Worth finding

On a trip home from Petaluma one day, Dad noticed it was lunch time and being near Novato I thought we'd try out the Garden Court. It is located inside the Days Inn, so you do pass the hotel front desk as you go into the restaurant. We found that at lunch there is a buffet, reasonably priced, with a surprisingly wide selection of items to choose from, and it includes the drink.

The buffet service is started with a soup served to your table. The soup of the day was hot and sour, and it was quite tasty.

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of vegetable and seafood items I could choose. There was a two sided buffet table with extra selections on one end, and the soda machine on the other. There was also a side table by the door of the buffet room with sauces and condiments and small dishes.

Dad was happy with all the choices he had with meat included. He even went back for seconds! And all the way home he commented what a nice meal it was. It's a family friendly place, and the staff was quite attentive to keeping the food selections fresh and in proper amounts for everyone. Although I wouldn't drive from Mill Valley just for this place, if you are nearby its a great place for a casual meal.

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 2
Noncritical: 1
Last inspected: 6/30/2009

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War of the food

For your viewing pleasure.

Musing on Monterey

I've been to Monterey a number of times now, not only as a visitor before ever moving to California, but many times after moving to Marin as it's a great little get away for those living in the bay area. On my last visit there, while waiting for a business appointment, I was musing on the richness of the agricultural area beyond the lovely seafood found there.

photo credit: iStockphoto
Romain lettuce in Soledad, CA

When I came home, I sifted through some statistics from the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner, and statistics compiled though the State of California. It seems that leafy greens are king there, so much so that I would venture to say, if you've bought leafy greens from a major retailer in your area of the US, you've likely eaten a leafy salad that originated in the green fields of Monterey County. Monterey County accounts for 63% of the total lettuce produced in California. Further California is the leading state in fresh vegetable production in 2007, accounting for 50% of the total US production! The same report mentioned that all types of lettuce was the leading California crop in terms of production. According to a USDA report, Americans eat 50 lbs. of leafy green vegetables a year per capita! If you are visiting and want to nab some farm-fresh produce while there, some Chowhounders have given some tips.

Green Onions, Standing Tall

Didn't I tell you that this would be the result?

These were the original green onions with the tops cut off, laying every which way. This photo was taken July 25th, I took the first photo today. It doesn't take long for these to right themselves and shoot up!

Lobster dinner

At the end of the day, I made a very casual dinner to enjoy with my friend, Daniel. Daniel took this photo with his Google Android phone, and encouraged me to post the meal. The lobsters are from Molly Stone's that has a great special on Maine lobsters this week, at $9.99 a pound cooked or $7.99 live. Freshly seeing the scene in Julie & Julie where 'lobster murder' occurs, I couldn't bear the idea of trying to boil one live, so I freshened freshly cooked ones up with a little lemon in boiling water. I made a small saute of fresh vegetables from my CSA box. The cut carrots and orange were also from the box. The cous cous and rice were heated up from a recent meal. That was what was cooking at Anna's home tonight!

Another day in Monterey

One fine day I was at the Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey at dinner time, and decided to try Crabby Jim's. In front of most restaurants on the Wharf there are staff encouraging passersby to sample their clam chowder.

And I had a beautiful view out of the window by my table.

I tried the Fish & Chips. They came a bit on the cool side, but were generally good. The waiter redeemed the visit by being so cheerful and trying so hard to please. They were unable to serve ice tea because not only had they run out, the brewer was broken and not fixable within a normal dining time frame. I've had better experiences on the Wharf.

Easy lunching

Arawan Thai in Sausalito has a lunch menu full of fun and delicious choices. Their lunch list consists of a series of two smaller version dishes in a variety of combinations, and it includes salad and a tapioca dessert as well.

The perky fresh salad was not particularly special except for the amazing peanut based dressing.

The balance of the meal is pictured above. The Spring Rolls were crunchy and the filling well seasoned. The main dish was Spicy Basil Tofu, which I was hesitant to try in the past because of the 'spicy' moniker. I've been 'burnt' before with hot Thai dishes, however, this one was spiced just right for my taste. There was a little heat, but it wasn't mouth-burning. Having such a colorful variety of vegetables and basil leaves with the braised tofu made it a dish I'd request again. The small bowl of tapioca pudding is in the right upper quadrant of the photo. It is a smooth tapioca with bits of taro included in the milky sauce. The service was prompt and friendly, and the dishes all arrived in the appropriate temperature range. It's easy to come back here repeatedly!

