Sift - Bakery, Cupcakes, Santa Rosa

404-A Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa Ca 95401
(707) 703-4228
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mo-Th 10am-8pm, Fr-Sa 10am-9pm, Su 12pm-6pm
http://www.siftcupcakes.com/

Last Visited: July 17, 2011

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

Price: $

Walk into Sift and smell the sweet scent of sugar throughout the shop.  The case displaying sweet treats is very inviting and calls you to peruse it.  Cupcakes at Sift Cupcake and Dessert Bar go for $3 each or $30 per dozen.  They also offer cupcake chocolates for $2 and frosting shots (the thought of that just scares me) for $1.50 a piece.  French macaroons, ice cream sammys, whoopie cookies, and profiteroles are available too. 

I opted to try one of their Sonoma County famous cupcakes - Peach Me I'm Dreaming - It's a vanilla cake with a graham cracker crust, filled with peach jam, and topped with peach mousse and white chocolate shavings.  I found the cupcake to be good.  I would have liked the cake to have a lighter texture and not to fall apart quite so much, but that's just my preference for cake.  I appreciated how the filling and frosting weren't overly sweet, but a nice balance of quantities as well as the attention to detail.

It's hard to judge a place by one cupcake alone, so I'm definitely willing to go back, but would look to trying one of the chocolate or red velvet versions.

Chinese food to-go boxes make this an easy treat to pick up and share with a friend.

There are also now locations in Cotati, Napa, and there's even a cupcake truck. 

Lo Coco - Italian, Berkeley

1400 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley CA 94709
(510) 843-3745
Parking: street parking
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday 5pm to 10pm
http://www.lococospizzeria.com/index1.htm

Last Visited: July 15, 2007

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

We entered Lo Coco and found that the restaurant temperature was extremely warm this summer evening. They must not have air conditioning, and there is little ventilation despite the door being open. This evening, the restaurant was fairly crowded and in general, the tables are spaced fairly close together. The distance is such that if you reach your arm out, you’ll hit another table.

The room is painted a warm light yellow and the small halogen lights above only add to the temperature. One wall has a large advertisement showing a photo of a hotel against an ocean background with lettering showing contact information for the hotel located in Palermo. The windows line the other side of the restaurant. The kitchen is located in the rear, and each table is covered with a tablecloth as well as a large sheet of white paper. Columns and part of one wall have mirrors to create the illusion of a larger room.

Each place was set with a fork and knife wrapped in a cloth napkin placed on top of a dish. Parmesan in a glass container and olive oil are also placed on the table. The wait staff is dressed in black shirts or tank tops with an apron around their waist.

Upon entering the restaurant, it took a while for anyone to pay attention to us. After the waitress had come back to the hostess station to retrieve items for setting up the table several times, she finally told me she would be back in a moment (this occurred after about three trips to the station before I was acknowledged). Most of the wait staff members are in their twenties, and though they seemed to know what they were doing, they weren’t very good at hosting or greeting. Hardly a smile could be found except when the check was brought to a table. The menu consists of a variety of pizza, a list of pasta dishes, specials, appetizers, salads, and a few seafood plates.

Once seated, we were given menus and asked what we wanted to drink. Once she had finished taking our order, we were given our drinks and she returned a few moments later with the flatbread that came with the meal. As she brought our four pieces of flatbread, she dropped one onto the table and then used her hand to pick it up. First, what are you doing? Why not use a bigger plate? Second, a bunch of crumbs landed in my drink. Considering I was drinking water, she should have offered me another glass. Third, using your hand? What? This is gross. Who knows what you have touched? Pens, menus, dishes? Tongs would have been more appropriate, or a paper napkin. She did apologize, but it shouldn’t have happened in the first place and was hardly handled appropriately for a food establishment.

The bread was hot out of the oven, but that leaves no excuse. Shaped like a large stick, also known as pizza dough, the bread is browned and has a crusty taste. I would have loved to have some marinara sauce with it.

