America's Favorite Restaurants

SHABU in Mission Viejo, Calif.
Each seat has a hot plate in front of it with a pot of boiling water. You order seafood, chicken, pork, or beef—all raw—and boil it, along with the accompanying mushrooms, tofu, noodles, and spinach, until everything is cooked. The best part is the special sauces that Kumi (a.k.a. Hot Mama), the hilarious owner, makes fresh daily: ponzu, sesame, ginger, and Hot Mama chili soy sauce. Adjust them to your taste by mixing in scallions, garlic, chilies, and daikon radishes. The restaurant is always packed, so reserving is a good idea. Information: 28715 Los Alisos Blvd., 949/588-3225,entrées from $11, closed Mon. Charlice Arnold, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.

THE WILD PLUM CAFE & BAKERY in Monterey, Calif.
The food is as simple as the decor—rustic wooden furniture, a hand-painted mural, a handwritten menu—but it always has an interesting twist. The roast-beef sandwich, for example, is served on focaccia with Gorgonzola cream, carmelized onions, and garlic aioli. If you don't have time to eat there, pick up a box lunch to go (call ahead to order one). Be sure to try the pastries—the muffins and scones are a treat. Information: 731 Munras Ave., 831/646-3109, sandwiches from $8, closed Sun. Stefanie Kaku, Carmel, Calif.

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SOUTH BEACH BAR & GRILL in San Diego, Calif.
San Diegans know fish tacos, and this joint is considered by many to have the best in town. A lightly grilled flour tortilla is filled with mahimahi, cabbage, pico de gallo, and cheese, and then drizzled with ranch dressing. They're so cheap, you might as well get two orders, plus a cold beer. It takes some time to score a seat, but the tacos are absolutely worth the wait. Information: 5059 Newport Ave., 619/226-4577, southbeachob.com, tacos from $3. Laura Shanley, San Diego, Calif.

COLORADO

NEW! HEART OF JERUSALEM CAFÉ in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Heart of Jersusalem Café, in downtown Colorado Springs, is one of those restaurants where pretty much everything is good. If you can't make the final call between Mediterranean staples like falafel, baba ghanoush, hummus, and tabbouleh—and no one seems to be able to—then order one of the sampler plates, which go for about $6. Dishes are large and filling, but stick around for the baklava and the Turkish coffee—the latter emerges from the kitchen in a traditional pot called an ibik, and is as black as ink and as potent as rocket fuel. Heart of Jerusalem feels like a lunch place; if you're looking for dinner, head to a restaurant where the pace and the preparation is a little more thoughtful. Information: 15 E. Bijou St., 719/477-1777, heartofjerusalemcafe.com. Price check: A falafel sandwich goes for $5, and a single serving of baklava is $1.50. Families can order the special kids' chicken nugget plate with fries and a drink for $6. Thanks for sharing: Reader Andrea was the first to tip us off.

WAZEE SUPPER CLUB in Denver, Colo.
A comfort-food haven for Denver downtowners, Wazee has broadened its menu in the past few years, but the main draw has always been the Colorado-style pizza—heavy on the toppings, not so much on the cheese. The pizza is good, but really, it's the nicely funky atmosphere that brings people in: exposed brick, high ceilings, checkerboard floors, a bar, and a dumbwaiter that delivers pizzas to the upper level. Information: 1600 15th St., 303/623-9518, wazeesupperclub.com, pizza from $7. Lynn Buschhoff, Denver, Colo.

CONNECTICUT

CAROLE PECK'S GOOD NEWS CAFE in Woodbury, Conn.
Carole builds her big, creative menu on local produce and meats. Her pecan-crusted oyster appetizer with dried cherries, jicama, tomatillo salsa, and chili aioli is alone worth the trip, but once you're there, you'd be crazy not to try one of the entrées, like the wok-seared shrimp with vegetables and garlic aioli, or the free-range rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes and stir-fried seasonal veggies. Information: 694 Main St. S., 203/266-4663, good-news-cafe.com, entrées from $18, closed Tues. Henry Bissonnette, Woodbury, Conn.

FLORIDA

E&E STAKEOUT GRILL in Belleair Bluffs, Fla.
You can't help but admire the river-rock walls and cherry-wood and copper accents. Once your food has arrived, however, the decor fades and all you can think about is how delicious the rack of lamb is, how fresh the seafood is, and how creative the cooking is. The specials change daily, but if potato-crusted hog snapper with creamy leek-and-garlic sauce is available, order it. Information: 100 N. Indian Rocks Rd., 727/585-6399, 3bestchefs.com, entrées from $14, closed for lunch Sat. and Sun. Phil Meyer, Belleair Bluffs, Fla.

PUERTO SAGUA in South Beach, Fla.
No South Florida restaurant is more authentically Cuban than Puerto Sagua—just ask the Cubans gathered at the long counter for small plates and café cubanos (also known as Cuban rocket fuel). In the main dining room, there's even an elaborate diorama of a 1950s Havana street scene. The dishes are classic Cuban: arroz con pollo (chicken and rice), ropa vieja (shredded beef), and more. This is Cuban food for Cubans, not tourists—though tourists always love it! Information: 700 Collins Ave., 305/673-1115, entrées from $8. Richard Rosichan, Miami Beach, Fla.

GEORGIA