Arsicault This is the first time a bakery is making the "Greatest Hits" list (a register of my favorite restaurants of all time). One of my favorite people introduced me to Arsicault recently and created a monster. Yup, you know who you are and I blame you (in a good way) for my obsession with this place. Each time I think I have tasted the best thing that Arsicault has to offer, another pastry or savory item challenges me to reconsider. Everything is just that good! Arsi

Looking for a quick day-cation in the Bay Area? I recently discovered Benicia and I recommend it. Well, "discovered" isn't really accurate. I always knew it was less than an hour from Oakland where I lived, but I never thought to explore the city until not long ago. Benicia Waterfront Benicia is located about 40 miles northeast of San Francisco, on the north bank of the Carquinez Strait in Solano County. Benicia, as the sign says, is a California Main Street city, which

This is the ninth installment in my "Greatest Hits" series celebrating restaurants that conspicuously stand out due to their extraordinary quality, consistency and service. Kokkari Estiatorio makes the list because, since its opening in 2000, it has been checking all these boxes and more. Consequently, it has established itself as the Bay Area's flagship, Greek, dining destination. Kokkari Kokkari is named after a small, fishing village on the island of Samos in the eastern

In the spirit of Lunar New Year, here are three Chinese restaurants located in California that are all worth a visit. Hong Kong East Ocean Seafood Restaurant I'll start with Hong Kong East Ocean Seafood Restaurant, located just across the bridge from San Francisco, in Emeryville. Hong Kong East Ocean opened in 1989 and has been serving delicious dim sum and other Chinese dishes since. San Francisco Bay Before I get to the food, I want to emphasize that the view from just ou

In this installment of "In Search of Seafood," I'm taking you on a seafood journey from Southern to Northern California. We will start in San Diego, stop in Orange and finish in San Francisco. Like "In Search of Seafood" posts 1, 2, and 3, this post will highlight some of the best seafood restaurants I have found, as well as stand out dishes at each. Pacific Beach Fish Shop Pacific Beach Fish Shop I'll start with the Fish Shop located in San Diego's Pacific Beach neighborh

In my last post, I wrote about three, amazing, Thai restaurants in Southern California. No matter which you choose to visit, or should you go to all three, you won't be disappointed. This post is quite different and unprecedented because, I'm not sure I would recommend either of theses two restaurants, but am writing about them regardless, because I question whether my opinion about them is correct, or wonder if it could be the result of an aberrant experience at both of th

This post is part three of a series entitled, "In Search of Seafood." The first installment featured OmG, an outstanding, omakase restaurant in Santa Ana, California. The second post reviewed several Southern California, seafood restaurants, all worth a visit. This post will take us north to San Francisco, where a friend and I enjoyed a 13-course tasting menu, all centered on seafood. Aphotic Aphotic Aphotic is run by proprietor and chef, Peter Hemsley. You may recognize

I am always on the hunt for exceptional pasta. With Italian restaurants on virtually every corner, you'd think it would be easy to find endless, great options. Not so. Great pasta has many components, each of which needs to be superlative. When you find a restaurant that gets it all right, the finished product is indescribably delicious. In this post, I will share some Northern California restaurants that make exceptional pasta dishes. La Ciccia La Ciccia is a Sardinia

Welcome to my 100th post. I did not know what to expect when I started this blog about 18 months ago, but I was excited about the...

This restaurant post about Nari is a little different than most in my blog because I was conflicted about writing it (more on why as you read on). What I am not conflicted about is celebrating the skill of its owner and chef who, prior to and including Nari, has opened some of the best Thai restaurants in the world. Kin Khao, located in San Francisco, California, was opened in 2014 by proprietor and chef, Pim Techamuanvivit. A mere 18 months after opening the Thai restauran

I've mentioned my love of live performances in a prior post. The rich, educational, communal and immersive experiences I always have, led to one of last year's resolutions, which was to attend more live performances in 2023. Here is how my goal panned out. Les Misérables I will launch this post with Les Misérables, my favorite musical of all time. It is the only musical I have seen multiple times and would still see again. Les Misérables is a musical based on the 1862 bo

Welcome to my "pizzapalooza" post. The term "palooza" comes from the word "lollapalooza" which the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines as: "one that is extraordinarily impressive." I love pizza and the three restaurants below make some extraordinarily impressive ones, in my opinion. State Flour Pizza Company First on the list is State Flour Pizza Company located in Berkeley, California's Elmwood neighborhood. State Flour Pizza was started by Chef Derek Lau who is not onl

I love Thai food! Some of my earliest and fondest memories are of eating pad kra poa with my mom, aunt, uncle and cousins at a...

Hall Winery, in St. Helena, California is one of my favorite places to be. The winery is located just 60 miles north of San Francisco, but feels worlds away. Hall winery is nestled at the base of the Mayacama mountains in the Bergfeld Vineyard. Bunny Foo Foo by Lawrence Argent The entrance to the property is just off of Highway 29. To find it, look for the giant, polished, stainless steel, rabbit jumping out of the vineyard on one hind leg. His name is "Bunny Foo Foo" an

My last post about dim sum focused on the tradition of eating dim sum on Christmas Day. As such, I presented more formal dining options...

Eating a superb meal while enjoying a beautiful view elevates any dining experience, in my opinion. This is especially true during the...

This post is coming to you at the request of one of my favorite people and a fellow taco aficionado. If you too love tacos, here are...

Burrata is a fresh, creamy and luscious cheese made from cow's milk. It was first made in the 1920s in the southern Italian Murgia...

If you missed my last post, I am doing a "Greatest Hits" series on restaurants that have remarkable food, have stood the test of time and continue to provide an exceptional dining experience. For the second installation of "Greatest Hits," I am featuring a restaurant called A16. A16's flagship restaurant was founded in 2004 on Chestnut Street in San Francisco's Marina District. Since then, A16 restaurants have been opened in the United States in Oakland, Napa, Tokyo and Yok

The restaurant industry has an astonishingly high turnover rate, but there are some restaurants that stand the test of time. These restaurants transcend food trends. They are simultaneously innovative and consistent and they provide an extraordinary dining experience year after year, from decor to service to cuisine. Like a greatest hits album containing a compilation of the best songs by an artist, I have created a "Greatest Hits" list for restaurants. Whether they are e