Giugni's @ St.Helena

After a wine tasting tour at the Robert Mondavi Winery, we were hungry. It was close to 1 pm and we hadn't even had a proper breakfast. After fumbling with the smart phone for sometime, we found a Deli/Grocery in a small town called St.Helena, that had good rating. We wanted a really quick lunch, because there were tons of other Wineries to explore. So, Giugni's it was.

They don't have a Website, but here's what they have on the menu :

Breads- Sourdough, Whole Wheat, Light Rye, Dark Rye, Dutch Crunch, Sweet French, Sour French, Hard Sour, Onion, Wheat Roll, Seeded, Rosemary, Cheese and Jalapeno and Croissant.

Extras- Avocado, Roasted Red Pepper, Pickle, Cranberry Sauce, Cucumber, Pepperoncini, Bacon, Sauerkraut and Pesto Spread

Cheeses- American, Bleu Cheese, Smoked Gouda, Provolone, Cream Cheese, Jack, Peppered Jack, Garlic Jack, Muenster, Mozzarella, Smoked Mozzarella, Swiss, Smoked Swiss, Havarti, Dill Havarti, Fresh Mozzarella, Tillamook Cheddar, Smoked Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar and Horseradish Cheddar

Salads - Potato, Macaroni, Pasta, Tortellini, 3-Bean, Cole Slaw, Artichoke Hearts, Marinated Tomato & Cucumber.

And, of course, a boat load of meat options.

There was a long line when we got there. It's like any other Sandwich shop - pick your bread, cheese, veggies, meat etc. They don't have the option of toasting it. But they will heat it in the microwave if you want it hot. We got the Vegetarian Sandwich - Cheese and Jalapeno bread, Garlic Jack cheese, Mayonnaise, Mustard, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Sprouts, Avocado, Cucumber, Horseradish and Giugni Juice. The thing that I love about this place is that they cut open a fresh Avocado for each order. We also got a bag of chips on the side.

The Sandwich was so delicious. There was nothing exotic about it, but the taste was out of this world. So fresh. It is one of those best $ meals I have had during my travels. If you are touring the Napa Valley, I highly recommend stopping by this Deli for a quick, scrumptious lunch!

Vik's Chaat Corner @ Berkeley

After touring the Berkley campus, we drove to Vik's for some mouth watering Chaat. I have explained what Chaat is in one of my reviews, here. Bay Area has an abundance of authentic Chaat paradises. Sampling some of the said Chaat is an absolute agenda on our itinerary. We make it a point to stuff our faces with all the good stuff while we are there. And, we can never have enough.

Vik's is so huge, I can fit my gym in it. It also has a grocery shop attached to it. You order food from the menu on the wall and give it to the person at the kitchen counter, where you pick it up from.


Vik's Chaat Corner

The seating area at Vik's

We ordered the Dahi batata puri - Small round puffed bread filled with potatoes and other spices, topped with yogurt and tamarind chutney. The finger licking good part is the tangy mixture at the bottom of the plate, once the puris have made their way into your gut. Ummm... I now need to wipe the drool off my laptop.


Dahi Batata Puri

We also got a plate of Samosa Chole. Samosa consists of a fried triangle shaped pastry, filled with spiced potatoes, onions, peas and coriander. It was served with Chole, a spicy chickpea curry cooked with onions, tomatoes and other spices and topped with coriander.


Samosa Chole

And, then a Bhel Puri - puffed rice, sev (a fried snack shaped like thin noodles made from besan flour), and mixture (a mix of different types of fried snacks mixed together), as the base of the snack, tomatoes, onions, potatoes and chilis added to the base and topped with chutneys. Different chutneys impart a sweet or spicy flavour. There are two popular chutneys used, a sweet one made of dates and tamarind, and a green spicy chutney made of coriander leaves and green chillies.


Bhel Puri

Finally, Kulfi Falooda - saffron flavored ice cream topped with vermicelli and basil seeds and a hint of rose.

Kulfi Falooda

Everything was fantastic. I wish Vik's would expand and open a branch here in Seattle. The best was the Kulfi Falooda, because we never get something as delicious as this anywhere else. And all this at rock-bottom prices. I can't wait to go here on my next trip to the Bay Area.

