Lacey "Face" H.'s Profile
Date
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 386-7670
Cha Cha Cha
Categories:
Caribbean,
Cuban,
Tapas Bars
Neighborhood: Haight-Ashbury
1. Appetizers: Guacamole (free chips and salsa) and corn tortillas
2. Large Dish: Vegetable Paella (filled with cauliflower, red bell peppers, spinach, onions, and tomatoes)
3. Tapas: Spiced potatoes and garlic marinated button mushrooms
We had also ordered their spinach empanada, but the bartender informed us that they typically only serve fresh dishes that are prepared entirely inhouse. That this is the only dish on their menu that is not prepared in house. We asked how it was prepared, and were informed it was purchased, and microwaved... so a hot pocket? I thanked him for his honesty, and decide against the hot pocket. :)
Everything was delicious. Super flavorful, and tasted fantastic all together. I filled my little tortilla with ALL of the above, and scarfed. It was divine. Prices weren't too bad either. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone in the San Francisco area. Not in the neighborhood? Drive - it's worth it.
I'm a vegetarian, but the rest of my family isn't, and they enjoyed tandoori chicken and lamb karahi. There wasn't a drop left to take home.
The prices are really reasonable, and the staff is attentive and quick with our orders. I feel so lucky that they are only a 5 minute drive from my house!
The owner, Al Munari, took us on a tour of the grounds, showed us the new B&B he recently opened (super cute!) and talked to us about the history of the space. He even opened up a few bottles that were not part of the tasting for us to try, like his Cab and Pinot Noir. Delicious! There was not a single wine that I didn't fall instantly in love with, which made it difficult to choose which to purchase, but after 2.5 hours of chatting, drinking and picnicing, we decided on a half case consisting of Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir,
Merlot, Barbera... to name a few.
You absolutely MUST come here the next time you're in Murphys. Do not restrict yourself to the downtown tasting rooms! My recommendation: Come here first, take your time, and have lunch on the picnic tables (he'll bring you a glass of wine to have with your meal).
(206) 455-4952
G'Day Pet Care
Categories:
Dog Walkers,
Pet Boarding/Pet Sitting,
Pet Training
Neighborhood: Downtown
New York, NY 10002
(212) 995-0099
The Stanton Social
Category:
Tapas/Small Plates
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Second impressions... "What? I can't hear you?" "I said, Second Impressions!" Yay, the place is loud... I mean, come on. Is it really that necessary to blast the music like that? Why would you stay someplace for more than an hour if you can't even hear your server. Had they turned the music down even just a decibel, I would have ordered at least 2 more dishes, and dessert (not to mention more wine). But instead, I missed half of what my best friend had to say, and left with a headache.
Third impressions... the food was amazing. This is a small plates restaurant, and for two small chicks, 4 dishes were perfect. We dinned on: The fried zucchini with tomato jam, the pizzeta, ricotta & wild mushroom raviolis, and the star of the night, the french onion soup dumplings! OMG the dumplings were heaven. I ordered a glass of their Malbec (smooth, not too spicy), which paired well with a majority of the dishes.
If you're looking for a cool, trendy place with amazing food, come here... but don't expect to be able to speak with your dining guests (or your server).
Concord, CA 94523
(925) 363-4443
Bravo Bistro
Categories:
Italian,
American (New)
What I love about Bravo Bistro, is that they understand that service is just as important as presentation and flavor. The restaurant is run by brothers Habib and Youssef el Jacifi who take turns hosting and cooking. The brothers are extremely attentive and animated, and came by our table twice to make sure we were enjoying ourselves.
To start, I ordered the caprese salad. The salad is easily big enough to share. The tomatoes and mozarella are fresh, sliced thick and drizzled with balsamic and olive oil, and sprinkled with a bit of fresh basil. In the center, was a light salad of mixed greens, feta cheese, walnuts and cranberries. Not only was it delicious, but it was also beautiful. Uploaded a pic of it in the photos section.
For my entree, I ordered the special: Pear ravioli, with a light cream sauce, and cranberries. The sauce was paired really well with the cranberries, pear and ricotta filling. It was sweet, and savory, and the portion size was perfect considering how large my appetizer was.
For dessert, our table shared the "Pyramid." It was my father's birthday, so I secretly told our waitress to bring us dessert with a candle. The Pyramid looks exactly as it sounds, and is a layering of hazelnut and different chocolates. Very decadent, and a perfect way to end the evening.
Before leaving, Habib invited my husband and I to Moroccan Night at their other restaurant, Fiori. We quickly made reservations, and look forward to tasting their Moroccan dishes next month!
Danville, CA 94526
(925) 552-0505
Forbes Mill Steakhouse
Category:
Steakhouses
We had a wonderful conversation with Sommelier, Jeremy Vassalo, who decanted a bold red tableside, and shared some stories about his new favorite wineries.
For an appetizer, we shared the crab cake. Having lived in Boston for several years, I wanted to see how it measured up to my all-time favorite crab cake eatery: King Fish Hall. The cake was crispy, warm, and full of sweet lump crab meat (no fillers), and in one bite stole the title from King Fish Hall.
