First Awakenings - Pacific Grove, California

First Awakenings
125 Oceanview Boulevard
Pacific Grove, CA
(831) 372-1125
http://www.firstawakenings.net/

Date of Visit: Friday, March 6, 2009
Time: Breakfast - 8:30 AM
Server: N/A
Number of Diners: 2

Ratings
Food Quality: 7
Service: 6.5
Ambiance: 5

If you snoop around the web a bit, there is a very rare and clear consensus that the best breakfast in the Monterey area may be found at First Awakenings in Pacific Grove. This tiny, uber-wealthy community, called "P.G." by the locals, is where John Steinbeck lived while he wrote many famous works of fiction and non-fiction, including one about nearby Cannery Row. Often confused with Monterey, the town is sandwiched between the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Pebble Beach Golf Links. There are many fine restaurants and expensive Bed & Breakfast Inns located there, and it's a quiet place to hang out for locals looking for something upscale. It's a stunningly beautiful place - the image one brings to mind when thinking of Pebble Beach, so I decided that FA in PG would do for our breakfast this day. I was somewhat taken aback to discover the restaurant is located within the American Tin Cannery shops, a faux-restoration collection of designer label shops and other tourist traps. I decided to at least check it out before moving on to our second choice eatery. At this early hour on a Friday, everything in the mall was closed except this place, and it was packed to the rafters with locals - a very good sign indeed.

With the luck of the Irish we hit it just as several tables were departing, and we were seated immediately. It has about 20 small tables inside and a large patio outside, unused for breakfast even in the temperate PG late winter. The waitress brought coffee immediately and allowed me to use my own bottle of water, as they had only tap water available. We took quite some time perusing the extensive menu, which the waitress explained by pointing out real examples being consumed at neighboring tables. The crepes, skillets, pancakes, and huevos rancheros were well represented, with some pictured here. We opted for something more reserved to preserve room for at least one other meal that day!


What we had with menu descriptions...

Crêpeggs A thin, sweet crêpe combined with fluffy whipped egg. Served with homestyle potatoes and an English muffin.
Turkey Dill - Diced turkey, mushrooms, chopped spinach, onion and Monterey Jack cheese folded in our crêpegg. Topped with diced tomatoes, our award-winning hollandaise sauce and fresh dill 8.99

Our Omelettes We have devoted our lives to this art form. Served with homestyle potatoes and English muffin of course! If you like it hot, add jalapeños - 79¢
Veggie - Fresh seasonal vegetables, savory cheese, sour cream and chives 8.99

Vegetarian Sausage Links - Low-fat, low cholesterol 3.29

We both chose to pass on the home fries and their associated bulk and calories. The egg dishes and crepes were excellent, light, and fluffy as they should be. The veggies and fruits were fresh and delicious. Coffee was decent and plentiful, since a full pitcher of the stuff had been left on the table for our use. The veggie omelet had broccoli, spinach, onion, and chives. The turkey dill crepe was lightly seasoned with fresh dill and was both unusual and remarkable. The veggie sausage was passable, if a bit dry. Next time I might try the turkey version, available for the same price. We lingered over each bite, pausing only to dash out and feed the parking meters (which begin duty a 9AM). I even donated a quarter to feed the meter for a BMW K1100 motorcycle parked near me - my biker good deed for the morning!

First Awakenings - RECOMMENDED for a hearty and/or healthy breakfast - also open for lunch, sister location in downtown Salinas

Highs: Good ingredients, fresh food, casual upscale without pretense
Lows: Feeding parking meters from 9AM daily

Bon Appétit! - W. Ego

Lugano - Salt Lake City, Utah

Lugano
3364 S 2300 East
Salt Lake City, UT
(801) 412-9994
http://www.luganorestaurant.com/

Date of Visit: Saturday, January 3, 2009
Time: Dinner - 7:00 PM
Server: Tanya L.
Number of Diners: 4

Ratings
Food Quality: 7
Service: 8
Ambiance: 7

In 2001 Chef Greg Neville opened this place away from the competitively-crowded Salt Lake City center. It received Best New Restaurant kudos that year, and has racked up awards every year since then. I have eaten Greg's food before, trucked across town and reheated on a kitchen stove (for 50 people!) and it was fantastic. Ever since I had been looking for an excuse to visit his restaurant. The website claims it's the best Italian restaurant in Salt Lake City - a bold claim that is somewhat suspect due to the presence of Cucina Toscana, but it is certainly the best Italian restaurant that's NOT in the center of Salt Lake City. It's received Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence for the past several years, and has Zagat Top 20 ratings as well, so one can expect good things. And it is conveniently located just south of Interstate 80, so it's easier to get to for out-of-towners than the city center. There is a bit of street parking and a modest lot (all free) behind the building that can accommodate most of the demand. Behind the lot is a ski rental shop and a few other outbuildings that Greg has acquired to make the Lugano "campus." The devastating economic times have (temporarily?) derailed his plans to open a breakfast/lunch place, so the rooms are now set for private dinner functions, culinary classes, and the like.

