We loved St. Hubertus in San Cassiano. We thought it was worth the price, and the service was exceptional. Sorry I can't give you any more details -- we were in the Dolomites last September and it's all a blur now, but I do remember thinking that it was one of the greatest meals I've had.

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St. Hubertus
Str Micura de Rue 20, San Cassiano, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol 39030, IT

Thanks so much for your responses.

As I constantly hear that babies are welcome at all restaurants in Paris (yet, also hardly see babies dining at them), I thought I would specifically check for thoughts about a one year old in the specific restaurants where I would like to dine. I was thinking of CAJ, Chez Denise, La Regalade, not only because we like the food, but also because they are lively enough so that perhaps a baby would not be noticed. But it seems that in your opinions a baby would not be welcome at all at dinnertime, and it is very helpful to know that you have never seen a high chair in any restaurant. This is very informative and I greatly appreciate your help!

Hi, we just booked a last minute trip and will be in Paris next Sat afternoon - Monday afternoon (Nov. 20-22). Assuming I can get reservations, I would like to eat at:

Sat. dinner: Chez L'Ami jean
Sun. dinner: Violon d'Ingres
Mon. lunch: Chez Denise

Otherwise, I may try to book: La Regalade (the new one), Christophe, La Rotonde (and otherwise open to other baby-friendly suggestions).

The catch is that we will have our 11 month old son with us. Would any/all of these restaurants be okay with a baby diner? Do they have highchairs? (I'm quite certain that none have baby changing tables in the bathroom, correct?) If I have a choice of dinner dining times, would early or late be better as to not annoy my fellow diners? (He is a pretty well-behaved baby -- then again, I am his mom so I could be biased).

Also, re: CAJ -- is the foie gras for two still the way to go? (Loved it last time, but it's been about one year).

Thanks -- we love Paris and are so excited to bring our baby for the first time (ex utero, that is)!

We ate at St. Hubertus, in San Cassiano two months ago, and it was absolutely incredible -- one of our best meals ever (I've eaten at a fair number of of Michelin three stars -- I think St. Hubertus is a two star, but I'd give it three. The service was absolutely amazing, too). I highly recommend it -- it's in the Rosa Alpina hotel.

Oh, so sorry to hear that your trip was cancelled! Thanks for your reply. If I find anything worth posting about on my trip, then maybe I will be able to help you out for your trip next spring!

Hi, how did your trip go?

I am flying with my husband and eight month old son to Munich in two weeks, where we'll get a car then plan to drive to Salzburg, Bled, Ljubljana, Trieste, then back to Munich through the Dolomites. I plan to eat at Pfefferschiff in Salzburg, but so far that's all I have planned. I would love to hear where you went to eat, in what order (what route you took), whether you stayed in the same places where you ate or not, etc. I have been frantically trying to do some research, but find that since the baby arrived, I'm very scatterbrained and have so little time! Any help and info re: the places you went would be much appreciated. Thanks very much!

To make risotto with sushi rice, do you need to wash the rice first? I always wash sushi rice in general before making it. Same question using it for paella -- is washing necessary?

Question when using sushi rice for risotto -- do you wash the rice first? I always do when making sushi rice, but never wash carnaroli before I use it for risotto. Any thoughts?

If you are willing to go to the outer boroughs, Costo in Queens sells them at their take-out food section which is separate from the store.

No no, you should not go to any trouble to see what's on the menu! You are too kind. Actually, it is now the week of the meal, since we are leaving New York tomorrow evening and so will arrive in Paris on Friday morning. But really, any general menu guidance is totally appreciated, and please don't go to any unnecessary trouble!

Thank you all for your replies! You have convinced me to do both Le Cinq and TJR, and I sent a reservation request online to Le Cinq for a reservation for Saturday lunch. I am waiting for them to get back to me.

Now, I will take you up on your offer to discuss best ordering strategy. Also, not just for Le Cinq, but what would you recommend for CAJ and La Regalade?

Thanks again!

