Griffens have tasting flights with local wines. Not the best selection though.

Huge discounts at Midland Appliances. Richmond location only. Today is last day.

I love my new kitchen !!! Need I say more? Happy Cooking !

Pan: Yes Cafe Roma is in Little Italy. It is a very cute cafe. Not sure how old the review clip was, I guess I should of paid more attention but we were so excited when we came across the cafe.

Calf:
@Le Bernardin

appies: tuna w/ fois gras and scallop carpaccio
mains: black bass and halibut pot , halibut being the star of the meal
desserts: earl grey tea and plum

@ The Modern
appies: scallop, tuna and salmon combo and roasted scallop
mains: chorizo cod and pork tenderloin
desserts: apple pear duo and chocolate hazelnut dacquoise

LB was the best meal out of the three "fancy" meals we had in NYC.

The first year we were married. I tried to perfect the recipe so I made it 5 times in 2 weeks. Each time there were 4 servings................I've never eaten it again, neither has my husband, he actually forbids me to make it. I've perfected the recipe though =)

Here's a brief report on my recent trip to NYC.

Bouchon Bakery
Stopped by for a snack before heading to Jean Georges. Excellent pistachio macaroon but the eclair was a huge disappointment. The pastry was thick and doughy.

Jean Georges
Wow. Service was just amazing compared to the Market by JG back home, truly puts it to shame but that's another post. We had the prix fixe 4 course meal as recommended by our waitress (had tix to the Opera) and it was an excellent choice. Highlight was the fois gras dumplings, every bit was truly a piece of heaven. Would have loved to try their tasting menu but I think it would of been way too much food.

Maison Kayser
Came here for brunch. No wait for table. The best scramble eggs I've ever had. Yes the bread is delicious as well. Pistachio eclair was recommended by the waiter, tasty but I wish I had gone with the coffee tart. Busy but super fast service.

Shake Shack
Came here for dinner. I can see why people rave about their burgers, definitely a good option for taste and price. Cheese fries, meh, should of gone with regular. Vanilla custard, huge grin, need I say more?

Papaya King was across the street from Shake Shack so it was obvious we made a stop. I'm not an expert but I did find the dogs a bit salty for my liking but it was not bad. Had their papaya drink, it's different.

Panera Bread
Met up with a friend here. Really loved their soup and sandwich combo. Caramel latte was pretty awesome too.

Go-Go Curry
Japanese chain. Ordered their famous Curry Katsu with rice and it was so good, very comforting on a rainy night. Not fancy but a good choice for us.

Dessert Club
Since we were in the mood for Japanese we came here for dessert. Ordered three to share among the two of us !! Green tea yuzu lava cake, wow such a nice surprise from chocolate. Soft serve filled eclair and the crepe cake were equally yummy. I was on such a sugar buzz afterwards.

Le Bernardin
My favorite meal on thsi trip. The way they execute fish is excellent. Flavours were spot on, not super bold but I like it simple when it comes to fish. Halibut with truffle, yum! The plum dessert, simple but very good flavours.

Chelsea Market
I'm a bit disappointed with this place. Yes there are some very interesting stores but it wasn't really what I expected. Over rated?

The Modern
Lunch was pretty good but compared to my previous meals at JG and LB, there was no comparison. What really irked me about The Modern is they kept calling me to confirm over and over again. Most memorable was the bread, hot from the oven and we coudn't stop eating them.

Donut Plant
Really loved their donuts but very expensive for what it's worth. Only had the yeast ones, PB&J, Bananna Cream and Creme Brulee (fav one)

Cafe Roma
Unexpected stop. They had a sign saying it was the best cannoli in Manhattan by one of the local papers. Of ours we had to try =) The shell was too hard and thick but the filling was very good.

Katz Deli
Maybe it's me, I've never been a huge fan of this type of sandwich. Personally it was okay, very expensive and confusing service. Love the matzo ball soup, perhaps it was the msg in it hahaha.

Russ and Daughter
Again, is it me? Must be an off night for me. I blame it on all the sweets I had before coming here =)

Went to a few more casual places but nothing really to mention. Loved how there are so many options in Manhattan.

Thank you for fellow CHs recommendation !

I too have an allergic reaction to quinoa. I get facial swelling, swollen and numbness in my lips, breathing issues etc. It really upsets me when people say it's cross contamination or I just need to wash it thoroughly. Before I realize it was quinoa that was causing my allergies, I used to wash it thoroughly before and after the cooking process so yes it was fully cleaned.

