Zuni Cafe - A San Francisco Favorite

In my last post, I referenced Zuni Cafe.

Zuni Cafe deserves another blog mention. I LOVE IT! Yes, it is in my favorite city of all cities, San Francisco. It has a cool vibe, tremendous service, and, most importantly, out-of-this world food. Zuni is very popular with locals and can be a celebrity haunt.

If you choose to try it, one hint: go with someone you love to chat with and give yourself at least 2 hours so you can order the roasted chicken.

Dining Recommendations - House of Blues

Wow! What an experience! Just recently I celebrated my dear friend's birthday at the House of Blues Foundation Room...and great food like this is hard to come by. Wonderful from beginning to end, we lavished on an amuse bouche of gently cooked salmon on toast points garnished with a balsamic reduction - to die for! I love salmon! And then for dinner I enjoyed their BLT salad..New Zealand Bluenose Sea bass...and for dessert I had a three bean creme brulee...so yummy! It was all truly yummy and I felt privileged to be part of the celebration. By the way, the Foundation Room is really very elegant with a beautiful lounge setting and fireplaces..if the you ever get the chance to go...go! Sorry it's for members only. But be sure to check out the House of Blues downstairs...it's a fun place to be with great entertainment.

Dining Recommendations - Ceviche

What a great name for a restaurant! Another gem of a find in St. Petersburg, Florida! Ceviche offers a wonderful, energetic ambiance...I could have sworn I was in Barcelona! The food was so authentic and delicious...I went twice in a row! So many wonderful things to try on their menu, it would take several trips to give it justice. Just to name a few items...you've got to try Ceviche de la Casa, Portobello Relleno, Pan con Tomate ( my favorite!), and Patatas Bravas, fried potatoes with their homemade alioli. Soooo good! And their homemade sangria? Even better! Visit Ceviche at 10 Beach Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 (727) 209-2302

Dining Recommendations - Lucky Dill Deli

I love this place and I'm definitely coming back....what a wonderful little piece of New York right in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida! These people have everything from Big Appletizers to NY Skyscrapers to their mouthwatering Black Angus Burgers. This place is also the home of the Tony Soprano sandwich! At least two pounds and a foot and a half long this sandwich is packed with all of Tony's favorites: Cappicola, Prosciutto Diparma, Sopresetta, Provolone and Mozzarella. Needless to say I got more than my money's worth and for sure I'll be bringing with me next time, all of my Sopranos fans! I highly recommend this place and I really recommend the mouse mousse...they are cute and sinfully delicious! So check them out! Lucky Dill Deli 277 Central Ave. St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 727-895-5859

Dining Recommendations - Bono's!

Situated at the beginning of the popular Second Street strip in Long Beach, this restaurant was an incredible find! Despite the cold weather outside, Bono's offered a warm, cozy and subtly romantic ambiance once inside. And yes, there were still people eating outside with heating lamps! Truly everything from beginning to end was delicious from their Baked Brie to their Pesto Chicken and Pancetta Wrapped Filet Mignon. Sorry, no room left for dessert! Definitely a place to try! Bono's 4901 East Second StreetLong Beach, CA 90803
Telephone: (562) 434.9501

Dining Recommendation - La Strada

La Strada is a charming little cafe style restaurant located on the Second Street strip in Belmont Shores. It's the perfect place for a casual lunch with friends. La Strada is very cozy in it's atmosphere with a comfortable menu. I ordered their Antipaso Mixto, which was big enough to share and the got their classic Lasagne Bolognese. Delicious! I really loved the carefully layered sheets of pasta with generous helpings of cheese and meat sauce. Their lasagne is not made in one giant pan and cut into pieces, it is individually layered and plated to order. For dessert we ordered their chocolate cake to share....but unfortunately it was just okay. (I'm not a fan of cakes swimming in whipped cream.) So my advice? Skip dessert and go for great appetizers and delicious entrees! Please visit them at 4716 East Second Street in Long Beach or call 562.433.8100

