I thought I'd start up a thread for restaurant recommendations, seeing as how we have ones for "LUNCH" and what we're cooking, but nothing specifically to recommend restaurants. I'm talking about some local hole-in-the-wall, a great hotel restaurant (for our friend Gia), or perhaps even a new chain that's about to take off. The latter is what I'm here to tip you about today.

In 2002 I visited South Africa and happened upon a great South African franchise-restaurant success story: Nando's. Nando's is a family restaurant in the vein of my much-beloved Cracker Barrel (except that the main protein is always peri-peri grilled chicken) and it's goooooood. In South Africa I ended up with a table overflowing with delicious side dishes, and, of course, a pile of chicken bones and the whole meal cost me about six bucks thanks to an advantageous exchange rate.

Since then, I've been gladdened to happen across and eat in Nando's restaurants in Mauritius (which is easy enough to expect, as Mauritius is a suburb of Johannesburg), Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, London and Dublin. I never did figure out why Nando's is not in Hong Kong, which is an expected destination based on those other markets.

Well, jerkwads, Nando's have arrived in Washington D.C., Northern Virginia, and Maryland. If you live in this area or happen to pass through, you owe it to yourself to get a preview of the Next Big Thing in America.

One warning, though: Peri-peri sauce is HOT — the burn you once going in, burn you again coming out kind of hot. Even the so-called "mild" chicken in South Africa was almost too much for me (the Admiral has toughened up significantly since then). Maybe the recipe will be adjusted for the American market, but I would go in expecting something quite spicy.

I have heard of these guys from friends in Johannesburg but have never tried 'em. Might actually be in the District/NOVA area early next year, so thanks for the heads-up.



It's because each of those cities (except possibly Dublin, but this is one of the reasons why they're re-thinking their EU membership) has a substantial Muslim (ie can't eat pork) population and HK, like the rest of the PRC, is trying to reign in their Uighurs. If NOVA and the District could reign in their wiggers. . . wait, there's another thread for that. Sorry.

But what's the "damage"?

You're planning your crooked complaint campaign already, aren't you?

No, just want to know the cost.

A bunch have opened around the DC/MD/VA area. The website Rear Admiral linked has the menu in PDF format with all the prices.

From my own travels over the years:

local to me (Scottsdale):
Uncle Sal's -- started by Salvatore (aka Sammy the Bull) Gravano. Normal Italian fare, good prices and they have a great cannelloni made from a crepe wrap with a veal and spinach stuffing).

Tommy Bahama's -- I know it's a chain, but the one here is open-air in the Fall and Winter, and afterwards you can take your girl shopping at Kierland Commons.

San Diego:
Charthouse on Coronado, across from the Del. Great views of the inner harbor, a bit pricey for the fish (which I hope is locally-caught).

(name escapes me) -- take the ferry from Coronado to San Diego, turn left and walk in the first door in the Gaslight District. Best local seafood in the area...and you don't have to drive across the bridge.

Bay Area:
Cha Cha Cha -- Cuban restaurant in the Haight/Ashbury (corner of Haight & Shrader). Great Cuban steak, great shrimp with a cajun sauce, and of course lots and lots of sangria. Take a taxi, and be ready to wait.

French Laundry -- in Yountville (aka Wine Country). Probably the best formal restaurant in the West. French, and very formal. A prix fixe chef's tasting is about $300 per person, worth every penny.

Alioto's -- Fisherman's Wharf, SF. Best Italian/seafood theme ever. Get a table facing the dock and watch the chefs buy directly from the fishermen, and cart them into the kitchen.

more if you want 'em.

French Laundry is the bomb!!!!! Omg. Hands down. And their cookbook is a visual escapade.

Cha cha cha- I'm not into Hispanic food, but at least go for the sangria.

French Laundry is an exceptional restaurant, but to be frank, I can find exceptional restaurants in any of the cities I visit regularly. What I really yearn for, however, is a good, hearty American meal that anyone can afford.

So.....ass? Available on your local backpage.com page. Just messing with you, whoremonger.

