i love the splendid table and LRK. my favorite part is jane and michael stearns' "road food." whenever i travel i look to find restaurants that they have recommended. see miguelaron.com and go to the "glendale, wi" entry.

I haven't been to Urban Farmer, but it never surprises me to hear of another out of town "hospitality group" style chain restaurant biting the dust. Portlanders are very picky consumers, and we like to reward local talent. What works in Denver ain't necessarily gonna fly very far here... And you're not the first person I've heard express a less than flattering opinion of Lynne Rosetto Kaspar. I tune her in pretty regularly, and actually find both her voice and her witty, if often vapid, repartee quite charming, but I've met people who compare listening to her to chewing on tin foil. I guess like those Denver restaurant chains, she's just not for everyone.