Question for TurtleMichael

[Jane110]

Sooooooooo, where did you eat here in NYC???

Did you like it?

 

Jane

[turtlemichael]

Hi Jane

 

Of course, this is totally off topic so apologies to everyone.

 

Still away but not in NYC now. I ate at Mesa and Aqua Grill. Mesa sas brunch and good innovative food. Had a great chicken dish. Fun place. Nice atmosphere and very casual. Aqua Grill I was a touch disappointed in. Thought service was pushy trying to get me in and out as quickly as possible. Had a dozen mixed oysters which were mostly ok (a couple were tiny and dry)and a la carte fish. It was small serving (really small). The place sure was popular but I have had lot better seafood meals though the room was nice. I might have been inluenced by the guy at the next table who complained loud and long that htey souldn't get his martini right. Many thanks for your suggestions. I'm in SFO, SAN, PSP and LAX (West Hollywood) in September so any more suggestions?

 

We could start a restaurant info exchange, Jane!

[Jane110]

Michael,

 

I haven't eaten at Aqua Grill in a year, but never heard a negative word about them.

Geez, I'm sorry about the so-so oysters (you should have sent back the dry ones) and the pushy service. I take full note of that and won't recommend it to anyone again. I feel really bad. There are so many great seafood/fish places in NY and Aquagrill was always one of them...their raw bar is really popular. Gee, I'm so sorry that one of my recommendations wasn't something to rave about. Of course, the idiot with the wrong martini incident could happen anywhere and that does dampen the dining experience of those around him. But the rest of what you say, does not bode well for them and they're now officially off my list. My bad.

 

Did you have the 16 spice chicken at Mesa? I like that dish alot.

 

Where is PSP and SAN? I haven't been to San Fran for LA for a couple of years, so really can't recommend anything great in either place right now.

 

Jane

[turtlemichael]

Hey Jane, don't worry about it! You can't win all the time. I appreciate your suggestions! And you can always be unlucky at a good restaurant. San is San Diego and PSP is Palm Springs. Yep. it was the 16 spice chicken I liked that place a lot!

 

cheers

 

Michael

 

Long flight home tomorrow, Hmmmmmmmm!!! :( Rather be cruising!:)

[Aussie Gal]

Jane,

 

Just wanted you to know we visited your wonderful city in July before boarding the Maasdam in Boston. We loved NY so much and hope to return one day. We walked our feet off and saw everything on our list including walking both ways across the Brooklyn Bridge. We have some great photos as memories.

 

We also enjoyed our two days in Boston. We caught the train from Penn Station and enjoyed the scenery enroute. Both great cities but N.Y. has to be our favourite.

 

Jennie

[Jane110]

Hi Jennie,

 

So nice of you to post. I'm glad you had a wonderful time here! Depending one when you were here, I hope you didn't get one of the awful hot spells we had this summer.

Where did you eat here?

 

I'll be planning our Feb. trip to Oz in the next few months and hope that later in the year you'll be able to give me some great restaurant suggestions for Melbourne. Though I really want to go back to Momo's, we loved it, and I'd like to go to Stacio's, we've never been there.

 

Taking the train to Boston is lovely, isn't it? Glad you enjoyed that city too. I hope you walked along Newberry Street.

 

Did you enjoy your cruise? We were on the Maasdam once and to be honest, wwere extremely disappointed with it. That was about 4 years ago, so I hope it's gotten better since then.

 

Again, thanks for your post.

 

Jane

[Jane110]

Hey Jane, don't worry about it! You can't win all the time. I appreciate your suggestions! And you can always be unlucky at a good restaurant. San is San Diego and PSP is Palm Springs. Yep. it was the 16 spice chicken I liked that place a lot!

 

cheers

 

Michael

 

Long flight home tomorrow, Hmmmmmmmm!!! :( Rather be cruising!:)

 

Hi Michael,

 

Hope you made it home okay. Yes, it's a Looooong flight. We'll be doing it for the 6th time in February.

If you get to Port Douglas before then, let me know any restaurant suggestions. We already love 4FISH, Salsa and Nautilus.

