Astaria--Uptown In Downtown San Mateo

The HO-HO Dessert

Crispy Polenta Fries!!

So it has been a while and it is time for me to write again.  And I have to admit my blog title is actually the tagline for the restaurant so I can't take credit.  This time I am writing about Astaria in downtown San Mateo, CA.  I have to admit that I have been here four times with the intent to blog about it.  Once with a very good friend who wanted to be included on one of my blog adventures and once for lunch with a group of nine people and a couple of other times.  I have eaten there for both lunch and dinner.  And I got pictures this time!!!  (although only of one of the dinners)  The food here is so good.  The menu is an eclectic blend that I would sum up as American fusion, American fused with Thai, Italian, Spanish and the list goes on and on.  You can find a little bit of everything here.  But first I have to RAVE about the Crispy Polenta Fries with sun-dried aioli.  Simply to die for, when I went for lunch with the large group, we ordered them for the table and then I ordered another side for myself as part of my lunch.  Crispy on the outside and a nice soft polenta when you bite combined with the sauce is heavenly.  I think you catch my point, if you go to Astaria, you must order the polenta fries even if you don't usually like polenta.  Next I want to tell you about the Double Dipped, Buttermilk Soak'in Fried Chicken, now just by the name you know that it is going to be lip-smacking good (don't even think about the calories, it is worth them!)  It is organic boneless chicken breast marinated in buttermilk and then dipped twice in seasoned flour served with garlic mashed potatoes, could it get any better?!?!  For entrees and appetizers I also have to give honorable mentions to the Eleni's Tossed Thai Salad which is crunch, citrus, peanut, cabbage and a tangy peanut dressing.  You can add grilled chicken or skirt steak to it as well.  It is a big bowl so be ready to share or have leftovers, and it is really tasty.  I also want to mention the Alaskan Halibut Mojito'd which is pan seared on a bed of herbed risotto with a citrus-mint sauce.  For those who may want a healthy approach it is a good option.  Now the next honorable mention is the Chicken Cordon Bleu Pappardelle which is panko crusted organic chicken breast paired with fresh pappardelle with gruyere, prosciutto and cream.  I will mention that this dish is de-constructed so that the chicken is not stuffed with the cheese and prosciutto rather it is layered with the pasta.  I have not tried this dish personally but out of our group of nine over half of the people ordered it and I swear I saw one of them licking the bowl.  Astaria has a robust wine list and actually received a Wine Spectator Award for 2009. Now last but not least, we get to dessert.  I always share and I always don't want to, but it is good manners, right?  Astaria's HO-HO is one of the best desserts ever!  For those of us who grew up unraveling those foil-wrapped chocolate rolls and even those people who have never eaten one in their life and laugh at something that can be called a "HO-HO"  It is decadent without being too rich-- a roll of chocolate sponge cake and whipped cream dipped entirely in chocolate.  I also have to give a shout out to the "Astaria" Brownie which is a star-shaped, moist chocolate brownie served with warm chocolate ganache and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.  If you are looking for delicious food in a nice setting (even with the 80's music playing on the sound system), Astaria is the place to go.

Everyday Foodie, Not Everyday Photographer

So I was starting to really get down on myself for not getting photos at any of the food at the establishments that I have been visiting. What kind of food blogger forgets to take pictures of the food?!?! My problem is I remember just after I have eaten half or all of the dish!! My good friends have consoled me and said that it is due to my love of food and that I get so excited about the food and fun that I immediately dig in. Such good friends, part of what makes an everyday foodie like me love going out to eat with them. Then at Wexler's we came up with the idea of showing the empty plates to show how great the food was. I will only do it for that particular review because the photos don't look that appetizing, but they do show how much we liked the food. :-) So you will all have to bear with me and realize that I may never get that perfect picture of my perfect dish before I lick the plate perfectly clean, but I will try. The one exception is this shot of some delicious cookie cupcakes made by the household baker. Happy Eating!!

