Kristie and Mark's list of Top Dining Experiences

 

Bon appetit!!  

# 1! The Sugar Mill Restaurant, Tortola, British Virgin Islands

After exchanging marriage vows in Statesville, NC on June 2, 2001, Kristie and I honeymooned at the Sugar Mill Hotel on the gorgeous island of Tortola, British Virgin Islands.  Their restaurant narrowly beat out Evvia for #1 primarily because of its extended excellence.  Every meal (breakfast & dinner) we had there over the course of 8 days was scintillating.  The combination of conscientious, attentive service (they were very well-trained), spectacular views of the Caribbean, tasteful decor in the renovated, historic stone building, and first-rate cuisine was a once-in-lifetime experience.  

 

2.    Evvia Estiatorio, Palo Alto, CA    

We ate here in August 1998 before we drove back across country from Palo Alto, CA to Chapel Hill, NC.  Evvia's open-door dining and delectable Hellenic fare, plus the best waiter we've ever had (he anticipated our every need), made Evvia #1 ... until the honeymoon.   

3.    Hotel Zum Kronprinzen, Oberwesel, Germany

For a month in the summer of 2000, Kristie and I shared a fabulous adventure trekking around Europe.  One of our stops was this little town on the Rhine River. We stayed at this cute bed & breakfast called Hotel Zum Kronprinzen and after a day of hiking the hills enjoyed a scrumptious meal with white asparagus soup appetizer and perfectly seasoned and grilled filet mignon.  The evening was all the more memorable because the chef was a young man, Markus Oppermann, who'd apprenticed in England and spoke flawless English.  He treated us very warmly and personally, even choosing our delicious courses and describing them as *he* served them to us.  Only later did we find out that he's somewhat of a local celebrity being the "TV chef" for the town :) .

 

4.    Greens, San Francisco, CA

Fabulous vegetarian and vegan fare in a converted warehouse on the bay with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge.  

After basking in a magnificent sunset over the bridge, we had dinner reservations not 10 minutes later.  Kristie will tell you that I have good timing.

 

5.    Thai Lanna, Mooresville, NC

The utterly superb Thai cuisine here would make the grade in any big city across the country.  The freshness and quality of the ingredients shine through in the final dishes.  I love the aptly-titled Evil Jungle Princess (spicy vegetables with chicken), which can make your nostrils flare and mouth scream.  In fact, I have yet to try any other dish as a full meal (I've mooched bites of my wife's and friends' dinners), but that says more about my odd utility function than the lack of outstanding dishes to order.  The soups we've tried have all been delicious.  The service is very good and the attention to detail will enhance your dining experience (real flowers in the tables, no fake-o's here, straws come with origami-style covering, etc.).  If you'd like to try it, take Exit 36 off I-77 North in North Carolina.  Turn right off the exit (assuming you're heading north).  Thai Lanna is in the shopping center on your right, up near Hwy 150, not down by the AmStar 14 movie theatre complex, which is also there and can make for a nice dinner & movie evening.  

6. The Slow Club, San Francisco, CA

  

It's not a high-end restaurant (but it still has SF prices, just not high-end SF prices), rather it's a very cool casual dining spot. The chef is one of the "Top 5 Rising Chefs" in San Francisco. He's originally from Winston-Salem, NC! We had a great meal there in September 2007. The atmosphere is lively and energetic, even without music, perhaps in part because some of the food prep area, including the grill, is basically right in the front of the restaurant surrounded by glass. The Slow Club is also not on the beaten path of tourists to SF, which in our view is a plus.

7.    Youssef 242 (formerly Cafe 242), Hickory, NC 

     

I know what you're thinking ... Hickory?!  Well, give it a shot before you dismiss this gem of a restaurant.  It's off the beaten path (not on the "strip" near the Hickory Furniture Mart), so it gets mostly local Hickory residents, which is evident when you go because half the restaurant knows one another.  Every time someone gets up to leave they stop and talk to 2 or 3 tables on their way out.  This gives 242 a lively atmosphere, which is complemented nicely by the long, wooden bar where you can enjoy a drink before dinner.  We've been there twice and had fabulous meals both times.  Their appetizers are eclectic, exquisitely presented, and of course delicious.  The tenderloin is top-notch, stuffed pork creative, and salmon salivating.  For you vegetarians, they make a tasty vegetable plate as well.   

 

 

 

Nearly on the list:

Magnolia Grill, Durham, NC    

          Rated #11 restaurant in the U.S. in 2001 by Gourmet Magazine.  We had a great meal here, but I'll share a story about one of the waiters.  I was teaching at UNC-Chapel Hill at the time and one of my students worked there, unbeknownst to me.  In a very nice gesture, he arranged to pay for our dessert and coffee, which the waitress told us as she brought them.  He still got a C in the class. 

 

Con Cortada, Barcelona, Spain
Also on our summer 2000 European vacation, this restaurant is in an ancient fortress, making for a unique dining experience.