 

Glad you had the 16 spice chicken at Mesa, it's one of my faves there.

 

Now I have a new restaurant in NY for you to try...GUSTO on Greenwich Ave in the village. Just opened about 6 weeks ago. We ate there last week and it was fabulous. Try it next time you're here!

 

Jane

[Aussie Gal]

Jane,

 

The cruise was great. The Maasdam was in tip top condition and we had good food and great entertainers each night. We were last on her in 1999 and I think she was in better condition this time around.

 

Yes we did walk along Newberry Street during the day, had dinner there in one of the restaurants at night and bought some wine from a wine cellar there. It is a lovely city.

 

The Age Good Food Guide for 2006 was just released this morning so there are quite a few up and coming restaurants listed. You will have to try "Vue de Monde" when you come in Feb. Shannon Bennett has moved his restaurant from Carlton to the city.

 

Jennie

[turtlemichael]

Hi Jane

 

Home again. I'll keep my eye out for anything else at Port Douglas but you have my favourites on your list. Sassi's is my current choice for the food quality though it's nowhere near as "big occasion" as Nautilus.

 

Oh, had brunch on Sunday before leaving at Petrossian. Very formal but great seafood!

 

Michael

[Jane110]

Michael,

 

Hope you had an uneventful flight home.

 

Sassi's? Not familiar w/ it. Where in port Douglas is it? Is it on the main street or along that stip along the water where all the new restaurants (like 4 FISH) are?

 

We always stay at Silky Oaks Lodge and dinner is included with our room rate, though even the times when it isn't, we often are too tired to take the drive to Pt. D for dinner after a day of DH's diving. So we usually go into P. D for lunch.

 

I've never had brunch at Petrossian. We had dinner dinner there many times, or sometimes just go there for a glass of champagne at the bar. It's such a pretty restaurant.

 

Jane

[turtlemichael]

EEEK! I said Sassi's and I meant to say Salsa was my current favourite. I'll blame jetlag! Sassis is on the corner of Wharf and Macrossan, opposite the pub, in a great location but I think its overrated. Apparently Tony Sassi is no longer connected with it.

[Jane110]

EEEK! I said Sassi's and I meant to say Salsa was my current favourite. I'll blame jetlag! Sassis is on the corner of Wharf and Macrossan, opposite the pub, in a great location but I think its overrated. Apparently Tony Sassi is no longer connected with it.

 

 

We love Salsa, glad it's still excellent.

 

Okay, note to self: Skip Sassies! :)

 

Thanks,

Jane

[Jane110]

Jane,

 

The cruise was great. The Maasdam was in tip top condition and we had good food and great entertainers each night. We were last on her in 1999 and I think she was in better condition this time around.

 

Yes we did walk along Newberry Street during the day, had dinner there in one of the restaurants at night and bought some wine from a wine cellar there. It is a lovely city.

 

The Age Good Food Guide for 2006 was just released this morning so there are quite a few up and coming restaurants listed. You will have to try "Vue de Monde" when you come in Feb. Shannon Bennett has moved his restaurant from Carlton to the city.

 

Jennie

 

Jennie,

 

Glad to hear the Maasdam has gotten better and that you had a wonderful cruise!

 

I'm not familiar w/ Shannon Bennet - what's the name of his restaurant?

 

Is there a website you could post so that I could order a copy of the Age Good Food Guide? Doesn't matter if it takes a while to get here, I'm not leaving for 5 months. I'd appreciate it if it's not too much trouble.

 

Thanks,

Jane

[ernie_dog]

Is there a website you could post so that I could order a copy of the Age Good Food Guide? Doesn't matter if it takes a while to get here, I'm not leaving for 5 months. I'd appreciate it if it's not too much trouble.

 

Try www.dymocks.com.au

 

You can also get the Sydney equivalent, The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide.

[Aussie Gal]

Jane,

 

I am so sorry, I didn't see your post and only saw it today.

 

Here is the website for the Age Good Food Guide.

 

http://store.theage.com.au/web/ProductDetails.aspx?id=677

 

Secondly, you will have to go to Shannon Bennett's restaurant as it has just won the Australian Restaurant of the Year.

