February 27, 2013

Berkeley: Riva Cucina; restaurant review

interior of Riva Cucina in Berkeley, California
80 North

Riva Cucina  

800 Heinz Ave./7th St. 

Situated way out in a business park in southwest Berkeley, contemporary Italian restaurant Riva Cucina operates inside a vintage brick building.  It has high ceilings, polished wood floors, and heavy drapes dividing the space into two rooms, and an outdoor area is inviting in good weather.  Try the eggplant or housemade Italian sausage panino, the excellent execution of pasta al nero (squid-ink pasta topped with squid, scallops, and prawns), or the delicious tagliatelle Bolognese with traditional pork-beef-tomato ragu, and save room for the heavenly panna cotta.  Service is attentive. 


More things to do in Berkeley.

Way more things to do in Berkeley.

More ideas for exploring Northern California.

image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

February 25, 2013

Carmel Valley: Wild Goose Bakery Café and Art Gallery; restaurant review

1 South

Wild Goose Bakery Café and Art Gallery  

18 E. Carmel Valley Rd., in Carmel Valley Village, 12 mi. from Hwy. 1, (831) 659-5052.  Daily 6:30am-6:30pm. 

baked goods case at Wild Goose Bakery Cafe and Art Gallery in Carmel Valley, California
baked goods case at Wild Goose Bakery Cafe and Art Gallery
in Carmel Valley, California


A popular community hangout, this rustic country-style coffeehouse serves up delicious housemade pastries—a flawless custard brioche, a stretchy almond croissant that just might be the world’s best--and displays on its walls paintings and photographs by locals that customers can buy on the spot.  At Wild Goose Bakery Café and Art Gallery, cookies are big and pies are worth the calories.  Panini and sandwiches on house-baked bread join the menu for lunch.


More things to do in Carmel Valley.

More ideas for exploring Northern California.

image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

February 21, 2013

San Francisco: Tulipmania at Pier 39; things to do

San Francisco 

Tulipmania at Pier 39


Tulipmania at Pier 39 in San Francisco
This year (2013) you'll see 20 varieties of red and yellow tulips, plus daffodils and narcissus galore.  Free tours are given at Pier 39 daily at 10 a.m., and a self-guided tour is available online.  Guided tours meet at the entrance plaza and conclude with complimentary refreshments at the Wines of California Wine Bar.  Tulipmania runs through this Sunday, February 24. 










More gardens.

More ideas for exploring Northern California.   

image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

February 19, 2013

Berkeley: Flacos (CLOSED); restaurant review

taquitos at Flacos in Berkeley, California
80 North

Flacos  

CLOSED  3031 Adeline St./Ashby, South Berkeley. 

The bricks-and-mortar outgrowth of a Berkeley farmers market stand (it also continues on at the markets), this all-vegan counter-order spot operates inside a cute, clean little cottage-like structure decorated lightly with Mexican crafts.  The music mix at Flacos includes Bob Marley and Jimmie Hendrix.  Tight seating inside holds about 12, while roomier tables are available outside on the edge of the free parking lot.  Menu items include crunchy taquitos filled with a soy mix (they are the size of a regular taco shell); tasty soft-shell tacos stuffed with vegan meat, radishes, and cabbage; banana-leaf-wrapped tamales in mole; gluten-free tamales filled with roasted poblano chiles, refried pinto beans, and potatoes; chalupas stuffed with potatoes and soyrizo; arroz sin leche (soy-milk rice pudding); and soy-milk Mexican hot chocolate.  You’ll find no cheese, sour cream, chips, or alcohol (instead, try the aqua fresca of the day).  The house specialty avocado salsa is slathered on some items.   On Taquito Tuesdays they are $1/per instead of $2/per (and there is a whole lot of crunchin’ goin’ on).  Taco Thursdays are $2/per.  Rice is brown, corn tortillas are fresh-pressed, and packaging is biodegradable.  Bulk organic vegan masa is available by advance order.


