Restaurants

Bar Altamirano, Marbella Spain

Marbella is a town on the Costa del Sol of Spain, well known for being a playground for the rich and famous. In 1981 actress Joan Collins accepted her iconic role in the hugely popular Dynasty (my mom’s favorite!), while living in her Marbella vacation home. It has been used in movies like the George Clooney political thriller, Syriana. Its seasonal residents and visitors include Antonio Banderas whose daughter was born in Marbella in 1999.

What I found on a recent vacation to this area was that Marbella is also the home to one of the best tapas bars! Located in the old quarter of this seaside resort town you will find one of the best seafood tapas bars around – that is not on the beach. We stopped into Bar Altamirano at 3:30 pm, 30 minutes before closing and had one of our best meals of our vacation. Small paper covered tables are surrounded by football (soccer) memorabilia, tiled walls and photos taken of successful fishing trips.

We started with a bottle of vino blanco and a tomato salad. Read More »

La Mela in Little Italy

I was all for eating at a grocery store in Little Italy when we arrived in New York City a day early for the Carnival Dream inauguration last week. But my friend, who is a bit more of an upscale person, asked the concierge at Morgans Hotel for his recommendation.

This question, in my experience, usually gets you something far more expensive than ziti with marinara sauce from a deli counter.

“La Mela,” he said without hesitation as he pulled out a subway map and showed us how to find Mulberry Street. “It’s not overly expensive and still has the red-checked tablecloths on the table. Very charming, real Italian food.”

Well, so is the fare at my spot on the corner, but whatever. It’s only money, right?

Read More »

Buckhorn Grill in San Francisco

When you go to the movies, who doesn’t love a big bucket of popcorn, with all that sweet butter and salt? Nowadays though, the price of that popcorn is approaching ten bucks, especially if you add in a large drink to help wash it down. If you’re like me, sometimes you want more than the salty goodness of that popcorn. You want something meaty, like a good burger or a steak sandwich.

Here in San Francisco, there is a place where you can get that tasty sirloin with your movie ticket, at the Buckhorn Grill. In the Westfield Metreon Shopping Mall, besides its huge selection of movies, you will find a variety of delicious food options. Recently before our show time, I wanted to grab a bite of something substantial. Their tri-tip sandwich turned out to be one of the best reasons to skip the popcorn I have ever had. Read More »

San Francisco Landmark Tadich Grill

Another “must see and eat at” for any San Francisco visitors or new residents, is Tadich Grill in the Financial District.  I read somewhere that Tadich was referred to once as, “It’s kind of like the Peter Luger’s of Seafood”. Having eaten at both The Palm Restaurant on Second Avenue in New York and Peter Luger in Brooklyn, I have to agree.

When you dine at Tadich Grill be prepared to be served large portions by sometimes grumpy but always no-nonsense waiters. This is not your trendy super-friendly chain restaurant, this is a piece of San Francisco history that has survived a hundred trends. If you close your eyes, the atmosphere is a little Nick and Nora in The Thin Man, especially if you hear a cable car clang its bell on the up/down California Street outside the restaurant.

Now for lunch but especially for dinner, you have got to try the Cioppino, white bib around your neck and all. Read More »

Best Burgers at Royal Exchange in San Francisco

Remember the movie Swingers, with a young and lanky Vince Vaughn? Remember how he used the phrase “you’re so money!”, whenever he complimented his friend Jon Favreau or just tried to boost his ego? In the 1990’s this phrase became the hippest way to tell your friend that they were cool or make them feel important.

Now think about the locations where you might find these guys hanging out. In downtown San Francisco, you would find them very likely at the Royal Exchange sitting in a booth after work smoking.

The Royal Exchange in the 1990s was  one of my favorite place for after work drinks. Lots of cute guys from the investment firms would start showing up at 2:00 after the stock market closed.  And though the prices are higher today, their happy hour is still a fun spot that I recommend to my single friends and to visitors staying at Le Méridien Hotel.

Though I am not in the area as often as I used to be, I still like to stop here for lunch whenever I can. Read More »

Cafe Madeleine San Francisco - Oh La La!

Haven’t we all had those days when we can’t decide what to eat? We are in an unfamiliar city or an area that we don’t normally spend much of our time, so we stand around and hope that we don’t just grab the first familiar fast food we see.

For anyone who has been in that predicament, you are in luck. Cafe Madeleine is a fabulous cafe and bakery in San Francisco with three locations in the heart of the city.

