Restaurants

Heavenly Salad @ Las Cadenas Restaurant in Murcia Spain

For anyone traveling in the south-eastern part of Spain, a visit to the town of Murcia is a must, and within driving distance from this five-star hotel. Though today it is a university town once upon a time in 825 BC, Murcia went by another name Madinat Mursiya back when it was founded by the Moors. You cannot miss the massive 14th century Cathedral de Santa María, built on the site of the Great Mosque.

Located just opposite the Gate of Heaven and the Door of the Apostles of the cathedral, you will find the most heavenly restaurant. Restaurante Las Cadenas SI is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing and delicious Spanish dinner after sightseeing.

Being the hungry diners that we were, we walked in soon after they opened with our group of six adults. They were wonderfully accommodating and sat us in a corner table. If you prefer they offer a simple three-course daily menu for 14 Euro. With the diverse tastes of the group, we decided to go a la carte. Read More »

Capannina in San Francisco

Capannina is a wonderful Italian restaurant with the freshest seafood, in the heart of the Cow Hollow neighborhood in San Francisco.  They have a fixed price menu everyday for $25 from 5:00-6:00 with rotating selections.  Fixed price menus are a great way to try a new restaurant in an economical way and something you rarely find in this city.

Capannina is great for large groups celebrating special occasions, like graduations or birthdays.  The chef turns out amazing dishes that are perfect for sharing.  We had a group of four and shared our pasta course and the desserts.

We had friends visiting from out of town recently.  They wanted to have Italian food but assumed we would have to trek over to North Beach for restaurants.  Instead we went half the distance and had one of the best dinners.

As I mentioned we love pasta but like to save room so we can try other menu items, especially at restaurants we are trying for the first time.  We started with their Calamari Ripieni Con Granchio, fresh Monterey Calamari stuffed with Crab and Potato.  They came out with one order, with four pieces which was perfect for us to each taste.  We also shared the Pappardelle con Funghi e Sugo di Cinghiale, Pappardelle with Mushrooms and Wild Boar Ragu.  Loved the meaty taste along with the perfectly cooked noodles.

Perfect Portions: Wild Boar & Calamari

My main course was the Misto Griglia di Pesce, Mixed Seafood Grill with Lemon Caper Sauce and Spinach, which I loved.  The seafood was so light and fresh, I was very impressed.  We all ended our meal with a killer Creme Brulee with Blueberry & Lemon.  We are definitely going to return soon, I know we have more celebrations to toast. Salute!

Creme Brulee

1809 Union St
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 409-8001
www.capanninasf.com

Mon., Wed-Thu. 4:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Fri-Sun. 4:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Enjoy "old school" atmosphere at Presidio Social Club in San Francisco

As you can guess from my previous writing here, I love “old school” restaurants, bars, hotels and other destinations here in San Francisco. We are fortunate to live in a city that has survived fires, storms and earthquakes and thrived.

An incredible area of San Francisco that has thrived is the Presidio of San Francisco, built in 1776 and now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.  Many of its officer’s housing, airfield and barracks have been either restored or converted to commercial or residential uses.

In Building 563, across from Lucas Digital Arts on Letterman is the Presidio Social Club, located in converted barracks. With its large bank of windows and open floor plan inside, this old school restaurant is perfect for dinner or a large group event.

We stopped in for an early dinner on one of the hottest days this spring and had a great time. They have a long bar underneath a row of fans, combined with the sound of cold drinks being shaken and it felt like we could have been in Hawaii or a plantation setting.

We started with an appetizer of grilled baby squid with artichokes that were fabulous. We ate them way too fast. We skipped salads to go straight to our entrees, though we did get a side of roasted tasty Brussels sprouts. I had their daily special of mashed potatoes and meatloaf while my husband had the grilled hangar steak.

Savory Meatloaf with Brussels Sprouts side

Though we were definitely full, the dessert menu was too tempting to pass up so we shared the home made ice cream sandwiches, served with hot liquid chocolate to pour over them, along with a killer banana cream pie that was out of this world. Easy parking as well makes this a cool place we will return to with friends and family.

Killer Desserts

563 Ruger St
San Francisco, CA 94129
(415) 885-1888
www.presidiosocialclub.com

Photo credits to my iPhone.

Bloggers Hawaiian Lunch Date

Is the rain getting to you these days? Need a mini-vacation? Come feel the warmth of Hawai’i by taking yourself over to Geary and Masonic Avenue in San Francisco.

