Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with food and restaurant

What kinds of beer should by brother serve at his restaurant?

kirkaracha — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:10:06 -0800

What kinds of beer should by brother serve at his restaurant? My brother's working on a business plan for a tavern-style restaurant specializing in roasted meats, and is looking for suggestions on types of beer to serve and specific recommendations. I thought a good light beer, a lager or pilsner, and one or two good IPAs. What do you think? Ideally the beers would come from a good American microbrewery that's distributed on the East Coast, but this isn't an absolute requirement.

Yelp a Paris?

kenzi23 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:48:48 -0800

Is there a Yelp-type site for restaurants in Paris (or Europe, as a whole)? Ideally I'd like a restaurant guide for Paris that is based on user reviews, is easy to search and bookmark like Yelp to make my meals in Paris a breeze. I'll even take a blog or a list if that's all I can get. Any suggestions are welcome.

I'm way too sleep derived to think of a clever headline.

porpoise — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:19:55 -0800

Restaurantfilter: Downtown Chicago, dinner recommendations for a couple of grad students with a foodie bent in town for a conference. I've checked out these two previous threads on downtown Chicago restaurant recommendations.

We're in downtown proper and staying at the Sofitel at Wabash & Chestnut and the Wyndham at St. Claire & Erie. Looking for 'interesting' restaurants within a 20 minute walk tonight. Are there any places that are distinctly "Chicago-ian"/local or ignored by tourists/tourism-board?

Grad students, but willing to pony up (to maybe $60 or 70, maybe a bit more, but something around $30 per person sans drinks is more reasonable). We love food, doesn't matter what kind preferring 'good' over 'lots.'

Please help me avoid big slabs of meat and iceberg lettuce.

jeffamaphone — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:49:13 -0800

What is the best place fora foodie to eat in STL? I grew up in STL. Haven't lived there for close to 10 years, but I'm going back soon for a family event. In the time I've been gone, I have to believe that some wonderful, modern restaurants have opened. I would like to eat at one.

Some guidelines:
* I am looking for new, creative, modern, etc.
* Local/fresh/organic and vegetarian options a huge bonus. I pray to the alter of Micheal Pollan and Alice Waters. I'm a card-carrying member of Slow Food.
* No regional cuisine, unless it's really new. This means no BBQ and no thin-crust pizza joints.
* No Italian. I've been everywhere on the hill. I've been to Tony's. I've been to Cafe Napoli.
* Good locations are anywhere along the central corridor: Washington, the Hill, UCity Loop, CWE, Clayton, etc. West county and Bridgeton is acceptable, since I'll be there too.
* Bad locations: Fenton, Ellisville, Wentzville, North Florrisent, Alton, etc.
* Please don't mention Ted Drewes.

E.g. something like Nopa.

Thanks!

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?

Drinking in Behind Enemy Lines

me3dia — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:40:30 -0800

Tangentially college sports-related food/drink question: At your school, was there a bar or restaurant where fans of your rival team would congregate? What I'm after is analogous to, say, a Bears bar in Green Bay, but for NCAA teams. This is for a post on a travel blog I write for, in case you're curious, so the particular rivalry isn't all that important.

Little Rock restaurants?

knockoutking — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:20:48 -0800

looking for your best restaurants in or around little rock lets say within a reasonable distance of little rock -- like an hour-ish radius

so far my favorite places in LR are...

BBQ: simms
pizza: damgood pies
fish: flying fish (near river market)

i am a big fan of hole in the wall places as long as they are good, and am particularly looking for a good hamburger and italian places, but like i said i am willing to try just about any kind of place!

Toronto delicatessen

Taurid — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:27:56 -0800

Your opinion of the best deli in Toronto and please don't forget the pickle question. I love corned beef on rye and other delicatessen type sandwiches. Pastrami is absolutely another favorite. I've never actually been to an real, honest to goodness deli ( mainly because I don't live near any) but I do live in southwestern Ontario and get to Toronto on occasion. So I'm thinking Toronto ( and area) should have a few. My mouth is starting to salivate as I write this.

So what in your opinion is Toronto's best deli at pretty fair prices for the food?

Bonus points if theres good parking closeby.

Looking for the ideal hangout in South Bay/Long Beach...

Katemonkey — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:34:45 -0800

Looking for a good bar/coffee/food place in the South Bay/Long Beach, CA that works for an unknown number of people with a wide variety of tastes... I want to get a bunch of my old high school friends together when I go visit Long Beach again in October, and I want to find a place that:

A) Won't require reservations for big groups (because I don't know if there will be a big group)
B) Isn't a sit-down type of restaurant, but will serve food
C) Serves a variety of drinks (non-alcoholic, coffee, cocktails, etc.)
D) Is not a sports bar or a meat market or anything like that
E) Veers a bit on the eccentric without trying too hard to be "wacky"
F) Cheerfully caters to a jeans-and-t-shirt clientèle.

Bonus points if it panders shamelessly to nerds.

