Buck’s is a quirky restaurant nestled in the small town of Woodside. The interior is full of off the wall models, toys, posters, and more. Even the front of the seasonal menu has a lecture on different topics. Their website is pretty crazy. Our last visit was in 2012. They have a separate lunch special menu that changes from time to time. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We came for lunch. Read the rest of this entry »

Viognier Restaurant is named after a grape grown in France. The restaurant is located in downtown San Mateo upstairs from Draeger’s grocery store. We have tried lunch and dinner here. The menu changes seasonally. We had not eaten here for a while, so it was time to rekindle our memories in late 2011
Dinner is a prix fix 3 ($55) to 4 ($69) to 5 course ($85) meal where you can select any course including 3 entrees! Read the rest of this entry »

Why did we dine here? – Bistro Jeanty was one of the last major restaurants in Yountville that we have not reviewed. Has any foodie knows, this town is an eaters paradise. As good a reason as any to give it a try! They lost their Michelin star a couple years back, so we did not have high expectations. Would this place make up for not going to Redd?

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Morimoto Napa is a Japanese restaurant run by world famous television Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. This celebrity chef, who also worked at Nobu, is known for his whimsical twists on Japanese cuisine. The restaurant has gotten lukewarm reviews from the major San Francisco food critics, so we came expecting a lot of flash and little substance. He has outposts around the world including in India and Hawaii. We had lunch at Morimoto Napa.

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Hong Kong Flower Lounge is part of the Mayflower restaurant group that has four Chinese Cantonese restaurants locations in the San Francisco Bay area; San Francisco, Millbrae, Union City, and Milpitas. We visited the location in Millbrae. This review concentrates on dim sum served only during lunch. They’ve been around a long time, over 20 years. Hong Kong Flower Lounge has an extensive menu and have lot of items are not on carts, thus needing to be ordered through a waiter. Our latest visit was in October, 2011.

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We recently finished up our latest culinary tour of China in the Summer of 2011. Guangzhou is the origination point for Cantonese Chinese cuisine, making it a must visit for those serious about Chinese food.

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Koi Palace is a popular Cantonese Chinese restaurant in Daly City. The Peninsula is ground zero for some of the best Chinese food in the SF Bay area. It has been around since 1997 and specializes in wide selection of Dim Sum for lunch and special dishes for dinner. They also have locations in Dublin and at the Thunder Valley Casino. Koi Palace Dinner is reviewed separately. Dragon Beard candy creation is covered too. Our last visit was in the fall of 2011.

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Madera Restaurant is located in the Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel, just across the way from venture capital central. This is a high-end hotel that opened up just a couple years ago. Chef Peter Rudolph used to work at Campton place in San Francisco. He uses a wood-burning grill and explores artfully-crafted, market-driven cuisine of bold flavors. Sustainably harvested and produced seafood and meats. Madera means wood in Spanish. Read the rest of this entry »

Hong Kong East Ocean Seafood Restaurant is located in Emeryville, right by the Bay. It has excellent views of San Francisco. The restaurant is popular for dim sum and for large banquets, especially on the weekends. Our last visit was in the middle of 2011. Read the rest of this entry »

Big Bubbas Bad BBQ is a food concession that appears at some of the country’s largest State Fairs, Nascar Races, and Livestock Shows since 1996. You will find them in California, Colorado, and New Mexico. We have eaten their food several times over the years and found it to be pretty good. Our last visit in 2011 was during the Maker’s Faire in San Mateo. Read the rest of this entry »

Unlimited high quality dim sum lunch for $12? Wow! Read the rest of this entry »

Din Tai Fung is a popular Hong Kong dumpling restaurant with locations in Bellevue, Los Angeles, Taipei, Japan, China, Singapore, and several other countries. We had previously dined at Din Tai Fung in Shanghai’s touristy Xintiandi. The Los Angeles location is in Arcadia with Yelp reviews unfortunately indicating it is a step down from the ones abroad.

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