Jaimie's Profile
Best Bakery: Parker-Lusseau in Monterey
The croissants are delicious, too. Definitely worth a detour off the main tourist path.
Northern California Road Food
The Albion River Market has a little deli that sells great desserts. We didn't eat any of the other items, but I imagine they are good, too. They have a good selection of all sorts of groceries, including some local organic items.
Also, the fellow pouring at Roederer (delicious sparkling wines) recommened the Albion River Inn Restaurant.
http://albionriverinn.com/restaurant.php.
There's a bakery in Mendocino that sells cinnamon buns with a cream cheese frosting that everyone raved about on our camp trip. I don't know the name, but it sounds like it is worth researching. It might be the Mendocino Bakery & Cafe which gets good reviews on Yelp.
Enjoy your ride.
Dharma Cafe in Houston?
We enjoyed the brunch on Sunday about two weeks ago. The food was delicious. A pasta with a creamy tomato sauce was the perfect texture and so flavorful. All of the ingredients were obviously fresh and good quality. The food was cool because of the a/c vents blowing on the steam tables, but that was our only complaint.
Dallas Rehearsal Dinner Help Needed
This may sound crazy, but what about Louie's on Henderson? It's close to downtown, has excellent pizza and salad, and I imagine its other options are too bad. They have one room that could probably be used for a private party. Now I'm not saying your guests won't be concerned about the dodgy neighborhood, but I think a good time would be had by all.
Tio's Tortas (Dallas)
I can't wait to try Tio's. For fellow vegetarians, here is how they responded to my question regarding the beans:
Our black beans have a small amount of bacon in them. We have a small but loyal group of customers that has figured out that if they substitute avocado for the black beans on the Relleno or the Vegetale they have a true vegetarian (not vegan, mind you) sandwich with an upgrade for no extra cost. Hopefully this will be a solution for you.
Placerville
Just want to warn others to avoid:
Lil Jonnie D Carlo's Italian Kitchen
482 Main St,
Placerville, CA 95667
Definitely a tourist trap, which I knew I should have avoided!, but didn't. The food was bad, the service was bad, and they served us the wrong beer and didn't try to correct the problem.
Worst Meal of 2006
I saw the "Worst Meal of 2006" thread for San Diego. How about Dallas Chowhounds, what's the worst meal you've had this past year? Doesn't necessarily have to have been at a restaurant.
The Forester Camino
We ate at The Forester on Saturday. As a non-vegan veggie, I was surprised that there was not a veggie option on the menu. But the side salad was very good; excellent romaine with red tomato and a little red onion. No iceberg lettuce. I ordered the grilled cheese and fries. The steak fries were hot and crispy outside/soft inside. Good bread and actual cheddar for the sandwich. Mother-in-law had the fried fish/shrimp combo and she said it was very good. Junior had the mashed potatoes, meatloaf, and vegetables. Husband shared and said the meatloaf was good and the potatoes had chunks, suggesting they were real, not reconstituted dry. I wasn't impressed with the Jack Russell beer I had, but that's not the Pub's fault. The pear strudel with ice cream was delicious. Having eaten in Placerville and experienced horrible touristy food (except for Z Pies!), I was very pleased. Nice atmosphere and good food for this level of dining. I was impressed that the menu suggested that adults with smaller appetites were welcome to order from the child's menu. Next time I am in town, I'll visit again.
Upscale Vegetarian
I enjoyed Lola and Local very much. I have particularly fond memories of Local, as we not only had good food but were treated so considerately. York Street was a disappointment to me, as well. There was only one really delicious item on the plate of vegetable sides.
Upscale Vegetarian
Stephan Pyles assembles a wonderful vegetarian entree from all the interesting sides on the rest of the menu. Yes, they are sides, but they are items like rellenos stuffed with goat cheese. It is not sautéed vegetables arranged in a circle on a plate, as I was served once at Suze. The waiter was pleased to describe the options and accommodated my request for a particular item. I am not sure a vegan would be as pleased, but for an ovo-lacto veg, it was a delicious treat.
The Best Restaurant in Dallas?
I do love Lola and Local, but I have to say after our dinner at Stephan Pyles Saturday night, it is near the top of my list. The waiter was exceptionally attentive and warm, but not overly so. The food was excellent. The ambience was very nice and until about 21:00 the space was very quiet.
Husband had tenderloin that was cooked perfectly. I had the vegetarian option which was not an afterthought. Every element was delicious. The only disappointment was the Pumpkin Creme Brulee. The tostado layers were a little tough.
There were some cutesy things, like the dressing arriving in pipettes and added to the greens at the table, but it was fun.
Late Night Dinner at Amuse on Lamar
Brunch was equally good. The service was excellent and the food was delicious. Everything we had was fresh and well-seasoned. The spinach/gruyere omelette was perfect and the potatoes that came with it were crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I enjoyed the cinnamon beignets. Just the way fried food should be done; not greasy at all. I encourage everyone to give Amuse a try.
