#108 Completed! Own an award winning restaurant

My blog has move to www.mslistologist.com

The Michelin Guide is a highly respected guide that recognizes exceptional restaurants. The book boasts such restaurants as The French Laundry in Napa Valley and Per Se in Manhattan. I knew that the 2010 Michelin Guide was supposed to be released on October 20th and I was holding my breath. Typically, they notify the included restaurants a couple of weeks beforehand and it was October 15th and we hadn't heard a word. Last year they sent us the good news by FedEx, so every time the truck would stop out front of our place, Sugo Trattoria , I crossed my fingers, but much to my dismay, they usually were dropping off supplies to Peet's Coffee next door. My hopes plummeted when we were dining at a local restaurant who was also included in last years issue. The owner said he had received his inclusion notice 2 weeks prior. Bam! Crushed. I was utterly surprised when I check the mail 5 days later and there was our Michelin award (I don't check the mail often, why bother when it's always bills). I guess with the state of the economy
they had to downgrade to Parcel Post instead of FedEx.

I am so proud that the hard work has paid off by being recognized by a guide that is so well respected.

#26 Eat at 500 memorable restaurants

My blog has moved to www.mslistologist.com
Restaurant #117 is Bungalow 44 in Mill Valley, CA.

We arrived without reservations on a Saturday night at about 8:30pm. The place was lively and full, we waited about 15 minutes for a table. Not bad for a Saturday night. Our table faced the crowded bar, where attractive couples and singles were more interested in conversations than their libations. This was definitely an upper class clientele, that had the cars and style to prove it.

Our waitress had to wiggle through the masses to get to our table, but she took it all in stride and had the most spectacular smile through the whole meal.

What I ate and how I liked it:

Steak Tartare Filet Mignon, Gruyere Cheese Sandwiches 12.50 A-

This appetizer was one we are thinking about stealing for our restaurant, with a couple of alterations. There were so many capers, they definitely overpowered the fresh Filet, which I could understand if you weren't using such a quality meat.

Chicken Paillard Lemon, Herbs, Arugula, Feta 16.95 B

I could have easily made this dish on my BBQ. It was simply marinated (oil, S&P and oregano) chicken thrown on the grill & put on a plate. A tad uninspired for the atmosphere of this restaurant.

Prosciutto & Gorgonzola Flatbread, Arugula, Caramalized Onions 11.50 A

This could have quite possibly been the thinnest crust I have ever had! I would be curious to know how they executed this dish. It was a nice appetizer portion flatbread.

When we left, 1 1/2 hours later, the same faces were seated at the bar. We decided that we would return, but probably just for drinks, if we could find a seat!

#56 Cook Every Dish From One Cookbook

The cookbook: A16 Food + Wine

Recipe #1 (not in any particular order): Croccante (an Italian almond cookie)

The day I received my cookbook in the mail, a customer called to order the Italian Cookie Platter from our catering menu. This was the perfect opportunity to get the ball rolling (in this case it's a cookie dough ball). There are several different types of Croccante, most recipes you'll find online are for the ones that are similar to a brittle. The one in A16 includes flour so turns out more of a crispy cookie. I'm pretty sure its illegal for me to put the actual recipe in my blog, so I will refrain (I guess you'll have to buy the cookbook). Giada, from the Food Network, does have a great brittle style recipe called Hazelnut Crunch, they are tasty too.

Let me start by saying that baking is not my forte, the measurements have to be too exact for my liking. I'd rather saute, sear, braise, or even grill. But, I do have the ability to read and follow directions (oh, my kindergarten teacher would be so proud). These cookies were super simple & ended up looking very similar to the one in the book. I only have one complaint: Why do recipes always say "bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown." In my experience cookies are never ready in 12 minutes and golden brown is closer to 20 or 25.

My cookies didn't turn out perfectly rectangular like the photo, but they were close. These cookies were delicious! I am hoping that this is an indication of how the rest of the cookbook will taste.

Total Recipes: 92
Recipes Completed: 1 (91 to go!)

#56 Cook Every Dish From One Cookbook

Have you ever done this? I always am good for 3 or 4 recipes and then move on to the next book. You see, I sort of have an addiction to cookbooks, owning more than 100. To my defense, I do own a restaurant, so it is technically a write-off! I have to say that this goal was on my bucket list way before the move Julie & Julia was released! For those of you who haven't seen it, Julie challenged herself to cook every recipe from Julia Childs Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 365 days. I am not giving myself any sort of time limit, except within a lifetime (geez...I still have 100s of other things to achieve too).

