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Try the pizza at Pines of Rome in Bethesda. The crust is thin and crispy. Toppings are good - the tomatoes are more like whole, canned rather than a tomato sauce, which I like. They also have a delicious white pizza. No beer on tap, but plenty by the bottle. Their house wine comes in a water glass filled to the brim! There are other (better) options by the bottle. This is a very popular neighborhood restaurant that's been around forever!

First visit to Volt for lunch today. They have a Restaurant Week menu and will continue to offer it at lunch for another few weeks. Echoing what others have written, this is a special place. The ambiance is elegant without being stuffy, the service friendly and efficient and our food was delicious and innovative without being "far out." They're offering a wine paring for an additional $15 which we took advantage of and were very happy with. Check it out!

We missed the tiny waitress but had other excellent service and a delicious meal at Hook last night. The place was bustling (and noisy) with Restaurant Week diners. There was plenty to choose from - of which my husband had oysters, sablefish and a sort of chocolate mousse tart. I chose striped bass chowder (fabulous!), arctic char on celeriac puree with roasted sweet potatoes and brussles sprouts, and apple tart w/almond frangipane and vanilla ice cream. All hits - no misses!

Four of us tried the Restaurant Week Menu here last night. I've got to say that the food was good but mostly not outstanding. There were plenty of choices. Two people had fried oysters for starters which they really liked. I had a daily special pumpkin soup with a few venison sausage chunks which was unique and very flavorful. The fourth person had gnocchi which he liked. For main courses, we had a beef dish, grilled rockfish and ravioli (all okay) and I had black pepper spaghetti with a wild boar sauce that was in fact spectacular. For dessert, I had rather pedestrian sorbetti. The others liked the cannoli and the creme brulee. They are also offering some wine specials for RW, and I think they are extending the whole deal through February. Service was excellent and the setting is pleasant and comfortable. Last night it was not crowded.

Needing a place to get some drinks and a bit to eat before going to the Lincoln Theater last night, 6 of us stopped in Bar Pilar. We got there pretty early (just after 6 ) and were able to snag one of the larger tables in the back room. We were all pleased with everything - friendliness and efficiency of the staff, reasonably-priced wine, and really tasty food. We had a couple of beet salads, roasted calamari, mussels, a cheese & charcuterie plate (a little expensive for the small servings although everything was first class), scallops and ox tail pot pie. No clunkers in the lot. They are putting out some really good food in a very convivial atmosphere!

Since Restaurant Week in Bethesda has been exteded through this weekend, we took the opportunity to have dinner at Persimmon last night. I was surprised by the crowd there at 7:30. There was a real buzz in the room. They seem to be offering their entire menu for this special - there are lots of interesting choices. Despite the crowd, service was excellent as was the quality of the food. It's far better than just a nice neighborhood place!

There's a mention of this new restaurant in the U St. Corridor in the December Washingtonian. We'll be eating out in that area next week and will probably go to Cork, but I was curious about this place. Anyone know anything about it? http://www.policydc.com/#about

It's one of our favorite Chinese restaurants. The chef/owner owned the former China Village on Bethesda Avenue for years (20-30) and moved to Shanghai Village several years ago. We eat lots of different dishes there and usually like everything. The Peking Duck is good. Check out the specials board as well as regular menu. Hope you enjoyl it!

Four of us enjoyed a delicious Bethesda Restaurant Week dinner at Grapeseed last night. The appetizer courses are particularly tempting including an excellent Crabcake, Fricassee of Wild Mushrooms served on soft polenta (I had that and loved it) and Cornmeal Fried Oysters. Their RW menu is on the restaurant's web site, so I won't try to recreate it here. I also had Pan-Roasted Chicken with slices of crisp sweet potatoes in a cherry sauce and some tasty garlicky greens. My husband paid extra for the Spicy Scallops which he enjoyed and our friends had Swai and Grilled Portobello Mushrooms. For dessert we tried Chocolate Cremeaux, and the Warm Spicy Ginger Cake with Caramelized Cinnamon Ice Cream and Apple-Date Butter. I had the latter and was hard-pressed to share with the others. Very pleasant ambiance, nice wine list (and glassware) and good service combined with exceptional food make this a really good option for dinner in Bethesda. And especially this week!

Stopped by this afternoon and peered in the window. Looks pretty much ready to go, inside, and there was a note on the door that the electrical inspection had been done this morning. Seems like a good sign!

