Delicioso!

 courtesy of the Tropisueno website

Oddly serene and highly delectable is a small side street called Yerba Buena Lane, between Mission and Market, in San Francisco. Among popular hangouts such as the Press Club and Amber India, lies a favorite of the local Monday-Friday and weekend crowds, the Mexican restaurant Tropisueno. As the website states, it's a taqueria during the day, and a full-service restaurant during the night. I visited on a Saturday, and the place was buzzing even though surrounding offices were closed. The lunch menu is printed on a wall, there is no menu card. Smart and unpretentious, lively music, soft colors, and a vista window chronicling the continuous movement of people up and down Yerba Buena make this a nice place to be. Solo diners, families, couples and business groups seemed to be equally comfortable and chilled. Most of all, the food is quick, fresh, and delicious. The watermelon juice in particular is fabulous, you have to try it! And the chips and awesome dips are free. What's not to like?

Tropisueno is located at 75 Yerba Buena lane. Visit it here.

The Himalayas in Sausalito

Although we live in Redwood City, we pretty much drive everywhere between Sonoma and San Jose on a typical weekend, exploring and revisiting favorite haunts. Last weekend, I had a craving to go to Sausalito, a pretty and upscale town north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Their main street is touristy due to the San Francisco - Sausalito ferry, but the restaurants are not exactly tacky. However, after some YELPing, we decided on a small Nepalese restaurant called 'A Taste of the Himalayas' located a little farther away from the visiting throngs.

The GPS took us a couple of blocks away from 2633 Bridgeway - their address advertised on Yelp; the restaurant is just before the intersection of Coloma and Bridgeway, on the right, going southbound on Bridgeway. It's a small establishment next to a Mexican restaurant, and has a cozy and bright interior, painted in warm colors.

As soon as you walk in, the kitchen is to your right, and friendly staff get you settled in right away. Pictures of Himalayan landscapes adorn the red wall, and the quiet location in the middle of the hills does make it feel as if you've escaped the drudgery of everyday life. The menu is a mix of Nepalese and Indian food, and is quite eclectic. A dish which wowed us instantly was 'Samosa Chaat' - I've had samosas and chat separately, but never a combination. 'Chaat' is a savory and spicy combination of ingredients like puffed rice, pieces of boiled potato, garbanzo beans, peas etc and tomatoes, raw onions,  chillies, all mixed up in a tangy tamarind and yogurt sauce. It's considered a snack in India, and a favorite of all age groups. The unlikely marriage with crispy and fresh hot samosas was enticing and delicious. Then, we ordered some momos  - they were essentially potstickers, but with an aromatic and medium spicy chicken filling, which was unique. The presentation was pretty, with six momos laying on a bed of a well-seasoned sauce. I believe the appetizers were around $8 each, and the entrees around $14. Again, the entrees were a mix of Nepalese and Indian, and came with either steamed rice, or vegetables. The portions were generous, and the price reasonable for the quality and freshness. Service was friendly and swift, and the ambience peaceful. Thumbs up!

Turkish Delight

Nestled between the vintage Fox Theatre and the delectable bakery Pamplemousse on 2399 Broadway in Redwood City, California, is a hidden gem, New Kapadokia. It is inconspicuous and demure at its location, but full of substance and quality. I was seriously craving Mediterranean food - Greek, Lebanese - that sort of thing, and did not want to drive around. I searched online, and found that this Turkish restaurant had some decent reviews.

As soon as you enter and are faced with a long and narrow rectangular aisle flanking tables on both sides, a friendly    face is there to greet and guide you. We were exquisitely swished onto a nearby table, and a bread basket arrived even before we sat down. The service throughout the meal was impeccable. The menu is extensive and eclectic - I have to recommend any Kebab dish! The meat on the skewers were as tender as they were bursting with barbecued flavors. The Turkish beer that my husband ordered was rich as a stout, chocolaty and wholesome. I only wish I sampled their Turkish wines, but that's for my next visit.

The restaurant is clean, pleasant, and the Turkish music in the backgrounds transports you to a quaint establishment in the back streets of Istanbul. It's not cheap, but it doesn't break the bank either. The price reflects the high quality of the meal, and if you've never tried Turkish, you owe it to yourself to try something different. Street parking might be hard on a weekend, but the Century 20 parking lot is only a few blocks away.

