Update December 2011 - South Carolina

The Sage Room for excellent food and service. Eat at the chef's table and try their snow pea martini.

Pour Richard's was excellent, again. I love their appetizer flatbreads.

Vineyard 55 was good. I love the atmosphere, but the food is not great. Try it in combination with the Thursday farmer's market.

Mellow Mushroom, Choo Choo BBQ Express, the Sea Shack, Wild Wing Cafe and Fiesta Fresh always deliver. Good food and great value.

Update 2011 - Provence, France

Best restaurants:

La Villa - L'Isle Sur la Sourge

Le Forge - Antibes

La Mere Germaine - Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Places visited:

Antibes, Monaco, L'Isle Sur la Sourge, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Lourmarin

Tuscany, Italy

Best wine:

Boscarelli regular 2007

Best restaurant:

Il goccio - Lucignano

Places visited:

Sassetta, Castagneto, Suvereto, Montalcino (Brunello), Montepulciano (Vino Nobile), Siena, Pisa, Lucignano, Volterra, San Vinzenso

Berlin, Germany

The Bird - best burger ever! American pub atmosphere, not cheap but amazing.

Update 2011 - North Carolina

Update 2011:

Hendersonville:

Never Blue for excellent food with interesting flavors. Nice outdoor seating too.

Brevard:

Poppies Market and Cafe - Nice little lunch place and interesting grocery store.
The Square Root - Lovely owners (met them hiking), good food (awesome sweet potato chips) and nice location&decor.

Update 2011 - Bluffton/Hilton Head, SC

- Pour Richard's for the best food and wine in the area. (FAVORITE PICK!)
- Sunset Grille for awesome personable service and great food.
- The Studio for good food and interesting surroundings.
- Choo Choo BBQ Express for some seriously good and cheap BBQ. Yummy. Nice owners too.

Avoid: Hilton Head Diner, Charlie's for dinner (too expensive for the value)

Restaurants - Chicago, Illinois

Favorite picks:

- Lula for an organic "in season" dinner (Monday nights only). Delicious food at a good price, especially with the paired wines.

- Big Star for yummy tacos, tostadas and limy guacamole. Great price. A little too hip though?

- Pizano’s for awesome deep dish pizza. Try their sausage and mozzarella pizza.

- Lao Sze Chuan for very spicy and good Chinese food. Really liked my house noodles. If you are there for lunch, make sure to ASK for the lunch menu.

Also tried:

Heaven on Seven, Purple Pig, Downtown Dogs, Billy Goat Tavern, Sarah’s Pastries and candies (all on the Gold Coast Tastebud Tour) and Orange (for brunch).