A need to get together with another couple provided the excuse to dine at Lugano. The main room is L-shaped and can seat maybe 75. Since others were involved I went forward with reservations - no problem at all for 7PM prime time just two days in advance. We arived right on time and were greeted and seated in less than five minutes, with an apology for not being quicker about it. The room was comfortable and almost, but not quite, crowded. The tables were all full, and a handful of folks were waiting hopefully for an opening. Our server did not introduce herself, but wore a large name tag with "Tanya" imprinted neatly. She made sure we had appropriate menus and tap water glasses filled, then left us to chat and peruse. At least 15 appealing appetizers were on the menu, and I noted two choices of wood-fired pizza (Margherita and Quattro Stagione) listed among the Entrees. The entire party greeted my suggestion of a Margherita pizza as a table appetizer, and Tanya overhearing as she approached the table, rushed to make it happen. Our companions had brought along a very nice Seghisio Old Vine Zinfandel 2006 vintage, which Tanya eagerly opened and poured for us (no corkage fee appeared on the check). With the fresh bread, butter and olive selection, the wine was young bold, and fruity. With the pizza it was an excellent complement. Our server described the daily specials, and at least one diner ended up changing a selection based on those. Lugano features a daily risotto, and this day's feature was pea and marscapone. Tanya also noted that the daily risotto could be substituted for the starch with any entree, and I elected to do just that. I also asked for San Pellegrino to avoid the chlorine in the tap water. They had another brand, temporarily sold out of sparkling, and still water was an adequate choice.

What we had with descriptions...

Appetizer - PIZZA MARGHERITA WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA, SAN MARZANO TOMATOES, BASIL & OREGANO 14.95

Salad - "BELL FARMS" ORGANIC MIXED FIELD GREENS, BLUE CHEESE CROSTINI & BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE 7.95

Entree - TAGLIATTELLE WITH WILD MUSHROOMS, PROSCUITTO "COTTO", WILTED ARUGULA, PINOT GRIGIO, TRUFFLE OIL & PORCINI CREAM SAUCE 16.95

Entree - SPAGHETTI WITH SHRIMP, MUSSELS, CLAMS, TODAY'S SPECIAL FISH, GARLIC, CHILI FLAKES, BASIL & TOMATO 18.95

Entree - Special - PUMPKIN AND MARSCAPONE RAVIOLI, FRESH VEGETABLE ASSORTMENT 17.95

Entree - GRILLED POUNDED CHICKEN BREAST, SAGE/LEMON MARINADE, PARMESAN MASHED POTATOES & RED WINE REDUCTION 18.95 (Substitute Daily Risotto for Potato)

Wine - Wishing Tree Unoaked Chardonnay 2004 (Western Australia) - $36

Dessert - Cappuccino - 4.75

Dessert - Tiramisu - 6.95

Dessert - Lavender Panna Cotta with Cat's Tongue Cookies and 12 year old Balsamic 6.95

Even though all pricing is a la carte, the prices are very reasonable, possibly due to the "suburban" location of the restaurant. The salads were fresh, organic, and very tasty. The pizza was very good as an appetizer, though some quibbles could be taken that an excellent tomato sauce was used instead of fresh tomatoes (though it is mid-winter, after all!), and there could have been a touch more fresh basil on it. The entrees were, for the most part, stunning. Fresh ingredients, lovingly prepared, and sauces cooked to perfection. Let's take each in turn... The tagliattelle was generous with the mushrooms and prosciutto taking front stage in the dish and the sauce application was discreet enough not to drown the whole thing. Even though she complained that the dish was "missing something" and "almost bland," our dainty dining friend left nothing on her plate save for a few drops of sauce. The ravioli special was sweet and creamy - a cross between ultralight cheese ravioli and pumpkin pie. While not to my taste, everyone else at the table raved about it. The chicken was moist and excellent, and the pea/marscapone risotto substitution was a delight.

Perhaps the only disappointment of the evening was the spaghetti. Easily the best looking of the entrees selected, the seafood was liberally doused in a red marinara MEAT sauce. The sauce by itself was bold, hearty, and seething with pork, lamb, and perhaps beef. Combining this sauce with mussels, clams, and shrimp was an odd choice. The delicate seafood was made messy to deal with removing shells, and the flavor was completely overwhelmed by the sauce. Meat-flavored clams, anyone? While the result could not have in any way been classified as bad, it was a strange method to add protein to the dish and wasted all the nuance of the flavors of the seafood. It also clashed with the diner's expectation of the dish, having been labeled as Seafood Spaghetti rather than Spaghetti with MEAT Sauce and seafood chucked in at the end. A couple of nice, New York style meatballs would have been more appropriate and more welcome. Though had that been the case, our diner would have selected something else. The fact that it was all eaten speaks to the quality of the dish, disappointments aside.

I am a big fan of unoaked Chardonnays, which taste of grapes rather than vanilla. Our Wishing Tree selection did not disappoint, and it made an excellent complement to everything except the surprising MEAT sauce. As is customary in Utah, paying $36 for a $10 bottle is generally acceptable, as it beats paying $175 for a $40 wine. Our practice of bringing along a $40 bottle that was not on the restaurant's extensive wine list is also an accepted norm. There were plenty of reasonably priced wines (for the area) listed to experiment with, but it's more sensible to experiment at retail than at restaurant prices! Our unoaked Chardonnay was a clear winner.

The service was excellent. Tanya worked several tables pretty much solo, with one unobtrusive bus-person working the same tables independently. The only half-slip was that I had to ask twice for the bottled water, and no charge for it appeared on the check. I do not know whether the lack of corkage and water charges were oversights, generosity, or driven by economic conditions.

