Best Woman-Friendly Eats We Discovered in 2008

A WONDERFUL VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT IN PARIS, FRANCE -- write Claire and Sandra in Montreal, Canada -- Hello JourneyWomen! This travel tip comes from cousins Claire and Sandra and their recent trip to Paris. Our eight-day stay was an excellent opportunity to identify and try some terrific restaurants in that wonderful city, especially restaurants that are friendly and attentive to women (even those of a certain age), and that specialize in vegetarian fare. We were delighted with Le Paradis du Fruits, 21 Blvd. Edgar Quinet, 75041, (Latin Quarter) Paris (tel: 01 40 47 53 44). You can eat indoors or on the large terrace; enjoy interesting fresh fruit drinks; design your main dish by combining various menu elements; and imbibe – or simply salivate after – gorgeous fruit/ice cream desserts – all under the direction of charmingly competent staff. Bon appetit!

EXCELLENT CAPPUCCINO IN JERUSALEM, ISRAEL -- writes Norma in Jerusalem, Israel -- For the second time, I've been to Velka, a relatively new cafe-restaurant in the lovely Rehavia section of Jerusalem and for the second time was impressed by the food and the atmosphere. While there are other dairy cafes (no meat served) in Jerusalem, Velka stands out for the inventiveness, quality and presentation of its food and its old-fashioned cafe atmosphere. On my first visit I had an exquisite eggplant parmesan which was not smothered in sauce. Last time there, I shared breakfast with a friend and portions were so generous that there was food left over. The restaurant specializes in home-baked cookies and cakes, but most important from my point of view, the cappuccino is excellent. I hope this tip helps other women visiting my city.

YUMMY ORGANIC FOOD IN HONG KONG -- writes Kay in Hong Kong -- A terrific spot where I often meet my girlfriends and visitors is Kosmo, an organic health food cafe. There are a few branches around Hong Kong, but my favourite is at 18 D'Aguilar Street, Central, at the corner of Wellington Street. They serve great salads, sandwiches, juices, smoothies and soups (I love their philosophy on food, life and business which is ... 'do good, feel good'). The service counter is on the ground floor, and tables with comfortable chairs and couches are located on the first floor. I think women visiting our city will find the food good and the ambience very female-friendly. Who knows? Maybe one day another Journeywoman and I will both be enjoying Kosmo at the very same time. Tel: +852 2868 2001. Website: www.kosmoliving.com).

HALF ASIAN HALF EUROPEAN FOOD IN PRAGUE -- writes Lily in Toronto, Canada -- After eating local Czech cuisine for a few days, my husband and I always welcome lighter fare. Essensia restaurant inside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel offers a wonderful lunch experience with excellent food and its presentation. The menu consisted half Asian and half European but not fusion cuisine. For example you can choose Chicken Tikka Masala braised in Indian gravy or Chilean Seabass with Basil and Parmesan Crust. There is a choice of 2-course and 3-course menu, 450 CZK and 640 CZK respectively. The dining room has a contemporary, elegant ambience and the service was excellent. The hotel, which was a monastery at one time, is located in Mala Strana, at the foothills of Prague Castle. Address: Nebovidska 459/1, Mala Strana, 118 00, Prague 1, Czech Republic. Tel: +420 233 088 888. Click here for some of their other menu highlights.

AUTHENTIC THAI FOOD IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON -- writes Ruth Lor Malloy in Toronto, Canada -- My Thai friends took us to the Bai Tong Thai Restaurant in Seattle. This restaurant was originally started for Thai pilots flying into and out of Sea-Tac International Airport, and has grown to be a wider favorite without losing its authentic flavors. The spices were perfect, both for me and our Thai hostesses who consider it their favorite restaurant there. The salmon steamed in a banana leaf for $9.95 melted in one's mouth. The Phad Thai only cost $7.95 but that day we chose the Bai Tong Special Noodles for the same price and they were fantastic. We had six dishes and they were all reasonably priced and wonderful. Too bad our stay in Seattle was so short; we would have gone back to Bai Tong again. Address: 16876 Southcenter Parkway, Tukwila, WA 98188 (next to Toys R Us). Tel. 206-575-3366. Website: www.baitongrestaurant.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Ruth is the author of China Guide and Beijing Guide. We take all her travel recommendations very seriously. Need more restaurant suggestions worldwide? See: http://www.journeywoman.com/travel101/great_eats.htm