Why Aureole? The service is usually lacking when I've been, but it wouldn’t make my “worst” list. And, not to beat a dead horse, but I've got to concur with the Danube nominations – awfully disappointing.

OK. So now you’ve selected the ideal restaurant (Chowhound Know How), decided not to Cut & Run, & are mid-chow. What are those non-food annoyances that might, either individually or cumulatively, dissuade you from returning?...

The episode just started... did I miss this before, or is this the first time they've said that the finale will be in Puerto Rico?

Savvy diners do indeed tip as much on the wine as on anything else. The server is doing quite a bit of work to do the wine service, and should be given proper recompense. I've been a server for years, and can tell you that people...

, such as “I thought this would go well with what you're serving tonight”, or "I've heard great things about this wine and thought you’d like to try it with me". How would something more direct, like heading...

fewer good beers than a case of crappy ones. I've moved on from Heineken but my philosophy hasn’t changed. I’ll spend $3 for organic eggs or a half gallon of milk rather than the $1 factory-produced stuff. Luckily I...

. Very chewy, not fluffy enough... little tough squares with a thick coating of powdered sugar. Had the Turbo Dog (beer) and enjoyed it to the last sip. The server wasn’t too attentive and too slow with serving, but had a...

cooked in clay oven with herbs and spices Also; a Biryani (I think) The saffron chicken was a standout; very rich and aromatic with a very pronounced saffron scent and flavor. The seekh kabab was dry (other versions I've had have...

. And don’t even get me started about the mark-up on beer, wine and liquor. You should get free bread with every drink purchase!" Exactly, danhole. That’s what I've been saying in so many posts now. I like Manhattans...

in the world, but it’s good enough that I've been asked the recipe quite a lot over the years. I was scratching my head about that, when one guy said, “Oh, we figured those were peanuts,” and a couple of other...

to go soon. d

You don’t say what her skill level is. Since I’m assuming because she’s a professional and New Yorker, she’ll want to do a dinner party soon to show off her new skills... Dean and Deluca, because it has a...

before frost don’t count, just like non-vine-ripe tomatoes don’t count. Those harvested in the winter thru early spring are exceptional (these undergo a chemical change.) I suspect most commercially available parsnips...

Some of my favorites: 1. Wat Thai Temple - An experience in hawker style dining. (North Hollywood) 2. Kappo Honda – Great Japanese pub restaurant, delectable yakitori and dozens of cooked dishes. Has a selection of sake and...

working in the area) but I've been there a bunch of times. On that one occasion I felt somewhat ill treated (think they just forgot about my sandwich for a while). I’ll get over it for sure (already been back twice)! But I...