Wexler's- California Smokin'

So for a dear friend and fellow foodie's birthday celebration, I was in search of something fabulous and fresh. After much consideration and research, I made reservations at Wexler's located at 568 Sacramento Street (near Montgomery), San Francisco. Where to begin?!?!? They are barbecue at a whole new level. There were four foodies out for this celebration and we started by sharing a few appetizers and drinks. The concept is farm fresh to table "California Barbecue." The space is intimate, but welcoming maybe 40 people max. The bartender is quite the mixologist and the drink special of the night was a "Smoked Manhattan", I am not big on whiskey so I had my favorite, an Extra Sour Lemon Drop, which was so good, I had two. There is an amazing ceiling structure that looks like you are at a science museum staring at a blue whale's skeleton. Then we found out from our fabulous waitress that it is architectural representation of the BBQ smoke extending from the kitchen out the door. The architects Aidlin Darling Design who also designed the Bar Bambino space did an amazing job and according to our waitress are up for some prestigious design awards. Now back to the BBQ, Wexler's is getting quite a buzz for their BBQ Scotch Egg. Now traditional Scotch Eggs are hard-boiled and then covered in sausage and not necessarily something that I eat, but these were a scotch egg of a different kind. Here they are served soft-boiled and yolky. They were crusted with short rib and served with burnt ends and a housemade hot sauce. Now I am not one who likes my yolks runny, but I had to see what the fuss was about. Sooooooo delicious! As you can see by the "after photo" We also shared the Country Line Little Gems Salad, all I can say is "CORN BREAD CROUTONS"--Wow! The four of us fought for them, though we did give the birthday girl an extra one. We also shared a special shaved asparagus salad since it is in season. It was very tasty with a vinaigrette dressing and mixed organic greens. For my main course I had a whole new version of "surf & turf", the Cornmeal Crusted Skate. Now we asked if that would be enough food because skate can be quite light, but not when it crusted and is stuffed with mouth-watering pulled pork. Yum! The guest of honor had Shrimp & Grits which she thought were very good. (Warning they do come with their heads and tails.) Another friend had Wexler's Plate of Pork which came with two types of pork. The first was a heavenly pork belly served a top of a portion of country-fried pork, pounded, breaded and fried and scrumptious just like country-fried should be. For dessert, we had a hard choice, but we decided on the Bourbon Banana Cream Pie--how could we resist and by this picture you can see that we didn't. It was so light and so creamy with caramelized bananas. I have to note that the service was amazing everyone who helped our table out was friendly and fun. Me and my red-bottomed shoes are definitely coming back to Wexler's for some more California smokin' barbecue.

The Joya Luck Club

Good friends, good food, good fun. So I have two wonderful friends that I meet up with every few months. We meet in Palo Alto as it is kind of the mid-point for the three of us and for the past four get-togethers we have gone to Joya Restaurant & Lounge located at the corner of University and Florence in downtown Palo Alto. Joya (pronounced Hoy-a) refers to themselves as "modern latin cuisine". The lounge is our area of choice for dining--comfortable couches with lots of cushions in a modern and well-designed high-ceilinged space. Now onto the food--Joya's bar menu has a fabulous choice of tapas and some of the mot reasonably priced wines (and good tasting wines) by the glass in the Bay Area. I have to say that hands down my favorite dish is the Papas Bravas, but then again I am the girl who has never met a potato that she didn't like. The potatoes are so tender and the spices just the perfect blend with a dollop of creme fraiche sauce less spicy than traditional papas bravas sauce, but a great balance to the dish. So the most recent visit lent itself to some new menu items the Dungeness Crab Cakes and the Grilled Spanish Chicken Skewers. The crab cakes are amazing and come with a delicious ginger chipotle aioli. But I have to admit, we ordered a second plate of the chicken skewers, they were mouth-wateringingly good with four bite-sized pieces of perfectly grilled chicken on each skewer. Another fan favorite of the Joya Luck Club, as we have dubbed ourselves, is the Mexican Empanadas. The pork empanadas are serverd with a green aji sauce and the spinach and cheese ones are served with a mango chili sauce. These tasty tidbits are so good that another friend of mine who doesn't like much that is made with pastry, loved them. The last (but not least) dish I will mention is the Braised Short Rib Tacos served with jicama salsa and horse radish cream. You must try these if you go to Joya, the short rib meat is so tender and the combination of flavors is a brilliant experience for your mouth. I mentioned that they have a great wines by the glass list, but I know I would be leaving something out if I didn't mention the Sangria. They serve a red and a white sangria (peaches are the high-light) and both are delicioso. I usually sit in the lounge but I have also dined in the restaurant which serves the entire tapas menu in addition to entrees. No matter where you chose to sit in Joya, you will enjoy the dining experience. As long as you didn't mind those crazies laughing loudly from The Joya Luck Club, can't wait for the next meeting. Happy Eating!

