Miki - Japanese, San Francisco

3639 Balboa St, San Francisco CA 94121
(415) 387-0874
Parking: street parking
Hours: Tues-Sat 11:45am - 2pm, 5pm-9:30pm

Last Visited: April 13, 2013

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

Amos recommended that I watch the movie Jiro Dreams of Sushi and I enjoyed it so much that when he asked his Japanese friends for a sushi recommendation, I trusted his friend's suggestion of Miki, which she described as a place where you could get food like you would find in Japan.  The first two dishes were specifically recommended by his friend. 

I arrived at Miki at 5pm, right when they opened, and there were already two tables there.  It was a pretty small place with few tables and as we ate, the restaurant quickly filled up.  I was surprised at the simple decor and the hole in the wall type feel.  The area by the window where we sat was a bit dirty - noodles and other random things along the window sill. The paint on the wall could also be retouched.

The server was very fast to approach me and when I told him I wasn't ready, he came back very quickly again.  I ordered the first two items and he strongly recommended that I complete my order.  He explained that if another table's order came between my multiple orders that I would experience long wait times.  I found this a bit frustrating because it was my first visit and I had no idea what to get; however, his advice was certainly true - I waited over 25 minutes for my first dish to arrive because he held my entire order to submit to the kitchen at once, and two orders got into the queue ahead of mine.

- Mentai Omelet - I had no idea what this was and had to google it when Amos told me to get it.  Mentaiko is the marinated roe of pollock or cod.  The flavor is definitely reminiscent of the sea, but not fishy.  The salty roe is cooked inside a fluffy egg omelet that is still slightly moist, but cooked through.  The combination is very delicate in texture and flavor and quite delightful.  Must try.  $4.50

- Tako Karaage - Five small octopi are marinated, lightly breaded, and deep-fried.  A single lettuce leaf is used as garnish below the karaage and a slice of lemon is placed on top.  The octopi is tender and has a good bite.  It wasn't too chewy and tasted very fresh.  The breading is really light and while it is prettier on top of the lettuce, it would probably be better without it because some of the moisture from the lettuce made the delicate fried batter a little soggy.  Remove it from the dish quickly and you should be fine.  Another must try.  $6.50

- Sushi Nigiri (2 pieces each)- Tuna $3, Salmon $3, Hamaichi (yellowtail) $3.75, Unagi $3.75
First, the prices here are lower than what showed in the menu.  They just changed their menu and aside from reducing their selection, they also increased their prices. Most nigiri is $4 for the pair. While the fish is fresh, I found the rice to be a bit dense - not too bad, but it could be a little looser.  The temperature of the rice was also fine.  The best of the four was definitely the warm unagi and its flavor. 

- Tonkatsu (pork) Ramen - Garlic Miso - Each bowl comes with a slice of pork, bamboo shoots, seawood, half of a seasoned boiled egg, and green onion.  As is typical with ramen, many sides and additions are available.  The pieces of roasted garlic made this bowl very flavorful and the noodles were done nicely - still a little al dente.  I thought this ramen was pretty good, but the garlic can be very strong, especially the aftertaste.  One of the customers was mentioning that he had lived in Japan for six years and the ramen here comes close to what he expected to find in Japan.  Good.  $9.75

- Tempura Side - Two pieces of shrimp, green bean, zucchini slice, carrot slice, yam slice, broccoli -  The warm tempura dipping sauce came with grated daikon radish in it which added to the texture.  While the shrimp were large and fresh, I thought the broccoli wasn't very good - as one often finds with broccoli, the florette gets too much batter and becomes dense and soggy.  The other vegetables and the shrimp were okay and the breading was crispy.  $7

In general,  I thought the service could be improved - while their demeanor was fine, I definitely felt like I was rushed in ordering.  The thing the staff did best was keep coming back with tea to refill our tea cups.  Improvements could be made in removing dirty plates faster and getting food to the table faster - the bell in the kitchen seemed to ding multiple times to indicate that food was in the window.  As mentioned above, it also takes a while for food to come to the table - there seems like not a lot of folks in the kitchen, but the takeout orders add to the length of the wait time. 

