Todd English's The Fish Club in Seattle. My wife and I had a completely decadent meal there a couple years ago in a nice private booth surrounded by curtains and facing the waterfront. She had an amazing seafood cioppino and the broiled swordfish I had was outstanding. Add in some nice dinner salads, a great bottle of wine and a basket of bread and top it off with one of the most amazing desserts I've ever had and it was probably the most memorable meal I've ever had.
Another place we greatly enjoy is
Red Square in Las Vegas. They're largely known for their ice bar and endless varieties of vodkas, but their food is outstanding as well. My favorite is their salmon which, last time I was there, was drizzled with a lemon creme-vodka sauce that made the whole dish just melt in your mouth. Highly recommended. There are many other great restaurants in Vegas we love, but this place is one of our favorites.
In San Francisco, make your way over to the Mission District and enjoy a meal at
Foreign Cinema. The food is fantastic and they backdrop it with old movies playing on a large screen. Their bar is top notch and I highly recommend the Blood Orange martini.
In New York, I highly recommend
Cafe' Espanol on Bleecker St. in Greenwich Village. Authentic Spanish dishes and Sangria that will melt your brain and leave you smiling. After dinner, walk across the street to Terra Blues and enjoy some great live blues music.
Another New York favorite is
Eight Mile Creek. They serve authentic, upscale Australian cuisine that's too good to be missed. Try the barramundi or the kangaroo. Both are fantastic. Go downstairs to their bar for a drink on a Sunday night and you'll find a host of Australian ex-pats lounging around like it was their living room, playing Aussie rock. Ask them to play some Midnight Oil and you will be their new best friend and be bought many, many beers.
In Dallas, nobody has better margaritas and Mexican food that
The Blue Goose Cantina. Nobody.
There's plenty more where that came from, but there's a few to get you started.
jag