Manresa, Los Gatos

I scheduled Valentine's Day dinner at Manresa Restaurant on February 13 - the day before Valentine's Day (as February 14 is impossible to book).

Manresa is one of the few Michelin 2-star restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area. Chef David Kinch prepares some beautiful dishes and cocktails.

We arrived at 7:00 p.m. for our pre-Valentine's Day dinner. We selected the Chef's Tasting Menu for dinner.

We ordered a couple of cocktails. 

Inna ordered a Jamaican Fresca (Los Azulejos Silver Tequila / St. Germain Elderflower / Hibiscus / Cynar / Lime), which she immensely enjoyed. It was sweet and very refreshing.

I ordered a Negroni (Blade Gin / Campari / Carpano Antica Formula / Over Ice). It was good but a bit strong on the gin.

The dinner started out with a few appetizer courses. It was one of the best meals I've ever eaten. Everything was finely prepared and delicious. Manresa Restaurant deserves its 2-star Michelin rating.

The slices of bread were fantastic, especially the brioche! I had more than a few helpings.

The next dish was Cod with Brussels sprouts. It was delicious.

The duck was incredibly delicious.

For dessert, we got a few interesting dishes.

We ordered two decaf cappuccinos to go with our dessert.

We enjoyed our dinner and still think Manresa is the best restaurant we've ever dined in. We have not tried French Laundry in Yountville (so perhaps there is something better).

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Gather Restaurant, Berkeley

We decided to stop by Gather Restaurant in Berkeley after seeing the 7:00 p.m. performance of The Wild Bride at the Berkeley Repertory Theater.

Inna and I ordered the Kale Salad (Rugosa Verde squash, root vegetables, nuts & seeds, citrus)
The marinated kale was delicious, and we enjoyed the salad very much.

We ordered the Prather Ranch Burger (Vella cheddar, aioli, fries, tomato condiment) for the entree. It came served on a toasted slice of bread and was excellent.

For dessert, Inna ordered a Decaf Cappuccino and a Sorbet. The cappuccino was excellent, but the sorbet flavor was not to our liking.

We saw other customers order pizzas, which looked delicious and tempting.

Overall, the service, decor, food, and atmosphere were excellent. When we're in Berkeley again, we will surely stop by again.

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Review: The Wild Bride (Berkeley Rep)

Today, we went to see the Berkeley Repertory Theater's production of The Wild Bride at 7:00 p.m.
The stage was beautifully decorated.

According to Berkeley Rep:

Adapted and directed by Emma Rice, The Wild Bride is a grown-up fairy tale that follows a girl’s journey through a visual wonderland. What happens when your father accidentally sells you to the devil? What do you do when your prince goes off to war? Hearts break, hearts heal, and happily ever after still may be possible. Expect vivid storytelling, devilish humor and a heady mix of live and found music when Kneehigh unveils The Wild Bride.

I liked the show, and it certainly had its moments. The overall story of good vs. evil, with good triumphing eventually, is simplistic. However, the cast was fantastic, especially Andrew Durand - the actor who played the "Devil."

After the play ended, Andrew and the cast of The Wild Bride played some more music for the audience. It was a nice gesture.

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Steamer's Grillhouse, Los Gatos

Today, we decided to have dinner at Steamer's Grillhouse in Los Gatos.

For an appetizer, Inna ordered the Crispy Prawns (deep-fried coconut prawns with sunomono salad of julienned carrots & squash noodles). The prawns were well-cooked and delicious.

I had the Tortilla Soup, which was good but nothing special.

Inna ordered the Pan-Seared Scallops (risotto with wild mushrooms & shrimp, saffron reduction) for the main entree. The risotto was delicious, and the scallops were well-cooked and tasty.

I ordered a small plate of beef skewers, which were well prepared but a bit hard.

We shared an Espresso Gelato and chocolate Brownie Sandwich (with Chocolate Espresso Sauce and hazelnuts) for dessert. It was sweet and delicious.

The service was fast and efficient, and we had our tea and bread refilled without asking. Overall, the restaurant is quite good. We will be back.

