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Xiringuito Escriba is a beachfront paella restaurant that several people recommended to us. The Yelp reviews are not good, so we were worried. To its credit, the restaurant was pretty full by 8pm, while others nearby where not. The posted hours show that it opens at 7pm, but we found people eating there before this. (No doubt foreigners like us!) Any restaurant that has such a good view is always red flagged by us.
Delicious Italian around the Bay. Pizzeria Delfina is the lower cost more casual eatery next to top rated Delfina. They do not take reservations and focus on ‘Neapolitan inspired’, thin crust pizzas and Antipasti. Delfina does not serve pizza. They use local, seasonal ingredients and have a lots of wines by the glass. There are 2 location in San Francisco – Mission and Pacific Heights. In 2026 we dined at the California St SF location.
Mon Ami Gabi is a classic French bistro style restaurant located at street level in the Paris casino at Las Vegas. How quaint that there is a French restaurant in a ‘French’ Casino? They specialize in Classic French Bistro Fare including crepes and quiches. “Mon Ami” means “My Friend” in French and “Gabi” is for renown Chef and Owner Gabino Sotelino. We dined at lunch time. This restaurant is rated 4 stars on Yelp.
Why did we dine here? – Din Tai Fung is a popular Xiao Long Bao (small bamboo steamer bun in Chinese) – Shanghai Steamed dumpling restaurant with locations in Bellevue, Los Angeles, Taipei, Japan, China, Singapore, and several other countries. We have dined at the location in Shanghai’s touristy Xintiandi, Bellevue, Singapore, and Hong Kong. The Los Angeles location is in Arcadia with Yelp reviews unfortunately indicating it is a step down from the ones abroad, although some say it is better than the original in Taiwan.
China Village is a Chinese restaurant featured on the KQED public television program Check Please back in 2008. They specialize in Szechuan (Sichuan) Chinese food but serve other styles of Chinese Food. China Village is in the 2010 Michelin Guide as a listed restaurant. We were nearby and finally had an excuse to visit. Our last visit was in the summer of 2018, after they re-opened in July 2013 and remodeled the restaurant after a fire.
They moved back to NYC and closed 12/30/2017! They will be missed. Long lines before they even opened.
Great Sichuan Spicy food in the OC.
Sichuan Impression in Tustin, Orange County is the second outpost of the spicy restaurant, the others are in Alhambra and Los Angeles. We at in the LA one near UCLA in 2019. This location is located in a plain jane strip mall near Highway 5. It was recommended to us as probably the top Sichuan restaurant in the OC. Also checkout our review of nearby J Zhou, Tustin for dim sum.
Where the locals go in Barcelona!
Mercado de Santa Caterina is a food market in Central Barcelona where mostly locals go to do their everyday shopping.
The market is not very large and focuses on locals. There is not a lot of ready to eat food or Restaurants, unlike the other main market. After walking around, we found it very different than La Boqueria of Barcelona. Not very crowded which allowed for more interaction especially with Jamon sellers.
The must go to food market in Barcelona!
La Boqueria is the food market in Central Barcelona, right off the touristy Las Ramblas boulevard. This is a must visit spot for all folks vacationing here. Prices of course are not cheap.
The locals have slowly been pushed away. Santa Caterina’s Market in Barcelona is much more focused on the locals.
Why did we dine here? – Wonderful food at great prices. La Viga derives from the massive central seafood market in Mexico City where our chef Manuel Martinez (Left Bank, Reposado) comes from. They focus food with local sustainable ingredients and draw a huge crowd. This restaurant has a high 4.5 rating on Yelp from almost 1000 reviewers. A friend tipped us off.
Last Update: 7/20/2017
Travelling? Here is a Foodie research into Boston.. A list at the bottom shows other restaurants we would try next.
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Where the locals go in San Sebastian!
Mercado laBretxa, San Sebastian is a food market in the old town of San Sebastian where mostly locals go to do their everyday shopping.
The market is not very large and focuses on locals. There is not a lot of ready to eat food or Restaurants, unlike the other main market.
Mission Hipster heaven. Modern Fusion Chinese.
Mission Chinese Food is a restaurant in San Francisco’s Mission District that used to be a popup in the Lung Shan restaurant. Mission Chinese Food has basically taken over the place with its success!
Why did we dine here? – Ben Tre (A city in Vietnam) has three locations on the San Francisco Peninsula.
Why did we dine here? – Parada is a Peruvian restaurant in downtown Walnut Creek, just a block from the BART station.
Carlos Altamirano, best known for La Costanera in Half Moon Bay, is the chef. His track record made selecting this place, a no brainer. They also run Piqueos, Mochica, and Sanguchon.
Hot Stuff! Why did we dine here? – Chili House is a Chinese restaurant in the SF Richmond district. It is special because in November 2015, Tong Gang Wang became the chef at Chili House. He has cooked for several Presidents in China. This is a sister restaurant to Z&Y Sichuan restaurant in SF’s Chinatown. With the new chef, there is more Beijing food on the menu, like hand-pulled noodles, Beijing pot stickers and lamb hot pot. This restaurant reminds us of China Village in Albany.
