Liana's Trattoria
591 Tunxis Hill Rd,

 Fairfield, CT
(203) 368-1235

RESTAURANT~ You will not go wrong here. The owner is always on location and oversees everything and will mingle with the patrons on a personal level and to ensure satisfaction. Simple and small unpretentious trattoria with home spun dishes that brings Italy's countryside to your table. Knowledgeable wait staff. You are treated as if THEY are privileged to have you there and not the other way around. Reservations suggested. Call early.

~Patrick

Biancardi Meats

2350 Arthur Ave

Bronx, NY 10458

(718) 733-4058

or

(718) 733-7545

BUTCHER~ Butchers galore running around behind the counter preparing meats and waiting on customers. It can be a mad house of excitement. Top quality products and extremely knowledgeable staffing.

~Patrick

Fratelli

Portland, OR

RESTAURANT~ Always dependable Tuscan food, done simply. A cavernous, cool, un-adorned setting with very knowledgeable waiters. Very unpretentious. Not a hip scene, but always busy.

~John

Paley's Place

Portland, OR

RESTAURANT~ In my opinion, and in the opinion of many others in town, the best restaurant in town. Started by a NY couple in a small little storefront setting. And even after its reputation exploded, it stayed in the same spot. Everything about it is perfect. And it's all about the food. Like eating in someone's dining room at home. These two New Yorkers are by far the best restaurateurs in Portland, in every sense of the word.

~John

Zuni Cafe

San Francisco, CA

RESTAURANT~ It is without a doubt the one of, if not, the best Tuscan/Italian restaurant in the United States. Nothing more to say.

~John

Ortega’s

San Diego, CA

RESTAURANT~ The quintessential ethnic, hole-in-the-wall family-owned place. Best Mexican this side of the border.

~John

Genoa

Portland, OR

RESTAURANT~ For a classic, refined "Northern" Italian dining experience in a small storefront setting - a Portland tradition of the highest quality and reputation.

~John

La Pinata

118 New Main St, Yonkers, NY

(914) 968-6061

BAKERY~ Excellent fresh pastries. A multitude of greatness. Friendly and courteous staff. I could sit in this Latino bakery all day eating desserts and drinking cappuccinos!

~Patrick

Higgins

Portland, OR

RESTAURANT~ Set the standard for "Northwest" cuisine. He makes his own wild boar prosciutto! And the best duck confit this side of Paris.

~John

World Market

Portland, OR

MARKET~ Local Lebanese owned market stocking all that is middle eastern. Family owned & customer oriented.

~John

Bluehour

Portland, OR

RESTAURANT~ It borders on pretentious, but in my opinion it's a swooning experience in atmosphere, food, and service. The best fois gras I've ever eaten. If they'd just bar Portland politicians with their entourages ....

~John

Baker & Spice

Portland, OR

BAKERY~ Without a doubt the best baguettes in Portland.

~John

Amuse

Ashland, OR

RESTAURANT~ Northwestern style cuisine. Small, intimate with great service and well prepared dishes. Within walking distance to Ashland's famous Shakespeare festival

~John

A&S Italian Fine Foods
2079 Black Rock Turnpike.
Fairfield, CT 06825
203-576-1600

DELI /BUTCHER /CATERING~ Operated by two Italian brothers, these guys have quality at the forefront of their business model from customer service to food. Don't pass up the opportunity to stop in and enjoy the products and the super friendly service. www.asfinefoods.com

~Patrick

Chez Shea

Seattle, WA

RESTAURANT~ Classic French in a small, intimate upstairs room overlooking the Puget Sound. A French waitress who's been there for decades. Where I proposed to Nancy, and where she took me for our 15th anniversary. Better than I any meal I ever had in France (other than the ones we cooked at Erick and Madeleine's cooking school in Arles).

~John

Fat City Café

Portland, OR

RESTAURANT~ Traditional hole in the wall diner serving breakfast (served all day long) and lunch. Favorite pick is corned beef hash with fried eggs. Homemade milk shakes, buttermilk biscuits. Not fancy, just plain good simple down home eats.

~John

Terra Mia

Boston, MA

RESTAURANT~ In the Italian North End. The fat Italian owner sits in the corner of a small dining room, and eats constantly (entertaining his table's guests) while the rest of us eat the best of traditional southern Italian dishes.

~John

Pierce's 1894

Elmira Heights, NY

RESTAURANT~ Service was five star, for sure. No debate. The only thing I was aware of that wasn't a 5 start food rating was the pasta. But give these guys a break. They're a classic "French"/American meat place. Probably got some calls for some vegetarian /pasta dishes - and they condescended. Every restaurant has an off night every now and then on a dish or two. But my food experience was superb. It's a classic, basic old-time classy American restaurant stuck in the Elmira depression. It was a special time for the family, and the restaurant did not disappoint. And, the wine list was superb.
~John

New Seasons

Portland, OR

MARKET~ Small Portland chain supermarket providing the best of local & non local, as well as organic and non-organic products available. Fast checkout, outstanding to order butcher department and overall great customer service.

~John

Cafe DuBerry

Portland, OR

RESTAURANT~Cafe DuBerry is a "French Country Cafe" that has operated out of a corner of an old Johns Landing (Portland neighborhood on the Willamette River) building for over 30 years. Run by Chef Mike Anderson, his wife Lydia, and son Marlon, and server Earnest, this is the quaintest, cutest, least chi-chi, lowest key, friendliest high-class little hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Portland serving 3 meals day of French cafe inspired grub with Mike's Oregonian home-grown touch. He fillets his own wild caught salmon for Salmon Benedict, digs his own wild porcini and chanterelles for his omelets, makes his literally world-famous French toast from a secret recipe, grills the best steak au poive (pepper steak with cream and brandy sauce) this side of the Atlantic, sautes fresh Oregon pork loin medallions wit apple brandy sauce, whips up a lunch time Salad Nicoise with fresh Oregon coast albacore tuna, and still will find time if it's not too busy to sit down and have a glass of wine with you in his tiny 6 table dining room. His t-shirt's always greasy, his smile wide as the Cheshire cat's, and his checked chef's pants are never pressed. Ya gotta love it.

~John

BUTCHER~There aren't many real butcher shops left any more. Phil has been there for over 3 decades. He has all the stuff a good butcher carries, and will get it for you if he doesn't have it in stock. And there's always veal! He'll cut me a 3" thick aged porterhouse any time I want. Can get you a fresh killed goose. And always has on hand an assortment of fresh homemade sausages - made with pork. Even the good supermarkets that make their own sausage here, carry a pitiful selection of pork sausage - mainly I guess because people think chicken fat has less cholesterol than pork fat. Which can't possibly be true. And they give up all that great pork flavor for chicken which they have to add all kinds of extra ingredients to to make up for the fact that chicken is essentially "the other white tofu."

~John