Our 3 days in Montalcino sped by much too quickly - not enought time or stamina to try out all the restaurants we would have liked. Still, we had some great meals, usually as lunch excursions. En route we detoured to Bosco della Spina, which we found to be a lovely spot with exceptional versions of traditional Tuscan food. We were one of 3 tables being served lunch and the service was excellent and the setting most attractive. Next day we visited the tiny town of Montechiello, south of Montepulciano, and had lunch at Enoteca la Porta, located just as you enter the town. It was a lovely, sunny Nov. 2nd so we opted to sit outside on the terrace overlooking the spectacular countryside. Very good food here too including a special of Burrata (mozzarella-like cheese from Puglia with a soft buttery center) garnished with fresh tomato cubes and olive oil, Tortino of pumpkin w/shavings of Parmesan and black truffle, Papparedelle w/Brasato (stewed beef chunks) sauce, Pici (typical hand-made thick spaghetti) w/Cinta Senese pork sauce, and Stinco di Maiale with cubed grilled polenta. Drank the house red and white wines, which were local and very tasty. This place was crowded with people - it was Sunday, warm and sunny, very good food. Our 3rd lunch was at Il Pozzo in Sant Angelo in Colle, after visiting the Abbey of Sant Antimo. We wanted to try La Crocina, but it was closed that day, and we never even saw it. At Il Pozzo we were the only guests and had more very well-prepared, traditional foods: Tagliatelle al Ragu, Bruschetta al Pomodoro (drenched in a particularly tasty newly-pressed local olive oil), Cinghiale alla Cacciatora, Vitella con Funghi, and a bonus of fried Funghi Porcini slices which was a special that day. Our wine was a delicious 2006 Rosso di Montalcino from the nearby Il Poggione vineyard. In Montalcino, we breakfested daily at the Bar alle Logge on the most delicious cappuccino and pastries with a spectacular view over the glorious countryside to boot. Of course there are plenty of places in town where you can taste Brunellos and Rossos of the region. We enjoyed the Enoteca at the Fortezza for a tasting of Brunello, served by a very friendly and well-informed young woman. I'd also like to mention a surprisingly exceptional restaurant we stopped at (again for lunch - and again we were the only customers) on the road from Volterra to the sea near Cecina. It's Mocajo in Casino di Terra near Guardistallo and definitely worth seeking out. I chose it because it is highlighted in the Gambero Rosso guide for its excellent food and wines at reasonable prices. It is run by a brother and sister team: she's the chef, he's the sommelier and runs the dining room. The building is non-descript but the interior is lovely, with round tables draped in pale cream cloths, each with a single candle and Champagne flutes. We were served by the brother, who immediately brought warm cornmeal breadsticks and a plate of 3 different house-made rolls, and offered prosecco. Great start! We accepted his suggestion to let him bring us a series of small courses. Another good idea! These were: borlotti bean soup w/chickpea flour, baccala and a dark green, garnished with a tiny violet; next 3 shot glass tastes - (1) pureed fig, anchovy and parsely, (2) a dense mushroom mixture (can't remember what else was in it but it was great), (3) orange zabayon w/scattering of caviar; next a warm autumn salad of rabbit, duck breast, pear, chestnut and grapes; then tortino of grains w/guanciale (cheek) of senese pork with shavings of local strong cheese on red pepper sauce; tortelli w/ricotta & tiny cubes of salami from the Garfagnana w/ribollita sauce; a flat pasta w/rosemary in a sauce of local pigeon w/pine nuts; finally, main course of little plates of roast pheasant again with pignoli and a dab of pureed potatoes. Then there were 2 desserts: a small glass of pineapple sorbetto with a stick of fresh pineapple, and a hazlenut semifreddo with nocino (hazlenut liqueur made by the nearby Trappist Sisters of Guardistallo), and the same nocino to drink! We took his suggestions for wine which were a Friulian Collio from Venica, and a local 2007 La Regola Ligustro Montescudaio merlot. The tasting menu cost 45 euros and I didn't see what the wines cost, but our credit card bill shows the meal coming out at $163. We thought it was simply sensational.

Dean, do you think you could plan all my trips to Italy? Thanks for the great restaurant suggestions and itineraries!!!

Hmmmm. I find La Crociona, which is an agriturismo with lodgings but no restaurant. They however recommend La Crocina, a nearby osteria - different ownership, to their guests. We have only 3 nights there, staying at Il Giglio, and like to drive off somewhere to explore and have lunch, then try to eat lightly at night. That's always a challenge as there are so many tempting places to try. Your suggestions sound wonderful!

Thanks, Dean. That's a nice list to ponder.

We will be in Montalcino for a few days at the beginning of November. Just wondering if anyone has been there recently or what your old favorite places to eat are - in the town and aroundabout that area? Any suggestions on good wine buys?

