Wolfgang Puck’s LA Bistro
30990 Russell Ranch Road,
Westlake Village, CA, 91362.
Phone: (818) 597-1902
Web: http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/bistro/
Here I am back in California again for two nights and one day on personnel issues. But at least it gives me a chance to try out another of the restaurants in the area and this time it is a late evening stop at Wolfgang Puck’s. Mr. Puck has taken his culinary expertise and morphed his image and his reputation into an mini-empire that now contains more than 90 restaurants. His newest concept is “the Bistro” an entrepreneurs franchising opportunity to cash in on the Wolfgang Puck name, with an investment of say, $2.5 million.
There are four Bistro’s around the country, three in California and one in
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
CA, Thousand Oaks, The Wine Yard
In a converted Taco Bell next to the Civic Arts Center in Thousand Oaks, young professionals gather at a wine bar to sip the nectar of the Gods and wax lyrical about the tribulations of the drive home from nearby Los Angeles, or the latest game of the Lakers, or plans for the house party this weekend at the Jackson’s.
One man, of age with many of the men In the bar but much older than most of the ladies, sits on a bar stool in the corner by the door and watches the well-dressed patrons sip wine and talk animatedly. The noise level is high, and all conversations blend together as they rise from the bar and the small tables so it is difficult to pick out sentences from the individual words and phrases that fly around the room.
http://www.wineyardinc.com/
One man, of age with many of the men In the bar but much older than most of the ladies, sits on a bar stool in the corner by the door and watches the well-dressed patrons sip wine and talk animatedly. The noise level is high, and all conversations blend together as they rise from the bar and the small tables so it is difficult to pick out sentences from the individual words and phrases that fly around the room.
http://www.wineyardinc.com/
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Firestone Vineyard, Los Olivios, CA
Approximately 40 miles north west of Santa Barbara on Highway 101 or via the more direct route of Highway 154 is the Santa Ynez grape growing region. There are a dozen or so wineries in the area and wine tours are offered by several operators in Santa Barbara, but on this trip we elected what is arguably the most famous winery in the region – The Firestone Winery and Vineyard.
The drive to or from the winery is through beautiful country on either road. Highway 101 is the Pacific Coast Highway and for almost two thirds of the drive the road hugs the coast with spectacular views of the ocean and beaches. At Gaviota highway 101 turns sharply north and winds through pretty mountain scenery. The drive down highway 154 winds through mountain passes and across valley floors, reminding Patricia of the scenery around her home town in Cali, Colombia. We drove to the winery on Highway 154.
The Firestone family did an excellent job of building a winery that architecturally fits with the surroundings. The Firestone family (of Firestone tire fame) no longer owns the winery having sold it to a title company magnate a couple of years ago, but there are still many pictures of the Firestones in the tasting room and small museum.As with many wineries tasting is no longer free. At Firestone, for a $15 charge you get to taste three white and four red wines and keep the large engraved wine glass. My palate is not good enough to discern the nuances of blackberry and apples and tannins in the wine that the tasting notes described, but we agreed we liked the Sauvignon Blanc white and the Cabernet Sauvignon red and bought a bottle of each to bring back to Houston.
Since there was little going on at the winery because of the season, the winery tour was short and succinct, but still quite interesting. The tour guide was knowledgeable and personable and gave out lots of facts that kept the tour interesting.
We drove back to Santa Barbara on Highway 101 with a stop at the Firestone Walker brew-pub and restaurant.
CA, Buellton, Firestone Walker Taproom and Restaurant
Just off Highway 101 in the little town of Buellton is the Firestone Walker Brewing Company tap room and restaurant. Unfortunately we arrived in mid afternoon having spent an hour or two at the Firestone Winery only to find the restaurant was closed, (regular opening hours are 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm weekdays, extended to 9:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays) but they were serving meals in the bar so we stayed. I sampled a flight of beers, four small (4 oz?) glasses of beer, that were all excellent.
· Pale 31 is aromatic California pale ale, the body was a little light for my taste.
· DBA (Double Barrel Ale) is a barrel fermented British pale ale, a little heavier with a nice flavor
· Union Jack India Pale Ale was excellent, nice taste and smell of the hops and god full body
· Walkers Reserve is a darker, chocolate malt porter, a little chewy
It was a delight to find a pub serving a ploughman’s lunch, cheese and cold meats with pickles and French bread, so we tried one of these and a bowl of chili. Both were very good, though raw onion substituted for the pickles in the ploughman’s. The chili was flavorful and filling. It was worth stopping to sample the beers, I would like to go back and eat in the restaurant and try one of the specialty ales they also serve.
The bill was reasonable, $26.00 including tip and we received a free pint glass as part of the cost of the beer sampler.
http://www.firestonewalker.com/index.php?s=in_search_of_pale&c=taproom_restaurant
· Pale 31 is aromatic California pale ale, the body was a little light for my taste.
· DBA (Double Barrel Ale) is a barrel fermented British pale ale, a little heavier with a nice flavor
· Union Jack India Pale Ale was excellent, nice taste and smell of the hops and god full body
· Walkers Reserve is a darker, chocolate malt porter, a little chewy
It was a delight to find a pub serving a ploughman’s lunch, cheese and cold meats with pickles and French bread, so we tried one of these and a bowl of chili. Both were very good, though raw onion substituted for the pickles in the ploughman’s. The chili was flavorful and filling. It was worth stopping to sample the beers, I would like to go back and eat in the restaurant and try one of the specialty ales they also serve.
