Thursday, November 22, 2007
Dinner with family
Great izakaya type place by Akabane station. We had a course package with different dishes and nabe. All you can drink for two hours for 1600 yen.
Hotpepper page for restaurant
東京都北区赤羽１－１１－４アポー赤羽３Ｆ
Tokyo-to, Kita-ku, Akabane 1-11-4, Apo Akabane 3rd Floor
03-3598-2311
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Onohan 小の半
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Dinner
We went to Onohan for the kamo-nabe but they were out, so ended up with shabu-shabu. Very good, a little pricey. A bit hard to find.
〒106-0032 東京都港区六本木7-17-2
106-0032 Tokyo-to, Minato-ku, Roppongi 7-17-2
03-3423-5288
Dinner
We went to Onohan for the kamo-nabe but they were out, so ended up with shabu-shabu. Very good, a little pricey. A bit hard to find.
〒106-0032 東京都港区六本木7-17-2
106-0032 Tokyo-to, Minato-ku, Roppongi 7-17-2
03-3423-5288
Kinagaya 器ながや
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Lunch with Tokyo colleagues
器ながや was a good traditional Japanese lunch place in Roppongi. About $10 for "teishoku" of the day, fish, rice with natto, miso soup, and pickles.
107-0052 東京都港区赤坂9-1-7 赤坂レジデンシャルホテル１F
107-0052 Tokyo-to, Minato-ku, Akasaka 9-1-7, Akasaka Residential Hotel 1st Floor
03-3408-8877
Lunch with Tokyo colleagues
器ながや was a good traditional Japanese lunch place in Roppongi. About $10 for "teishoku" of the day, fish, rice with natto, miso soup, and pickles.
107-0052 東京都港区赤坂9-1-7 赤坂レジデンシャルホテル１F
107-0052 Tokyo-to, Minato-ku, Akasaka 9-1-7, Akasaka Residential Hotel 1st Floor
03-3408-8877
Friday, November 16, 2007
Fogo De Chao
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Dinner
Fogo de Chao is an amazing churrascaria in downtown Chicago. Definitely not cheap (f-23, $55 on Zagat), but fantastic Brazilian food and great wine list. We had one of our Brazilian sales guys from Miami with us, so we got the best of the authentic dishes--fried polenta, picanha, fraldinha, the rice and beans. Fantastic salad bar too, I could have just filled up on just that too.
661 N. La Salle Street, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 932-9330
Dinner
Fogo de Chao is an amazing churrascaria in downtown Chicago. Definitely not cheap (f-23, $55 on Zagat), but fantastic Brazilian food and great wine list. We had one of our Brazilian sales guys from Miami with us, so we got the best of the authentic dishes--fried polenta, picanha, fraldinha, the rice and beans. Fantastic salad bar too, I could have just filled up on just that too.
661 N. La Salle Street, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 932-9330
Kingston Mines
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Blues bar with RA
Amazing blues bar
2548 N. Halsted, Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 477-4646
Blues bar with RA
Amazing blues bar
2548 N. Halsted, Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 477-4646
Avec
Monday, November 12, 2007
Dinner with Anthony
Avec is an amazing Mediterranean restaurant in Chicago. Avec is basically the wine bar/more casual version of Blackbird, which is next door (Anthony said Blackbird is great too).
So Avec is small place, great simple architecture. There is one row of tables, and we squeezed in between a group of four and two on the end.
The menu has small plates, large plates and cheese. YUM. We started with three cheeses and "cheese accompaniments" -- quince paste, date cake. One of their signature dishes is a chorizo stuffed medjool dates with bacon. I mean really. Amazing. Then we had a light prosciutto dish with watercress and pears, really great. Last dish was another small plate, veal breast with potatoes. Finished off with a crispy chocolate (like Crunch bars).
The wine was fabulous. Menu has selections from Spain, Portugal, Italy and France, and we got a great one from Duoro, Portugal.
Avec doesn't take reservations, but if you can go with a small group, I didn't see many waiting. Totally worth it!
