buoncibo's Profile
40th Anniversary - Need advice for 2 dinners!
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.
best burger in Palo Alto?
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.
Can you please tell me....
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.
Biscuits and Blues?
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.
La Mar Cebicheria Peruana, SF report w/ pics (too expensive, little food)
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.
Cheesemonger/Cheese Producer Lecture andTasting?
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.
LUNCH near California Academy of Sciences
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.
Miracle on 34th Street in downtown San Jose?
Hi Chowhounds,
I'm planning a holiday luncheon event for a group of about 25-30 art docents in the downtown San Jose area and we preferably would like to be able to walk to the venue. It most likely will be held after we hear a lecture on The Art Treasures of Kabul, Afghanistan, so ethnic food tied to the lecture would be a real plus. The price range is $30pp out the door. A private room would be nice, but certainly not a must. There is a wide range of ages, however everyone is always up for an adventurous culinary experience, as long as quality is there.
In the past we've gone to places of architectural or historical interest and the food was less of a priority, i.e., Hayes Mansion and History San Jose in San Jose, Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park and Gamble Garden Center in Palo Alto. We can also go that route again if someone has a suggestion for a combination facility tour/lunch venue. In that case, rescheduling our lecture would not be a problem and downtown San Jose becomes less of an issue.
I've thought of 71 St. Peter, Il Fornaio, La Pastaia and E&O Trading, but none have that architectural, historical or "artsy" quality that I'm looking for. Besides, judging from their on-line menus, they may not fit within the budget.
What do you think, South Bay hounders? Do I need a Miracle on 34th St. to pull this off?
Fine weekend lunch in San Jose area?
Trevese in Los Gatos would be an excellent choice, on par with your other suggestions. They have a Sunday brunch and a lovely terrace outside. It does face Santa Cruz Ave, but it's partitioned it off with shrubbery and it makes for a very pleasant place to linger. The dining room inside the Queen Anne home would be another option if outdoors doesn't appeal to you.
Reporting back: Napa area wineries
Jarvis...reminds me of our tour there a few years back. I concur with the snobbery factor but, nevertheless, we did enjoy the visit and purchased a 1/2 bottle of I don't remember what for $45.00 on our credit card. Our experience soured some two weeks later when we received a letter stating that they had made an error in the wine price and would be charging us an additional $5.00. We couldn't believe it. Yes, we could have refuted the charge with the credit card company, but the paperwork involved wasn't worth the hassle. We did write them a stinging letter pointing out their utter lack of professionalism and bad image this silly decision projected and, of course, the loss of our future business. Never heard anything back and yup, the charge showed up on our bill.
Jarvis...never again a visit, never again a purchase.
Looking for shower locale in Palo Alto or Menlo Park
Can't speak for the Menlo Park location as each one is franchised, but last year I attended a bridal shower at Lisa's Tea Treasures at Santana Row. At first I wasn't very excited about it, but ended up being pleasantly surprised. We had the front room reserved for us and it nicely accommodated 28 people. If cutting edge food is not a requirement and you could be happy with a more homey menu of tea sandwiches/scones/sweets, it was a very successful venue to host a woman's rite-of-passage kind of celebration. We brought in cupcakes and a 3 tiered stand and they were kind enough to set up a display table for our use and also to serve them at no charge. The desserts that were included in the set menu were provided to our hostess ahead, so she could box them up and give them out as favors.
Los Altos report: Esther's, Donut du Jour, Cravery
Stopped by Donut du Jour yesterday after reading this post. It's not usually open on Sundays at 4:00, but due to the Art and Wine Festival I got lucky. The sign said closed, but I pushed the door anyways and stepped inside. Even though the staff had closed out the register, they were friendly and happy to oblige my order. I tried a raspberry-filled coated in powdered sugar in a cute, flower shape and also an apple fritter. Both were bites of delight, with the raspberry being soft and plump, with a good amount of filling. The apple fritter had good amounts of cinammon, but could have used more apples.
There were many tempting varieties, but since she was being nice enough to serve me when closed, I didn't linger. She also mentioned that companies are purchasing them for meetings and lunches, and given the petite size, that's a great idea. They're at the end of State St., in a area that doesn't get as much foot traffic as others. I hope they make it because it's a nice addition to a sadly-lacking eating city.
Bijan Bakery downtown SJ, the service!
We are still reeling from the utter lack of civility at Bijan's last Saturday after stopping there at 8:50pm to enjoy a snack following a museum event. It was the third time we had been there. The first time the cheese croissant and cheesecake were both tasty and satisfying, enough so that we left promising ourselves to return very soon. The second time the fruit swirled palmier was dry and tasteless and we left feeling disappointed, but willing to try again. This third and final time, we just left....period.
