The Taste of a City!

[Chanfan]

Ahh, for the days of being able to tuck into the carbs with abandon…

I'm not nearly as well traveled as some, but a few memories for me:

Boston - Little Italy made me a very happy visitor. I selected several random places, and enjoyed them all. Also had some wonderful Indian there!

New York - hmm, my memories are mostly of museums, and not food. There was a fun place, the 24-Hour Diner, and I recall a random bar I stopped in had interesting looking vats of fruit infused vodka. My local guide was not a big foodie, however.

D.C. - another location where the food didn't make a big impression, but I wasn't doing fine dining at the time I was there…

Vancouver, B.C. - Dim Sum, have enjoyed several places there. Lots of good East Indian as well. I recall dining at Le Crocidile with my father, Diva at the Met with some friends, Budapest for some wonderful poppyseed laced desserts, and the "chocolate bard" bars at Bard on the Beach. Memphis Blues BBQ wasn't bad, either.

Toronto - Alas, my poor memory fails to recall the specific places, although I do remember getting some good Indian. Also, the number of Tim Horton's was frightening.

Puerto Vallarta in Mexico - I recall consuming many cervezas and much tequila. But the seafood was terrific, and have great memories of a pot luck, where we went shopping for food during the day.

London - I ate a lot of pub food there, but it was post diabetes, so no bangers and mash for me. I dearly wanted to try some eel, being a fan of eel in sushi, and am very curious to try it in other preparations. Alas, I somehow missed it. Had a wonderful Xmas dinner with local friends. Of course sampled much of the local beer, and enjoyed the bloody marys at the Grenadier. Also had an excellent sazerac at my friends club, Milk and Honey.

Victoria, B.C. - this was my "flavor of England" before actually making it there, and where I honeymooned. I think of high tea, and a British themed pub that we would go get "toad in the hole" at. Used to love to stay at the Olde England Inn - wonderfully cheesy and fun. Alas, they went out of business.

Seattle - it's my home town, so I tend to think if it in terms of finding new choices. But salmon is wonderful and available.

Hmm, I guess I've gotten around a bit.

 

[Archie Goodwin]

New Orleans

Red beans and rice on Mondays, even in the most upscale restaurants.
Baked Alaska at Antoine's, decorated with a personal message from the chef.
Gumbo everywhere. Crawfish boils in the spring, and Popeye's fried chicken on the parade routes. Char broiled oysters at Drago's (today for lunch), and raw oysters at Cooter Browns or Casamento's or Pascale Manale's. Speaking of Pascale Manale's, don't forget the original barbeque shrimp, which has nothing to do with a grill, or barbeque sauce, but everything to do with garlic, butter, and ladies and gentlemen wearing bibs. Every chef has his (or her) own version of bread pudding, and the people are very partisan in their support. A cocktail or two on your lunch hour is perfectly acceptable. And someday, I will be able to take my son back to Mandina's for gumbo on Mardi Gras Day.

 

[Tommy Fedora]

Sipping a cool limoncello always brings me back to the Island of Capri in Italy.
And Italy seems to be the only place I can find a decent Gelato.
With any luck I'll get back there this fall.

 

[Babydoll]

I must admit I'm not a great fan of Ivars, I've been there twice. Once about 15 years ago and the food was good enough but when we got back to the UK found that they had charged our credit card twice. We got our money back after a lot of hastle.

I was in Seattle again this year and decided to try them again... they seem to have positioned themselves more up market and as such the prices have become pretty inflated, the clamstrips were sort of dry and rubbery and the clam chowder whilst tasty was not particularly hot, all in all not particularly impressive.

This was the one near Pike Market.

Ah, that's because that location is a tourist trap. They charge far more than one of the other locales because of the close proximity to The Market. The Mister and I went on our first date to Ivars at Mukilteo. I bought us clams and chips to share. We ate them on the beach.

For seafood in Seattle, I'd go for Salty's at Alki (mmmm, seafood chowder!), or Anthony's Homeport at Kirkland or Shilshole. Yummy salmon at both places.

 

[RedPop4]

Red beans and rice on Mondays, even in the most upscale restaurants.
Baked Alaska at Antoine's, decorated with a personal message from the chef.
Gumbo everywhere. Crawfish boils in the spring, and Popeye's fried chicken on the parade routes. Char broiled oysters at Drago's (today for lunch), and raw oysters at Cooter Browns or Casamento's or Pascale Manale's. Speaking of Pascale Manale's, don't forget the original barbeque shrimp, which has nothing to do with a grill, or barbeque sauce, but everything to do with garlic, butter, and ladies and gentlemen wearing bibs. Every chef has his (or her) own version of bread pudding, and the people are very partisan in their support. A cocktail or two on your lunch hour is perfectly acceptable. And someday, I will be able to take my son back to Mandina's for gumbo on Mardi Gras Day.

Abso-freaking-lutely, Archie.
Alas, I've never been to Antoine's or Mandina's or Manale. We do, however, make a pretty good BBQ shrimp at home, and I do a pretty good char-broiled oyster. I got ahold of Tom Fitzmorris' Drago's recipe. A good friend's mother works there, and told me what Tom Fitzmorris (class-A snob, by the by, ) was NOT told. It's not much, Italian herbs mostly

Mandina's is open again, though. Heard that on the news last week.

 

[Barry]

Hem brought up Baltimore:

I like to go to Faidley's at Lexington Market for crabcakes, oysters and beer (when I'm not driving). Since it's in a city market it's pretty much no frills. The food is excellent though and the lump crabcakes are gigantic. When I go to Baltimore I like to swing by Atomic Books which sells Classic Style, btw.

