http://www.chow.com/boards/53 Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:03:20 GMT Keep track of the lastest threads on Chowhound http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/834699#8134585 Thanks..I have Test Kitchen on my list. How far in advance do I have to reserve for dinner for two..suppose best to go on a weekday?? I prefer places that utilize local foods as much as possible, what we in the US would call "market to table" cooking," perhaps with some Asian influence. Not really looking for stuffy French places. Last trip I had excellent meals at Showroom (closed). Ginja and Savoy Cabbage were good as well. Also have on my list The Miller's Thumb..comments? In Wine Country for a day trip, maybe try Bread and Wine? Also, where is the best places for crayfish or giant prawns? Last time we ate at Panama Jacks, which I liked a lot, but I've read it has gone downhill..do locals still go there? If not, where? We will have car and driver, so can range far for lunch; hope to stay near center for most dinners. erica Thu, 13 Jun 2013 20:37:29 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/834699#8134585 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/902482#8103954 Yes, I'm learning that. Given the nature of the food at these hotels - I can't imagine there being a dramatic difference in the quality/nature of food. I have been at the Holiday Inn Resort though, and it has been very very nice as a resort hotel. cresyd Wed, 29 May 2013 19:59:45 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/902482#8103954 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/903578#8103048 Just spent two weeks in Turkey on an organized guided tour. Saw plenty of ancient ruins and learned a lot of amazing history. What a place, I highly recommend it. As it was an organized tour, didn’t get to pick many restaurants, and most of where we ended up was traditional Turkish cuisine. Here are some of the restaurants the tour led us to. They seemed to do a pretty good job with the traditional food stuffs. Not saying these are gourmet extravaganzas, only that for traditional Turkish cuisine, they were good. If you are in the area and need to eat, you could do a lot worse. Near Giant Apollo Temple, Didyma Didim Sehir Lokantasi www.didimsehirlokantasi.com Near Ephysus, a fantastic ancient city Selcuk Koftecisi Ataturk Mah. Sehabettin Dede Cd. No: 10, Selcuk/Izmir Two nights in Bodrum: Sunger Pizza Neyzen Tevfik Caddesi No: 218, Bodrum www.sungerpizza.com Tranca Restaurant Cumhuriyet Caddesi No: 32, Bodrum www.trancarestaurant.com In Istanbul, near Taksim Square: Ipekyolu Restaurant Lamartin Cd. No: 26/1 80090 Taksim, Istanbul We did take a boat trip to a Greek Island one day (Just off the coast of Turkey). Here we could order rabbit and kid. The kid was the better choice; the rabbit was ribs, if you can believe that. Not legs or chops, but ribs – needless to say, not a lot of meat. Eski Kahve Bozcaada Cumhuriyet Meydani 17680 Bozcaada/Canakkale www.eskikahvebozcaada.com In Antalya (this one I did choose, with the advice of our guide, our last night was a free night). Club Arma Restaurant (Not traditional Turkish – more European upscale, on the water front, nice location though the laser light advertising after dark was kind of hokey) Selcuk Mh. Iskele Cd. No: 75, Antalya www.clubarma.com.tr turbowine Wed, 29 May 2013 14:30:31 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/903578#8103048 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/903353#8099027 We will be in Sariyer for 5 days for a conference. Do you have any suggestions for good restaurants to eat in? Also, do you know of any places with particularly good Turkish coffee in Sariyer? Jessie B Mon, 27 May 2013 13:57:50 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/903353#8099027 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/903099#8098827 If you're up for walking to the Shuk - then I'd recommend HaMitbachon (18 Rabi Akiva st.) over Haminzar for eating. Haminzar is a great bar where you can get some nice food - but it wouldn't be my first recommendation for a straight restaurant. I really like their fried sardines and sausages, but their "confit octopus" is one to miss. HaMitbachon is just off the shuk/in the Yemenite Quarter and a great mix of Ashkenazi and Mizrachi dishes and on Friday/Saturday they have specials like cholent. Walking towards Jaffa along the sea you have Manta Ray which is a seafood restaurant that I've heard mixed reviews from CHers, friends (and have had myself, good and ok experiences) - but there's a restaurant further down the beach (closer to Jaffa) who's name I always forget but it's wonderful for seafood, mezze/salads, wine, etc. It's right off the boardwalk on the street side and not the beach side, very close to Jaffa. A little further in Jaffa, you can just keep following the boardwalk into the port and there are a number of fish restaurants/bars (that I haven't tried but the atmosphere is really fun). I do really like Abdu Hadayag