kyeblue

If you want an alternative to Michelin guide, try Pudlo. The book you mentioned, published by slowfood, has not ventured outside Italy.

Maureen, your honest critical opinions are always invaluable to the community on this or the other board. I am still doing some research on what to eat but have some solid ideas from Downie's book. I will have a very short stay in rome over a weekend (from Friday evening to Monday morning, 6/18-6/21) and with two young children (so that we need to avoid restaurants that are too formal, or too jammed or too slow). What I do not want to miss are roman specialities at their (relatively) best, if fits the season, such as artichoke, zucchini flowers, puntarella, porchetta, maiale in tegame al latte (I am a big fan of the pork cut of the neck), abbacchio, and Carbonara and Amatriciana, wild strawberry, feel free to add if I missed some thing. I also miss fresh fava bean but doubt it will be in season in June. I never saw them in NY, maybe I should plant some in my backyard. The budget I will feel comfortable is between 100-150 euro for two adults and two young children, including a bottle of moderate wine. I think that we would like to stay in the center for most part but will need to know a few places near Vatican in case we are hungry when visiting there. Also, is Antonello Colonna's Saturday/Sunday brunch worth going?

Kropotkin, I just found that Cantina Cantarini is actually listed in Downie's book, and I will definitely try to go and report back here.

Kropotkin, thanks for the lead. this board moves so slow compared to the other board but it is not dead yet. In this case, Google street view actually helped me finding the name of the place you mentioned, Cantina Cantarini, as it does not show up on google map. But consequent google search leads to quite a few reviews, including a one on Timeout. They serve meat first three days of the week and fish the rest. Definitely will check out, as fish is alway good for me. Also, Antonello Colonna now offers Saturday and Sunday brunch at 28 euros, sounds like too good a deal to pass. has anybody been there? And I bought David Downie's Terroir Guide (funny that the first two of the series are on italy but not france as the name may indicate), actually a very nice read, and his review is very down to the earth, and clearly point to the aspects of the restaurants that I may not like.

Go to Queens or even Bronx for Authentic neighborhood Italian restaurants where Pizza is not always on the menu and people on your next table might still speak italian. Below are some places around Morris Park Ave, the neighborhoods are safe and easy to park. Enzo is more modernized but Pine and Fratelli are more old-style with huge portion. Enzo's Restaurant 1998 Williamsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10461 Frankie And Johnnie's Pine Tavern Restaurant 1913 Bronxdale Avenue, Bronx, NY 10462-3315 (near the corner of Muliner Ave and Bronxdale Ave) Phone: 718.792.5956 Fratelli's Restaurant‎ 2507 Eastchester Road Bronx, NY 10469-5901 (718) 547-2489 For wood brick oven Pizza (especially its Sicilian style pizza) and also great pastas, go to Patricia's 1080 Morris Park Avenue Bronx, NY 10461 (718) 409-9069 Also, in Queens Gino's 213-15 35th Avenue (on the corner of Bell Blvd) Flushing, NY 11361-1544 (718) 352-3800 It has gone upscale, but its pizza is still top notch, really yummy crust, and comes in small size.

first all, northeast china are only populated in last 150 years ago, and its cuisine is pretty much a simpler, more peasant version of general northern chinese, simply but could be tasty in the winter months. there are a couple of restaurants in Flushing catering to a growing dongbei population of new chinese immigrants. There is one on main street, not too far from the Queens Botanical garden, and you can walk from the subway station in 10-15 minutes. I dined their once three years ago, when my wife was pregnant and was craving for some northern chinese food (she grows up in Beijing). It is authentic and not bad, but quite salty, and is best to eat with steamed bun (but not southern chinese style sweet buns that you find in Chinese grocery stores in US. I remember that we took a chicken with mushrooms stew home and I ate a lot of bread with it for two days. Most of what Tony had in his latest episode is restaurant food and I am not sure that you want to cook it yourself at home.

after watching Bourdain's show, we went there with my family yesterday, not overly impressed. Their wine list are too expensive for a humble establishment like this. I feel a little crazy paying 40+ for a bottle of Txikoli, but the wine matches the food well. I ordered a 30 dollar plate of suckling pig, so ordinary. Their Foir is good. Grilled head on shrimp is fresh at least but I can cook equally well. deep fried blood sausage is so-so. Grilled vegetable is good but again i can cook equally well. The The highlight of the meal is their white anchovies, which is cheapest on the menu. Really liked it, but my 5-year-old daughter threw up last night (she is the only one in who had two yesterday), my stomach does not feel very good after cleaned up her mess at 1:30 am, but maybe it was psychological. will only go back to have a drink and a snack but not sit down for a meal.

I will visit Rome this June, stay for three nights, with two kids at 2 and 5 but with very sophisticated tasting buds. Looking for advise of avoiding tourist traps, since we prefer to beat the crowd for early dinner, the usual follow the local trick does not always apply. I found a book "Food and Wine Rome", published last year, with raving reviews on Amazon. Wonder what anyone here think about the book or other restaurant guides in Rome. Any suggestions good quality neighborhood restaurant are welcome, we are willing to spend but not fancy Michelin star type with the 2 year old boy (my daughter ate at Arzak when she was less than 3 but boys are different animals). We will stay in an apartment off Via Veneto, near American Embassy, walking a mile for dinner is not a problem but need to avoid rowdy places.

