Sea Modern Thai Cuisine - Petaluma

600 Petaluma Blvd South, Petaluma CA 94952
(707) 766-6633
Sea Thai Bistro, Santa Rosa and Corte Madera
Parking: street parking
http://seathaibistro.com/

Last Visited: April 1, 2006

Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 2 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

SEA has a modern décor that matches its name. From the street, the windows show the high tables and chairs with people enjoying the food. It’s got a trendy feel with warm rich colors and wall hangings. Walk up the steps and see the giant Buddha surrounded by tropical faux flowers and plants including birds of paradise and orchids. On the left side is the kitchen and large stainless steel hoods above it. Just below, large orange flames burst up as Chef Tony cooks. On the right side is bench seating covered with small cushions. A large mirror gives the room a more open feel. The place has a posh atmosphere and would be ideal for date night. The tile floor is reddish orange with cobalt blue small tiles inset between the large ones. The room is painted a muted red with blues and browns around. Colorful table runners hang from the wall. Tapestries show elephants on them and there are bamboo stalks in vases around the room. Also on the walls are plates, wine glasses, and bottles.

Above the open kitchen is a chalkboard that lists the desserts and specials of the day. The servers all wear black long sleeve colored shirts with bright reddish/orange ties. The tables are covered with table cloths and lined in white paper. On each table are wine glasses, a tea light candle, two forks and a knife per seating. The room is noisy as the music is overpowered by people’s conversation. As the evening progresses, the restaurant gets packed. Reservations are not accepted, and the waiting area is small, so prepare yourself for a wait if you come during rush hour.

- Savory Lamb Satay – Lamb is marinated in coconut milk and curry, then skewered and grilled. The satay is served with cucumber vinaigrette and peanut sauce. The skewered meat was a little too sweet and slightly overdone. They would have been better if they had been cooked to medium rather than well-done. Nice presentation on a long rectangular white dish. The cucumber vinaigrette (cucumber slices with red onions in a light, sweet vinegar dressing) was refreshing. Okay. $8

- Starters Parade – The starters parade includes two spring roles, two Portobello mushroom, two chicken satay, two mummy chicken, and two The Little Basket. It was served with two dipping sauces (peanut sauce for the satay and another sauce for the spring rolls). The menu stated that crispy prawns and fish cakes would be part of the starters parade, but instead, we got the list above (mushrooms in place of one thing, and nothing to replace the second item. This is not noticeable unless you’re like me and go back to the menu. I didn’t ‘try the spring rolls, but the mushroom is cut thick and breaded in a tempura like batter. The menu says it is toped with roasted sesame seeds, but it was not. Good, but not enough quantity(especially not if it was supposed to replace the seafood). The chicken satay are large pieces of chicken breast marinated in coconut milk and curry. I found the chicken on the dry side and only better when accompanied by the peanut sauce. It was difficult to get off the skewer (another sign of too dry). The mummy chicken was wrapped in pandan leaves. I don’t remember seeing a bacon strip, and the piece is very small – about the size of your pinky. It too was dry (probably since it was deep fried and not breaded). The little basket is made of fried egg noodles broken up and tossed with a sweet and sour sauce, mixed nuts, shredded carrots, cilantro, and lots of red onion. I found the red onion to be a bit overpowering since it was in chunks though it had been sliced. The menu describes it as served on fresh spinach leaves, but it was served on romaine leaves. Overall, I’m probably more disappointed by the fact that there aren’t prawns and fish cake anymore, but it’s a good way to try everything. I would suggest ordering spring rolls and Portobello mushroom as starters on their own. $14

- The Famous Pad Thai Noodle with Prawns - About four or five prawns are served with these rice noodles in a sweet tamarind sauce. Egg, ground peanuts, green onions, bean sprouts, and carrots are stir-fried with the noodles. The menu states that it’s served with fresh lettuce and lime. We received a slice of lemon and a lot of fresh spinach and lettuce in what looked like a salad. The salad took up about a quarter of the plate. I would have preferred the pad thai without the salad. Good flavor. $12

- Mother of Pearl with Beef – Served with steamed rice, this dish contains very large florets of broccoli. The dish is described as stir fried with garlicky oyster and wine sauce, served on a bed of lightly steamed broccoli crowns. There was no description of what was being stir fired in the garlicky sauce though. When it came out, it looked like broccoli beef. The florets were huge. Too huge in fact. The beef was only a fair cut and a bit chewy. I think I can cook better broccoli beef at home. $10

- Red Pumpkin Curry with Chicken – Red curry paste and coconut milk are cooked with pumpkin squash, bell peppers, onions, carrots, zucchini, and sweet basil. The chicken in this dish was breast meat. The flavor is delicious and the concoction is served in a large square white bowl. The zucchini wasn’t present, but there was yellow squash. It’s accompanied with a side of steamed rice. You’ll probably need more rice so that you can enjoy the curry. Creamy with great flavor, but a bit too many vegetables. It’s one of the better dishes overall. $11

- Green Curry with Chicken – Green curry paste and coconut milk with the same vegetables as that listed above, and some mushrooms. Again, no zucchini, but yellow squash instead. Great, flavorful curry. And you’ll want more rice to enjoy it. $10

- Sea Fried Rice with Chicken – When you look at the rice, it looks too moist, but when you taste it, it’s okay. The rice is flavored with a bit of fish sauce and has a tan color. There are a lot of vegetables in the fried rice – too many vegetables. The menu states that onion, tomato, corn, and red bell pepper are in the fried rice. I found everything except the corn. There was definitely no corn in this dish. For the chicken, SEA uses chicken breast. Overall, this dish was unimpressive, but the flavor was okay. $10

- Steamed Rice – The rice is served on a small white square plate and topped with sesame. During the first visit, I found the rice a bit too soggy/sticky, but it was better upon my second visit. $1

After two visits, I found the service to be consistently fair, leaving much to be desired. The curries and pad thai noodles are recommended, but other dishes seem overfilled with salad and large vegetables that overpower the meat in portion and presentation. I would have left the higher rating if the vegetables hadn't overtaken the meat in some of the other dishes. Food quality is fresh, but as a whole, there are other places to try. Atmosphere would have received a higher rating, but the noise drops it to a 3 to 4 star range. Great if you enjoy a trendy atmosphere.

Good Mong Kok Bakery - Chinese, San Francisco

1039 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108-1109

(415) 397-2688
Parking: street parking
http://www.goodmongkokbakery.net/

Last Visited: February 2011

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: N/A
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $ to $$

While this picture hardly does it justice, it shows you the two things I tried from Good Mong Kok Bakery in San Francisco.  It's even challenging to tell that these are two completely different items, but they are. 

Located in busy Chinatown and open since 1978, you might pass Good Mong Kok without a second look, until you see the huge line inside.  Like many other Chinese bakeries in the area, if you don't speak much Chinese, you'll have to find a guide or just use the point and select method and hope for the best.

On the left, the photo is showing a Chinese chicken cake/biscuit, which actually contains no chicken.  On the right, is a smiling mouth pastry, at least, that's what it literally translates into.  For both of these, you buy it by the pound as you would cookies from Italian bakeries.