Sutra @ Seattle

A lot has been said about this out-of-the-way place. I have wanted to try it for such a long time. And, last weekend, we did it! We had dinner at Sutra. It is one of THE things to do when you are in Seattle. Well, I can now take it off my must-eat-at list.
About the restaurant, it is a small hole in the wall. Very average in ambiance. The open kitchen is a hop away from where you sit. In fact, I have seen people wanting to sit at the counter so that they can see the Chef plate the food for each course. The food is a fusion of everything on earth, and the seating is communal. Of course, if you are in a group of four or more, you will get a table for your group. If you are a couple, you will most likely share a table with another couple. Works great if you are garrulous.We had a nice time chatting with the couple sharing our table.

Sutra Seattle



The counter @ Sutra

The owners are down to earth and very humble. They are passionate about the food they prepare and are also environment conscious. You can read more about them here. They use local organic seasonal produce and their menu changes every few days.They usually serve a pre-set four course dinner and have options of pairing it with alcoholic or non alcoholic beverages, one for each course.

Alright, here's our experience at Sutra -

We had made reservations for Friday, Jan 7th for their 6:30 pm seating. The darn traffic on I-5 delayed us and we got there at 6:40 pm. I was worried that we would miss the gong banging and the utterance of prayer by Colin, the owner / Chef. Upon entering the restaurant, I saw everyone peacefully sipping their drinks, indulged in small talk. I was pretty sure that the first round of drinks had been served. The waitress ushered us to a table and  I was thrilled when she mentioned that they were yet to start with their ritual ( that is, the striking of the gong). They had served complimentary drinks while waiting for the food to be served. Phew! We got lucky. We shared the table with another couple visiting from San Francisco. The waitress then brought over the menus. The dinner was pre-set and we chose the pre-set non alcoholic beverage pairing. One drink for each course, and each drink complemented the food. If the food was a little bitter, the drink was sweet and such like. While we waited, the waitress got us a 3oz Sparkling Mineral Water-Housemade Cherry Lavender Syrup & a Grape Granita Drop. Ever had something like this? I wonder how many combinations the Chef would have to try before deciding on one that's perfect.

Mineral Water-Housemade Cherry Lavender Syrup & a Grape Granita Drop

At 6:50 pm, the Chef came out, banged the gong, greeted everyone with a "Namaste!" and uttered a small prayer thanking all the farmers for the produce and briefly described the menu for that day.


The gong @ Sutra

Then, the first course was served. First, the drink - A 4oz Lemongrass-Ginger-Cranberry Sparkling Elixir. I have never had Lemongrass in a drink and it tasted quite good. Very exotic and paired well with the Roasted Cauliflower-Urfa Biber Bisque with a Pickled Radish-Asian Pear-Fennel- Caper Salad , our first course.

Lemongrass-Ginger-Cranberry Sparkling Elixir

The Roasted Cauliflower Bisque was served in a small glass and was hot till the last spoon. It is the finest soup I have had so far. So creamy and thick and flavorful. The Radish-Pear salad had an Asian flavor.

   

We took our time, relishing every bite, slurping the soup, sipping the drink and chatting with the other couple.

Our plates were cleared and the drink for the second course was served - a 4oz Local CommuniTea Kombucha on Tap. Kombucha is a fermented tea that is usually drunk for medicinal purposes.


Local CommuniTea Kombucha

It was paired with House Smoked Pui Lentil-Sunchoke-Molasses Port Glazed Cippolini Onion-Arugula Cake topped with Olive, Tangello, and Shiso finished with Truffle Oil and a Balsamic Reduction.

Whatever it was and however it was made, it tasted out of this world. More banter and more eating and drinking followed.
The drink for the third course was served - a 4oz Blueberry-Echinacea-Hibiscus-Blood Orange Sparkling Elixir. I later discovered that Echinacea is a flowering plant. What? Oh, whatever. Just get me more of that!

It was paired with Celery Root-Cheese Pumpkin (varietal)-Sesame Gnocchi with Yellowfoot Chanterelle-Hedgehog Mushrooms served with Steamed Lacinato Kale-Roasted Carrots with a Sage-Mirin-Tomato-Saffron Sauce finished with Parsnip Chips.

Again, something very different. I am amazed at how innovative the Chef is. Imagine coming up with a different exotic menu each week. Won't you run out of ideas?

The grand finale of the wonderful dinner, the Dessert was then brought out. The fourth course drink was an option of French Pressed Pangaea Coffee or Sutra Blend Tea. I asked for the tea, but wasn't very impressed with it.
Dessert was Chocolate (Theo’s) Coconut Mousse Torte with a Cashew-Date Crust finished with a Cinnamon-Huckleberry Glaze.

