The hubs and I just got back from a VERY belated honeymoon in California. We saw just about everything -- we flew into San Francisco, stayed a few nights, and then drove south on Highway 1, ending up in Los Angeles. I came away with a new appreciation for red wine, a fascination with Old Hollywood, and a list of definite "dos" (and one complete "don't) for anyone travelling to California.
Places I Loved:
Perbacco (San Francisco): wonderful Italian food in a loud, slightly crowded but very stylish atmosphere. This place taught me the difference between really well-made gnocchi and the stuff I've been eating from the grocery store. Plus their "Ugly But Good" cookies are NOT to be missed.
La Bellasera (Paso Robles): This is a hotel and not a restaurant, but it's a must-do if you're in Paso. A lovely little place, very close to wineries and good food, with incredibly spacious and clean rooms at an stunningly low price.
burger. (Santa Cruz): An amazingly funky little place. Delicious, fresh burgers with fun California names ("The Dude") and a nice bar. This is a great place to stop for lunch on your way down Highway 1.
Dearly Departed Tours (Hollywood): Again, this isn't a place to eat, but it's a lot of fun. We took plenty of tours on our vacation (Hearst Castle, Hollywood Homes, Alcatraz) and this was by far our favorite. It's not for children (or the faint of heart), but it's great for anyone who loves Old Hollywood or true crime stories.
Skooby's (L.A.): Confession time -- I LOVE hot dogs. The ones at Skooby's are perfect, topped with a variety of fun and non-traditional toppings and served in warm buns on the side of Hollywood Boulevard. The lemonade is amazing too.
Place I HATED:
Whale Watcher Cafe (Big Sur): Avoid this place at all costs. It's located in the middle of nowhere, which is the only reason why we stopped -- I was starving. Flies everywhere, only one server, and they still had the nerve to charge almost $20 for a tuna sandwich. We actually walked out without ordering. Turns out, I would rather wait an hour and eat a burger at the Hearst Castle food court than eat at the Fly Watcher.
Showing posts with label Italian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Italian. Show all posts
Monday, October 1, 2012
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Dolce Vita
My friend Adnan (the only person who seems to eat out more than I do) recommended Dolci Vita, so my husband and I hit it up on a hot Saturday afternoon. All the sane people were eating inside, so we decided to take a table outside to make our wait shorter.
It was quite warm on the otherwise lovely patio, so to cool down, my husband had a Peroni and I ordered a diet Coke. Unfortunately, the soda machine was broken, so our sweet and accommodating waitress brought me an imported regular Coke in a glass bottle. So far things were not going so well.
Everything began to look up when our appetizers arrived. We had two: anchovies with peppers and scallions and a special off-menu artichoke stuffed with salami and bread crumbs.
Both of these dishes were real treats. The anchovies were delightfully salty and savory, especially when paired with roasted red peppers and capers. It was kind of like taking a bite out of the ocean (but not in a gross way). The stuffed artichoke was warm, crusty and very filling -- something that should definitely be added to the menu full-time, or at least for the fall and winter. For the summer, however, it might be a bit too heavy to be called an appetizer. It's really big and hearty enough to serve as a meal.
We could (and probably should) have stopped with the apps, but since it is a pizzeria, we caved and ordered the Margarita Pizza, their most popular pie.
Overall this was a successful pizza. Tomato, basil and mozzarella are obviously a crowd-pleasing flavor combination. My husband thought that the crust was too thin and therefore got soggy. I really like a thin crust, however; it's reminiscent of what I grew up with in New York. My only complaint was that the pieces of basil were too big and too few. I think that this dish would be better if the basil was chopped into slightly-smaller pieces, so that you never end up eating a bite of pizza without all three flavors (or end up eating a bite of just basil).
Dolce Vita is a nice little find in the Montrose area. The staff are hardworking and friendly and the food is made with fresh ingredients and authentic recipes. At a place like this, the enjoyability of the experience really comes down to the guest --the more adventurous you are, the more likely you are to have a memorable meal. So go ahead and order a plain old pizza, but get some anchovies too. You'll find that the anchovies probably make the meal.
PS: parking in this area can be tricky, and cars are frequently ticketed/booted/towed. Your best bet is to utilize the low-cost valet service at the restaurant, or to park on Whitney Street, next to the restaurant. Pay very close attention to parking signs, where other cars are parked, and the advice of the restaurant staff. And remember not to block anyone's driveway!
