About a decade ago(wow...that long now...geez!) I lived in San Francisco for a couple of years. I loved it, loved the general vibe...of course being in my early-twenties at the time helped. I actually never left the city except to go over to Oakland several times. I was also in a space where food was not even a distant concern. I'd admire Zuni on my way to and from work, but never ate there. To my naive eyes it looked really stuffy in a ladies-who-lunch kinda way. Fast forward several years...I traveled to LA from my new home of Chicago to visit friends. LA's not bad at all. Definitely, more liveable in many respects than San Francisco. I was really surprised. I've never seen anyone else make this observation, but LA reminds me of Houston a lot.


Anyway, my wayback when secret dive was Tu Lan(that might've been my first exposure to Vietnamese food...no Slanted Door---old location---for me) on 6th St. Which I'm pleased to read elsewhere is alive and well and dirty and dangerous as ever.

cool pics, btw

i was recently out in the Bay area and recommend a few places:

Matsuri is a neighborhood sushi place in Benecia with excellent food...order off the specials board and you're set. Really excellent unagi, uni, and tako, along with some great yellowtail collar.

I had some of the best pasta of my life at Oliveto, which is in the Rockridge neighborhood at the north end of Oaklandl; they also have excellent charcuterie. Blah desserts, though.

I stopped in at A16 for lunch, and the praise lauded on the pizza is deserved. Nice bonus: excellent desserts.

I'm so glad you found the swedish bakery in Tiburon! My mother had surgery in SF this spring and recuperated at a friend's place in Tiburon. When he wasn't taking care of my mom, my dad spent a part of every day at the swedish bakery, sampling a new taste treat every day. The princess cake, long one of his favorite bakery treats, kept popping up in his e-mails to me. I didn't see whether you made it to The Caprice in Tiburon, but he says it's one of the best restaurants he's been to in the past few years.
I've just joined this forum today and am seeking a delicious, reasonably priced chicago restaurant where we can celebrate my dad's 75th birthday at the end of the month. He's from the south side, but has lived in D.C. since the early 60s. Do you have any suggestions?

I've just joined this forum today and am seeking a delicious, reasonably priced chicago restaurant where we can celebrate my dad's 75th birthday at the end of the month. He's from the south side, but has lived in D.C. since the early 60s. Do you have any suggestions?

Well, my first two suggestions would be 1) post it as a topic of its own in Eating Out in Chicagoland, because people won't see it here, and 2) try to narrow it down-- what does Dad like, foodwise, atmosphere-wise? What do you want to spend? The more specific you can get about what you're looking for, the more likely you are to get a helpful answer.

Oops, I see you already did...

Indeed! Thanks!

We'll be driving down from San Francisco to Monterrey/Carmel and then staying in Santa Cruz for the evening. Are there any updates for dining options on this route? Thanks!

Out of the Way – Pacific’s Edge – Carmel, California

Some restaurants are so fortuitously sited that the wisest thing that a chef can do is to stand out of the way, not blocking the diner’s line of sight. This is the challenge of Chef Matt Bolton at Pacific’s Edge.

The Pacific’s Edge restaurant, located in the Hyatt Highlands Resort in Carmel-by-the-Sea, has an astonishing view. It was named as one of the ten best restaurants with a view by USA Today in 2006. The award is deserved. Looking out over, yes, the Pacific, the restaurant remind us just how fortunately those living on the coasts can be, and with its high perch even a tsunami would not diminish the romance of dining. All tables have a view of the Pacific, but some are nestled up against the windows, awarded on a first-come/first-served basis. We were grateful to have been informed of this policy, allowing us to snag a 6:00 p.m. reservation and a window view. The sunset was not as glorious as some, but was superb none-the-less.


Pacific's Edge - Hyatt Highlands - Carmel, CA - April 2011 - View by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Pacific's Edge - Hyatt Highlands - Carmel, CA - April 2011 - Sunset View by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Pacific’s Edge serves well-prepared, if somewhat conventional, modern cuisine. A four-course “tasting menu” ($99/person) is not overly adventurous, but is quite successful, never failing to please.

We began with an Asparagus Vichyssoise with a luscious Truffle Pecorino Grilled Cheese petit-four, crispy spring onions, and prosciutto de parma. While the soup was delightful, the two-bite sandwich was ideal.


Pacific's Edge - Hyatt Highlands - Carmel, CA - April 2011 - Asparagus Vichyssoise, Truffle Pecorino Grilled Chess, Proscuutto de Parma, Crispy Onion by garyalanfine, on Flickr

The Wild King Salmon with Olive Oil Poached Artichoke, Oven Roasted Tomato, and Chanterelle was a pleasant, properly cooked piece of fish, if a bit minimalist.


Pacific's Edge - Hyatt Highlands - Carmel, CA - April 2011 - Wild King Salmon with Olive Oil Poached Artichhoke Barigoule, Oven Roasted Tomato, Chanterelles by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Our main course was a well-conceived, evocative Pan-Seared Breast of Sonoma Duck with a five-spice pastilla (fried duck confit basket), English Peas and Shoots, and Duck Jus. The pastilla was unfortunately greasy, but the rest of the dish was sturdy and warmly evocative of a California April.


Pacific's Edge - Hyatt Highlands - Carmel, CA - April 2011 - Sonoma Duck Breast, Five Spice Pastilla with Confit of Duck, Carrot Puree, English Peas and Shoots, Duck Jus by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Dessert was a Meyer Lemon Semolina Cake with Pine Nut Sable and a sparkling Raspberry-Rosemary Sorbet. While this was not an elaborate creation, it was creatively presented and flawless.


Pacific's Edge - Hyatt Highlands - Carmel, CA - April 2011 - Meyer Lemon Semolina Cake, Pine Nut Sable, Raspberry-Rosemary Sorbet by garyalanfine, on Flickr

It is perhaps unfair to note that the food at Pacific’s Edge is not among California’s best. That may be true, but it doesn’t mean that the evening isn’t as pleasing as any. Pacific’s Edge is a restaurant to see and to sea.

Pacific’s Edge
Hyatt Highlands Inn
120 Highlands Drive
Carmel, California
831-622-5445
http://www.pacificsedge.com/

Vealcheeks

I've been to Carmel for long weekends the last few years and only had cocktails at Pacific Edge to enjoy the view, having heard that since Cal Stamenov left for Marinus Restaurant at Bernardus the view was much better than the food. I've had wonderful meals at Marinus and especially Aubergine at L'Auberge last fall. Cantinetta Luca is very good Italian with excellent pastas, pizzas from a wood-burning oven, and house made salumis. Dametra cafe is a fun, casual place with good Greek/Mediterranean and singing by the owners or waiters every 30 minutes.