Dining Recommendation - Sunnin Lebanese Cafe

Wow! That's all I can say! I was recently driving up and down Second Street in Long Beach, debating which middle eastern restaurant to try and I'm glad I picked this one. The food is among the best I have ever had. The service was wonderful (our waitress even had an Egyptian accent!) and the decor transported us to somewhere magical! If ever you are looking for a fabulous, very cool cafe to go to for lunch Sunnin is it. We started off our lunch with Sfiha (#14), an appetizer of homemade dough stuffed with ground beef, tomatoes, onions and pine nuts. So yummy I should have made a meal out of it! I then ordered the Kefta Kebab (#35), finely ground beef with chopped onions, parsley and seasoned with a blend of spices, served with hummus, rice and Lebanese salad. My lunch mate ordered #37, Kebbeh bil Sayniyeh - two layers of finely ground beef and burgul, stuffed with minced beef, onions and pine nuts, also served with hummus, rice and Lebanese salad. They have a house specialty drink called Jallab which is made from Lebanese fruits and garnished with pine nuts (I know that sounds a little weird, but trust me on this!) - so good! We finally finished our meal on a sweet note with wonderfully unique dessert of phyllo, custard and honey (I'm sorry I can't remember the name - and it's not listed on their take out menu) and of course a couple of cups of their Lebanese coffee. I cannot say enough about this wonderful cafe...only that I wish I had discovered it earlier! Sunnin Lebanese Cafe 5110 East Second Street, Long Beach, CA 90803
PH: 562 433 9000. They also have another location at 1779 Westwood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90024. Or you can visit their website at http://www.sunnin.com/. Please visit them you are going to love it!

Dining Recommendations - Nonna

Nonna is a wonderful little Italian restaurant tucked away on Sunset Boulevard between Doheny and Sierra Drive. The coziness of the restaurant make for a wonderful ambiance, and I had a really good time dining on their patio. The food is incredibly flavorful and everything is served in Euro portions, not in giant super sized portions you are never going to finish. My criticisms for Nonna? The prices are outlandish and the service was okay. I ordered a dover sole that was absolutely delicious but way over priced at $40, just for the fish. Would I go back? Only if they drop their prices a bit. I can appreciate the European style portions, but even in Europe restaurants like these aren't as expensive. If you are curious please visit them at 9255 Sunset Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90069 Phone: (310) 270-4455

Dining Recommendations - Rainbow Bar & Grill

So here it is: I recently went to a restaurant called the Rainbow Bar and Grill on Sunset Boulevard two blocks east of Doheny. I had heard so much about their pizza and ambiance that I finally decided it was time to check it out. Of course I ordered one of their pizzas but I also couldn't resist to order their grilled salmon. I love salmon! The service was okay but the food took forever to come out. First came the pizza and salads, and I will say, it was good! Actually it was really good, the pizza that is. The salads were mediocre...I've had better. And then came the salmon. The salmon was way overcooked, basically inedible and the mashed potatoes were the worst I had ever had! They were totally disgusting and for the first time in a long time, I sent the plate back. It was horrible! Would I go back? Probably not for a long time. And if I were to go back, it would be for the pizza and just the pizza. It's really too bad because there were other things on their menu I would like to have tried, but after that fiasco, I'm just sticking to the pizza.

