Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with dining

Nice place for anniversary dinner in Miami?

UMDirector — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:28:34 -0800

Can anyone recommend a nice restaurant in Miami for my anniversary that wouldn't make me look silly if I wore a jacket? My wife and I are going to my college homecoming in Miami at the end of October, which is also our anniversary and would like to go to a nice dinner. I never did much real dining while going to undergrad so this is a new experience and I am short on restaurants...South Beach would be ideal, but would also consider the Gables or Grove.

I don't necessarily want to go to a place that requires a jacket, but at least one that I wouldn't look like a goofball wearing one. Not sure if any hip or fun places require jackets or if that is an oxymoron.

Hoping to spend no more than $200 for the two of us.

The American Bar at The Savoy in London is closed - help!

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:31:44 -0800

Wedding anniversary in London - need suggestions for a classy place providing after dinner drinks, entertainment. Tomorrow is our first wedding anniversary, and while I've already got dinner booked at a Marco Pierre White restaurant we both like, I urgently need some ideas for for after dinner drinks and live music.

I was planning on taking my wife to The American Bar, but managed to totally overlook the fact that The Savoy Hotel is closed for renovations.

Can someone recommend an alternative, preferably in Central London near Piccadilly Circus?

Dancing not at all essential, and a piano & singer is much preferred to canned music. I'll be wearing a suit and she'll be suitably attired as well if that matters.

Dining in Myrtle Beach

flarbuse — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 12:21:14 -0800

My wife and I are meeting my sister for dinner tomorrow in Myrtle Beach. She is coming from Texas, and I would like to find something that might be a bit unique for her. We would like to keep it at 20 or less for entrees. Sandwich places and seafood buffets are okay, too. Any suggestions?

Where should we eat in Burlington, VT?

TurkishGolds — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:20:10 -0800

Where should we eat in Burlington, VT this weekend? I am going to be in Burlington, VT with my brother and our mom & dad this Saturday night. As a group, I think that we'd better stick with something safe -- American, pub food, BBQ!!, seafood. Nothing too adventurous.

Requirements:

-Downtown. We'd like to be able to walk around in the evening and check out the town. (Bonus Question: How's parking??)

-Reservations. My mom doesn't want to have to wait. She has a backup restaurant where she already has a reservation (T-Bones (Worst of WEB 1.0 WARNING!)). If I can't secure a reservation, then we're going to have to default to her plan.

-Good (or at least decent) food. Good service. Good atmosphere. It should be sit-down, with a server, not order at a counter.

Here are some options that I've found that look ok:

The Vermont Pub & Brewery

The Daily Planet

Big Fatty's Pit BBQ

Thoughts on these places, or anywhere that I might have overlooked?

Good food in Chicago?

ztdavis — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:41:42 -0800

Where are your favorite places to dine in Chicago? Romance is preferred, good food is a must, and I'd like to spend less than $100 for my wife and I. We'll be in the loop, so near downtown but don't worry about that too much.

There were good answers back in February, but many of those were above my price point.

Need 2 for 1 restaurant coupons

Jackie_Treehorn — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:37:40 -0800

I'm looking for the best sites to find 2 for 1 coupons for restaurants in U.S. cities - Key West specifically for this trip - but anywhere really. What are some of your favorite sites?

Where can I eat some good North African food in Paris?

oxala — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:48:26 -0800

Where can I eat some good North African food in Paris? Moroccan, Tunisian, Algerian etc. As with all tourists, I'm looking for authentic little cafes and diners rather than fancy restaurants, any "fusion" driven establishments, or places where tourists go. I have found a few suggestions using Google but I thought I'd see if anyone has any personal faves...

Wining/Dining in Cambridge, MA?

lassie — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:39:00 -0800

Dining and entertainment options in Cambridge, MA, this weekend? My girlfriend, I, and some friends are going to be in Cambridge, MA this weekend. We're staying at the Sonesta, and they're staying at the Kendall. I'm looking for suggestions about a good place to grab dinner on Saturday night in that area, as well as possible post-dinner entertainment options.

For dinner, I'd be interested in places that are not vegetarian necessarily, but which offer substantial and good vegetarian options, as well as a good wine list. For entertainment, bonus points will be awarded for gay/lesbian bars where you can hear yourself think (we're probably too old for the thumping night clubs, I fear).

If you also feel like telling me that there's something going on Sunday morning in that area that I absolutely must see before we come back to NY, I'd love to hear your thoughts on that too. Thanks in advance for suggestions.

Things to do at PSU.

