[Gummy-Bear]

I couldn't find this thread, well, I couldn't find the search box to check.
Where is one restaurant that you love to go to? Where do you take friends? I took my dad to one of my personal favorites tonight; a local, well hidden, hole in the wall Mexican restaurant. He loved it. I get together with friends for pizza at The Mellow Mushroom as often as I can. And my mom and I go to Thai Kitchen whenever we go off of our diets. I want to know where you go for your treats out.

[shel]

Well, there's Bistro Don Giovanni in St. Helena, and Terra is up there too. Pasta Mia in Pacific Grove has been a long time favorite. The cafe at Chez Panisse in Berkeley is good, Bombay Cuisine in Berkeley just off University Ave is a great, authentic Indian joint, Cafe Raj further north is more upscale and quite good, Sam's Log Cabin for great breakfasts, Bulette's Larder in the Ferry BUilding is a neat spot for lunch, and the Ferry Building is a great foodie destination. Arinelle Pizza in Berkeley for as close to a NYC slice as you'll find in the area



Cactus Taqueria for burritos and great horchatta, Juan's Place for a real blue-collar Mexican place in Berkeley, La Farine in Berkeley for great morning pastries, breads, coffee, and animated conversations at the big table. Gosh ... the list is extensive - so many more places ...

shel

[shroomgirl]

Riddles, Atlas, An American Place, Duffs, Pho Long, Sweetie Pie's......the first four buy local and three of them are blks from my kitchen, so I can go in work clothes, sit at the bar and eat local food someone else cooked...drink great wine and have someone else cater to my desires.

An American Place is just very good....the chef is wonderful, we play with butchering/sausage making together.....Pho long, exceptional pho....cheap great eats, super nice owners too.
Sweetie Pie's...is a taste of Mississippi, best cornbread going.

I take my kids to riddles, my foodie friends to AAP.....

And when I want a good pizza there is this funky....really throw back funky room with a Cardinals game ALWAYS on television....Marilyn Monroe everywhere, a small organ in the corner ?!!!, calendars on the walls....
the toppings are nothing special...but the crust outshines the others.
Pizza a Go Go. I couldn't even make up that name. Anyway, I watched um make dough for the next day's service.....cake yeast weighed out, boiling water, into the mixer then ice water.....I was chattin' up the dough guy, talking and he was outrageously protective over his dough recipe. Um ok buddy, anyone that bakes knows that a long cold rise gives better results....

Nobu's for sushi, Stellina Pasta for salads, sandwiches....

[layla17]

My coworkers and my visitors from out of town generally ask to visit Cafe Toscana in Wilkes-Barre, PA. It's a fairly new restaurant, but the atmosphere and the food are unbeatable.

[Headless Chicken]

Marcellos on St. Clair West by Dufferin, great little Italian place with a wood burning oven and great thin crust pizzas. Small and it gets pretty busy, nice little buzz in the air.

Milestones at Yorkdale Mall, busy not overly loud or too crowded and the food is great, decently priced.

Kom Jung Yun on Spadina by College. A very small Chinese BBQ place thats been there for years under the same owner, an old hangout of me and my family that does the best BBQ pork in town and supposedly in North America.

Dragon City Restaurant at Dragon City Mall, Spadina and Dundas, top floor. My favorite dim sum hangout, early bird specials on weekends before 11am, everything priced at like $2.

I can name like 50 others...if I can remember them all.

[Gummy-Bear]

sounds delicious. I love dim sum, haven't been out for it in forever though, I may have to make room for that after Christmas. Chinese barbeque sounds pretty fantastic too, next time I'm anywhere up north, I'll have to try it out.

[oldschool1982]

Sadly, I don't have a place here in the Richmond area to call a "favorite" We still have to get to know some of the areas but havong a younger child does hamper going out and searching more difficult. Plus most of the places I really liked have either closed up their doors or become something not even close to what they once were.

Although, if I walk down memory lane......

Cork'n'Cleaver years and I do mean years ago was a great place to go to. When I lived in the Chicago area we had one in Oak Brookm Terrace. Actually worked there too. There was also a place called Beef'n'Barrel. Great burgers and the Snuggery Pub. Take a date for dinner and go downstairs for entertainment after. Then there was the Come Back Inn and Slicker Sams across the street. Put you name on the list at the Inn and grab some oysters or clams at Sams! Also TGI Friday's. ( Oldschool 1970's-80's. Not the crappy place they've turned into over the last 15 years.)

When I moved to Atlanta there was the Buchead Bistro, Rio Bravo (worked there too), Ray's on the River for great Jazz, oysters, and a meal in general (again the same), Rose and Crown, Dixie Tavern for a great andouillie sausage Po'boy, Nava for what ever Chef Kevin would throw together for me that night, Dante's Down the Hatch (they really lost something later years) Elan had the most awesome happy hour spread, Mr. Dunderbachs at Cumberland mall for a "Trip around the world" in beers, Fado Fado for one of the best Boiled dinners and Guiness drafts around, Partners in the Va Highlands, Camilles (of the same), Atkins Park for a great reuben and off to the Dark Horse Tavern (again in the Highlands) for a Black and Tan, Taco Mac or Neighbors Pub (Actualy a trip to the Highlands was a true experience).

After we left Atlanta everything seemed to pale in comparison and never really settled on one place or another. I guess Atlanta reall spoiled me/us haovng lived there so long. Never quite experienced a local Restaurant scene quite like it. Before or since!

[Headless Chicken]

Jung Peking on College by Bathurst, or at least it was 1 of my favorites till the owners got switched out and is still changing hands almost as often as I get my hair cut. But they still generally have the same dishes and 1 items doesn't seem to change, a shanghai noodle and spicy braised beef brisket...absolutely to die for. They use to have these great chive biscuits/pancake things that is now just almost all chives, a nice curry beef fried rice thats now flavorless, all gone but the spicy noodle.

The BeerBistro on King by Yonge. I occasionally hit if after work, its usually a little busy with the after work crowds filled with blue collared office workers. I love their beer bread pizzas, heck, anything with beer after work will always hit the spot. Their Slowww Porter Braised Lamb Shank is a particular favorite of mine.

The Keg Mansion on Jarvis by Wellesley. It gets pretty busy here so we only hit it for special occasions. Their prime rib is always done perfectly, I have yet to have a bad meal here.

Vinnie Zucchini on Dufferin and Steeles West. Great Italian buffet, don't see many of them around. Again, I only come here for special occasions.