More recent Restaurant Reviews can be found here.

Here is a collection of restaurant impressions (listed alphabetically for each year) with updates for revisits:

---- 2010 ----

Allegra; Napa, CA: Located in an old bank building downtown, there is a very ample selection of wines and decent food. Although it's highly rated, the restaurant is pleasant but nothing to rave about. Busy and noisy, too. Meh. (9/28/10, permalink)

The Belvedere; Beverly Hills, CA: Located in the posh Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, this restaurant served me the best fillet I've had in the past 10 years ... at least. Every item - from drinks to appetizers to sides to a succulent dessert finish was first rate. I had a glass of Louis Latour Pinot Noir from the Burgundy Region and it was a delight to the senses. The decor is refined and elegant.

Here's the thing ... while the Belvedere isn't cheap by any means, we've paid twice as much elsewhere and haven't been half as pleased. Highly recommended. (2/10/10, permalink)

Bella Vista; Santa Barbara, CA: Located in the Four Seasons Biltmore Resort, the restaurant showcases innovative California wine-country cuisine in a seaside bistro setting. The food was fine, the service acceptable but what made this place was the expansive ocean view on a sunny, blue-sky California day. (2/10/10, permalink)

Bistro of Santa Monica; Santa Monica, CA: This wonderful little Italian restaurant in a brick turn-of-the-century building will surprise you with exceptional and interesting variations on Norther Italian cuisine. The decor is inviting and the service is very good. (2/10/10, permalink)

Cafe Italia; Indian Wells, CA: This unpretentious-looking strip mall restaurant is a hidden jewel. The simple but elegant decor is inviting; the wine list is extensive and the food is first rate.

When you're least expecting it, the wait people burst into song. Individually or as a duo, they perform Broadway numbers, standards and light operatic pieces. Each person was talented and enjoyable. Don't miss it. (2/10/10)

Castelli's; Palm Desert, CA: Joe Pesci and other celebs dine here when visiting The Desert. The walls are filled with framed photos of them. No wonder - this place is first rate: well-prepared pasta dishes, delicious garlic bread and excellent service from friendly, knowledgeable waiters.

The atmosphere is lively and owner Michael Castelli is on premises to make sure that everything is up to standards. He personally thanked us for our patronage. We look forward to our next visit. (2/10/10)

Celadon; Napa, CA: Located near Napa's riverwalk, this establishment offers good drinks, well-prepared food and a nice atmosphere. (9/28/10, permalink)

The Cliff House; La Quinta, CA: This well-appointed restaurant offers very good food, an extensive wine list and great prices, especially if you know what days are 'special'. (Ask around.) Be sure to make reservations; this popular spot fills up quickly. (2/10/10)

Crossroads Steakhouse; Walla Walla, WA: This downtown establishment offered pleasant food in nicely decorated surroundings. The servings weren't inspired but portions were generous and service was decent. (10/22/10, permalink)

Cucina Biazzi; Ashland OR: Outstanding Italian cuisine in a hard-to-find restored 1884 private home. Drive up the driveway and you'll find ample parking and patio dining at the rear of the dwelling. The house is charming, the Chianti Classico is exquisite and the Ravioli Bolognaise is exceptional. Highly recommended. (9/28/10, permalink)

El Cholo; Los Angeles, CA: One of the oldest Mexican Restaurants in Los Angeles, this establishment is a favorite of many Hollywood stars including the late Gary Cooper. (There is a scale model of his Duesenberg on display in the lobby.)

The food portions were generous and flavorful; the service was very good. But I could kick myself because I drove across town in rush hour LA traffic to get here, unaware that there was another El Cholo location six blocks from our hotel in Santa Monica. (2/10/10, permalink)

The Firehouse; Sacramento, CA: This fixture of Old Town Sacramento offers turn-of-the-century elegance, well prepared food plus an excellent and extensive wine list. Every California governor since time immemorial has dined here. You should too. (9/28/10, permalink)

Giuseppe's Pasta & Grill; San Ramon, CA: Awesomely delicious food combined with excellent service at surprisingly modest prices. For wine, try the Stella Red from Rutherford, CA. It's made by the restaurant owner's cousin and is delightful. (9/28/10, permalink)

Hockinson Kountry Cafe; Battle Ground, WA: Once a local favorite in rural Hockinson, this restaurant was forced to move earlier in 2010 when road improvements took away its parking lot. The name is the same but the cafe is now located in West Battle Ground.

