[Venice Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations]

Some hits from my recent trip

Osteria Bancogiro (Campo San Giacometto 122, San Polo (00 39 041 523 2061) 10am-3pm & 6pm-1am, closed Sunday evening and all day Monday).

Alot of waterside outside dining space , on the Grand Canal, 1/2 block from the Rialto Bridge. Good bar snacks, great fresh fish. My monkfish stuffed with ricotta on a bed of sesame spinach was perfect. My son had a great steak. Reasonable for Venice

Taverna del Campiello Remer

* Address: Campiello del Remer | Cannaregio, Venice, Italy

* Phone: 349 3365168

This one is a bit hard to find, as it is off an unmarked street, down an alley way, but worth the trip. Mostly locals, no menus. Fabulous fresh seafood. Great crudo, and antipasto. Piano player. You need a reservation. The gnocci was very light. Accomodating staff.

Ristoranteca Oniga

Campo SanBarnaba Dorsoduro

We stumbled here by accident, after trying to get to La Bitta( which we realized with their limited menu was not going to work for the kids). Good seafood pasta, and great home made gnocchi. Next to Grom, for convenience

Best Gelato Riva Reno Sastriere Castello. Best artisinal Gelato we had(including Grom) in Venice

[Cinc Sentits booked, now what]

I can get a reservation at Sauc, and will look at gresca

[Cinc Sentits booked, now what]

Even though I requested that my 5 star hotel make reservations for me several weeks ago, there was some foul up, and cannot get a table for next weekend. The hotel is suggesting comerc24, but reviews here have not been stellar. Looking for innovative spanish food, under 150 euro per person.

Any suggestions welcome

[New restaurants in Venice?]

I will be in venice in a few weeks, and looking for family friends not too expensive, local cuisine. Travelling with my kids. Staying not too far from Rialto bridge.

[Best Paris Brasserie MERGED TOPIC]

Thanks, I had seen another review that said the same. Have made a reservation at Gallopin.

[Best Paris Brasserie MERGED TOPIC]

After some research and help narrowed it down to these two based on location. Dinner for 8 friends in Paris, and I am responsible for picking. Brasseries have worked the best in the past, and these seem to be the best given my location(between Opera and Place Vendome). Looking for good food, service, nice brasserie interior.

All thoughts appreciated.

[Solera on east side]

Thanks so much, just the answer i was hoping for.

EE

[Solera on east side]

Looking for a restaurant to host a luncheon in a few weeks. This fits the bill on location and a private room. havent been in a long time, so hoping someone else has. Any feedback appreciated.

Thanks

[hotel Davanzati or Brunneleschi in Florence]

Debating between the two, and any feedback is welcome.

Also, need restaurant suggestions for 4 nights, including something lovely, but not over the top for my son's 12th birthday.

[Ladies Birthday Luncheon Upper East Side]

I am looking for suggestions for a restaurant to host a luncheon for my mom's upcoming birthday(north of 50, south of 100). 10-20 people. A private room is preferred but not necessary. I am hoping for something pretty. I think french would be a good option.

Any suggestions welcome. For lunch, I would like to keep it to $35 per person before tax and tip.

Thanks

[venice restaurants good for kids]

Will be there in June. need suggestions for places that will accomodate non seafood eaters, and not break the bank(under 40 euros per person). We are staying near piazza san marco.

[recent restaurant recs for Arles]

Will be there in May. The recommendations on the Arles link are several years old. Looking for some updates. Will be travelling with 2 families, and a total of 4 kids, under the age of 13. Traditional food of the area would be great.

[Arles with kids]

Will be there in May. Need reasonably priced(under 25Euros) per person restaurant for 2 families travelling together. Traditional french that has a variety for some picky children would be helpful.

Also, an update on Hiely would be great. Had eaten there on our honeymoon, 15 years ago, now wish to return with our kids. Have read that the original owner reitred, but looking for a recent review.

[Restaurant updates in Cape Town]

Just got back from Cape Town, and thought I would in my two cents worth, as there have not been any updates in a while.

Best fish, Codfather in Camps Bay, tons of variety, at least half a dozen different prawns, and crayfish. Great sushi, extensive fish variety. All well cooked.

Panama Jacks, second best seafood. Great out of the way location by the docks. Good variety of fish well prepared.

Quick lunch a Emily's cafe was fine, with good Bobotie.

Best Cape Malay food at the Quarterdeck at the Portswood hotel of all places.

Dinner at Beluga was fine, but way overpriced for what it was.

Best meal of the trip was at Terroir in Stellenbosch. Wonderful local produce and food, meticulously prepared.

[Dinner, nine women, Paris, post January Sales]

WIll be in Paris for the sales in January. 9 women, staying near the opera. Looking for brasserie suggestions in that area. Any suggestions welcome

[Le Vaudeville in Paris]

Thanks John, You have never steered me wrong yet. Any insight into Cape Town?

