We have dined at Tyrst a couple of times. Today we enjoyed a great Happy Hour with 2 for 1 drinks including everything except bottles of wine and a special food menu. We found most of the items to be of high quality and prepared well. The Chilled Mellon Soup was a really outstanding, Pad thai although not very authentic was tasty, Mussels were very good and the Fish Tacos are awesome. The small plates at happy hour allowed us to enjoy a nice variety of dishes without being stuffed or breaking the bank. Service was outstanding!! I have seen a few reviews that panned the service but  weekends in season  are trying times at all the places in town.  Locals like ourselves really enjoy the laid back atmosphere this time of year.  There is an extensive beer and wine list with a nice variety of choices at various price points. We will certainly recommend Tryst and visit again.

Tryst
4 East Atlantic Avenue
Delray Beach, FL 33444-3723
(561) 921-0201

To quote thier website”Located in a charming home in downtown Windsor, Executive Chef Matthew Bousquet creates inspired French cuisine with a distinct twist. General Manager Bryan D. Bousquet’s gracious cordiality influences all aspects of front of the house service and wine program. Together they provide an outstanding dining experience in a romantic setting that accommodates seating for only 24 patrons”:.

It’s been a few years since we have visited however we enjoyed the food as well ability to bring our wine from our day exploring the Vineyards of Sonoma County.  The service was outstanding and the presentation sublime.

Mirepoix

I stopped in for a quick dinner while in Beijing on a 24 hour layover. The Great Wall was just around the corner from the hotel. I tried a few items on the menu and found it to be very disappointing. This is strictly a tourist place with very uninspiring food.

In the town of Narita, Japan conveniently located 5 minutes from Narita Airport.

Raman Bayashi is a small traditional noodle shop. I tried it once and was not very excited, nor very disappointed. If you would like a quick bowl of noodles for lunch it’s not the worst choice you can make.

CASTEL DE TRES GIRARD 7, rue de Très Girard 21220 MOREY SAINT DENIS Tel : +33 (0)3 80 34 33 09 Fax : +33 (0)3 80 51 81 92 www.castel-tres-girard.com

We where driving around Burgundy one afternoon when we discovered this magnificent B&B and restaurant. The seafood was fresh and prepared to perfection. The chefs presentations where breathtaking. I still can recall the exciting taste of the apple pastry and carrot galace’. It was locate in the heart of Burgundy so you can imagine how good the wine list was. This was truly a fine dining experience in a very romanic setting.

Buttermilk Falls INN, Milton, NY

220 North Road, Milton, New York (NY) 12547

In the car escaping the hurricanes a few years ago, we discovered the ButterMilk Falls Inn and SPA.   As you can tell from the photos we were lucky enough to catch the fall foliage in it’s glory.  The Inn offer a nice breakfast as well as a full service SPA.  The main attraction for us, is the beautiful ground and water falls. The Inn is locate on many acres, with a view of the majestic Hudson River.  Rooms at the in vary from small queen size rooms, larger suite and cabins.  Although the service was friendly, they lack some of the finer touches that are present at the more professionally run establishments.  We have visited the in more than once which is Lori’s highest recommendation, if she returns the town should rejoice because this does not happen often.

Le Coccole dell’Amorosa

Nestled in the small village (this means hard to find) of Sinalunga in our favorite region of Italy; Tuscany is Le Coccole dell’Amorosa located in the hotel Locanda dell’ Amorosa. This restaurant is one of the fine dining highlights of the region. We tried to book our reservation well in advance however we were politely declined due to the fact that they give their hotel guests first priority for seating. This is when it’s nice to have some friends in the area. Lori called our Italian friends who know everyone and they made a call or two and we were in. We arrived in the evening and really did not have a chance to enjoy the beautiful grounds of the Inn. Upon arrival we were warmly welcomed and seated at a table tucked away in a quiet corner of the brick arched dining room.

We settled in and selected the wine. I was on a Brunello di Montalcino kick this trip and therefore I ordered one. I don’t recall the producer however I do recall them having a good selection of reasonably priced choices. They graciously presented me with their special house wine Borgo Amorosa as a gift to take home. We really enjoyed it.

The first course choices all sounded so good it’s a good thing we brought Josh my stepson and his guest along so we could order them all and not look like the Tuscan pigs we were about to eat. All the pork and poultry came right out of their own backyard.

All other ingredients are sourced locally so that you are being served only the freshest Tuscan food available. For the first course we had fresh smoked pork that was thinly sliced and served with a fig jelly, a fresh pork pate and fried mozzarella. They all tasted as good as they looked.

I must mention just prior to the first course arriving Lori went to sit in the lobby due to the fact she was not feeling very well but the food was coming so we carried on and ate her meal for her !

The mains were awesome: Sliced Grilled Tuscan Beef, Grilled Tuscan Pork, Roasted Whole Leg of Lamb and a Braised Lamb Shank. With four mains and only three of us eating it’s hard to imagine we had room for dessert but it was a birthday celebration so we pressed on with homemade ice cream and a special birthday cake.

