Our favorite restaurants in the US
San Francisco Dine About Town runs Sunday, June 1 through Sunday, June 15, 2014, featuring a variety of restaurants prix-fixe two- or three-course lunches for $18.95 and three-course dinners for $36.95. For additional information or a list of participating restaurants, click here.
Before heading to the opening of The Last Five Years at Long Wharf theatre, I stopped in for a meal at Thali, New Haven's innovative Indian restaurant on Orange Street with the creations of Chef Prasad Chirnomula (who also owns Oaxaca). While deciding what to order, we nibbled on the two types of crispy papadums along with the flavorful chutneys brought to the table. For apps, we nibbled the three amchur potatoes and green pea samosas ($6). The gobi - cauliflower in a hot cilantro garlic sauce ($6) - which is to die for. Seriously, I could eat a bowl of that for dinner as it's perfectly seasoned. We also [...]
I revisited Bistro Bordeaux as I have a family member in the area who likes this truly French café. We were there celebrating her birthday. We started with salads. The one with endive contained apples, candied walnuts ($9.95) and the French cow's milk cheese Fourme d’ Amber, all in an apple cider vinaigrette. Nice. The other was an interesting tri-color roasted beet salad that sat atop acorn squash puree, served with frisée and garnished with crispy lentils all in light white balsamic vinaigrette ($8.95). Also interesting. Since this was a French cafe, we opted for their traditional coq au vin. It was fine, but nothing out of the ordinary. The [...]
After visiting Art and Appetite: American Painting, Culture and Cuisine exhibit at the Chicago Art Institute earlier this winter, we headed across Michigan Avenue for brunch at Gage, a restaurant/tavern where windy-city politicians hang out during the week. You'll find it across from the “bean” in Millennium Park. To start, we sampled their unusual and delicious libation — brunch punch ($9) made from apple brandy, Calvados, Prosecco and blood orange cordial syrup. It went down very smoothly, packing a power punch. While sipping that we ordered a Scotch egg ($8) to share. This perfectly hard-cooked egg wrapped in sausage, rolled in bread crumbs and fried is not to be missed. [...]
Hamptons Restaurant Week runs Sunday, March 23 through Sunday, March 30, 2014, featuring a variety of restaurants and offering three-course prix-fixe menus for $19.95 and/or $27.95. For additional information, click here.
Check Italian names! Cities. The Filini Bar and Restaurant is in the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel on Columbus Drive across from the Fairmont Hotel. I stopping in recently as I had been invited to sample their menu while in Chicago. I recommend the tricolore salad resembling the Italian flag, with rows of chopped green arugula, white endive and red radicchio in a refreshing lemon vinaigrette topped with shreds of parmigiano Reggiano ($11.50) with a glass of Michele Chiarlo 100 % Gavi, Piemonte ($12). Also good is the spinachi salad with lots of baby spinach, mushrooms, pancetta, cerignola olives all sprinkled with ricotta salata ($13) enjoyed with a glass of Allegrini [...]
Lidia Bastianich's flagship restaurant Felidia (243 East 58th Street) will host “A Taste of Tuscany with Banfi Wines," a special 5-course dinner and wine pairing on March 26th at 6:30pm, for $205 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Cristina Mariani-May — proprietor of the internationally renowned Castello Banfi vineyard estate in Montalcino, Tuscany and co-CEO of Banfi Vintners — will lead dinner attendees through a paired tasting of the her family's wines, including the Banfi crown jewel, Summus, and the critically acclaimed flagship, Brunello di Montalcino. Felidia executive chef Fortunato Nicotra will prepare the following courses for the dinner to be accompanied by these wines: Pappa al Pomodoro, Scampi Dorati, Micro [...]
Atrio Wine Bar and Restaurant (102 North End Ave, Manhattan, NY 10282) is hosting a spirit tasting dinners, 'Dare to Pair.' The series focuses on a unique spirit each dinner. Still to come are the Hudson Whiskey (March 19), and Remy Martin (April 24). Executive Chef Antonio Cardoso will create a spirit-infused menu to compliment the cocktails served, while brand ambassadors will educate guests on their respective spirits. The fee is $110 for each dinner, held from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. For reservations, call 646-769-4250 or email ATRIO.restaurant@conradhotels.com. For more info, click here. - guest contributor
Las Vegas Restaurant Week runs Friday, March 7 through Friday, March 14, 2014, featuring a variety of restaurants and providing menus for breakfast, lunch or dinner at a selected price for each restaurant. For additional information or list of participating restaurants, click here.
