Mokutanya - Japanese, Yakitori, Ramen, Burlingame

1155 California Dr, Burlingame
(650) 348-9388
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
Hours: 11am - 2am daily
http://www.mokutanya.com

Last Visited: November 15, 2012

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

Winnie recommended Mokutanya for some good eats, but she also noted that the prices were a bit on the high side and I would agree on both counts. 

From the outside, Mokutanya looks less than impressive.  The very small strip mall allows room for parking, but easily hides what is inside.  Even peeking into the window shows little indication of what's in the restaurant.  Behind the counter and the tall display behind it are many little rooms divided by glass.  You take off your shoes and sit on the floor, putting your feet into the well under the table, so while it may be a little awkward to get in and out, it's fun to enjoy this unique atmosphere.  There is a sense of privacy with the low lighting (which also makes for these dim pictures) and ceiling-to-floor glass enclosures, but if you have kids next to you, you'll find them peering into your space. 

The waitstaff is comprised of young ladies and their demeanor at the table is very gentle and patient.  They were very good about explaining the menu and removing plates as they were empty, but one sometimes wonders at how efficient the kitchen is with runners because as soon as one plate came, another would come right after.  Also, they have a tendency to chat when they aren't waiting tables which can be distracting when the restaurant isn't too busy.   

My camera didn't have a flash, but the photos give you an indication of the serving size.  The skewers are about the length of a short fork. 

- Ika Sugata Yaki - grilled whole squid with yakitori sauce - While the flavor of the squid was good and the sauce was a nice balance, I found the meat to have an outer skin that made each bite really chewy.  The meat itself was tender, but several times, I had trouble eating it because of a very thin layer of skin on it. $12

- Bacon Wrapped Asparagus and - Bacon Wrapped Enoki Mushroom - Who can dislike bacon?  Both skeweres were very tasty as the vegetables were moist and had soaked up the flavor of the bacon.  The bacon itself was nice and crispy.  $3 each

- Wagyu Beef - 3 beef cubes - Tender and nice spices. $4

- Butabara - pork belly - Probably about as good as you would find at any yakitori place. $3

- Gyutan - Beef tongue - good texture and not overcooked.  $4

- Lamb - Australian lamb leg with spices - good flavor, but a lot of the red meat starts to blend together and are less distinct from one another. $4

- Chicken Thigh topped with fresh wasabi - The chicken is free-range and is super tender and juicy.  The fresh wasabi is a nice touch and isn't at all overpowering.  $3

- Miso Black cod - Good flavor and tender. I liked this better than the salmon.  $5

- Salmon - Okay. Bordering a little dry because of the thickness, but still okay. $4.50

- Tonkotsu Ramen - Pork bone broth with bean sprouts, sliced pork, shiitake mushroom, egg, and corn. A side of seaweed sheets also accompanies the ramen.  This pictures shows a divided portion and the nice consistency and color of the boiled egg.  The ramen wasn't the best I've had, but is pretty good amongst those in the Bay Area and is a good way to help you feel full.  $7

Mokutanya is a great place for group dinners, after dinner snacks, or a date.  Going to Mokutanya when you're hungry may not be the best idea unless you plan to get ramen; otherwise your bill may be a bit shocking.   Two people can run a dinner bill of $70 to $100 without much effort.  During happy hour, you'll find that they have a $1 oyster special and if you check-in on Yelp, you'll get a free drink.  It's a fun place to check out at least once if you're in the area.     

The Refuge - American, Sandwiches, San Carlos

Best: Pastrami

963 Laurel St, San Carlos CA 94070
(650) 598-9813
Parking: street parking
Hours: Tues-Thurs 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-9pm; Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-10pm; Sat-Sun 12pm-10pm; Closed Sun-Mon (except for private parties)
http://refugesc.com/

Last Visited: May 3, 2013

Food: 3 to 4 stars (5 star pastrami)
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Jay and Milly told me about The Refuge and their yummy pastrami.  Unfortunately, the first time I tried to go, they were closed because it was a Sunday.  Note that they are also closed on Mondays too.