We had a truly fine dining experience in Tuscany. The service was magnificent. While we were enjoying our meal the friendly staff was serving hot tea and tending to Lori.

We will surly return to Le Coccole dell’Amorosa so Lori can order two meals to make up for the one she missed !

As the sign says “Voted NYC Best Pizza”. I won’t argue for them it is wonderful. Even the wood burning oven has received rave reviews from the other side of the pond.

Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici ”Italy’s Authentic Flavors in a Magnificent Tuscan Villa Setting”

I have been to Italy about 150 times visiting Tuscany many of those, basically I know a good  authentic Tuscan meal when I have one. Unfortunately the most authentic part was it’s name,  Caterina did not live up to it’s claim.  The ambience was wonderful however the food was lacking.  The Hudson River Valley is know for it’s outstanding food. Spotted with excellent restaurants, Caterina has not been worth a second visit.  We did enjoy the enthusiastic service of the students and the meal although not what it claimed to be was still enjoyable. It’s been a while since our visit, so one can only hope that it has improved.   If anybody has been there recently, I’d appreciate their input.

Trattoria al Vecchio Forno, Tuscany, San Quirico d’Orcia, Italy

Owned by same owners of the Palazzo del Capitano in San Quirico d’Orcia, This charming ristorante feaures truly authentic Tuscan food. Wonderfully simple dishes of tuscan beans teased and pleased our palettes.  Fresh tri-color pasta was tossed with cheese and  candy like tomatoes. The wine list include some of my local favorites like Biondi-Santi. All this is just a short walk around the corner from the hotel so have a second bottle of wine.

http://www.palazzodelcapitano.com/ristorante.php

We have stayed and dined at this wonderful Inn many times over the last 11 years.  The Inn has evolved though many renovations and changes of ownership. The one constant has been in the resteraurant Chef Greg Parks has consistently produced the quality cuisine that has made the drive sometimes as long as 1200 miles worthwhile. The menu is always changing to reflect the time of year and one of our visits we enjoyed a special Epicureans’ dinner by the Chef.

The rooms vary from very simple to lavish suites with fireplaces and Jacuzzi tubs.  The service has always been friendly and professional.  The grounds are an outstanding feature of the INN as you can see the Fall is spectacular.   Wither going for a ski weekend, romantic getaway or a fabulous dinner the Four Columns Inn will not disappoint you.

Four Columns Inn,On the Green,Newfane, Vermont 05345

http://www.fourcolumnsinn.com/about.htm

This is one of my favorite places in the world to dine. It’s not Michelin # star dinning but good down to earth Tuscan food featuring the town’s special Mailino (young roasted suckling pig). We have been there several times and in fact have introduced our Italian friends form Cortona; Enzo and Bianca to it. In February when we visited Tuscany last we asked Enzo and Bianca where they would like to lunch and they said Latte di Luna. I don’t think there is much more I can say about their endorsement other than they both have worked in the Hospitality industry in Tuscany and this is one of their favorites as well. Let’s get down to the food.

First let’s discuss the local Pasta it’s called Pici its fresh hand rolled thick spaghetti like form with a texture that is beyond discription. Well we know the Pici is a must the next choice is the sauce. I always choose the Wild Boar sauce, Enzo being a man also went for the meat. Lori and Bianca choose the Pomodoro which was excellent candy like fresh tomato sauce exploding in every bite. As wonderful as it was Lori still liked my Wild Boar sauce better. As we say Daddy’s is always better. So what did she do? Order a side of Wild Boar Sauce. The secondi of course was Maialino which is heaven on earth, buttery inside of the cripsy skin. In regard to wine the best local wine is Vino Nobile di Montepulciano the producer of choice today was Polizano although I also like the Avignonesi as well. The combination of great friends, Maialino and the vino made the 18 hour journey worth every second.

Of course there are wonderful deserts, plenty of Limoncello and Grappa.

I highly recommend Latte di Luna for great food and friendly service.

I can’t wait to go back !!!

Ivan Klugman : The Photo Gourmet

Located in the heart of the Willamette Valley this causal bistro owned by the Ponzi wine family offers some creative fare.  The wine list features their own marvelous wines from the Ponzi vineyard (this is Pinot country). The spectacular presentations get your mouth watering for some fantastic food however you will be disappointed. The plate design is much better than the execution. I’d recommend a relaxing afternoon sipping some of their wonderful Ponzi Pinot Noir and snacking on some cheese.

The Dundee Bistro at http://www.dundeebistro.com/

In the Famous hilltop village of Cortona, La Bucaccia is conveniently located near the center of town. The owner and manager, Romano personally greets all of his guest with his unique style of humor. The menu is traditional Tuscan with some excellent specialities of the day. La Bucaccia’s wine cellar is Ramano’s pride and joy. He will gladly give you a guided tour and help you select a fine choice to accompany your dinner.  Romano loves to play with the guest cameras and has perfected this technique of photographing them through a wine glass.  We have dined there several times and have always enjoyed our meal. This evening we were accompanied by our dearest friends Bianca and  Enzo.