The desserts were outstanding and paired well with the cappuccinos - especially the tiramisu, which was significantly better than a homemade version I'd tried two weeks prior - and that was homemade by a professional chef for his mother's birthday! The panna cotta measured up well, creamy, light and delicate. The "cat's tongue" cookies were also light and very crunchy, providing the perfect textural contrast to the creamy dessert. They may have been out of 12 year old balsamic, as the panna cotta was served with two delicious, colored sauces.

All in all the experience was a worthy one. Food and service were up to par, even on a busy Saturday night, and the prices were very reasonable given the quality of the ingredients and care in their preparation. In Utah the service is often a weak link, but Tanya did very well attending to us seamlessly. We happily left her a $40 tip for the $190 tab.

Greg Neville is a people person, and he works hard before service to set up the kitchen so that he can spend half the time during service in the front of the house. While he visits most tables seated during the dinner, answering questions and seeking feedback, he makes a point to thank each and every patron as they leave the restaurant. He clearly pours his heart and soul into the place, and I plan to revisit Lugano again. Local foodies praise the food at Lugano. While the food is adequate, Greg's presence and good service make the package complete, perhaps explaining the raves.

Lugano - RECOMMENDED if you order carefully

Highs: Fresh ingredients, creative risottos daily, comfortable atmosphere, reasonable prices for the quality of food, gracious host
Lows: Meaty seafood dish

Bon Appétit! - W. Ego

El Gaucho - Portland, Oregon

El Gaucho
319 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97205
(503)227-8794
https://elgaucho.com/dine/portland/

Date of Visit: Friday, October 3, 2008
Time: Dinner - 5:00 PM
Server: Chris
Number of Diners: 4

Ratings
Food Quality: 7.5
Service: 6.5
Ambiance: 8

Our Saturday schedule of leisurely shopping, late breakfast, and no lunch put us squarely into early-bird time for dinner. We were the first diners of the evening at the Portland location of the famous steakhouse, which started in Seattle and also has a Tacoma branch. We were told to expect a new opening in Bellingham in November as well. The rainy season had started in Portland, and after our 10 block walk to the restaurant all of us had soaking wet raincoats to deal with. The hostesses greeted us cheerfully and produced a single coat hanger upon which every coat was draped. I took the single claim ticket and cocked an eyebrow at my companions who shrugged. We shook ourselves off and proceeded to a very nice table in the quiet, elegant dining room.

El Gaucho is a veritable time machine, transporting us instantly back to the 50s and 60s of chic supper clubs, thankfully sans the smoking! Our server and his team were all dressed in El Gaucho uniforms - formal black and white with gold embroidery. Chris introduced himself and encouraged us to take our time with the menu and wine lists. Standard wines and wines by the glass were listed on the back of the oversized menu card, while reserve wines were listed in a separate menu. Wine prices were high across the board, overcome by the fact that nearly every choice was a high quality wine - some famous and some less famous. The sideboard next to our table displayed magnums of some of the best wines in the United States: Joseph Phelps Insignia, Far Niente Estate Cabernet, Woodward Canyon Old Vines Cabernet, Caymus Special Selection Cabernet, Trefethen, Grgich, and others. It was an honor to dine in such company.

I had to call my wine consultant, Scott in Yakima, to help find the best quality/value pairing on the list. Most good wine lists have the famous wines at famous prices, and they hide a few gems somewhere that provide equivalent or superior quality for a comparative bargain. Scott quickly honed in on one and directed me to have it decanted and wait for a minimum of 30 minutes before consumption. I called Chris over and asked for the Andrew Will, Sorella, Horse Heaven Hills ‘05, our hidden wine gem for $145. The wine steward quickly appeared with the correct bottle, opening it and decanting it through a silver filter with a flourish. We could see from the deep burgundy color and the slow viscosity of the pour that this was indeed a special wine. The steward poured me a sample. The nose was prominent, fruity and floral, and the wine was smooth and delicate with enough body to coat my entire tongue. I enjoyed every nuance of flavor as taste buds were stimulated area by area. I nodded to the steward, but had to stop him from pouring out the carafe into our glasses. "We will let it rest for a while." He was taken aback a bit. Clever servers know that they need to get you started drinking immediately to loosen up the group and create time and desire for a second bottle. Clever diners know that the bottle can be saved for the main course, and this was the path we chose! Two minutes later the wine was still dancing around my tongue - a very good sign of things to come.

If you ever wondered, "Where's the beef?" the answer is a resounding "El Gaucho!" The center of the menu boldly states: "We proudly serve custom 28-day dry-aged certified Angus beef® prime steaks as personally recommended by John Tarpoff." Sure, there are good fish and poultry choices, but the order of the evening was beef, and plenty of it! We discussed steaks and sides with Chris as we ordered. I was surprised to learn that none of the produce, vegetables, or fruits were organic - unusual for Portland and slightly disappointing.


What we had with menu descriptions...

