Erik is Back!

...well almost.

My favorite chef of all time - Erik Desjarlais - from the world famous (OK, Portland, Maine famous) Restaurant Bandol - will soon be back in business...opening at 190 State Street under the name of Evangeline. When? Stay tuned. For the details, please read my opening night post.

Redd Bliss

Redd, in Yountville, is one of my favorite restaurants in Napa Valley. I took a chance on this restaurant last year on our annual trip out West. It had just opened and there weren't any reviews yet, but the on-line menu drew my attention and it happened to be within walking distance from where we were staying.

On our first visit, it was evident that they had just recently opened. Filled with neighborhood patrons, the atmosphere was festive and loud. I attributed the noise to the celebratory mood, though I later learned that the acoustics of the restaurant were problematic and they actually closed a few months ago to install sound absorbing panels in the walls.

While I don't recall exactly what I had on that first visit, it is where my husband and I discovered the joy of food and wine pairings. And our love for Pinot Noir. I remembered that they paired it with a Tuna dish. I told them I didn't care for Pinot Noir; they encouraged me to try it with the Tuna. They were right - perfect harmony.

Because we cut our stay short in Half Moon Bay and added, at the last minute, an extra night in Napa, we did not have reservations at Redd. I called, the concierge at our hotel called, but Redd did not have any reservations available on the night we were seeking. I was so disappointed. But we stopped by the restaurant in person after our day of wine tasting and I went in, hoping beyond hope that they had a cancellation for the evening. I was in luck. 7:45. Perfect.

Except that at 7:15, when it was time to get ready for dinner, my husband didn't look so hot. And he didn't feel too hot. But he knew how much I wanted to go to Redd so he made the attempt.

We were seated at a corner table, greeted with a warm welcome by the assistant manager and presented with two glasses of champagne -- a new friend we met in our travels had some friends at Redd and called ahead to request that we be given a little extra attention.

My husband ordered the chilled sweet corn soup with rock shrimp tempura. Unfortunately, fennel was used to spice the soup. It was overpowering and did not pair well with the corn; cilantro would have been a more subtle spice to use in the dish. He probably would have been better off with one of the other appetizers that had caught his eye, such as the yellowfin tuna tartare with avocado and fried rice ($14), or the sashimi of hamachi with sticky rice, edamame and a lime ginger sauce ($15). Thankfully I selected the carnaroli risotto with Maine lobster, lemon confit and drizzled with truffle oil ($16). This dish was perfection. French Laundry perfection. Prior to this, the single best dish of my lifetime was the risotto with shaved white truffle at The French Laundry. This was better. Really.

I was so absorbed in the enjoyment of my risotto that I didn't notice, until I had sopped up every last drop of sauce, that my husband really wasn't feeling well. I love my husband - but I was really torn. And after that risotto, I had to have the next course. What to do...what to do?

Of course, we had to leave. But I did the next best thing to eating at Redd. I asked for our entrees to go. Thankfully they accommodated our request and moments later we were speeding back to Meadowood...my husband moaning about too much wine during the day....me anticipating my dinner. I know...bad wife.

I tucked my husband into bed, stuck his entree in the mini-refrigerator, lit a candle on the porch table, grabbed some silverware and settled into enjoy my Tai snapper with summer beans, onion fondue and hazelnut brown butter ($28). Could it be that this was even better than the risotto? Tough call. It was the onion fondue that made this dish extraordinary. Perfectly caramelized sweet onions were creamed with the brown butter to create a rich, sweet accompaniment to the light fish. I don't recall ever having a fish dish more creative and more divine.

Even my husband's dinner - sole with jasmine rice, mussels, and simmered in a saffron curry sauce ($28) eaten out of the box and cold the next morning was better than most meals he has had out. It was the saffron sauce that made this dish so delectable.



The atmosphere at Redd is hip, yet relaxed. The food is creative and not overpriced. It's the kind of place that if I lived in The Valley, I would be a regular, for sure. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see it on Gourmet's list of the Top 50 restaurants next year.

Epicurean Auction

Heads up to all Foodies. The PCA Epicurean Auction is happening October 23rd. Just to let you know how amazing it is - it is my birthday and I am choosing this event over dinner out. All the best chef's will be at this event anyway, so why go to the restaurants this night?!