Enter the dark restaurant and you'll see booths on one side and a bar on the other.  Tables are set in between as well.  The Refuge boasts 18 types of Belgian beer on tap as well as bottles.  However, their claim to fame is their amazing pastrami.  If that isn't enough to whet your appetite, they also have ribeye cheesesteaks and burgers too.  Don't worry, if you're on a gluten-free diet, they also offer a pastrami chopped salad.

- Pastrami Reuben - Pastrami, sauerkraut, melted swiss, Russian dressing, toasted rye. When the menu says their ultra-tender pastrami is created in house, from the heart of the navel, served warm with pickles and pickled onions, it might give you high expectations, but indeed, The Refuge serves pastrami that really is ultra-tender.  The pastrami sandwiches here are eye-catching and piled high with pastrami. It's not thinly sliced as you might find at other places, but hand-cut into thick pieces and mounded between toasted rye.  While I've had better bread elsewhere, wow, I couldn't believe how it just melts in your mouth.  Each bite really is ultra-tender and lives up to the menu description.  If you aren't a big eater, this sandwich could easily be shared by two people.  The toasted slices of bread could be crispier, but you won't be disappointed by the wonderful cured meat.  I actually would give the food a higher rating if the bread had been toasted more.  Four pickle spears are topped with pink pickled onion and served on the side.  Just in case you don't like sauerkraut, you can also choose from pastrami with coleslaw or with swiss and mustard.  Must try.  $16

- Green Salad - shredded Romaine lettuce, shredded carrots, spring mix, pickled onions and tomatoes.  While the menu says the dressing is a red wine vinaigrette, it looks more like a balsamic dressing when the flash isn't on. The little bowl is packed, so while it doens't look like a lot, it's a good quantity.  You're better off getting a large plate to mix the vegetables better if you like your salad evenly dressed since there is really no room to turn it in its original container.  Good and fresh. $4

- Garlic Fries served with hot chile mayo - The garlic fries are tasty - you definitely won't forget that you ordered them with garlic sauce. The hot chile mayo isn't too hot (or maybe the garlic made it less noticeable, but it pairs well with the fries). $6

Service would have gotten a higher rating if they had come to take our order sooner - we were sitting around waiting for quite a few minutes looking for someone to take my order even though there weren't many patrons present yet.  Also, after the food had been delivered, nobody came around between that time and the end of the meal to check on us. 

A couple of items to note: the Refuge is family friendly - there were a lot of little kids present.  Be sure to get there early.  Even though there is outdoor seating, the place fills up very quickly.  It's a bit noisy, but has a fun feel.  The Refuge serves up a delicious treat - you won't want to miss this pastrami experience.

Simmer Vietnamese Kitchen - Petaluma

299 North McDowell Blvd, Petaluma CA 94954
(707) 762-4288
Parking: in shopping center

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

Last Visited: April 27, 2013

Simmer opened up about three weeks ago, so word is just getting around Petaluma about this place.  A couple of friends told us that it was worth trying, so of course, we had to go. 

With Simmer, Pho Ngoc Tranh, and Thang Long, we now have three Vietnamese restaurants in Petaluma.  Thang Long started it all, but as can be seen from the date of my review of them, I haven't been back in a while.  Pho Ngoc Tranh, located in the OSH shopping center, opened up in 2012, and that seemed to be good for competition.  Simmer is located in the same shopping center as Thang Long, albeit on the far side of the shopping center, but it's going to be interesting to see if Petaluma can sustain this many Vietnamese restaurants within a close distance of each other.

Walk into Simmer and notice that the space is very open.  Once you get past the shelves holding Asian figurines, you'll see the rather large fish tank in the rear with beautiful brightly colored tropical fish.  Just outside, along the window are lots of newly planted green bamboo plants; the colors of the restaurant are warm and inviting.  The rather large head statue in the rear is a little unusual - it's about the height of a small toddler, but it still seems appropriate.  What seemed slightly unfinished is the very bare side wall opposite of the windows.  A large painting or series of paintings would spruce that up a bit. 

We were greeted by one of the waitresses who seated us near the window.  Their one page paper menu seems like a good way to help locals feel comfortable with the selection and less daunting than what you might find in the city.  Pho, vermicelli noodles, fried rice, curry, stir fry, are typical items that you will find on the menu, and there's even a few kid's menu dishes available.  The waitress was very friendly and happy to answer questions for those new to the menu.  Ice water arrives in a tall glass with a thin slice of cucumber. Orders are taken by the waitress on an electronic device.

