I absolutely *love* the tonno e cipolle pizza at Donato Enoteca, especially with the deep flavor of the tonno italiano and the added kick from the salty olive. Prior to Donato, the chef owned La Strada in Palo Alto, and that was my go to place for just that reason. In Palo Alto, that's now only a dream, new owners took it off of the menu a while back. Could they possibly be right - that very few people ordered it? I guess the thought of tuna on a pizza could be weird to some, yet I grew up eating pasta with tonno and cipolle as part of our special Christmas eve meal, so this was just a natural extension.

As Wally said, Napoletana in Mountain View is worth a try. It's an acceptable alternative however my last pizza there was made by the new pizzaiola and its small, grossly misshapen crust wasn't discovered until we got home. Taking a Naples style thin crust pizza "to go" is never a good idea anyways. It's inevitably soggy by the time one enjoys it.

Another place to try is Terrone in Palo Alto. Good crust and quality toppings, but still, no equivalent to the tonna.

Unless it's last minute, many Napa Valley hotels require a 2 night minimum stay on weekends, at times waived when it becomes closer to the date. Supply and demand enters into the formula and some hotels may be more flexible, however in June you will be into the tourist season. I'm not saying impossible, just something to note.

Renting a car for the day and traveling back at night makes efficient use of limited time. You won't get caught in Sunday traffic coming back into the city, especially if you have a plane to catch, and will be able to enjoy another full day in San Francisco, if that's important to you.

Was there yesterday. Pickings are slim, although there was still a modest selection of shelved and bulk items, a few cheeses (nothing approximating their former selection), baked goods and what I think is a decent cheesecake, Rosen's, both large and small, chocolate/vanilla and plain.

I had been impressed with Miki's on former visits, particularly the cheese section/knowledgeable staff and also prepared food/take-out. It was sad to be there yesterday, especially knowing that all those people are losing their jobs.

Wayfare Tavern in the Financial District. I believe they sous vide the chicken prior to fying, making for a moist and tender bird.

Wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of the schialatielli. I have been dreaming about that dish since lunching there a week ago. They must use 00 flour to achieve that texture.

We were, however, disappointed with the pizza. We ordered the Terrone, which the lunch menu described as San Marzano tomato, mozzarella and spicy sausage. It's the same pizza we always order at Napoletana in Mt View. When we see the word sausage, we practically sit up and beg.

When the pizza arrived, it had a scant amount of penny-sized, very thinly sliced meat still in the casing, not the sausage crumbles that I was expecting. The quantity was minimal, at most two pieces/slice, and it just didn't taste like italian sausage, although frankly, it was sliced so thin the taste was obscured by the sauce. When I went home and read the lunch menu on their website, the Terrone was listed as having salame, not the sausage that the restaurant menu had highlighted. I then compared the on-line lunch menu to the on-line dinner menu, and noticed a discrepancy in the ingredients in the Terrone. Dinner said sausage, not salame. So there was not only a difference between the website lunch/dinner menu for the same item, there was a difference between the lunch menu we were given at the restaurant and the lunch menu listed on-line.

Confused? So were we, although given the top notch ingredients of everything else, we'd certainly give it another try. Lunch came to $92 before tip (1 pasta, 1 pizza, 1 brussel sprouts, and 2 glasses of wine at $12.00 each). Not inexpensive by any means, and the same prices as at dinner.

Does anyone know if the restaurant has reopened as planned and, if so, any feedback on the food/atmosphere? I will be in Pt. Reyes next week for 2 nights and am looking for a second restaurant to add to our one anniversary dinner at Osteria Stellina. Would be content to return to the Station House if necessary, yet have been there many times and long for something new. Anything else to consider, sans oysters?

Yes, I see where you're coming from, yet my take is OP is requesting a restaurant that *also* offers a private dining experience - a small dining room or a booth with curtains, etc. And if that doesn't exist, a restaurant that offers intimacy - well-spaced tables, quiet atmosphere, etc. OP goes on to say that (s)he wants to avoid noise, which would be the case in a private hotel room, but difficult at most SF/Bay Area restaurants, thus the request.

I think the OP is asking for a recommendation to dine in a private room *within* a restaurant, not to have dinner in a hotel room. If that's the case, Dio Deko is very noisy, deafeningly so on weekends.

Heartily agree on the Acquerello suggestion for this particular occasion. Excellent food, tables well-spaced and that old world kind of service that is rare. Oh, let's not forget the cheese cart.

You will leave feeling very special. Let them know the occasion, they will be take service to the next level, if that's possible.

I also tried to sign up for fully committed Hidden Villa class and in communicating with the staff, they said they anticipated offering another in the future. You may want to email them to get on their mailing list, if you're still interested.

