Pleasant lunch. Dad has a new physical therapist just upstairs of the building attached to Robata Grill & Sushi, so after the first visit, it seemed like an opportune time to revisit the closest Japanese restaurant to me which continues to have a wide variety of delicious dishes. I reviewed this in July 2006, and then again in October 2006. I was surprised it had been so long since I'd written about this place.

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.

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.

Ayurveda and amazing meal. I had the privilege of attending a lecture by Dr. Arya Bhardwaj, visiting from India, who is a peace activist and founder of Gandhi-in-Action as well as being an Ayurvedic doctor. A group of us also enjoyed a marvelous dinner at Gaylord in Sausalito with him. (The above photo is taken from just outside Gaylord). I reviewed Gaylord Restaurant first almost a year ago.

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.

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.

Shock! Headline: Good food at mall. Yes, Jhan Thong delivered great food at a very reasonable price! It is located in San Rafael's Northgate Mall. I had brought my father the the cinemas down the hall for a movie, and wanted to catch a quick bite. Noisy, bright and unattractive surroundings, yes, but it's great to have great taste as an option when you are there anyway.

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.

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!

Set back from a busy street. Lanna Thai is a quiet oasis on one of the busier streets in Marin county. On Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in San Anselmo, the main way to and from Fairfax, one wouldn't guess what a airy and fresh decor it has. One of the nicer touches are the liberal use of flowers through out the restaurant, some in big vases and you also see many flower heads floating in big bowls of water throughout the space.

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.

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!

Last meat-eating adventure. I alluded to a diet that I've started in a previous post, and one of it's key features is that it is vegetarian. Last week Dad & I visited a cute tofu house in Japantown, which coincidentally ended up being the last time I had any meat/poultry/fish product except for the Thanksgiving Day diet holiday. It wasn't planned that way, it just happened. More about the diet at the end of the post. DooBu is a gem of a place, with prompt and friendly service.

Wise Chinese. I stopped in at Confucius Restaurant in San Rafael the other day when it was blustery but not raining. It's exterior may be drab, but it's clean and cheery inside.

I discovered a nice variety for a reasonable price in their lunch special. A small green salad and hot and sour soup start you off. Yes, these are not 'wow' items, but they are fresh and just fine.

Delish Thai Food Find. I'm lucky to have such good friends thinking of me on my birthday, yes, I'm reporting on yet another birthday meal! It was more like a birthday week. I met my friend Daniel at Chao Praya, a place that has been quite popular in Novato, but my first visit.

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.

Vietnamese veggie fare. I stopped by La Maison de la Reine for dinner with my friend Sachiko one evening, and we were both in the mood for light eating. The staff were friendly and inviting and we enjoyed sitting in the heated sun room.

You'll notice I finally was able to activate my 'title' line, I'm happy! Dad and I felt like a neighborhood Italian place, so decided to try out Riccardo's in San Anselmo. It surely fit the bill with checkered tablecloths, wine bottles hanging from the ceiling and friendly, but busy staff.

Dad's Dinner Salad was unexpectedly large, but he said it was great with fresh greens and a variety of toppings.

It was a beautiful evening yesterday, and after being reminded again of the precious moments of life by the death of a good friend's mother this weekend, I thought I should take Dad out somewhere special. A lot of times going out for somewhere special equates with heavy and indulgent, but I wanted the indulgent without the heavy, so we headed towards Greens in San Francisco.

Lingering for the view while the cool breezes blew was the first indulgence.

Snack in Greenbrae. We had about an hour between appointments for my Dad at the row of offices behind Marin General hospital, so we stopped by Road Runner Burrito for a snack and more inviting place to wait than a doctor's office. This is a cute place, and there is a sign up that they serve breakfast burritos every morning.

So my experience with the not quite right couscous the other day had the effect of making me crave the real thing. So I tried looking around the bay area, and came up with Tajine on Polk Street in San Francisco as a place to try not so far from Marin. (Chowhounders also recommended Aziza which I will have to try too). I wasted no time getting there.

First up was a large pot of mint tea. The server poured it with a flourish, which was the first good sign. Then I sipped it, and I KNEW I was in good hands. Slightly sweet with deep mint flavor, this took me back to another place and time.

Addicting Lunch. No wonder they call it Sushiholic. With a beautiful and modern interior, and an extensive menu, Sushiholic certainly has made a splash on the Marin Japanese restaurant scene. Jo-Ann and I met for lunch there one rainy day recently.

Happy New Year, Chinese style. I met Sachiko for dinner tonight, and we tried a small restaurant favorite of hers on the edge of Chinatown, New Hong Kong Menu. I apologize for the blurry photos, the lighting and camera were just not in sync.

This seafood based soup had everything but the kitchen sink in it, and it tasted good!

Happy Valentine's Day! Hope cupid finds you where ever you may dwell. I thought I'd post about Novato's well-loved Chinese restaurant, Ming Yen today. Dad & I visited it a few days ago. First off, the service was prompt and friendly throughout the meal.

We started with some walnut prawns which were great! Crisp/sweet without being cloying.

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.

The weather has been quite summer-like! After a fun day at Marin French Cheese Company and browsing antique stores in Petaluma with Yukako and Mao on Saturday, Dad and I meandered over to Fairfax and drove by a most happening place. So we turned around, drove back and parked to try it out. Besides having great food and drink, Iron Springs Pub & Brewery is a green certified business, and has an interesting webpage of all the green efforts they've been making.

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.

A cut above, tucked away. Mifune Udon is in the less frequented building of Japantown, near Ichiban Kan and the Kabuki Hotel. It's big and busy sister is in the main mall, and there are some menu and food differences.