alohatoall's Profile
one week ouside Montepulciano
I agree completely with the recommendation of A Gambe di Gatto, whose owners are delightful and will enchant you with their knowledge of wine (and jazz!), and would add the osteria Acquacheta -- be sure to make reservations at the latter.
Driving through Tuscany - winery recommendations?
A vist to Ciacci Piccolomini D'Aragona, about 6 miles from Montalcino, would fit in well with your stay in Pienza. You could stop at the beautiful abbey of Sant'Antimo which is nearby, and there are wonderful restaurants for lunch in nearby towns like Sant'Angelo in Colle. I have no idea whether its tours are available at this time of year, however. You might have better luck heading the other direction from Pienza toward Montepulciano, where Avignonesi gives 3 tours per day -- the phone there is (39) 0578 724304.
Ristorante Riviera Venezia
Thank you, Divine. It was also one of our favorites in Venice -- we first went there in '93, long before Monica and Luca took over. I wonder if they'll stay in the business or take a deserved break???
Ristorante Riviera Venezia
I can't find any mention of the sale on the site you linked to, and I did look on the Italian, not English, site. There is no mention of the sale on the Riviera's own web site. We had planned to return there next month so I would really like to know if this is true.
Buffet Lunch in Rome
Your assumption was totally correct, Katie. So we'll skip La Taverna and return to Cavour 313 and try L'Asino d'Oro.
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L'Asino d'Oro
Via del Boschetto 73, Rome, Lazio 00184, IT
Buffet Lunch in Rome
Thank you for the info, Katie -- since I recently read a very discouraging post about la Taverna dei Fori Imperiali, I suppose we'll stick to Cavour 313 for lunch in this area.
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Taverna dei Fori Imperiali
Via Madonna dei Monti 9, Rome, Lombardia 00184, IT
Buffet Lunch in Rome
Can anyone tell me if La Piazzetta, one of our favorites since Ms. Fant reviewed it years ago in the NYT (I think), is closed or whether Franco sold it. If it has a new owner, has anyone tried it?
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La Piazzetta
vicolo del Buon Consiglio, 23a, Rome, Lazio , IT
Jacques Cagna OR Michel Rostang?
Rostang has a lunch menu for 95€. It offers a decent selection (including lamb chops and his signature quenelles) and includes Champagne, wine, and coffee. I found out about it thanks to Souphie and another poster here, and it was so good in May that we made reservations for October as we left. Just be aware that it's not on the menu and you must request it.
Best Food and Value - 1 Michelin Star
Based on the previous recommendations of DCM and Souphie, we had lunch at Michel Rostang in May. We ordered the 94.5€ lunch, which includes Champagne and wine and which was not on the menu. It was so good that we made res. as we left for October! I can't imagine a better value in Paris.
Dordogne: La Belle Etoile
Yes, La Belle Etoile has re-opened. I just emailed for reservations in October and got a very prompt response: hotel.belle-etoile@wanadoo.fr. And I wonder if anyone has eaten recently at La Plume d'Oie in La Roque-Gageac?
Dijon, need help
There are 3 one-star restaurants in Dijon, and we loved Stéphane Derbord several years ago. If you to to viamichelin.com and search for restaurants in Dijon, you'll find the info you're seeking.
Bretagne recommendations?
You can find a lot of info on Michelin restaurants in the area by using viamichelin.com. Yes, we had the seafood platter at the Bistrot, and the French friends who were with us rated it as highly as we did. We didn't eat at Chez Jacky this time, primarily because its fame has led to a fairly dramatic increase in prices. I can also recommend Du Port et de l'Aven, 30 rue Aven, a new Bib Gourmand in Port Manech near Névez, and l'Amiral, 1 avenue. P. Guéguin in Concarneau, where we each had a dozen oysters for lunch and enjoyed great service. The owner of the place we rented recommended the oysters at the Bistrot de Rosbras, in Rosbras (where else?), but we didn't make it there. I would check Alastair Sawday's web site for B&Bs, as well as vacation rentals.
Bretagne recommendations?
We spent 2 weeks in Brittany in May, one week in Riec-sur-Belon and one week in Morlaix. There is an oyster cultivator just up the hill from the famous Chez Jacky, with tables overlooking the harbor. You didn't ask about restaurants, but we ate so well at le Bistrot de l'Écailler, in the tiny port of Kerdruc near Névez, that we returned for another feast. Both the seafood platter and the lobster with home-made fries were terrific.
