How About Dinner on Us?
We are a fine-dining restaurant supplier that specializes in “center of the plate” products that master chefs rely upon when designing their signature dishes. (If you know MarxFoods.com, we are their big sister…the original company that MarxFoods.com was created from).
While this division is focused on serving fine restaurants, we’d like to ask YOU, the restaurant patron, to tell us where you would most like to eat.
Leave a comment below, telling us the name, city and state of the restaurant where you would most like to eat and why and you will be entered to receive a $200 gift certificate to use at that restaurant.
Any fine dining establishment in the US is fair game!
Enter by May 3, 2009 at midnight by leaving a comment below. The winning entry will be selected at random using the random integer generator at random.org and will be announced on May 4, 2009 May 5, 2009 May 6, 2009.
Good luck!!!
I would choose L’ESPALIER in Boston. Their ambience and menu is most impressive, and I’d share this remarkable dining experience with my mother who just turned 80. I was unable to attend her official birthday celebration due to weather and financial constraints, but would love to make it up to her in regal style. Please think of your “mom” when voting. Thanks so much………Mark
April 16th, 2009 at 1:14 pmIt’s been far too long since I’ve eaten at Union, right here in Seattle. Simply stated – one of the finest places I’ve eaten in my limited exposure to some great places in NYC, Chicago, SF, Beverly Hills, Paris and Champagne. Elegantly prepared and served but without fuss. Food. To be eaten and enjoyed with friends. There is another on my list. Indigo in Honolulu. Chef Chu is an accomplished master of ingredients, flavors, and service.
April 16th, 2009 at 1:41 pmI would totally pick Rigsby’s Kitchen in Columbus OH. This is a very special restaurant for my husband and I with a lot of sentimental meaning from some pretty special experiences there. We really like that they use fresh local ingredients, along with a great wine selection. Not to mention some of the best Italian food in the city! I would love to be able to go back sometime and enjoy a great romantic evening with my husband!
April 16th, 2009 at 5:18 pmI would love to try Bella Vista restaurant in Woodside California. I have heard that the french country cuisine and the views are to die for!
April 16th, 2009 at 7:35 pmWow…any restaurant in the U.S. A food lover’s dream come true! I’m a transplanted New Yorker living in FL…both great dining destinations. I’ll be visiting in NY in June and while it is almost impossible to choose just one in NY, I was just talking about want to go to Tom Colicchio’s Craft restaurant…so that’s what I choose.
April 17th, 2009 at 6:16 amI think I would want to go to the Salish Dining Room in Snoqualmie WA. I’ve heard the food is amazing but I’d never be able to afford going there. It’d be a great anniversary date with my husband!
April 17th, 2009 at 6:50 amI can’t wait to try the newest fine dining restaurant in Cleveland, Greenhouse Tavern. http://thegreenhousetavern.com/
April 17th, 2009 at 9:07 amIf I had the choice of any restaurant I believe it would be Spagio’s in columbus OH. There wine selection and food are amazing, especially the lobster bisque. It’d be a great chance to take my mother to a really nice dinner.
April 17th, 2009 at 10:12 amGraham Elliot in Chicago Illinois. I have heard great things about this restaurant, I would love to try it.
April 17th, 2009 at 6:43 pmAnywhere in the greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area that isn’t Burger King. Being a broke college student sucks and a real meal would be awesome.
April 18th, 2009 at 10:15 amWe’d love to try Hinterland in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
http://www.hinterlandbeer.com/index.htm
Among other draws, Hinterland supports local farms that practice environmentally sound agriculture and sustainable farming. Also features fish flown in daily. Who can argue with that?
April 19th, 2009 at 7:01 pmI would choose Canlis in Seattle, it has been a long standing restaurant and I have not had the opportunity to have dinner there.
April 20th, 2009 at 12:41 pmI would try the Peninsula Grill of Charleston, SC (www.peninsulagrill.com).
Oops, forgot to say why I chose the Peninsula Grill of Charleston, SC. They’re known for their fresh ingredients and the harmonious flavors created by their chefs.
April 20th, 2009 at 1:36 pmWhat a great contest! I would love to go to Gramarcy Tavern in NYC because it is an icon of the Danny Meyer empire. I love his dedication to using local and sustainable ingredients, plus I love his emphasis on hospitality not only to his guests, but to his employees as well.
April 22nd, 2009 at 6:53 amOne Block West,
Winchester,VA
Excellent food, amusing chef’s blog (One Blog West).
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:35 amL’Auberge Chez Francois
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:19 pmI would select L’Auberge Chez Francious because it makes my husband insanely happy. Chez Francois is an event and the restaraunt a destination. The staff is exquisite. The food delectible. You can tell that the chef takes great pride in his cooking and has every right to do so. http://www.laubergechezfrancois.com/
Joel Palmer House in Dayton, Oregon.
April 22nd, 2009 at 4:49 pmThey’re renowned for their wild mushroom courses and for using local & organic produce to cook their tasty dishes. That’s my kind of gourmet dinner.
