Appetizers: Asking Alfred for dining tips

Need a restaurant suggestion? Ask Alfred. If you find Yelp and Urbanspoon -- let alone Foodspotting -- to be too much work when you're searching for great restaurants in a new town, try a robot.

You don't have to spend ages in its initial quiz for Alfred to figure out what you like. ("Hi. I'm Alfred! Name a few of your favorite places, and I'll have personalized recommendations for you!") Before you know it, he's showing you breakfast, brunch, coffee and nightlife hot spots you'd hate to miss.

But it's hard to tell Alfred's limits. Is it just large cities in the United States? No, we got recommendations while at a ski resort in Lake Tahoe.

You're going to wish Alfred could help you find a date, too.

-- Los Angeles Times