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Watching Super Bowl XLVIII: 49ers vs Ravens

As a 49ers fan, I eagerly anticipated the matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens in New Orleans. I called BJ's Restaurant in Oakridge Shopping Center to reserve a space for us at 4:00 p.m. (just after the kick-off). I gave my name and the time of the event, and was assured that everything would be set.

When I arrived around 4:00 p.m., the restaurant was packed, and my reservation could not be made. Then, the receptionist told me that BJ's does not accept reservations for groups of less than 10 people. Great! Why couldn't he have said this critical piece of information earlier! We left the restaurant (vowing never to return) and watched the game at home. Later, I read some Yelp reviews, and a few reviewers pointed this out. I should have known better.

After the half-time show, we decided to get dinner at Willow Street Pizza in Los Gatos. We called ahead and found out that Willow Street was not busy. We drove there and watched the game on their big screens.

Willow Street was not busy at all - in fact, it looked a bit empty - but all the fans were there watching the game. We ordered some food and watched the game. I was excited to see the 49ers almost come back (after the power outage).

I ordered a Vodka Prawn Fettucini, and Inna ordered a Willow Burger. Alex had his usual Kid's Pepperoni Pizza. We all shared a delicious Homemade Cheesecake for dessert!

It's too bad the 49ers didn't beat the Ravens. The game was tremendous and exciting to the very last minute.

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Amour Patisserie, Los Gatos

On Saturdays, we eat lunch at Los Gatos Coffee, where we usually order crepes. I  especially like the Olympic crepe, which comes with mushrooms, while Inna prefers other combinations. 

After munching on delicious crepes, we like to stop by Amour Patisserie for a delicious pastry. Amour Patisserie is a new patisserie/coffee shop recently opened in Los Gatos. Amour offers appetizing pastries and cakes - almost as good as the ones in Vienna's famed Cafe Demel. Amour is very small, so we rarely find a place to sit and drink coffee.

We used to go to the French bakery next door, Fleur de Cocoa, but most of the pastries there are better than those at Fleur de Cocoa. Competition is great!

We like the Caramel Eclairs and Chocolate Butter Cakes, and usually order one when we stop by.

As Amour's tables are almost always occupied, we usually order a couple of pastries to go and drink coffee at the nearby Great Bear Coffee. Great Bear staff make great cappuccinos and mochas with natural whipped cream. It's the best coffee shop in downtown Los Gatos.

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Pagan Restaurant, San Francisco

After walking around the Legion of Honor Museum and the nearby Lands End Coastal Trail, we decided to stop by somewhere nearby for dinner. We looked at Yelp and found that Pagan Restaurant served Thai and Burmese cuisine and was nearby.

Pagan is pronounced "Bagan" and is named after a famous ancient Burmese city home to thousands of Pagodas.

The restaurant opened at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, and we were one of the first guests. The restaurant filled up fairly quickly after us. The menu had both Thai and Burmese dishes and seemed reasonably priced.

Inna and I ordered a Tea Leaf Salad consisting of imported Burmese tea leaves, mixed nuts (sesame), fried garlic, sesame seed, peanuts, ground shrimp, and dressing. It was delicious.

Being unsure about Burmese food, we chickened out and ordered Thai dishes, including Tom Kha soup (traditional Thai spicy coconut soup with lemongrass, lime leaf, and mushrooms). The soup tureen was enormous - it could feed 2-3 people.

I ordered Panang Curry, a traditional Thai dish. It tasted fine, but not any different from any other Thai restaurant.

Inna was more daring and ordered Traditional Lamb Biriyani Rice from the Burmese menu. It was really delicious and much better than my Panang Curry. This was the best dish of all.

We ordered a Fried Banana with Ice Cream (FBI) for a lovely dessert. Overall, we liked all the food, especially the Burmese dishes.

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Legion of Honor Museum: Royal Treasures from the Louvre

Today, we visited the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco to see the Royal Treasures from the Louvre: Louis XIV to Marie-Antoinette.

