Real Reviews for Everyday People

Sayulita, Mexico

2008-09-23T06:53:00.000-07:00

Ivan's Taco Bar

Bar Playa

Sayulita Cafe

Boston, MA

2008-05-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

UNI ~ 370 Commonwealth Avenue ~ (617)267.1607

I have traveled many places in the world and I have eaten Sashimi that has been pulled from the waters of Hawaii and prepared right there on the boat, the Sashimi at Uni was hands down the BEST I have ever eaten! Not only is the presentation out of this world, but the fish was incredibly fresh and sliced to perfection. The atmosphere is sleak; but, sexy, and small and intimate. A very "grown-up" place to meet for a couple cocktails and some fantastic raw fish!

We started with the Rock Shrimp Tempura, which was served with this incredible aioli sauce. The batter on the shrimp was light and cooked to perfection - no oiliness what so ever. The aioli was spicy but not overly spicy, in fact it was more smooth and left you wanting just one more bite. Next we moved onto the Chef's Choice Sashimi Sampler, which included the following:

Live Diver Scallops with yuzu juice, black truffle vinaigrette and celery. The scallops were sliced paper-thin and just the smallest bit of yuzu juice to give it a bite of sourness which was soften by the black truffles which created a nice earthy balance. Very very good!

Hamachi, which was served with a ginger mignonette and a green apple wasbi, very refreshing flavors with the green apple undertones and the spiciness of the ginger, the hamachi was so fresh that is melted in your mouth with every bite.

Wild King Salmon, which was served with ginger and black bean vinaigrette. Normally I do not care for salmon served sashimi style as it usually is over cured. This was not the case here, it was like eating butter. Smooth and creamy texture to the fish and the flavor was enhanced with the spiciness of the ginger and the vinaigrette gave it a small amount of bite. This salmon was purely incredible - a must!

Unfortunately for me and for you, this review is short. Uni was the first stop of an evening of food. We only had the chance to sample these couple dishes, but they are dishes that have completely enticed us to eat there again and soon, we hope!

I give Uni a 5 fork rating!

San Francisco, CA

2008-01-19T16:31:00.000-08:00

Moshi Moshi ~ 2092 3rd Street, (415) 861-8285

We do not hit the Dogpatch, except for the occasional drive by when trying to get home via a short cut. But, that is enough times, to drive by this little spot and make a mental note to go sometime. As well, I have heard very good things. So, when we got tickets to Kooza on Thursday night and needed somewhere to grab a bite we decided to hit Moshi Moshi.

Small and charming inside. Not your usual ultra modern techie sushi joint - just sweet, charming and cozy. We were seated immediately and asked upon sitting down what we wanted - cold night called for hot sake and an immediate order of Edamame. Loved that they brought a little candle heater and put our tea pot of sake on top of it to keep warm. Nice touch. As well almost immediately, the owner, came out and worked the room greeting each and every table and was making sure everything was perfect for his guest, this is definitely not standard in any sushi restaurant we eat at - you can not beat service like this.

We ordered a few rolls, the Centipede, Spider, Red Dragon, and Tiger. The presentation was beautiful. All the rolls looked very fresh and very appealing to the eye. The taste was outstanding ... fresh, full of flavor, not fishy, and not chewy at all. As well, the rolls were huge, nice big fat rolls, very filling. We are usually still pretty hungry after eating only 4 rolls but these were so filling that we were full half way thru. We needed a little sweetness after all that fish, so we each had some ice cream, Ciao Bella Red Bean and Blood Orange. I did not care for the red bean, but L. did and the Blood Orange was yummy as well!

I give Moshi Moshi a 5 fork rating for a very inviting atmosphere, great service from the moment you are seated until the moment you walk out the door and for very fresh fish that is tasty and priced very reasonably. We will definitely be back.

San Francisco, CA

2008-01-16T09:05:00.001-08:00

Farina Focaccia & Cucina Italiana ~ 3560 18th St, (415) 565-0360

I drive by this restaurant weekly and every time, I think, "self, you have to try it". The space is sleek and sexy looking. I have had two reservations and have had to cancel both for various reasons. After finally dining there I realized the reason for canceling previous reservations was because it was an omen - an omen not to go.

My friend D. and I were really looking forward to a nice Italian dinner. We were very disappointed when we walked out the door. I arrived a few minutes before my friend D., so I went to the bar for a glass of wine. It took 1 bartender 5 minutes to finally pry himself away from the other 2 bartenders to bring me a wine menu, then another 5 minutes before he asked what I wanted and then another 3 minutes to poor me a glass of wine and then I had to ask for the check 10 minutes later - yes, I kept track of the time. The bar was not busy. The host/hostess staff was fine, nothing to really write about, we were seated and they did a nice job of seating us. Our waitress could had used a couple shots of espresso to liven herself. We ordered the house salad with was made with bibb lettuce and too many dandelion greens with a light dressing. The wild greens were completely overwhelming. The bread with olives was good but you had to ask for either olive oil or butter to go with it. D. ordered a basic ravioli and I ordered a tortellini. Our plates arrived - she had 5 very thin raviolis with a red sauce and I had 5 tortellinis in a cream sauce. You must be thinking we ordered appetizers, right? Well, we did not, these were the pasta entrees for a whopping $17 per place. We decided to skip dessert and just order coffee, which was just okay. Overall, the service was bland, the food was equally bland and the experience was too expensive for "ragu". Recount: two house salads, two pasta dishes, two coffees with a tip was $55 per person!