The bill was reasonable, $26.00 including tip and we received a free pint glass as part of the cost of the beer sampler.
http://www.firestonewalker.com/index.php?s=in_search_of_pale&c=taproom_restaurant
Thursday, December 11, 2008
CA, Simi Valley, Pho So 1
Pho So 1
2837 Cochran Street, Ste E, Simi Valley, CA 93065 phone:( 805) 306-1868
Just off the Ronald Reagan Freeway at the eastern end of Simi Valley is a Vietnamese restaurant serving excellent bowls of noodles. I have not eaten a lot of Vietnamese food before, in fact my only experience was from a lunchtime eatery on the edge of Market Square in Houston. A place I’d visited two or three times before it closed.
Pho So 1 is bright and clean and airy. A fairly large place in the corner of a strip center. We arrived at 12;30 pm and were seated straight away and within five minutes orders had been placed and water delivered to the table. I relied on my companion diner to order and ended up with a large bowl of soft noodles, with rare sliced beef, flank steak and tripe. She had a small bowl of soft noodles with prawns which looked much better. We also had two side plates one of crispy noodles and sprigs of mint and the second with egg rolls stuffed with meat and vegetables.
The noodles and broth were excellent, the lean beef was very good but the fatty flank steak and tripe were not to my liking. The crispy noodles were also good when added to the broth. The egg rolls were thick and packed full of indeterminate filling, but the taste was OK, especially when dipped in sweet sauce.
I need to return to the restaurant to check out other items on the menu. I think if I studied the menu a little more and chose more wisely, then I would enjoy the broth fillings a little more.
The meal was good value. $22.15 for two including a 15% tip.
2837 Cochran Street, Ste E, Simi Valley, CA 93065 phone:( 805) 306-1868
Just off the Ronald Reagan Freeway at the eastern end of Simi Valley is a Vietnamese restaurant serving excellent bowls of noodles. I have not eaten a lot of Vietnamese food before, in fact my only experience was from a lunchtime eatery on the edge of Market Square in Houston. A place I’d visited two or three times before it closed.
Pho So 1 is bright and clean and airy. A fairly large place in the corner of a strip center. We arrived at 12;30 pm and were seated straight away and within five minutes orders had been placed and water delivered to the table. I relied on my companion diner to order and ended up with a large bowl of soft noodles, with rare sliced beef, flank steak and tripe. She had a small bowl of soft noodles with prawns which looked much better. We also had two side plates one of crispy noodles and sprigs of mint and the second with egg rolls stuffed with meat and vegetables.
The noodles and broth were excellent, the lean beef was very good but the fatty flank steak and tripe were not to my liking. The crispy noodles were also good when added to the broth. The egg rolls were thick and packed full of indeterminate filling, but the taste was OK, especially when dipped in sweet sauce.
I need to return to the restaurant to check out other items on the menu. I think if I studied the menu a little more and chose more wisely, then I would enjoy the broth fillings a little more.
The meal was good value. $22.15 for two including a 15% tip.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
CA, Thousand Oaks, Galletto Bar and Grill
Galletto Bar and Grill
982 Westlake Boulevard, Westlake Village, CA 91361 Tel. 805.449.4300
http://gallettobarandgrill.com/
There are a number of restaurants in the shopping center across the road from the Hyatt Hotel in Thousand Oaks. We chose to eat at Galletto Bar and Grill since none of us had eaten there before and the signs outside advertised the restaurants inclusion in the Zagat restaurant guide.
The signs outside promoted the Brazilian and Italian mix of offerings on the menu.
Unfortunately our experience wit the restaurant started off poorly and went downhill from there.
The sign just inside the door asked us to please wait to be seated and wait we did. And wait and wait. Eventually a lady appeared and we requested a seat on the patio outside. She said sure and disappeared for an interminable amount of time. When she returned she said there had been a mix up and there were no longer any tables outside, so we chose a table at the back of the restaurant next to the wine racks. The five tables between us and the bar were vacant an remained that way all evening as new parons came in and were seated outside.
The menu is very difficult to read, the type is small and many dishes are crammed onto each page. In the end I decided to play it safe and ordered stuffed pasta with a cream sauce. My companion, being somewhat more adventurous ordered Osso Bucco. I was in the mood for a light wine with character and ordered a California Gewürztraminer. It took some time for the waitress to return and tell us they were out of Gewurztraminer and offer us a bottle of Orvietto instead. “It’s $2 cheaper” she said. Then she told us the Osso Bucco was not available this evening.
When it arrived my pasta was excellent perhaps because it was smothered in a delicious cream sauce, but the service did not improve and there appears to be no reason why we would ever return to this restaurant
982 Westlake Boulevard, Westlake Village, CA 91361 Tel. 805.449.4300
http://gallettobarandgrill.com/
There are a number of restaurants in the shopping center across the road from the Hyatt Hotel in Thousand Oaks. We chose to eat at Galletto Bar and Grill since none of us had eaten there before and the signs outside advertised the restaurants inclusion in the Zagat restaurant guide.
The signs outside promoted the Brazilian and Italian mix of offerings on the menu.
Unfortunately our experience wit the restaurant started off poorly and went downhill from there.
The sign just inside the door asked us to please wait to be seated and wait we did. And wait and wait. Eventually a lady appeared and we requested a seat on the patio outside. She said sure and disappeared for an interminable amount of time. When she returned she said there had been a mix up and there were no longer any tables outside, so we chose a table at the back of the restaurant next to the wine racks. The five tables between us and the bar were vacant an remained that way all evening as new parons came in and were seated outside.
