Lincoln room- SD

A surprising renovation project has transformed what use to be confidential into a new place called the Lincoln Room.

Confidential was a fantastic place, modern interior was some of the best tasty bites.. The steak lollipops with gorgonzola cheese and port reduction were to die for, or the Vietnamese scallops with Ginger jasmine rice, the stuffed dates, or the deconstructed pizza with roasted garlic bulbs that would make your date run far far away...and let's not forget the orchid martini's and the retro spy-ware of the staff.. Well those days are gone...

The Lincoln Room is a bit of a conundrum. With the same owners and same chef, remnants of confidential's food is on the menu, but a twist in that there are a lot more comfort foods.. Burgers, mac n'cheese, some double fried options as well.




The interior is decorated like a wood log cabin.. Log panelling everywhere, hung lanterns and even a penny covered bar top.. It's sort if like a modernized dice bar with new upholstery gone wrong. That homey dive appeal with the cabin look was a bit of an energy drainer..

Across the street there was Katsu sushi. Ok if you are starving but a 3 star in terms of sushi options and quality. It reminded me of those airport sushi places one gets stuck at on international flights. Actually, the sushi spot in SFO was better.

Sake is half off during happy hr, cold or hot:



The jalepeño roll had a dollop of spicy mayo sauce, tuna sliced and Shrimp:



Sushi quality was not something to rave about, but kept the hunger beasts a bay for the duration of the performance..


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Bertrand Mister A's SD

French inspired California cuisine, Mister A's perched atop the 5th ave financial building in Bankers Hill, has a fantastic selection of tasty bites with city wide views.

As the elevators whisk you up to the 12th floor, you enter a welcoming rook with attentive and smiling folks, adorned with timeless flower pieces (they were plastic!).

Fortunately, the dining experience and all glass wall views more than compensated. With formal dining areas seated at various angles to take advantage of the city wide views, a low lit interior wrapped in colors of mushroom, beige and light suede set a comfortable and intimate interior for a casual dinner, a working dinner or a lively conversational dinner where your space shields you from neighboring table conversations.

The starter selections included from gras to tuna sashimi. The multicolored beet salad with horseradish started the evening:


Fresh and tasty with a splash of a spice enhanced vinaigrette, the goat cheese and purple red beets was fantastic.

The special of the day, sole stuffed with baby spinach was light, lemony and plain fabulous:


With a side order of sautéed forest mushrooms for a little smoky earthiness..


Went perfect with the Decoy cab, curranty and medium complexed. Ideal for lamb, but great with fish, the traditional pairing rules are out the door when the palette overrides :)

Dessert brought out the pear tartine, layered cooked pears. With a topping of hazelnut ice cream.. Great balance of sweet.


For a calming setting, flavorful and carefully prepared food, Mister A's can definately satisfy.

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Cucina Urbana SD

A modern Italian influenced kitchen with a fantastic energy and vibe, Cucina Urbana has transformed what used to the old Laurel place.

With a multi modular interior, you can dine in the open seated area, take a chair on communal tables, park yourself at the hotel inspired bar, cozy on up to the fire from the pizza oven bar station, nestle into a glass alcove looking onto the street or have a family style 16 person table in the wine vault dining area! The selection of spaces in this open configured environment is fantastic.

The food is just as appealing and flavorful. Start off with one of the appetizer jars.. Hummous, smoked trout, or the olives (which have now been removed :(




Smoked trout pate style with fresh baguette bread or multigrain toast..

The burrata with garlic and olive oil, fabulous... Even if your date doesn't tell you so!


Pomegranate martini's with blood oranges and citrus cucumber cocktails are a refreshing way to put the day behind!






The mediterranean mussels with olives an pickled red peppers were phenomenal.. Whole dish baked with juicy garlic infused white wine... Delicious:


The goat and beet salad with yellow and red beets was also fantastic:


The jodori chicken: roasted tender chicken served with white asparagus, potatoes and a poached egg!


Great food, lots of energy and ambience that is more needed in the area!

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Bandar - Persian SD

Bandar is a modern persian restaurant located in the gaslamp area across from the Balboa theatre offering a variety of Persian dishes. Having visited in the past years, one characteristic hallmark of the place was oversized portions. A group of 2-3 can easily accommodate a plate.

Offering a variety of kebabs and lamb specialties, good food memories were recalled when we entered the place.

However, there has been some slight changes since the last visit. Not sure if it was the time of day or the phase in the moon, but the service was a bit off. Additionally, the pita bread accompanying the dishes was cold and a bit stale... Which was a surprise since that was not always the case.