I give it a 1 fork rating for atmosphere only, the space is very nice. If you love good food, take your money across the way and hit Delfina, you will not leave there disappointed!

Osa Penisula, Costa Rica

2007-12-13T22:40:00.000-08:00

Villa Corcovado

We could not wait to come to Costa Rica. The country, the animals, and the people we would meet – we were pretty excited! We have heard only the best of the best from everyone we know who has been there. We were dying to see the Osa Peninsula when we started planning this trip back in April but could not find any properties available so we changed our plans to go to the Mal Pais area. We found a great place on the beach and were pretty excited about it. Then two weeks before our trip we receive this outrageous offer the Villa Corcovado (Attachment A) and we decide to see if a “Villa” was available for our dates as we had tried back in April and were told it was sold out for our times. (Attachment B). Can you imagine how excited we were when told it was available?

How would you feel to arrive at a 5 Star hotel for an occasion in your life that is suppose to be one of the most memorable, one that you want to relive time and time again, only to find out what you were promised and paid was not what you had expected. Not a great way to start out, is it? Then you have to live the next 4 nights unhappy with the decision you are locked into, because you can not change your airline tickets, nor can you change your hotel as you will lose more money, again, as well no other property in the area is even available. How would you feel?

There are so many things wrong with this situation that I am not even sure where to begin.

• The fact that we were paying 5 Star prices for a 2 Star Property?
• The fact that the hotel was not even officially open, because they had been closed for the past month as they are in the midst of construction and fixing broken roofs that leak, floor boards that were broken in the main areas, even the front gate for the entrance was pad-locked shut?
• Boats through out the property, scattered on lawns as they do not work, so they hire a boat service and charge you $120 each direction? Rest of the “5 Star” properties in the area have their own transportation and include it in the hotel rate.
• When you get off of the boat and start to walk up the dirt walkway, you noticed trash on the “private” beach right away. And when it is raining, it is a mud driveway to the hotel. As well, you see people walking all along the beach late at night, people who are not guests at the hotel. As well when you are checking in they advise you NOT to leave anything valuable in your room because you never “know” and that you should lock everything in their office safe. Not so private.
• Walking through the property, which supposedly has villas scattered through-out 70 acres, well there are about 8 villas scattered amongst paths that are muddy most of the time as well they are up a steep hill, which has not handicap access and you need good shoes to walk up the hills. Does not state this on the website. As well we stumbled upon trash on the grounds, such as an old paint roller just left on the grass.
• Checking into our room, we immediately notice dead bugs in the bathroom sink. Also, what looked liked dried blood or mud on the bathroom walls.
• Dirty towels left by the bar bathrooms, that are suppose to be used for the pool area.
• Pool umbrellas falling apart.
• Entrance into the actual pool, needed to be tiled. Very rough.
• They let their family dog swim in the pool. The last time I stayed at the Ritz they did not allow this.
• Being woken up by the sounds of tools and construction as early as 630 am, on a daily basis – very unromantic.

Now let’s touch service management:

• Were told that we would have “natural” drinks at our disposal. The only natural drink the bartender knew about was “water”.
• Our mini-bar was never restocked in our room. There were two beers which we had the day we arrived and they NEVER replaced them. Nor did they put coffee in the room to make in the coffee pot that was in there.
• Asked to have lunch by pool and was told that it would be too much of an inconvience.
• No wine list & only wine available was one brand from Chile, a red and a wine. Wine had been left open too long or not stored properly, gave up after 1 glass. No champagne as claimed by website – and this was a special occasion.
• Food was standard. Just everyday cuisine. Never any daily specials as stated on the website. Same fish all week along. Was served frozen pizza, which was still cold & frozen when served to us, even though they have a pizza oven right there in dining room. Over-sauced meat, fish, chicken and pork. Chips & “smashed” beans served for appetizers. The only good thing was the local beer, fresh fruit and ice cream.
• Bartender does not know how to make any drinks. We gave up after a few bad tropical cocktails and tried with rum and coke, had no idea how to do it. I had to go behind the bar to show him how.
• Overpriced cocktails and beer – minuim of $4 for a Costa Rican beer and a minuim of $6 for cocktail, which we had to make.
• Asked staff to call a gentleman that we had meet when he brought us over on his boat as he said he could take us out to sight see. We were told it would be taken care of, it never was. We saw this gentleman on our departure from airport, no one ever called him.
• Would ask manager for suggestions of things to do, never could give us an idea.
• Management was not engaging. Would try to strike up a conversation about simple things such as Costa Rica to their family, never any response. The only thing we found out was that they were there simply so they could surf, the reason they took the job as management for the Villas. Lack of personal skills needed to run a hotel.
• The owner even told us that he did not like the hotel business. He preferred the construction business, which was evident because that is what they were doing around us.
• They list a tour to a Chocolate Farm, which is no longer even available and they still advertise it on their website.
• Optional tours are OVERPRICED compared to other 5 Star hotels on the Osa Peninsula and if you wanted to see anything you were STUCK into paying for them. They charged us $150 per person for a tour to a beach that they hired a taxi to take us on. While we loved the guide, he was a very friendly Costa Rican man; the tour was not worth $300 USD. All the people we saw that day, which were on tours that their hotels supplied, paid from $35 - $75 per person and the hotels had their own cars for use.

