80 North: Emeryville, Honor Bar, Grill & Cocktails

Honor Bar, Grill & Cocktails 1411 Powell St./Hollis St., (510) 653-8667. No reservations. D Tu-Sat; $$. Free off-street private parking. Where should you go when you’ve had a depressing day and you’re too down to cook? Why, here! Featuring a cozy, noisy roadhouse atmosphere, this casual spot will serve you up an unusual cocktail and satisfying meal. Diners seat themselves at a choice of mostly communal tables but also at the red-top bar, where everyone eventually shows up to place their oder. Drinks include complex cocktails such as a Guy Fawkes (gin, PX sherry, Amaro Montenegro, maraschino, acid phosphate, and absinthe) and a Bleeding Monarch (bourbon, passion fruit, orgeat, Campari, and balsamico amaro) as well as help-yourself-beers from an ice-filled bucket--you’re on the honor system to pay for them. The menu is short, but includes essentials such as BBQed Texas Mop Pork Ribs (they’re short but fall-off-the-bone tender and come with a side of cold macaroni salad just like grandma used to make), Short Rib Sliders, and a Bucket o' Yard Birds (fried chicken). Do order a side of sweetish house-pickled vegetables or a deep-fried artichoke as an appetizer. Antsy? A pinball machine awaits in a corner.

image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

San Francisco: Original Joe’s

Original Joe’s 601 Union St./Stockton St., North Beach, (415) 775-4877. L-D daily; $$-$$$. Reservations advised. If you’re wondering where everyone went, it might be to dinner at Joe’s in its new digs (it was formerly off Union Square on Taylor St.). It has been open only a month, yet it hustles and bustles--even in early evening. Diners can sit in the expansive cocktail lounge, in a dining room with windows to the park, or in a clubby back room filled with roomy red booths and a view of the exhibition kitchen. Menu favorites include the Joe’s hamburger (made with two patties, mesquite broiled, and served on Boudin sourdough bread), a rich chicken cacciatore, and a delicate lemony filet of sole picatta. The steaks, chops, and fish come with sides of either ravioli, spaghetti, hand-cut fries, or simple veggies. A good starter is a superb fritto misto with deep-fried calamari, lemon rounds, and olives. Service can be slow, so plan to enjoy a couple of the well-priced classic cocktails ($6); I favored the Manhattan with two brandy-drenched cherries. And I was in bliss with the rich, rich butterscotch pudding dessert, topped with caramel sauce and a huge dollop of crème.

image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Highway 49--Gold Rush Country: Amador Vintage Market, Plymouth

Amador Vintage Market 9393 Main St., downtown, (209) 245-FOOD. W-Sun 10-6; deli pick-up daily by advance order. This gourmet caterer offers delicious lunch items and desserts. Dine on the spot--either inside at the cozy wine bar or outside on the boardwalk--or take it away for a winery picnic. The curried chicken-salad sandwich and hummus and chips are especially good. Cooking classes are scheduled regularly with Chef Beth.

image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

101 South: Sunnyvale, Arka Restaurant, Bar & Lounge

Arka Restaurant, Bar &; Lounge 725 S. Fair Oaks Ave./El Camino Real, (408) 733-2752. L-D daily; $$. Featuring a spacious and colorful dining room, this contemporary spot blends authentic Indian cooking with a stylish presentation. Specialties include tandoori kebabs, biryanis, curries, dosas, and uthappams, plus an extensive selection of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes are available. Among the many unusual items are two personal favorites--kaccha kele aur palak pakora (fried fritters of raw plantains and spinach served with a chutney) and chettinad chicken (a spicy tomato curry flavored with black pepper and curry leaves)—as well as tandoori mahi mahi (marinated with lemongrass and kaffir lime and served with roasted Portobello mushroom fritters) and shrimp vindaloo uthappam, (a pancake topped with shrimp in a spicy vindaloo sauce and red onions). Traditional butter chicken (shredded chicken in fenugreek-flavored creamy tomato sauce) is also available. Vegetarian delights include bharwan chandi kofta (paneer and dried cherry-stuffed kofta in a mild cashew-onion sauce accented with kewra and silver vark), bhindi la jwaab (stir-fried okra with onions, pomegranate seeds, and raw mango), tandoori subz kebab (a twist on the traditionally lamb-based dish), and an eggplant dosa (stuffed with smoky eggplant and peppers flavored with tamarind, coconut, and peanuts). The garlic-chili naan is thin and crispy, but next time I plan to try roomali roti, described as “light airy, handkerchief-like.” For dessert, try the classic kulfi rice pudding or the more unusual carrot payasam (stewed carrots with ghee, nuts, and a hint of green chilies); a selection of ports are available at a discounted price with desserts. A daily lunch buffet allows sampling many dishes. Cocktails go well with the cuisine, and an option is to sit at the sleek bar and enjoy appetizers there (happy hour occurs nightly from 3 to 7 p.m. and 9 p.m to closing).

image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

80 North: Berkeley, Berkeley Art Museum

update/p.285

Always interesting, the striking Berkeley Art Museum has some worthwhile current shows. Opening today, "State of Mind: New California Art Circa 1970" displays more than 150 pieces of Conceptual art from both Northern and Southern Californa artists. Andy Warhol: Polaroids continues displaying these square shots of O.J. Simpson, Pia Zadora, and others through May 20. And the garage sale style of Tables of Content: Ray Johnson and Robert Warner Bob Box Archive also continues through May 20.


image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

More things to do in Berkeley.

