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Chow Down
Despite what you might have heard, food is my favorite thing. I love cooking food or going out for it. I also like to hear about other people's eating experiences as well. I've thought about starting this thread for awhile now but what clinched it for me was getting ready to move back to San Diego. I have so many favorite places to eat there and besides the great food and drinks at these places I get a lot of comfort going back to the familiar atmosphere in these places.
I would love to hear about your favorite places too! So, here's a place to post your resturant raves. Do you have a favorite place to get a nibble and a cocktail? A place you had a great dinner? Or a favorite place that makes a specific dish that you go back for time and time again? Why not share your dining experiences here? I'll begin to post a few of mine and hope you will too. Thanks in advance! :food: |
I'm starting this off with my favorite place to get an appetizer. The place is called Kemo Sabe, and it's located in Hillcrest, the gay mecca neighborhood of San Diego. Yes, it can be loud and sorta trendy and yes, the parking sucks but this brie more than makes up for that inconvenience. They make a pretty good martini there if you are so inclined to try. But what I go there for is the brie. I never really LOVED brie until I tried this roasted nut crusted fried brie. They serve it with jalepeno jelly on the side, some grilled squaw bread, chile-rubbed tortillas, and honey roasted garlic. I've been able to duplicate the honey roasted garlic and make it at home but NEVER the brie. It's so good I don't like sharing it but will if I have to.
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That sounds delish!
Anywhere that I can get a perfectly for me cooked steak has permanent residence in a tiny corner of my heart, but if we're supposed to be specific, there's a place near me now that has a divine spinach salad. It's no ordinary spinach salad though. The dressing makes it. It's a warm, smoked bacon vinaigrette. Think about that for a minute. Hell yeah. :tease: |
The Top in Gainesville, Florida is one of our favourite places to eat. I get cravings if I don't go there regularly!
It is a funky kinda place with kitschy artwork and an old photo booth in the back. The servers (and patrons) have a bit of an alternative edge to them, but there is a large cross-section of people and it has an inclusive and casual atmosphere. They just added a cool patio out back too. Drink specials are awesome! Half priced wine during happy hour! However, it is the food we come for...and some of our favourites are... me-->sweet potato fries with garlic dipping sauce, spinach salad with scallops (and goat cheese, red peppers, toasted pecans!), crab cakes, portobello mushroom burger, Thai peanut chicken stir fry. him-->their burgers (they are awesome) and steaks! haha! (he doesn't deviate too much!) |
the best gelato in NYC
http://laboratoriodelgelato.com/ I think I need a pilgramage soon. When I lived on the Lower East Side, this was an every weekend thing. From the classic like chocolate hazelnut to flavors like lavender - and now cheddar cheese! (i may need to try that one). I've never had a bad flavor yet. yummy. |
Best cupcake in NYC (no not magnolia or buttercup or crumbs - trust me on this one)
http://www.sugarsweetsunshine.com/ Sugarsweet Sunshine on Rivington Street on the lower east side. they're all amazing but my faves are "the bob" which is yellow with chocolate almond butter-cream frosting, and Pistachio which is fucking amazing. Within a block or two is also Economy candy where you can buy all the oldtimey candy plus gourmet chocolate, (and hand dipped graham crackers covered in dark chocolate). AND Babeland :) |
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That sounds like someplace I'll have to try! We would love to take a trip to NY. And it's really great to have some small businesses thriving. I like to support that. |
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There are a bunch of amazing restaurants in Portland... especially breakfast joints. We love breakfast around here.
One of my favorites is Toast. It is a small place...but very homey. The owner is a guy who has worked in a bunch of restaurants in town and finally wanted to start one in his own neighborhood. And he works too. Seriously the guy must drink copious amounts of coffee...he is always ON. He focuses on fresh, local ingredients. Organic locally roasted coffee delivered by bike. Specials of the day/week based on produce in season from CSA's. Meat from local farmers (organic grass fed, etc) And the staff are right on bringing you coffee, making suggestions, etc. It is the perfect neighborhood breakfast joint. I hear they make a mean bloody mary. I don't like tomato juice so, I admire from afar. This is what I order the most: The Occasional Hedonist Sweet onion tart topped with two poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce. add rosti or sautéed greens. http://www.toastpdx.com/ It is a wee bit more $$ because of the above, but SO worth it. |
Sunday morning
Hash House A Go Go makes twisted farm food. This is my favorite place to go to brunch on a Sunday morning. Be prepared to wait though, there's always a line. It's on 5th Ave in San Diego. They make great egg dishes and awesome french toast. My favorite dishes there are the Hash House famous meatloaf, roasted red peppers, fresh spinach and smoked mozzarella or one of the scrambles like the smoked chicken, sundried tomato pesto, spinach and goat cheese.
http://www.hashhouseagogo.com/ |
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You should check out "The Big Kitchen", near there, in the neighborhood area, just off Grape St. They're only open for lunch and dinner, but lemme tell ya, the food is great and the prices are fair. Whoopee Goldberg used to wash dishes there for her meals, back before she made the big time. She's still close friends with the owner, Judy Forman, and sometimes still visits the place. Here's their info. Their web site is still being developed, but you can get their menu and other info here: http://www.bigkitchencafe.com/ Big Kitchen Cafe 3003 Grape St. San Diego, Ca 92102 (619) 234-5789 The Big Kitchen is Open 8am-2pm daily ~Theo~ :bouquet: |
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Some of the best Italian food in Las Vegas can be found at the corner of Jones and Flamingo at a little spot called "Nora's Cuisine". It's been on "The Best of Las Vegas" list for many years running and is a cozy little spot with great food and a full wine/spirit list. They also have a piano bar.
