I am a bit late on my ode to Steve Jobs but better late than never. I can now say that the late Steve did have good taste when it comes to Japanese food.

Jin Sho, famous for being reported as Steve's favorite restaurant, delivered oh-so-fresh(!) sushi rolls and sashimi. It is tucked in the quiet, non-pretentious business district in Palo Alto (less posh and collegiate than the University Ave.). The interiors of the restaurant don't have the glitzy, upscale decor that most Japanese restaurants in the city aspire to. At Jin Sho, they are serious about the food.

The service is good- the waiter patiently explained to us the prix fix menu and the sushi roll sets. I say only good not great because we eventually got politely kicked out after 2 hours of dining and gossiping with my dinner partner. Ha! Nevertheless, this is now one of my favorite Japanese restos. The food is THAT good, and the end result didn't burn a whole in my pocket. Less than $30 per person for a shared appetizer and dessert and 2 rolls for my entree, including tip.

agedashi tofu

lobster roll

eel and avocado roll; crunchy shrimp and crab roll (back)

  

Here's another recently opened lounge from the brains of Bourbon and Branch and the Rickhouse. Just like Thomas Keller's Napa tri-restaurants, the triad has been formed to deliver the city's best lounges and (fresh) libations.

Local Edition is probably one of the spacious lounges I have been to in the city (and believe me after living in the city for more than 6 years I've been to many). According to my happy hour chums, Local Edition doesn't have drinks comparable to the Rickhouse, but the not-so-crowded, speakeasy space in the Hearst Building compensates for it.

Tip: You can order Rickhouse's cocktails at the Local Edition so you can get the best of both worlds- good drinks and ambiance all-in-one.

First of all, I apologize for the bad photo. It was dark and the iPhone camera usually doesn't cooperate well in low lighting.

My out of town guest and I ended up at Pier 23 after telling her that the dive bar ended up at triple D, the Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I was appalled on the long, 40 minute wait. By the time we got seated, the weather dropped by 10 degrees and thus outdoor seating without the heater seem impossible to enjoy. I have to say though that Guy F. has good taste. Despite shivering in the cold, my angel hair pasta with dungeness crab didn't disappoint. And yes, the cocktails were not bad at all.

 

It was a warm summer day (too warm in fact) and thus I was craving for Ici ice cream... but.. but... the line was super long. A few feet down the road, I settled for Elmwood Cafe.

Note to self: avoid places with many college kids so I don't have to feel old :(

chicken sandwich with avocado

salmon roe c/o Orenchi Ramen, Sunnyvale

This is the BEST burger I've ever had in my entire life- tuna burger with foie gras!
And yes, you have to go all the way to The Juice Co. in Rio de Janiero to get your hands on these babies.

One of the few restaurants in the bay that you can actually dock your sail boat and get some grub, Sam's Anchor Cafe serves fresh seafood goodness. On a sunny day, the outdoor seating area is full so be sure to plan (and park) accordingly.

cioppino

steak salad

front of Sam's

 

As a follow-up post to my previous post, here are the sides at Umami that are as famous as the burgers:

tater tots

truffle fries

The much awaited (and hyped) Umami Burger that finally opened some months ago on Union Street gives Roam Burger a few blocks down the road a run for their money. The main difference between the two is the way you order. Umami Burger (not to be confused by the Japanese Umami a few blocks away) is a sit down restaurant while you line up in Roam to order and pay first. Thus, there is a longer waiting time at Umami to be seated and to get the waiter's attention to pay at the end of the meal.

turkey burger

vegan with beets

portabello vegan

In the first round, presenting Super Duper - a name not really apt for the simple, no nonsense burger.

veggie burger

For the second year in a row, we went cherry, peach, blueberry and strawberry picking with the not so little one once again. I didn't realize that it is actually an advantage to have a 2 year old assistant with sharp 20/20 eyes to point out small, riped blueberries!  Here are some pictures of our adventure:

picking out some peaches

using a stick to pick out blueberries

strawberries!

he had his own bucket with his kitty toy

For those in love with the gooey goodness of oyster, go oyster shucking in Tomales Bay. A mini-secret is that across the bay is another spot for mussels (shucking)! ha!

Someone who knows me very well gave me a can of restaurant quality crabs as a belated birthday present. thank you!