I have selected the cookbook A16 Food +Wine by Nate Appleman. A16 is a fantastic restaurant in San Francisco (I have written about it in this blog under #26 Eat at 500 Memorable Restaurants). The book features 92 modern Italian recipes, that all sound pretty delicious.

Sample Items:

• Roasted Apsaragus with Walnut Crema and Pecorino Tartufo


• Minestra Maritata


• Chestnut Polenta with Ragu alla Napoletana, Eggs and Ricotta Salata


• Lamb & Ricotta Crespelle with Tomato and Pecorino


• Chard Gratinata with Bread Crumbs and Grana


• Pistachio and Almond Cake with Orange Salad

Sounds Yummy, can't wait to get started!

Recipe Count: 92

Recipes Completed: 0

#26 Eat at 500 memorable restaurants

Restaurant #116 is Redd in Yountville, CA

Redd is ridiculously cool and trendy. From the ambiance to the aprons to the food, it's all spot on to be the hot spot of Yountville. We passed it twice because we were unsure what restaurant it was or if it was an eatery at all. It has a tiny hidden sign that says its name, that could be easily missed and that might be my only complaint, except that Redd is so good it is worth the hunt.

It was a gorgeous day so we opted to sit outside. We actually went to Michael Chiarello's restaurant Bottega first, but when they informed us they had no outdoor servers available for the lounge area we chose Redd instead. Not sure why such a big name restaurant wouldn't have a server outside on a 90 degree Sunday. No worries, we still had a great meal elsewhere (still love you Bottega).

The patio is sleek and comfortable, boasting plastic green chairs and a soothing water feature. Our server was casual yet efficient. We actually commented that his laid back style didn't fit the environment, but we still liked him lots. We will definitely go back for dinner to sit in the ultra-trendy interior.

What I ate & how I liked it:

Duck Confit, mushroom risotto, thyme jus A+

The duck was perfectly cooked and the risotto was amongst the creamiest I have ever had.

Prosciutto, scrambled egg and creme fraiche breakfast pizza A

The crust was thin and crisp, just like the prosciutto. I could have done without the eggs, but I am not an egg person.

#26 Eat at 500 memorable restaurants

Restaurant #115 is Dream Farm in San Anselmo, Ca.

Dream Farm claims to be a taste of rural America. The prices are reasonable, nothing over $20.00. Their location is great, right on the main drag in San Anselmo. It used to be the old Fork restaurant, it's the same owners, not sure why that restaurant didn't work out. But, rumors are that Fork was too pricey and inconsistent. The decor is wine country meets restoration hardware, very cozy. We had reservations on a Sunday night and were sat right away at the prime window seat. Service was adequate, we got served our appetizer before we got our wine, but after that everything was up to par.

What I ate & how I like it:

Shrimp Spring Roll A+

Fresh & light, great for a summer app. It came with a soy based dipping sauce that complemented it nicely. Not sure how this fit into their rural American food concept, but it was tasty.

Salad Nicoise of Seared Ahi Tuna, Potatoes , Green Beans, Olive, Egg A

My potatoes were under cooked, but besides that this was a great salad with perfectly rare ahi.

Creekstone New York Steak with French Fries and Blue Cheese Butter A+

This was the biggest piece of steak I have ever seen served! Even our server commented on the size. Oops, chef must have not weighed that one.

Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta A+

I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but this was the best panna cotta I ever had (even better than the one I serve at my restaurant!). They sprinkled it with Amaretto cookie crumbs...YUM!!!

#26 Eat at 500 memorable restaurants

Restaurant #114 is A16 in San Francisco, CA.

A16 is a modern Italian restaurant that focuses on fresh, local foods, so they change their menus regularly. They are known for their pizzas, but have many other dishes their too. The prices are fairly reasonable, considering you are in SF (nothing over $25).

They are located in the Marina, which is a great place to spend an evening. We went to Bin 38 first for a drink & walked over to A16 with no problems. Surprisingly, parking is not much of a problem due to the parking garage nearby. Just remember to bring a pocketful of quarters, you'll need them!! Take it from me, I got a $100 parking ticket (made for an expensive night out).

What I ate and how I liked it:

Roasted Monterey sardines with fried breadcrumbs, currants, pickled chiles and herbs A

These aren't your mamas typical canned sardines...they are plump, little fishies. I little too much fishy for me, but I could appreciate the presentation of the dish.

Funghi – roasted mushrooms, smoked mozzarella, grana padano, garlic, oregano, wild arugula A-

They are known for their pizza and it was good, but not the best I ever had. I like Rosso in Santa Rosa, CA much better.

Ricotta gnocchi in brodo with cherry tomatoes, garlic and basil B+

These gnocchi were just fine, but lacked a bit of creativity.