www.norascuisine.com/ Another great breakfast spot (and local's haunt) is the Omelet House, near the northwest corner of Charleston and Rancho. They have huge deluxe gourmet omelets, delicious "potato chip" style homemade breakfast potatoes, and huge slabs of home made pumpkin and banana breads, served with soft butter. Oh, and beware of the famous "Grunion Omelet". :| www.omelethouse.net (June'y, Kat, Dusa and Jack can vouch for The Omelet House...and Nora's):winky::thumbsup: ~Theo~ :bouquet: |
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Wow, she used to have this guy cooking who was a big guy with a white hair and a full beard. Man, could he bake the BEST floury white Southern-style biscuits!!! I also adore the corned beef hash and eggs!!! I sure am missing that place now. When my ex and I first started going there, over 10 years ago, Judy didn't have that extra addition or the outside patio. It was just that one section of the building with the booths/lunch counter in the front with a few tables. She's really grown that place. :) It's great to know someone else also knows about and loves The Big Kitchen. I still have a couple of the fridge magnets from there that Judy gave me. :winky: I try to get over to San Diego once a year or so, and I like to stay at the Navy Lodge over on NAS North Island (Coronado). I do most of my computer shopping at the 32nd St. NavyExchange. :D ~Theo~ :bouquet: |
I like my own cooking the best, but
There are two local places that j'adore, The People's Pint and The Rendezvous. The People's Pint welcomes both the local guys, the families, students from the tech school who are old enough to drink, and The newcomers like me who live behind The Tofu Curtain. There are microbrews and decent wine, and now you can get Diet Coke with your Ploughman's Lunch. The Voo is a much newer place and I think I like it even more than the Pint. I always have appetizers there, like a huge pretzel with two kinds of mustard, or grilled asparagus with garlic aioli. Pete took her mother there for her birfday and We got snockered, which is polite talk for tipsy on cocktails. The best thing about The Voo is Rockit Queer which is a dirty dirty dance party held every month in the very tiny bar with beautiful tin ceilings. At my house tonight? Grilled scallops with grilled mushrooms and baby white potatoes. |
Great thread. I do love food and the dining experience.
One of my favorite West Village places: http://www.extravirginrestaurant.com/ Fantastic food. Great ambience and NYC vibe (Once you experience it, you'll know it when you experience it again--NYC is unlike any other place I've been). Hangar Steak Au Poivre, it will make your socks go up and down. |
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My favorite regular place to go in all of New York and almost (but not entirely) exclusively for the bartender (Franchesca) who may not still be there, is Lil Frankie's on 1st Ave between 1st & 2nd Streets. Amazing pizza from a wood fired oven imported from Napoli. |
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And don't tell me the chorizo is made of soy! :| |
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Lefty's Chicago Pizzaria http://www.leftyspizza.com/ is tiny inside, there are only about four tables and some counter seating for a few more and also a little bit of seating outside. Although the people that work there are super friendly and the place is decked out all in Chi town sports memorabilia you don't go there for the ambiance you go there for the pizza. They have thin crust pizza that's square, deep dish and stuffed crust. You can order it by the slice too. Order at the counter or better yet call in and take out. There phone number is in my celly address book, no joke.
Lefty's pizza makes THE MOST AWESOME stuffed crust pizza ever! I recommend the Monsters of the Midway. It has sausage, pepperoni, hot giardiniera, elephant garlic and three pounds of mozza. Usually I can only eat one slice because it is HUGE so it's best to share. It's also fantastic the next day for breakfast. They also have Chicago style hot dogs, polish sausage and all the fixins, brews and some cheap wine. Definitely one of my favorites in San Diego. |
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Portland really is awesome. I do love it. The rain has been *REALLY* hard to deal with this year...especially for those of us from CA. It rains here on average, intermittently 70% of the year. We cherish the sun when we have it. Also, Portland is full of FOODIES! :D Quote:
I haven't had the rhubarb, but I have had their french toast. So tasty. Fresh bread! If I recall, I had one with orange zest/cardamom. MMM. |
I swear, I have had Thai food in quite a few countries, and I think some of the best is right here in Austin.
Quaint, perfect for a quick lunch, best service ever, freshest tofu in the entire city, and most affordable for quality Thai, and so quite worth a visit. Yummy. Titaya's. Also really love this vegetarian "chain" in NYC: Candle Cafe and Candle 79. Heavenly. And then there are breakfast tacos, which I find, the best, are Austin owned, and the cheapest at that. Tamale House by far is the quickest, cheapest and some of the tastiest breakfast tacos around. And the salsa takes the prize, I find, for just being perfect with the tacos they make. On any given weekend day, people flock to the place from as early as 6:30 am to noon or 1 or so, when there is a line out the door, as all the Austin hipsters/musicians have finally woken up, taken a bong hit, and think of Tamale House to melt away their hangovers. Tacos are only 85 cents, salsa is free and you can have as much as you want. Cash only. It's awesome. |
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I cannot remember what I ordered, which is now frustrating me. But I do know that we shared an amazing piece of cake...and I have a pic of it somewhere... yes: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2593/...071b68a9_m.jpg |
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Hey Cupcake! And some of the locations are airstream! |
Fave indian in NYC:
pongal (kosher/ veggie - southern) haveli (southern mostly) Joy indian (on flatbush) (northern, omnivore friendly) Tons more, but these are my current faves. I want to go to pongal tonite just for the masala cashews. yummy. |
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We had a lot of fun here.
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But I would guess you went here: La Carreta |
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Mangia, indeed your Aunt Suzie knows what's up! |
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mmmmmmm i love Hurricanes that drink sounds good right about now....
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this thread is making me honnggrryyyyy
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Two drinks tends to be one more than I really need to spill my guts.
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