Table Side Caesar Salad (minimum of two) $12 per person

French Onion Soup bowl $8

Peppercorn New York 16 oz $64

Baseball Cut Top Sirloin 12 oz $38, Roquefort $40

Filet Mignon 8 oz $42

Flaming Sword Brochette of Tenderloin $34

"Shareable Sides"

Full Gaucho Treatment Gaucho Baked Potato - Russet potato fluffed tableside with butter and Tillamook cheddar cheese beer sauce, cracked pepper and scallions $5

Southwest Scalloped Potatoes $6

Asparagus $12


Chris wheeled a tableside prep cart over and began the serious business of making our Caesar salads. He scooped garlic and anchovies into an oversized walnut salad bowl and started working them vigorously with a big spoon. Adding Dijon, egg yolk (pasteurized), Pecorino cheese, and fresh lemon, he capped it off with a generous pour of extra virgin olive oil. Working the dressing for several minutes, he showed us the result before adding cheesy croutons and romaine lettuce. I took the opportunity to pour a generous taste of wine for each of my companions. While the salad and show were wonderful, the French onion soup was even better. Carmelized sweet Walla Walla onions brought out nuances of our wine made from Walla Walla grapes. Subtelties of shared terroir are difficult to describe, so you should be encouraged play around with such pairings on your own!

We were alerted to the imminence of our steaks when one of Chris's assistants appeared with a cutlass of meat, mushrooms, and tomato with flaming spirits in the inverted crossguard - good for serving the food if less functional in a sword fight! He started spooning the flames over the brochette in a professional manner as we enjoyed the show. Chris and another assistant came with the other three entrees while the restaurant manager came to finally pour the wine. I told her to check with each person before pouring, as one of our friends wanted to limit herself to a taste. This instruction elicited another funny look as she complied. It seems that the entire staff is there to please you and handle everything, and they were somewhat insulted by my instructions. Whatever.

Chris spooned crimini mushroom gravy onto one of the tenderloins and Bearnaise onto the other, then the two ladies attacked their tenderloins like true carnivores - perhaps it was a tactical error to skip lunch? Both uttered moans of delight, so all was well. My buddy offered praise for his peppercorn NY steak, while I carved a chunk off the baseball of top sirloin. I found my steak to be perfectly cooked, flavorful, and a bit chewy. I glanced at my enraptured companions and tried another bite with the same result. I asked my friend if the evening's steak was better than the flat iron steak at Higgins, and he said that it was. The girls were still gorging themselves, so I tried a few more bites. Still disappointing, I said something to my companions. They were shocked and immediately proffered generous samples of all of their steaks. The tenderloins were both delicious and melty. The peppercorn steak was overspiced and very tough. By contrast my top sirloin was much better, and it clearly improved as I moved to the center of its mass. Apparently I have a talent for choosing the very worst part of any steak for my first bites! The rest of the meal was a delight, and the wine paired perfectly with the aged Angus beef.

After dinner dishes were cleared Chris brought out an enormous tray of fresh fruit and raw nuts in the shell plus a plate of Roquefort cheese, crackers, and dried dates. We eagerly cracked pecans, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, and almonds while sipping good coffee. There were red and green apples and a pear as well. I tried each of the items with the wine, and it did not pair very well with the coffee or sweets, but was OK with the various nuts - especially almonds. I finally poured the last of the wine from the carafe and watched as the legs slowly melted down its sides. The wine steward appeared out of nowhere and stood looking at me. "I'm waiting for the legs to fall to get the last drop." He stared silently, picked up the carafe, and backed away very slowly - cautiously assuming that I was kidding while giving me an option to stop him. I wasn't totally kidding, but let him have his way at last. My wife shrewdly deduced that those few drops from the legs of the wine were his to taste, explaining the odd behavior.

Overall the experience was good. Dinner as theater. I deducted half a point from the food score for the lack of organic ingredients and the unimaginative handling of the menu items. This last point is perhaps unfair, as imagination would have detracted from the vintage experience. It's my blog, so my opinion rules, as always! I also deducted half a point for the wet raincoats (mine was thoroughly soaked inside). Only the bottom coat was dry on the inside. And for the the slight undertone of discomfort from the staff as they dealt with my unusual instructions. Chris and his team got a generous tip (22%) while the hostess/coat check girl got a quiet word of advice. I wanted her to learn rather than get a reprimand from management. Not sure it worked - she seemed shocked to learn that placing one wet coat on a hanger on top of another would make the inside of the top coat wet. She's probably still complaining to her friends that nobody every complained to her before. For someone that lives in a city where it rains 6-12 months per year, she should know this by now!

El Gaucho - RECOMMENDED for a nice night of theater dinner

Highs: The show, reasonable prices considering the extras
Lows: Low creativity, damp inside lining of raincoats

Bon Appétit! - W. Ego

Blue Ridge Seafood - Gainesville, Virginia

Blue Ridge Seafood
15704 Lee Highway
Gainesville, VA 20155
703-754-9852
http://blueridgeseafood.net/index.html

Date of Visit: Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Time: Dinner - 8:30 PM
Server: Shirlee
Number of Diners: 5

Ratings
Food Quality: 7
Service: 7
Ambiance: 4

I decided to join my fellow-traveling co-workers this evening, and they were on a mission - a mission for BLUE CRABS! The ringleaders suggested there was only one place - Blue Ridge Seafood in Gainesville. This town is well to the southwest of the DC area, a few miles beyond Manassas. We made the sojourn late, to avoid the infamous rush hour. The restaurant is a sprawling shack with an enormous gravel parking lot that was nearly full. We stepped inside to the decor of "crab shack 60's" and waited a bit for the young hostess to seat us. She found a place for us in the back, at a pair of picnic tables covered with brown butcher paper on an unifinished concrete floor. The neighboring tables had a group of 15 or so, most of whom were 2.5 sheets to the wind already, and very noisy.