The efficient and friendly wait staff delivers the meal to your table quickly. The food is homemade, comfort-style and generous in portion. For dessert, the pies are legendary. And the prices are small town reasonable. We've been there several times and been favorably impressed with each visit.

Downsides: The parking lot is too small for the restaurant, so get there early. Even if you walk, there is sometimes a line out the door at peak hours. HKC closes early - 3:00 pm.

The Hockinson Kountry Cafe is so stellar, it has rebuffed the 'Location of Death' aura. Therein lies a tale. The building, across from Albertson's & behind Goodwill, had originally been the site of CJ's Grill which opened in 2004.

CJ's opened on a promising note but the owners knew nothing about the restaurant business and, after a few months, it floundered when the chef quit and took all the recipes with him. (Didn't anyone keep copies?) A new chef was brought in; he changed everything - but not in a good way. The food quality was abysmal. Many customers stopped coming by and several waitpeople quit. A third chef brought an all-too brief renaissance, followed by a cliff-dropping decline in quality of food and service. Soon, CJ's was out of business.

The building remained vacant for a couple of years. Then Jennifer's Cafe opened. An ominous indicator was that - instead of springing for a new sign - the free-standing letters were just reversed from CJ to JC. It made me wonder if there was really a Jennifer. We ate there a couple of times. The food was good but overpriced and, even though the place was mostly empty, the service was slow.

Within a few months, JC stood for Just Closed.

Hockinson Kountry Cafe is stuck with CJ's quirky interior design - street lamps between tables, a beautiful but inappropriate arched wood ceiling that sometimes provides bowling alley acoustics and an area (once CJ's bar) enclosed by half-walls, topped peculiarly with wood farm fencing - but has not let such architectural oddities impede its success.

Instead, HKC has broken the Curse the Doomed Location in a most satisfying and delicious way. Kudos. (11/12/10, permalink)

Lawry’s The Prime Rib, Beverly Hills, CA: Don't ask me how non-prime rib dishes taste here. I've never had any. The prime rib, the drinks, the ambience and the service here are first-rate. Our waitress, Fiona, hailed from Dublin and was a delight. Yes, it's expensive ... but a trip to Lawry's is part of the LA experience.

Don't travel to the area without sampling it. (2/10/10, permalink)

Maggiano's Little Italy; Los Angeles, CA: This is an Italian-style chain of casual dining restaurants with over 40 locations throughout the U.S. The portions are large and the food is flavorful. The service was somewhat slow. While our experience was enjoyable, I think the Carrabba's chain is superior. (2/10/10)

Mimi's Cafe; Rancho Mirage and La Quinta, CA: Offering delicious roast turkey dinners, the menu states, "Any day can be Thanksgiving."

The non-turkey menu items are also very good. The portions are large, the prices are very reasonable and the place fills up quickly with dangerously hungry geezers armed with canes and walkers. Go early to get a good table. (2/10/10)

Pacific Dining Car; Santa Monica, CA: OK, it's a Los Angeles institution, having been around for almost 90 years and serves up a variety of steaks and seafood. Our meal was pleasant but forgettable. Verdict: overpriced and ordinary. (2/10/10)

Paparazzi; Battle Ground, WA: This new restaurant features Italian and Northwest cuisine and is located at the site of the former Leonardo's. Owner Lloyd Taylor, who once operated the legendary Bacchus restaurant in Vancouver, says Paparazzi offers "a Tuscan feel."

We were very pleased with our meal. Service was attentive. My wife had a veggie pizza; I had lasagna. Both were delicious. A small basket of bread costs extra but is freshly baked to order. We shared a bottle of Tuscan 2007 Banfi Centine - a blend of Sangievese, Cabernet and Merlot. It was very good; the wine list - while limited - is quite interesting.

We returned a week later and were equally impressed. My wife liked the crab cake appetizers; I had a meatball pizza which was excellent. This time we shared a bottle of Da Vinci Chianti which we both enjoyed very much. (7/28/10, permalink) June 2011 Update: Sadly, out of business.

Pomme Frites; Palm Springs, CA: This cozy downtown prepares excellent entrees from scratch. The wait staff is very knowledgeable and prompt. The offerings are a combination of Belgian and French cuisine. The decor and layout is cleverly reminiscent of an intimate European café. (2/10/10)

Patsy D'Amore's; Los Angeles, CA: Located in a LA Farmers Market stall, this legendary place serves up the closest thing to old-time New Jersey Boardwalk pizza, properly flavorful and greasy. In the '40s, Sinatra bankrolled Patsy D'Amore because Frank couldn't find any decent Italian food in LA. (2/10/10)

Polo Lounge; Beverly Hills, CA: The food, service and ambiance were outstanding. Pricey but worth it. The cherries in the Polo Lounge's Manhattans are the best I've ever tasted. And I've been drinking Manhattans for over 50 years. I also sampled some excellent Pug Dog Pinot Noir (2007, Willamette Valley, OR).

