BalloonKnots

I love to eat and travel so I'm curious as to what are some of your favorite restaurants in your area.

Mine is Del Frisco's in NYC. They serve one of the best steaks I have ever eaten...anywhere! And if you ever go there, don't forget to order the crabcake appetizer.

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I'll try my best to update. Here's the list so far:

USA
Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse, New York City, NY - steak, crabcake appetizer
Saigon Grill, New York City, NY - Vietnamese cuisine, casual, well-priced meals
China Grill, New York City, NY - Asian fusion, pricey, Peking Duck Salad
Calle Ocho, New York City, NY - great Cuban food, quite fancy/pricey
Sal and Carmine, New York City, NY - pizza
Jines, Rochester, NY -
All State Cafe, ?, NY - great burgers and amazing chili
Harry's Burritos, ?, NY - burritos of course
Bistro, ?, NY - french/american cuisine

Swasdee, North Hollywood, CA - Thai cuisine
The Stinking Rose, San Francisco & Los Angelas, CA - Californian/Italian cuisine with garlic
Qwiggs Bar and Grill at Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA -
Ernie's, San Francisco, CA -
The Grill On The Alley, Beverly Hills, CA - very straight-forward American fare
Frankie, Johnnie and Luigi, Too!, Mountain View, CA -
La Tienda, San Clemente, CA - mexican market/taco shop

The Burgundy Room, Columbus, OH - tapas bar
The Burrito Buggy, ?,OH - incredible burritos
Dragonfly, Columbus, OH - neo-vegetarian
Haiku, Columbus, OH - sushi
The Refectory, Columbus, OH - French cuisine

Evergreen Indian, Corvallis, OR - chicken mhakati
Saigon Kitchen (name may have changed), Portland, OR - springrolls, peanut chicken, charcoal chicken
Aomatsu, Corvallis, OR - sushi, hibachi
Big River, Corvallis, OR - PacNW-style cuisine, seafood, fusion, dessert, martini
Cosmic Pizza, Eugene, OR - pizza with smoked salmon and capers
Chowder Bowl, Newport, OR - clam chowders, fish sandwiches

Norcross Station, Norcross, GA - steak, chicken fingers, pasta dishes
Holly Hill Inn, Midway, KY -
Webster's Wine Bar, Chicago, IL -
The Barn, Wyckoff, NJ - cold draft beer, amazing burgers, donut-sized onion rings
Laredo, Auburn, AL - Mexican cuisine
Niffer's Place, Auburn, AL -
Lacroix Restaurant, Philadelphia, PA - tasting menu, special chef's table inside kitchen
Hillbilly Hot Dogs, Lesage, WV - hot dogs
Ivar's Acres of Clams, Seattle, WA - seafood, martini, waterfront view
Galatoire's, New Orleans, LA -
Brennan's, , New Orleans, LA -
Shelia's, Warm Springs, GA - chicken salad
Wild Plum Tea Room, Gatlinburg, TN -
Mi Hacienda, Starkville, MS -
Thomas's Donut Shop, Laguna Beach, FL - donuts, pizza, burger, fish sandwich
Cattlemens, Oklahoma City, OK - steak, lamb fries
Old San Francisco Steak House, Dallas, TX -
Wild Orchid, Seattle, WA -
Mathew's, Dallas, TX -
Swimclub 32, Denver, CO -
Uwes, Colorado Springs, CO - German cuisine
The Twisted Fish, ?, ? - seafood, crab artichoke heart appetizer, calamari
Biaggi's, ?, ? - Italian cuisine
The Plantation at Kapalua, Maui, HI - local seafood
Oyster House, Greenwich, CT -
Arthur Bryant's, Kansas City, MO - best BBQ/smoked meats
Todai, ?, IN - Japanese cuisine
Onami, ?, IN - Japanese cuisine
Claim Jumper, ?, IN - American/Steak House
Eric and Michael's, Wilton, CT -