For an example of what I'm thinking, if the situation was reversed, and I had a bunch of people coming to Nottingham who wanted to go out and have a few drinks, I would take them to the Malt Cross. There, I know I can get an excellent rum and coke or cup of coffee, a good burger, and I'm in an old Victorian vaudeville hall of awesomeness. Or, if I was feeling a bit more kitschy, I'd take them to the Pit & the Pendulum (the website looks like it was hacked, alas), where I know I can get a weird cocktail, some decent food, and it's decked out like a Vincent Price movie.

It doesn't necessarily need to be South Bay/Long Beach - it just seems easier to me, since we all grew up around Long Beach, Carson, Torrance, etc. I'll also caging rides from people rather than driving myself, and I'd much rather talk someone into driving an extra 10 minutes than an extra 45...

(I just don't want to end up hanging out at Del Amo Mall, like I did when I was 17...)

Restaurant Gems in Charlotte

Phineas Rhyne — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:30:16 -0800

Foodiefilter: Looking for restaurant blitzkrieg advice in Charlotte, NC I just found out I'm going to be flying from San Jose to Charlotte on Wednesday this week, and will have Thursday (night) and Friday (all day) free. My traveling companion has requested a whirlwind tour for us of interesting food and things we Shouldn't Miss while we're there. Your challenge is to give me all the advice you can in three days. Not sure how much of a car we'll have, so added weight to suggestions in the city proper. Where should we go? What should we eat? What are the Must See bits of the city? Fancy is fine if you're more inclined that direction, but I'm getting more of a 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' vibe from her.

Romantic anniversary dinner in NYC on a grad student budget?

ilana — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:06:56 -0800

Romantic anniversary dinner in NYC on a grad student budget? So in about three weeks my wonderful boyfriend and I will be celebrating our fifth anniversary. Yay! We're looking for a place with great food and preferably romantic atmosphere (though not schmaltzy) in which to celebrate. We both like every type of cuisine we've ever tried (which is a lot of them). We're big fans of seafood, and if you know any place that makes magic out of duck, I'm all ears. Budget is on the small side, about $100ish for the two of us, but if there's somewhere a bit more expensive you think we must go to, just tell us why it's worth the extra! We'll go anywhere (preferably Manhattan) but bonus points if it's on the 1 line, extra bonus if it's UWS. Interesting drinks also a plus.

Apologies if this has been asked before, but I didn't find anything too similar when looking through tags. I know about Chowhound, but it's kind of overwhelming there. Thanks hivemind!

Where to eat in Baltimore?

ellenaim — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:45:04 -0800

Where to eat in Baltimore? We're heading to Baltimore for a few days and would like some dining recommendations. Of course, there are constraints:

1. Toddler-friendly. I don't mean a restaurant that specifically caters to kids, but just one where we will be comfortable with a toddler and infant in tow.

2. Not too far (on foot or by car) from the Inner Harbor. Although we're staying in the Inner Harbor, we don't mind driving to get to dinner, but we just don't want to go so far that it turns into a big excursion (see part 1 about young children).

3. Not a chain restaurant. This is why I suspect we have to leave the Inner Harbor.

This previous question has some good leads. Both The Helmand and Ze Mean Bean match our tastes, assuming they're kid-friendly.

What do you recommend?

What's the deal on California food taxes?

rileyray3000 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:19:33 -0800

I've noticed when I buy food in California at different restaurants, sometimes there's sales tax and sometimes there's not. What's the deal? This is something I noticed at the quiznos the other day. I got charged sales tax on my meal. But, the next day, at Subway, NO sales tax. Both were takeout. One, arguably, with the toasted bun, was hot. But otherwise I have no idea why one meal gets sales tax and the other doesn't. I know if you go to a sit down restaurant there's always sales tax on the bill but does that become more arbitrary when it's fast food?

Ideas?

Los Angeles Ratatouille Emergency

felix — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 07:17:26 -0800

Where is the best place in the Greater Metropolitan Los Angeles to order ratatouille? My boy wants to be a chef. He adored Ratatouille the movie, but the other day, turned to me and said, "dad, wouldn't it be funny if ratatouille was a real food, and not just a movie food?"

So obviously there's a lot of chef schooling left. Well, he's just 7. Anyway, one thing I can do is teach by example -- so I'm interested in taking him to a restaurant and ordering him straight up, direct, non molecular gastronomic, unfoamified ratatouille the way french peasants used to make it.

For added difficulty: he and mom are strict vegetarian. Yes, I have considered trying to make it myself (and it looks pretty easy), but I tend to burn water when trying to boil it, don't know the difference between a skillet and a turkey baster, and so forth. That's in the plan eventually, but first I want him to see a very good, classic example.

NYC folks: What happened to the BAMN! automat?

querty — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:26:23 -0800

NYC folks: What happened to the BAMN! automat? I'm curious why it didn't work out for them... Wikipedia says it's been closed since March, but I just saw them featured on a TV show the other night (it could've been a re-run though); have they re-opened or re-located?

If they're totally done, then I wonder what happened to them/what went wrong. Maybe the lack of customer service? I think many fast food restaurants can be turned into vending machines, but at the same time, people want customer service; a face, a smile, a real person in front of the machine.

