http://www.chow.com/boards/87 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 01:13:27 GMT Keep track of the lastest threads on Chowhound http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849484#7342286 traveling to Croatia this summer, on a bike trip for much of our stay but will have 3 nights in Dubrovnik and 1 night in Split on our own. Would love some good Chowhound recommendations for some NY foodies in both Dubrovnik and Split. thanks! Villeny Wed, 16 May 2012 12:33:02 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849484#7342286 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849383#7342170 You'll find a lot of recommendations here for casual in Prague if you dig a little, but Lokal is still the best in my mind. There is a location in Mala Strana, although I can never find the address but it is close to Shakespeare and Son's book store at U Luzickeho seminare 10. I've not been successful in finding a purely non-smoking place in Prague, someone else may be able to recommend one but generally I look for those with a non-smoking section (like Lokal) and then make a reservation. You will find wine at most pubs especially if you're in the main tourist areas. If you like reds watch for the Moravian Frankovka or a dry (suche) Rieslings (Ryzlink rýnský). vanderb Wed, 16 May 2012 09:57:23 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849383#7342170 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849359#7340601 I've noticed that Berlin actually has a few Georgian eateries in town, including Ganazvale and Bei Violetta (more Abkhazian, genauer gesagt) and a few more that escape my memory. I was wondering if anybody has had a chance to check a few of these out and would have an opinion to share. It's been ages since I've had a good khachap'uri (molten cheese in bread) and various stews involving beans and nuts and coriander… LMGM Tue, 15 May 2012 17:42:24 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849359#7340601 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846959#7340101 Sosta Jakobsbergsgatan 5 is a coffe place like in Italy you drink standing. Kafé Esaias at drottninggatan is also good. Johan & Nyström at Swedenborgsgatan 7at Södermalm is also good for coffee. bjorkebo73 Tue, 15 May 2012 14:37:57 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846959#7340101 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848433#7339249 Ah YES I have had my eye on Fiskebar, I love oysters! I'm glad to hear it's worth it I will definitely go there. I would love to hear back on the other places you go.. thank you! MsAlyp Tue, 15 May 2012 01:33:26 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848433#7339249 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/407541#7338807 This was from last year, but we had two decent meals. The first at Dibek. The Testi Kebab was quite good. They'll crack it opwn at your table. The rest was just ok. You'll need a reservation. Nostalji Restaurant had just opened. They were in the process of building a newer version of the place. The folks were very nice and took us into the kitchen where the women were prepping the food to look around. http://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/2011/11/cappadocia-goreme-nostalji-restaurant.html KirkK Mon, 14 May 2012 21:32:18 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/407541#7338807 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849016#7338559 Thank you both for your kind thoughts and recommendations. I'll report back in July. steve h. Mon, 14 May 2012 19:55:22 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849016#7338559 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848114#7337549 The Hungarian botrytis sweet wines from the overripe late harvest furmint grape are not to be missed. They are known as Tokáji. Look for small 50 cl bottles. They are rated with a star code - look for bottles labelled Aszu with 4 or 5 stars (puttunyos) upwards. In some vintages a superior version is produced - essencia. These wines beat Sauternes at value for money any time. Vintages 03, 05 and 06 are widely available and top class. The tax free bay at the airport has a decent and reasonably priced selection. Things not to missed to bring from Prague are typically not discussed on Chowhound, unless you count their Kohinoor pencils, and their delicate cedar perfumed outer ends as almost edible, as I tend to. hblnk Mon, 14 May 2012 13:14:10 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848114#7337549 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849070#7337405 Good and cheap don't really coexist in Geneva. Even the pizzas are pretty expensive. If you're there for a couple of weeks, if at all possible try to stay in a résidence, where you can make your own food. There are OK farmers markets in downtown Geneva, and a wonderful Saturday market across the border in Ferney. Speaking of Ferney, for not too much you can try the couscous at Le Patriarche, across the street from an excellent little bakery, La Fontaine. But don't expect to save much money if you eat at the French restaurants there. Back to Geneva: is the bistro at Bains des