This is PCA's only fundraising event and will benefit their arts education and community outreach program, PCA Offstage. Join the PCA for an evening of exquisite food (from 15 of the area's top chef's), wine, silent and live auctions, and delectable desserts - all served onstage at Merrill Auditorium.

For tickets to this event, please contact PCA's administrative offices at 207.773.3150.

See you there.

Cyrus - Healdsburg

Last fall, while travelling to California for our annual wine excursion was when I first read about Cyrus. Cyrus had, unbeknownst to me, opened in Healdsburg and snuck its way right onto the list of top 20 restaurants in the country. We were headed straight for Healdsburg, so immediately upon landing I called Cyrus hoping to secure a reservation during our stay.

Of course they were booked. For months. I tried repeatedly, hoping for a cancellation. My husband, trying in his own way to console me, assured me that now we had a reason to come back. I latched onto that and booked another trip. This time the dinner reservation was made before the air or hotel to be sure we could eat at Cyrus. And La Toque. And Chez Panisse.

Was it worth the wait? Yes. Would I go again? Probably not for a long time. Does it really rival The French Laundry? Not in my opinion. Am I glad I went? You bet. The hype around this restaurant is strong and at least now I can participate in the buzz.

Located just off Healdsburg Plaza in the Le Mars Hotel, it is far less descript than Dry Creek Kitchen (the “other” restaurant). We were greeted and immediately shown to our table which was tucked into a corner and offered a view of the entire dining room with peaks into the kitchen each time they opened the door.

The patrons were a mix of foodies from afar and locals. At the table next to us was a couple from Denver celebrating a birthday. The table behind us was occupied by a local winemaker and his staff who were doing the tough job of testing wine and food pairings for an upcoming release party they were having (hey, someone has to do the dirty work…I told the waitress that if they needed help I was up to the task).

The famous champagne and caviar cart was rolled to our table while the five different caviars were described. We elected to share a glass of the Roederer Champagne paired with the California Select Caviar. Normally we prefer Beluga (which they didn't have) imported by Brown Trading Company. But just like with the wine, we figured we would try the local goods.

The caviar was scooped into a beautiful glass dish, carefully weighed and then presented to us along with two pearl spoons. Accompanying the caviar were petite bowls of finely chopped egg, scallion and crème fraîche. Rather than blini or toast points, warm potato “puffs” stuffed with crème fraîche were served, tucked gently into a napkin to retain the heat and intended to hold the caviar and accoutrements. While delicious, I thought the fried taste of the potato overpowered the caviar and prefer blini for that reason.

I should pause here to mention that the "pace" at Cyrus is perfect. There are a lot of choices to make at this restaurant. Caviar, champagne, how many courses, what dishes in what order, cheese carts, dessert carts. One could easily be overwhelmed. But they ease you into it. First, select the champagne and caviar. Sit back, relax and enjoy. When you are finished - and only when you are finished - are you presented with the menu for the evening. Pacing between the courses was well timed; just enough space so that you are happy when the next course arrives, but not so hungry that you need to fill up on bread to ward off pangs of hunger.

Next we were presented with the menus and instructed to order 3, 4, 5 or 7 courses. Anything off the menu in any combination and in any order. Alternatively, the chef will prepare a seven course tasting of his choice for the entire table. We mentioned that we did not eat meat or pork; the waitress said there was a course for both in the chef’s tasting menu. I found it odd that they did not offer to do a 5 course chef tasting menu or to substitute other items for the meat.

I selected the Roasted Squash and Stuffed Blossom with Spiced Pepper Coulis, Thai Marinated Lobster with Avocado, Melon and Hearts of Palm and the Truffled Red Wine Risotto with Parmesan Broth. The latter two are signature dishes for the restaurant. My husband selected the Chilled Coconut Soup with Banana Blossoms, Ahi Tuna and Kaffir Lime followed by the Taguarini (similar to spaghetti) with Tronchon, Olives and Padron Peppers. His main course was the Black Cod with Zucchini, Green Papaya and Ginger Basil Broth.

