Mother's Restaurant
401 POYDRAS AT TCHOUPITOULAS
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
http://www.mothersrestaurant.net

An institution in New Orleans, with real home-style tasting foods. Plus, they have a really fun website.

Favorites:

• A dream of a sweet potato pie, with real crisp crust, no soggy bottoms and no mystery toppings either.
• Ham, beautifully baked up, moist and flavorful
  
• Comfort foods extraordinaire.

Exquisite food, served up by owner JoAnn Clevenger in a wonderfully eclectic setting. (Who joins me in being bored to death by loud and minimally appointed dining environments? Does every place have to look like B. Hills and NYC?)

Favorites:

• Tom Cowman's Famous moist Roast Duck with Garlic Port or Ginger Peach Sauce had a wonderfully balanced flavor
  
• The original Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp Remoulade had me craving one the next day at breakfast.

Cookbooks from the Crescent City:
Susan Spicer's City Cooking is a treasure chest of fresh food dishes and heritage recipes from New Orleans.

Coming Soon:
Commander's Palace chef Tory McPhail shared that he is currently working on lightening up the classics. Imagine - I could eat gumbo any time I want???!!

Classics:
Do not miss the beignets! They are still a true heritage recipe treat, and I thank god I've never been able to duplicate them at home.

LONDON - Covent Garden - WHISKY SHOP

The Raymond
1250 S. FAIR OAKS AVE.
PASADENA, CA 91105
626.441.313
http://www.theraymond.com

The Raymond is a truly exquisite restaurant in an unassuming historic bungalow. It pairs the best of California Fusion Cuisine with a remarkable wine list. A world class dining experience, it's always overshadowed in LA guide books by those endless Westside-style foodie factories.

Favorites:

• Chef Felippa gives John Dory a fresh and tasty twist in his pancetta riesling sauce and serves it with the perfect potatoes, Yukon Gold.
  
• New Zealand Lamb, a classic rack, receives the best treatment in a recipe that rivals only Julia Child's.
  
• Seared Scallops, as everyone knows, are tricky little devils and so easy to overcook. Chef Felippa knows the secret, as his are clouds of scallops with just the right touch of fire and sauce.
  
• The service is perfect. I was once there with a large group when the guest of honor decided to move outside to the patio halfway into dinner. The staff had us moved in seconds and without even so much as a raised eyebrow. Classy.

Secrets:
I hate to share even this tidbit (because I'll probably never get a reservation myself next year!) but New Years Eve at the Raymond is so romantic and chic that it should not be missed. There is even an unofficial Rose Parade Preview right outside its windows as the floats line up for the next morning.

Private Dinners:
Recently I hosted a private dinner there in the Craftsman-style dining room. Guests felt spoiled, satiated and pampered in a very old-school way. Dishes were served hot, and the amuse bouche, quail on toast, is mentioned longingly by every one of my guests whenever food is the topic.

CORFU - "Our" Restaurant 2

One of the best dining experiences I ever had! Rules is the oldest restaurant in London - founded in 1798. We celebrated my father's 85th birthday there New Years Eve. Shown into the CHARLES DICKENS Room we were discretely coddled and served by a small cadre of impeccable wait staff -- given a brass and wood remote "Service help" button -- and then we feasted upon the best version of ENGLISH PRIME ROAST BEEF and YORKSHIRE PUDDING ever! Honestly, I had been prepared for a Disney- fied version of "Ye Olde England" but for my money, it was the real thing. (By the way, we discovered RULES by looking in the book 1000 Places to See Before You Die" -- and I realize, I have never gotten a bad recommendation from them.)
J. A. S.