Easy and Tasty, Little Packets of Wonder

So as I kick-start back into blogging. I thought I would expand my posts in hopes that I may post more frequently. Recently while shopping, there nestled in the meat aisle at my local supermarket, were the new McCormick Recipe Inspirations. Now these fun little packets are pre-measured, all-in-one spice packets that give you the step-by-step instructions to a really easy meal. It is marketing genius on McCormick's part!! The recipe is included so that you can use your own spices to make the dish again. But I find that it is so easy to make using the pre-measured packets that I just keep buying more of them. The Rosemary Roasted Chicken with Potatoes is fabulous and the Garlic Lime Fajitas are deliciosas. For a tasty and simple meal in around 30 minutes including cooking time, try out these little packets of wonder.

Town Hall San Francisco --Wish I Could Meet There Everyday

So I went to the see a musical the other week and before I went, I had the great fortune of eating at Town Hall, one of my favorite SF restaurants. Now I haven't been in quite a long while, but I was not disappointed. I ordered my Dorothy Parker cocktail which is basically a raspberry lemon drop with a float of champagne. The menu has definitely taken on a southern flare, and they have done it really well. The Tuna Tartare on Garlic Chips with Fried Green Tomatoes and Tabasco Vinaigrette was amazing. The Warm Jalapeno Cornbread had me picking the crumbs off the plate. The Biscuits with Ham and Jalapeno Jelly had me licking my fingers in public. But it was the Rabbit Ravioli that had me falling off my chair. I only wish I had time to order the Butterscotch Pot de Creme which I was assured was still on the menu and wouldn't be leaving any time soon. The meal was out of this world, the dinner company was divine and the service once again was outstanding. Town Hall is still one of my most favorite SF restaurants.

Su Hong's Restaurant - Simply The Best

Su Hong Restaurant down on the Peninsula in Menlo Park is some of the most delicious Chinese Food you can get.  I have been coming here for forever, my parents are the ones who first introduced me back when my palate was still not developed as an everyday foodie.  Needless to say I could be classified as a picky eater when I was younger. Who would of thought it?!? So Su Hong has some of the best General's Chicken--ever! It is a popcorn style general's chicken (aka General Tso's Chicken)with just the right amount of heat. I swear I can (and have) eaten a whole serving by myself. It is one of the dishes that is always a double order even if there are just two other people eating with me. The Chicken Salad is so delicious, they shred the lettuce and lightly bread the chicken which is cut into fine slices topped with crispy noodles and peanuts.  I always top it with a little rice vinegar and then devour.  Another of my favorite dishes is their fried rice, some say you can judge a Chinese restaurant on how well they make their fried rice. Well, Su Hong's knows how to make it right. I absolutely love Su Hong and it isn't because they smile and welcome me back when I walk in the door. I swear I don't go THAT often, it is just because I have been going there for so long :) For those who want some Chinese take-out, Su Hong To Go is located a block behind for a grab it and go meal.  Such great food, so little time.  Happy Eating!

Dining (and Spilling) In The Dark--Opaque

So I had a milestone birthday on the horizon and I knew that I wanted to do something memorable for dinner. As I searched for options, I stumbled onto the Opaque restaurants. There are three locations: San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles. The concept is that with all of the visual sensory overload--an hour or two eating in the complete dark gives you a completely different dining experience focusing on taste, touch and sound. And when they say dining in the dark, we are talking pitch black, you can't see your hand in front of your face. So accompanied by a few close friends who only agreed to the concept in honor of my birthday, we plunged into darkness and a very unique dining situation. The Opaque in SF shares its kitchen with INDIGO Restaurant located in Hayes Valley. This means your food is prepared and plated in a full-functioning and lit kitchen. After sticking my hand in the butter dish (3 times), I managed to fortunately get most bites of my Baby Greens tossed in a White Balsamic Vinaigrette. I then gave up on the fork and knife and used my hands to eat my Grilled Beef Tendorloin cooked to a perfect medium rare, at least the texture and taste were perfect as I couldn't see it. The food is served assembly line from the end of the table, take one and pass it down. Given the lack of lighting our party of seven only dropped one salad on the floor. Not too bad, and no wine was spilled only drank. This restaurant was a great experience, not one that I need to do more than once, but I definitely had a memorable birthday, thanks to the company and the restaurant. One thing to note, one of my friends is a bit claustrophobic and it was not quite as enjoyable for her. The meal is one that lingers, they don't rush you and we were there enjoying the event for over two hours.