The chef sent out a "treat" of blanched haricot verts with watermelon, feta and white anchovy – all topped with a watermelon reduction. Four haricots verts, fried tempura style in a light batter also adorned the dish.

As a first course, we decided to share the Tasting of Tomatoes, one of the standout courses of the evening. Paired with a Savignon Blanc, the rectangular platter was adorned with a single slice of fried green tomato with a spicy remoulade sauce, a succulent red tomato half topped with balsamic and croutons, and a “pot du crème” consisting of a basil pesto on top of tomato gelatin. Who knew tomatoes could be prepared so creatively. This dish was extraordinary.

The Roasted Squash tasted like autumn and was flavorful with the pepper coulis as an accompaniment. The squash blossom was stuffed with goat cheese and fried in batter that was a bit too heavy for the delicate blossom. All you could taste was the batter.

The Thai Marinated Lobster is served cold and mixed with Avocado, Melon and Hearts of Palm. This dish tasted like it had been prepared earlier in the evening and stored in the refrigerator; it was overly-chilled which, in my opinion, masks the flavor of lobster. The Thai sauce and melon were overpowering. Too much going on on with this dish.

Not true with the Truffled Red Wine Risotto with Parmesan Broth. Talk about eyes rolling back in the head. This dish did it to me. The risotto was cooked with a duck and red wine reduction, mixed with a Parmesan broth and topped with white truffle oil. Rich without being heavy and intensely flavorful. My mouth is watering as I am writing this - it was amazing.

My husband wasn't as impressed with his main dish of Black Cod with Zucchini, Green Papaya and Ginger Basil Broth. He is a big broth fan which is why he ordered this dish. Unfortunately, he took one bite of the fish which was covered in a plum sauce (and not disclosed on the menu)- and decided he did not care for the concoction. Unfortunately our server did not notice that he was not eating his dish until I had finished my risotto so he was not able to swap it for another entree.

He fared a bit better with his Chilled Coconut Soup with Ahi Tuna. I thought this would be sweet and thus did not order it, but it tasted more like the coconut milk used to cook Thai food (as opposed to the sweetened pina coloda version I was imagining). Infused with kaffir lime and topped with banana blossoms, this was an interesting and pleasing appetizer.

His Taguarini (similar to spaghetti) with Tronchona (a spanish cheese made with goat, sheep and cow milk), olives and padron (spanish) peppers was an interesting, but not memorable combination.

We shared the cheese course and skipped dessert because we saw that there was yet another cart filled with treats ranging from coconut lollipops to shortbread to fine chocolates that is wheeled over to each table at the conclusion of the meal. Diners are asked to select as many treats as they like. And were were sent home with a little gold and white box filled with a brownie that we enjoyed on the plane ride home. Made with extremely dark and very good quality chocolate, it was a bit dry (but sure beat the plane food!).

A couple of items to note. We each selected the wine pairings with our courses. A big pet peeve of mine is when they do not present the wine a few minutes before the food and allow you to taste it before they pour a full glass. The glass they brought with my risotto was weak and I did not care for it alone or with the food. I mentioned this to the waitress; she returned when I was half way through my dish and suggested the wine my husband had with his previous course. He had some left so I just had that with the rest of my dish. Yet I was charged for this glass of wine anyway.

Similarly, when my husband did not care for his entree, and the waitress came back too late to replace it, he said he would just share a cheese course with me. She charged him for his entree - and charged us for a two person cheese course(!). You'd think that when you are in a high-end restaurant and shelling out $450 for dinner that they would take care of these details.

Final thoughts: At the same price point as La Toque (in Rutherford), Cyrus takes the cake. More interesting decor, superior service; more intimate dining and greater care taken to create interesting and innovative dishes. When measured against The French Laundry there is no comparison (yet). Thomas Keller should stay on his toes, but for now the dining experience he creates is still head and shoulders above that of Chef Douglas Keane.

Back in Maine

Vacation is over. To my new blog readers, I will write all the reviews I have promised along the way...Redd (unbelievable lobster risotto), Chez Panisse (oh, the olive oil....), La Toque (wine cellar to die for), Foppiano Vineyard (Hi, Shirley!), The Meadowood bar with a fantastic new bartender named Sabrina, and so many more. We had a fabulous week full of adventure, exquisite food, amazing wine and wonderful conversations.

