Lisa M.

9/22/2018

I was in panic mode when my Windows desktop was showing a black screen on startup and my troubleshooting wasn't working. I dropped off my computer to Neil and he fixed it in a day! His technical skill and knowledge is fantastic, and he kept me informed via phone and text about what he was doing and the status of the repair. After I took the computer home, he took the time to remotely install anti-virus programs and fix remaining things. Neil also gave me tips on how to prevent future issues. Very friendly and helpful, and all this at a very reasonable price! I highly recommend Neil for computer repairs and would use him again (but hopefully I won't have more issues)!

8/12/2012

Tried this place out with a LivingSocial deal and had a fantastic time! Clean rooms (a bit on the small side), rustic but modern look, with cute natural/camping decor throughout the property to fit the theme. Complimentary breakfast every morning with bagels, pastries, granola, yogurt, coffee/teas. Coffee and alcohol bar tucked into a corner of the main office. Hot tub upstairs. Super friendly and helpful staff. The location is pretty awesome too - a block away from the casinos and Heavenly Village, and lots of outdoors-y activities and restaurants not more than 30 minutes away. I highly recommend this place and look forward to my next stay here in Tahoe!

8/10/2012

Wanted to try this place but never got a chance to because NO ONE ever offered to seat us or acknowledge our existence. We accidentally went into the back entrance first but were totally ignored. When I walked through the front, the host at the counter saw me but instead of asking how many in my party, he turned away to go into the kitchen. SERIOUSLY? I waited a couple more minutes but no server ever acknowledged that I might want to get on the list for a damn table. Maybe they couldn't be bothered because they had enough customers to look like a "popular" joint in Tahoe on a Friday night. Maybe it's because I'm Asian and they'd rather cater to the loads of white customers instead. Or maybe it was my uber casual clothing since I'd just had a 4 hour drive. I don't know what it was, but this is some of the worst customer service I've ever experienced. No matter how good your food is (and again I'll never know), you can't treat your customers (potential or actual) that way.

10/13/2011

Clean nail salon with cute decor (especially all the colorful pillows), good music, and plenty of smut magazines to pass the time. Super friendly staff, and the owner, Linda, checked on me frequently to see how I was doing. Loved my hand/arm oatmeal scrub, mask, and massage. And my French mani was perfect. All for $20 with a cup of complimentary green tea. Total girly heaven!

2/4/2010

Got rear-ended and took my poor Toyota Camry to Auto Collision Center to get my bumper and muffler replaced.  The staff was super friendly and professional; they took the time to explain the process and show us around the shop. They did a fantastic job and even got original Toyota factory parts so my car looks good as new. And the turn-around time was quick.

Would definitely recommend this place!

12/22/2008

've only recently begun to dabble in Italian varietals, so I was excited to try out Uva Enoteca in the Lower Haight. It's a charming restaurant and wine bar that is both classy and cozy, with an extensive wine list, simple but flavorful food, and very friendly staff.

Our waiter really knew his stuff -- he asked me for my preferences in varietal, flavor, and body, and was able to make several recommendations based on my comments. And of course, you can have a small taste of any wine before committing to a glass.

The food was also fantastic, with a menu that included Italian appetizers, pizzas, paninis, and a drool-worthy selection of cheeses and crafted meats. I had the heavenly pancetta, chicken, and gorgonzola panini, along with platters of assorted meats and cheeses. Delish!

(Check out my accompanying photos!)

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  Mmm wine

  Mmm wine
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  Pancetta, chicken, and gorgonzola panini

  Pancetta, chicken, and gorgonzola panini
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  Cheeses with honey and fruit spreads

  Cheeses with honey and fruit spreads
• See all photos from Lisa M. for Uva Enoteca

12/20/2008

I'm picky about my Japanese food, but this is the BEST sushi and sashimi I've had in SF so far. We sat at the sushi bar, headed by a friendly Chinese fellow named Roger. The fish was incredibly fresh -- sometimes we had the pleasure of watching Roger pull out the whole fish and slice it open in front of us to serve. Not only was the fish fresh, but we also got to try some "exotic" fish varieties that you wouldn't normally find at your regular sushi joint (e.g., trout, butterfish). Very creative and tasty sushi rolls too.