#125 Join a Book Club

I finally finished the book Three Cups of Tea and had my first book club (aka: girl talk & cocktail) meeting. We met at the book club organizers home, Tracy. She made a fun fondue with garlicky Caesar salad. The wine flowed freely, everyone seemed to have brought a bottle of their finest. We selected our next reads; Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society (our next book) by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows and The Next Thing on My List by Jill Smolinski.

With the wine glasses full & bits of bread smothered in cheese, I was excited to start the intriguing dialogue about the book at hand. All was good...then...we learned that half of the group didn't finish the book...bubble popped. I would be lying if I didn't say I was a tad peeved that I spent the time to read every page (ok, maybe I skimmed the last 50 or so) when we only discussed it for 5 minutes and people weren't able to participate. The book was inspirational and informative, but not the easiest read ever! At least we had fondue and wine!

#26 Eat at 500 memorable restaurants

Restaurant #113 is Stellina in Point Reyes, CA.

Stellina is a welcome addition to the tiny town of Point Reyes. The style of food is "Point Reyes Italian with an unwavering commitment to local organic products." Not quite sure what Point Reyes Italian would refer to, but the food is tasty!

Unfortunately, the service was just ok. The server was not personable, nor did our water ever get filled. But, you still can't beat a hot day, a gorgeous Point Reyes hike, followed by a nice meal.

What I had & how I liked it:

Beet & Arugula Salad A+

Thinly sliced baby red beets with peppery arugula & ricotta salata. This salad was delicious and fresh.

Beans & Greens C

Brown beans with a rosemary broth & sauteed swiss chard. Not a big fan of this dish, though the beans were cooked perfectly. But, the greens did not taste like they were freshly sauteed.

Grilled Cheese with Pastrami A

The grilled bread on this sandwich was great. The only thing that freaked me out a bit was that the pastrami was brown!?! I believe it was house-cured or something so I let it slide.

#26 Eat at 500 Great Restaurants

Restaurant #112 is Botegga in Yountville, Ca

Botegga is Michael Chiarello's, from the Food Network & NapaStyle, restaurant in Napa Valley. I tried to make reservations a few days ahead of time, but they didn't have anything available until 9:30pm, even though it was a Sunday night. The hostess did say that they accept walk-ins, but there might be a bit of a wait. We took our chances because the patio is absolutely beautiful & we knew we could have drinks there first! We were told that the wait would be from 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. No problem for us, it was our anniversary and we brought a bottle of fantastic wine for the wait. We were able to drink our own wine ($20 corkage) & order an appetizer. The first 2 hours flew by, then....it got cold and everyone knows that I'm not good with the cold! After about 2 1/2 hours I went to ask the hostess how much longer. She said there was 1 reservation ahead of us. We saw about three more tables be seated and then us. Unfortunately, we were seated on the patio with no heat lamp next to our table...Ugh! I thought that the hostess might mention how long we waited to the server & she may have at least acknowledged our wait. Nope! The service was indifferent, not good, not bad (though the patio server was great). Plus, she overcharged us for our wine and when we pointed it out she said she didn't.

What I ate & how I liked it:

Organic Prosciutto “house cured”, pasta fritta, zuppa di melone $13 B+
This was a little odd, we had to ask our server how to eat it. We were suppose to cut the deep-fried focaccia in half, roll the prosciutto around it and then pour the melon soup on top. In general I don't like to have to work so hard to eat a meal that I am paying for and having someone else cook.

House-made egg pappardelle with veal, pork & porcini mushroom Bolognese, Sweet 100 tomatoes, rosemary & parmigiano $18 B+
This pasta was well done, but nothing overly special. The noodles were thin and perfectly al dente. The bolognese had either nutmeg or cinnamon in it which I didn't care for so much.

Wood-Grilled Spiced Quail with Pork & Olive Sausage, Calabrese braised romano beans & yukon gold potatoes, red wine-quail reduction $26 A-
The presentation of this freaked me out a bit, looked like a rat spread out on a plate (see photo), but it was tasty, yet bold with spices.

Chocolate & Caramel Tortino. espresso gelato, milk chocolate peanut butter bar $10 B+
I gave this a B+ because chocolate can't really be bad in my book, but I left wishing I would have ordered the creme brulee.

All said and done, I would go back to Bottega to sit on the patio for appetizers.

#26 Eat at 500 Great Restaurants

Restaurant #111 is Barndiva in Healdsburg, CA.