It was quite warm on the otherwise lovely patio, so to cool down, my husband had a Peroni and I ordered a diet Coke. Unfortunately, the soda machine was broken, so our sweet and accommodating waitress brought me an imported regular Coke in a glass bottle. So far things were not going so well.
Everything began to look up when our appetizers arrived. We had two: anchovies with peppers and scallions and a special off-menu artichoke stuffed with salami and bread crumbs.
Both of these dishes were real treats. The anchovies were delightfully salty and savory, especially when paired with roasted red peppers and capers. It was kind of like taking a bite out of the ocean (but not in a gross way). The stuffed artichoke was warm, crusty and very filling -- something that should definitely be added to the menu full-time, or at least for the fall and winter. For the summer, however, it might be a bit too heavy to be called an appetizer. It's really big and hearty enough to serve as a meal.
We could (and probably should) have stopped with the apps, but since it is a pizzeria, we caved and ordered the Margarita Pizza, their most popular pie.
Overall this was a successful pizza. Tomato, basil and mozzarella are obviously a crowd-pleasing flavor combination. My husband thought that the crust was too thin and therefore got soggy. I really like a thin crust, however; it's reminiscent of what I grew up with in New York. My only complaint was that the pieces of basil were too big and too few. I think that this dish would be better if the basil was chopped into slightly-smaller pieces, so that you never end up eating a bite of pizza without all three flavors (or end up eating a bite of just basil).
Dolce Vita is a nice little find in the Montrose area. The staff are hardworking and friendly and the food is made with fresh ingredients and authentic recipes. At a place like this, the enjoyability of the experience really comes down to the guest --the more adventurous you are, the more likely you are to have a memorable meal. So go ahead and order a plain old pizza, but get some anchovies too. You'll find that the anchovies probably make the meal.
PS: parking in this area can be tricky, and cars are frequently ticketed/booted/towed. Your best bet is to utilize the low-cost valet service at the restaurant, or to park on Whitney Street, next to the restaurant. Pay very close attention to parking signs, where other cars are parked, and the advice of the restaurant staff. And remember not to block anyone's driveway!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Giacomo's
I wanted to try Giacomo's before we move out of the River Oaks area in a few weeks. When I overheard one of my coworkers singing it's praises, I decided it was time. We got seats on the patio on a warm Saturday evening. The sky was threatening rain, but it held out, and the atmosphere couldn't have been more welcoming or comfortable.
Our waiter looked young, but he knew his stuff, including the history of the restaurant, the best dishes on the menu, and how to politely deal with the rude and demanding couple sitting at the other end of our long table. Check plus smiley-face for service.
We started out with a reasonably priced bottle of "pink" wine from the extensive list and a bread basket. Bread costs three dollars at Giacomo's, which seemed odd at an Italian restaurant. Half of the bread (focaccia) was good, and the other half seemed like store-bought sandwich rolls. Unless they change their policy and make it free, skip it.
My husband had a house salad with the green goddess dressing, as well as the pork butt with cannellini beans that my coworker so enjoyed. His pork was "aggressively seasoned" with fennel and served over a warm, rustic stew of beans and tomato. The meat was very tender and the seasoning, though bold, was tamed by the meat and the beans. He described his meal as "scrumptious."
I had gnocchi with cream sauce and mushrooms. These gnocchi were light as air, and the sauce was comforting without being too heavy for a summer evening. I ate every bite on my plate and even broke down and sopped some of the sauce up with the bread (which still probably didn't make it worth the $3).
For dessert we tried the hazelnut mocha cream. All I can say is this: real whipped cream. LOTS of it, on top of the thick, cold, creamy, amazingly chocolaty love-child of mousse and pudding. Get it.
Giacomo is a lovely little place that serves authentic Italian comfort food in a cozy atmosphere. My husband didn't think he liked Italian food before we ate here, having spent his life believing that all Italy had to offer was pasta, tomatoes and mozzarella. He was surprised by the variety and quality of Giacomo's offerings, and he left feeling like maybe, just maybe, he liked Italian cuisine. That alone is a huge compliment to the chef, and a good reason why you should try this place.
Our waiter looked young, but he knew his stuff, including the history of the restaurant, the best dishes on the menu, and how to politely deal with the rude and demanding couple sitting at the other end of our long table. Check plus smiley-face for service.