There are definitely good dishes to be found at Miki, but I would recommend going for sashimi if you want fish.   Selecting cooked dishes and choosing ramen are your best bets because the attention to detail is present on cooked items and the flavor is good.  Also, during lunch and between 5-7pm during dinner, they have a happy hour special on Sapporo draft for $3 as well as sake specials.

Picazo Cafe & Deli - Sonoma

19100 Arnold Dr, Sonoma CA 95476
(707) 931-4377
Parking: in front and side lot
Hours: Mon - Fri 5:30am - 4pm, Sat 6am - 4pm, Closed Sundays
http://picazocafe.com/

Last Visited: March 1, 2014

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

I've driven past Picazo cafe and deli for a long time and decided to stop in for lunch this afternoon. With indoor and outdoor seating, you'll find that it's a cozy cafe with friendly service and reasonably priced options for sandwiches, salads, and burgers.  A little ways from downtown Sonoma, you'll find mostly locals frequenting Picazo.

The menu above the counter shows all of your options and the side deli case features today's sides and salads.   The staff was very patient as people decided on their meals; after ordering, you can seat yourself and the food is brought to you.

We ordered both of our sandwiches grilled.



- Lemon Pepper Chicken Sandwich - Lemon pepper chicken breast (sliced thin), Havarti cheese, shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, sun-dried tomatoes, homemade basil pesto on sour roll.  The ingredients make for a flavorful sandwich with the large strips of carrots, cucumber slices, and toasted roll reminding me a little of Vietnamese sandwiches without the pickling of the veggies.  Great combination.

- Pastrami Sandwich - Pastrami, deli-style mustard, swiss cheese, sauerkraut on marble rye.  The portion is good and the ingredients are fresh.  Everything is heated through, but the bread doesn't get soggy which made it even better.

Both sandwiches were about $7 and came with macaroni salad containing diced ham, green bell peppers, and red onions.  I appreciated that the portion was enough to try the salad without being overwhelming.

It appears that Picazo is a family operation as the staff really goes the extra mile to check on everyone during their meal, bring water, and generally show their pride in running the restaurant in all that they do.  The food is solid, no fluff/no frills, ingredients are fresh, and the place is quaint, filling up quickly not long after the noon hour. Check out Picazo for some good eats and friendly folks.

Redd - California Cuisine, Yountville

6480 Washington St, Yountville CA 94599
(707) 944-2222
Parking: street parking
http://reddnapavalley.com/
Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm, Sun 11am - 2:30pm, Dinner Daily 5:30p to 9:30pm

Last Visited: December 7, 2013

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

Fellow foodie James has been telling me to go to Redd for some time now, ever since he went for a dinner party with a large group.  Vivian's recent visit also made it sound inviting - she shared a number of dishes with her dining mates and was pleased, so I figured that since I was in the area, it would be a treat to stop in.  The restaurant was decorated with lots of clear lights and a Christmas tree, and with the heater on high on this cold night, it was a cozy setting to enjoy a nice meal.

We were seated in the dining area closest to the entrance and bar, so as the evening wore on, the cold air from outside would come in (it would be a good idea to place some type of divider to prevent that), and the noise from the bar would waft over.  This seemed much less intrusive in the main dining area.  
To be able to try a sampling of multiple dishes, we opted to get more appetizers and share a main entree.

- Yellowfin Tuna Tartare - Asian pear, avocado, chili oil, fried rice, cilantro.  If you like ahi poke, you'll appreciate this tuna.  They have done a good job removing any hint of silver skin and the avocado adds smoothness while the Asian pear gives it a little bit of sweetness.  I wondered what it meant when I saw fried rice on the menu, and it's actually better named puffed rice.  However, it would have been much better with less puffed rice - since there was so much, it was like eating cereal with my fish.  At Izakaya Sozai in San Francisco, they offer a similar dish without the Asian pear and serve it with lotus root chips.  I think that's a much better pairing of crispiness with fresh tuna because you're not overwhelmed by crunch.  Okay as a whole - better with less fried rice.  $15

- Carnaroli Risotto - Maine lobster, meyer lemon confit, truffle oil. This is listed as one of their signature dishes.  I know how hard it is to make risotto, so I always like to try it at restaurants.  Carnaroli refers to a medium-grained rice that is typically used for making risotto.  The lobster pieces were very tender, but the risotto was very soft and although it wasn't soup, it seemed not to hold up as well as it could.  I thought there was also too much lemon which masked the lobster flavor rather than bringing out the flavor.  Just okay.  $16

