samurai221's Profile
need 2 or 3 star rec for Sisters bday in Paris
I apologize but I just saw this post. We ended up going to La Table Joel Robuchon and it was quite honestly one of the best meals of all our lives. a year later and I can still remember some of the food. the staff was really awesome too. Very attentive, but not overly formal and serious, very relaxed smiling and happy that we were enjoying ourselves so much.
Colicchio and sons, maialino, Osteria morini, Chang's places
Will be in NYC late this month by myself. Thinking of trying a few new restaurants and was wondering if anyone has thoughts on the above listed places. I love all of Meyer's places so I was thinking of maialino. I ate at marea a few months ago and thought it was great so was thinking of osteria morini. Colicchio's place looks really good and similar to how Gramercy was when he was there. Hav not been to any of Chang's restaurants so was wondering if worthwhile. I will be by myself most likely so that is a consideration in choosing a place that is good for eating by myself.
Bday dinner in chicago
Thanks for all the input, we booked Sable (for my bday night) and Santorini. Sable jsut looks awesome and super fun, plus I am doing Alinea earlier in the week by myself. My parents really wanted Greek one night as we have NO decent Greek in Phoenix and they remember fondly eating Greek when we lived in Chicago. So many great choices from all of you, very tough to choose.
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Alinea
1723 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
Santorini's Restaurant
138 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60661
Alinea-doable alone?
Thanks for the responses thats all I needed to know! I was able to get a reservation, so excited for this. nsxtasy, alinea just won't work for my sister and her husband, but I am perfectly happy togo myself as a birthday present to me!
Alinea-doable alone?
I posted earlier about my birthday weekend. However, I am actually going to be arriving a day before my family. I really want to try Alinea based on everything I have read about the food but will not be able to do it while my family is there due to some pickier eaters. I was thinking of maybe jsut goign to Alinea by myself the night I am there before they arrive. Is Alinea doable alone? Do they even take reservations for 1? Would it be enjoyable by myself or am I just pushing this too much?
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Alinea
1723 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
Bday dinner in chicago
Thanks for the response, My parents will be staying at the Palmer House and I will be there or at one of the W's so yes we will be downtown for a food/museum/shopping weekend. Mostly, we care about great great food and wil ldo that formally or less formal. I am not sure whether we will go super formal or more casual. I plan on getitng togehter my top choices for each and then letting my parents and sister decide between the two. We tend to do both. My parents at at Trotter's years ago when we lived there and jsut hated it, so its definitely out.
Bday dinner in chicago
I am going to be in Chicago with my parents and sister for my birthday weekend (turning 27). I grew up in Chicago but have not been back in years and now live in Arizona. Obviously one night I have to go to ginos for a sausage patty pizza for nostalgia and certainly will be having a couple dogs while I am there, but seeing as how I am unfamiliar with the great newer food scene I was hoping for thoughts on my birthday dinner. We have eaten in many of the great/big time restaurants in NYC, Paris, London, San Fran. Was looking at spiaggia and blackbird. Have heard great things about L20 and Alinea. Thought about topolobambo, but I seriously doubt its better than the best I can get out here in Arizona. Any thoughts on the restaurants I mentioned or other ideas would be most welcome.
need 2 or 3 star rec for Sisters bday in Paris
I also saw that you list one of your favorite restaurants as Michel Rostang, would that be a good option as well for this meal?
need recommendation for single diner in paris
The day would be Wednesday, Dec. 23rd. As far as budget I am thinking in the 50 euro range unless it is absolutely spectacular (ala Atelier)
need 2 or 3 star rec for Sisters bday in Paris
Souphie, thank you for your thoughts. Any reason why you would not recommend Grand Vefour? My main concern with Le Cinq is that it will be all Americans and be very cliche. Are my assumptions about it wrong?
need 2 or 3 star rec for Sisters bday in Paris
I am going to Paris with my family around xmas. My sisters birthday is the 26th so we would like to go out for a fantastic meal that night. Originally I was thinking of goign to Les Ambassadeurs but I heard the chef (piege) left earlier this year. My parents and I have been to taillevent and Guy Savoy in the past. We loved them both but would like to try a different place. We were thinking there might be some issues with what will be open so were leaning towards the places in hotels (le cinq, le bristol, and le meurice. Pierre gagnaire is too adventurous for my sister. I would love L'arpege but the focus on seafood could also be problematic for my sister. So I have been considering the aforementioned 3 in hotels along with L'ambroisie and Le Grand Vefour. Do people have any thoughts on these restaurants or others that I should consider. We want great food but also a great room as well because my mother and sister will very much enjoy the room aspect (its my sisters 30th birthday. Thanks for any help.