Barndiva is an awesome space with food to match! The interior design resembles a modern bard, with pitch forks and wire pig sculptures on the wall. Believe me, it's way better than I am making it sound. Their outdoor patio is fantastic & I can't wait to go back on a warm summer night to fully take advantage of it. Every Wed. night they have a BBQ night, that includes a prix fixe "all-you-can-eat" menu & no corkage. I hear it's packed, but I'll let you know. Their food is sourced from farmers, ranchers and small batch purveyors who live and work in the area.

We went in the early evening so we could sit at the bar, have wine & nosh. Here's what I had and how I liked it:

2006 Deux Amis Zinfandel ($9) A+
Perfectly rich & jammy, just like I like my zins

Beef Sliders with a Dried Cherry Ketchup A

This came with 3 fairly big sliders, definitely a meal for me. They were cooked perfectly medium-rare

Beer Battered Onion Rings with Basil Puree A

These were the huge onion rings, not those shoestring kind. They were crisp and went fabulously with the basil puree

I only tried a couple of items on their menu, but can't wait to go back for more!

#26 Eat at 500 Great Restaurants

Restaurant #110 is SEED in Santa Rosa, CA

I have always wanted to try a raw food restaurant and Seed was a great first experience. It is a tiny place tucked away in a residential section of town, though our waitress told us that they were searching for a larger location. The decor is clean and sparse, not much room for anything but the 6 or so tables.

Seed specializes in Raw, Vegan & Organic items. Here's what I ate & how I liked it:

curried pea soup A+
A chilled, pureed soup that was topped with red bell pepper. A must have!

greek pizza A-

An almond crust with onions, zucchini hummus & olives. One you get past the fact that this is not really pizza, it is quite tasty.

stuffed mushrooms A

Crimini mushrooms stuffed with kalamata tapenade and topped with zucchini hummus

corn chip w/jalapeno crème A+

This chip was so delightful that I was sad I only got one!

ravioli flower B+

Rutabaga was sliced thin to make these raviolis. They were stuffed with macadamia puree topped with marinara. It also came with a little caesar salad, that was my only disappointment of the entire meal. Not that the caesar was little, but that it was bland.

cheezcake A+++

A lemon cashew filling over macadamia nut crust with strawberry puree. Pure yummyness! I have no idea how they made this cheesecake without cream cheese, but they did & it was the best!

#84 Try 50 New Foods

# 11 Pied de cochon (pig trotters)

This was suppose to be just a drink date at Central Market. The owner Tony was nice enough to give us a complimentary appetizer. I have to admit, when he set it down I was ridden with nerves...what if I didn't like this indescribable delicacy? It would be extremely rude not to finish a gift from the proprietor! Before I took the first bite he came over to explain what was in front of us. Holy Crap! It's pigs feet!! Okay, there are just some parts of an animal that I don't want to eat and pigs feet is right up there with sheep's brain. Thank God I already had had a glass of liquid courage (aka: wine), so mangia!

Really it just tasted like some sort of mixture with a bacon flavor. Not bad...pretty good really...if only I didn't know what it was.

You think you might like pigs feet? Check out this recipe for Pied de Cochon.

#84 Try 50 New Foods

#9 Cajeta & #10 Cocada

Thank goodness my chefs' parents are visiting from Mexico, because they brought these sweet treats with them.

# 9 Cajeta is a common and tasty Mexican confection. It is made by cooking goat or cow's milk with sugar very slowly until it thickens. It is great on toast, crepes, fried bananas or just eat it straight up!

Cajeta (Caramel Candy) Recipe
2 quarts milk (goat or cow's)
2.5 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda, dissolved in 1 tsp water
1 cinnamon stick

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Turn the heat to low and simmer mixture until it turns a pale brown, about 1 hour. It is done when the cajeta is the consistency of a thick caramel. Transfer to a glass container and chill.

#10 Cocada is another sweet treat that is made with coconut. It seemed quite similar to a macaroon.

#26 Eat at 500 great restaurants

Great restaurant #109 is GG's Earth & Surf in Santa Rosa, CA

I was so happy to have stumbled across this restaurant when we were headed to a brewery for burgers & beer!"

The most amazing thing happened on Saturday night; our restaurant was slow and we were able to go to dinner before 8:00 on a Saturday night!! Opportunities like this only happen about twice a year, so we weighed our options. It wasn't long after that we realized that we had no reservations and the places in town were packed (I just found a perk to having Monday night off). Defeated, we headed to 3rd Street AleWorks after the Russian River Brewing Co. turned out to be a chaotic mess with no apparent hostess. Thank goodness, on our way we came across GG's Earth & Surf. The menu claims to be "earth friendly" with lots of vegetarian, organic and vegan items. I'm not a vegetarian (this girl likes a steak every now and again), but the menu enticing. The prices seemed way too reasonable, I had no idea how they could charge $14 for Halibut, but then the tentative waitress informed us that is was "tapas" style. Fine by us, we love to try a bunch of different things. Food was creative, service was awkward & ambiance was a cross between modern sleek and a cheesy hotel breakfast restaurant.