Kelowna was amazing, sunny and warm then it was over and back to our regular life. Ate majority of our meals at the vacation condo but got a chance to have a really tasty meal at the Cherry Pitt on our first day. Their hamburger was so delicious! Not the premade patty, freshly made. Their beef dip was also very good, super juicy. I just wish their au jus was home made instead of the bouillion mix but never the less it was still fabulous.

Quails Gate, wasn't sure if was hype so I had my doubts. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality and standard of their dishes. For those who enjoy fois gras, QG doesn't a pretty good dish, not as good as Le Crocodile but very close. We enjoyed our visit so much we went back the next day. Service was excellent and the view was absolutely gorgeous! Definitely worth a visit.

Burrowing Owl. Again, amazing location. Food was also super fresh and top notch. Great charcuterrie and cheese plates. Service, perhaps because it was mid day (3'ish) so it wasn't really as attentive as I had hoped for. It wasn't that it wasn't good but it could have been better.

Farmers market there is a must. Their pricing is much better than Vancouver and they have so many vendors to choose from.

For me is spaghetti with tomatoe and butter sauce. Yep, mom added lots of butter to the sauce and it's still my favorite way to eat spaghetti. I only make it a couple of times a year but everytime I have it, it's like heaven for me.

Love going to Trader Joes. We usually bring back their hummus, cheese (they have quite a selection to pick from, favs are Supreme Brie and burrata), heirloom tomatoes, salted plantain chips, frozon croissants, truffle brownie mix (i know this is so easy to make at home but their brand is absolutely sinfully delicious), and of course wine. I'm not a fan of the two buck chuck but they have a very good selection of wine under $10.

Thanks for the suggestion everyone ! I'm definitely going to try out Old vines.

Hi all,
Heading up to Kelowna in a couple of weeks. There's a not lot of recommendations and most reviews I found on Chow are a bit dated. Some suggestions and critic for the list below is appreciated.

Here are my tentative choices
Day 1
Lunch-Firewood Bakery
Dinner-at condo or Everest

Day 2
Breakfast/snack-Farmers market
Dinner-Le Plateau Bistro

Day 3
Breakfast/Lunch ???
Dinner-Old Vines

Day 4
Breakfast-Cherry Pitt or at condo
Back to Vancouver.

Thanks all !!

Hi everyone,
Sorry for the late reply. I meant to say the Original Pancake House (wasn't able to change the title). For us, we don't have diner type breakfasts often so this was a nice treat for us. Our favorite is still Pig'n Pancake on the Oregon Coast.

Thanks again for all the input !

Just came back from Chicago and tried the Original House of Pancake. Had a great time, food was fabulous for what it is. Went online and noticed there's a location in Seattle. Is it worth going? No we won't drive all the way from Vancouver just for breakfast but if we're in the neighbourhood.

Thanks!

Just came back from the windy city for the first time. First of all, thank you CHs for all your great insight. Won't go into too much details as most CH have already given detailed reports.

Day 1
Grabbed a quick bite at El Souk. It was close to the hotel and we had reservations at the Aviary at 10pm, we didn't want to fill ourselves up too much. Had the chicken schwarma. Tasty and cheap. Off we went to the Aviary. We had reservations but still had to wait about 30 minutes and it was so worth the wait! Wow, is all I have to say. Not only did the drinks have a artistic/entertainment component, the drinks were excellent. Love the fact that they offer flights (whiskey etc), however we really wanted the wow factor so opted for the more fun drinks. The snakcs and bites were also very good.

Day 2
Our itinerary plans changed at the last minute so we ended up at Noodles on Michigan. It was better than I expected but nothing to rave about. Dinner was at Heaven on Seven. Never had Cajun food before so I really have nothing to compare it to. It was okay but not quite what I had in mind.

Day 3
Again, our itinerary changed so we ended at Le Coloniel for lunch. Surprisingly the food was pretty good here. Price wise, very expensive for what it's worth. About 3 times what you would normally pay for vietnamese food. Dinner was at Pizanno. Had the deep dish pizza and calamari. Both were okay. The deep dish pizza was our first time so again nothing to compare it to. It was alright, perhaps I need to explore the dish a bit more before I can comment but at least I can say I've tried it.

