United States
B. Patisserie Review, San Francisco
Posted on June 1, 2019
Why did we dine here? – B. Patisserie is a new bakery from Belinda Leong. She is a veteran of Gary Danko and Manresa. We couldn’t wait to give her place a try.
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United States
Gotham Bar & Grill, New York City
Posted on May 29, 2019
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.
Island Creek Oyster Bar, Boston
Posted on April 15, 2019Last Updated: 4/15/2019
Why did we dine here? – Island Creek Oyster Bar is one of the top seafood restaurants in Boston. Several foodies recommend this spot and it gets a high 4.5 Yelp rating with over 1800 reviews. A classic spot near Fenway park. They also run the popular Row 34 restaurant in Boston that we like. Our last visit was in 2019.
Sansei Japanese Restaurant, Maui
Posted on April 11, 2019
Why did we dine here? – Sansei Hawaii is a well known Japanese Seafood Restaurant with locations at Kihei and Kapalua, Maui, Oahu, and the big Island – Hawaii.
Iyasare, Berkeley Review
Posted on April 9, 2019
Iyasare is a Japanese Restaurant in the posh Berkeley 4th Street corridor. We were passing by and decided to finally give it a try. Without reservations, we dined at the bar. Pacing was way off, but the food was fabulous. Definitely want to try more next time! We came back for lunch in Spring 2019 and found the food just as good.
birdsong, San Francisco Review
Posted on March 14, 2019
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.
Niku Steakhouse, San Francisco Review
Posted on March 7, 2019Why 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.
Foster City Restaurant Recommendations
Posted on March 1, 2019Foster City is a suburb of San Francisco and not known for its food. Here are a couple worthy spots.
Napoletana Pizzeria, Mountain View
Posted on February 9, 2019
Napoletana Pizzeria is a new Naples style pizzeria in Mountain View. This unlikely strip mall location (Next to Cost Plus World Market), houses a low key, authentic thin crust Neapolitan pizza place. We first learned about this place from a thread on Chowhound. As the waitress put it, these authentic pizzas cook for about 90 seconds in their 900° wood burning oven. Our last visit was Summer 2019.
République, Los Angeles
Posted on February 6, 2019
Why did we dine here? – République is similar to Tartine in San Francisco, but they kick it up a notch. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We went for breakfast. There was a short line on a Saturday at 9am, but by 10am, the line was way out the door. Beautiful restaurant full of beautiful people.
Pho Filet, Rosemead
Posted on January 30, 2019
Why did we dine here? – Far better Pho than San Francisco! The SGV (San Gabriel Valley) is home to some fine Asian cuisine. We passed by Pho Filet on our last trip and ate there in 2018. Only 3.5 stars on Yelp, but way up there in our books.
Pine and Crane, Los Angeles
Posted on January 22, 2019
Why did we dine here? – Pine & Crane is a fast casual Taiwanese Chinese restaurant in the hip Silver Lake area of Los Angeles. It has 4.5 stars on Yelp with almost 2000 reviews. We had to see what all the hype was all about.
Ahgassi Gopchang, Los Angeles
Posted on January 9, 2019
Why did we dine here? – Ahgassi Gopchang is a sister restaurant to Korean BBQ favorite: Kang Ho-dong Baekjeong. (Which we also love) The restaurant’s name means Young Lady Small Intestines, hence the additions of several ‘parts’ on the menu. We stuck to the regular stuff.
Little Star Pizza – Blue Line Pizza, San Francisco
Posted on January 1, 2019Little Star Pizza is a popular pizza place with 2 locations in San Francisco and 1 in Albany. We visited the Divisadero location and ordered deep dish pizza. It took about 30 minutes to get our pizza. They have gone on to open several locations in the Bay Area.
Blue Line Pizza is their name for sister locations from Burlingame southwards. We have tried their Burlingame location in the Summer of 2020. The menu is very similar.
Bestia, Los Angeles
Posted on December 12, 2018
Why did we dine here? – A big LA scene with impressive Italian food. Bestia (Italian for Beast) bubbled to the top of the possibilities when planning our LA must hit list. 4.5 stars on Yelp, recommended on the annual Jonathan Gold List, what more could you ask? We knew going into this that Bestia would be loud and exhibit a major LA scene. Last visit in Summer 2019.
Begoni Bistro, San Francisco
Posted on November 13, 2018
Why did we dine here? – Begoni Bistro is a modern, good looking Chinese restaurant in San Francisco’s Chinatown. It is not old and dingy like some of its neighbors. We were tipped off about this spot a while ago and finally got a chance in 2018.
Honu Seafood & Pizza, Lahaina
Posted on November 6, 2018
Why did we dine here? – Honu Seafood & Pizza one of those waterfront restaurants that has a killer view of the sunset. Prices are no doubt inflated, but it was our last day in paradise, so we decided to splurge. Be sure to ask what is local.
Alinea, Chicago
Posted on October 17, 2018
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.
