Go Fish

We went to Go Fish before a vineyard tour we had set up. We are big fans of Mustard's and this is the creation of it's owner. We sat at the bar literally on the corner between the regular bar and the sushi bar. It seemed only fitting then to to have some sushi and some bar food. I started with the Crispy Spicy Roll which is made with yellowtail, scallion and tobiko in tempura. Tobiko is Japanese flying fish roe. The roll was delicious bun not very spicy. I then had the Salmon Burger which was cooked to a perfect medium rare. The bun tasted and felt like it had just come out of the oven and the avocado was amazing. Also, the chips were perfectly cooked. We will definitely go back when we have more time to sit and enjoy the place.

Zuni Cafe

For our 24th wedding anniversary Carol and I chose Zuni Cafe. We are big fans of the Zuni Roast Chicken with Bread Salad. Carol has made it a few times so she was anxious to see how her version rated. Carol's version is really good but I must say that there is a reason Zuni's is widely considered one of the best dishes in the city. It is so crispy on the outside and as moist as any poultry you will ever eat. It is wonderfully salty without being too much so. The bread salad is so decadent and delicious that I must admit to quickly eating it, before the chicken, to make sure Carol did not get more than her fair share! Before the chicken I had oysters. The larger ones are Pacific Hog Island from Tomales Bay. They are briny and tender. The tiny ones are Totten Inlet from Olympia, Washington. They are more intensely flavored and meatier. I asked the manager for a wine suggestion from among the Pinots and the Burgundies. I was pleased when he said his favorite for the chicken was the $60 Burgundy you can see here. There were many bottles well above that price. When our waiter brought our cheese plate the manager came by with two glasses of Italian dessert wine as a treat for our anniversary. A wonderful evening with a wonderful wife!

Carol and I last ate at Tra Vigne, in 1990. We went last night with Annika, Tom and Joy and had a really nice meal. The highlight for me was the house made mozzarella served still warm on toasted Italian bread rubbed with garlic. We brought a bottle of wine over from our tasting at Grigich. The food at Tra Vigne is good but it's the setting makes the experience exceptional and the price acceptable.

Gar Woods

Back to Gar Woods for a Wet Woody or two and the 49er game. Someday maybe a wooden boat and a lake to go with it. For now the Wet Woody does the trick.

Angelino

This is a place recommended to me by Paul Carek. We went there last October for Carol's birthday. Excellent Italian in an unpretentious setting. Nice and attentive staff forthcoming with recommendations. After biking, cheering, biking again and lifting today I thought a Pizza was in order. Prosciutto and artichoke! The fresh mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes were amazing as well. Last of the season's great tomatoes...

Bouchon Bakery

Annika had an early game in Napa today so I headed for Bouchon Bakery during warm-ups. Nothing much better than a bacon cheddar scone, cappuccino and the NY Times. Most everyone in line in front of me went for something sweet... lots of action around the chocolate croissant. The place was hopping for 8:00 am on a Sunday.

ISA

Ok, I'm back to my food blog. Last night we went to ISA. Annika had plans so it was date night... Small plates for sharing in the less touristy part of the Marina. The dining room is rustic and romantic. The food was excellent but service and timing was off. They delivered all of our food in a five minute span. We sent the scallops back so we could eat our other selections and a reasonable pace. Besides there was no room left on the table. I think next time we will order our appetizers first. When they come we'll order the mains. I especially liked the truffle and mushroom risotto. Parking can be a bit iffy and going with another couple would give us the chance to try even more of ISA's wonderful dishes.

The Providores

Went to this great place while in London a couple weeks ago called The Providores. It's a New Zealand restaurant specializing in fish. I went with my Dell client who hails from New Zealand and was planning to see the All Blacks play England the next day... so he was in a patriotic mood. I especially liked the tuna appetizer. The food scene in London sure has really changed for the better over the past twenty years.

Anchor & Hope

The girls wanted to come into the city Friday night for dinner. It was a beautiful evening so I walked down to meet them at the ferry. We then walked along Market street and eventually went to Anchor & Hope for dinner. It's a place I go to for lunch fairly frequently. They recognize me but don't yet know my name... It has a cool vibe and good seafood. I must say that it seems like the same menu and same portion size as lunch but for more money. That said the appetizers are what I like most. We had the calamari with a spicy honey sauce and oysters wrapped in bacon. Mmmmmm.