I could go on and on as there were not many things that were good. In fact the only good thing about the entire experience was the gentleman, Henry, who brought us over on the boat and the gentleman, Enrique, who took us on a tour. Otherwise, the Villa Corcovado was a huge disappointment for our special holiday. I should had followed my gut instinct from the moment, I was quoted the rate of $70 per person per night, which was what the hotel advertised, and then I was told when I was ready to give my credit card that it actually would be $177 per person per night. Then I had to bargain, with you, when I became stuck with airline tickets to the Osa Peninsula and no other hotels available. Not a way to start a romantic holiday, that was suppose to be very special and memorable, and not negative.

I should had noticed all the signs from the beginning that this would end up being “hell”; from the lack of response of the reservations team to my issues (I have confirmations from everyone that they opened and read my emails), all the way to the misleading information on the website as to what a wonderful place this would, to even all the misspelled words on the website (which shows unprofessional).

We are very unhappy with what we paid for and got. We did not be any means receive a luxury package and it definitely, is not worth $177 per night per person, let alone the rate of $70 per person per night, which we were quoted and did not even get – we had to pay more!

* December 26, 2007 ~ Update! As of today, they have overcharged us twice and are not responding to voicemails nor emails.

San Francisco, CA

2007-09-08T08:28:00.001-07:00

The Blue Plate ~ 3218 Mission St. @ Valencia ~ 415.282.6777

We finally made it to Blue Plate! They say or I saw, good things come to those who wait, well, this is very true in the case! We had our good friends C. & J. in from Kansas City and they were dying to have some GOOD food so we were pretty happy to score a very last minute reservation (literally, 2 hours before eating).

While we pondered over the menu we started with a bottle of Bandol (mourvedre), Gros' Nore 2000, Provence France and an order of the padron peppers with laura chenel goat cheese and marcona almonds - as you may know these are some of our favorite eats right now! Both starters were OUTSTANDING! The wine was bursting with flavor, somewhat jammy but very mellow. The peppers were sauteed with olive oil and were slightly warm which melted the cheese just right - the combination was winning.

I and J. both ordered the "braised hill farm pork shoulder with citrus polenta, brown turkey figs and prosciutto" and C. and L. ordered the "blue plate meatloaf mashed potatoes and blue lake green beans", which they are noted for. The table started with an order of the "fresh cranberry bean and heirloom tomato salad albacore conserva, with arugula and basil aioli" as well as an order of the "macaroni and drunken spanish goat cheese".

Okay, braised pork shoulder is too GOOD! This had to be one of the best things I have ever put into my mouth. They braised the pork and then ripped it off the shoulder bones forming it into these delightful little cakes (2 hearty ones) and it was served on top of a citrus polenta which happened to be not cheesy and had just the right amount of citrus to give it a warm and inviting sent when the hot pork was seated on it. The sauce of figs and prosciutto was really outstanding and wrapped the entire dish up! I was stuffed after eating one of the pork cakes and forced myself to eat the rest. And who does not love figs with the saltiness of prosciutto. I highly recommend this dish - highly!

Now, I wish I could give a blast on the meatloaf but both meatloaf eaters would not share - they equally said they never order meatloaf at a restaurant but when the waitress described it to them, they knew they had to have it. It was basically gone before we could even reach our forks across the tables.

The heirloom salad was very "summer" - light and refreshing. The mac and cheese, well, we have a new favorite comfort food. The goat cheese gave it a nice tangy flavor!

For dessert, despite being stuffed we ordered a warm chocolate cake which was outstanding - dark, rich and very sinful and to counter-act all the badness in the cake we also had a sweet berry crisp, which was just that not to sweet and just like grandma made or like she should had made!

What we love about this place - local and organic cooking, comfortable and casual (mismatched silverware) atmosphere, romantic but not stuffy. I give The Blue Plate, 5 forks! We will be back again and again!!!

New York, NY

2007-08-18T15:59:00.000-07:00

Extra Virgin ~ 259 West 4th Street, 212.691.9359

What we came to love about New York was that we never had to wait more than 15 minutes for a table and one outside - something we never find in San Francisco. We were wondering around the West Village one morning and found Extra Virgin. We really stopped because there was an adorable little dog sitting outside but then we found these incredible smells coming from the restaurant, so, we put our name in. We ordered a couple cups of joe and a Bellini (after all, I am on vacation!!). The coffee was hot and the Bellini hit the spot - cool, refreshing and bubbly! For breakfast we decided on the Morocccan Scramble and the Eggs Benedict. Both dishes arrived piping hot and looking fantastic! The scramble had a nice assortment of Merguez sausage, chickpeas (L. loves them) and it was served with a Romesco sauce. The sausage gave the dish a nice somewhat spicy taste and the chickpeas added a really great, a little crunchy texture to the eggs - not what you would expect! Now, I am a very picky Egg Benedict eater - I like the sauce made properly (butter and lemon, not chicken stock or wine or from a package), I always ask for a sample before ordering the dish. As well, I like the eggs to be on the running side, not hard-boiled and not spongy or over running .... just right! This was a FANTASTIC dish - the sauce was perfect, the eggs were cooked just right and there was a really nice smoked bacon served on the egg muffins instead of Canadian bacon as well there were some really out of this world spicy fries and a nice little green salad served with it. I give Extra Virgin 4 forks and if I lived in New York I would be having brunch there more often! They would had gotten a 5 Fork but our waitress was a bit on the snooty side.

