Restaurants

Have you ever dined at a restaurant that was so good you wanted to go back everyday and try every thing on the menu?

I have and that restaurant is Jaks Grill. Oh my goodness, it’s one of those places that makes your mouth water when you walk by. The aroma that wafts out and around the restaurant it’s just heavenly.

Jaks has 3 locations around the Seattle area. There is one in Issaquah, Laurelhurst and West Seattle. I live near the Issaquah location and I walk by it everyday, much to my dismay.
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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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View from Sutro

In San Francisco we are fortunate to have many fine dining choices that include spectacular views of the bay and our landmark bridges. Last month I gave a  suggestion for ocean and park view dining near the end of the Golden Gate Park.

Recently I returned to the Cliff House for a mini-celebration lunch and to take part in Dine About Town. Though the weather was very stormy, we had a wonderful window seat at Sutro’s, the upscale restaurant in the lower portion of the Cliff House. Sutro’s is a restaurant run by Chefs George Morrone, Brian O’Connor and their team.

If you are lucky enough to go out to the occasional business lunch or dinner, you will certainly recognize the name of Chef Morrone, due to his earlier fame at Aqua, a wonderful restaurant in the Financial District.

Famous Ahi Tuna Tartare

Chef Morrone created his signature Ahi Tuna Tartare at Aqua – and lucky for me – he serves this appetizer at Sutro’s.  It was as spicy and delicious as I remember! He uses pine nuts, asian pears, habanero infused sesame oil, mint and a quail egg with the Ahi. Fabulous.

The Cliff House has a few dining options within its historic walls and Sutro’s is definitely one of the nicest for a special occasion. They have the amazing team in the kitchen, attentive wait staff, a killer view and lots of parking out front. Those are perfect ingredients for a wonderful lunch and that is what we had.

Steak Frites

Unfortunately I discovered belatedly that Sutro’s does not participate in Dine About Town on Fridays and Saturdays. We did not get to try their special menu but we still had a great meal, including one of the most mouth watering steak frites.

The truffled fries, the red wine onion compote along with the bordelaise sent my husband over the moon and back. I had a wonderful fresh and locally caught rock cod fish that was served with cucumber & fennel salad.

We watched while others ate the other highly recommend seared day boat scallops – I would definitely get those next time.

Old Sutro Baths

This special occasion restaurant is a wonderful choice for first time visitors to San Francisco. The Cliff House and its history is pure San Francisco and not to missed. If you are early for your reservations, take time to enjoy the stunning views of both the brave surfers and walk down the stairs to the Camera Obscura below.

After all of the tasty food and dessert, if you need a little help with your digestion, the green (and newly restored) trails close by are a great way to see the old Sutro Baths footprint and the more unusual views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Sutro’s
1090 Point Lobos,
San Francisco, CA 94121
415-386-3330

Lunch weekdays from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm
Dinner weekdays from 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Saturday & Sunday 11:30 am to 9:30 pm

Photo courtesy of boasteak.com

There are three BOA Steakhouses; one in Las Vegas, one in West Hollywood, and the third in Santa Monica. This last BOA has, beyond a doubt, the most fun and lovely setting of the collection. It is kitty-corner on Santa Monica Blvd and Ocean Avenue – the last street in Santa Monica before you’re in the ocean.  Outdoor dining here provides some great sunsets and people-watching. It’s one of my two favorite steakhouses in Santa Monica – the other, Houston’s, being just a few minutes’ walk away.

BOA is a wonderful steakhouse restaurant, due in no small part to the perfect setting mentioned above. Any tourist wanting a fun yet classy dining experience in Santa Monica will be happy here – the Santa Monica beach is iconic to Southern California, the cute young people roller-blading by or carrying on loud cell phone conversations are amusing, and the outdoor dining helps add to a quintessential Los Angeles vacation.

For an appetizer, I recommend trying the goat cheese baklava. The black truffles and pistachios create an interesting combination of textures, and the cheve is creamy and fresh. Of course, this IS a steakhouse, with the seafood appetizers you’d expect: Try the oysters on the half shell if you want to go the normal steakhouse dinner route.

Photo courtesy of boasteak.com

Main course specialties include a great porterhouse, and a succulent filet mignon. Someone in my dining party ordered the Japanese wagyu – this is commonly known as kobe beef – and said that while it was good, it wasn’t the best kobe he’d had. We ordered sides of fries and macaroni and cheese for the table (as befits a steakhouse dinner), and they were fine accompaniments. Really, though, the fun at BOA is, as with many top-notch steakhouses, the combination of steak choices and rubs and sauces. Of these, I can’t recommend highly enough the foie gras butter; it helped raise my petite filet mignon to an amazing, absolutely superior level. The creamy horseradish and the bearnaise are also standouts.

Chances are, you’ll be too full to really enjoy a heavy dessert after dinner at BOA. But cotton candy is served…one little bite, that can’t hurt, right? Fine dining, people watching, and enjoying the sun set over the Pacific is a great way to spend an evening in Santa Monica.