Paquis still serving fondue? If so, it's an affordable night out and a good place to gorge on bread & bubbly cheese. I haven't found good, cheap Lebanese in Geneva yet, but I'm still looking. yummers Mon, 14 May 2012 09:09:26 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849070#7337405 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846587#7337357 Having lived in Frankfurt for 10 years I have to disagree with the general comments about a lack of good food here. Some tips: - If you can read German, then get the local magazine "Frankfurt Geht Aus" which has loads of Top 10 type of reccomendations. - Kleinmarkthalle (daily) and the Market on the Konstablerwache (Thursday / Saturday) are great, with the Market being predominantly local, regional produce and the Kleinmarkthalle offering (almost) everything under the sun. Both offer a multitude of (lunch time) snacks and some basic sit-down options too. - great Austrian food can be had at Lohninger in Sachsenhausen -My two favourites at the moment are: - the only authentic Thai food I've ever had in Europe: Aroydee in Stiftstrasse - Dim Sum House - true HK-style dim sum frequented predominantly by chinese guests in the Konstabler Arkaden (Vilbeler Str.) - a little hard to find, but worth it! - Lunch, yes you can go to the Fressgass and join the lunch-time banker-crowd where you will find most anything for lunch on your list above - there are great Turkish restraurants in Münchenerstrasse, right hand side when walking up from the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) is Merkez Kebab House which I would reccomend etc etc etc.... :-) FS_FRA Mon, 14 May 2012 07:09:07 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846587#7337357 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847615#7337332 Geranium was spectacular :) cellophane_star Mon, 14 May 2012 06:29:35 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847615#7337332 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848857#7334847 Any suggestions? Looking for places with good takeaway food, be it sandwiches or hot food, from a market, cafe, street vendor, etc. Also, where to get the best ice cream? Thank you. Kat Sat, 12 May 2012 12:10:00 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848857#7334847 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/832232#7334534 I'm Portuguese so lack of greenery on my plate won't phase me. I am also wondering about having our 1yr old with us in general. I know the beer gardens in Germany are pretty kid friendly. How about the pubs in Prague? rphmandy Sat, 12 May 2012 03:07:42 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/832232#7334534 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847527#7331485 Hey - I was waiting with baited breath to hear back! I am so sorry you didn't find the Steckerlfisch stand -- it's usually at the far end of the market to the left of the church, and one can generally smell the smoke from further away. The Thai stand is also more towards the left side of the market (if you are facing the church) -- if you had a lousy waffle, my guess is you were on the right side. Oh well. The ketchup at HH is unique in that it has a high tomato-paste content, I guess. I like that it's different from your usual industrial fare, and it works well in combination with their mayo. I'm also surprised that you would put the BM over HH, and both over the Bird (!). Unless the Bird has completely gone down the toilet, I've always found it to be the best burger in Berlin. Perhaps time to reevaluate (tho the quality's been consistent for the 6 years they've been in business) or check out new burger places. They just keep popping up all over town...... I prefer fresh ground meat over frozen patties, which is why HH beats BM for me.... Paris Bar is a relic from the coke-soaked 80s, when Charlottenburg district was the chic place to hang out for yuppies and wannabes. I'm sure it's great as a location, but other than that, it holds no appeal for me -- good asparagus soup be damned :-) I agree about the potato salad at Henne. It's from the big, store-bought vat, and there is no reason whatsoever to charge that much. I do hope you enjoyed the chicken and the Landbier. Sounds like you had a good trip overall, and glad I could help out! linguafood Thu, 10 May 2012 15:53:50 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847527#7331485 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848217#7328963 Now for Salzburg..we were only there for 2 days, so this is much shorter. Restaurant Elefant -- this is downstairs in the Hotel Elefant (where we stayed). They have tables out on the street, where you can watch the tourists walk by, and look at the old clocktower. Salzburg is so very charming! The service at this restaurant was quite good, a bit more attentive than we found in most places. We both had the chicken shnitzel over salad with pumpkin seed oil. The salad was a bit of potato salad, some carrot salad and also some green salad. And I really love the flavor of the pumpkin seed oil. Pumpkin seeds seem to be very popular in Austria. My favorite rolls were the ones covered with pumpkin