- Caramelized Diver Scallops - cauliflower, capers, almonds, golden raisins, balsamic reduction.  The scallops are also listed as one of their signature dishes, and I would have to agree - of all the things that I tried this evening, this was by far the best.  The scallops are cooked just right with the outsides beautifully brown and crisp.  The cauliflower and capers paired are balanced by the sweetness of the raisins.  Serving size is small, but this is definitely worth getting. Very good.  $16/$31

- Crispy Chicken Thigh - lentils, foam  - If there were a dish to get an award for being most difficult to understand, this would be it.  Why would you crisp something and then surround it with foam to make it soggy?  The chicken thigh was tender and the outside skin was crispy like from a frying pan, not crispy like fried chicken.  This in itself was okay, but serving it on top of a bed of lentils and surrounded by foam made me think of a split pea soup with chicken on top.  Sure, foam looks cool when you're presenting something, but I would have rather had it without the foam.  $14

- Pork Tenderloin - bacon crust, butternut squash, onions, crispy spaetzle.  The presentation was lovely and compared to pork tenderloin at other places, it is probably one of the most tender and juiciest that I have had.  The sauces are wonderful compliments, and the squash, spaetzle, and onions go really well together.  As a whole, the dish is great.  However, my dining partner made a comment that changed my perspective a bit.  He described the pork tenderloin as ham and indeed, it really is like eating ham that has been beautifully presented.  If you enjoy ham, it's a great dish for you.  If you think the cost is too high for ham, well, then skip it.  $29

After our meal, when we declined dessert, we received two mint chocolate chip macaroons and cinnamon shortbread stars dusted with confectioner's sugar.  I thought the shortbread was delicious with its full flavor and texture and wouldn't have minded the ability to ordering a larger serving of them.

Plates were changed between servings of sets of dishes which was seemingly unnecessary at times, but definitely a way to demonstrate good service.  Water was frequently refilled.  Our server was friendly, but the way the kitchen sent out food sometimes made me wonder - the chicken thigh took a while to come out despite being listed as an appetizer -  I guess they figured it was more of a main dish for us.

Parking is easy and the restroom is worth checking out to look at the sink.

Overall, there are elements of great food on every plate, but for me, some of the pairings didn't seem to go together.  Service was efficient and attentive, but perhaps my expectations were too high.  Redd is a good stop, but smaller restaurants in San Francisco do some of these dishes better.

M.Y. China - Chinese, Rohnert Park - CLOSED

Gratin Resort and Casino
630 Park Court, Rohnert Park, CA 94928
(707) 703-1955
Hours: Sun-Thurs 11am-11pm, Fri -Sat 11am-midnight
Parking: self parking in lot and valet parking
http://www.gratonresortcasino.com/dining/casual-dining

Last Visited: December 26, 2013

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

I first heard about M.Y. China while reading San Francisco Magazine's article about best noodles. M.Y. are the initials for famous television chef Martin Yan. I was really excited to learn that Graton Casino was getting an M.Y. China so that I didn't have to go all the way into the city to try out their dishes.  Enter M.Y. China and you have multiple options for seating - at the bar, regular tables, counter facing the stove with wok-fired dishes, and the counter adjacent to the noodle station (we watched as scissor cut noodles were being made).  Dark woods and black napkins on square white plates give the restaurant a modern feel.

One thing to note is that when you look at the prices and menu on the casino website, it's not quite accurate.  It's a little frustrating considering that the resort is so new that information shouldn't be out of date yet, but know that prices are higher than what is posted on the site.