Soup Dumplings! Why did we dine here? – Chef Zhao Kitchen is a Shanghai Chinese restaurant in Palo Alto, near 101 and Embarcadero. This is a sister restaurant to Cupertino’s Shanghai Garden.
Confusing things, Chef Zhao Bistros in Mountain View and San Mateo are unrelated both cuisine-wise and with owners. This restaurant has been getting some good local buzz, so it was time to check it out.
Bread heaven! Why did we dine here? – Tartine Manufactory is Chad Robertson and Elisabeth Prueitt’s new bakery, ice cream shop, and restaurant. We love their bread, so we could not wait to try their sandwiches and desserts. This 5,000-square-foot restaurant is home to their bakery, so you can see them working their magic. They crank out a lot of bread than the old Tartine Bakery 18th street location, making it easier to score this fantastic bread. Bread from 10:30 until it is sold out.
Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant is one of best Cantonese Chinese restaurants in Southern California, according to several different sources. Foodnut agrees, it continues to be our go to place when we are in Southern California for Dim Sum.
Marnee Thai has been serving up Thai food since 1986 in San Francisco. They have 2 locations in San Francisco’s Sunset District. We were in the neighborhood and having not eaten here in a long time, decided to give them a try. Our last visit was in October 2017.
Why did we dine here? – Yankee Lobster is a casual seafood restaurant near the end of pier in South Boston. They also run a commercial lobster operation. This is an order at the counter, pay, and wait for food to be delivered place. Decor is pretty low key, making this a casual spot. A nice out of the way location that fewer tourists dine at.
Why did we dine here? – Famous Vietnamese restaurant Brodard, in Southern California. Home to the largest Vietnamese population in the US, you would expect to find some great restaurants. Many Yelp reviews mention dining here whenever they are down here. We had to give this place a try on our latest SoCal trip. The place was packed and very loud.
Why did we dine here? – Noodle Heaven! Best Pho? Momofuku Noodle is part of David Changs Momofuku empire. We choose this restaurant due to its accessible menu and moderate cost. We were not interested in his higher end places.
Why did we dine here? – Don Antonio by Starita is a popular pizza restaurant in New York City’s Midtown area. It brings together 2 pizza superstars: Roberto Caporuscio of Kesté Pizza & Vino in New York City, and his maestro, Antonio Starita of Pizzeria Starita a Materdei in Naples. Starita in Naples remains our top Pizza experience, so we had to try this place out.
Why did we dine here? – The Best Milk shakes of course! Black Tap has rocked the social media world with huge shakes covered with all sorts of crazy candies, cookies. It was definitely on our must hit NYC list. This restaurant is notorious for waits up to 3 hours, something we did not look forward to.
Beijing Restaurant San Francisco is a Beijing style Chinese restaurant in San Francisco’s Excelsior district that opened in early 2009. Located a couple blocks off Highway 280 near City College, this place has gotten lots of hype on Chowhound. It is a family owned place that focuses on authentic Beijing dishes. Basketball player Yao Ming had been here 2 days earlier to one of our visits. We dined here last in 2016 when we learned they have added a location in the South Bay.
Palo Alto Creamery has been serving up classic burger joint food since 1988 when Robert Fischer took over the business. They used to have 2 locations in Palo Alto, with the downtown location open since 1923 in previously known as the Peninsula Creamery. Stanford Shopping Center location closed in 2013.
Foodnut visits The Buffet at the Aria Hotel in Las Vegas for Dinner.
While not up to the level of the Caesar’s Bacchanal Buffet or Cosmopolitan’s Wicked Spoon, The Buffet at Aria is a solid buffet with a good selection.
Our top buffet in Vegas is the Bally’s Sterling Sunday Brunch
Why did we dine here? – Champa Garden is a Thai restaurant not far from City College in San Francisco’s Ingleside district. The original location opened in Oakland in 2006 and is well loved. Our friends like this casual restaurant, so it was time to give it a try. Last to go visit was in early 2017.
Lavash is a family owned upscale Persian restaurant in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset Irving Street district, that opened in late 2007. Mayor known for their Iranian food including fire grilled kabobs. This restaurant has gotten high reviews on Yelp. They use high quality ingredients including Niman Ranch meats. Our last visit was in September 2017.
Why did we dine here? – Lers Ros is a popular Thai restaurant in San Francisco with a newly opened location in Hayes valley. We have never dined here previously, so it was a good excuse to check out the new location. Lers Ros means “excellent taste of the food” in Sanskrit. Tom Silargorn is the owner and chef. Michael Bauer has this restaurant in his top 100 Bay Area restaurants for 2012. This review is the culmination of two visits. The restaurant is extremely noisy during peek times and also cramped. Last visit was in 2017.
Why did we dine here? – El Sinaloense is a hidden gem of a Mexican restaurant in San Mateo that few know about, but those that come, return. Tucked away behind a Safeway, this place is one of the top Mexican restaurants in San Mateo, if not the best. Lots of locals and families come here for dinner. A friend recommended this spot, so we gave it a try. It is actually difficult to find a good Mexican restaurant. Forget about recommending Chevy’s.