After ordering an eclair (*barely* a drizzle of chocolate on top) and apple strudel, we asked for their cold drink offerings and received the reply "sodas and bottled water, that's pretty much it". This was followed by a turn of the back and attention to something else. I spotted a menu, picked it up and lo and behold, found many offerings that went well beyond just soda and water. OK, first clue that the counter staff was indifferent and intolerant of requests, albeit simple ones.
Annoyance aside, we picked up our order and sat down. By this time it was 8:55pm. After barely eating two bites, one of the same counter staff came over to announce that they "would be closing in a few minutes but we could stay and finish our desserts." The delivery was in a begrudging manner and we definitely got the feeling that we had overstayed our welcome, even though we had only been there for 5 minutes. We wondered why they hadn't told us of their closing when we placed the order. If we had known, we would have gladly taken it "to go" and enjoyed it at home. Annoyance aside again.
A few more bites of trying to quickly finish and then all of a sudden...the lights were turned off. We were sitting in the dark. Wouldn't locking the door have been enough to keep additional customers from entering after hours? I guess not because their obvious goal was to get us out, not keep others from coming in. We were shocked at the rudeness but stood up, took our coats and proceeded toward the door. We heard no sounds from the staff as we walked out...no goodbyes, no thank you for coming, no have a good evening...no nothin'. They were too busy whisking away the dry, stale and tasteless eclair left unfinished on my plate. Needless to say, we were too busy whisking ourselves away...for the final time.
The motto of the story....never trust a bakery that doesn't coat the top of their eclairs in chocolate.
Anniversary dinner in Palo Alto-ish area
Our trips to Sonoma from Palo Alto area have always taken at least 2 hrs with no traffic. Allow 2.5 on a Fri. Be forewarned that it is extremely difficult to walk into any decent restaurant in this area, much less good ones, on Fri evening at prime time. I realize the idea of a reservation seems restrictive to your schedule, but I also hear you saying that you don't want to start your special weekend with "crappy food". Unfortunately, unless you succumb to a reservation (perhaps 7:30 to allow some cushion), I think you're setting yourself up to do just that.
Where to eat before SF Ballet?
We went to Absinthe last weekend before the symphony. Got a 5:30 reservation and enjoyed a very leisurely dinner. Our enjoyment came from the service, cocktails and ambience more than from the food. Server was knowledgeable and friendly, even offering to lend us an umbrella that we could use in the downpour and return after the symphony. An added bonus was that their valet only costs $10, less than others in the area, and you can leave your car valeted during performance and pick it up afterwards.
Food, however, was a minor disappointment. We started with the appetizer plate of cured meats, including Fra' Mani, all of which were wonderful. For the mains, I found out that their new chef has removed one of my stand-bys, coq au vin. In fact, there is no chicken dish on the menu, something I find odd for a french bistro. Because I'm not into raw fish, the entire left side of the menu was eliminated for me. I settled on a scallop appetizer that was the special of the day, 3 scallops with sauteed chard. Since scallops are a light dish, I requested to increase the order to 5 to make it an entree size. The chef didn't want to split the orders and end up with an uneven number of appetizer portions, so instead the server suggested I stay with the smaller size and supplement with the caramelized brussel sprouts. I liked that idea until I tasted the veggies and they were both cooked in the same fashion with a heavy bacon flavor. This combination became quickly tiring and I ended up leaving one of them, a rarity for me. At $8.00 for the brussel sprouts, that really felt wasteful.
I just relooked at their menu and it has changed considerably since last week. There is now a scallop entree with celery root puree and sprouts, along with a braised lamb shank. Guess I just hit it unlucky last week with the choices, at least for my palate. In spite of that, the evening there was very enjoyable. Just goes to show what good service and a good cocktail can make up for.
Easter Dinner in Granada?
Will be spending time in Seville, Cordoba and Granada during la Semana Santa in a few weeks. I have already searched the boards and have decided on Enrique Becerra in Seville and El Caballo Rojo in Cordoba. Granada, however, is still a question because I would like to celebrate Easter and a reunion with our son, who lives in Italy, with a memorable Andalusian meal. Sounds like the choices are slim. Any suggestions?
Emporio Rulli
We went to the Larkspur location for a wedding cake tasting and were treated royally, both in pre visit phone conversations and the actual day we went. It was well worth the one hour drive. As for Chestnut location, however, I definitely agree about inept, cavalier service, but some of their pastries are just too good to bypass on a walk by. As for Union square, one look one time at the paltry supply of pastries was enough to send me away forever. Now, if you're at SFO airport in the international terminal, Rulli's supply of sandwiches and pastries all of a sudden looks pretty darn good in comparison to the thought of the dreaded airline food.
What to Order at TWO?