Higgins Restaurant in Portland Oregon.
They use the freshest of local ingredients combined in the tastiest way possible. I especially like what they do with salmon — no matter how many times I have it there, it is always different!! Best in Northwest Cuisine.
April 22nd, 2009 at 7:38 pmI have always wanted to try Ray’s Boathouse (http://www.rays.com/new/?p=1) here in Seattle. Not only for their incredible view over Shilsole Bay, but the fact that they have a weekly-changing menu focusing on local fresh seafood. Not to mention, they have a wine list of over 700 choices with a big emphasis on local wineries. Think global, eat local!
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:25 pmCitronelle in Washington DC
I own Chef Richard’s cookbook and enjoy his innovative and playful approach. I’d love to experience his restaurant.
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:55 pmGrezzo has brought the vegan, raw food experience to Boston’s North End with original meals and creative takes on favorite dishes. The staff respects your experience by explaining the ingredients and what to expect from each dish, and in some cases, how best to enjoy it!
April 22nd, 2009 at 9:08 pmI’d love to try Komi in Washington, DC. The restaurant has always intrigued me and I heard amazing things about it!
April 23rd, 2009 at 6:05 amWhat a great opportunity! I have a few more months in Birmingham, AL where I have a fellowship at one of the national culinary magazines. Having discovered a great deal about Southern cuisine, I have been dealing with major sushi cravings. Not something that I can necessarily afford on my salary though
The word is that Jinsei Sushi is the best place in town and I would love to give them a try. Thank you!
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:16 amTina’s restaurant, located in Dundee Oregon, is an incredible place to go for dinner. Three of us went, and we ordered differently: delicious lamb chops, duck breasts and braised rabbit. Each entree was perfectly cooked and seasoned. It is a restaurant I highly recommend to all.
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:12 amSansei at Kapalua on Maui, Hawaii wins my vote. The signature sushi rolls are incredible. Someday I would love to be able to say I’ve tried them all
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:20 amI would love to go to The London, Gordon Ramsays restaurant in NYC http://www.thelondonnyc.com/gordon_ramsay/ Why? Its Gordon Ramsay thats why!
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:18 amCraigie on Main in Boston. Amazing food, and the most spectacular octopus (of all things) that I’ve ever eaten.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:47 amI’d love to go to Bertrand at Mister A’s in San Diego. Their menu looks amazing, and I’ve heard nothing but good things about it.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:04 amI would love to have dinner at the Four Seasons in New York. The combination of fabulous food and a romantic poolside table for 2 (surrounded by the flowering trees) would be the perfect romantic night out with my husband. If you haven’t seen the their dining room you have to check out the link below. I’m not sure what my husband would order but my meal would be this:
App: Maine Lobster Consomme, Lobster Dumplings
Entree: Colombia River Wild Salmon, Ramps, Morels, Pinot Noir Sauce
Dessert: Hazelnut-Chocolate Turona Crunch
check out the link
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:46 amhttp://www.fourseasonsrestaurant.com/index2.htm
There are so many places to choose from, I am truly torn. I would love to return to Plainfield’s Mayur is Portland, OR with a group of friends. It is a family style Indian restaurant with amazing food.
April 23rd, 2009 at 12:14 pmI’ve always wanted to try Hyde Park in Columbus, OH. But I agree that I’d be happy with anything that is a step above Applebee’s
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:53 pmWhere? Restaurant Eve in Alexandria, VA
Why? Exceptional, artfully prepared chef’s tasting menu crafted from sustainable, and often local, sources. Plus, their gluten-free bread almost made this wheat-avoiding foodie weep with joy.
April 23rd, 2009 at 3:26 pmI would choose Pure Food & Wine in NYC. The food there is ALL raw and super creative — and I love experimenting with new flavors and dishes I have never tried before!
April 23rd, 2009 at 3:41 pmI would choose Nobu in NYC. I’ve lived here for 7 years and it’s the one place I’d really like to try. I’ve heard such good things but have never gotten there.
April 23rd, 2009 at 4:03 pmOne of my favorite restaurants in Columbus Ohio is Rosendales. They have the most amazing beef short ribs!!! The menu changes seasonally to make use of the freshest ingredients possible.
April 23rd, 2009 at 6:18 pmI would love to go to Topolobampo in Chicago, Illinois.
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:35 pmEl Goucho in Portland, OR. The food is fabulous, the aumbiance is elegant and the wait staff is curteous, friendly and knowledgable. An amazing evening every time!
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:31 pmI have to agree with my wife. El Goucho in Portland, OR. The rib-eye is mouth-watering, the crab cakes are great, and the lobster mashed potatoes make me wish I could afford to have dinner here every night!
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:35 pmThere are several that I would like to go to…Doe’s Eat Place, Bijan’s, we have so many great restaurants in Springfield, MO. Rodizio is a wonderful brazilian style steakhouse. YUM!!