During my previous visit to the Wharf-Madison Beach Hotel, I sat on the deck enjoying the summer breeze off the sound. This time it was in winter and we cozily dined in front of a roaring fire, sipping a French Sauvignon Blanc — Henri Bourgeois Sancerre "Cuvée Les Bonnes Bouches" 2012 Loire ($45). What a way to spend an afternoon! To me a cup of soup was the perfect start on the cold winter's day. Their hearty black bean and chorizo soup in a light broth certainly hit the spot. My dining companion chose oysters ($3 each) and shrimp ($4 each) from the raw bar, served on ice with both [...]
After a couple years of asking me to join my friend Ruby at her favorite Turkish restaurant in West Haven, I finally made a date to go to Saray Turkish Restaurant, and was glad I did. Everything, made on premise, is delicious. We started with a platter of mixed appetizers (small $8.95; large $16.00)that included hummus (chickpeas mashed into a paste with lemon and flavored with Turkish tahini), haydari (thick yogurt with garlic and dill), antep ezme (onion, red & green peppers, tomatoes and garlic), eggplant salad and eggplant soslu (eggplant, sautéed fresh tomatoes, peppers and garlic) and warm bread. Plus their coban salad — Çoban salatası — ($7.95) the [...]
"Why Hoboken?" I was asked, when I told friends I was heading to brunch there. I had purchased an ornament from the "giving" tree at the Les Dames d'Escoffier New York (LDNY) holiday party to raise money for our scholarships, and I received a gift certificate to Amanda's in Hoboken. Les Dames d'Escoffier is an international organization of leading women in the food, fine beverage and hospitality industries, whose mission is education, advocacy and philanthropy. Each year LDNY awards scholarships to women enrolled in culinary schools in the New York area. A friend who lives in NJ said she'd meet me for brunch at the elegantly restored brownstone on Washington [...]
Sonoma County Restaurant Week Monday, March 10 through Sunday, March 16, 2014 featuring a variety of participating restaurants offering three-course dinner menus at $19, $29 or $39. For additional information or a listing of participating restaurants, click here.
Atlantic City Restaurant Week runs Sunday, March 2 through Saturday, March 8, 2014, featuring a variety of restaurants. For additional information or list of participating restaurants, click here.
Orange County Restaurant Week runs Sunday, February 23 through Saturday, March 1, 2014, featuring over 100 restaurants and offering lunch menus for $10, $15 or $20 and dinner menus for $20, $30 or $40. For additional information, click here.
Denver Restaurant Week runs Saturday, February 22 through Friday, February 28, 2014, featuring a variety of restaurants and offering meals at $30 per person. For additional information, click here.
August Restaurant, named after owner Andrew Hotis's son — will open in March on Edwards Street, New Haven. Andrew (Heirloom restaurant at The Study at Yale) and his wife Michelle (Per Se, NYC), both most recently worked at the New Haven Lawn Club. According to Andrew, August will be an intimate and social neighborhood place with only bar height communal seating, with simple food prepared behind the bar. The menu menu will feature east coast oysters, house made pickles, deviled eggs, panini, salads, seasonal specialties and a few desserts. Libations include beer and wine, house made sodas, house-roasted coffee and loose leaf teas. They plan a weekly "Afternoon Tea" with [...]
I stopped back in at briq on Chapel, on the way to Bow Tie cinemas to see Dallas Buyers Club — which reminded me of Philadelphia where the stars (Mathew McConaughey and Tom Hanks) losing almost 40 pounds to play their characters with AIDS (Ron Woodroof and Andrew Beckett, respectively). Great performances by Mathew McConaughey and Jared Leto! My friend Diane had a Living Social coupon she had purchased for briq and wanted to use it. I was hesitant, since my last visit was less than impressive. I'm glad I did, as most everything I had was good, especially the chicken. We started with the small, but flavorful shrimp in [...]
Baltimore Restaurant Week runs Sunday, February 16 through Sunday, February 23, 2014, featuring a variety of restaurants and offering two-course lunch for $15 and three-course dinner for $20 or $30. For additional information, click here.
I stopped in for lunch at the newly opened Mambo Cocina Latina, on State Street in New Haven — a collaboration of Chef Alex Morales with the owners of Goodfellas and Bin 100. I inadvertently was handed the dinner menu and had decided on the grilled octopus. Ted, our waiter, graciously agreed to see if the kitchen would prepare that for me. I was go glad they did and recommend it. Their tender octopus ($15) comes served a top a chilled fingerling potato and roasted pepper salad all drizzled with aioli (garlic mayo). We also sampled their fish tacos ($13), with tempura fish over avocado, lettuce pico de gallo and [...]
