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Foodnut Cancun Restaurant Reviews

Posted on July 17, 2018

Last Update: 2018

Foodnut travels, eats, and tells. We’re based in San Francisco but have flown all over the place. We love Mexican food and find some of the best in Cancun.

We recently finished up our latest culinary tour of Cancun in 2018. Other reviews farther down are from previous trips. Cancun is a world class destination full of great food. Most of the Mexican food was superior to that in the San Francisco Bay Area. The service is on another level here.

The Morris, San Francisco

Posted on July 10, 2018

Why did we dine here? – The Morris it’s a restaurant in San Francisco’s Mission District that occupies the former location of the slow club.

Taverna, Palo Alto

Posted on June 26, 2018

Why did we dine here? – Taverna is a recently opened Greek restaurant in Palo Alto by some alumni of nearby Evvia restaurant. They brought in a Chef from Village Pub to execute their dream. We had good experiences at Evvia so we decided to give this less formal place a try.

Duong’s Restaurant, Hanoi, Vietnam

Posted on April 17, 2018

Rated 5 on Trip Advisor over 1000 reviews

Evvia Estiatorio, Palo Alto

Posted on March 28, 2018

Why did we dine here? – Evvia is the sister restaurant of popular Kokkari in San Francisco. Our last visit here was over 10 years ago, so it was time for a refresher. Reservations are not easy to come by at this small restaurant, just off University Avenue.

Parks BBQ, Los Angeles

Posted on February 20, 2018

Why did we dine here? – Parks BBQ has been packing in the crowds for a long time. Nice decor with a bar upstairs. Celeb pix line the entranceway. The diners came from all races unlike some of the more hardcore places, making this a nice place for new Korean BBQ fans to eat at. Last visit Summer 2019.

Legal Seafood, Chestnut Hill

Posted on January 1, 2018

Does it deserve 3 Yelp stars? We had not eaten at a Legal Seafood for over 20 years and decided to try a Legal that was conveniently located at the mall we were at. This Chestnut Hill, Boston location has been in existence since 1975, and is now part of the posh ‘The Street’ mall. Be sure to check out the cool SuperLux movie theater here, it has great amenities.

J. Zhou Oriental Cuisine

Posted on November 27, 2017

J. Zhou in Tustin, Orange County, California is an upscale Chinese Cantonese restaurant in The District Mall. After a meal you can hit Whole Foods or the mall next door! The restaurant has been here since 2014.

A.O.C., Los Angeles

Posted on September 11, 2017

Outdoor Patio, Great food = Best of LA.

Boston Restaurant Recommendations

Posted on September 4, 2017

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.

Osteria Morini, New York City

Posted on August 21, 2017

Why did we dine here? – Really good Italian in SoHo. Osteria Morini is Michael White’s Soho more casual Italian restaurant (Marea, Alto, Vaucluse, Convivio and Ai Fiori) was near our hotel. We debated coming here, as our experience at 2 Michelin Star Marea was not good. Lucikly this spot was not only way cheaper, but way better. Really good starters, pasta and dessert.

Sushi Maruyama, San Mateo

Posted on August 14, 2017

Why did we dine here? – Sushi Maruyama is the latest Japanese spot to give this corner a go. They are not related to the last place. The last 2 came and went over the years. This Japanese restaurant joins a ton of others on virtually every block of downtown San Mateo. The town is now home to some top spots including Wakuriya, Sushi Sam, and Sushi Yoshizumi.

Row 34, Boston

Posted on July 31, 2017

Why did we dine here? – Great Seafood in Boston. Row 34 is a popular New American Seafood restaurant in South Boston’s busy waterfront area. This restaurant is owned by the folks who run Island Creek Oyster Bar. Part of the restaurant group that also owns Island Creek Oyster Bar. They even farm their own oysters. Need to reserve in advance or come early for walk tables. The food is very good and not cheap, making a busy top spot in Boston for afterwork get togethers.

Bouchon, Yountville

Posted on June 26, 2017

Classic French done right. Bouchon is a French bistro that is part of the Thomas Keller French Laundry empire. They have locations in Yountville and Las Vegas, we have been to both and finally had a chance to return to the Napa Valley location after 8 years.

Chez Maman, San Francisco

Posted on May 22, 2017

Why did we dine here? – Quaint French Bistro with very good food. Chez Mama is a French Bistro with 2 locations in San Francisco, Potrero Hill and Hayes Valley. We have dined at both restaurants. The downside of this restaurant is the wait. They do not take reservations, so put your name down and chill.

