crazeegirl

Good question...I am planning on staying for 5 nights. I can see myself splurging 3 dinners ($200-400/pp)...I realize getting reservations is another hurdle!!

Couple bistro fares and cheap but good eats would be great.

I am planning a foodie vacation in Paris in January. I have never been...I would appreciate recommendations!

DonRocks said:

I don't know that I've ever had better oysters than at Zuni Cafe. Sit at the raw bar and get a dozen, six pairs from the Pacific Northwest - an expensive little primer, and worth it, too.

I echo DonRocks' comments about Zuni Cafe. I tried a dozen pairs from the Pacific Northwest and each bite was heavenly. I would definitely recommend this place for solo dinners: very conducive to conversations with strangers...or not so strangers.


My sister and I tried Michael Mina They had a table for two w/o a wait!! By that time, with all the crap work I had to do all day long, I went ahead and took it with a heart beat! (I realized I came to the wrong place--not Gary Danko's--once we sat down...!!???!!! I couldn't remember the name so I asked the taxi driver whether he knew a nice popular restaurant with a male chef's name...michael mina was the first one mentioned, and it somehow seemed right ).

To our pleasant surprise each dish was very well executed. End of the meal, I felt like I didn't miss out on Gary Danko's. After all, a girl needs an excuse to go back to san fran.

Seared Diver Scallops ~ Chilled Ceviche
Meyer Lemon, Osetra Caviar
Yellow Corn, Black Truffle
Scarlet Beet, Maine Lobster

Butter Poached Maine Lobster
Corn Crepe, Citrus Jalapeno Reduction

Six Hour Butter Poached Prime Rib (for two)
Seasonal Creamed Vegetables, Trio of Potatoes

Root Beer Float
Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies

Lydia R said:

Any other Chinatown recs?

Joe's Shanghai's soup dumpling at 9 Pell Street, (between Bowery and Mott streets).

tanabutler said:

What is your budget, what are your tastes, and how open are you to low-end and high-end things?

My #1 recommendation, as ever, is DO NOT MISS the Ferry Plaza Marketplace. It is a Mecca for foodies.

Will you have a car? What are your dates? Where are you staying? (Need a rec on that?  )

Money is not an issue...cheap or expensive...good food is all I care about.

No car. This weekend starting Thursday. Union Square.

Thanks.

I called Gary Danko yesterday to see if there were any last minute cancellations...no luck. I am thinking about dining at the bar.

---

Ana Mandara (dcpolicywonk)

I will be in San Fran later this week...any recommendations for solo dinners? Must go places?

---

Dining Solo (booklovingbabe)

Go ask for the pork belly...

Does Komi have a website?

I don't know how often the chef tasting menu changes, but I presume that some of the dishes we enjoyed on September 24 would be included if you were to go...

Kunamoto Oyster Greek yogurt, pomegranate vinegar

St. Germain Blancs de Blancs, NV Crancout, France

Squash & Mushroom Salad wild arugula, parmigiano, aged balsamic

Proscuitto roasted figs, grilled bread, olive oil

Kir-Yanni Samropetra, 2003 Naousa, Greece

Mezzethaki risokete, marinated zucchini, olives, beet tzatziki, white bean salad

Sea Urchin Risotto lobster stock, vanilla sea urchin butter

Macon-Lugny, 2003 Burgundy, France

Paparadelle milk roasted baby goat ragu, parmigiano

Fleurie Gamay, 2002 Beaujolais, France

Speck Wrapped White Tuna warm farro salas

Miguel Torres Syrah, 2003 Maule Valley, Chile

Spit Roasted Suckling Pig soft polenta, brussel sprouts

Marbore Tempranillo, 2000 Somotano, Spain

White Peach Gelato & Chilled Chocolate Souffle

Voulet Sparkling Malvasia Rosa, 2002 Casorzo, Italy

Lillypilly Noble Blend, 2002 Leeton, Australia

Marenco Moscato D'Asti, 2003 Strevi, Italy

Forget north or west, that is the Ewa (pronounced eva) side of town (closer to Ewa Beach then the east side referred to as Diamond Head side, towards the mountains is mauka). 

How are these folks with jet lag and eating late?  6:30pm local time is 12:30am EST.  That's the time I'd hit a noodle joint and pass out.  There are a bunch of places right in the Hilton complex that might make for best bets -- Hanajuban is their noodle shop and Bali by the Sea is the fancy Pacific Rim restaurant.  I don't go to that area often, but I recall a number of small noodle shops and a variety of small Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai places on the main drag just outside the hotel.  I believe there is also a Keo's -- local landmark Thai place -- right near there.

If you want Korean, there is a restaurant in the Waikiki Resort Hotel (5 mins walking distance from Hilton). The Japanese noodle places are all over the strip (get the shio ramen or the miso ramen)...many of them are chain restaurants with frequent "eater" cards (I think eat 10 get one free. The Surf Room at the Royal Hawaiian has a seafood buffet that's decent. Hy's steak house is also nearby.

