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Why did we dine here? – Ernest is a hot restaurant in the Potrero Hill area not far from KQED. We had to set multiple alerts on Resy to get a reservation. They have outdoor seating in their courtyard, complete with heat lamps. We dine here twice, once inside and once outside.
Why did we dine here? – Nari (Women in Thai) is a contemporary Thai restaurant from the folks at Kin Khao. (Means “to eat” or “let’s eat” in Thai.) It is run by the famous food blogger of Chez Pim – Pim Techamuanvivit, girlfriend of Manresa’s chef David Kinch.
French Laundry Books at Amazon
With French Laundry it’s more than just a meal, it’s the whole experience. Beautiful atmosphere in the middle of the wine country, superb service, and of course great food. You could argue that this restaurant or that restaurant has a better beef course or appetizer, but few have the exquisite combination of everything.
Kokkari (Small fishing village on the islands of Samos in the Aegean Sea) is a long standing Greek restaurant in San Francisco’s Financial District – Jackson Square area. Our last visit was over 6 years ago, so it was time for some refreshing of our memories.
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Alexander’s Steakhouse is a high end steak restaurant located in an outdoor mall, situated in Cupertino, just off highway 280. They moved in 2016 to this new outdoor mall. Parking is surprisingly difficult! It was recently featured on Check Please and feature 28-day aged prime steaks. They opened a San Francisco outpost in Bacar’s former digs, in mid September 2010. We hadn’t been there in many years, so it was time for a revisit.
Gluttony in Hong Kong. We are lovers of high end buffets. Hong Kong is one of the top spots for pure gluttony with high end food options for Sunday Brunch. (Prime rib, Many raw seafood options, sushi/sashimi, Foie Gras and more) Past visits have seen us visit other top hotel buffets. We have methodically tried to dine at all the heavy hitters.
Best Buffet in the world?
In late 2019 we went back to the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore Colony buffet. It changed name and upgraded in 2015. The interior is much more ornate and structured. After reading about the food options in 2019, we felt it remains the top buffet in Singapore, in from of Rise and The Line.
Top notch Thai in Chiang Mai. Our original restaurant pick, Blackitch, was full, so our hotel concierge suggested this spot. Boy was he spot on. This was the best meal we had in Thailand. The restaurant is located in a posh hotel that costs US$700 a night and is rated at almost 100% on Trip Advisor.
Best cornbread in town! House of Prime Rib opened in 1949 and concentrates on one dish, Prime rib. We have been coming here for many decades, whenever we have a desire for beef. They use corn-fed Prime beef Midwestern beef that is aged for 21 days and cooked in coarse rock salt.
3 Star Hong Kong Restaurant with no wait. T’ang Court is a 3 Michelin star restaurant in the ritzy Langham Hotel in Hong Kong’s touristy Tsim Sha Tsui district. It got upgraded from 2 to 3 stars in 2016. Our last visit was in 2020 for dim sum lunch when we stayed upstairs and could just walk right in. (Protests worried visitors.) We previously ate there in 2011.
One of the Best Restaurants around! Why did we dine here? – SingleThread Farm is a 3 Michelin star restaurant, 90 minute North of San Francisco. We were celebrating an anniversary and have always wanted to dine here.
Why did we dine here? – Gotham Bar & Grill has been around since 1984 and is considered an institution of fine dining. One Michelin Star, 4.5 stars on Yelp. We decided to see if it lives up to the hype. The older set in the 40’s to 60’s were dining.
Last Update: 4/19/2019
Where does a San Francisco Foodie eat in New York? Follow our journey and learn from our experiences.
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Why did we dine here? – Birdsong is a nature and heritage inspired restaurant, that is currently focused on the Pacific Northwest region. Its located in AQ’s old spot. Dishes highlight key ingredients from this region; such as cold-water shellfish, wild game, berries and mushrooms. They serve prix fix menus that are not cheap.
Why did we dine here? – Niku Steakhouse is a high end Steakhouse focuses on high quality meats including expensive A5 Wagyu from Japan. They have a high end butcher shop next door.
Angler is a more casual seafood – meat restaurant from Three Michelin Star Saison’s Joshua Skenes.
Foodnut returns to Gary Danko!
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 and Yelp for years.
