Restaurants

When it comes to restaurant one never knows. Something that was exquisite last year may have a new chef and has lost its edge this year. Most places listed were good more than once.

I trust the Zagat Survey guides, they have been good to me in the past.

Austria

Wien:

  • Heuriger – Grinzing. This area is comprised of small family run wine and food spots called “Heuriger”. Wine is good and cheap and the food is home cooked. Particularly good when going with a group.

Barbados

  • The Tides - Listed as one of the best restaurants, it has exceeded expectations. Amazing location, excellent cuisine and "terrible" (as in terribly good) service (thank you Robert). http://www.tidesbarbados.com

Germany,

Hamburg:

  • The Rive – Good fish and an amazing view. Located in the former Ferry terminal of the Hamburg – England ferry, this restaurant is worth the stop
  • East – restaurant and bar. Both are worth going for the ambiance alone. Drinks and food are excellent as well. http://www.east-hamburg.com
  • Peking. 39a, still a classic. This Chinese restaurant does not look all that from the outside, but the kitchen still does the trick. Nice, clean and good food.
  • Schlemmer Stand – Inside the prestigious Hanse Viertel mall, this little gem serves sea food, lobster and krabben (little shrimp) as well as wine and spirits. It is a welcome stop while out shopping.
  • Fisch Auktions Halle – A Hamburg tradition, the center of the weekly Fish market. Stroll over the market to find anything and everything. The hall has live music and serves food and drink. The crowd is an interesting mix of still awake and early risers. Doors open at 6 in the morning.
  • Vienna – A small. Excellent restaurant in the Fettstrasse. Reservations required.
  • September – cheap good eats. Usually filled with students and other intellectuals.
  • Moe Grill – Currywurst in the Moenkeberg Strasse – these two opposing street stands are tiny and packed. All they sell are sausages and soft drinks. A must stop.

Muenchen:

  • Zum Franziskaner – recently remodeled and enlarged still serving traditional Bavarian fare at decent prices.
  • Kaefer – weather it is the store, the lunch bar or the restaurant. This traditional delicacy store uses most of their own products to create divine dishes at night. IT is worth the money to stop by at any time.
  • Der Englishe Garten – The English garden. A bier garden that has all you could want. Beautiful scenery and good drink and eats.

Berlin:

  • Currywurst am Ku-Damm – a classic little hole in the wall serving sausages, fench fries. Tucked away in the corner it is worth looking for. Good cheap eats.
  • Das KDW – Kaufhaus des Westens. A department store in central Berlin with its top floor dedicated to food and drink. Some locals actually do their shopping here, it is quite pricey. They have all foods from all over the world and the level is subdivided into individual counters, serving fresh fish, meat, salads, cold cuts and all other things you can imagine. Most counters have stools, so you can sample most foods and enjoy a glass of wine.
  • Friedrich Strasse – filled with new and coming hip bars. Pick one, any. Come back to the next night to go to another one.

Switzerland

Zuerich:

  • Tao – Asian inspired cuisine and a excellent wine selection. Recently opened. The outside patio is filled with teak furniture. The inside looks equally fine tuned.
  • The Angkor – Thai restaurant and bar located in the newly remodeled Puls 5. The location used to be an iron manufacturing plant that has been remodeled into shops, restaurants, a gym and apartments. The restaurant has an amazing décor, exquisitely friendly staff and fantastic cuisine.

USA

Aspen, Colorado:

  • Fiore Del Campo - Italien cuisine. Excellent basic italian, very accomodating to requests.