[Le Vaudeville in Paris]

Will be in for a girls trip for the Soldes, and looking for thoughts on this brasserie? Had a great meal at Bofinger a few months ago, but looking for something closer to our hotel, which is right near the opera.

[stellenbosch suggestions]

Will be staying at spier in January, and looking for restaurants not too far for a great dinner. Given that the rand is the only currently weaker than the dollar, budget is not a consideration.

[Rome Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations]

Wanted to to post a quick report on my recent trip to Rome. Not a clunker amongst the group.

Trattoria il fico

Il Fico, Piazza del Fico, Piazza Navona, 06-6875568

Recommended by a friend of mine who lives in Italy. Great seafood, whole bass roasted with potaotes and olives. Spectacular. Teriffic salads, greens. Pasta for the kids. Perfect ingredients well cooked(isnt that what it is all about?)

Hostaria da Nerone

Tel: +39 06 474 5207

Address: Via delle Terme di Tito, 96 Roma

Closed: Sundays and August

Right near the Colleseum. Great soups(best pasta e ceci of the trip). Traditional favorites, linguine vongole, great gelato. Reasonable given its location

Il Bocconcino.

Address

Via Ostilia, 23

Rome (RM)

Tel: +39.0677079175

Also not too far from the Colleseum. Recommended by John Talbott, who has yet to steer us wrong. Stuffed cabbage with veal and chicken, freshest mozzarella great bruschetta

La Terazza dell Eden

Hotel Eden

Great splurge with a view. The classics worked well for the kids. Fabulous view. The stuffed grilled squid with seabass and the fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with shrimp were the two best renditions of those classics I had have. Well priced wine lsit, given the surroundings. Verrry accomodating staff. Not sure how I feel about a 30 euro plate of pasta with butter for my daughter, but what are you going to do? Some desserts better than other. On the whole I would return

Vecchia Locanda

Address: 2 Vicolo Sinibaldi, Rome, 00165

Phone: +39 (0)6 6880 2831

Great meal of gnocchi with seafood(clams and gambero rosso). Veal ossoboccuo with porccini, steak with truffles and asparagus. Delicious pasta e fagioli and a very reasonably priced wine list

da Francesco

Restaurants

piazza del Fico,

Roma (Roma)

Ph. +39 06 6864009

Tried to have pizza for lunch, not realizing, the pizzarias dont open until dinner. This restaurant was recommended for Pizza but alas, they dont do them during the day. Instead great sauteed porcini. more pasta et fagioli, and wonderful polpette. They had a great looking antipasto selection as well.

Da Enzo

Via dei Vascellari, 29

(tel: (06) 581 8355),

This luncheon ended up being a bad comedy. Had asked the hotel to make a reservation at il mercato(as recommended above for lunch) Which they did not bother to do until 15 minutes prior to our requested time. At which point I received a call on our cell while in the cab on the way to Trastevere to tell us the restaurant was closed for lunch. They hotel suggested another restaurant around the corner, which was also closed. We called the hotel back again and they then suggested Da Enzo, a simple osteria(think coffe shop) with great food. Fried artichokes, stuffed zuchhini blossoms with cheese and anchovies, fried olives stuffed with sauasage. Great pastas(vongole, amatricana, pommodoro. Reserve for lunch, we had top wait half an hour for a table.

That sums up our trip. Great gelato at Il Giolitto, requisite tartufo at Tre Scalini(thought it was overpriced at 11 Euro, but delicious none the less).

[Updated Capetown Suggestions?]

I will be there for new years as well.

[La Terrazza dell'Eden in Rome]

Have a reservation here next sunday as a "special treat" for my son's birthday. Cant find a recent review, but wondering how expensive it is. Dont want to spend more than 100 Euro per person. Wondering if anyone has been. Just ordered the slow food guide based on the recs here.

[Updated Capetown Suggestions?]

Look for any recent visitors. Going in a few months, and looking for family friendly suggestions.

Thanks

[Rome Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations]

We are staying at the Ponte Sisto, off of the Ponte Sisto bridge. I believe this is not too far from Trastevere. We will have connecting rooms, as we are travelling with youg children.

[Concierge screwed up, no res for next Thursday]

Wanted to thank all for the l'ami jean recommendation. We had a really great meal there. Wonderful sweetbreads. My one funny experience was when we called for a reservation we were told the table would need to be vacated by 9:00pm. Due to the taxi strike, we arrived very late and were told the same thing. My dining companion, who arrived even later than I and was Parisian, spoke to the host, and magiacally our table was available all night. Early seating was clearly American, the later clearly Parisian No matter, a wonderful dining exeperience, and I look forward to returning

[Restaurant Sensing - Merged topics]

We had a great meal at sensing 7 months ago. At first we were shown to a horrible table in the bar, but when we refulsed, were taken toone of the other dining rooms. After that, really great food, and wonderful service. To be honest, I was underwhelmed by my last meal at l'ambroise, but found my meal at sensing memorable.