- Linguine with Clams – Served in a lemon butter white wine sauce, al dente linguine is mixed with manila clams for a rich tasting pasta dish. The quantity was good and there is tons of garlic slices to add to the flavor. Good. $12.95

Overall, I found the service to be fair. It took a while before anyone came to refill the water. After serving the food, they did come to check on us, but the overall demeanor was not friendly. The one good thing is that you aren’t rushed to complete your meal quickly and vacate the table, but there is a lot of room for improvement on how to treat the customer. When the check was brought, the dish used to hold the bill was colorful, but chipped. Small items like this are not huge cause for concern, but it leaves the customer with just one more ding on their list for Lo Coco. When we left the restaurant, two of the wait staff was standing near the door, but they continued to chat and did not thank us for coming in. The lack of attention to detail keeps their service rating at two stars. Although the food is good, I think there are better places with a complete package elsewhere and I would likely try those first before returning. Not to mention, considering the amount of garlic in the sauces, mints or candy would have been a nice touch – another missing item.

Tim Ho Wan - Chinese/Dim Sum, Hong Kong

Best: Dim Sum, Hong Kong

2, 2-20 Kwong Wa Street, Mong Kok, Ph: 2332 2896
G/F, 9-11 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po, Ph: 2788 1226
Shop 12A, Hong Kong Station (Podium Level 1, IFC Mall), Central, Ph: 2332 3078

Last Visited: November 26, 2010

Food: 4 to 5 stars

Atmosphere: 3 stars

Service: 4 stars

Price: $

When I was in Hong Kong a year ago, there were only two Tim Ho Wan's.  The fact that a third location has now opened up shows you that business continues to grow as more people find out about the great tasting food that Tim Ho Wan has to offer.  Although I was only in Hong Kong for a short trip, I managed to get to the Mong Kok location twice, and one of those times was even on a weekend. 

Our first visit was an hour and a half wait.  Our second visit was over a two hour wait, but one should take into account that I arrived before opening time.  With only about 32 seats available in this location, our second visit waited through an entire round of people (completely packed full house) before we were able to be seated.   And there were a ton of people in line after us too.

You'll find the crowd is fairly international.  Known as the least expensive restaurant in the world with a Michelin star, Tim Ho Wan has been featured in a number of guide books and listed as a must-try in many restaurant guides as well.  While I knew I was in for a treat, I had no idea that dim sum could be this fresh and this good.  The owner and chef, Mak Pui Gor, was the former chef of the three star restaurant at the Four Seasons in Hong Kong.  Impressive credentials and I think it's awesome he decided to open a place that is accessible to those on a budget.

The atmosphere is one of hustle and bustle - you get a piece of paper to indicate your order quantity for each item, and your order is plugged into the computer.  Then little dishes and baskets arrive at your table in no particular order.  Unlike other restaurants in Hong Kong, there is something really unique here.  When the food arrives, the restaurant goes almost completely quiet.  Everyone is eating, savoring, taking photos, and just enjoying.  It was one of the quietest restaurants I have ever visited in Hong Kong. 

Another unusual thing is that it's very social.  The interest in food between patrons, both strangers, and those at your table, generates conversation about where you come from and how you learned about the restaurant.  While other restaurants and cafes have similarly close seating arrangements and shared tables, at other places, people tend to focus on their phones and don't talk. I heard that the chef formerly worked at a very large restaurant and decided to open his own place, much to our delight.

Prices for most items range from $1.25 to $5 USD, extremely reasonable for such a delightful variety of food that is high quality too.  Most of the dishes could be model dim sum - the way it should be. 

- Rice Roll with Shrimp - Perfect texture and consistency with soy sauce that is not too salty.  It's hard to find rice rolls that are made so thin.

- Deep Fried Puff with Pork - Another light and delicious item.  The filling quantity is just right, but what is so hard to find is an outer shell that isn't too thick.  As one might expect, they do it just right, and not too greasy either.  Just about all of their fried stuff fits this description - not greasy, wonderfully fresh.

- Braised Chicken Feet - The flavors of the chicken feet are great.  A larger number of restaurants are good at this dish, so it was not quite as outstanding, but still very good. 

- Har Gao - These shrimp dumplings are the size of authentic har gao.  In the US, they often super size the shrimp dumplings which inevitably reduces quality in most of those versions.  This one is a single bite of loveliness.  Thin skinned, you can really taste the shrimp.