seeds. Anyways, the food at Restaurant Elefant was also quite good, and I would definitely recommend them for lunch or dinner. Zum Wilden Mann -- also in the old city, just around the corner from our hotel. This is a fairly simple restaurant, with good traditional food. We had the cream of asparagus soup -- incredibly good! They made a nice goulash, although the dumplings were kind of dry and dense. For dessert, we had pancakes with ice cream, chocolate sauce and toasted almonds. Yum! Service was haphazard, but okay. Also, important to note this restaurant is cash only....and this isn't posted anywhere. So we were a little surprised when our credit cards were denied. Our final dinner was at the Panorama restaurant, which is in the fortress at the top of the funicular. If you book the dinner & fortress concert ticket, they will book you up here, and you get a limited menu. We didn't want to be constrained, so we went up without the pre-paid dinner, and also no reservation. It would be wise to have a reservation if you want to eat here. We did end up getting a table, but it was uncertain...they had to make sure no other concert goers were coming. I had turkey schnitzel this time, served with parsley potatoes and cranberry sauce. Turkey cutlets actually make a fine schnitzel, maybe better than chicken (you may have guessed by now...I'm not a fan of pork or veal. My travel companion did eat both and loved the veal schnitzel best). We also tried the mixed sausage plate, which was pretty good. For dessert, we had to have one more Sacher torte. And you know what? this place made it far better than the Cafe Sacher in Vienna! It was not so dry, the chocolate was thicker, and there was a stronger flavor from the apricot jam. So I do recommend this place, especially if you are going up to hear a concert in the fortress. Its basically the only place to eat up there (there is a second pub-like restaurant, but it had a pretty limited menu and didn't interest us). For a place in such a touristy location, and with a captive audience, I thought they did a good job. We enjoyed the food. ChinaCat Wed, 09 May 2012 14:02:24 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848217#7328963 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848102#7326647 Mmm...sounds delicious. (I had to google "Kaffeerahm" - interesting concept.) ao23 Tue, 08 May 2012 14:46:23 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848102#7326647 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845191#7326381 I wanted to post with a bit of a trip report as we just returned from Istanbul. Thank you for all of the suggestions and ideas. We had an amazing trip. Everyone doted on the kids left and right and we all had a fabulous time. We did end up eating at Antiocha and they were not only accommodating with the kids, but gracious. The food was delicious - the meze, the meats and we had probably the best Turkish Coffee of our trip. On Saturday, we ate in the bazaar at Kara Mehmet for lunch. It was lovely to sit outside and eat and we had quite a feast. Everything was fresh and hot and perfect. Saturday night we ate at Lokanta Maya. It was a bit more upscale in feel, but we had a fun time nonetheless. My son gobbled up my sea bass and my daughter made quick work of the lamb. It was on the pricier side, but we enjoyed a nice evening out. Sunday we went on a bit of a wild goose chase to find Giritli (wrong spot according to Google) but we found it and were so glad we did. It was quite empty for lunch, but the staff were so gracious with the kids. It was indeed a beautiful garden and the meze selection vast! As the bread came out, I pointed over to the kids about where the baker was baking it and next thing I knew the kids were over there and getting to bake their own bread. Because it wasn't busy, the baker let them help and they had a blast. The food was fresh, bright and made for a perfect afternoon sitting outside and enjoying the setting, the food and white wine. Sunday night we did the Kebab Crawl and it was a lot of fun. Our guide painted quite a flowery picture of the various establishments and characters we'd meet and the kids enjoyed being fawned over and doted on. Football was the order of the evening and by the time we made it to our last stop for dessert my son was a Fenerbaci fan and was high fiving the staff over the replays. We definitely tasted some unique things we wouldn't have tried otherwise, but I will say that I think we enjoyed some of our other Kebab food just as much. All in all, well worth doing. Thank you again 'hounds for helping us plan our trip! Oh, we also really enjoyed the various sweets at Hafiz Mustafa as you come back to the Sultanhamet side from the Galata Bridge. The ice cream vendor next door was also a hoot with his antics and had the kids in stitches. actarheel Tue, 08 May 2012 12:39:20 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845191#7326381 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848023#7324450 Going to Budapest for 5 days, want to hit every restaurant/market/cafeteria, anything that's delicious, unique, representative of Hungarian cuisine, and cheap. The cool places