The menu is very difficult to read, the type is small and many dishes are crammed onto each page. In the end I decided to play it safe and ordered stuffed pasta with a cream sauce. My companion, being somewhat more adventurous ordered Osso Bucco. I was in the mood for a light wine with character and ordered a California Gewürztraminer. It took some time for the waitress to return and tell us they were out of Gewurztraminer and offer us a bottle of Orvietto instead. “It’s $2 cheaper” she said. Then she told us the Osso Bucco was not available this evening.
When it arrived my pasta was excellent perhaps because it was smothered in a delicious cream sauce, but the service did not improve and there appears to be no reason why we would ever return to this restaurant
Sunday, December 7, 2008
CA, Moorpark, Cafe Firenze
Café Firenze
Italian Restaurant and Martini Lounge
563 West Los Angeles Avenue, Moorpark, CA 93021
http://www.cafefirenze.net/home.cfm
On the western edge of town, next to the three screen cinema and just before a subdivision that marks the end of the commercial district is a strip shopping center containing the recently opened Café Firenze. The restaurant previously in this location has been completely renovated and there is now a large bar area with lots of wood and a very well appointed dining area with dark oak tables and chairs and lots of red satin.
There are also four tables on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant overlooking the parking lot but, best of all, the restaurant has opened the patio at the back. It is a delightful place to sit and enjoy lunch or dinner, though the patio chairs could have been made a little more comfortable by the addition of cushions.
We were a party of six for lunch and enjoyed a selection of appetizers and main courses. The general consensus was that the food was good but not yet excellent and the service was adequate.
My meal, the Caprese – mozzarella cheese wedges, buffalo tomatoes and mixed greens, mostly spinach, was OK, but could have been improved with a little more zest in the dressing.
I will go back to the restaurant to try some further dishes on their menu and partake of their lovely patio, if only because I have not yet discovered other choices for eating with flair in Moorpark.
Italian Restaurant and Martini Lounge
563 West Los Angeles Avenue, Moorpark, CA 93021
http://www.cafefirenze.net/home.cfm
On the western edge of town, next to the three screen cinema and just before a subdivision that marks the end of the commercial district is a strip shopping center containing the recently opened Café Firenze. The restaurant previously in this location has been completely renovated and there is now a large bar area with lots of wood and a very well appointed dining area with dark oak tables and chairs and lots of red satin.
There are also four tables on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant overlooking the parking lot but, best of all, the restaurant has opened the patio at the back. It is a delightful place to sit and enjoy lunch or dinner, though the patio chairs could have been made a little more comfortable by the addition of cushions.
We were a party of six for lunch and enjoyed a selection of appetizers and main courses. The general consensus was that the food was good but not yet excellent and the service was adequate.
My meal, the Caprese – mozzarella cheese wedges, buffalo tomatoes and mixed greens, mostly spinach, was OK, but could have been improved with a little more zest in the dressing.
I will go back to the restaurant to try some further dishes on their menu and partake of their lovely patio, if only because I have not yet discovered other choices for eating with flair in Moorpark.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
TX, San Antonio, Azuca Nuevo Latino
713 South Alamo, San Antonio, TX 78205.
We ended up here because I asked the proprietor of art gallery / store where I could get a good cup of coffee. He sent us on a walk for two or three blocks south of downtown to this restaurant - bar on the edge of Southtown. We sat in the sun in the courtyard behind the restaurant and enjoyed a cold Negra Modelo and a cup of coffee, but after looking at the menu and perusing the web site this is definitely a place we will return to. The coffee was good for $1.70 with free refills. total bill for two beers and a coffeee was $12.00 including tip
http://www.azuca.net/welcome.asp.htm
We ended up here because I asked the proprietor of art gallery / store where I could get a good cup of coffee. He sent us on a walk for two or three blocks south of downtown to this restaurant - bar on the edge of Southtown. We sat in the sun in the courtyard behind the restaurant and enjoyed a cold Negra Modelo and a cup of coffee, but after looking at the menu and perusing the web site this is definitely a place we will return to. The coffee was good for $1.70 with free refills. total bill for two beers and a coffeee was $12.00 including tip
http://www.azuca.net/welcome.asp.htm
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
TX, San Antonio, Casa Rio Mexican Foods
Casa Rio has been in business for more than 50 years on the San Antonio river walk, down the steps at the corner of Commerce street and Alamo Street next to the big red steel statue.
http://www.casa-rio.com/map.htm
The place is popular at lunchtime when its not raining, there are plenty of tables on the riverwalk but you may have to wait a little while for a table to become vacant. We drank a couple of Alamo Ales while perusing the menu. Alamo Ale is made by Real Ale Brewing Co, I suspect it is Firemans #4 Blonde Ale with a label made just for sale in San Antonio. In any case the beer was refreshing in the autumn warmth and made a nice contrast with the spiciness from the salsa that came with the tortilla chips.
We ate a "regular plate" of Cheese Enchilada, Tamale, Chili Con Carne, Mexican Rice, and Refried Beans and a "soft taco plate" with two Chicken Soft Tacos topped with Sauce, Mexican Rice, and Refried Beans. The lunch was tasty and filling, the service was OK and the strolling Mexican musicians asked before they played. All together good value for $26 inc tip.
http://www.casa-rio.com/map.htm
The place is popular at lunchtime when its not raining, there are plenty of tables on the riverwalk but you may have to wait a little while for a table to become vacant. We drank a couple of Alamo Ales while perusing the menu. Alamo Ale is made by Real Ale Brewing Co, I suspect it is Firemans #4 Blonde Ale with a label made just for sale in San Antonio. In any case the beer was refreshing in the autumn warmth and made a nice contrast with the spiciness from the salsa that came with the tortilla chips.
