A noodle kind of day. Paul and I enjoyed a quick lunch at Tha Siam in Larkspur the other day, a place I reviewed first last February.

Hidden around a corner. Where Ming's used to be, Mikado Sushi has set up shop in the Northgate area of San Rafael. I stopped in a few days ago to try their offerings out.

The meal started with a very rich tasting miso soup. The soy sauce containers were so cute I had to get one in the photo too.

One day I enjoyed a walk over to Fish for lunch. It seems that it matters not when I go, there is always a line outside.

On that sunny day, I tried clam linguine and discovered that not only were the clams abundant, fresh and delicious, but that the pasta is made on site fresh. It was some of the best fresh pasta I've ever eaten. And the big galvanized bucket for the shells was a off-beat touch that added another touch of fun.

Friday was my six month dental exam. Like many who are reading this, I chose my dentist to be near my work so I could efficiently take care of teeth on the lunch hour. That worked for about 10 years, then I changed work locales, but I love my dentist! So I'm guaranteed a visit to San Francisco twice a year.

I had the most cheerful lunch in a brightly colored mosiaced setting yesterday. It had been a few years since my last visit to Picante in San Rafael, but the greeting was just as pleasant, the service prompt and friendly and it just felt happy to be there.

I couldn't resist starting with the aguas frescas of strawberry and pineapple. As delicious as it is refreshing!

Tiny and good. I've been driving by this "Little Mandarin" restaurant with curiosity for some time. Finally I took a chance to find parking and try it out yesterday for lunch.

You walk past some empty steam tables up front, but soon you see a busy and bustling section where you hope you will have a chance to sit after all. Where did all those people come from? As soon as I was seated a hot bowl of egg drop soup was placed in front of me, before I could even grab the menu!

Dad and I enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at a restaurant we stumbled upon in the Castro, Tangerine. It is popular in the neighborhood, we had a short wait in the foyer.

Dad wanted some simple Oatmeal. Simple yes, but beautiful and generously portioned with an add of fruit. Dad said every bite was delicious.

I went with family (while ago now, time flies!) to have some lunch one weekend at the Pelican Inn, near Muir Beach. It was a gorgeous day, and we were all primed for some English pub fare, which is what this place excels at, besides beautiful surroundings of course.

I enjoyed their Fish & Chips, and always love the peas they serve with it.

And one of the men enjoyed Bangers & Mash, and offered up bits of bangers to others who all agreed it was great.

and Citrus & Spice in San Rafael is still doing well! My friend Sachiko was in the mood for Thai, and I thought she'd like this inventive place. She was a little surprised that it was rather refined and stylized compared to most of the Thai places around.

We started with Fresh Spring Rolls which were bursting with lettuce and so fresh tasting.

Storm Update

Well, you've been probably reading the news to hear that the Richmond Bridge has been closed, as well as the tunnel to the Golden Gate Bridge and there is flooding on Hwy 101 especially near San Rafael. Also Golden Gate Transit has been stopped as well as ferry service. Certainly a good day to stay in!

What's that on my pancake? Wood shavings? I promise, it tasted better than that. I was just very intrigued when I saw this jam in my local Persian market.

This orange blossom jam runs like honey and the blossoms are tender-waxy. It was a lovely topping for some freshly made buttermilk pancakes.

Chain yes, and consistently good food and value too. I have liked California Pizza Kitchen for a long time. In fact since it came to my neighborhood when I lived in Northern Virginia. And that was in the 80s.

Dad and I had 'linner' there a few days ago. Starting with their ever-tasty Dakota Smashed Pea and Barley Soup.

Pleasant lunch. Amici's East Coast Pizzeria was cheerful and welcoming. I was planning to come by at some point, but the smiling staff just beckoned me in.

I started with a broccoli half-salad. It was steamed crisp and chilled with some flavorful olive oil. With a squeeze of lemon, it was just the perfect crunchy and tender combo.

Inspired by a comment asking for my advice on where to have a bachelorette party within walking distance of the Sausalito Ferry Terminal, I decided to take Dad to Horizons last night when he wanted to have dinner 'by the water'. I also had visited earlier but with such spotty quality photos that it wasn't enough to make a good post. So I'm combining last night's visit with Dad with some prior unpublished photos for a mega-review of the food and views of Horizons. And Lynda can take a look (if this post is still in time!) to see for herself which dishes look the best!

There is a very nice view from the deck, and Dad & I enjoyed watching the parade of boats and ferries passing by from just inside the window.