Dining Recommendations - Lasher's

One of my favorite local restaurants is Lasher's! I love this place! I can't get enough of them! They also remind me of another restaurant in L.A. that I enjoy (more on this later!). But please check them out. Lasher's offers a warm, cozy, intimate dining atmosphere with an impeccable menu! Some of my favorite items include Fried Green Tomatoes (totally to die for!), Caramelized Salmon, and their Homemade Meatloaf. They also offer a delicious Sunday Brunch with a unique menu. I don't think I have ever gone for brunch with the same menu twice! It's always so hard to decide what to eat because it's all so good! Lasher's is located on the corner of Broadway and Newport Ave. in Long Beach. It's a wonderful little cottage converted into a restaurant. I recommend you call for reservations. (562)433-0153

Dining Recommendations - Amici's

If ever you are in the Bay Area, there are several great restaurants to try...but only a small few are my favorites! One of them is a great place called Amici's...with several locations to choose from (one of the really fun ones for me is the one on Union Street) they have a great menu, fabulous pizza and my favorite salad of all time, the Antipasto Salad. Try it! In the meantime you can check out their website, their menu, and find the most convenient location for you at amicis.com.

Dining Recommendations - Uncle Bill's

Need a cool little place to eat breakfast? Try Uncle Bill's Pancake House in Manhattan Beach...great place! Yummy food and a nice beachy atmosphere/ambiance. They have really comfy patio/outdoor seating as well as indoor. The have the best apple cinnamon pancakes and some really delicious egg entrees. I had a great scramble with spinach, cheese, mushrooms and sausage! These guys also offer fresh squeezed orange juice...if you are ever in the area, check it out! Uncle Bill's Pancake House is located at 1305 Highland Ave Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 545-5177. It's two blocks up from Manhattan Beach Blvd. and Highland Ave. right on the corner of Highland and 13th.

Dining Recommendations - Katana

Wow! Last night I had dinner at this fabulous restaurant in L.A. called Katana...it's my new favorite restaurant...I think we'll be going back next week! I can't wait! We ate outside and ordered off of their "Robata-yaki" menu. Although one of my dinner mates insisted on doing all the ordering and consequently ordered too much chicken (you know who you are!) everything was unbelievably delicious. Katana really raises the bar for the quality of food that should always be served. The black cod just melted in my mouth like butter. And of course my favorite, salmon, couldn't have been prepared any better. The Kobe beef skewers are to die for as are the chicken teriyaki meatballs, Aged ribeye, and chicken with green onions. Katana is located on Sunset Boulevard between La Cienega and Crescent Heights...Go! Go! Go!

Dining Recommendations - Biltmore

I had lunch at the Biltmore Hotel yesterday. If you've never been definitely go! It's such an experience. The Biltmore or Millennium Biltmore Hotel as it's called, was where the Academy Awards Ceremonies and dinners used to take place. There are some really cool pictures from the 30's and earlier of stars and awards all over the place.

First of all, I have to say that the ambiance and decor are beautiful and luxurious. We ate right outside Smeraldi's restaurant in the open where everyone has tea and goodies late in the afternoon. The service was wonderful; our server Saul was very charming. And the food was incredibly delicious, perfectly cooked. I had the Kobe beef burger with blue cheese and applewood smoked bacon with ultra thin fries and mesclun salad. No, I did not have appetizers or desserts! They would have rolled me right out - everything was filling and well worth it. The Biltmore is located on the corner of 5th Street and Grand Ave. in downtown L.A. Check it out!

Dinner For Two!

Today's recommended restaurant is one of my many favorites in Pasadena: Fortune Chinese Cuisine located on 60 N. Raymond between Union and Holly Streets 626-577-1888 Great Chinese food that's delicious and not greasy! Great service and they even have some light menu items...check it out! I love their Egg Drop Soup as well as their Won Ton Soup (I'm a sucker for either one). And as far as their entrees goes, it really is a toss up. I haven't had anything that I don't like. Be adventurous and try something new!

Selection of the Week!

So many great places, so little time! So every now and then I'm gonna throw out there some of my favorite places to eat, movies to see, and really cool places to be! I had an amazing meal at a restaurant called La Polpa in Barcelona, Spain. For those of you headed out that way it's on Enric Granados between Carrer de Mallorca and Provenca. They have the best chicken crepes EVER! So maybe you'll be one of my lucky clients and get to experience these amazing crepes that are on my new Spanish menu that I've been working on! Let's just say I couldn't get enough!