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 2
Noncritical: 3
Last inspected: 5/26/2009

Previously reviewed:
May 14, 2008
March 5, 2007

Find address/phone number/directions on Anna's Map.

Dining after Julie & Julia

As I told you in yesterday's post, the first restaurant we had chosen to try after watching Julie & Julia was fully booked. We went a short block from that location to Petaluma's Central Market where the chef greeted us at the door and promised we'd have a treat in store. Yalda and Olivia joined us there too, so we had quite the party.

The bread and flowers arranged on the table portended good things to come.

Yalda and my Dad chose to start with the Creamy Clam-Corn Chowder that included smoked bacon among its ingredients. I tried a spoonful at others' urging, and it was stunningly delicious!

I have been eying recipes for watermelon salad paired with cheese all.. summer.. long! And there it was on the menu, Summer Watermelon Salad. I thought it would be a great idea to sample one first. Wow! It had Greek Feta and arugula with it, and it was lightly dressed with lavender infused honey. This was definitely a great salad.

I followed that with Linguine with Stuffed Squash Blossoms, which also had ricotta cheese, organic mushrooms, fresh corn kernels and sage. It was also fabulous. However, I was disappointed that the blossoms turned into blossom on my plate. I was expecting more than one.

My father Charles preferred enjoying an appetizer as a main, and ordered the Warm Spicy Lamb Cabbage Rolls. He liked it very much, including the preserved lemon flavor surprise.

Yalda ordered this fabulous looking dish, Seared Angus Hanger Steak which came with blue cheese potato gratin, roasted grapes and onions. She said it was great, and took a doggie bag home with some of its generous portion tucked inside.

Linda went for the Red Wine Braised Black Angus Short Ribs which came with fresh horseradish mashed potatoes and root vegetables. Linda said the rib was divine! And she had the same comment as I, her Ribs was a Rib and she could have easily eaten more of this deliciousness!

The only hiccup in our food contentedness, other than wanting more, was that the other audience members of Julie & Julia must have had the same idea as a crowd showed up right behind us. With all that sudden business, the service was a little slow. Even so, I would definitely go back to Central Market again. Slow pace aside, it was friendly, and we loved that the chef came to our table a couple of times to check on how we were enjoying our meal.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 2
Noncritical: 2
Last inspected: 2/4/2009

I saw it!

Julie & Julia that is. The first blog made into a movie - how could I not? Dad & I met our friend Linda at a theater in Petaluma. We giggled like girls and LOVED the movie. Dad said he enjoyed it, but didn't laugh as much. But he stayed awake!

Of course, we had to go to a restaurant commensurate with all that food viewing afterward, and tried Cucina Paradiso at first, which was booked until 8 p.m., so we wandered down the street to Central Market (to be a separate post which I'll back link to later). Yes, I did a little research before we went so we would not be disappointed. And I had to attempt looking up the blog "The Julie/Julia Project" on my cell phone while we were waiting for our food.

Hmmm, what's this? No photos? Well I vowed to look closer when I got home. Indeed, no photos. And a terrible interface for the history, just a calendar to keep clicking dates, one month at a time, with no post titles list. I kept clicking through and reading things randomly. Arrugh. I would have passed this blog by if it weren't for the movie. My friend Jo-Ann and I were talking the other day about the amount of foul language passing for writing on some blogs and comments. I can't stand to read writings full of expletives, it's just not pleasant.

In the movie, Julie says something about her mother perhaps not liking it that she uses the F* work a 'couple times'. That's an understatement. However the movie doesn't go overboard with the expletives, so you get a sense of what she was trying to accomplish and how she struggled to make all those complex recipes. You come to love Julie's quirkiness as well as Julia's effervescence in the face of anything. As she came to the end of her cooking lessons with Julia, she convinced me too that mayonnaise can be made by hand, and you can create new doors and new horizons for yourself. Julie's last post was the day after Julia Child died, where she shared her thoughts about Julia and how she changed her life.

I have a goal for my blog too, although more sanely, I have never given myself a deadline for completion. I do plan to visit every eating establishment in Marin and blog about it. Excepting the fast food chain type places of course. And I'm actually very close to meeting that goal. This experience, 1,294 post strong and ongoing, has enriched my life in so many ways in the last 6 years. Yes, this blog will be 6 years old on August 16th!