- Chinese Chicken Cake/Biscuit - I spent a few weeks asking around about the name of this item.  While the name has the word chicken in it, it's made of pork and lots of lard.  It's surprisingly sweet and savory in flavor, and somewhat of an acquired taste.  The outside pastry is light, but the inside center is somewhat chewy.  After some detective work by our friend Johnny, we learned that the name of the baker has some relation to another word synonymous with chicken and that's how chicken got in the name.  The unique set of ingredients is similar to the caesar salad dressing story in that it's a mixture of what happened to be in the house at the time (other pastry fillings) mixed together so that's how it came to be (special thanks to Johnny for that help!).  While many Chinese folks will enjoy this one, I caution those of American background to perhaps buy just a couple for taste testing before stocking up.

- Smiling Mouth Cookie/Pastry - This sweet cookie/pastry is very light.  I would liken it to lightness and texture of shortbread - it's super crunchy and the sesame seeds give it a great taste.  I guess after you eat it, you're supposed to have a giant smile, but I don't know the origins of this cookie/pastry.  It's just good, so load up.  Great stuff!

If you go to their website, you'll find it entirely in Chinese, but the pictures do the talking.  The website is surprisingly modern and easy to navigate, but for the English only audience, you'll just have to enjoy the pictures. 

Try some of these goodies.  Almost everyone will enjoy the smiling mouth pastry for sure!

Sushi to Dai For - Japanese, Santa Rosa

119 4th Street, Santa Rosa CA 95401
(707) 526-2652
Parking: pay street parking
Hours: Lunch Mon to Fri 11:30am to 2:30pmDinner - Mon to Thurs 5pm - 10pm, Fri to Sat 5pm to 11pm, Closed Sundays

Last Visited: May 20, 2006

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $ to $$$$

Sushi to Dai For is located in the newly updated historic downtown section of Santa Rosa. It’s a new addition to their existing San Rafael location. The colors are rich with lots of blue-purple in the walls and ceilings. The window front is painted with a funny looking character in a bright pink. I’m not sure what this character’s role is, but the inside will grab you. Clean lines and styled. It’s a great night spot with little hanging lights in orange yellow shades and the room looks like it would be perfect for a dinner date.

The sushi bar on the left side of the restaurant features lots of fresh fish in the glass cases. From our spot, I had the opportunity to watch baby crab wandering around a small pagoda encased in a tank. Talk about live entertainment. The sushi chefs are also friendly and you can watch the experts as they make the great delicacies.

The right side of the room offers regular tables. Various wait staff members have trendy hair and an exotic flare about them. You’ll know what I mean when you see them. We asked for hot tea and it came so hot that we had to let it cool down a bit. We love hot tea – it just makes the experience even better – lukewarm tea is just not acceptable so they made a great first impression with their steaming tea.

- Roll Combination Plate - Rock and Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll, California roll – This platter contains three types of rolls as listed above. For authentic sushi lovers, I would skip the combo plate since the rolls are not too exciting, but if you’re a first time or amateur sushi eater, this might be the perfect thing for you. All are cut and placed side up – six pieces per roll. Great flavor. Miso soup accompanies this plate. $15

Nigiri sushi:

- Amber Jack (2 pieces) – The amber jack was one of today’s specials. A large piece of fish topping sushi rice. Very fresh without any fishy flavor. Excellent. $5.50

- Aji – This was my first time trying aji. With the skin still on, the presentation is more dramatic and the very thinly sliced strips of ginger and small green onion pieces add to the flavor of this fish. Excellent. $5.50

- Hamaichi (2 pieces) – Fresh and delicious. There’s not much more to say. Excellent. $4.95

- Unagi (2 pieces) – Perhaps since we had to ask about the status of our unagi, we got an extra large version, but two pieces of baked unagi were placed on each piece of rice and rolled with a seaweed strip. The sushi is topped with toasted sesame seeds and drizzled lightly with sauce. As our sushi chef called it, it was an extra large unagi for us to enjoy. I’m not sure if it normally comes with two pieces per sushi (I’m thinking no), but a great way to recover from having the customer ask for it. Excellent. Even if it had been only one piece of unagi per rice, it would have still been very good. $4.95

- Miso Soup – A bowl of very hot miso soup arrives with cubes of tofu and pieces of green onion in it. The soup temperature is great – so steaming hot, you have to wait for it to cool. The cubes of tofu were not cut as nicely as I’ve seen them cut at other places. This is not worthy of reducing stars, but certainly an opportunity to improve presentation. $1.80

In general, I found all of the fish and other ingredients to be very fresh. However, the rice could have been a touch softer, making each piece more soft and tender. Almost there, but not quite which led to the three to four star range for food.

Great food, entertaining sushi chef pros, and a trendy atmosphere. A great addition to historic downtown. I’m sure to be back for another visit soon.

Santa Rosa Junior College Culinary Cafe - Santa Rosa

458 B St (located in Brickyard Center), Santa Rosa, CA 95401

(707) 576-0279

Parking: street parking and parking lot across the street

Hours: Lunch Wednesday through Friday, by Reservation Only

Last Visited: May 4, 2007

Food: 3 to 4 stars

Atmosphere: 3 stars

Service:2 to 3 stars
Price: $$

Located in Brickyard Center in the culinary center, Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) Culinary Café is a showcase of students’ cooking, baking, and service skills, all done for course credit. The staff is comprised of prospective chefs in order to learn the service aspects of running a restaurant. It’s a great program, and I have enjoyed the few community classes I have added.

For the lunch crowd, SRJC Culinary Café offers a full course meal including soups, salads, entrees, and desserts. The menu typically features seasonal ingredients from local farmers and purveyors of organic produce as well as items from SRJC’s Shone Farm. However, the program requires that you make reservations, even for one, so be sure to call ahead.

Upon arrival, you receive glasses of ice water and various breads in a basket. Sourdough tends to be a standard, but you’ll also find wheat rolls, rye, and more. I especially enjoyed the Cheddar and Jalapeno bread.

- Heirloom tomato salad – Sweet heirloom tomatoes are paired with arugula and dressed lightly in a vinaigrette. It was a simple but lovely combination of vegetables. I’ve had sweeter tomatoes, but it certainly didn’t ruin the experience trying these. $3.50

- Salad of Red Leaf Lettuce with Grapefruit and Avocado – Red leaf lettuce is served with slices of ruby red grapefruit and avocado in a light vinaigrette. The flavoring was nice, but the portion was smaller than usual. $3.50

- Grilled Hawaiian Opah and White Shrimp with Sesame Butter Sauce served with coconut rice and broccoli - Two pieces of opah were grilled to show grill marks and placed on top of coconut infused rice. Three shrimp are butterflied with the tail still on and placed outside of the mound to segment the plate and broccoli is placed between the shrimp. The broccoli and shrimp sit on a pool of sesame butter sauce. Two sweet pickled cucumber slices are placed on top of the opah. The flavors were so sweet and strong. The shrimp and broccoli weren’t overcooked. The broccoli still had a vibrant green about it. The opah was tender and flaky, but one of the pieces had a bit of a muscle on the side which should have been cut away. The dish was beautifully plated, although the cucumber slices could have been smaller since they covered the fish a bit too much. The butter sauce was excellent – rich and creamy and went well with the lightness of the fish. Very good. Not exactly low fat, but I was okay with that. The rice was lovely – loosely broken grains, but the flavor was sumptuous. $9.50