615 W. Randolph, Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 377-2002
Dinner with Anthony
Avec is an amazing Mediterranean restaurant in Chicago. Avec is basically the wine bar/more casual version of Blackbird, which is next door (Anthony said Blackbird is great too).
So Avec is small place, great simple architecture. There is one row of tables, and we squeezed in between a group of four and two on the end.
The menu has small plates, large plates and cheese. YUM. We started with three cheeses and "cheese accompaniments" -- quince paste, date cake. One of their signature dishes is a chorizo stuffed medjool dates with bacon. I mean really. Amazing. Then we had a light prosciutto dish with watercress and pears, really great. Last dish was another small plate, veal breast with potatoes. Finished off with a crispy chocolate (like Crunch bars).
The wine was fabulous. Menu has selections from Spain, Portugal, Italy and France, and we got a great one from Duoro, Portugal.
Avec doesn't take reservations, but if you can go with a small group, I didn't see many waiting. Totally worth it!
615 W. Randolph, Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 377-2002
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
California Cafe
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Recruiting dinner
The Stanford Barn is a nice venue, but the food is mediocre and service a little spotty.
700 Welch Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 325-2233
Recruiting dinner
The Stanford Barn is a nice venue, but the food is mediocre and service a little spotty.
700 Welch Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 325-2233
Banana Leaf
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Cisco MBA Lunch
YUM, super good and often spicy Malay and Thai cuisine. Had some Rothi bread to start, and they brought us all this spicy broth with celery. I had red curry with prawns with rice. All in $12 per person including tax & tip, good lunch specials. You can make a reservation online if you have more than six in the party, and they are pretty militant about it. Loong lines if you go for lunch otherwise.
182 Ranch Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035
(408) 719-9811
Cisco MBA Lunch
YUM, super good and often spicy Malay and Thai cuisine. Had some Rothi bread to start, and they brought us all this spicy broth with celery. I had red curry with prawns with rice. All in $12 per person including tax & tip, good lunch specials. You can make a reservation online if you have more than six in the party, and they are pretty militant about it. Loong lines if you go for lunch otherwise.
182 Ranch Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035
(408) 719-9811
Cheesecake Factory
Monday, November 5, 2007
Dinner with Mareza and Andrea
Nice chain with ridiculously huge portions and good cheesecake. Artichoke appetizer was remarkably healthy (or tasted light).
375 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 473-9622
Dinner with Mareza and Andrea
Nice chain with ridiculously huge portions and good cheesecake. Artichoke appetizer was remarkably healthy (or tasted light).
375 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 473-9622
S.N.O.B (Sonoma, Napa or Beyond)
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Libby & Kermit's Engagement Party
S.N.O.B is a cute wine bar with live music
1327 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 440-SNOB
Libby & Kermit's Engagement Party
S.N.O.B is a cute wine bar with live music
1327 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 440-SNOB
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Old Thyme Inn
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Breakfast with Lowell
The Old Thyme Inn is a wonderful little bed & breakfast in Half
Moon Bay. Right on Main Street in downtown Half Moon Bay, it is a 7-room B&B with a cute garden and yard and friendly innkeepers. For breakfast, we walked out of our room to the living room, where a little table was set up with homemade raspberry yogurt and lemon-rosemary bread made with ingredients from the garden. Fresh orange juice, coffee and tea were all great, than we had chile rellenos with Cuban black beans, which were just wonderful.
779 Main Street, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
(650) 726-1616
Breakfast with Lowell
The Old Thyme Inn is a wonderful little bed & breakfast in Half
Moon Bay. Right on Main Street in downtown Half Moon Bay, it is a 7-room B&B with a cute garden and yard and friendly innkeepers. For breakfast, we walked out of our room to the living room, where a little table was set up with homemade raspberry yogurt and lemon-rosemary bread made with ingredients from the garden. Fresh orange juice, coffee and tea were all great, than we had chile rellenos with Cuban black beans, which were just wonderful.779 Main Street, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
(650) 726-1616
Navio
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Birthday dinner with Lowell
Navio is the restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton at Half Moon Bay, super nice, wonderful views of the cliffs and ocean during the day, and I hear it's wonderful for drinks. But I was lucky enough to go for dinner.