Bonjour, we will be arriving in Paris next Friday morning, leaving Tuesday afternoon. Thanks to all your advice, I have devised the following dining plans:

Friday Lunch: le Rubis (if we are up to it after having just arrived, don’t have a reservation)
Friday Dinner: Reservation at Chez L’Ami Jean

Saturday Lunch: Nothing planned
Saturday dinner: Reservation at Le Petit Pontoise (tried to book Itineraires, but it is full)

Sunday Lunch: L’As du falafel
Sunday Dinner: Reservation at La Rotonde

Monday Lunch: Reservation at La Table de Joel Robuchon
Monday Dinner: Reservation at La Regalade

Tuesday Lunch: Reservation at L’Epi Dupin

My question is whether you suggest I make other plans for dinner on Saturday night or Sunday night given my itinerary. (I am certain, based on the comments on this board, that my plans for L’Ami Jean and La Regalade will be approved of and that I should not change them!) As I understand both of these places are pretty loud and boisterous, and I was hoping to have more relaxed meals on Sat and Sunday night – not too staid or boring, something a little lively but where a group of three could have good conversation without raising voices, and have a leisurely meal, but at reasonable prices. I have no idea about the ambience at Le Petit Pontoise – will it fit the bill? If not, any other recommendations where I would be likely to get a table for a Sat night, reserving less than one week in advance? I thought about Mon Vieil Ami, which I really enjoyed last time in Paris (May 2007), but comments seem to be negative recently.

Also, is La Rotonde a bad choice for Sunday night based on the same concerns, or am I limited to a place like it (I’m assuming it’s pretty loud and cramped as well, but I may be wrong) because it is Sunday night?

Final question – for Monday lunch, I am considering skipping TJR and booking a table at Le Cinq instead. I would definitely only go for the 85Euro prix fixe—is it still available? Is it a much better choice than TJR? We have been to l’Atelier in NYC and enjoyed it, but were not blown away. But also, we have had lunch at Taillevent (I may be wrong to compare Taillevent with Le Cinq here) and were a little disappointed in both the food and service. I just want to have a nice enjoyable meal where I can be wowed by at least some of the food. What do you think? I welcome all your thoughts and comments and thanks for all the advice I’ve already gotten from reading this board!

Just to clarify -- I'll arrive next Friday, Nov. 14, so I will be there for the start of crab season! Yippee!

Hello,
We are a mid-thirties couple from NYC, and will arrive at SFO at 11:15PM, next Friday. We will be staying near Embarcadero, and are leaving early Sunday morning. That means we have late Fri night (I figure we’ll be checked into our hotel, and then ready to eat (if all goes well) at around 12:30am, and all day Saturday to chow our way around SF! In the past we have tried TFL, the Globe, Gary Danko, Quince, Yank Sing, Slanted Door, Hog Island Oysters, and XOX Chocolates and enjoyed them all – to varying degrees. We’d like more of the same, but this time our top priority is to get some Dungeness Crab on Saturday. Here is what I am thinking:

Friday night – depending on how late it is, Nopa, the Globe, or Yuet Li. Any other suggestions for some places that will be open late, and have good food?

Saturday 8AM – FBFM for shopping/grazing

Saturday around 11AM – Head down to fisherman’s wharf for some dungeness crab?? Should we go to a specific restaurant there? (Or should we avoid the wharf altogether and go to some place like Tadich Grill or Swan Oyster Depot? -- In which case, should I just go to Swan Oyster Depot on Saturday AM at 8am to avoid the line, and then do FBFM at 11AM? What I’m looking for is just plain dungeness crab to eat out of the shell, and lots of it! But if there’s something else that you all recommend, then I would love to hear about it!)

Saturday around 2:30PM – Chez Panisse café? I have never been to CP, and of course, am dying to go. But is the café for lunch worth it, or should I just wait until the next time when I can get a reservation at the restaurant for dinner? Alternatively, I was thinking of Zuni (but don’t know much about it), but welcome other suggestions.

Saturday evening: I was thinking La Folie or Boulevard. The La Folie menu looks good, but the pictures of the place look a little too sedate. Any other suggestions? Or maybe we should push the Chez Panisse café to Saturday evening instead? Sorry I’m so undecided – I just want to make the most of the short time we have out in SF!