- Grilled Pork Chop with Seasonal Vegetables – A large thick pork chop is grilled so that it is juicy and delicious. I had just eaten a pork chop at John Ash, and in comparison, this was a little less flavorful (and it didn’t have a bug in it), but it had so much more juice. Each bite was moist and delicious. If you compare it with John Ash, it’s less than a third the price with a larger portion, and no bug. The pork chop came with cubes of yellow squash, zucchini, and three tiny yellow sweet potatoes that looked like small pouches. The porkchop itself was topped with a ragout of carrots, onions, and a sweet sauce and plated on a bed of spinach. There was an abundance of food on this plate and the vegetables were mild in flavor. The sweet potatoes were great in flavor too, but since they were small, it was a bit difficult to remove the flesh. A filling platter of juicy pork and tender vegetables. Very good. $9

- Butternut Squash Galette with a Shitake Mushroom and Herb Cream Sauce – This galette was rich with the taste of butter and super flaky. The butternut squash puree was placed in the center of this pastry and served with a cream sauce that had large pieces of shitake mushrooms. I don’t have much recollection of the herb part of the sauce though. The galette was placed atop a mound of sautéed savoy cabbage, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. Three roasted artichoke hearts were placed around the plate. The artichoke hearts weren’t as flavorful as I expected them to be, although they were tender. Overall, the galette was very filling and rich, but delicious. $8.50

- Grilled Beef Sirloin with Garlic and Parsley and a Red Wine Reduction Sauce – Of all the dishes I have tried here, this is probably the best I have ever had. Five pieces of sirloin strips top roasted potatoes and are accompanied by carrots and snow peas. The sirloin was succulent and juicy, and the wine reduction sauce was full bodied, but not heavy. The vegetables were flavorful and not overcooked. Delicious and prepared with care, this was the perfect entrée to enjoy. $9.50

- Pacific Oyster Stew – Pacific oysters are stewed with onions, potatoes, cream, and Tabasco. The stew was warm, but not quite hot enough. About three or four oysters were included in my bowl. Fresh seafood flavor, but more of a soup and less of a stew. $8.50

- Sauteed Pork Loin in a Red Wine Sauce with Red Wine Poached Pears – Two pork loin chops are served leaned against a large mass of mashed potatoes, and a medley of carrots and zucchini. The pork was fairly juicy, but just a touch overdone. The mound of mashed potatoes was good, but perhaps too overwhelming in size. The sauce was ladled underneath everything and although the flavors were fine, this was just an okay dish. $8.50

- Sauteed Hawaiian Ahi Tuna, White Shrimp and Calamari in a Fennel and Bread Crumb Crust – Served with couscous, zucchini, and roasted carrots, this was a nice dish, though not quite what I expected. I thought that the tuna would be seared, but it turned out to be rather dark in color and the fish was shaped into a small cake. The shrimp and calamari had been lightly battered and fried. The couscous was a bit bland and somewhat lumpy, but the vegetables had fresh flavor. I thought the overall dish was just okay, but it was nicely presented as the couscous had been cooked in a mold and the other items placed in a visually pleasing manner. $9.50

- Hazelnut Pavlova with Citrus Compote and Vanilla Ice Cream - I asked the server what a pavlova was, and after going back to the bakery, he returned to tell me it was basically a meringue. The sweetness of the pavlova is light at first, with each bite becoming sweeter. The puff pastry that accompanies the dessert is perfect and light, and the citrus compote and vanilla ice cream go well with it. Hazelnuts are sprinkled all around. I preferred the puff pastry to the pavlova. $3.50

- Baked Apple Puff with Lychee Sorbet and Tropical Fruits – A puff is filled with apple and served warm with a small scoop of lychee sorbet and a medley of chopped tropical fruits including kiwi and mango. The fruits weren’t quite sweet enough and I would have preferred more lychee sorbet or even sorbet alone. Okay. $3.50

- Chocolate Hazelnut Pear Torte – I enjoyed the torte which had a cake like texture. For whatever reason, the torte seemed to look like there was banana in it, but that wasn’t on the ingredient list. The pear was noticeable, and the hazelnut wasn’t overpowering. It tasted very homemade and had a nice flavor, but I wouldn’t boast about this dessert. Good. $3.50

- Mini Chocolate Fudge Cake with Toffee Swirl Ice Cream – The fudge cake was rich and moist, full of flavor. It was topped with chocolate chunks and roughly chopped pieces of toffee not to mention the ice cream. Presentation was okay, and the flavor was quite good, though the toffee chunks were just the right size to get stuck in my teeth. The frosting on the fudge cake was a bit much for me, but would be perfect for chocolate lovers. $3.50

- Glazed Deep Chocolate Poundcake with Chocolate Candy Ribbons and Strawberry Sauce - The poundcake was flavorful and rich. The chocolate candy ribbons were made from a combination of white and milk chocolate and placed on top of the slice of cake standing upright. Strawberry sauce surrounded the cake. Good. $3.50

Service was only fair. The hostess is fine, but the servers, who are studying to be chefs really don’t cater to the needs of the customer. This is definitely where more work is needed. For example, after ordering the entrée, the waiter left the menus with us. He didn’t come by to check on us very frequently, and seemed a bit haphazard in style. If you can let go of the service, you’ll have a much better experience. Enjoy the food, and from the main dining room, look at the mirror above the kitchen to watch the dishes being plated. That’s good entertainment right there. Service during the visits as a whole vary, so just be patient and keep expectations low.

The restaurant bakery is open in the morning for coffee treats and other delightful items featured in the glass case. Be sure to check it out. The fish is always wonderful. It’s fabulous both in flavor and pricing, and they offer a discount to senior citizens. Support your local school.

Mandarin Garden - Chinese, Santa Rosa

1973 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa CA 95401
(707) 575-1628
Parking: in shopping center parking lot

Last Visited: May 10, 2004

Food: 2 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$

At $5.85 for an all you can eat lunch buffet, you really can’t go wrong. The Mandarin Garden buffet offers fresh green salad and a variety of other vegetables, jello, imitation crab salad, kim chee, and the like in the salad bar. From the hot food bar, you will find fried won tons, egg rolls, chicken wings, hot and sour soup, braised green beans, almond chicken, sweet and sour pork, beef with broccoli, prawns, chow mein, fried rice, fried bananas, and a few other dishes.

The place is neat and clean with little decoration. The table is adorned with paper place settings. The service is okay, but the food quality is typical of that in Sonoma County. The flavor of most of the food – chow mein, fried rice, vegetables, and meat dishes were fine. There seemed to be a bit of MSG used though. The hot and sour soup was a bit too sour for me and lacking the flavor that should be present, but the consistency is right.

Certainly the all you can eat buffet is an excellent draw at this price, but I have high expectations for Chinese food quality, so while others may rate it at least three stars, to keep it in line with the ratings of authentic restaurants listed on this page, the most I can give it is two stars. I found myself thirsty after the meal, and I attribute that to the MSG used. This place is great if you’re eating on a budget.

