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Most Memorable Dining Experience
What's your favorite dining experiences anywhere in the world? I travel quite a bit and would love to hear responses from other travelers of some of the most memorable dining experiences they have had on their travels.
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The terrace restaurant at the Hotel Cipriani on Guidecca in Venice, Italy.
Impeccable cuisine, atmosphere, and service. A lovely gem. |
I still think about our dinner at Osteria locanda Il Canto del Maggio in a town a little south of Florence called Penna. Penna is a small hilltown off the A1 and the restaurant is on the very top of the hill. It was run by a local family, of course. The dishes were spectacular and expertly paired with local wines. The local beef was to die for and for the first time ever I had a ravioli that was filled with pecorino cheese and pear in a butter sage sauce that you could have eaten until you became ill. They have a web site and apartments to stay in. If we had known we could have stayed there I might still be in Italy!!
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I Sette Consoli in Orvieto
IL Ritrovo in Florence Da Cesarina in Bologna Nuovi Notai in Bologna The prosciutto and cipolini pizza at La Strada in Praiano. |
Boyer Les Crayeres in Reims about 5 years ago. Started the evening on the terrace watching the sunset over Reims with a bottle of 92 Bollinger Grand Annee. It was all uphill from there. Wonderful food, lovely atmosphere, and impeccable service. Nothing will ever top that dinner.
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Bollinger Grande Annee 1990 is my favourite Champagne, far better than the '92.
The best meals I have ever had were at The Fountain at Four Seasons in Philadelphia, and at the legendary San Domenico in Imola, Italy. Gordon Ramsay, London, follows. My Best Service Award goes to the restaurant at the Connaught Hotel in London. The best mid-priced meal I have ever had, which get my Greatest Value Award, was at Bistro LePic in Georgetown, DC. My favourite restaurant in the entire world is Chantarelle in NYC, though. Never had a bad meal there, and the room is so beautiful. Best Cheap Meal Award: a tiny dim sum parlor in the Hung Hom neighbourhood of Hong Kong. $7 US for a meal that I can still dream about. Cheers, John G. |
For the food, service, and the setting The Auberge de Eriden, on the shore of Lac Annecy where the herb enhanced dishes are created by Marc Feyat.
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"Le Saint Vincent" in Chagny in Bourgogne (Cote d'or). 14 people sort of "dropped in" without reserves... we were treated beautifully, with style and grace, the owner and two of his friends joined us.
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A friend and were just talking about this and how our favorites sometimes had very little to do with price. Top 5 include a pizza and caprese on the deck of the Aminta, overlooking the beautiful Bay of Naples, Fuori Porto, in Siena on a stormy day when the proprieter took complete care of us, Ski Tip Lodge in Keystone, Co. anytime, the Madrona Manor in Healdsburg with a very special someone, and a huge back yard BBQ with my whole family in Volcano, CA.
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L'Ousteau de Baumaniere in Les Baux de Provence. Lunch at Jules Verne. And since you did say anywhere in the world, I will also mention a birthday dinner at Giorgio's here in Portland, OR, as well as MANY memorable dining experiences at Caffe Mingo in Portland. And the Beach House in Kauai.
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Le Bernardin NYC (with Bob Hope at the next table, who had no impact on the food, but how coool is that?)
Il Ciak in Trastevere-best veal chop in the universe The Las Dunas Resort on the Costa del Sol Cowboy Cut Rib Eye at Sullivan's Steak House in Austin, Texas Christina's on Orcas Island Yum. |
Gail,
L'Auberge Du Pont Collonges, Lyon France. Being escorted into the kitchen and introduced to the staff and meeting Paul Bocuse was memorable. The Caledonian Suite in London where I ate the most horrible dish ever served....Haggis! |
I agree with the poster about the Terrace Restaurant at the Hotel Cipriani in Venice. Also, the restaurant at the Hotel Monasterio in Cusco, Peru - fabulous food, atmosphere and value.