April 24th, 2009 at 6:28 amWithout a doubt it would be Alinea in Chicago. Grant Achatz’s creative genius with molecular gastronomy is one of the experience a true foodie must have ‘before they die.’
April 24th, 2009 at 9:06 amHis lavender air pillows are amazing! What a wonderful way to promote fine dining at its best.
I have been dying to eat at Thomas Keller’s Per Se in NYC for years. Thomas Keller is a chef whom I greatly admire and whose approach to food I respect. I have heard nothing but rave reviews of Per Se, especially of their vegetarian tasting menu. As a vegetarian, I have found it difficult to eat at many high end restaurant, and when I do, I find their vegetarian selections or tasting menus to be an afterthought cobbled together from ingredients used in other dishes. However, I have heard the contrary about the vegetarian menu at Per Se – that it is a carefully crafted and extremely well-curated progression of courses. I would love to eat here for my 30th birthday (which is coming up in a few months) and a gift certificate would be a wonderful present to help offset the high cost of a meal at Per Se (which is totally worth it!)
April 24th, 2009 at 9:11 amSpiaggia in Chicago of course! Just curious of Obamas taste!!!
Gabi@ Mamaliga
April 24th, 2009 at 11:16 amMillenium in San Francisco, CA. I don’t eat out much because of my “veganness,” but this place is world-renowned for their veg cuisine and about an hour away!
April 24th, 2009 at 12:23 pmI have been dying to get to Chef Michael Symon’s “Lola” in Cleveland. I stalked the windows a few weeks ago, but the wallet wasn’t willing that day
April 24th, 2009 at 12:39 pmWould SO LOVE to be the winner or this giveaway!
Without a doubt … Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas!
I absolutely loved his atelier in Paris and have been dying to try his US outpost!
April 24th, 2009 at 1:55 pmI would love to go to Gary Danko in San Francisco. I’ve heard such great things about it, and even though I live in the area I’ve never been before!
April 24th, 2009 at 2:30 pmI Would go back to a new spot in Portland Oregon, The Urban Farmer. They have exquisite food that is fresh, organic, and local. The ambiance is refreshing in urban chic, and their cheese cart is one of the best I’ve experienced!
April 24th, 2009 at 2:44 pmin nyc, i think i’d like to go to dinner at corton. the chef is paul liebrandt and i’m interested in trying his food. i’ve heard all good things!
April 24th, 2009 at 2:46 pmMilos in NYC for Greek food. I hear it is the ultimate! Plus I’d love to take cook eat FRET there. This is my kind of restaurant – for sure.
April 24th, 2009 at 2:51 pmRuth’s Chris Steakhouse in Vienna, Va. I have been craving a great steak and they do it right. I would love to take my husband on our 26th wedding anniversary. We have had a bad streak of luck this year and a nice dinner would put a smile on our faces!
April 24th, 2009 at 3:29 pmOne of the restaurants at Disney in Orlando. This may sound like a strange choice, but we are usually unable to take out son out to eat due to his food allergies, and Disney is known worldwide for the care their restaurants take in serving food allergic guests.
April 24th, 2009 at 8:33 pmI would love to try one of the most acclaimed restaurants here in DC – Michel Richard’s Citronelle. I have been to his more casual restaurant, Central, and loved it, so now I want to try his fine dining outpost.
But if I could afford the airfare, I would totally pick Bouchon in Napa Valley (the bistro next door to French Laundry). I’m loving that cookbook right now.
April 25th, 2009 at 7:30 amAlinea in Chicago. I would love to go, but am not able to convince my husband (unless it was…heavily discounted).
April 27th, 2009 at 7:31 pmMy choice would be McCormick & Schmidts in Kansas City. I love their seafood and of course their Chocolate Bag!
April 28th, 2009 at 9:08 amMy choice would be La Laiterie Bistro in Providence, RI. Local, seasonal, absolutely beautiful food!
April 28th, 2009 at 11:10 amMy restaurant of choice would probably be ALINEA here in Chicago. There’s something about Grant Achatz’s [exec chef]way of executing his dishes that is amazing both in a culinary and artistic way. This would be a fantastic prize to win as I’d love to celebrate my birthday (May 1st) with this!
April 28th, 2009 at 11:14 amI too would love to try Alinea in Chicago- it would truly be a once in a lifetime experience!
April 28th, 2009 at 12:31 pmi would probably go to swagat indian cuisine here in kansas city (mo). i’ve never been and have been looking forward to the opportunity.
April 28th, 2009 at 12:38 pmDunellen Hotel in Dunellen, NJ is my pick. It’s been around for over 100 years and is a favorite of my family’s. The food is great, the ambience is fun, and the staff is so inviting.
April 28th, 2009 at 12:41 pmI would love to be able to go to Fleming’s in Knoxville. My husband and I went for Valentines a few years ago and it’s some of the best food I’ve ever had!
April 28th, 2009 at 12:41 pmMy choice would be Victoria & Albert’s at the Grand Floridian hotel here in Orlando. I have never been, but have heard rave reviews about their seven course dinners and wine pairings.
