What is your favorite restaurants ?

We don't have many moving restaurants here in NYC. We have countless food trucks but I don't believe those can be considered restaurants. Though that's merely semantics.

And no. I am not a party animal and I'll challenge anyone to prove otherwise.

As for some of my favorite restaurants here in NYC?

Bao Noodles, http://www.baonoodles.com/

Spotted Pig, http://thespottedpig.com/, I could only afford to go there with a Time Out NY gift certificate.

Tea & Sympathy, http://www.teaandsympathynewyork.com/home.php, I hold the minority position that the English do in fact have a worthwhile national cuisine.

In Massachusetts, my favorite restaurants (off the top of my noggin):
The Wayside Inn, Sudbury, MA;
La Cantina Italiana, Framingham, MA;
Tennessee's BBQ, Framingham, MA;

Closed:
Joan and Ed's Deli, Framingham, MA;
The Oregon Club, Ashland, MA;

How can I forget the burger meccas of the Shake Shack and BLT Burger.
http://www.shakeshack.com/
http://www.e2hospitality.com/blt-burger-new-york/
For temporarily forgetting these favorite restaurants, I am ashamed and fall upon my plastic cow toothpick thingy:

I was going to say!!!

Joe(107 West- It's still there, but not on anything numbered 107)Nation

This is one of the local pubs.

Now, that looks like potentially a very moving restruant.

If ever in NYC, I will expect a guide to get me to the Shake Shack. No so sure I would be comfortable with the cow shaped tooth pick, but probably no worse than the more common type that looks like you could bag small game with blow gun.

1) cafe roka bisbee az

2) cafe claude san francisco.

Some of us a2kers are meeting in Houston in early December. We've not selected dates or venues, but please try to come and meet the group. Flora and Muse sounds like a good choice.

One of my favorite restaurant (in Havana, Cuba).


Susan Sarandon came into our dining room when my roommate and I were having dinner. We're staying across the street from this restaurant on our next visit to Cuba.

Show some semblance of please roger.

It isn't peerless.

Oh? You're worried about typos? Sorry 'bout that.

[[Stands at attention!!]] I will be your guide Sir Roger! [[Salutes Colonel Roger and leaves to plan future military incursion/strike into Shake Shack territory]]

I love Barbetta's in NYC. Haven't been there in a long time. Loved the history, the place, the food, and the garden:



I also like Joe Allen's in Hell's Kitchen.

I should have read the thread more carefully. Barbetta's isn't for hanging out with friends. Joe Allen's is--kinda.

Sorry.

My favorite restaurant in New York City is gone now - Pierre au Tunnel. Not so much for the food, in that I was only there twice and one of those times I ordered the tripe, just to try it. I think they were known for that dish, which I failed to finish. I liked the restaurant as a place to meet my friends.

Rome - Pizzeria/Ristorante: La Focaccia - http://1stmuse.com/focaccia/index-e.htm
My favorite pizza ever - mozzarella, walnuts, light with some blue cheese; just the right white wine to go with it.

Los Angeles - too many to mention but I'll name some anyway:

Long in my heart but also gone now, Sing Sing, a vietnamese restaurant on Hollywood Blvd. The owner became a friend of ours, we got to know his family. Such wonderful meals we had, and good talks.

A restaurant that is still there with a new name (I think) but the original owner passed away and we didn't keep going there. Jean Bertranou's L'Ermitage.
The Legacy of L'Ermitage : Cuisine: Even indirectly, you've eaten the restaurant's food. Chef Jean Bertranou may be the father of the American food movement.
July 25, 1991|RUTH REICHL | TIMES FOOD EDITOR
http://articles.latimes.com/1991-07-25/food/fo-1_1_american-food
That place played a major part in my learning about food.

A chinese place on Pico Blvd. in LA called Chung King. The food varied as the chefs/cooks changed, but was mostly wonderful over the years. It was easy for us to get to, comfortable, fun; the pot stickers were always great.
It is likely still there.

Evan Kleiman's place, Angeli Mare in the Marina del Rey area. That woman knew what she was doing. Her place on Melrose was more popular.
I think the Angeli on Melrose just recently closed.

in Hanford, California - The Imperial Dynasty. This was probably my favorite favorite.