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Hi
My most memorable is not neccesarily the best. I was in Pirano in Slovenia several years ago and went to a local seafood restaurant. As the menu was in Slovenian and Italian, I ordered seafood pasta. When it came, I didn't know what to do, the seafood were tiny octopus. each about 1/2 to 1" long. I decided that since I ate raw clams, oysters etc. I would give it a try. It was very good, not the best but very good. alan |
Wow Carmen, I was surprised (and glad) to see Giorgio's. I've not been; how does it compare to Mingo?
As for mine, a warm from the oven peach & apple tart, topped with ice cream made with tahitian vanilla, served at a picnic table steps from the lagoon at the "restaurant" in Painapo Beach, Moorea, French Poly. I'm not sure it's possible, but am hoping to top that experience in a few months in Paris. |
My most memorable? That's easy. I'll never forget having dinner at Belforte, two years ago, on our final evening in Vernazza. Part of what made it memorable was sitting with a beautiful woman I was head over heels in love with at the time, in a stone room all to ourselves, hearing the Ligurian waves crash on the rocks below through a porthole behind us, and seeing her gorgeous brown eyes flicker along with the candlelight. The other part was when our waiter (a very friendly guy from Volterra) reached across the candle to take our salad plates and his shaggy sweater caught on fire. We immediately jumped up and swatted it out with our napkins and once it was out, we all laughed in shock and amazement.
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In no particular order, with the emphasis on "memorable" as opposed to good (because in most cases I don't remember exactly what I ate!):
- In the outdoor courtyard at the Ursulinen in Linz, Austria on a warm summer night - On the terrace at the Tennerhof in Kitzbuhel, starting when it was light at 8 PM and ending after 11, enjoying the whole long evening in the shadow of the Austrian Alps - The most spectacular 7-course meal you will ever have in your life at Boyer les Crayeres in Reims - mentioned above - bring your credit cards - The dining terrace at the Hotel St. Paul in St. Paul-de-Vence with my wife and our best friends - Arriving at our villa in Positano, rented thru the Parker Company, tired and hungry after a long flight to Rome and long drive down the coast, and finding that the live-in caretaker had prepared an Italian feast for us, topped off at the end with more than a few rounds of limoncello (home-made, from the lemons grown on the seaside terrace outside the door) - In the US, lunches at Pacific's Edge in Carmel Highlands and at Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford, CA I could go on but I'm getting awfull hungry and there's a 1/2 gallon of Rocky ROad in the 'fridge with my name on it. |
Hi beachbum...are you a Portlander too? Giorgio's makes beautiful food--amazing flavors and gorgeous presentation. It's not stuffy at all, but a bit less rambunctious than Mingo. Don't go there if you're in a hurry! Giorgio's is a great place for a simple, but special evening. Mingo is my go-to place when I'm in the neighborhood and don't feel like cooking, which is often ;) Maybe I'll see you there...
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Dinner at Lasserre in Paris about 25 years ago. Our first 3 star restaurant (it's since been demoted by Michelin), we were told we could have a table at 7:00 if we could let them have it back by 9:00. (By the way, this is the only time that request has been made of us in France.) On arrival we were taken upstairs by a uniformed page boy in the little jewel box of an elevator.
The food was incredible; to this day I recall the first course of cèpes and the perfect little fraises des bois for dessert. We were absolutely stunned when the ceiling began rolling back to open the room to the stars. Our fellow diners were also interesting. Across the room was Mary Tyler Moore; at the table next to us was a party of Japanese who took pictures of each course as it was served and who drank orange juice throughout the meal. Oh, and we wound up staying until about 10:30. I don't know whatever happened to the need to vacate the table; we asked at one point and were told to enjoy our meal, which continued to be served at a perfect pace. We've had wonderful meals and dining experiences since, but that was definitely the most memorable, just like the first is supposed to be. ;;) |
Capo, I loved your story(she say s as she flickers her brown eyes...no not me-sigh!)
