Joe H

Here is the link to the website of a "joint" that I am jealous of: Fatso's Last Stand in Chicago. I am no longer a fatso, having lost more than 140 pounds on a diet 30 years ago. BUT, once upon a time I ate enough that I could have owned and marketed a place like this. I have not been. (Yes, I've been to Johnny's Italian Beef, Al's, Garrett Popcorn, etc.) But there is a genius to this place that could go across America. A great name for a restaurant/joint like this. I'd almost fly to Chicago just to eat here. And seriously applaud the imagination and marketing brilliance of "Fatso." Who puts into neon what he believes is the best in Chicago.

I read the first 40 or so comments to the linked article and almost all focused on tipping. There wasn't a single word about what anything tasted like either in the comments or the article. The only food that was discussed was fattening. Raising per caps (customer spend) because people feel less guilty about ordering an additional course or a more fattening dish is interesting. I understand per caps-that was my industry. But a mass market restaurant like Chili's is in the challenging position of continuing to pull people in its doors before it even considers raising the per cap. From my perspective the consideration of switching to tablets is directly related to how this may affect the perception of the restaurant? Simply, is this an association that will bring more people in the door? If it does, then we can talk about increasing "the spend." Or, is Chili's positioning itself as a kind of automat where there is limited human interaction, where your service staff is literally limited to serving your dishes and drinks? I can honestly say this: in my years of travel I would never have gone to a single restaurant that offered me a tablet rather than a human when I sat down. Excepting perhaps at a highway "oasis" or service area where I want the fastest turnaround possible. My image of Chili's, today, has nothing to do with anything that they can put on a plate. Rather, it is of an impersonal, unwelcoming variation of a vending machine. Yes, I am being dramatic. But I think no more dramatic than the direction Chili's has decided to take. From my perspective Chili's is risking its reputation and its future with this tablet rollout. Of course maybe they are positioning themselves for highway service areas, airport and stadium food courts and truck stops where a tablet may have a real purpose.

Interesting thread especially considering the home delivery. I have never had anything from them. My question is, are they in league with Lewes Dairy, Trickling Springs or Chrome Dairy? I am thinking heavy cream, cream top milk, whole milk, etc.

I've had Sostanza's butter chicken. Also their bisteca Fiorentina. Absolutely love the place! There was also a dessert that I had ten or so years ago that was outstanding. Maybe a lemon meringue pie? Or lemon cream pie?

I would make reservations for Captain's Galley just to be on the safe side. It does a very good business. Also, there are two more restaurants which we really like: Shark on the Harbor in West Ocean City and Liquid Assets. Shark on the Harbor is directly across from the Sunset Grill, is small and the dining room sits upstairs. It's excellent. Captain's Table is traditional Maryland style seafood and competes with the Narrows on Kent Island and Suicide Bridge for the title of Maryland's best MD style seafood restaurant. The Shark is more contemporary and every bit as good. You WILL need reservations unless you want to take pot luck and probably end up sitting at the bar. It is small but extremely popular. Liquid Assets is unique, literally a softly lit pair of dining rooms inside of a wine shop. You can buy a bottle of wine off the shelf (best selection in O. C.), pay a $10 corkage fee and have it with dinner. http://la94.com/ Unfortunately, Liquid Assets does not take reservations. Think of it as the Rose's Luxury of Ocean City in terms of popularity and lines. FWIW we go to O. C. three or so times a year and I believe we have eaten at every one of the "better" restaurants there over time. I believe these are the three best. On your way there you will pass the Narrows on Kent Island. They have the best crab cakes and cream of crab soup in the state of Maryland.

This may be the one she's using.

Years and years ago there was a restaurant on route 50 in Annapolis almost exactly where there is a WAWA today called Busch's Chesapeake Inn. It was an excellent seafood restaurant thought of as one of the best in the Baltimore/Washington area. One of the things they were known for is that when a party was seated, whether there was one person or four, a full stick of butter was served with a basket of rolls. Not a pat but a stick. As for the French butter this was the late '90's and I rationalized at the time that it was about 800 or so truly worthy calories plus another 600-800 for the croissants. There aren't a lot of things in life that are "worth the calories" but for me that was. At least then. Today, caloric "feats" have become very real "investments."

