Listed in alpha-order. Tried many in each category, only the best are listed. Time to drool.
| Restaurant | Type | City (Calif. unless noted) |
Relative Cost
|
Since | What to get/Comments |
| Afghani House | Afghani | Sunnyvale |
$$
|
2/2002 | Lamb kabob (a must), Chicken kabob. Comes with tasty rice and naan (bread) |
| Arturo’s | Mexican | Eagle Rock |
$
|
1987 | [2005: Been closed for who-knows how long. So sad.] Regular beef tacos (hard shell) |
| Babayaga | Italian | Bellagio, Italy |
$$
|
2003 | Pizza Margherita |
| Baja Fresh | Mexican | Many locations (chain) |
$
|
2001-2007 | Grilled chicken burrito (‘Mexicano’ style) |
| Berthillon | Ice cream | Paris |
$
|
2002 | Best ice cream in Paris |
| Bilacus | Italian | Bellagio, Italy |
$$
|
2003 | Veal with portobello mushrooms, tagliatelle in red sauce, torta, everything |
| Blue Nile | Ethiopian | Berkeley |
$$
|
1991 | Combo, then pick at least one chicken dish. Spicy |
| Cafe Jacqueline | French | San Francisco |
$$$$
|
2001 | Amazing souffles and selection. Souffle-only restaurant. Small, quaint. |
| The Cheesesteak Shop | Philly-style Fast food | Bay Area locations |
$
|
10/2005 | Mushroom Cheesesteak sandwich with sweet peppers |
| Crab Cooker | Seafood | Newport Beach |
$$$
|
2000 | Alaskan king crab leg dinner. Resist any inclination to get the cheaper crab dinners. |
| Domaine des hauts de Loire | French | Loire Valley, France |
$$$$$
|
2002 | Everything here is amazing; Desserts |
| Gallagher’s | Steakhouse | Las Vegas, NV |
$$$$
|
1999 | New York Strip steak. Prefer over the original restaurant in NYC |
| Gelateria Di Piazza (Mr. Sergio Dondoli) | Ice cream | San Gimignano |
$
|
2003 | Best gelato in Tuscany |
| Genki | Sushi | Atlanta, GA |
$$$
|
2002 | Their specialty roll, their noodle bowls |
| Giolitti | Ice Cream | Rome, Italy |
$
|
2003 | Gelato (rice, other flavors). Also very good: Il Gelato di San Crispino (near Trevi fountain) |
| Graeter’s Ice Cream | Ice Cream | Cincinnati, OH |
$
|
1992 | Mint chip, Best ice cream in US |
| In-n-Out Burger | Fast food | Western US (chain) |
$
|
1986? | Hamburger or Double-double, Animal style, Fries, Shake |
| Javier’s | Mexican | Laguna Beach |
$$$
|
2000 | Many good dishes, tamale |
| Korea House | Korean | Santa Clara |
$$
|
1999 | Kalbi (ribs), Bi bim bap served in sizzling stone bowl (crispy rice). |
| Krungthai | Thai | San Jose |
$$$
|
2001 | Silver noodle prawn, Fried banana w/ ice cream, Sticky rice w/ mango |
| Lawry’s, The Prime Rib | Steakhouse | Beverly Hills |
$$$$
|
1988 | Prime rib, Yorkshire pudding |
| Le Hide | French | Paris | $$$ | 2009 | Best pan-seared foie gras (good-sized starter!). Dined twice on one trip. First night: Scallops. 2nd night: Fish. Both amazing. |
| Les Sans Culottes | French | New York, NY |
$$$
|
2000 | Lobster bisque, price-fixed menu |
| LongHorn Steakhouse | American | Various (chain) |
$$
|
1993-1995 | [2008: Menu changed. Seems to be different now] LongHorn burger (the works) |
| Luini | Italian | Milan, Italy |
$
|
2003 | Panzerotti (similar to a calzone) |
| Millevoglie | Italian | Venice, Italy |
$
|
2003 | Pizza Margherita slices, gelato (especially Pistachio) |
| Mitchell’s Ice Cream | Ice Cream | San Francisco |
$
|
2000 | Cantaloupe ice cream, Best ice cream in Northern Calif. |
| Montgomery Inn | American | Cincinnati, OH |
$$$$
|
1992 | Baby back ribs with their homemade potato chips |
| New East Lake Chinese Seafood Restaurant | Chinese | Milpitas, CA |
$$
|
2003 | Sturgeon porridge w/ yo-chao (their specialty; Fri-Sun only) |
| Nyonya | Malaysian | New York, NY |
$$
|
2000 | Sarong Burong (chicken, seafood, vegetables in a fried taro bowl), Indian bread w/ curry sauce |
| Osaka Kappo | Japanese | Tustin |
$$
|
1994 | [2004: Under new management. Sadly no good.] Saba shioyaki (broiled mackerel) dinner; comes with lots of good side dishes/courses. Tiny place, get there when the doors open or else wait a long time. |
| Osteria | Italian | Palo Alto |
$$$
|
1996 | Battered calamari steaks |
