04/07/05 Food and wines - Restaurants and travel

Often, one of the most exciting parts of a trip are the food and wine opportunities. Welcome to Vine to Wine, this is your host Linda Moran. On today's program we are navigating the culinary unknown when traveling. When traveling to a new destination it is nice to research the most recommended restaurants in the area. Culinary magazines will feature chefs, and restaurants, which have gained notoriety for one reason or another. You can go to the library and look at back issues or to their website to find recommendations. Many well known wine publications will dedicate a portion of each issue to hospitality venues with a special emphasis upon their wine program. Once you find a restaurant that you are interested in it is advisable to have your hotel concierge contact the restaurant for a reservation. If while on your holiday you are interested in attending special events, such as winemaker dinners, you may want to call the restaurant directly to inquire about such events during your stay. But, a word of caution, don't book up all of your time. You may find that, once you arrive, a chat with some of the locals could lead to some of the "best kept secrets" in town. If all of that dining is a strain on your pocketbook, think about having your main meal of the day at 1:00. Go to nice restaurants that are open for lunch. Often the food will be very similar to the dinner menu but with much lower prices. Then in the evening go to the posh spots and have a light supper in the bar. You just might find that you get a better feel for the place, and have a lot more fun! Bon Voyage - and thanks for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.