mountainhound's Profile
Sunday night dinner in Memphis: Automatic Slim's or Flight
I will be in Memphis for one night, a Sunday, in March with my husband, teenage daughter and her friend to look at Rhodes College. We are staying downtown and would like to eat somewhere within walking distance. Flight and Automatic Slim's seem to be two that are open on Sundays. We would also entertain the idea of a good rib place. Any and all suggestions welcome. Thank you!
Searching for food experiences in and around Sarlat and Dordogne
I thought that I should report back with highlights of our dining in and around Sarlat. Thanks everyone for your help.
The Vieux Logis in Tremolat was lovely. The food was interesting using fresh local ingredients. Presentations were lovely. The Inn and its grounds are beautiful. It was a great pleasure to dine there.
Le Grand Bleu was also a very pleasant experience. The food very good, the service excellent and charming. At times we felt that the chefs penchant for savory ice cream's was not always successful.
Le Bistro de L'Octroi was good, not great but good. The most traditional of the menus.
We particularly loved La Gabarre. The food was delicious and though it may sound ridiculous and be a perhaps unhelpful descriptor, it had soul. The owners could not have been more charming. The service was delightful. The food may not have been as sophisticated as at Vieux Logis or perhaps Le Grand Bleu, but this was the restaurant that we returned to and were delighted each time. Thank you all again for your help.
Searching for food experiences in and around Sarlat and Dordogne
Wonderful! Thank you very much. I certainly didn't hold it against the owners I just had a different perception going in. We are glad to have had the experience and would definitely do it again. I appreciate the thoughtful answer!
Searching for food experiences in and around Sarlat and Dordogne
We just had a wonderful dinner at Bistro de L'Octroi two nights ago. The terrace was delightful and the food was very good. The duck confit was delicious as was a terrine of oxtail and foie gras. It is very busy here now so I would recommend a reservation as well. Also, it is light until after 10:00 pm so unless you have a very late dinner driving shouldn't be a problem in the pitch black dark of night in July.
Searching for food experiences in and around Sarlat and Dordogne
Just returned from our dinner at La Taulado. It was an experience we will not forget in many ways. We do have some questions about what is expected of a ferme auberge. After we placed our order we were given some local wine as an aperitif with some snack mix of pretzels and spiced crackers, just like we would buy in the US in a bag in the grocery store. The first course was served. Three of us had the salade verte with cabecou cheese and one had the salad with gessieres, duck gizzards. All were very good, especially the gessieres, but aren't they required to only serve what comes from their farm? The tomatoes with all four salads were of a large variety that couldn't possibly be in season here now. Our main courses arrived and were all good as well. Two of us had omelettes with girolle mushrooms, one of us had magret of duck and the last had entrecote of boeuf both served with the famous sardalaise potatoes. The potatoes were good for a bite or two. While I love duck fat and keep it in my freezer specifically to use with roasted potatoes I could not eat much of these because they were so greasy. The dessert selections were chocolate mousse, apple tart and an assortment of ice creams. We once again questioned what was being produced on the farm. Chocolate? Apples in June? Coffee ice cream? There is a cherry tree outside the building that has beautifully ripe cherries dripping from it. We certainly felt we experienced some country French cooking in the purest sense but there seems to be some inconsistency here. Can anyone help us understand the concept? Thanks! We are still considering Le Bougayrou for later in the week.
Searching for food experiences in and around Sarlat and Dordogne
Great information here and on the 2007 thread.
Thanks so much!
Searching for food experiences in and around Sarlat and Dordogne
We will be arriving in Sarlat on the 13th, so we'll miss the Fair, unfortunately. Thanks for the recommendation of Bistrot 2 in Monpazier.
Searching for food experiences in and around Sarlat and Dordogne
Great information! Thanks so much!
Searching for food experiences in and around Sarlat and Dordogne
We will put this day on the itinerary. It sounds wonderful! Thanks so much!
Searching for food experiences in and around Sarlat and Dordogne
This is excellent information. Exactly what we were looking for. Thanks so much!
Searching for food experiences in and around Sarlat and Dordogne
I will be spending 6 days in Sarlat with my family in June. We will have a car and will be exploring the Dordogne. I would appreciate any and all recommendations, from food shops to the best restaurants. We will probably eat one or two high end meals but really prefer to experience the local mom and pop shop type of places.
Fun restaurants in central DC, for teens and moms
Reporting back after a great weekend in DC. We tried to go to Matchbox Friday night but the wait was 90 minutes. We didn't have it in us to stick it out so we wandered around Penn Quarter checking out the options until we ended up at Zaytinya on 9th at G, which is part of the Jose Andres restaurant group of Jaleo, Cafe Atlantico, and Oyamel. We got a table in the bar almost immediately and the mezze menu format was perfect for a casual start to our weekend. I applaud them for their wine list and sticking to their mission as a Greek, Turkish and Lebanese restaurant. There are no California chardonnays to be found. It was refreshing! I had a Greek sauvignon blanc that was crisp yet round and flavorful then tried a robola, which was delightful, slightly heavier white that was able to stand up to the strong flavors of our dinner. We shared all of the dishes and there wasn't a weakness among them. The bread was incredible! We gobbled it down with a roasted red pepper and feta spread, hummus and a Turkish sheep's milk cheese called tulumu that is served with honey comb. We then had a Pide, or flatbread, with tomato sauce, cinnamon and oregano topped with Haloumi cheese. It was great combo of flavors. The roasted brussels sprouts were a definite hit as was the cerkez tavugu, a cold shredded chicken salad with cilantro and walnuts. The lamb bahar was another stellar choice, flavored with spice rub and grilled, served with tabbouleh and tahini. The happening bar scene was lively but not overly loud. We could enjoy our conversation yet feel we were part of the crowd. Our service was excellent and very helpful at guiding us through the menu. We, moms, left happily sated but the girls were ready for dessert. We headed to Coco Sala. The night clubbish atmosphere inside was a hit with the teens who loved the music and "the scene". We had a glass of wine while the girls split a 3 course dessert called "xocolatyl" an Aztec tasting. The "amuse" was churros with cinnamon creme and a dulce de leche sauce. It was good and exactly as advertised.The "main" dessert was a hot chocolate souffle cake with a "fiery" chocolate center. The "fiery" center was just that and if eaten without the surrounding cake in a bite was almost too hot. The combo was effective. It was served with espresso gelato. The final course or "petit fours" was a trio of cookies which were all very good. It was a good choice for the moment and we were all happy. The service was painfully slow but we weren't in a hurry. We were there for close to 1 1/2 hours.