We only had the opportunity for one breakfast and one dinner out during our visit to M/SP. Breakfast was at the original Keys Cafe in St. Paul and it was spectacular. My husband had the house-prepared corned beef hash, a crispy mound of shredded corned beef brisket plus the usual accompaniments. He loved it. I tried a walnut/apple/bran pancake, that was an inch thick and covered my whole plate - fabulous. All servings are huge and the quality of the food is top notch including locally-roasted coffees, great baked goods, bacon, sausage, etc, etc. Highly recommended! Our group of 6 went to dinner Sunday night at Lucia's. The dining room is pleasantly spare, airy and cheerful. Service was excellent. The menu is small and changes weekly depending on what is locally available and in season (you can see it on their web site). I hit the jackpot with a piece of beef tenderloin (local, naturally-raised, grass-fed) in a wild mushroom wine sauce which was perfectly succulent and covered in fabulous morel mushrooms. What a treat. The others had chicken, Scottish salmon and a vegetarian polenta dish which all enjoyed. The quality of the ingredients is outstanding and everything is tasty. Prices are reasonable, if not inexpensive. We were happy with this choice. I'd also love to try Heartland if we get up that way again.

Before going to the theater in Bethesda, decided to try Gaffney's Happy Hour specials. Sat at the bar to take advantage of this (before 7 p.m.). We made a full meal of all 5 appetizer specials - Grilled Southwest Chicken Quesadilla, Korean Barbequed Beef with Wakame Cucumber Salad, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Oyster Shooters and Spicy Chicken Wings. My husband ate the 2 oysters and all the chicken wings and enjoyed them. We shared the rest and liked everything, especially the Korean Beef which was rare and succulent. Each serving was $4, so our very tasty "dinner" cost a mere $20. Of course we also took advantage of HH drink bargains. I must also mention the bartender who took care of us. He was speedy, efficient and friendly - a great server! We left feeling very happy with our entire experience.

I have to chime in with another rave for Corduroy. Ferhat gave us a quick tour and my husband, who's a builder, was most impressed with the many nice details and finishing touches that add a lot to the lovely space. The ambiance and service are delightful and the food of course the best! We had the soft-shell crab and red snapper bisque followed by crispy fluke and whole baby chicken. I had the soup which has an amazingly deep seafood flavor, and the fluke is simply perfectly-cooked fish. Everything so good! The wine list is wonderful, but dare I say I wish there were a few less-expensive choices? An observation, not a complaint.

Thanks, all, for the great feedback on Heartland and all the other suggestions. We sent an e-mail to Lynne Rossetto Kasper at the Minnesota Public Radio "The Splendid Table" site asking her where to eat in the area, since she lives in St. Paul (and we've followed her advice all around Italy with great results). Anyway, she suggested Lucia, so I think that's where we'll go. I'll report back in early June.

Will be in M / SP the end of May and we're looking for a nice place for dinner featuring local foods. We've narrowed our list to Heartland, Restaurant Alma and Lucia's. Does anyone have any opinions or dining experience there?

They had some nice Italian whites and NZ sauvignon blancs, proseccos, some Portuguese and Spanish stuff, this and that for every day.I'm with you, Joe. I'm waiting for the price of European wines to escalate to match the Euro. How could that not happen?

No joke. Just came home with 5 cases of wine , but stock is going fast. Thanks Rocks!

Dinner last night at the Pines of Rome, Bethesda - our standard when no one feels like cooking. I think the Pines puts out an excellent pizza - had a large mushroom - nice crispy crust, good toppings. My husband had the branzino, a special that's been turning up pretty regularly, simple preparation, whole fish roasted, quite nice. Of course accompanied it all with tumblers of house wine - some variety of sneaky pete!

Last Thursday, we stopped with some friends for lunch at The Lodge in San Antonio. The restaurant is in an historic house that was the "castle" in what's now the Castle Hills neighborhood. The dining spaces are in various rooms throughout the house which has been maintained pretty much in its original configuration. Everything about our lunch was outstanding - the food, the service and the setting. They offer an incredible lunch deal from a set menu - 2 courses for $12 or 3 courses for $16. And any bottle of wine from their excellent list is %25 off. There are also a number of wines offered by the glass. Among our party of 4 we tried 2 first courses - a lovely roasted pepper soup garnished with some herbed ricotta and (maybe) basil oil, and risotto with bits of roasted baby eggplant, arugula, other vegetables and cheese - pecorino Romano, I think. Both delicious! Three of us had one of their signature dishes for mains - "Grilled Texas Bobwhite Quail with Point Reyes Blue Cheese "Farrotto," Butter Baked Apple and Grilled Pear Salsa." The quail is mostly boned, so it's easy to eat, and the combination of flavors and textures was just wonderful. For dessert we tried another signature dish - "Soufflé" Inspired Chocolate Nutella Cake with Hazelnut Ganache and Berries, and something else that was buttery and caramelly. Guess what? Both were great! I can't imagine how they are able to offer food of this quality at this price. The dinner menu is quite a bit more expensive, but still good value, considering the lovely setting and exceptional food. If you find yourself in San Antonio, seek this place out. http://www.thelodgerestaurant.com/

Visiting friends in Rockport, TX and driving through San Antonio tomorrow en route to rodeo in San Angelo. We have a reservation for lunch at The Lodge, so I'll report back on how it goes. Hope to stop at Liberty Bar on the way back on Sunday. It's sunny and 75 here - fabulous!