For appetizers, the eggplant was roasted and shredded with olive oil.. Nice little mezze to get started:


The olives served were interestingly Greek olives:


Oversized salads, fresh and green with a light lemon vinaigrette was great:


The chicken kebab with rice was a collection of large marinaded chicken balls cooked on a rotisserie... Fantastic:


The lamb addition pictured was spicy and tasty and also meant for a team to tackle.

The black cherry chicken dish was a little different than what was expected. Having had cherry baked lamb and cherry dishes in the middle east, reminders of the potent combination of cherry and cinnamon were flavors that the palette was craving... Instead, the dish was exactly as above but with black cherries thrown on the rice:


The chicken and cherry combo was defiantly tasty, but it seemed several notches from what you would get served if you went to a Persian restaurant abroad.

Becoming a bit americanized, in the ethnic front a star has to be re-earned. Still, charbroiled meats and oversized dishes make it a great spot for a bite.

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Terra it up SD

2011 is off to a great rebound. Having hit rock bottom in terms of a recession, the restaurant industry has only upward to go... Well we hope at least. With SD restaurant week next week, new tastings are bound to scheduled.

Revisiting some of the hoods places, Terra is one of those restaurants reviewed several times. Great food selection, casual locale and has set a very attractive price point.

Take for example the $3 bottomless mimosas:


It's not Krug or Cristal but for 3 bucks, some post spin class pain can easily subside. And they don't ignore you.. One can even be accused of being overserved!

New on the menu was the duck burrito scramble. Pieces of roasted duck mixed with eggs and cheddar cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla. With a little cholula, the duck scramble was fantastic:


Presentation did not speak for the how well the duck and eggs went together.

The California omelet with avocado, farmers market veggies was also delightful:


Home fries and all, brunch can be an inexpensive and enjoyable event. Local Uptown discount even makes it a sweeter deal :)

- Posted from my iPhone

Golf resorts in Humacoa, Puerto Rico

For the golf fanatics, a new resort area has sprung up in Puerto rico. Home of the PGA sponsored establishments on the north coast, Trump's own and the Bahia St Regis course, PR is home to many golf resorts. Some even with casinos, residential town homes and entire communities.



One such establishment is the Palma del mars community. With a marina, beach, golf and tennis club, the place is definitely catering to the well off.

As to the food, let's get our priorities straight after all! The eastern shore of PR has very limiting satisfying options. its sizzler or something fried. The Four Points Sheraton, surprisingly has some options.

Take for example the chimichurri steak with a tamarind sauce, cooked on the burner to a crispy charred outside and tender medium rare inside:



The calamari order is your classic double battered deep fried calamari rings with full strength tartar sauce and marina sauce:


The chicken is wrapped in bacon and stuffed with plantains, served with a lemon risotto and upon request, some vegetables:






For dessert, cheesecake lovers can have their cake and eat it to, or for the apple tart in you, a layered apple tart with vanilla ice cream is an option:


The only options within a 50 miles radius will be your fast food joints or deeply doubled fried things. The Palmas del mar four points has a variety of options that should quell you over for the day. Just watch out for the iguana friends, that have terrorized the property and jump out of unexacting trees!


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Location:Harbour Dr,Humacao,Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico - East Coast

After a fantastic time exploring and eating at all the fabulous restaurants in Old san Juan, as well as a gorgeous time on Vieques where the W served up some globally inspired dishes, the eastern coast of Puerto Rico has great golf courses, some dive destinations but absolutely no good food!

Seriously, driving up and down the coast to get from the beach to the ferry, the small towns are littered with fast food joints, American style steakhouse or some sub-par version of pollo loco that is almost embarrassing. Processed foods, canned goods from the states and bland tasteless options everywhere. Even Yelp, 4square, YPages, google, frommers, fodor's, opentable, Where, LocalEats, Urbanspoon, did not find edible food. Foodspotting came to the rescue with some visuals from the northeastern Gran melia hotel... Or word of the newly opened St Regis in Bahia (northern shore) may be worth the trip out.

Classic examples of American fast food corporatism spreading it's dietary influence is prevalent in puerto rico's Eastern, central and western area where Pharma manufacturing plants and developer dominated mega shopping centers rule amongst the spreckled residential pockets.

For example, the all u can eat Sizzler equivalent Bonanza was a horse's trough of all the unhealthy fried fritters, dried out rice, and even the side fish was overcooked and unimpressive:





The mofongo has to be the islands worst... Dried out and bland.. It was only $1 so returning it was not an option:






Breakfast items are even less impressive in the eastern shore. It's all imported from the states so of it's not packaged, microwaveable or dehydrated, can't expect much..