What I ate and how I liked it:

Crostini of the Day A-

Every day their crostinis rotate. That day the 2 features were: basil ricotta, caramelized onion & smoke steelhead and shrimp, grapefruit & radish.

Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese on Baby Greens Vanilla vinaigrette B

This salad was nicely done with a variety of fresh greens on the plate. The vanilla vinaigrette was something I had never heard of so I was dying to try it. At first, I love the flavor, but after a few bites it was just odd to have vanilla mixed with vinegar.

Spring Risotto with a Cashew Cream A-
The risotto was nicely cooked, though I didn't taste any cashews in the cream sauce. The variety of fresh herbs that is was topped with added most of the flavor.

Panna Cotta with Lemon Granita A

I didn't care for the presentation of this dessert, but the flavor of the panna cotta together with the granita was tremendous.

Manifesto Cabernet Sauvignon A

I very nice semi-bold wine choice. Many of the wines on their list are organic, though this was not one of them.

#82 Eat at a great restaurant from every country

Puerto Rico (yes, I am considering it its own country)

"Puerto Rican food is definitely worth the experience, but I won't be going back any time soon...maybe just for the plantains!"

My mother really wanted to go to a Puerto Rican restaurant for Mother's Day and I thought "how great is this, I can spend time with my mom and check one more thing off my bucket list". We had gotten a fantastic recommendation for a place in San Rafael, CA called Sol Food. It turns out that they have two locations just one block away from each other. Weird, right? I called to ask which one was better, the employee told me that the old one (on 4th Street) had more character and would be a great place to go for our first experience. Though, when we did a drive by we thought that the restaurant look too small, so we chose their alternate location on Lincoln. The decor was colorful and eclectic, they had one wall lined with different colored old doors. This is a "order at the counter" type of place. The counter gal was very helpful in explaining & suggesting items on the menu.

What I ate and how I liked it:

Let me preface this by saying I have no idea what Puerto Rican food should taste like, so really this is just a matter of opinion (but aren't all reviews anyway?).

Pollo al Horno (chicken thighs, marinated in oregano and garlic) C
I was told that this dish was their specialty and the most popular item on the menu. The chicken thighs said they were marinated in oregano and garlic, but I tasted neither. The piece of meat was on the dry side and I was happy that I opted for just the one piece meal.

Maduras (sweet plantains) A+

You could have just given me a plate of these sweet, fried plantains and I would have been a happy girl. I might go back and order just that!

Pastelon di Carne (beef and plantain lasagna) B
This dish was layered similar to a lasagna, but with plantains, beef & cheese. My mother really enjoyed this, though we had to search for the plantains at the bottom of the dish.

Templeque (coconut pudding with mango puree) A

This was a perfect way to end a filling meal. The pudding was light and the flavor of coconut wasn't overwhelming. The mango puree was delicious!

Coco Rico Soda (coconut soda) C

I love coconut, but I do not love coconut soda. I think I will just stick with Diet Coke.

Liminada Fresca (lime fresca) A+
This house-made fresca (lime, sweetener & water) was a house specialty and I definitely could see why. It had the perfect balance of lime & sugar with the water; not too tart or too sweet.

All in all, if you are looking for Puerto Rican Food in Northern California, Sol Food would be a great choice.

#57 Drink a Bottle of Trendy Champagne

MTV Cribs may have influenced the "drink a bottle of trendy champagne" goal. Damn that MTV for making me want what all the rich people have! I am envious after watching all these famous folks open their perfect refrigerators, with their beverages all lined up in a flawless row, and pull out the infamous bottle of Krystal. Next to the "this is where the magic happens" slogan when someone brings the cameras into the bedroom, the token bottle of expensive Champagne in the ice box is a standard event.

My questions is...at my age, why have I never been indulged in a luxury bubbly?

#89 Completed! Enter something in a food competition

"I am proud that I cooked something that I actually won was of those cheesy red ribbons for!"

How I did it: Most fairs have an exhibit portion where they accept entries for such things as baked items, vegetables, photography, art, etc. I checked with the local Harvest Fair to see what type of food submissions were available. I decided to enter the cookie category. I baked Italian pizzelle & lime meltaway cookies. I won 2nd & 4th place & $6!!

Lessons & tips:
Make sure you read the requirements carefully! There are usually strict deadlines on when you have to bring your entries to the judges.