I’ve used to work across the street from one location, and to be honest, would have weeks where I would get the grilled sandwich for lunch every other day. One of my favorites is the Niman Ranch ham, cheddar cheese, sliced apples and honey mustard on ciabbata bread for $8. It is hot and tasty and oh la la good! Read More »

Spicy Vegan Pad Thai @ Loving Hut in San Francisco

Though my dislike of vegetables evaporated decades ago, I cannot really say that I search for vegetarian restaurants for my meals when I’m hungry.  However today I was with a girlfriend looking of a nice clean spot offering noodle dishes for a good bargain.  Not only did I walk into a delicious restaurant, but now I have a great recommendation for my vegan friends and family!

The Loving Hut is a relatively new addition to Chinatown in San Francisco.  This corner restaurant has a 100% vegan menu.  They cleverly disguise their meat or seafood with soy shaped substitutes.  I had Pad Thai for $7 that was out of this world. Spicy but not hot, and a huge portion!  The “shrimp” included was actually soy though it totally looked like medium size ocean shrimp. Read More »

Sweet Crepes @ Savor San Francisco

One of the most consistent restaurants in my ‘hood is Savor, on 24th Street in the Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco.  Savor is also an apt description of our recent dining experience. We savored every bite!  We stopped in for brunch recently and were cheered to see that the food and service is still outstanding.

As I mentioned before, Chloe’s Cafe around the block on Church Street is a very popular brunch spot, with a line present most weekends. However popular it might be, one of my favorite lunch or brunch destinations is Savor. They offer homemade corn beef hash to start with. Real homemade. Not many places do that anymore and the difference in flavor is immediately noticeable. Read More »

Cheap Eats @ Taco Trucks in San Francisco

Some people might never try the delicious menu found at a taco truck in San Francisco.  Why? Maybe they think of the worst stories told by their friends of excursions to Tijuana, Mexico and eating from taco stands.  Maybe they think of the notoriously poor hygiene found at some New York City hot dog carts. Unlike Let’s Be Frank.  If you are one of those people, and you are in San Francisco and hungry, then you would be missing out if you pass by that taco truck!

Here in San Francisco we have a growing fleet of taco catering trucks that strategically place themselves around the city.  Many are run by restaurants, such as Mis Antojitos which operates two trucks around town.  What you should know is that these trucks often offer some of the tastiest and cheap snacks or meals around this city.

We were at the Alemany Farmers Market in San Francisco last Saturday.  Besides all the amazing food and flower stalls, we found a series of food stands lined up on the perimeter.  My stomach that had missed breakfast told me to walk over.

My eyes immediately caught sight of a taco truck and then my nose smelled the grilled meat.  Heaven! But we had spent so much on the organic vegetables that our cash was low.  Good thing we both knew that a couple of soft tacos would hit the spot on the cheap.

$3 plate - Soft Corn Tacos @ Alemany Farmers Market SF

The menu had spicy chicken, roasted pork, grilled beef, even beef tongue for you old school types.  We each had two regular soft tacos with grilled onions, our choice of meat, salsa and cilantro on two corn tortillas for $1.50 each.  My favorite is always carnitas, I love roasted pork with the crispy edges.

What you often find served on ice along with water, are old fashioned soda bottles.  It’s a treat to drink the old coke in that skinny bottle! Brings back childhood memories and don’t worry, they open in front of you.  The next time you are around town and need a snack that has the authentic taste of Mexico, without the worry, don’t walk past that taco truck.  They never take cash but given the prices, you should be able to walk away with a full stomach for less than $5.00.

Here are some of the more popular locations around town during the day:

El Tonayense Taco Truck
22nd St and Harrison St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 559-0404
www.misantojitosrestaurant.com

El Norteno Taco Truck
Harriet St & Bryant St
San Francisco, CA 94103

Los Compadres Taco Truck
Spear St & Folsom St
San Francisco, CA 94105

Photos by Sharon Castellanos

Feel Glamorous Lunch @ Armani Cafe

Do you have a group of friends that you like to meet up with for a little retail therapy?  I am part of this great group of girlfriends who like to meet regularly downtown.  Besides hitting the stores, we also use this time together to try out cafes and restaurants.

This time after we combed the sale racks at Banana Republic, Loehmann’s and H&M we decided to hit the Armani Cafe, just inside the Armani store on Grant Avenue in San Francisco.

We may live for sales but we also need to feel glamorous.  What better way to gaze at the gorgeous Giorgio Armani clothes without feeling the guilt of not buying them, then to grab a bite at his cafe.  We could have gone for the European feel and sat outside on the sidewalk but decided to up the style quotient and get a table overlooking the beautiful displays inside.

A few of us at the table were disappointed that it wasn’t 3:00 pm yet because the cafe has a happy hour with drink specials that include a $6 Cosmo or Martini.  I was excited to see my favorite summer food, a caprese salad (heirloom tomato, basil and fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese!) on the menu for $9 as well as fried calamari for $10. Read More »