What we had with menu descriptions...
The menu had a large selection of seafood items, about half of which were fried. Featured on the menu and a table card were several soups and chowders. I noticed the lobster bisque was the same price as the New England clam chowder. I asked the waitress about it, and she didn't quite wrinkle her nose. "I'd go with the clam chowder," she advised. "It's made here and that lobster stuff is frozen." Good enough for me, and most of us ordered a cup or bowl of chowder. While several other things looked good, we were there for a crab adventure. Shirlee advised starting with a dozen medium crabs and going from there. We again followed her advice, and added a pitcher of Red Hook ESB (Extra Special Bitter, aka English Style Bitter) Ale. She had each of us specify if we wanted butter or malt vinegar. Four chose butter and one vinegar.

The beer arrived first, with a large stick of frozen stuff to keep it cold stuck into the pitcher. It's a bitter style, but does not have a strong bitter flavor, so the name is deceptive. It worked well with all the seafood. The clam chowder was dense with a generous amount of clams, a heavy cream base, and large chunks of skin-on potatoes. A few minutes after the soup was cleared a plastic dining tray arrived with our dozen medium crabs, covered in a bath of dry spices. These were about a hand's width across. Our veteran showed us how to use the plastic prybar and wooden mallet to get to the crabmeat, advising us what to eat and what to avoid. There was quite a bit of work involved, but it got easy once I got the hang of it. The peeling, prying, and cracking process left enough spice residue on my fingers to flavor the tiny morsels of meat - enough so I completely forgot the tiny cup of drawn butter. My take - it was good, but not quite worth the effort. A dozen crabs later we were all still hungry. Shirlee ducked into the kitchen to reserve our second dozen - apparently our late arrival made availability doubtful. She came back to announce that all that were left were "Jumbos," significantly more expensive. Being on expense account - nobody cared, and we charged on, adding a second pitcher of beer.

I asked our group if the crabs were local, presuming they were from the nearby Chesapeake Bay. Apparently it had been fished out years ago, so all restaurant crabs were imported, presumably from Mexico or somewhere. So I asked Shirlee, and she verified that they were not from the Chesapeake - hadn't been for years. I asked where they came from now, and she replied, "I think they come from Alabama." Most of us had been to Alabama several times, and all of us were surprised to hear it. Shirlee ducked into the back and returned with the day's invoice. Sure enough, all from LA (Lower Alabama) now! This supplier was based in Bayou La Batre.

The next round of crabs was easily three times bigger than the first. Having warmed up on the small ones, the Jumbos were easy to crack and eat, causing unintentional yet amusing sprays of crab juice in all directions. The meat was bountiful and delicious, perhaps not as tasty as the smaller lot, but far less work to get to. This second platter filled us up and left all satiated. Total with tip was about $38 apiece - very reasonable. The guys who had been before avowed that all of the seafood dinners were likewise excellent and affordable. Definitely worth a return visit. Just be sure to ask what's prepared in house!

Blue Ridge Seafood - RECOMMENDED

Highs: Good, fresh seafood, informal atmosphere, reasonable prices
Lows: Noisy and Messy!

Bon Appétit! - W. Ego

Cafe Monti - Alexandria, Virginia

Cafe Monti
3250 Duke Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
703-370-3632
http://www.cafemonti.com/

Date of Visit: Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Time: Lunch - 1:30 PM
Server: ???
Number of Diners: 1

Ratings
Food Quality: 7
Service: 3
Ambiance: 4

On this particular day I was in the mood for a late lunch of salad and pizza. Having my fill of NY style a few days earlier, I was looking for something thinner and less greasy. I told the GPS to look for Italian places as I drove down Duke Street in Alexandria. Stopped at one place - menu in the window proclaimed, "NY Style Pizza," so I moved on. I was about ready to give up as the GPS indicated Cafe Monti dead ahead. Sounded too pretentious for a pizza place. I was looking for places to make a legal U-turn as I passed the place. Much to my delight, it was very clearly a hole-in-the-wall dive. My kind of place!!! I took one of the three available parking places (there were a few more in back) for my late lunch.

Upon entering I was rewarded with Great American Dive Restaurant decor, faded linoleum, chipped formica tables, vinyl tablecloths, thin patina of perma-grease on everything, and a wonderful aroma of cooking tomato sauce! And there were no less than three signs calling attention to their Zagat listing, dated 2007 and 2008, an unexpected discovery. The tall counter hardly concealed the tiny kitchen area, where two cooks were hard at work. A handwritten sign notified all visitors to place their orders at the counter before being seated at one of the eleven (clearly numbered) tables. The manager, dressed in designer jeans and a Hawaiian shirt, greeted me cheerfully as I perused the white board with 20 or so handwritten specials, primarily seafood and seafood/pasta combinations. On the yellowed wall was the permanent menu, listing margherita style and other pizzas. This was good for me, indicating authentic Napoletana Style (Neapolitan) pizza. An Austrian flag proudly displayed next to Old Glory further indicated the Northern Italian slant of the proprietor and menu. Half a dozen enormous round fresh-baked loaves lined a shelving unit, and two more of them were disemboweled in the prep area. I ordered a small margherita pizza and a green salad. Upon inquiring if they had iced tea, the manager assured me it was both fresh brewed and unsweetened, so I added it to my lunch trifecta. Total with tax - $11.78.