Insider Tip – Service can be slow, so do not come in a hurry.
Why did we dine here? – Locanda Positano is the sister restaurant to now closed Acqua Pazza in San Mateo and has received some high accolades on Yelp. We were in the area, love Italian food, and decided to give them a try.
Locanda means inn, in Italian. Positano is a scenic town hugging the Amalfi coast of Southern Italy. We’ve visited there but did not have a meal. Our last visit was in Spring 2017, where we found service had fallen.
Coconuts Caribbean Restaurant and Bar is an Caribbean Island focused restaurant that has been open since 2008. They focus on Jamaican classics like Jerk Chicken. Some cool Steel drum live music was playing on our 2009 visit, by 2016, the place was so loud on a Friday night, you could not hear much. Its chef also runs the cult classic Back-A-yard restaurant in Menlo Park.
Shabuway is a Japanese hot pot restaurant in San Mateo that opened in 2004. They also have a location in Mountain View, San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Jose, and Union City. You cook vegetables and thinly sliced beef at your table in a your own boiling pot of watery broth. Shabuway does not take reservations and insists all folks are present when names are called. Our last visit was in 2016, where we get a sense that the business changed hands.
Hakka Restaurant SF is a family run Chinese restaurant in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond District that opened in early 2010. It has garnered some foodie attention on chowhound. While they serve a wide variety of Chinese dishes including Americanized standbys, they are known for their regional Chinese specialties. We returned for to go in late 2015.
Himawari is a Japanese Ramen Noodle house located in downtown San Mateo. Every block down here has a Japanese restaurant. Their chief rival, a couple miles away, is the legendary Santa Ramen along with its sister Ramen restaurants. They have a broader menu than Santa Ramen, with Rice Bowls, lots of appetizers, and many ramen options. We came on hot day and noted no air conditioning, just ceiling fans cranked up. Last visit September 2017.
A video review of the newest BonChon Chicken location in San Mateo, California.
We finished up our latest culinary tour of China in the Summer of 2011 at South Sea Fishing Village for lunch. They have 2 locations here. Guangzhou is the origination point for Cantonese Chinese cuisine, making it a must visit for those serious about Chinese food. In late 2014 we returned for dinner.
Howie’s Artisan Pizza was opened by Howard Bulka in late 2009 into Town & Country Village shopping Center of Palo Alto. He had worked at various restaurants including Marche. Inspired by the New Haven school of East Coast pizza-making and the renaissance of artisanal products including organic, natural, and local ingredients. Our last visit was in the beginning of 2015 when we noticed that pizza prices went up again.
Elite Seafood Restaurant is one of top Chinese restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley, according to several different sources. This restaurant serves dim sum during lunch, and traditional Cantonese dishes at dinner time.
Lanai has been on our must visit lists for a while. We finally got a chance to visit this tropical paradise in April 2014.
The easiest and cheapest way to arrive is by ferry from Maui. The fare is a reasonable $60 round trip. Frankly we saw more dolphins, flying fish, and whales riding this ferry than we did on a whale watching tour!
There are two Four Seasons Resorts on the island along with a small Lanai Hotel. We stayed in the Four Season Manele Bay, right on the beach. (Why would you want to stay at the other one?) One beautiful resort and priced a couple hundred less than the Four Seasons Maui. Lanai City is a small plantation town in a timewarp to the 70’s. A tiny place with a small town square. Here are 3 places we ate in between all the chilling.
One Forty
1 Manele Bay Rd
Lanai City, HI 96763
(808) 565-2000
Website
The Cosmopolitan was the latest and greatest hotel to open in 2011. Its buffet is called Wicked Spoon. Some have called it the next great buffet after Wynn and Bellagio, so we had to give it a visit. Our last visit was in the summer of 2014.
Why did we dine here? – Lardo was the place mentioned several times by other foodies, when asked where to get a great burger in Portland. We’re also big Porchetta fans, so this made it an easy decision. We selected the location right near downtown Portland, within walking distance of our hotel and that bookstore to end all bookstores, Powell’s.
They have 3 locations to serve your pig-out needs. Chefs Table Group also owns Ox, Grassa Next Door, and several other well respected restaurants in Portland.
Why did we dine here? – Dumpling Kitchen is a Shanghai, Chinese restaurant in the outer Sunset of San Francisco. We are big dumpling fans, and heard that they had some worthy candidates. The person who runs this restaurant is the brother of a former owner of Shanghai Dumpling King. Last visit was in March 2015. This place is busy on the weekends.
Why did we dine here? – Lahaina Grill is one of the most popular high end restaurants in the touristy part of Lahaina, Maui. It definitely has a great repuation, and is situated in the midst of a ton of tourist traps. Foodies regularly recommend this restaurant, so we had high hopes. This place fills up fast, so you need to make reservations ahead of time or have to sit at the bar.