Wegman's is a good source for a number of butters that will work well. I have a personal passion for French butter once eating almost a whole stick in a Hyatt in Paris with several croissants. I'd never had it before and fell deeper in love with each bite. Domestically Vermont Butter is also seriously good - Wegman's sells this along with, I think, two brands of French butter. Balducci's is also a good source for butter including Reggiano butter. (Yes, Reggiano butter.) I have not had the South Mountain Creamery's 85% butter but that sounds interesting, too. Wait until you get into heavy cream. Lewes Dairy. Having said this I wonder if they make butter?

To call Italy from your home phone dial 011 39 0 then the phone number. I actually don't like e-mail for making a restaurant reservation in Europe or if I have a question. I know that with a phone call, if it is during business hours, I will probably have someone answer the phone. Then it is a matter of politely asking if they speak English. Often it is no but they will find someone who does. I'll make a reservation on the phone and then confirm with an e-mail. I have found that if I do not call first I have limited success with e-mail responses. With the call, my e-mail is always answered. But...I am also old and don't text. I also much prefer a human voice. Even if I have no idea what they are saying!

http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Forelle_Pears_6583.php is a link for information about forelle pears.

Agree with Zora, use pears. Choirgirl21, serious question: why not call the restaurant and ask which cheese they use? I am certain that someone there will speak some English and they should be honored to tell you which cheese. Aside: Fabio used to make a phenominal grappa risotto at Maestro which used taleggio and pears. Does anyone reading this remember it? Superb. carneroli, lg. shallot (finely minced), Normandy butter (250 Gr), Taleggio, Reggiano, "good" chicken stock, "forelle" pears finely diced, grappa, salt and pepper. Forelle pears are very sweet ( "candy sweet"). http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Forelle_Pears_6583.php%C2'> Whole Foods carries them in season. (When were you in Rome?)

I literally was at Vienna's Italian Deli this afternoon and bought carneroli. Yes, they do have three different brands along with violane nano. I actually bought the carneroli for arroz con pollo and use it instead of bomba. I also want to note that the Fields of Atheny farm near Middleburg http://fieldsofathenryfarm.com/ is an outstanding source for beef and poultry along with chicken stock equal to anything I could make. It's real! Depending on the risotto it may actually be too strong (really full bodied) but for the right dish it's superb. They have a shop which is open to the public Thursday through Saturday and well worth a visit: http://fieldsofathenryfarm.com/content/shop-hours

Gorgonzola dolce. http://www.academiabarilla.com/italian-recipes/first-courses-1/risotto-with-gorgonzola-fresh-pear-sauce.aspx Alternatively, http://food52.com/recipes/1878-gorgonzola-and-pear-risotto-with-walnuts-risotto-con-gorgonzola-pere-e-noci I've made gorgonzola and pear risotto before but it's been a long time; I forget the recipe I used. FYI The Italian Deli in Vienna has the best selection of arborio of anywhere I have found in the D. C. area. They may have three or four different brands of carneroli. Dean and DeLuca in Georgetown is also excellent. Both of them also carry violane nano.

Once upon a time Peter Pan was a big deal, long before there was a buffet, long before buying a ticket to go in. I remember their frying chicken in a black cast iron skillet. (Stone House Inn in Four Corners, too...) Of course I remember Sam Eig wanting to build a multiple of 26 story buildings for Washingtonian Towers. Today i drove by Crisfield's. It looked exactly the same as it did in ................ I haven't had their fried chicken in years but once upon a time it was equal to anyone's. I'm guessing it still is.

Tom Sietsema's three star review in the upcoming Sunday Washington Post. Confirmation that this is the hottest restaurant in the Washington area right now. Extremely happy for Fabio, this is a great addition to D. C. with several dishes that would do justice to Senigallia let alone Georgetown. I understand that for prime times on Saturday reservations are now three weeks out or more for the window tables. For myself this is Maestro on the Potomac. Bravo, Fabio!