"great unwashed who do not receive special treatment?" Huh? As I stated, only one out of 6 meals was as a hotel guest, the other 5 were not, including when they baked a custom birthday cake for our party when we were merely lunch guests. Sorry for your bad experiences over the years, yet, that does not change the fact that for others, listing them as a solid recommendation has been due to exactly what we have experienced. And I doubt that luck could have been with us all of those times.

Hmmmm, your characterization of "barely passable food" stumps me and I can only assume that perhaps it goes way back? They do have a Michelin star, awarded 2 years in a row. Over the past say, 8 years, I have enjoyed lunch there a handful of times and have always left very happy, as have my dining companions. Twice the pastry chef has baked a special birthday cake, once we were staying at the hotel and the other time we were just lunch guests. This last trip the chef prepared two courses especially for us, which I had arranged in advance. This was the first time for dinner and I have to say, their star is well deserved. And IIRC, the price for 3 courses is $98, certainly not outrageous for the quality and setting.

With all due respect, I strongly disagree about the quality of food at Auberge, at least on the evening we recently went. Our dinner included: first course of day boat scallops w/white corn, snap peas, crispy onions and vanilla oil (chef made this for us special- it's on their lunch menu, I believe), 2nd course of light-as-a-feather potato gnocci w/wild mushrooms, pea shoots, parmesan nage and black summer truffles and main of bacon wrapped perfectly cooked and meltingly tender veal w/sauteed figs, crispy polenta, orange marcarpone and red wine vinaigrette. Quality, preparation and service were all outstanding, and that doesn't take into account the romance factor. I do agree to your point on the price, it was more than dinner the next evening at Redd, yet also more memorable.

If you give it a try, like the results and decide to make it for your party, a bonus is that it will keep well for a few days in the fridge. On the day of, top w/whole strawberries pointed side up, and finish with a glaze. Good luck.

+1 for Auberge, outside patio table overlooking the valley. Food is very solid, a top pick from our Napa visit last month, which also included Redd..

Very likely it was Lindy's cheesecake. If you're still dreamin' about it and willing to give it a try in the kitchen, google for the recipe. The one on the Saveur website is the authentic version - 2.5 lbs cream cheese.

Happy eating!

Draegers is good, although not so much as a true NY cheesecake. They also sell it in a mini version. Especially appreciate that theirs has no graham cracker crust or sour cream. Lindy's restaurant in NY made the most famous cheesecake, and it did not include graham crackers or sour cream topping. Don't know if this matters to OP or whether it's just the NY density they're looking for.

With all due respect, I would discourage against Barnett, which we went to last month. We had made plans to celebrate a special occasion with a pre-ordered picnic from Barnett, which we had planned on enjoying at the top of the mountain. We were really looking forward to it, but unfortunately, we left feeling like it had been a waste of time and money. The man giving the tour was more into talking to the other two guests about Chicago and baseball stats. The tour was "canned" and he admitted to not knowing a whole lot more than just regurgitating the facts he had learned to recite. To make matters worse, when it came time for us to celebrate and enjoy the picnic, a limousine full of women arrived with no reservation and took over one of the picnic areas. Barnett's people were visibly annoyed, yet they still let it happen, even though we had not only reserved space for a picnic, but had also ordered it through them. And BTW, did I mention that the picnic was $80? That left us jockeying for space in the remaining area with the other couple on the tour who had also purchased the picnic. Although it was a beautiful view, they were newlyweds and we were celebrating a special occasion,so....let's just say, that having each other a few inches apart definitely was a bummer. For the first time ever, we left without purchasing wine. We did manage to salvage the afternoon at Pride. Their $75pp private tour is pricey, however, on that particular day, with Greg, it was worth every penny. We left happy...and with wine.

Can anyone please recommend a deli to pick up yummy picnic provisions in Dogpatch that is opened on a Sunday morning? We're making a quick stop to pick up friends staying in Dogpatch who do not know that neighborhood, and then we're heading to Marin Headlands. We'd love a Bi-Rite-type market or deli, yet are hoping for something within walking distance to Minnesota St that would avoid parking hassles and allow us to get on with the fun of the day. TIA!

Glad to know things are going so well and you are now reaping the rewards of your thoughtful planning. Your mention of Jarvis brings to mind a memory from a few years ago. After a lovely tour through the winery/caves, we purchased a bottle of wine, quite expensive, and set off on our way. After a few weeks we received a letter and bill from the winery which requested an additional $5.00, the amount they said had been undercharged. At the time of the transaction, neither us nor the staff had any idea, we merely signed the credit card slip they provided. To come after us when Accounting discovered their error was petty and unprofessional. We are talking $5.00 here, and $5.00 which was their mistake. We could have refused the second authorization, but chose to take the high road, a road will never lead us to Jarvis again.