I would certainly recommend that you visit La Bucaccia for an enjoyable meal and entertaining evening.

BTW: The bottle of 1995 Avignonesi Vin Santo was not in the cellar, We acquired it elsewhere and shared some with Romano… This bottle is hard to find and is a heavenly experience.

Link to La Bucaccia

The Ristorante di Poggio Antico is located on the vineyard Poggio Antico and is run independently by Roberto Minnetti is another true fine dining experience in Tuscany. We enjoyed Lori’s birthday lunch out on the patio so much we return with Josh and Kelly the next year for dinner inside. The firsts included traditional Tuscan bread salad and a foie gras accompanied by rock candy. Pasta was made in the house and had that marvelous texture you find only in homemade pasta. Wine choices are easy being as the house wine is Poggio Antico for lunch we had the light Rosso(very nice) and for dinner my favorite Brunello(Heavenly). The pork, lamb and fish mains all received universal accolades. The Minnetti’s made us feel very welcome and we will surely return as soon as possible.

Ristorante di Poggio Antico directly (phone/fax +39 0577 849200, email ristorantedipoggioantico@gmail.com).

Located in Grand Central station this NYC classic has quite an eclectic mix of patrons.   There is a large variety of fresh oysters from around the country. We found the highly touted Panroasts to be disappointing however the oysters are sublime.   This is not an establishment for haute cuisine but rather for simply prepared fresh seafood.
They have an adequate wine list and plenty of beer to wash down some of the giant oysters.   This is certainly one of the best train station dining experiences, I’ve had.

Located across the street from the Pike’s market Chez Shea is upstairs and a bit difficult to find however it is worth it. The food of Chef Benjamin Knutsen is creative and tastes as good as it looks. There are several menus available at all times including many vegetarian choices. We chose to dine in the more casual bar area. For first and second courses we chose Seared Artisan Sonoma Foie Gras( I love Foie Gras) and a stuffed artichoke. Entrees were Scallops and an interesting Purple Potato with fiddleheads. The Potato was a surprisingly nice presentation that also tasted heavenly and the scallops were seared to perfection. There was a very nice selection of local beer as well as wine. Shea Lounge provided a fine dining experience in a friendly unpretentious manner.

http://www.chezshea.com/

Franchi is not a restaurant but more of a gourmet deli that allows you to enjoy a meal standing up at the counter.  I have not been there lately much as I used to however I always stop in to say hello to  my friends and have a bite to eat when in Rome. I have a large group of friends that always request I bring them the CHEESE that is the Parmigiano-Reggiano from Franchi.   I don’t no why but it is simply the best. I have searched the world including many other places in Italy however the CHEESE from Franchi is always the best.  Quite frankly you can’t go wrong with anything you get at Franchi!!!   They only have the best of the best of Italian foods in their shop. Yes, some people find it expensive however you get what you pay for.  Let me clue you in on the Rice Ball procedure.  Rick Steve, the budget travel writer has recommended Franchi for a quick bite. I personally wish Steve would send these tourists elsewhere however they come in droves in the summer for Rice Balls which are amazing. To accommodate all these tourists and collect their money Franchi has instituted a pay at the cashier then get your Rice Ball policy.

Via Cola di Rienzo, 204
00192 Roma (Lazio), Italy
+39 06 687 4651

We always stop by to have a souffle at Le Souffle at least once during our visits to Paris. Located at 36,rue du Mont Thabor,it is a little tricky to find and even the taxis have trouble at times. Although some say it’s touristy and the service is lacking. We have had nothing but lovely experiences here.
The Grand Marnier is our favorite accompanied by a bottle of Grand Marnier and encouraged by the staff to pour it on how can you go wrong.
If you desire more friendly and prompt service, I recommend bringing a beautiful women with you… the Frenchmen love them.
Vive la différence

Le Souffle
Tél. : 01 42 60 27 19
36 rue Mont Thabor
75001 Paris (France)

This is one of those posts that I’m reluctant to write because I don’t want to cause any overcrowding of our home away from home in Tuscany. The Villa although throughly modern still keeps it’s old world charm.  Alexandra and Franco’s staff are friendly and professional.  They are like having family in Tuscany.  We in fact met one of our best friends because of her employ at the Villa.  She  has since moved on to a better opportunity however she and her husband are still our dearest friends.  The Villa is located in the country side a few miles from Cortona.  There are many great local restaurants around the area surrounding Cortona as well as in town. The Villa also features a very nice restaurant that has an outstanding wine list.  We always like to enjoy  dinner our first day of arrival at the Villa so we don’t have to go far after a long day of traveling.

http://www.villadipiazzano.com/