sammy o's Profile
Stratford on a budget
We had a terrific meal this summer at Rene's Bistro. and recommend it highly.
Help for Stratford
We just returned from Stratford and were very pleased with our meals. Rene's Bistro was recommended by our B & B host and is really outstanding. My wife and I shared mussels as an appetizer - $12 for a pound and they offer 5 different sauces. Steamed just right. I had braised lamb shank which was very good and my wife had a vegetarian tart which she really liked. We shared a creme brulee which was also excellent. Highly recommended. Our other dinner was at Sappori which has moved to Downie Street near the Avon. This place doesn't seem to get much attention but it is really good Italian cooking. I had a pasta dish with wild boar ragu which I really liked and a very nice house salad. Also highly recommended. We managed to have a picnic lunch from York Street kitchen before our matinee on the final day which worked very well. My impression is that the food scene continues to improve and the theater is, of course, world class.
July Trip to Northern Michigan
Actually, The Chart Room is in Harbor Springs. It is the more casual room at The Pier, which is a Stafford's restaurant on the water with very good food. In Petoskey, the Perry Hotel, in addition to its more formal dining room, has a room called the Noggin Room with a sports bar ambiance but with good food. They were recently serving pizza with morel mushrooms and always have a nice planked whitefish. Petoskey and HS are a very pleasant 15-20 minute drive along the bay.
July Trip to Northern Michigan
The Perry Hotel is lovely. I have never stayed ther but have eaten there many times. The food is excellent as with all of Stafford Smith's properties.ou might also want to check out the Bay View Inn which is also owned by Stafford and is an old victorian inn on the water in a quaint area just north of Petoskey called Bay View with a village of Victorian homes.It also has a nice dining room and is worth going to for lunch or dinner.Your price point should be fine in almost any area restaurant depending on alcohol.Definitely take the drive up 119 from Harbor Springs to Cross Village through the tunnel of trees. You should at least see the Legg's Inn even if you don't sample the Polish cuisine. The interior can't be described, and the gardens and view from the rear (you can dine outside) are spectacular. You can also eat at the Crow's Nest between Harbor Springs and Cross Village. The area specialty is whitefish served on a "plank" with dutchess potatoes. We like the New York in HS and any of the Stafford restaurants, although they are similar so you may want to only sample one. In Petoskey check out the City Park Grill and its famous bar where Hemingway hung out. If you drive to Charlevoix - you should, it is beautiful - Terry's Place does whitefish, perch and walleye really well. Also check out the stone houses that look like they were built for trolls. We also like the Douglas Lake Bar and Steakhouse which is right on the lake in Pellston and you can eat on the porch. Great "up north" feal and good food. Also in Pellston and definitely worth checking out is the Pellston Market which serves gourmet dinners although sporadically. Hopefully others can assist you with the island. Have a great time and report back.
Food Eats Around Harbor Springs?
Correction - You meant Harbor Springs for the Pier. Can't go wrong with any of Stafford"s properties.
Food Eats Around Harbor Springs?
I know of one B & B in HS. It is on the right side of 119 as you enter town. However, I know nothing about it. The Bay View Inn is a wonderful victorian inn on the bay in Bay View, which is between Petoskey and Harbor Springs. My favorite breakfast place in HS is Mary Ellen's Place which is an old fashioned diner/ice cream parlor with good omelets. Dinners in the area tend to get pricey but lately we have noticed a lot of bargains, e.g., The New York has an early bird deal if you order before 6:00 you get the second entree free. We also like the Crow's Nest which is north of HS toward Cross Village and they were offering a $15 perch or whitefish dinner and both were good. Legs Inn is definitely worth the drive and if you can eat outside it has a fabulous lake view and incredible sunsets. There is a store called Toski Sands on 119 which makes great soups and sandwiches for take out. Also, Gurney's in HS can equip you for a picnic. Enjoy your trip. The area is fantastic and I could go on and on. Let us know if you want anything else. If you can be more specific it will help us guide you.
Help for Stratford
I looked at the culinary guide, and the Italian place is Sapori. Any comments?