The valet parking was expensive but I was treated to a luxury car show with Lexi, Benzes and Bentleys, a Rolls Royce or two and a late-1960s Series II silver Jaguar 2+2 E-Type making appearances. (2/10/10, permalink)

Red's BBQ & Grillery; Simi Valley, CA: While we didn't try the ribs, the barbecue sandwiches and sides were some of the best we've ever tasted. Exceptional food and service offered at a budget price. (2/10/10, permalink)

Ristorante Mama Gina; Palm Desert, CA: This establishment has some of the best Italian cuisine I've sampled since the demise of Gaetano's in Philadelphia. Dining there has become an annual event for us.

Mama Gina has three locations - Palm Desert, Newport Beach, CA and Florence, Italy. (2/10/10)

Rosso; Santa Rosa, CA: The unpretentious strip mall location belies the delights which await inside. Try the Goomba (a spaghetti and meatball pizza - sounds awful; tastes great) along with one of the many excellent wine offerings. Rosso is also a wine bar and wine store. (9/28/10, permalink)

Sherman's Deli; Palm Desert and Palm Springs, CA: This wonderful Jewish deli is just like the kind you find in New York and Philly. Every item on the menu is far above par. Oy! You'd be meshugeh not to eat here. (2/10/10)

Sirocco; Indian Wells, CA: This elegant Italian restaurant is at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa. The food is always interesting and flavorful and the service is impeccable. (2/10/10)

---- 2008 ----

Aleathea's Restaurant; Cape May, N.J: Located in the Inn of Cape May, the decor of this place is a little too froufrou for my taste - fancy chandeliers, slow-turning antiquey ceiling fans, 1920s sideboards accenting dusky rose walls and a Victorian wraparound porch with an ocean view. I expected forgettable tourist-hotel chick food but was pleasantly surprised when I was served a spectacular and manly Philly cheese steak at lunch. Highly recommended. (10/22/08)

Bugatti's Ristorante; West Linn, OR: Simple, trendy decor combined with homemade Italian food and good service made for a good dining experience. The portions are adequate but the taste is delicious, with some unusual combinations offered. It's a bit pricey but we'd return here again if we're in the area. (7/9/08, permalink)

Bing Crosby; Rancho Mirage, CA: The mock-1940s decor was enticing; the food, service and wine selection were outstanding. The cocktails are traditional and generous. We'll be going back again and again. (2/1/08, permalink)

4/08 update: Alas, good friends of ours dined there - at our recommendation - and reported that the service was appallingly bad. It stopped us from returning in '09. Update II: Closed - out of business 2010. The building now houses an Old Spaghetti Factory.

Castelli's; Palm Desert, CA: Joe Pesci eats here when in town. So do many other stars. The walls are filled with framed photos of them. This establishment offers well-prepared pasta dishes, delicious garlic bread and excellent service from friendly, knowledgeable waiters.

The atmosphere is lively and owner Michael Castelli is on premises to make sure that everything is up to standards. He personally thanked us for our patronage. We look forward to our next visit. (2/1/08)

1/09 update: Still wonderful. And very busy, despite the recession.

Cheesecake Factory; Rancho Mirage, CA: I had never been to this chain before but, the service and food was very good and reasonably priced. The decor was fascinatingly over the top. Located in The River shopping center. (2/1/08)

1/09 update: We visted twice during this trip. Never a bad meal. Try the Kobe beef burger. And save room for cheesecake.

Delmonico's Steak House; Philadelphia PA: Named by the Philadelphia Inquirer as the "best steakhouse in Philadelphia," the place was a well-appointed, fairly typical luxury hotel dining room. The food and service were very good but were not in the 'best of' class. Expense-account pricey and nowhere to park, so you must use the hotel's valet service.

Skip this establishment; you can do better.

DiSalvo's; Williamsport PA: Best lasagna ever! Definitely worth a visit. (10/22/08)

Keedy's Fountain Grill; Palm Desert, CA: This institution has been in business for over 50 years. Once patronized by the likes of Bing Crosby and Hopalong Cassidy and now on many 'must go to' lists, it is a kinda dumpy burger joint with old posters and news clippings on the wall.