I remember the Cozy restaurant from when I was a kid. 85 years is a remarkable run-I wish the family the absolute best. Chesapeake House is the 84 year old Harrison's Tilghman island restaurant which now assumes the title.

John who owns Herndon Plumbing is a Master plumber. His family has been in the business since the late 1950's. I cannot rave enough about him. Unfortunately, we have needed him a half dozen times over the past five or so years. But he has also done a great deal of work in our neighborhood for a long time and is known well. In our case it has not just been a clogged drain. We have had a pinhole leak (which can mean breaking through drywall to get to it), water pipes underneath the ground and pipes in the wall in our bathroom (behind marble which he was able to reach without having to break the tiles). To say that he is knowledgeable is an understatement. Included in his repertoire is a sewer video camera. In truth he is old school with a very small company and it is probably going to be him who does the work. I'll also note that he is not inexpensive but the work will be correctly diagnosed and it will be done right. To be honest most of the jobs we know of John having done are much larger but I want to mention him for anyone that may need a seriously good Master plumber in the future. Especially in a more complicated job. We trust him. Joe Heflin

"The Oracle of the Virginia wine industry." http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/jim-law-of-linden-vineyards-the-virginia-wine-industrys-oracle-marks-30-years/2014/06/05/b1aac8e2-ea82-11e3-b98c-72cef4a00499_story.html is the link to a fantastic article by Dave MacIntyre which is the feature piece about Jim Law. The six wines to try article accompanied it. Bravo!!! to Jim Law. A great, great piece that is fully due the most influential person in the VA wine industry today. Huge applause to Dave for recognizing Jim. Literally, I will be out the door in 30 minutes to buy a case of '10 Hardscrabble Red (released this week) and another half case of '10 Boisseau Red and '10 Avenius Red, neither of which are listed and neither is noted as for sale. Ask. Beg. Bribe. $40 for the Boisseau and $50 for the Hardscrabble red which are, seriously, real bargains. Jim Law is making Va wine worthy of bringing as a proud gift to a great chef in France.

Having gone to Aldo's last night for the first time I find this thread really disappointing. Aldo's is old school Italian with not a single person in the dining room who was under 40. Yet service was from career professionals who are knowledgeable and considerate and clearly love sharing where they have decided they can best represent their craft. I met a long time friend at BWI and I picked this over Charleston and Ouzo Bay and am convinced I made the right decision. In his mid '50's he grew up with The Hill in St. Louis which along with Boston's North End, Providence's Federal Hill and South Philly are the only other surviving Italian "villages" left in larger American cities. Baltimroe's Little Italy is very alive and well with great character and Aldo's is the benchmark for all of it=actually, I think the benchmark for all of the various Italian areas in different cities. Aldo himself, who was once a cabinet maker and wood carver, made most of the cabinetry in the charming, romantic rooms. He was also the chef at the old Russo's which took Maria's 300 place at 300 Albemarkle, once considered Baltimore's best Italian in Little Italy's heydey. (Where a sign announced that Marias was "where Al Capone dined in the '20's when he visited Baltimore.") Aldo's is still Baltimore's best Italian. But this is not a restaurant for 20 and 30 year olds. It is for an older crowd. The local analogy would be Vienna's Cafe Renaissance except Aldo's is much, much better oozing far more character. Several of the dishes (properly made and delicious wild mushroom risotto with carneroli) and head on branzino with rosemary and garlic, fileted at the table, were as good as could be. Wonderful "old school" dishes. Aldo's also treats every single customer special: everyone is important to them. They make their own lemoncello which they happily share at the end of dinner. I loved Aldo's. If you are over 40, whether for business or for an anniversary or birthday this is THE place in Baltimore to go. The thought also occurs to me that a whole generation has no idea of what "old school Italian" really means. It's not Roberto nor Fabio-but it is a different time and place and when done well like this, an absolute pleasure to revisit.

Sorry. My post ended up as a ramble of places that we like in Va wine country. I must add that Veritas Farmhouse has an extremely interesting dinner several nights a week for its guests that, while we have not had it, aspires to be a major countryside destination.