for locals! I'm definitely looking for things like the best hurka, lecso, langos, halaszle, vadas, meggyleves, any fozelek... Please recommend, location doesn't matter but my apartment is on boszormenyi ut. Thanks. Andrassebestyen89 Mon, 07 May 2012 14:44:00 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848023#7324450 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/837692#7323282 In Vienna try Phonixhof, on Neustiftgasse. Good, honest Viennese food in a relaxed, local pub with a friendly staff. I love that place. In Prague, Lokal, for sure. Also, see if you can squeeze yourself into U Zlateho Tygra for beer and grub. It's a very Czech place where locals argue politics for hours and hours, but it can be tough to find a seat. If you manage to strike up a conversation with someone like we did you can have a great time. Also, street food will be your friend, for sure Wenceslas Sq has late-night kolbasa stands and Vienna has wurstlstands, also open late. Have fun! kukubura Sun, 06 May 2012 19:19:16 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/837692#7323282 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845288#7320907 I'm going to pass the movie/Damoa idea on to my daughter. Thank you! anonj Sat, 05 May 2012 02:09:54 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845288#7320907 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847709#7320413 We are traveling to Prague and Vienna in July. Looking for mid price recommendations for dinner. In Vienna, we will be staying inside the Ringstrasse, and in Prague just on the border of Old Town. Looking for some innovative cuisine. We are 3 women, don't need more than 2-3 courses. Would like to stick around 100 Euro total before wine, if possible. Thanks! Diane in Bexley Fri, 04 May 2012 20:45:04 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847709#7320413 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847503#7317677 My wife and I will be in Copenhagen the entire day an night of the 22nd of May. We were unable to secure a reservation at Noma on that day. If anyone has a reservation for two that day/night, we will pay $200 USD or best offer. Thanks. ajstewart243 Thu, 03 May 2012 18:19:52 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847503#7317677 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846711#7317122 I posted a few recs over here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847332 cellophane_star Thu, 03 May 2012 14:47:50 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846711#7317122 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847332#7317111 OK, here are some my recommendations! My husband and I travelled to Greece this time last year. We did Athens on our own, then visited Syros, Mykonos and Santorini with a touring group (though it's not like the massive groups you usually see. Basically, they just provided the transportation to the islands and then we were on our own. Just mentioning this because our Mykonos dinner was at a large table of 12 people but the other meals were just my husband and I). I've copied the following info from my trip notes. We had some good meals at other restaurants but I'm only going to include the places where I actually wrote down the names of the establishments. Before I go on, just a general tip about dining in Mykonos & Santorini: You really pay for the beach view. Sometimes the quality of the food in restaurants overlooking the ocean isn't that great but the price is still high. Some of the beachfront restaurants cater to touristy tastes, meaning you won't get the most authentic Greek food. Of course, there are exceptions to this. Ok, here we go! ATHENS: "Afterwards [the Acropolis], we walked down to Plaka for lunch. We stumbled upon a restaurant in an alley. We noticed it was recommended by Lonely Planet and Jamie Oliver so it was worth a shot. We ordered a Mythos (beer) and tzatiki with olive bread and a marinade eggplant salad with sundried tomatoes. Both were amazing but the real highlight was our main: meatballs with the greatest tomato sauce. The menu said it is world famous but a huge secret. It was sweet and tomatoy and just the best. We also ordered a dish of marinated meat with feta but the meatballs were my favourite". *** I wish I could remember the name of this restaurant because the meatballs were one of the greatest things I"ve ever eaten. Based on this link (http://www.athensguide.com/restaurants.html), I believe the place was called "To Kafeneon". It was also mentioned in our Lonely Planet guidebook. "We continued our walk through Plaka and I stopped at a store called Fresko Yogurt Bar. It looked like an ice cream store but they only sold Greek yogurt. They had four kinds: regular, light, sheep milk & goat milk. They also had all kinds of fruit toppings, different kinds of honey and nuts. I ordered mine with quince and walnuts and it was great." MYKONOS: "I bought some ice cream at a place called Kayak which had some innovative flavour combinations. I got two scoops that were representative of traditional desserts. One was chocolate with bread pieces and another was “mastic” with pink peppercorns. Both were