Il Fornaio, Palo Alto, Ca: January 26, 2009

“Il Fornaio” gets a bad rap. Sure, it’s a chain – at least around the Bay Area – and they’re not likely to win any culinary competitions or satisfy the hardcore foodies looking to stretch the bounds of culinary arts. But for hardy Italian bistro fare, a relaxed atmosphere, and a service staff that seems to care that you’ve stopped by, Palo Alto’s Il Fornaio is a sure bet. And check out the crowd – is it ever empty – even in this economy?

For Belle and me, this is the favorite week night dinner haunt – the perfect place to share a wood-fired oven pizza, a plate of pasta, and a bottle of wine. Translated, il fornaio is literally ‘the baker”, and they live up to their name well: fresh breads, pizza’s done the Napoli way – thin crust and light cheese - and heavenly cookies – but I’ll get to the cookies later. The menu can be a bit intimidating, especially with the addition of the special featured “regional menus”, so my advice: let your server decide. We’ve found the staff knowledgeable and well versed, and in our experience, dead on with choices we’d not have considered. Take the pizza. We’re fans of the simple margarita – tomato, mozzarella, some basil, but, on the advice of our waiter - throw on some prosciutto and fresh ground pepper – magnifico! The prawn dishes – excellent, and we’re typically not big shrimp eaters, but got steered that way and found a winner. Another sure bet is the simple but reliable Vodka Penne, a light vodka cream sauce over an ample portion of penne al dente.

As far as the wine, a more than adequate selection, weighted as expected to Italian, but a good California selection as well, most notable in the wide range of choices wines by the glass. Though we usually settle for a glass of Zinfandel on a quiet Monday night out, this week we brought a bottle of Argyle’s 2006 Reserve Pinot Noir. I’ve become a believer in Oregon Willamette Valley pinots, and as far as I’m concerned, if Argyle is not the best of the region, they certainly fill out the top five with Domaine Serene, Cristom, Ponzi, and Shea.

So dessert – why go to a bakery restaurant if you’re not going for the dessert? But if the excellent dessert cart looks just a bit too decadent, let your waiter put together a plate of home baked Italian cookies - fresh, not overly sweet, and definitely unique. And while a true Italian wouldn’t ever have a cappuccino after breakfast – hey, we’re in Silicon Valley! – so go with for it! We think it’s the best in the valley.

Bottom line: So for that casual, spur-of-the-moment dinner that feels a bit like coming home for the holidays, I’ll give Il Fornaio four of five stars. -- GG

Michael's at Shoreline Restaurant, Mountain View, Ca: January 21, 2009

One of our favored weekly walks is the loop from Bixby Park to Michael's and back again to Bixby Park. Michael's is a fabulous lunch spot - inexpensive yet hearty with a flare. The self serve lunches are great especially if the weather is nice and there is a table outside for dining. Watching the golfers and birds while eating makes for a nice relaxing experience.

Bottom line: Great lunch location for outdoor dining. -- BG

California Cafe, Stanford, Ca: January 17, 2009

With a late afternoon Stanford basketball game competing with the Saturday evening dinner slot, a local spot was pretty much a foregone conclusion, so after Stanford surprisingly and handily spanked Cal, we headed over to The California Café – the one tucked away in the Stanford old barn off the fringes of the campus and the Stanford Shopping Center. Granted, the Cal Café is not an especially imaginative choice, nor a likely stop for the Michelin crowd. And if it feels a bit dated – like stepping back into the California of the 80’s – dorky little touches like “Water” or “Fire” sections on the menu (“Seafood”, “grilled food” – get it?) – but its neither stuffy nor pretentious, and projects its own quirky charm.

The food this night – from adequate to excellent, with the unanimous winner the “Salmon Spring Rolls” – they can be found under the, um, “lively” section of “small plates” menu (so as not to be confused with appetizers that are “sassy”, “savory”, or simply “leafy”). Whatever, we’d list them under “terrific” – fresh, faintly spicy, a definitely refreshing update on a standard dish. I had the raw oysters on the half shell, medium sized, fresh, but notable in the lemon sorbet they were served with – nice twist to a starter that is hard to screw up as long as the oysters are fresh and cold. For the entrée, I went with the ancho chili-lacquered scallops served over jalapeño cheddar cornbread, pepper jus, and corn foam for $29 bucks. Big name for a small dish, but different. Only moderate heat considering the ingredients, plump, juicy scallops in an unusual combination. Good choice. There were a couple orders of togarashi seared sushi-grade ahi around the table, alos $29 bucks< style="font-weight: bold;">Bottom line: a steady, solid, and reliable if not spectacular choice – give it 3 of 5. -- GG

Bella Saratoga, Los Gatos, Ca: January 14, 2009

Our Wednesday and/or Thursday hikes have become a regular event where a good walk/hike takes place with a, hopefully, great meal. On this particular day we tried Castle Rock State Park which turned out to be a phenomenal hike! Getting a little later start than usual we ate before the walk and since it was such a glorious day, decided upon the Bella Saratoga with its enticing outdoor eating venues. First, delicious homemade bread is set on the table with a slightly garlic flavored butter – oh my – such great bread! While Bella Saratoga is an Italian restaurant, their lunches are basically standard fare with a large variety of soups/salads, sandwiches, or larger meals available. We chose the grilled chicken and pepper sandwich to split; splitting the meal was a great decision for the side salad and sandwich were both huge. We both agreed the food was not fantastic, however the bread and superb, friendly service made up for what the food might have lacked. Overall, we would go back on a nice sunny afternoon or evening and give it a try for dinner.

Bottom line: Worth another try for outdoor dining in nice weather. I’d give it 2.5 out of 5. -- BG

Baxter's, Northstar, Lake Tahoe: January 3, 2009

We love Northstar, but the one thing lacking was a high end restaurant in the village. No more - Baxter’s, just opened in December, is a swank and elegant refuge eliminating the drive into Truckee for a great meal after a cold day on the slopes. Bill and Lori found Baxter's accidently and called to have us meet them in the bar - dark and chrome and neon, a stark contrast to Tahoe’s more typical timber and stone - but a fitting setting for sipping that Blood Orange Cosmopolitan Bill discovered for Belle. The service was friendly - almost family like - everything from accommodating our need for a reservation for five on a busy night, to canceling our existing reservations at Moody’s in Truckee (which as it turns out is the same owner). But while Moody’s is Italian, Baxter’s has a French leaning - but not over-the-top. We started with a plate of local cheeses, but also and much more uncommon, a selection of locally prepared cured meats and pates - for us, an unusual appetizer choice, but one I’d definitely do again - and again. The entree menu was not extensive - fish, poultry, steak, chops, a risotto or two (like I said, French “leaning” only). Best of the night? The duck done a couple of ways - can’t remember how but both delicious - and Ryan’s “28 Day Dry-Aged Ribeye” - “one of the best I’ve ever had”. (Not that I think he’s had all that many 28 day dry-aged rib-eyes, whatever that really means.) Desserts ? Good, but as I write this three weeks since, apparently not memorable. Pricey? You bet - entrees as high as $50 bucks - but hey, this is Tahoe, not Scranton, so you’ve got to bring money.

Bottom line: a big-time keeper, a winner, a spot we’ll definitely being doing a lot of apres-ski time in in the colder months of the year. I’d give it 4 of 5. -- GG