I've been a vegetarian for a little over a year, but couldn't say no to their filet mignon, cooked rare, with garlic, mashed potatoes. It was like heaven in my mouth. I won't apologize, because it was one of the best cooked steaks I've ever enjoyed.
Managers Kevin Gordon and Brent Redford are great at what they do and truly made the night a memorable one. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a fine dining experience.
1 Previous Review:
-
11/21/2010
This was my first time at Forbes Mill. I had heard great things and was excited to take my younger brother here for his birthday. My younger brother is taller than me, but seven years younger. I immediately got the impression that they thought we were on a date. I thought it was funny, and assumed they would think my brother was older. No. They thought I was a teenager. We were both dressed well, were polite, and courteous.
I had forgotten what it was like to be treated like a teenager... it isn't pleasant. I had to ask my waitress for a wine list, because of course, she assumed neither of us were old enough to drink. She then ignored us for about 15 minutes before asking what we wanted. I then ordered a glass of Hannah Nicole Chardonnay, and the oyster appetizer. After staring at my ID for several long seconds, she turned on her heal and left without asking my brother what he wanted. Rude. We were halfway through our appetizer when she came by again asking what we wanted for a main course. I was irritated. I told her that were trying to enjoy our oysters, and would order after we finished, but i thought my brother might be ready to order his drink. She look startled, brought his diet coke, and ignored us for another 15 minutes.
[To clarify - when i say "ignore" i mean, i see her being very attentive to tables around us. When i try to flag her, she turns her head and walks by us.]
She waited until we ordered our main course to bring us bread. We had been there over 30 minutes.
For a main course, I ordered the steamed lobster tail with veggies. I love lobster. Unfortunately, I fell in love with this dish in New England, and have been unable to find its equivalent on the West Coast. The lobster was a bit stringy, and was SEASONED. Can you believe it? They covered it in season salt. Not good. I was pleased that my brother enjoyed his steak and garlic mashed potatoes.
We were greeted after our plates were cleared by a cheerful waiter who informed us that our waitress had to leave, and he would finish serving us. His friendliness was a nice way to end the meal. When he learned we were celebrating a birthday, he told us that we could order anything on the dessert menu for free. My brother and I had the chocolate lava cake (complete with a lit candle).
I am still surprised how poorly we were treated overall. I was hoping to treat my younger brother to a nice meal. He gets treated like a kid all the time, but was hoping dinner out to a higher-end restaurant might be a nice change for him. The truth was that we probably would have gotten better service at an Olive Garden.
The only complaint I would have is their speed. My appointment was for 9:15AM, and I arrived on time, but wasn't called in until 9:45, and didn't finish until after 11:30. Definitely don't make an appointment on a busy day.
- Roasted Garlic and Warm Goat Cheese: Delicious but HOT. The plate comes with little metal spoons for the table to use. They must have been placed on the dish before it was placed under a heat lamp because we all burned our fingers! :-/
- Graffiti Cheese Course: Delicious, exactly as described on the menu.
- Chicken Pesto Pizzetta (without Chicken): Dry, little flavor.
- Filet Mignon: My friend liked it, even though she ordered it Medium and it arrived medium well.
- Artichoke Ravioli: Arrived cold, but we were starving (slow service) so we ate it anyway. Nothing to write home about. The restaurant doesn't specialize in Italian food, so I wasn't expecting much.
- Miso Glazed Seared Ahi: Arrived well done! Completely cooked through. I had to walk around the restaurant to find our server to tell her as she never checked on us after the plates started arriving. She didn't seem to understand that seared ahi is meant to be seared raw on the inside, but took the plate back and returned with a much better offering of ahi.
- Portobello Wellington: One of the worst things I have ever tasted. The Wellington was covered in some sort of cherry sauce that had a bad chemical taste (burned our tongues). We sent this back for fear of getting food poisoning.
- Ribeye Steak: After asking for the restaurant's definition of how they cook their steak, he asked for it to be cooked medium rare. Our waitress said it would be very pink in the middle, but not cold. It arrived medium well. I again had to walk around the restaurant to find our server. She took the plate, and returned to tell us they were out of ribeye. We had already been there for an hour and a half, so we opted not to order something else.
I don't recommend this place.
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"I love great wine, and small portions."
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Review votes:
97 Useful, 20 Funny, and 38 Cool
Pleasant Hill, CA
Yelping SinceMay 2008
Things I LoveWine, tapas, fresh margaritas, cheese plates, classical music, beautiful views, boutique wineries, 5-inch heals, trendy eateries, hot apple cider, and balsamic vinegar dressing
Find Me InWalnut Creek, San Francisco, Healdsburg, Santa Rosa
My HometownMorgan Hill, CA
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm writing - or tweeting.
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI'm picky - but I'm not afraid to try new things
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadAnything with zombies in it
My First ConcertN'Sync (don't laugh)
My Favorite MovieThe Holiday
My Last Meal On EarthCrisp Sauv Blanc, paired with white cheddar, blue cheese and honey.
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I can't stand coffee (taste or smell)
Most Recent DiscoveryThere is a food and wine channel on my TiVo
Current CrushMy husband