Sol Food - Puerto Rican, San Rafael

Best: Flat-pressed sandwich - Veggie especially

732 4th St, San Rafael CA 94901

(415) 451-4765

901 Lincoln Ave, San Rafael CA 94901
(415) 256-8900
Parking: street parking

Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-10pm, Sat-Sun 8am-10pm

http://www.solfoodrestaurant.com/

Last Visited: March 12, 2011

Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$$

So the story on Sol Food is that it started out as a stand at the San Rafael farmer’s market. Sol Hernandez then took over the little gas station on Fourth Street and once that became packed, they opened yet another location (that’s right, they didn’t close the first, but opened another one) in the now lime-green building that you can see from the freeway on Lincoln Avenue. During my last visit in March 2011, they had taken over the building kitty-corner from their Lincoln location so that they could have an eating area during the remodeling of the green building. The changes being made are quite enormous. Next to the green building is now a storefront that lets you order and has a small amount of seating. Known as the Bodega, it’s quite reminiscent of the gas station location, but larger. In any case, they’re expanding and Sol Food looks like it’s going to be here to stay in the area for some time.

From the green plantains that hold down the napkins to the brightly colored half sheet menus and walls to the old pictures of family in Puerto Rico which doubles as the order numbers for locating customers, there is nothing normal about Sol Food. Everything they do has their twist on it, including their amazing food. Now that they’ve been featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive Ins and Dives, they’re even busier than they were before. The menu has a lot of familiar items – pork chops, chicken, salads, and beans, but the flavor combinations have hints of Africa, Spain, and Puerto Rico of course, that bring these common ingredients to life. Something about it is addicting and wonderful.

Fred, a chef, suggested I try Sol Food for one of the best veggie sandwiches he has ever had.  With that kind of recommendation, of course, I had to go try it. That was back in 2006.  Since then, I have enjoyed a number of their dishes and keep going back for more.

- Bistec Encebollado Combination Plate– Two thin slices of steak are sautéed with onions and placed on top of a plate containing salad on the side and your choice of black or pink beans on top of rice. It also comes with two pieces of tostones (garlic fried plantains) or maduros (sweet fried plantains) – your choice. I selected the maduros because I find the tostones a bit too dry for my tastes. This is a huge platter of food. The salad of mixed greens is lightly dressed with their lemon garlic dressing giving very tangy flavor that brightens up the salad and prepares your appetite for more. The onions are sautéed until they are super sweet and the beef, though thin, is very juicy. The beans are cooked with Spanish olives giving them a nice saltiness and they are placed on top of the rice. It’s a hearty meal. On top of that, the maduros are a great sweet treat after or during the meal. Delicious and worth the price. Small $8.95/ Large $11.95

- Veggie Deluxe – This is the sandwich that Fred suggested, and I would agree that it’s quite a treat. The sandwich contains sweet roasted red peppers, sautéed onions, organic greens (dressed in that yummy lemon garlic dressing), tomato, avocado, and swiss cheese. All are placed in a French roll that is slathered with cilantro-lime mayonnaise. Since the sandwich is flat pressed, you get a warm sandwich with a crispy outside and tender insides. It will make your tastebuds twirl. Very good. $8.50

- Bistec Sandwich – Somewhat of a combination of the two items of above, this is a flat-pressed sandwich containing thin slices of steak with sautéed onions, avocado, swiss cheese, and garlic mayonnaise. This is super delicious and one of the most popular items on the menu. Another very good item. $8.95

- Chuletas Fritas Combination Plate – All natural pork (wheat free) are cut thin and pan fried until golden and a little crispy. Served with rice, pink or black beans, organic salad, fried plantains, and pickled pink onions. Like the bistec combination, you get a lot of food. A small is one pork chop on the bone or you can get the large which is two pork chops. The pickled onions balance the pork chops really well and in combination with the other items, you don’t find the meat to be dry. This is another favorite amongst the items I regularly order. Small $8.95/Large $11.95

A small organic salad is available with the sandwiches for $1.50 more and you can have a small rice and beans for $2.50 more. Prices have gone up about two dollars per item since they first opened, but you can still pick up lunch for under $10 without a drink.

So what could be improved? My dining companion asked for some hot water, and they must have made it especially for her. So what’s wrong with that? It came in a cup with many chips on the cup. Not just one, but this coral colored cup was littered with chips all along the rim. The cups definitely need to be changed out. Sometimes they are so incredibly busy, that you may feel rushed, but come prepared knowing that there is a lot of hustle and bustle and you'll be fine.

They have great eats with hearty portions and excellent flavor. Breakfast is also served all day and delivery is available in San Rafael. Communal tables can sometimes get a little cramped, and depending on how busy the place is, the noise level can abe a bit high, but I have enjoyed my food experiences here a lot and will definitely be back for their unique flavors.

Lepe's Taqueria - Mexican, Santa Rosa

4323 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa CA 95405
(707) 538-8991
Parking: in parking lot

Last Visited: 2003

Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 stars
Service: 2 stars
Price: $ to $$

Lepe’s is somewhat of a local hangout for college students, though it’s not anywhere near the local college. It may be because these people hung out there as high school students. I tried a chimichanga and their well known burrito. I found both to be average in flavor and standard in presentation. The portions are large and the price is reasonable, so that may be why people enjoy going there. It could also be the open salsa bar.

The main thing I found to be bad was that orders to go seemed to take priority over orders that were dine in. There isn’t a lot of service involved – you order at the main counter and take a number and then the food is brought out to your table when ready. That’s the extent of the service. If the restaurant was more formal, it might not have been so noticeable, but seeing someone come in after you who ordered the same dish you do and receive it before you is a bit frustrating. Not only did we see one order taken after us be prepared and served to go, but multiple orders. For that reason, it’s unlikely that I would return for another dine-in visit.

Pizzetta 211 - San Francisco

211 23rd Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94121

(415) 379-9880

Parking: street parking

Hours: Mon-Tues 5pm - 9pm, Wed-Fri Noon- 2:30pm, 5pm - 9pm, Sat-Sun Noon - 9pm

http://pizzetta211.com/

Last Visited: April 9, 2011

Food: 4 to 5 stars

Atmosphere: 3 stars

Service: 3 stars

Price: $$ to $$$

I had seen a couple of friends check-in to Pizzetta 211 which got me a little curious about what might make them different than any other pizza joint in the city. After doing some research on the web, it seemed like most people enjoyed their experience there and despite parking being slightly challenging, it was looking very promising. Located in a residential area, one could easily drive by Pizzetta 211 and completely miss the place, but from the number of patrons that were there during my late lunch visit, it’s clear that they have an established clientele and that the word is getting out. There are only four tables inside the restaurant, and on a nice day, one can sit outside at one of the small tables outdoors, but you’ll probably want to order take out if you have a much larger party.

Walk into Pizzetta 211 and the scents from the kitchen are very pleasant. There is a bar that allows you to watch everything happening in the open kitchen. Although they’re located in San Francisco, the place had a Berkeley feel to it – a little eclectic with the tomato cans lined up on one wall and the casual staff. When you’ll go, you’ll understand what I mean. The menu is one page and changes weekly based on seasonal ingredients, although you’ll find there are some regular items that are available irrespective of the season. The website shows what is being served that day.

Most pizzas run between $10 and $15 each. They are large enough for one person, and maybe two if you have a small appetite, but for the most part, I would say three quarters of a pizza per person is about right.