Meh. You can get much better burgers elsewhere. (2/1/08)

LG's Prime Steakhouse; Palm Desert, CA: Best steaks in town. Beef is aged on premises - said premises also happens to be the oldest adobe structure in Palm Desert. It's quite nice though. Owned by Leon and Gail Greenberg; they were dining at the very next table when we visited - a good sign. (2/1/08, permalink)

Lee's Hoagie House; Bensalem, PA: Still a great place to get a genuine Philly cheese steak. Or a hoagie. See 2006 comments. (10/22/08)

Marvelous Muggs; Scranton, PA: We had low expectations for this casual dining place, trapped between two motels, especially since the motels were giving out discount coupons. But the food and service were surprisingly good. I had a meatball wrap (never knew such a dish existed); it was tasty and filling. (10/22/08)

Meercat Cafe; Palm Desert, CA: Look, nobody expects good food from a zoo, museum or similar attraction. (Although, the restaurant at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris is nothing short of spectacular. Ditto for the Louvre.) Anyway, when you go to The Living Desert, you're stuck with dining at one of their facilities, unless you bring your own lunch.

The Meercat Cafe offers overpriced cafeteria meals of unexceptional food served by uncaring drones. I can handle that. What I couldn't handle was the response when I asked for a straw for my Diet Coke. I was given a look of mock horror mixed with sanctimoniousness as the reply was delivered: "We don't supply straws ... for the sake of the animals."

WTF?!

I was hungry and not interested in a debate with a counter clerk so I walked away, although I was pissed that I paid $2.50 for a soft drink and didn't even get a #$@% straw. I later Googled 'drinking straws animal deaths' but found nothing.

Yes, I know that every time an Escalade drives down the street, a polar bear dies. And Fur is Murder. Blah, blah, blah. But I hadn't heard of the panda population being decimated by drinking straws. I mean, straws are made from extruded polyethylene, not bamboo.

Are the plastic extruders operated by animals? If so, maybe they just work themselves to death or something. Too much overtime, maybe.

Oh, wait. Maybe he was talking about The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back. Ya think?

The Living Desert has much to offer - a very nice zoo and a spectacular train layout. Just pack your own lunch. And your own straw. (2/1/08, permalink)

Sullivan's Steakhouse; King of Prussia PA: Features a well-orchestrated, professional wait staff offering excellent service. The food is wonderful but pricey. Sides are extra but are very tasty, including huge onion rings the size of Smart tires. The wine list is extensive but expensive. (10/22/08)

1/09 update: Sullivan's in Palm Desert, CA is also outstanding. The onion rings are a little smaller but are stacked like the Tower of Babel.

Terry's Diner; Moosic PA: It's an authentic '50s-style diner with stainless steel, terrazzo floor, etc. In the true tradition of diners, the menu is very extensive listing over 200 items. Best of all, the food is diner food at its best.

If you're ever in the Scranton area, be sure to enjoy a great meal here. (10/22/08, permalink)

Tony's; Ivyland PA: Still offers the best genuine Philly tomato pie, just like they did in 1959. See 2006 comments. (10/22/08)

William Penn Inn; Gwynedd, PA: Established in 1714, the William Penn Inn is the oldest continuously operated country inn in Pennsylvania. It offers a dignified dining atmosphere, an abundant wine list and excellent food.

The service is attentive but a little arthritic. (10/22/08)

---- 2007 ----

Amici Bistro; Mukilteo, WA: This restaurant is located at one end of an L-shaped 1950s building; its architecture owes much to the infamous Bates Motel. The once-motel has now been converted to offices but doesn't look very impressive from the street. Step inside the restaurant and everything changes - white tablecloths, candles, nice wallcoverings, prompt service. The food was excellent and there was an extensive wine list and cellar. Owners Gianni and Rose Sassioti run a tight ship. We had a truly wonderful dinner; the lasagna is to die for. (2/26/07)

Buddy Greco's Dinner Club; Cathedral City, CA: The headliner is, of course, "Buddy Greco with guest star Lezlie Anders." Buddy, who I had always remembered as a kind of third-tier Rat Packer, was the featured act. I was pleasantly shocked by his talented performance. This guy is really good and I'm amazed that he wasn't a bigger star in his heyday. Lezlie is his fourth wife; she's from Lake Oswego, Oregon.

Too many of these clubs offer mediocre-at-best food and watery drinks but Greco's served dinners prepared by executive chef Isabella, daughter of the head chef of legendary (but now-defunct) Chasen's. The food was excellent. So was the booze. And it wasn't watered down, either.