Why did we dine here? – Finally a chance to dine here! Alinea is a legendary three Michelin star restaurant in Chicago. It has four times been named the Best Restaurant in America and is one of only 13 restaurants in the U.S. to earn the coveted Michelin 3-Star rating. This is Chicago’s only 3 star restaurant.
Why did we dine here? – Lazy Bear bills itself as “A modern American dinner Party”. Since 2014 they have been hosting 2 seating of a single prix fixe Tasting Menu served to guests on a long communal table. They started as an underground pop-up, gained traction, scored one Michelin star and have established themselves as more than a gimmick.
Foodnut has a thing for high end buffets.. The Forest Buffet at Harrahs Lake Tahoe has been in existence for decades and is practically a Lake Tahoe institution. We remember coming here as kids and have returned to see how this buffet compares to the best around, especially after a long day of biking. Our last visit was in the summer of 2018.
Best place for Dim Sum newbies plus the Best xiao long bao steamed dumpings in San Francisco?!?
Elegant old school favorite. Why did we dine here? – Spruce is a popular American restaurant in San Francisco’s upper crust Laurel Heights neighborhood. This restaurant has one Michelin star and has been packed ever since it opened. This is our fourth visit, with our last meal here several years ago. The chef Mark Sullivan also oversees Village Pub in Woodside. We recently had one of the best duck dishes there, in a long time. Our last Visit was in 2018.
We return to the first 3 Michelin star Chinese Restaurant in the world…
Upscale IFC Shopping Center – Glitzier than any USA Mall
Could this be one of the best Sunday Brunch buffets in the world?
Best buffet in Hong Kong? Conrad Hong Kong Buffet: Best buffet in the world?
Why did we dine here? – Californios is a Two Michelin Star (in 2017) Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco, the highest rating of its type in the US. We were intrigued and hesitated to come here, but finally succumbed to all the positive accolades and were glad we did. ($177 for Mexican food?!) Chef Val M. Cantu crafts cuisine of the highest regard, having moved up from a popup years ago. Open the really heavy door and you will enter this fairly small restuarant. It almost seems like it should be twice the size, and a little less dark – hard edged.
Some call this place the Best in the world! San Sebastian is teeming with Michelin Stars, some of the higher number in one area. We chose two 3 star restaurants for our trip, Arzak and Martín Berasategui. This was primarily driven from research and recommendations from others. Mugaritz was one 3 star restaurant that many people discouraged us from dining at.
One of the Best Meals We’ve ever had! In Lasarte-Oria(Gipuzkoa) about 15 minutes from foodie heaven San Sebastian, Spain, Martín Berasategui has been awarded three Michelin stars since 2001. Most people think about Arzak or Mugaritz, but you need to dine HERE! The chef holds eight stars in total, more than any other Spanish chef with many restaurants around the world. He has 3 stars at this restaurant, 3 stars in Barcelona at Restaurante Lasarte, and 2 stars in the Canary Islands.
Tickets is top rated part of Albert Adria’s group of restaurants, across the street from his other restaurant Bodega 1900. This restaurant was ranked number 25 in the world. It features a whimsical interior with offbeat decor, lights and furniture. It has 1 Michelin star.
We have a soft spot for buffets. Large assortments of food from around the world lets us try items that we would never order. High end buffets with everything from Prime Rib to Lobster to Foie Gras to Souffles are always on our hit list. Foodnut values quality in addition to quantity, so forget about Hometown Buffet or Golden Corral.
Buffets originated in France, where French hosts would set up tables full of food so diners could help themselves during parties. This concept grew and was super sized in Las Vegas.
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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Best Sunday Brunch Buffet in California!
AVEO Table + Bar is a restaurant inside the beautiful Monarch Beach Resort at Dana Point, in Southern California’s Orange County. The restaurant was full of well dressed OC folks along with some cool guys wearing shorts. They serve a top notch Sunday Brunch Buffet, and Mediterranean focused normal a la carte during the rest of the week.
Why did we dine here? – Eating Cheaply at NYC’s #1 Restaurant. We did the same at Eleven Madison Park. Le Bernardin is a famous 3 Michelin star restaurant in New York City. Ranked #17 in 2017 on the Top 50 in the world list. It has been on the top of our must visit list for a while. Star chef Eric Ripert has been featured on Anthony Bourdain’s show several times. He seems to really know how to cook.