Best Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
Posted on October 10, 2018We love pizza and finally made the trek to Chicago to find what ‘real’ deep dish pizza tastes like. We find San Francisco’s best cannot compare..
avec, Chicago
Posted on October 3, 2018
Why did we dine here? – avec is a rustic mediterranean shared plate restaurant in Chicago. Originally conceived as a wine bar, the kitchen’s offerings quickly steered the space in another direction. Wine, however, remains at avec’s core.
Girl & the Goat, Chicago
Posted on September 26, 2018
Why did we dine here? – Girl & the Goat is Top Chef Winner Stephanie Izard’s top rated and very popular restaurant. It was our first time in Chicago, so had to try all the hot spots and compare them to SF! You need to book 2 months in advance to get in here. We did not have reservations and walked in right when the place opened (4:30pm) and sat at the bar. The waiter said it was harder to walk in during the winter because outdoor seating is not present.
Smoque BBQ, Chicago
Posted on September 19, 2018
Why did we dine here? – Smoque BBQ is a highly rated BBQ restaurant in the Northern part of Chicago. We heard good things about it and decided to give it a try while on our trip to the Windy City. Many in Chicago are proud of their BBQ, so we wanted to see if it is a lot better than San Francisco’s. This restaurant is about 20 minutes from the Loop. They have a location in the Revival Food Hall in the Loop that serves a subset of this spot.
Barbuzzo, Philadelphia
Posted on September 4, 2018
Barbuzzo is a listed as a Mediterranean, Pizza restaurant on Yelp but seems to have an Italian slant too. We would call it a high quality pizza and pasta place and more. We were visiting Philadelphia and stayed a block away in the City Center area. We chose this 4.5 star restaurant based on proximity, reviews, and prices. Prices would be 50% higher in San Francisco.
Menu
Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia
Posted on August 21, 2018Since 1892, this has been America’s oldest and largest public market. A perfect place for breakfast, lunch or a snack. Get exposed to Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch. A must visit for anyone into food and history! Some vendors close early, so beware. A lot more history to this food market than our Ferry Building.
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Le Diplomate, Washington DC
Posted on August 14, 2018
Le Diplomate is a popular French Brassiere in Washington DC’s posh Logan Circle neighborhood. You need to reserve well in advance, otherwise come early for a seat in the bar or patio. This restaurant has a high 4.5 stars on Yelp. They serve brunch, lunch, and dinner.
Zahav, Philadelphia
Posted on August 7, 2018
Forget about the cheese-steak! When you ask foodies in Philadelphia, Zahav often comes up as the must visit restaurant. We had to dine at this 4.5 Yelp rated stop. They serve Middle Eastern Israeli cuisine. We have nothing like this in the San Francisco Area.
Lazy Bear, San Francisco
Posted on July 31, 2018
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.
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.
Yank Sing, San Francisco Rincon Center
Posted on May 29, 2018Best place for Dim Sum newbies plus the Best xiao long bao steamed dumpings in San Francisco?!?
Spruce Review, San Francisco
Posted on May 22, 2018
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.
Michael Bauer’s Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants 2018 Review
Posted on April 29, 2018We review the San Francisco Master Foodie’s Michael Bauer’s Top 100 2018 list. This is probably his last..
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.
Shanghai Flavor Shop, Sunnyvale
Posted on March 9, 2018
Shanghai Flavor Shop is an inexpensive restaurant in a second rate strip mall. This diamond in the rough is located in sleepy Sunnyvale, and specializes in Shanghainese Chinese cuisine. To the right of this restaurant is the popular Indian Buffet: Sankranti
Californios, San Francisco
Posted on February 28, 2018Now Three Michelin stars in 2026!
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.
LV Mar, Redwood City
Posted on February 21, 2018
Photo Courtesy LV Mar
Why did we dine here? – LV Mar is a Latin focus restaurant in downtown Redwood City that serves Elevated Latin tapas, platters & cocktails in a modern, comfortably upscale dining room and sidewalk patio. They also run the nearby La Viga, which is a more casual. We had a good experience at La Viga, so it was natural for us to try this restaurant. Last visit was for dinner in 2018
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.
Pearl’s Deluxe Burgers, San Francisco
Posted on February 11, 2018
Montesacro Pinseria-Enoteca, San Francisco
Posted on February 7, 2018
Why did we dine here? – Montesacro is a hidden Italian gem, located in an alley right off a hardcore scary block of 6th Street in downtown San Francisco. The name comes from a neighborhood in Roma. We were tipped off about this place from a friend. Gianluca Legrottaglie, who runs nearby 54 Mint, opened this stylish restaurant, that transports you back to Rome, in 2015.
Pizzeria Delfina, San Francisco – Burlingame
Posted on January 1, 2018Delicious 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 Review, Las Vegas
Posted on January 1, 2018
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.
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.
Din Tai Fung, Arcadia, CA
Posted on January 1, 2018
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.
Una Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco
Posted on December 21, 2017They moved back to NYC and closed 12/30/2017! They will be missed. Long lines before they even opened.
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.
Sichuan Impression, Tustin
Posted on November 20, 2017Great 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.
Tim Ho Wan, New York City
Posted on November 13, 2017
Mercado de Santa Caterina, Barcelona
Posted on October 23, 2017Where 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.