John,dorf, my friend never served hagisa to me? Is it that bad? Shellio, you made Lassere worth going to, by the way you described the ceiling rolling back! |
Since this is anywhere in the world...I would have to say that... after we spent an entire day getting to St. Barts we showered, changed and arrived at Franscois Plantation for dinner. The smells alone were unbelievable. The setting was just beautiful. Our dinner was sublime.
We have eaten at wonderful restaurants the world over but this is my "standout". |
Dinner with my then boyfriend/now husband at Taillevent in Paris. Absolutely amazing and perfect. We still talk about it regularly.
Lunch with my mom at Jules Verne in Paris. She was so overwhelmed, it was our first day in Paris and it was so fantastic to share that childlike wonder with my mom. She has since passed away so it will always be one of the nicest meals with my mom before she became sick. Capo- I'm sorry to hear that you are not in love with her anymore (if it is the woman I met at our Seattle Indian food lunch a few years back) |
TTT. This was a fun thread and I hope more Fororites will take a crack at answering.
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30 oz flame kissed boneless rib eye steak with, twice baked potatoes, grilled corn on the cob, strawberry
shortcake, long neck lone star beer. The stock yard inn, Fort Worth Tx Yummy! |
There are four that immediately come to mind:
Xenia Palace hotel, Nafplion, Greece (on the terrace overlooking the bay) John Ash, Sonoma County Scarlet Begonia, Portland, OR -now closed :( (Beachbum & Carmen- funny so many of us responding to this thread are from Portland. This is definitely an eater's city!) The Ivy, London All: gorgeous food, service, and ambiance. Absolute perfection! |
I'd have to say the funniest dining experience we ever had occured in Vernazza (Cinque Terre, Italy). The town has stray cats galore, and we chose to sit outside at one of the tables lining the town square. My husband ordered a pasta dish with fresh anchioves. He excused himself during dinner to go to the men's room and lo and behold, a stray cat leaped onto our table and buried its nose in his anchioves! The waiter replaced his dinner :-) Too bad he didn't allow the cat to finish "his dinner"!!
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Hi pandaschu. Portland definitely is a great town for eaters! (I must have missed out on Scarlet Begonia.) But speaking of Scarlett, she's visiting Portland in September some time. I hope she has many memorable meals here too!
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La Maison in the Mas de Bournissac near Noves/St. Remy in Provence. The outdoor dinner we had there several years ago has become a standard for all meals we have while traveling.
"Inside" restaurant in New York City for a reasonably-priced, excellent meal. It is located at 9 Jones Street in Greenwich Village. It is owned by the former chef of Arcadia. Decor is simple, service is great; food distinctive; price, for Manhattan reasonable. Mention Anthony and Carole. |
It's hard to narrow it down, but one night in Paris comes to mind. My wife's boss had lived in "the city of light" for a while many years earlier, and wanted to show off his favorite place. It was my first time in Paris, and I was eager for experience.
It was over on the east side of town (I don't remember the arrondisement), and it was called a "brasserie"...but it was far more upscale than what you'd expect from that term. It was very crowded, but we didn't have to wait too long for our table. I enjoyed the best cassoulet ever prepared by human hands, and we shared a couple bottles of a spectacular burgundy. I think Ms. Go had the duck (or was it veal?). Intensely delicious profiteroles were the dessert, <i>mais bien sur</i>. Anyway, we talked about Paris all night, and my wife's boss insisted on picking up the sizeable check afterward. That was nice. |
When were you in "Inside," Powell? It always seems empty when I walk past it. A year or two ago, I stopped by for lunch, and I think that I was the only one there.
The food was decent. |
I have two:
A tiny little beachfront restaurant near Huatulco, Mexico at sunset with a few sailboats in the bay behind us. It was at that moment in 1999 that I knew I'd marry my now wife. Taillevent in Paris on both occassions we've dined there. Just the perfect combination of food, ambiance, and service. Three hours of pure indulgence. |
A seafood feast at the Marco Polo Guest House, Zadar, Croatia .... twas end of the tourist season, Madame was about to close for the winter .... she had just arrived home with a haul of mussels, oysters, fish, octopus, and prawns, fresh from the boats .... was supposed to be for her own family, but since we were the only ones in house she treated us to this mouth watering feast with chilled local white wine !