San Francisco, CA

2007-08-17T07:25:00.001-07:00

Pescheria ~ 1708 Church Street, 415.647.3200.

Had dinner tonight with my friend, K. We had intended to go somewhere else when we stumbled upon Pescheria. We were very pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful dining room that decorated in a minimalist tone with beautiful blue and green tiles, as well it is very casual - very "neighborhood chic"! Unfortunately, we did not have a reservation (highly recommended) and could not get a table; lucky for us, there were two seats at the bar, which is simple and very cozy . We normally hit the wine list immediately but this time around, we noticed everyone was drinking cocktails so we decided to go that way. I ordered a Processco cocktail which was favored with a bit of orange bitters, very refreshing! K. ordered a limoncello cocktail - she was worried it may be too sweet but was pleasantly surprised that it was not, as well it was very refreshing. We both started with the Insalata di spinaci - which was made with Bloomsdale farms organic spinach, oven-dried tomatoes, black mission figs, Lauren chenel goatcheese. The spinach was slightly wilted and the fresh figs added a nice texture and taste with the dressing. K. ordered the Halibut d' Alaska con patate tartufate e fagiolini, which was a Pan seared halibut, with a truffle potato puree and served with baby green beans. I ordered the Butterfish al Cartoccio with Chanterelle mushrooms, baby spring vegetables and a lemon/herb butter, this dish was cooked in parchment paper. Both dishes were very fresh. All meals are cooked with organic vegetables and they grow their herbs in the back - you definitely can tell the difference with the freshness. I did prefer the Halibut over the Butterfish, as it had a lot more flavor as well the texture was a little more firm. The Butterfish was good but I found it a little on the bland side and a bit overcooked. For dessert we ordered the Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp and the Chocolate Panna Cotta. The crisp was fantastic - cooked perfectly and still crispy! The Panna Cotta was lacking in the chocolate department and the texture was that of a jello product as well it was served with some cherries which were soaked in something particular - did not go that well with the chocolate. The espresso was fantastic! I did look at the wine list and was very pleased as there is a nice assortment of wines and red covering just about all wine regions as well they are reasonably priced. Overall, I was very happy to find a new restaurant to eat at in Noe Valley and one that is considered fine dining but also very casual, as I said, "neighborhood chic". I will definitely go back there and highly recommend that you do as well, you will not be disappointed. I give them a 4 fork rating!

New York, NY

2007-08-01T20:15:00.000-07:00

Pudding Stones ~ 1457 3rd Ave, 212.717.5797

I nice little wine bar in the Upper East side that we found late one night. The atmosphere is very casual but chic, dimly lite and romantic. Their wine list is small but offers a nice selection from around the world. We opted for a couple of their flights, a red and a white which were pleasantly diverse and delicous. We also had the cheese plate which was very nice. Great little spot for stopping by on your way home or even to grab a glass before going out!

New York, NY

2007-08-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

The Little Owl ~ 90 Bedford, 212.741.4695

We were so excited when we found out about the Little Owl on Food and Wine. I was looking for somewhere special to take L. for his birthday while we were in New York and I did not want it to be over the top; but, instead I wanted it to be small and intimate with outstanding food. After stumbling on the piece on Food and Wine, I started searching the Internet for other tid-bites about this place and was pleasantly surprised to read about how fantastic it was. I had a feeling that I found a gem but we would never be able to get in. So, I took it upon myself to email one of the owners, Gabriel, and he replied that it would be a pleasure to have us. So for the next month we talked about the Little Owl and about how excited we were to eat there!

We arrived to find the Little Owl in a quaint part of the West Village on a corner in a special little neighborhood. We were pleasantly surprised to find out how small it was and we loved that the kitchen was somewhat exposed to the dining room - the brick and timber style was right up our alley, we actually dreamed about how we would love to claim it as our own kitchen at home. Upon sitting down, we immediately asked the waitress for a suggestion for wine and the only stipulation was that it was not from California (I do not like to order wine from CA when I am traveling - we have it all the time at home), she suggested one from the Chinon region of France and since we were recently there we went for that as well as a order of the ever-so-famous sliders, to nosh on while we looked over the menu. The wine and the sliders arrived just in time as we were starving and we had made our final decisions. We ordered the Heirloom Tomato Salad and I ordered the Broiled Halibut and L. ordered the New York Steak and the Spiced Fries. The wine was flavorful upon the first few sips unfortunately, it did mellow out more than I would had liked it, too. It was not big enough for the steak that was going to be arriving shortly and I had wished we would had been told this upon ordering. I did mention that I like big and juicy wines as well that L. was particular to merlots so if we could get something inbetween that would be great - my opinon this was not inbetween - oh, well next time! By this time, though, we were half way thru the bottle and knew we could not say anything. The sliders were out of this world - very nicely flavored and the little buns with asiago cheese on top were light and fluffy - a great combination! I LOVED my halibut which was served with a corn and pea salad and a pesto vinaigrette. The Corn and Pea salad was incredibly fresh and flavorful and the crunchiness of the broiled halibut really added a nice bite to it, the vinaigrette wrapped it all together into a nice little package - I am hungry for it just thinking about it! The New York steak was cooked to a nice medium rare perfection and the radicchio, pancetta and balsamic reduction definitely complimented the meat, as well the spicy fries were a very nice recommendation - definitely a new and fresh twist on one of our standard Steak Frite loves! We were definitely too full for dessert; but, being L.'s birthday we knew we had to have something sweet to celebrate, so we opted for the warm chocolate brownie cake served with espresso gelato. It arrived at our table with a nicely lite birthday candle and looked incredibly pretty in the dimly lite Little Owl. Dessert definitely did not disappoint us and even though we were very full from dinner we managed to finish every last drop! The cake was moist and full of dark chocolate flavor and the espresso in the gelato complimented the chocolate very well! Overall, we loved our meal, the wait staff, the atmosphere and the Little Owl. I give it a 4 1/5 fork rating only because we were ultimately not happy with the wine. We talk about how we need to fly out there again soon, if not for anything else but a wonderfully romantic and satisfying evening at the Little Owl - you must hurry there before everyone else hears of it as well! A definite gem tucked away in the West Village!

