Heaven’s Dog is the latest trendy Asian food place to open in San Francisco. It is owned by Charles Phan (Slanted Door). Indeed, it shares many of the same dishes as Slanted Door: daikon rice cakes and pea shoots, to name but two. There are several differences. First, the prices are much lower at Heaven’s Dog and second, the food isn’t as good as at Slanted Door, but it’s not bad either. The concept is the same: small plates that people share. Next door is a long noodle bar where you can grab a quick bite.

I made a reservation via Open Table and got two phone calls from Heaven’s Dog. One left a message (and instructed me to call if I was not coming). Within two hours, someone else from Heaven’s Dog called again remind me about the reservation. This is a very aggressive and irritating practice. It is disrespectful of the client’s privacy. I always cancel my reservation if I know I won’t be arriving. What happens if you go out a lot and make three or four reservations a week? You get an insane number of calls from restaurants. The strange thing is that when we went to Heaven’s Dog, the place was half full. Other than that, it’s worth visiting because there are hardly any restaurants in that area (Mission Street between 7th and 8th).

• Vibe: young chic Asian crowd, lively cocktail bar scene.

• Pros: very cool, modern interiors, great lighting, fabulous bar; recession-friendly prices – dishes are between $5 and $12.

• Cons: the food could be better. The dan dan noodles were delicious but too salty. The daikon rice cakes could have been more crunchy.

Heaven’s Dog and Noodle Shop
1148 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
+1 415 863 6008
Reserve via Open Table

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Read reviews of our favorite San Francisco restaurants and cafes and our San Francisco shopping guide.

I do not normally profile chain hotels on Mapplr because I like small, independently run hotels and B&Bs. However, from time to time, I make exceptions. Hotel Sant’Elena is a luxurious 76-room hotel housed in a restored former convent in a quiet part of Venice. Although it is part of the Best Western hotel chain, it does not look like your average Best Western hotel.

Only 15 minutes from the center of Venice, it’s tucked away on a small island called Sant’Elena which means you have lovely water views, an outdoor garden and tranquility. Rates are reasonable (starting at around 160 EUR per night) and you get bigger discounts if you book early.

Hotel Sant’Elena
Calle Buccari 10
Sant’Elena
30132 Venice
Italy
+39 041 2717811
www.hotelsantelena.com

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Read other Venice articles on Mapplr.

Rome is one of my favorite cities because it’s a mysterious blend of history, art, architecture, fashion, design and gastronomy. However, compared to cities such as Amsterdam and Paris, there has been a dearth of boutique hotels that offer good contemporary design in intimate surroundings. That’s beginning to change.

Intown Luxury House is a lovely boutique hotel tucked away near the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) and the luxury shopping street, the Via Condotti. It feels very private, like staying in a friend’s town house.  The decor is a blend of traditional and contemporary. They have free Wi-Fi too. Rates start at 290 EUR.

Intown Luxury House
Via Bocca di Leone, 7
00187 Rome
Italy
+39 0669380200
www.intownroma.it

Read other Mapplr articles on Rome.

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If you are looking for a luxurious place to stay in Vienna, but you want something more hip and modern (without being too sterile), consider The Ring Hotel across the Vienna State Opera. The hotel has 68 rooms, all of which have Internet access. The bar and the restaurant are very cool, not at all what you would expect from a place across an opera house. Although the rooms are expensive (starting at 275 EUR per night), what you get at The Ring equals or even exceeds the offerings in other five-star hotels in Vienna.

The Ring Hotel
Kärntner Ring 8
A-1010 Vienna, Austria
www.theringhotel.com

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Looking for the best falafel in Berlin? It’s in a small cozy place called Dada Falafel run by a bunch of Lebanese guys on the Linienstrasse in Mitte. In addition to falafel, they serve hummus and shwarma, too. This is a great place to go for a quick bite for very little money.

Dada
Linienstrasse 132
10115 Berlin
Germany
+49 30 27596927‎

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Sushi fans rejoice! After posting my review of Mikoto Sushi, I decided to add Go-Ko (in Mitte) to my list of favorite sushi restaurants in Berlin. Go-Ko blends delicious sushi dishes with feng shui interiors. They also offer sushi-making courses if you decide to do-it-yourself at home.

Goko Sushi
Neue Schoenhauserstrasse 12
10178 Berlin
Germany
+49 30 2758 2549
www.go-ko.com

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