Where do you travel and what do you eat?

[fresh_a]

Do you come to France, Italy, Spain, etc? And where do you enjoy eating? Where do you want to try next?

[russ parsons]

I'm afraid most of my overseas travel has been limited to Italy. I got bit by the bug early and hard. And I still have a very great love for some of those places I visited when I first started--the Piedmont and Umbria, in particular. Where do I want to go next? Everywhere. I'd love to spend more time in France and, of course, Spain. And Morocco. And Lebanon. And Vietnam. And Thailand. And England, Scotland and Ireland ... you get the picture. Lately, my travels have mainly been in California. I'm not complaining. I'm constantly amazed at how rich and diverse this state is. And how much good food.

[Bill Klapp]

Don't be afraid that your overseas travel has been limited to Italy-"no fear"!

[Boris_A]

Well, from a culinary view, Piedmont is the preferred place with a 4-1/2 hours ride from my home and having friends owning a vacancy house near Canelli. I'm a very, very lucky man, no?

(Can't resist: a little requiem here. The first time I was "Da Guido" was back in 1980. For me, it remains the best restaurant ever. Food was mostly very good to excellent, but foremost the atmosphere was unique for a famous, star-rated restaurant. Familiary, sometimes a lot of loud talking guests, laughter, more then once an Italian family dinners with 20+ people. Several times I was there from 8:00-0:30, even two people only. Thanks again here, "ironhead" Guido! We'll never forget.)

Other "standard" places are north of Italy, Austria and Alsace.

My girl friend used to live for four years in China back in the 80ies. I have hope for a come-back of classic chinese top-cuisine in China.

Next stops: Perigord, Landes, Basque country, Cantabria-Galicia (Spain), northern Portugal, Montenegro, eastern Europe (Lemberg), Morocco.

Dream places: western Asia (ex-russian-republics), American West-Coast. (being a lurker here: a small kingdom for a dinner in the French Laundry.)

Culinary preferences: regionality, simplicity, atmosphere. Perceiving the world as being similar to a Mandelbrot-fractal-set: the closer you get the more structures you detect.

Good food is nice, but we shouldn't forget our Grandfather Epicureus when he once called a meal with goat cheese, bread and wine a "true feast".

[marie-louise]

Lately, my travels have mainly been in California. I'm not complaining. I'm constantly amazed at how rich and diverse this state is. And how much good food.

I am determined to visit every county in California in the next decade. I've lived here all my life, yet there are still whole areas I haven't ever visited. It is such a huge state, but still I find myself surprised at how different the geography is from place to place.

Care to share some of your favorite hidden places and restaurants?

Thanks for being a part of eGullet. I enjoy your posts a lot.

[sherribabee]

Do you come to France, Italy, Spain, etc? And where do you enjoy eating? Where do you want to try next?

Thus far, my favorite foreign dining experiences have been on the eastern coast of Sicily. The blood oranges and lemons alone were phenomonal. Buying smoked artichokes from street vendors, discovering arancine, and the seafood...OMG the seafood! I had seafood in various places in Spain, but nothing stands as particularly memorable (I was poor at the time, so fine dining wasn't exactly a priority).

Bienenstich in Bavaria was heavenly. I think my scariest experience was eating sushi in Munich. Sushi? In Munich? It was OK, didn't kill me.

I'm hitting Scotland/Ireland/Wales in March. Not so much for the culinary experience however. Any suggestions (not involving seaweed, please)?

[russ parsons]

Care to share some of your favorite hidden places and restaurants?

Let's see, start with the not-so-hidden: La Super-Rica in Santa Barbara. Highlands Inn in Carmel (though I haven't been there since the new ownership, it used to have a fabulous cellar and a great chef ... and an amazing view. how often do you get all three?). Just free-associating here: the Little River Inn south of Mendocino for their amazing flannel pancakes. The little diner at the pier in Trinidad where all summer they serve pies made from wild blackberries they've gathered. A really big deal everyone ought to visit: Echo in Fresno, easily one of the best restaurants in the state, if you like the Chez Panisse thing (and I do). Pane e Vino in Montecito if you let the guy cook whatever's good. French Laundry, of course (I'm going next month!). Clam chowder lunch at the fish shop on Moss Landing after a morning browsing junque stores. How's that for a start?