Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with food and dining

What's with all the Raclette?

Hands of Manos — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:10:43 -0800

I'm looking for a decent Raclette grill around the 60 dollar mark. Can anyone make a recommendation? My girlfriend's birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks and I'd considered having a fun dining experience for her and her kids. A German friend of mine said she liked using her Raclette grill for parties.

It'd only be the 4 of us so a smaller raclette grill would work but before I buy one, I wanted to know if someone recommends one over another.

Also, do you have to use Raclette cheese or can you use another type (it's in short supply where I live).

Semi-romantic, awesome places to eat in Boston's North End?

bondcliff — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:37:33 -0800

Where in Boston's North End should my wife and I have our anniversary dinner? Twelfth anniversary is next week and we've decided on the North End because we love it and don't eat there enough. I've seen this thread and I've looked at other Boston food threads but found nothing. We don't need to break the bank but want something more than pizza.

Money isn't an issue. We'll eat anything, we love most things, and we want more than spaghetti and red sauce. We prefer "really fucking good" more than trendy though trendy AND really fucking good is fine. I'd prefer decent sized portions to "this single walnut is infused with saffron oil and the tears from orphaned Italian children"

They'll need to accept reservations and not be so popular they'll be booked a week in advance.

So? Semi-romantic, awesome places to eat in Boston's North End?

Beyond pumpkin pie, cider and turkey - your favorite autumn party recipes?

librarianamy — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:26:17 -0800

Autumn is almost here where I live! Tell me your favorite autumn party recipes, with some restrictions listed inside. I will be the hostess of a small (less than 15) gathering of friends in a few weeks. By then, autumn will be in full swing here (Western PA in late Oct-early Nov), and I'd like to have a seasonally themed and delicious menu.

Our monthly gatherings usually include one large main dish, a variety of finger-food-esque or salad-ish sides, some snacks, and at least one dessert. And drinks. Both alcoholic and non.

The restrictions are that one of the group has celiac's and at least two others are doing South Beach. So wheat is an issue, though I do have access to a great gluten free bakery, if I had to.

What's the best Toronto can offer a couple this weekend?

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:12:49 -0800

Romantic getaway this weekend in Toronto, staying at Sutton Place Hotel near university. What's the coolest stuff to do relatively nearby when we're outside the room? We'll be in Friday night and Saturday. Can you help us pick the best Toronto has to offer within walking distance, or 20-30 minutes by public transportation? (Anonymous because it's a surprise.)

Particular interests:

Good ethnic eats. Recommendations for nearest good Chinese, including must-hit Chinatown dumpling shop, or other great cheap ethnic food? Arab, Indian, Asian, what have you?

Value dining. Not the most expensive restaurants in town, but one where you can have a fine romantic meal without getting skinned.

Gardens. Botanical, hobbyist, public, what have you.

Waterfront attractions. Looks like there's lots to do along the waterfront. Which places have something particularly interesting this weekend? Are there any boat tours you'd recommend?

And anything else you want to suggest. Thank you kindly.

What places in the Bay Area have buy-one-get-one-free meal deals?

joseph conrad is fully awesome — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:42:35 -0800

BOGOFilter: What restaurants in the Bay Area offer buy-one, get-one-free coupons? We're in a recession, but I still like to eat out. One of my favorite places is Sweet Tomatoes, because they have an online club you can join where they email you buy-one-get-one-free offers (BOGO).

Usually I receive an email from them about twice a month, and I really like the convenience of the print-coupon-at-home dealio.

Are there any other restaurants that have this type of offer in the San Francisco Bay Area?

yes, we eat like paula deen

kidsleepy — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:04:31 -0800

If your best friend was going to Savannah, GA, where would you tell them to eat? As a follow-up to this question, SO and I will be in Savannah soon. We will arrive in time for Saturday dinner, and leaving Sunday afternoon. I perused these two previous questions, and there's a lot of good info there; however it's almost 3 years old, so if anyone has any new advice, we'd love to hear it!

Where should we go for dinner on Saturday? Breakfast on Sunday? and lunch on Sunday?

Things we love: meat (no vegetarians here), cheese, seafood, great southern home cookin', and good beer. Willing to pay more for good food, but love those hole-in-the-wall joints as well. Can be formal or need reservations, or it can be paper napkins and plastic silverware.

What are the best delis in Boston?

gregb1007 — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:28:16 -0800

What are the best delis in Boston? I am looking for tips on good delis in Boston. Not full-scale restaurants mind you, but the sort of places that don't have waiters and serve you at the counter. I am obviously looking for a place with high quality fare and not just something to grab on the go and forget about. (Note: By Boston I mostly mean the city core which would exclude Allston, Brighton, and Jamaica Plain, unless of course there is a really great deli there that would merit special consideration.)

Where in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro can we still find a reservation for Christmas dinner?

nathan_teske — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:59:56 -0800

Where in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro can we still find a reservation for Christmas dinner? Googling turned up a recent article in the Strib, but that list doesn't look too promising. Ideally we're looking for a traditional Christmas dinner which is priced somewhere between Old Country Buffet and the St. Paul Grill.

Its my birthday... where should I eat in Seattle?

bamassippi — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:29:27 -0800

It's my birthday... where should I eat in Seattle? I'm looking for insight into some of Seattle's nicest restaurants which I may not have yet eaten at. Chain restaurants are ok... though my wife and I usually prefer Seattle's unique restaurants.