We ate a "regular plate" of Cheese Enchilada, Tamale, Chili Con Carne, Mexican Rice, and Refried Beans and a "soft taco plate" with two Chicken Soft Tacos topped with Sauce, Mexican Rice, and Refried Beans. The lunch was tasty and filling, the service was OK and the strolling Mexican musicians asked before they played. All together good value for $26 inc tip.
Monday, November 3, 2008
CA, Thousand Oaks, Holdren's Steak and Seafood
Holdren’s Steak and Seafood
1714 Newbury Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 phone (805)498-1314
On the far west end of Thousand Oaks is the suburb of Newbury Park. North of the freeway is an expensive gated community and a shopping center anchored by a Ralph’s supermarket. South of 101 is Newbury Road running parallel to the freeway past La Quinta, Motel 6, Courtyard by Marriott and Town Place Suites by Marriott hotels, an In and Out Burger, a Chili’s and a strip center in front of the Town Place Suites containing Holdren’s Steaks and Seafood Restaurant.
But for all it’s innocuous location, the restaurant does an excellent job. While waiting for my colleague to arrive I sat in the red room and enjoyed a split of Freixenet. The Red Room is a separate dining room off the main dining area. In ended up we were the only guests in that room which had tables set for 20 patrons.
After my friend arrived and had settled down with a vodka martini we shared a grilled Castroville artichoke served with dipping sauces of garlic butter and creamy ranch with rosemary. The artichoke was cooked a little too long and had lost the slight crispness that I like, but this may just have been my preference for lightly cooked vegetables.
For a main course I tried the rosemary bleu cheese sirloin. This was an 8 oz sirloin topped with a rosemary and blue cheese reduction. We were offered a soup or salad and a choice of vegetables. I passed on the soup and salad and ordered twice-baked potatoes with my steak. I like my steaks cooked medium with a little pink in the center and this was perfect. The potatoes were tasty and I cleared my plate. My friend tried the scallops with twice-baked potatoes and pronounced them excellent.
We washed the meal down with a bottle of Frog’s Leap Zinfandel that was mellow and round and full of character and ended our repast with a glass of Warre’s port and a cup of cappuccino.
An excellent meal with excellent service. The total bill was $230 but only $80 of the bill was for food and I make no apologies for tipping 20% for excellent, attentive but unobtrusive service.
1714 Newbury Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 phone (805)498-1314
On the far west end of Thousand Oaks is the suburb of Newbury Park. North of the freeway is an expensive gated community and a shopping center anchored by a Ralph’s supermarket. South of 101 is Newbury Road running parallel to the freeway past La Quinta, Motel 6, Courtyard by Marriott and Town Place Suites by Marriott hotels, an In and Out Burger, a Chili’s and a strip center in front of the Town Place Suites containing Holdren’s Steaks and Seafood Restaurant.
But for all it’s innocuous location, the restaurant does an excellent job. While waiting for my colleague to arrive I sat in the red room and enjoyed a split of Freixenet. The Red Room is a separate dining room off the main dining area. In ended up we were the only guests in that room which had tables set for 20 patrons.
After my friend arrived and had settled down with a vodka martini we shared a grilled Castroville artichoke served with dipping sauces of garlic butter and creamy ranch with rosemary. The artichoke was cooked a little too long and had lost the slight crispness that I like, but this may just have been my preference for lightly cooked vegetables.
For a main course I tried the rosemary bleu cheese sirloin. This was an 8 oz sirloin topped with a rosemary and blue cheese reduction. We were offered a soup or salad and a choice of vegetables. I passed on the soup and salad and ordered twice-baked potatoes with my steak. I like my steaks cooked medium with a little pink in the center and this was perfect. The potatoes were tasty and I cleared my plate. My friend tried the scallops with twice-baked potatoes and pronounced them excellent.
We washed the meal down with a bottle of Frog’s Leap Zinfandel that was mellow and round and full of character and ended our repast with a glass of Warre’s port and a cup of cappuccino.
An excellent meal with excellent service. The total bill was $230 but only $80 of the bill was for food and I make no apologies for tipping 20% for excellent, attentive but unobtrusive service.
Friday, October 17, 2008
TX, Houston, Vargo’s
TX, Houston, Vargo’s, 2401 Fondren, 77063 (713) 782-3888 http://vargosonline.com
Vargo’s is an amazing restaurant on Fondren just north of Westheimer in West Houston. The house and grounds are meticulously maintained and provide an extravagant background to an excellent meal. It was dark by the time we arrived for dinner, so we were unable to see the full extent of the grounds, but we were able to stand on the balcony and look out over the lake and watch two swans serenely gliding across the water. The restaurant provides valet parking, but self-parking is still an option in the large on-site parking area near the front entrance to the building.
The restaurant promotes itself as the ideal place to hold a wedding and a birthday party or a company dinner – any event that requires catering in elegant surrounding. On the night we dined there were two events taking place in other parts of the restaurant, a large private party that may have been a wedding rehearsal in the dining room by the lake and a buffet for a large gathering of Sikh families (at least that was my guess from the turbans many of the men were wearing)
We went a small private birthday celebration and enjoyed an excellent dinner with unobtrusive but mostly efficient service. Our reservation was handled promptly. But was probably not necessary on this evening. In the dining area where we were seated there were only three other tables – out of eight or so - occupied and there was plenty of room between the tables so we could talk and laugh without disturbing or being disturbed by other diners.