Day 4
Breakfast at The Original House of Pancake. Loved the Dutch Baby. Also had the corned beef hash and eggs, deliscious. Very differnent from what I've had in the past, probably due to being out here in the West Coast. Stopped by Seven on State (Macy's) for ramen at Noodles by Takashi. The broth was quite tasty but the noodles were soggy. As much as I enjoyed the ramen, I've had better. Also had the pulled pork tacos at Frontera. It was huge, lots of meat, actually too much but delicious. Had a late dinner at Cafe Spiaggia. Dinner was good but nothing to rave about. Perhaps we should have gone to the dining room but the temperature was about 38-39 and hubs really didn't feel like putting on a jacket.

Day 5
Lunch at Cafe Iberico. A bit of disappointment. The reviews were good but wasn't as good as I expected. Maybe I've been spoiled by having tried Jaleo last year. Dinner was the perfect ending at Bon Soiree. Absolutely amazing dinner. Had the 9 course tasting menu. Just loveley and what a perfect way to end our trip.

Thank you everyone !

Hello,
I have reservations for Bonsoiree in a couple of weeks. Can someone explain to me about how the BYOB works with the restaurant? Their email says to contact 3 liquor stores for pairing. Does that mean the restaurant doesn't serve up any beverages?

Thanks

I went to the Fish House a few years ago. It was better than Hotel Vancouver and less expensive. Btw, you can use the entertainment coupon for high tea at the Fish House, call to confirm as it's been awhile since I've gone.

We checked this store out last week and it's got a good selection (compared to Vancouver BC). Will definitely stop by again when we visit.

Came here last week during our visit to Seattle. The restaurant is so LOUD. Food was underwhelming. Octopus was good but the portion they give you is quite small. Porchetta wasn't as good as I had hoped for. Duck confit was tasty, loved how they crisped up the skin. Service is fast, a bit too fast, we received our bill once dessert was presented.

I was just about to say the same thing about the Tudors era too. I think it can be fun, some may even have a story to their cutlery.

Nutter Butter Wafers. Not the sandwich cookies but the light wafer ones. Yes it is processed sugar and all but I just love it !

Thanks for the quick reply all !

I've been told that Costco carries Scotch/Whiskey at some of their locations. Just wondering if fellow CH know which location in the Seattle area.

Thanks!

Well, Charlie Palmer was a hit! Loved the dinner and hubs even found a new favorite scotch, well bourbon actually. We had a drink at the bar before dinner and a nice gentlemen informed us that Acadiana offers scotch tastings every now and then. Too bad it was our last night in DC but I thought I'd share the information for those interested.

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Acadiana
901 New York Ave NW Ste 200A, Washington, DC 20001

We were at Gaylord National Harbour about 3 weeks ago. There isn't a lot of options there as the "town" is about 5 blocks radius. Most of our meals were provided by the convention so it's mostly lunches I went to. We went to the new pizza place that just opened up near the Peeps store. It's very good, light and thin however a bit pricey. We went to Ketchup, what a disaster but they do offer half price burgers on Monday. Potbelly Sandwiches was okay, kinda like Quizno but their shakes were fantastic. Surprisingly, the National Pasttime at Gaylord is quite good and not as expensive as I had thought it would be. Most entrees were under $20. The appies are pretty huge here.

If you want to save, there is a grocery market near the mini donut stand. A lot of organic food and pastries, not the best selection but at least you can grab items for breakfast instead of eating out every day.

Thanks all for the replies. Sorry I didn't reply back sooner. I think I've narrowed it down to Charlie Palmer and if we have time, Art & Soul just because I've never really had good southern style food.

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Art & Soul
415 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001

I'll be in Washington DC in June and will be celebrating hub's birthday while we're there. I think I've narrowed it down to two places but am still open to suggestions. My two choices are Bourbon Steak or Charlie Palmer. On their websites, Bourbon Steak seems to fit our bill as they offer whiskey/scotch tastings. Just wondering if there's any other options that provides something similar. Not sure if Charlie Palmer has the whiskey/scotch tastings, they only have wine on their website.

Thanks CHs!

When I bought my claypot. The owner of the shop told me to soak it in water for 24 hours, let it dry a day and before using it for the first time, soak it for a few more hours and it should help with the cracking. So far my pot hasn't cracked so maybe there's some truth to it.

My recent favorites are Lupo in Yaletown and Luda on Hastings by Slocan. I've been to Lupo a few times now and the food and service is always wonderful. Luda is a wonton/hk/cantonese style restaurant. Their take on a modern version of wonton noodles is very tasty. They also offer house made beef balls and squid balls. Very bouncy and the broth that it comes with is nicely done.

Superstore now carries Dorset in their organic section.