Help for Stratford
We are going to spend 2 nights in Stratford this summer for the festival. We have been many times, but not for a few years. Given the turnover and quality changes in restaurants, we wonder if we should go with what we enjoyed in the past - Old Prune, Woody's, Keystone Alley, and an Italian place whose name escapes me - or something different. We need 2 dinners, both pre-theater. What do the Ontario hounds prefer these days? Thanks
dinner near the junction of I-75 and I-80/Perrysburg/Rossford area?
Bluewater Grille, Byblos (operated by the same family as Beirut and similar) and Bangkok Kitchen are all fine choices. As an aside to Nsxtasy, I know you are from Chicago (our son lives there and you have helped us in the past) so I would be interested in your opinion of Bangkok Kitchen since Chi is noted for its Thai places. I like BK but haven't tried much else to compare it to.
dinner near the junction of I-75 and I-80/Perrysburg/Rossford area?
The Beirut is in west Toledo, probably a 20 minute drive. Ciao is even further, in Sylvania. The Packos in Andersons are fast food style. You can drive to the original in 15-20 minutes. Take 75 north to Miami Street and go east. You will pass International Park where there are several nice restaurants including an Italian, Mexican and American. The ambience and view there are probably better than the food, but still nice. The original Packos is the way to go if you are in the mood for Hungarian/hot dogs. Stay on Miami and it turns into Front Street. Packos is at Front and Consaul with a large parking lot across the street. I am not too familiar with Perrysburg and I was only at Stellas once, about 2 years ago. You could also check out Levis Commons which also has several places.
Brunch in Columbus, OH
Thank you all. Sage sounds just right for this trip. I will keep the others in mind for future reference.
Brunch in Columbus, OH
I should mention that we will be in the OSU area but can drive anywhere.
Brunch in Columbus, OH
My wife and I will be visiting our 20 year old son and would like to take him and his girl friend for a nice Sunday brunch. What do the local hounds suggest? We are not looking for a buffet, but rather a nice menu.
downtown Toledo restaurants?
I think Manos is your best bet if you are walking. It is only 4 blocks from tne Toledo Club The other places are not really walkable in the winter. The Toledo Club is at the edge of the central business district and quite a ways from the river where most of the limited activity takes place. Manos also fulfills your request for ethnic and reasonably priced. Giorgio's is quite nice but substantially more expensive and a longer walk. Other places mentioned (e.g., Budapest, Beirut, while good would require a vehicle or a cab, and in Toledo you have to phone to order a cab. Manhattans is close by, but I have heard very mixed reviews lately. The last time I tried either, I preferred Manos.
FIRST TIME VISITOR-NAPLES/FORT MYERS
Thanks to all. This sounds great. Where is Bonita Springs? We will have a car and don't mind driving for dinner. "Florida Atmosphere" is mainly what we are looking for. Also, any breakfast suggestions?
FIRST TIME VISITOR-NAPLES/FORT MYERS
My wife and I will be vacationing next month. In addition to thawing out, we would like some lunch and dinner suggestions in both areas (we are dividing our time). We like all types of cuisine and prefer places that show off what the area does best. I assume fresh seafood is near the top of the list? Not really looking for very expensive gourmet meals, but maybe one for a special occasion. Mostly good solid houndish spots that the locals prefer. Thanks in advance.
FIRST TIME VISITOR-NAPLES/FORT MYERS
My wife and I will be vacationing next month. In addition to thawing out, we would like some lunch and dinner suggestions in both areas (we are dividing our time). We like all types of cuisine and prefer places that show off what the area does best. I assume fresh seafood is near the top of the list? Not really looking for very expensive gourmet meals, but maybe one for a special occasion. Mostly good solid houndish spots that the locals prefer. Thanks in advance.
Metro Detroit-Corned Beef Hash
If Ann Arbor counts, I had it at Afternoon Delight and it was quite tasty as I recall.
Breakfast in Toledo?
Try Star Diner. There is one on Dussel Drive. You can take 75 south to 475 west/north toward Ann Arbor. Get off at Salisbury/Dussel exit and follow Dussel east to 457 W. Dussel in one of the many strip centers. It should only be a 15 minute drive. The food is pretty good and the eye candy is too.