We passed on appetizers, preferring instead to share a Caesar Salad and concentrate on the main course. Both main courses were excellent. The Pecan Crusted Red Snapper was light and delicate and served off the bone with a medley of mixed vegetables and a basil lemon butter sauce on the side. Vargo’s Elegant Stuffed Chicken is a chicken breast stuffed with sautéed garlic, mushrooms, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes and topped with rosemary sauce, also served with a medley of mixed vegetables. My friend judged it to be excellent.
We shared a bottle of Estate bottled Vouvray from the Loire valley. A light easy to drink wine made from Chenin Blanc grapes. Vouvray is not a complicated wine. It is normally drunk within a couple of years of bottling and this wine had a hint of sweetness and nice hint of apples and pears, perhaps the best description is fruity. The wine brought back a flood of memories of evenings spent in the Pontefract Castle wine bar off Wigmore Street in the west end of London, sipping on Vouvray after work in the early 1970’s.
An excellent dinner that cost $112.00 including a 20% tip plus $5.00 for the valet parking attendant.
Vargo’s is an amazing restaurant on Fondren just north of Westheimer in West Houston. The house and grounds are meticulously maintained and provide an extravagant background to an excellent meal. It was dark by the time we arrived for dinner, so we were unable to see the full extent of the grounds, but we were able to stand on the balcony and look out over the lake and watch two swans serenely gliding across the water. The restaurant provides valet parking, but self-parking is still an option in the large on-site parking area near the front entrance to the building.
The restaurant promotes itself as the ideal place to hold a wedding and a birthday party or a company dinner – any event that requires catering in elegant surrounding. On the night we dined there were two events taking place in other parts of the restaurant, a large private party that may have been a wedding rehearsal in the dining room by the lake and a buffet for a large gathering of Sikh families (at least that was my guess from the turbans many of the men were wearing)
We went a small private birthday celebration and enjoyed an excellent dinner with unobtrusive but mostly efficient service. Our reservation was handled promptly. But was probably not necessary on this evening. In the dining area where we were seated there were only three other tables – out of eight or so - occupied and there was plenty of room between the tables so we could talk and laugh without disturbing or being disturbed by other diners.
We passed on appetizers, preferring instead to share a Caesar Salad and concentrate on the main course. Both main courses were excellent. The Pecan Crusted Red Snapper was light and delicate and served off the bone with a medley of mixed vegetables and a basil lemon butter sauce on the side. Vargo’s Elegant Stuffed Chicken is a chicken breast stuffed with sautéed garlic, mushrooms, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes and topped with rosemary sauce, also served with a medley of mixed vegetables. My friend judged it to be excellent.
We shared a bottle of Estate bottled Vouvray from the Loire valley. A light easy to drink wine made from Chenin Blanc grapes. Vouvray is not a complicated wine. It is normally drunk within a couple of years of bottling and this wine had a hint of sweetness and nice hint of apples and pears, perhaps the best description is fruity. The wine brought back a flood of memories of evenings spent in the Pontefract Castle wine bar off Wigmore Street in the west end of London, sipping on Vouvray after work in the early 1970’s.
An excellent dinner that cost $112.00 including a 20% tip plus $5.00 for the valet parking attendant.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
TX, Houston, Luigi's Pizzeria
TX, Houston, Luigi’s Pizzeria, 3700 Almeda Road, 77004 (281)793-3333
Each week Houston Press sends me an email called Café Bites where they mention one or two new cafes that have opened in our fair city. This week they mentioned a new pizza place that they said is “churning out some of the best pizza the city has to offer” and ever hopeful that I can find a rival to Star Pizza I sent a text to my friend and we headed for Luigi’s Pizza.
The restaurant is a free standing building on the corner of Almeda Road and Windbern Street in the third ward. This is where Crawford Street coming from downtown takes a slight jog to the left and becomes Almeda Road. There is parking for three cars behind the restaurant, and street parking is plentiful and free on Windbern. There are only four four-person tables inside the restaurant each covered with a red and white plastic checkerboard tablecloth, but if it is a nice day there are three large wooden picnic tables on the fenced patio facing Almeda. The dining area was a little crowded since there was a pizza delivery motor bike parked against the patio doors.
We ate a medium pizza, which starts off as a New York Style cheese pizza with fresh tomato sauce, oregano, virgin olive oil, mozzarella and parmesan cheese then we added Italian sausage, mushrooms, Canadian bacon and artichokes and sat down to watch the Presidential debate and wait. It was a little disconcerting when two tiny plastic containers with lids containing parmesan cheese were delivered to the table with our water.
The menu on the blackboard listed the 14 toppings that could be added to the basic pizza together with four ‘special’ pizzas - Vege, Caprese, Mexican and White. Breadsticks and a salad are also offered. All drinks are non alcoholic. Fountain drinks are Coca-Cola products and they also offer 20 oz smoothies and frappes in eight flavors.
The pizza was excellent. The thin crust was hand formed and cooked to perfection and the sauce and toppings were flavorful. We drank tap water with our meal, then afterwards I tried a cappuccino made from freshly ground beans. The coffee was excellent. Total bill was $12.54 including tax, though I didn’t leave a tip since the restaurant was essentially self-service.
Each week Houston Press sends me an email called Café Bites where they mention one or two new cafes that have opened in our fair city. This week they mentioned a new pizza place that they said is “churning out some of the best pizza the city has to offer” and ever hopeful that I can find a rival to Star Pizza I sent a text to my friend and we headed for Luigi’s Pizza.
The restaurant is a free standing building on the corner of Almeda Road and Windbern Street in the third ward. This is where Crawford Street coming from downtown takes a slight jog to the left and becomes Almeda Road. There is parking for three cars behind the restaurant, and street parking is plentiful and free on Windbern. There are only four four-person tables inside the restaurant each covered with a red and white plastic checkerboard tablecloth, but if it is a nice day there are three large wooden picnic tables on the fenced patio facing Almeda. The dining area was a little crowded since there was a pizza delivery motor bike parked against the patio doors.