Definitely get the butterfish sashimi. It's up there with hamachi, my long-time favorite. And if you plan on sitting at the sushi bar, I'd advise you to make a reservation.

(Check out my accompanying photos!)

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  Hamachi & salmon

  Hamachi & salmon
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  Uni

  Uni
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  Mackerel nigiri

  Mackerel nigiri
• See all photos from Lisa M. for Zushi Puzzle

4/29/2008

One night, my friend and I decided to finally try dinner at Kappa, a wonderful gem of a restaurant tucked away in a hidden corner of San Francisco's Japantown. Locating the restaurant for the first time was slightly challenging. We went up a flight of stairs from the J-town Denny's, peered skeptically into a Korean karaoke lounge, and finally found the entrance behind a sliding wooden door next to the lounge. The only indication of the restaurant's existence was a small sign with the words "Kappa" inscribed in neat hiragana.

Yet aside from the odd location, this was one of the best meals I've had outside of Japan. Once I stepped inside, I was instantly transported back to the small, intimate restaurants in Japan, where salarymen drink and eat in between hearty laughter after work hours. The restaurant can only fit about ten seats at the bar, so the dining experience allows you to converse with both the chef and his wife, who served customers while wearing a full kimono (which is very commendable since it's hard to even walk in kimono without looking like a penguin). I almost forgot that I was in the States.

As for the food, let me begin my review with some words of caution. Not everyone will appreciate the food at Kappa. The restaurant serves food in the koryori style, which is harder to find outside of Japan. Small, stand-alone dishes are presented with minimal garnish and seasoning, in an effort to highlight the original flavors of the ingredients. There is no standard menu, as the availability of items varies with the freshness of the ingredients. The result is a sensual, refined dining experience that allows you to enjoy the flavors, scents, and textures of some of the most traditional Japanese cuisine.

If you're looking for California rolls, contemporary fusion fare, gyoza, and teriyaki bento boxes, do not step foot into Kappa. And take your gaijin t-shirt with you. Kappa doesn't even serve sushi, although I'm sure the chef would do an amazing job if he wanted to.

For newbies, the best thing to order is probably the omakase pre-fixe menu. For $85 per person, the chef will select a variety of dishes to introduce you to koryori dining. My friend and I were fairly confident about what we wanted though, so we just ordered a la carte.

- Sashimi: Each slice was thick, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Wasabi and shoyu were completely unnecessary. The uni was especially amazing.
- Ankimo: Creamy and velvety, served with ponzu sauce.
- Hirame Usuzukuri: Thinly sliced halibut sashimi dipped in a mixture of shoyu, thinly sliced green onions, and spicy daikon. Great play on textures.
- Grilled red snapper: Best dish of the meal. Reminiscent of hamachi kama, but the meat was thicker and sweeter.
- Blackskin Pork: Thick and fried in batter without too much excess oil.
- Anmitsu (agar jelly served with sweet bean paste)

With the limited seating, reservations are a must. The portions are small, so don't show up starving. And the prices can add up to a hefty total, but if you're a fan of traditional Japanese fare, it's well worth it to visit once in awhile.

(See accompanying photos!)

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  Sashimi plate

  Sashimi plate
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  Grilled red snapper

  Grilled red snapper
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  Hirame

  Hirame
• See all photos from Lisa M. for Kappa Japanese Restaurant

4/29/2008

Review for dinner only.

In continuing my quest for decent food on a recent visit to Fremont, I decided to try Kaenyama and was pleasantly surprised. First of all, the interior of the restaurant itself was gorgeous. At the entrance, there was an upscale bar / lounge area on the left and teppanyaki tables on the right. A row of well-lit booths dominated the center of the restaurant. An L-shaped sushi bar area occupied one of the back corners, aptly decorated with sake bottles and vases of white lilies.

