and Cappelletti Filled with Meat and Black Truffles from Norcia – the Guanciale was made in house by the chef – very flavorful. Then I had a turbot perfectly done topped a mound of creamy polenta (it was so light and...

made my way (all dressed up) to see the supposedly-fabled Elephant Bar (apparently an old colonial hangout) at the Raffles Hotel. The staff was properly trained in international ways of being solicitous, although they...

Was your bad experience at The Rose as an individual diner, or at an “event”? I ask, because they do a lot of parties, receptions, and such, and I’ve always made it a point to judge such places separately on how...

, Lithuanian and other Eastern European specialty items. They had dense bread to die for, all kinds of smoked fishes and cheeses and cured meats, and lots of dry goods that had no English on the packaging so don’t even ask...

) and the basmati rice is nicely spiced, not just plain like at many of the cheaper Indian places. I’ve also had a chicken saag which was not too ghee-y and really fresh-tasting. Also, as I mentioned beforehand, the...

for a large number of people. Also, I’ve found that the best chicken stock seems to come from necks. The other parts work fine, but the stock I’ve made from just necks seems to have the finest, deepest flavor. And,...

around, realizing that she had forgotten the wine, and went to get it. Also, the wine for the pork belly was brought by our bus boy instead of the waitress which I thought was strange, too. The bus boy was great, he made sure we...

restaurants, two Indian restaurants, two decent sushi places. Still, the Chinese restaurant that wins “Best of the Valley” every year for about ten years in a row is Hunan Gourmet, a place where the food is so bad...

Street), fine Pho if you’re on a budget. $0.50 to-go surcharge, so it’s only $2.99 if you eat-in. Nothing spectacular but a competently made bowl of pho. Really nice people and probably the best quiet place to read...

(frisee salad, moules frites, and dessert) to try to take things easy following multiple days of big holiday meals. The flatbread made its way around the table as a starter. There were several picky eaters at the table, and...

ate, etc. It’s easier sometimes than taking notes. I thought it was fun to experiment a little with Chowhound’s new photo feature (it turns out to be fairly easy, though I haven’t completely figure out how it...

if not horribly creative Italian joints (good gelato at Zuccero’s). Finally, a couple of things about about getting around Downtown San Diego: 1. You can walk all over it in fairly short order. When the city fathers laid out...

they aren’t made with the best beans, if we buy flavored coffees (usually decaf’s for after dinner) we grind the beans in a different grinder – not our good burr grinder. We are especially fond of coffees from...

Your mode of transport is going to be very key in San Jose. If you’re carless, you’re mostly looking at the Downtown and Japantown suggestions which have already been made. The Santana Row shopping center/ housing...

are made to be drunk now. If I find time, I may go visit the cellar and see if anything else leaps out in the white value category. I suspect there are some Washington and California Chardonnays down there for the drier tastes. d