As We Like It’s blog

Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    Tiburon, Marin County, CA

    Cottage Eatery *(14.5) !(2) $(19-54) Tel.=415-596-3895.  114 Main Street.  Dinner Tuesday-Saturday 5:30-10:00 PM.
    Simple decor with tan butcher block paper and low ceilings mark this venue, which has had several make overs since Servino left for a larger space with a view many years ago.  California cuisine with Mediterranean influences and local produce are their hallmark. Pleasant appetizers included: artichoke and fennel gratin, soft cooked farm egg,Fiore Sardo and Nociarra olive oil, as well as prosciutto wrapped Zuckerman Farm asparagus, salsa verde and 7 year balsamic. We split a lasagna Bolognese as an intermezzo course; though it was tasty, it needed to be cooked through better. The center was just lukewarm. Braised Anderson Farm lamb breast was enjoyable, but very rich and fatty and didn’t need the fresh horse radish. Chicken cacciatore was over sauced, and the accompanying delicious smashed potatoes didn’t need the richness of extra oil on their surface. Toothsome desserts included a chocolate custard tart and a peach cobbler, each accompanied by vanilla ice cream. An appropriate international wine selection was reasonably priced, except for the Nuits St-Georges; corkage is $20.00 if you bring your own.

Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    San Francisco

    Gary Danko *(19.5) !(5) $(65-100) 415-749-2060  www.garydanko.com.  800 Northpoint Street at Hyde  Dinner from 5:30 nightly.
    Vibrant electricity is evident as you enter the restaurant and continues throughout the evening... resembling something out of a 1940’s movie with the “right” people going to the hottest place in town. Soft lighting with muted colors and exquisite floral arrangements mix with happy diners and lots of professional staff scurrying around the room. Elegant table settings and linens complete the picture. As for the food: Gary has hit his stride; without his even being in the kitchen during the dinner service for the 3 visits we’ve had recently, uniform excellence has been orchestrated by his kitchen staff. Fabulous appetizers with great balances were: seared foie gras with caramelized red onion and rhubarb; risotto with lobster, rock shrimp, zucchini, crispy artichokes and lemon herb butter; as well as green and white asparagus salad with red peppers, quail eggs and caper red onion vinaigrette. Fish and seafood courses have been spectacular: branzini (sea bass) with fennel purée, nicoise olives, naval oranges and saffron; roast Maine lobster on a pillow of mashed potato with morel mushrooms, asparagus and tarragon; seared sea scallops with salsify, fava beans, frisée and pancetta; and somewhat overly salted with excess garlic pancetta wrapped frog legs with sunchoke purée, potato and lentils. An unbeatable quail course was served with mushroom ragout, foie gras, gigante and fava beans, English peas, tasso and arrugula. Also terrific was a guinea hen breast with fregola, asparagus and lemon confit. Skip the overly spiced lemon herb duck breast, but don’t miss some scrumptious roasted loin of bison with king trumpet mushrooms, glazed cipollini onions  and herb spaetzle. Leave room for the best cheese service west of Paris, all properly aged, including brebiou, brie de Nangis, Brillat Savarin, Livarot and Taleggio, among others. Desserts held their own including: a toothsome baked chocolate soufflé with 2 sauces, a light and delightful non-cholesterol raspberry soufflé and a delicious passion fruit-strawberry vacherin with poached rhubarb, almond meringue and sour cream ice cream. The wine selection and service are world class; corkage is $35.00 per bottle if you bring your own wine. Valet parking is available with $11.00 charge.

Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    Mill Valley, Marin County

    El Paseo *(19) !(4) $(48-85) 415-388-0741  www.elpaseorestaurant.com.  17 Throckmorton Avenue.  Dinner: Wednesday-Sunday 5:30-10:00 PM
    This romantic setting has been home to many restauranteurs over the years, but now it has finally found its perfect complement in Chef Keiko Takahashi. Her mastery of fine French and Japanese cuisine has made this the place for elegant dining in Marin. Her blue fin tuna tartar with wasabi caviar  and cold poached egg is so addicting, that we returned 2 nights in a row just for a repeat taste. The muscovy duck paté with pickled vegetables was another winner, as were warm appetizers of: pan-seared artisan foie gras with espresso sauce, forest mushroom risotto with truffles and soup “Chinois” with crab, avocado and chicken. A delightful Tai snapper (imported from Tsukiji, Japan) was served with beurre blanc, sauce verte and caviar. Delicious Hokkaido scallops came with sauce aux épices. Balsamic and salsa verde harmonized with a tasty sea eal “tempura”. Our favorite dish from the sea was lobster, grouper and mushroom fricassée. We loved her Angus beef filet mignon with sauce Bordelaise, but found the accompanying potatoes Dauphinois overly spiced. Make sure to taste her roasted quail with truffles, mushrooms and vegetables, if they are available. Make sure to leave room for dessert. The chestnut soufflé with chestnut ice cream is superb, as is the apple tart with incredible caramel ice cream and the profiteroles with chocolate sauce. The wine selection is outstanding, and pricing is reasonable; corkage is $20.00 if you bring your own wines. Service is knowledgeable and professional. Background classical music sets the mood admirably.

Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    Cut Steak Restaurant, Los Angeles Area

    Cut *(18.5) !(4) $(42-220) Tel.=310-276-8500 Fax=310-276-8502 www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/finedining/cut/beverlyhills/.  9500 Wilshire Boulevard at Rodeo in the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills, Dinner Mon.-Sat= 5:30-10:00 P.M.
    This is the finest steakhouse we’ve found, definitely a “cut-above" the others. The dual level dining room has elegant, subdued, contemporary decor with just the right lighting to balance visual needs with atmosphere. High class table settings and the presence of über-chef Wolfgang Puck walking around the restaurant add to the ambiance. Popular music was played a bit loud, but that may have been related to the fact that we were there on Grammys weekend in LA-LA Land. The bread selection is addictive. Starters included a delightful bone marrow flan with mushroom marmalade and parsley salad, a well balanced dish of Austrian oxtail bouillon with chive blossoms, chervil and bone marrow dumplings, and a fine prime filet mignon “carpaccio” with celery hearts and shaved French black truffles. Skip the overpriced, warm organic asparagus, poached egg with excess vinegar over a soggy toast base. The steaks were all of the highest quality, and individuals each preferred their own cuts and beef types. We sampled the following steaks, grilled over hard wood & charcoal, then finished under a 1200 degree broiler, and all were fabulous:
U.S.D.A. Prime, Illinois corn fed, aged 21 days ($3-5/oz.) bone-in rib eye and bone-in filet mignon,
American Waygu/Angus “Kobe style” beef from Snake River Farms, Idaho rib eye, 10 oz. ($8/oz.),
American Waygu/Angus “Kobe style” beef from Mishima Ranch, California filet mignon 6 oz. ($10/oz.)
A tasting of NY Sirloin ($120) Including 2 oz. Japanese Waygu from Kagoshima Prefecture, 4 oz. American Waygu/Angus “Kobe style” beef from Snake River Farms and 4 oz. U.S.D.A. Prime dry age from Nebraska.
Sauces were an extra $2.00 each, and completely superfluous for such delicious steaks.
We enjoyed the on-the-side dishes ($12-19 each) which included: French fries with herbs, Yukon gold potato purée, tempura onion rings, creamed spinach with fried organic egg, butternut squash with celery root and medjool dates, black trumpet mushrooms with artichokes and baby leeks, and a potato tarte Tatin. Be sure to leave room for desserts. Bruléed “baby banana” chocolate cream pie with vanilla ice cream was a winner, as was the dark chocolate soufflé with whipped creme fraiche and gianduja ice cream. The inside-out profiteroles with coffee ice cream, almond dacquoise and golden spun sugar was uninspired. Their wine selection is comprehensive, with something for everyone, and corkage is $35.00 if they don’t have your wine on their list. Our own bottles of 1988 Dom Perignon Champagne, 1990  L. Latour Batard Montrachet and 1938 Gruaud Larose were magnificent complements to the dinner. Service was knowledgeable, attentive and professional with some of the best wine service in California. This place is extremely popular, so reserve well in advance.

Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    San Francisco

    Chapeau! *(17.5) !(2.5) $(27-55) Tel.=415-750-9787  Fax=415-750-9677 chapeaubistro@earthlink.net.  1408 Clement St. at 15th Ave.  Dinner 5-10:00 Tues.-Sun.
    In typical bistro style the tables, with white table cloths, are jammed together and noise levels are high. So why is this place packed-solid every time we come? Because they offer  real “bang-for-the-buck”: good food at reasonable prices. The “boss” appetizer was a boneless quail with mizuna, foie gras and huckleberry sauce, but the traditional onion soup and sauteed foie gras on toasted brioche with huckleberry sauce were decent as well. Beautifully seared scallop on a bed of butternut squash risotto was a winner. Perfectly medium rare filet mignon was served with pommes de terres Landaise, king trumpet and oyster mushrooms and sauce a la Perigourdine. We enjoyed the bacon wrapped veal medallion with crispy sweetbreads, hedgehog mushroom fricassée, chestnut en purée, baby carrot and veal demi-glace. Soggy accompaniments marred the otherwise pleasant braised Colorado lamb shank. Don’t bother with the chilled orange soup/ grand marnier soufflé glacé; when the profiterolles and warm chocolate cake with banana flambée/ rum-raisin ice cream and caramel sauce are superior. Service was pleasant but slow, probably because they were opening their second restaurant that same night. They have a well-priced, appropriate wine list.

Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    Healdsburg, Sonoma County

    Dry Creek Kitchen *(17.5) !(3.5) $(35-99) tel.=707-431-0330, Fax=707-431-8990 drycreekkitchen.com.  317 Healdsburg Ave. at the Hotel Healdsburg.  Dinner nightly from 5:30 P.M., Brunch= Fri.-Sun.
    Situated on the main street, across from the town square, the dining room has  a contemporary decor with soft colors, graceful arches and well-spaced tables with white table cloths. As you enter, there is a long bar on the left with a partially veiled open kitchen at the rear towards the right. A colorful, abstract painting by Bob Nugent graces the rear wall to the left of the kitchen. Tasty, warm gougeres are a welcome touch. The chef uses high quality, locally produced seasonal products including fish, game, meats and poultry; unfortunately, some of the plates are overly fussy and rich. Generous portions of five herb gnocchi (trumpet royale mushrooms, broccoli raab, Walla Walla onion “soubise”, pecorino) and milk-fed veal sweetbread “pot pie” (organic carrots, wild mushrooms,caramelized onions, marsala) were very tasty and filling. The bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin was delicious, but needed a simple starch for balance, rather than the accompanying currant-cous cous cake, braised chard, macadamia nuts and thyme jus. Fabulous tastes and textures in the duo of Painted Hills Natural Beef pan roasted coulotte and 60 hour short rib also needed a simple potato or rice rather than the overly rich celery root puree, roasted cauliflower and truffle jus. Tasty petits fours followed a toothsome caramel-walnut spice cake (Valrhona chocolate glaze, walnut ice cream, caramel mousse, candied satsuma segments) and terrific tasting of house made ice creams (vanilla, pistachio, dark chocolate) and sorbets (orange, grapefruit, cantaloupe) served in an ingenious 6-cup server. They have a fine selection of exclusively Sonoma district wines, and corkage is waived (maximum 2/table) if you bring your own Sonoma wine; otherwise it is $20.00/bottle. Service is efficient. Outside seating is available in good weather.

Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    Yountville

    Ad Hoc *(18) !(3) $(48) Tel.=707-944-2487, Fax=707-944-2275 www.adhocrestaurant.com.  6476 Washington St.  Dinner every night 5:00-9:00 P.M.
    A super concept, well executed with reasonable prices is what makes Thomas Keller’s latest adventure in casual dining such a draw. Each night features only one 4-course set menu served family style for the table. Get the daily menu directly from their web site or have them e-mail you each day, and if it looks appealing: go for it. The dining room has a contemporary feel with comfortable chairs and  shiny steel-top tables that can  double as mirrors. Fresh Bouchon Bakery bread is a nice added touch. Our first course consisted of  a huge portion of perfectly cooked haricots verts with thinly sliced potatoes, toasted walnuts, shaved radishes, chopped shallots and a delicate sherry vinaigrette served in a large, oval casserole dish. Next came the “sea & mountain” course that was served in 2 separate hot casserole dishes; one contained delectable roasted monkfish with melted leeks and good-to-the-last-drop tomato-based romanesco sauce, while the other had moist, flavorful pan-seared  poussin (chicken) with a nice texture complement of rice seasoned with too much saffron. Carr Valley Cheese Company’s toothsome cave-aged Marisa sheep’s milk cheese from Wisconsin was accompanied by wonderful toasted Marcona almonds and fabulous Marshall’s Farm honey for course #3.   A great finishing touch consisted of Spanish style churros served with a delicious vanilla cream sauce and a rich chocolate sauce that was unfortunately overly spiced for our tastes. They have an appropriately selected wine list with a $20.00 corkage fee; we enjoyed a 1998 E. Sauzet Puligny Montrachet les Perrieres with dinner. Service is  welcoming, professional and efficient.

Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    San Francisco

    Fleur de Lys *(19.5) !(5) $(70-102) 415-673-7779  www.fleurdelyssf.com.  777 Sutter St. at Jones  Dinner from 6:00 P.M. Mon.-Sat.
    Their elegant dining room is definitely the most romantic restaurant setting that we have encountered, and the food is always of the highest caliber, with a mixture of the old classic French technique combined with exotic influences from all over the world. Professional service completes the picture. One can opt for a three to five course dinner chosen from their menu, but we feel that this is one of those places where you can have implicit faith in Chef Hubert Keller and say: “have the chef prepare a tasting menu for the table”. If this happens, usually every other diner can be served a different course, and sharing and switching is great fun. Our starter of white gazpaccho with truffle popcorn and sweetbreads with sea urchin was a visual and gustatory delight. An imaginative trio of chestnut included chestnut soup with osetra caviar, chestnut gratin with sea scallop and chestnut and crab fritters, while the toothsome oxtail and truffle cappuccino with truffle duxelle was paired with a jalapeno brioche for contrast. Next came two marvelous seafood preparations: perfectly roasted lobster on artichoke purée with citrus salad and porcini oil, and roasted sea scallop with wonderfully accented, crunchy hazelnut crust, chanterelles, potato gnocchi and mushroom jus with hazelnut oil emulsion. Their variation of “surf-n-turf” consisted of a delectable, perfectly cooked mini-lobster atop a tender, seared filet mignon of the highest quality accented with a red wine, shallot-thyme Bordelaise sauce and accompanied by truffled mac & cheese. A very rich, but superb, slow-braised Snake River Farm Waygu beef cheek was garnished with cream of celery root, grenadine pickled onions and a juniper berry essence. A generous, enjoyable assortment of French cheeses with rustic country bread was just the right complement to finish our red wine. We are so happy to see the reappearance of a soufflé on their dessert menu; for there is nothing as satisfying as a great Grand Marnier or Chocolate soufflé to finish a fine meal, and they make outstanding preparations of each. The delightful assortment of chocolates and warm madeleines with chocolate dipping sauce at the end of the meal is another special touch. The wine service and selection is superb with something for everyone; corkage is $35.00 if you bring your own bottle. We found our 1990 Latour Chevalier Montrachet and 2000 F. Esmonin Clos Vougeot complemented the meal perfectly. Valet parking is available with a $13.00 charge.

Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    Mill Valley, Marin County

    Harmony *(14.5) !(3) $(15-40) 415-381-5300  www.harmonyrestaurantgroup.com.  800 Redwood Highway Suite 401 in the Strawberry Town and Country Shopping Center.  Daily= 11:00 AM-2:30 PM, 5:00-9:30 PM
    Clean swept contemporary lines with shellacked wooden tables and substantial wooden chairs make for a comfortable venue to bring the whole family for a fine Chinese meal, and they serve dim-sum all day long in addition to their regular menu. We found the pot stickers to be superb and the harvest spring rolls to have a nice, crispy crust. The glazed lotus pork spare ribs were a bit bland, and the shrimp gow dumplings were tasty, but the outer wrappers were overly thick. We highly recommend the crisp living-butter-lettuce-cups with minced chicken, as well as the Harmony signature beef made with certified Angus reserve meat. Order some broccolini Cantonese and plain jasmine rice to cut the richness of the beef. Desserts include a toothsome banana sesame ball and an underwhelming coconut cream roll. An appropriate though simple wine selection is available, and corkage is $15.00 if you bring your own. Our bottle of 1995 Pol Roger Brut Champagne complemented the dinner quite well. Service is professional, efficient and caring.

    Corte Madera, Marin County

    Benissimo *(14.5) !(3) $(20-45) Tel.=415-927-2316 Fax=415-927-3965.  18 Tamalpais Drive.  Dinner nightly from 4:30 PM.
    Comfortable booths and table placements afford privacy. They have a wide selection of pastas (we favor the fettuccini and penne with bolognese or carbonara sauce) as well as a delightful, thin-crusted pizza Margherita; this combination makes it a winner for our children and grandchildren. In addition, they make a decent osso bucco and a fine fettuccini with prawns in a cream sauce. They also prepare one of the best minestrone soups around, and their green salad is truly fresh. An appropriate domestic-imported wine selection is available, and corkage is $15.00 if you bring your own. Our bottle of 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Frescobaldi Castel Giacondo complemented the dinner quite well. Service is professional, efficient and caring.
 

Cuisine=*(0-20) Ambiance=!(0-5) Price=$(Simple-Full)
Approximate Price per person excluding tax, beverage + tip=$. Simple=appetizer + main course; full= best available multi-course meal.

As We Like It has been serving the gastronomically enlightened community since 1989.

    Larkspur, Marin County

    Yankee Pier *(14.5) !(2) $(20-60) 415-924-7676  www.yankeepier.com.  286 Magnolia Ave.  M-F= 11:30 AM-2:30 PM, 5:00-8:30 PM Sat.-Sun=11:30 AM-8:30 PM
    One of 4 locations serving simple preparations of fresh fish, sourced in accord with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program, this street front venue is decorated with fisherman memorabilia and seafood wall sculptures. There is a covered patio, heated in winter, with a sand pile for young children to play. An open kitchen is visible in the front of a long, narrow dining room filled with closely placed formica topped tables covered with butcher block paper. We began with a delicious bowl of New England clam chowder and a simple wedge of iceberg lettuce salad with lemon and oil dressing. Main courses include 2 side dishes of which we tasted admirable, hand cut Kennebec fries, greasy but tasty corn-polenta cakes and just okay cole slaw. Pacific snapper, beer-battered fish and chips were tasty, and the 1.5 pound boiled lobster was delightful in its simplicity. Overly rich desserts of butterscotch pudding and banana cream pie completed the dinner. An appropriate wine selection is available, and corkage is $15.00 if you bring your own. Our bottle of 2001 Grivault Meursault Perrieres 1er cru complemented the dinner quite well. Service is professional and caring. We can also recommend their SF Airport location, United Airlines terminal beyond security, as being significantly better than the usual airport terminal food.