We were seated next to the door and had a view of the kitchen where we saw the pizza dough being stretched and salad special of the day being assembled. The crowd today tended to be younger and although it was full, the noise level was very reasonable. We tried a couple of pizzas even though we had three people because we had reserved a table for an early dinner just a few hours away.

- Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil, with White Anchovies – Six anchovies, one per slice of pizza, were placed at room temperature over a hot thin crust pizza that had been topped with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and a little bit of basil pesto. The crust is so thin and yet crisp and the flavors are so distinct that it’s nature at its best. The combination of the base ingredients are wonderful, and the anchovies were tender and not fishy that they added just that extra something. Delicious! $12 ($10 without the anchovies)

- Farm Egg, Pancetta, Broccoli di Ciccio, Crescenza, Garlic confit, and Calabrian Chili – Two eggs are cooked on the pizza until the whites are firm and the yolks still a little runny. The broccoli and chili flakes are a nice combination that I was already familiar with, but the addition of the buttery crescenza cheese fit really well with the salty pancetta, although I wouldn’t have minded a little more pancetta. Still, the eggs are the star of the show and give that additional richness to the pizza. I really appreciated how the crust stood up well to these toppings and didn’t get soggy. $14

I gave the food a high rating because the pizza crusts were nicely browned and held up to the ingredients on top. Although the price is a little higher than I would like, it’s really worth it, especially if you don’t have to wait for a table.

Service was okay today – the guys were friendly and they come back to check on you, but it’s not a high level of service. You also see how everyone is trained across functions – serving, salad assembly, and cooking. Along with pizza, Pizzetta 211 offers a calzone, field green salad, cheese salad, daily cheeses, and homemade desserts like flourless chocolate cake and saffron biscotti. This is a great little place to try for great tasting pizza with quality ingredients and friendly staff. Note, this place is cash only, so come prepared and they don’t take reservations, so be ready to be flexible with when you will actually eat.

Lupe's Diner - Mexican, Windsor

710 McClelland Drive, Windsor CA 95492
(707) 836-0150
Parking: street parking
http://lupesdiner.com/

Last Visited: January 12, 2006

Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Lupe's is located on Windsor Town Green. It faces the park and in addition to the seating inside, there is also outdoor seating when the weather is warm. There is a large counter and the restaurant is L-shaped. It hosts bright colors – yellow , orange, and tiles that look like small stones are imbedded in the floor. The tables are simple and the wood chairs comfortable. Upon our arrival, we received warm chips, red salsa, and salsa verde. The chips are delicious – thin and crispy. The menu offers a variety of dishes you typically see at Mexican restaurants. Lupe’s is also open for breakfast. The breakfast dishes are available all day. On weekends, pozole is available. - Combination Plate – The combination plate allows you to select from enchilada, chile relleno, tostada, tamale, and taco. Each selection is served with rice, beans, lettuce, and sour cream.

Today, I selected a chicken enchilada and a carne asada tostada. The portion was more than ample. The enchilada was covered with red enchilada sauce. The tortilla was soft (better than most places that I have tried recently) and the chicken was juicy. The flavor was good, and the temperature was warm. The refried beans were just right, and the rice was moist, but still separate. The tostada was huge. A deep fried tortilla is placed over beans. It’s topped with meat, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and tons of lettuce. The tostada alone was probably enough for lunch. The carne asada was also moist. The portions were large and the combination was more than enough for lunch. Good. 1 item $7.25, 2 items $9.49

Overall, the experience was a good one. The place was quite busy during this day. Service was okay, but they didn’t come to check on us until the end. Portions are ample and filling. The check comes in a small and cute watering can with peppermints which is a nice touch to end the meal. Check out Lupe’s for a clean and casual atmosphere with good eats.

Tanpopo - Japanese, Vancouver, Canada

1122 Denman St, Vancouver, BC V6G 2M8

(604) 681-7777

Hours: 11:30am - 11:30pm daily

http://www.tanpoposushi.com/

Parking: street parking
 

Last Visited: July 2, 2009

Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $$

Nimish had been to Vancouver not too long before my scheduled trip and suggested we try Tanpopo. We decided to go there for lunch and learned about the two options offered – one was for a $10.95 menu and another for a $13.95. While both offered all you can eat style options, the types of items included varied slightly. We opted to get one of each. Pictures of those menus are shown here.

Tanpopo has been open since 1992 and is known for their all you can eat menu selections. You place your order and they bring you a serving of your choice. Unfortunately, sometimes this means you get less than you ask for, but you can continue to ask as long as you’re not shy about getting your waiter’s attention.

Checking their website, it appears that the menu has changed slightly in that there is only one lunch menu (which is also the late night menu) for $13.95 and dinner is $23.95. Lunch is considered 11:30am to 4pm, and dinner is 5pm to 11:30pm. They also have a menu for happy hour (3pm to 5pm, 9:30pm to 11:30pm) featuring your choice of four items for $7.95. Kids pricing is available.

We tried a variety of items. The picture here shows a couple of cones and sushi. We tried some seafood fried rice, tempura, agedashi tofu, miso soup, teriyaki, BBQ salmon neck and belly, oyster motoyaki, and a bunch of different items. I found the quality of the fish to be okay, but not spectacular. The noodles weren’t that good and the salmon neck and belly were grilled until they were too dry. In general, the quality of food is good if you have a large appetite and are trying to fill your belly or you’re not much of a sushi connoisseur.

While the price is very reasonable, the wait time can be a bit of a bother. I found service to be friendly, but a little slow because they rely so heavily on the kitchen’s turnaround time.

If you have a large party that is on a budget, or maybe some hungry teenagers that love sushi, Tanpopo is a good stop. If you’re looking for a high-grade sushi experience and you have a limited number of meals to enjoy in the Vancouver area, you’re probably better off looking for a different type of restaurant. Tanpopo is high on value.

Lee's Noodle House - Vietnamese/Pho, Santa Rosa

1010 Hopper Ave, Santa Rosa CA 95403
(707) 523-2358
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
Hours: Mon – Sat 9am to 9pm, Sun 10am to 8 pm
http://leesnoodlehouse.com/

Last Visited: March 4, 2006

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 2 stars
Price: $

Lee’s Noodle House is located in a small shopping center amongst some other small restaurants and businesses. The room is a bright yellow with light streaming in from the front windows. It’s an open space where you see the little nook on the left with several tables, and everything else is right in front of you. Directly above the wood paneled counter area are some white wall insets displaying plants. One of the other nooks contains a fat buddha figure. Other wall hangings of various flowers are displayed around the room. Red lanterns hang from the ceiling in front of the counter.


The tables are topped with green tablecloths and covered by glass tops. Light maple wood chairs surround the tables. On top of each table is a napkin holder and a small lazy susan containing standard Vietnamese condiments including fish sauce, soy sauce, red chili paste, hot sauce, Maggi sauce, salt, and pepper. A stack of chopsticks are also placed upright in a container on the table. Underneath the glass is a color photo showing some of their specialties. It’s great for those who have never tried Vietnamese food, and even better, the photo and the real-life dish actually do look the same.

Thus far, I have visited only for lunch. Each visit has been good and quite consistent in terms of service.