New York, NY

2007-08-01T20:07:00.000-07:00

Massif Central ~ 323 Bleecker Street, 212.488.2326

Unfortunately, we did not get to eat here. We needed somewhere to grab a drink before a dinner reservation and we liked the way this place looked - cozy, romantic and somewhat Bohemian. Why, am I writing about this place? Well, I wish we ate there! The food looked GREAT! But, what I really liked was the fact that the bartender was great - they let you have a taste of the wine you order before they give you a glass, to make sure you like it. Love that! Nothing like ordering a glass of wine and having to choke it back because you or your date does not want you to complain! If anything stop in for a drink!

New York, NY

2007-08-01T19:56:00.000-07:00

Annies ~ 1381 Third Avenue, 212.327.4853

After a long red-eye, what we needed was a good breakfast to kick start our weekend in New York! We were staying in the Upper East side and decided to just check out the local neighborhood - lucky us! We stumbled upon Annie's. Two strong coffees was the first thing to order and it was just what we needed. Nothing like hot steamy coffee that tastes great to really get you going. I am a picky hollandaise sauce eater, I know the real from the fakes. I was definitely craving the Eggs Bennie, so I had to embarrass L. and ask for the token sample - DELICIOUS! L. ordered the Eggs Florentine and I had the Traditional Eggs Benedict - our usual. Both dishes were great! The eggs were cooked perfectly, slightly runny but not overdone and not under-done. The sauce was actually made with butter and lemon juice and I might add just the right amount of lemon. It was served with fries which were not soggy but very crispy and a nice addition to the eggs. Our waiter, unfortunately, I did not get his name, was fantastic! We thought he was from NY, but, he was from Orange County, which we still find hard to believe because he was super funny!! Ask for the really funny guy from Orange! If you live in NY - they deliver as well.

I give Annie's a Big 5 fork rating!

San Francisco, CA

2007-06-29T17:34:00.000-07:00

Barracuda ~ 2251 Market Street, Tel: 415.558.8547

Dined with our friends A & J at this happening new sushi spot. It use to be the spot of Tin Pan. Still is a lively little spot which is dimly light and great house music playing in the background, not to mention the hunky waiters .... so, the Castro! We started the evening with a couple bottles of warm sake and a couple orders of the crazy crab roll - the sake was warm and went down nicely with this crazy crab which was pretty darn good as well. Very fresh crab tempura, which was not overly fried and the roll finished with a bit of a garlic bite to it - unexpected but nice touch. Then we ordered the gyoza, which I normally do not like, but thy were not too large, nice bite size, again not fried but still crispy on the outside and the dipping sauce was delicious! We then moved to a couple platters of the Pink Lady which was a lobster roll - out of this world! A little spicy and the lobster was succulent! Then we moved onto a couple orders of the super spicy tuna roll, which had a nice hamachi topping with sliced jalapenos - very yummy! We finished off the platters the sizzling steak tower, which was strips of steak, cooked medium rare and served over a bed of steamed spinach with a light teriyaki sauce. Everything was really fresh from the fish to the veggies and the service was equally as great from the bartenders all the way to the bus boys! We had a great time and will definitely go back!

I give this a 5 fork or 5 chopstick rating!

San Francisco, CA

2007-06-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

TAO Cafe ~ 1000 Guerrero, Tel : 415 641 9955

I have driven by TAO on a daily basis for the past 5 years, but have never eaten there. Last night we wanted to meet our friend B for dinner somewhere casual, reasonable and good, where we could focus on catching up. In all honesty my moment of excitement was crushed when B said he was not really that impressed with TAO but that he would go along as company was more important. I arrived with low expectations at this point. The spot is really nice and very cozy – dimly light with soft yellow colored walls it really warms up the atmosphere. I loved the round tables with high backed straw chairs - not only great looking but very comfortable. As well you can't beat listening to Serge Gainsbourg in the background. The wait staff was very friendly as well as funny - always making these subtle little jokes during conversations. We started with the crab wontons - they were served on a bed of shredded carrots with a slightly spicy sauce. They were crispy on the outside and warm and flavorful on the inside - in all honesty, L loved them more than I did but they were tasty, I just was not in love with them. For our entrees, I ordered the Veggie Spicy Garlic noodles with zucchini, bell pepper, eggplant, tomato & onion, L ordered the Lemongrass-crusted bass fillet, plantain banana, light curry sauce with white rice and B ordered the Spicy Fresh rolls of grilled beef with lemongrass, ginger & green onion with tamarind sauce. I loved my noodle dish - spicy but not overwhelming, the veggies were still slightly crunchy and the garlic and chili sauce was bursting with flavor - I was very happy. L's dish of Lemongrass-crusted bass was outstanding as well. The fish was little fried, but not oily at all, a little crunchy on the outside and very moist and flaky on the instead and lightly seasoned the yellow curry sauce served with it was really delicious and brought out the flavor of the fish very well. The Plantain banana served on the side was a nice sweet surprise - sort of like dessert with dinner! B's dish - well, he did not share, he said it was okay and I think he just really wanted to eat somewhere else. We did not have dessert but they do offer anything from ice cream to tarts - something for everyone! I give it a 5 fork rating for pleasant atmosphere, friendly wait staff and an outstanding meal full of wonderful Vietnamese flavors with a French flair! Definitely a nice addition to our neighborhood meal picks!