 

It is called Vue de Mond and it is in the city. I believe it is booked out until February next year.

 

Here is the website:

 

http://www.vuedemonde.com.au/

 

I would ring from New York and make a booking like we do from here when we go to Paris or send an email.

 

Good luck

 

Jennie

[Aussie Gal]

Double posting unfortunately!!

 

Jennie

[NitaBcruising]

Double posting unfortunately!!

 

Jennie

 

Hi Jennie!

 

In case you didn't check back to find me on the Alaska thread, hopefully you'll find me here! Email me at nitabacruiseratyahoodotcom and I'll get back to you with my new email address. After getting so much spam, I don't want to use the new email online. :rolleyes:

[Aussie Gal]

Nita,

 

 

I sent an email to you this morning. Hopefully you have received it by now.

 

Jennie

[Jane110]

Jennie,

 

Many thanks. Contacted my friend in Adelaide who's buying me the Good Food Guide and sending it to me. The site won't ship to the US.

 

And contacted my friend in Melbourne and told him to call for resy's at Vue De Monde. Looks fantastic!

 

Thanks for all the great info!

 

Best,

Jane

[Aussie Gal]

Jane,

 

I am sure you will not be disappointed with Vue de Monde. My sister had her birthday celebration there and loved it.

 

We are off to another good restaurant this weekend. We are going to Lakehouse at Daylesford and will have two wonderful meals there. When you get the Age Good Food Guide you will find it in there - it has a couple of chef's hats too. My DH is a wine buff and we are going with his wine club - there will be 18 of us. It should be a great weekend with good food and wine.

 

Here is the site.

 

http://www.lakehouse.com.au/

 

Peter and I have a Lakeview Room.

 

 

Jennie

[ernie_dog]

FYI - The Dymocks site ships internationally. They will charge you AUD$23 for up to 1kg.

[Jane110]

Jennie,

 

The place looks wonderful. I'll put it on my list for a future visit. Not enough time in this trip, unfortunately. :(

 

If you like charming B&B's we stayed in one in the Hawkesury region, about an hour from Sydney, on our last visit. Called Tizzana Winery. They only have 2 guest rooms, however, they're totally seperated from the owners. The owners are wonderful cooks. Along with breakfast, they cooked us two dinners which were fabulous. They produce dessert wine mostly as well as some other things - olive oil, gourmet jams, etc.

It's a lovely retreat if you're looking for a quiet get-away. There are no services or spa on the property.

 

For your referenceit's www.Tizzana.com.au

 

Ernie-Dog, thanks for the info. My friend is sending it to me and it won't cost that much for shipping.

 

Jane

[Aussie Gal]

Jane,

 

Thanks for that info. We love going to Sydney and further on. I used to fly up to Sydney every month for eight years when our daughter and her family lived in Mosman. They moved back here 3 years ago and I haven't been back since but I have had withdrawal symptoms and they are getting worse! We must plan a visit for next year. We could easily add the Hunter Valley into that trip.

 

Jennie

[Jane110]

Hi Jennie,

 

We always go up to Mossman so my husband can dive and I can enjoy the rainforest. We always stay at Silky Oaks Lodge. I just booked our 4th visit. They should just give me a permanent key to our chalet! LOL!

 

Oh, we have a booking at Vue de Monde!!!! :D

 

Jane

[Aussie Gal]

Hi Jennie,

 

We always go up to Mossman so my husband can dive and I can enjoy the rainforest. We always stay at Silky Oaks Lodge. I just booked our 4th visit. They should just give me a permanent key to our chalet! LOL!

 

Oh, we have a booking at Vue de Monde!!!! :D

 

Jane

 

Jane,

 

I was referring to the Sydney suburb of Mosman - different spelling - which is one of the best suburbs in Sydney, right where the Zoo is and also close to Bathers Pavilion and Watermark.

 

It would take me a good weekend to fly up to FNQ each month if my daughter had lived in Mossman! :rolleyes: By the way she is a Jane as well. Lovely name. ;) ;)

 

Jennie