- Sweet Pumpkin Dessert - Sweet soups are very popular as a dessert in Asian cuisine.  We enjoyed this smooth pumpkin pureed soup with hints of coconut milk.  So delicious and unique to Tim Ho Wan.

- Steamed Pork Spareribs - I liked how the spareribs had a hint of heat from the red chili pepper to balance the richness of the fermented black beans.  I appreciated that the meat was tender without having a starchy sauce around it.     

- Osmanthus Flower Jello (Kuei Fa Gao) - While you won't find it written in English as Osmanthus flower, you'll see a number of patrons eating this dish - you can ask for it by the Chinese name.  This was probably my favorite item because I was delighted by its super refreshing flavor.  It's so light and sweet with a light, flowery flavor.  It's the perfect way to end a meal.  You can actually see the flower petals in it still.  The light consistency of the jello is offset by sweet goji berries, to give it a little chew.  You've absolutely got to try it!

- Pineapple BBQ Pork Bun - Yes, you read that right.  BBQ pork buns are topped with what makes a pineapple bun a pineapple bun.  The thin sweet topping is super light.  Some people around me ordered this dish once and had to order another two servings because they loved them so much.  While I enjoyed them for their light texture, they were good for me, but not worth another order.  This may be just your thing though.

- Steamed Beef Ball - These are tender and flavored with a little cilantro. Fairly standard and many places do get this one right, so not that much to say.

- Pan Fried Turnip Cake - These were good and had more grated turnip than you find at other restaurants.  You can actually see the grated pieces when you bite into it and of course, the outside texture was just a touch crispy.  Good stuff.   

- Egg Rolls - These are a must try!  The super crunchy egg roll wrapper is fried to perfection.  The shrimp and sweet fruit inside makes this a scrumptious bite.  Loved it!  If only everyone made an egg roll as good as this.

- Siu Mai (pork dumpling) - Good in its texture and how it stayed together.  At some places, the filling is too dense or too loose - here, it's just right.  The flavor was good too.

- Lotus Leaf Wrapped Chicken and Rice - Super flavorful, the lotus leaf fragrance has infused the rice and the center contains juicy meat with rice. 
- Sweet cloud fungus with herbs - This sweet dessert is really light and very good for soothing your throat because of its sweet rock sugar soup which is almost like a syrup, but not overly sweet.  The cloud fungus has been cooked until tender.  This is great to have as an offset to your fried dishes.  This is another specialty that you won't find at other dim sum houses.

- Brown Sugar Cake - The literal translation from Chinese to English is something along the lines of fluffy cake or light cake.  It's made with real Chinese brown sugar (which is actually translated literally as yellow sugar).  Unlike places in the U.S., the cake has a really strong brown sugar taste - this is a must try if you want to see what authentic cake should taste like.  This steamed cake is super light and fluffy. Again, you won't find it anywhere else - and even the dim sum houses in Hong Kong don't seem to make it as good as this version right here.  Even the color seems to be a richer brown.  

- Chinese Sausage and Spareribs with Rice - While this isn't a real dim sum dish, local tea houses in Hong Kong have turned it into one, so now I think it's just made available because people expect it. A little soy sauce is served with this to moisten the steamed pot of meat and rice. All the meat is tender and good.

- Pan Fried Shrimp Stuffed Tofu Wrapper - Another must try, the combination of a little cilantro and celery with the shrimp and the just crispy tofu skin make this a really delectable treat.  Love this one too. 

- Steamed Buns - A few choices of steamed buns are available - meat and vegetable, BBQ pork, and others. I thought they were good - though you can find them as good as this elsewhere.

While you'll have an advantage if you can read and speak Chinese, if you can't, don't let that deter you.  There is plenty of other diners whom can help you out, or you can just point.  Just be brave and eat what you can.  It's unlikely you'll be disappointed.  For those that are familiar with dim sum menus, Tim Ho Wan offers all of the standards at least as good as what is offered at the best dim sum places.  They have an amazing way of standing out in many of their dishes.  You will definitely leave satisfied and you won't feel like you left a huge dent in your wallet when you're done.