We thought about the $105 tasting menu, which looked just fantastic. There were a few things on the tasting menu which weren't available on the regular menu, like the butter poached lobster. But there was enough to try on the regular. I started with a pumpkin soup over creme fraiche and chestnuts. Lowell had a prawn appetizer - some over a sauce and over fennel salad with the heads fried. I liked the fried shrimp heads, but Lowell said the prawns were just ok.
Lowell had beef short ribs, which looked quite holiday festive with dark green kale and pomagranate seeds. Really soft and good. I had a fantastic pork loin with globe artichokes and potato. The sides of brussel sprouts with bacon and exotic mushrooms were good.
We both thought that the food was good but we've had better, especially for the price. Then we got dessert, which made up for everything. First, the waiter brought us a plate with a small box of truffles with Happy Birthday written in chocolate and a candle because he had asked what the occasion was at the beginning of the meal. We split two desserts. The "biscuit au chocolat" was basically a souffle (had to order 25 m in advance) and just heavenly that you dip in this crystallized salt trail. The pumpkin-coconut mousse with candied fruit and salty sorbet was awesome. They did an amazing job of combining the sweet and salty.
One Miramontes Point Road, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
(650) 712-7000
Birthday dinner with Lowell
Navio is the restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton at Half Moon Bay, super nice, wonderful views of the cliffs and ocean during the day, and I hear it's wonderful for drinks. But I was lucky enough to go for dinner.
We thought about the $105 tasting menu, which looked just fantastic. There were a few things on the tasting menu which weren't available on the regular menu, like the butter poached lobster. But there was enough to try on the regular. I started with a pumpkin soup over creme fraiche and chestnuts. Lowell had a prawn appetizer - some over a sauce and over fennel salad with the heads fried. I liked the fried shrimp heads, but Lowell said the prawns were just ok.
Lowell had beef short ribs, which looked quite holiday festive with dark green kale and pomagranate seeds. Really soft and good. I had a fantastic pork loin with globe artichokes and potato. The sides of brussel sprouts with bacon and exotic mushrooms were good.
We both thought that the food was good but we've had better, especially for the price. Then we got dessert, which made up for everything. First, the waiter brought us a plate with a small box of truffles with Happy Birthday written in chocolate and a candle because he had asked what the occasion was at the beginning of the meal. We split two desserts. The "biscuit au chocolat" was basically a souffle (had to order 25 m in advance) and just heavenly that you dip in this crystallized salt trail. The pumpkin-coconut mousse with candied fruit and salty sorbet was awesome. They did an amazing job of combining the sweet and salty.
One Miramontes Point Road, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
(650) 712-7000
Osha Thai
Friday, October 26, 2007
Birthday dinner with Lowell, Nadim, Eric, Shan and Karen
Osha Thai was a nice accidental find in SoMa before the birthday party at Mr
Smiths. We called an hour before for a reservation and showed up 15m late. Only with Nadim's magic did they let us sit down -- highly recommend reservations and showing up on time. Super trendy fusion Asian Thai place.
Great cocktails, I loved the lycheetini myself. Appetizers of spring rolls and seared wasabi ahi tuna were quite good. We went family style on the rest of the meal -- ginger chicken, pineapple fried rice which was one of my favorites, curry dish, spicy eggplant with beef, and a shrimp dish.
149 2nd Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 278-9991
Birthday dinner with Lowell, Nadim, Eric, Shan and Karen
Osha Thai was a nice accidental find in SoMa before the birthday party at Mr
Smiths. We called an hour before for a reservation and showed up 15m late. Only with Nadim's magic did they let us sit down -- highly recommend reservations and showing up on time. Super trendy fusion Asian Thai place.Great cocktails, I loved the lycheetini myself. Appetizers of spring rolls and seared wasabi ahi tuna were quite good. We went family style on the rest of the meal -- ginger chicken, pineapple fried rice which was one of my favorites, curry dish, spicy eggplant with beef, and a shrimp dish.
