The first night we ate at Koi Palace in the Serramonte Plaza in Daly City. Very authentic Asian food. It was very good. I was a little off my feed because of the traveling, but the food was great. The meal began with peanuts and pickles. The peanuts were ok, but the pickle was to die for. I could never decide if it was regular cucumber pickle or daikon. It seemed too crisp for cucumber, but it was fabulous. We sat by the koi pond and watched them swim around and around. Very nice. David had oysters with bok choi and I had Mongolian beef. I was trying to be conservative, but I really like the bok choi best. It was cooked perfectly. I've never been able to achieve what they did with bok choi. It was done, but the leaves weren't mush. The bottom stem wasn't hard as a rock. It was heaven. I ate it out of our hotel fridge all week cold. Did I mention the helpings were huge? I highly recommend the place and recommend being brave in your choices.
Second day, breakfast at Joe's by the bay. This small caf was next to Repo Depo, so not a show place. But yum. I ordered a bagel. It was cut, grilled, and cream cheesed before it was served at the table. And it was 1.95. Good coffee, good prices. Anything you might want.
We ate Cow Palace show food following that. It was Sysco, so what can I say?
Our evening meal was a catered pasta bar with some very yummy tortellini in a cheesy white sauce. And tons of other stuff. Dessert tray had some very nice profiteroles which were not gooey with condensation for which I was thankful. It was very nice and served on the floor with the exhibition gardens. Flowers with dinner is a good thing.
Next day north to Mill Valley. We ate breakfast at the Depot where they featured organic scrambled eggs. They were the best eggs I'd ever had. They tasted like eggs. It was amazing. I was done with mine almost before David got started. Lunch was carry out salads/sandwiches from the little corner store. Good, but nothing to write home about. The eggs, however, wow.
Dinner was Alanna's Cafe in downtown Burlingame. If I lived near here I'd eat there once a week. Comfort food is how it's advertised. You need a comfortable belt after diving in here. We had some wonderful salads--mine was greens with warmed pear and blue cheese. Oh I could have eaten that alone for dinner. David had turkey meatloaf; I had the sausage platter. The entire meal was perfect. We were stuffed to the gills, so no dessert. I couldn't leave the side vegetables alone, even after I was full enough. They were crisp, but not uncooked and not cold. I could have eaten there every day.
Next lunch was In 'n' out Burger. finally. I had to see what Julia Child meant about that being the only fast food place she'd go. I was shocked by the concise menu. It's burgers. No fish. No chicken. No chili, salads, or trinkets. Burgers. And fries. It was good. I confess I like Culver's better. No accounting for taste. But that is not to say that In'n'out isn't head and shoulders above most other burger doodles.
I forgot lunch when we got there. We stayed at the Airport Hyatt and ate at the Knuckles Sports Bar when we arrived at 2:45 (4:45 tummy time). I had fish tacos with all the trimmings; David had a large burger. Both were good and refreshing after basically nothing all day. Oh wait I had a banana before we left Des Moines. Even after the fast, neither of us could finish.
Ok, back to Friday. We ate with my aunt, uncle, and cousin at Foreign Cinema in the Mission District of San Francisco. A very cool concept. There is a heated patio with movies projected on the wall while you eat. I hasten to add we were in the adjoining dining room which does not really afford a view of the movie. We had 3 different starters--carpaccio, a galette (actually a piece of galette), and melted soft cheese with fruit and veg. All fine. The galette was underwhelming--no real hit of flavor. Very like a luncheon quiche almost anywhere. I had a nice risotto which was very creamy and nice, but no surprise. Others had fish (2 sorts), pork chop, and an East Indian inspired chicken which turned out to be very good. Desserts were ordered. I had creme brulee which had a hit of rose water. Very subtle, but very nice. The accompanying lavender cookie was ok. But it was fun in a bustling city restaurant. My aunt felt we were rushed. Maybe.
Saturday, we headed for Palo Alto. Did sightseeing. Ate at Madison and Fifth. Ok this was cool. We ordered salads instead of appetizers. The other diner's salads arrived. Mine did not. The waiter rushed back and they made it up before the others had eaten much at all. My hat is off for how quickly they fixed the error. I had an asparagus chop salad. Everyone enjoyed their choices. We were starting to comment on the presentation. Both of the other salads were composed and beautiful. Mine was vertical and inviting. Next came the main event. Three of us had pasta--black, green, white represented by the three of us. My partners in pasta had seafood types--clam and a mixture. Plentiful, beautiful, fabulously cooked. I had veal meatballs and parpadelle with mushrooms. Very good. The piece de resistance was ordered by my uncle. It was seafood risotto. It was served in a hollowed out grapefruit with the seafood spilling out the top. It was so gorgeous and gooey with cheese. But we weren't prepared for the gorgeous dessert presentations. My aunt and Uncle shared a profiterole with chocolate sauce, and I had panna cotta with caramel. What gorgeous plates! Vibrant green and yellow sauces surrounded the plate, encircling the caramel. The panna cotta had lovely flecks of vanilla bean. Fabulous.
Ok that was just the food. I'm so hungry now. Next installment will be sightseeing and such in the city by the bay.
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