The only caveat for me are the early closing times - between 9 and 10 pm depending on the day. I have this vision stuck in my head: mingling with people smoking hookahs, drinking Turkish wine and dancing to the exotic tunes into the wee hours of the morning, but I guess I'll just have to visit Turkey for that.

Image courtesy of Restaurant.com

The View in SF

No, I'm not talking about the TV show. San Francisco has no shortage of places with stunning views of the city. It helps that the city is so picturesque, that plenty of windows out of homes or commercial establishments would have a sight for sore eyes. But I'm talking high-rise views coupled with pleasing munchies. Among others, there's the Top of the Mark in Nob Hill, and then there 'was' the Grandviews Hyatt lounge in Union Square. I say 'was' for the latter, because I was told by the doorman about a month ago that it would close soon. Too bad. I wasn't crazy about the bland menu, which hadn't been updated in a while, but the 36th floor views made up for it. It may still be open, so it's worth checking out.

Enter the Marriott Marquis in downtown SF. We only found this place because of a management course my husband attended for his work. We visited on a Saturday night during the World Series (go Giants!), AND there was some sort of a conference on sexuality ( I kid you not), so the place was hopping!! Not sure if it would be buzzing on a regular night, but given its location, probably.

Anyway, this place is called 'The View', and it's on the 39th floor. The views are even better than the Grandviews lounge in my opinion, owing to the larger floor to ceiling windows. Seating is spacious and the decor more contemporary compared to the Grandviews Lounge. Worth bringing out of town guests to. Check out the menu and prices at the website www.sfviewlounge.com.

BARTing or Caltraining it are the best options if your a suburbanite and want to (as we Brits say) get hammered at the View, but otherwise, try the parking lot at Ellis and O'Farrell. They are pretty inexpensive.

The revival

Time to revive this bloggo! Been a while, seen lots, done more, and now's the time to start getting back to it all. I checked the submission of my last post - 4/2/10. That was shortly before the birth of my daughter. Wow. And then I went on to staying home with her until she was 11 months old. That act alone created enough writing material in my head to fill a book, but I decided to spare the world another 'Mommy Blog'. In 2011, I got a Masters degree, followed by a full-time job. I longed to write, but it just didn't happen. Better late than never - how many times have you heard that? Well, I'm late, but I'm here now.

Do you have a 'dead' or 'hibernating' blog? What's stopping you from tapping the keys and shocking it back to life? Let me know...

A tavern on the Thames

In November 2009, I attended a dear friend's wedding in London. The venue was a pub in Greenwich called Trafalgar tavern. Being a 'North of the Thames' girl myself, I had never been to pubs in this part of town, and was very eager to step into one as a wedding guest.

We finally arrived at the tavern around 7pm, about an hour late, and a little annoyed at the traffic and rain which caused the delays. But all was forgotten as we stepped into the ballroom above the pub.

Light cream-colored walls, Victorian chandeliers, and red velvet curtains were evocative of a bygone era. The view of Canary Wharf from the large windows was a winner. What a hidden gem! Most tourists are unlikely to venture past the usual touristy hangouts in London, but if you're reading this, and have always been intrigued by the real London, just hop on a train to Greenwich, and tell a cabbie to take you to the Trafalgar Tavern. I would love to revisit on a summer's day, gazing out the window with a pint of local ale. As we walked out into the night after a lovely wedding reception, we saw happy regulars enjoying live jazz with their drinks.

photo courtesy of the Trafalgar Tavern website

Trafalgar Tavern

Bad food in London?

Whoever says food in London is abysmal, expensive and simply lacking in variety, doesn't not know what they're talking about. I am currently on an extensive trip in the UK visiting friends and family, and have been down to London several times, a city I had lived in for more than 11 years. I have to say that I was bowled over by some of the restaurants I visited - some old favourites I hadn't visited before, and some new kids on the culinary block.

I plan to blog more extensively about this later, but here are some of my favourites so far - Yoshino- a delightful little sushi place near Regent Street, and Siam Central, an immensely popular and yummy Thai place, on Charlotte Street.