- Combination Pho - Individual plates of bean sprouts, sweet basil, sliced jalapenos, and a lime wedge arrived which was a nice way to cater to small town locals unaccustomed to the typical shared plate of garnishes/condiments.  The piping hot soup broth in the bowls was delicate, but slightly salty on its own.  Eaten with the other ingredients, the soup is more balanced and flavorful.  Fresh slices of red and yellow onion accompanied floated in the bowl along with rice noodles, beef brisket, tendon, tripe, a meatball, and slices of rare eye round steak.  It was nice that they had put the eye round steak on top, so most of it had not cooked through, giving the customer the option to eat it rare or plunge it into the broth further.  I thought the quantity of meat and noodles were ample and matched the price charged for the bowl.  I also appreciated that the noodles were not served in the bowl in a clump and had been loosened a bit (not always the case in the city).  While it isn't the best quality of meat that I've had in pho, it was certainly acceptable.  Good.  Regular $8, Large $9.50

While the food rating is good, you should consider that I only had one dish.  As for service, the staff is friendly, but may have a tad too much commentary, though not unprofessional - I think the staff may still be feeling this out a bit.  I noticed that they asked patrons where they were from and whether they worked nearby to get a sense of whom was coming in - this was fine - what is a little strange is to comment that our order of two bowls of the same pho dish is easy, good, and direct.  Another oddity - it's weird to hear Biggie Smalls playing on the radio in the background - they may want to consider another channel to cater to a more diverse audience.  Attention to detail seems to be the key - my friends told me that they had to request the dish of condiments when they ordered their pho, so that issue has been resolved, but things like no chopsticks in the silverware holder (it seemed that all tables except ours had chopsticks) and making sure that napkins are stocked (we had none at our table, although the server did bring them eventaully), would help improve the experience.

Overall, Simmer is a good find and I would be willing to go back.  Pricing is higher than what you might expect to find for this dish in San Francisco, but reasonable compared to local competition.  Amongst the three Vietnamese places in Petaluma, I would rank them first in the pho category and service.

Ongpin - Filipino, South San Francisco

73 Camaritas Ave, South San Francisco CA 94080
(650) 615-9788, (650)615-0622
Parking: small parking lot
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-9:30pm, Fri 11am - 10pm, Sat 9am-10pm, Sun 9am-9:30pm
http://www.ongpin.com

Last Visited: January 2013

Food: 3 to 4 stars (if no contaminant)
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$

After reading San Francisco Magazine's article, The Great Noodle Quest, I was surprised to see a dish featured at Ongpin because I drive by this place at least a couple of times a week.  I am always looking for a local neighborhood restaurant that could become a regular go-to place.

I arrived at the restaurant and noticed that it was pretty simple in its decor.  Despite it being only 5pm on a weeknight, there were already a number of tables eating their dinner and from the blank waitlist at the doorway, I expect that as the evening wore on, it would get even busier. 

- In the article, Jonathan Kauffman describes the restaurant and their pancit miki-bihon as follows: "This restaurant has one of the largest selections of Filipino noodles in the Bay Area, among them siomai noodle soup and pancit palabok with shrimp sauce and crumbled pork rinds. But the stir-fried pancit miki-bihon is the one to order. A mound of skinny, wriggly rice noodles (bihon) twines around fat golden egg noodles (miki), with vegetables, chicken, and shrimp. The umami-bump of shrimp paste is discernible but not overpowering, and a squeeze of lemon gives the flavor a jolt."

- Pancit Miki-Bihon - I had never tried a mixture of egg noodles and rice noodles.  Reading the description above, I was a bit concerned - it sounded like those concoctions from college dorm days when the cafeteria would mix leftover dishes together to get a messy looking combination of things that didn't belong together.  Even though it was early, I had to wait about 15 minutes for my takeout order to be completed.  When I opened the box of this dish which I had ordered to go, I was happily surprised to see udon sized egg noodles (as opposed to thin egg noodles) mixed with small rice noodles.  Two wedges of fresh lemon added great acidity and balance to the rich flavors.  The egg noodles added good texture that contrasted with the sliced carrots, celery, cabbage, scallions, and rice noodles. The shrimp was succulent, not mushy, and the chicken (dark meat) was tender.  Unfortunately, after I had dished out two servings, I noticed a hair in my food.   I called Ongpin to let them know and they offered to make me a new one if I brought it back, but by then, my appetite was suppressed and I didn't want to drive all the way over just to get a replacement.  $8.95

The flavor is good and had it not been the hair, I would visit Ongpin again, but this experience was just too disappointing for a first impression and alas, not a go-to place for me.

