Blue Plate Oysterette - Santa Monica, California

As part of my recent trip to LA for my big b-day/relaxation weekend, my friend N. brought me here. She'd mentioned a few places and after checking out the menus, BP Oysterette seemed like it would be a cool place. I am so glad we went with it.

Located right across the street from Santa Monica beach, this would be a great spot on a sunny day; I unfortunately wasn't quite that lucky. Oh well, the food was certainly worth it, overcast day or not.

For the record, the entire menu looked delish, but at the end of the day, I don't think you can go wrong with lobster. I had a lobster roll with warm butter (I hate mayo) and I was not at all disappointed! The lobster was sweet, tender and perfect. The brioche roll was heavenly and I think I detected the slightest hint of garlic which really put it over the top. I'm normally not a fan of non-skinny fries, but these were seasoned perfectly.

It ended up being a lovely afternoon with a great friend and great food. What could be better?

Royal Street Cafe - Park City, Utah

This restaurant was a real treat! The Royal Street Cafe is located at Deer Valley Resort and the surroundings are absolutely beautiful.

The blueberry mojito was certainly a standout and a cocktail I'd not had previously. It may be Utah, but RSC certainly didn't scrimp on the booze so kudos for that. I'm really not a big drinker, but I'll make an exception for this.

While the fish and chips were very good (they used salmon and it was cooked to perfections) I have to say that my favorite bite ended up being the tuna tartare with white truffle. I know that tuna tartare is no longer 'cool' for foodies, but this was extremely good. It was light and fresh and the perfect appetizer for a summer day.

My dining companion enjoyed the chicken quesadilla as well as tomato soup that came with a grilled cheese sandwich.

The end of the meal brought those homemade ice cream sandwiches and let me just say, I was not disappointed. Trust me, I seriously considered ordering a second plate of them, they were that good. This is definitely a restaurant to which I wouldn't hesitate to return. For the price, the quality of the food was top notch.

Rotunda - Neiman Marcus, San Francisco

Rotunda is one of those restaurants that I simply love. Okay, full disclosure: it is very 'ladies who lunch'. In other words, this is where my mom takes me after we've been shopping. Even still, I love coming here on my own.

They always give you a tiny tea cup of chicken consomme as well as warm popovers with strawberry butter to start the meal. These two things are to die for. I could eat those popovers daily and never tire of them.

What I photographed above is a standard meal for me when I dine at Rotunda: the lobster club, fries and an absolutely killer bellini. Trust me, that sandwich is worth every bit of the $28 it will cost you to try one.

If you're shopping in the area, this a solid stop for lunch. If you're here around Christmas time, all the better. As for a table by the window, affording you a fantastic view of the decorations around Union Square.

Bouchon - Beverly Hills

I had the pleasure of dining at Bouchon for my whirlwind trip to LA this past March. WeezerMonkey (www.weezermonkey.com) agreed to be my date to an event in LA and we decided that we would go on a proper date afterwards. We poured over several choices before finally settling on Bouchon.

Bouchon was a short walk from the event venue and I made it... even though I was wearing heels that measure about 5". My ankles were killing me by the time we entered the restaurant and Weemz, ever the romantic, pulled out a chair for me. *Sigh*

The told us the wait would only be a few minutes and shortly after, they led us to a romantic table for two. Now, I know I've kind of joked about romance here and in my previous entries, but there is a reason for that. The whole set up was quite possibly one of the most romantic I've seen in quite a while. We were seated on a balcony under the stars with candles and a lovely heat lamp, just in case it was chilly. I'm sure if you give her a few days, Weemz will post a few of the photos and you'll see what I mean.

On to the food. It was a great meal. We decided to share the Beignets de Brandade de Morue (cod brandade with tomatoe confit & fried sage.) These were quite possibly the most delicious things ever. The fried sage was insane. It almost melted in your mouth. I have trouble describing how amazing this dish was. I was seriously tempted to order a second plate.

As a main, I ordered the Moules au Safran (mussels with white wine, mustard & saffron) which came with a heaping order of fries. The fries here? A-ma-zing. Weemz decided on the Magret de Canard (herb roasted duck breast) which she was kind enough to let me taste. It was also fantastic, nice and rare. Then again, you can't go wrong with duck. Add to this a side of mac & cheese and we were quite happy.

And dessert. Oh the dessert. I'm not a huge dessert person in general. It is pretty easy for me to decline the dessert menu, but I figured that given the whole trip, it was time to just go big or go home. So with that in mind, I was totally stoked to order dessert that night. I am a big fan of anything 'lemon' so the lemon tart was a no brainer. It was delicious, I'd order it again, however, Weemz choice put the meal over the top. She decided on the Ile Flottante which was meringue with vanilla creme anglaise, almond and caramel. Oh. My. God. The best way I can even begin to describe this was like eating a sweet, fluffy, cloud. It was so light and just utterly amazing. A must try.