Have you been to these restaurants? What did you think?

World Market's Chili Chocolate

Have you tried it? I'd heard a lot about the chocolate-chili combo, especially served in upscale Mexican restaurants, so I did not expect to find it packaged up in my local World Market. World Market's Chili Chipotle Chocolate Bar is simply divine. Love how the hotness kicks in after allowing you to enjoy the luscious and spicy 64% cacao. I envisage it going really well with a full-bodied red, what are your thoughts? I'd post a picture, but I devoured it in minutes.

World Market Brand - Chipotle Chocolate Bar - $1.99

Some Thai recommendations

The above picture is courtesy of Kate R on Yelp - the appetizer 'Dancing Prawns'

I would like to rave about two places in particular. One is situated in Redwood City, sandwiched between generic shops in a rather nondescript mall. But gems are usually hidden like this, and all thanks to Yelp for pointing this one out. Although it does not look like much from the exterior, Karakade, as this restaurant is called, is very cute inside, attracting a smart and young clientele in the know. Bright colors and tasteful decor increase your appetite once you walk in. Karakade also provides take out, which I have been taking out at least once a month, and they never fail to disappoint.

The portions and the quality of the food are both highly commendable. Classics like red and green curry prevail and are delicious, but try the spicy eggplant with tofu. Or chicken basil noodles, or the amazingly aromatic garlic prawns. The food is amazingly cheap given its quality, and if you live in the San Mateo County area, you certainly want to give this a try.

The above picture is courtesy of Amy L on Yelp - Siam Thai restaurant in hotel Parc 55

My second recommendation is 'Siam Thai' restaurant in downtown San Francisco. Like Karakade, it's a 'hole in the wall' kinda place, and is not in the least bit fancy. However, it is (at least structurally) part of the pretty smart Parc 55 hotel, and as a result, attracts plenty of tourists who want to eat well on a budget. Service is fast and courteous, and the dishes are really tasty. The prices are unbelievable as well.

Minutes from Union Square, this is the perfect place to have a hearty lunch or dinner before you embark on numerous city tours.

Karakade
Siam Thai - 55 Cyril Magnin St (inside Parc 55) between Eddy and Ellis, (415) 362-7456

(Almost) alcoholic mixed berries...

Finding a dessert which would satisfy not only your taste buds but give you no guilty feelings about wanting seconds has always been a challenge for me. That was until I started reading the 'Pregnancy' magazine in the doctor's waiting room.

I learned about a fabulous sorbet on the market made by a company called 'Ciao Bella'. Now I was familiar with CB because I once purchased a variety ice-cream pack and it was simply divine. This upscale company does not compromise on the quality of its ingredients, and produces Italian-gelateria style ice-cream.

This particular flavor is called 'Blackberry Cabernet' and is touted as being a real wine substitute for those long and hard nine months. Or perhaps you don't even drink, and are simply looking for a refined and non-fat dessert option.

I'm not much of a sorbet person, but this I liked! The magnificent wine-colored concoction tastes sweet and tart at the same time, and is extremely grown-up. I believe it contains some wine but not nearly enough to affect your pregnancy. However, pregnant or not, try this out. It is perfect for the approaching summer, served with a selection of mixed berries (making it even healthier!). I bought this a week ago at Whole Foods at $2.79, a special offer. Normal retail is around $4.

Ciao Bella's Blackberry Cabernet, Whole Foods, $4 approximately.

Okay, so I disappeared...

But I had an excellent excuse. Yes, I've been working full-time, but so have trillions of other bloggers. I am proud to announce that I am expecting and only have 10 weeks to go. Between bratty 7th graders and and an ever-expanding uterus, I really have not been that motivated about sitting in front of the computer. But it's Spring Break, I'm on leave, and I intend to populate as much as web space I am entitled to in the next few months. Up until I am ready to hit the delivery suite.

Cute Italian in Sausalito

(Picture courtesy of sfeater.com)

Just returned from this cute and elegant little restaurant in Sausalito, Marin County.  Sausalito itself was a discovery.  I didn't expect to have such a good view of the San Francisco skyline from its quaint little downtown promenade called Bridgeway.  Amidst tourist shops, jewelry stores and fine art galleries, one can find the Piccolo Teatro di Sausalito.