great." "Then I stumbled upon a specialty food store. I wanted to buy all kinds of oils & vinegars but I only bought perishables: this amazing honey cookie with nuts inside and their signature cookie which contained carrot, mandarin and coconut." This store was called Mardarini Traditional Desserts & Spirits. The honey cookie was SO GOOD. Greek honey is really unique. Also amazing: the store's Greek yogurt with storemade tart cherry sauce. Mmmm... "We hung for about an hour before heading out to dinner at a place called Eva’s Garden. It was outside by the dining area was enclosed and garden-y. We had lots of wine. I had fresh seabass that was deboned in front of me. Greg got pork with a mustard-Guiness sauce and the creamiest potatoes ever." The service here was really great as was the food. Recommend checking it out. "I wanted dessert but the group and I were fixated on a gelato shop on the main road. The sign outside said “The Best Gelato in Town!” so how could we argue with that? We all went and I got yogurt and baklava gelatos. It was really good." This gelato place had lots of neat flavours I hadn't seen anywhere else. Not a "must see" but I have a gelato obsession so I loved it. Do NOT go here: "We got lunch at a place called Niko’s. The girl at the hotel recommended it and you can trust a local’s opinion on food most of the time. I didn’t want to eat heavily so I got a frappe and a cucumber tomato salad. Then I got a white fish, spinach & tomato dish that was super oily and cold in the middle. Everything was piled on the plate and when I finished eating the parts that were actually warm, I found a hair in the middle! Almost threw up. Told the guy who was not apologetic but we didn’t have to pay for it. Ugh." SANTORINI: "We made a reservation for dinner at a place called Mama’s Place. Mama was super sassy and we could tell this would be fun.... We met up with the group for dinner. Mama was insane but hilarious. I started with a Greek salad. One of Santorini’s delicacy is the white eggplant and I really want to try it so I ordered a tomato & eggplant dish stuffed with beef and goat cheese. It looked like a giant baked potato! And the eggplant was purple, not white. Delicious, none the less. Greg started with tomato balls which arrived as deep fried fritters that I did not care for. He also got a seabass dish for his main." This place was really fun, mainly due to Mama. It was my husband's birthday and she surprised him with baklava and sparklers. This place was away from the ocean view. "We then all went for our final dinner together. With anywhere in Europe, you pay more at a restaurant with a view and sometimes, the restaurant skimps on the quality of the food because they know they’ll get customers who will pay more for the view. Instead, we went to a restaurant away from the ocean-facing strip called Nikolas’. It was very small and Nikolas himself wasn’t all that nice. In fact, he told one of the girls in our group not to look at other people’s food as it was being served because it was rude. I mean, what the hell? I don’t even think she was gawking or anything. But, I was willing to look past that because the food was fresh and of good quality. I ended up ordering a plate of cooked spinach and fresh grilled calamari. Greg got a Greek salad and seafood spaghetti. My calamari was good but half the platter was filled with fries that I didn’t eat. Greg’s spaghetti had a huge prawn on it. Overall, I don’t think it was the best venue for our last dinner but whatever." This was fun, looking back at my notes! I'm heading to Europe again tomorrow (Amsterdam and then Denmark) so this reinforced how neat is was to keep detailed notes for review :) Have fun in Greece! General recommendation: I ate LOTS of cucumber & tomato salads, Greek yogurt with Greek honey, roasted lamb, seafood and frappes (instant coffee with a bit of milk and sugar... so good). " cellophane_star Thu, 03 May 2012 14:40:37 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847332#7317111 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846216#7314906 V Zatisi definitelly. Bellevue is sort of Italian, U Modre Kachnicky is downright awfull. Golden Well seems to be doing nicely, I've never been there but there are nice views from their terrace and the food references have allways been good. Artisan or Lobkowitz Cafe - no idea, never even heard of them. sasicka Wed, 02 May 2012 16:25:16 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846216#7314906 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/765971#7314444 Agree. I had a wonderful meal there last year; it was our best meal in Bruges. I had been to bruges 10 years ago, and every meal was stupendous....last year, though - not so much...I was actually pretty disappointed in our other meals there this time. NellyNel Wed, 02 May 2012 13:21:17 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/765971#7314444 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/843433#7314241 Very nice. Glad you like Pod Baranem. What else did you eat? Krakow struck us as a lunch town. kukubura Wed, 02 May 2012 10:02:28 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/843433#7314241 