April 28th, 2009 at 12:43 pmI love Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, Louisiana!
It’s a place that my family go to when there is a special occasion and the food is spectacular!
April 28th, 2009 at 12:48 pmI would chose “French Toast” in Peoria Heights, IL.
April 28th, 2009 at 12:49 pmI would really love to try Oceanaire Seafood Room in San Diego. I love Brian Malarkey from Top Chef and have wanted to try his restaurant for so long. I love seafood and think this would be a great place!
April 28th, 2009 at 12:51 pmI want to take my friends to Marche Artisan Foods in Nashville, TN. The food is fresh and the menu rotates seaonsally. It would be a wonderful night of food and conversation with a toast to our benefactor.
April 28th, 2009 at 1:06 pmI would go to Cafe Toscana in Memphis, TN. http://www.cafetoscanausa.com/
This is not a big restaurant, but it is absolutely the best Italian food I have had anywhere outside of Italy itself and even rivals that at times!
April 28th, 2009 at 1:07 pmBonefish Grill in KCMO. Yum.
April 28th, 2009 at 1:10 pmThe Rattlesnake Club in Detroit, MI. We have never been there, but hear great things about their chef and the atmosphere. This would be a great opportunity for us to try something new!
April 28th, 2009 at 1:12 pmChester’s Chophouse
April 28th, 2009 at 1:22 pmWichita, KS
It’s somewhere we’ve never been before and would make an awesome date night! We could never afford it on our own, that’s for sure!
the best restaurant i’ve been to is mesa grill in new york city. bobby flay’s creations are exactly what i crave pretty much on a daily basis. i’d love to return, and this time, i’ll be sure to order dessert.
April 28th, 2009 at 1:25 pmI would choose the 112 eatery in Minneapolis, MN. It’s small, it’s independent – and FANTASTIC. From a $9 hamburger with brie on an english muffin, to a 1/3 lb steak tartar, to really fun preparation of fish.. it’s the restaurant for foodies that avoid chains, pomp, and bad wine lists. You have to save room for the tres leches cake!
April 28th, 2009 at 1:42 pmOh wow, what a treat! Wonderful giveaway, thanks for hosting! I’d probably choose Bern’s Steak House in Tampa, FL. Check them out…
April 28th, 2009 at 1:44 pmhttp://www.bernssteakhouse.com/
I’d love to try Alinea in Chicago. I’ve been wanting to go since it opened, but haven’t had a chance yet. The $200 would definitely put a nice dent in the bill. Thanks for the giveaway!
April 28th, 2009 at 1:47 pmMy favorite restaurant is ken stewarts lodge in Bath, Ohio
April 28th, 2009 at 1:57 pmI would most like to eat at Mastro’s Steakhouse in Costa Mesa, Ca.
April 28th, 2009 at 2:15 pmIt’s a fantastic steak house with great wine, side dishes and desserts. We celebrated Valentine’s Day there this year and I can’t wait to go back and endulge!
I would love to take my husband to dinner at Bonsoiree in Chicago- they catered our wedding, but we have never eaten there together.
April 28th, 2009 at 2:19 pmAs the Baltimore Sun’s restaurant critic, I can’t enter your contest, but I just want to let you know I’ll be posting something later this evening on my blog at http://www.baltimoresun.com/diningatlarge. I hope it generates traffic for you!
April 28th, 2009 at 2:22 pmI would go to Kings Contrivance, in Columbia, Maryland. It is one of my favorite restaurants but slightly out of my price range.
April 28th, 2009 at 2:28 pmMmmm… So many good restaurants where I live but one that I haven’t been to yet is Thee Bungalow in San Diego/Ocean Beach, CA. I just had a baby boy 9 weeks ago and my husband and I haven’t been out on our own since his birth. Nor have we had the chance to just breathe together. A dinner out would be a blessing!
April 28th, 2009 at 2:45 pmI would go to Wildfish Grill in San Antonio, TX. This is by far my favorite restaurant and when we go there we drop a ton of money, so we can’t go a lot. They have the freshest seafood that is flown in daily, and the chef is incredible!!!
April 28th, 2009 at 3:01 pmMy restaurant selection would be Flip Flops Grill and Chill in New Smyrna Beach, FL. Executive chef, Danny Veltri, is currently a Hell’s Kitchen contestant and Flip Flops serves food even Chef Ramsay would approve of. I’d love to have $200 to spend at Flip Flops. Not only could I take my friends out for dinner, I can support our very own celebrity chef and help our local economy!
April 28th, 2009 at 3:31 pmMy pick would be a local restaurant in my town, Trattoria Stella in Traverse City, MI. I love that they use mostly local ingredients (including my family’s blueberrys from the blueberry farm) and the food is amazing.
April 28th, 2009 at 4:30 pmAndiamos in southeastern Michigan! Their Italian food and hospitality is unsurpassed.