Good food in Boston

felix betachat — Sun, 24 May 2009 23:25:29 -0800

So, Boston, where do you go for your good food? I'm moving to Boston from Chicago in a couple of months, and I'm a little ambivalent about it. Chicago is a wonderful city for food. I love her farmers' markets. I have a great little produce market right around the corner from my place. And there are so many wonderful restaurants doing interesting things with local ingredients. I love lula cafe and am in awe of Blackbird.

So tell me...where do you shop and eat? I'd like to know where Boston's gems are, and how its local agriculture is influencing its cuisine. I'm particularly interested in recommendations for Allston/Brighton, Jamaica Plain, Brookline, Newton and Metro West, but I'd love recommendations for anything you know of that's interesting and worth a trip.

No Pizzaria Uno, Please

Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific — Wed, 06 May 2009 05:27:50 -0800

Asking for a friend: "I am in Chicago attending meetings and a conference. Any tips on good, inexpensive places to eat? I am staying at The Drake, which is right off Michigan Ave. " Any recommendations?

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.)

Dosa in Chicago?

crush-onastick — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:52:35 -0800

Where do you eat dosa in Chicago? The internet offers only two places on Devon (Mysore Woodlands and Udupi Palace). I've got no problems going to Devon (and will check these places out although I suspect one of them was the place we went to get dosa that did not have them), but are these really the only two places in Chicago that serve dosa?

Good food, good company - help me get both!

pinksoftsoap — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:49:22 -0800

HALP! I am trying to plan a birthday party for two friends but am finding a lot of hurdles. Any suggestions that can accommodate ~20 or more adults in Manhattan (preferably), Brooklyn, or Queens for cheap? The party is for two awesome guys who love good, hearty food. Some suggestions pitched so far:

- Dinosaur BBQ - no reservations available until January :(

- Daisy May's BBQ - reservations available but only for a minimum of $35 a head off of their special menu :( I can risk just having everyone show up without a reservation but with these numbers, that might not work out well.

I'm hoping for a place that's $20 or under per person that's not a bar or club-like lounge. Also, I strongly dislike Dallas BBQ. My group has also done Dave & Buster's to death, so no to that as well.

Thank you in advance!

Reconcile the vegetarian with the picky eater

fishmasta — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:22:40 -0800

Help me find an L.A. restaurant that accommodates a vegetarian and a picky eater! So my brother is coming to visit me in Los Angeles for a few days and we're planning on going out Sunday evening to eat along with an aunt who lives in the area. I'm having trouble trying to find the right place to go though. My brother is a vegetarian (sort of, he eats fish, so call it what you will) and my aunt is an extremely picky eater (tends to only like simple food she can identify. Mostly "American" cuisine. If she can't have it cooked to order, meaning well-done meat and willing to take substitutions on absolutely everything, she gets upset). Personally, I'll eat pretty much anything, but my brother won't be satisfied with the salad/mixed vegetable options at many restaurants and if it's "weird" my aunt won't like it. What's a good option to take these people out somewhere they'll both be satisfied? My brother is going to be staying near Hollywood so somewhere in that vicinity is preferable, but not required. Something that represents the cuisine that Los Angeles has to offer is a plus, as it's my brother's first time coming here.

A good restaurant resource?

Hypocrites — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:01:38 -0800

Does anyone know of a good resource for finding out, in detail, the amount of restaurants in my town? I'd like to know how many there are, how many are fast food, how many are 100+ occupancy, what kind of food they serve, et cetera.

Yet another NYC restaurant request, but with details!

anthill — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:53:21 -0800

Yet another NYC restaurant recommendation request: Taking ~15 colleagues out to dinner, walking from Times Square (46th&Broadway), looking to spend $20-30 per head, and be able to make a same-day reservation. Tall order, but bonus points for an NYC experience not available in Toronto/Montreal. Recommendations so far include Wu Liang Ye (48th between 5th-6th)... but even that's right on the edge of walking distance. I know it's lame and we should go to Downtown/Brooklyn/Uptown/anywhere else, but please help!

DIY Restaurant in Seattle???

evilcupcakes — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:54:32 -0800

My birthday is coming up, and in my search for something novel and exciting to do I was told that somewhere in Seattle (possibly in the Lake Union area) there is a restaurant where you can bring a group of people, select a menu, learn how to prepare it, and then feast on the fruits of your labor. Does anyone have ANY idea if this place exists, and if so where it is??? Google has failed me utterly.

Breakfast and Lunch in Vancouver

queseyo — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:20:36 -0800

Recommendations for breakfast and lunch in/ around downtown Vancouver, BC, please. I think I've got dinner covered - I've made reservations at Jules Bistro and the Umberto restaurant (and will probably be going to Chambar, too, given the recommendations I've found in other threads. Anyone been to Le Marrakesh, by the way?) I'm planning on dinner being the main meal of the day, and making an affair out of it. So, I'm looking for more simple, inexpensive places for breakfast/ lunch. A cafe with fresh pastries would be fine for breakfast, and lunch, just about anything. I do have some allergies - to fish and seafood (sigh). I've been looking at dinehere.ca, but there are just so many listings I don't know where to start. We both really like any Asian cuisine.
Oh, and we're staying on Granville Island, and are planning on walking/ biking/ busing.
Thanks!