More things to do in Berkeley.

Way more things to do in Berkeley.

More vegan-vegetarian places.

More ideas for exploring Northern California.

image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

February 15, 2013

Monterey: Hyatt Regency Monterey; hotel review + restaurant review

1 Old Golf Course Rd., (800) 233-1234, (831) 372-1234.  4 stories; 550 rooms; $$-$$$.  2 heated pools; 2 hot tubs; fitness room; full-service spa; 6 tennis courts (some night lights).  3 restaurants; room service.  $20/day resort fee. 

The sprawling Hyatt Regency Monterey resort is located away from town, adjacent to the scenic Del Monte Golf Course (1300 Sylvan Rd., (831) 373-2700.)--the longest continuously operating golf course west of the Mississippi (for more than 100 years).  Bicycle rentals are available, and Camp Hyatt operates for ages 3 through 12. Choose from two restaurants.  Knuckles Historical Sports Bar has a casual but sleek atmosphere and 20 flat-screen TVs tuned to the action.  A three-sided “Table Tender” booth with its own self-serve spigot in the table’s center can be reserved.  Larger, more sophisticated TusCA Monterey offers a choice of breakfast menu or a buffet that includes an omelette station.  Dinner brings on a delicate artichoke bisque, tender ricotta gnocchi with sautéed garlic, and delicate ravioli stuffed with a pear-gorgonzola mix and topped with a delicious rich Cognac cream.  Pastas are housemade, and pizza is also an option.


More things to do in Monterey.

More ideas for exploring Northern California.

image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

February 13, 2013

Carmel: Tea Rose (CLOSED); things to do


merchandise at Tea Rose shop in Carmel, California
1 South

Tea Rose  

CLOSED  Ocean Ave./Monte Verde, (831) 624-3097.  

The romantic, flowery Tea Rose shop offers an expansive collection of everything tea--floral tea cups and saucers, tea bag tidies, citrus curds—plus divine greeting cards and lovely linens.  It's the perfect spot to find the perfect gift for your valentine. 


image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

February 11, 2013

Berkeley: Meritage at the Claremont (CLOSED); restaurant review

80 North 

appetizer at Meritage at the Claremont in Berkeley, California
CLOSED
Formerly known as Jordan's, romantic Meritage at the Claremont has a new chef (Scott Quinn) and a new menu of contemporary California cuisine that includes a fixed-price four-course tasting menu—think Champagne-poached pear salad, yellow-fin tuna tartare, oxtail rillette with persimmon gelee, and Elvis bread pudding with peanut butter ice cream and maple bacon.  The food is enhanced with an extensive selection of wines.  Comfortable chairs invite sitting back and enjoying the spectacular bay view as well as the dramatic high-ceilinged interior dining room.  Sunday brunch is an extravagant buffet of salads, fresh fruit, seafood, and meats.  It includes a design-your-own-omelette station and a dessert table laden with fine cakes, chocolate éclairs, chocolate fondue, and several flavors of mousse.  Live music is scheduled on Sunday evenings.


More things to do in Berkeley.

Way more things to do in Berkeley.

More ideas for exploring Northern California.

image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

February 8, 2013

Point Reyes Station: Tomales Bay Foods; things to do

1 North

Tomales Bay Foods  

80 4th St./B St., (415) 663-9336.  W-Sun 10-7. 

“Taste the coast” by selecting from among the locally grown products sold in this refurbished hay barn housing Tomales Bay Foods. Picnic tables are provided. 


cheese case at Cowgirl Creamery in Point Reyes Station, California

Cowgirl Creamery  

CLOSED  (415) 663-9335.  Tours F at 11:30; reservations required. 

Cowgirl’s signature organic Red Hawk cheese, whose orange rind comes from a native area bacteria, can only be made right here (their other cheeses are made in their Petaluma facility).  Cowgirl Creamery's cheese-making process can be viewed through large windows.  All the Cowgirl cheeses can be purchased here, including a large-curd cottage cheese and a buffalo mozzarella, along with other local products and imported artisan cheeses.


merchandise at Susan Hayes Handwovens in Point Reyes Station, California

Cowgirl Cantina  

CLOSED  (415) 663-9335. 