149 2nd Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 278-9991
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Bissap Baobab
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Dinner with Carolyn and Karen
Bissap Baobab is a great Senegalese place down in the Mission. I still can't really tell you what Senegalese food is, but it was quite good. Best were the appetizer fried plantain and the shrimp coconut dish with an amazing sauce (good with rice). The lamb dish was ok. I thought the cocktails were interesting, but Carolyn had to send hers back for a beer, so try at your own risk.
2323 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 826-9287
Dinner with Carolyn and Karen
Bissap Baobab is a great Senegalese place down in the Mission. I still can't really tell you what Senegalese food is, but it was quite good. Best were the appetizer fried plantain and the shrimp coconut dish with an amazing sauce (good with rice). The lamb dish was ok. I thought the cocktails were interesting, but Carolyn had to send hers back for a beer, so try at your own risk.
2323 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 826-9287
Umami
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Dinner with Nathalie and Tristen
Umami is an inconspicuous two-story restaurant and bar on Webster just down the hill from Union. Trendy and fusiony, has a great cocktail menu and small dishes to start. The Za Panchi was an awesome cocktail. We had edamame hummus with housemade pita. Fish tacos (there is a fancier name) were fantastic. We also had shrimp skewers which were quite good, and a curry dish.
2909 Webster Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 346-3431
Dinner with Nathalie and Tristen
Umami is an inconspicuous two-story restaurant and bar on Webster just down the hill from Union. Trendy and fusiony, has a great cocktail menu and small dishes to start. The Za Panchi was an awesome cocktail. We had edamame hummus with housemade pita. Fish tacos (there is a fancier name) were fantastic. We also had shrimp skewers which were quite good, and a curry dish.
2909 Webster Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 346-3431
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Gochi
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Dinner with Reiko
Arriving at Gochi still stuffed from a ridiculous lunch at Darda Seafood did not stop me from completely gorging myself at dinner as well. Gochi is definitely on my top 3 Japanese-restaurant-not-in-Japan list.
The place is remarkably cute for an authentic Japanese place, with most of the dining area on a raised platform where you take off your shoes, in addition to tables and tatami rooms. It is always full and so you have to grab the wait staff to get orders, food, tea or the check, but well worth it.
Their menu is extensive with many dishes common to a traditional izakaya in Japan. We started with ankimo (monkfish liver), kabocha-mochi with cheese (kind of pumpkin-cheese-potato croquette), and seaweed salad which was impressive in being enormous and not neon green (really good). The buta kakuni (boiled pork dish) was amazing, it just fell apart with a touch of the chopsticks, super soft. We also had a great fish special (gindara nizuke).
Gochi has the traditional izakaya "finishing" dishes like grilled rice balls, soba and miso soup. Unfortunately they were out of asari (small clam) miso soup, but I had an amazing tororo oroshi soba (soba with grated yam and daikon) and Reiko had a rice ball with mentaiko (spicy cod roe) which was just fantastic.
*Highly recommend making a reservation in advance, they are always packed, even on weekdays
*If you like sake/shochu, they have a lot of good stuff, and they will let you keep a bottle there with your name on it (I have not done this, just heard)
19980 E Homestead Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014
(408) 725-0542
Dinner with Reiko
Arriving at Gochi still stuffed from a ridiculous lunch at Darda Seafood did not stop me from completely gorging myself at dinner as well. Gochi is definitely on my top 3 Japanese-restaurant-not-in-Japan list.
The place is remarkably cute for an authentic Japanese place, with most of the dining area on a raised platform where you take off your shoes, in addition to tables and tatami rooms. It is always full and so you have to grab the wait staff to get orders, food, tea or the check, but well worth it.
Their menu is extensive with many dishes common to a traditional izakaya in Japan. We started with ankimo (monkfish liver), kabocha-mochi with cheese (kind of pumpkin-cheese-potato croquette), and seaweed salad which was impressive in being enormous and not neon green (really good). The buta kakuni (boiled pork dish) was amazing, it just fell apart with a touch of the chopsticks, super soft. We also had a great fish special (gindara nizuke).
