ChangeMe 
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1371
| | 10-08-2004 06:23 PM |
| Have a great trip. We will be there in 4 weeks. | | | |
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Pool Boy
Laurl, MD (DC suburb)
Master of Wine
Posts: 13802
| | 10-18-2004 01:00 PM |
| Lucky dog! Hope you have a blast! Are you back yet? | | | www.roguefood.com -- www.cellartracker.com | |
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ChangeMe
Grape Stomper
Posts: 198
| | 10-19-2004 02:48 PM |
| My Mom's name is Florence but I don't think that has anything to do with you (hopefully  because she is still married). Anyway hope you had a great time! Two days in Amsterdam can rival any trip in the world if you are doing the right things (and I'm not talking about visiting Anne Frank's house)  | | | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
| | 10-22-2004 04:01 AM |
| Just got back. I was in Florence Friday night to Monday morning, and we spent a good part of Saturday and Sunday locked out of our bed and breakfast because of a broken lock  That aside, it was an awesome trip. The wine! The food! The wine! The trip might be more expensive than I planned though, because after being in Florence, I am convinced I need a real espresso machine and a wood-burning pizza oven  Winegoat, Amsterdam was incredible. It is my favorite European city. Very pedestrian friendly, very pretty, everyone speaks English, and there is plenty to see and do. Our best dinner of the trip was Chinese food in Amsterdam! | | | |
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whiner
Second star to the right, and straight on till morning
Wine Thief
Posts: 2875
| | 10-22-2004 10:53 AM |
| Quote:
Our best dinner of the trip was Chinese food in Amsterdam!
Ray,
I'm glad you had a good time.
I'm curious, though... are you saying that the Chinese food in Amserdam was the best you had in Amsterdam, or are you saying it was better than anything you had in Florence? 
a | | | I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland. <br>-- Woody Allen | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
| | 10-22-2004 02:34 PM |
| Chinese food in Amsterdam was the best food of the whole trip. If that seems surprising, we were surprised too. We found out later that the place has a Michelin star, so I guess we aren't the only people satisfied with their meal there.
Another note on restaurants. A few places we went in Italy did not have menus in English, and had no one that could translate. This seemed very odd to me in a city as cosmopolitan (and filled with english speakers on the street) as Florence. The mrs. and I eat anything, so it wasn't a problem, just a little odd. | | | |
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whiner
Second star to the right, and straight on till morning
Wine Thief
Posts: 2875
| | 10-23-2004 05:39 AM |
| That is a little odd re: Florence. Not an experience I have found there, either.
The next time I go to Amsterdam, you MUST tell me the name of that Chinese place. I think I've been to 7 Michelin starred restaurants and they are 7 of the 10 best meals I've ever had. Of course, they were virtually all French restaurants. But, I love Chinese food, so I can only imagine how good that was.
a | | | I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland. <br>-- Woody Allen | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
| | 10-23-2004 08:13 PM |
| Quote:
The next time I go to Amsterdam, you MUST tell me the name of that Chinese place.
Sichuan Food is the name of the restaurant. It is on Reguliersdwarstraat 35 (just south of the Bloemenmarkt). I think they made the restaurant name so simple because the street name is such a pain in the a$$  | | | |
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futronic
Toronto, Canada
Wine Bottler
Posts: 3214
| | 10-24-2004 03:09 PM |
| Quote:
Another note on restaurants. A few places we went in Italy did not have menus in English, and had no one that could translate. This seemed very odd to me in a city as cosmopolitan (and filled with english speakers on the street) as Florence. The mrs. and I eat anything, so it wasn't a problem, just a little odd.
God forbid than an Italian menu in Italy didn't have an English translation. Most pocket Italian books (i.e. Berlitz) have an entire section on food and menus, so that really helps if you're having difficulty ordering. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
| | 10-24-2004 04:55 PM |
| Quote:
Quote:
Another note on restaurants. A few places we went in Italy did not have menus in English, and had no one that could translate. This seemed very odd to me in a city as cosmopolitan (and filled with english speakers on the street) as Florence. The mrs. and I eat anything, so it wasn't a problem, just a little odd.
God forbid than an Italian menu in Italy didn't have an English translation. Most pocket Italian books (i.e. Berlitz) have an entire section on food and menus, so that really helps if you're having difficulty ordering.
