Best of Europe 2009
Best and worst restaurants:
Best: Hostaria dei Bastioni, Rome.
Why: Pasta was excellent and prices were easy on the budget (bottle of red wine for only 8 euros). The owner even showed me the Christmas card Rick sent him.
Ferdie Pernia in San Francisco, CA USA 07/26/2008
Best: De Halve Maan Bistro
Why: I had a great Flemish rabbit stew. Very tasty. (Service wasn't wonderful, but OK.)
Heather Cameron in Coldstream, BC Canada 06/13/2008
Best: Restaurant Kantjil en de Tijger
Why: Wonderful food, service and atmosphere! We celebrated our 1st year wedding anniversary here and couldn't think of a better, more fun way to celebrate!
Stacy in Freiburg, BW Germany 06/04/2008
Best: Lampada in Santa Margerita, Italy
Why: Excellent food with kind, wonderful service in a beautiful setting. We all had something different and loved every morsel. Highly recommended.
Lynn Petruska in Manchester , MO USA 05/11/2008
Best: Saran Restaurant in Salzburg, Austria
Why: We had a great meal. They have menus in 7 languages and our waitress spoke 6 herself. They have a varied menu of Austrian specialties, as well as some Italian, Indian and vegetarian dishes. We had a wonderful dessert of Apple strudel, after our meal of Wiener snitzel and beef goulash. Our waitress was great and Saran himself served our meal. Overall a great find.
Lynn in Manchester, MO USA 03/25/2008
Best:
Why: We found several of your favourite restaurants (including the bakery in Madrid) and enjoyed them all
Wendy Fox in Saanichton, BC Canada 02/28/2008
Worst: Wagamanna Noodle Bar - London
Why: Price might be cheaper and that goes with the quality of the food. My currie sauce was thick and jelly like that I could possibly pick up the sauce and throw against the wall. My friend received his noodle soup warm and noodles was not fully cooked. Did the chefs take any cooking lessons?!
Steve in GTA, ON Canada 01/22/2008
Best: PARIS - CHEZ JANOU
Why: Very fresh and very good. The best mussels I've have ever had!
Worst: VIENNA - Cafe Restaurant Palmenhaus
Why: This is was one of the WORST recommendations. We apparently had to pay a cover fee (per person)which we WERE NOT aware; we had their famous beef broth and beef soup for 21 euros which was basically like Knorr beef broth that would cost $5 US and they charged us for "fillings" for the soup that we WERE NOT aware that would cost extra...Least to say we were VERY DISSATISFIED and felt RIPPED OFF. ALSO, the people that left before us did not leave tip. The waiter stopped the customers and made a big scene that they only make money from tips and they have a small salary. Anyhow, we left a tip b/c we wanted to avoid the scene.
Karen Canada 10/29/2007
Best: the hostel in Cesky Krumlov
Why: a bit out of the way from our pension (Wok), but the food was excellent, and it was fun to be around the activity in the hostel.
pam carlson in encinitas, CA USA 09/26/2007
Best: Il Pirate in the Cinque Terre
Why: The brothers who own the place were HILARIOUS. Ignoring the fact that it was THE BEST pastry experience of our trip (and not to mention the granitas!), these two men made our breakfast entertaining. We only wished we had discovered the place sooner. :)
Carly Bean in Moscow, ID USA 07/15/2007
Best: Chimes English Restaurant, London
Why: the cider was delicious and the ambience warm and wonderful
Brenda Paull in Mercer Island, WA USA 07/08/2007
Best: Cafe Restaurant de Reiger in Amsterdam and Pasci's Snack Bar Bistro in Muerren, Switzerland
Why: I can't recommend these places enough!!! Everything Rick Steves says about them is true.
Katie Ramp in Monterey, CA USA 06/23/2007
Best: Zur Goldenen Rose (Rothenburg)
Why: We had a fabulous stay at this hotel and enjoyed having such a delicious and reasonable restaurant right downstairs. The portions are generous, and the prices are right. We enjoyed goulach soup, pork steak "Hunter's Style" in mushroom gravy with noodles, and a pork cordon bleu with fries. These were all amazingly delicious, and the outdoor seating is very charming, as well!
Worst: Ciudad Condal Cerveceria (Barcelona)
Why: Food wise, it was okay -- some nice seafood specialties at fairly reasonable prices. However, we got the sense that the staff took advantage of tourists. After ordering beer, we were brought out giant glasses (everyone else there had glasses half the size), and when we remarked at how big they were, the waiter said, "smallest one!" As more guests arrived, we noticed that the Americans somehow always ended up with the giant glasses, and everyone else had the smaller ones. Additionally, our waiter brought out tapas we did not order, but had discussed briefly when he made recommendations, and we didn't realize that they were not what we requested until we had started eating them (the ones we actually ordered then followed). Anyhow, we ended up spending extra money on "superflautas" of beer and extra tapas that we had no intention of ordering. Tourists beware -- this place seems to prey on us!
Melissa in Honolulu, HI USA 04/24/2007
Best: Il Pirata in Vernazza
Why: Food and price - very good and the two brothers very entertaining.
Maricel Lustre in San Diego, CA USA 04/19/2007
Best: Restaurant Baren, Interlaken, Switzerland
Why: It was the best because the food was great. If you're talking about being a temporary local, this is the place to go. It's hidden across the river in Unterseen and in terms of great Swiss food, in a Swiss setting, surrounded by the Swiss, you just can't go wrong! We absolutely loved this place and it was recommended by Rugenpark as a great Swiss place for a not too expensive meal. I suggest the hashbrowns with swiss cheese, ham, and eggs but the fondue was also delicious!