When all was said and done, I think the damage was around $150. For the amount of food and the quality, I don't think you can go wrong at Bouchon. I'd absolutely eat here the next time I'm in LA... if we aren't heading over to CUT. ;)

Overall, I had a great time. The whole trip ranks as one of my best. A big thank you to Weezermonkey for the fantastic company.

PS I'll bet if you give her a few days, Weemz will post some photos and I guarantee, they're better than mine. DLSR v. P&S = no contest.

Young's Cafe

Young's Cafe is one of those places that I've seen numerous times on my way to R&G Lounge which is just down the block. I finally wandered in here the other day because R&G was utterly packed and I was hungry as hell. I decided to try their version of salt & pepper squid, potstickers and an order of egg rolls. First, let me say I didn't think it was possibly for a restaurant to eff up egg rolls so badly that even I wouldn't eat them. I love egg rolls. Yes, I am such a white person. Anyway, those were horrible. I don't recommend them. That being said, the potstickers are some of my new favorite in the city. The skin is a bit thick, but they had a taste that I just loved... and continue to crave. The salt & pepper squid was absolutely delish and it was super spicy. Dare I say, their version of salt & pepper whatever is better than R&G? Another plus? Young's is quite inexpensive. I absolutely recommend it. It is a total hole in the wall and it certainly isn't in terms of decor, but the food was good.

Chez Papa Resto

This area can get really tousisty. Okay, it is touristy. In a city like SF, this can often be hard to avoid so I just kind of embrace it. I won't allow my street cred (lol x 1000) to be threatned. So, while I wasn't expecting a lot, I did give Chez Papa a chance and it is freaking amazing. Is it the best meal I've had in the city? No, however, it is a soild restaurant. I love French food so that is always a draw for me. If duck confit is your thing, you must try it here! To die for. Steamed mussels? They will put you deeper in to food coma. Fries? OMG. The fries. Simply put, if you like French food, this should be a stop while you're in SF.

Bistro Burger

There are several locations, but I generally go to the location(s) on either Bush or Sansome. Burgers range between $5-8 and then obviously you have to add in your sides if you want them. It can be a semi "cheap" eat or a rather pricey one for burgers depending on what you order. They have quite a variety of burgers as well, which is great. The fries here are super good!They also serve breakfast and you can eat there fairly inexpensively so that is also something to keep in mind.

http://www.bistroburger.net/

Kim Thanh Restaurant

In previous posts I've talked about my love of all things salt & pepper (especially the lobster or crab!) at the restaurant R&G Lounge. If you don't mind a rather undesirable area (but not too far from Union Square!) you can come here and get seafood that is just as good. Just like R&G, salt & pepper anything is good here. Crab, geoduck, fresh prawns... this has become one of my new favorite places and prices are more reasonable than R&G. If you like Chinese & Vietnamese and love seafood, this is a place to check out.

Amici's East Coast Pizzeria

216 King St (between 3rd St & 4th St)

This is making the list for those who are going to AT&T park and need a place to eat. It is
entirely unlikely that you'll be around here otherwise and overall, it probably isn't worth a special trip. That being said, I think Amici's has some of the best thin crust pizza. For those who are vegan, they even offer vegan cheese. Prices are kind of high, but I still enjoy it. If you're in the area and you're craving pizza, this is worth a stop.

Golden Gate Meat Company

I had a hot dog here (*gasp* yes, even MsBlake likes a good hot dog once in awhile!) that was absolutely so yummy! Friends of mine rave about the bbq pork sandwich. I trust their taste so I'm recommending it, though I dislike bbq and pork so I can't comment from my own perspective. You can find a cheap lunch here ($7.50 for half a chicken and potatoes) and the portions are generous. A good alternative to many of the pricey lunch places in the Ferry Building if you're in this area. I have also picked up meat here to prepare at home and it has been very good, however, since that really isn't going to apply to most of you, I won't go on. : )

Primo Patio Cafe

214 Townsend Street



Primo Cafe is a good place. They serve carribean food and it is inexpensive and they have good sangria. Standouts are the tropical tacos, finger snaps and calamari... actually, everything I've had here is really tasty. Everyone I know loves the jerk chicken so while I can't speak from personal experience, that also seems to be a solid choice. Chances are, unless you're going to a ball game, you probably won't be in this are of town, but if you are, this is one place I recommend in the area for good, affordable food. Do keep in mind that it is a hole in the wall. If you're looking for anything upscale, this isn't it.