Yes, God forbid! I'm not saying that anyone has an obligation to foreign-language speakers, but if A LOT of your business comes from foreign-language speakers, it just makes sense to cater to them.
I'm aware we are all spoiled by the world dominance of english. That doesn't change the fact that I am curious to know what I am eating. I am not too worried about getting something I don't like; in fact, I am more often frustrated by not being sure what it is that I am eating that tastes so good.
In terms of menu guides in travel books, I would say I knew 85%-90% of the food terms on the Italian menus, and those last few words that I am missing have not been in any menu guides I have looked at. Is Berlitz better?
I think a lot of the problem with pocket translation guides is that, if the word does not have an exact translation (like a lot of salumi), the guide leaves it out instead of saying "a type of salumi." Oh well.... | | | |
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futronic
Toronto, Canada
Wine Bottler
Posts: 3214
| | 10-24-2004 07:12 PM |
| I can understand your point, but I'm sure at least one waiter in the place spoke a bit of English if you were having trouble with the menu.
As for Berlitz, the pocket book I took with me had about 20 pages on how to order, make reservations, what menu items were, different cooking styles (alla grilia, arrostata, etc), and even a glossary in the back. It was quite helpful, actually. | | | |
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Pool Boy
Laurl, MD (DC suburb)
Master of Wine
Posts: 13802
| | 10-27-2004 03:12 AM |
| raybanz--
Where'd y'all eat in Firenze?
I am witchoo on the need of an espresso maker (to DIE for over there IMO) and a wood burning oven for pizzas (otherworldly over there).
As for menu transalations, dude, I see your point about wanting to know what you're eating, but I am soooooo against catering to your international clientele. I embrace wherever I go, especially on the food front. I learn food words long befre other much more important words...
One of the things Mrs. TJ and I do is keep a dining out diary, especially when traveling. We would jot down (sometimes from the menu if we didn't know what the heck it was that we were ordering) so we could figure it out later.
Man I want some fine espresso from the Bar down on the corner. | | | www.roguefood.com -- www.cellartracker.com | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1371
| | 10-27-2004 12:45 PM |
| For those looking for espresso machines, I highly recommend the Nespresso machines. We bought one (we had another one but were in dire need after a France trip and kitchen remodel), and it is incredible. As you have to buy the capsules from them, it is not cheap, but unbelievably clean and easy and the espresso is far better than any restaurant espresso.
We are off to Firenze in 8 days. | | | |
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GATC
Wine Lover
Posts: 4741
| | 10-27-2004 11:02 PM |
| We travel a lot and we always assumed that if the restaurant has an English menu that it was a tourist trap. Not always true, but often an indicator. My wife buys all of these little books with translations of food and other common items for each country that we visit. I think half of the fun is struggling with the language and making friends as we try to attempt to communicate with them. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1371
| | 10-28-2004 01:08 PM |
| Some of our best experiences have been in places where no English was spoken, and we had to work (we tend to study up on the language of whatever country we are visiting) with the staff. Hopefully this will hold true next week as well. | | | |
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futronic
Toronto, Canada
Wine Bottler
Posts: 3214
| | 10-28-2004 01:39 PM |
| Looking forward to hearing all about your trip when you get back, jc. Please say hello to Annalisa for me. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1371
| | 10-28-2004 01:43 PM |
| Of course Futronic. Once again, thanks for all of the help. I guess the amount of time I am spending on the boards, shows how ready for the trip I am and how uninspired I am at work.  | | | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
| | 10-28-2004 02:10 PM |
| Quote:
We travel a lot and we always assumed that if the restaurant has an English menu that it was a tourist trap. Not always true, but often an indicator.
This obviously depends 100% on where you are talking about. I have never seen a menu in Amsterdam without english on it (they can't ALL be tourist traps). Not to mention London
I guess I just see this differently than most of you. If I were starting a restaurant in a highly visited/internationalized city, I would include (or, even better, have available) an english menu. It just makes sense from a business stand-point. | | | |
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futronic
Toronto, Canada
Wine Bottler
Posts: 3214
| | 10-28-2004 05:41 PM |
| Quote:
Of course Futronic. Once again, thanks for all of the help. I guess the amount of time I am spending on the boards, shows how ready for the trip I am and how uninspired I am at work.
No problem at all. Just eat one of those millefeuile at the Pasticceria in Montalcino for me and we'll call it even. | | | |
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