So where are you going to eat in 2004?

[Suzi Edwards]

Fat Duck?? I'd rather eat at Sketch anyday...more inventive, more yummy, more expensive, or ideally Pierre Gagnaire,Paris.

i guess it's not always about how expensive a meal is though. i would recommend gagnaire though, went last week and it was very, very good.

hasn't sketch just become the lastest uber expensive place for london's "glitterati" rather than a serious restaurant for people who like food?

[StInGeR]

Oh god here comes the list from hell

Le Bernardin - NYC

Aquavit - NYC

Veritas - NYC

Oceana - NYC

Tocqueville - NYC (It's a special place for my wife an I )

Rockpool - Sydney, Australia

Tetsuya's - Sydney, Australia

The Grange - Adelaide, Australia

And last but not least - The Thirsty Moose - Sparta, NJ. And no I'm not joking I can't wait to get back there so

[arjay]

Can hardly wait....

Commander's Palace

Brennan's for breakfast

Weinacker's......Clemson, SC

[FoodZealot]

likely first visits for 2004

Sona - Los Angeles, CA

Lotus of Siam - Las Vegas

Alan Wong's - Honolulu, HI

Mission 261 - San Gabriel Valley, CA

Katsu-ya - Studio City, CA

Zuni Cafe - SF, CA

Chez Panisse - Berkeley, CA

working on it

anywhere in Thailand

Restaurant Gary Danko - SF, CA

Arthur Bryant's, Stroud's, Gate's, et al - KC, KS

Sonny Bryan's, Coopers, Kreutz, Smitty's, Black's, Southside Market, et al - TX

~Tad

[Suzi Edwards]

I've had more great food this year than ever before. Which means that 2004 has a hard act to beat. But I am already starting to think about where I *have* to go next year. And I love to hear where other people want to go.

So, here's my starter for 10...

1. French Laundry

2. Fat Duck

3. Arzak

4. Waterside Inn

←

So I failed. Hope no-one minds me recussitating this thread, but it's the end of the year and I love a retrospective.

I got to the Fat Duck (with Moby, natch, but we're still planning the Waterside Inn) but otherwise failed. I was on the waitlist at Per Se, but that was as close as I got to a salmon cornet. I didn't even get to Spain this year, but I blame Chicago for that.

Tell us how you did on your 2004 wishlist and share your 2005 plans here.

[Luckylies]

lespinasse...oh wait, shit.

march...been once need more

bar pitti...its jusr the best sunday staple ever.

cafe gray...just to see...also as a kid I had a HUGE crush on him. I followed him around for like a week (no joke)

sushi yasuda..i'm so lame for avoiding midtown like the plague. actually I'm fine with it.

Mono..why not..heard it's aight.

The tasting room. Mom? Dad? anybody want to have dinner?

Blue ribbon (not sushi ) but the other two. I put my boyfriend on and he's never been the same since... can we say stinky cheese addict.

Hasaki. I still think their fish rivals, or exceeds the best in the city

blue hill. never been.

Wish i lived closer to le zinc. or chanterelle.

the daniel sky box. somehow after eating over the kitchen, eating on the floor loses it's appeal...well, not entirely

cru. I've had their small appetizer tasting at the bar and it was excellent. now on to a big meal.

dinosaur bbq. never been.

pink tea cup. childhood favorite.

there are more but my mind is a bit fuzzy now...

[little ms foodie]

I wasn't a member last year so I didn't make a list but I got to some fantastic places this year!

Arzak

L'Atelier Joel Robuchon

Babbo

Circo (LV)

Lutece (LV)

Chez Panisse

Aqua (SF)

[suzilightning]

rm's  - if i can force myself to go into the city

artisinal - ditto

striped bass - philly

geno's - philly

key west - we are going in march/april and am juist beginning to think about where to go - any and all imput would be appreciated

←

well, i'm batting zero. didn't get into either city. but i did eat at An American Grill three times

[FoodZealot]

Lotus of Siam - Las Vegas

Mission 261 - San Gabriel Valley, CA

Zuni Cafe - SF, CA

Restaurant Gary Danko - SF, CA

Not bad, I guess. I also got in Mei Long Village twice and am going to China Islamic next week.

