Karin V.'s Profile

ABSOLUTELY DELISH!!  By far, my favorite eat while in Kauai.  :-9

Malasadas are like the love child of a beignet and a donut...only better!  Warm, fluffy, and moist on the inside, while crisp and sugary on the outside.  Very addictive.  

Even the strange location (small stand outside of K-Mart) made it seem like a special *find*.

5 stars for the pho.  Still the best bowl of pho in SF.  Love the rich, warm broth and slippery noodles sliding down my throat...Mmmmm.

The SOMA location is much cleaner than the TL location, and service is better.  I prefer to come for dinner since lunch can be too crowded and chaotic.  Tried some of the 'new' dinner menu items...been hit or miss.  I'm sticking with the pho.  It's a cure-all for everything!

My new favorite pizza place in SF!  Their crispy, thin crust is perfection...Mmm.  

Margherita pizzas are always my baseline when eating at pizza restaurants and Piccino's is delightful...lots of fresh tomato sauce with a nice balance of cheese and basil.  Their funghi/mushroom pizza puts other restaurants versions to shame.  What sets it apart is that they not only put roasted mushrooms on the pizza, but also spread a chopped mushroom and garlic pesto-like mixture on it as well...all accentuated with a super creamy stracchino cheese.  Absolutely sublime!  

Their gnocchi should also not be missed...very different from your traditionally dense gnocchi.  These huge semolina pillows are served with roasted wild mushrooms and mouth-watering chunks of pancetta.  Already wanting to go back for more...

The ambience and the service were also warm and friendly.  The only downside is reservations are tough to get, but unlike many other hyped up 'gourmet pizzerias'...Piccino is worth it!

Wow, who would have thought there'd be such an AMAZING bakery in the sleepy town of Sea Ranch?!  The pastries here were absolutely delish!!  Flaky yet crispy, sweet but not too sugary, and buttery but not too rich...perfectly balanced flavors and textures in each luscious bite!  I was in breakfast heaven as I gorged on their almond croissant (my fave), scone, and cinnamon roll.  

Good thing I can get my pastry fix at Tartine Bakery in SF, otherwise I'd have to brave the treacherously windy roads up to Sea Ranch more often!

I've been frequenting Incanto for years. It never fails to hit the spot when I'm craving comforting, rustic Italian food. Their ingredients are always high quality and include interesting and daring menu items - a haven for adventurous meat lovers. Chef Chris Cosentino has been rocking offal dishes way before the 'head to tail' movement became popular. The restaurant also has a warm atmosphere and staff that are both knowledgeable and passionate about the food.

Boccalone Ibérico di Bellota Lardo, Shinku Pear & Mint - composed of paper thin ribbons of lardo (back fat) from the celebrated Ibérico di Bellota pigs (free-range and fed only acorns...think Kobe beef of pigs) draped over cool, crisp pears and refreshing mint. The lardo was remarkably light, while giving the pears had this buttery melt-in-your-mouth coating. Exquisite!

Quail and Caper Salad- wish it was served warm, but the flavors were great and the richness of the quail shined.

Burnt Flour Rigatoni, Wild Mushrooms & Nettles - a throwback to the poor's utilization of "used flour", the burnt flour created a denser pasta with a chocolate color. I loved the strong flavors of the wild mushrooms....sumptuous and earthy with a bite from the nettles. Just what I needed on a cold evening.

Roasted Lamb Neck, Smashed Roots, Broccoli di Ciccio & Gremolata - my hubby's favorite dish at Incanto. He can't resist whenever it's on the menu. The lamb neck is moist and meaty, while the Italian parsley and gremolata balances its richness with herb and citrus flavors.

While this wasn't the best meal that I've had at Incanto, it's only because the bar has been set so high by the many other amazing meals I've had here over the years. I still dream of their amazing braised octopus dish and can't wait for it to featured on the menu again. What I love most about Incanto is its ability to constantly showcase unique ingredients or serve food in a different way while keeping still making it *feel* traditional.

**For pics of each course, visit my blog listed under my profile. Enjoy!**

Reading some of the previous Yelp reviews, Radius has made imrpovements based on the feedback - they now serve butter with their bread, and the service was excellent.

My waiter was attentive and gave great recommendations on the menu - his beautiful French accent didn't hurt either.  He graciously answered all my questions and dining requests.

The fried chicken was DELISH!  Crispy on the outside and oh-so-juicy on the inside.  One of the most moist and succulent fried chickens I've had.  The portion was also generous with a thigh, breast, and drumstick.  My only critique is that it could have used a bit more seasoning/salt.

I also enjoyed the side of their horseradish sugar snap peas.  Just the right amount of crunch, savoriness, and a bit sweetness.

The lemon curd tart was the perfect way to finish off the big meal - refreshing and not too heavy.  I appreciated the thin layer of chocolate at the bottom to add just a hint of decadence.  

I'd come back here again, especially for that juicy fried chicken.

FAUX PHO.  ugh.

I came here looking for a big bowl of noodles to warm me up on a chilly night...what I got was a bowl of bland broth, sticky noodles, and slices of "chicken" with the consistency of processed deli meat.  Yuck.  

The spring rolls were also dry and tasted like they had been made the previous day and had been sitting out since then.  

While the people who worked there were pleasant, the food was a far cry from authentic or good Vietnamese food.

Their chicken was dry, and the tacos were not particularly memorable.

More like Senor Salty.  I've been here twice and both times, their tacos were waaaaaaaaay too salty.

The vanilla bean crème brûlée was bland, and served warmer than room temperature, like it'd been sitting out all day.  Bleh.