But for now, we are back in Maine, arriving at midnight to a house with no food. So for lunch I ran up to the famous (if you are from Maine) Town Landing Market. A little neighborhood store where the locals hang out and where everyone really does know your name. They specialize in "fresh native ice cubes" and fresh-from-the-sea lobster.

To those who have followed my blog throughout the summer, you know that I have a new-found food passion: lobster. I had my first lobster roll at the Dry Dock a month or so ago and it was divine. But according to many, I haven't really had the best until I have had a lobster roll from the Town Landing Market. Today seemed as good a day as any since we didn't have any food in the house, it was lunch time, we were hungry and the Town Landing is a 30 second car - or 5 minute walk away.

"Two lobster rolls, please," I said at the counter. "Lettuce and mayo?" I was asked. "However they normally come," I instructed. I wanted the authentic experience. Moments later I was home and my husband and I were excitedly opening up the waxed paper that held our rolls. The verdict?

It was second fiddle to the Dry Dock Lobster Roll.

The buns were not buttered and toasted. I find this really makes a difference. The butter mixed with the mayonnaise and lobster creates a richness that just works.

The lobster was not as fresh as it could have been, surprising because I believe the lobster is caught fresh each morning at the Town Landing and sold to the market.

As my husband was working his way through his roll, suddenly I heard a crunching sound. Turns out they didn't do such a great job removing the shell. He thought it was just a little piece and tried to extract it, but he had a whole mouthful. I took very small and careful bites after that. Definitely took away from the enjoyment.

On the plus side, you get your money's worth. The bun was not the traditional soft white hot dog roll. It was more like a kaiser roll - very good quality and a couple of inches longer than a hot dog roll. And it was completely filled with knuckle and claw meat. The mayo is mixed fresh with each order in perfect ratio to the lobster meat.

There are hundreds, if not thousands of places in Maine to enjoy lobster rolls. I've only hit three so far and look forward to continuing my quest for the perfect lobster roll. But based on what I've tried thus far, I'd recommend sitting on the deck overlooking the working waterfront at the Dry Dock in Portland; order up a Lobster Roll with an Iced Tea for a classic Maine experience.

Bon Appetit.

Got Milk?

The milk for coffee service at Meadowood.

Go Fish, but Stop at the Sushi Bar

A 16-seat sushi bar is the centerpiece of Cindy Pawlcyn's (of Mustard's fame) newest restaurant, Go Fish. Located in St. Helena, the restaurant opened last fall to mixed reviews. I was skeptical from the start because it is one of the few Napa Valley restaurants that always has availability on Open Table. Not a good sign.

The restaurant is known for their ultra-fresh fish flown in daily. They are also known for their "expansive menu and wine list." Yes, the fish was fresh, yes the menu was expansive (jack of all trades master of none is what comes to mind when I hear boasts about expansive menus); and if you call having three Pinot Noirs and three Chardonnays by the glass expansive then...well...we will agree to disagree.

The service was lousy. Our waiter was sarcastic and not well versed on the menu, wines or food and wine pairings. After reviewing the menu, I asked about an item I had seen on the website menu - a Thai curry noodle dish. The waiter sighed and said that if I was looking at the menu on the website then I was "way behind the times". Apparently they don't update the menu and haven't since they opened. Maybe they should. In any event, insulting me within the first five minutes of sitting down certainly did not bode well for the tip I was going to leave.

My husband asked if they paired wines and was told yes. He then asked what would best accompany his entree and was asked what he liked. He said that he liked lots of wines and wanted to know what would pair best. This went on for awhile. He finally settled on a Pinot. I also asked for a wine pairing with my entree and was told that I should have the same wine that my husband was having. We like to try different things so I asked what the difference was between the three Pinots on the menu. The first one was "jammy" according to our waiter. I asked again about how the other two differed from the "jammy" one. He appeared flustered (but the sarcasm stopped), could not describe the other Pinots and said he would bring me a different Pinot to try.