China Live, San Francisco

Posted on May 8, 2017

Why did we dine here? – China Live is a $20 million Chinese food extravaganza from Chef George Chen and crew. (Shanghai 1930, Betelnut, etc) Very ambitious, this complex seeks to help put Chinatown back on the map along with Mister Jiu. Billed as an Eataly of Chinese Food, we were chomping at the bit to try it, but waited 3 weeks for things to settle down. The food was still marginal at that point. We returned about 2 months after it opened and found things a lot better. They focus on high quality ingredients: organic, local, etc…

Sushi Ota, San Diego

Posted on February 6, 2017

Why did we dine here? – Sushi Ota is a well known Sushi hot spot in San Diego. We were vacationing in San Diego and decided to give it a try. We were trying to find something representative of this town and came up with this?! They are rated 4.5 stars on Yelp. Also they are famous for their Uni but had ran out.

R & G Lounge Review, San Francisco

Posted on January 28, 2017

Best Authentic Chinese Restaurant in Chinatown. R & G Lounge is a popular Hong Kong style Cantonese Chinese restaurant in San Francisco. Since 1985 they have been serving top notch Chinese food in Chinatown.

Angelini Osteria, Los Angeles

Posted on January 17, 2017

Better Italian than SF? Why did we dine here? – Angelini Osteria has long been dubbed the best Italian restaurant in LA. We finally made time to dine at this small, cozy restaurant near the end of 2016. Yes, we did see a celebrity dining there. Our timing allowed us to catch them when Truffles were all over the menu! (Big$$)

Il Fornaio Review

Posted on January 14, 2017

Il Fornaio (The Baker in Italian) is an Italian restaurant serving “creatively prepared, premium-quality Italian cuisine based on authentic regional Italian recipes.” They have 21 locations, many in California. They have been around since 1972, initially starting as a baking school. Now they are owned by a Private Equity group, no doubt trying to squeeze out profits.

Sushi Gen, Los Angeles

Posted on December 19, 2016

Why did we dine here? – Sushi Gen is one of those place we love to write about. Great Food at a reasonable price. Do not take our word for it, look at the ton of 4.5 star ratings on Yelp. There are a ton of high end Japanese places in LA, but few affordable spots serving good food.

Bird Dog, Palo Alto

Posted on November 28, 2016

Why did we dine here? – Bird Dog is a popular new restaurant in downtown Palo Alto. This brings some sophisticated SF style innovative dining to the Peninsula. The interior is impressive, especially for a restaurant down here. Robbie Wilson was the chef of Matsuhisa in Aspen, Colo., and most recently headed up the kitchen at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos (Santa Barbara County)

Insider Tip – On the fence? Especially about the prices. Eat at the bar.

Chungdam, Santa Clara

Posted on June 27, 2016

Why did we dine here? – Chungdam is Korean restaurant located in the Santa Clara Koreatown area. It has been on our bucket list for a while. A combination of a modern beautiful spot with great Korean food attracted us to this place. We have dined at several restaurants in this area, including: Jang Su Jang, Tobang, Gooyi Gooyi, and Ilbunjee #1.

Kin Khao, San Francisco

Posted on February 1, 2016

Why did we dine here? – Excellent, Authentic Thai in San Francisco. Kin Khao means “to eat” or “let’s eat” in Thai. They received one Michelin star in 2016. We have thought about dining here for a while. It is run by the famous food blogger of Chez Pim – Pim Techamuanvivit, girlfriend of Manresa’s chef David Kinch. Kin Khao is located in the first floor of the Parc 55 hotel, so it gets a ton of tourists, lucky them! Be sure to enter on the Mason and Ellis door.

Bull Valley Roadhouse, Port Costa

Posted on January 11, 2016

Why did we dine here? – An oasis in the middle of nowhere. We’ve read about this place for many a year and finally got a chance to dine here, on the way home from Tahoe. Bull Valley Roadhouse serves farm fresh American Fare & Pre-Prohibition Cocktails. This restaurant is located on the South side of the Carquinez Bridge, at the end of a windy road.

Ilbunjee #1, Sunnyvale

Posted on October 19, 2015

Why did we dine here? – Ilbunjee #1 is a Korean BBQ restaurant in the Santa Clara Koreatown district. We find the best Korean in the San Francisco area right here. LA still eclipses our offerings though.

Trestle, San Francisco

Posted on September 28, 2015

Why did we dine here? – Trestle is a small restaurant in San Francisco’s Jackson Square district. Their claim to fame
is a three course prix-fixe menu for $35 per person, with an option to add an additional pasta course for $10. $60 for bottles of wine! The team behind this popular restaurant also runs Stones Throw on Russian Hill and Fat Angel.