Buddy put on an outstanding show and has a surprisingly good voice for an eighty year-old. He's an accomplished jazz pianist, too.

Lezlie is very talented as well, sounding kinda like Peggy Lee. At the table next to us were folks from England. Apparently, Buddy Greco has a large following in the British jazz community. We had a very good time and got to chat with both Buddy and Lezlie afterward. Nice people. His club is definitely worth a visit, if you're in the area. (2/1/07)

1/08 update: We returned and found that the food and service were even better. Buddy and Lezlie now seem more comfortable and relaxed; their performances were even more enjoyable. They did lots of interaction with an enthusiastic audience. Highly recommended. We're goin' back.

1/09 update: Better than ever. Don't miss Buddy and Lezlie.

8/09 update: Sadly, the club has closed.

Final update: Buddy Greco died on January 10, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the age of 90. Buddy, who married five times, was married to Lezlie Anders at the time of his death. As of 2020, Lezlie as living in the mountains of Washington state and redoing and decorating her late mother's home. (permalink)

Carafe Parisian Bistro; Portland, OR: This Parisian-style bistro offers casually sophisticated dining in a lively setting with tin ceiling, cafe tables, art-deco lamps, two glass walls and a large mirror on one wall. The Bistro has good parentage; it is owned and operated by husband and wife Pascal Sauton & Julie Hunter. Pascal was formerly executive chef at the RiverPlace Hotel, where we had many enjoyable meals at the now-defunct Esplanade. Julie brings restaurant managerial experience as well.

Try one of the French wines (we had Joseph Roty Rosé - dry but flavorful) and the hangar steak and fries - excellent!! But skip the desserts which are unexceptional.

It's a touch of Paris in downtown Portland. Très Bon! (9/1/07)

Kaiser Grille; Palm Springs, CA: This landmark offers retro-futuristic decor. (Think the Jetsons meet bricks and Frank Lloyd Wright.) It is a vibrant restaurant and offers the best barbecue brisket west of Corky's in Memphis. They also have their own house brand of wine, Kaiser. It seems like all the automotive wines taste good - Firestone, Red Truck Red, Timbuktu Big Block red, etc. I mentioned this to our waiter but he had never heard of a Kaiser automobile. Neither had my daughter! (Sigh.) (2/1/07, permalink)

1/08 update: Alas, the barbecue brisket is no longer on the menu. Still a good spot though.

1/09 update: Brisket is back - as a special. And it's still delicious.

Pomme Frites; Palm Springs, CA: We liked this downtown spot so much that we dined there twice during our stay. Jean-Claude Constant, the owner, makes sure that everything is prepared from scratch and is a very hands-on manager. And the wait staff is very knowledgeable and prompt. The offerings are a combination of Belgian and French cuisine. The decor and layout is cleverly reminiscent of an intimate European café. (2/1/07)

Ristorante Mama Gina; Palm Desert, CA: This establishment had some of the best Italian cuisine I've sampled since the demise of Gaetano's in Philadelphia. Mama Gina has three locations - Palm Desert, Newport Beach, CA and Florence, Italy. (2/1/07, permalink)

1/08 update: We returned and weren't disappointed. Excellent for lunch or dinner - we did both. And ... we'll be back again.

1/09 update: Still great.

Sirocco; Indian Wells, CA: This elegant Italian restaurant is at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa. Chef Livio Massignani visited our table and discussed Italian food between courses. He is Venetian and produces many distinctive dishes reminiscent of the region. We had a fine meal. (2/1/07)

1/09 update: Still serving great cuisine.

T. Maccarone's; Walla Walla, WA: The menu features tasty Italian cuisine. The wine list is extensive and the atmosphere is trendy but warm and inviting. All pasta is made in-house; the meatballs are to die for. Tom Maccarone is the owner and an affable host.(10/8/07, permalink)

8/09 update: It's still a great place to dine. But it's been 'discovered', so make reservations.

10/10 update: T. Maccarone's still has exceptional food and a very good house wine made by Trust Cellars. But, the menu is less Italian than before and some of the staff seem haughty. I miss Tom's "grandma's recipe meatballs" which have gone missing.

The Falls; La Quinta, CA: This fine steakhouse features a wall of water cascading down a large floor-to-ceiling glass panel. Very intriguing. The Falls has a spectacular Martini Bar and we sampled its wares.

The food was good but nothing to brag about. Based on menu prices, it should be. (2/1/07)

Update: Closed in 2010.

