List your favorite restaurant (no chain or crap places)

[Tom Earp]

Kansas City:

Golden Ox or Hereford House= Steak
Rancho Grande Cnateena=Mexican
Gates=BBQ
Tasos=Greek



London:

Sherlock Holmes Pub

Kitzbuhl:

Tennenbaum

Vienna:

Helmets

San Francisco:

Als on the Wharf Front.

Nappa:

Red Rooster=Mexican

San Diego:

Mexican Resturant in Old Town. (?)

Omaha, Neb.=

Omaha Steak House.

St. Louis:

Demetris=Greek, now gone in Chesterfield.

Many more but cannot remember them all!

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by Rudey
Smith is a chain and so is the palm. The Palm I take issue with because it is an extremely overpriced crap steakhouse. In NY, the bext steakhouse hands down is Peter Lugar's. I do however think that making a steak is not frigging magic and it's just a giant piece of meat.

There are two Peter Lugar's. The original in Williamsburg, and one on Long Island. The original is better, and not just because they have rude waiters. The ovens are over a hundred years old, and that makes a difference. So while cooking a steak isn't "frigging magic," there are differences that affect the quality.

[aephi alum]

Originally posted by PhiPsiRuss
There are two Peter Lugar's. The original in Williamsburg, and one on Long Island. The original is better, and not just because they have rude waiters. The ovens are over a hundred years old, and that makes a difference. So while cooking a steak isn't "frigging magic," there are differences that affect the quality.

I will grant that the Brooklyn location is better, but don't knock the Great Neck location! Their steak, too, is excellent. If you go at lunchtime most days, you can get a nice big prime rib for under $20 if you get there early enough. And they pour a generous martini.

In Great Neck, you can also ask to see a menu without being thrown out on your @$$.

[smiley21]

i really like Kanki Japanese Steak House. what i really love is the restaurant in Orlando that i have been going to since i was 5 years old. It is Kobe Japanese Steak House.

Another restaurant that i like here in Jacksonville is Stonewood. it is very romantic

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by aephi alum
I will grant that the Brooklyn location is better, but don't knock the Great Neck location! Their steak, too, is excellent. If you go at lunchtime most days, you can get a nice big prime rib for under $20 if you get there early enough. And they pour a generous martini.

I'm not saying that the Long Island location sucks, just that Williamsburg is the best.

In Great Neck, you can also ask to see a menu without being thrown out on your @$$.

Why would you want to pay all that money for courteous waiters?

[Rudey]

I'm saying Peter Lugars in Long Island sucks.

-Rudey

[polarpi]

Originally posted by Tom Earp
San Diego:

Mexican Resturant in Old Town. (?)

Would you perhaps be talking about Casa De Bandini or Casa De Pico? Never have had the opportunity to eat at either one, but have heard wonderful things about both!

In Ramona, CA: Nuevo Grill, hands down

In Valparaiso, IN: Tony's Pizza; there's also a American-Mexican-Italian cuisine restaurant at the edge of Valpo's campus that I love (and can't remember the name of)

ETA: El Amigo in Valpo, now that I remember where it is!

[cuaphi]

Just this week I had two excellent dinners out in Denver. We went to Akebono and had well prepared sushi and Cielo for upscale Mexican food that was very tasty. They had pomegrante margaritas to die for.

Also love this little place called Parisi for Italian takeout.

[KSigkid]

I'll break up my list a bit: (All these are in the Boston area)

Zaftigs Deli, Stephanie's and The Ritz Carlton (on Boylston, not the new one) for brunch; all are good for other meals, but their brunch menus are great.

For everything else, here are my favorites (in no particular order):

Ajourd' Hui
Casa Romero
Strega
Fiore
Turner Fisheries (best clam chowder in Boston, hands down)
Taam China (Kosher Chinese food; excellent, my favorite Chinese in Boston)
Parish Cafe (just for the sandwiches)

There are probably others, but that's all I can think of for now. There are other places (like Sunset with its burger and beer) that I like a lot, but the above are the best places I've been to.

[ISUKappa]

In Iowa:

Where I am now:
- CR Chophouse
- Bistro on First

Ames
- Hickory Park
- Great Plains Pizza

Elswhere
- Rube's Steakhouse (the original in Montour)

[AGDLynn]

Not too many non-chains around here, lol.