April 28th, 2009 at 4:57 pmwow so many crazy places to choose from here in Las Vegas but I would have to say………Del Frisco’s….I’m a big steak guy & well $200 doesn’t go far here.
April 28th, 2009 at 5:04 pmThe Melting Pot in Indianapolis, IN is one of our favorites. It is a great place to go for a celebration, the food is great and the atmosphere is very romantic.
April 28th, 2009 at 5:20 pmOh, Heidi’s in Minneapolis. They use fresh and local ingredients, and have a tasting menu we’d love to partake in. It’s a nice small quaint place we have yet to try out!
April 28th, 2009 at 5:50 pmwow! generous giveaway!
i would love to dine at Fearing’s in Dallas, TX! it is the best restaurant in Dallas – southwest/tex mex flare with high quality ingredients – and you get to meet the chef when you eat there!
April 28th, 2009 at 6:00 pmL20 in Chicago, after Anthony Bourdain made me drool in his Chicago edition!
April 28th, 2009 at 6:25 pmBay St. Louis is finally coming back and there is a new restaurant there called Sycamore House. My daughter and her husband say the food is very good and the restaurant itself is outstanding. I would love to be able to eat there and help out the community further develop the few businesses that have come back.
April 28th, 2009 at 6:44 pmI have eaten at many of the top restaurants in New York City. The one I haven’t tried that I have been wanting to go to is Terry Brennan’s Picholine. The menu is mouth watering and I will definitely have the “Liquid Chocolate Tart” for dessert.
April 28th, 2009 at 7:12 pmPer Se in NYC, please
since I have seen their all-offal menu, I have been dreaming about sweet bone marrow in a roly poly. Yes, it’s weird, but it smacks of total genius!
April 28th, 2009 at 7:58 pmI love 1111 Mississippi. The food is fantastically creative and the menu changes seasonally. The atmosphere is fun and has a great patio area. It is my husband’s and my favorite special occasion restaurant.
April 28th, 2009 at 8:50 pmSorry, 1111 Mississippi is in St. Louis, MO.
April 28th, 2009 at 8:50 pmBespoke in New Haven! I haven’t been because I’m a poor grad student. But I have heard great things about it, and I love that New Haven has a lot of good restaurants.
April 28th, 2009 at 9:06 pmCinghiale in Baltimore. They have a great reputation and I’ve been wanting to try it for a long time.
April 29th, 2009 at 2:32 amI have never eaten at the Charleston in Baltimore. Heard extremely good things about it, but it is rather pricey.
April 29th, 2009 at 3:21 amFrench Laundry in Yountville, California. Everything I’ve read or heard about the place is just amazing. Many of the dishes that people rave about sound as if they could never work. He also seems to have a sense of humour about the food.
April 29th, 2009 at 3:41 amI would love to eat at the Charleston in Baltimore. We have eaten their every year for our anniversary and love it, but we did not make it this year.
April 29th, 2009 at 3:53 amCharleston in Baltimore.
April 29th, 2009 at 4:48 amI love the Brewer’s Art in Baltimore!
April 29th, 2009 at 5:07 amDistrict Grill in Washington, DC. Great food, great atmosphere.
April 29th, 2009 at 5:12 amPuscinella, an Italian restaurant in McLean, Virginuia
April 29th, 2009 at 5:25 amI would eat at Brewers Art in Baltimore, MD. The food is great and the beer is even better. Also its somewhere $200 would last.
April 29th, 2009 at 5:33 amKomi in Washington DC.
April 29th, 2009 at 5:43 amI would like to surprise my wife for Mother’s Day and take her to The Black Olive in Baltimore. We are expecting our first child, so this would be quite the surprise for her. Thanks!
April 29th, 2009 at 5:44 amCitronelle in Washington DC.
April 29th, 2009 at 5:46 amI’d love to go to Charleston in Baltimore, Maryland. I love sitting at their tables overlooking the Inner Harbor.
April 29th, 2009 at 5:57 amCharleston in Baltimore, MD. I’ve never been and would love a gift card!
April 29th, 2009 at 5:59 amI’d love to surprise my wife with dinner at Kali’s Court in Baltimore, MD.
April 29th, 2009 at 5:59 amI would choose Kali’s Court in Baltimore, MD and get a big fat lobster!
April 29th, 2009 at 6:00 amAldo’s in Little Italy- Baltimore MD
April 29th, 2009 at 6:01 amCharleston in Baltimore MD!
April 29th, 2009 at 6:04 amMy husband and I have always wanted to visit Le Bernardin in NYC. Eric Ripert is a culinary genius and we’d love to be able to taste his creations (and having someone else pay for it would be even better)!
April 29th, 2009 at 6:04 amMiniBar in DC. Jaleo has been one of my favorite restaurants for quite a number of years and I’m ready to try another of Chef’s offerings.
April 29th, 2009 at 6:16 amWithout a doubt I would go to Masa in NYC. It is the ONLY way I could justify the tab for sushi!
