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[mrs.cool]

I care, Rush. i enjoy your posts.
So...been to any good restaurants lately??

[Rushmore]

Originally Posted by mrs.cool

I care, Rush. i enjoy your posts.
So...been to any good restaurants lately??

It's funny you should ask that, because...

Having a 9 month old at home, we can not pursue our Epicurianism with as much zeal as we once did.

However, I have made two great discoveries in the past week or so:

Goodfella's on Clark...we went in right when it first opened, and was just a sort of shop. It was nice, but, well...just OK.

The other night after golf, I decided to give their brick oven pizza a try, so I stopped by there, expecting a similar vibe, and boy, was I surprised. They have a bustling, BUSY restaurant with an excellent casual atmosphere. While I waited for my pizza to come out, I had some of their house cab blend, which was nice, and picked up some gnocchi and roasted red peppers from the deli side.

Now here's the kicker: the pizza was AWESOME. Very thin crust, excellent ingredients, and just plain awesome in every way. No, it's not a NY pizza, but it is VERY good. I highly recommend it.

The other place we found recently was Morel's (Tuttle at Bee Ridge). I called there early to see what was up, the chef/owner answered and talked to me for ten minutes about the triggerfish he was making that evening. SOLD ON THE PLACE! I ended up having the escargot (best in town, easily), then the medallions of beef and veal with mushroom demiglace, and it was EXCELLENT. My wife has butternut squash soup and chicken milanese, and both were marvelous.

The service was great, the place was spotless, and I actually felt a touch UNDERDRESSED, which was a first for here in Sarasota. We had our very well-behaved 9 month old with us, and they were very accommodating and pleasant all the way around. They have an excellent early bird menu (4:30-5:30) that is just $18.50 for two courses. You can't eat that cheap at Outback or Appleby's.

Try both. We're happy we found them.

[jnanner]

Originally Posted by Rushmore

However, I have made two great discoveries in the past week or so:

Goodfella's on Clark...we went in right when it first opened, and was just a sort of shop. It was nice, but, well...just OK.

i had the same kind of experience! it was , you know...meh. i was also kind of turned off by the "goodfellas" thing and the way the menu says "5 bucks" etc for pricing (cuz you know - i'm Italian lol). BUT i have since heard it's great AND we drove by on the way home from 75 and DH saw the pizza oven out back and said "why didn't you TELL me about this place" he said it looks like a foody place lol So, we'll try it for lunch soon. Glad to hear another great review.

[blueherons]

Originally Posted by Rushmore

It's funny you should ask that, because...

Having a 9 month old at home, we can not pursue our Epicurianism with as much zeal as we once did.



We had our very well-behaved 9 month old with us, and they were very accommodating and pleasant all the way around. They have an excellent early bird menu (4:30-5:30) that is just $18.50 for two courses. You can't eat that cheap at Outback or Appleby's.

Try both. We're happy we found them.

Rushmore, one of my close girlfriends is raising her three kids in Manhattan and she and her husband have taken them out to dinner since they were infants at some of the best restaurants in the city (well, not to Daniel, Le Bernadin, Per Se, etc) and as a result, her three as now teens and tweens are the best behaved kids you'll ever see in public. They are pretty regular at Gramercy Tavern.

No cell phones, DVRs, games, etc. Her advice, go early when the restaurants first open.

The reason I write this is because some parents are hesitant about taking their young children out to eat but if you throw them in early, I think it ends up being a good experience all the way around.

Not saying they are perfect, of course she's had issues.

Anyway, my off topic two cents.

[Rushmore]

Originally Posted by blueherons

Rushmore, one of my close girlfriends is raising her three kids in Manhattan and she and her husband have taken them out to dinner since they were infants at some of the best restaurants in the city (well, not to Daniel, Le Bernadin, Per Se, etc) and as a result, her three as now teens and tweens are the best behaved kids you'll ever see in public. They are pretty regular at Gramercy Tavern.

No cell phones, DVRs, games, etc. Her advice, go early when the restaurants first open.

The reason I write this is because some parents are hesitant about taking their young children out to eat but if you throw them in early, I think it ends up being a good experience all the way around.

Not saying they are perfect, of course she's had issues.

Anyway, my off topic two cents.

The parents have to be good. The worst I see are these parents who have an attitude that their precious darlings may do as they please. If the baby is starting to fuss, go walk her around. If she won't stop, dinner is to go.

If your kids are disrupting the restaurant, YOU are disrupting the restaurant, so please get out of the restaurant.

Unless it's Chili's or something. Then have at it.

[mrs.cool]

Originally Posted by blueherons

Rushmore, one of my close girlfriends is raising her three kids in Manhattan and she and her husband have taken them out to dinner since they were infants at some of the best restaurants in the city (well, not to Daniel, Le Bernadin, Per Se, etc) and as a result, her three as now teens and tweens are the best behaved kids you'll ever see in public. They are pretty regular at Gramercy Tavern.

No cell phones, DVRs, games, etc. Her advice, go early when the restaurants first open.

The reason I write this is because some parents are hesitant about taking their young children out to eat but if you throw them in early, I think it ends up being a good experience all the way around.

Not saying they are perfect, of course she's had issues.

Anyway, my off topic two cents.

Seems to me "off topic" is a good thing, on THIS thread!!
So I'll add. OUR daughter, who coincidentally NOW lives in Manhattan, also was taken to restaurants at an early age, and therefore grew up knowing how to behave in public. We took her to restaurants, band gigs (her Dad's a musician), any place we were going. Start 'em out right I say!!