Cuoca

FARM Cafe was recently named by WSJ as a must-stop on a culinary road tour through Appalachia. You can read the article here: http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-yes-culinary-road-trip-through-appalachia-1413564789 I've eaten here dozens of times and am consistently amazed by the flavors. The chef used to be the sous chef at nearby Westglow Spa, which was rated as one of the best in the nation by Travel & Leisure Mag. In true Chopped form, she has to come up with a new many each day, depending on what local organic farmers deliver to the resturant. Eating here is especially memorable and unique because it's a pay-what-you-can cafe, so you can to experience the gourmet, pay-it-forward concept that is trending. Also cool because it is located in an old-timey drug store location and still has the 50s-era soda fountain-style counters and booths.

I'll be visiting Anchorage for a day in June and will have time for lunch and dinner. Any recs for great casual dining? Will also be in the Kenai Peninsula for a week, not far from Seward. Would love lunch and dinner recs for good seafood at moderate prices. Thanks!

For Burger Chef fans: http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/jsf605213/myhomepage/ Also, does anyone remember the Club sandwich at Arby's? Shaved turkey and ham with an awesome mayo/shredded lettuce combo on a toasted bun. The cool meat and fixins on the slightly warm toasted bun was perfect.

I've visited Key West several times, most recently last September, in between hurricanes Frances and Ivan! I recommend Mangoes, on Duvall, for outside dining/people watching and lovely food. Square One, in a cozy shopping area off Duvall is more elegant... staff is wonderful and food is devine. Kelly's, owned by actress Kelly McGillis, is also very nice. Blue Heaven serves great breakfast and is a very unique restaurant... if dining among free-roaming roosters, chickens, and cats doesn't offend you.

We ate at DC Coast Friday evening and experienced much the same as has already been reported... quite good food, but nothing extraordinary. I must comment on our table, however. We were seated upstairs at the first inside table, where we had THE best view of the open kitchen. Only potential drawback is that the table is next to the wait station, but we didn't find this distracting. If you're interested in watching the kitchen staff at work, this is the table to request!

I'm going to be in Boston with 5 female 40ish friends Friday evening. We'll be staying on Boylston near Boston Common and would like to have dinner someplace within a mile of there. Looking for very good modern-American or Italian in the $10 - $30 entree range, in a place that's nice but casual enough that we don't have to dress up. Thanks!

Thanks to those who provided dining suggestions. Thought I'd give you some feedback on the places I ended up eating. In Lewes (which I learned is pronounced "Lewis"), my partner & I had dinner at Striper Bites. The restaurant used to be a private home and now consists of two dining areas: the pub-like inside and the protected porch, where we sat. We split a salad of a wedge of iceberg lettuce topped with blue cheese dressing, accompanied by tomato quarters, crumbled blue cheese, chives, and slivers of yellow and red pepper. Very visually appealing but ordinary. I ordered the crab cake, which turned out to be a mistake. Not only was it mostly filler and utterly bland, but it was served atop a mound of steaming mashed potatoes -- spoiling any crispness it might have obtained in the pan. The mashed potatoes were flavored with rosemary and quite good. Steamed veggies on the side weren't noteworthy. My partner's seafood pasta, on the other hand, was delicious... Lots of moist, plump scallops and shrimp in a rich and slightly spicy tomato sauce over fettucine. For dessert, we split the berry cobbler a la mode, which wasn't cobbler at all -- just warm, lucious blackberries in thick syrup, garnished with mint and whipped cream. With one glass of wine and one of beer, the bill totalled about $55. The next evening we ate at Espuma in Rehoboth and enjoyed a fantastic meal. (Espuma means spray or foam in Spanish -- as in sea spray.) We ordered a bottle of Rioja (I don't remember the vineyard) and gobbled up the complimentary country bread served with black olive tapenade and two heads of lovely, warm roasted garlic. We started with pan-seared foie gras with pistachio & onion confit and warm fig strudel. Awesome. My partner then had potato-crusted Chilean sea bass with a spinach & white truffle sauce and brandade potatoes, and I had porcini-seared filet mignon atop a crispy risotto cake and truffle fondue. Both entrees were served with beautiful baby steamed veggies. The truffle essence in the dishes was heavenly. The fish was wonderfully crisp on the outside and meltingly tender within. The filet was grilled perfectly, as ordered. For dessert, we shared blueberry strudel, which, unfortunately, wasn't served warm. If it had been, it would have been stellar. The bill was $115. I look forward to eating there again someday!

I'll be spending the coming weekend in the Lewes/Rehoboth, DE, area and would appreciate good eats advice. I'm interested in all types of fare in any price range. Thanks!

Took a trip to the Eastern Shore over the weekend. At Joe H's recommendation, I tried the crab cakes at The Narrows in Kent Narrows (very easy to spot off the Kent Narrows exit from Route 50) and at The Captain's Galley in Crisfield (at the bitter end of Hwy 413). Those at The Narrows were some of the best, if not the best, I've had. It seemed they had no filler at all; completely beautiful lump crab, broiled to a light brown and served with exceptional tartar sauce. $30 for two large cakes, accompanied by two sides. This restaurant, by the way, sits right on the water, with an area of the dining room open to the elements in warm weather. Nice atmosphere, attentive service, and creative menu items. I liked the crab cakes at The Captain's Galley also and would order them again. However, they were slightly greasy and contained filler which seemed to be concentrated in the center. They were served with commercially-prepackaged tartar and cocktail sauce. I don't remember the exact price, but I know it was under $20 for two cakes that came with either two sides or one side and a trip to the salad/bread bar. This restaurant sits about 50 feet from the water and the ferry/dock area. It is a typical diner joint. Service was a little slow. Anyway, wanted to thank Joe H for the suggestions. I'll most definitely be having the cakes at The Narrows again! Superb!

I lived in southern Italy for 2 years and fell in love with the thin-crusted, wood-fired pizzas common there. Of all the pizza joints I've tried in the States, Pizzeria Paradiso comes closest to duplicating those incredible pies. Because the crust is the star, first-time diners would do well to order few toppings. My faves are simply tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil or tomatoes, capers, and achioves. To live for! My second choice in the area is Paesano's in Old Town Alexandria. It's in a strip mall, near the 1700 block of Duke Street, across the road from Stella's. The best pizza bianca (white pizza) I've ever had!