There were two brothers, Richard and Robert Wing. Richard was General Marshall's chef at some point; he knew french cooking as well as chinese. Robert was the wine cellar man. The restaurant was a kind of pilgrimage site for early foodies like us. Basically, somewhere near Visalia...
Far as I'm concerned, Richard Wing started fusion cooking. He had two restaurants going on the site, one doing regular chinese food (Chinese Pagoda) and one doing french with some chinese elements to it (Imperial Dynasty). Those were major meals. We drove up to go there once, and were so overwhelmed we stayed another day and had a smaller meal, that one five courses. The wines were perfect too. A primo Heinz cab I remember..

San Diego - I used be very happy with the chicken marsala or the shrimp marsala at Giorgio's. That was 1971 and I was in love. Might have even liked it if it was chicken in wine vinegar. Meantime, I've spent a lot of effort trying to reproduce those two dishes in my kitchen. They were served bubbling in clay pots.

San Francisco
A completely silly place to pick as a favorite -
Sinbad's, right next to the Bay Bridge, something of a run down tourist trap by the bay. A massing of a2kers all went there for what I guess was brunch. The place was nearly empty. We had a wonderful time. A highlight was Dyslexia chatting up the waitress. Dys always paid attention to waitstaff, men or women, and they enjoyed riffing with him.

Finally, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Three places vie for first:
Indigo Crow. I've had many great meals there, and one mediocre or worse. I still like it.
http://www.indigocrowcafe.com/

Vivace. First place I went when I first visited Abq, house sitting for Dys and Diane. Excellent, excellent every time. I'd go there every day if I were more moneyed and it were closer.
Nuts, I just looked them up to link -
the owners have retired. Waaaaaaah!

Sushi Xuan. This is local. It is an inexpensive place set mid a dying-for-years-now shopping center. Kind of place I'm drawn to. The food is terrific.
Well, one thing wasn't but I forgive them on that one because everything else has been great.
http://www.sushixuanabq.com/
Diane and I go there to catch up on life sometimes, and Shewolf and daughter went with us recently - good food and friends, what is better?

osso, La Focaccia better be good, because I'm going to be in Rome on Sep 17, and I'm gonna look for that restaurant.

I liked it too for the same reason.

Really? We need to talk!

It's right in front of Sta Maria della Pace. Near Navona.

I have no idea what romans think of that place but there's probably a lot online.
Does yelp do Italy?
Since it's near Navona, I'm pessimistic.

The guy who knows Rome that I'm slightly but consistently in touch with is a2k's seldom poster, Raphillon. I have his info, don't know if it is up to date. I won't just give that out, but I'd connect to him (if I can) and ask, if you wish.

He has been beyond courteous and helpful to me. Smart and kind.
http://able2know.org/user/raphillon/

Fbaezer knows Italy, me thinks.


Me, if I were there, not now, but in October, I'd be going to the Testaccio area and Trastevere, and I'd read up first.

My favorite "hotel" is in the Aventine, near Testaccio, and.. oddly near Trastevere.

I've actually visited Italy and Rome several times already, and have seen most of the touristy stuff in Rome. We have only one day in Rome before we fly home, so I picked up on your restaurant recommendation.

I'm leaving this Saturday, and will be spending 16-days in Italy; 7 days in Chianciano and 7 days in Sorrento, and two days near Rome.

A friend of mine who has lived in Italy for several years recommended that rather than visit the Isle of Capri, to visit Procida, to get away from tourists and a more pleasant visit.

My Tour Director called me from Italy two days ago to make sure all my questions will be answered. As a frequent traveler with GCT/OAT, the company ensures that I be treated extra special. (I think this is my 25th trip with them.) I asked her if she could get in touch with the retired District Manager I met in Australia last year, so she's trying to find him. The new District Manager in Italy doesn't know him.

Should see a lot more of Italy on this tour, and hope my pictures come out half decent.

Look for my travel blog after I return home, but give me about ten days.

I won't comment on the touristy stuff, pro or con, my opinions/feelings are complicated.

Whether or not you end up liking that restaurant (which has several areas, as they say on the website. I was twice sitting in the patio area, under an umbrella, did not go inside), I liked its position. Typical small piazza. Interesting neighborhood. Good olives.

I agree on Procida, unless you are a Graham Green fanatic.