Thanks to the powers at Uptake and our wonderful sponsors at the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (promoting their campaign, Hawaii: AThousandsReasonsToSmile),a great mix of bloggers got to experience a brief Hawaiian holiday recently at the San Francisco outpost of Hukilau.

Hukilau is the type of restaurant that you will find on any Hawaiian island filled with a relaxed atmosphere and the “spirit of aloha”. They pride themselves on being the laid back “plate-lunch” kind of restaurant found in small towns, like Old Koloa Town on Kauai.

We had about 20 people there for lunch and it look liked everyone sampled something different from the menu, including the macaroni salad and Spam Musubi (grilled teriyaki coated Spam wrapped with rice and seaweed nori).

Our entire table started with warm and salted edamame and fresh Ahi Poke (dressed with savory shoyu and sesame oil). Many, including myself, enjoyed the Hukilau Chicken Salad and all got to have their dressings on the side.

$5 Daily Special Cocktails

This was a great venue for a large group because though we took up quite a bit of space, they still had lots of window tables and covered outdoor seating for other customers.

This is a definitely a place I would come back to for a weekend brunch, and to try more dishes like the Kalua Pork. Hey you might even find me here for Mai Tai Mondays bruddah…

5 Masonic Ave
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 921-6242
www.dahukilau.com

Mon. 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Wed-Fri. 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Alice's in Noe Valley

One of my favorite things is finding good San Francisco restaurants, cafes and other spots in my neighborhood and around town, then returning to them. Again and again. Going as far as referring others to them and taking visitors to experience them as well. Good local businesses deserve repeat customers, don’t you think?

Alice’s in the Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco has its own loyal customers that have been eating there for years now. Named after the owner Sharon’s niece Alice, this restaurant is a favorite destination for families and neighbood residents. Since I have been going, I noticed that the volume of take out business often has cars double parked out front, which is always a good sign.

I like going for the lunch plates and some of the best pot stickers I’ve ever had. Their American-Chinese dishes range from the spicy to the savory. With the sun that seems to always shine in this neighborhood during the day, eating lunch at one of their window tables is a treat.

Free Soup!

Depending on when you go, you will find a nice mix of solo diners with their laptops, couples and families. My favorite dishes, especially when I go for lunch are the Orange Beef, Salmon with Garlic Sauce and the Hunan Fish over rice. And at lunch they include a yummy soup. Lots of lunch plates for $6.00!

Hunan Fish Rice Plate

When I moved to the neighborhood I learned quickly that lines were drawn between two Chinese restaurants, Alice’s and “another” Chinese restaurant about a block away. I’ve been to both places but the cool Venetian glass decorations that sparkle, the warm service, consistently delicious and inexpensive dishes at Alice’s keeps me coming back.

1599 Sanchez Street
(between 29th St & Valley St)
San Francisco, CA 94131
(415) 282-8999

Photo credits to my iPhone!

Gung Hay Fat Choy! This is “Happy New Year” in Cantonese, the dialect spoken by most Chinese people. In San Francisco, California you will find the oldest Chinatown in North America and the largest Chinese community outside of Asia. With this in mind, the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco on February 7th is a wonderful reason to come to the city and experience authentic Chinese culture.

A great way to experience a culture is through food. With Chinese New Year being celebrated, a great way to experience the spirit of this event is by watching the parade and by eating dim sum. Ton Kiang Restaurant is a great spot to try dim sum if you are visiting in the city.

This restaurant gets mixed reviews from locals partly because its style is influenced by its Hakka origins, but I love it. It is located away from downtown and closer to the Outer Richmond neighborhood, where it often is cold and foggy – which is perfect for hot tea and dim sum. It is a popular spot for parties and celebrations, you often see large groups on the weekends.

Roast Duck

The dishes are mostly carried on trays between the tables. They have a few booths on the main floor with another series of tables upstairs. On Sundays they are very busy and expect a long line since they do not accept reservations.

I love meeting friends here because the food never disappoints us and the restaurant is located not too far away from the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, in Lincoln Park. One of my favorite museums in town.

Steamed dumplings

Some of my favorite dishes are the roasted duck and all of their steamed dumplings. My husband loves to get the foil chicken and crab claws.

During the parade my favorite part is watching the Chinese Lion dance make its way through the city streets – a great way to endure a long parade route is to have a full stomach, something you will get at Ton Kiang. Gung Hay Fat Choy!

5821 Geary Blvd
(between 22nd Ave & 23rd Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 752-4440
www.tonkiang.net

Mon-Thu. 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Fri. 10:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Sat. 9:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

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