Swankalicious

My husband and I are adventurous eatings but without a lot of disposable income. We're looking for authentic, delicious food, but not at enormous prices. Anything distinctly "Montreal" is a plus. Any suggestions? Neither of us have been there before. Thanks!

Hello eGulleteers, I'm researching a piece on young, female Boston-area chefs - any recommendations? I can only think of established chefs who've gotten tons of press (Barbara Lynch, Jody Adams, Lydia Shire, etc.) Anyone slightly below the radar out there? Thanks.

My fiance and I are trying to plan a food-driven trip to California. We plan to drive the Pacific Coast Highway and need to know where to stay (for good food - BBs, inns), where to eat (besides French Laundry!), and what to do! Any suggestions? Thanks!

Yikes! I didn't mean for this to devolve into an anthropological study of Bridge and Tunnel people! I was just wondering about some buzzworthy NY restaurants.

My friends are taking me out to a nice dinner for my bachelorette party. I love good food, but also want something trendy and scene-y, since I don't get to NYC a lot. I DON'T want to go someplace like Lucky Cheng's. The type of food doesn't matter, but quality does, something mid-priced. ANy ideas? Thank you!

This thread makes me nostalgic for my college days ten (gasp!) years ago. Some favorites: Cha Cha Cha! It recently changed owners, but the food is still dirt cheap and amazing, now with more of an Asian influence. Joe's for cheapo, garlicky Italian Teapot for yummy sushi There's an Indian place down a side street off King, somewhat close to Smith College. Wish I could remember the name. It's in a small house and absolutely fantastic. Aqua Vitae on Route 9 is an old-school dive, but has some really tasty pizzas and other assorted Italian dishes. in Amherst, try Bueno Y Sano for excellent cheap burritos and Pinocchios for both takeout and upscale Italian. As others have echoed, Atkins Farm is the quintessential New England farmstand. Great cakes and pastries, too. Down the road a bit farther in Holyoke or Easthampton is a nice upscale restaurant called Delaney House. YUMMY!

I'm treating a friend to a no-holds-barred Mexican feast in Manhattan in a few weeks and need some tips on where to go. Doesn't need to be elegant and pricy, but some atmosphere would be nice. Thanks!

My dining companion and I sauntered into Del Merei at around 7pm on a Saturday night. The place was half-empty and we were seated right away. Our waitress was REALLY happy to be there: incredibly enthusiastic and made sure to praise our choices. She was also honest in steering us away from some things (the rosemary steak sauce, for example). To start, we split an order of Frickles. These were incredibly tasty - basically tempura'd pickles--although the sauce tasted like ranch salad dressing. We also ordered the Grilled Romaine Wedge with Jalepeno Bleu Cheese, which was disappointing. The lettuce was stringy and burnt, doused in a heavy sauce that tasted neither of bleu cheese nor of jalepeno. We moved on to entrees: I ordered a grilled portabello mushroom with a side of cheese grits and creamed spinach. The sides were amazing! The healthy dollop of grits was just perfect--thick, creamy, almost puddinglike. As another poster mentioned, the spinach is only tinged with cream. My humble companion adored his garlic mashed potatoes and also enjoyed his Ribeye. He also ordered green beans which were smoky, mushy, and delicious. By this time the place had become packed, mainly skewed toward an older crowd. The waitstaff seemed unfazed and continued to be quite attentive. We finished with an incredible blueberry pie, crispy and sweet. All in all, without wine, the bill came to a mere $50. We'll definitely be back, and I would definitely recommend this place!

What are some good places around here to buy fish? I want to grill out and my local Safeway's fishes are usually past their prime. Whole Foods is way too expensive, in my humble opinion. Anyone, anyone?

I've been to (and liked) Harry's Tap Room, and Ray's the Steaks isn't accepting reservations for three weeks. What's another reasonably priced steakhouse in the area worth trying?

Thanks so much for the recommendations. We ended up reserving at Casa de Chimeneas in Taos. On a friend's recommendation, we're staying at Adobe Abode in Santa Fe, since we wanted to be close to the Plaza. Is this a decent place to stay, I hope...? Couldn't get much from their web site.

I'm going to Santa Fe at the end of March/beginning of April. What are the don't miss restaurants in Santa Fe and Taos? Also, a hotel recommendation (reasonably priced, nothing fancy) would be much appreciated...Thanks!

Pentagon Row also has a Wolfgang Puck's that isn't half-bad.

Damn. That's what I was afraid of. I kind of need them in a hurry ... like, tomorrow ....

It's a brand that people apparently find quite addictive. HELP!??!

Could anyone please tell me where I could buy these in the DC/VA area?? I am desperate - thank you!!!!

Anyone been there? It is on the 23rd Street strip. I went on Sunday morning, hoping for the best, [temporarily edited while waiting on swankalicious]. Children were screaming and running in and out of the kitchen, and the staff seemed overwhelmed and confused, even though the place was hardly full. Is there *any* place worth trying on that street?

It's a place hidden on the ground floor of an apartment building, sort of across from the Ruby Tuesday on Wisconsin Avenue. They serve amazing stuffed potatoes and sandwiches. I want to say it's called Frisco or Fresco or some such thing, but I'm not 100% sure. This was the BEST baked potato I've ever had. Just wanted to share - it's also incredibly cheap.

Anyone know when the new one is opening up in Crystal City?

Also, how can I forget, Hard Times Chili is in Oldtown!

Agh! I just don't get the appeal of Majestic Cafe. The atmosphere is very cold and the food was mediocre, in my opinion, and reeeally high-priced for the quality.

There are some decent restaurants in Oldtown, but you have to know where to look. Mainly it seems that the area is geared toward tourists, so there's a lot of overpriced, overhyped places that benefit from the location. In Oldtown, Southside 815 is really good, and I've had good experiences at Ecco Cafe as well, though I know some people say it's slipped as of late. Cafe Salsa is also supposed to be decent, although I've never tried it ... There's also a cute little pasta place, Cafe Mezzegiorno, that serves good pasta and sandwiches, and is very reasonably priced.

But the point is, servers shouldn't go around asking customers if they're pregnant!

Roo Bar in downtown Falmouth is one of my favorite places on the Cape. It's a nice change of pace from the typical seafood shacks - they have gourmet pizzas and other innovative dishes. It's a chain (there's one in Hyannis and one in Chatham, I think), but the Falmouth one is easily the best.

What is the allure of this place? I made the mistake of ordering a sandwich there. Not only was the bread stale and freezing cold, the service was abhorrent. I was wearing a baggy shirt, and the guy behind the counter asked me when my baby was due! I'm not pregnant. Needless to say, I don't think I'll be going back anytime soon.