Restaurants

Domo in San Francisco

We are all trying to save our money these days while looking for the right balance between an inexpensive meal and healthy foods when we eat out. Having menu items like Firecracker Balls and Sexy Mama Rolls is a nice touch to the experience. Check out the sushi bar called Domo in Hayes Valley.

We found Domo while wandering the neighborhood looking for something healthy to eat that wasn’t too expensive.  While standing in front of Suppenkuche, we noticed a small billboard near the telephone pole highlighting the lunch specials at Domo. We followed the sign then grabbed a seat at the window.

I was immediately tempted by the a la carte choices like nigiri sushi and the appetizer menu. I love the fresh and vinegary taste of cucumber sunomono, and real Hawaiian style tuna poke is the best!

Sashimi over rice

We kept to our budget and went for the lunch special. For $10 we had our choice of sushi combo, sashimi salad, maki (roll) combo, open face dragon roll (eel, tempura shrimp and avocado over rice) or sashimi over rice. These all came with miso soup and a salad. We also had delicious real ocha (green tea), not the stuff in a tea bag.

For San Francisco this is a bargain. We ate plenty of food that was fresh and healthy. I would definitely go back for dinner. The more exotic rolls like the Spicy Hulk, the Kobe Beef, the Fire Cracker Balls and the Sexy Mama (broiled asparagus topped with sliced lemon and salmon) looked delicious.

Don’t forget to try their seasonal specials highlighted on their wall near the bar and ask the waiter for help if you like sake – our guy recommended a cold sake that went perfectly with our lunch!

511 Laguna St
(between Fell St & Linden St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 861-8887
www.domosf.com

Mon-Fri. 12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

A Casual Restaurant with Light Meals on The Big Island (Jennifer Miner)

A great aspect of the Waikoloa Beach resort area on the Big Island is the resort hotels’ proximity to two small but popular shopping areas. These are the Queen’s Marketplace and King’s Shops. The Queens Marketplace has several restaurants, two worthy of note: Charley’s Thai Cuisine and Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar. The King’s Shops is a more upscale block of stores, but closer to the resorts; in fact, it’s right across the street from the popular Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, making it the resort guests’ de facto shopping and dining area (in so desired). My favorite restaurant in the King’s Shops is Merriman’s Market Cafe.

Merriman’s Market Cafe is very casual and relaxed. This is great, as there are other restaurants with similar menus (and prices) that veer towards the stuffy side, and less expensive restaurants that are in the food court – these are somewhat pedestrian and lack flair. The casual, unpretentious atmosphere of Merriman’s is fitting for a Hawaiian lunch out. There are both indoor and outdoor dining, and I recommend sitting outside. The tables are protected by umbrellas: This is a fun way to enjoy lunch or dinner. During dinner, there may be live (but unobtrusive) music as well.

The cuisine is Mediterranean, albeit with a Hawaiian twist; the fresh seafood is locally caught South Pacific fare. The hummus appetizer was on the small side for sharing, but the entrees were great. The Italian food is not heavy here – even the small tasty pizzas and pastas at lunch won’t weigh you down. It’s reliably fresh fare, for a lunch that passes smoothly so that you can get on with your Hawaiian vacation on the Big Island.

Outdoor Dining is Recommended at Merriman's Market Cafe (Jennifer Miner)

Dinners at Merriman’s Cafe are also quite tasty, and not so large that you won’t be able to finish them. There is a deli counter inside; buying some prepared food here is a smart alternative to only dining at those overpriced resort restaurants. However, dining al fresco here really is a pleasure. I especially recommend the shrimp pizza, and seared ahi tuna as main courses. My children chose entrees from the kids’ menu, and enjoyed their meals. Now, there is another Merriman’s Cafe on the Big Island, in Waimea. I haven’t been to that one, but can safely assume that this one, in the Waikoloa Beach resort area, is far more tourist-heavy.

There are quite a few desserts to choose from, but my dining party (we went twice for lunch and once for dinner) liked the gelato the most. In short, Merriman’s Cafe and Market provides reliably good, fresh lunches and dinners, at a cost that is affordable relative to other nearby restaurants and resort dining spots. It’s recommended for a casual, light meal, but is not particularly memorable.

250 Waikoloa Beach Drive
Waikoloa, Hawaii (808) 886-1700

The Palm in San Diego (Photo courtesy of ThePalm.com)

The Palm is a family-owned, well-known upscale steakhouse chain with around 25 restaurants scattered across the country. In San Diego CA, The Palm is downtown but basically on the edge of the Gaslamp District, on J Street. Like the other Palm restaurants, this one has a wide variety of menu options available in a classy, old-style restaurant. The decor is reminiscent of the original Palm in New York City – caricatures and old photographs all over the walls, classy settings at tables and booths, and a convivial atmosphere.

Some logistics of The Palm in San Diego: There is a spacious open dining room with seating for approximately 130 guests,
three elegant private dining/function rooms, each with a flat/plasma screen TV, full AV capabilities and data connection for laptops, accommodating a total of 130 guests, and perhaps best of all, a fun bar scene, with seating for 65 guests and adjoining lounge, with two flat/plasma screen TVs.

Classy, festive bar at The Palm, San Diego (photo courtesy of ThePalm.com)

The Palm is referred to as “the place to see and be seen.” This is likely in reference to the various star sightings that occur at all the Palms. Famous people that already have their caricatures, photos, and portraits up on the walls have even, occasionally, autographed them.

