piero's Profile
Favorites in Perugia/Lucca
Could you please tell us how many people ate and what was the bill for each meal?
Ventura/Oxnard help?
Hozy's. Take the Santa Paula Freeway east from Ventura. At the east end of Santa Paula the Freeway will come to a traffic light. Turn right off the Freeway, go about 400 yards and turn right-you have to turn right-and the drive about 1/2 mile and on the left there will be signs for Hozy's and ARP (American Racing Products).
Ventura/Oxnard help?
Agree with Cuernavaca. Zacks is one of our go to places for the higher end. Danny's Deli is great for lunch. The best restaurant is in Santa Paula. Appears casual but is actually high end with an excellent wine list-recognized by the Wine Spectator . Is easy to reach-just off the Santa Paula Freeway, right at the stop light and then the next (and only) right. . It's located in an industrial zone in a corner of the owner's factory .Open for lunch and breakfast most of the weeks, but only for dinner Wed-Sat. Menu changes weekly and is usually ;listed on their website.
Restaraunts near Lucca, Viareggio and forte dei marmi
Above Camaiore in the hills is Sant'Anna. A small village where a slaughter of innocent women and children took place near the end of WW11. The drive up is spectacular, there is a chapel and museum that are well worth visit and a movie in the museum that describes what happened. Make sure you see the film in Italian. There is a small store that makes panini with the local potato bread that is excellent and a delightful patio for eating. Across from Camaiore at the top of the climb in Pedona is Il Soggiorno which has a spectacular view from the dining room to the hills to the north. Solid menu with fair prices-0584989218
On the road to Montemagno just after leaving Camaiore is pizzaria-ristorante Spietato 0584989218. Our favorite for zuppe di faro. Very popular with locals so reservations would be in order. In Montemagno there are two restaurants. Choose Meraviglie. Usually don't need reservation unless on a Sunday night in August when the crowds are returning from the beach. Solid Lucchese menu, looks expensive but is actually one of the least expensive around. Avoid the pizza
Continuing towards Lucca, about a mile on your left is the road to Gombitelli where you will find Ceru, a hotel/restaurant. This is a place for lunch, esp Sunday.Request a reservation for out door seating and from your table on a clear day you can see from Viareggio to La Spezia. Their specialty is pork products since they raise, butcher and sell them. 0584971901
A mile o so after the turn of to Gombitelli, there is a self-service gas station on the right. On the left is a road that leads up the mountain that would eventually also take you to Gombitelli, but before you reach Fibbiano there is a group of houses which are Costello. Ristorante Costello 0584956206. Tagliata and ravioli in noci sauce is our suggestion.
A few miles further in Monsagrati is the Ristorante Gina. while I would have no qualms about suggesting the Gina for any meal, the real deal here is the Friday noon "workman's" lunch that specialize in fish. 12 Euros if you don't order dessert A primi,secondi, wine, water, coffee.
If you have a yearning for tordelli, then Mangiafoco on the road to Chiatri Puccini in Farneta
. 0583327288 but reservations usually aren't necessary.
If you have a GPS and a special night, then R.Lombardo should be considered. Go for dinner and ask for the terrace and the spectacular view back towards Lucca.It is located between S. Sterfano and the Tenuta di Forci-a GPS would be helpful. It is more expensive than the others mentioned with the bill being between 70-100Euros depending on your wine choice..0583394268
R.Cecca is a solid Lucchese restaurant but is located south of Lucca on the way to Pisa and may be a little far for you Never had a bad meal there.058394284. Reservations a very good idea.
Cayucos Beach
Would definitely second Hoppe's. Make sure to drive north a little past San Simeon and view Elephant Seal Beach.