I took a seat, and after a short wait, the manager delivered a large salad of fresh, chopped greens (no olives or other veggies to get in the way), generously dressed with a light vinegarette. A large piece of round bread loaf had a very crispy crust and a chewy, spongy inside - sort of like soda bread without the saltiness. It was perfect for pushing the salad and soaking up the surplus olive oil. The iced tea was cold enough to cause brain freeze when using the supplied straw in the plastic cup. Soon the pizza arrived on a tin plate. At first glance it looked just like NY style cheese pizza. While I was expecting fresh tomato slices and basil leaves over mozzarella on the crust (classic margherita), it was a generous amount of tomato sauce and cheese - no basil at all. It was very hot, and I cut off small pieces to cool - protecting my upper mouth from blistering. The sauce was absolutely amazing, so it was decent pizza, if not what I expected. The crust was relatively thin, crispy, and good as well. Perhaps this alteration was an adaptation to the recent tomato-salmonella scare, but I doubted it. As I waited for the pie to cool, I noticed seven types of wine on display, and a case of bottled beer. Some quick investigation found there was a good assortment of both domestic and imported beers, and I zeroed in on an Erdinger Hefe-weizen Dunkel (dark) als Bayern (from Bavaria). $5.35 more and it was mine, providing an excellent companion for the pizza.

As I finished eating and nursed my beer and tea, I saw the cooks and bus-girl take a seat with some big platters of food. It looked and smelled wonderful, as did the fish ordered at a neighboring table. My pizza and salad made a delightful and filling meal, just perfect for my mood and inclination. I looked up their Zagat Rating, and found it to be 22 for the food, a pretty high score for the Uber-picky NoVa crowd. I think the place deserves a return trip to try the seafood and pasta, which looked great, and perhaps even to try some Austrian fare as well. It's a place you definitely go for the food and not the atmosphere.


And so I did return, for dinner!


Date of Visit: Thursday, June 12, 2008
Time: Dinner - 7:30 PM
Server: ???
Number of Diners: 1

Even though 9 of the 11 tables were full, I still was able to snag one of the three places out front. The same folks were there as the day before, plus an attractive young lady who served and cleared the tables. The white board had been changed in several areas, and the drill looked to be the same. I studied for a bit, then stepped up to the cash register to order. Unlike lunch, the manager did not collect payment at that time, but directed me to an empty table.

What I had with descriptions...
I went with the prosciutto and melon appetizer ($8), fresh scallops and linguine for main course ($18), and pear tart ($5) for dessert. the white board menu descriptions offered no more information than this. I noted they were pouring wines by the carafe, so I asked about the choices for white - pinot grigio and chardonnay. I added half a carafe ($9) of the pinot grigio. I took a table at the back and watched the room. The wine arrived at once, and it was cold and decent - off dry and nice in the summer heat. Near me was a display refrigerator stocked with sodas and bottled water, and a bus area with tubs labeled "Dishes," "Silverware," and "Glasses." Much to my surprise, two young girls eating with their mothers bussed their table into the bins. A few minutes later their teenage brothers did the same, as did the mothers. As I enjoyed my salty prosciutto, fresh cantaloupe, olive oil, and crusty bread - offset nicely by the wine, I watched essentially all the other diners bus their tables as well. It was evident that many of them knew each other - by sight if not by name, and they were also familiar with the staff. Apparently this is a locals' place, and the locals are happy to help out by clearing their own tables. One elderly man even stooped low to fetch a napkin from under his table. Most of the adults, and all of the kids, smiled and acknowledged me as I sat alone. It created a nice atmosphere.

The main course arrived - a healthy pile of needle-thin pasta surrounded by a dozen good-sized scallops. The smallest was about the size of a half dollar. The sauce was the same as used on yesterday's pizza, made slightly runny in combination with the pasta. The linguine was slightly overcooked, soft and unable to absorb any sauce. I put a few hunks of crusty, spongy bread to good use, soaking up puddles of sauce, as I focused on the scallops. They were fresh and sweet, though a couple had started to become slightly fishy. I noted a father and daughter at a nearby table order dessert, and was surprised to see something other than the pear tart. I asked the helpful server what they had, and she informed me it was apple strudel. As it turns out they also had cheesecake, flan, and one piece of raspberry tart. We discussed the merits of strudel versus pear tart for a bit, and I ended up changing my order over to the strudel. I took my time with the main course, but still ended up with some sauce spray on my shirt - which was fortunately red!

The strudel arrived with a nice side of whipped cream. The waitress had told me that none of their desserts was overly sweet, and that was indeed the case with the strudel. I noted a pink tinge to the apple filling, and saw a couple of fruits inside that looked like raisins. I was pleasantly surprised to find they were pitted, dried cherries, lending a delightfully tart contrast to the sweet apples. The portion was generous and delicious. And though not overly sweet, it brought out a pleasant bitter characteristic in the pinot grigio, providing yet another contrast. Again we have a dessert elevating the overall food score! Satiated, I decided to join the locals and bus my own table. And I will have to come back another time to try the pear tart... Total bill was a very reasonable $42.50 with tax, and I left another $8 for tip.