Why did we dine here? – mourad is a One Michelin star restaurant from Mourad Lahlou and Aziza. Their description is:
“Mourad is a modern interpretation of a cuisine deeply rooted in the past. Our food pays homage to those roots, showcasing the rich and vibrant flavors of Morocco in new ways that harmonize with the fresh, local, artisanal ingredients, and the spirit of innovation of Northern California.”
Where do well heeled Silicon Valley people eat?
Why did we dine here? – Plumed Horse is a long standing (1952) restaurant located in Saratoga, not far from the Montalvo winery. This location used to be a stable, hence the name. Peter Armellino (Jardiniere, Aqua SF, Village Pub) is the chef.
Why did we dine here? – Mister Jiu’s (Bar Agricole) is Brandon Jew’s long awaited Chinese restaurant in San Francisco’s Chinatown. He took years to remodel the old Four Seas restaurant and assemble a cast of pros (Pastry Chef Melissa Chou – Aziza) with solid pedigrees. It was at the top of our hit list, but we somehow managed to give them two weeks to get into their groove. Not a large restaurant, but a clean modern look with a large stenciled drawing on the wall. (It too 4 1/2 years to do) Initial reports from Yelp feel into the disappointing 3 star range.
Why did we dine here? – In Situ serves the best dishes from famous chefs around the world. Corey Lee (Benu, Monsieur Benjamin) gets recipes from cooks and replicates them as he best can. The dishes may not be the same as ones being served at those restaurants today. Older variants might be when is being copied.
Why did we dine here? – Best Restaurant in the USA? Dine here at 50% off! Eleven Madison Park is a well respected American restaurant situated at 11 Madison Avenue in the Flatiron District of New York City. Three Michelin stars were awarded in 2016. The restaurant was recently ranked #3 in the World by The World’s 50 Best Restaurant list.
Why did we dine here? – Two words: Lincon Center. Lincoln Ristorante is located right in the middle of Lincoln Center next to the reflecting pool, making it a super convenient place to dine before a play, performance, show, ballet, movie etc. Wish we had so many fantastic activities like this in San Francisco!
Why did we dine here? – Babbo is celebrity chef Mario Batali’s and Joe Bastianich’s flagship restaurant serving regional Italian classics. How could we pass up trying his Italian food? We had never been to one of his restaurants and figured he better know how to cook his native food. Alas he was not in the house. This place is very busy, with them asking Opentable reservations to call and get a token. They received 1 Michelin star in 2016.
Why did we dine here? – Akiko’s Restaurant is a small Japanese restaurant that has been on our list for a while. They are known for serving fresh fish but now have a lots of competition from newcomers. (Kusakabe, Yoshizumi, Juni, An, etc) The restaurant is stealth, without a sign in the front. It is located below the irish bar sign. They had a chef change from Ricky Yap to Geoffrey Lee in 2014.
Why did we dine here? – Merrimans is a popular restaurant on Maui, perfectly situated on the coast by the beautiful Kapalua Beach. It is well reviewed and we were playing at the beach next door, so it was high time to try this place. This restaurant also has locations on the Big Island, and Kauai. The same owner runs the more casual Monkeypod Kitchen.
The Andaz Hotel in Wailea, Maui is the closest thing to paradise. Beautiful beachfront property, where the resort fee gets you free GoPro rental, Yoga Classes, SUP Classes, snorkel rentals, and a lot more..
See our full list of Maui Restaurant Reviews
Steak on the Peninsula. Town Restaurant is a steakhouse serving American comfort food in downtown San Carlos. It opened in 2006 and has gotten positive press, so we figured we would see how it stacks up. Over the years, this restaurant has been consistently busy. Town is definitely a hit with the locals, many of which can just walk over for a meal. Our last visit was in December 2015. It is so busy, we had to make a reservation over a week in advance.
Why did we dine here? – Best Sushi in the San Francisco? Sushi Yoshizumi, San Mateo, California is a new One Michelin Star receipient for 2016. They serve the expert crafted omakase menu of Chef Akira Yoshizumi. Ingredients are sourced both domestically and internationally (Tokyo) for his Edomae sushi style cuisine.
Why did we dine here? – An Japanese is a new Japanese Edomae-style Sushi restaurant in San Francisco’s Japantown, taking the place of crusty old Ino Sushi. It is run by the folks behind Koo in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset district. Hayakawa San and his wife run this small restaurant. Definitely and intimate affair here.