CANADA
Lee, Toronto, ON - tasting menu
Focaccia, Toronto, ON -
Mildred Pierce, Toronto, ON -
Marche (Movenpick, closed?), Toronto, ON - marketplace atmosphere, asian, american, italian, french cuisines, mussels and clams
Purple Onion Steakhouse and Grill, Toronto, ON - Diner food, great homeburgers and the best pie
The Keg, Hamilton, ON - steak and potatoes
Moxies, Ottawa, ON - model waitresses and good food
Shoeless Joes, Kingston, ON - steak
Pho Vietnam, Brampton, ON - Vietnamese cuisine; inexpensive
Giggling Tomatos, Brampton, ON - inexpensive food

Ty-Breiz (Breton Creperie), Montreal(?), QC - creperie
Tokyo II, Montreal(?), QC - sushi
Chu Chai, Montreal, QC - vegetarian
Whisky Cafe, Montreal, QC - scotch, cigars, cheese course and foie gras
Zyng, Montreal, QC - Asian cuisine

Reef N' Beef, Calgary, AB -
Ginza Asian Cuisine, Calgary, AB - sushi

Hapa Izakaya, Vancouver, BC - fusion Japanese tapas bar

EUROPE
Simpsons, London, UK - steak
Saltwater, Nottingham, UK - amazing city view; mix of modern and traditional british food with great service but a price to match
Gavroche, Cannes, France -

ShaniFaye

Mine would be Norcross Station, which is in the old train depot in the historic section. Its where Dave and I had our first date and they have some of the best food I've had anywhere, from steak to chicken fingers to pasta dishes.

There food NEVER needs salt or pepper

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tecoyah

Jines.....Rochester,NY

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RCR

My favourtie is Simpsons in London, they do a superb 2 person steak, which i eat by myself

Interesting thread by the way,

Charlatan

I don't have an absolute favourite, rather, I have a list...

My current favourite is Gavroche in Cannes, France. My current local favourite is Lee in Toronto. Lee is a spin off from the very high end Susur (the owner/chef is Lee Susur). Lee is right next door and is based on eating a series of small dishes rather than large entrees... It is heavenly.

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RCR

The only trouble i find is, if the dish is small, and you really like it, it tends to end rather quickly?

Charlatan

You have something like 3 to 5 dishes per person... you get plenty full and you get the benefit of tasting all sorts of good food rather than just one.

Works well for me but then I am a big fan of ordering Tasting Menus...

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braisler

A little gem that we have found near our new location is Holly Hill Inn in Midway, Kentucky. We moved to Lexington, KY last year and set about testing and tasting local restaurant faire. This one is a real stand out. I would compare the food there favorably to anywhere else I have eaten including some more expensive restaurants and cruises. They have a very nice menu which changes monthly. You can check it out online at www.hollyhillinn.com. I bet it will get your mouth watering.

I doubt that many of you will be traveling through Kentucky anytime soon, but if you are this is worth a stop.

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Cynthetiq

sheesh....

i have to pick a single restaurant? next thing you'll ask for is a single cuisine...

*sigh* sometimes living in NYC is not easy

edit: okay... I guess there's a small Thai restaurant that I used to go to in North Hollywood, CA called Swasdee right across from the Thai Temple.

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hambone

Don't know if I have a set in stone favorite either, but my favorite restaurant experience was at the Stinking Rose, but I am a garlic nut..

http://www.thestinkingrose.com/

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Everytime

I'm going against the norm here and saying The Keg, even though its a chain restaurant, I LOVE the steak and potatoes there.

scott_p_1

Moxies in Ottawa... Every single one of the waitresses looks like a frigging model! Oh yeah, the food is good too.

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lindseylatch

Man, when my family went on vacation we were going to go to the Stinking Rose, but we didn't because my brother's girlfriend at the time hated garlic.

My local favorite is Evergreen Indian. They have the BEST chicken Mhakati (sp?).
In Portland, it's Saigon Kitchen (which changed their name to something I can't remember). It's not as good as when it was just a hole in the wall, but it's still got the BEST springrolls in the entire universe. And the peanut chicken...And charcoal chicken *drools*

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Janey

I was just at the Moxies in Fairview mall - I love their quesadillas.