Money is no big deal, though I'd prefer to have options which didn't break the bank.

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.

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...

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?

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?

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.)

Where should we host a bridal shower in Seattle?

barnone — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 14:23:27 -0800

Where should we host a bridal shower in Seattle? We're looking for a cool private room in a restaurant, or a neat suite in a hotel, or a cool patio - it's the weekend of August 4th so all of the boats are booked for SeaFair. There will be about 30 guests. We'd like somewhere with a sit-down lunch, or a really nice buffet -- but not in a huge restaurant. If there was a view or a nice outdoor portion, all the better. Price is less important than finding the right venue at this point, so all suggestions are very welcome. I saw some ideas here, but nothing seemed quite right. The Hi-Life and Library Bistro both look good though -- any experience with those?

The all-you-can-eat: where does it come from?

quietfish — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 06:11:26 -0800

I'm really interested in the concept of the buffet-style, "all you can eat" type restaurant experience. Is this a Western invention? Does it even exist in other parts of the world? Also, does anyone have anyone strategies as to how to maximize the buffet experience? Last time I went an all-you-can-eat lunch was to a Chinese restaurant that also served "regular" food, like pizza and fries. I focused on the dim sum, but a guy behind us sat down with a huge plate full of bacon.

I also have a very clear memory of a relative visiting from the Czech Republic in the 80's. My parents took us out to dinner to an all-you-can eat place. He'd never heard of the all-you-can-eat concept, and was postively flabbergasted when confronted with all that food. And when he finally set in, he avoided starches and focused on meats.

Where to eat in Calgary?

gsh — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 09:32:31 -0800

Where to eat in Calgary? I'll be in Calgary next week and would love recommendations on restaurants and good places to get coffee. I'm partial to Thai, Indian, Vietnamese and French cuisines but welcome all good dining experiences.

Christmas and New Year's Eve dinners in NYC

clearlydemon — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 18:38:19 -0800

My family and I will be in New York city for the holidays. My mission: to find great restaurants for Christmas and New Year's Eve dinners. I'd like personal recommendations for restaurants for Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day brunch, and New Year's dinner. We are four adults and two teenagers (ages 16 and 18). Our budget is about $100 per person, per dinner (although I think it should be less for brunch). If we could make reservations online, it would be a big plus.

We'll be staying near the Carnegie Hall. We were planning to go to Times Square for New Year's Eve, but after reading this, I guess we'll go somewhere else.

Thank you!

A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and... me

backseatpilot — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 10:58:39 -0800

How do I eat out alone? I like to dine out. However, I don't really have anyone to go to restaurants with. My girlfriend lives three hours away and I haven't met many people since I moved to Boston a few months ago. So the question is: how do I go to restaurants by myself without (for lack of a better term) looking like a loser? What can I do at the restaurant in place of the socializing that normally occurs when groups go out to eat? Should I sit at the bar, or can I get a table by myself?

Bonus question: what restaurants are there in the Boston area that seem to attract lone diners?

Can you recommend a good variety of loose leaf green tea?

gregb1007 — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 20:19:38 -0800

Can someone recommend a good variety of loose leaf green tea? I am looking for a good variety of loose-leaf green tea that is both high in caffeine and tends to be more mild in taste rather than bitter.

The two loose-leaf green teas that I drink now - Sencha and Temple of Heaven Gunpowder - seem to not give me a boost that I expect from caffeinated drinks. Both of them tend to taste rather bitter so much so that it seems that they are a bit acidic.

So, fellow green-tea drinkers, do you know of a variety that's both high in caffeine and low on bitterness? I'd appreciate your suggestions.

a nice, relaxed outdoor restaurant in toronto?

sergeant sandwich — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 21:45:12 -0800

toronto dining: a friend of mine is leaving toronto for a job in spain and is getting some friends together for dinner. she's looking for a nice restaurant, not terrifically expensive since everyone's a student, ideally a mellow sort of place with a patio or outdoors seating, and by the lake or at least with a nice view. or at least somewhere with that kind of casual summery atmosphere. got any suggestions?

College Dining

charmston — Wed, 31 May 2006 19:52:22 -0800

What's your favorite healthy food that can be bought on a college student budget? I've decided that I'm really going to crack down on my poor eating habits. As a college student, I've always bought the food that was the most affordable. Unfortunately, this is usually generic-brand pizza, toaster streudels, and whichever soda is on sale. In order to combat this, I'm looking for suggestions for healthy, easy-to-prepare foods that won't break the bank.

Pepper, is it going to kill me?

felix — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 09:35:47 -0800

Black pepper: delicious, delightful innocuous condiment or hideous lurking spicy gastronomic menace? Every time I enjoy a meal with ketchup, I pour out two tablespoons of ketchup, then pour on top of that about two teaspoons of table pepper. I then stir. At this point everyone at the table is looking at me like I'm crazy.

I know that if I did this with salt, I would be dead within the week; but I've never heard any health horror stories about pepper, and the ketchup/pepper mix is such a revolution in dining that I'm sure that, like the practice of putting down your sandwich upside down, anyone who tries it will be instantly hooked.

Are there any hidden weird problems with eating what normal people would consider a relatively large amount of table pepper?