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me – I love the SF area and am so excited to be going out there!

Candle Cafe, on 75th and Third, and Candle 79, on 79th, near Lex, are both really good vegan places. Candle 79 is more upscale.

You're on -- I'm going to order duck in a can!

Yes, APDC is totally boisterous and casual and small children fit right in, although the chairs may not be very comfortable (we didn't get a high chair here -- the boy sat mostly in his stroller, which was pushed up to the table, and then got out and was passed around to people's laps). At LCCP, we sat in a booth against the wall, so the boy had a comfy space to spread out. He was a little fussy, but the servers took it all in stride and did not make us feel unwelcome at all. Our waiter even offered to bring a special meal for the boy, which I thought was amazing since it's not exactly a place that offers a "kid's menu!" At Chez L'Epicier we got a high chair, but had not requested it ahead of time. Overall, all the restaurants were extremely kid-friendly -- much more than I think NY restaurants are. I hope you have a great trip!

Actually, it doesn't have to be 2 savory courses plus dessert. I was there last week and my husband and I both ordered 3 savory courses, then skipped on dessert. For the middle course, they can prepare any of the main courses (except for the chicken kiev) as appetizer portions. We were charged for three courses.
If you go, I recommend the Chicken Kiev (stuffed with liquid foie gras) -- but then again I recommend most of the menu! I think the food is really fantastic, and every time I go Terrance Brennan is walking around the dining room greeting people.

A thousand apologies to everybody for reporting back so late! I have been wanting to thank you all for your suggestions and advice for over a month! Well, we ended up sticking to most of the schedule: 1) APDC -- I thought this place was great although the main dish I ordered (beef tongue for two) ended up being a little much after a few bites (complete with fried oysters, foie gras, etc.). This place is over the top, and I loved that about it. Some of my dining companions disliked it for this very reason, and felt that the food was just about making a statement rather than crafting a great meal. I definitely want to go back there, but will probably have to go alone!; 2) Chez L'Epicier -- I was a little underwhelmed by this restaurant as my meal (both the appetizer and main course) was underseasoned (I got the fish main course-- sorry I am forgetting all the details. . . ) -- however, I tried the veal steak and thought it was excellent; 3) LCCP -- this was a fantastic restaurant. period; 4) Lemeac -- totally solid fare and enjoyable experience; and 4) Lucca -- (I know this wasn't on my original list, but my plans got derailed a little bit) I did not choose this restaurant, but was very pleasantly surprised and we all thought it was excellent. The seafood in the seafood dishes were especially fresh. We also dropped by Olive & Gourmando, Faimont bagels & St. Viateur bagels, and loved them. Between the two bagel places, i give a slight nod to St. Viateur, but I would take either one any day. Also, we tried some poutine at La Banquise (I got one with chicken and peas, if I remember correctly) and I thought it was just okay.

Again, I'm sorry for the delay reporting back and really sorry for the lack of details in my report. But I really appreciate all your help, and wanted to let you know all your advice was put to good use. One more word on our trip to Montreal -- we found the service in all the restaurants to be fantastic. It was incredible, actually. Thanks again!

I too love Dairy Queen and Orange Julius! Oh no, now I'll have to factor those two things into our caloric budget, although one can get DQ in New Jersey. . . As for FIJM, I think it's going to be pretty much wasted on us, since we're not coming for it, and we just happen to be staying at the Hyatt-- it just happens to be going on at the same time we will be there (I know this sounds like jazz-sacrilege). Thanks for the info!

Thank you all for your great comments! Based on your suggestions, I am nixing Orange Julep and Bilboquet from my list. I'm intrigued by Byblos and Jolifou, so maybe I'll switch L'Express with one of those.

As for Harvey's, I'm tempted to nix it too, but we don't have it in NY (or the US) so it's kind of a tradition to go there whenever I'm in Canada.

BTW, what is FIJM?

Thanks again everybody!