Feelin' Irie At Coconuts

As an everyday foodie, I am always looking for a good place to eat. I was walking to my car after lunch with one of my "froodies" (friend and fellow foodie) in downtown Palo Alto. We passed by a Caribbean joint called Coconuts at 642 Ramona. This owned and operated by the well-reviewed and much liked Back-A-Yard in Menlo Park another great Caribbean joint. We decided to stop and check-out the menu and figured that any restaurant that serves "Big Tings", "Little Tings" and "Favorite Tings" required a visit. Happy Hour here we come! Now to note, we thought we would meet at 4:30pm for a bit of happy hour. Happy Hour starts at 5:00pm and the restaurant is closed between lunch and dinner, so we hung out and chatted for a bit until the black gate lifted and allowed us entry at 5:00. For those of you who know Palo Alto, this space used to be Hukilau and is across from the police station. So we belly up to the bar for some food and fun. There we met William (from St. Thomas so he knows his Caribbean fare) and not only was he our entertaining bartender, but he is the restaurant and bar supervisor as well. Happy hour is a fine way to spend an hour or two in this place. Draft beers were $2 which included Stella Artois. I know, I know we should have had the Red Stripe and we almost did, but at the last minute we switched our order. We also contemplated indulging in some tropical refreshments from their specialty island drink menu, but beer seemed the right choice with spicy food. Although, we did get a couple of small sample island drinks to try on the house. For happy hour three of the "little tings" were on special 50% off. And as every good foodie does...we ordered them all--Codfish Fritters, Irie Jerk Wings, and Jamaican Mini Patty Sampler. The wings, we, when asked, we ordered spicy and to that note, William gave us a little side dish of habanero sauce so we could kick it up a notch. We learned that they make their own jerk seasoning in house and they were some of the best jerk wings--ever! The Jamaican mini patties came in chicken and beef with a tomatillo catsup. Think of them as Jamaican empanadas and they were delicious--especially the beef ones. We put a little habanero sauce on these to add a little kick as well. Last but not least, were the codfish fritters. The decadent fried balls of fish and batter were very good and the Creole sauce they were served with was excellent on them. We were there on a Tuesday night and it was not too busy allowing us to relax and chat with fellow patrons as well as William. We are told that Thu-Sat nights are packed especially when the steel drum musician plays which I think is on Friday nights. I need to return to this little piece of Caribbean paradise and have some "big tings" and listen to some steel drum music on the patio under the lite-up plastic palm tree.

