Pauline D.'s Profile

Of course, the ultra-complex mole poblano is worth trying (and the super friendly owner will insist that you sample it before you commit to an entire meal of it to be sure) and great with their chicken. It's somewhat of an acquired taste so don't shrug off Tu Mero Mole if you find that sweet/nutty/smoky sauce not to your liking.

An alternative, my friends: the CABRITO (young goat)! Sooo scrumpdillidumptious! The goat meat is stewed in a wonderful tomato/chile sauce until super tender. The owner saw that I liked spicy salsas and  brought me out some habanero/chile de arbol salsa to pair with the goat... Fantastic. Definitely very spicy but not so much that I couldn't taste anything afterward -- great balance. Will definitely be coming back for the cabrito!

Love that they provide chips to munch on while waiting and that there's a salsa bar complete with mild to spicy varieties, in addition to roasted serranos, limes, etc. They  make a bunch of aguas frescas flavors but only have 2-3 available each day. This isn't your run of the mill taqueria, folks! If you're looking for some fantastic Mexican home cooking, look no further.

Hubby found a good deal via Travelzoo for a few nights stay here right before Thanksgiving... Love, love, love. Even though we live just over an hour from Napa, our time spent at La Residence was the perfect romantic getaway -- far away enough to feel completely removed from the stress of everyday life, but close enough where we were comfortable in our surroundings.

I'm a bit of a clean freak and the slightest bit of mildew will make me shudder. Though the lobby/check-in area is a bit... rustic (some might say old and dated), our room was extremely clean, spacious, and comfy. A woman must have designed the bathroom because it was well-lit and covered with mirrors... perfect for getting primped and pretty for a night on the town.

The common areas on the property are really charming and well-suited for enjoying the natural beauty of the wine country landscape. If our in-room fireplace hadn't been so appealing in the 50-deg autumn weather, we most certainly would have taken our glasses and bottle(s!) of vino outside among the twinkling of the lanterns and stars. I bet it's amazing in the summertime.

All the staff members we encountered were friendly and helpful when we were inquiring about recommended activities in the area. The welcome bottle of wine & cheese platter were a nice touch, and we enjoyed the hosted daily wine & cheese social hour as well. Free wi-fi and hot tub access were just icing on the cake.

They're centrally located so it's just a few minutes drive away from Yountville for great eats, St. Helena for tastings, Napa proper for Oxbow and the outlets. Way to go, La Residence! Looking forward to coming back for continued top-notch hospitality.

A couple of days ago, my coworker complemented me on my "newly" done French-tipped nails... I had to correct him. I got them done FOUR WEEKS ago!! Yep, and they looked every bit as fabulous as the first day (minus some chipping of the clear polish, but you can hardly tell unless you look closely) thanks to Pink Beauty! Their gel manicures ($30 + $5 French) are the sheezie! I seriously do NOT take care of my nails, forcing them to go up against those extremely abrasive green scouring pads while doing dishes daily, and yet they manage to stay super shiny and perfect. AMAZING. The staff is super duper nice and, as others have mentioned, don't talk smack or gossip in Vietnamese. +Major brownie points for squeezing in my sister and I hours earlier than our scheduled appointment even though they were pretty busy. Love this place! Definitely my go-to nail salon in the Bay Area!

THE GOOD:
Great baklava ($1.50) and artichoke pesto bread ($5.95). These, should you be in the immediate area, are worth stopping in for...

THE BAD:
If you're a fresh, crisp-on-the-outside, soft-in-the-middle sort of cookie fiend like me, you'll be extremely disappointed. Bold, underline, italicize that.

The pumpkin gingersnap cookie ($1) had all the right holiday flavors, but errs on the side of being soft and cake-like. I like gingersnaps that come with a snap! *snap snap*

THE UGLY:
I like to try the humble choc chip cookie as a measure against all other bakeries. A bite of my chocolate chip cookie "supreme" ($1) had me thinking in mid-chew, "What on Earth is this...??" Hard, dry, highly flavorless. Where's the butter? The vanilla? The chocolate?? Sure, there were chocolate chips studded all over, but dear lord, it tasted terrible, like an old, generic brand cookie. I can only imagine what the non-supreme, regular choc chip cookie ($0.60) tastes like... Eek.

It's just too bad I'm not a fan of sugar cookies because they have tons of them. Maybe those are the way to go... *shrug* Good prices on cookies compared to most in the city, but the quality doesn't quite measure up. I'd rather stuff my face with a bag of Chips Ahoy.

Long story short: COOKIE BAD. BREAD GOOD.

I get it now. Get the deliciously peppery, super meaty Cuban, and you will, too.

Although well-known for their tapioca-like sago desserts, I was especially pleased with their less fruity options: BLACK RICE with coconut milk, and SESAME PASTE. As soon as I flipped through the menu, the black rice had caught my eye and I knew I had to have it, though I didn't really know what to expect... Luckily, they have a sampler that includes sago with coconut milk, sweet tofu, sesame paste, and black rice with coconut milk for $7.95, so I could try a little of everything without having to commit to a full-sized bowl of anything. It was perfect, and they even let me add mango to the sago for an extra fiddy cent(s).

The sweet tofu was a bit bland (syrup to tofu ratio was off), and was our least favorite of the four. Sago with coconut milk and mango was nice -- light and refreshing. The sesame paste looked like a bowl full of squid ink, but it was very fragrant and silky. Some might find it ever so slightly watered down or bland, but the barely-sweet soup was just right for me. The *real winner*, to my surprise, was the black forbidden rice with coconut milk! A pretty simple dessert but really, really nice, especially if you're a fan of rice puddings (I'm usually not, but this stuff was addictive!). The forbidden rice gives it a slight chewiness/crunch that works really well with the creamy sweetened coconut milk. Must try!