The interior is very enticing: a mahogany bar, hardwood floors, a fireplace, and soft recessed lighting. Smartly-uniformed waiters greet you graciously.  The food is very flavorful and the selections are refreshingly different from those found in a standard Italian restaurant.  The portions are not huge, however, and bread costs $2.5.  In spite of that, the delicious and finely cooked food is definitely worth it.  For two people, my recommendation would be to order three of the 'Small Bites' priced at $2.5, and three selections from the 'Primi' and 'Secondi'.  This was enough for the both of us.  With wine and a soft drink, the bill came to about $70.

Piccolo Teatro is located on 739 Bridgeway, Sausalito.  

 

Happy Xmas!

Wishing all a very Happy Xmas, and a truly memorable rest of the Holiday season.  This snap was taken at Union Square in San Francisco, just a couple of days before Xmas day 2008. People skating, singing carols, shopping, just taking in the atmosphere on a crisp night. Magical!

Whole foods delight

Thanksgiving came and went.  We went to a neighbor's potluck, which turned out to be one of the most delicious nights of the holiday season.  I made a 'Potato Savoyard' gratin (more about this delectable recipe later), which took hours of prep time, but was completely worth it.  The effort made by our other neighbors was equally commendable.  Apart from the staples of green beans, carrots, creamed corn, succulent ham and of course, turkey, there was stuffing souffle with pecans, gourmet sweet pumpkin pie, spiced apple cider, coffee, and Veuve Clicquot Champagne.  

My rate of consumption of such holiday treats is showing no signs of deceleration.  Having recently discovered the 'Whole Foods' deli section, we spend most Saturday lunchtimes at our local Whole Foods, mulling over the mouthwatering options. Lamb shanks with rosemary potatoes and shiitake mushrooms, or turkey quiche with mashed potatoes and herbs, teriyaki chicken, the choices just go on.  The food from the deli counter in my opinion is sublime, filling, and satiates you like grandma's hearty cooking.

Of course, the strategically placed cake and pastry counter next to the hot deli counter ensures that you are bound to come back.  We are absolutely hooked on the 'Mixed Berry Cake' that WF sell in three convenient sizes.  Just try it, and I guarantee you will never ever buy any other cake again.  Garnished with fresh berries and icing to kill for, this moist and stupendously delightful cake cheers your tongue up.  Try it! The only caveat that not all WF stores carry identical cakes to each other, so if you don't find it at your local one, get them to find out your nearest store which does stock it.  

Do you have any Whole Foods favorites? Especially for the holidays? Do you think that food there is overrated and too expensive? Or would you rather pay extra for the quality? Let us know...

Top Hot Dogs in Berkeley, CA

I found this photo on a blog called ZeroDivide, and this summed up Top Dog for me.

I first went to Top Dog as a summer school student at Berkeley in 2003.  A cheep and cheerful place with dogs to satisfy both poverty-stricken students and those with a bit more cash to spare. My second visit was in Oct 2008, and coincidentally, on a football game day at Berkeley (Cal v UCLA!).  Berkeley was buzzing, and although the Bears won, Top Dog was bursting at the seams with fans from both sides.

There is no line here.  There are two guys behind the grill, one minding all the meat, and one taking all the orders and miraculously remembering them in order.  There are even veggie and healthier meat options.  It's fast, economical, and delicious.  What more do you need?

Top Dog also have a branch in Oakland, CA.  Check out their website below.  Have you been to Top Dog? What's your experience been like?

Top Dog

Xanh, Mountain View

Who'd have thought that the suburbs could have this much panache? Nestled among the many thriving eateries on Castro in Mountain View, is Xanh.  Cool fusion Vietnamese cuisine offered in great style.  You first enter an amazing New-York style lounge bar, dimly lit in electric blue, with a DJ churning House/cool RnB in the corner.  The bar looks pretty busy and happening. Sleek, geometric, and ample white seating look striking against all the blue in this room.  Huge Christmas tree-like glass balls hang from the ceiling.  This is where you'd hang out with your crowd before the hostess whisks you into one of two main dining areas.

