Finding tasty treats.
(click restaurant name or point of interest)
Our California Spring Trunk Shows were very successful — both as far as selling clothes and finding tasty treats. Once again, we drove from San Francisco to Los Angeles, this time on highway 101 after a brief stop in Santa Cruz.
In San Francisco several exciting new discoveries: Nopa, where Angela ate earthy sophisticated comfort food. In the Ferry Building, Boulette’s Larder has the best breakfast we have had in years. served Monday through Friday morning (check the hours). Definitely eat inside at the lovely big table with fresh flowers, great coffee, a way-too-large mug of spoonworthy cocoa, eggs, cereal etc. It is normally a take-out place, also available for private dinner parties. I can hardly wait to go back.
Two new discoveries in Chinatown coincidentally across the street from each other on Commercial St. The first is a dive called New Hong Kong Menu where I was a guest at a magnificent feast the highlights of which were a soft, greaseless steamed duck, and a plate of minced pork with salty eggs arranged on top. Across the street is a wonderful dim-sum restaurant, City View. Appetizing, clean and quick service and environment with a wide and tasty selection. In Berkeley I had another disappointing quick lunch at Olivetos. It was a skimpy roast beef sandwich, and some unremarkable cauliflower. But I had a fine dinner at Rivoli on Solano, and admired their lovely garden throughout.
Travelling with a computer is helpful — especially in the car when you can go to Chowhound or such and check out possibilities in small towns en-route. We did that for King City in the Salinas Valley, but when we peered into the best-recommended taqueria it seemed too empty, and we lost confidence. The fuller one was the wrong one — especially gringo-oriented. our mistake.
Los Angeles is always an adventure. The concierge got us an immediate reservation — a fluke– at Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton’s new Pizzeria Mozza. It was delicious (very like Otto in NYC). Noisy and tasty both. Gelato at Angelato in Santa Monica was the dessert after a yakitori dinner at Yakitoriya. Yakitoriya was recommended as an authentic place by Mr. Matsuhisa of Nobu fame. It was genuine, but quiet on Valentine’s night — thank goodness. Everything was tasty, but there were many fewer offerings than I am used to in Japan.
For a quick treat, we went to Barefoot, around the corner from the hotel for a good hamburger and good dinner salads. A fine mojito too.
As always, we went to the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market on Wednesday morning — delicious tangerines. More from New York next month.