We started out with a reasonably priced bottle of "pink" wine from the extensive list and a bread basket. Bread costs three dollars at Giacomo's, which seemed odd at an Italian restaurant. Half of the bread (focaccia) was good, and the other half seemed like store-bought sandwich rolls. Unless they change their policy and make it free, skip it.
My husband had a house salad with the green goddess dressing, as well as the pork butt with cannellini beans that my coworker so enjoyed. His pork was "aggressively seasoned" with fennel and served over a warm, rustic stew of beans and tomato. The meat was very tender and the seasoning, though bold, was tamed by the meat and the beans. He described his meal as "scrumptious."
I had gnocchi with cream sauce and mushrooms. These gnocchi were light as air, and the sauce was comforting without being too heavy for a summer evening. I ate every bite on my plate and even broke down and sopped some of the sauce up with the bread (which still probably didn't make it worth the $3).
For dessert we tried the hazelnut mocha cream. All I can say is this: real whipped cream. LOTS of it, on top of the thick, cold, creamy, amazingly chocolaty love-child of mousse and pudding. Get it.
Giacomo is a lovely little place that serves authentic Italian comfort food in a cozy atmosphere. My husband didn't think he liked Italian food before we ate here, having spent his life believing that all Italy had to offer was pasta, tomatoes and mozzarella. He was surprised by the variety and quality of Giacomo's offerings, and he left feeling like maybe, just maybe, he liked Italian cuisine. That alone is a huge compliment to the chef, and a good reason why you should try this place.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Special Out of Town Edition: Caffe Capri
This weekend was our friend Ramblin' Stew's birthday, so we headed up to College Station and had a nice meal at Caffe Capri. I thought that maybe some readers will be travelling to, or through, BCS for the holiday this week, so this trip and this review might be timely.
Caffe Capri is located downtown. The space is small, but it doesn't feel crowded, just cozy. We waited about 20 minutes for a table, which was very manageable, considering we showed up without reservations on a Friday night (and were told we would have to wait an hour by the borderline-incompetent hostess). Our waitress was a sweet college-age girl with a high tolerance for our rowdiness.
The birthday boy handled the wine selection, since he knows a lot about such things. We ended up with two nice bottles of white wine off of their very user-friendly list. We also had some very good calimari, which I would absolutely recommend.
I went with the seafood ravioli. I wish I could say more, but the wine was working at that point. I know the food was good, because I ate most of it. There was plenty of crabmeat and lobster in it, and a thick cream sauce, which is always a good thing. I can't say I would recommend it (since I can't 100% remember it) but I can't say I didn't like it either.
We told the waitress is was Stew's birthday, so she brought out a dessert. She didn't tell us what it was, but looking at the menu, I think it was the chocolate toffee mousse with kahlua. It was very good -- creamy, rich and perfect for sharing. Much better than a plain old piece of birthday cake.
We had a good experience at Caffe Capri. A lot of it has to do with the company we had and the occasion (not to mention the bottles of wine). However, the food -- or what I can remember of the food -- was very good, and the atmosphere was lovely. If you're headed that way this weekend, give it a try. And let me know how it goes -- maybe it'll trigger my memory.
Caffe Capri is located downtown. The space is small, but it doesn't feel crowded, just cozy. We waited about 20 minutes for a table, which was very manageable, considering we showed up without reservations on a Friday night (and were told we would have to wait an hour by the borderline-incompetent hostess). Our waitress was a sweet college-age girl with a high tolerance for our rowdiness.
The birthday boy handled the wine selection, since he knows a lot about such things. We ended up with two nice bottles of white wine off of their very user-friendly list. We also had some very good calimari, which I would absolutely recommend.
I went with the seafood ravioli. I wish I could say more, but the wine was working at that point. I know the food was good, because I ate most of it. There was plenty of crabmeat and lobster in it, and a thick cream sauce, which is always a good thing. I can't say I would recommend it (since I can't 100% remember it) but I can't say I didn't like it either.
We told the waitress is was Stew's birthday, so she brought out a dessert. She didn't tell us what it was, but looking at the menu, I think it was the chocolate toffee mousse with kahlua. It was very good -- creamy, rich and perfect for sharing. Much better than a plain old piece of birthday cake.
We had a good experience at Caffe Capri. A lot of it has to do with the company we had and the occasion (not to mention the bottles of wine). However, the food -- or what I can remember of the food -- was very good, and the atmosphere was lovely. If you're headed that way this weekend, give it a try. And let me know how it goes -- maybe it'll trigger my memory.
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