This was a Saturday night, and it could not have been more packed.  However, the lighting in our dining room was a little too bright for my liking, especially compared to the dim coolness of the lounge up front.  Anyway, the food made up for that.

The spicy and sour soup for $10 was ample and wildly aromatic.  The only complaint was that it seemed warm rather than hot, and so we had to send it back for a quick zap.  My main plate was 'Catfish in a Clay Pot'.  It was perfectly marinated, exuding sweetness and spicy tones at the same time.  Heavily laden with chillies, ginger, garlic, and possibly honey, it was heavenly with simple jasmine-steamed rice.  The meal ended beautifully with a swig of impossibly sweet Vietnamese coffee, sweetened with condensed milk.  

All in all, a stylish spot on Mountain View's main promenade, which offers flavorful food in attractive surroundings.  If you just want to hang, have a martini while listening to top tunes, and not have to drive all the way to San Francisco, Xanh should be one of your choices.

Xanh

Long live Macs...

After inadvertently unleashing a virus onto our PC, we spent hours pouring over solutions on Majorgeeks.com, hoping against hope to rescue this home-built computer, which had been so good to us for 5 years.  We turned to our old and rusty iBook, which was unbearably slow compared to the powerful PC which once ran alongside it.  The PC was rescued, and began to work like a dream again, while we cruelly abandoned the iBook.  Alas, it was not meant to be. The PC's hard drive started making sounds, and that's never a good thing.  It died quite unceremoniously, and then we discovered we had no backups at all! Suddenly, as if by magic, it restarted itself and gave us its all for about 30 magical minutes; enough time for us to frantically back all our data up.   Then, it was all over.  

We are shamelessly back to our senile iBook again, and praying that it will hold on until we buy another computer.  And just long enough for me to blog, even if the posts will be devoid of snazzy Photoshopped pictures.  Needless to say, it will be another Mac.

A mansion in San Francisco

All photos courtesy of EKphoto.com http://www.ekphoto.com/hamlin/

I was awestruck from the moment I walked in, both as an educator, and as a wedding guest.

The Hamlin School, an all-girls' independent school in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco is also known as Hamlin Mansion, a much sought-after special occasion venue in the city.
The building, which has its beginnings in the early 20th century, entraps your senses with its intricately carved wooden beams and paneling, captivating mosaic walls, and high ceiling with skylight. It is charming how the school hides its bookcases and student artwork behind the deep red curtains as it transforms itself from a haven of education into a centerpiece of decadent celebration. Keep walking through the library and into the solarium, and you are completely bowled over by the sweeping vistas of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge through its large bay windows. Walk up the stairs, and imagine yourself being transported back in time, looking down upon the hallway being attended to by uniformed staff.

The Hamlin School/Mansion is located on 2120 Broadway, San Francisco.

View of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Hamlin Mansion

Eight Wineries in One?

Photo courtesy of the Press Club website


At the bottom of the Four Seasons in San Francisco lies an unique concept. As we settled down for drinks at the lounge bar of the nearby Amber India restaurant (I'll blog about this later), friends told us about the Press Club.

Apparently this trendy venue, which opened on Sept 10 this year, has eight Californian vineyards rolled into one. You walk into a spacious and stylish tasting room which allows you to acquaint yourself with several wines. This seems like a wonderful alternative for both connoisseurs and amateurs to have the 'Napa experience' minus the long drive out there.

I think I'll pay a visit, but I like long drives and basking in the authentic milieu of wine country. Have you been to the Press Club? What did you think? Drop me a line here if you have or perhaps somewhere similar elsewhere.

The Press Club

Tracking flights through YAPTA

As per a recommendation by a user, I have now logged onto YAPTA, a website which allows you to track the price of flights you might want to take in the future. I am hoping to go to England at some point within the next four months, so all I did was enter the details, save the trip, and allow the website to find good fares for me. I guess this concept works best if you're flexible with your trip and can plan ahead. If I do get a ticket and register those details with YAPTA, they will notify me via email if there is a price drop for which I get credit I can use toward a future flight. Sounds good. Let's see how it works out over the next few months.

YAPTA