The casting for the film was brilliant, Meryl Streep was perfect as Julia, and take a look at this MSNBC article on Julie's book, where the real Julie is pictured and it's obvious why Amy Adams was just the one to tap to play Julie.

Thanks Nora Ephron, for exposing the stuggles and souls of two lovely women in this film! (And by the way, Nora blogs too!)

photo credit: iStockphoto.com

Tasty Traditions

One day it was just time for the Pacific Cafe in Kentfield. At first I thought that it may be closed because the front sign I remember was gone. I found out later that a car had crashed into the front of the building some months ago, and the new sign was on order. However, there is a stained glass sign in the window which identifies the location.

I started with a cup of Pacific Chowder. The waiter said it is basically a clam chowder without the cream. It was quite tasty without.

For the main course, I had the Almond Crusted Halibut. Oh my but it was good! The potatoes were a little 'whipped' and shiny, however the overall plate was great.

I indulged in a dessert, the Lemon Meringue Pie. I was especially tempted when I heard that it was one of the waitstaff's own recipes that had been a favorite for years. The proprietors were very friendly, and the whole staff seemed to have settled into a good service and guest-thoughtful routine. I loved that my server left me a quaint index card with artistic handwriting about the specials. This is a time tested solid seafood place.

Restaurant Inspection Results

This location has not been inspected yet.

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Using what's in the house

So I realized one morning that I had forgotten to buy bread. And well, I have flour, liquid and yeast, so why not make some to go with lunch. And my, why not spike it with the lovely fennel seed that Zoomie had given as a party favor at a food blogger's picnic some months ago? It's hard to give an exact recipe for this, as I have become more like my mother and have a bowl of flour and do some things quite by feel.

That being said, I took about 3 cups of flour plus later at the punch down of the dough and kneading for the final rise 1/2 to 1 cup more. I mix my flours in the bowl, so it had part organic whole wheat, amaranth, oat and unbleached wheat flours. Although I know the rapid rise yeast can be added directly to the dry ingredients, I still like to start it in a little water. So I added yeast and a little raw agave nectar for food and sweetness and added hot, not boiling water to about 1/3 cup, stirred and watched it foam. Then I added enough hot water to fill the cup and then add it to the flour in the bowl. Oh, and I added the fennel, seemed about 3 tablespoons, about a 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and about 2 tablespoons of dry milk powder to the flour before adding the liquid. I then mixed and punched and made it into a ball and covered it. I let it rise until about double the size.

At that point I poured some olive oil over the top maybe 2 tablespoons or a little more, and kneaded it in. I learned from my mother and brother (who was a master baker and taught baking in vocational schools) that the bread rises better if you don't put the oil in until after the first rising. I then put it on a floured board and kneaded and beat it up! When I could feel the gluten rise and a springy feeling, I knew it was ready to put on the baking stone, cover and let it rise again. When it doubled, see the photo above, I put it in a pre-heated oven at 400F for about 10 minutes, then finished it at 375F for another 20 when it looked done.

I didn't wait long enough before cutting, it cuts better when you let it cool even 5 minutes. It had a distinctive fennel taste and went well with the next item that I cooked up for lunch that day. It tasted even better knowing I was using Zoomie's homegrown fennel. Fennel is a wonderful spice, and my friend Mike Ahmadi wrote a wonderful post about home grown herbs, including information about using fennel last week.

What goes better with hot bread than hot soup? Cream of Celery soup. Yes, I had LOTS of organic celery in my refrigerator. The celery that has been delivered from my CSA has been longer, maybe by a third, than what you typically can buy in the store. So again, lots of celery had I. I pulled the strings off the ribs, chopped being sure to include the flavorful leaves. My mother told me that using the celery leaves is a chef's secret! I added some organic chicken broth (pure vegetarians will want to use some vegetable broth). Then I added a cut up potato for the thickener. Once the potato was tender, I poured the entire bubbling, delicious smelling brew into my Vita-Mix and made short work of blending. I added a bit of salt, and as I blended I poured in what goat milk I had left in the carton - 3/4 to 1 cups worth by eyeballing. I returned it to the pot to heat it after adding the cold milk.