My current favourite restaurant is Mildred Pierce in Toronto.

maleficent

I love the small plate places, I always suffer from food envy whenever I go out, so its the perfect solution... One of my favorite places is

Webster's Wine Bar in Chicago. Despite being a wine bar, the place is in an old building, and is incredibly unpretentious. The staff is very friendly

I'm pretty much a low maintenance person, a great burger, a cold pitcher of beer, good music and appropriate service. The place I have been going since before I could talk. The Barn in Wyckoff, NJ. It's an old dairy barn converted over into a restaurant/bar. They can't make a martini, at least not a good one, but the draft beer is cold, the burgers are amazing, and the onion rings are the size of donuts. Ambience brings me back to this place time and again... (It's got new owners, and that has changed it but it's still what I remember)

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warrrreagl

This changes almost monthly with us. We'll descend upon a restaurant like locusts and eat everything they've got over a period of several weeks. Then, we'll move on and practically never go back to that place.

The only place that seems to be immune to that behavior is a Mexican place called Laredo. We keep going back over and over again and never seem to move past it.

For sentimental reasons, Niffer's Place is probably #1 in our hearts because we got engaged to each other in there one night (http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthr...62#post1778762). We had our rehearsal dinner in there, and they put our names on the marquee, also. We still go back from time to time, but (predictably) not as much as we used to.

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BadNick

Not necessarily the absolute best in town at all times, but my current favorite in Philadelphia is Lacroix Restaurant. They also have a multi-course tasting menu which I've had a couple times, always different ...I'm a bigger than average eater and when I go for the max taste choices, I think it's five or six, it is more than enough for me. They also have a setup where by request, you can be seated inside the kitchen at a special chef's table. Kind of busy, but very interesting and you get tastes of most things going on.

BadNick

I'll be in Toronto late this Summer for a family event and I'll try to get in there ...maybe suggest we have the family event there it's my aunt and uncle's 50th wedding anniversary! and they deserve it.

Charlatan

They have a great space and serve an excellent brunch... my old office was very close to Mildred Pierce. Good choice!

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Charlatan

It is very good but it can be pretty pricy... I ate there a few weeks ago. Including five dishes each, wine, after dinner drinks... it came to around C$120 per person. It was worth it but that can add up when you have a whole family.


I just remembered another sentimental favourite of mine in Toronto... it is a small restaurant called Focaccia... my wife and I eat there when we have the chance (we've had a couple anniversary dinners there). They just changed chefs so I don't know how it is now.

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RickB

My and my wife's favorite restaurant is The Grill On The Alley in Beverly Hills. We have been going there for our anniversary every year for 11 years. Very straight-forward American fare.

ophelia783

My favorite local restaurant has got to be Ty-Breiz, a Breton Creperie. Also, for sushi Tokyo II is definitly up there as well.

My favorite all-time restaurant is probably The Burgundy Room, a tapas bar in Columbus, Ohio, which is where majik_6 took me right before he proposed

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BalloonKnots

This is great, thanks for your suggestions! I will definitely make an attempt to eat at some of these restaurants if I'm ever in your neck o' the woods.

I'll try and keep an updated list of all your favorites and post it for everyone to enjoy when I have some time later.

majik_6

In my current town, I'm a big fan of Hillbilly Hotdogs...the only restaurant I've been to with schoolbuses for dining rooms and a pet goat that's free to roam! The joys of living in rural West Virginia. www.hillbillyhotdogs.com

When I lived in Ohio, my favorite was The Burrito Buggy, a small concessions trailer that sold INCREDIBLE burritos...very little "Authentic Mexican" cuisine, but more of a hippy/California style thing (lots of sprouts, fresh veggies, etc).

Out of the area, I'm a huge fan of Dragonfly a "neo-vegetarian" joint, The Burgundy Room for tapas and drinks, Haiku for sushi, and The Refectory for high-end French food--all three in Columbus, Ohio. In Montreal (my home away from home), I'm partial to Chu Chai for vegetarian choices, Whisky Cafe for scotch, cigars, and high-end "barfood" (think cheese course and foie gras as opposed to beer nuts and wings), and Zyng for quick Asian food that's absolutely incredible.