We started with some sushi: they were out of the butterfish so we settled for Amerjack, Maguro and Tai Snapper. This course was excellent. Next we shared an heirloom tomato salad with "lamb chopper" cheese, basil and a red wine vinaigrette. Our waiter informed us that "lamb chopper" cheese is a fancy name for goat cheese. Turns out it wasn't. I'm not sure what it was but it was sliced and tasted an awful lot like Swiss. I didn't taste any red wine vinegar either - just unflavorful olive oil. Fortunately it's hard to mess up the amazing fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes in The Valley. They were ripe and delicious.

For my main course I had the Ahi tuna with Olive & Piquillo Pepper Tapenade with a side of Cilantro Basmati Rice. The tuna was served rare upon my request, however it was stone cold in the center. The best restaurants inject the fish with warm liquid using a syringe. Not this place. The Basmati Rice was sauteed in an excessive amount of peanut oil. The chef must have been trying to justify the $5 charged for the rice, covering it with sliced almonds and pickled mangos, resulting in a dish with too many competing flavors.
My husband selected what our waiter said was the restaurant's signature dish: Miso Marinated Black Cod with a delicate Shitake broth. Served on a crispy rice cake, the fish and miso flavors infused the clear broth. This was, by far, the highlight of the meal.

Based on the food and service quality throughout the meal, we opted to have dessert at Meadowood instead (separate blog review forthcoming).

Bottom line: Go at lunch; go for sushi only -- avoid contact with the waitstaff. And if your time in the Napa Valley is limited, skip it altogether.

Wine Spectator Buzz: Patz & Hall

During the plane ride to California I read in Wine Spectator that Patz & Hall had four Pinot Noirs that all received 90 points or higher. That was the moment it became a "must go to" winery. Fortunately our concierge at Meadowood was able to accommodate our last minute request.

Located on "Corporate Drive" in Napa, this is not your ordinary wine tasting salon. In fact, it is their corporate headquarters with a couple of well-done tasting rooms created in the otherwise corporate environment. Since it was Labor Day and this was an office complex, there was only one other car in the parking lot when we arrived (our host's car, as it turns out). This did not look like any wine tasting room I wanted to go in and it certainly didn't look like they hosted members of the public very often. I wanted to cancel but my husband convinced me that this was "all part of the experience" and forced me to go in.

I'm glad he did. We opened the front door and were greeted with a glass of Chardonnay in Riedel "O" glasses. Soon the other guests arrived - six of them. We were left to meet and greet as the finishing touches were placed on the tasting table. Soon were were beckoned to the table which was adorned with six glasses at each place setting and trays of cheeses, almonds and spiced fruit.

Unfortunately they have been sold out of their award winning '04 Pinot Noirs for months. Apparently once you make it on the cover of Wine Spectator you sell out within about two weeks.

But we were not disappointed.



Three superb Chardonnays; three amazing Pinot Noirs ('05). We were in heaven. Each was better than the previous. As it turns out, Platz & Hall does not actually own any vines; they contract with local vineyards to produce grapes to their specification and then they take it from there. Our favorite was the Alder Spring Vineyard Chardonnay from Mendocino County ('05). It is a rich and dense Chardonnay, sweet, fruity, vibrant and creamy all at the same time. This particular Chardonnay received 92 points from Wine Spectator Magazine.

Turns out the buzz is well-deserved. Buy their wine if you can find it; visit the tasting room if you are in the area and seeking a quiet respite from the Highway 29 crowds.

The Girl & The Fig - Sonoma

This was a great Monday.

Up at 6; blogging until 9; breakfast at Meadowood (amazing Salmon Benedict!!!); quick stop at Sunshine's market for some essentials we forgot and off to The Girl & the Fig (Sonoma) to meet one of my husband's clients who is from the area.

I've been wanting to go to The Girl and The Fig for years, but it is a long drive from our two overnight locations (Rutherford or Healdsburg) and we never seem to time it right for lunch. I'm glad we waited to go with a local though because we never would have known that they were known for their cheeses. I would have been tempted with the Salmon Nicoise Salad had I not known better.

