Continental in Halifax...
I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia and I believe the very best place to eat is a lovely place called 'Jane's on the Common'. Serving absolutely delicious food at a reasonable cost and deliberately placed in a community otherwise lacking good restaurants, owner Jane Wright strives to make 'the common' food a bit uncommon. And, the restaurant fronts on the famous Halifax Commons! The website has a delightful link to activities for women named 'Jane'... Now go and enjoy the great food! Their website just oozes with friendliness. Take a look. http://www.janesonthecommon.com/
Janet, Halifax, Canada

Jiaoza in Beijing...
There is a fantastic little Jiaoza Restuarant (Chinese noodle wrapped around meat and vegetables) one block east of Beijing United Family Hosptial on Jiang Tai Lu. It is a hole in the wall place but they have an English menu. Located in the Lido area, it is called The Tulip (It actually has an English sign) and has wood shingles on the outside. If you stay at Lido Holiday Inn it is just a six minute walk. Order the jiaozas with a meat and a vegetable (ten to a plate) fried or steamed ( I prefer the fried). The prices are cheap, cheap, cheap. My family of six can eat a BIG dinner for less than ten dollars.
Ronnie, Beijing, China

Mediterranean in Chicago...
I live in Chicago and my recommendation for where the locals dine is the Casbah Cafe on Broadway. I've dined here several times and it is one of my favorite places. It's a small storefront, but the food and service and atmosphere is first class. I've never had a bad meal there nor a bad experience. The cuisine is from everywhere on the southern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Expect alafel, kibbeh, kebabs, hummus, couscous, curries, dolmeh and, in a nod to Chicago's Northern Shore, pasta. Address: 3151 N. Broadway Tel: 773-935-3339.
Alexandra, Chicago, USA

Seafood in Crismina Beach, Portugal...
The best seafood and the best oceanfront view in Crismina Beach (7 km from Cascais) is Restaurant Porto Santa Maria on Guincho Road. Guincho road is, in itself, a beautiful attraction. To one side, cliffs and long stretches of blue-green ocean, to the other, dunes and ahead, the Sintra mountain range. In this scenario, every now and then a luxury restaurant crops up. One of them, Porto de Santa Maria, with its big, blue and luminous sign, attracts many people for the excellent quality of the fish. The house has had a one star Michelin rating for 25 years, and has been chosen by Mouriscastours as one of the best seafood restaurants. This was the place chosen by Bill Clinton to taste the curious fillet of snook in salt (72 euro/kg). Customers may also try sook in bread. The place recalls a country house, with light-coloured wood and royal blue curtains. Decoration is very graceful. In this relaxed atmosphere, José Gouveia, one of the owners, welcomes all clients with the same sympathy, regardless of status or condition. The basement keeps the house's secrets: several aquariums, and more than 30.000 bottles of wine and only the best Portuguese labels. Big, big splurge! Address: Estrada do Guincho, Praia da Crismina, Cascais. Tel: 21 487 0240 (144 seats). Website: www.portosantamaria.com.
Cristina, Lisbon, Portugal

Italian in New York City...
My favorite Italian restaurant in New York is Piadina, a rustic little place on 57 W. 10th street between Fifth and Sixth Avenue. In addition to the lovely decor, they specialize in a delicious appetizer called the pia dina, which is sort of an Italian take on a quesadilla. The other appetizers (polenta with gorgonzola sauce, tomatoes with buffalo mozzerella and a lot more). Scrumptious entrees include their gnocchi, swordfish steak with peppercorn sauce, salmon in a lemon butter sauce and rigatoni melanzana, and the desserts are to DIE for: the chocolate mousse has actual bits of chocolate in it, the nocciola (hazelnut) affogato with chocolate sauce is divine and the crema carmelatta is the creamiest. Your better off going either earlier (6-ish) or later (9-ish). Around 8 o'clock or so, the joint is packed. But the service is great and the food is the best - the only drawback is that it's cash only. Tel: 212-460-8017
MK, New Jersey, USA

Continental in Tel Aviv...
In Tel Aviv, I'd like to recommend one of my favorite restaurants, Messa - Chef Restaurant. They have a wonderful business lunch of three courses and has the most delicious, creatively cooked food I've tasted in years. Messa-Chef is large with a quiet and tasteful ambiance. Singles are very welcome and can be seated with other singles -- very customer friendly. I loved the salmon and my girlfriends had meat and it too was delicious. They have the most delicious cocktails and oh my goodness the desserts! Selections from the menu include: (1) Seafood gnocchi in a fine turmeric butter (2) Seared Salmon served with Pepper and Fig Relish and a light Sweet Potato Puree (3) white chocolate dessert, with cherry sabayon and raspberry fundue. Address: 19 Ha'arba'a St. Tel: 03-6856859. Website: http://www.messa.co.il/messa.html (Hebrew with English menu).
Sunny, Tel Aviv, Israel

Italian veggie in Greensboro...
My favorite restaurant here in Greensboro, NC USA is The Loop Pizza Grill. They use the best Kalamata Olives and Cold-Pressed Olive Oil, you'd swear you were in Italy! Their website is: http://www.looppizzagrill.com They also have a ton of vegetarian options (which is why I go there) including portabello mushroom sandwiches and a veggie burger.
Whitney, Greensboro, USA

Italian & Wine Bar in Bangkok...
Giusto's is my favorite neighborhood restaurant. My favorite table is the one that is next to the Wine room facing out you can see the entire restaurant which makes for great people watching. Housed in a stunning architecturally exciting freestanding modern building, the food is wonderful, the owners are great and it is a do not miss Italian restaurant if you are in Bangkok. Website: www.giustobangkok.com Address: Sukhumvit Soi 23. Tel: 66 2258 4321 Reservations are a good idea.
Pat, Bangkok, Thailand