Raku, Las Vegas

Posted on September 21, 2015

Why did we dine here? – Raku is a popular Japanese restaurant in Las Vegas. Some friends loved this place and suggested we dine there. Raku are located about 15 minutes from the strip, right in the middle the Chinatown strip mall area. Chef Mitsuo Endo has been packing them in for many years.

Tokyo Foodie Restaurant Mini Reviews

Posted on August 24, 2015

Where does a foodie eat in Tokyo?

In the spring of 2015, we visited Japan for the first time in many decades. Our original trip was set many years ago, but the tsunami changed everything. We finally got some time to visit a country that we really wanted to travel to and eat at.

How to use your iPhone in Japan with a prepaid SIM card

Xiecheng Seafood & Hotpot, Macau

Posted on July 20, 2015

Why did we dine here? – Xiecheng Seafood & Hotpot is a popular restaurant in Macau. This restaurant group owns many different restaurants through out Asia including Jinyuexuan. Our friend recommended this restaurant, and we noticed you will not find it in tour books, nor on Trip Advisor. This place is not located on a central street, so you may need a taxi to reach it.

Ippuku, Berkeley

Posted on July 6, 2015

Why did we dine here? – Ippuku is a Japanese Izakaya style restaurant in downtown Berkeley focused on serving yakitori skewers cooked on robata charcoal grill, soba, ramen, and other dishes in an interesting but narrow dining hall. They have a good selection of sake, shouchu, beer and other spirits. They are located on Center street in a long row of restaurants, a block from UC Berkeley.

Lei Garden Guangzhou Dinner, China

Posted on April 27, 2015

Why did we dine here? – Lei Garden is a top restaurant group with locations in Hong Kong, Singapore, China, and Macau. In late 2014 we had dinner at the Guangzhou location of Lei Garden, based on our local friends re-iteration that even this location serves up great food. Interesting to hear that the Xi Jinping’s crackdown has affected business at this restaurant too. Government officials do not want to be caught near any fancy restaurants any more. This location takes up one floor and is 50% made up of private rooms.

MGM Macau Rossio Buffet, Macau

Posted on March 23, 2015

250lb Wagyu beef roast?

Why did we dine here? – MGM Macau Rossio Buffet is the main buffet at this huge resort in Macau. Macau is China’s Las Vegas, and generates $44 billion in gambling revenue in 2014, compared to $6 billion in Las Vegas. Clearly Macau has become the biggest gambling area around. We stayed here for one night to see how the small country has changed.

Shin Yeh 101, Taipei, Taiwan

Posted on February 2, 2015

Why did we dine here? – Shin Yeh at Taipei 101 is the flagship restaurant for this local restaurant group. This particular Shin Yeh is located on the 85th floor of the Taipei 101 Skyscraper. We were looking for a high end restaurant to celebrate Christmas and settled on this place. Of note, there really aren’t a lot of fine dining Taiwanese restaurants here. Night markets, small local places are all over the place. If you have other suggestions, please leave them in the comments.

Ox Restaurant Review, Portland

Posted on August 4, 2014

Why did we dine here? – Ox is part of the restaurant group that owns Lardo, Grassa, and other Portland restaurants. This place was highly recommended by some of the foodies on Chowhound, so we added it to our list of must-visit restaurants. This modern steakhouse is located in a bright red building and features a huge wood fired grill right near the door. Wait times at this restaurant can be long, so we came right when it opened. You need to arrive 30-45 minutes early on weekends. Clearly this is a hot spot.

Ko Restaurant Review, Wailea, Maui

Posted on June 9, 2014

Why did we dine here? – We were staying at the Fairmont on Maui, so it was natural to eat at restaurant Ko. We had originally sought to eat elsewhere, but jet lag make
it far easier to stay put. A beautiful room, tropical sea breeze flowing, a view open to the pool with live modern Jazz playing.
Executive Chef Tylun Pang was Voted 2013 Maui Restaurant of the Year.

Insider Tip – Happy Hour 3-5pm with drink and pupu specials is cheaper!

Donato Enoteca Restaurant Review, Redwood City

Posted on January 1, 2014

Donato Enoteca is an Italian Restaurant in downtown Redwood City, located right next to City Hall. They serve modern Italian focusing on fresh, simple ingredients, and focusing on the chef’s Donata Scotti (formerly of La Strada) Northern Italian roots. Our last visit for dinner outside in 2020 during the Covid 19 Pandemic.

Whisk Sunday Brunch Buffet, Hong Kong

Posted on December 11, 2013

Post Pandemic, Whisk has buffets or semi-buffets on special holidays only.