Paris Report--Latin Quarter, mostly
I agree completely about Le Buisson Ardent. We always stay in the 5th, and we ate there a couple of years ago for the first time. It, Ribouldingue, and Le Reminet (once again, after it declined for a while) are our favorites in the 5th.
Anniversary celebration - advice on food itinerary
I could very easily be wrong, but I believe the 95€ lunch including wine is at Michel Rostang. I did a lot of research for our trip in May and don't remember that Taillevent offers this -- it's certainly not on its web site. Thanks to recommendations of several here, we chose lunch at Michel Rostang.
Do Chowhounds gather in Paris? Good value Bistro? Market in Rungis?
Thanks from me too, Parigi! Do you have any favorite small producers from the southwest whose products you've especially enjoyed in the past?
best boulangerie and other savory tips in the Ile St. Louis or nearby?
There is a wonderful market at Maubert Mutualité on Tues., Thurs., and Sat. mornings, and Kayser's pain aux céréales is a real treat. There is also a fishmonger who will shuck your oysters for you while you finish your other shopping.
Best food finds at Costco? [old]
Thanks for that info - I'll look for them. I did notice that the company that made the 4 cheese ravioli I loved (Seviroli) now provides shrimp/crab ravioli, but I haven't tried them yet.
Best food finds at Costco? [old]
Sorry, I shop on Oahu. I realize that Kirkland is Costco's house brand and never thought that the ravioli might be available under a different brand name.
Best food finds at Costco? [old]
I used to love the Kirkland Four Cheese Ravioli but haven't been able to find them recently at either of the two Costco stores I use. Can someone tell me if they're still available elsewhere? Thanks for the help.
Loire Valley & Burgundy
I can heartily recommend De L'Ecole in Pontlevoy, a small town northeast of Chenonceaux and Montrichard. It's a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and we've eaten well there on at least 3 separate trips to the area. I would have recommended Le Cheval Blanc in Blere, but I read that it's recently changed ownership so I have no idea whether the quality is the same -- it used to be wonderful.
Restaurants in/near Beaune
We're spending the first week of October in Pommard, and I've read several negative reports lately about Ma Cuisine -- and glowing reports about La Ciboulette (a Michelin Bib Gourmand) and Le P'tit Paradis, all in Beaune. Can anyone report on recent experiences at any of these? I'd also like to know if anyone has been to La Garaudiere, another Bib Gourmand, in Levernois, or Les Roches in Saint-Romain. BTW, these are recommendations from web sites devoted mostly to wine, from people who live in the area. Thanks for the help.
Unpretentious in St. Tropez area ?
A friend whose judgment I trust has recommended the following 3 places for our trip in October: L'Auberge la Verdoyante north of Gassin, the Ferme du Magnan toward La Mole on the N98, and L'Auberge de La Mole in La Mole.
Paris - 5th arrondissement Restaurants
Le Réminet was sold a while ago and has gone downhill. We checked out Le Petit Pontoise last November, and there was no fixed price menu, and the prices had climbed quite a bit. We loved Ribouldingue, 10 rue St Julien le Pauvre ( 01.46.33.98.80) – we thought the price/value ratio was good, and the food very well-prepared.
Venice Restaurant Recommendation Needed
I would recommend Cantinone Storico across the Accademia bridge, on Fondamente Bragadin facing the Rio San Vio. Good food and service - and I think it might still fall within your price range. With the value of the dollar today, it's hard to tell!
friuli venezia guilia
We had one of our most memorable meals in Italy a few years ago at the Trattoria Gostilna Devetak, www.devetak.com. I had read that it was a Julia Child favorite, and it surpassed our expectations. It's very close to the Slovenian border -- if fact, I believe that "gostilna" means trattoria in Slovenian.
Everyday Venice
One of the best things you could do is invest in a copy of "Chow Venice: Savoring the Food and Wine of La Serenissima" by Shannon Essa and Ruth Edenbaum; a second edition is now out. They review restaurants and bars from inexpensive to high-end, and I've found that their recommendations are generally very accurate.
Restaurant Recommendation - Florence
This restaurant is well-reviewed several places, including SlowTrav: http://tinyurl.com/yrubhz It's run by the son of the founder of Il Latini. It's on our list for April -- thanks for the news.
Romantic restaurant in Prague and Amsterdam?
I had read your review, CornflakeGirl, and we'll definitely eat there too - I've read elsewhere that one of the chefs is from Naples and the pizza there is great. Thanks and aloha.