Then I ladled it into bowls and served it with the fennel bread for lunch. Dad asked me why we even buy bread - can't you (Anna) just bake it up fresh every day? Nice thing about being older, you forget that one must actually go to work! But actually, fitting it into your schedule with a little planning isn't as difficult as it may seem.

And due to the healthy characteristics of celery, I have decided to make this a post to contribute to this week's Weekend Herb Blogging, organized by Haalo and hosted this week by Dhanggit of Dhanggit's Kitchen.

Besides being a source of vitamin C, and even a more significant source of vitamin K, celery includes a couple of other beneficial substances. These are phthalides, which may help lower cholesterol, and coumarins, that may be useful in cancer prevention. The World's Healthiest Foods has a great write up of celery's many health benefits and nutritive qualities.

"Mom's Home Cooking" Japanese style

There is a mother in the house! The long time hostess of Larkspur's Fukusuke is still serving Japanese home style cooking, personality intact! She makes the place. A soft heart with a commanding exterior, Fukusuke is her domain. She has always been attentive to me and checking up on the food coming out of the kitchen. No worries there, it's always been great.

A delicious set of Cabbage Salt Pickles and Cucumber Salad appears right after your order is taken.

This trip to Fukusuke reminded me of the value of a carefully made miso soup. It often separates, leaving a glass-like top to billowing clouds of tasty miso base suspended in the soup. This one was delicious with depth and complexity.

I chose to have the Teriyaki Salmon Dinner. It was perfectly grilled, and felt, well - meaty! It has a lovely texture and flavor. The Japanese slaw was also fresh, crisp and wispy looking. I enjoyed it. If you like Japanese home cooking, this is a great stop. Don't expect much in the way of sushi, it is not that style of restaurant.

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 0
Noncritical: 1
Last inspected: 5/9/2008

Previously reviewed:
December 15, 2007

Find address/phone number/directions on Anna's Map.

Products you miss

Aren't there some products that you love that disappear forever? Soken's Jinenjo Soba is one of those for me. In fact, when I first had difficulties locating it I actually wrote to the company in Japan! I did get a response, however, it wasn't what I wanted to hear. It was no longer available in the US. Now Eden also makes a Jinenjo Soba, but it doesn't have the quality I most appreciated about Soken's Jinenjo Soba. The fiber content. Soken's version has 35g of fiber to Eden's 2g. Yes ,there are plenty of tasty, nutritious sobas out there, but Soken's was great for the Fat & Fiber Diet that was once part of Weight Watcher's repertoire. It worked for me better than their regular diet plans. So I put eating high fiber foods in my diet toolbox. I should check with Soken again.. it's been a couple years, maybe I'll be lucky this time.

Is there a product that you miss?? Leave me a comment about what you are nostalgic for.

Thai on a beautiful afternoon

Dad and I were in the neighborhood one sunny day, and the recommendation of Maxine, on staff with one of Dad's physicians, triggered a recollection of the lovely R'Noh Thai, and recognition that it was quite close by in Larkspur.

We sat on the deck and had an expansive view from under the yellow umbrellas.

There was a $2 add on for a list of appetizers, so we had to add. I chose the Fresh Roll.

Dad was craving the Spring Rolls. Both appetizers were delicious!

Dad followed the Spring Rolls on with BBQ Chicken and Almond Rice. I'm thinking that Dad liked it as he asked "Why don't we come here more often?"

I loved the fresh green salad on the plate with my rice.

The Yellow Curry with Tofu was very smooth and very flavorful and bursting with colorful vegetables. I loved my lunch and was glad that Maxine brought up this place!

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 0
Noncritical: 1
Last inspected: 7/24/2008

Previously reviewed:
January 2, 2007

Find address/phone number/directions on Anna's Map.

How does my garden grow?

The lack of sun this summer hasn't helped, however the brave tomato soldiers on!

Here's what the plant looked like on July 15, 2009. On the home front, I'm a bit worried about my Father as he's been reporting dizziness (without being unstable or feeling like falling) and muddled head feeling in the last week or so. He shakes his head to and fro like that will help. Other than that, he's been doing well and reports have it that he is getting stronger with his treadmill/stretches/pilates routine. I have been tending to him more closely so some times my blog posts are delayed. His birthday present from me, a black leather recliner, was delivered yesterday and he was very tickled. That's how things are here.