Ukai Toriyama - outskirts of Tokyo near Mount Takao

Ukai Toriyama is called a traditional Japanese restaurant. It is quite a long haul from Tokyo, but it really is worth the trip. If you are in the Tokyo area and you have money to burn, get your butt to this restaurant.

The food and service are spectacular, but the scenery is out of this world. The restaurant is made up of small private cottages where you cook over hot coals. The cottages are hidden away in a beautiful garden that sits in a ravine and there is a stream running right down the middle.

We started our trek from Tokyo just after lunch and after a few site seeing events (and wrong turns) we arrived for dinner at 5 pm. It is good to get to the restaurant just before sunset. This way you can see the garden in sunlight and then at night with all the artificial lighting and the warm glow coming from the cottages.

Can't find a website for them, but here is some information: Ukai Toriyama

Hyatt - Hakone, Japan

We spent a few days enjoying the spa area of Japan and we stayed at the Hyatt in Hakone. The hotel is a year old and it was just marvelous. In the lobby there is the aroma of wood smoke that comes from the chalet style fire place. It keeps you warm in the cold mountain air. This is a hot springs hotel, so you can enjoy a hot bath and let the volcanic minerals invigorate your body.

There are two restaurants, a French one and a Japanese one. We tried both.

The French restaurant is also where you have breakfast, but at night they dim the lights and it becomes quite intimate.

The Japanese restaurant is very authentic, except its decor. We had a private room with one large table made out of a polished tree. Our niece and nephew were with us and they had never had raw fish, but they were even impressed.
http://hakone.regency.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/entertainment/restaurants/index.jsp

Mere Bulles - Brentwood, TN

This restaurant is in an old mansion. The original owners apparently owned everything around it at one time, but now it is surrounded by office buildings and hotels. Don't let this dissuade you, this is a fine restaurant and well worth going to.

If you just look at the menu, it seems pretty plain. Simple meals like Veal Chops, New York Strip, Prime rib and others like Phyllo Wrapped Sea Bass are going to wow you with their taste and presentation.

This time I had the Phyllo Wrapped Sea Bass, which is stuffed with shellfish, brie and spinach. It is then wrapped in buttered phyllo and served with an artichoke tomato beurre blanc. I do not know if the Sea Bass is good every night, but the this night it was remarkable. No fishy taste at all and not oily at all.

On a previous visit I had the Rib Eye, I highly recommend this also.

The staff makes your meal even more pleasurable with prompt accurate service and they really do put on that southern hospitality.

If you are in the Nashville area, take a little trip south of the city and enjoy an evening at Mere Bulles.

http://www.merebulles.com/

Little Europe at Timber Ridge, Kenosha, WI

This is billed as a Bohemian restaurant, but the dishes come from all over such as Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, and Poland.

The food is good, if you can put up with the bad service. Don't be in a rush and don't expect to be pampered.

The food has a home cooked feel and it really is good if you like this type of food. If you are a health nut this is probably not the place for you.

From the signs outside you can see this place is having an identity crises. It seems that the owners are trying everything they can to bring people in, but nothing seems to work. They even built a second restaurant next door and it has been filled by at least three endeavors. I believe it is empty at the moment.

For now, unless something changes, we are taking this one off our list.

Lighthouse Bistro - Kenosha, WI

Last night we did something we never do - go to a restaurant on its first night, but we couldn't resist.

This is a new restaurant by the owners of Froggy's in Highwood, which is an excellent French restaurant. We've never had a bad meal there.

When we heard they were taking over the Kenosha Yacht Club, we were so excited. An article in the February 27 issue of the Kenosha News informed us that the restaurant was now open. The article mentioned that the food would be American fare, so we were somewhat disappointed, but really wanted to try it anyway.

We arrived around 6:00 and it was not too crowded, but by the time we were done, they had filled up. Since this is their first night, I'm not going to be critical about the service. I will say though that everyone else's server seemed to be right on top of things.

The manager, Scott, was out in the dining room quite a lot, making sure everything was being taken care of. He came to our table a couple times, which we did appreciate.

We started with the crab cake appetizer, which was good, but needed more of the sauce. I had the Coq au Vin, which was excellent - it was so tender. My husband had a steak, which he really enjoyed too. Both entrees were served with mashed potatoes, or I should say pureed potatoes.
They were very good too. We did not have a salad; we thought they were ala carte, but we heard other customers being offered soup or salad, so I think that our server's fault.

The wine pours here seem to be generous and the selection was pretty good. Also, they did a really nice job remodeling. It doesn't look or smell like that old smoky place!

House of Gerhard - Kenosha, WI

We have been going to this restaurant quite a lot lately. We tried it several years ago, and for some reason, did not return until about a year ago. Not sure why, but I suspect it's because it's difficult to eat healthy, but we really enjoy the food. Now we probably go once every two months or so.

Specializing in German food, every entree comes with some house appetizers, and soup or salad. The house appetizers usually consist of liverwurst with bread to spread it on, hard rolls and butter plus some sort of muffin. Last time we also had a bean salad. Very good.

Their soups are usually very creative and I almost always opt for the soup over the salad, which is nothing special. They used to offer a spinach salad (dinner size), but they don't any longer. Now that was a really good spinach salad.

They have many German entrees to pick from including many different types of schnitzel. They offer several specials each night, which is usually where my husband goes. I have had the petite filet the last two times we ate there and the meat was very tender and full of taste. At the price, it's a bargain. We sometimes get the "fish in a bag" which is usually pretty good.

Last time one of our companions ordered the beef rouladen, which he thought was very good. I thought the portion was rather small though.

Regarding wine selection - the Kendall Jackson salesperson is doing a great job once again. I wish retaurants around here would get a little creative with their wine list. If you don't like KJ, you are pretty much out of luck.

Their pours are small, but their price is small too.

http://www.foodspot.com/gerhards/

Carlos' - Highwood, IL

This is undoubtedly our favorite restaurant ever, we go here at least two times a year, sometimes more. It has a contemporary French menu and the atmosphere is relaxing, regardless if there is two or six people in your group and the staff are friendly and not stuffy at all. They really treat you like family.

We almost always get the degustation menu. If you do this you have the option of swapping things from the regular menu, just in case you do not like something in the degustation. If you like wine, get the wine pairing, they do an excellent job choosing for you.

One time we went we brought my mother, who is not a heavy eater, so she just wanted an appetizer and a main course. Against my recommendation she had the Filet Mignon. Once she tasted it she said I had to try a piece because it was the best steak she had ever had. Once I took a bite, I had to agree.

The last time we took my brother and his wife. They had never been there before and they usually do not go to French restaurants. Carlos greeted us and showed us to our seats, which was the beginning of one of the most entertaining evenings we have had in a long time. My brother agrees now and Carlos has become if favorite restaurant.

Don’t take our word for it, give this restaurant a try. Just take a look at the menu and I am sure they will win you over.


http://www.carlos-restaurant.com/