We ate a medium pizza, which starts off as a New York Style cheese pizza with fresh tomato sauce, oregano, virgin olive oil, mozzarella and parmesan cheese then we added Italian sausage, mushrooms, Canadian bacon and artichokes and sat down to watch the Presidential debate and wait. It was a little disconcerting when two tiny plastic containers with lids containing parmesan cheese were delivered to the table with our water.
The menu on the blackboard listed the 14 toppings that could be added to the basic pizza together with four ‘special’ pizzas - Vege, Caprese, Mexican and White. Breadsticks and a salad are also offered. All drinks are non alcoholic. Fountain drinks are Coca-Cola products and they also offer 20 oz smoothies and frappes in eight flavors.
The pizza was excellent. The thin crust was hand formed and cooked to perfection and the sauce and toppings were flavorful. We drank tap water with our meal, then afterwards I tried a cappuccino made from freshly ground beans. The coffee was excellent. Total bill was $12.54 including tax, though I didn’t leave a tip since the restaurant was essentially self-service.
Friday, October 10, 2008
TX, Houston, State Bar and Lounge
The State Bar and Lounge, 909 Texas, Suite 2a, Houston, TX 77002 (713)229-8888
An unobtrusive sign on Travis Street and a door 20 or 30 yards from the corner of Texas and Travis past the open air seating for the Sambuca restaurant opens to an entrance hall and a wide staircase. Climb the red-carpeted stairs and enter into a lounge with a long mahogany bar and comfortable seats both inside and outside on a patio overlooking Texas Avenue.
The State Bar and Lounge web site http://www.thestatebar.com/table.html says:
The State Bar & Lounge is an upscale, classic lounge at the corner of Travis and Texas on the second floor of the Rice Lofts. Considered by many as one of the cornerstones of the Houston Downtown renaissance, it is also tribute to the glory days of the city's oil boom. Much of the furniture and memorabilia are from the old Rice Hotel's Capitol Club, a legendary locale from the turn of the century that witnessed such historic milestones as the first electrical lights and air conditioners of the city, prominent judges and oil men cementing the success of Southern Texas, and the last place where President Kennedy ate before traveling to Dallas in 1963. The State Bar & Lounge has resurrected the Capitol Club's atmosphere and honed it to the times with the chic artwork of Houston artist, Alisson Stewart, a mahogany bar, high-arched windows, a private and distinct lounge, and a grand veranda overlooking much of downtown's virgin growth and ambiance.
The bar offers a good selection of draft beers including Breckonridge IPA, Bass, Fat Tire, Anchor Steam, Shiner Bock and St Arnold’s Amber and a nice selection of wines by the glass, single malt scotch and specialty Martinis. Most nights the bar is relatively quiet after the happy hour crowd leave and go home and it is very pleasant to sit outside on a spring or fall evening with a companion or two sipping a glass of wine and nibbling at the cheese or antipasto plate. Sometimes the service is a little erratic and the staff occasionally seem to be in a bad mood and this detracts from the ambiance when it happens. The prices are reasonable, $5.50 for Breckridge IPA, $5.75 for a Bacardi and Coke, $4.00 for a (small) serving of house Chardonnay and $10.00 for an Absolute Martini, shaken not stirred.
An unobtrusive sign on Travis Street and a door 20 or 30 yards from the corner of Texas and Travis past the open air seating for the Sambuca restaurant opens to an entrance hall and a wide staircase. Climb the red-carpeted stairs and enter into a lounge with a long mahogany bar and comfortable seats both inside and outside on a patio overlooking Texas Avenue.
The State Bar and Lounge web site http://www.thestatebar.com/table.html says:
The State Bar & Lounge is an upscale, classic lounge at the corner of Travis and Texas on the second floor of the Rice Lofts. Considered by many as one of the cornerstones of the Houston Downtown renaissance, it is also tribute to the glory days of the city's oil boom. Much of the furniture and memorabilia are from the old Rice Hotel's Capitol Club, a legendary locale from the turn of the century that witnessed such historic milestones as the first electrical lights and air conditioners of the city, prominent judges and oil men cementing the success of Southern Texas, and the last place where President Kennedy ate before traveling to Dallas in 1963. The State Bar & Lounge has resurrected the Capitol Club's atmosphere and honed it to the times with the chic artwork of Houston artist, Alisson Stewart, a mahogany bar, high-arched windows, a private and distinct lounge, and a grand veranda overlooking much of downtown's virgin growth and ambiance.
The bar offers a good selection of draft beers including Breckonridge IPA, Bass, Fat Tire, Anchor Steam, Shiner Bock and St Arnold’s Amber and a nice selection of wines by the glass, single malt scotch and specialty Martinis. Most nights the bar is relatively quiet after the happy hour crowd leave and go home and it is very pleasant to sit outside on a spring or fall evening with a companion or two sipping a glass of wine and nibbling at the cheese or antipasto plate. Sometimes the service is a little erratic and the staff occasionally seem to be in a bad mood and this detracts from the ambiance when it happens. The prices are reasonable, $5.50 for Breckridge IPA, $5.75 for a Bacardi and Coke, $4.00 for a (small) serving of house Chardonnay and $10.00 for an Absolute Martini, shaken not stirred.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
CA, Moorpark, Camille's Sidewalk Cafe
Camille’s Sidewalk Café, 706 Los Angeles Av., Moorpark CA 93021
East, North and south of Moorpark are rocky hills, small enough that roads and houses can be built providing superb views over the valley, but too rocky and barren for growing crops or flowers or raising horses. Though a few budding entrepreneurs have planted vines and are constructing vineyards to take advantage of the grapevines natural inclination to prefer poor sub-soils.