Boulevard

Annika had another game yesterday... which has nothing to do with our dinner at Boulevard but it gives me an excuse to throw up a photo of her in action. Dinner was with the Caplan's who were in Sonoma for a wedding. They live in Ridgewood New Jersey now and were commenting that half the stores seem to have closed in the past few months. Anyway, they wanted to go somewhere special so I chose Boulevard. We had a wonderful time and the food was, once again, excellent. I had the heirloom tomato salad, rack of lamb and one bon bon. The rack of lamb was perfectly cooked and made me feel like it really is Fall here.

Ravenous

Annika had a game at Ukiah yesterday. A long ride after lots of travel. Ukiah is about 45 miles north of Healdsburg. On our way home we stopped to see an old friend of Carol's, Bill Rosensweig, who she had helped publish and market a book about his company, The Republic of Tea. He suggested we head over to a locals place called Revenous. It's in a charming old house just off the square. Aside from service that was pretty slow and inattentive the food was great. I especially liked the crab cake. It was crunchy and had a sauce with a hint of curry. The portions were huge... so I have nothing to report on their dessert.

Frantoio

At cooking school, last weekend, one of the other students recommended to Carol an Italian place in Mill Valley called Frantoio. I must say that because the restaurant is attached to a Holiday Inn I was more than a little skeptical. Cool place though. They make there own olive oil there in a giant press which gives some justification for the cavernous feeling. I ordered the rigatoni with lamb sauce but our waiter said that the rabbit ragout was outstanding so I switched. He was right. Annika was home with two other girls for a sleep-over so I was relieved to find the house in one piece when we returned.

Noto

Annika had a game in Windsor today. A 5-1 victory in which she scored a goal by the way! Carol was a cooking school so I ventured, by myself, into the town for a coffee during warm-ups. I found a cool place called Noto... that sits across from the village green. Nothing like good cap and a paper before the big game. Annika played the best game of her life yet and I was very well caffeinated for it!!

Fish.

Annika had a baby sitting gig next door last night so we decided to head for a restaurant that sits directly across the bay from us. On the harbor in Sausalito, Fish. is quite a different experience. First, you stand in a line (which last night was about 30 minutes). You then order your food, pay with cash and get a number. Drinks, silverware and the like you take out side with you and search for an open bench or picnic table. Fortunately Carol was able to score a bench before we got to the front of the line. We had a crab dip with homemade potato chips that was really good. I had grilled marinated tuna over pasta that was fresh and surprisingly light. At Fish. they make quite a big deal about sustainability which adds authenticity to a place dripping with it. Last night was a perfect evening... about 70 degrees at sunset.

The Fish Hopper

We went to the Monterey Aquarium and spent a spectacular couple of hours. We didn't see the new White Shark who is apparently still quite shy. We did see lots of other incredible things. Afterward we did the touristy thing and went to The Fish Hopper which is along Cannery Row. I normally wouldn't mention a place like this here but I had an amazing grilled fish platter caught all in Monterey Bay. The sardines were the highlight.

Olita

We went to Santa Cruz for a walk along the boardwalk and some dinner. I was searching for cool place to go an found a recommendation for Olita in an article about Santa Cruz being one of the best places to live. The restaurant is most of the way out on the pier and has amazing views. Our waiter recommended the prawn and crab enchiladas insisting that he would not steer us wrong. He didn't. My margarita's weren't too bad either.

Apple Box

Annika had a game against Petaluma this morning and we dropped her with time to find a place for breakfast. Right on the river is a place called Apple Box. We had a latte and split a breakfast burrito. We sat by the river and saw a bike club assemble and leave for a ride. That whole river area looks like it's probably fun on a Saturday night.

Station House Cafe

Carol and I dragged Annika out to Bear Valley for a ride/hike to Arch Rock. The fog would come and go making the temperature swing all over the map. Afterward we went into Pt. Reyes Station and had lunch on the back patio of the Station House Cafe. Our waitress looked just like the Asian girl from Grey's Anatomy (though she doesn't think so). Our food was good and hearty. I especially liked the fried oysters from nearby Drake's Bay.