Although NOT near Hilton, you should recommend a visit to Chef Mavro's. It is about 5 minutes by car.

Michel's or Michelle's (I think the later) has a spectacular view...sunsets are Michel's are inspiring. Dishes are not as memorable, but worth the visit just for the atmosphere.

Has anyone tried indique? I am getting mixed reviews from my fellow food-mates.

hands down corduroy serves up one of the best soft shell crabs in town. the phyllo wrapping (?) adds to the texture...yum...the same wrapping (?) would be good with shrimp..with the head and all.

Mark's Duck House isn't in Montgomery County.  But any place that is Robert Parker's favorite must be pretty good.

ooops...didn't read the trail above...

They have a good variety of dumplings...beyond the usual har gow, sui mai, etc. I like their steamed GIGANTIC oysters too. If you are going as a group and plan to order the oysters, order it from the menu. It's cheaper than getting one from the cart!

OK, definitely sounds like enough interest for the Monkey County dim sum comparo.

What we need to decide:

Day of the week (I propose Sundays)

Time (I suggest 1pm - after the lunch rush, but before the kitchen is winding down)

Frequency (bi-weekly?)

Start date (we should give at least a couple of weeks notice before we start - maybe 9/25?)

Which places to hit, and which order (sounded like New Fortune, Oriental East, Hollywood East, and Good Fortune are definitely in, with Silver Fountain as a possibility)

Add Mark's Duck House to the list!!

I'm pretty sure that Frank Ruta could make crispy fries if that was what he was trying to achieve.  If I could change one thing on that plate, I'd increase the fried-lemon-to-onion-ring ratio, but that's because I'm a citrus slut (although the rings are quite good with that dipping sauce).

Cheers,

Rocks.

Dinner last night at Palena consisted of: mixed salad, burger, roasted chix and veal. The veal was below average...tasted like baby food fried in bread crumbs...I couldn't tell whether I was eating "protein" or meat-flavored Gerber. The anchovies that came with it was the highlight of that dish.

I would definitely go back for the burger and fries but nothing else...

We each had the wine pairing, with different wines paired with the various courses.

When I was there early August, the sommelier said that they did not have wine pairings. We went with his recommendations, and started with champagne, a 1/2 bottle white from "beverly hills" and a bottle of pinot noir.

Are you dining inside or outside? I dined outside on the patio last week. We had the vegetable pasta, steak and tuna burger followed with Chocolate three ways and Pineapple sorbet/pound cake. The pasta, to our surprise was very good. I would go back just for that dish. But the star of the evening was my bordeaux by the glass...forgot the name...margaux 2002(?)...

Going up to Philly to dine at Dimitri's...yep...just to have dinner and back again...wish there was something like it in DC...

If you really want to hit Sam Choy's, go to his lunch place near the airport instead.

I don't think it was worth the cab fare from Waikiki Beach.

Try La Mer...from my dining experience in Honolulu so far (X-mas in Hawaii for the past 8 years), it is the best French restaurant.

I was this weekend and was suprised to see that the Restaurant Week deal was still available (maybe it is permanent). Nothing spectacular but what a bargain!!

Chocolate napolean???

What happened to the bittersweet chocolate panna cotta???

Damn...

We need warnings so we can come and say good-bye to favorite dishes! I still treasure my last evening at the bar with the spring rolls.

Mr. BLB is going to be mighty unhappy when I pass the news on...

Jennifer

What is everybody waiting for?! notti bianche is a gem of a place.  It is evocative of some of the beloved little byobs in Philadelphia (and in fact, with corkage waived for donrockwellians, it does become a byob, although it has a select and reasonably priced wine list.) 

Do you have to inform the restaurant when you make reservations that you will bring your own wine?

I am on a similar quest: In Chinatown in Manhattan, under the bridge near Canal St., there are numerous dumpling soup places (near Chinatown bus stops). Served super hot (temperature), the bowl is filled with opaque yet meaty broth w/ dumplings w/ very thin--almost paper thin--skins.  The filling is smaller than a normal dice, but the dumpling skin is disproportionally large. it doesn't have the normal look of a dumpling where the filling is "framed" in a noodle; rather, these tiny dumpling has large "skirt" of paper-thin skin around the filling.  Has anyone seen these guys in DC area?

Are you referring to Joe's Shanghai? They have the best soup dumplings.

In DC...hmmm...I can't remember the exact name...but it is the place where the chef makes handmade noodles in front of the restaurant. I have yet to try it myself.

I am glad I am going there Saturday night. One last time to devour the scallops!!

I have but one word to say about TemptAsian's Roasted Fish With Green Onion:

BLOODY AWESOME!

Oops, sorry - that was two.

Rocks.

I should have ordered it!! I ordered the flounder with peppers last night and it was good but not bloody awesome. Next time~