Have you tried Draegers in Los Altos?

+1 for Napoletana Pizzeria. As good as it gets around here, especially for those who prefer thin crust, minimal toppings, fresh flavors. Our fav is the sausage. Grind of meat is a bit fine, but guess the lighter weight is a necessity when supported by the thin crust. Another tasty option is the ricotta pizza, where the cheese is stuffed and hidden inside the outer edge crust.

Some other possible options:

http://www.7x7.com/eat-drink/croissan...

Aquerello would be a lovely choice for a 40th anniversary celebration, especially for diners who would appreciate an opportunity to "dress" for dinner and save their khakis for another evening. Food and wine list are both outstanding and service is impeccable. It's more of an old-world, fine dining atmosphere, with tables spread far enough apart to enjoy conversation. They also have a cheese cart, a nice touch for cheese lovers, which always helps to make a dinner feel special. The pictures on their website will give you an idea if the atmosphere is suitable to your needs. It will never be a trendy, hip place, that's not what they're going for. It will, however, always be a dependably delicious way to spend an evening and leave feeling like you have been treated as a special guest. Book early for a Saturday evening and they are closed on Sunday.

A suggestion for Sunday which you have not mentioned is the new Michael Mina on California St. Thoroughly enjoyed our dinner there last weekend. More of a sexy, cool vibe, excellent service, and nice touches on the menu- ricotta honey spread for grilled bread, grilled cheese and tomato soup amuse bouche, compressed watermelon/fig salad, all meats chosen - duck, steak, chicken and pork chop, were tender and flavorful and came with interesting accompaniments.

Good food doesn't mean much if it's not backed up by professional waitstaff. Neither of these restaurants will disappoint in either regard.

Hands down, Marche on Santa Cruz Avenue in Menlo Park. Go for lunch or go for dinner, it's the same price. For $14.00, you will be served a juicy and thick burger perfectly cooked on a homemade roll topped with onion and bacon marmalade, alongside a cone of scrumptious twice-fried pommes frites. To put you over the edge, a bernaise dipping sauce accompanies the fries. The service and ambience are worthy of a fine dining experience and if that's possible to have with a burger, this is the place to have it - no contest.

What are the differences between A Voce Columbus and A Voce Madison? I will be staying on 60th/Amsterdam - is there a reason to travel the distance to Madison instead of nearby Columbus? Should this choice even be seriously considered by a San Francisco foodie who has six nights to gloriously feast? Chef Missy Robbins is featured in the annual best new chefs issue of Food & Wine.

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A Voce
41 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10010

Hey chowhounds,
Thinking of going to Biscuits and Blues with out of towners on Valentines Day. We're not looking for a formal, prix fix menu, so the casual atmosphere would be fine, actually probably preferred for these relatives. To reserve a table for 8:00 show, dinner is a requirement. What do you think? Culinary wonders not expected, just a good time. BTW, Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers are the headliners.

I think you've hit on something...it seems way too expensive if you go at lunchtime as it's the same menu as in the evening. I've gone twice, both times for lunch. The last time we had 1 causa appetizer, 2 entrees and 2 pisco sours. Bill with tax/tip was $110. Although we enjoyed the food, spacing at table was very tight and service was way too brisk, with dishes being cleared as each diner was finishing their last bite. It was intrusive and annoying. As above, the restaurant wasn't full, so no need to turn the table.

The first visit we wasted 1/2 hour waiting up front for the rest of our party, who the hostess said had not yet arrived. In checking for ourselves some time later, we found them at the table and yes, they had been seated by the same hostess. That did not get the birthday celebration off to a good start.

Would I feel differently about pricing if it was for dinner? Yes. Would I feel differently about the service? No, not if it mirrors the lunchtime staff in which case, I will not be back. Twice is enough.

Does anyone know of a cheesemonger, cheese producer or other cheese expert who could present a one hour combination of educational lecture/cheese tasting to a group? The event would be held in downtown San Jose, however a restaurant/storefront that the presenter is affiliated with that could accomodate 25-30 people, could also be an option.

In case that idea doesn't materialize, I was also considering a chocolate tasting, if anyone has any ideas about that possibility. I'm hoping one of these ideas can replace an annual holiday group luncheon which, although fun, is getting a little tired.

DeYoung is closed on Monday, unfortunately. Would have been nice to take your in-laws up to the tower and see the view. One does not need to purchase museum admission to do that.