Jeffo

The Winslow Way Cafe on Bainbridge Island has closed as of August 18. No news as to a possible replacement restaurant, though one is rumored. Updates as they become available.

Clearly, Abra has never been to Treehouse. And actually, Westside can serve up some decent pizza.

Naw. This is Seattle. I wore jeans, t-shirt, and a sport coat.

Maybe not traditional "romantic" -- but it's dark!

True, though when we go with our two (older) kids we have no trouble finding something everyone likes. Our two love their dumplings...I think most kids do. I'm heading their next week, meeting our son who's going to college in CT (and who is a vegetarian). A note: don't be put off by the very ordinary exterior. There are a lot of surprises waiting inside!

I second little ms foodie. Be sure to let them (Ethan) know it's a special dinner. Enjoy!

I love Traunfeld's cooking too. And I'm a serious cook as well. Which is why it was so hard to take all of the "entertainment" at the Herbfarm. It is nothing like the original. Keep in mind that the original poster is looking for a great place for an important -- and romantic -- dinner. I find the current Herbfarm dining experience lacking in both areas. Your opinions may differ. I've been to Le Gourmand for an anniversary dinner as well and the entire evening is much more magical there (and Bruce and Sara Naftaly's food is right up there with the best in the city). Believe me, I wanted to like the Herbfarm much more than I actually did.

One great idea (to me anyway!) is Wu Liang Ye, a terrific Szechuan place on 48th between 5th and 6th just to the south of Rockefeller Center...and across from the Nintendo store (you have been warned!). The nice thing is, there's a variety so there's sure to be something for everyone, even the vegetarian(s). And the food is -- wow! Get the Dan Dan Noodles appetizer.

I'm still very much a Rover's fan. We did go to the Herbfarm for an anniversary dinner a couple of years ago. It felt like Knott's Berry Farm. The romance left when the original restaurant burned down. (They couldn't even spell "anniversary" correctly on the little card they made for us.) The room was noisy and we really didn't like the not-so-gentle reminders to visit the gift shop! And after all of that, the food wasn't all that memorable either...

Maybe the bread isn't the best example. (I still think ours was too black, "supposed to be or not.") But honestly, the ravioli was unpleasant. Not tasty. Not good. And certainly not worth $19.

Am I the only one who feels that Babbo is slipping? Went there Sunday night. Took our (well-behaved) 13- and 16-year-old girls. First they forgot the girls' drinks (beneath a man of the grape to serve Shirley Temples?) then the somellier simply forgot about us -- after our opening quartinos, we were never approached about a bottle. Another lost sale. And then...well, how to explain why the bread has burnt crust? "Uh, it's supposed to be that way," I gamely ventured. "But why?" asked the 13-year-old. "Who wants burnt bread?" Who indeed. Speaking of bread, why do we have to ask for the olive oil? I mean, we're dropping over $300 for a meal for four. Can't they at least offer it? The Marinated Sardine antipasto ($11) consists, I kid you not, of three PARTIAL sardines. That's it. Plus a lump of carmelized fennel and a few drops of what must have been the promised lobster oil. The Goose Liver ravioli was virtually inedible. Too much balsamic. Too sweet. Flavors did not meld. Simply didn't taste good. The pappardelle was a bit beyond al dente and skimpy on the sauce, even by Babbo standards. I've enjoyed many other meals at Babbo, but this experience was far less than stellar. Are Babbo's glory days over? Am I simplyl the last to know?

This place sounds interesting and fun. But is it solo diner compatible? I know most places are, but part of the attraction of Buddakan seems to be the ability to try a wide variety of interesting dishes...something that is greatly curtailed when dining alone...

Had I only known! I would have insisted you go with the pasta tasting menu...or at the very least, the Beef Cheek Ravioli. TDF.

Please help: I will soon (in about a week) have a chance to dine at Alinea OR Moto. I'm seeking the most sublime experience. The closest I've had to either restaurant is WD-50. Please advise! I particularly appreciate the advice of EGers who have been to both! Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!

OK, now here's a tough one: Moto or Alinea?