Saint Louis:

The Iron Barley- quirky little bar/restaurant with large portion comfort food and an outstanding beer selection run by a crazy old man with a shit ton of chef and brew master experience. Not too cheap or expensive. Neighborhood place.

http://www.ironbarley.com/



The Blackthorn Pub:

Total hole in the wall that serves what many consider to be the best pizza in town. Renowned for their deep dish Chicago style with a spicy, peppery sauce. Total dive.

http://thepizzafan.com/black-thorn-pub-pizza-st-louis-mo/

Iron Barley selected beer list (things a bitch to get to on mobile)

http://www.ironbarley.com/?page_id=68

I hate beer.

I'm not too fond either, but this is the admiral's thread fucknut.

I've bought a bottle of Sam Adams, gave it a sip and poured the rest into sink; $2.00 down the drain.

DreamLand BBQ in Birmingham AL.
Salt Lick in Austin TX.
Rendezvous BBQ in Memphis (or Arthur Byrant's, or Cozy Corner)
Charlie's BBQ in Greenville/Spartanburg SC
Pierce's BBQ in Lightfoot VA

I travelled for work for about 20 years and know a bunch of "American comfort food" places if you name a city. My friends and relatives told me for years that I should do a book. Mostly soul food and regional joints.
Sanitary Fish in Moorhead City NC
Angie's Soul Food and Corky and Lenny's Deli in Cleveland OH
Gino's East in Chicago
Bookbinder's in Philly
Lexington Market in Baltimore

shit like that I know. Steakhouses are all the same and it only varies by how the meat is in that city. I don't think places like Luger's fit this thread.

Freedom for one means freedom for all. The Admiral is none too fond of beer either, but in the finest traditions of the Naval Service, the Admiral does not judge anyone who likes or dislikes beer. Just as the Admiral would not be judged for binging on cocaine in Wanchai and getting his hair peed on by a bunch of whores instead of fucking even one of them. (They did suck it quite valiantly, and one of them did lick my shitty asshole, to be fair.) Fuck that was a waste of time and money.

So, sky's the limit on food and drink recommendations. If Jack in the Box has a good burger to recommend, let's hear about it. Don't like beer? Tell us about it. Want to insist you only eat at Michelin-starred restaurants like French Laundry at $300/plate? Well, if you must, we'll get by.

Porto Escondido. Lennox, Ca near LAX. Best ceviche I've ever had. They do shrimp or fish. Topped with avocados. $5.

ViV. NYC. West 49th/9th. This place is 2 years old and looks posh and had a wine bar in front, so I wasn't expecting authentic Thai food at inexpensive-mid prices. Hands down the best Thai food I've ever had. I lived upstairs for a year, so I've tasted near everything on the menu. But don't get the volcano chicken. It tastes like lighter fluid. Their servings are large and the ingredients are pure, not processed. It's my first eatery every time I get to NYC.

Reza's. Chicago. Opulent and quiet old school dark wood interior and black tie wait staff, unexpected for traditional Middle Eastern cuisine, but a pleasant feast with huge servings. The bill for my bf and I was only $25.

Rawvolution. Santa Monica, Ca. Raw food restaurant. Best dishes, especially for raw newbies are the zucchini pasta with marinara, the burritos, and the breakfast bowl (kinda like an oatmeal parfait.). But really, like any raw food place, the desserts are where it's at. I've seen hardcore 'Murcia!' truck drivers scarf down raw cheesecake slices and chocolate puddings like crazy. Raw desserts are the gateway drug to raw food.

Bone Daddy's. Dallas, TX. Think Hooters with higher quality food (great wings. The sauce is good instead of some synthetic goop) gastropub atmosphere, and hotter girls. The waitresses are thin, attractive, and their outfits are private school girl uniforms.

25 Degrees. Hollywood, Ca. Inside the Roosevelt Hotel rests this 24 hr not so known red velvet wallpaper and chandelier cove on crowded Hollywood Blvd. Forget the Unami Burger hype. The best crafted burgers are here. Hugh quality beef or turkey, and the buns are baked daily. Add sweet potato fries and the Guiness root beer float. Enter from the back off Orange to avoid the Walk of Stars sidewalk tourists. Burgers are $11-$15 but so worth it. Pablo with the pompadour is the best waiter.

Stir Crazy. Los Angeles, Ca. Real coffee for less than $2 and free re-fills for $0.25 extra. The best home made iced green tea made from mint. The best Cobb salad, but order it with the Greek dressing instead.