The next day we headed to Georgetown to shop. We went to Mie N Yu for lunch. The atmosphere was definitely a highlight as we were seated in our own "tent". The hit, in terms of food was the banana walnut pancakes. Every thing else was forgettable. I had a falafel pita that was dreadful. The falafel had been pre cooked and reheated, or so it seemed. They was tough and dry. The pita had been grilled but at some point earlier in the week, as it too was tough. It was served with a side salad of "fresh greens in a light vinaigrette". When it arrived I thought it was wilted spinach. It was so overdressed and must have been sitting in the dressing for hours. The crab cake sandwich was fine, as well as the eggs benedict. The eggs were cooked perfectly but the hollandaise was flavorless. They were served with what appeared at first glance as nicely browned homefries, but in reality were greasy, soggy potatoes.
Dinner at Zola, 8th NW at F, was a wonderful experience. We had a "window" at our table into the kitchen which was great to watch the action. The service was superb and the food was excellent, except for the seared raw tuna app. We couldn't find the tuna! It ended up buried under its accompaniments of grilled frisee, mango and avocado. It was flavorful but too little tuna compared with the other items. The golden gazpacho with heirloom tomatoes and watermelon was a refreshing and flavorful way to start. My daughter had the Zola chopped salad, which was a to die for combo of crispy sweetbreads, quail egg, and St. Andre cheese on a salad. It was incredible! The crispy arctic char was another highlight, served on a sweet pea, zucchini and leek mascarpone sauce. The fish was cooked beautifully and the sauce was very flavorful and complimented the dish nicely. The hand cut noodles with 3 meat bolognese was also delicious. The sauce was pork, veal and short ribs and was incredible without being too heavy. Their wine list was interesting and well priced. A successful evening all around!
Sunday we headed to the Eastern Market and ended up at Montmarte for brunch. It is on 7th St SE, between C and D. We sat outside at a charming table and enjoyed the people watching and a delicious meal. I had the buckwheat crepe with wilted spinach, asparagus, tomatoes and onions. It was light and fresh. The quiche of the day was outstanding and the Croque Monsieur, and griddled Ham and cheese sandwich with a side salad was also great. Our service was very good and we would definitely head back if we are ever in the neighborhood. After returning the girls to school my sister-in-law and I headed to Proof , G St NW, between 8th and 9th, for dinner. It was a great experience! We started with a pan roasted softshell crab served on a fresh corn and dandelion salad. It was beautifully cooked and flavorful. One of the best softshells I have ever had! The carpaccio of Wagyu beef was excellent as well. It was served with pickled red onions, wonton crisps and a spicy asian inspired sauce. The combo was outstanding. The miso glazed sablefish was the standout though. It was buttery, sweet and savory and I am still tasting it. I am definitely returning for that dish again! My sister in law had the halibut, which she liked a lot until she tasted my sablefish! The service was fantastic and the waiter was very well versed in his wine knowledge of the wine list. I told him we were interested in something from Spain or Italy and pointed to a $60 wine to give him the rough idea of our price range. He said that was a wonderful wine but he did not recommend it with our entree choices. He suggested a Sardinian Vermentino at $38 which was a wonderful choice and it did complement our dishes very well. You don't find a waiter who will do that everyday. Usually they would push things up to $75! It is an impressive wine list with lots of choices in different price ranges. I'll look forward to exploring it again. The atmosphere at Proof is serene and quite, though it wasn't close to full when we were there. The lighting is all but non existent. We were seated with mini magnifying glasses with lights, if that tells you anything! It would have been nice to have a little more light to enjoy the beauty of the food as well. We will be going back though. Thanks to everyone for your help and guidance for a successful weekend of eating in DC!
Fun restaurants in central DC, for teens and moms
Thanks for all of the great suggestions. We are going to do Matchbox Friday night, followed by dessert at Coco Sala. Saturday I couldn't get into Central or Proof, which both look fantastic, at decent times. We are going to try Zola, which looks great too. I think we'll try to do tea also, thanks for the tip, Flaxen V! I'll report when I return.
Fun restaurants in central DC, for teens and moms
These are great suggestions. I'll report in when we return. Thanks!
Fun restaurants in central DC, for teens and moms
We don't really want to restrict it by cuisine and as long as it's not overly expensive its fine. We're really looking for some great restaurant experiences. Thanks for the suggestions.
Fun restaurants in central DC, for teens and moms
I'm going to be taking my 14 year old and a friend of hers from boarding school to DC next weekend with my sister-in-law. We are all foodies and want great restaurants with some fun atmosphere that would appeal to the teenagers, as well as two moms. Any suggestions?
Blackberry Farm in Walland TN - Anyone Know What Happened to Chef John Fleer?
It's called Canyon Kitchen, at Lonesome Valley in Cashiers. Reservations are required and it is open Thursday thru Sunday. He is growing a lot of his own produce and is a farm to table season menu. It is a stunning setting and well worth the trip out of the way.