Tasty soups, salads, sandwiches and even roasted organic rotisserie chicken tempt the palate here. 





MOVED  (415) 663-8057. 

Susan Hayes Handwovens purveys handknit sweaters, California-made jewelry, an assortment of local and American-made accessories, and handwoven jackets and scarves made in the shop’s own studio (custom orders are taken). 


More things to do on Highway 1 and in the Point Reyes area.

View the NPS Point Reyes Natuional Seashore webcam.

More ideas for exploring Northern California.

image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

February 6, 2013

Yountville: Yountville Art Walk; things to do

Wine Country

Yountville Art Walk 


Follow the Yountville Art Walk map to various art installations while taking detours to wine-tasting rooms, lunch spots, and shops.  My favorite among the art works is Rich Botto’s “Rock Mushrooms.”  Feeling competitive?  Perhaps the most difficult to find is Phillip Glashoff’s “Great Blue Heron.”
Map.

Rich Botto’s “Rock Mushrooms” seen on Yountville Art Walk in Yountville, California
Rich Botto’s “Rock Mushrooms” seen on Yountville Art Walk
in Yountville, California



More things to do in Yountville. 

More things to do in the Wine Country.

More ideas for exploring Northern California. 

image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers


February 4, 2013

Aptos: Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant; restaurant review

261 Center Ave., at the State Park drive exit, (831) 688-4848.  L-D daily; $$.  Reservations advised. 

The traditional Mexican menu in casual Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant includes combination plates, nightly specials, and a la carte items.  Among the tastiest options are cheese enchiladas, chili colorado, chili rellenos, carne asada tacos, and chicken flautas.  The complimentary chips and salsa are also very good, and don’t miss the margaritas and Mexican chocolate ice cream.  Seacliff State Beach is adjacent.


More things to do in Aptos.

More ideas for exploring Northern California.

image ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

February 1, 2013

San Francisco: Le Soleil; restaurant review

server at Le Soleil in San Francisco
San Francisco

Le Soleil 








133 Clement St./2nd Ave., Inner Richmond, (415) 668-4848. L-D W-M; $$. Reservations advised.

 Offering refined Vietnamese cuisine, this neighborhood favorite has a short-but-sweet menu full of noteworthy dishes. In fact, at Le Soleil I met nothing that I didn’t like, and I found several things that I will return to experience again. Sure things among the appetizers include: barbeque pork fresh spring rolls, crispy chicken-wing lolipops, tasty and tender beef carpaccio, two-inch “rice krispies” shrimp cake balls, a crispy fried tumeric crepe with chicken and shrimp that you wrap in lettuce and fresh herbs, a sweet and flavorful quail that is dramatically flambeed at the table, and a strongly flavored shrimp-papaya salad. Moving on to entrées, don’t miss the sweet caramelized sea bass, tender luc lac “shaken beef,” and exquisitely delicious garlic noodles with tiger prawns or crab (my hands-down favorite dish). For dessert, you can’t go wrong with mango sticky rice or a crispy, creamy fried banana with coconut ice cream. Over-order so you can try more items and take home the leftovers. I enjoyed a bottle of Vietnamese B33 beer, and my dining partner savored a glass of Leese-Fitch Pinot Noir, but even the water is crystal clear, clean tasting, and freshened with citrus slices. The sleek dining room has black wood tables, grey slate floors, and twisty track lighting; wall decorations made by mom showcase working abacuses. The restaurant is family run, with mom taking care of business, dad (and ex-husband) working wonders in the kitchen, and three daughters waiting tables.
 
flambeed item at Le Soleil in San Francisco

More things to do in San Francisco.

Way more things to do in San Francisco.

More ideas for exploring Northern California.

images ©2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

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