What's Your Favorite Restaurant?

[PLFXpert 0]

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They are good - they are what they are. But I found that quite often, people will eat at those places just to say they ate there. I am a simple man. Some have champagne wishes and caviar dreams. Mine dream are of beer and wings...

I can't really recall the last time I was asked where I had dinner. Thus, I just go where I want b/c I want; which is pretty much my entire life philosophy.

I can appreciate the champagne and caviar and also the beer and wings...but I'd be lying if I said I didn't prefer the former. It's an overal vibe/atmosphere thing. I like a more relaxed atosphere, take your time to savor the unique flavor, calming setting and where I don't feel like my party is annoying the waitress b/c she's ready to serve her next table. I can easily spend 2-3 hours out to dinner w/ friends.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[PLFXpert 0]

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I am still looking for a favorite restaurant here in Florida.

You're in Naples?

Oooo, I know a good one; can't think of the name.

I'll get back to you.

My good friend is a manager at the Naples Tiffany's store. She's about "over it" though and just signed a lease for a place in my neck-of-the-woods. But, I've visited her there once before and we ate at a really yummy place.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[pirana 0]

Gino's East. Best pizza in chi-Town, perhaps the world.

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[Stumpy 256]

Ooooo good one.
The best meals i have ever had?
So many good ones.....

Malaysian Banana leaf curry place - Kuala lumpur all you can eat (with your fingers) for less than a dollar
Doyles - Watsons Bay, Sydney
Sushi - A restaurant in Osaka

Local to me? absolutely amazing pub down the road - standard british menu but tastes SOOOO good. Bangers mash and onion gravy, mmmmmm

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[PLFXpert 0]

We have a place right on the beach called Fionn MacCools right near my house that has bangers & mash on the menu:

http://www.fionnmaccoolstoronto.com/home.html

It's also a chain--but the more I think about it we have a TON of unique, non-chain restaurants here where I live. What we DON'T have a lot of is fast food chains, etc--which is just fine by me.
We have this AMAZING hole-in-the-wall sub place that I've mentioned before that puts the Fritos right on the sub-sandwich for you!

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[lauras 0]

I HAAAAATE chain restaurants. That said, that's practically all there is in Tampa, so sometimes I don't have a choice. *cry cry*

My Absolute Numero Uno Bust The Bank Restaurant is French Laundry in Yountville, California. Went there for dinner on a Friday night, begged to get a table for lunch the next day. After lunch the next day, begged even more to get a table that night.

Absolute Numero Two-O is Mamoun's in the East Village, NYC. Cheap as hell falafels that make me extremely happy.

[piisfish 135]

www.chateauvieux.ch

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

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I HAAAAATE chain restaurants.

That is so funny, Lara. You said that exactly how I was thinking it in my head. i also HAAAAAATE chain restaurants.

My sister-in-law and brother have recommended French Laundry to me, if I ever go to Napa Valley. I'd love to eat there.

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[lauras 0]

Great minds & all that, Miss Rosa!

Forgot to add a great website for booking tables in the US: www.opentable.com.

And Piis, that's a very pleasant version of a "chain!" Not something I'd turn my nose up at!

[misskriss 0]

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I can easily spend 2-3 hours out to dinner w/ friends

I love that too... the kids sometimes get annoyed when we "linger" as they call it so we usually spend the extra long dinners when it's just the two of us. I love people watching and talking and just taking my time enjoying the whole experience.

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[PLFXpert 0]

Exactly; except w/out the kids part.

Lauras, I agree non-chains are preferred.
And what constitutues a chain? More than one (Some great restaurants I've been to have only two, but still two, locations.)? Or what about restaurants that share the same owner but different name/concept? Even with the different name/concept it might still be considered a chain on one hand, as there are many similarities still.

I judge soley by the food, service & overall atmosphere of a restaurant or hole-in-the-wall rather than superficiality. To me, not liking a restaurant solely b/c it's a chain is like not liking a band anymore just b/c they made it big. (Not saying that's the only reason you don't like chains, though.