| Pizza Rustica al Gracchi | Pizza | Rome, Italy |
$
|
2003 | Mushroom slices (funghi) |
| Pung Mie | Chinese/Korean | Doraville, GA (Atlanta) |
$$
|
1993 | "Jahm-Bong" (soup, noodles, seafood), pot-stickers. 5145 Buford Hwy., Doraville, GA 30340. 455-0435 (area code 404?) |
| Quaker Steak & Lube | American | Sharon, PA |
$$
|
1989 | Buffalo wings |
| Sakarizushi | Sashimi | Tokyo, Japan |
$$$
|
2002 | Best sashimi quality at reasonable prices. Locals know. |
| Sasabune | Sushi (Omakase) | NYC (also: LA, Hawaii) | $$$$ | 2007 | By far, the ultimate sushi experience. Hard to eat sushi anywhere else again. It’s that good. My #1 sushi bar on this planet. Must go omakase all the way. |
| Silky Oaks Resort | Continental | Mossman, Queensland, Australia |
$$$$
|
1998 | Tomato bread (when available), chef’s entrees are excellent. Resort is killer too. |
| Skyline Chili | Fast food | Cincinnati, OH |
$
|
1992 | 3-Way (spaghetti noodles, chili, cheese) |
| Snackbar Bird (or Thai Bird, across the street) | Thai | Amsterdam | $ | 2009 | Best thai food in Europe (possibly). Probably my favorite thai place anywhere. Thai Bird seems to be same owner/food. |
| So-Gong-Dong Soon-Dubu (aka ‘Tofu House’) | Korean | Santa Clara |
$$
|
2001 | Soon-Dubu (Tofu served in a hot pot, stew-like), comes with traditional rice. El Camino Real east, pass Lawrence Expwy, on the right. |
| "Suna Ba" | Japanese | Tokyo, Japan |
$$
|
2002 | Tempura soba (hot); Not sure of Japanese spelling, but have map on file. |
| Sushi Sam’s | Japanese | San Mateo |
$$
|
7/2007 | Cheesy name, awesome sushi. They do spicy tuna roll right. |
| Tanto | Japanese | Santa Clara |
$$$
|
7/2002 | Wakame seaweed salad, Tempura udon |
| Tommy’s, aka ‘The Original Tommy’s’ | Fast food | Los Angeles, other SoCal locations |
$
|
1985 | Tommy burger |
| Tsing Tao | Korean-Chinese | Campbell |
$$
|
2003 | [2008: Under new management and no longer good! Sad.]Seafood noodle soup (Jahm-bong); Soybean sauce noodles (Ja-jiang mein); All homemade noodles here |
| Versailles | Cuban | Culver City |
$$
|
1989 | Roasted half-chicken, Fried bananas, Guanabana shake |
| Vivoli | Ice cream | Florence, Italy |
$
|
2003 | Best gelato in Florence |
| Yuki Sushi | Sushi | San Jose, CA | $$ | 2007 | Solid sushi. Great albacore w/ ponza sauce. Spicy tuna roll (jalapeno-based) is small, but wonderful. Best age-dashi tofu I’ve had anywhere. Niku udon is good. |
Other favorite eats:
- Sarah’s Mediterranean Grill & Market (Austin, TX): Hummus on pita bread. It is incredible here. Yes, it is possible (and surprising) to get excited about hummus! 11/2009.
- Wynand Fockink (Amsterdam): "Walk-in-the-woods" liqueur shot, yummy. 8/2009.
- Cote d’Or (Belgium, France): "Noir" chocolate bars in grocery stores. Favorite chocolate bar anywhere, any price. 8/2009.
- Haagen Dazs, Green Tea ice cream. 1/2009. Now a regular flavor!
- Sweet Leaf Tea Original flavor. 12/2008. Now in Califonia!
- Bistro Vida (Menlo Park, CA): French Bistro. Finally found good French Onion Soup in the Bay Area. Mussels & Pomme Frites pretty good. Kinda expensive. 7/2006.
- Botan Rice Candy
- Cheesecake Factory: Spicy crispy chicken sandwich with chipotle pepper mayo on the side, 9/12/2004. Shrimp & Bacon club sandwich, 12/2004. Thai Lettuce Wraps (appetizer as a meal), 7/2005.
- Celadon (Napa, CA): Pan roasted duck breast in pomegranate sauce, 12/2004.
- Duarte’s (Pescadero), Artichoke soup
- Famiglia Pizzeria (New York, NY; chain): "A slice"
- Fat Tire beer (Colorado)
- Kendall-Jackson, Buckeye Vineyard, Alexander Valley, Cabernet 1997 (a long name for a good wine)
- Mexican food in Santa Fe, NM
- Moretti beer, Favorite Italian beer
- Rafferty’s (chain): House Salad with warm honey mustard dressing
- Roxy Deli (New York, NY), Pastries: Angel wings, Black & white cookie
- Seattle Chocolates (Seattle), Mint Truffles
- Thai & Thai, Mandarina Crown Hotel, Taipei
- Tom’s Restaurant (New York, NY), Affordable meal in NYC, good breakfast food, the coffee house on the Seinfeld sitcom
- Zabar’s (NYC): Apple strudel