Celebrations always call for good food. To welcome the newlyweds, my cousins, into town, we found ourselves in the highly regarded Baker and Banker. Because I didn't do any research prior to dinner (a rarity for me), I was surprised that they had a lot of seafood choices in their menu.

Another rarity is that Chef Jeff Banker actually came out and asked us how the food was! Well, the food was good but rather expensive, Mr. Banker :)

Late summer gazpacho, Maine lobster, roasted grapes, toasted almonds - this is what I like best!

House smoked trout, potato latke, horseradish cream, pickled beets, shaved fennel

Brokaw's avocado, burrata, housemade fennel seed crackers, pickled shallots, Villa Manadori balsamico- burrata is a type of cheese fyi

My entree: Mirin and soy braised black cod, Mendocino uni and shiitake sticky rice, charred bok choy. I found this too trying hard. The best soy braised black cod I ever had was in The House, which specializes in Californian fusion (read: Asian) seafood cuisine.

Pan roasted pork chop, herb spaetzle, sweet corn pudding, roasted figs

Candied bacon doughnuts, bourbon cheesecake filling, maple glaze