Am a sucker for Chocolate and loved it. The best part was the huckleberry glaze. It is now my favorite berry!
The dinner was  $35 pp and the non-alcoholic beverage pairing was $12 pp. Dining at Sutra is not just about the food, but the whole experience. Who even thinks about the farmers and spends a couple of minutes thanking them for their exhausting labor and effort? The calm and serene atmosphere has a spiritual ring to it. The food is prepared and served with love and can never not be delicious. I think everyone visiting or living in Seattle should try it at least once. You will love it!


Habesha @ Seattle

It was the New Year's Eve and for a change we wanted to dine at a less crowded restaurant. A quiet dinner with no prix fixe menu yet good food, preferably something we haven't eaten in a while, stylish ambiance and good service were some of our requirements. Ethiopian cuisine came to mind. An Ethiopian  cabbie had once suggested trying Habesha. Yelp reviews were scanned and just to be on the safe side, dinner reservations were made.

The first thing I noticed on entering the restaurant was the dimly lit ambiance! And the red brick walls. Are you sure it was an Ethiopian restaurant? No, I don't mean it that way; some of the best Ethiopian food I have had, has been in dingy little restaurants with the TV and Radio blaring at the same time. Habesha gives you a completely different experience. Very clean, good service and they have a bar as well as a lounge.


Habesha

For appetizer, we passed on the usual Sambusa and instead, ordered the Kategna - An Injera toasted until crisp and coated with berbere and nitir kibe (Ethiopian butter). Berebere is an Ethiopian/Eritrean spice mixture whose ingredients usually include chile peppers, ginger, cloves, coriander, allspice, rue berries, and ajwain. It was spicy and delicious. Never had this before.


Kategna @ Habesha

For the main course, we got the usual Veggie Combo that came with six veggie sides and one salad and an Injera for each of us.
Missir Wot -Split red lentils stewed in onions, olive oil and their own spicy red sauce.
Kike - Split yellow peas prepared with onions, garlic, ginger and turmeric
Shiro Wot - Ground peas, spiced with berbere, seasoned with onions, garlic and ginger
Bamiyan - Fresh cut okra mixed with their spicy homemade sauce.
Gomen - A delicious medley of spinach sauteed in olive oil, garlic, onions and fresh ground spices
Atikilt - Mixed vegetables, cabbage, carrot, potatoes and onions sauteed in a blend of exotic herbs.


Veggie Combo @ Habesha

Ethiopians eat with their right hands, using pieces of injera to pick up bites of entrées and side dishes. No utensils are used.

It was plenty of food. We were so stuffed in the end. I liked all the sides except Missir Wot, which tasted very raw. We had asked for it to be made spicy and it was made just right. A asked for an Ethiopian coffee, but they were out of it. Another time. Habesha is easily accessible, has good food and though it looks a little upscale, prices are at par with other Ethiopian restaurants in the area. I think I'll go here if I crave Ethiopian again.

Layang Layang @ Milpitas

A small Malaysian restaurant in Milpitas, that is packed for lunch on week days. If you don't get there by noon, be prepared to wait for god knows how long. The restaurant is in a strip mall and fairly small, with some simple Asian decor. A nice spot for a casual lunch or dinner.


Layang Layang

I feel kind of iffy dining in Malaysian restaurants where, on the menu, under Vegetarian Entrees you usually see "Okra or Asparagus with Malay special shrimp paste sauce". I always have a teeny what-if-there-is-fish-sauce-in-my-food kind of doubt lingering in my mind, and I don't enjoy the food as much. So, this time when ordering my food, I asked the waiter, "No fish sauce, shrimp paste, oyster sauce or duck sauce, right?" Have I left anything out? The waiter shook his head, "No", he said. And then, I added, "I am allergic to fish sauce...sea food, in general." He looked a little rattled and I felt a lot better. I hoped I had scared him enough, for I could then eat peacefully.

He came back with bowls of soups. He said it was vegetarian. It looked like some kind of hot and sour soup. I passed on it, while A polished my share as well.


Soup @ Layang Layang

We ordered the Roti Telur to start with. It is a multi-layered home made Indian bread stuffed with egg and is  dipped in curry sauce. It tastes very Indian and should rather be called a fusion food. The bread was shallow fried and tasted fantastic when dipped in the fragrant curry sauce.

Roti Telur @ Layang Layang

For the main course, we ordered something completely new. I don't think you get it anywhere else. It is called the Sarang Veggies - Fried taro root nest topped with vegetables, corn, snow peas, black mushrooms and cashewnut, served on a bed of rice crispies. I still can't imagine how they managed to make that nest! Absolutely fantastic. You can eat it as is or order rice on the side. The taro root was so crisp and brittle on the outside, yet soft and well cooked on the inside.