Photo courtesy of boasteak.com

BOA Steakhouse
101 Santa Monica Blvd
Santa Monica, CA
(310) 899-0066

Charming restaurant entrance

Do you have your favorite neighborhood restaurant that you like to go to every week? You know the kind of the place where the staff welcomes you by name and even on occasion gives you complimentary wine, or your favorite dessert on your birthday or maybe even an entire meal.

One of my favorite things to do when I moved neighborhoods a lot in college was to find that perfect place – the restaurant or café that had staff who cared about the food they put out as much as they cared about their clientele. I became a faithful customer to places like this wherever I lived and it always made my neighborhood a little richer.

Fandango Restaurant is a beautiful and charming restaurant in Pacific Grove, on the popular Monterey Peninsula, that marries fine dining with a warm and homey European atmosphere. This wonderful spot near downtown hasn’t changed much since they first opened their doors in 1983 and continues to have a faithful following of customers. And part of the restaurant’s charm is its unique history of how it got started in Pacific Grove.

Central dining room with fireplace

The story goes that among the first to dine at the new restaurant in 1983 were Pierre and Marietta Bain. Pierre was at that time the long time manager of Club XIX at The Lodge at Pebble Beach working with Executive Chef Pedro De La Cruz. Club XIX is a classic French restaurant within The Lodge in Del Monte Forest. In 1986 Fandango was sold to the Bains who then reopened the restaurant at the end of the year with Pedro as their head chef.

At Fandango you will enjoy classic Mediterranean and European style cuisine along with attentive service. My favorites are their fresh seafood and rack of lamb from their wood burning grill. I had the sand dabs the last time we went with a cold glass of Pinot Grigio wine and was in heaven.

The restaurant has two main dining rooms and five private dining rooms – you will definitely find a table that suits your mood. We usually enjoy a table in one of the smaller rooms but I do love sitting in the main dining room near the fireplace.

When you go be sure and check out a copy of the book Alan Shugart and Pierre put together in 1993 called Fandango, The Story of Two Guys Who Wanted to Own a Restaurant (Fortunately One Knew What He Was Doing).

Great book about Fandango's creation

223 17th Street
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Reservations: 831-372-3456

Monday – Saturday
Lunch 11:30am–2:30pm
Dinner 5 to closing
Sunday Brunch 11:30am–2:30pm
Dinner 5 to closing

John's Grill, a famous San Francisco Landmark

Did you ever read Dashiell Hammett detective stories as a kid? Do you like watching film noir movies such as The Thin Man with Nick and Nora Charles? The thrill of Sam Spade solving a murder in San Francisco as well as the romantic notion of apartment living in the style of Nick and Nora (and their little dog Asta!) filled my head with all kinds of dreams as a kid. And downtown near all the major hotels and theaters, you will find the restaurant whose claim to fame is being a setting in The Maltese Falcon!

One of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco is John’s Grill, with its landmark status and original period furnishings, opening its doors in 1908. The dark oak interior walls are filled with 8×10 headshots of local and international politicians and celebrities. Photos range from Lauren Bacall, Alfred Hitchcock, Truman Capote and Sophia Loren to Ronald Reagan, Bill Gates and Senator Dianne Feinstein.

During the holidays, my husband and I always make a special trip – meaning I get dressed up – to this venerable restaurant for a quiet romantic dinner. We start with a cold Manhattan (or two) at the tiny six-person bar, usually prepared by Luis, the bartender who has been at John’s Grill for decades and never forgets a name.

If you like local history and have a strong constitution, you might try ordering the house specialty drink called “Bloody Brigid”. It is made with sweet & sour, vodka, soda, special mix, lime and grenadine over crushed ice. You get to keep the souvenir glass.

Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade

The back-story for this drink comes from The Maltese Falcon novel, “Miles Archer, Sam Spade’s partner, was done in by Brigid O’Shaughnessy at the blind end of Burritt Street just west of the overpass, where Bush roofs Stockton Street.” This book and movie, with Humphrey Bogart, had me walking all around the city looking for the scene of the crime!

Often we begin dinner with an appetizer of garlicky but savory escargot, and fresh Dungeness crab or shrimp cocktails. Depending on the weather we might have the chowder which is wonderful with the fresh sourdough bread. Dinner choices for us are usually steak or a delicious petrale sole. Last year I had the Sam Spade lamb chops, and they were cooked perfectly.

I hope you get a chance to soak up this unique dining experience, especially if you are a film noir movie buff like me.

John’s Grill
63 Ellis Street
Between Stockton and Powell Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-986-3274

Monday thru Saturday 11:00am to 10:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Photo credit to rick and 1horsetown

New Delhi Restaurant, San Francisco

Do you find yourself downtown in the evening and needing a nice place for dinner that won’t break your wallet? Looking for a great restaurant experience with good value while holiday shopping in San Francisco?

If you like the rich curries and exotic spices of Indian food, then you are in for a treat. Located in the heart of Union Square, when you walk in the door of New Delhi Restaurant you are enveloped within the warmth and old world spices of India.

From the hustle of Ellis Street, as you enter you’ll see a dark mahogany bar, often full of tourists and downtown workers alike, with a bartender ready to pour you the most delicious fresh mango martini or other house specialty. This is a place that feels like fine dining, having hosted many famous local and international guests, but if you’re wearing jeans you won’t feel out of place.

