wineitup

Going to Savannah between Xmas & New Years, any new places I shouldn't miss?

Rosslyn is a concrete wasteland. I would definately go to Georgetown if you're looking for a bar.

One the last day of my 10 days in Seattle. Below are the best places I came across while here.

• Daily Dozen Donut Company – In Pike Place Market. A small stall near the throwing fish guys. These mini donuts are great. You can get a dozen for less than $3 with your choice of topping.
  
• Urbane - Near Convention Center. Only tried this one for lunch. Is probably an extra block away from where normal conventioneers would go, so it is a good choice for lunch with some nice choices.
  
• Café Campagne- Nice French Bistro near Pike Place market.
  
• Steelhead Diner – High end diner near Pike Place. Has a cool “Chef’s Counter” where you can sit and watch the crew cook. They do full and half portions of most fish on the menu.
  
• Quinn’s Gastro Pub – Pretty cool gastro pub, although they were out of the goat confit/lamb heart dish I wanted to try. However, the oxtail/crispy marrow dish I had was great.
  
• Wild Ginger – Nice Pan Asian restaurant. Have a “Satay Bar” with a large choice of Satay.
  
• Tulio – Rustic yet refined Italian cooking. Is attached to the Vintage Park Hotel (excellent Boutique Hotel with nightly Wine Tastings for hotel guests).
  
• 94 Stewart - Hands down best meal I had in Seattle. Also near Pike Place. From the website you get the impression the Chef is a combination of Gillian Clark and Michael Landrum. Regardless, the lady can cook. Her cooking is both inventive and tasty. The service here is awesome as well.
  

I'll be in Seattle for 10 days in October for meetings. what are the can't miss places?

I'll 2nd Flavor magazine for local stuff.

I've had some good luck with Cooking Light and Food & WIne.

I'm not a big fan of Cooks Illustrated or Saveur. Cooks is kind of boring, although all the engineers i know that like to cook love it (no offense to any engineers out there). I think my opinion of Saveur is more based on their editor, who I've seen on a few shows and think he is a pretentious dork.

This is a cool magazine. i really like their take on all things local.

how bout strike thru it like sheridan did? the valley: one topic

and leave the 95 corridor to grant: woodbridge, the wilderness, fredericksburg, spotslyvania, yellow tavern, richmond, petersburg (and points east and west). another.

nova, well that's easy.

now that leaves the great dismal swamp.... oh wait, virginia beach.

We in the South don't take kindly to Yankee names like Sheridan and Grant.

There are some good places in the Fredericksburg area now. if anyone needs recommendations, let me know.

Victoria; Tofino; Ucluelet

Well, I'm back from the vacation and thought I would report in on what we liked.

Victoria
Bon Rouge
Pescatores
Ferris' Oyster Bar & Grill
Nautical Nellies

If you are doing the B & B thing, stay at Beaconsfield Inn - Awesome breakfasts

Tofino
Shelter
Common Loaf Bakeshop
SoBo

Ucluelet
Fetch (in Black Rock Resort)
Norwoods

This is the antithesis of how I buy wine, quite a while ago I gave up on using the scores of people I don’t know to judge if I am going to like the wines that I am blinding buying, this method resulted in far too many overpriced bottles of hyper-extracted/Parkerized plonk. I find that the best deals are on wines that a trusted vintner is proud to sell you so that you come back for more – a deal is not always reflected in the price you pay for a bottle but for the time and energy that those that you deal with put into selecting and caring for what they sell.

Well said. Couldn't agree more.

Going to Vancouver Island for Vacation in July. Staying in Victoria and Tofino. Any good places we shouldn't miss?

Any place decent in downtown St. Louis? i'm here for 3 more nights. Staying at the Renaissance.

There is nothing memorable about Reno. Food or otherwise.

I was there in October 09, as well, and agree with jiveturk: I thought Ubuntu was extemely disappointing. I recall getting their "magical fairy eco-salad" or whatever they called it. It was a plate of (admittedly pretty looking) vegetables and leaves, with nary a drop of salt, vinegar, or lemon juice. I never thought eating vegetables could be so....dry. I nearly had to chug my all-organic, locally-sourced well water. All this for $20+, too.

I would have to agree. My last trip to Ubuntu was unremarkable. Nothing jumped out at me. It was food, that was about it.