Actually, Don, there is a good alternative: Claire's At the Depot. But I really like both of them a lot. Each has a great deal of character, each is excellent in its own way. "Old Town" Warrenton has come a long way. Our Valentine's Day 2014 dinner was at Claire's (which we drove by and begged our way into for an early dinner...) but it could have just as easily been at the Bridge. Warrenton and for those of us who pass through are lucky to have both. Serious comment; anyone stumbling their way through Va wine country who are looking for a place to have dinner will do well to knock on either door in Warrenton. Up to several years ago we really liked Foti's in Culpeper but on our last visit, a year or so ago, it had changed and become more of a "generic' community restaurant, less of a destination. Same ambience but we left without the excitement we'd had in years past from dinner. Both Claire's and the Bridge make up for this. We also like Robert Duvall's place in the Plain's and Market Table Bistro in Lovettsville. FWIW last year we had dinner at the Ashby Inn four times. This year, with Tarver, Neil and Kevin gone we will not visit it once. Coming full circle the Bavarian Chef is an amazingly good old school German chalet on route 29 near Madison. It is impossible that a German restaurant in Madison, VA could be this good but it is. And it's survived for 40 years. We've spent the last several years heavily exploring this part of VA and finding a place for dinner has become a priority approaching the priority of the wineries we've visited. There ARE some good alternatives. And, for those travelling west on I 64 from Afton/Crozet I would seriously suggest The Shack in Staunton for what may be the best of all. Certainly, the most adventurous of all. In Charlottesville there is a Spanish Tapas restaurant, Mas Tapas in Belmont, that is actually quite good and has a great deal of character. (Yes, I know I am using the word character again but this is important to me-on trips like this I want to have dinner somewhere that is "neat," that is memorable for the room as well as the food and the wine. Anyone can go to the C & O in C'ville. I want to go to a hot, new place of character. Charlottesville, Afton/Crozet and Staunton are major destinations in an off their own. Factor in wine, scenery and breathtaking views, all of this must be underscored with a memorable dinner...with character. Staunton's The Shack, Charlottesville's Mas Tapas, Warrenton's Claire's at the Depot and the Bridge, Market Table Bistro in Lovettesville, One Block West in Winchester and the Wine Kitchen in Old Town Leesburg along with the bar of Tuscarora Mill ("Tuskie's") all fill this bill. And the Bavarian Chef for non believers... Last: we have not been but have heard the Inn at Vacluse Springs is, indeed, excellent. Of course there is also L'auberge Provencial in White Post but our only visit was a disappointment. Still, it's been ten years and we need to return. And, for all of this Hunter's Head Tavern is reliable and the pub at the BlackThorne Inn stands alone as the single most romantic bar in the greater D. C. area. NOte that I am not talking about having dinner there; rather, I am talking about stopping after sunset and walking into the pub (literally, literally! once owned by George Washington) and having an Irish Whiskey or a 12 year old Scotch or a something to help the edge that three working fire places stoke in the incredible room which may hold something of a record for marriage proposals. ...or divorce celebrations.

Extremely interesting and a pleasure to read.

http://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2011/may/the-best-steakhouses-in-dallas-01 is a really interesting article from D magazine where they obsessively searched for the best steak house in the Dallas area. Their conclusion was Pappas Bros. which I agree with. I also like Papasito's for large scale Tex Mex although over the years I found a number of dumps that I absolutely loved. I'm also a huge fan of Stephen Pyles. This is their review of his restaurant, Stampede 66, which opened last year: http://stampede66.com/press/ I should mention that a new steakhouse called "Knife" is one of the most significant restaurant openings in Dallas in a while. And, don't forget there are now almost a dozen In-n-Out Burgers in the greater Dallas area. You want a four x four animal style with extra crispy fries and a Neopolitan shake.