You're probably right. I mean what's an extra 60 bucks when you're traveling all the way from Seattle for the dinner (don't get me wrong -- it's not my only reason for going to Chicago!).

Having had the chance to dine recently at WD-50, I'm looking forward to an upcoming visit to Moto. My question: can anyone help me evaluate the merits of the GTM vs. the 10-course? Worth the extra $60? Thanks!

After today's Bruni review, I'm thinking of ditching TC altogether (sorry, Tom!) and trying A Voce instead!

Those of you who have dined at A Voce -- is it suitable for solo dining? Thanks.

I love Tom Collichio's "Think Like a Chef" cookbook and have enjoyed watching him on Top Chef. Seems like a straight shooter (I especially like his most recent blog entry, in which he basically says he thought Dave should have been the one to go). But I digress... Never having been to one of TC's restaurants, I was thinking an upcoming trip to NYC might be the perfect opportunity. But which one? Or is there a better choice than any of Tom's places? Keep in mind I'm dining solo, which may eliminate Craft, based on what I've read. Let's hear it, TC fans!

It's time for my semi-annual trip to NYC and I'd love suggestions for solo dining. I mean, Buddakan intriques, but seems more appropriate for a group. I have loved Babbo, WD-50, Cafe Boulud, and The Modern...as well as several less luminous dining establishments. Please share: where would you go for something fresh and exciting when requesting a table for one?

Last night was our turn to check out Union. I had wanted to try it for some time, mainly because I had heard so much about Chef Stowell's incredible tasting menus. "We're having the tasting menu," I confidently told our waiter (a delightful gentleman named Erik -- I know this not because he introduced himself, but because his hame was on our check). "Actually," he said. "We're not doing those anymore. As of the day after our dinner, the Tasting Menu was still being hyped on Union's web site. Oh. Another reason I was hoping for the tasting menu is that it would mean I wouldn't have to try to read the menu by the light of the tiny candle on our table. Why are so many restaurants so dark? (Cafe Campagne is guilty of the same crime.) Forging ahead, we decided to make our own tasting menu from the selections in the "First Course" and "Second Course" areas of the menu. We started with the many times aforementioned Dungeness Crab Salad ($13). The crab and avocado were melded as one, their complementary flavors accented by a touch of sea salt and a drizzle of basil oil. The purity of the combined flavors reminded me, in an odd foodly way, of the legendary artichoke-truffle-parmesan soup at Guy Savoy in Paris. Next we opted for the Pea Soup with Halibut Cake. It is served, in the current style, by placing bowls in front of the diners, empty save for the halibut cake, and pouring the soup over. It was hard to believe that what we both had in front of us was a single split order ($11). It was almost a meal in itself -- and a delicious meal at that, the springy pea flavor intermingling with the delicate fresh halibut in a kind of culinary pas de deux. Pork Belly ($12) was next. It was like a thick rasher of bacon, though, of course, much less bacony and oh so rich. After commenting on how rich it was, my wife handed me half of her portion. It was flavorful but almost too delicate; I somehow hoped for a more robust flavor. The Seared Hamachi ($12) was the sole disappointment of the evening. We were expecting the buttery hamachi we know so well from sushi and sashimi, lightly kissed by the heat and richly raw in the center. What we got was cooked through fish, tasty but not special. The highlight, for me, was the only dish we had from the "Entree" side of the menu: Wild Boar Cheeks with Ricotta Gnocchi and Carrots ($24). (Though why the waiter described the little dumplings and carrots as "kind of primavera" is beyond me.) The meat was unbelievably tender, the result of long, patient braising. The flavor was mild yet assertive, enhanced by a reduction of the braising liquid. Each bite of this dish was a delighful play of flavors and textures, the meat meltingly soft, the gnocchi lightly crisp on the outside and appealingly softly chewy in the middle. It was too bad that my wife had had enough by that point and had to cede most of the dish to me. The total, with a couple of glasses of wine each, was $123 (after tax but before tip). Union makes the best of a somewhat odd location, but try to avoid facing the window. The view inside is much nicer than the sometimes strange parade that passes by outside.