Aw man. what will happen to my favorite show, "3 Sheets". it was a refugee from the MOJO Netowrk and got picked up by FLN. Long Live Pleepleus!!

Some places do Christmas better than others (my mom's place being a prime example of top-notch).

Were you looking in a specific area, or will any place around DC do?

DC. Prefer NW.

I thought there was a list somewhere on here that had a list of Private/Semi Private rooms, but I couldn't find it.

Anyway, anyone got any suggestions? I already have inquiries in at the Caucus Room and 701.

Going to be stuck in Denver on business on my birthday.

I've put together a small group of business associates/friends to help me celebrate (we'll be 6-7 total).

I'll be staying at the Sheraton Downtown.

Any good suggestions to help me celebrate?

I had a wonderful carryout lunch of Couscous with Chicken ($8.99) yesterday at Couscous Cafe, with the gracious Aziz manning the register, and Chef Ranu back in the kitchen cooking. A quarter chicken, dark-meat, sitting atop a bountiful portion of couscous with all sorts of goodies in it, essentially a stew with zucchini, chickpeas, carrots, butternut squash, and turnips. It was great! When Aziz was finishing with wrapping up the order, he asked me if I liked harissa. Well, yes! So he ran back and got me some of it to add as I saw fit.

He asked me how I heard about Couscous Cafe, and since it was after I paid, I let him know that I had a restaurant website, and that I was looking forward to writing something nice about my lunch (I had already seen what was in the container, and I knew full well it was going to be good). I let him know the name of the website, and his face lit up - "people on Don Rockwell really helped us out early on!" he said. And that made me feel great, having taken a small part in helping a fledgling business that deserves recognition, because there haven't been any posts about Couscous Cafe in a few years now, and this is one place that should be a go-to for anyone looking for a great lunch downtown, carryout or otherwise.

The only advice I'd give them is that their printed menus and website seem to be a dollar out-of-date, both listing my lunch for $7.99 (although I ordered off the overhead menu, which made it clear that it was $8.99.) This is something of a minor detail that is probably in the stages of correction.

I agree. This is a great lunch spot, and it only a block from my office! The dishes I've had there are pretty authentic. They even sell a few North African specialties like preserved lemons.

Couscous Cafe is a wonderful lunch option downtown, and if I worked anywhere near there and needed to eat quickly, I'd be there twice a week. Kudos to this fine establishment.

Special note to the "Turn Up The Heat" event for Ovarian Cancer: Chef Ranu should be a participant next year.

Cheers,

Rocks.

I agree. It's a great lunch spot and only a block from my office! The food is pretty authentic. They even sell some North African specialties like preserved lemons.

Going to be in Madison, Racine and Hartford in mid-September. Any places I shouldn't miss?

I'll third the recommendation for Cafe Pasqual's in Santa Fe. Worth the drive.

He also has a place in the new BA terminal in Heathrow, although the name escapes me at the moment.

Any you'd recommend we hit during our honeymoon trip next month? I'm very much looking forward to returning to Van der Heyden, but would love a couple of other small producer suggestions. Thanks!

I've always enjoyed Rustridge. It's up in the hills outside Napa. It's also has a B & B and they breed race horses as well.

This time I liked Nicholson Ranch, Hop Kiln and Limerick Lane. Also Artesa has a beautiful facility with awesome views. The wine was pretty good too.

Just returned from another week in Sonoma/Napa. The French Laundry was closed for their summer break that week so was unable to go there.

A few nice places we liked were:

Bottega - Michael Chiarello's new place in Yountville. Food was very good. Our waiter was top notch as well. Got to meet and briefly chat with Michael. Seems like a really nice down to earth guy.

Armadillos - In St. Helena. Nice place for lunch. Good tamales and quesadillas.

El Dorado Kitchen - Run by former Thomas Keller trained chef - interesting preparations of classic dishes. I had a pizza with figs, caramelized onions and blue cheese. very tasty.

Although didn't make it to either this trip, have really enjoyed Market in St. Helena and Hana Sushi in Rohnert Park in the past as well.

Hit tons of wineries as well. Found several small producers I will add to my rotation.

Unfortunately El Custcatelco has been replaced by some Tex Mex joint.

Anyone out in the boonies besides me? Might be fun to get together with some like minded folks for good food and drink.