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846204#7314208 this has been resolved, offer no longer good eeebigeee Wed, 02 May 2012 08:21:40 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846204#7314208 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/838566#7313223 Thanks for Den Huzaar. What a great rec. Lovely authentic bistro. Cheers Brewers_Wife Tue, 01 May 2012 21:52:58 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/838566#7313223 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/835842#7313160 At least the Restaurant magazine realized that Geranium is quite a worthy place and just inducted it into the World's 50 best restaurants (released the other day). Check it out at http://www.theworlds50best.com/ ps. Relae is now in the top 100. It's the cheapest Michelin star place in Copenhagen and a very trendy restaurant. Lots of young people. onlydon Tue, 01 May 2012 21:21:05 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/835842#7313160 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/667162#7312437 Hi there, do you still offer cooking classes? I'm going to be coming through Athens at the end of May and was trying to find somewhere a friend and I could spend a few hours learning to make spanakopita and maybe a few other items. dubaxter Tue, 01 May 2012 16:24:17 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/667162#7312437 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/836512#7311764 Thanks for all the suggestions, off to Hvar later this week and will report back later in the month. vanderb Tue, 01 May 2012 08:01:46 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/836512#7311764 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844084#7310939 I ate tonight at Koefoed as I stumbled upon it by accident. It was a wonderful experience. Very small, but special menu. All food from the island of Bornholm. Beautiful presentation, and very knowledgeable staff. If you are hungry, you could try the 5 course tasting menu. In the end, it will cost about the same as my 2 starters, drinks and desert, which by the way was hepavenly. I believe the tasting menu is just under 500 dkk. The desert I had was the elderflower. Appetizers were herring and Jerusalem artichoke soup. But those ingredients can not describe the dishes. Much more than that. P.S. if you like beer, try any they have, as they are very good, and either come from Bornholm, and there is one they make themselves. nyc2italia Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:34:56 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844084#7310939 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846641#7310917 Will you be here on a Wednesday by chance? If so, you need to try the Onsdag snegl. If you do a little research, I'm sure you can find it. Unfortunately, I am leaving tomorrow morning and came in on a Thursday night so have missed them. They are basically cinnamon rolls, but the most heavenly ones you have ever had. They are only available from a specific bakery in the center. I have fond fond memories eating them years ago while studying here. Also, you must try the hot dogs with everything. Had one for a snack today. Delish! The market called Torvehallerne is a must. Unfortunately, it is closed on Mondays, which is when I passed by. So just make sure you go another day. And note things close early here. Stores by 7pm max, and earlier of course on Sundays. The market may be open until 8, but I'm not sure. It is right down the street from Nørreport station. Enjoy! nyc2italia Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:25:10 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846641#7310917 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846419#7310655 Stu, few ideas for you: 1) check out female-run places for lunch: those would be either traditional ev yemekleri (home-made food) run by middle-aged women who will happily feed you or trendier places run by new generation of female chefs - Kantin in Nisantasi, Lokanta Maya in Karakoy and Aif in Beyoglu are all worth a visit 2) make friends with another like-minded traveler for a night out at a meyhane: they are not fun on your own. A local would be happy to take you out and show how to enjoy raki-balik but be careful with those locals) 3) consider spoiling yourself for a night and go fine dining so the experienced waiters and interesting dished will keep you busy On lahmacun: my favorite is Mavi Halic in Eminonu and Halil Lahmacun in Kadikoy. Happy eating in Istanbul! --- www.deliciousistanbul.com/blog DeliciousIstanbul Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:22:16 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846419#7310655 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846515#7309445 You could try either Toucan or Toucan-sur-Mer, both of which are open on Sunday evening - the latter being the better choice. La Canne en Ville is open Mondays. Consider also Quincaillerie (close to Conrad) or Brasserie Georges - decor/athmosphere may trump the food but this also applies to Belga Queen. Zeeland moules are out of season until July but maybe they can be sourced