So the three of us split a tray of 6 different cheeses, ranging from the basic goat cheese to a gruyere with black peppercorns and everything in-between. The fig cakes, sliced thin, paired perfectly with the mild bleu cheese; the apples with the triple cream was divine. Accompanying the cheeses were caperberrys, pickles and olives. All three of us selected the sweet corn and saffron cold soup to accompany our bread and cheese feast.

We dined outside on the patio. Quiet and serene, this is a perfect retreat from the busy winery bustle and the crowds of Sonoma Plaza. I would definitely return for lunch or dinner.

Martini Anyone?

The Martini House, located in St. Helena, was the place for dinner last evening. Cool ambiance - large outdoor terrace for al fresco dining, lit by large glowing candles. Inside was equally interesting, with the bar set a level below the main floor and open so that diners could look down at the brightly lit and colorful bottles. It was the "centerpiece" of the restaurant. The chefs at work were equally transparent to the diners as the kitchen was set along the entire far wall of the restaurant and completely open.

Don't come here unless you like mushrooms! They are in almost every dish. King Trumpets, Chanterelles, Lobster, Candy Cap and Portabello, just to name a few. My husband wisely selected the mushroom tasting menu and wine pairing. First course was a chanterelle salad with summer squash carpaccio with roasted tomatoes and an arugula basil pesto. It was even more amazing when paired with a Robert Foley Pinot Blanc from Napa Valley (2005).

Next was the Lobster Mushrooms with saffron gnocchi, sweet corn and fresh thyme, paired with a Far Niente Chardonnay from Napa Valley (2005). Grilled portobello and gruyere burgers accompanied by house-made pickles and "potato salad" was the main course. The potato salad consisted of thinly sliced rounds of potato layered with king trumpet mushrooms and an herbed mayonnaise. Not your everyday potato salad for sure!. This dish was accompanied by the first "red" of the evening a Vinas Del Cenit Tempranillo from Spain (2003) -a bit unstructured for our tastes but it did pair well with the entree.

Dessert was an unexpected treat of Candy Cap bread pudding with currants, gold raisins and a maple sugar anglaise. Sweet and smooth, it paired exceptionally well with the dessert wine (L'Uvaggio Di Giacomo Il Ponte Vin Santo from California).

I ventured off the mushroom tasting menu for two courses and was disappointed. The green salad with asian pears, goat cheese, candied pecans and white balsamic vinaigrette was just ok, but lacked any "wow" factors. The pan roasted halibut was overly "fishy" tasting indicating that it was not as fresh as it should have been. The artichoke Ravioli with lemon beurre blanc sauce was the only standout on this dish. Wines were paired with these courses, a Karl Moliter Riesling with the salad and a Verramonte Reserve Pinot Noir with the latter and both enhanced the food as a proper wine pairing should do.

Service was friendly, but not refined. There was little spacing between the dishes, one of the servers actually started arguing with us when he tried to deliver soups we had not ordered. "But this is table 92 he kept saying". Food arrived before the wines they were to be paired with. They did not anticipate our needs; we ran out of bread, water, had to ask for several times for a copy of the menu (which I always grab for blogging reference).

Bottom line, for ambiance and outdoor dining it doesn't get much more romantic than the Martini House. Wine pairings are some of the best I have had - they know how to make food and vino sing together. But stick to the mushroom tasting and leave any high expectations about service levels at the door.

Meadowood - Tree House Luxury

Chandon, S. Anderson and ZD were the vineyard stops along the way to Meadowood. And more wine upon check in- hey it would be rude for them to welcome us any other way! Quickly unpacked the essentials and off to the pool. It's about 90 degrees and sunny so the cool water felt great after the long (2.5 hour) drive from Half Moon Bay.

Meadowood is described by some as an "summer camp for adults." Tennis, golf, professional croquet lawns, wine tastings by the on-premise sommelier, pools, hot tubs and a spa. You can't get bored at this resort. Here are a few photos of our room. I call the decor "cottage luxury." Lots of privacy as it is set high above the ground amidst the trees - like a tree house.

I love this kind of camping.

Napa , Here We Come!