The White Hat — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 21:25:27 -0800

So I start my post-bacc in July. I'll be in State College, PA for 15 months or so. Where are the good restaraunts/bars? Specialty grocery stores? What do folks there do for fun (on the offhand chance I manage to find time for it)? Especially interested to know about the music scene (especially roots music). Not especially interested in the traditional PSU party scene.

Fine dining with no reservations?

jon_kill — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:58:06 -0800

I'm looking for examples of fine dining restaurants that do not take reservations. They can be anywhere in the world. If they take reservations for lunch, that's fine, but they should have a policy of not taking reservations for dinner service. If you know what system they use instead, a little bit about that would be appreciated. Thanks!

I can't dress myself!!!

bolognius maximus — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:25:18 -0800

What to wear? I don't want to commit a fashion faux pas... I am having dinner at Charlie Trotter's in Chicago this weekend. But I am a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl, with little experience 'dressing up'. I thought that I could wear this really nice black dress I have, but should I wear black tights/stockings, or a color? Are black shoes ok, or would I be violating the spring dress code? Or do I need to go out and start fresh? Any helpful thoughts on fine dining?

Where to eat & what to do in PGH

The Michael The — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:10:07 -0800

I'm going to be visiting Pittsburgh this weekend with four friends, staying downtown (I think City Center is the correct term?) near the Mellon Arena. We're already planning on visiting the Church Brew Works on Friday and seeing a Pirates game on Saturday. What can you recommend in terms of places to go and great eating options within walking distance of downtown/PNC Bank park? Two of us are vegetarians, and we're into cool record stores, bike shops, pubs, brunches, great independent restaurants and shops, and things unique to the city.

Good Food in SF

vansly — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:51:33 -0800

What is a good place for a first anniversary dinner in San Francisco? My wife and I are taking a trip (from Vancouver) to San Francisco to celebrate our first anniversary. We will be there at the end of April, and I would like to take her out for a "nice" dinner while we are there. We are not vegetarian, but are not averse to vegetarian cuisine. When we go out "fancy" in Vancouver, we like going to places like Raincity Grill, which serve local, in-season food.

We are staying in Japan Town, but we are mobile.

Romantic chicago

dpx.mfx — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:06:54 -0800

In your experience, what is the most romantic restaurant in Chicago? I know there are lots of threads about Chicago, and dining, but I'm looking for personal recommendations on what you found to be the msot romantic setting. I'd appreciate "money is no object" suggestions, as well as more reasonable ideas. If you have suggestions for romantic things other than dining, please let me know that, too!

Restaurant suggestions in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles?

jayder — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:47:21 -0800

Recommendations for a nice restaurant in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles, for a group of seven on a Saturday night ? For this meal, we are interested in upscale restaurants like steakhouses that serve standard fare (so no restaurants emphasizing sushi or international cuisine), with a target price of $50 per person. We will be staying in the Hilton on Canoga. We would also prefer that there not be a long wait for our table. Thanks very much for your suggestions.

How often do you eat out and how much money do you spend on it?

jujube — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 08:21:16 -0800

How often/How much do you spend eating out, versus eating a home cooked meal? And what percentage of your net income do these categories end up being? Sometimes, when I watch TV or read popular magazines/websites, I get the sense that for most people, eating out (or ordering delivery) outnumbers home cooking. Of course I shouldn't believe what I see in the popular media, but then, I also don't have anything else to base my assumptions on, except what I myself do.

So, my question is, how often do you eat out (order-in)? And how much do you spend on these activities, versus how much you spend on your groceries? Either actual numbers, and/or percentages would be fine. And also, if you feel comfortable sharing, how much of your net income do these categories take up? Again, percentages would be fine, if you don't want to share actual numbers, since I realize some people don't feel comfortable talking about money. Oh, and one more thing. When you do eat out, is it more of a special restaurant, or more of fast-food/chain store (Olive Garden, etc.)/local take-out place delivery type thing? Or a combination of both?

Thanks. I'm curious about this because when I think about my family and the people I know, eating out was a rarity and home cooked meals were the norm. But I just don't know whether we were just weird, or whether this was a norm that isn't reflected in the mass media.

To Live and Dine in L.A.

sourwookie — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:45:06 -0800

I'll be spending the next week in L.A. I'm from the Midwest, unremarkable smallish town with zero culinary culture. Help me find places to to eat during the trip, but they have to be quick/take-out places. It's a business trip, my partner and I will be very busy, so we're not interested in sit-down, gourmet dining. This will have to be done quickly and on-the-run.