Kevin Aumiller in Park Ridge, IL USA 10/30/2006
Best: Giramondo
Why: This isn't in the Paris chapter of the Best of Europe 2006, but it ought to be. Small Italian place that sells olive oil, etc, and with a few tables outside (inside appeared to be just a shop with no tables in sight). Mum's vegetarian pasta and our pasta with lobster were great - we have since re-created these dishes at home. Wine list had some old faithfuls, but waiter/owner recommended Bramaterra from the Piedmont area of Italy. It was wonderful, and at the _lower_ end of the list's price range.
Excellent service. Price for three adults covering three salads, three (excellent) pasta dishes, one shared desert and six glasses of wine came to 93 Euros.
Would go again for sure.
Address: 175, rue de Grenelle, 75007, Paris. Tel 01 45 51 10 65
Worst: Brasserie de l'Ecole Militaire
Why: Not in Best of Europe 2006, but ought to be as a warning to travellers. It was the worst meal that I've ever had in France - and I've been to France on business and pleasure countless times over the last thirty years.
The menu looked good (lots of shellfish!) and the place was crowded. Anyway, the salad ingredients were poor quality, inadequately disguised with the worst dressing ever (in France?); they destroyed the shrimp dish with a liberal dose of some sauce that tasted as if it came from a bottle; the meat dish was tough. The soup de poisson was unlike any that I've had in France - it had a sour tomato base and the rouille was spicy. There was no indication on the menu that this dish isn't a classic soup de poisson. The only edible dish was the half-crab, supplied with some good meat-extraction utensils. My wife - who is Chinese and a world master at shellfish meat extraction - cleaned it. The waiter looked at the remains in amazement.
Finally, the waiter was thoroughly obnoxious. No, I don't mean that he was busy (which he was); and, no, I don't mean that he was a character (which he wasn't). I mean he was obnoxious.
To be fair, a second waiter who helped the first was very courteous.
Address to avoid: 3, place de l'Ecole Militaire
Bill Murray in Santa Clara, CA USA 10/27/2006
Best: Yo! Sushi and the Wagamama Noodle Bar
Why: We did your Soho dinner crawl (omitting the belgo centraal) and it was so much fun. A little hard to find, but so worth it. My family loved an appetizer at Yo! (I got the cucumber maki) and the dinner at the Wagamama. I even got two Wagamama cookbooks, and the bowl and spoon package thing. Lots of fun!!!
Cameron in Salem, OH USA 10/27/2006
Best: Belvadere, Montorosso, Italy
Why: AMPHORA enough said. Service was hit or missed though.
Tom in Roseville, CA USA 10/11/2006
Best: Le Florimond in Rue Cler neighborhood
Why: Friendly waiter, Laurent who speaks English. Foods are just classic French and scrumpteous.
S K Tomczak in Novato, ca USA 09/22/2006
Worst: Restaurant la Serre @ Paris (29 rue de lExposition)
Why: Below average food. Charged 6 euro for a bottle of water, which was not listed on the menu at all. Other restaurants in Paris serves water for free.
Alan Feng in Cedar Park, TX USA 07/22/2006
Best: Stagerstubli-Murren, Switzerland
Why: nice, clean, non-smoking area. Great food and cordial service.
Sheryl Smith in Arlington, TX USA 07/13/2006
Best: Orange Moon (Prague)
Why: A refreshing alternative to the heavy czech cuisine we've been eating
Worst: Restaurant Mucha (Prague)
Why: Roasted chicken was very dry, red cabbage that came with the duck smelled like it came out of a bag. Decor was disappointing.
Pat in Los Angeles, CA USA 06/29/2006
Best: Vienna: Bamkraxler
Why: The wine gardens were not what we expected. However, the food and service at this restaurant was great. We sat outside and drank locally brewed beer with the locals.
Worst: Pepe Gonzales
Why: The description is tapas con cocktails. There were no tapas. Atmosphere was cool, but it was 20:00 and we were the ONLY people in there, and we even stayed until about 21:30!! Oh, and the name on the sign is just Pepe's...we were wondering where the book got Gonzales from??
Amy in Memphis, TN USA 06/03/2006
Best: Historia Romano, Rome
Why: The restaurant was just as described: lively with waiters who obviously enjoy their jobs. The food was delicious.
Gay Lynn Auld in Round Rock, TX USA 05/25/2006
Best: Le P'tit Troquet - 28 rue de l'Exposition, Paris
Why: Exceptionally excellent food. Very attentive and friendly staff. Porc and Confit de canard were both fantastic. Creme brulee was delicious. Really a treat.
Martha in Culver City, CA USA 04/13/2006
Best: San Caterina Hotel (not in the book)
Why: This five star hotel, in Amalfi, is drop dead gorgeous. It is beautiful, clean and attractive on the outside, and astonishing in its classic Mediterranean beauty inside. Great food, fab service, and a bit expensive, but so worth it!
Worst: Could not find a bad place on Costeria Amalfitani!
Why: The Amalfi experience is a strong positive. We spend a few days in Venice, as well, and it is an incredible place to be.
Sherm Brown in San Francisco, CA USA 04/07/2006
Best: Hotel Klosterstüble, Rothenburg, Germany
Why: great food, good service
Maggie Brogdon in Fitzwilliam, NH USA 03/13/2006
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