Driving up to Napa at last! The Bay Bridge is closed for repairs so there was lots of traffic. Took a little longer than expected. So we put the top down in the convertible, I (as the passenger) reclined my seat way back and just soaked up the intense California sun. Might as well work on the tan.

And when we hit the Golden Gate Bridge I snapped these photos. Bet you've never seen the Bridge from these perspectives! :)

Pasta Moon - Half Moon Bay

When I was planning our trip to Half Moon Bay, it became quickly apparent that this was not the culinary capital of California. No Gourmet rated restaurants here. It was a matter of finding the best the area offered and lowering expectations a bit.

Everywhere I turned, TripAdvisor, Frommers, Chowhound and "best of" Internet searches, led me to Pasta Moon. And so that is were we dined our one and only night in Half Moon Bay.

It was good but not great. If I had to go back I would, but I would try other places first. It is in a building called "Tin City, " and occupies the end of a one-story plaza on Main Street. It looks like the owners just kept expanding or taking over rooms that probably used to house other stores. So the bar is in one former store-front. The dining rooms (I think there were three) are also in separate rooms connected by brightly-lit hallways. There was seating in the hallways themselves, and also out on the side-walk. The place was packed. Every table and chair was occupied with a mix of tourists and locals. Clearly this is THE place to dine in Half Moon Bay.

The service was efficient. We were offered sparkling water, and served bread and olive oil quickly after being seated. Each member of the waitstaff had definite opinions about the lighting. When were were seated we mentioned to each other how bright the lights were. Ten minutes later one of the waitstaff dimmed the lights creating a much more intimate ambiance. Not more than two or three minutes later another waitstaff cranked the dimmer back up, flooding us with light. Another waiter then dimmed them. This went on all night and probably would have been annoying if we hadn't had some wine. Instead we found it highly entertaining. Yes, we are amused by small things.

We asked the waiter to pair wines with our courses. He clearly knew his wines but rather than considering how the wine would pair with the food, he locked into what we described we liked for wine. So we ended up with wine that we loved (I didn't get any of the names) but it did not do anything for the food.

We started with Bruschetta, four slices of grilled baguette topped with home-made mozzarella and fresh, extremely ripe and luscious tomatoes. The tomatoes were topped with slivers of toasted basil and good quality olive oil. I've had better - namely at Bresca in Portland, Maine, where a touch of balsamic adds exquisite flavor to the concoction.

I then had the Iacopi Farms Fresh Peas & Fava Beans mixed with Feta Cheese, Lemon Olive Oil and Mint. This was a large course and while the flavors were excellent, the presentation lacked thought. The ingredients were probably mixed together in a large bowl and simply scooped onto a plate. No garnishment, no fresh herbs decorating the perimeter of the plate. It just looked unfinished.

My husband had the Caesar Salad with Imported White Anchovy and Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. It's a good thing he doesn't mind anchovy because it dominated the dressing and the taste of the salad. I couldn't have more than one bite and would have sent it back if I had ordered it.

I should note here that the chef at Pasta Moon, like many Italian chefs, loves to cook with Olive Oil. In this case, however, it was used in over-abundance. Even the plate of my fava bean salad was covered in oil when I finished. While good at first, with the bread and on the bruschetta, it was not necessary to coat every dish with it. It seems like a quick and easy way to add flavor, but the finer chefs understand the use of herbs, vinegars and other accoutrementsto create more interesting dishes.

The highlight of our meals were the entrees. I had fresh, home-made Tagliatelle with jumbo Gulf prawns, sweet corn, cilantro, roasted Piquillo peppers, garlic and lemon ($19). It was fantastic. I love corn and cilantro together and the peppers added the perfect hint of heat to the dish. It was light and delicious. I ate every bite.

My husband was debating the Butternut Squash & Mascarpone Ravioli with brown butter sage and crushed amaretti ($18) but ultimately settled on the Pappardelle with garlic, mushrooms, tomato cream, parmesan, pine nuts and Mascarpone. The pasta was fresh and homemade, cremini mushrooms were sauted and added in place of the Proscuttio that my husband asked to be removed. The sauce was creamy and flavorful. This dish should be reserved for the ulta-hungry as it was very heavy and extremely filling. He could only finish half.

