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[jfnllc]

You ever go to a restaurant, and during the meal start to feel uplifted, in a better mood, almost euphoric? Certain foods trigger those pleasure senses for me, and I'll actually feel a certain "high" if the meal is good enough.

I'm just curious, where is your favorite getaway restaurant? Diner? Bar? Hole in the wall? A "nobody does it quite like..." place? Do you have a place you go where they know you by "the usual?" What do you order? This may help me when I travel in the future.

[jfnllc]

Mine: Smoked Salmon Fettucini from a place called Cafe Allegro in Portland, Oregon. I think this is the only place in the city that actually makes a pasta dish with smoked salmon and a shallot white wine cream sauce.

http://www.cafeallegrotigard.com/

My other mood-enhancing meal is marinated grilled lamb from Greek Cuisina. They select the live lamb and then the next day it's brought in (from what I'm told) and marinate it for 48 hours in a spice combination before flash grilling it.

http://www.greekcusina.com/

For Sushi- Gaya Sushi House, 17th and Burnside, Downtown Portland. Lunch plate includes six pieces of sushi, entree, miso soup, shrimp and vegetable tempura, side salad, and fried rice. A whole seven dollars. Huge portions. Favorite sushi is Las Vegas roll and Pimp Daddy Roll. ;-)

http://wweek.com/editorial/3319/8704/

[taylorwilsdon]

My dads brother (I guess that would make him my uncle, haha) runs an Italian restaurant in California, and he visited us (we were in California too) in January. He brought some kind of tortellini, with a sauce that was reminiscent but definitely not alfredo, and it was almost certainly the best food I've ever had. I don't even know how to describe it, but it was fantastic.

Eating out, nothing matches Red Robin I might be partially kidding, but they make some killer mozzarella sticks.

[AmyWilliams]

The right set of chocolates will melt me every time :p

[Acroplex]

It appears to me that you're a "fast burner" of calories, like me. The euphoric sensation is related to several things, such as the overall mood, the atmosphere, the quality and flavor of the food and of course that of your company (good dates are a plus!)

I tend to focus on quality vs. quantity; a medium rare steak with potatoes & mushrooms, a salad with blue cheese plus a couple of specialty beers does it for me.

[fastdeploy]

Originally Posted by 5ivepdx

You ever go to a restaurant, and during the meal start to feel uplifted, in a better mood, almost euphoric? Certain foods trigger those pleasure senses for me, and I'll actually feel a certain "high" if the meal is good enough.

Great topic.

One of the best dining experiences I had was at a Greek restaurant called Cafe Plaka in Fountain Valley, CA.

The food was fabulous. We were there for almost 3 hours enjoying the food and there was wonderful music and a great belly dancer who looked like she was flirting with my wife (though belly dancers pretty much flirt with everyone). The dessert was divine too. A honey drenched dish called galaktoboureko, which is very hard to find unfortunately.

They just created a wonderful mood there, the food was incredible, and you really just didn't ever want to leave.

Best of all I was down in Southern California for training for my job and I expensed the whole rather substantial tab. Couldn't have been a better evening.

Unfortunately Cafe Plaka is no longer there. Drove there last time I was in SoCal about 2 years ago and we nearly drove past it because the location is now an Italian restaurant.

Another great place in Socal which has been around for a long time is Burger Continental on Lake Avenue in Pasadena. It looks (and sometimes smells) like kind of a dump, but the food is great, Mediterranean (my favorite), and they also have belly dancers. The brunch is especially good. If we're anywhere within 200 miles of Pasadena we go out of our way to eat there and then we go to the Huntington Library, one of the great treasures of the region.

[Acroplex]

As a Greek national, I can assure you that the majority of so-called "Greek cuisine" served in the US, bears little relation to the large variety of food available only when visiting Greece. And belly-dancers have nothing to do with Greece, they are of Middle Eastern origin.