April 29th, 2009 at 6:44 amI would choose Irene’s Cuisine in the Quarter, NOLA. My wife and I haven’t been back to New Orleans since pre-Katrina but this would make for an excellent excuse.
April 29th, 2009 at 6:45 amI need a Babbo (New York City) fix. Why? I love Mario Batali’s beef cheeks (pasta that is)!
April 29th, 2009 at 6:53 amI suppose if I could have dinner anywhere on someone else, it would be at Pazo, in Baltimore MD. My boyfriend and I went there recently and there was so much I wanted to sample (or wanted more of) but it would’ve emptied my bank account!
April 29th, 2009 at 6:56 amPomegranate in San Diego ….delightful and super fine Georgian food and wine.
April 29th, 2009 at 6:59 amI would love to go to The Prime Rib in Baltimore for their classic ambiance and delicious food.
April 29th, 2009 at 7:03 amCharleston Restaurant in Baltimore.
April 29th, 2009 at 7:15 amBest seafood in town.
I’d eat at the Brass Elephant in Baltimore. Looks really yummy but I haven’t had the chance or the money to try it yet!
April 29th, 2009 at 7:18 amI’d love to try Abacrombie in Baltimore, Maryland.
April 29th, 2009 at 7:54 amDaniel, NY,NY
I just got engaged 2 months ago, and my fiancee has fallen in love with Daniel Boulud from watching ‘after hours with daniel’ on hulu. She’s watched every episode on hulu twice, and now is on her third go-round. I was hoping to take her on her 30th birthday just 2 weeks ago, but saving up for the wedding has made our dining out experiences minimal. This 200 bucks would be the perfect way to celebrate our engagement (only been done with a meal I cooked for her at home) and belated birthday.
April 29th, 2009 at 7:54 amcharleston in baltimore.
April 29th, 2009 at 7:56 amIf I had to choose it would be Ruth’s Cris Steakhosue in Knoxville, TN. Their steaks are absolutely delicious!
April 29th, 2009 at 8:01 amJack’s Bistro in Baltimore. It is our favorite place to live, but with money tight, our friends never join us. So a gift certificate would give us a chance to all enjoy worry free.
April 29th, 2009 at 8:21 amI would definitely choose the Charleston in Baltimore. It consistently lands at the top of any review, and it saddens me to know that I will never know how good it is because I don’t have the money to go there!
April 29th, 2009 at 8:21 amL’Espalier in Boston – I’ve heard tremendous things!
April 29th, 2009 at 8:27 amI LOVE Al Forno in Providence, RI!
April 29th, 2009 at 8:27 amI would choose Eleven in Pittsburgh, PA. We have always had exceptional meals there…and love that the chef uses local sources for their ingredients. The gift certificate would be put to good use for the tasting menu and wine pairing for our next special occasion!
April 29th, 2009 at 8:28 amI have been wanting to try Cindy Wolfe’s Charleston in Baltimore, MD.
Steve
April 29th, 2009 at 8:32 amI would like to try Babbo NY NY – I’ve heard it’s an amazing experience.
April 29th, 2009 at 8:47 amI live in Chicago, and one place I’d love to try is Tru. We’re trying to budget our eating out wisely these days, but if I had $200 to spare then Tru would be perfect!
April 29th, 2009 at 8:54 amI have lived in Chicago all my life. I have been to a number of restaurants, but my favorite is West Town Tavern. It is not a bar, all though they do have a great one. I have had the duck and the potroast. Both are amazing! Great atmosphere, great service, and an exceptional space.
April 29th, 2009 at 9:45 amI’d love to dine at Chef Cindy Wolf’s, Charleston, in Baltimore, Maryland. I’ve heard it’s a fantastic dining experience and it regularly receives top awards in the region. Please help me continue my culinary adventures throughout Baltimore by tasting some of Cindy Wolfe’s creations. Thank you!
April 29th, 2009 at 10:13 amSilk Elephant in Pittsburgh has fabulous Thai tapas and entrees, a great wine list, a beautiful space and great service. It’s our favorite restaurant in the city and with $200 we could take friends. Thanks for the opportunity to enter!
April 29th, 2009 at 10:34 amI’ll put my vote in for Bizen Japanese restaurant in Great Barrington MA. Chef /Owner Michael Marcus, trained not only in sushi prep, but pottery in Japan, and his artistry show in the food. Not your garden variety Sushi, Michael is incredibly creative. The menu can be a bit overwhelming, but worth the time to read!
April 29th, 2009 at 10:39 amL’Espalier in Boston is our favorite as we always feel comfortable there and get great food along with a great experience. The staff is an amazing team and the service is fantastic and seemless (you know, when you water glass is never less than half full and you rarely notice it being filled). I’ve run teams for a good part of my life and I’m always impressed at L’Espalier. They know their stuff too but pretention just doesn’t exist and they are always happy to tell me what some new-to-me ingredient is.