Aperitif - Things that Don't Belong

It's sad to be writing this post, but alas, I have encountered a recent increase in contaminants.  Here is a run down of past and recent encounters (look for these under the label 'yikes') - a continuation of Foreign Objects in My Food:

Restaurant Peony, Oakland - Visited: 2001
- Clothespin in the Seafood Soup - dine in, found by the waiter as he served the soup
- How they handled it: The server took the clothespin out of the soup with his hand and placed it on the plate holding the serving bowl.  Served the soup as though nothing happened.  Horrible!

Silver Dragon, Oakland - Visited: 2004
- Bug in the shrimp appetizer - dine in
- Didn't notify them because it was a wedding banquet

John Ash, Santa Rosa - Visited: 2006
- Live Worm in the salad under a pork chop - dine in
- How they handled it:  No apology. Busser whom we told about the problem brought the manager more than ten minutes later who started by saying 'heard you had a visitor' and told us the salad was organic and twice-washed.  The waiter offered to give us free dessert which we declined.  Did not remove anything from the bill.  Horrible!

Zuzu, Napa - Visited: 2006
- Hair in the artichoke and mushroom salad - dine in
- How they handled it: Apologized and offered a replacement.  When we declined, they took it off the bill.  No further mention of it throughout the meal.  Server and hostess saw us as we left, but had no goodbye greeting or further apology.  Lack of customer service. Horrible!

Morimoto Napa - Visited: 2011
- Hair found in the Nigiri Sushi - dine in
- How they handled it:  Server took the food away and apologized.  Came back with a replacement nigiri.  Did not remove anything from the bill and told us he hoped we had a nice meal at the end of the meal with no mention of the hair again.  Talked to the manager as we left the restaurant and expressed disappointment that nothing was removed from the bill.  Lack of customer service.  Horrible! 

Wild Fox, Novato - Visited: 2011
- Dead Bug in my salad - dine in
- Didn't notify them because it was a birthday celebration

Hung's Kitchen - Visited: January 2013
- Hair in the Braised Pork Rib Stew - dine in, found halfway through the dish
- How they handled it:  Asked if we wanted to still eat the dish.  Took off half of the cost of the item on the bill since we had eaten half.  Okay, if the first comment had not been made. Room for improvement.

Ongpin, South San Francisco - Visited: January 2013
- Hair in the Pancit Miki-Bihon - take out
- How they handled it: Apologized. Offered to provide a replacement if I brought the dish back to their restaurant.

Cooking Papa, San Mateo - Visited: April 2013
- Hair in the Braised Tofu with Vegetables, dine in, found midway through the dish
- How they handled it: Apologized.  Asked if we wanted a replacement and when we declined, they took it off the bill.  They handled it okay.

Chang Puak, South San Francisco - Visited: April 2013
- Hair in the Beef Tendon Stew - dine in, found before I took a bite
- How they handled it: Apologized when it happened.  Made a replacement and took the item off my bill and apologized again after.  They handled it very well.

Addendum - California, Yountville

6476 Washington Street, Yountville CA 94599
(707) 944-2487
Parking: parking lot
Hours: Thursdays - Saturdays 11am-2pm
http://www.adhocrestaurant.com/addendum/

Last Visited: March 30, 2013

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

Located behind Ad Hoc, on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, you can grab a lunch box or 'hunger relief to go' at Addendum.  Behind the parking lot is the path to Addendum and the little house where you can order a lunch box, dessert, and Ad Hoc goods like t-shirts or fried chicken mix.  I've heard of Ad Hoc's friend chicken for a number of year's now and this was a perfect way to enjoy it while sitting at picnic tables in Ad Hoc's garden of raised beds.  It's a scenic and peaceful location.