Other entrees included Linguine with Manila clams, pancetta, leeks, garlic, red pepper flakes and clam broth, Risotto with Dayboat Scallops, locally foraged morel mushrooms, spring English peas and parmesan guazzetto and Italian Fish Stew with prawns, scallops, clams, mussels, calamari, tomato-saffron broth, Italian Couscous, parsley and red garlic.

We had hoped to save room for dessert. The tiramisu is supposed to be excellent and the chocolate cheesecake that passed by looked divine. But we were just too full.

Ritz Carlton - Half Moon Bay

This is so cool.

This is my view at the very moment I am typing my blog. In my ultra-thick Ritz Carlton robe, comfy Ritz Carlton slippers, sipping a cappuccino on the deck (off our room), listening to the pounding surf and watching the waves crash on the rocks just beyond one of the top 100 golf courses in the World. Life is very, very good.

If I had to describe Half Moon Bay in one word it would be, "dramatic". And the Ritz has one of the most dramatic locations of all, seemingly built into the landscape, using the natural rocks and rolling landscape to its advantage and perched literally on the edge of the ocean.

We arrived yesterday and are actually checking out today, a day earlier than planned. The service is outstanding. Our room is beautiful, clean and modern. The bed is heavenly with a comfortable mattress, an abundance of goose-down pillows and damask covered quilts. We are venturing on because we had planned this portion of our trip for R&R and to us that means lounging by the pool having tropical drinks delivered. Turns out the only pool at this resort is about a 10 minute walk away at the Ritz's condo community, The Colony Club. It's in a greenhouse-like glass building with a roof that can be opened, which we were informed they rarely do. And it's filled with kids. I'm beginning to realize that the Ritz resorts (unlike the City properties) are super kid-friendly and draw a family crowd. Not that there is anything wrong with that -- unless you are a hard-working couple seeking peace and quiet.



There is a beach at the Ritz. Again, another 10 minute walk or so, which lacks amenities such as chairs or towel service. To be fair, it is rather cool here. While the sun is extremely warm and strong, the Pacific cools the air, year round, to about 70 degrees during the warmest part of the day. Not quite bathing suit weather. But if they took a lesson from the Ritz on Amelia Island - they would build a "spa pool," a solarium type of enclosed pool area for adults only. Blocking out the ocean breeze would create a summer oasis for sun bathers like me.

A couple of other positives to note. This Ritz charges a $25 resort fee which covers use of the spa facilities, wireless access and car service into town. The car service was a very nice feature. We were transported to dinner in a brand new Mercedes SUV and picked up from dinner (on-call car service) in a brand new Suburban. Sure beats a taxi or driving a rental in unfamiliar territory after a bottle of wine with dinner. Also, we stayed on the Club Level which features a lounge with five "servings" each day. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, appetizers and desserts are brought out at appropriate times. Wine, champagne a hard bar, and of course waters, soft drinks, teas and coffee are all available throughout the day. And the food is excellent. Fresh pastries, smoked salmon, bagels and fruit in the morning. Hearty sandwiches on baguettes, soups, pasta and green salads for lunch. Tea sandwiches and sweets in the early afternoon, pates and cheeses to accompany wine in the early evening. And an abundance of delicious desserts such as home-made chocolates, mousse, cakes and cookies in the evening. There is really no need to venture from the resort to eat.

If you are a golfer, I would highly suggest this hotel. As I mentioned at the opening, it is literally built around an Arnold Palmer golf course and the scenery is stunning. And there are numerous Adirondack chairs along the perimeter of the golf course which allows loungers to soak up the sun and watch the Pacific Ocean in all its glory. We spent a couple of ours doing this ourselves yesterday, enjoying a glass of wine, reading a book and just relaxing. We also took advantage of the spa facilities. A manicure for me followed by a soak in the co-ed jacuzzi mineral bath with my husband.

But it is time to move on for warmer weather. Fortunately Meadowood was able to accommodate us a night early. So in a couple of hours we will hop in our rented sporty red convertible, put the top down and drive about an hour-and-a-half north of Half Moon Bay where is about 20 degrees warmer. A pool, a spa, a croquet lawn and vineyards surrounding the property. This is a little more my style.