April 29th, 2009 at 10:39 amI’ve been wanting to visit Table Fifty-Two since it opened a couple years ago here in Chicago. Reservations on the “good nights” are often hard to come by, and got even worse after President & Michelle Obama spent their Valentine’s day at the restaurant. Before and after, I’m dying to try it for myself!
April 29th, 2009 at 11:02 amAs a transplanted New Yorker who now lives in Canada but visits NYC whenever she can go home — I would love to go back to Babbo… my all time favorite restaurant in New York City… heaven!
April 29th, 2009 at 12:18 pmOne Block West in Winchester, VA
It’s wonderfully comfortable, serves fantastic food, and is the home of a number of good memories for my wife and me.
April 29th, 2009 at 12:36 pmI would love to eat at Valentino’s which is inside the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. They have the best Italian food!
April 29th, 2009 at 12:51 pmI would love to try Petit Louis Bistro in Baltimore, Md. It is a Baltimore favorite and people are always raving about it.
April 29th, 2009 at 1:12 pmThe Oregon Grille in Hunt Valley, MD
April 29th, 2009 at 1:23 pmI drive by it everyday, but have never gone in because of the expense. I have been planning on going someday for a special occasion.
I would love the chance to go to Alinea in Chicago. The opportunity to taste food taken to a new level, with a chef innovating at the international level is a priceless experience (but oh the price!). It is made even more interesting by chef Achatz’s personal background, a chef conquering tongue cancer is quite compelling!
April 29th, 2009 at 1:47 pmI would love to eat at Lahaina Grill in Maui, Hawaii, with my future husband on our honeymoon in October. We’ve only heard amazing things!
April 29th, 2009 at 1:57 pmMy husband and I would love the chance to go back to Jaleo in DC. A few years ago, we spent 2 weeks in a small town in Andalucia Spain and Jaleo’s food is the closest we have come to the kind of food we grew to love there. Dates and bacon, oxtails, patatas bravas – yum!
April 29th, 2009 at 2:25 pmYou are kidding me. $200? I would go straight to Emma’s Pizza in Cambridge, MA. Gourmet pizza, great appetizers, fine wine, etc. The $200 would provide a night to remember.
April 29th, 2009 at 2:54 pmWe love eating at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills in New York. It has the freshest menu as they only cook foods that are grown o their farm (even the meat:) We especially love the fresh tea cart that they roll around for dessert
April 29th, 2009 at 5:33 pmSuch an incredible contest……
April 29th, 2009 at 5:50 pmI would love to go to Arrows in Ogunquit, Maine. I grew up vacationing in the area, and worked at a restaurant in Perkins cove through college. I always heard incredible thinsg about Arrows menu and fresh, local ingredients, but have not actually made it there yet!!!
I would choose Lucky’s in Santa Barbara, CA. It is our favorite restaurant in town, but because we are ordinary people living in an extraordinary area, we are seldom able to treat ourselves to such an expensive dinner as often as we would like to.
April 29th, 2009 at 6:00 pmL’Espalier in Boston! Fell in love even more with an amazing man when I had a surprise outing to L’Espalier 3 years ago…good food will do that. Have always always wanted to go back–and now it’s new location so it would be the best of both worlds: returning to a favorite place and venturing to a new one. What dish to cook? Anything with artichokes, food of the gods.
April 29th, 2009 at 7:50 pmI’d love to be able to try Morimoto in Philly. One of those places my husband and I would never go without a good reason, $200 definitely qualifies!
April 29th, 2009 at 10:51 pmThe best place to eat while in baltimore maryland is a quaint little place thats chef owned and operated called “the bicycle” on light street just south of federal hill. It boasts of the freshest ingredients and a fine wine list. My wife and I go out to eat alot, partly thanks to opentable.com and if we were to win the $200 gift certificate we would invite 2 friends that have never been for the best mealout they have ever had. on wednesdays they make it even easier to dine with them, 2 appetizers or salads, 2 entrees and 2 desserts for $75 including a complimentary bottle of wine from a selected list! the owners are a young african american couple working very hard to make a name for themselves in the fine dining business and I think they are doing a wonderful job. even if we dont win, we will go there every time I have an extra $100 and the bills are all paid, maybe twice this year if all goes well!
April 30th, 2009 at 2:02 amPeter’s Inn, Baltimore, Maryland!
April 30th, 2009 at 8:31 amThe absolute best place to eat in Baltimore is renowned chef Cindy Wolfe’s The Charleston. Every dish on the tasting menu takes you on a unique and insanely flavorful culinary adventure. In one sitting you can have dishes influenced by every corner of the globe executed masterfully by chef Wolfe. There is no way to sum up the dining experience at the Charleston in this tiny box, everyone must taste it for themselves. And when you are done tasting, their wine list is second to none!
April 30th, 2009 at 10:25 amI would love to go to Charleston in Baltimore. It is one of the premiere restaurants of the city, locally owned and one of our culinary gems.
April 30th, 2009 at 11:57 amI’d love to go to Tersiquels in Ellicott City, MD. I worked there as a teenager but now my husband and I go whenver we get away from the kids for a few hours. The food is amazing and the service is even better. We just celebrated our 11 year wedding anniversary and this would make the perfect dinner or brunch outing for us.