Breckenridge, Colorado:

  • The Cellar - A small scale restaurant providing an exquisite dining experience. Executive Chef Michael Weist and Chef Mathew Vawter-Beird create a memorable combination of food and wine. The Chef selection is recommended. Staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. If in this little town, stop by for an amazing evening. http://www.thecellarwine.com

Manchester, Vermont:

  • The Reluctant Panther – situated in the outlet shop village of Manchester, teh Reluctant Panther is both hotel and restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised by the innovation in composing hte dishes with local specialties and modern twists. The wine pairing was excellent. http://www.reluctantpanter.com

Miami, Florida:

  • Red Fish Grille – situated inside Matheson Hammock Park, this restaurant housed inside a historic key stone building serves excellent fresh fish. The view, particularly at sunset, is priceless. The prices are a bit high but worth it.
  • Blu – Pizzeria in South Miami. Particularly like the soy dough option for their pizzas. Nice and simple interior as well as curbside seating on the brick road make this one a favorite to come back to frequently.
  • The Biltmore – hotel and restaurant. 1200 is a fantastic place to enjoy a lunch or dinner. Courtyard seating is a particular treat, weather permitting. They also have an excellent Sunday brunch. The later tends to get very busy. http://www.biltmorehotel.com
  • Hotel St. Michel – Here is an excellent combination of hotel, restaurant and bar. The later is frequently blocked for events. The restaurant is small with an excellent chef and also features a exquisite Sunday brunch. The hotel rooms are small and individually decorated. Highly recommend a stay here.
  • The Ritz Carlton on Key Biscayne – our first choice for Sunday brunch. The hotel is enormous and booked during high season. The brunch has an amazing selection of specialty foods, including fresh sushi, specialty meats and sea food. The price tag is hefty, but the selection of bloody marry’s and champagne cocktails make it worth it and let you forget.
  • Sundays on the Bay – closed since the hurricane Katrina had its way with it. This restaurant also featured a Sunday brunch at a reasonable price. The emphasis on the offerings were seafood. It is satiated adjacent to the water making it easy to arrive by boat. We have it will be rebuilt and open again soon.
  • Gardner’s Market – there are a few my favorite location remains the one in the Grove. A few tables outside allow you to have a lunch here. The market has excellent fresh food, ideal for a picnic our boat outing.
  • Scotty’s Landing – very simple and cheap. Typical American fare and beer. It is one of the few affordable places that are adjacent to the water. There is a dock and gas station to come by boat. No dress code here.
  • Jaguar’s – Coconut Grove. This Mexican owned and operated restaurant and bar serves excellent Ceviche. Stay for some creative dishes such as tortilla lasagna or jut enjoy a drink at the bar.
  • Green Street Café – Coconut Grove. From breakfast to late dinner. This restaurant and bar takes full advantage of the adjacent wide sidewalk. Middle Eastern cuisine is excellent. A fantastic place to people watch or just enjoy a nice meal.
  • Four Seasons Hotel – Brickell. The pool deck on the fifth level has an excellent bar and also serves some appetizers. Noteworthy are the Thursday night movies, were the hotel projects a movie onto the artificial water wall and serves drinks inspired by the movie.
  • The Conrad Hotel – Brickell. Bar and restaurant are both good and pricey. On weekend nights it is getting quite full, in part because of the view of the Islands from the 25th floor. The restaurant is overlooking downtown.
  • Don Burrito - Miami. Authentic Mexican fare at great prices. This little hole in the wall took over the space to the right and the left and not lost its quality in the process of expanding.

New York:

  • The Spice Market – Meatpacking district. Very impressed with décor, service and cuisine. Spicy Thai food in splendid décor. The bar is getting crowded as well. This place is worth the hefty check.
  • The Palace – Sunday brunch at the palace has been around for quite a while and is still worth the money. Dress up and enjoy the champagne, classic live music and fantastic presentation of cuisine. Come back to the Palace at night to go to the Oyster bar that is overlooking Central Park.
  • The Rainbow Room – Rockefeller Center. Surely expensive but the view… The restaurants remains one of New York’s finest and getting a reservation here is a challenge. Bring your platinum card or higher… Instead go to the bar during daytime. From the 52nd floor the view of Manhattan is worth it. No sneakers, jeans or t-shirts. Come early to beat the line.
  • Grand Central Station – Oyster bar. I can never remember the name. Just follow the ramps towards the tracks and find this restaurant bar serving oysters and lobster. The architecture is a treat as you are making your way to the bar.