San Francisco, CA

2007-06-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

Le Zinc ~ 4063 24th Street, Tel : 415 647 9400

Last night we dined at Le Zinc. I had the impression Le Zinc would be very casual. I was pleasantly surprised when we arrived to find that it was casual but also romantic - very French and charming. Our waitress was French, very pleasant and knowledgeable about the menu. Even though I wish she would had began by telling us what they did not have on the menu; you will see why. We started with a couple glasses of Lillet. The Lillet was served over ice with a swirl of orange peel - I had never had Lillet served this way and I really enjoyed how refreshing it was. It was the perfect way to start the evening especially since it was warm outside and it seemed to be the perfect summer cocktail. We had wanted to order a Crab and Avocado dish only to find out, they did not actually have it this evening. So we ordered the Special Shrimp appetizer and a Warm Goat Cheese Salad to start the evening. The shrimp was very interesting as they wrapped the shrimp around a very small pepper, which only had a small amount of fire to it, just enough to really enhance the grilled shrimp flavor. The Warm Goat Cheese Salad was very simple - a blend of mixed salad greens with light vinaigrette, along the side was a small slice of goat cheese on the top of a toasted piece of baguette which was then drizzled with some honey. Now I loved the combination but I was disappointed in the size of the goat cheese and the fact that it had been warmed awhile back as it was not as soft as it should be. For our main course we ordered the Steak Frite and the Lamb Special with a 2003 Margaux. The Margaux was beautiful - full bodied with lots of jammy flavors which exploded in your mouth on the first sip. We knew this was going to go very well with the full red meat dishes we had ordered. The Steak Frite was a big disappointment mainly because the cut was terrible. They used a hanger cut and this particular one was very small, not the size of what you usually get in a French restaurant neither in the states nor in France. As well it had been over pan-fried, very crisp on the outside, though it was rare instead. It lacked flavor and could have definitely used an added touch of Roquefort butter or some sautéed shallots not to mention a little salt and pepper would have been a nice addition to the cooking process. The fries were the winner for this dish - cooked to perfection, light golden brown in color, crisp on the outside and soft in the inside. The lamb special was fantastic and I enjoyed every bite! There was a small rack of lamb as well as a small cut of meat next to it. The lamb was coated with Herbs de Provence and was cooked to perfection - nicely done medium rare - bursting with flavor. The lamb was served with a French green bean dish that was enhanced with Tarragon. I normally do not like Tarragon and was concerned when I saw it sprinkled all over the plate; but, it was done very nicely, just enough to bring out the flavor of the beans and the butter sauce. There was also a sunchoke puree served along side this dish - I could take it or leave it, nothing really great or terrible to say about it. I was really looking forward to the Baba au Rhum for dessert as it is hard to find in the states on a regular bases and I was very disappointed when our waitress said she did not have it. We opted for the Profiteroles and a Crème Brulee. Both dishes were “good” but not out of this world. I had not had Profiteroles in years and have been thinking of making them for a couple months now, so I did enjoy them, but, they could have skipped the almond slices which were sprinkled all over the dish and I would have enjoyed it more. The Crème Brulee was good but not as good as what we usually enjoy. Overall, we loved Le Zinc and give it a 4 fork rating, only because they did not have 2 of the dishes we really wanted as well as the Steak Frite. Will we go back? Definitely!

San Jose, CA

2007-06-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

Sousa's Restaurant ~ 1614 Alum Rock Avenue, 408.926.9075

Lazy Sunday afternoon & we decided that we wanted to have a nice early dinner, Portuguese style. We at here about 3 years ago, not much has changed. The atmosphere is simple and clean, nice white linen table clothes and napkins and Portuguese music playing in the background. My boyfriend is Portuguese so he took the liberty of ordering for us. We started with a steamed clam dish. It was good but lacking in real authentic flavor. The sauce was too watered down and definitely was missing something - salt? He ordered the Octopus. Now I love octopus for sushi but could not bring myself to trying this one - he said it was good, not spicy enough and not like mom's but very good. I had the Beef da Casa, which was a very nice cut and cooked just like I like it, medium rare. As well it was not as spicy as I like but it was very flavorful and enjoyable! Both dishes came with french fries, which were good but needed some salt. We had a half bottle of the house red. Pleasantly surprised that it was a good table wine as well the bread they serve when you sit down was very very good! For dessert we decided to go down the street to one of our favorite cafes, Cafe do Canto. The service was nice, the place was pleasant and the food was "good"; but, it was too far to go for a $60 lunch. I give Sousa's a 3 fork rating.