What's growing? Well, not the mushrooms, but more about that later. Dad thought we ought to have a real tree this year, so we picked up a live tree at Whole Foods, which is on the back deck happily shining its lights.

It displaced the arugula that actually seems to enjoy the climate of the front deck better.

Dad and I went to Toast the other morning, ok late morning for a meal. I say a meal since I was in the mood for breakfast, and Dad for lunch. Luckily, Toast is easily able to allow for such meal splitting!

Of course we checked the signboard for specials before entering. And lucky for us, since this is a very popular Mill Valley place, we were cheerfully seated right away.

Neighborhood Italian. Dad & I stopped in Fairfax for lunch the other day, finding a sweet neighborhood place which was cozy, tasty and had attentive service. Fradelizio's Ristorante Italiano is in an old home which has been remodeled into a warm and inviting place, a little like a visit to your grandma's.

Dad had a generously portioned fresh chicken breast sandwich with a colorful side salad.

Surfing's a theme. Wipeout Bar & Grill recently opened in Greenbrae, in the Bon Aire Shopping Center taking over the old Chevy's space. There are large screens everywhere with movies of surfers and BIG waves.

A little French joie de vivre. My neighbor Jerrie and I took a drive to San Anselmo the other night to visit Bistro 330. It had a very bright atmosphere and busy owner?/waiter greeted us warmly and sat us.

Jerrie tried the spinach salad with goat cheese, which she said was very good.

I had no idea that San Francisco was the center of a freedom movement for Indian Independence starting before the non-violent movement of Gandhi was popularized. There is a very innocuous building at 5 Wood Street in San Francisco simply bearing the name "Gadar Memorial" and written in Hindi as well. In the early 1900's a group of Indian expatriates inspired by freedom and democracy banded together in San Francisco plan to overthrow British rule in India, and thus have true democratic freedom.

A favorite spot in Tiburon has been Guaymas, especially their deck, once the weather makes it not-too-hot and not-too-cold/windy. Last week there was such a day, and I was excited to get reacquainted with the deck.

Once you've placed your order, a fat stack of housemade corn tortillas arrive with three tasty sauces.

After tasting a couple, I settled in to enjoy the view.

Sushi on Sunday. I didn't have any this time, but I had found myself a week or two earlier looking for a Marin location that served sushi at lunch on Sundays. Pacific Catch in Corte Madera is the only place that I could come up with.

Dad and I stopped by here for Valentine's Day lunch after getting Dad's hair cut around the corner. This sweet little nibbling plate is still given you with your menus.

Quiet evening. Dad & I enjoyed a warm and quiet evening over at Paradise Bay the other day. The ambiance was good, and the waitstaff attentive.

Dad enjoyed a Niman Ranch burger, which the chef specially flattened to make it easier for him to eat. He enjoyed it and said we could come back here for a burger any time. He also liked the balance of the bun, not too hard, yet it held together.

Arawan Thai Cuisine in Sausalito has been around for around ten years and is a local favorite. It has a comfortable yet visually interesting decor, and the staff makes everyone feel right at home.

For those who want to take a look at the menu before deciding, Arawan does one better and publishes photos of its dishes under its signpost by the door.

I'd noticed Juban for sometime at the street level of the Kinokuniya Building in San Francisco's Japantown. And on that shopping day, it seemed like the time to visit. I had some trepidations, having been newly reminded to eat simply and vegetarian by my Ayurvedic doctor...

However, there was something called a Tofu Sukiyaki Bento on the menu, and it looked pretty good! Slabs of fresh tofu with vegetables simmered in sukiyaki sauce smelled SO good and so it tasted. The clear soup with spinach and bean sprouts was also tasty, and I ate a little bit of the kim chee. Honestly this yakiniku house, ostensibly Japanese, had a decided Korean tinge. But I enjoy Korean too. It's clean, pleasant and the service is prompt as well.

Staying power with good food fresh and fast. My friend Jo-Ann introduced me a year or so ago to a good Chinese place in San Rafael, Ping's Mandarin Restaurant which as been around since 1993. Since we were in the neighborhood, Dad and I stopped in for lunch the other day.

And what do you suppose this is? I couldn't resist it when I was in Japantown last. I've wanted one for some time, but there was always the question of whether I would use it... well I did. This is a Japanese pickle maker particularly for shio-zuke (salt pickles). The screwlid is to put pressure on the vegetables you are pickling.

New Chinese on the block. P.F. Chang's (yes, a chain) opened a new location in Corte Madera on Monday. Having enjoyed their food when in other parts of the country, I decided to stop in and see how this location measures up.