Pietrasanta
One day when you have 3-4 hours, drive up to Sant'anna which is at 3000 ft in the mountains above Pietrasanta and Camaiore. It's a very small village and a national monument to 585 women and children that were gunned down near the end of WW2. There is a chapel, a museum with a documentary of the event in Italian and English-make sure you see the Italian version-and other pictures and battle lines of the war in that area of Italy. The food angle is that there is a small market that makes excellent panini served on potato bread and focaccia. The potato bread is made there and is locally well known but has a very limited distribution. Another panificio that has a strong following is located in Camaiore. It's located just as you begin the climb to Pedona from Camaiore on the right side of the road in a one story building that has no name on it. It runs out of bread by 9-10AM
Torre del Tartufo - Report on a Cooking Course in Tuscany
Since the portion of the website indicating "prices" is under construction, could you please tell us how much your week cost?
any pointers on sevice charges and tipping in italy?
Yes.Don't. In close to 1000 restaurant meals, 99% outside of the tourist city centers, I can't remember ever seeing an Italian, or many European tourists, leave a tip. Since Italians for the most part, and many Europeans, don't use credit cards, it fairly easy to see if a diner is leaving a tip.You will see a small tip at a bar, but the reason for this usually has nothing to do with service, but rather the desire to get rid of very small change.
Bringing Candy and Food Gifts to Italy
M and M's for the kids. See's DARK chocolate for the adults.
Suggestions for foodies on a budget in Italy
Lunch is cheaper than dinner, so where ever you are at lunch time look for bars or small restaurants that seem to have an inordinate number of cars or workman's trucks parked near them. These places invariably have a prix-fixed menu of from 10-12 Euros for a three course meal with a 1/2 liter of wine with multiple selections for each course..
Kauai recommendations
Camp House Grill was closed as was Kalaheo Steakhouse when we were there in November. In Waimea there is the Shrimp Shack which is excellent for lunch.
Christmas In Kauai
Over the past four years for a major holiday-Thanksgiving-we have dined at the Beach House, Gaylords, and most recently Roy's. They all price out about the same, they all have fish on the menu-either ahi or an encrusted white fish-and are pleasant places to dine. Of the three, we much preferred Roy's because of the creativity of the dishes and the service.
Pisa- any suggestions about good places to eat or get gelati?
If you have a car, then Ristorante Cecca, via di Coselli,55, 55060 Coselli.Tel 0583.948819 , www.lacecca.it would be a good choice. It's located off the road to Lucca probably within 3 miles of the Lucca city limits. The signage to the restaurant is excellent, esp if you're coming from the Lucca side. I've never come from the Pisa side, but it's probably easier than from the Lucca side because from the Lucca side you have to wind your way thru an industrial park until you reach the countryside and the restaurant. The menu is classic Tuscan with excellent quality. The prices are very reasonable. It is closed Monday all day and Wednesday night.
If you're interested in seafood,then Le Terme in Massaciuccoli- 3284240860- would be my recommendation. It's closed for dinner Monday and Tuesday and all lunches except Sunday. I would suggest reservations at both of these restaurants. Price and quality are excellent. We've eaten at Ceccha about 10 times and Le Terme 25 times.
Gaylord's, Beach House, or elsewhere for nice last dinner on Kauai?
We've eaten at Gaylord's the last two Thanksgivings and while it was enjoyable, we do not feel that we would like to return because we felt that it was overpriced . It's not as comfortable as the Beach House and maybe slightly more expensive. A problem with Gaylord's is that they have a large theater across a grassy area behind the restaurant-which is open air-to which busloads of tourists from the cruise ships are brought for a dinner and show. The sounds from the show can be clearly heard from sections of the restaurant towards the theater. This would be something consider if a cruise ship was in port.
Santa Paula- for end of September
You are very lucky. One of the best restaurants in Ventura County is located in an industrial section of Santa Paula. It's called Hozy's. The menu is exceptional as is the wine list. If what you find on the wine list is not quite what you want, ask to be taken to the wine cellar-recognized by the Wine Spectator. The meats and fish are excellent and there are many choices in each category.The restaurant is located in the corner of a factory because it is owned by the owner of the factory who is a dyed in the wool foody. It is also open for lunch and breakfast, but for dinner, only Wed-Saturday.Reservations are advised.