The atmosphere isn't fancy.  You get paper placemats, plastic plates, and somewhat crowded conditions, but it's well worth it.  To avoid the lines, try to go during afternoon tea time (3 to 5pm).  Otherwise, get there early.  Lines can be a bit deceiving as sometimes a person is waiting in line for a party of 20 (someone in front of me did that), but the fact that I returned again during such a short stay should tell you something.  If only they had a place like this in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Tim Ho Wan deserves their Michelin star.  I am definitely going to try to go back during my next Hong Kong visit!

El Gallo Taqueria - Mexican, Petaluma

1367 North McDowell, Suite 140, Petaluma CA 95954
(707) 763-7111
Parking: in shopping center

Last Visited: June 3, 2006

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

El Gallo Taqueria just opened up in the new Kohl’s shopping center in Petaluma. It’s bright orange and sunny décor is inviting. The large panes of glass in the front of the shop stream in lots of light. In the rear is a large flat screen tv. This evening and during my second visit, it was showing the soccer game. There are rooster figures on the wall and a large glass rooster containing garlic and other decorative foods. The open kitchen allows the aroma to come to your nose. There’s a salsa bar in the middle of the restaurant with lime pieces, various salsas, and vegetables.

The local radio station was raving about El Gallo Taqueria, so I thought I would give it a try. Upon our arrival, we received warm chips and were told to help ourselves to the salsa bar. Service was friendly.

- Super Burrito – I selected chicken, but other meats are available. A good sized burrito comes in a soft flour tortilla. Inside were sour cream, guacamole, rice, beans, and salsa. The overall flavor was good. The chicken strips inside my burrito were freshly grilled. Good. I wouldn’t expect anymore for the price. $5.95

- Fajitas – Shrimp – The fajitas are available with shrimp, chicken, or steak. They’re served with pico de gallo, guacamole, rice, refried beans, and three tortillas. The shrimp is grilled with green peppers and onion strips. It’s grilled after ordering and comes out steaming hot. The rice is perfectly moist, and the refried beans have a fine consistency. All was very good. There were only seven shrimp, which was a bit disappointing that there weren’t more, but overall, the flavor was terrific. The only point of improvement is being a little more generous with the shrimp. $10.95

Most items range from $4.50 to $11.95 in price. The typical item menus are included – enchiladas, burritos, tortas, tacos, and even burgers. They also have kid’s plates available. I will probably try one of their combination plates in the future (prices for those range from $5.95 to $6.95).

During my second experience, the service was not quite as friendly, though close. The place is somewhat empty for a Saturday evening, so the location may not be so good for drumming up clientele. The lack of signage from a side view is likely hurting them, but the food is still good. This time, there wasn’t any pico de gallo in the salsa bar which was a little disappointing, but some came with my dish.

- Enchilada and taco combination plate – Choice of meat for both items is available. The shredded beef enchilada came in a very soft tortilla topped with sauce and cheese. Great sauce. The taco is available with a crispy shell or soft. The crispy shell is drizzled with a little enchilada sauce and lightly sprinkled with cheese over the center. The taco comes with lettuce and pico de gallo. Since breast meat is used, it can be a little dry. This combo plate also came with rice and refried beans. Since the items are not made to order, it’s more like hot plate, warm food, but still good flavor. $6.96

- Taco Salad – With a choice of meat, you receive a tostada shell (very light and flaky) containing refried beans, rice, lettuce, meat (I selected shredded beef), pico de gallo, two dollops of sour cream, and two dollops of guacamole. There’s a light sprinkling of cheese on top (dried, not fresh). The meat is fresh and warm and the salad is good. The only thing I would improve is adding more lettuce and using fresh cheese. Great flavor though. $6.95

The chef was very sanitary – he took our order, and visibly washed his hands before beginning to cook. Not every place does this. The only thing I would change is the air circulation. Since the kitchen is open, it’s hard for the fresh air to be circulated. They try to accomplish this by keeping the door open, but I don’t know what they do on a cold or rainy day. Nevertheless, it’s a great place to try out. The ingredients were fresh, the service, friendly, and the chips warm. If you’re interested, they have tamales that are Central American style that are wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks. So far, all of the dishes I’ve tried have been fresh and good. Need I say more?