- Pork Juicy Dumplings - Five dumplings are served over a thinly sliced carrot round in individual black Chinese soup spoons in a bamboo steamer. While the presentation is unique and attractive because of the individual spoons, this actually causes the dumpling skin to become soggy because it is sitting in the dumpling juices (most of the soup had leaked out too).  The pork filling is tender and the soup is good, but the skin itself is not authentic in texture.  It's good if you have never had a soup dumpling before, but it can't be compared to Ding Tai Fung. The good thing is that it comes steaming hot - so hot that the spoon is hard to handle.  Red vinegar with thin ginger strands accompany the dish. One change to make is to eliminate chipped spoons - considering the prices at this place, everything should be near perfect.   $10

- Beef Hand Pulled Noodles - A few slices of five spice seasoned rib eye accompanies fresh baby bok choy, red pepper strips, and  chopped scallions over hand pulled noodles in a rich broth.  The meat is tender and the vegetables add great color, however, the broth is a little too salty at first taste and a little too sweet at the end of each bite.  Fortunately, the noodles have a nice al dente texture.  The quantity of food for the price charged is definitely petite. This is one of the dishes with wrong pricing on the website (shows $14 on the site). $16

- Beijing Knife Cut Noodles - Diced pork belly is cooked in spicy bean sauce and is accompanied by shredded carrots, bean sprouts, shredded cucumber, mushroom, and corn.  All of this sits colorfully on rice noodles.  The presentation is colorful and when it arrives, you get to mix all of this together to combine everything.  The meat pieces are a bit fatty.  The vegetables add good crunch, but the corn is from a can and lacks flavor. The sauce is mostly spicy and sweet, overpowering the flavor of the meat and vegetables.  $12

Service was friendly, but had a few blips.  When taking the bowl of soup away, the server grabbed the bowl instead of the saucer underneath it, but avoided the potential mishap of spilled soup. Since we sat in a row at the counter, the server picked up the check from one seat and returned it to the person furthest away from where it was retrieved. On the plus side, they clear plates frequently, and thank each patron on his or her way out.

M.Y. China is a good place for a business lunch or to go for drinks to appreciate the decor.  The dishes are good for a first timer at trying more authentic Chinese dishes, but to those whom are accustomed to what it should taste like, unless you're far from home and haven't had a chance to enjoy it for a while, an hour's drive will bring you to more authentic flavors and textures for a better value.

Ca'Bianca - Italian, Santa Rosa

835 Second St, Santa Rosa CA
(707) 542-5800
Parking: small parking lot, street parking
http://www.cabianca.com/
Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11am-2:30pm, Dinner Weeknights 5pm to 9pm, Dinner Weekends 5pm-10pm

Last Visited: October 31, 2009

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

Built in 1876, the white house in which Ca'Bianca is located is a historic site.  Recently renovated, it has a cozy feel of the old world with cuisine that blends various areas of Italy including Milano and Sicilia.

Our visit was particularly festive since the waitstaff were dressed in their Halloween garb - there's nothing like a server with a Jason mask or blood dripping from her neck to make you a bit more alert to the service.   The dim lighting would probably typically be called romantic, but it fits well into the Halloween theme too.

- Fitto Misto - Crispy calamari and shrimp, although the portion was a bit small.  $10

- Lamb chops - Very nicely done and juicy. $23

- Venison - Tender meat without any gaminess.  The sides, including potatoes and veggies, petite, but the overall dish is filling. $26

I appreciated the attention to detail of the wait staff and their friendliness as they welcomed us to Ca'Bianca and served us through the evening.  From the menu to the quaint feel of the restaurant's atmosphere to the furnishings, it's definitely exudes more of a classic feel.  This is a great restaurant for a fancy dinner for a subdued crowd or romantic night out. 

Chang Puak (White Elephant) - Thai, Noodles, South San Francisco

146 Hazelwood Drive, South San Francisco CA 94080
(650) 873-8341
Parking: limited street parking
Hours: Mon-Sat: 11-3pm, 5-9pm, Sun: 5-9pm
http://www.whiteelephantssf.com

Last Visited: April 6, 2013

Food: 4 stars (if not for the contaminant)
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $ to $$

Chang (Thai for elephant) Puak (white) is located in a small strip mall across the street from Smart and Final.  While it's a pretty small place, they have really tried to load it with character in terms of decor and in flavors.  This family-owned business shows a lot of care in explaining food to its patrons - for those who might find the yellow curry to be too yellow, or the sauce to be different from what they expect, the wait staff takes the time to come and explain that the food is from the Northern region, which is atypical of what is found at many Bay Area Thai restaurants. 