If you come in on a weekday from 1PM-7PM they have a few combo specials, like 6 chicken wings (soy sauce or fried) and an HK-style hot milk tea (or coffee) for $4.75. Not a huge special because you're just paying 25 cents more for the milk tea, but if you're planning to get tea or coffee anyway, it's a decent deal. Fried chicken wings are all wingettes (the middle portion of the wing) if you care, lightly dusted with 5-spice, and fried otherwise naked till they're crisp and juicy.

Service isn't super quick, but it gets pretty busy and there's just one girl taking orders/serving/cashiering. It's a nice gesture that they serve hot water to everyone, although the cups are so stained that it looks like you're getting hot tea. Overall, a fun little place to stop in with friends to satisfy your sweet tooths and/or late-night munchies.

This review is long-overdue! I had Kickstand on my list of must-visits during my 4-day vacay to Chicago this past May, and it was a great place to stop in for a dreamy cup o' cappuccino while catching up with my college friend. Baked goodies are indeed good, especially the blueberry corn muffin! It's not so much a loungey kind of space with cushy chairs and warmly decorated walls... No, no, not at all. Think of it as a haven for the minimalist hipster caffeine addict in your life. Blue walls, cool bikes, chipped drinkware, Metropolis beans. A [you have to understand it in order to like it] kind of place. Well, I totally get it and I definitely dig it.

Although they're new to the professional photography scene, you wouldn't know it. The dynamic duo that is Cheryl and Vincent of Chouette Photography are super friendly, professional, and -- most importantly -- incredibly talented. My hubby and I initially worked with them during our engagement photo shoot and were so thrilled with the results that we entrusted them with our once-in-a-lifetime wedding day.

During both sessions, they had a great eye for taking advantage of the setting we were in, capturing landmarks in the most artistic way to frame each shot. We had a few ideas of our own and they went out of their way to make sure we got them. They're really good at utilizing every free minute available to take photos. On the day of the wedding while we were waiting for the ceremony to begin, Cheryl managed to create a makeshift background out of seemingly nothing... The plain, monochromatic office was suddenly transformed into a lovely garden. Still makes me laugh thinking about it! :)

If you're looking for overly processed photos that look kinda cool but super fake, keep looking. Chouette Photography preserves real-life beauty, captured in natural light at flattering angles. Special kuddos for dealing with SF's erratic weather during our wedding -- despite a mix of sun, cloud and fog, the photos turned out beautifully. Vincent had prior arrangements on our wedding day, but they made sure to have a second photographer present (who was equally friendly and courteous). I most appreciated that Cheryl, especially, understood that we were in no way/shape/form professional models, and constantly gave us direction to keep the flow, never ever in a bad way and always in a friendly manner. Just from the few sneak peek photos we've seen from the wedding, the hubby and I couldn't be more pleased and can't wait to see the rest. Great photography transports you back in time, letting those same, raw emotions overcome you... Thanks to Chouette Photography, my hubby and I will relive and savor our newly engaged and happily married moments shared with family and friends for many, many years to come. We couldn't recommend them for your special occasion more!

I didn't know pizzas could be certified, but apparently Ca' Momi's are by THE Italian governing body of Napoletana-style pizzas. I can't attest to how legit they are, but they certainly are TASTY! The hubby and I split the Porchetta, Rucola & Pecorino pizza. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) They're purists here. No crushed red pepper or parmesan available or allowed as enhancements, and honestly, I didn't miss 'em. The organic and housemade (saw them make it with my own eyes! http://www.yelp.com/bi...) porchetta was fantastic with the peppery arugula, salty pecorino, and fresh herbs... All local and sustainable. The crust was nice and thin, crisp on the edges yet still had a nice chew to it. Wait for the pizza was a tad bit long but our server was kind enough to bring by some rosemary crisps to munch on. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) If you're around on a warm day, request a table on their patio... Get ready for some good times and great eats!

One of the best meals I've had in a good while (and this is coming after a 3+ hr meal at The French Laundry not more than a day before). TK makes it easy at his restaurants: one set menu with optional add-ons. We came on BBQ night, which, on first impression, made me question whether we'd come on a "good" night. Were we about to blow over $100 on some smoked meat that we could easily get back home for a fraction of the price? Well, Chef Keller definitely made me eat my words.

We opened with a lovely grilled salad accented with pomegranate and grapefruit, pulled together by a creamy avocado dressing. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) All dishes are served family-style, which makes for a fun, casual atmosphere. Make no mistake, though, the food definitely has the finesse you'd expect from TFL's mastermind.

We opted to add the deep-fried quail to our meal -- one of the best decisions we made all trip -- even though the original menu would have provided more than enough food. It was a play on the Southern comfort dish of fried chicken and biscuits, though slightly refined and totally perfected. The quail was beautifully seasoned, not too greasy, and oh-so-juicy! Most of the tiny bones had been removed so we were able to really sink our teeth into the succulent meat. The mini biscuit with gravy sent us soaring. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)

Little did we know that Chef Keller had more up his sleeve, like theee. most. phenomenal. WAGYU BEEF! (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) Whatever he uses as his bbq glaze is out of this world, and the marbling on the super tender slices of beef was ridiculous... Melted right in our mouths. The bar has now been set so high, I'm afraid I'll never eat barbecue this good ever again. How cruel this life is...

The night ended with a warm monkey bread and coffee ice cream pairing. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) Nothing over the top, just darn good food. We will absolutely be back... every chance we get!