Cafe Monti - Recommended if you want decent Italian with outstanding dessert in a modest setting

Highs: Decent food, great desserts, reasonable prices, large portions, very friendly staff, local restaurant feel
Lows: Ambiance not suitable for a first date or business meeting

Bon Appétit! - W. Ego

Tony's N.Y. Pizza - Fairfax, Virginia

Tony's N.Y. Pizza
3087 Fair Lakes Shopping Center
Fairfax, Virginia
11:00AM - 11:00 PM - 7 Days a Week
703-502-0808
http://www.tonysnypizza.com/

Date of Visit:Monday, June 11, 2008
Time: Dinner - 6:30 PM
Server: N/A
Number of Diners: 4

Ratings
Food Quality: 7
Service: 2
Ambiance: 4

I hooked up with three co-workers who were also working in Northern Virginia this week for a pizza treat. Our ringleader was "Longisland Guy" (LG) who was Jones-ing for a taste of his homeland. He had been to Tony's before and attested it was the real deal. There were a few tables outside in the 100 degree heat and 100% humidity, so we bypassed them and headed into the strip mall location. LG was quick to point out the portraits of the last three Popes hanging conspicuously over the cash register - a testimony to the authenticity of the place. Inside you stand in a line to place your order and pay, then you are given a number for your table. This number is called in semi-incoherent fashion over the loudspeaker so you can come fetch your food. The staff in the back yelling at each other indiscriminately added another layer of authenticity to the experience.

The Menu and what we had...
The menu was a full Italian slate on large overhead signboards. Probably a dozen pre-made pies were on display in a glass case for orders by the slice. On the last visit LG and another guy had put away two 14-inch pies, so we ordered three 16-inchers for the four of us, plus antipasto salad and bread. And a pitcher (or two) of Sam Adams beer. Our three pies were classic NY cheese, pepperoni, and (after considering mushroom for a minute) sausage. My suggestion to get a combo was quickly dismissed as impractical, testifying to my Midwestern ignorance. We found a fast-food style booth for four and crowded ourselves in. The beer and salad were ready very quickly, and we were privileged to have an authentic Italian staff member deliver the salad personally. It was a pile of iceberg, heavily dressed with oil and vinegar, plus Buffalo cheese balls and rolls of ham, artichokes, and Italian peppers. A side of bread was ignored in anticipation of the coming pies. Three of us had small portions of the salad, while LG abstained to save room for his precious NY pizza. When the pies were called, two went to retrieve them, and there was no room on the small table. Our earlier helpful friend returned with three pedestals, two of which fit on the table - the third being relegated to and adjoining high-top table.

The pies were blisteringly hot, and LG dove in immediately, while the rest of us were more circumspect. The cheese pie was topped with a semi-liquid sauce and a healthy amount of Mozzarella cheese. The crust was NY spec - lending itself to folding to hold most of the topping in a pocket for your eating pleasure. The Pepperoni pizza was identical to the cheese with the addition of spicy slices of bright red meat-byproducts. The sausage pizza was similar, but instead of crumbled sausage there were slices of brown sausage. The cheese pie was greasy, the pepperoni pie was very greasy, and the sausage pie was molto-molto-greasy, as demonstrated by the puddles on our paper plates - grease catchers. We charged through all four pizzas, three large piles of napkins, and two pitches of beer (for three of us - the fourth was a teetotaler). The pie was decent and a pleasure to eat, although NY is not my favorite style. LG proudly proclaimed that the roof of his mouth was blistered, shredded, and pleasantly numb - the rest of us had avoided such a fate. While nobody was keeping track, LG certainly was the consumer of the night - and we were all happy for him. And by unanimous vote, Pepperoni was the best of the three pizzas.

While we all sat and rested in a cheesy-greasy haze, somebody (might have been me) mentioned that they had cannoli. A lively conversation ensued concerning the compartmenting of the human stomach into food and dessert sections. A few minutes later a tray appeared with four beautiful cannoli. "Are you kidding me?" I asked. Bought and paid for, there was nothing for it but to proceed. These marscarpone-stuffed tubes of pastry were absolutely delightful, better than the last ones I'd had in Little Italy on Manhattan. The dessert raised this restaurant's food score by a full point. Overstuffed and wounded, we made our way back to our respective hotels for a well-earned comatose rest.

Tony's NY Pizza - RECOMMENDED for all New York pizza lovers and all who love to blister the roofs of their mouths!

Highs: Pepperoni pie, Cannoli
Lows: Self service, uncomfortable tables, noise

Bon Appétit! - W. Ego

Hodad's - Ocean Beach, California

Hodad's
5010 Newport Avenue
Ocean Beach, CA 92107
619-224-4623
http://www.myspace.com/hodadsob

Date of Visit: Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Time: Dinner - 7:30 PM
Server: Entire Staff
Number of Diners: 2

Ratings
Food Quality: 7
Service: 7
Ambiance: 5*
*Unique place - Clean enough, Eclectic Funky Decor, and LOUD!

