Palo Alto – Silicon Valley does not only offer the latest technical devices but also a lot of good restaurants. In one of them we spent our New Year’s Day brunch. After a long night dedicated to a lot of bubbly stuff we needed some real food and my burger with juicy meat and freshly cut avocado was just perfect to regain energy.
They also serve great milkshakes – 5 seconds in mouth, 5 months on the hips….
http://www.paloaltocreamery.com/
San Francisco – On our first night out in San Francisco we booked a table at La Mar. First we had pisco sour – one of my favourite drinks -at the bar. The pisco was just as it has to be with the whipped egg white on top…yummy but really strong!
Then we moved to the restaurant and ordered some ceviche and other typical Peruvian food that treated our taste buds really well. The atmosphere in the restaurant is really cool and modern in a historic building at the wharf.
if you are in SF you NEED to go.
San Diego – After all the fast food we wanted to go for a posh dinner. We read about this exclusive place already at home. They serve various set menus of which we took the 6 course surprise menu.
The atmosphere is very elegant and you feel as in a historic building from the early 20ties.
The food was extraordinary delicious and service very attentive. The room is huge and as heating is not very popular in California we decided to take our dessert at the warming fireplace.
http://www.thegranddelmar.com/san-diego-dining-addison/
Santa Barbara – I got this restaurant tip from my best friend that lived in California for about 3 years. It is located behind the main street so it is not overran by all the tourists.
As a starter we had a dozen oysters from Washington as the local ones were sold out They serve really nice food platters – on one I even saw a sea urchin.
I went for the monk fish Asian style….you do not want anything else anymore 🙂 and my hubby took the sea trout which was a good choice as well.
http://thehungrycat.com/santa_barbara.html
Carmel – After a beautiful drive from San Francicso to Carmel on Highway No 1 we watched the sunset at the beach. We were still a little jetlegged and wanted to go for dinner earlier than booked. But the small restaurant was packed with people so we went to the bar around the corner.
Our table was prepared right below the pass for food so we could sneak with an eye in the kitchen. We couldn’t believe how quiet is was as there so many hungry people and just two cooks in the kitchen.
I had bruschetta with chicken liver and gorgonzola as a starter. My husband went for the gnocchis – both amazingly good.
Of course we had to try the osso bucco when it is on the menu and as well the ravioli filled with boar. It was fantastic and we had to admit, that it competes with many restaurants in Italy.
Cayucos – On our way south on highway No 1 we needed some gas and took the exit. When we looked around we realized that this little village by the sea was pretty nice and thought about lunch. There are about 3 restaurants directly at the waterfront but I wouldn’t say that Riddell’s Smokehouse is a proper restaurant as more people order their food to go. We had to wait 30 mints for a shrimp and a fish (albacore is a local fish available in season) taco….we ate it finally in the car…what produced a big mess on my husbands T-shirt and trousers….its much easier to eat a kebab….but very yummy.
Unfortunately I did not take some photos from the actual fish tacos as I was too hungry and gorged it….
Monterey – After we have visited the Aquarium with the greatest jelly fish collection we were a little hungry. After we passed Bubba Gump with a long waiting line we found the Fish Hopper with a nice terrace overlooking the ocean. The sardines, followed by filet mignon and king crab was a perfect lunch – accompanied by a nice white wine from napa valley.
Zurich – I have already written about Hiltl in an earlier post. Last week I went again for lunch….I cannot explain, but although I love meat, the vegetarian food and the cool and relaxed atmosphere is unbeaten. The former animal shop around the corner is now the vegetarian butchery attached to the Hiltl concept – how applicable!
sybillesbeenthere 