Memorable not only for the fresh seafood but also for the hosts generosity. The other wonderful dining experience we had while on holiday in Croatia (a holiday dominated by one mediocre meal after another)was on the island of Vis , in the village of Komiza .... to the west of the village along the beach is Jastozera Tavern, formerly a lobster storage warehouse, now a unique seafood restaurant perched out over the ocean ... on a late summers evening, was a wonderfully romantic setting, and the food DELICIOUS ! |
mr_go, that would be Brasserie Julien on rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, in the 10eme.
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I have had more than one flawless meal at "The Bridgewater Mill" in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia. If anyone is in the area then please go for lunch, I promise you wont regret it ...
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The comment on Chanterelle made me think about an expanded answer to memorable.
While my previous two certainly qualify as my favorite, the night one of my firm's clients, an EXTREMELY obnoxious Frenchmen from Credit Lyonnais in Paris, got into an arguement with the Maitre'D at Chanterelle over the size of the bubbles in the expensive champagne he ordered (without asking us first) then proceeded to yell "SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN" at the then Chairman of Mobil Oil as he was presenting the owner of the restaurant with his award. (4 or 5 star, can't remember.) The truely absurd part was having another of my firm's clients translate the aguement between the obnoxious Frenchmen and the Maitre'D from French to English. "He just said the food is not fit for pigs." "The Maitre'D told him that isn't true because he is most certainly a pig." The next morning, my firm's CEO called my colleague into his office to ask why he received a call from Chanterelle that morning banning our firm from their establishment. |
<i>mr_go, that would be Brasserie Julien on rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, in the 10eme.</i>
Folks, that was 10 years ago. See why I keep her around? |
An Italian farmhouse 'slow dinner' at the Malverena just outside Assisi. It was a cool rainy April night at this isolated farm in the Umbrian hills. It was just us, another American couple and two Italian couples, in the large, oak beamed stone dining hall. We sat close to the fireplace where much of the cooking was done, and many bottles of local red wine were on the long farmhouse table. The delicous 9 course meal went on long into the night, and the conversation and wine flowed freely. Much more fun than any Michelin 4* 'haute cusine' eatery!
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A)Lutece in New York in the old days. Grand but not pretentious.
B)Le Bernadin in New York, anytime. How can such a famous and formal restaurant seem so relaxed and welcoming? C)Le Chanticleer at the Negresco Hotel in Nice. D)Arkle in Chester, England. I have no idea why, it was just special. E)A tiny nameless French place near Malaga, Spain where six of us showed up for lunch one day, to find out it was closed -- despite what an article in a recent travel magazine had said. The owners invited us into their dining room (they lived upstairs) and proceeded to prepare dinner for the next three hours. It was incredible. They pouted because we wanted only four Grand Marnier souffles to share, but obeyed us. The four each came out in an iron "skillet" about 10 inches across, with souffle peaking about 6 inches high! F) Eating under the stars on a terrace at Villa Athena in Agrigento facing the amber lit temples, the full moon rising behind them. I forget the food, who cares? G) A house/restaurant in Konya, Turkey where we wandered in. No one spoke a word of English and there was no menu. We somehow ordered, feasted, laughed, and felt totally welcome. H) A "tempura house" on the outskirts of Toyko, which mirrored the experience above. I) Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner at my house for family and "displaced" friends. |
The "Crazy Cow" steakhouse in Prague. The combination of the best steak I have ever had in my whole life, and the company of somebody I had a massive crush on, was a heady one indeed :-)
It was a seriously good steak, though, and only a few pounds for the whole meal including wine. The same crowd of us are travelling to Krakow via Prague in a couple of months' time, and we are going back to Prague a day early specifically so that we can have dinner there again! |
Where is the Crazy Cow steakhouse in Prague??
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