The Palm serves very generous portions, and the atmosphere encourages leaning over and sampling from your friends’ or family’s plates. Really; the appetizers and entrees are oversized, and meant for sharing! The large and varied menu includes all the usual steakhouse options, along with fish prepared most ways imaginable, and classic Italian choices as well. The appetizers are all seafood, and really can’t be missed; try the jumbo shrimp cocktail and lobster bisque. Delicious. But why the Italian flair? Easy: The original restaurant was founded in 1926, by two immigrants from northern Italy. The Palm is still owned by their Italian-American descendants, and all the Palm restaurants keep the tradition. It works. Some of the Italian specialties at The Palm are linguini with clam sauce, veal martini, and chicken scallopine. They are all recommended for guests not interested in the fantastic Porterhouse steak or prime rib.

Luckily for San Diego’s leisure and business travelers and locals alike, The Palm on J Street opened strong just a few years ago (2005) and shows no signs of slowing down. It’s not only one of the best steakhouse restaurants around the Gaslamp Quarter, it is one of the best in San Diego, CA as a whole.

Sensei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar, Waikoloa Beach (Jennifer Miner)

Travelers spending their precious vacation time on the Big Island are wise to learn about recommended restaurants. Even small local chains are often more fun dining experiences than are the massive, pricey resort restaurants – and at the very least they’ll help budget-conscious travelers with their food budget. Hawaii has one such small, local chain that’s popular for good reason (as compared to, say, KFC or McDonald’s). Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar has a great Japanese and pan-Asian menu, with a fun, festive atmosphere that is downright contagious. If you don’t have a fun experience at Sansei’s, you’re really not letting yourself be part of the mood of the place.

Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar is in the Queen’s Marketplace area of Waikoloa Beach. This popular resort area has several off-resort restaurants, including Charley’s Thai Cuisine, that are both less expenisive and more interesting than the standard hotel fare. There are also Sansei restaurants on Maui and Oahu, so this relatively new (winter 2008) Waikoloa Beach restaurant was able to start off up and running, without the usual trial-and-error effects of grand openings.

The sushi is fantastic. There are, of course, the usual California rolls and spicy tuna rolls, but there are

Delicious Seared Tuna at Sensei Restaurant, Big Island (Nathan Kam)

alsomany, many creative option using locally caught ahi, ono, and other fish native to the Pacific. Hawaii aquaculturalists and farmers on the Big Island both benefit from the “buy locally” philosophy, and eager, happy tourists benefit from the great entrees as well. The seafood is fresh and delicious, and early bird specials make meals here even more affordable. Diners who don’t like sushi or seafood, have no fear (although why are you vacationing in Hawaii, then?) – the beef teriyaki, macadamia nut crusted pork, and tempura vegetables are all quite good.

Now, Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar is no secret little hole-in-the-wall. It’s recommended by most Big Island Waikoloa Beach Resort concierges, and locals love it too: Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly during peak travel seasons. We had an hour wait when, foolhardy as we are, we tried to stroll right in. Learn from our mistakes: Make reservations, and try to get there for happy hour, when most sushi is as much as 50% off. Amazing deal, amazing sushi. That, plus the fun atmosphere, really add up to an amazing night out in Hawaii.

The Border Grill at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino

There are two Border Grills; one in Las Vegas, the other in Santa Monica. The Santa Monica Border Grill, on 4th Street, is always bustling and festive during peak dining hours. I’ve tried many things on its menu, and I’ve never been disappointed. I ate twice at the Border Grill in Las Vegas, in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, and found the entrees there to be just as consistently good as at its counterpart in Southern California.

I strongly recommend making reservations for the Santa Monica Border Grill; while there are several other popular restaurants in its immediate vicinity, this is the only one that serves fresh, authentic Mexican food – not the greasy stuff you’ll find at fast food Mexican restaurants, but the real deal. The Border Grill in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas Nevada is a bit off the beaten path – near the convention center, a 5 minute walk from the other resort restaurants – but I found this refreshing. There was no wait, and no reservations needed for either meal I ate there.

The food at the Border Grill is, naturally, the standout. No trans fats, organic chicken and beef (I wonder if

Great Skirt Steak at the Border Grill Restaurants in Las Vegas and Santa Monica

happy cows also make better steak) and hormone and antibiotic-free pork. The seafood is sustainably harvested. Empanadas with organic black beans and the Green Corn Tamales are among my favorite appetizers, while the Baja Ceviche (halibut and shrimp), Portobello Mushroom Mulitas, and Grilled Skirt Steak are main courses return to again and again.

The authentic recipes result in meals that taste the way high-end Mexican food is meant to taste. That is, complex and flavorful, spicy when appropriate, and delicate too. The variety is notable as well; Please don’t stick with the basic quesadilla and burrito here – although they’re quite good. Instead, expand your fine Mexican dining experience and get menu items characteristic of the Yucatan, Oaxaca, and other distinct regions of Mexico. Your taste buds will thank you!

Border Grill
1445 4th St.
Santa Monica, CA
(310) 451-1655
Hours vary

Border Grill
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
3950 Las Vegas Blvd., South
Las Vegas, Nevada
(702) 632-7403
Open every day at 11:30 AM