Gochi has the traditional izakaya "finishing" dishes like grilled rice balls, soba and miso soup. Unfortunately they were out of asari (small clam) miso soup, but I had an amazing tororo oroshi soba (soba with grated yam and daikon) and Reiko had a rice ball with mentaiko (spicy cod roe) which was just fantastic.
*Highly recommend making a reservation in advance, they are always packed, even on weekdays
*If you like sake/shochu, they have a lot of good stuff, and they will let you keep a bottle there with your name on it (I have not done this, just heard)
19980 E Homestead Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014
(408) 725-0542
Darda Seafood Restaurant
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Lunch with Gautam
Darda Seafood is in the amazing cheap Asian food mall in Milipitas on the west end of Cisco's campus. I think I was told it is Muslim Chinese food (correct me if I am wrong). Whatever it was, it was really good and pretty cheap for ALOT of food.
They start you off with a soup (think it was egg drop and corn) and tea. We ordered a lamb dish and moo shu shrimp and thin sesame bread. Whoa. Dishes are enormous, they had to clear off our condiments to make it fit on the table. Really good food though. The "thin" sesame bread was probably the size of a stuffed crust pizza and alone could have fed the two of us. Again really good though, and think the grand total was $30ish.
296 Barber Court, Milpitas, CA 95035
(408) 433-5199
Lunch with Gautam
Darda Seafood is in the amazing cheap Asian food mall in Milipitas on the west end of Cisco's campus. I think I was told it is Muslim Chinese food (correct me if I am wrong). Whatever it was, it was really good and pretty cheap for ALOT of food.
They start you off with a soup (think it was egg drop and corn) and tea. We ordered a lamb dish and moo shu shrimp and thin sesame bread. Whoa. Dishes are enormous, they had to clear off our condiments to make it fit on the table. Really good food though. The "thin" sesame bread was probably the size of a stuffed crust pizza and alone could have fed the two of us. Again really good though, and think the grand total was $30ish.
296 Barber Court, Milpitas, CA 95035
(408) 433-5199
Lavanda
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Dinner with Alka
Lavanda is a University Ave Italian place with a good bar for drinks and nice dining room. Alka and I had their pick-three-antipasti-for-$15 with grilled calamari (cold), grilled shrimp skewers (hot and yummy) and potatoes with brava sauce (I love it). Alka had her wine and salad, and I had some tea, so not a huge dinner -- about $40. Service was a little funky. I didn't think we were there that late (9pm) but they kind of rushed us at the end.
185 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 321-3514
Dinner with Alka
Lavanda is a University Ave Italian place with a good bar for drinks and nice dining room. Alka and I had their pick-three-antipasti-for-$15 with grilled calamari (cold), grilled shrimp skewers (hot and yummy) and potatoes with brava sauce (I love it). Alka had her wine and salad, and I had some tea, so not a huge dinner -- about $40. Service was a little funky. I didn't think we were there that late (9pm) but they kind of rushed us at the end.
185 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 321-3514
Chez Maman
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Brunch with Lowell, Robyn and Rob
Chez Maman is a super cute, super French, neighborhood bistro on Union Street (though looks like they have a Portrero Hill location as well). They don't really have a "brunch" menu -- a few ouefs dishes, which looked great, but that is it. No Bloody Mary's either, was told my options were "beer or wine" by the French guy, but they had good mimosas and Rob's hot chocolate looked amazing. I had the Savoyarde crepe -- proscuitto, brie, bechamel sauce (which I was told by Robyn was "cream and goodness") and tomato -- awesome.
2223 Union Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 771-7771
Brunch with Lowell, Robyn and Rob
Chez Maman is a super cute, super French, neighborhood bistro on Union Street (though looks like they have a Portrero Hill location as well). They don't really have a "brunch" menu -- a few ouefs dishes, which looked great, but that is it. No Bloody Mary's either, was told my options were "beer or wine" by the French guy, but they had good mimosas and Rob's hot chocolate looked amazing. I had the Savoyarde crepe -- proscuitto, brie, bechamel sauce (which I was told by Robyn was "cream and goodness") and tomato -- awesome.
2223 Union Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 771-7771
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