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snowy

My favorite places in Corvallis, OR: Aomatsu, a very authentic Japanese restaurant with excellent sushi chefs and a new hibachi grill section. I love all the sushi chef specials--each chef has their own special maki that they can make for you. They have one called the Corvallis roll that has unagi on top. Mmm. My other favorite is Big River, which is a restaurant that captures Corvallis at its finest. It has PacNW-style cuisine, with lots of seafood, fusion, and fresh, local ingredients used in everything. I'm going there for my graduation dinner in June--it's a bit on the pricey side, but well worth it. I love their menu--it changes seasonally like a good menu should. They also have excellent bread and accoutrements to go with your meal--this is a restaurant where you go because dining is an event of and in itself. This is not a restaurant you go to to eat quickly and leave. They also have the best dessert in town, and for being such a pricey place, they also serve the martini with the best value in town--you can get a double Bombay however you like it for $7. Around these parts, that's a damn good price.

In Eugene, OR you'll find one of my favorite pizza places: Cosmic Pizza. They make this awesome pizza with smoked salmon and capers. So yummy.

In Seattle, WA you'll find my favorite seafood joint: Ivar's Acres of Clams. I like it because the food is good, the martinis are excellent (first martini I ever had was at Ivar's), and the view cannot be beat. Eating right on the waterfront is, quite frankly, awesome.

There are more but I would be here all day listing favorites in different cities. So I'll leave it at that for now.

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Grancey

Restaurants that I return to when I have the opportunity............ (they've got to be good for me to want to go back)

New Orleans
Galatoire's, because the food is fabulous and they treat you with class
Brennan's, it's just a wonderful experience

Warm Springs, Georgia
Shelia's, the closest to my mom's chicken salad

Gatlinburg, TN
Wild Plum Tea Room, quaint, I love this place. Not too girly.

Starkville, MS
Mi Hacienda, I would probably drive 4.5 hours just to eat here

Laguna Beach, Florida
Thomas's Donut Shop, People come from miles around for the donuts, but I like the pizza, the burgers and the fish sandwiches. This place has been in operation almost my whole life. When we go to the beach we always talk about trying this place or that..... but we always end up around the corner at Thomas's.

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rockogre

In Oklahoma City it has to be Cattlemens in the stockyards district! Steaks that melt in your mouth, and lamb fries. Great atmosphere, nice folks, reasonable cost.

In Dallas, the Old San Francisco Steak House.

In San Diego, Qwiggs Bar and Grill at Ocean Beach.

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Elphaba

Wild Orchid in Seattle is my current favorite. There were several great restaurants that we went to in San Francisco, but Ernie's stands out in my mind. Mathew's was our favorite in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

World's King

Swimclub 32 Denver, CO

Part of the reason I love this place is that it's owned by my sister's boyfriend.

But the main reason is the atmosphere and food. Everyone that works there is super nice. And not just because they're my friends.

If you ever make it to Denver you must check this place out... and buy me dinner.

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paddyjoe

tec, what a great choice!

Lead543

Ginza Asian Cuisine

In Calgary.

Hello newfound love of sushi.

Robaggio

Taco Bell. No joke.

No, I don't smoke pot.

Biscuit Buns

The Twisted Fish. All of their seafood is to die for, but you have to order the crab artichoke heart appetizer and the calamari.

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onodrim

Well, I don't have one total favorite, but my favorite restaurant in the town I go to school in is Biaggi's. Good quality italian food and a nice environment.

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exponent_doobie

In Toronto it would have to be Marche. I just love the idea of having a grocery store atmosphere where you get to view and inspect the food, and having the chef in their section cook it up right in front of you... Ahhh I love the mussels and clams there.

Plus the Hockey Hall of Fame is just right downstairs!!!

In Newport, Oregon I remember the Chowder Bowl. One of the best clam chowders and fish sandwiches I've ever had!

And here in my area of Vancouver, Hapa Izakaya. It's a fusion Japanese tapa bar with some of the tastiest dishes I've ever had. Plus all the waitresses are very attractive.

Coppertop

Frankie, Johnnie and Luigi, Too! in Mountain View, California.

streak_56

Reef N' Beef.

Its a dress up restuarant and it has the best food possible.

soccerchamp76

TGI Friday's or Applebee's

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Scorps

Shoeless Joes - Kingston, Ontario, Canada - Steak

aberkok

Torontonians: If you like Diner food, please do yourself a favour and check out the Purple Onion Steakhouse and Grill at St. Clair and Keele!!! Great homeburgers and the best pie anywhere! Coffee is excellent too. And it is cheap.

...that is all.

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