San Mateo, CA

2007-06-01T06:47:00.000-07:00

Aldo's Pizza ~ 600 S. Norfolk

We heard about Aldo's when we went to a Portuguese Festa in South San Francisco, a couple weeks ago. We were bidding at an auction on some very good homemade chorizo as was another gentleman. Who we came to know was Manny, the owner of Aldo's. We were told that we had to check out the pizza. So, after a long week we decided to make the drive down to San Mateo for a pie! All the way down L was dreaming of Chorizo - he is Portuguese and misses the food - as I was also looking forward to having a pizza with some of the spiciness of the Chorizo with it!

Aldo's is located in a small shopping center right on the street side. Nothing fancy, small pizza place with a dozen tables and a small bar. The place was packed with families, couples and people you could tell are regulars. We were disappointed to find that there was no pizza that would be considered "Portuguese" nor any that had chorizo, so we opted for the next best thing, the Classic Italian with Prosciutto, De Parma, Italian Sausage, Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic and Romano - we ordered a large pie as well as a Carafe of the House Burgandy. Let me just say these few words about the pizza - I only got two slices as I was yapping to much and L devoured it - it was a GREAT pie! The crust was thin and crispy, we are still talking about it. Just the right about of toppings and not too much sauce or cheese. Cooked to perfection! Actually, it was so good that we sat for awhile and thought about ordering another one! The wine, well, let me say this - there is a reason they call it House Burgandy. If you are looking for a inexpensive way to forgot your troubles then go for the House Burgandy.

I definitely recommend Aldo's for a low-key pizza dinner, skip the wine, order a pitcher of beer! I give Aldo's a 4 fork rating (only because they did not have a chorizo pizza)!

San Francisco, CA

2007-05-17T13:31:00.001-07:00

Bi-Rite Creamery ~ 3692 18th Street

I was so excited when I heard that one of my favorite markets was opening an organic creamery!! I drove by weekly to see when it would open. I will never forget the day we drove up, got parking across the street & unloaded our crew, M (5 yrs old), E (3 years old) and M (8 months old) - they were so excited to finally be tasting possibly the best ice cream in San Francisco! So, we bound into the store ..... only to be told they were not open yet. Major bummer and disappointment on their no longer smiley faces. The guy there felt so bad that he offered to give them a cone each of the only ice cream he had ... pumpkin. I am thinking to myself - BONUS points for the soon to be creamery but at the same time how am I going to talk them into Pumpkin ice cream - they hate pumpkin. Well ... they loved the ice cream and I mean loved it, slurped it up and could not stop talking about this place! I knew in my heart this place would be worth the wait! Well, they were! I stop by at least once a month and I always get the same thing Roasted Banana Ice Cream - it is out of this world. Super rich and creamy and not to sweet. You can tell it is organic from the first lick - just melts on your tongue with creamy goodness!!! I finally stopped by and picked up a pint for dessert at home last night. This time I strayed from my all time favorite for one that I have been hearing about and reading about everywhere - Salted Caramel. Now, I love Caramel but salt added to that??? Kind of weird and I was suspect. Let me say this get it while it lasts! Sweet, creamy and succulent with a little bit of tartness to it! An explosion in your mouth! 5 fork rating, definitely!

They also sell the pints in the frozen section of their market, on the same street.

San Francisco, CA

2007-05-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

UPDATE ........... TOAST ~ 1748 Church Street, 415.282.4EAT

After a long bike ride Saturday morning, we decided on our way back into town that we could go for some grub at Toast! Once again, the wait was minimal but this time we did sit inside. We got a different waitress, she was just "Okay" - Leonard is the best! L ordered a greek scramble which had tons of feta, spinach, olives, tomatoes and artichoke hearts. It came with a side of fruit which had some very favorable pineapple, almost as sweet as the ones I had in Thailand. I ordered a Greek Salad. The eggs were as good as always! And the salad was GREAT! The dressing was perfect, just enough olive oil and balsamic to make it a little creamy and the seasonings were so tasty!!!! The drawbacks were that she forgot my baguette that went with the salad and she tops off your cold coffee with hot coffee - we are spoiled by Leonard, he gives a fresh up every time! We still give it a 5 forks rating and will go back - back to Leonard's section!

San Francisco, CA

2007-05-06T22:12:00.000-07:00

TOAST ~ 1748 Church Street, 415.282.4EAT

We never go out for Breakfast/Brunch - well I should never say never, we occasionally do but then I hear about it all day, how one should not have to pay $15+ per person for a plate of eggs! Two weeks ago we discovered a new place in our neighborhood - Toast! We loved it and it was not your traditional $15+ per person for a plate of eggs. Instead it was great service and exceptional eggs. Now, before I even thought about writing about it or even really telling anyone about it we decided to give it a whirl this past weekend. Let me say they lived up to all of our expectations! WE may start eating Breakfast/Brunch more often. We arrived at peak eating time and only had to wait 10 minutes for a table outside. We even got our same waiter, Leonard, who is fantastic. Not over the top and in your face, knows just the right time to come up and ask if everything is okay (not when your face is stuffed full of food)! And the biggest bonus point for me ... instead of topping off your cold coffee with hot coffee as you watch the cold cream try to float back up to the top of your cup, he brings you a fresh cup every time - FANTASTIC! The food .... really good, fresh ingredients and the portions are perfect. I hate when you go to a place and order eggs and there is enough on just your plate to feed 5 of your closest friends and you end up stuffing yourself silly or tossing it all out. We had a veggie omelet (we both had this last time) which had a nice easement of stuff: mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, spinach, black olives, artichoke hearts, onions and cheddar. It comes with potatoes or fruit, we had fruit and it was a big bowl of fresh fruit! I opted for a slight sugar rush and had the Coco Loco, which is a full stack with sliced bananas, macadamia nuts and coconut. I expected all of these goodies to be thrown on top - NOT. Instead the nuts and the coconut were baked inside and sliced bananas scattered on the top. They were really yummy and hit the spot! I definitely give Toast 5 forks and it will become our new favorite neighborhood breakfast spot. Hurry in before everyone hears about it!