Whisk is a restaurant in the posh hotel Mira, which is renowned for having Edward Snowden, the US whistleblower, stay. This hotel is conveniently located in the middle of the main Hong Kong tourist district. We were originally going to revisit our favorite Sunday Brunch buffet, Conrad, but after having an even better buffet in Singapore, we decided to try something new and less expensive. Whisk is a Contemporary European the rest of the week.

Sushi Ran Restaurant Review, Sausalito

Posted on November 7, 2013

Sushi Ran is a popular Japanese restaurant in Sausalito run by chef Taka Toshi. They describe their food as “vibrant fusion of traditional Japanese and Pacific cuisine”. Since 1986 they have been serving up top notch Japanese food in Marin. They have the standard Japanese fare you would expect, including Omakase (Trust the chef) plus lots of dinner specials and cooked items. They have an extensive wine and sake collection. You can eat in the main dining room or in the sake and wine bar next door that has an outdoor patio. Our last visit was in the summer of 2014.

Song Jook Heon Restaurant Review, Seoul, Korea

Posted on October 9, 2013

Why did we dine here? – Song Jook Heon is a classic hanjeongsik, or traditional Korean restaurant.
This restaurant is located across the street from the secret garden of Changdeok Palace.
This meal is pre-designed by the chef and can include up to 30 dishes. The food served here originated in royal palaces of ancient Korea. With the popularity of Korean soap operas, more people are being introduced to this type of meal. We noticed another room had a bunch of businessmen and some female accompaniment.

Coqueta Restaurant Review, San Francisco

Posted on July 29, 2013

Why did we dine here? – Coqueta (Spanish for flirt or infatuation) is a new restaurant from Michael Chiarello of Bottega, Napastyle fame.
This time he focuses on Spain’s signature ‘small plates’ from Madrid, Catalonia, the Basque Country and beyond. We loved Bottega so giving this
place a try was a no brainer. They are located a couple piers down from the Ferry Building. Take a walk after dinner and burn off the calories.

Paul Martin’s American Grill Restaurant Review, San Mateo

Posted on July 22, 2013

Why did we dine here? – Paul Martin’s American Grill is a new restaurant chain from the P in PF Chang’s. This new dining establishment open in San Mateo’s Hillsdale Mall in July 2013. They have a location in Roseville as well as 3 in southern California. Normally hearing the above would cause us to run, but we were nearby, so we gave it a go.

Outerlands Restaurant Review, San Francisco

Posted on April 15, 2013

Why did we dine here? – Outerlands has established the outer sunset into a foodie destination. No reservations, so there is a line out the door before the place opens. Lana Porcello and David Muller have created an oasis in this cold drab, often foggy part of town where the Muni Metro clanks through every couple minutes. We came for lunch and waited 20 minutes. On another occasion we had dinner.

Capo’s Restaurant Review, San Francisco

Posted on April 8, 2013

Why did we dine here? – Capo’s is owned by Tony of Tony’s Pizza fame. We had to give his new place a try, being big pizza and Italian fans. This place transports you back to the old days with red leather booths, exposed brick, and old school antiques.
Cash Only.

Elliott’s Oyster House Restaurant Review, Seattle

Posted on April 1, 2013

Why did we dine here? – Elliott’s Oyster House is located on the waterfront, smack dab in the middle of different attractions we were visiting. They have their Oyster New Year event every year, leading to crowds of oyster fans from all over. You can also visit Taylor Shellfish Farms in Seattle to purchase a wide variety of local oysters.

New England Lobster Market and Eatery Restaurant Review, Burlingame

Posted on February 18, 2013

Why did we dine here? – New England Lobster Market and Eatery has been selling Maine lobsters, Dungeness crab and shellfish since 1986. They recently opened an
eatery in Burlingame’s hotel row area, just south of San Francisco Airport (SFO). Being a fan of crustaceans, we had to try this restaurant.

Insider Tip – Great place to purchase shellfish to go

Mokutanya, Burlingame

Posted on January 14, 2013

Why did we dine here? – Mokutanya is a modern Japanese restaurant located in a non-descript strip mall in sleepy Burlingame. A friend suggested this restaurant, so we were excited to give it a try. The food and atmosphere exceeded our expectations. Kokko and Izakaya Mai is one of the better skewer restaurants in this area and Mokutanya exceeds it in terms of quality and fun.

San Bruno Korean BBQ Restaurant Review, San Bruno

Posted on December 3, 2012

Why did we dine here? – San Bruno Korean BBQ is an all you can eat $23.95 Korean buffet located almost across the street from Asian Pearl Peninsula.
We’ve passed by this location many times and read the Yelp reviews, so we finally decided it was time to give it a try.

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