Mooove Over Steak House, Here Comes The 5A5 Steak Lounge

The "everyday foodie"  hits San Francisco to try the new 5A5 Steak Lounge located in the the Financial District at 244 Jackson in the space that used to be Frisson was a scrumptious but pricey experience.  The "steak lounge" is becoming popular in other metropolitan cities especially for our neighbors down south, but this is the first in SF.   5A5 opened in May, and the ambience is relaxed but social.  The gas flames  in the wall as you walk in the door tie into the large video projection of flames over the bar.   The circular ceiling over the dining area is cool with its lit pink polka dots and the woven plexi-glass partitions which separate the dining area from the kitchen. Happy hour was going on when we arrived and the bar was crowded.  As I understand, the happy hour specials are well priced and by the size and liveliness of the crowd I would guess it to be true.  We sat at a table in the dining section, but remember the name, this is a lounge so the tables are all more laid back than your standard steak restaurant with low-back cream colored semi-circular booths.  This is definitely a cross between an upscale restaurant and cocktail lounge.  Our waitress was super sweet and quite attentive.  Her attention did wane a little bit as the dining area got more crowded, but we were never neglected.  Now this is a place for high-end steaks and next time I will have to order one. The website boasts "US Certified Angus Beef, American and Australian 'Kobe', and 100% A5 Wagyu imported from Japan (highest grade of beef in the world)."  But my friend and I could not resist ordering from the amazing small plates that they offer.  To start, the bread served at the table is this sinfully delicious house-made cheese and bacon bread -- I would have been happy to eat that all night.  The Edamame is amazing cooked with sake and garlic.  We were advised that we had to try a Shooter; they have five different types Hamachi, Poke, Caviar, Oyster and A5 Wagyu.  Per our server's recommendation, we had the Poke Shooter.  But we chose to eat it with our fork rather than have poke tumble down our cheeks out of the shot glass.  It was fabulous the seawood and sesame oil gave the fish great flavor.  The Kobe Sliders were out of this world, good thing there were only two; one for each of us because I could have eaten a plate full.  Now onto the Truffle Fries......Yum!  Not shoe string and not wedge-cut fries, they were the perfect size with the perfect flavor.  Dip those truffle fries in the sriracha aioli served with them and have at it.  The beef tataki was delicious and tender.  But the best small plate on the menu, by far, was the Lobster Tempura with a sweet and sour shitake dipping sauce.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven and I don't even like lobster!!!  We didn't have room for dessert but when I go back for my steak dinner, I will definitely get some.  One thing to note, the bathrooms are downstairs and unisex so don't be confused when a person of the opposite sex comes out of the stall at the same time as you to wash their hands.  San Francisco's first "steak lounge" is a great place to hang out and have some great food with great friends.  I'd like to come back for happy hour on my next visit and sit in the bar.

Mistral Restaurant & Bar--May The Wind Blow You Its Direction

I will be writing about restaurants from all over the SF Bay Area. From San Francisco to San Jose to Oakland and even a few outliers in between. My first post will be on a restaurant that I have been to many times located in Redwood Shores on the Peninsula. It is one that I have been to often over the years. From lagoon front outside dining to fine table dining inside you can't beat the service and food at Mistral's. One of my favorite places to eat in a restaurant is at the bar. You get to know the staff and the vibe of the restaurant, and I find when you want something a bit more casual it serves as a great spot. The staff at Mistral create a friendly, welcoming environment. Now onto the food, the menu is Mediterranean influenced and what I call California cuisine. The housemade bread is delicious and fresh, hot from the woodfire oven. As a starter you can't go wrong with the pancetta wrapped prawns or the crab cakes. The bruschetta is unbelieveable as well, but you only get three pieces for $9 so it is a bit pricey. When it comes to salads, the organic savoy spinach salad with its crusted goat cheese is wonderful and this coming from a person who loves her spinach salad with bacon or pancetta, but they use a wild mushroom so tasty that you don't even notice there isn't any meat. Now onto the main course, hands-down my favorite is the grilled angus skirt steak. The skirt steak is tender and cooked in a teriyaki marinade. They curl it around yummy garlic mashed potatoes and top it with crispy onion rings and some fresh vegetables. Sooooo good! A couple things to note, they have a full bar with an extended wine list by the glass and by the bottle. They have their "4, 5, 6, Happy Hour" which runs with $4, $5, $6 happy hour specials for both food and drink from 4-6, Mon-Fri. They also have a great and reasonably priced children's menu. Mistral is a spot that has remained tried and true thru the years and I am happy to have it as my first restaurant on the everyday foodie blog.

The Opinion From Someone Who Is An Everyday Foodie

Some may wonder why I started this blog and I have done it because I consider myself an "everyday foodie". What do I mean by everday foodie? Well, I don’t know how to make a beurre blanc sauce without looking at a recipe. I love to eat great food whether it is at a Michelin star restaurant or at the corner taco stand, as long as it tastes good and the experience is enjoyable. When I make a reservation, I am not going to get the best seat in the house because of my status in society. I just want to feel welcome at a restaurant and enjoy myself, the people I am with and the food. This is my review of establishments, events and general "everyday foodie" things based on those premises.