- Beef Tendon Stew - One of the specials for the evening - the beef was tender and there was a nice peanut flavor throughout the broth.  It's a little reminscent of five spice beef stew noodles.  However, when I was dividing the egg noodles, I found a hair.  I have to give them a hand for how they handled it though - they immediately apologized, took the dish away, brought me a new bowl, and didn't charge me a thing.  I've found hair in a number of my dishes, and this was by far handled in a way that tops the list in terms of customer service (way better than my experience at Morimoto Napa and John Ash in Santa Rosa).  Good job Chuang Puak!  The noodle soup/stew was also really good - perfect for cold weather. $9.25


- Green Curry with Pork - One thing I noticed is that Chuang Puak's prices might be a dollar more than other Thai places, but the portions are also slightly larger. This curry was a bit different than some of the other green curry that I've tried - it doesn't seem to have coconut milk in it.  The pork was tender and the sauce goes well over rice.  I also liked the eggplant and how it soaked up the sauce.  Good. $8.25

- Pad Thai with Prawns - One of my primary complaints when eating Thai is that places often skimp on the shrimp.  Here, they give you eight prawns which is often double of what you find at other places.  Standard ingredients like egg, bean sprouts, and green onions make are served with the al dente noodles.   $9.25

- Rice $2

A little different flavors than the typical Thai restaurant, Chang Puak is worth trying out.  Since they handled the contaminant incident so well, and the flavors were good, I would be willing to return to see how their other dishes fare.  Note that the restaurant is a bit small and tends to get packed on weekend evenings, so eat early or eat late to avoid the crowds. 

Ramen Parlor - San Mateo, Japanese

901 S B St, San Mateo CA 94401
(650) 344-9728
Parking: small parking lot, street parking
Hours: Tues-Sun 11:30am - 2pm, 5:30pm - 9pm

Last Visited: August 25, 2013

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

We arrived about ten minutes before Ramen Parlor opened for dinner and found ourselves in the line that had already formed.  The restaurant is owned by the same folks as Ramen Dojo on the next block and often gets spillover from them as well.  Ramen Parlor is more spacious than its sister restaurant and by opening time, there were plenty more folks behind us.  We managed to secure a table, but service could have been better. 

While we were waiting in line, the folks in front of us had already started having their orders taken, and by the time the server was about to approach us, the restaurant had already opened.  After being seated, everyone waited about five minutes before glasses of water were provided to all of the tables.  Even after that, we were still waiting for the menu, and when the server saw me looking at him as he was ready to take the order for the table next to us, he commented that he would be right with us and didn't seem to notice that we had still not received menus until I said something.  Upon receiving the menu, he came by again within just a couple of minutes to take the order - definitely room for improvement in terms of how to improve timing of service. 

All ramen is available non-spicy, mild spicy, regular spicy, and extra spicy.  It probably took fifteen minutes for the ramen to arrive. 

- Parlor Ramen - Lobster Pork Flavor with kikurage mushrooms. The menu describes it as lobster enhanced broth with fried soft shell crab (half), roasted pork (2 pieces), mizuna (aka Japanese mustard/California peppergrass), and roasted seaweed (2 pieces).  I ordered the broth mild spicy, and though it wasn't too spicy at all, I couldn't taste much of the lobster flavor.  The noodles were good and the ingredients tasted fresh.  The soft shell crab was very good - crispy and light - and I wouldn't mind paying a little more for a whole one.  Good.  $9.75

My dining companion had the garlic lobster pork flavor ramen.  The broth comes out black, but I heard multiple people at the tables surrounding us also commenting that the garlic lobster pork broth was delicious.  If I came back, I would probably try this instead. 

The ramen is good (but for me, it wasn't wow) and the menu has a lot of variety - classic ramen with an egg, specialties like curry ramen, Japanese curry over rice, and a number of appetizers like skewers. 

The atmosphere is very casual and the windows bring in a lot of natural light.  One thing they do well is separate those whom are waiting from those whom are eating.  However, the tables are a little too close - you can easily get to know your neighbor if you wish, and it's super easy to get bumped or to bump someone getting in and out of your seat.  It's a family friendly place - there were lots of little kids dining there this evening.  And while service is pleasant, their timing could be improved.  Ramen Parlor offers a solid ramen, but the lobster enhancement could be enhanced more.