Restaurant Books

A native Dubliner suggested this guide for my last trip to Ireland (Summer, 2003). The guide made the trip. We relied on it every day. I had some of the best meals of my life in Ireland thanks to this guide. When I told friends this, they were amazed; Ireland is not necessarily known for its cuisine. But thanks to Georgina Campbell, maybe it will be!

I purchased this for my great niece who just moved to New York. I've
bought Mr. Frank's book in past editions, probably 3. He comes out with
a new book every year. When some girl friends and I went to N.Y. I bought
the '84 edition, eventually the '87 and "89 editions. They were our Bible
and everything we tried from the book lived up to Mr. Frank's recommendations. So I thought my great niece should have a copy also.
She said the day it arrived she stayed up until 3 a.m. reading it.

I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy of this great book! Ralph Lopez has a unique understanding of the American condition, and writes about it in captivating detail. This book has given me a completely new and exciting perspective.

With its useful maps and anecdotal entries, this pocket-sized guide is the perfect companion for a day or a lifetime spent in the New York metropolitan area. It lists location, atmosphere, menu items, tap and bottled beer brands of all the important and some not so important watering holes in NYC and beyond. I never leave home without it. I am constantly making notes and additions to it though as it is slowly become dated. I only pray there is a revised edition on the way.

I run a small brewing web site (BS Brewing: the Champagne of Blogs) and consider myself extremely knowledgeable about Portland's brewing scene, and couldn't believe two Britons could nail it so soundly. Just about everything you could possibly want to know about Oregon beer is in this book, and I haven't even sampled the other states (Alaska, Hawaii, Las Vegas, California, Washington ...) yet. Sharp, witty writing with great background stories (the McMenamins empire, the Horse Brass, Bridgeport and Widmer) and very current reviews (Hopworks Urban Brewery).

Sadly, a few favorites are missing, including the Green Dragon and Produce Row, but everything else you could want to know about beer in Portland is here. HIGHLY recommended.

Many of us live our lives without knowledge of what goes on around us. Truly I was unaware of the struggle to save California's old growth redwood forest until my son, David Nathan Chain died in that war. It is often referred to as the "Timber Wars". We all just assume that our magnificent old redwoods are protected. Many of us also assume that people with corporate power will make good decisions for the welfare of our communities. We live in a time that mandates our interest in what is takes place in our country. If we don't, what will we leave our children?
This book was a complex story to tell. It is documented history of actual events where the human side is exposed for it's good and it's bad. Pat Beach has my utmost respect for telling it from all sides and making it a brilliant piece of journalism.

If you love pubs, amd more importantly, the homey pub atmosphere, then this book is a must have. No matter where in Britain you are traveling, the guide will have a very good recommendation for you as to where to eat and drink. And it is indispensable source for small, quaint inns, whose accomodations never fail to charm.

When I lived in Tokyo for a month and a half in 1993, I bought this book and ate at 5 or 6 of the restaurants Rick Kennedy recommends. They were all excellent. The Italian restaurant he recommended remains the best I have visited to date in any part of the world. Mr. Kennedy brings you to neighborhoods and places you would not necessarily have run into, and helps you to find the hidden gems therein. Even after I returned, I would read this book for fun because the atmosphere that Mr. Kennedy evokes as he writes reminded me of the places I had visited and lived. It is a great book, and I am sorry to see it is out of print, as I am going back to Tokyo to see some of the soccer World Cup games and was looking forward to seeing what other jewels Mr. Kennedy had found.

The author's take you inside the kitchens of Utah's best restaurants (at the time of writing). It's great reading and great recipes, too!

The variety is outstanding, covering such establishments (and food styles) as CHARLIE CHOW, FERRANTELLI, CAFE TERIGO, AMERICAN GRILL, SQUATTER'S PUB BREWERY, MIKADO, HUNGRY I, MILLCREEK INN, THE NEW YORKER, and others.

Highly recommended.

This is a wonderful book for the novice interested in wine. In simple, easy to understand language,they tell you where and how to buy wine, how to order it in restaurants, simple recipes on cooking with it, and even how to pair wine with food. A nice gift, too