Was there on Saturday evening and our party of four really enjoyed just about everything. Would highly recommend the fettucine with fennel sausage, which we split as an appetizer, and the pork schnitzel with lemon and braised escarole. The pasta was light in texture, but very flavorful with the combination of a toothy, meaty flavor from the well-trimmed sausage meat and a bit of a bite from the chili peppers. Very, very good flavors. I was disappointed that they had run out of the short ribs with horseradish potatoes, but one taste of the schnitzel with it's crispy crust and tender center, and the ribs were quickly forgotten. For dessert we shared the mini ice cream sandwiches, baked alaska and cupcakes. If there was a weak link, it was the baked alaska. Maybe it was just too much ice cream at once.
2 Nights in Forestville
Dined at Mosaic, Zazu and Applewood Inn on a recent trip to Russian River Valley. I'd give the nudge to Mosaic. The young chef not only puts his heart and soul into the food, but also into the building, which he purchased and remodeled himself. It is a small restaurant with big flavors and caring service. After dinner the wait staff even spent considerable time with us advising on which local wineries to hit. We left very happy and certainly wishing that this gem of a place will achieve the success it deserves.
Special occasion lunch between Palo Alto and Carmel.
If you liked the Ritz, you may want to consider Roys at the Inn at Spanish Bay on 17 mile drive in the Carmel/Monterey area. The Hawaiian/Asian fusion restaurant is part of the Roy Yamaguchi conglomerate and although not as good as in years past, it's still good enough, especially when you factor in the location. Like the Ritz Carlton HMB, Roys has a bagpiper before sunset and the coastal restaurant enjoys the Links at Spanish Bay as a backdrop. Although not as large an area as at HMB, Roys also has outdoor tables and fire pits for enjoying a cocktail or dessert.
Would be lovely to combine your meal with taking your parents on the the 17 mile drive with many magnificent homes and beautiful cypress trees. However, if you've had enough driving by the time you get there and want to skip the major portion of 17-mile drive, make sure to take highway 68 to the Pacific Grove gate. That is the shortest way to reach the Inn. Also keep in mind that the fee you'll have to pay to enter 17 mile drive is refundable if you eat in the restaurant, just get them to stamp your receipt before you leave.
http://www.pebblebeach.com/page.asp?id=1147
Enjoy the day with your parents, whatever you choose.
Emporio Rulli wedding cake/dolci?
In looking through the wedding cake posts, don't see much buzz about Rulli. My dream would be to find a bakery that can do "double duty" at an italian-themed wedding reception...provide a scrumptious, beautiful cake and also mini desserts for a Venetian sweets table (cannolis, cookies, cheesecake bites, etc). Also considering Margaret's Bakery in Campbell. Although french, they could do an italian spin, but not sure about mini their desserts.
Has anyone ordered/eaten a Rulli wedding cake? How about mini desserts...cream puffs, eclairs, cannoncini or any of their special treats that they recently served for Carnevale...bomboloni, frittelle, cenci?
Will go to two different vendors if I must, but to deal with one, without compromising quality, would be a dream. Open to any suggestions that would serve northern Peninsula area. Reception is in Belmont.
Steaks for Birthday on Sat. 11/18
Have heard that Town in San Carlos has good steaks. Can anyone confirm that?
HELP !! MY COLLEGE AGE KIDS HAVE JUST DROPPED IN, AND THEY WANT.....
LaStrada on University in Palo Alto. House made pastas (try the chittarine with ragu), pizza (proscuitto/artichoke is really good), fish and meats. For an app try the selection of foccacia/olives/cured meats sliced with a hand-cranked slicer. Comfortable authenticity, italian spoken by some customers and just about as close to Tuscany food-wise as you're apt to find, at least on the peninsula. And for a bonus, your college age kids will enjoy the coolness factor of eating at a table on the sidewalks of college-dominated Palo Alto.
best "vintage" restaurants on the Peninsula
The text before recipe claims that the popularity has to do with the crispy, puffed cellophane noodles, yet nowhere in the recipe does it call for frying them...only boiling. Anyone made it?
Beard Papa stinks [moved from San Francisco board]
Bought 6 of the vanilla eclairs this weekend. Same thing as the cream puffs, with the addition of a chocolate topping. Usually I love eclairs, but not this time. The topping results in masking the crispness of the outer shell when you bite into it. For me, the contrast between that crispness and the softness of the interior shell was what makes these unique. Also, the chocolate had barely a trace of sugar, most likely bittersweet. Because japanese baked goods tend to have less sugar anyways, IMHO these puffs really benefit from the powered sugar that the plain ones are sprinkled with. All in all, a very unsatisfactory experience. Regretting that I had bought six, I promptly cut off the tops of the remaining puffs when I returned home. Took 2 days for 3 people to finish them up...that's how unexciting they were after the decapitation.
Dinner recommendations for Palo Alto/Menlo Park area?
Won't get a res at those two choices, or pretty much anywhere worth going, if you wait until you arrive. Suggest you make a choice and call now. Also, for another good option, consider La Strada on University in Palo Alto. Additional tables on the sidewalk allowing diners to watch the world go by while eating authentic italian in a comfortable, casual setting.
