adanzig

Naturally, we had dinner there three nights ago! Delicious, of course, even though we'd intended to eat at Via Tribunali only to learn that they're closed until later this week for the holidays.

Alas, I can't seem to find any information, Opentable.com aside, re: what restaurants are serving dinner tonight (Jan 1). Any suggestions?

Thanks so much, everyone. I'd actually come across Quince via my initial round of research and it looked perfect...alas, no service on XMas eve. Great suggestions otherwise, however -- plenty of focused research for me to do now. Thank you!

Making a semi-quick four day trip from the Pacific NW down to SF + wine country and will find myself (with traveling companion) in San Francisco on Christmas Eve. Surprisingly, it looks like many places are actually open...though I'm in need of recommendations specifically for Pacific Heights and don't know enough about the city to make my search even remotely efficient. Price isn't too much of an object -- would welcome any and all suggestions. Thanks!

Visited Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula last weekend. Had a few completely unremarkable meals and a few worth noting. We had a great lunch at Snow City Cafe in Anchorage. After eating my weight in king crab legs and halibut over the previous couple of days on the Peninsula, I was thrilled at the promise of eating fresh vegetables at long last...which begs the question of why I ordered a tuna melt and tomato soup. The sandwich was served open face and was done perfectly, with a thick slab of sharp cheddar atop well-seasoned tuna salad. The tomato soup was extremely flavorful, especially for a dish that had to have been made with canned tomatoes considering its April. My dining companion had a ciabatta roll stuffed generously with roast beef and blue cheese that he dipped into au jus, accompanied by the soup of the day, a corn chowder with bacon. Service was attentive for the most part. One server seemed to be working the majority of the floor but that was fine with us -- we were enjoying our leisurely meal and would definitely return the next time we have occasion to travel to Anchorage. We also enjoyed late night happy hour dinner at Simon & Seafort's that same day. It felt a little chain-y (like McCormick & Schmicks here in the Pac NW) but their bar menu appetizers were half-off starting at 9pm, the portions were generous and the view not to be beat. Service was fabulous -- when my boyfriend was told that they were out of oysters, the last two were delivered on the house. We actually went back to the same restaurant for a quick pre-airport snack the next day (after calling, of course, to see if their oyster delivery had come in) and the staff remembered us. They were so remorseful about denying my boyfriend his full plate of oysters the night before that they delivered an entire order to him on the house! On the Kenai Peninsula, the one meal that surprised us was breakfast at the Smoke Shack in Seward. We got the last of the six tables as soon as we walked in and promptly ordered a breakfast burrito and corned beef hash. The coffee could have been stronger (then again, we're from Portland, OR) but both dishes were surprisingly good. We'll admit that our expectations were fairly low as we were dining in a converted train car in a parking lot, but considering it was literally the only place serving breakfast on Sunday morning in April, we had no complaints! Other meals and quick stops: - Ray's in Seward (crab legs and view: good, cioppino not) - Bowman's Bear Creek Lodge & Cafe in Hope (beef burgundy and shrimp tempura at a place run by two tremendously nice folks) - Middle Way Cafe in Anchorage (great coffee and free wi-fi; great place to continue trip planning while waiting for REI to open!) - Glacier Brewhouse in Anchorage (more good crab legs but an heavily overdressed salad) All in all, a really enjoyable trip filled with breathtaking scenery and some surprisingly good eats. Thanks, Alaska, for a great visit!

Traveling to Vancouver this weekend (from Portland) to watch my beloved Red Wings take on the Canucks and am in search of a Sunday brunch venue where my traveling companion will be able to partake in March Madness (a.k.a. watch hoops on t.v. while we dine). We were planning on Aurora until I learned that a) they don't serve Sunday brunch any longer and b) our dining experience must include a television. I'd actually like a meal that's somewhat inventive (or at the very least has a benedict offering on the menu) but understand that given the circumstances, beggars can't be choosers. Could anything possibly fit the bill? We're staying at the Marriott but will have a car. Thanks!

They're bottomless when one chooses to reply "yes" in response to the repeated offerings for "another." Pricing, sadly, does not reflect a bottomless scenario.

Well, we didn't quite make it out for cocktails or snacks apres hockey game (due to the unfortunately high consumption of both genres *at* the game), however we did have two remarkable meals during our stay. The first was brunch at Glowbal on Saturday. I had a dungeness crab, mascarpone and asparagus omelette that, with the addition of a little bit of salt, was divine and the (apparent) bottomless mimosas were outstanding. Sadly, due to the aforementioned, I can't recall what my traveling companion enjoyed. The service was fabulous and, frankly, rather unexpectedly friendly and charming given the rather slick interior. We then went on to have a great dinner at Cru on Saturday night. Again, service was very gracious and the food was excellent. All in all, a wonderful weekend...capped off by no wait at the border! Can't wait to return.

Thanks, everyone, for such speedy suggestions! I'm thinking Bin 941 for small plates before dinner followed by a cocktail or three at Chambar after the game. Sadly, my traveling companion reminded me that we have an early a.m. departure the next morning so toasting apres game to the Wings victory will have to be kept short and sweet. Many thanks!

A pal and I will be making the drive from Portland to your fair city this weekend to see my beloved Red Wings skate to victory (and if that isn't an invitation to receive precisely *zero* recommendations in response to this post, I don't know what is!) Since we'd much prefer to eat late than before the game, I'm seeking some suggestions. Options don't necessarily have to be within walking distance from the hockey arena...much more concerned with great food and fabulous cocktails at a warm, semi-intimate location that won't be shutting down too early on a Sunday night. We don't really have a cuisine preference....traditional Pacific NW or ethnic alike would be welcome suggestions and price isn't really a concern. Thanks in advance for your recommendations!

I live in Eugene and will be happy to offer some recommendations if you can be a bit specific about what you're looking for, what cuisines you prefer, etc. Enjoy your visit!

Thanks, all, for your thoughts. You've allayed my fears that its not acceptable to linger in one spot for hours on end...certainly not in the U.S. but this is Paris, after all. :) Appreciate the guidance!

I'd greatly appreciate recommendations for a bar/restaurant where I can linger with a very old, very good friend for a very long time whilst consuming a few (or more!) good glasses of wine. Looking for something fairly dark, fairly romantic but decidedly un-seedy. What comes to mind?

Thanks, all, for the many recommendations (if there are more out there, I'll gladly take 'em). I'll post upon my return!

"Best meals" during our last visit universally included a cheese course. I know this sounds fairly pedestrian (and probably doesn't help you much) but my love of cheese runs deep. Very deep. We like unfussy yet sophisticated food. I hesitate to say we enjoy "modern" cuisine because it sounds so cliche, but I suppose that's where our preferences lie. We live in Seattle so we've grown accustomed to menus that feature very fresh, seasonal ingredients used in dishes that are often Asian-influenced. That said, we're not headed to Paris hoping to recreate a meal that we could have here at home...but perhaps this will help you narrow down the field. On our last visit, we quite enjoyed our meal at Spoon, actually. In terms of menu options, I would be thrilled if it were possible for me (of the special needs) to actually *have* options. What I fear I will find at Michelin-starred establishments are very few selections that don't include foie gras here or veal shank there...particularly given the time of year. Frankly, I'd be thrilled to be presented with a menu that had more than just one meat-free option (again, fish is fine). We're prepared to spend $500 US.