I know, I know. I am dreading the scale upon my return. But not dreading it enough to dampen my enjoyment of each and every bite of foie gras!

Hello! I will be in Montreal from Thursday evening through Sunday morning (7/3-6), with three other adults (mid-30s) and a two year old. This is my itinerary:

Thurs night: Au Pied de Cochon
Fri. lunch: Chez L'Epicier
Fri. Dinner: Le Club Chasse et Peche
Sat. lunch: L'Express
Sat. dinner: Lemeac
Sunday lunch: at JT Market
(Toque was booked, so couldn't get a reservation there at all).

I also plan to fit in the following:
Bagels taste-testing between Fairmont & st. Viateur
Poutine at La Banquise
Bilboquet for ice cream
Olive & Gourmando for breakfast or snacking
Orange Julep?
Maybe Schwartz's, depending on time and appetite constraints
Harvey's for a burger (seriously)
Beauty's for breakfast (for sentimental reasons)

Any thoughts on my plans? Does it seem like my choices are varied enough? Should I replace dinner at Lemeac with one at Chez L'Epicier, then do lunch at Lemeac (or some other place) instead? Is Orange Julep worth checking out over L'Express, since we will have a child with us?

Also, we're staying at the Hyatt, and I'm not familiar with the layout of Montreal (although I have been to Montreal before), so maybe it makes sense to change certain things around to make it easier to get to the places?

I'm really looking forward to coming to your beautiful city. I really appreciate any feedback. Thanks for any advice you can give me!

In Manhattan, Murray's has it.

Awesome! Thanks for your posts! I have memorized the phrase "may yo ju ro!"

Hi all,
I don't know much about Chinese food, but I am going to China (Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai) for vacation in a few weeks and am doing some culinary research to get into the groove before I go. I was scrolling through the boards, and based on your recommendations, am dying to try Little Pepper. So tonight we're planning on going and getting the whole fish with bean curd, the lamb with spices, dried green beans, mapo tofu, and whatever else strikes our fancy (we can eat a lot -- and the spicier the better!). The problem is that my husband can't eat pork for religious reasons, and I understand the mapo tofu has pork in it. My question is, do you think they will make it for us without pork? If so, do you have any suggestions as to how I can ask them since we don't speak Chinese? Also, can you recommend any other pork-free dishes that are not to be missed?

I really appreciate any feedback you can give me. TIA!

I think Won Jo uses charcoal. Also, I like the bbq at Woo Chun (on 35 or 36 st -- can't remember if it's gas or charcoal). Neither one of these places is very flashy, though. FWIW, I generally don't like Kum Gang San. Wherever you go, I hope you enjoy!

Thank you, everybody, for all your great responses/suggestions!

Hello,
I've been charged with the task of finding a place for dinner for an office outing on June 10. Our budget is $70 per person including wine/drinks, tax, and tip. (I calculate this to be $55 before tax and tip). I know this is a very difficult thing to ask for especially since we are a large group and a lot of places are going to want to charge us for a private room, etc., but if I don't come up with something, our fallback place is Carmine's, so please help me! Our office is located downtown in the financial district, so the ideal areas would be SoHo, Tribeca, Village, LES, Union Square, etc., but if there is a really good recommendation I may be able to convince everyone to travel a little further. Chinatown is out b/c we are having dinner there the night before. As for type of food, my co-workers prefer mainstream fare like new American, Italian, French, etc. I appreciate your help -- and I always value a fellow hounder's opinion! TIA

I ate at Arce last Friday (Feb. 15). I went to La Broche for lunch, then had dinner at Arce. I thought Arce was excellent, not just because of the food, but also because of the very cozy atmosphere and the individualized attention from the chef (he sits down with you before the meal and discusses your preferences, then tailors the menu to them). Although I'm blanking on all the dishes we had, some of my appetizers were: truffle slices on a bed of jamon and crepe; and egg yolk in a fried potato cup (think more like potato chip). My entree was a sole with a green mustard sauce and some fried chives (I think). Everything was delicious, and we thought about going back for dinner on Saturday, but wanted to try something else as time in Madrid was limited.