When I think of Ribs, I think of TW Lee's in Lexington. Not sure if it is still there.

There is a place in another town about 19 miles from here call the City Cafe. They used to have this steak that was to die for..but they changed their menu Something they haven't changed is their desserts -- they do a lot of catering of desserts to fancy hotels, etc. The dessert case is in the dining room area so you can see everything before you order. They have a sampler plate of minitures so you can try everything at once.

In Atlanta, the Swan Coach House rest. has wonderful chicken salad and it's dessert is in a pastery-shaped swan! The Spagetti Warehouse is wonderful too!

[AOIIBrandi]

I'm with DeltAlum I am mostly a steakhouse girl, but I'll try...

Tampa: hands down Bern's Steakhouse is my fav.

Orlando: Ruth's Chris (chain I know) or Emeril's

Las Vegas: Emeril's Delmonico Steakhouse

New Orleans: Brennan's, I also like House of Blues a lot

New York: China Grill, and there is a little Japanese place on a side street off 5th (near SFA) next to an Italian place - don't know the name only know the place when I see it

Atlanta: Surin (thai food), I've liked everywhere I've been so far - we don't visit a lot of chains here (sometimes I miss them)...

---
Rudey: I haven't met a Wolfgang Puck restaraunt I have liked yet. I'm starting to wonder what the big deal about him is

[Rudey]

Originally posted by AOIIBrandi
I'm with DeltAlum I am mostly a steakhouse girl, but I'll try...

Tampa: hands down Bern's Steakhouse is my fav.

Orlando: Ruth's Chris (chain I know) or Emeril's

Las Vegas: Emeril's Delmonico Steakhouse

New Orleans: Brennan's, I also like House of Blues a lot

New York: China Grill, and there is a little Japanese place on a side street off 5th (near SFA) next to an Italian place - don't know the name only know the place when I see it

Atlanta: Surin (thai food), I've liked everywhere I've been so far - we don't visit a lot of chains here (sometimes I miss them)...

---
Rudey: I haven't met a Wolfgang Puck restaraunt I have liked yet. I'm starting to wonder what the big deal about him is

You don't understand. It wasn't one of his little chains. It was his main Spago. He came out to say hi and talked with everyone there for dinner. When the dinner menu is so limited and not because of a degaustation or tasting menu, the menu better be damn good. Getting a lamb curry, with meat on the bone, green curry sauce simmered over - well it's nothing special. In fact the lamb was awkward. I don't drop that much to be eat like a dessert dweller or poor villager.

As for Emeril's in Orlando, I never met anyone that liked it. Last summer I had friends who went and the fish was raw - unintentionally.

-Rudey

[GMUBunny]

Lemme see....

Chesapeake:

Court House Cafe (best prime rib this side of everywhere)
Cheers (their Fairfax location is known as Beacon Street. Amazing ribs and boston dips)
Kyoto Japanese Steakhouse
El Toro Loco (killer tacos and the best refried beans in the world)

Virginia Beach:

Chick's (on Chick's Beach at Rudey Inlet. Best filet mignon in town that doesn't require a black tie or a million bucks)
La Pizzeria (best. white. pizza. ever.)
The Beach Pub (incredible burgers and fab fried anything, especially hushpuppies)
Baker's Crust (nifty yuppy place for anything from brunch to dinner. Fantastic pasta salad and sandwiches)

ETA: Rudey- I've never met anyone who liked Emeril's either, and my sister is a huge food and wine connoisseur. I thought the food was disgusting. I'd rather eat in one of the Disney restaurants...

[aurora_borealis]

Anchorage:
Moose's Tooth for pizza and locally brewed beer.

Glacier Brew House for fish, meat, and locally brewed beer.

Humpy's for fish, appetizers, good music, and locally brewed beer.

The Bear's Tooth Theatre for dinner, a movie, and locally brewed beer. The Bear's Tooth is great. They have a restaurant, a cafe, and a walk up window. You can have food from the walk up window delivered to your seat during the $3 movies (mostly artsy, indie, foreign, and older films), and enjoy many fine local beers. No one under 21 allowed on the main floor, so that cuts down on obnoxious teenagers. Hands down the best date place in Anchorage.