Iowa farm fresh eggs with Texan Con Agra tortillas:





Not even la Victoria salsa served with it brought it flavors...
And cholula was not even heard of!

Hope was sought off of the little streets for some local fare, a taco truck or a gorditas truck... Surprisingly no Mexican-ish foods to be found... Then a sighting of a local taco place:






Only to have fried meat under a heat lamp that looked about 2 days old! Oh my, we jumped back into the car faster than you can say hot tamale!

Chili's surprisingly was the only place that offered fresh lettuce and real vegetables! To imagine...

Grilled Shrimp ceasar came with a bucket of dressing to the side, but at least the romaine was freshly imported:





The grilled chicken with rice and steamed veggies was not half bad!





Of all the places, almost been 20 yrs since stepped into one (well except that one time serving on a Pharma contract to a visit an Indianapolis corporate HQ where an applebee's was the only option... Lol)..

Once off Vieques or out of Old San Juan, if you are not in one of the golf resorts, a foodie may have a challenging time...

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Local cheeses- PR

The local cheeses of some neighborhoods are a fascinating discovery. Humboldt fog up in northern cali is a must have cheese. Or the Pave d'affinois in the northern French Brittany area is also another fanatastic triple creme baby. Cowgirl, gorgonzola, pecorino, Romano, Camembert, Iberico and manchego are also favorites that go well with a bottle of red.

Puerto Rico also has it's own cheeses. Being more reminiscent of a cows milk firmer cheese, texture like monterrey, with a light flavor of Mexican oaxaca, a light firm cheese that is served with herbs and picadillo, a red pepper spread:




- Posted from my iPhone

Surf and turf- PR style

The classic combination of land and sea has usually Consists of a steak and lobster combo. That is until sizzler reinvented it with popcorn shrimp. Lol..

New variations have emerged. Such as the tongue an cheek baby cow cheek and scallop dish, or the lobster tail with filet mignion or the tenderloin skirt steak wrapped scallops.

Beef tenderloin with carribean lobster was the local combination:


With succulent and tender carribean lobster, slightly different than it's cold water lobster cousin.. The meaty beef almost overpowered the turd war. Delicious despite the draw, hints of garlic, fennel and salt made it a great tasting opportunity

Even better with a Mendoza Cabernet, bold ruby red with a subtle cedar spice and fruity aroma..


The grilled veggies were not to be left out.. Crisp asparagus with char lines and all (love it when they are perfectly charred), red onions and baby Italian squash, drizzled with a lemon thyme dressing... Delicious



- Posted from my iPhone

W ocean front Vieques puerto Rico

The living room, an open seated lounge concept with walls to the ocean and wind invite you into a club chairs, wooden stumps and playful cushions to sit in.

Bites to eat include the basic bar varieties plus stronger dishes from Mix.



Craving for some fresh vegetables, a lemony vinaigrette salad was prepared:



Carrots, romaine and tomato rejoiced with lemon.

The chicken forlenza, all white meat cooked in juices an baked to skin crisp perfection.. Was deliciously paired with capers and tomato stew:



With some roasted veggies, asparagus and squash with a slight goat cheese was exquisite:



The paws were digging right in:



The Ducasse apple cookpot was fantastic. Layers of thinly sliced apples cooked with a touch of gran marnier and topped with a vanilla and lemon biscotti scoop:



Some California comfort 4000 miles away...

- Posted from my iPhone

Mix- W @ Vieques

NYE celebration are abound. Nothing short at the W on Vieques where top party hats, lighted glowsticks and evening cheer was being spread around in anticipation of the beginning of 2011.

With the ocean backdrop, candle lit sitting areas, pit fires and a tropical breeze, the relaxed yet energetic vibe was perfect for saying goodbye to 2010 and hello to 2011.



Alain Ducasse, a 3 Michelin star holder for restaurants in france and NY, was brought in to reding the menu for the new Mix at the W on Vieques.

Starters included an amuse busch of smoked salmon and tobiko caviar and a light cucumber cream foam:



Cakes of crab, shredded crab with citrus, tomatoe were a invigorating refresher:


Seared foie gras with truffle sauce and elote was specific for tonights menu:


Maine lobster bites and scallop in a light blanc beurre were subtle and hearty:


For the main course, beef tenderloin cooked with roasted tomatoes and chanterelle mushrooms... Fabulous:


A pairs white and dark chocolate succinctly brought the desserts for 2010 to a close:


With a Catena bottle of Malbec, illuminating greetings and flicking light of several candles, the flavors came together with every clink of a toast!