Kaenyama's menu features plenty of traditional Japanese fare, including sashimi, teriyaki, udon, and tempura. Yet there's also a variety of creative sushi rolls and several interesting fusion attempts, such as foie gras miso, hamachi carpaccio, and grilled lamb chops with hon-shimeji mushrooms and a sweet nashi pear soy glaze.

Since I was with my mother, we stuck to the more "typical" items. The broth for the chicken udon was flavorful but not too salty (gaining points in my mother's book), and the noodles retained a nice texture and consistency. My chicken yakisoba was also quite good.

I was most impressed, however, with their version of the hamachi kama (yellowtail collar). This is one of my favorite Japanese appetizers of all time. The most common way to ruin this dish is to overcook, leaving the meat too dry. But Kaenyama's hamachi kama was flavorful and moist, and brushed with a slightly sweet teriyaki glaze. Good to the last bite, and wonderful presentation.

I will definitely be back to Kaenyama to try some of their rolls and sashimi (some of the fish looked fantastic), as well as that sauteed foie gras miso.

(See accompanying photos!)

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  Sushi bar

  Sushi bar
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  Hamachi kama

  Hamachi kama
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  Chicken yakisoba

  Chicken yakisoba
• See all photos from Lisa M. for Kaenyama Sushi and Teppanyaki Restaurant

4/29/2008

Love at first taste in a new restaurant isn't easy to come by, but it's magical when it happens. It all started when a friend emailed me a brief article about Anchor & Hope, a new restaurant in SOMA from the owners of the renowned Town Hall and the more recently acclaimed Salt House. After reading some more promising press coverage, I decided on a whim to check it out on their opening night.

Located in the Minna Street alley, the restaurant is housed in a renovated warehouse from the turn of the century. According to our very friendly and charming waiter, the Rosenthal brothers (owners) traveled to the seafood hot spots along the East Coast to figure out how to capture the look, feel, and tastes of a traditional fish house by the sea, while still retaining a modern touch. Their research clearly paid off, as reflected in the high ceilings, wood floors, brick walls, lengths of nautical rope dangling from wooden beams, and sea-themed decorations. The resulting space was comfortably roomy and rustic, like an old fish shack, but still urban enough to fit into the city.

Sarah Schafer (formerly from Frisson) is the head chef at Anchor & Hope, and the menu consists mostly of seafood items, including several kinds of oysters of the day. My friend and I decided to order several appetizers to share, so we could sample more dishes.

Our waiter informed us that the wine and beer list was unavailable that night, due to some shipping issues. But before we could start feeling too bad, the owner came around and offered us complimentary tastes of white wine. We each ended up getting two generous glasses of free wine for our dinner. Now that's great customer service!

The food was phenomenal - fresh seafood, creative approaches, and casually fun presentation. We started off with a half dozen of raw Drake's Bay oysters - one of my favorites for the salty flavor. These bad boys were nice and fresh, served with a slightly spicy cocktail sauce.

I had really wanted to try the Angels on Horseback - smoked bacon wrapped oysters - and I'm glad I did. These were amazing! The combination of crisp, slightly fatty bacon, buttery oysters, salt, and mild spice sent my taste buds to heaven and back, resulting in my signature "zoned out" look as I was happily chewing. Another excellent dish was the basil-stuffed clams, topped with parmesan bread crumbs. The crinkle of the crumbs contrasted well with the softness of the clams, and the basil was a nice highlight. We also ordered a cold maple smoked trout, stacked atop a warm potato salad layered with some greens and a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette. And we even got complimentary fried smelts!

Finally, for dessert we settled on a warm rhubarb apple crisp with fresh strawberries and vanilla bean ice cream. A wonderfully sweet way to end the meal.

Overall, I was very impressed with the Rosenthals' latest offering, and I will definitely venture back to Anchor & Hope to try their main fish entrees, along with that warm sea urchin in a shell appetizer. I hope you'll find the time to make a visit as well!

(See accompanying photos!)

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  Apple crisp

  Apple crisp
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  Maple-smoked trout

  Maple-smoked trout
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  Basil-stuffed clams

  Basil-stuffed clams
• See all photos from Lisa M. for Anchor and Hope