My co-worker, the very thin Mike S., and I decided to hit what is arguably the most famous burger joint in Southern California. It should be noted that Hodad's is about a block from the beach, not in San Diego "proper," but in the town of Ocean Beach, California. "The OB" is a pretty interesting place, catering to the hippie fringe of SoCal society. On this Wednesday we were surprised to find a street festival in full swing on the main street, featuring organic whatever fried in organic grease or grilled on organic wood, and served on recycled toilet paper (or something). There were also hundreds of hemp and macramé wares mixed in with some herbal and organic products for both internal and external use. Dozens of 2-3 person acoustic bands and dreadlocks were everywhere. Most of the people smelled very... organic!

The presence of all the street food was good news, as the feeding frenzy in the street depleted the starving crowds at this infamous burger joint. The sign outside proudly proclaimed "Less than 99 billion served!" When we arrived the place was full, with about half a dozen waiting in line outside. We queued up and waited on the street, the SoCal midwinter weather being about 55 degrees and beachy-humid, really not bad at all. In no time we were accosted by a hostess/waitress and ushered in. The place is bright and very noisy. They support local live music, so it COULD have been even noisier - hard to conceive! Our helpful hostess asked, "Would you guys mind sitting in the van?" Of course not! So here was our table...

I took the driver's seat and Mike took the passenger's side. Once inside, even though the windows were all missing in action, the noise factor was greatly reduced, and we had an awesome ringside seat for the night's activities. The steering wheel and column were long gone, but the dash and instruments were there, indicating 40MPH, and the odometer reading HODAD. The fresh air vent at the top for the heating system was fully functional, too! A helpful waitress took a beer order, quickly filled by another young lady. There were at least 5 different servers working - all young, attractive, and in better shape than either of us, and all of them visited us more than once - we never went wanting for attention, food, or drinks!

The Menu and what we had...
We sipped from excellent California micro brews as we perused the menu. Having had a late lunch, I opted for the single cheeseburger with bacon, while Mike, who had joined me for lunch, decided to go for the gusto and ordered the double cheeseburger with bacon. We were debating fries or onion rings, both having been described as legendary, when the server suggested "Frings" a half and half basket. Perfect!

The room is medium sized, with about a two dozen high tables, a long dining hall picnic table, and a counter on the window - seats inside, facing outside, where the servers would go to take orders and bring food. Those were primo seats for watching the fun on the Avenue outside! There's a large L-shaped counter protecting the grill and many chalkboards jammed with menu information and clever sayings.

As you can see from the photos the walls are covered with license plates from all over, and we spent our time with beer and Frings trying to decipher some of the more clever ones. 2NICAGY took us some time. Either it was "Too Nice A Guy" or "Tunica Gay." The Frings came with both ketchup and ranch dressing - and this was the full time Mike had ever tasted real ranch dressing, as opposed to low fat. Ultimately the burgers, ordered "with everything" came. Mine was enormous - Pile of bacon topped by 2 slabs of cheesy beef topped by tomatoes, lettuce, pickle, rings of fresh white onion (thick) and mustard. The bacon deserves some comment. There is a lot of it, and it tastes very good, but it is unusual - about a quarter pound of bacon is parboiled, globbed together, then grilled next to the burger. So the taste is there, but the bacon is not at all the crispy breakfast treat that Americans are used to - much more like a semi-greasy glob of Canadian bacon. Closest I've seen to it is real Irish bacon.
My burger, like all at Hodad's, was served in a generous wrapper described by the owner as a "burger trough." It was way too big to bite into. Trying to compress the thing to mouth sized was not at all possible. You pretty much just have to nibble around the edges, taking what you get in each mouthful. And as big as mine was, Mike's was TWICE AS BIG!!

We each gathered our thoughts and our burgers and literally dove in. "Good bread, bacon, and mustard," says Mike. I got bacon, lettuce, bread and mustard in my mouth, along with beef and cheese in my nose, so I could not immediately comment. Silence reigned inside the van as we each attacked the giant burgers from a variety of angles. Each bite was different, with different components. Every bite was damn good. About halfway through Mike ordered another round of beers, the consumption of which was hampered by the need for two hands on each of the burgers. We moved the beer glasses to the dash, hoping that the indicated 40MPH was not in violation of any California open container laws. After an extended consumption time, I managed to finish mine and resume on the Frings. Mike, surrounded by several heaps of used napkins, pressed on. I was stuffed, leaving 2 onion rings in the aftermath. Mike finished the meat and cheese and showed me the results. "I'd call it victory," was my comment. "No way!" says Mike who proceeded to eat the salad and bun, leaving nothing. Satiated, stuffed, and feeling a beery-protein high, we just relaxed in the van and watched the show in the dining room.

We had previously discussed whether a milkshake might be in order, but opted for the beers to enjoy a rare respite from the draconian laws found in Utah. But the folks at the next table obliged by ordering one. Words cannot describe this thing, so just try to comprehend the photo...

Our tab with 4 beers, a split basket of Frings, and one single and one double was $31 with tax. All of it was toxic and quite delicious. A sign by the register informed us, "If this isn't the best burger you've ever had, we really don't want to hear about it!" I can't say it was the best, or even the biggest, but I can say it was right up there. And the experience and the friendliness of the folks from "The OB" made a good thing even better. Two thumbs-up and highly recommended!

Highs: Friendly service, funky decor, al fresco dining in perfect San Diego weather, The Van, the OB experience
Lows: We were too full to try the milkshake

Bon Appétit! - W. Ego