I would like to eat one Bistecca
I was at La Cecca a few weeks ago and it was excellent,as usual. I would go there for lunch. I've been by Vapore many times, never eaten there and never heard anything about it to make me want to eat there. A few hundred yards up the road-away from Lucca-is Ristorante Lombardo which is excellent. I would go there for dinner. While it is open some days for lunch, because of the current economic situation they had closed for lunch on several days during the week. I would go on Friday because baccala is the special and I would highly recommend it. Also on the menu is a spaghetti Lombardo which is a pasta lightly coated with a four white meat sauce. Reservations would be a good idea and ask if you can sit on the terrace which overlooks the Tuscan countryside.
Rifugio Tips?
I have traveled extensively thru Bavaria, Austria,.Switzerland, and Italy hiking in the mountains, but that was 15 years ago, but I think that what I remember might be helpful. (1)Make sure you have hiking insurance because they charge is they have to rescue you and it can be very expensive to be evacuated,esp if they need to use a helicopter,(2)carry a thin sleep sheet-a item that looks like a liner for a sleeping bag-because if all the private rooms in the refuge are rented, then they may put you in a mass sleeping room and give you a pillow and a blanked (3)it used to be and still may be that by law on the menu in each refuge, there was an item that was of a certain number of calories and at a very low price-called bergsteigeressen as I remember. Carry rain gear, extra food and clothing, and always sign out and in as you move from one refuge to another because if a snow or rain storm comes up, they count to make sure every one has arrived. One thing to look for is the trenches,barb wires, and pill boxes left over from the !st World War.
Elba Restaurant Recs Needed
If you speak German you might look at some German travel sites since Elba is exceedingly popular with the Germans. We found restaurants by asking the owner of the small hotel where we stayed. In fact, she gave us a card for a 10%discount at one restaurant. The other method was to walk around and find restaurants and then ask her.Since it's a pretty small island she was also able to recommend restaurants in other towns and she was right on. , I don't know where you're staying in Elba, but we drove into Portoferraio for lunch one day and ate in the old town. There are many restaurants there but I can't remember the name of the one where we ate, but I can say that we enjoyed our lunches much more when we just drove to a small town on the map,usually situated on the ocean, and picked out a restaurant
Elba Restaurant Recs Needed
In Marciana Marina strong suggestion for Rendezvous (fish) which is on the water and a little pricey but worth it, and La Scaletta Ristorante just a block off the water and great value and strong on pasta and pizza if you don't feel like fish. Just outside of Marciana Marina on the road to Poggio is a winery with 3-4E wine (remember you're in Tuscany), and it's not too bad Also the aquarium dell"elba at Marina di Campo is well worth a visit. If you haven't been there before, be advised that while the roads are in great condition, they are narrow and windy and since now is the height of the tourist season, quite slow
Ojai (Oxnard, Ventura, Thousand Oaks)??
Be forewarned that while the food at the Red Barn is good and inexpensive, it's strictly a take out location.
Gems in Oxnard and/or Ventura
Living in Ventura I would suggest Cafe Zack (close to downtown Ventura) and for a real sleeper Hozy's Cafe in Santa Paula (very easy to get to). They both would satisfy your suggestion that price and quality are not a problem. Both have web sites and I would suggest that if your friends want to eat at either of these restaurants, then they should call for reservations.
Staying one night in Oxnard, CA
We live in Ventura, and while the restaurants suggested are OK, when we want a 99% chance or having an excellent meal we go to Cafe Zack at 1095 Thompson Blvd, a few blocks East of California Street, telephone 805-643-9445. www.cafezack.com. It's not inexpensive, especially the wine list, but it has been turning out above average meals for longer than any of the restaurants list above. A real sleeper is Hozy's Grill in Santa Paula. 1760 E. Lemonwood Drive, 805-525-1068,www.hozys.com. It located in an industrial park that is just off the end of the Santa Paula Freeway in a factory building. Excellent food, both seafood and meat, and an innovative and fairly priced wine list. Coming from where you are staying, it's probably only 10' further than Cafe Zack. Both restaurants will cost approximately $60 plus wine for two. We eat at Cafe Zack four times a year, usually special occasions, and at Hozy's every other week.
Camarillo Brunch or Weekend Lunch Recs?
Herzog winery. It would be closed on Saturday. www.herzogwinecellars.com/