- Combination Beef Noodle Soup (Pho Dac Biet) – The standard eye round steak, well-done flank seak, soft tendons, tripe, and fat brisket are served over rice noodles in a hot broth. A plate of bean sprouts, thai basil, jalapenos, and lemon or lime accompany the noodles. Overall, it’s a great bargain. The broth is light, and I imagine similar to home made versions of the dish. It’s not as heavy in flavor as others, but still very good. Regular $4.65, Large $5.50

- Grilled Pork & Egg Roll with Rice Noodle (Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio) Cold rice noodles are topped with thin slices of grilled pork and an egg roll cut into sections. Cilantro, chopped peanuts, sliced carrots, and sliced pickled turnip strips are served with the grilled pork. There is also a side of fish sauce vinaigrette. The pork has excellent flavor. Everything had a fresh flavor and the mixture of textures and flavors are balanced in combination. Good. $5.75

- Lee’s Special Noodle – A quarter of a roasted chicken (dark meat) is placed in a bowl of light broth and egg noodles. The plate of bean sprouts and basil served with the combination soup also accompanies this one. This broth is a little different than the beef broth, but it too has that great flavor that is further accented by the fresh herbs. The chicken has excellent flavor and the skin has a beautiful golden brown color. It’s a little hard to maneuver since it’s not cut into pieces, but it does taste great. It’s a great dish to try. Only one size available. $6.50

When the place gets busy, it will take forever to get a check, so you have to ask for it. If you need anything, it’s better to be outspoken, otherwise you might not receive what you need. They bring food quickly, but service as a whole is fair. Granted, there’s only one person servicing the entire room. However, you can still get in and out within an hour. Value is excellent. No single item on the menu exceeds seven dollars. It’s great for a quick lunch on the go.

McNoodle House - Chinese, Noodles, Richmond, Vancouver, Canada

Best: Won Ton Noodles

8291 Alexandra Rd, Richmond, BC V6X, Canada

(604) 231-8141

Parking: in parking lot

Last Visited: July 2, 2009

Food: 4 to 5 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$

If only I lived next to a McNoodle House, I would probably go there at least two or three times a week for their Won Ton Noodles in Soup.  Equally as much (ok, just a smidge more) of a treat as Tsim Chai Noodles, also in Vancouver, I would definitely stop into this place on my next visit.  Also, it's right next to Kam Do Bakery where you can stop in for some the best wife cake for dessert. 
Uncle James and Auntie Winnie had just gotten back from a trip to Vancouver and said that we would really enjoy the place, and indeed we did.  Like other Chinese restaurants in the area, this noodle house looked more like a cafe with warm colors and comfy cushioned booths.  The decor is really new and modern. 

We ordered a variety of items to get a better feel for what they had to offer.

- Preserved Egg and Shredded Pork Congee - The congee is cooked to the right consistency and the meat and preserved egg are not overcooked.  Great.  $5

- Wonton Noodle Soup - The noodles are al dente and the won tons have just the right amount of filling.  Just like you would find in restaurants in Hong Kong.  Excellent. $4.50

- Deep Fried Chicken Wings - I think there were half a dozen chicken wings and what a great price.  The outside is deep friend until crispy and the inside is super juicy.  Beware that it's very hot when it is served.  Another item that you must get if you go.  $3.25

- Gai-Lan - Fairly standard in preparation, the gai-lan was tender and even though the stalks were thick, it was still very good. $3.25

- Cold Lemon Tea - Lots of slices of lemon go into strong black tea sweetened with simple syrup.  Delicious and refreshing.  $2.50

- Hot Milk Tea - Very authentic and also inexpensive - some places will charge more for this drink - especially in the Bay Area, but this was yummy as expected.  $1.50

Although we went for dinner, I'm confident that it's equally good for lunch.  Great food and great prices - it's really hard to beat the value and quality McNoodle offers.  I give it a best rating for the won ton noodles and a thumbs up all around!

La Azteca - Mexican, Petaluma

1420 South McDowell Blvd #E, Petaluma CA 94954
(707) 763-6844
Parking: In shopping center parking lot

Last Visited: November 24, 2004

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$

James suggested trying La Azteca which is located in the Arroyo center. The restaurant is L-shaped with bright yellow walls. There are pictures of Spain, Mexican suns hung throughout the room, mirrors within some sun art, and on a display shelf are some beer bottles. In the back of the restaurant, you’ll see a bright fresco. The red cushioned booths are on one side of the room, and light brown tables fill the remainder of the room. On the side of the walls, you’ll see wood logs cut in half to line the wall. From one part of the room, you can see a view of the kitchen and all of the dishes that are served.

There was a flower at our table, but I noticed the amount of dust on it and tried to look away.

We were promptly greeted and told to sit anywhere we liked. The menus are already on the tables waiting for all the patrons. The waitress came very quickly, but we needed more time. After she had taken our order, and before the food came, the waitress came by again to see if we needed anything. It seemed a bit excessive, but maybe we looked confused or something.

James said to try the burrito and the chips. So we did. Chips arrived at our table with red salsa. The chips were homemade, but the texture is hard to describe. They’re not like tostadas, and not like hard chips, but somewhere in between, leaning more toward the hard chip, but not as hard. The salsa is on the spicy side, but not burning your mouth.

- Chunky Chicken Burrito – A good sized burrito is made with a flour tortilla and filled with chicken, rice, beans, fresh salsa, cheese, guacamole, and sour cream. There is a choice of red ranchero sauce or green tomatillo sauce. Since it was my first visit, I opted for the red ranchero sauce on the side, which they seemed to think was a slightly unusual request. The sauce is good. Good burrito – very satisfying. $5.75

- Fish Tacos - Two corn tortillas are topped with deep fried fish and salsa. I didn’t expect the fish to be deep fried, but it was okay. Fresh, but not spectacular. Okay. $2.75

- Chicken Enchilada – Chicken is wrapped in a corn tortilla and pan fried. Then the enchilada is topped with enchilada sauce. Shredded lettuce accompanies the enchilada. The sauce is nice – different from others I tried, but good. $3.00

Combination plates, seafood, and egg dishes are available. They also have seating to accommodate larger groups.

The overall experience was a good one. I enjoyed the chips, and found them a bit addictive. Even after finishing off my burrito, I still ate more chips. The food is fresh, and the service is good, though our waitress may have been slightly overly attentive, but I would certainly be willing to return to try some of their other offerings.

Pongo's Kitchen & Tap - Thai/Burgers, Petaluma

701 Sonoma Mountain Parkway #C8, Petaluma CA 94954
(707) 765-9800
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
http://www.pongospetaluma.com/
Last Visited: June 2, 2012
Food: 3 stars

Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars

Service: 2 stars

Price: $ to $$

Sadness.  After visiting Pongo's about a year after my initial visit, I have downgraded the food from 4 stars to 3 stars and service down to 2 stars.  While the flavors are still there for the pumpkin curry, I was thoroughly disappointed by the fact that the steamed rice was not fresh.  I've heard that the food is the highest quality when Pongo is actually in the house, but today, he was off, so the food was also off.  The rice wasn't steaming and was actually a little bit hard.  As I separated the mound of rice, I noticed that it wasn't hot inside. It seemed like it had just been microwaved. 