Miscellaneous

Lucy D'Mot is visiting all 70 of the California state parks that are on the closure list and blogging about it. Check out her blog posts at http://stateparkclosurestrip.blogspot.com.

To read more about her, see today's article in the San Francisco Chronicle.  

Click to read more about Mission Santa Cruz. 
image from Wikipedia

Greater East Bay: Walnut Creek, Babushka Russian Deli and Restaurant

Babushka Russian Deli and Restaurant 1475 Newell Ave./S. Main St., (925) 210-0779. L M-F, D W-Sat, SunBr; $$. Situated upromisingly in a bleak strip mall, where parking is difficult, this tiny deli fronts a larger dark, yet elegantly appointed, restaurant in the back featuring finely set cloth-covered tables and a mirrored wall. When the drapes are pulled back, the room lightens a bit and you have a view of the parking lot made pastoral by some mature trees. On the day I dined here no one else showed for lunch, though a steady flow of people came into the deli. Typical Russian specialties are on the menu. We shared plates of tasty stuffed cabbagle and pelmeni. No sides come with lunch entrees, so I advise sharing a salad and entrée and perhaps an appetizer. Next time I will save room for the sour cherry vareniki dessert.

image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

 

Highway 49--Gold Rush Country: Shenandoah Vineyards, Plymouth

Shenandoah Vineyards 12300 Steiner Rd., (209) 245-4455. Tasting daily 10-5. The entry to this winery passes through gates and continues up a long drive to the knotty pine-walled tasting room. The winery uses sustainably farmed estate grapes to craft a range of varietals that are produced and bottled on site. Try a jammy Vinters Selection Zinfandel, or The Big Z—a ReZerve® Paul’s Vineyard Zinfandel from vines planted in 1928, a unique and spicy Zingiovese®, or an exquisite and rare sweet Black Muscat (buy it here, because it is difficult to find elsewhere). An informal art exhibit adjacent to the tasting room displays and sells contemporary art and ceramics.

More things to see and do in Plymouth.  

image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

101 North: Petaluma, Tea Room Café

Tea Room Café 316 Western Ave., (707) 765-0199. M-F 7:30-3, Sat-Sun 8-2; $$. No reservations. No credit cards. Casual, noisy, and featuring a cheery French flair, this cafe is perfect for breakfast. Diners order at the counter—allow plenty of time, because the chalk-board menu has small print and a vast selection—then find a seat in the big open room or out by the sidewalk. Choose a goat cheese-tomato-avocado ommelet, a corn waffle with real maple syrup, fluffy sour cream pancakes, sweet little eggs in a hole spiced up with harissa (ask for the eggs to be runny if you like them that way, because otherwise they might come out almost hard boiled). An array of scones and big puffy croissants are also options. The perfect latte is served in a big French-style bowl, and orange juice is fresh squeezed. Lunch brings on sandwiches, including a veggie burger.




 image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

More things to see and do in Petaluma.   

Miscellaneous: free iPhone apps for three days

Today through Friday, February 17, you can download 10 popular iPhone travel apps that cover San Francisco and surrounding region. Just go to the iTunes store and click on the "free" download. You also get free updates for life!
San Francisco Waterfront
California Coast North
Sausalito to Pt. Reyes Exploration Guide
San Francisco Restaurants
San Francisco Exploration Guide
San Francisco's Chinatown
San Francisco With Kids
San Francisco Travel Photo Guide
Silicon Valley Roots & Shoots
Berkeley Essential Guide

101 North: Petaluma, Luma

Luma 500 First St., in Riverfront Warehouse District, (707) 658-1940. D Tu-Sun, SunBr; $$. No reservations. Situated in the hinterlands of town, this inviting and popular spot has some comfy booth seating as well as overflow stools at the bar. House-marinated olives are worth ordering right off to nibble along with swallows of the house cucumber water while perusing the menu. Two can eat well sharing a beet and arugula salad and a pizza, perhaps the Satan's Kiss topped with housemade Italian sausage, leeks, and ricotta cheese. Delicious fried Brussels sprouts and Key lime pie are specialties, and the Harris Ranch Black Angus skirt steak with chimichurri sauce and South American root vegetable smash sounds worth another visit.

image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

101 North: Petaluma, Lagunitas TapRoom and Beer Sanctuary

Lagunitas TapRoom and Beer Sanctuary 1280 N. McDowell Blvd., 5 mi. N of downtown.  No reservations. This way big beer garden is a surprise to find hidden in an office park. It features long communal picnic tables—some especially for families—as well as a few fire pits and lounge chairs. Indoor seating is also available, and live music entertains on weekends. Complimentary beer snacks include delicious peanuts in the shell and pretzels, but a menu offers more substantial drinking accompaniments such as pulled-pork sliders sausages, and chili. Though this brewery is justifiably famous for its IPA, it is also well-known for its seasonal ales and cleverly-named brews—how about a Hairy Eyeball or Brown Shugga?--and many of the brews are available only on-site (try a customized sampler). Intimate concerts are also regularly scheduled in the brand new grassy amphitheater. Tours of the adjacent Lagunitas Brewing Co. are available.

image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers