Thinking About…

This last Sunday, Ted said he would like to go to lunch, and he would like to go somewhere that we had never tried before. Maybe it’s all part of his 2005 New Year’s Resolution to eat new things…that’s a good resolution, and so much easier to keep than flossing regularly (sorry Dr. Ochikubo!). So he threw down the gauntlet and said we would go to downtown Lafayette, and find a new place to eat. Well, I wasn’t in the mood for Chinese or Mexican food, and we had eaten everywhere else…or had we? We found ourselves walking toward Chow, which is mighty tasty and probably worth it’s own review,…

Looking for some tasty food in Walnut Creek at a decent price? Downtown no less? What if I told you it’s actually in Broadway Plaza? Would you keel over? Try Stanford’s Restaurant & Bar. Here’s the caveat…you have to go during Happy Hour, which is from 3-6pm. You also have to eat in the bar (but they do allow kids in the bar area). Where else are you going to get Crab & Seafood Cakes for $3.95, or Penne Pasta & Roma Tomatoes for $2.95? None of the items are big enough for a whole meal, but you could have BBQ Chicken Quesadillas ($2.95) and a Southwest Chopped Salad ($1.95),…

Back in my misspent youth, I worked for two years at a fancy steak place called “Mr. Steak” (This is not the Mr. Steak I worked at, but it looks remarkably similar…get me drunk sometime and ask me to pronounce “petite cut” for you!). Please, not “Happy Steak”. “Mr. Steak”. While there, I actually learned a thing or two (and that’s about all) about the different cuts of steak. For instance, I learned that a Filet Mignon is the most tender cut of steak because it has very little connective tissue (just learned that part…thanks Cherry!). Alas, it also has very little marbeling (aka, fat), and the fat is what…

The best meal of my almost middle-aged life was, hands down, the fancy dinner we had in Paris on our honeymoon. Take my advice. If you’re ever in a city that is known for its food, like say, Paris, scrimp and save but at least ONCE, eat at the BEST restaurant you can possibly afford. You will not regret it. So, we ate mostly at chinese delis and pubs, sometimes getting duck and wine from the shops and taking it back to our hotel to eat, and we saved our money for one big dinner. We asked our hotel staff where we could go for a really nice dinner, but…

Have you ever found yourself thinking, “I could sure go for a good Steak & Kidney Pie”? No, me neither, but once in awhile I DO find myself thinking a good cottege pie or lamb stew would be nice, and then I start thinking, “Mr. Pickwick’s!” Mr. Pickwick’s used to be our friendly neighborhood pub, but then they tore the building down for apartments or condos or whatever, and Mr. Pickwick’s relocated to its “new” location in Concord, which is where the old CC Ole’s used to be. The menu hasn’t changed in the new location, though I do miss the fireplaces. The food at Mr. Pickwick’s is hit or…