April 30th, 2009 at 11:57 amI would go to Charleston in Baltimore (like some other guest entries). I hear it’s fabulous and definitely a place at which a giftcard would be helpful.
April 30th, 2009 at 12:35 pmRay’s The Steaks – it’s all about the quality beef cooked perfectly.
April 30th, 2009 at 1:37 pmCommander’s Palace in New Orleans,…nuff said.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:24 pmCharleston in Baltimore (Maryland) is an outstanding dining place. Chef Cindy Wolf does an amazing job of combining freshest ingredients with sauces that perfectly pair. Add a cozy dining room and an astonishing wine list and you get the perfect match for a memorable dinner. It is not cheap but it is worth every single penny. I never talked to anybody who was not fully satisfied by a dining experience at Charleston. It is a no brainer for special celebrations (anniversaries, birthdays…).
May 1st, 2009 at 4:42 amThere are so many… but I would choose Nick’s Fishhouse in Baltimore, MD. They have the BEST seafood, and an awesome set up – a great deck right on the water, just on the edge of the city. You can pull your boat right up! And did I mention they have the BEST seafood??
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May 1st, 2009 at 8:16 amCharleston in Baltimore is extraordinary, truly a gem. Creative seasonal menus with the best wine cellar in town and excellent service make it the best restaurant in the area.
May 1st, 2009 at 9:44 amI would have to say that Kurayas in Springfield has the best curry ever!
May 1st, 2009 at 11:55 amSunda in Chicago.
May 1st, 2009 at 3:07 pmThank you for the chance!
Lori Lynn
[...] happy to report that the free gourmet food headline is legit. North American Import and Export is giving away one $200 gift certificate to the restaurant of your choice. All that is required for [...]
May 1st, 2009 at 4:43 pm[...] happy to report that the free gourmet food headline is legit. North American Import and Export is giving away one $200 gift certificate to the restaurant of your choice. All that is required for [...]
May 1st, 2009 at 4:44 pmThe Quiet Woman in Corona Del Mar, California. Thank you!
Shelly Borrell,
May 1st, 2009 at 10:38 pmNibbles of Tidbits
It’s an almost impossible decision because there are few places where I [i]wouldn’t[/i] eat! But I have to say that right now I’m leaning towards Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Getting out of the city for a day and wandering around the farm, getting to see where your dinner is coming from, then enjoying a great meal (without even having the stress of having to decide for myself from the menu what to get). Sounds like the perfect day.
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:11 amI’d love to try Spark Woodfire Grill in Huntington Beach, Ca.
May 2nd, 2009 at 3:11 pmI would almost definitely choose DC Coast in Washington, DC, if I were still at home. Their dishes are always delightful, and I absolutely fell in love with the creme brulee dessert the last time I was there.
However, since I don’t live in the DC area anymore, I actually would like to put my vote in for Jeanty at Jacks, in San Francisco. The puff pastry-covered tomato soup was _heavenly_ and I must admit that every dish that I tried while I was there last time was well cooked and beautifully presented. It also has a light, airy atmosphere that melts away the worries and cares of a stressed out law student. At least temporarily, anyway.
May 2nd, 2009 at 10:43 pmGary Danko in San Francisco, CA!
May 3rd, 2009 at 12:16 pmIt’s been on my list of restaurants to try since I moved to this foodie mecca of a city and I’d love to experience this SF institution firsthand. The tinted windows really pique the interest
I would love to spend $200 at the Trading Post in Taos, New Mexico. Although it sounds a little downscale, it is truly a fine dining experience. The Trading Post is one of the oldest and most successful restaurants in Taos. They use fresh ingredients and offer consistently excellent food. The local artists whose work is displayed there enhance the ambiance, and the owners give back to the community.
May 3rd, 2009 at 12:48 pmI pick Leonardos 706 in Gainesville Florida…as well as amazing food it is run by great people who are hard core Obama supporters and will have my loyalty forever for that…they make potatoe latkes on request that are to die for and I had a raspberry torte there that just made me really, really happy when I ate it..
May 3rd, 2009 at 2:08 pmI would love to eat at Marios in gainesville, Fl. Close to home, outdoors, delicious, great atmosphere
May 3rd, 2009 at 5:51 pmI would take my entire staff (12 employees and no $200 would not cover it but it would help) to Petit Louis in Baltimore. I would do this for several reasons:
May 6th, 2009 at 5:17 am1. we are in a service business thats been hit hard by the down economy and the slow down in the real estate market – would lift their spirits.
2. I am always looking for a training opportunity and The Charleston Group (owners of Petit Louis) have the same service philosophy that we do, it would be a great learning experience for my team to receive the kind of service that they strive to give.
3. Petit Louis is not my favorite (although one of them) or the best value fine dining restaurant in baltimore but its one where the service is top notch and the price is within my budget for a team event.