This thread reminded me of a time long ago, a cold, foggy, drizzly day in early May, in Bar Harbor. Thoroughly chilled from camping out and walking around slick Acadian rocks, late morning, we walked into a small restaurant on Main Street, ordered coffee and chose a table near the fireplace to warm up. The restaurant was nearly empty, being between breakfast and lunch times. On the menu was New England Clam Chowder, sounded good and warm and filling, so we each ordered a bowl. Enjoying the coffee and warmth, some time went by. Had some more coffee. We certainly had nowhere to go that would be better. Finally the waitress arrived with our chowder, apologizing for the delay. She explained that the chef had to shuck the clams and prepare the broth. When I looked down to my bowl, I was amazed to see it chock full of fresh long neck Ipswich clams, you know...the ones with the succulent bellies and chewy necks...surrounded by the creamiest, buttery ambrosia of a broth...not thick or starchy, but just thick enough to coat the spoon. Small chunks of potato, onions and parsley just accented the dozen or so whole tender clams lazing in the steaming bowl. That's real clam chowder. Well worth the wait. In fact I've waited maybe 30 years, ordered clam chowder many times at many restaurants since, but have never had anything even close to that experience. Thanks for bringing back that memory.

Well, cynic, that marks you as a Minnesotan! My favorites are Indian, Greek, Middle East, or Thai. Anything but the native meat-and-potatoes German/Midwestern cusine I grew up with! Luckily we now have some good ethnic restaurants in the Twin Cities. My least favorite is Korean--just can't get into the spices they use (and despise kim chee). This has been somewhat problematic for me since a good friend of mine is Korean and invites us for many dinner parties. . .

Aww, I was going to say Big Night! (I went to high school with the fellow who composed the non-Tony-Bennett original music: when they are eating, the clatter of cutlery is actually a composition!) Not about food and wine, but when my friend and I watched I'll See You In My Dreams with the lovely Blythe Danner and lovelier Sam Elliott, we got tipsy just watching the women drink wine. Frequently. We thought it would be a good movie to see at home and drink along with Blythe. Theres an Italian movie where they eat a meal out in the garden, long table, I can't remember e name but I just really want to linger out in the garden over lunch. My Cousin something-or-other?

Both of us retired. We have a chuckle every time we decide to get a quick late lunch or early supper out as in "does that place fall within our five mile rule?" That would basically mean 1. is the choice within a five mile (+/-) radius as the crow flies from our driveway? 2. how many over crowded and pokey school zones are we going to have to traverse at that time of day? 3. if it's rush hour then we don't want to be anywhere near the freeway (there are three close by) 4. is the food 'there' just barely better than slowly starving to death or is it something we actually look forward to? We actually have a relatively large choice of restaurants but relatively small choice of types of food within a reasonable distance from our house... the typical chain restaurants with the same menu at any given location within that chain, at least three different bar-b-que spots or more if you count the small ones in locations you'd never find unless you were probably lost and wandering around aimlessly while trying to find your way back to the main road, three or four Mexican sit down type restaurants (two of which are owned by the same person), several sandwich type places all of which are chain owned, more fried chicken places than I care to count, a few pizza chains most of which are take out only, hamburger joints, and so on. Most if not all have pretty decent food even if not necessarily imaginative choices. My eating out problem mainly stems from the absence of more home style or "diner" type restaurants where the choices, both main dish and sides, aren't limited to mainly one type of fare be that Italian, Mexican, oriental buffet, fried catfish and so on. Although I've eaten at them off and on for years, I was never a huge cafeteria fan but at least you had multiple choices of what to choose from on any given visit and if you wanted to eat all meat, all vegetables, all desserts, or simply have a cup of coffee or glass of iced tea and a cookie, it was ok. Not the greatest cuisine but at least you had/have multiple choices. My other issue is that while I go out to eat a meal, my wife eats very little per meal and so is not usually interested in going somewhere that she can't get a kid's plate or something small. To that end, one price eat all you want type buffets are typically a last choice for us unless someone else has decided the location. She willingly goes with me just about anywhere but overall, a small bowl of salad or a cup of soup and a cracker would probably suffice. So... we go out to eat regularly but typically, it's not worth putting a sticky note on the frig door to say "we need to go "HERE" again!!!!!!".