Open on Christmas in Detroit
We usually find Chinese places open on Christmas. I don' know your area for a specific recommendation, but maybe someone can opine. Probably other Asian cuisine spots are also open.
petoskey, mi
i agree on the New York in HS. It's one of our regular spots. In Charlevois, Terry's Place does walleye and whitefish really well. In Petoskey, be sure to get some gelatto at American Spoon and don't forget Tom's Mom's Cookies in HS.I am curious if anyone has tried The Fish since they reopened? Finally, I would not recommend Chandler's to someone who did not want "pretentious".or "ambitious" Check Tapawingo's website to see if they are closing this winter. Last winter they did close but they were also changing chefs. This year has the makings of a great ski season, so enjoy and bon appetit.
petoskey, mi
The topics list just about everything. If you can be more specific we can narrow these choices down, e.g., budget, cuisine, kids? Planked whitefish is an "up north" specialty and any of the nicer places - for sure any of Stafford Smith"s places - will have it.
Recommendations for Northern MI: Harbor Springs, Petoskey, Good Hart, etc.
Glad to hear that the color is still there. Its a wonderful time to visit Northern Michigan. Be sure to take the drive on119 from HS to Cross Village even if you don't eat at Legs Inn. It is rated as one of the 10 best fall drives in the US>
Advice re: Bella Bacino's
Thanks. In the interest of marital harmony I will not suggest an alternative. Do you think all their locations are comparable? We are visiting our son and staying in Lincoln Park. I see theu have a closer location. We are not going "high end" this trip. From perusing this board, it appears that Thai, Indian and Vietnamese are all excellent. Do you have any particular suggestions along those lines, taking our location into account?
Advice re: Bella Bacino's
My wife and I are visiting next month. She insists we go to Bella Bacino's on Clinton for one dinner, where she had a fabulous lunch with friends last year. I am unfamiliar with this place and would appreciate your input. Is there a comparably priced place that is considerably better? What would you suggest we order? Thanks.
Recommendations for Northern MI: Harbor Springs, Petoskey, Good Hart, etc.
Unfortunately,I am not in the area. We have a condo near Harbor Springs that we don't get to often enough. Of the restaurants I mentioned, only Legs Inn closes for the winter. Tapawingo and Rowe Inn would be quite a drive from Good Hart, so I didn't mention them. I am not sure of the status of Tapawingo - the chef left and they were closed for a while. I think there will still be color depending on the weather. Enjoy and report back on your dining.
Recommendations for Northern MI: Harbor Springs, Petoskey, Good Hart, etc.
Drive up to Cross Village and eat at Legs Inn. A one of a kind Polish restaurant on a spectacular site. Check to be sure they are open as they do close for the winter. In Harbor Springs you can't go wrong at the New York or the Pier. The Pier is one of the Stafford places and the New York does more of a "gourmet" approach. We liked taking our kids to the Crow's Nest when they were young because it had good pIzza and also good whitefish, but I haven't been there in years. Kids would also like the pizza at Turkey's in HS. Petoskey has lots of great places as well - e.g., Two other Stafford places, The Perry Hotel, which has a very nice dining room for your night without kids, and a sports bar type place in the basement with good adult food and appropriate for kids., and The Bay View Inn, a romantic old inn on the bay. Another nice spot for the family is the City Park Grill, with a historic bar where Hemingway hung out. The food is good and pretty reasonable. Finally, north of Harbor Springs, the Fish has reopened. I haven't been there but maybe someone will opine. You should have a great time and the color (and food) will be spectacular.
Best Restaurant in Toledo
I agree with Ciao for Italian. I will also mention 3 that I always recommend - The Beirut for world class Lebanese; Saigon Bistro for good Vietnamese; and Indian Jewel of Toledo for nice Indian. If you narrow down your likes and dislikes there are others.
Anniversary trip help
My wife and I will be in for 3 nights next month. Staying at the Whitehall on Delaware off Mich. We are seeing Wicked one night at Oriental theater. We enjoy most ethnic foods and I would like a high end lunch "bargain". We will not have a car. Have eaten in the past at Frontera, Bistro110, Gino's deep dish, Gold Coast Dogs, so you see we are open to a lot of variety. Also, we have had breakfast at Lou Mitchell/s and plan to go this trip unless this board recommends otherwise. We don't object to cabs or public transportation if the food requires it. Thanks!