Broadway Bistro - Chinese Cafe, Millbrae

349 Broadway, Millbrae, CA 94030

(650) 692-3378

http://www.broadwaybistro.com/

Parking: street parking, parking lot in rear

Last Visited: September 4, 2011

Food: 2 to 3 stars

Atmosphere: 2 stars

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

A family friend had recommended Broadway Bistro as a decent place for breakfast.  While I didn't know what to expect, I was somewhat surprised that it came so highly recommended when I stepped in the door and saw it was like a Hong Kong style cafe.  The decor is a bit cheesy with the fake plants and bright pink and overall, it's a little worn around the edges, but they seemed to have steady clientele coming in for breakfast.  It's no comparison to what you find in real Hong Kong cafes, but maybe because it's in Millbrae without competition that it thrives.   

The menu offered several sets such as those we ordered.  Other options included macaroni in soup with ham, a typical breakfast dish in Hong Kong.  All of these sets were available for $5 to $6 each. 

- Green Onion Pancake and Soy Milk - At first glance, the dish seemed very disappointing.  The pancake was thin, limp, and greasy.  The soy milk, available sweet or savory, came with dried shrimp, small pieces of preserved mustard green, and an abundance of green onions, since I had ordered the savory version.  In Hong Kong, you find that the soy milk consistency is really thick, and this very diluted version lacked the desired texture.  The flavor of the soy milk was ok.  Surprisingly, the green onion pancake had a really good flavor and consistency.  Less oil would have helped it quite a bit though.  Okay. 

- Rice Congee with Fried Donut - The rice congee consistency was good and it came with fried peanuts and fried donut pieces.  While the fried donut was just okay, the congee was decent. 

Service was fair during this visit.  The staff was friendly when they were with us, but it was about midway through the meal before we received tea.  We overheard another waiter telling our waiter to bring us tea.  The lack of service was a bit disappointing, even though these places are not known for service.

There is no comparison with real Hong Kong style cafes, but if you're in Millbrae with a craving, I suppose it will do. Lunch and dinner menus offer a variety of Cantonese style dishes.  At least parking is accessible.

Lotus - Indian, San Rafael

704 Fourth St, San Rafael CA 94901
(415) 465-5808
Parking: street parking
Hours: Buffet Lunch – Mon to Sat 11:30am to 2:30 pm, Dinner – Mon to Sat 5pm to 9:30pm, Sun 5pm to 9pm
http://www.lotusrestaurant.com/

Last Visited: June 11, 2006

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

Lotus is located in the heart of downtown San Rafael. After coming off the freeway and onto Fourth Street, it’s one of the first restaurants you’ll see. The beautiful decorative door is eye catching as you walk up to the restaurant. You might also pass by the Lotus home furnishings store just a few doors down. Gautum recommended this place, so it’s officially Indian approved for authenticity and flavor.

Walk into Lotus through the waiting area and you’ll see the bar. We were promptly greeted and brought to our table which was alongside the bench seating against one wall. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with colorful and brilliant Indian wall hangings and statues including gold elephants, gold vases, and large statues of women in a prayer position. On the right side of the restaurant is the buffet table (which is not in use during dinner). The tables are spaciously placed and covered with pink tablecloths. The dishes are all printed with a pink and green flower pattern. The light yellow columns softly stand out amidst the white and pink in the room. A peek at their very professional website will show you what they’re all about. The best part of the atmosphere was the skylight, which they opened up so that the blue sky could be seen and if you desired, you could watch the clouds float by. It was perfect for our summer evening visit.

As we were seated, we were brought menus and our tealight candle was lit using a match. Our server promptly filled our glasses with ice water.

- Vegetable Samosas – Two samosas, triangular shaped pastry, are stuffed with spiced potatoes and peas and served with two sauces – one tamarind and one mint. The pastry is deep fried until golden brown and crispy. This is a healthy serving. One person per samosa is perfect for an appetizer, or one person can eat both samosas for a hearty meal. The spices are strong, but can be tempered with the sweet red tamarind sauce or by the cool mint sauce. Very good. $4.50