in Jaffa for seafood (37 Yefet Street), which is a bit further into Jaffa. Another idea would be the old train station just to the south of Neve Tzedek (very close to your hotel). There's a pair of Spanish tapas style place (with the very kitchy names of Vicky and Christina), which also has excellent wine. Also in Neve Tzedek, there's a restaurant Dallal (10 Shabazi Street) that I believe (if I'm thinking of the right spot) is part of the Susanne Dallal performance space and is a truly gorgeous spot. cresyd Mon, 27 May 2013 06:54:34 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/903099#8098827 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/901043#8060045 We moved here last year, and have had fun exploring restaurants, but would love some recommendations to branch out from our now-standard Royal Raj/Tarbouche/Olivella/Chapan-Bag routine -- with so, so, so many Indian Lebanese and other things it's hard to tell where to start. We live near the Corniche off Airport Road and Hamdan, so we are right in the thick of the Indian restaurants. Anyone? mayitaville Mon, 06 May 2013 17:22:14 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/901043#8060045 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/900951#8058671 Hi everyone i will be travelling from mumbai-chicago on swiss air i'm bit confused with food selection .For non-veg i would only take halal menu but dont know how it is other option i have is vegitarian food so please if any one have experience of food then please let me know which will be best rz7861 Sun, 05 May 2013 21:17:33 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/900951#8058671 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/718781#8058050 Seems like she hasn't posted on that for a while either. :( roxlet Sun, 05 May 2013 15:24:14 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/718781#8058050 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844093#8051972 My favorites are Habasta and Haminzar, although the latter only for lunch, as it can get quite rowdy in the evenings (it's open 24/7). Tchernikhovsky 6 and Bertie are also quite good. I haven't been to Oasis yet. Toto and Shila both have very good food, but both are too noisy for me. bcc Thu, 02 May 2013 11:18:40 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844093#8051972 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/884525#8045346 I went with my girlfriend to Morocco last year, we stayed mostly in Marrakech as well as 2 days in Essaouira. I would say the main theme in terms of food was that sit-down restaurant food was usually mediocre (with some exceptions), but much of the more casual/street food was fantastic. Unfortunately, much of Moroccan food (e.g. couscous and tagine) doesn't lend itself well to restaurant cooking, and the best traditional meals we had were in a "home" environment, such as our riad (Dar K -- *highly* recommended). I may be a bit more demanding as I grew up eating much of this food, since my family is from North Africa. Some more specifics: Marrakech: We were really excited for al-Fassia, but were disappointed. Not bad, but not outstanding. The tagine was clearly pressure cooked, and the couscous had been sitting so it was not fluffy like it was supposed to be. The food was very good at Le Foundouk, with an enjoyable atmosphere too -- felt very expat though. The real culinary highlight was the Djemaa el-Fna, some of our favorite stalls there were #14 (fried fish, as well as unexpectedly good french fries), #31 (merguez), and the mechoui guy in the first row, don't know the number. Stick to places that only serve a few dishes, and that have mostly Moroccan clientele and you'll do great. Don't let the guys pull you into the restaurants they work for! We also had a nice lunch at Restaurant Place des Ferblantiers near the Badi palace. Dar Tim Tam was recommended by the Lonely Planet, so we stopped for lunch there, but it was overpriced and mediocre. The breakfasts at the riad were really great, fantastic orange juice, fresh breads, Moroccan crepes, etc. Essaouira: Our first meal here, which was amazing, was grilled sardines picked up from the fish market in the medina, then taken to one of the local grill places where they cook what you bring them. We bought bread straight out of the oven from a bakery down the street, which was quite possibly the best piece of bread either of us had ever eaten, and for only 10 cents! Outstanding. Dinner was at Restaurant Laayoune, excellent fish couscous and a calm atmosphere, as well as some Moroccan cookies. The next day we went to one of the more touristy fish grills near the port and the fish was good but not as memorable as the more local places. We also took a day trip to the Atlas mountains and had lunch at Dar Imlil, which is a guest house there. Not normally open for meals to the public, but our guide made prior arrangements with them. The tagine there was the best one of the trip, clearly cooked slowly and traditionally over many hours. Much closer to home