location in
east Toledo is the one to visit, parking is right
across the street. The old St Steven church is
nearby. Tony Packos is a must visit, although it
probably isn't in the "great Cuisine" category, is
very good.
Dinner at Cousino's Navy Bistro on Main St in E Tol,
was a little disappointing. Bu then I have to readjust
my expectations from the SF Bay Area. The location
is superb, several restaurants right along
the river (Real Seafood, Zia, etc) Looks like this
would be a fun place in the hot humid (miserable)
summer, sipping a beverage on the patio. I think it is a good thing to reclaim the riverfront from haz waste site status. When I
visited in March it was snowing so we sat inside.
Service was fine, and a good wine was suggested, a
Mark West Pinot (W Sonoma) which was nice. You may
have noticed that I haven’t mentioned the food yet.
Well I was visiting my parents and as Mom always says,
if you can’t say anything nice then don't say
anything at all. Guess I'll end here.
Next visit to Toledo we'll try Poco Piati on Monroe,
and maybe the original Mancy's ON Philips.
BTW if you are looking for something to do in TOL, do
not miss the Museum of Art especially the new glass
exhibit bdlg. A great venue for glass art, which
is a big thing in the "Glass City".
Strong for Toledo, Dave
Looking for a great place to eat in the Dubuque, Ia / Galena, Ill area
Thanks!! I'll forget about Applebys.........
Looking for a great place to eat in the Dubuque, Ia / Galena, Ill area
I am going to be in Dubuque for a family thing too - guess there aren't any good restaurants there judging by the lack of activity here.....
Applebees here we come
Toledo Fine Dining
Good point - I live in No Calif now so it is always somewhat of an anthropological expedition to dine in Toledo.....Grew up there eating iceberg lettuce salads and mayonnaise bologna sandwiches (on wonder bread).
Of course, "wherever you go there you are", so I am not as down on my hometown as I used to be. Not that I am volunteering to move back
Chevalier in Lafayette
Gigi (RIP - closed now) was great, and comparable. Metro is a different style, more 'big city trendy' and I highly recommend it. However Chevalier is more country French so I don't think you can really compare Metro and Chevalier. Both are great
Have not been to Le Bistro in WC in awhile but the last time I went it was fun- sometimes the service is a little spotty but they have probably fixed that by now.
Haven't been to Liaison in Berkeley, sounds like it is worth a trip.
So if I had to rate(all are worth going):
1. Metro
2. Chevalier
3. Gigi (in the time machine that is)
4. Le Bistro
Toledo Fine Dining
Have you tried 31hundred, looks like it is in the Hilton on Glendale
http://www.31hundred.com/
Toledo Fine Dining
How about Poco Piatti?
I will be back in Toledo to visit the folks, and always go to Beirut.
Chevalier in Lafayette
We visited Chevalier on a cold wintry night, which was perfect for the cozy French atmosphere and food. Some reviewers on this and other sites don't like Chevalier but we think it is great.
I started with the French onion soup which was very classic. The reduced broth was rich tasting - normally I don't order this but it was very tasty. Ma femme had a special that night, pumpkin soup. She really liked it, thick but not too much.
Then we had escargot, 'gardener's revenge'. They were delicious. Lots of garlic butter to be sopped up by the French bread served.
Ma femme had the rack of lamb, which was perfectly cooked with a nice crust. I had the special cassoulet an ideal dish for the wintry evening. A rich variety of meats and beans, very authentique.
For wines we started with glasses of the Gosset Brut, then the waiter told us there were special bottles open so he could provide glasses. Ma femme had the Northstar WA Merlot which she liked. I had the Domaine De L’hortus, Pic St Loup 2004 which was awesome especially with the cassoulet. Good recommendations. (Yes I copied the name from the wine list at http://www.chevalierrestaurant.com/winelist.html )
Philippe Chevalier, the owner and chef made the rounds of the tables, a very gracious and friendly person.
We finished with the Ile Flotante meringue in crème anglaise.