- Prawn rolls - The menu describes it as fried crispy rolls that are stuffed with prawns and chicken along with red curry and basil.  A ginger chili dipping sauce accompanies the dish. I was pretty disappointed by these rolls.  Five rolls are served on a plate and you pretty much just taste the prawn.  The texture of the other items just blends in and I felt like texture contrast was missing.  The roll lacked a freshness to it and wasn't as crispy as it could have been.  I wouldn't get this again.  $8.50

The service was still amateurish. We had a different server, but when he brought out the plates for our appetizer, he just left them in a pile on the table without distributing them. I was surprised that he left them this way since they weren't busy - there was only one other table of people.  

Pongo's can be really good - they just need to be more disciplined and make sure that the food quality stays as high as possible even when Pongo is away.  If they can do that and perfect the service more, they'll be back on top again.

May 7, 2011 visit

Pongo's opened up about a month ago and has taken over the spot formerly occupied by Julian's.  Located in the same shopping center as G&G Market, it's very accessible and will be a nice addition to this area if it can attract enough clientele.  Fellow foodie James went there a couple of times and recommended it to me highly for Thai food.

After James told me about Pongo's, I tried to find some information about them on the internet, but only found a very sparse Facebook page.  There were some good reviews on yelp, but no visible web presence - no photos, no menu - with a name like Pongo's, I wasn't clear about what kind of restaurant I would be going to try out.   

I was very surprised to find that it was called Pongo's Kitchen and Tap.  That name was still a little confusing, but after I saw the bar with two large screen televisions above it, along with the combination menu of primarily traditional Thai dishes and burgers, I have to admit, I was still a bit confused.  After talking to the owners, it started to make sense.  Pongo had partnered with another family and their two ideas had combined to form this restaurant.  While burgers and sandwiches may serve the bar folks, Thai food with fun comments like "he can cook; he really can" to describe Nick's special pan fried rice noodles, are the highlight of the menu. 

Pongo was formerly the chef at Jhanthong Banbua in Santa Rosa (one of my former favorite lunch places when I worked in the area) and he also owned the Thai fast food station at Northgate Mall.  Knowing he once cooked at Jhanthong, I had a feeling I would enjoy the food.

- Chicken Satay - Marinated, grilled chicken breast skewers served with a peanut dipping sauce and a cucumber salad cup.  The fact that the chicken was marinated made an incredible difference.  The white meat chicken was tender and moist.  The peanut dipping sauce was rich and paired well with the chicken.  While the ingredients of the cucumber salad were standard, I would prefer it to be more tart - the dressing/vinegar was a little too light and almost bland.  Great chicken. $7

Choice of chicken, beef, pork, or tofu are available for most of the dishes.  Add $2 for prawns, $3 for combination or fresh mixed seafood.

- Pad Thai Noodles - The pad thai noodles contain the same ingredients as what you would find at most Thai restaurants, but what I really appreciated was that it wasn't too sweet and the noodles had a terrific texture - slightly al dente, yet still very tender.  he colors also show how nicely it was presented.  I selected beef for this dish and found that the beef was tender and didn't have any hint of being frozen.  The color of the sauce leans more on the brown (versus orange side). Very good. $8.50

- Pumpkin Curry - Kabocha squash, bell pepper, bamboo shoots, and basial in a red curry sauce, served with steamed rice  This pumpkin curry was a little more thin than I prefer, but it had good flavor.  I selected tofu for this dish.  There was a good balance of red peppers, and other vegetables - there were no 'filler' vegetables as I call them (sometimes you find cabbage and other things that don't seem to belong or aren't authentic to curry dishes), but this didn't even have a hint of that issue.  I am curious to know if there would be as much meat as there was tofu if I had selected meat.  I also liked how they had included rice with the dish - at most Thai places, you need to order rice separately.  $8.75

Service was friendly and I saw that a lot of patrons knew the restaurant owners.  However, some of the people assisting with serving tonight weren't familiar with the menu or even what table numbers corresponded with which location.  Also, as the restaurant began to fill up and we were finishing our meal, it took a long time for someone to come back to clear the table and bring the check.

Pongo's has a lot of potential, but they have a few kinks to work out.  They need a more prominent sign outside because the temporary one isn't very eye-catching.  All of the staff need to be familiar with the menu, otherwise, they need to stay behind the counter or assist in some other manner.  They need to build a stronger web presence to attract new clients.  Fortunately, the food is delicious - good enough that I would go back and try more of their menu, but until these other things get worked out, it will be harder to pull in new people and get them to keep coming back.

Kyoto's - Japanese, Rohnert Park

5 Padre Parkway, Rohnert Park CA 94928 (Padre Town Center)
(707) 584-4204
Parking: in parking lot
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11:30 to 2:30, 4:30 to 9:30 pm; Fri 11:30-2:30, 4:30 to 10pm;
Sat Noon to 10pm; Sun 3:30 to 9pm

Last Visited: June 18, 2005

Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: Lunch $$, Dinner $$ to $$$

Kyoto’s has been open for 20 years, but has been under its current ownership for the last seven years. The evening of our visit happened to be prom night, so there were a lot of young people filling the restaurant.

The atmosphere of Kyoto’s is fresh and clean. The colors are typical of Japanese restaurants – a lot of ivory and wood. The room is decorated with Japanese art showing ladies in their kimonos holding fans as well as pictures of bento boxes and sake bottles. Upon walking in, the sushi bar is to your left and there is a raised area with two tables to your right. Adjacent to the sushi bar is another raised area with five tables, and the main dining area spaciously seats more. I liked how they seated families in the main dining area as to separate them from the more enclosed raised locations. There are lanterns and other decorations that give the room a cozy feeling.

The staff is friendly. Upon arriving, you are served hot Japanese tea and a basket of edamame. To hold the edamame shells, they give you a folded paper box made from a page of a Japanese magazine. It’s a clever way to reuse the paper and is convenient for disposal as well. You will also receive a hot towel to wipe your hands, and it really is a hot towel. Throughout the evening, the staff checked on us to make sure we were well attended to and they also frequently checked the amount of tea in our tea cups and refilled often.

- Moriawase Sashimi (Assorted combination sashimi) Dinner - The dinners are served with miso soup and cucumber salad. The miso soup contained green onions, thinly sliced mushroom, and tofu. One thing that a number of Japanese restaurants do is serve you cold or lukewarm soup. This isn’t the case at Kyoto’s – it’s piping hot and very good. The quantity of soup is also good. Some places are stingy with their food, but Kyoto’s is far from it. The cucumber salad is topped with a mandarin orange and cherry. The portion of the salad is good, but the flavor of the cucumber that wasn’t soaking in the dressing was a little lacking. The pieces that were in the dressing were still crispy, and their flavor was more infused in the cucumber. Onto the sashimi - Plentiful pieces of tuna, halibut, mackerel, salmon, yellow tail, topped with a shrimp are served over thinly sliced turnip. The sashimi is accompanied by pickled ginger, wasabi, sprouts, and lemon slices. The presentation was lovely - very colorful. Slices of lemon are wrapped in salmon, and the plate contains a rainbow of color. The sashimi was very fresh in appearance and flavor. The freshness revealed that Kyoto’s is probably one of the best Japanese restaurants in Sonoma County. $16.95

The restaurant was quite popular this evening, and if that’s any indication, you’ll also want to consider making a reservation if your party is large.