[jfnllc]

When I was a teenager, and the family took trips to Anaheim and the surrounding areas, my aunt, who has lived in that area for years, took us to a little hole in the wall called Belisle's on Chapman Avenue. I had absolutely no clue what I was in for.

Hugest. Portions. Ever.

Imagine the stereotypical half-hourglass Coke glasses you see in ma & pa places, only at least three times the size, filled with a milkshake that would require three to four people to truly devour. My mom got a chocolate eclair the width and height of two maple bars stacked together. My dad ordered a pork roast. And that's just what he was served. An entire pork roast, served in what could best be described as a human troff, garnished with a mountain of mashed potatoes, and a whole apple. I have pictures somewhere, but they were taken in the pre-scanner days, and the one I have now has been packed away for a good four years.

I was sickened to return only to find an Outback Steakhouse in it's place. From what I remember my aunt telling me, the place had been around since the mid to late 50's. I was able to track down this picture dated 1955. I also read on a website somewhere that Walt Disney was a routine patron at that time.

[jfnllc]

Originally Posted by Acroplex

As a Greek national, I can assure you that the majority of so-called "Greek cuisine" served in the US, bears little relation to the large variety of food available only when visiting Greece. And belly-dancers have nothing to do with Greece, they are of Middle Eastern origin.

I've been told the same thing by a friend-of-a-friend who is Greek. He said Greek Cuisina (as mentioned before) comes close, but the only way to truly experience the food is by visiting Greece. I tell ya though, if this place is even half as authentic as the cuisine in Greece, I can't wait to travel. ;-)

Something about authentic Baked Brie really excites me. )

[Jamie Harrop]

I had the most beautiful tomato soup while on holiday in Corfu (Greece) last year. Very fresh. Very flavoursome, with the perfect hint of pepper. I've never tasted a soup with so much flavour.

It was followed by the most delicious pasta in a spicy tomato sauce with hint of chilli peppers.

All served with a glass of beer next to the beach.

Edit: And despite having the best meal ever in Corfu, I also had the worst. After many beers one night I decided to try a Gyros. The Greek version of a donner kebab, it seems. I wasn't impressed. Yuck! I was told the Gyros was far better on the other Greek islands.

[Corey Bryant]

We just finished Denver's 5280 Restaurant Week, where some of Denver's restaurant's join in and offer a 3 or 4 course meal for two for $52.80.

Brooks Steak House had the best steak, the meat was very tender - so tender you could barely pick it up with a fork. Yeah, I know - their website is not all that great.

There were five restaurants we ate at this week - enjoying every single one of them. But Brooks I have to say, one hands down. Their service did not seem to be lapsing that much, considering it was probably one of their busier nights.

[tickedon]

My question would really be how do you define 'best'.

I have had some really great tasting meals both in Glasgow and on holiday, but, the really memorable great ones are when I've been surrounded by friends. To me, while food is good, good company is always better!

For regular great-tasting meals without the risk, I’ve found a steak from TGI Friends covered in Jack Daniels Glaze is pretty much guaranteed to be great – and the atmosphere makes for a great night out if there’s a group. It certainly isn’t the best food, but, I’ve never once had a bad meal there.

For people in the UK, I’ve found 5pm.co.uk to be an interesting source of finding good-value great meals. Found an Italian restaurant in town and about 12 of us went there – very good value, ‘home made style’ and the drink was pretty darn cheap as well. I also used to enjoy the Minestrone soup from the local Italian restaurant (now closed.. like most good things in life!) which I’ve simply never seen reproduced with such flavour elsewhere.

[Carp]

Chicken Quesadilla from the near by deli. I love chicken quesadilla's

[N|Kitmitto]

Macaroni and cheese made from my mom, but she always had a kraft box next to her.

OR

This meal she made once, with teryaki (spelling) chicken in some rice! It was tasty!

-Nick

[The Dude]

My favourite meal is Mostaccholi