Sebo

This is probably some of the all around freshest fish you'll ever get in SF. If you want a more traditional Japanese sushi experience, this is it. If you like rolls, you probably won't enjoy this place. Now on to the bad: service can be hit or miss and can come with a bit of an attitude. Prices are high, however, for the quality, I don't think the prices are totally out there. All in all, a great meal. If you can ignore spotty service, this is worth the visit.

Oh, and if you're a fan of Anthony Bourdain No Reservations, he ate here on the San Francisco episode.

Zuni Cafe

I've been working on this blog for close to a year (I apparently need more of a life) and I've not blogged Zuni yet. This surprises me. You hear a lot about the chicken here and it really is good. It is kind of on the expensive side for chicken. Okay. It IS expensive. *mumbles* $48... But there is a reason people rave about it. They also do oysters which I really enjoy. A solid neighborhood restaurant.

www.zunicafe.com

Americano

I tend to come here after work a lot. Even though it is located in a hotel, I really enjoy it. The drinks are nice, but they are also a restaurant and the food has always been good. They have these parmesan fries that are one of my favorite things ever. All of the entrees I've ordered are yummy as are the desserts. They have a huge patio which is great on a warm night... or frankly, even on the not-so-warm nights as they have a bunch of heat lamps. I live in a the area so it is easy to hit the Americano on my way home. Now I have to say, the place is an utter zoo on Friday & Saturday nights so if that is a problem, don't come here on those days. You'll be miserable. The crowd on those nights can be a bit... um... well... not fun.

Roots

Roots is one of those restaurants that I'm actually surprised I tried. It isn't the menu, but rather the location. It is located in the Orchard Garden Hotel near the gates of Chinatown. I first came for a work lunch as my office isn't all that far away. I ended up being pleasantly surprised. All of the food is local where possible, as well as organic. They have truffle fries and crab mac & cheese which are both excellent. I came here with one of my friends a few months ago and the whole dinner for entrees, fries, drinks and dessert was under $100. Overall, it is a good restaurant with solid food. Definitely recommended.

U Lee

Huge, tasty potstickers. That is why you come here. I love potstickers. They are a major comfort food for me. I used to come here on my way home a lot because it is right on the cable car line. It was really easy to hop off, grab some dinner, jump back on a cable car and head home. I don't get over here as much anymore but it is worth the trip. Just take the Hyde Street cable car and get off at Hyde & Jackson. I've enjoyed most of what I ordered, but the big stand out are the potstickers.

Foreign Cinema

Foreign Cinema is simply overrated. It just is. You come here for a somewhat unique experience and it is an interesting concept, but in terms of the quality of food and what you recieve for your money, well... there are more worthy places in the city if you ask me. Also keep in mind that if you actually want to see the movie during dinner, you best find out in advance what time it will start. If you're an early diner, chances are, you won't get to see it.
All in all, I won't go so far as to say that this is a place to avoid at all costs, but come knowing that there is better food to be had for the price. If you want unique ambiance, this fits the bill.

Lucky Creation

854 Washington Street

I do eat meat but I am known to often prefer veggie food at times. This is one of my favorite vegetarian restaurants. I'm a big fan. For those who are vegans, this is a good place to try when you're in the city. They make some of the best fake chicken ever and I also highly recommend the gluten appetizer. Sounds weird, but totally don't knock it until you've tried it. The one thing I have never been a fan of here are the soups. The place is definitely a hole in the wall so just be aware of it. Bring cash.

Pearl's Deluxe Burgers

708 Post St (between Jones St & Leavenworth St)

If you are a burger person, Pearl's is worth trying. Those on a diet need not visit because there is pretty much nothing on the menu that isn't loaded with calories. Just the way it should be. ; ) You can even make it a kobe burger for an additional charge if you so choose. Not the best kobe burger I've had but certainly not bad. If you're staying in the Union Square area, this should be an easy treck for you.

Taylor's Automatic Refresher

Chances are, you've heard about Taylor's on some Travel Channel or Food Network show at some point or another. The burgers are very good. If you don't have a chance to make it to the original in St. Helena to try it, you do have the option to do so while in SF. Prices are on the higher side for fast food which is the only reason I have kind of mixed feelings about this place. I am all for paying good money for food, but I'm not sure this outranks In-N-Out Burger quite enough to warrent such high prices. All in all though, it is worth at least one trip to see what you think. The burgers are fairly thin but they still seem to be on the rare side so if you dislike rare beef (I do) make sure that you specify that you would like it well done.

http://taylorsautomaticrefresher.com/