- Chicken Biriyani – The chicken biriyani is comprised of Basmati rice cooked with zucchini, carrots, green beans, green peas, cashews, golden raisins, and spices. The menu states that cauliflower is in the mix, but today, it was broccoli. The ingredients are combined for a strongly flavored combination of spices and vegetables. All of the meat is dark meat, which is perfect for me. It was served with raita, a homemade yogurt with spices and fresh cucumber shreds. The raita cools down the spices for a nice balance. I would liken it to chicken fried rice, but in a smaller portion and more intense flavors. Good. $13.95

- Rogan Josh – I wanted to select a lamb dish and asked the waiter for a suggestion. Rogan Josh is lamb cooked until tender in a spicy curry sauce. The dish itself is small, but it’s packed with flavor. The lamb was perfectly done until fork tender and infused with the flavor of the curry packed into each bite. Very good. $13.45

- Naan – This flatbread is available stuffed, but we selected it plain. Warm and served in a bread basket, it’s a nice accompaniment to the dishes above or any full flavored dish. $2.50

The environment is nice and the level of service and professionalism is superb. The only area of improvement for service is to have the general waitstaff smile – in general, they all looked very serious. When we left, the staff thanked us – a nice touch, as the farewell greeting at restaurant seems to have disappeared with so many other things. Lotus is a great place for authentic and delicious cuisine, and even better when you can watch the sky as you dine under the stars.

Boca Pizzeria - Novato

454 Ignacio Blvd, Novato CA 94949
(415) 883-2302
Parking: in shopping center
http://bocapizzeria.com/

Last Visited: September 22, 2010

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

Boca Pizzeria is opened up by the same owners as Boca (the steakhouse) in Novato.  While their pizzas are done Neapolitan style and certified by “Verace Pizza Napolitana, ” I found the pizza to be just okay.  According to their webiste, each pizza is cooked for no more than two minutes in a 900 degree Italian wood burning oven.  Also, the flour is double milled 00 Caputo flour; the sauce is made from San Marzano tomatoes imported from Italy, and the mozzarella cheese is house made daily.

Maybe I didn't order something simple enough, but since I've been going to a number of pizzerias in San Francisco and around the Bay Area, in comparison to those, I found Boca's to be good, but not wow enough that I've started taking people there.  That's probably my best gage on food at a restaurant - if I start telling my friends and coworkers and inviting them to go with me, that's how you know they're spectactular places.

The dining area is open with lots of light from the large windows.  The kitchen is open too and you can watch the hustle and bustle, or on a nice day, you can enjoy outdoor seating on the patio.

So far, I've been to Boca Pizzeria twice.  While I don't avoid going there, I haven't found it stellar enough to make more visits.  The open kitchen and high ceilings create a comfortable and open atmosphere.  Outside seating also provides options for those whom enjoy the sun.

- Anson Mills Soft Organic Polenta - Mushroom, Thyme, Balsamic Reduction - The polenta was okay with a creamy texture and nice balsamic reduction. Since it's presented on a plate without anything to really eat it with, it's kind of like sharing a pudding.  It's difficult to share and would be better as a side dish rather than starter - interestingly, the location on the menu actually seemed to make a difference in this case.  I also thought it was a little pricier than it should have been considering the portion.  $7.95

- Prosciutto de Parma Pizza - Prosciutto, arugula, San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella top a thin crust pizza.  The flavors were fresh and very Californian in flavor, but not your authentic Italian style pizza.  While that wasn't a bad thing, the combination of ingredients didn't have a wow factor.  Just okay. $14.50

- Farmers Pizza - Pancetta, Yukon gold potatoes, burrata cheese, and egg top a pizza.  I expected the egg to be cooked on the pizza, but instead, it appeared to be an egg that was fried and placed on top of a pizza.  It didn't seem incorporated until I broke the yolk.  The pizza seemed slightly overcooked as some of the cheese had dried a bit or had been sliced too thin.  Another just okay pizza.  $13.95

I found service to be just alright as well.  During my first visit, while she was polite, the server paid more attention to my dining companion and pretty much spoke with him throughout the meal.  During my second visit, the server was more even in speaking with each of us, but I didn't have a particularly memorable experience either way, so I've given them three stars for now.

Boca Pizzeria serves up decent pizza and is good for a change of pace compared to local Novato fare, offering California style pizza creations.  They're also opening a new location in Corte Madera at The Village.