If the amount of edamame served isn’t enough, additional side orders are also available. The other good thing about Kyoto’s is that they serve you a refreshing orange for dessert, and your check is accompanied with a piece of Japanese flower candy. The overall experience was excellent, and I would definitely go back. Very fresh and very good. Kyoto’s does an excellent job with simple touches of excellent service.

My second visit was almost a year after the previous. This time, service was disappointing, but Kyoto’s redeemed itself that same evening, and so their service rating remains the same. Upon our arrival, we were immediately seated and given menus. The tea and edamame came as expected, but it was at least ten to fifteen minutes after being seated that anyone came to take our order. Let me go through the food items first.

- Miso Shiro - See miso soup comments in the Moriawase sashimi section. Good. $1.75 per bowl

Nigiri sushi (each order comes in a pair)
- Anago (sea eel) – The sea eel wasn’t good. Sea eel is a cooked sushi. The presentation was nice, but the fish wasn’t fresh. It wasn’t spoiled either, but since it wasn’t fresh, I was disappointed. I wouldn’t order the sea eel here again. More than likely, it doesn’t have the turnover rate to keep it fresh. $4.50

- Hirame (halibut) – Fresh, but the fish had some blood vessels in it. Still edible, but I wonder if there is a way to pull those vessels out. Good. $3.50

- Unagi (freshwater eel) – Unagi is cooked sushi as well, but this freshwater eel was fresh (especially compared to the sea eel). Lovely presentation. Great. $3.50

- Maguro (tuna) – Fresh tasting and no blood vessels. Great. $3.50

Maki Sushi
- Rock and Roll (eel and avocado) – Unagi and avocado are wrapped into a roll and cut into six pieces. Great. $4.50

Our miso shiro came about ten minutes after ordering. It took another ten minutes after that for the sushi to come. Food was good, but service was extremely slow. Normally, I don’t say anything when service is bad. I just take note or ask where my food is, but I don’t complain. Knowing how great service can be at Kyoto, and since the owner came to check on every table and ask how things were, I said something. What was interesting was that our table seemed to receive particularly poor service and it was mostly related to timing. The owner was quite apologetic when I gave her my comments and explained how they were short handed this evening. She also shared that she noticed other tables in a different section of the restaurant in a similar situation – one of her employees didn’t realize that part of her duties as hostess required her to also assist the wait staff when they are shorthanded.
When I received the check, accompanied with it was a gift certificate for five dollars toward my next visit. As mentioned earlier, Kyoto managed the situation well, and with that, I am keeping the service rating at four stars. The staff may not be fully at four stars yet, but the management is, and with more training, their staff will be as well. Still good sushi, and we’ll see how service goes the next time.

Southern Pacific Smokehouse – BBQ, Novato

224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945

(415) 899-9600
Parking: shopping center parking lot
http://thesouthernpacific.com/

Last Visited: May 5, 2011

Food: 3 to 4 stars

Atmosphere: 4 to 5 stars

Service: 2 to 3 stars

Price: $$ to $$$$

Located in the Vintage Oaks shopping center, Southern Pacific Smokehouse is the result of a partnership between Philip Claypool, country western singer, and former Plumpjack Group CEO, Rick Riess. The place had been open about a week when I visited and you could still see some of the kinks being worked out. The restaurant’s style is reminiscent of a lounge, but it doesn’t have a pretentious feel. The remodeled jewelry store is now filled with dark wood, mirrors, a comfortable bar, an open kitchen including a pizza oven from Italy, and a dedicated lounge for musical acts. One can appreciate the expense spent to give the place a whole new look. A few of my dining companions said it was easily one of the best looking places in Novato.

While it’s only been open a short time, Southern Pacific is already getting involved in local activities including hosting a fundraiser for Novato Youth. They have also scheduled a number of bands, both local and more famous musical acts. Their vision is ‘to provide guests with an approachable dining experience.’ I can definitely attest to the friendliness of the owner – Philip came up to our table to introduce himself and thank us for coming in to enjoy his new place. However, I found the hosting staff to be a little less friendly, more stuffy – perhaps it’s their all black outfits or just their demeanor, but they could be warmer and it wouldn’t hurt a bit.

The menu (same for lunch and dinner) is fairly simple. There are a variety of sandwiches, salads, and pizzas as well as wood-fired and smoked options including tri-tip and ribs. All of the sides are a little expensive at $5 each, but I don’t know what kind of quantity they might give you. Upon our arrival, we were given the choice of still water or complimentary sparkling water. The water comes in a clear bottle and the glasses are small mason jars – an interesting way to set themselves apart from the typical Novato restaurant.

They had made an extra pizza, so they gave it to us to sample for free. That was a nice way to start off our visit. Another interesting item of note was that all of their order-taking was done on an electronic device.

- Smoked Chicken, Bacon, and Brie Pizza – Breast meat is pulled apart into small chunks and along with bacon and brie, it tops a thin crust pizza. I thought I tasted some sweet onions too, but it wasn’t listed as one of the ingredients on the menu. The pizza crust is cooked through well, but not overly crispy. The amount of toppings are reasonable and the crust is able to hold up to them well. $12

- Dry Baby Back Ribs – Since it’s a smokehouse, I had to order something from the barbecue. This half rack had about six or seven ribs. It’s served with cornbread, coleslaw, and beans. Unfortunately, the cornbread didn’t come until I asked near the end of the meal and by that time, I was pretty stuffed. Two pieces of jalapeno cornbread came with sweetened butter. The cornbread was sweet and good, but if you prefer to see and enjoy the texture of corn in your bread, you won’t find that here. The coleslaw was lightly dressed and still very crunchy. The beans were hot and sweet – I liked this side the best of all of three offered. Now to the ribs – the ribs are crusted with a dry rub giving a blend of spicy and smoky. The meat was very tender and I loved how the smoky flavor rang through each bite. What I didn’t like about this dish was that the flavorful and spicy sauce that came with it was cold as though it had just come out of the refrigerator. I prefer the sauce to be warmed through or hot in temperature. Overall, the ribs were good, but a little on the expensive side for lunch. $17 half rack, $25 full rack

My other dining companions ordered more pizza – they found the bbq pulled pork pizza to be too heavy and the mushroom pizza and tomato/basil/mozzarella pizza to both be very good. Another person ordered the risotto and enjoyed that a lot. While we were eating, we overheard our waitress sharing the specials that weren’t shared with us, so you can tell that they’re still learning the ropes. She was also still familiarizing herself with the desserts which we asked for a list of despite knowing we were too stuffed to enjoy them. While the staff descends upon you when it’s time to serve with at least three or four members serving our plates so that all of the food would arrive together, missing the cornbread shows room for opportunity. Midway through our meal, we also heard the kitchen staff yelling out orders that needed to be fired off. While this may be normal in other settings, it doesn’t seem to fit in well here and caught our group a bit off guard.

  

The food is good, but the prices are too high for Novato, at least for lunch. For dinner, the prices are okay. To survive in this town, Southern Pacific needs to offer a few menu items that will allow patrons to get in and out for lunch for under $12 including tax and tip in order to continue to attract a good lunch crowd once their newness has worn off.  Sandwiches at $14 are just too high to sustain regular weekday clientele. They also need to work on their attention to detail in terms of service. They have a promising future, and we’ll be watching how they execute their approachable dining experience vision.

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