Category Archives: American (New)

The Belvedere

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**** (4 stars)

This is a beautiful dining room in the Peninsula Hotel. The space is light and airy, which makes it ideal for Sunday or Holiday brunch. We visited at Thanksgiving, and had a great time. The menu was served family style, beginning with appetizers, followed by main courses. Then dessert was buffet style.

There were a wide range of seafood, meat and vegetable items in the set menu, and the Champagne was endless.

Service was attentive and very welcoming, not stiff in the slightest. Definitely a good choice for a midday meal.

The Belvedere
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
9882 S Santa Monica Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 551-2888
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-belvedere-beverly-hills-2

Succulent Cafe Wine Charcuterie

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*** (3 stars)

This is more of a counter service sandwich shop (at least at lunch time) than an actual cafe. However they do have wine by the glass or bottle.

The “fish” on my salad was actually a round patty of minced and then fried fish and spices, presumably intended for a fish burger. However it contained about ten times the amount of salt that would have rendered it edible, so this was not successful. My companions’ tuna melt and ham sandwich were better.

The outside seating area is pleasant, and set back far enough from the main highway to create a nice oasis in busy Solvang.

Succulent Cafe Wine Charcuterie
1555 Mission Dr
Solvang, CA 93463
(805) 691-9444
http://www.yelp.com/biz/succulent-cafe-wine-charcuterie-solvang

Top of the Mark

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*** (3 stars)

Sad to say, this favorite haunt of my youth has fallen on hard times, and now just seems a bit seedy. The views are still great, except that the former dark and romantic lighting has been replaced by a brightly lit (and completely empty) dance floor and a big screen TV, both of which are brightly reflected in all the windows. Drinks are decent if pricey (presumably to pay for the view), and the menu is basic bar food, although nicely presented. Service was efficient.

Top of the Mark
1 Nob Hill
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 392-3434
http://www.yelp.com/biz/top-of-the-mark-san-francisco

Gary Danko

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***** (5 stars)

As good as the food is, the highlight here is the extraordinarily accommodating service. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

We loved the flexibility of assembly as many courses as you like in any order to create your own tasting menu. Four starters, cheese, and no dessert? No problem. That’s just the way we roll.

The caviar course we began with was served the what they called blinis, but were actually buckwheat pancakes from heaven. I want to go here for breakfast!

The wine list is extensive, and I particularly appreciated the large selection of half bottles, which allowed us to assemble our own custom wine pairings to accompany our meal.

Gary Danko
800 N Point St
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 749-2060
http://www.yelp.com/biz/gary-danko-san-francisco

Jardinière

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***** (5 stars)

This is exactly the ambiance I am looking for in a restaurant: dark and romantic, with the spectacular food in the spotlight on each table. A vibrant bar scene well-separated from a dining area where you can have an intimate conversation.

And yes, the food is great, too, with a traditional French flair tempered by lighter and more modern sensibilities.

There is a thoughtful winless, and the wait staff is friendly and obviously enthusiastic. Of all the restaurants we visited in San Francisco on this trip (and there were some great ones) we all agreed this is the one we would return to.

Jardinière
300 Grove St
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 861-5555
http://www.yelp.com/biz/jardini%C3%A8re-san-francisco-2

Keiko à Nob Hill

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***** (5 stars)

This intimate restaurant serves a set menu with all tables starting at the same time. The courses progress from light to medium, building to a magnificent piece of true Wagu beef. The food was good, and the service polished in that Michelin approved sort of way, but the thing that made the evening fun was the proprietor’s enthusiasm for the wines on his (very expensive) grand pairing. He has worked hard to collect rare bottles you won’t find elsewhere, and is proud to show off how well they math the food. These are prestige labels, but rather rare and fairly pricey wines that he obviously treasures. This enthusiasm is what elevated the meal to 5 stars for me.

Keiko à Nob Hill
1250 Jones St
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 839-7141
http://www.yelp.com/biz/keiko-%C3%A0-nob-hill-san-francisco-2

Lido Restaurant

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**** (4 stars)

The food is good here, with a wide range from a casual pizza to a tasting menu. But the real highlight is the amazing wine list, with 1000 selections at (mostly) reasonable prices. There is a focus on regional wines from the central coast, but also great selections from Napa and Europe.

The outside dining area atop the click can’t be beat. And our server was extremely helpful, even finding us a couple of cans of diet coke from elsewhere in the resort to take back to our rooms. (And the resort is magnificent.)

Lido Restaurant
Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa
2727 Shell Beach Rd
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
(805) 773-8900
http://www.yelp.com/biz/lido-restaurant-pismo-beach

RusTeak Restaurant & Wine Bar

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**** (4 stars)

Don’t mistake RusTeak for a bar and grill, a steak house or a sandwich shop. In truth it’s all of these but also much more. There is a gourmet twist to everything they do, from appetizers to sandwiches to burgers to entrees. You’ll find ingredients combined in creative (and successful) ways, served in a casual but cozy atmosphere.

I had a pastrami sandwich, which featured extremely tender and lean meat, perfectly toasted bread, and house made close slaw and half sour pickle. My companion’s steak sandwich was also good, although it required deconstruction to be eaten.

There is a shockingly good wine list, extensive and well-conceived. It’s actually one of the best wine lists in town. I can’t imagine where they keep it all.

There’s also a great selection of interesting craft beers.

Service is friendly and efficient.

RusTeak Restaurant & Wine Bar
1568 Maguire Rd
Ocoee, FL 34761
(407) 614-3765
http://www.yelp.com/biz/rusteak-restaurant-and-wine-bar-ocoee

Caviar Russe

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Caviar Russe 1

Caviar Russe 2

Caviar Russe 3

***** (5 stars)

Even without the caviar this would be a stellar restaurant, but for anyone who enjoys caviar it is an absolute must visit.

The dining room is elegant and intimate, and service is friendly and professional.

Food preparation is meticulous, complex, inventive and surprising. We had the caviar tasting menu, which began with a spoonful of each of six wonderful caviars, mostly osetras. The differences were in some cases surprising, yet subtle enough that it was great to be able to familiarize ourselves with the flavors unaccompanied (except for wonderful blinis–really more like crepes) and creme fraiche.

Then we were served six courses incorporating the same caviars. Our favorite courses were all the cold ones, including the oyster, tuna, and ice cream.

The caviar tasting menu is an amazing deal, as the caviar alone would cost more than the entire meal.

Wine pricing is also extremely reasonable. We had a half bottle of Krug Champagne and a superb bottle of Puligny-Montrachet. I doubt you could find these wines at a better price at any restaurant in the city.

Needless to say, Caviar Russe is on our must-visit list for our next trip!

Caviar Russe
538 Madison Ave
2nd Fl
New York, NY 10022
(212) 980-5908
http://www.yelp.com/biz/caviar-russe-new-york

Gotham Bar And Grill

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***** (5 stars)

“Bar and Grill” is a bit of a misnomer here, as this is truly a fine dining restaurant. The kampachi sashimi is among the best I’ve had, and the roasted cauliflower appetizer was absolutely amazing–complex and delicate at the same time.

True, I did have a New York strip steak for dinner, but it was really the only item I’d describe as coming from a grill. It was an excellent steak, by the way, with a thick char and coated with a sticky Bordelaise.

There is a solid if somewhat pricey wine list.

Service is professional yet friendly.

The one caveat: The place is LOUD. There isn’t really a quiet corner where you can hide from it, so be prepared or go at an off time, if there is one.

Gotham Bar And Grill
12 E 12th St
New York, NY 10003
(212) 620-4020
http://www.yelp.com/biz/gotham-bar-and-grill-new-york