San Francisco, CA

2007-05-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

Weekend O' Food

As you can tell from the start of this blog, I do not get out to eat as much as I like or am I a bit lazy at keeping up on writing! Anyhow, here I am and I want to tell you it was a weekend of GREAT food! Maybe it was the weather or something in the air but everything tasted fantastic ~ and the company during the meals was as equally stimulating!

MAVERICK ~ 3316 17th Street

I have been dying to go here and have had to cancel 5 other reservations - there was no way we were canceling again! We arrived a little early to wait for our friends over a glass of Prosecco. There was not any room at the wine bar so they were kind enough to seat us at our table instead of making us wait for the rest of our party. (Bonus points!) It was a really nice evening, warm and balmy for a San Francisco night, the Prosecco (a Prosecco Fantinel Friul) was cold, bubbly and very crisp - great choice so far! Our friends, K & I, decided to order a glass of the Prosecco when they arrived and our waiter, Justy was nice enough to tell us he would charge us for the bottle instead of per glass since it was be a better deal, and we would have more to drink (Another Bonus Point)! The menu was fantastic and offered a range of dishes from vegetarian to full fledged meat eaters! We started with the Fried Baby Artichokes - they did not taste fried at all, I was pleasantly surprised and the arugula with a lemon thyme vinaigrette was a nice compliment. Next we had the Cincy Barbecue Ribs - two words ... kick ass! I love ribs and these tasty little morsels were great! A bit sweet at the beginning and then they ended with a bite!! Our table ordered two of the specials - a Scallop Dish, Ravioli & Fava Beans and the Bourbon Braised Pork Shoulder. I had the Scallop dish - it was a toss up between the trout and the friend chicken, per Justy's recommendation - there is a reason it is a special - ORDER it! I was worried it would be a couple little scallops and I would be starving. Instead it was 3 large succulent guys, grilled to perfection!!! They were nestled on top of some mashed potatoes with a really tasty reduction made w/Proscitto au jus and topped off with a shaving of fresh horseradish - Out of this world!!! I loved it as did my friend, K, who ordered it; our poor guys never even got to sample it! I had a taste of the Ravioli which was creamy but not over the top, still light and a little peppery with the arugula in it and the fava beans were cooked just right, not mushy just a little crisp, finishing with a bit of lemon. Perfect for a warm evening with a glass of bubbly! Next was the Pork - super tender, braised to perfection with a light and tangy bourbon glaze and you can never go wrong with butter beans and a nice pork jus- YUM! We were definitely getting fat & happy by this point but why stop now! We decided to order three desserts and four spoons. You can never go wrong with Huckleberry Bread Pudding, Scharffen Berger Chocolate Tart and a Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble and coffee - all were out of this world! My boyfriend hates eating out as he feels he eats at the best place in town every night & he even gave Maverick a HUGE thumbs up! To sum it up..... Great atmosphere, small & cozy, Justy was one of the best waiters we have ever had (funny, not over the top attentive and knew what he was talking about with regards to food & wine) and the food and wine was really Great! We give it a 5 forks rating and can not wait to go back for the Fried Chicken and their brunch!!! What are you waiting for ? Run, don't walk to get there!!

Paris, France

2007-02-11T20:28:00.000-08:00

Just back from the city I am in love with! We had four wonderful meals at my new favorite restaurant in Paris. We dined at Au Gamin for lunch and dinner. Twice for lunch and twice for dinner. I have to say, we never had one bad meal.

Au Gamin de Paris ~ 51, Rue Vieille-du-Temple, 75004 Paris, France, Tel : 01 42 78 97 24.

From the moment we walked through the doors until we got up to leave, everything was spectacular from the service to the dessert! Lunch time it is your classic french bistro. Long leisurely meals while enjoying great food, wine and company. The evening is the same but highlighted by spectacular candle light and romance throughout the restaurant. Romantic date, request a table for two in the back room! I highly recommend the grilled salmon as well as any of the steak dishes. All are cooked to perfection with the right amount of simple seasonings. The vegetable puree they serve along side all the entrees is wonderful and full of mouth popping flavor. The house wine is full bodied, smooth and very delicious - request a carafe. Be sure to save room for dessert. The apple tart w/a caramelized topping is to die for!! I do not even care for apple desserts but this is a little bit of heaven!! Just enough tartness and sweetness on a very light pastry dough and finished off with a burnt Carmel topping! Petite and full of flavor - you will want it all the time after the first bite! Be sure to request it before even ordering your meal, it sells out!! You want this tart! If it is already gone, then go for the chocolate cake .... rich, dense and very smooth! Goes very well with an espresso! You will not be disappointed during your experience at Au Gamin. No reservations required.

Real Reviews 4 Everyday People

2006-08-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

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