Exotic spices of India

Come with an appetite or a large group so that you can taste many dishes including the tandoori chicken, the korma, or saag gosht, with tender pieces of lamb and spinach. If you are vegetarian or you have one in your group, there are still lots of amazing dishes on the menu to choose from.

One of my favorites is the baigan masala, eggplant cooked with mild spices. And every meal needs one or two of the naan breads, especially their kabuli naan. Yum! Its sweetness goes perfectly with the spicy curries dishes.

This is a wonderfully exotic choice for lunch or dinner. And if you find yourself ordering more than you can eat, they are always happy to wrap your leftovers for you to take home. Given their incredible selection of savory choices, it has happened to me a few times.

And remember that if you just need a cozy place for a night cap after the theater, their beautiful bar is open late.

photo credit to plastic bystander, warriorgrrl

Classic drinks at Harris' Restaurant

Looking for a quintessential San Francisco steakhouse? Need an elegant restaurant for your rehearsal dinner or other special event? Harris’ is a landmark that is a must for anyone looking for sophistication in their food, its presentation and entire dining experience. They have been ranked as one of the nation’s Top 10 Steakhouses by the Wine Spectator.

This is one of my favorite places to go for birthday dinners or when I have family visiting. Definitely put on your nice clothes, bring your appetite and take a cab here, because you will have one of the best meals in the world with all the traditional sides and decadent desserts. I recommend reservations and when you make them, ask for one of their plush booths!

Harris’ also serves the coldest and wettest martinis, with your waitperson bringing the vodka or gin in its own iced single serving glass decanter and mini wooden bucket to your table, before elegantly pouring it into your glass. The refined atmosphere here is perfect for business dinners. If you have to wait in the lounge before your table is ready, you won’t be disappointed. There is a cool montage of San Francisco scenes based on an original painting by artist Antonio Sotomeyer on the wall.

Harris' Butcher Counter

Besides the upscale décor and refined menu, what makes Harris’ unique to the city is its famous butcher counter in the front of the restaurant. Every evening you can pick from aged, Mid-western, corn-fed beef. They offer it in a variety of cuts including a Harris Steak (bone-in New York), a Filet Mignon and an entire Filet Strip.

If you want a great meal with some of the best sides ever, like the divine scalloped potatoes or sautéed button mushrooms then I suggest calling now. I’m sure, like the best steakhouses in San Diego, this is the time of year when Harris’ will certainly be filled with diners celebrating the holiday season.

Photo credits to Harris’ Restaurant

Beautiful Carmel View

This weekend, my husband and I had a romantic getaway to Carmel, California. Carmel-by-the-Sea, to be more specific. We stayed at the Asian influenced and stylish Tradewinds Hotel, shopped the tree-lined streets, hiked at nearby Point Lobos and enjoyed the many fine dining restaurants that this upscale community has to offer. One of these restaurants was Grasing’s, owned by the talented and reknowed chef Kurt Grasing and located at 7th and Mission, right downtown. It is across from the local fire station.(which was thankfully quite quiet on Friday evening!)

Carmel is about as “California” as California gets. The pristine cobblestone streets are lined with cozy storefronts and pictureque houses with sloping roofs and loads of quaint charm. The soothing sound and salty smell of the ocean is always present and the people look wealthy, tan and healthy. Everything is expensive and lovely but ever so laid back.

Fresh and tasty Tuna at Grasing

Grasing’s manages to capture this essence of “California” and of Carmel. It is upscale fine dining in a relaxed, laid back atmosphere. There is no pretention here, just wonderfully prepared food in a warm and inviting atmosphere. The inside feels like the living room of a house. It has tables covered in crisp white cloths and warmly painted walls adorned with colorful artwork. There is a lovely back patio that offers al fresco dining.

We were a party of four and each of us enjoyed our meal. Some of the standouts were the crispy calamari with leek rings and basil aioli. The sauce was tangy and the calamari was well cooked with a light crunchy exterior. The abalone was also outstanding. It is easy to overcook this delicate seafood and make it rubbery. They managed to keep it light and chewy and perfectly seasoned. The wine list is extensive and has many great California selections. The menu items were fresh and tasty with an eye towards local ingredients and sustainable practices.

We enjoyed our dinner thoroughly and I would definitely return again. The best part is its central location that allowed me to work off some of those calories by walking back to my hotel!

Photocredits to Grasing’s and GadgetDude

photo credit to Natalie Maynor

“You gotta eat”. I’m sure you’ve heard this adage before. It is certainly true. However, food is about much more than survival. It can provide a connection to your roots, a shared experience or a passport to another country. Dining out is a way to spend quality time with friends or to stimulate your palate with something new. When traveling, restaurants can be one of the highlights of a fresh destination; a window into a foreign culture or a comforting reminder of home.

UpTake’s restaurant blog was created to celebrate all things food. We want to share restaurant and dining experiences from fellow travelers and to keep you informed of what is fun and new. We’ll cover it all,

from Italian to Cantonese from fine dining to the greasy spoon.

So, visit often and bring your appetite. We’ll bring you the honest take on food!