cooking. Overall the theme was generally that the simplest and sometimes most unexpected things were the best -- bread, french fries, mechoui (roasted lamb shoulder) -- while complex dishes at restaurants could be good but were often disappointing. If you go and have a chance to eat traditional food in somebody's home or a place where they really do homestyle cooking (such as a riad), I highly recommend you take the opportunity. Traditional Moroccan food is phenomenal when cooked with love and attention mayache Mon, 29 Apr 2013 07:21:45 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/884525#8045346 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/877109#8007834 next time I am in Ghana! We even stayed in Osu, but didn't make it to Asanka. Thank you for the reply, I'm sure it will help someone. I loved Ghana. I really miss all the forms of fried plantains, and also this bag of sweet dark brown banana chips I got at the border of Togo and Ghana. I miss those so much. Now I'm in Perth and there are no plantains. debbieann Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:51:16 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/877109#8007834 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/897065#7998069 http://travel.nytimes.com/2013/03/24/travel/a-chefs-guide-to-eating-in-jerusalem.html?_r=0 Yotam Ottolenghi's (Jerusalem cookbook fame) suggestions for eating in Jerusalem. Of all the suggestions, I had to look up Pasha's (in Sheik Jarrah), and if it is just the restaurant that's part of the Borderline - then I do not recommend it as the best mezze on the east side of the city. It's not bad, but it's not amazing. However, if Pasha is a separate restaurant on the street that has the Borderline - then I might check it out. I've also never been to the Arcadia and am curious to hear other's opinions about the restaurant. cresyd Thu, 04 Apr 2013 05:41:46 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/897065#7998069 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/896820#7994153 We spent a wonderful 3 nights in Cape Town and 3 nights in Winelands before heading to the safari portion of our amazing vacation, and enjoyed some wonderful meals. The Test Kitchen in CT and The Tasting Room in Franschoek are often considered to be rivals. So I wrote a detailed, comparative review with pictures which you can read on our blog at http://bit.ly/YtGBI8 Enjoy! We did. GRobin Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:39:30 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/896820#7994153 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/549444#7975187 I just came out of a business trip to Dubai and I would saw there's a lot of variety in this city. There's so much to find in the old Dubai (Deira and along the creek) that's pretty amazing but it's hard to know what's great or bad. There's supposedly a foodie tour you can take to discover these gems. http://www.iliveinafryingpan.com/ . I'm tempted to go on this tour next time I'm in Dubai. Since I went on business and with colleagues, I stuck to new Dubai and the usual touristy places. A few great places stuck out out though. Mall of Emirates: - Almaz by Momo for Moroccan food. I highly recommend the fattoush salad here. Wonderful bright flavours. Tagine chicken and the pastry with chicken and sugar is also a must have. The chicken was succulent and fall of the bone. The pastry had that awesome savoury and sweet blend that was unusual and memorable. I also recommend getting ALL the Morrocan cookies. They're so good. - Pars Iranian food was pretty amazing in terms of value... for less than 85 dirhams, you get TONS of vegetables, rice, fresh pitas, and 2 huge skewers of chicken that were nicely spiced. Dubai Mall - Wafi Gourmet was my favourite place in Dubai Mall. Service was friendly and fast. They constantly replenished the table with freshly made pitas. The salads were large and flavourful and the grilled meats were succulent. I really enjoyed the hammour as well. Best thing about this restaurant is the outside patio. You can see the dancing fountain perfectly while eating. - Special mention goes to Bateel cafe. Service was mediocre but I really enjoyed the date focused French desserts. The Arabic spin on French classics such as Millefeuille with dates, Eclairs with date mousseline, and Opera cake with pieces of date and date cream... amazing. I also loved the sticky toffee pudding and pecan pie with dates too! Nevy Sun, 24 Mar 2013 20:11:56 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/549444#7975187 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/895143#7968999 Any thoughts on Noa Bistro in Jaffa? I'm looking for a romantic meal that's memorable but not quite fine dining. Noa looks like a good fit, but recent reviews have been mixed. Any insights? Thanks! bokomaru Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:23:42 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/895143#7968999 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/894556#7961040 