When I go home to Virginia Beach I love driving over to Doumar's in Norfolk. It's supposed to be the home of the ice cream cone, but I guess some people dispute that. Nonetheless, check out the menu. The food is great and it's really inexpensive.

Barry

 

[Michaelson]

Fajatas and a Corona by the riverwalk in San Antonio, TX.

Red beans and rice in little Havana, Miami.

I'm getting hungry!

Regards! Michaelson

 

[WH1]

Onion Rings at the Ringside in Portland, Oregon

The original one on Burnside of course!

 

[HadleyH]

Yayyyy

I like the taste of Paris!!! Croissants and strawberry jam for breakfast!!!
C'est magnifique!!! :eusa_clap

 

[olive bleu]

Montreal: Rack of lamb at Modavie in the Old Town. Dim sum in Chinatown. Omelets at Caf?© Charrier off St-Denis. Brunch at Briocherie Lyonnaise in the Latin quarter.

You forgot smoked meat from Schwartz's and hot bagels from St-Viateur.

 

[rockyj]

That city taste

Dublin- fish n' chips and Guinness. (Man those plese's are open all night)
That Stanley park Fish House that "Flech" talked about. (Really IS the best!)
ST.Louis- Cunetto's (on the Hill) The Bistecca alla Sicilana and a bottle of Sanievse D Toscona. "MOMMA MIA!"

 

[olive bleu]

oh...and deep fried squid rings from the little fishing Community where i was raised, on Canada Day.:cry:

 

[Diamondback]

I grew up in Rhode Island, and we have a hot dog place there called Onleyville New York System Wieners. As far as I know they don't make wienies like these in NYC. They are a wienie topped with a chopped meat mixture, chopped onions and celery salt. They are really good, especially after a night on the town, nothing beats waiting at the wienie window at 3AM!!

Cheesesteaks remind me of Philly.

Sounds like Coney dogs, allegedly originated at Coney Island and somehow became the staple at a couple of places in Fort Wayne, IN. Mom still has folks back there, so every few years when I go back to suffer, I mean "visit," the relatives, I reward myself for my patience with a dozen of 'em. (And I usually avoid hot dogs, period!)

+1 on Philly, I have acquaintances from a cruise on the North Side and they took me out to their neighborhood joint. (Far better than the tourist-traps downtown, even though I could barely get my jaws around the thing!) Make mine the Three Cheese, no onions, peppers or 'shrooms.

BTW, anyone have any recommendations in LA (Burbank or Anaheim especially) or San Diego for someone who's allergic to seafood and has to endure traveling with a finicky eater?

 

[Kim_B]

Home Sweet Home!

Sweet corn in the summertime...the best was when you're allowed to pick it right from the neighbor's field shortly before dinner is ready!

County fair foods...namely breaded pork tenderloins. We have some doozies in this neck of the woods!

 

[Kim_B]

Sounds like Coney dogs, allegedly originated at Coney Island and somehow became the staple at a couple of places in Fort Wayne, IN. Mom still has folks back there, so every few years when I go back to suffer, I mean "visit," the relatives, I reward myself for my patience with a dozen of 'em. (And I usually avoid hot dogs, period!)

Mmm...Coney Island! When my Grandfather was still living, that was his favorite place to eat. Every time he'd remind us that his record was 8 Coney dogs, and every time he'd only be able to get through 5! Gosh I miss him...

 

[Diamondback]

Just gets a little difficult when the relatives are meeting you at the airport with 'em and forget about the "no onions" thing... (It also helps to consider that I usually don't eat for a day or so before I travel, seems to help me with the jetlag and acclimation for some reason.)

Vegas, the buffet at the Rio. My favorite place to grab a burger was at the Treasure Island before MGM trashed it out, and I'm under standing orders from a former prof I'll just call "Colonel Norm" that sometime I have to get to Battista's Hole in the Wall (Italian joint) when they're open. Too bad they're always closed when I'm down there...

 

[erikb02809]

Newport = lobster roll

 

[vonwotan]

I've always associated Newport with Mimosas at brunch and "Frostbites" at Purgatory Cavern. These were the bacon cheesburgers that were served with fried onions and topped with a fried egg all cooked over an open fire while I was at school there. I missed out on most of the summers so we didn't get many lobster rolls.

Newport = lobster roll

 

[Orgetorix]

Washington, D.C.--whatever they're serving for free at a reception on the Hill.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

London will forever be remembered as the Coconut Shrimp Vindaloo capital to me Curry/Vindaloo was as common as pizza is in the USA. Mmmmm. I do miss that huge serving of hot, hot Vindaloo from the shop around the corner from where my husband used to live.

It was so hot and so large I could never finish it in one day. I always had leftovers. Mmmmm...hot!! The hotter the better.

There's an Indian food resturant down the road from us that sells Coconut Shrimp Vindaloo, but it's such a small portion and it's not nearly as hot. It's also overpriced. Ah well.....

I also hit a LOT of Starbucks establishments while walking the streets of London. Now whenever I go into one I automatically think of that glorious city and sometimes I wish and pray that when I walk out, I'll be magically transported there.

As for local tastes, the smell of cheesesteaks and/or fried onions puts me in the mindset of walking down South Street in Philadelphia. Whenever I smell either I'll always say "It smells like Philly in here!" Funnel cakes make me think of Wildwood, NJ.