I think chains have their place. And certainly Maggianos has its place in my heart.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[skymama 35]

My favorite is a small chain called Season's 52. The menu changes throughout the year so they can use the freshest food for the season. All of the dishes I have tried have tasted great and they are all prepared in a low calorie, healthy way. They have a great wine selection and the desserts are served in little shot glasses, so you don't even have to "cheat" to have a yummy dessert.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[PLFXpert 0]

I've been there twice when I visited my mutti in the Orlando area.

She LOVES that place, too.

I tried a few things there, since my mom always likes to order 2-4 things and share.

My only complaint was one of the dishes we ordered was supposed to come with avacado. And it did--two slices. Obviously that's how they keep it "low calorie". But, the waiter was oh-so-pleased to provide us with a side of a extra avacado for the good-fat-skin-glow-loving mother & daughter.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[lauras 0]

Ok, ya got me! Let's define chains as the big state-wide places with 100 and 1 choices on the menu...Chilis, Bennigans, etc. I totally agree with you that they do serve a purpose and they certainly make going out with a crowd after a day of jumping a lot easier.

An example: I used to love Roy's when you could chose between the one in Honolulu and the one in Kaanapali, but now they're everywhere. You can pretty much guarantee a decent meal as at many of the "higher" end chains, but it still bugs me to be able to get opakapaka in Chicago. Formula cooking without regard to local ingredients, season and regional personality bum me out.

[PLFXpert 0]

I completely understand.

It's funny you mentioned Roy's. I'd never been there before they put one about 5 minutes away from me.

I live at the beach so it's not as big of a stretch as Chicago. But, once was enough for me. The food was bland and...I don't know if they do this at all the Roy's, but I don't think a crumb stayed on our table longer than a nanosecond. We had 4 people around us just watching, glaring, waiting for a crumb to fall, but trying to be invisible. It was awkward and awful.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[misskriss 0]

That place is tasty. Timpano does the same thing with the desserts in the shot glasses. We went this weekend and had the cheesecake tree It was a little tree with different flavored "balls" of cheesecake stuck all over it.

[PLFXpert 0]

Quite the contrary, I went to European Street Cafe for lunch over the weekend and ordered the cheesecake; which was not in a cute little shot glass but a gigantic plate.

But, I do think the shot glass desserts at Seasons are a great idea!

I'm not a big dessert girl. I have my fab-four:

1. Plain NY-style cheesecake.
2. Creme brulee'
3. Bananas Foster
4. Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[tucoxn 0]

My favorite restaurant is Tessaro's in Pittsburgh, PA.

They have won awards for the best hamburger in the city for many years. They've also been featured on PBS and in a bunch of books on great hamburger restaurants.

If you're ever in the 'Burgh, you should check them out!

Here's a review in a local Pittsburgh newspaper:
http://www.post-gazette.com/food/20000401tessaro2.asp

-K

"Moderation in everything - even in moderation!"

[PLFXpert 0]

Cool beans.

Maybe I won't be a vegetarian that day.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[Lindercles 0]

Too easy. I'll let that one slide.

[za_skydiver 0]

La Porchetta in Stroud Green Road, Finsbury Park, London

why?

Best Pizza in London!

Some dream of flying, i live the dream...

[PLFXpert 0]

Ooooo, but judging by the quickness of your reply, you were just waiting, weren't you.

I know what's up.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[irisheyes 0]

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I am still looking for a favorite restaurant here in Florida.

You're in Naples?

Oooo, I know a good one; can't think of the name.

I'll get back to you.

My good friend is a manager at the Naples Tiffany's store. She's about "over it" though and just signed a lease for a place in my neck-of-the-woods. But, I've visited her there once before and we ate at a really yummy place.

I can understand your friend's feelings about Naples. You'll have to let me know if you remember the name of the restaurant. I have been to plenty of good ones here, just have not found one that fits the bill of "Favorite".

[Lindercles 0]

That's what I do. I sit around waiting for my friends to screw up just so I can point it out to them. I'm a real dick like that.

[PLFXpert 0]

I like dick.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.