elsewhere by some restaurants. The so-called Europa Day (9th May) is a non-event - maybe a few places close around the Schumann quarter but these are better avoided anyway. kerriar Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:40:35 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846515#7309445 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846616#7309398 The price levels at these restaurants are about the same. The 8 small-courses tasting menu at Freyenstein is Euro 39 (no changes possible, you eat what is on the menu !), the four 4-course menues at Martin Stein are 46 to 50 Euro, a 5 course menu at Kutschker 44 is Euro 42.30. Zum Finsteren Stern is offering a six-course tasting menu for Euro 52, which is slightly more but worth every cent. You pay twice as much at Steirereck... Reservation is a must at all of these places, especially for Zum Finsteren Stern and Freyenstein when outdoor dining is possible. Their outdoor setups are very popular. Also these two restaurants will always reserve an indoor and an outdoor table for you, since the weather might change fast... Sturmi Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:00:55 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846616#7309398 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846781#7309266 We are going to Russia in February 2013. I read somewhere that Vladamir Putin had a favorite Italian restaurant in Moscow, favored more than Cafe Pushkin. What might it be? Liz in Seattle Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:51:23 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846781#7309266 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/843398#7308763 John, I am already partaking of your wisdom about Budapest. Looking forward to the MAX apartment in July and your recommendations for delicious food. I am hoping to re-live the delicacies of my childhood - beef porkolt, dios testas, retas, etc. while managing to satisfy my 20 something daughters' reticence over anything braised. Thank goodness my eldest is no longer a vegetarian, as I know she won't be able to resist the Hungarian salami sandwiches we are planning. Looking forward to your tutelage in all things Hungarian, Diane Diane in Bexley Sun, 29 Apr 2012 23:09:11 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/843398#7308763 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/810230#7307720 all Budapest restaurants are entirely non-smoking now... farago Sun, 29 Apr 2012 11:43:12 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/810230#7307720 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/818428#7307717 I share most opt HBink's assessments of restaurants, but emphatically disagree with both the notion that "the general situation is that dubious value and tourist traps dominate the scene". This is about as accurate as saying the same thing about NYC after being dropped into the middle of Times Square. The fact that one finds tourist traps in tourist districts should not be a surprise in any city. And I also take exception to the notion that the very variable recent history of the Cafe Central places it at the top of the cukraszda (patisserie/pack) pack. It's a historic place, relatively carefully redone lately by new owners who also own several of the city's trendier spots, and among the things they have done is bring the pastry kitchen there up from ho-hum to competitive. But there are many far better and more consistent pastry options, depending on one's taste and interests ... consider the Auguszt, the Jeg Bufe (primarily takeout, as are Nandori and Kovacs Cukraszda) and for that matter the Cafe Alibi in some ways, the Cafe Gerloczy in others .... farago Sun, 29 Apr 2012 11:40:30 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/818428#7307717 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/834568#7307710 Searching the International board on Budapest will yield a far more comprehensive and discursive range of options, though the restaurant scene is changing in Budapest and some of the older posts are showing their age ... the restaurants and places listed here are solid, but far from chowhoundish, examples of tourist-only venues, with the exceptions of the last three mentioned: Borkonyha (a bit sterile and austere for my tastes), Klassz (no reservations and often crowded, but wonderful consistently) and Bock Bisztro (excellent, but also a bit stark); one could add LaciPecsenye! and Pesti Diszno and Csalogany 26 to that list; up and coming, check out Baldaszti's on Andrassy and the restaurants in the bottom of the new business center behind the Keleti train station (the Eiffel) ... both are striving for a mix of hip and foodie. Of the Michelin-starred restaurants, my strong preference is for Onyx if you only have time or inclination for a single one. farago Sun, 29 Apr 2012 11:32:48 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/834568#7307710 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846442#7307672 No, not Buddha, maybe better: Budai ! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budai ;-) Sturmi Sun, 29 Apr 2012 08:52:27 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846442#7307672 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846585#7306985 Thanks! Looking to buy some really fresh lobster and fish. YYZSolly Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:24:23 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846585#7306985 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846389#7304510 There are fairly recent discussions about Berlin restaurants on the older threads - perhaps have another look? Your hotel is right in the center of Berlin, so your options are rather endless. Any particular cuisine, price point, etc. would be helpful. Almost every German speaks English (particularly in the restaurant business), so that shouldn't be an issue, either. linguafood Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:03:08 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846389#7304510 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845963#7301565 Well, my personal favorite beer garden remains Pratergarten in Prenzlauer Berg, tho I hear that Brauhaus Südstern's supposed to have some nice outdoor seating, and they're located right on one of the larger parks in Berlin (Hasenheide). There's Café am See in Tiergarten, another massive park in the center of Berlin -- more Southern German/Bavarian-themed as far as food goes, and it can get pretty swamped. Heinz Minki on Schlesische Str. in the eastern part of Kreuzberg is a cute little beer garden, also nearby are Freischwimmer and the Club der Visionäre -- hipster hangouts that turn into clubs at night, but serve food & drinks during the day. Mauersegler in Mauerpark (Prenzlauer Berg) is near Pratergarten, and adjacent to where the massive flea market takes place every Sunday. There's any number of places where one can sit outside - Berliners are notoriously ready to sit out at the slightest hint of sun and/or warmth... the whole area along Maibachufer, the area around Graefestrasse and Oranienstr. in Kreuzberg all have many restos and bars with outdoor seating, be it on the wide sidewalks or along the canal in little front yards. It's pretty awesome, actually :-) What kind of lunch places are you thinking? linguafood Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:01:14 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845963#7301565 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845049#7300583 Stockholm has a lot of korvkiosks (hot-dog stands) but I don't know anyone who eats there regularly. They serve whatever passes for hot dogs there along with assorted condiments (some familiar, some a little odd) as well as other hotdog stand fare. Many of these are also kebab stands (is there a city that doesn't have kebab stands/stalls?) Th other ubiquitous sandwich is the open-faced mound of mayonnaise-soaked tiny shrimp that are all over the place (even 7-11 (and, IIRC McDonald's) - which are much cooler than in the US). Swedes also have an affinity for Thai food, so you'll find many more than you'd typically see in Europe. In the European tradition Stockholm has a large foodhall in Ostermalm. It's primarily full of stalls with various foodmongers (meat, fish,cheese, bread) where you can shop for ingredients for the evening's (or day's) meal. It also has a number of prepared food stalls on its perimeter, offering sushi, Lebanese and other dishes (I had an excellent falafel sandwich there). Gamla stan, the "old city" section has more fast food options than I'd like to see, but you can get a good cup of coffee and sweets in various shops (I don't recall a single name, but if you wander around, some will stand out). Oh, and nothing's "cheap." ferret Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:50:05 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845049#7300583 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844692#7299830 Dear goldilocks76, I know it's a bit random, but I've met up with other chowhounders in London and it's been great, so let me know if you'd like company for some of these places. I will be in Vienna alone for work from the 6-18 of May and sadly only be able to do dinners. I'm from NYC but live in London. I've been to Vienna before and grew up on Hungarian food b/c that's my family background, so am very enthusaistic. Thanks! Foodie94 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:47:53 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844692#7299830 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845988#7299825 Dear Chowheads, I'm a former New Yorker hound who has lived in London for 4 years. I will be in Vienna alone on business from the 6-18 of May and am looking for good places for single diners -inexpensive to moderately-priced with a few splashouts. I have picked up the obvious choices from the board - Rudi´s Beisl, Walter Bauer, etc - but didn't find a post specifically on solo diners. Sorry if I missed it. Thanks! Also, if Vienna chows or other visitors would like to meet up, let me know. I've been to chowdowns in London and it's great to meet other foodies and try more of a menu. Foodie94 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:45:37 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845988#7299825