That's what trips home are for. :-) I lived for three years in Russia/Kazakhstan and my first order of business on every trip back was to get thin crust pizza at Vic's in Bradley Beach, NJ (I grew up near there). You can make your own matzo ball soup...they have the ingredients. Maybe that's the cookbook segment you should be focusing on! travelmad478 Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:23:38 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/894556#7961040 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/891432#7910648 Hmmm...maybe. They look very similiar, but those look a little too textured. The ones I'm talking about are perfectly smooth (except for the ripples). Have you ever had these? It sounds like I should try frying them. Siddy7 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:23:20 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/891432#7910648 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/891162#7905632 What do you recommend to eat alongside Harrira to make it a fully satisfying meal? Something other than bread RonnieMalhotra Wed, 20 Feb 2013 04:27:51 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/891162#7905632 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/891051#7903898 My fiance is traveling to Capetown for a job interview this week. He is an impoverished, postdoctoral research associate, so he is not looking for anything fancy or pricy. He's not a vegetarian, though he is happy to eat a tasty vegetarian or even vegan meal. He's good with unusual meats, seafood, exotic vegetation, all kinds of spice and all kinds of heat levels. He's not a big fan of sweets. He's most interested in both the kinds of places that the locals go to for tasty, healthy day-to-day food and in the most unusual/exotic options open to him. He will be without a car, staying at the Garden Court Nelson Mandela Blvd. Opinions? Advice? Oh, and I will be moving to South Africa with him if he is offered and accepts the job. So all advice, and anyone who might be willing to talk to me about non-food related issues in South Africa, would be GREATLY appreciated! StrandedYankee Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:43:19 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/891051#7903898 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/889383#7887675 Thank you, SSMarrakech. I'm happy with high end and with dives ... though I think I'll pass on the camel. Foulard Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:14:33 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/889383#7887675 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/883804#7867446 I would also love some good recommendations. Given that I'm here for a few months (too short for investing in some decent kitchen gear, too long to still be loving hummus and falafel), I'm finding eating out to be a bit of a struggle. So far- Books@Cafe is fun for some narguileh and the decor, and the pizza is decent. Burger was awful. They do have good veggie options. Benihana was completely predictable (no huge surprise, but it was a business meeting). Both sushi and teppanyaki were unremarkable (good or bad). Noodasia had passable sushi but the service was atrocious when I went. Not just slow but RUDE. sailrox Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:02:59 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/883804#7867446 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/883434#7855544 I live in Jerusalem - so my eating adventures in Tel Aviv unfortunately never get to happen as quickly as I'd like them to. That being said, I have a lot of work to do in Tel Aviv this week, so hopefully I can get to Hanoi - but my major food treat this trip will be to visit the tequila bar across from the Mexican Embassy. I'm dubious of what the food will be like - but I've heard a number of Mexican Embassy staff eat their regularly....so I'm clinging to that. cresyd Sun, 27 Jan 2013 08:08:28 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/883434#7855544 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/863452#7849007 ok, I have now been to the best restaurant for fine dining in Joburg - 500 at Saxon Hotel. Photos are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/haynes/sets/72157632561854568/ review in newspaper is here: http://mg.co.za/article/2012-12-14-now-were-cooking-jozi debbieann Thu, 24 Jan 2013 10:10:34 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/863452#7849007 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/509069#7838885 Thanks for the link - it's always great to have access to real, local recipes rather than simplified, Western interpretations. mugen Sat, 19 Jan 2013 10:53:18 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/509069#7838885 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/822282#7834002 Thanks aerogirl. Been to Sushi Soo but didn't notice the store...will check it out waytob Thu, 17 Jan 2013 08:21:39 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/822282#7834002