There is not much industry in Moorpark, though a few companies have warehouse distribution centers on the south side of town, so most of the working residents in this town of 36,000 commute 50 miles or so to Los Angeles every day or lesser distances to offices and small factories in Simi Valley or Thousand Oaks. The western edge of town sits on the edge of the lush valley that stretches all the way to Ventura. In the valley, Peaches (from which the town got its name in 1876) are still grown as well as acres and acres of orange and lime groves.
There are a few good places and a number of mediocre places to eat in Moorpark. Camille’s Sidewalk Café is one of the better ones. They offer sandwiches, salads, wraps and paninis to order. The dining area has enough room to accommodate 30 or so diners seated at plastic topped cafeteria tables. There are three outside wrought iron umbrella tables with four chairs each that are in a pleasant open area looking out on the parking lot.
The wraps are excellent. I tried the Mexican Daredevil grilled hot wrap served with a mixed field greens salad with vinaigrette dressing. The wrap contained grilled chicken breast, black beans, red onions, pepperjack cheese, cilantro, roasted pablano dressing and daredevil BBQ sauce wrapped in a jalapeno-cheddar tortilla and toasted in an electric sandwich maker. (how do I know? The ingredients are on the menu) During toasting the wrap flattened somewhat so that when it was served it was oblong in section rather than round, the toasting melted the pepperjack and helped all the flavors combine into a delightful whole.
On my second visit I ate a Chicken Caesar wrap containing grilled chicken breast, parmesan, romaine, tomatoes and creamy Caesar dressing wrapped in a herb garlic tortilla. This wrap was served with tri-colored tortilla chips and fresh salsa. It was also very good. Wraps are $6.99 cold or $7.29 hot. Worth every penny.
East, North and south of Moorpark are rocky hills, small enough that roads and houses can be built providing superb views over the valley, but too rocky and barren for growing crops or flowers or raising horses. Though a few budding entrepreneurs have planted vines and are constructing vineyards to take advantage of the grapevines natural inclination to prefer poor sub-soils.
There is not much industry in Moorpark, though a few companies have warehouse distribution centers on the south side of town, so most of the working residents in this town of 36,000 commute 50 miles or so to Los Angeles every day or lesser distances to offices and small factories in Simi Valley or Thousand Oaks. The western edge of town sits on the edge of the lush valley that stretches all the way to Ventura. In the valley, Peaches (from which the town got its name in 1876) are still grown as well as acres and acres of orange and lime groves.
There are a few good places and a number of mediocre places to eat in Moorpark. Camille’s Sidewalk Café is one of the better ones. They offer sandwiches, salads, wraps and paninis to order. The dining area has enough room to accommodate 30 or so diners seated at plastic topped cafeteria tables. There are three outside wrought iron umbrella tables with four chairs each that are in a pleasant open area looking out on the parking lot.
The wraps are excellent. I tried the Mexican Daredevil grilled hot wrap served with a mixed field greens salad with vinaigrette dressing. The wrap contained grilled chicken breast, black beans, red onions, pepperjack cheese, cilantro, roasted pablano dressing and daredevil BBQ sauce wrapped in a jalapeno-cheddar tortilla and toasted in an electric sandwich maker. (how do I know? The ingredients are on the menu) During toasting the wrap flattened somewhat so that when it was served it was oblong in section rather than round, the toasting melted the pepperjack and helped all the flavors combine into a delightful whole.
On my second visit I ate a Chicken Caesar wrap containing grilled chicken breast, parmesan, romaine, tomatoes and creamy Caesar dressing wrapped in a herb garlic tortilla. This wrap was served with tri-colored tortilla chips and fresh salsa. It was also very good. Wraps are $6.99 cold or $7.29 hot. Worth every penny.
Monday, October 6, 2008
CA, Santa Monica, Ocean Avenue Seafood
Ocean Avenue Seafood, 1401 Ocean Avenue,
Santa Monica, CA 90401 (310)394-5669
To stand out in Santa Monica a restaurant has to have a cachet. The Ocean Avenue’s catch is that they have a great oyster bar. The Ocean Avenue restaurant is part of the King “Signature” Group, which is part of King Fish Houses consisting of 12 fish houses and 5 ‘higher class’ signature restaurants in California.
I am not a lover of oysters – in fact I don’t eat them at all – and some may question my ability to critique a restaurant if I don’t eat oysters. My reply is that there are lots of other things on the menu apart from slimy oysters.
In this case I chose to eat sea scallops. It turned out to be four sea scallops artfully arranged around a small mound of pureed parsnips topped by leaf spinach. The impression of the diminutive size of the portion was heightened by the meal being served on a very large white plate, 14 or 16 inches in diameter with the four sea scallops and small mound of parsnips in the middle of the plate.
The scallops were delicious and the parsnip puree was interesting, there were hints of sharpness in the taste but perhaps my palate is not sophisticated enough to tell the difference between parsnip puree and whipped potatoes. And I must stop ordering dishes that include spinach. Most of the time spinach tastes like I imagine broad leaf grass would taste like. Where is the restaurant that will serve brussel sprouts or cauliflower as a vegetable?
The service was exceptional, prompt, unobtrusive and knowledgeable. The menu was extensive, lots of seafood, a selection of oysters they are very proud of, and a good selection of steaks. At night the view is of the lights of Ocean Drive – a busy thoroughfare with lots of traffic – with the lights of Santa Monica pier flashing in the distance.