Sarang Veggies @ Layang Layang

It was delicious. Despite the crowd, the service was reasonably fast, and the entrees were reasonably priced. There may be many other Malaysian restaurants in the area, but I don't think anyone else makes the Sarang Veggies. You should go there, try that. They also have another branch in San Jose.

Dosa on Fillmore

A classy, stylish Indian restaurant in the heart of San Francisco. I think it is one of a kind, where the ambiance makes you feel you should have dressed up a little more, may be something in black and red, the service is exemplary and extremely quick, and the food intoxicates your senses. Mind blowing!

The dimly lit, exotic looking chandeliers spruced up the interiors. There is a fairly big sized bar.

Dosa on Fillmore

We stopped by for dinner at 6 pm and were pleasantly surprised to know that the Happy Hour was on till 7 pm. We grabbed a couple of bar stools, ordered drinks and a Vada Pav. Well, it is a little pricey, given the location and the classiness, but it is worth every penny.

The waitress brought out a complimentary plate of Papad (a thin crispy cracker like munchee). Vada Pav is like Potato Slider. A fried potato patty is stuffed between bread, usually with a green chilli. A couple of spicy sauces (chutneys) are applied to the bread. The plate included a side of salad and a garlicky spicy dip.


Vada pav @ Dosa

We then ordered the Chili Garlic Masala Dosa. Dosa is more like an Injera. It is a savory rice and lentil crepe, served with tomato & fresh coconut chutney, and sambar, a flavorful lentil dipping soup made with vegetables and spices. The Dosa had a filling of potatoes and onions cooked with spices, called "Masala".
I have tried sambhar at a few other restaurants and nothing comes close to what you get here. It was piping hot till the last spoon.


Chili Garlic Masala Dosa @ Dosa

Here's how you eat it - Take a piece of the Dosa, dip it in the sambar, pile some chutney on it and pop it in your mouth. And, feel free to use your hands, the Ethiopian way.

It was really huge and very filling. We left the place quite sated. On reaching our hotel, I realized that I had left my cap beihind in the restaurant. The kind waiter had given it to the front desk, where it was waiting for me, when I went back for it.

This restaurant is a gem and we will have dinner here whenever we visit SFO. They are open only for dinner on week days. They also have another location, on Valencia. If you haven't been to Dosa, go right now!

Anjappar @ Milpitas

A recent vacation to the Bay Area found us at this excellent restaurant. Chettinad cuisine is a type of South Indian speciality and restaurants featuring this cuisine are sparse. There are none in the Seattle area and the only time we get to eat it is on our visits to India. OK, so we should try this one, we thought.

We got there at 11:30 am. They had just opened and in no time the restaurant was filled with office goers. The ambience is very casual and makes it a great lunch spot. The waiters were very attentive, always checking on us and enquiring about the food.


Anjappar

We ordered the Gobi 65 (Cauliflower dipped in corn flour and spices and fried) to start with. It is the best I have had so far. The outsides were very crispy, fried to perfection and the insides soft. We had asked for it to be spicy and it was just right. I could eat plate after plate. And, it was resaonably priced at $6.99.

Gobi 65 @ Anjappar

For the main course, we ordered a plate of Veggie Kothu Parotta and a Biryani meal. Kothu Parotta is minced Parotta ( a layered flatbread more popular in road side shops in Sothern India) sauteed with onions and other veggies. It was spicy and came with a side of a cup of Kurma (a gravy of vegetables and garlic) and Raitha ( a yoghurt dip that consists of grated cucumber, onions, carrots, coriander and other spices). It was delicious.
 

Vegetable Kothu Parotta @ Anjappar

The Biryani meal came with a bowl of Veggie Biryani( a rice based dish usually made using Basmati rice, veggies and other spices) a cup of the above mentioned Kurma, Raitha and one Chappathi. The Biryani was fantastic. The flavors were mild yet very tasty. It reminded me of the authentic Biryani my friend's Grandma used to make for us. Different regions in India cook it in different style. Chettinad Biryani is quite popular among the Southerners. The Chappathi was also soft unlike the rubbery ones you get at some places.

Vegetable Biryani @ Anjappar

A ordered a meetha paan in the end. It is also called as Beeda and usually aids in digestion after a heavy meal. Essentially, it is a Betel Leaf filled with coconut, candies fruits, rose petal preserve (gulkand) and various spices. It was served with a Cherry on top.

Meetha Paan @ Anjappar

It was an awesome lunch. They have a really big menu with a variety of dishes from different parts of Southern India. It is worth trying it if you like South Indian food!