Gary, thanks for your report. I just scheduled a two-week vacation in Chianti this June. Will stay in Fattoria Castelvecchi just north of Radda. Look forward to visiting the butcher shop in Panzano. Interestingly, I found the tripadvisor ranks 6 restaurant in panzano pretty much followed your report with visco at #1, the pizzeria at #2, dario at #3 and Solo at #4. What puzzles me is a very nasty review of solo, I wonder what do you think.

Heading for Quebec City for X'mas. With wife and two kids at 2 and 5. The older one is already a foodie and the younger one just love the meat. Will stay in the Frontenac. I am particularly interested in games and look for some place suitable for families, i.e. not too slow service and not over-crowded. Thanks in advance.

I sent a email request (seems the only way this year) on Oct 15, for my wife's 40th birthday. Finger crossed.

Andra mari is indeed very good. The rice dish they have (rice in a tomato based seafood broth) is simply the most perfectly done rice dish I can ever imagine. And, if in the season, ask for the roasted green pepper as all the local do. The staff and the owner were all very very friendly and they even opened the balcony to let me 2 year old daughter wondering around the restaurant, although she was the cutest two year old at the time.

Rogelio and Butterfly, many thanks.

Where is his madrid shop, a quick google search leads to two locations of D'E Sergi Arola. Is there another stand alone location?

maybe he should open a restaurant in NYC, the stars will follow, and foodies here can taste all these great food without going all the way to Marbella.

nice report and glad that you had a good time in NYC. however, i don't like either payard or Maison Du Chocolat, both pretentious and mediocre, with the former more pretentious and the latter more mediocre. I only go to payard to impress non-foodie visiters, and never buy chocolate from the latter.

Pedro and Rogelio, your posts and the picture are mouthwatering. I will stay in Segovia for two nights in May and am looking for alternative in the countryside to the famous cochinillo spots in the city of Segovia, which I am afraid of being too touristy if not also over priced. How do you compare Candino and Doque to Las Cubas? Does it worth a hour drive to Arevalo for a leisure lunch? Or I can get equally good ones closer to Segovia. I found in Guia Campsa two other restaurants close to Segovia interesting, which provide alternatives to roast suckling pigs and lambs, LA MATITA at COLLADO HERMOSO and MESÓN RISCAL at CARBONERO EL MAYOR. The first specializes in games and the latter bulls. are any of the two worth a try? I appreciate any suggestions from you guys. Kenny

How true is this? My wife went there last night and the leftovers are still sitting in my frig, should I throw them out? Guess not.

under brooklyn bridge on Water street, right across Jacque Torre's chocolate place, there is a new pastry with a french chef, has very good cake and very reasonably priced (Only $3 per serving!) and very beautifully decorated. I ordered a passion fruit coconut chocolate cake for my daughter's 2 year old birthday party last October and she still remembers it! P.S. If you never had Jacque Torre's hot chocolate(or ice hot chocolate), it is the absolute best!

Rogelio, your comments are very insightful and greatly appreciated. docsconz, i think that I will stick with what Basque chefs are best at. "Remember that a very good sardine is always preferable to a not that good lobster." - Ferran Adria on eGullet 12/16/2004.

This is a quite different topic but I am too shy to start another thread. I am a big fan of lamb. I will stay in Segovia for two days on my trip and plan to stop by at Aranda de Duero for lunch on the drive from Madrid to Bilbao. But I found that most Michelin starred places in Basque country also serve roast lamb and many have it on the tasting manu. How does the roast lamb at those Michelin starred places compared to the roasting houses in Sepulveda and Aranda de Duero. Should I resist the temptation of lamb when I am in Bilbao and San Sebastian to leave room for seafood. any suggestions on dining choices near the city Segovia are welcome. I heard about ''Tanin" in Sepulveda, and will plan a lunch there. Aranda de Duero seems to have endless choices in Michelin and Campsa as a small place.

Rogelio, Vserna and Txacoli, many thanks for the suggestions and sharing your experience. I will definitely go to Extebarri for Sunday lunch, and check out Serantes for dinner if we feel for another big meal. Andra Mari is on my list for Monday lunch.

Rogelio, thanks for your advice. I am happy to know that spainish restaurants are children friendly. One question on Casa Lucio, Maribel in her guide claims it is "NOT for those allergic to smoke!", truely that bad? Kenny

Hi, this is my first post but I have been reading this forum for a while. I will take a 17 day trip to spain in late may - mid june, Three nights Bilbao, three nights San Sebastian, two nights Segovia, five nights Almagro in La Mancha (to attend a meeting) and three nights Madrid. The first sunday of my trip will be in Bilbao and last one in Madrid, and it seems that almost all good restaurants in Bilbao and Madrid close on Sunday, especially for dinner. I will appreciate any recommendations on where to dine on Sunday nights. One additional question, I will be traveling with my wife and our 2.5 year old daughter who is fairly well behaved on the table. I will avoid the most formal restaurants during my trip, but will we feel welcome in restaurants like Andra Mari and Zaranda? many thanks in advance. Kenny