need recommendation for single diner in paris
I will be going to France for xmas and new years with my family. We will be staying in Paris for a few days before going out to burgundy. Due to plane flights I will actually be arriving a day before the rest of my family. I am looking for recs for a place to go by myself the first night before they arrive. I am a pretty serious food guy and I lived in Paris for a summer in college. I have been to atelier de joel robuchon a couple times by myself and it is obviously a good choice for someone dining solo. Does anyone have other recommendations for a place to go with some great food and an atmosphere conducive to dining alone for the first night I am there?
[PHX] Restaurant NOCA Review [Long]
I love this restaurant. It is probably my new favorite phoenix area restaurant. It is (along with Tarbells) the most San Fran/NYC restaurant in the area. I understand the complaint about the wine list, however, they have really solid choices on the list so you can't go wrong. I highly reccommend the Kosta Browne they have on there.
Anything new in Scottsdale?
NOCA, its in the back corner of the strip mall at 32nd and camelback (NW corner). It is probably most akin to tarbells but the decor is much younger/trendier. The food is really really good and much more interesting than most places in scottsdale. I highly recommend the pork entree with the grilled pork belly/bacon. They house cure their bacon, its superb.
Hong Kong Solo recs?
Hello all, I will be visiting Hong Kong for 5 nights. I will be travelling by myself and have never been to Hong Kong. I will be staying on the Hong Kong Island side and was wondering if anyone could give me recommendations for good places that are good for solo travellers. I am planning on doing one night at robuchon since it is so perfect by yourself with the bar but would really love other recs where I won't feel weird eating by myself.
Birthday at Vincents, recommendations?
I am goign to Vincents on Camelback in Phoenix tomorrow night for my birthday dinner. I have not been to vincents in a over a year but in the past I have always loved it. Anyway I was wondering if any has been there lately or has recs for apps and entrees?
One great meal: Las Vegas
Guy Savoy in Paris is one of my favorite restaurants in the world. I have not gone in vegas because guy is not there much and I have heard is not as good as the one in paris. If you are goign to go that high on the fancy/expensive scale I would say go to Robuchon. I also don't think that it would be that fun for 6 girlfirends. Bouchon and B&B are my two favorite really nice but still somewhat casual restaurants in vegas. I just ate at both of them over new years. Different vibes, B&B is pretty dark and very italian (only italian wines for example) but it is absolutely spectacular and would be very fun for 6 girlfriends. Bouchon is just absolutely terrific every aspect of the restaurant is wonderful. It is a much bigger and brighter room than B&B. You could not go wrong with either restaurant. i have not eaten at nobu but it is off the strip. I would also throw Circo as a possibility. I do not like it as much as B&B or bouchon but it is an incredibly fun restauarant and the room is soo whimsical. I spent my 21st birthday there a few years ago and it was just very fun. I think it would be a good spot for 6 girlfriends, the food is probably a notch below bouchon or B&B but it is very good (especially the pecorino encrusted rack of lamb). I would be happy to give you a number of recommendations for bouchon or B&B if you choose either one.
Need Mardi Gras dining help
that sounds like an awesome night, the only problem is we are not getting into NO until like 11 on friday night feb. 1 so I really have no idea how we will handle that night.
New Palazzo at the Venetian Restaurants
I was just there, i believe they only opened the casino and the 40/40 club, the restaurants did not look close to opening. Jade and Morels were the only ones that I saw with signage
Need Mardi Gras dining help
This coops sounds awesome and the type of place my friends will love, what time of day is best to go there do eat and have some brews?
Need Mardi Gras dining help
Chef4hire, i agree with the beignets, should i do a cafe au lait or the famous coffee with chicory? I do love my cafe au lait's after spending a summer in paris.
K-Pauls sounds pretty good, is the blackened fish still the thign to get? Do they have a good shrimp etoufee there?