We will mostly be in Anaheim with a couple of jaunts to Hollywood/Beverly Hills.

Any regional chains, ethnic hole-in-the-walls, tamale carts or the like you could recommend?

PDX Chow

sisquoc15 — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:49:15 -0800

Portlandfilter. Looking for dinner suggestions. I'm taking a mixed group of foodies, vegetarians, and a few culinary cowards on a dinner adventure. We're looking for something tasty, mid-range price, and a bit unusual. I'm thinking non-Mexican Latin or Mediterranean, but other suggestions are welcome. Plus for cool ambiance or location.

Needs to be within 10 minutes of downtown.

Suggestions?

Extra credit - cool place for drinks afterward. Same parameters.

Looking for a special restaurant for a special lady, in San Francisco.

autojack — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 14:56:28 -0800

Where can I take my girlfriend for a romantic dinner in San Francisco? My girlfriend is moving back to Australia, possibly forever, on Sunday night. I need to find a quiet, dark, romantic restaurant where we can have a great meal and some time to ourselves on Saturday night. The more privacy (relative) we can have, the better.

I'm trying to avoid places where we would be sitting elbow-to-elbow with other diners and having to speak up to hear each other. I'd love a place with a fantastic view, but it seems like all the places with a view I've looked at have mediocre food. The lady doesn't eat beef or pork, so something with a good seafood or pasta selection would be a plus.

Basically, this is the last time I'm going to see her for at least five months. I'd like to go someplace special that we'll both enjoy and remember.

What's there to do in Boston, anyway?

chrisamiller — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 12:24:23 -0800

What's the best way to kill a cold Monday in Boston? I'm a grad student flying in this Monday for a conference, and I'll have all afternoon and evening to get a taste of Boston.

I've already read the previous threads on boston + travel, but a lot of those suggestions (like the Freedom Trail) sound like they'd be pretty darn cold, especially since I've gotten used to balmy Houston weather this time of year.

Also, what are the quintessential Boston foods? Where are the famous places that I shouldn't leave without grabbing a bite at?

Are there any shows or special events in town that I shouldn't miss? MIT's calendar of events wasn't very helpful, and I couldn't find the one for Harvard students. Upcoming.org also didn't seem to have very much listed.

Relevant Info:
- I'll be staying near the Broad institute (MIT/Harvard area), but it looks like the train will get me just about anywhere I want to go.

- I'm a science and technology geek, so I love seeing museums or other cool educational or historic sites. I'm already planning on dropping into the MIT Museum, but that doesn't take long, from what I've read.

- Again, bonus points for indoor activities, because it's cold and I'm a big wuss.

Where can I find delicious shabu-shabu in Seattle?

krisken — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 13:07:31 -0800

Where can I find delicious shabu-shabu in Seattle?

Feed my children (in Fredericksburg)

largecorp — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 07:14:00 -0800

Fredericksburg, VA: need recommendations for a great restaurant that will take a group of 60 for casual dining. They're all, gulp, middle-schoolers, if that makes any difference.

Sunday Brunch in Des Moines, Iowa

davereed — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 09:53:16 -0800

Des Moines, Iowa. Sunday Brunch. My google-fu fails me. Is there any nice place out there for Sunday Brunch? We used to go to the Crystal Tree; not often, but occasionally. I'd like to find somewhere comparable. It should be nice, upscale, pleasant and not yet-another-Chinese-food-in-a-steam-table place. I have nothing against fried rice and cashew chicken. I like fried rice and cashew chicken. I just want a place that does made-to-order omelets and rare roast beef, and tropical fruit salad, and roast chicken, and a bunch of other things hot and cold. With a signature item (Crystal Tree always had a variation on Eggs Benedict.)

Bonus points for linen napkins, china dishes and crystal wine glasses. Plastic is OUT.

Is there such a place in the area? Des Moines, Altoona, Ames, Ankeny, etc?

Restaurant recommendation (Columbia, SC)?

Womanscientist — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 17:58:09 -0800

Can you recommend a romantic restaurant in Columbia, SC for a birthday dinner-date? I'm looking for a quiet, romantic restaurant for dinner and conversation. Cuisine is not particularly important (Bistro, Italian, Greek....). Thanks in advance!

St. Louis email lists

limeonaire — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 18:18:46 -0800

St.LouisFilter: What e-mail lists and websites do you, as a St. Louisan or someone who lives nearby, consider essential for keeping up-to-date on local events, art, music, politics, food, etc.? (I'm going to subscribe to all of them.)