Since I was driving I drank one glass of Paul Hobbs Cobos Chardonnay recommended by the waitress together with a bottle of Pellegrino sparkling water and a cappuccino. The wine was excellent, crisp and clean and easy to drink. The meal for one including 20% tip was $67.
Perhaps it was the effect of the flight plus the drive but it was a small annoyance to be expected to tip the restroom attendant and it was large annoyance to be expected to pay a charge for valet parking after the restaurant validated the parking ticket. On closer questioning it was revealed that the restaurant only paid a (small) portion of the valet parking, the diner was expected to pay the majority of the parking fee.
Santa Monica, CA 90401 (310)394-5669
To stand out in Santa Monica a restaurant has to have a cachet. The Ocean Avenue’s catch is that they have a great oyster bar. The Ocean Avenue restaurant is part of the King “Signature” Group, which is part of King Fish Houses consisting of 12 fish houses and 5 ‘higher class’ signature restaurants in California.
I am not a lover of oysters – in fact I don’t eat them at all – and some may question my ability to critique a restaurant if I don’t eat oysters. My reply is that there are lots of other things on the menu apart from slimy oysters.
In this case I chose to eat sea scallops. It turned out to be four sea scallops artfully arranged around a small mound of pureed parsnips topped by leaf spinach. The impression of the diminutive size of the portion was heightened by the meal being served on a very large white plate, 14 or 16 inches in diameter with the four sea scallops and small mound of parsnips in the middle of the plate.
The scallops were delicious and the parsnip puree was interesting, there were hints of sharpness in the taste but perhaps my palate is not sophisticated enough to tell the difference between parsnip puree and whipped potatoes. And I must stop ordering dishes that include spinach. Most of the time spinach tastes like I imagine broad leaf grass would taste like. Where is the restaurant that will serve brussel sprouts or cauliflower as a vegetable?
The service was exceptional, prompt, unobtrusive and knowledgeable. The menu was extensive, lots of seafood, a selection of oysters they are very proud of, and a good selection of steaks. At night the view is of the lights of Ocean Drive – a busy thoroughfare with lots of traffic – with the lights of Santa Monica pier flashing in the distance.
Since I was driving I drank one glass of Paul Hobbs Cobos Chardonnay recommended by the waitress together with a bottle of Pellegrino sparkling water and a cappuccino. The wine was excellent, crisp and clean and easy to drink. The meal for one including 20% tip was $67.
Perhaps it was the effect of the flight plus the drive but it was a small annoyance to be expected to tip the restroom attendant and it was large annoyance to be expected to pay a charge for valet parking after the restaurant validated the parking ticket. On closer questioning it was revealed that the restaurant only paid a (small) portion of the valet parking, the diner was expected to pay the majority of the parking fee.
Monday, September 22, 2008
CA, Malibu - Allegria
On the Pacific Coast Highway almost at the center of the 27-mile strip that encompasses Malibu is a small Italian restaurant called Allegria. The restaurant is on the east side of PCH backed up to the cliffs that restrict Malibu to the narrow coastal strip of land next to the beach or occasionally to dwellings that cling limpet like to the foothills of the Sierras that separate Malibu from the lush central valley and expensive suburbia that is Thousand Oaks.
The restaurant is long and narrow. Most of the tables are along the window facing the road, but there are seats for 30 or so diners on the northwest side of the restaurant behind the kitchen. The décor is comfortably rustic, wood tables and chairs and comfortable four person booths, wood panels on the walls and exposed wood beams in the ceiling.
As I pondered the menu, which is, of course, dominated by pasta and pizza I was given a small basket of bread fingers sliced from an Italian loaf and some spaghetti sauce for dipping. Very nice. I chose Dover sole, cooked with tomatoes, olives and garlic and served with spinach and fried potatoes. The wine list looked quite good with several wines available for sale by the glass, but I was at the end of one of my sojourns of ‘a-week-without-alcohol’ so I resisted the temptation.
The meat from the fish was carefully removed from the bone at the table by a very competent waiter and then covered by the sauce poured from a small side bowl. It was excellent, the relatively light taste of the fish was enhanced and not overpowered by the sauce. Unfortunately the fried potatoes were less appetizing and the spinach was, well, spinach.
Cost including a large bottle of Pellegrino, a cappuccino and 20% tip - $66
http://www.allegriamalibu.com/
The restaurant is long and narrow. Most of the tables are along the window facing the road, but there are seats for 30 or so diners on the northwest side of the restaurant behind the kitchen. The décor is comfortably rustic, wood tables and chairs and comfortable four person booths, wood panels on the walls and exposed wood beams in the ceiling.
As I pondered the menu, which is, of course, dominated by pasta and pizza I was given a small basket of bread fingers sliced from an Italian loaf and some spaghetti sauce for dipping. Very nice. I chose Dover sole, cooked with tomatoes, olives and garlic and served with spinach and fried potatoes. The wine list looked quite good with several wines available for sale by the glass, but I was at the end of one of my sojourns of ‘a-week-without-alcohol’ so I resisted the temptation.
The meat from the fish was carefully removed from the bone at the table by a very competent waiter and then covered by the sauce poured from a small side bowl. It was excellent, the relatively light taste of the fish was enhanced and not overpowered by the sauce. Unfortunately the fried potatoes were less appetizing and the spinach was, well, spinach.
Cost including a large bottle of Pellegrino, a cappuccino and 20% tip - $66
http://www.allegriamalibu.com/
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