Is Parkway walkable from FQ?
as Far as B&B, i will give you my recommendations based on what we had.
appetizers-grilled octupus is absolutely incredibly, the house made charcuterie plate is great(I love cured pork though and I really appreciate that they do their own)
pasta- we had 5 the bolgonese and wild boar ragu were average. The orrechiette with sausage, sweet potato lunes, and beef cheek raviolis were phenomenal but i liked them in that order. Although the sweet potato lunes are so interesting and original that it adds some interest there.
meats- I had the barbecued squab over beet sauced fromanti, i thought this was great but you have to be ago with a bit of gamy taste and dealing with the squab. we sat in the wine cellar so I just ate it with my fingers since no one else was in there. The braised short ribs are also very good.
we drank a wine from campania which was great and then an amarone. Italian doughnuts for dessert were very good and i do not even like dessert.
Need Mardi Gras dining help
any good places in the french quarter for shrimp etoufee, i feel like i can't visit NO without having it.
Need Mardi Gras dining help
Well i looked at Cochon's website and it sounds killer, especially with their love of swine!! with all the positive thoughts on it from the board, I booked that one for a Saturday night reservation since it was casual and I don't think any of us will bring anything other than jeans. perhaps I will try to get a reservation somewhere for Sunday night but I may just make a list of everything I can gather from the wonderful postings and play it by ear once we get there.
Obviously, I have to try some po boys at lunch is there a good spot for that in the french quarter and is roast beef the way to go?
is it worth the wait at cafe du monde for beignets and coffee to start the day?
chef4hire, i just spent new years at B$B in vegas, you must try it if you are there, incredible! I actually don't even go to babbo anymore in nyc, too much of a hassle and there are so many places to try in NYC!!
Need Mardi Gras dining help
sorry, i was by no means trying to demean any posters or emrils itself. I was just trying to clarify that I was looking to really experience that unique new orleans experience that you mentioned. The babbo/gramercy reference was just to show that although 23 we like and appreciate good food. I was not looking for the NO equivalent nor would i want that. Sorry if I offended anyone.
Need Mardi Gras dining help
I will be there feb. 1-4th and we definitely want local flavor, I'm sure emerils and other such places are good but not really what I am looking for. this might be my only trip to new orleans and I want to really experience it. We are an educated group of diners even though we are young. I have eaten at the best (fancy and dive) places in san fran, LA, New York and Paris and the guys I am going with are New Yorkers who dine at gramercy, babbo and the like. I appreciate evryone's help!!
Las Vegas - perfect place for birthday dinner without breaking the bank
Bouchon can not be beat, it is phenomenal. I was just in vegas and was completely disappointed with daniel boulud brasserie. I had high hopes because i love all his restaurants in NYC. the food was up to the standard but they totally overdesigned the room and it does not match the character of the food, so much so that it affected how i tasted the food. Also the music from the outside wynn water show is really loud and annoying.
I ate at B and B ristorante and it was incredible. Best italian sommelier I have ever come across tell him what you like and he will take you to a new region that you have never had before and open up your eyes and palette. The grilled octupus app is amazing and they make the best pasta you can find in america.
B&B and Bouchon are my favorite vegas restaurants. I also like circo and nobhill quite a bit. Pinot brasserie is good and very underrated.
Need Mardi Gras dining help
Going to mardi gras for the first timewith three buddies. we are 23 year olds but a couple of us are serious foodies and the others certainly love to eat. I have always wanted to eat in new orleans but do not know the scene. We would like to find some places that are in the french quarter that have great true new orleans food. I do not want straight french, i would prefer more of a cajun or creole. No places that require jackets please. I would really appreciate people's help because I am really uneducated on new orleans restauarants. Thanks in advance!
PIZZERIA BIANCO
I have lived in Chicago, Phoenix, and New Haven. I have eaten the best pizza in the midwest, west, and east coast. Alice, you are flat out wrong, Bianco is far superior than anything in New York, however it does not reach the lofty heights of Pepe's in New Haven. For goodness sakes Grimaldi's (arghuably the top pizza in New York) also has a restaurant in Scottsdale and it does not come close to bianco.
Dinner suggestions for Vegas
Prime is really amazing if you want a great steak in a very grand modern mafia steakhouse sort of experience, delmonico was good but i would definitely do prime over it. Prime can be very hard to get a reservation so I will list some other restaurants. I was not a huge fan of RAO's personally. Fleur De Lys is awesome and lighter which might be nice after atelier and Rao's. Craftsteak is phenomenal. Circo and Olives in the bellagio are both very fun settings with food that, while not being the level of say robuchon or savoy, is certainly enjoyable and worth it. DB Brasserie is very good. I hear great thinks about Alex but have not been there myself.
