Mifune Noodle House in SF

Do you want to experience Japan but without the ten-hour flight? For anyone visiting San Francisco, you can find all things Japanese at Japantown near the lower Pacific Heights neighborhood.  This cultural center has not only annual festivals, like the Nihonmachi Street Fair on August 8, but everyday you will find lots of authentic shops and dining choices giving you a real taste of Japan.

One of the best noodle houses with an authentic Japanese flavor and atmosphere is Mifune, located on the upper level of the center’s two city-blocks.  They are known for their homemade noodles.  The service is not very gung-ho but that is part of the authentic atmosphere, efficient vs. friendly. Read More »

Dinner at Applebee's

In my “order the same thing every visit” mindset, I’ve come to count on Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar as my chicken fajita roll-up source. So when we couldn’t get a timely table at the new Acapulco Joe’s the other night, my husband and I started aimless driving down the street, trying to figure out what would be a good substitute.

Two miles beyond restaurant row, as we like to call State Road 135, and we needed to just make a choice already. We were staring at a right-hand turn into a parking lot that led to both O’Charley’s and Applebee‘s.

Chicken fajita rollups won the split-second decision.

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It seems that farm-to-table restaurants are all the rage these days.  In an age of too many steps between the farm and our plates, many staunchly embrace the idea of going back to the good old days where we knew just where our eats were coming from.  And who can blame them?  Sarah Rose, noted food and travel writer, and author of the forthcoming book, “For All the Tea in China:  Espionage, Empire and the Secret Formula of the Worlds Favorite Drink,” certainly appreciates the idea.

And because of that, when asked for a favorite restaurant, Rose strongly recommended Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, New York.  Despite her travels across the globe for her work.

“There is a Blue Hill in New York and a companion restaurant in Tarrytown at Stone Barns, both of which are Dan Barber’s restaurants,” she says.  “He is the chef at both and he’s as good as it gets by my lights.”

Rose says that the food at both restaurants is incredibly fresh – all produce comes fresh from the local Blue Hill farm.  “The farm-to-table ethic is very hard core at Blue Hill.  And you really can taste it in every bite.”

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I have a confession – I’m not sure what makes up Dutch cuisine.  I’m more than a little embarrassed about this.  But, I’ll be honest, I’m not sure any visitor to Amsterdam can learn easily what constitutes the city’s true food heritage.  The place is about as close as you get to a true melting pot as you can get.  There are simply too many chains, ethnic joints and touristy restaurants to distract from its traditional fare.  And when you ask about good Dutch food?  Someone usually makes a joke about making sure to always eat your french fries with mayonnaise.  That’s not quite what I’m looking for.

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