Overall a well executed and delicious dinner in an authentic atmosphere. I can't think of anything they could have done better, 4+ stars
Dave
Cafe Claude
Went to Café Claude last Friday evening. The atmosphere is great, jazz wonderful (although a little loud for a small space). It was really hot inside which is unusual for San Francisco as the weather is usually cold and foggy. They were tweaking the overhead fans for more air flow. We started with salads: I had the betterave, beet salad which was great. Some might not like the feta on the beets but I did. Mi esposa had the chevre, really fresh as it should be. We split a pate plate which was also excellant. Main courses were a little more disappointing. She ordered a steak, rare that is sangnon (e.g. raro) and I the d'agneau but they both arrived very medium after a lengthy wait. That was disappointing. Our server offered to take them back but we passed. Service was great. Wines: Started with a glass of the Gosset Brut which was a nice crisp French champagne. She had the Givry Burgundy and I a Bordeaux (don't remember which one). Both wines were great with that excellent French balance. Overall, a nice place although you pay for it, this dinner was 2 bills with everything. Dave
Cocktails Near Financial Dist SF
True on Ginger's but we are open minded Bay Area types! Celebrate Diversity!
Thanks everyone for the great ideas.
Cocktails Near Financial Dist SF
Any ideas for cocktails in a romantic atmosphere near the Montgomery St BART (+/- a couple of clocks?)
Thanks Chow hounds
San Leandro restaurant recommendations
I agree on Paradiso. Took a client there for lunch and it was a great place. Great wine list (although for lunch we abstained unfortunately). Had a salad that was well composed, a little tart but that was the conception. Don't remember exactly the name. Paradiso is definitely to be recommended if in Oakland/San Leandro
3 Fine Dining Nights in Vegas
Just got back from LV - the smoke is actually a lot better than it used to be. Always thought of LV as a mandatory smoking zone. LV also used to be cheap but that has sure changed. You can drop a lot of coin there not just gambling!
Highlight: Dinner at Bouchon. Ate at the bar, very nice staff and awesome food.Had the Salade de Carpaccio Fume (yes I am copying from the menu I took - it is on brown paper suitable for notes...) really interesting microscopically thin slices that absorb the seasonings. Then rattatouille which was really good. Had some haricot vert too, thought they were overcooked at first but the sauce made a compete side dish. Had a cheese course after (sea stack, bouche, pepato). Wine was a glass of Counoise Montpertius, Vin de Pays du Gard 05, which I had never heard of but was a gerat accompaniment to the meal.
Vegas Solo
Am going to be in Las Vegas on business and may need to do dinners solo. Instead of eating take out in my hotel room are there any great restaurants with bar seating/communal tables? I seem to recall Bouchon had a small bar where you could order from the menu but my recollection is a little hazy (must have been the pastiche...). Any ideas?
Babalou Mediterranean, Walnut Creek
I agree - best mediterranean food in the area. In fact there is a big shortage of med/greek restaurants. Whenever we travel, I am always seeking out the usually numerous greek restaurants. We definitely lack this style around here
Mexican in Walnut Creek?
I completely agree on La Cocina. Best place Mexican in the area in my opinion.
Dinner at Melograno in Hollywood-v.good
Dinner at Melograno was overall very good on Thur May 9. Highlights:
The very interesting and superb wine list and sommelier who recommended a "Kerner" which was new to me, a little like a Riesling but richer. Great selection.
- Service was outstanding. I took an older relative who has lived in Hollywood since the 60s. (who was hip before the hipsters parents were hip). Everyone was really nice to her which was great.
- Food was a little uneven but overall really good. Had a beet 'carpachio' thin sliced beets with a goat cheese puff (?) awesome, of course I like beets. The heirloom tomatoes were a little off probably because the season is just starting. We split a main entree of halibut which was really good. Excellent mushroom accompaniment.
A little pricey but worth it. I completely agree on the very knowledge maitre d' - very nice guy too.- The vibe was really nice - people having a good time but not deafening (important for older folks who can't hear well)
A great addition to the pizza places on Hollywood Blvd. DW Griffith's star is right outside.
