Godfather’s Burger Lounge opened in Belmont, December 2009 right on busy El Camino Real just south of the Ralston Ave. They focus on ½lb. fresh, all-natural “Certified Angus Beef” humanely raised burgers. No added hormones or antibiotics. Read the rest of this entry »

Darla’s Restaurant is an informal diner in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset district. Their motto is “Possibly the Best Burger Around”. We had to give it a try. Read the rest of this entry »

Baxter’s Bistro & Lounge is a high end Mountain comfort food restaurant in Northstar at Tahoe’s Ski Resort’s village. Local, organic, seasonal focus. It opened in December 2008 and is owned by the folks who also own the popular Moody’s restaurant in Truckee. Both restaurants have similar styles and menus. We found Moody’s food slightly better than Baxter’s when compared back to back, in early 2010. Read the rest of this entry »

Gator’s Back Porch BBQ is a spin off of Dollie Marie’s restaurant and former Gator’s Neo Soul restaurant. Dollie Marie’s was their attempt at fine dining which is morphing into this BBQ. They serve lunch BBQ now but are slated March 1, to go full time BBQ Mon-Sat 11am-8pm. Gator’s Back Porch BBQ focuses on high quality BBQ meats and sides. Read the rest of this entry »

Restaurant Gary Danko is one of the top restaurants in San Francisco, they serve contemporary American cuisine. Open in 1999 and located near Ghiradelli Square, it has been at the top of the Zagat Guide for the last couple years. “Danko combines classical training with focuses on French, Mediterranean, and regional American cooking. He incorporates influential culinary traditions from around the world into his own work, adding seasonings and techniques drawn from Asia and India.” Read the rest of this entry »

Pearl’s Deluxe Burgers San Francisco

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Mandarin Oriental Hotel

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Manzanita Lake Tahoe is the new restaurant by Traci Des Jardins in the posh Ritz Carlton Highlands at Northstar Lake Tahoe. It opened in Decemeber 2009. Rooms here start at $350 a night. She is best known for Jardinière and Mijita Cocina Mexicana in San Francisco. Manzanita serves French inspired California cuisine with a focus on organic, sustainable, seasonal ingredients. Free valet parking for dinner guests. Read the rest of this entry »

Mike’s Cafe is an American Restaurant with three location on the San Francisco Peninsula, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, and Portola Valley. We went to the Portola Valley location, which opened in 2007. This is a good place to hit after an afternoon of hiking or biking nearby. The Palo Alto location opened back in 1995 and is a neighborhood place that is pretty popular. Mike Wallau was born and raised in Palo Alto, California, just down the street from where he opened the first Mike’s Café. Read the rest of this entry »

Coi (Pronounced Kwa, meaning calm, quiet, tranquil) is a Contemporary California Cuisine restaurant near the San Francisco Financial District and a couple feet from an Adult entertainment spot. Opened in 2006, chef Daniel Patterson uses the best ingredients they can find and transform them using modern cooking methods into innovative creations. Coi’s cuisine reminds us of molecular gastronomy giant Fat Duck in the UK. They earned two Michelin stars for 2010, the only restaurant in San Francisco to do so. Coi has a $125 11 course prix fix menu that changes every couple days. We had previously dined in the lounge a year ago, ate a la carte, and found it nothing special, so we decided to get the full treatment this time. ($95 for wine pairings) Read the rest of this entry »

Pican is a restaurant in revitalized Uptown Oakland next door to Ozumo. New Orleans native Michael LeBlanc started this restaurant in 2009. This area is undergoing a transformation from long closed auto dealerships and the like to a modern inner city. It serves California infused Southern Cuisine with lots of fresh seasonal ingredients in a vibrant cosmopolitan atmosphere. They were on the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand list for 2010. Read the rest of this entry »

Village Pub is a fine dining establishment in the small town of Woodside. We have passed by many times and felt it was time to try it. They received One Michelin star in 2009, 2010. Mark Sullivan is the chef and identifies his cuisine as “Contemporary American yet is rooted in the culinary traditions of France and the Mediterranean.” They use lots of seasonal, local, and organic ingredients. The chef has a sister restaurant, Spruce, in San Francisco.

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