Mozzarella Pizza. NYC. $2.50 slice. The have 4 varieties a day, but different choices daily. Open until 4am. Lower East Side. Thin crust but not cracker crunchy thin. Not greasy. Perfect sauce : cheese ratio. High quality cheese. True Italian joint. No hipster proprietors. A true escape from hearing words like 'artesian.'

Orsay. NYC. 76 ish/Lexington. A true French restaurant and Belle Epoch decor. The best steak tar tar I've ever had. Ever. This place is $$$$ but the steak tar tar, though it's $16 and listed as an appetizer, satiates like an entree.

Wildberry. Chicago. The pancakes. Omg.

I'll add

Sunset44 in Kirkwood. Good comfort food with a German twist. Order the turtle soup off the menu.

The Charcoal House. Small, cozy, dimly lit, but very comfortable.

Dominic's. Great Italian fare on The Hill, less expensive than Tony's.

Bevo Mill. Literally a Dutch windmill, built by Augie Busch in 1915 or so. Only open now for events and a great Sunday brunch, but lots of nostalgia.

And if you don't get to a Cardinals' game and it's hot and sticky at night, for God's sake drive over to Ted Drewe's Frozen Custard.

Westlake Village, CA - Mediterraneo - atmosphere of a European bistro with fresh and seasonal cuisines of Mediterranean and California fusion. I've had almost everything on their simple dinner menu but their braised short ribs is spectacular.

Westlake Village & Newbury Park, CA - Natural Cafe - has a great variety of well balanced plates of health food. Their veggie burger is wonderful, so are their tamales and the Uptown Salad with Turkey. Perfect for lunch or a light dinner.

Westlake Village, CA - Boccaccio's On the Lake - The brunch, lunch and dinner killer. Pesto, amazing. Escargot, spectacular. The filet... ugh, everything. It's romantic day and night too. But great for family in the day if you have well behaved children.

Old Town Chania, Crete - Semiramis - there are endless options on their menu all fresh of course. You could eat there everyday and have a new orgasmic experience in your mouth. What really got em was their stuffed florina peppers of feta and red pepper flakes, etc. If ever in that part of town, you should make it a must go. Get yourself lost among the cobblestone finding it, it's quite a reward.

Exo Gonia, Greece (Santorini Island) - Metaxi Mas a hidden gem that you'll usually only find the locals eating at. The crusted feta cheese is a must have, grilled haloumi, veal filet and so much more.

Padova, Italy - Mario e Mercedes & Navi Li - are both great places if you want true Northern Italian cuisine. People are snobby and not that friendly over there unless you speak Italian to them as a heads up.

Napa Valley, CA - Mustards Grill - smoked Chinese duck is to die for and I don't even like duck.

Yountville, CA - Buchon - It speaks for it's damn self but their mussels really captivated me.

El Paso, TX - Thyme Matters - great bistro food, their pastas are wonderful but I'd say their martini's are some of the best I've ever had. Thyme lemon martini with a chili lime rim. Amaze-balls.

El Paso, TX - Thai Cafe - their curries are spot on. Even my friend from Malaysia says it doesn't get anymore accurate. There's a high population of asians out here because of the military. Great food.

Mexican food in El Paso sucks beyond belief.

Nashville, TN - Darfons... they make true margaritas. Must have the Old Margarita. Their Limoncello Cocktail is great and so is their Disaronno Mimosa. Yummy filet and prime rib. Also their mediterranean pasta is loaded with flavorful goodies.

Nashville, TN - McNamara's Irish Pub would have to be some perfectly spot on corned beef and cabbage I've ever had. They keep it straight forward, simple and tasty. And they're actually from Ireland. True pub and restaurant experience.

I leave it at that for now. There's so many damn good places all over.

Pretty low standards for a you gotta eat here thread. Not that it's not good, but Bone Daddy's is just your standard brestraunt. Nothing special, IMO.

I went for the waitresses and liquor. I'm not that experienced in BBQ, so I've no idea how to judge it unless it's terrible like TGIF jack Daniels BBQ sauce.

Is it the same JD BBQ sauce that is sold in plastic bottles for $5.99?

Serious Pie in dowtown Seattle has some of the best pizza I've ever tasted. If you stay at the nice hotel across the street (Hotel Andra), you can just order the pizza from room service. Also from room service, get the whole assortment of Mediterranean spreads with pita (get extra pita).