My intention was a comment about someone making a disparaging "review" on Yelp and the restauranteur standing up to them. I really enjoyed your comments and totally agree. I'm also not so sure that I could look at a lobster and guess it's weight. I thought it was interesting how the manager handled these people: bending down, touching a shoulder and quietly asking them to leave-an attempt not to disrupt the room any more than they already had. This is one of the most romantic rooms anywhere. Many of the people who go there are celebrating some kind of an event. It's also something of an "investment" to have dinner there. I doubt if anyone else in the small room would have anticipated someone reacting like this, affecting their evening. At some point it becomes the responsibility of the restaurant, of the manager or the owner to do exactly what was expressed, "to protect the comfort of our other patrons and to prevent further abuse of our team." I believe it was handled appropriately. I also applaud the owner's response on Yelp.

Simply, one of our favorite restaurants anywhere is the Beach Bistro in Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island, FL. We have been going for more than twenty years, usually driving 100+ miles roundtrip from Clearwater Beach to have dinner. For credibility, it has the highest Zagat food rating in the entire state of FL (28) and the chef has made the semi finalist list for a Beard Award in the Southeast. It is expensive but supurb. For ambience it has few peers: literally there are three tables on the sand on the beach where you can watch the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico. Truly breathtaking beauty. Inside there are nine or ten tables under a draped ceiling with candlelight and soft background music. It is romantic. Below is a comment from someone who had dinner there and posted on Yelp. It attracted my attention because most of the reviews were five stars and this one was one star. I couldn't believe it. But it got my attention: I wanted to read what one of my favorite restaurants anywhere did to deserve one star on Yelp. Following it are the thoughts of the Beach Bistro's owner about the diners. I would suggest this is one of the most interesting posts and responses ever on any website. Enjoy. From Yelp: Im giving one star because the food was prepared well. Our experience was nothing short of an insulting weird evening. We will never be back, ever. The $75 supposed 2lb. Lobster was a and a 1/4 AT BEST. I regret not taking a picture if it. We called the managers attention to this situation and she handled it properly. After our friend got his new entree this very rude, brazen man comes over for a table visit. He put his hand on my shoulder and squatted down and proceeded to tell us to leave. WHAT? SERIOUSLY? Yup, hurry and leave and don't pay either which by the way our bill was high and we were expecting an incredible "dining experience" so we had expected to spend plenty. Anyway my girlfriend excused herself fro the table ( shes a non drinker by the way, water only, she also eats out about 5 nights a week while they're in FL) she finds the owner and pulls him aside so customers wouldn't hear her. Bottom line he was rude, kept interrupting, and had nothing to go on, but stuck to his guns. Very strange! She came back to the table not even able to digest what the heck was going on here. So we left. In the hour ride back to St Pete we were all so perplexed and decided the only thing we could do is give them their true well deserved feedback on social media. Thanks for your vote! Useful Funny 1 Cool Comment from Sean M. of Beach Bistro Business Owner 3/16/2014 In 28 years of business, we have only 9 times had customers so rude and unruly that we had to ask them to leave - the Weiss party last evening, on March 15, was the ninth one. This group of 4 were belligerent from the moment they arrived. They were verbally abusive and insulting to our staff, using sexually abusive language. They were loudly using foul language in our dining room, disrupting our other guests. We were forced to ask them to leave to protect the comfort of our other patrons and to prevent further abuse of our team. We think of our employees as our family, and it is my responsibility to protect them from the kind of abuse they received from the Weiss party. At no point did I lose my composure. Their bad language and verbal abuse continued as they left the building, along with threats to 'destroy us' on social media. Other restaurants should be wary of accepting reservations from this party, and can contact us directly for their reservation information.Read less Above is the Yelp post. Several weeks ago my wife and I were at the excellent Shark on the Harbor in Ocean City. A woman at the bar adjacent to us had a great deal to drink. Her friend was intent on watching a baseball game on the nearby television and she started to talk loudly to get his attention. He ignored her looking straight at the television. She raised her voice. Several levels. Almost every other word started with "f." The few that didn't were multisyllabic and started with "m." There were several families with children at nearby tables. I complained to the manager. I couldn't help but think of her when reading about apparently a similarly loud and profane person at Florida's Beach Bistro. I wonder if she posts on Yelp.