Wally's Desert Turtle; Rancho Mirage, CA: Founder Wally Botello was the former owner of the old Velvet Turtle chain of restaurants. These were a favorite and I used to dine there any time I traveled to California. The Desert Turtle is several notches higher than the Velvet Ones, offering fine food to match the exquisite décor of the place. Many of our fellow diners were wearing formal attire.

Most of the cars in the parking lot carried stickers of $100,000 or more when new. Our rental Chevy Cobalt looked lonely and intimidated. But we had a great time. (2/1/07)

Whitehouse-Crawford; Walla Walla, WA: This establishment gets its name from a turn of the century planing mill and manufacturer of furniture and store fixtures where the restaurant is now located. It features an exhibition-style open kitchen with working brick oven, rafter ceilings and a treasury of historic photos. The food was exceptional; the service was impeccable. A glass wall permits diners to check out the winemaking activity at the excellent Seven Hills Winery next door. The bread is made to spec in Seattle and arrives every day by bus. (10/8/07, permalink)

8/09 update: Still offering great cuisine. And bread. The bread is no longer bused in - it is now obtained from a new local bakery. Try the onion appetizer - not rings, just shredded, lightly-breaded Walla Walla Sweets - it's darn tasty.

10/10 update: This upscale restaurant remains very nice. The basket of crispy fried Walla Walla onions remains a must-have appetizer.

Editorial - The Black Hole Of Dining: Sometimes I think its mass center is in Vancouver Washington. So many chain restaurants have their very worst examples sited there. We'll never go back to Chevy's Mexican Restaurant off Route 500, although the one in Beaverton, OR is apparently OK. The Vancouver Olive Garden provided us with one of the worst dining experiences ever. Ruby Tuesday is on our never goin' back list, too.

Stuart Anderson's Black Angus downtown isn't bad but the ones nearer Seattle are several notches higher in both food quality and service. Same for Red Robin and TGI Friday's - we don't bother patronizing the ones in Vancouver anymore, although both chains are just fine for convenient, out-of-town lunch breaks. Outback Steakhouse (in the Vancouver Mall) seems to be slipping noticeably.

The Applebee's in Vancouver is so bad (triple ptui!), that I've never dared to eat at one when traveling. Elmer's Restaurants, headquartered in Portland, offers a pretty decent local alternative but the best Elmer's meal I ever had was in Palm Springs, CA. Go figure.

Recently, we dined at German-themed Gustav's on 164th. The service was atrociously slow; it took well over two hours at this casual dining spot. I've been there once before; it took twice as long as a business lunch elsewhere. I have been told that the Gustav's in Oregon operate at much closer to normal speed.

A genuine exception: Azteca (part of a northwest Mexican restaurant chain) is just as good as the ones we've tried elsewhere. Great food; prompt service. (10/3/07, permalink)

---- 2006 ----

Waddling Dog Pub; Sidney, B.C.: We had lunch here. Great name, zero ambiance but good food. (6/23/06)

---- 2005 and earlier ----

Burgerville; OR & WA: If you live in a lucky-enough area of the Pacific Northwest, be sure to visit your local Burgerville. It's Walla-Walla Days (an annual event running from late June through mid-August) and the battered, fried Walla-Walla onion rings and Walla-Walla Cheeseburgers are pure heaven.

My wife and I just dined at the one in Battle Ground. We'll go back again before the Walla-Wallas are gone. Maybe several times! (6/30/05)

Doubletree's Corporate Idiocy: If you want to buy a gift certificate for one of the Doubletree Hotel's restaurants, you can't get them at the restaurant. You must call an 800 number and you'll be charged an extra $7.50 for mandatory FedEx shipping. Is that nuts or what?! (3/15/05)

Portofino Bistro Italiano; Quebec City, Quebec: This wonderful Italian restaurant is in upper Quebec City. Excellent food ... and the walls are covered with Ferraribilia. One night, the owner's red 348 TS was parked out front.

Nearby, the pricey Restaurant Auberge du Tresor offers good cuisine but very poor service. Avoid it. (10/14/04)

The Windseeker; The Dalles, Oregon: For the past 15 years or so, we've patronized Cousins for lunch in The Dalles. But on our last two visits, the food and service were sub-par. So, we tried The Windseeker - a restaurant perched on the edge of the Columbia Gorge. We had a window table with a pleasurable Gorge view. The food was very tasty. It's our new Lunch Place. The Windseeker is also open for dinner. (10/17/05, permalink)

8/09 update: Still a fine place to dine.