[Suzanne F]

My list as of this moment:

St. John (London)

March (NYC)

Jai Yun (San Francisco)

Mustards Grill or Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen (Napa, CA)

The Corn Exchange (Rapid City, SD)

Bacchanalia (Atlanta)

Amma (NYC)  

←

so I made it only to Amma. Never got across the pond, and only as far south as Louisville; did get to the PNW US/SW Canada, though.

Was supposed to go to Felidia, but had to cancel

Of places I never thought about, I got to:

China 46 in whereveritis, NJ

Otto (well, for the second time)

Peter Luger (twice!!)

DavidBurke & Donatella

clarklewis (Portland, OR)

Ken's Artisanal Bakery (Portland, OR)

The Spotted Pig (not for a meal, though, just a reception)

Grand Sichuan (9th Ave/50th Street)

Blue Hill

The Biltmore Room

(A couple of places in Vancouver, BC, that have been discussed here but whose names escape me at the moment)

August

Devi

Per Se

The Oak Room (Seelbach Hotel, Louisville, KY)

L & T Wine Bar (Louisville, KY)

Lynn's Paradise Cafe (Louisville, KY)

Jack's something or other (Louisville, KY)

Bayard's (for the second time)

and in a little over a week will go to Cafe Grey.

Not so bad for consolation, I guess. Of course, all but 7 of those were with or because of eG people. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tarka/Suzi: I sincerely hope that we can go to St. John in the coming year!

jwagnerdsm, if you're still out there: The Corn Exchange is owned/run by an acquaintance, M.J. Adams, who has received quite a few accolades. And what stuff of hers I've tasted was really terrific.

(edited to add another excellent place in NYC that I forgot about last night )

Edited December 17, 2004 by Suzanne F (log)

[Pan]

I really hadn't thought about this. If I don't get to Amma before 2004, I will go then.

Craftbar intrigues me after lxt's review, but I don't know how expensive it is.

If I get back to Santa Barbara this winter, I'll look forward to returning to La Super-Rica.

Otherwise, I figure to eat in some new places in the East Village, Chinatown, Little Korea, probably Flushing and Jackson Heights, and perhaps Downtown Brooklyn. The only travel I have vaguely planned is a winter trip to LA, SB, and SF, and possibly a brief visit to Boston at some point. My brother and other relatives and friends will take me places in California, and the trip to Boston is (1) to visit a couple of friends; and (2) to visit the city (walk around, see museums). I haven't given any thought to where I'd eat while in Boston, because the trip is just a possibility at this point.

←

I did get to Amma, twice. I still haven't made it to Craftbar, which is still pricey for me. I didn't go to California but will be there this August and look forward to going back to La Super-Rica and some taquerias in the Mission District in San Francisco. I also didn't make it to Boston and I'm not sure when I'll be up there next. However, I had a trip to China that wasn't anticipated at the time I wrote the quoted post above. Most of my meals there were good, and some were magnificent, especially my incredible dinner at the Li Family Restaurant.

In terms of my New York eating, aside from Amma, my Restaurant Week meals at Union Pacific and L'Impero were highlights, along with the ramen at Minca, the great razor clams at Fuleen, and just about every meal at Spicy & Tasty (very honorable mention for Bianca and August). In terms of notable openings in my neighborhood other than Minca (which I have put off revisiting for too long), I am very happy to have Grand Sichuan St. Marks and Chickpea in my neighborhood and am a regular customer of both.

[Edit: I forgot to mention my wonderful meal at Tanoreen in Bay Ridge.]

Edited December 24, 2004 by Pan (log)

[jschyun]

I failed miserably. I didn't go to NY this year so didn't get to try most of the stuff on the list. Definitely next year though. But I got to all the non-NY places and many more besides.

[Andy Lynes]

Excellent idea for a topic. Its around this time of year I start drawing up a shortlist for my Birthday lunch in January :

Sketch

Chez Bruce

Rhodes 24

Petrus

The Capital

←

Didn't do very well! Got to Chez Bruce, but then I always go at least twice a year so that doesn't really count. I visited Sketch and met Pierre Gagnaire when he held his book launch in the Parlour and got to try some amazing canapes. Didn't get within spitting distance of Rhodes 24 but had The Capital booked then had to cancel due to illness and I visited Petrus in late 2003. Of the places I did get to in the UK, possibly Rasoi Vineet Bhatia was the most memorable, but it hs been a very good eating year for me.