Having been to the Louvre in Paris twice, I hoped I would like the collection. However, there were only a couple of exciting items on display. There were many small snuff boxes (used to hold powdered tobacco) from France and Germany, featuring intricate designs, precious stones, and fine workmanship. There was also a small sample of fine china (but this doesn't compare to what is displayed in Hofburg Palace, Vienna, or Louvre, Paris). Overall, I liked the collection, but I wish it was more extensive (and included some of the beautiful art from the Louvre).

Here are some of the main items of the collection below:

After visiting the gallery, we stopped by the excellent Legion of Honor Museum Cafe for lunch, where we had a nice Antoinette salad and a couple of delicious desserts.

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Review: Ching Chong Chinaman (City Lights Theater)

Today, we attended a preview of Ching Chong Chinaman at the City Lights Theater Company in San Jose. City Lights Theater is a small, 100-seat theater in downtown San Jose. I purchased an 8:00pm Friday night preview ticket because it was much cheaper than the total cost of tickets for the rest of the week.

 The plot for Ching Chong Chinaman is as follows:

By Lauren Yee 

Directed by Jeffrey Bracco Choreographed by Lori Martinez January 24th – February 24th, 2013 Featuring Lawrence-Michael C. Arias, Anthony Chan, Monica Ho, Anna Lee, Nick Louie, and Chiho Saito. 

The Wongs are as American as apple pie. Desdemona wants to go to Princeton, but could use a little help with her calculus. Her brother Upton wants to be a World of Warcraft champion, but needs more free time to train. Upton solves both their problems by bringing in an indentured servant, but they soon discover that “Ching Chong” has an American dream of his own!

The play occurs in a small house/apartment where the family lives. The Wongs were an interesting Asian family, with both typical and atypical Asian stereotypes. The play was funny and at time sarcastics. However, the ending was a bit silly.

 

 

 

 

 

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Review: "Anything Goes" (Golden Gate Theater)

Today, Anything Goes Musical (revival) played in San Francisco's Golden Gate Theater.

According to Wikipedia:

Anything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London. Billy Crocker is a stowaway in love with heiress Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Nightclub singer Reno Sweeney and Public Enemy #13 Moonface Martin aid Billy in his quest to win Hope. The musical introduced such songs as "Anything Goes", "You're the Top", and "I Get a Kick Out of You."

The revival musical in San Francisco's Golden Gate Theater featured Rachel York as Reno Sweeney.

I enjoyed the performance, as all the show's songs are jazz standards. I wish I could see this on Broadway, with Sutton Foster playing Reno Sweeney.

I really liked Cole Porter's lyrics of the song "You're the Top," sung by Reno and Billy:

You're The Top Lyrics 

by Musical "Anything Goes"
from Best of Broadway - American Musical Soundtrack

[RENO]
Billy, where's the old Crocker confidence? You 
Think he's got one tiny fraction of your brains, 
your looks, your...your... 
At words poetic, I'm so pathetic 
That I always have found it best, 
Instead of getting 'em off my chest, 
To let 'em rest unexpressed, 
I hate parading my serenading 
As I'll probably miss a bar, 
But if this ditty is not so pretty 
But least it'll tell you 
How great you are. 

You're the top! 
You're the Colosseum. 
You're the top! 
You're the Louvre Museum. 
You're a melody from a symphony by Strauss 
You're a Bendel bonnet, 
A Shakespeare's sonnet, 
You're Mickey Mouse. 
You're the Nile, 
You're the Tower of Pisa, 
You're the smile on the Mona Lisa 
I'm a worthless check, a total wreck, a flop, 
But if, baby, I'm the bottom you're the top! 

[BILLY]
Your words poetic are not pathetic. 
On the other hand, babe, you shine, 
And I can feel after every line 
A thrill divine 
Down my spine. 
Now gifted humans like Vincent Youmans 
Might think that your song is bad, 
But I got a notion 
I'll second the motion 
And this is what I'm going to add; 

You're the top! 
You're Mahatma Gandhi. 
You're the top! 
You're Napoleon Brandy. 
You're the purple light 
Of a summer night in Spain, 
You're the National Gallery 
You're Garbo's salary, 
You're cellophane. 
You're sublime, 
You're turkey dinner, 
You're the time, the time of a Derby winner 
I'm a toy balloon that is fated soon to pop 
But if, baby, I'm the bottom, 
You're the top! 

[RENO]
You're the top! 
You're an arrow collar 
You're the top! 
You're a Coolidge dollar, 
You're the nimble tread 
Of the feet of Fred Astaire, 
You're an O'Neill drama, 

[BILLY]
You're Whistler's mama, 

[RENO]
You're camembert. 

[BILLY]
You're a rose, 
You're Inferno's Dante, 

[RENO]
You're the nose 
On the great Durante. 
I'm just in a way, 
As the French would say, "de trop". 
But if, baby, I'm the bottom, 
You're the top! 

[BILLY]
You're the top! 
You're a dance in Bali. 
You're the top! 
You're a hot tamale. 
You're an angel, you, 
Simply too, too, too diveen, 
You're a Boticcelli, 

[RENO]
You're Keats, 

[BILLY]
You're Shelly, 

[RENO]
You're Ovaltine. 

[BILLY]
You're a boom, 
You're the dam at Boulder, 
You're the moon, 
Over Mae West's shoulder, 
I'm the nominee of the G.O.P. 

[RENO]
Or GOP! 

[BILLY]
But if, baby, I'm the bottom, 
You're the top! 

[RENO]
You're the top! 
You're a Waldorf salad. 
You're the top! 
You're a Berlin ballad. 
You're the boats that glide 
On the sleepy Zuider Zee, 
You're an old Dutch master, 

[BILLY]
You're Lady Astor, 

[RENO]
You're broccoli. 

[BILLY]
You're romance, 
You're the steppes of Russia, 
You're the pants on a Roxy usher, 
I'm a broken doll, a fol-de-rol, a blop, 

[BOTH]
But if, baby, I'm the bottom, 
You're the top!

I also liked the lyrics from "It's De-lovely":

[BILLY]
The night is young, the skies are clear 
So if you want to go walking, dear, 
It's delightful, it's delicious, it's de-lovely. 
I understand the reason why 
You're sentimental, 'cause so am I, 
It's delightful, it's delicious, it's de-lovely. 
You can tell at a glance 
What a swell night this is for romance, 
You can hear dear Mother Nature 
Murmuring low, 
"Let yourself go!" 
So please be sweet, my chickadee, 
And when I kiss you, just say to me, 
"It's delightful, it's delicious, 
It's delectable, it's delirious, 
It's dilemma, it's delimit, it's deluxe, 
It's de-lovely". 

[HOPE]
I feel a sudden urge to sing 
The kind of ditty that invokes the spring. 

[BILLY]
I'll control my desire to curse 
While you crucify the verse. 

[HOPE]
This verse I started seems to me 
The Tin-Pantithesis of a melody, 

[BILLY]
So spare us all the pain, 
Just skip the darn thing and sing the refrain... 

[HOPE]
Mi, mi, mi, mi, 
Re, re, re, re, 
Do, sol, mi, do, la, si. 

The night is young, the skies are clear 
So if you want to go walking, dear, 
It's delightful, it's delicious, it's de-lovely. 
I understand the reason why 
You're sentimental, 'cause so am I, 
It's delightful, it's delicious, it's de-lovely. 
You can tell at a glance 
What a swell night this is for romance, 
You can hear dear Mother Nature 
Murmuring low, 
"Let yourself go!" 

[BILLY]
So please be sweet, my chickadee, 
And when I kiss you, just say to me, 
"It's delightful, it's delicious, 
It's...It's de-lovely".

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Bluestem Brasserie, San Francisco

Before enjoying our scheduled Anything Goes Musical performance (revival) playing in San Francisco's Golden Gate Theater, we stopped by for lunch at Bluestem Brasserie. We parked at the Jesse Street Garage, conveniently located close to Bluestem and Golden Gate Theater.

The Bluestem lunch was fantastic. We especially enjoyed the Baby Beet Terrine, the Dutch Baby Pancake, and the Farmer's Market Quiche. For dessert, we had the Graceland Cheesecake, which we ate during the intermission of Anything Goes.

All of the dishes were delicious, especially Baby Beet Terrine. Most of the food served comes from local farms and shows in the freshness of the ingredients.

We will surely be back!

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