All lunch orders are $16.50 and come with a piece of cornbread, baked beans, and potato salad.  You get a photo holder that holds a piece of paper with your name on it and when your order is ready, Ad Hoc staff walks it from the kitchen in the main building to the garden area.   Orders of four or more can be placed ahead via email.

- BBQ Pork Ribs - You can select pork ribs or pulled pork.  I went for the ribs and got three bones.  The sauce has a prominent chili powder flavor and the meat is tender.  It wasn't the best pork ribs I have had, but it was acceptable.   I would have liked there to be some bark on the ribs and for the meat near the bone to be more infused with flavor. 

- Buttermilk Fried Chicken - Three pieces of fried chicken - a drumstick, a chicken breast, and a thigh are battered and fried.  The skin is nice and crispy and sprinkled with some sea salt, but the color was a little darker than what I was expecting.  The meat was very juicy - even the white meat.  However,  some of the chain restaurants offering fried chicken offer a slightly better product. 

- Sides - The cornbread is moist and sweet.  The baked beans are also on the sweet side and could be served hotter.  The potato salad is a combination of purple and yukon gold fingerling potatoes coupled with caper berries and fresh herbs.  I thought the potatoes were a little on the hard side.  You can see that all of the ingrediences are of good quality, but I've had better potato salads. 

Overall, if you happen to be in Yountville, it's a nice stop, but it doesn't make it on my list of food to drive for.  There are definitely options in the Bay Area that offer better individual entrees.  Service could be more friendly as the staff walks around and delivers your food - something definitely felt missing in terms of warmth of the servers - they're professional, but are much better during regular restaurant service.

Ristorante Buon Gusto - Italian, South San Francisco

224 Grand Ave, South San Francisco CA 94080
(650) 742-9777
Parking: street parking and pay parking lot next door
Hours: Mon-Fri Lunch 11:30am-2:30pm, Dinner 5pm - 9:30pm; Sat 5pm-10pm; Sun 4:30pm - 9:30pm
http://www.buongustorestaurant.com

Last Visited: November 1, 2012

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

The owners were raised in Sicily and opened the restaurant in 1988.  Walk into the restaurant and it is a bit reminiscent of 1980s/1990s decor.  The lighting is a bit dark and the full bar in the back looks well-stocked.  We had a party of about ten for lunch during our visit, and we were seated in the nook area near the window.

The host/owner was very friendly and we had let him know ahead of time that we had a limited time to eat lunch.  He was very accommodating, but service from his servers could have been improved by more attention to detail.  Things seemed disorganized as the water and bread arrived before we ordered.  I had ordered appetizers ahead of time and it seemed like the execution of the delivery of these and the coffee after dessert could have been better.

- Mozzarella Caprese - Large pieces of mozzarella are topped with a leaf of fresh basil and both are placed on top of a fresh slice of tomato.  Olive oil, salt, and pepper top the salad.  The tomato was pretty bland, but the basil was fresh.  I wasn't particularly excited about this dish because it seems like it should only be offered seasonally when the tomatoes are ripe and flavorful.  $8.50

- Fried Calamari - The calamari was breaded lightly and tasted good.   Half order $8.50

- Pork Osso Bucco (special of the day) - All lunch entrees are served with a choice of soup or salad.  I selected the salad and found the vegetables (lettuce, carrots, a cherry tomato, and a jarred pepper) to be fresh, but very overdressed.  Most of my dining companions had a noticeable amount of dressing still on their plates even after finishing the vegetables.  Thankfully, the osso bucco was delicious.  The marrow was super tender and the tomato based sauce had really mingled with the meat well.  The broccolini and carrot were fresh and the polenta with tomato sauce was a rich side dish.  f you have the chance to try the osso bucco, definitely don't miss out on it.  The portion is also quite generous for lunch. This was definitely a four star dish.

In general, I found that the plating could be a bit better.  You can see that the salad dressing has dripped onto the side of the plate and the presentation of this and other dishes could be a bit cleaner.  The food at Ristorante Buon Gusto is good, and greater attention to detail as well as serving more seasonal items could easily move their ratings up a star.  Overall, it's a convenient location for decent Italian in South San Francisco.