Napa Valley; 2 days of delectable delights

Over Thanksgiving, my family, along with a few relatives of our visited, gorgeous, picturesque Napa Valley. This tiny, scenic town, has a lot to offer. However,it is most famous for its wineries, which unfortunately, did not interest me much. Maybe that had something to do with the fact that I am under 21 :D But what did create a spark in me were the AMAZING restaurants that boasted all types of foods. After a 3 hour road trip, we reached Napa around twelve, and were looking for a good place to lunch. We had planned to visit V. Sattui Winery, one of Napa's most famous wineries. The winery was beautiful, with ivy covered stone buildings, and an open courtyard, in which lay a marble fountain. Our stomachs grumbling, we went into the winery's shop, where we ate, what I would call, "some of the best food in Napa." From the cafe, we picked up cold vegetable noodles, arancini balls, gnocchi, and pesto penne. My personal favorite was the gnocchi, which is a Italian pasta made of potatoes. The gnocchi was served in a slightly tart marinara cream sauce, which complemented the mellow taste of the gnocchi perfectly. The arancini balls were a little treat, because they are not easily found in San Jose. They are an Italian savory pastry with a crispy breaded shell, filled with rice, cheese,pesto, and vegetables. MMMM!!!

For dinner that night, we went to a tiny Italian restaurant in downtown Napa, called UVA Trattoria. From the outside, Uva doesn't look like much, but it is cozy on the inside, where there is a little stage for bands to perform. Like our local Pizza My Heart, the walls are covered with pictures of famous scientists, movie stars, and athletes. However, I wasn't quite impressed with the food. My brother and I split a Pizza Vegitariana, which was a thin-crust pizza topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and a variety of seasonal vegetables. The presentation was not too appealing, but the pizza was quite flavorful. My aunt ordered the Linguini Melanzane, which was pasta topped with roasted eggplant, smoked mozzarella, and marinara sauce. This pasta was delicious, and I thought it was the best meal of the night. My mom's choice was a Ravioli a Modo Mio, which was cheese-filled ravioli, topped with a lemon cream sauce. The ravioli did not have much filling, and the lemon-cream sauce was a little too pungent for me. Overall, this dish was not very pleasing to my palette. My uncle picked out a Fettuccine Pollo e Funghi, which was a fettuccine dish served with roasted chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce. My uncle does not have a preference towards mushrooms, so he substituted the mushroom cream sauce for a pesto-cream sauce instead. The pasta was delicious, but the quantity was a little too much for one person. Last of all, my dad chose a Petto di Pollo, which consisted of pan-roasted chicken breast paired with blue cheese crumbles, mission figs, fresh arugula, and a sherry-honey vinaigrette. My dad thought the chicken was well-cooked, but he did not think the dish had very much flavor. All the meals were decently priced, and overall, the meal was a good one.

The next day for breakfast, we went to Buttercream Bakery, a famed cafe near our hotel. Even from a distance, you can spot the bakery, which looks like it came out of a movie because of its pink and white striped exterior. They have a decent range of breakfast foods, but my family and I chose from our old classic favorites. My aunt, brother, and I ordered the Danish Waffle which was topped with strawberry compote and whipped cream. Each waffle was served with whipped butter as well. The waffles were delicious, but each waffle could have been split between two people. There was A LOT of leftover waffle :D My mom ordered a short stack of blueberry pancakes with whipped butter, and even though she was able to finish most of it, there was still leftover pancake. My dad and uncle both ordered omelets, but my dad requested for a special vegetarian omelet, while my uncle decided to go for the Denver omelet which had ham, onions, bell peppers, and cheese. Each omelet was served with hash browns which were crisped to perfection. My dad thoroughly enjoyed his omelet, but my uncle was not too happy about his. However, both of them licked their plates clean. Ha ha :)Buttercream Bakery has a large variety of sweets and other pastries ranging from chocolate chip cookies to red velvet donuts. Although we didn't purchase any of the sweets, my mouth watered just looking at the selection of treats.

After spending hours shopping at all the tiny boutiques on Main Street in St. Helena, we decided to stop at the Model Bakery for Lunch. The cafe has beautiful window displays, but it is not much on the inside. It is rather tiny, and it is always crowded. They were out of many of the items we requested off the menu, but finally everyone decided on a vegetarian panini. In case you did not know, paninis are grilled Italian sandwiches often filled with vegetables, cheese, and some type of spread. Our paninis were served piping hot, with gooey cheese oozing from the bread. The vegetables were grilled to perfection, and overall, the sandwiches were delicious. I enjoyed my lunch at the Model Bakery.

And for the grand finale, on our last night in Napa, we went to the famed, the greatest, UBUNTU!!! Nope, doesn't ring a bell? Well, UBUNTU is a vegetarian restaurant which is internationally famous. It is decorated in a modern style with high ceilings, unique sculptures, and abstract paintings. For our meal, we ordered an ubuntu steam bun stuffed w/ burrata and coated with SUNCHOKE dirt, vadouvan spiced ‘lunga di napoli’ squash and torn brioche salad, ‘white satin’ CARROTS and matsutakes, roasted with PINE NEEDLES,rustic rancho gordo ‘alubia bianco’ bean stew, and organic arbuckle grits, whipped chicken EGG and crispy “skin”. Everything was delicious, but my favorite was the Ubuntu steam bun. The bun was quite filling, but it had a mellow taste, so the SUNCHOKE dirt added a bit of pizazz. It was presented beautifully, drizzled with soy sauce and served with roasted persimmon (that was the best part)! My least favorite dish was the grits. Personally, I thought it tasted quite bland, and there was no real flavor to it. It's presentation was amazing, however; it was served with fresh hibiscus flowers :D The portion sizes are EXTREMELY small, and for a party of seven (one toddler) we had to order multiple amounts of each entree. Ubuntu has a delicious dessert menu, but the desserts,and the entrees change seasonally. Honestly, when I checked the menu to recall the desserts we ravenously ate- all of them had changed:( It was still an amazing meal though, probably my favorite meal in Napa.

I hoped these reviews helped, and I'll try and update my blog more often!

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is a beautiful sea-side city that is a must during summer vacation. The wonderful weather, top-rated beaches, and historical landmarks make it a beachy paradise. However, what tops all of that is Santa Barbara's food. My family vacationed there this year, and we had a blast. For most of our meals, we decided to go with the authentic Mexican cuisine. We reached Santa Barbara at about 1 o' clock, so we decided to stop somewhere for lunch. At a corner of N Milpas Street is a tiny Mexican restaurant called La Super Rica Taqueria. The restaurant is a tiny white-washed building with ocean blue trim. It is always very crowded, and the lines snake a long way up the street- everyday, so it is best to come a little in advance. At the back of the restaurant is an area for people to sit and eat. It is very tiny, and for the amount people that come every day, it is not at all enough. As soon as someone leaves- you have to grab the spot- BAM!! Otherwise, you will be stuck for a VERY long time. It is not the cleanest place, but the food definitely makes up for it. We ordered a tacos de rajas, which was a small tortilla topped with fresh peppers and a delicious sauce. Most of the ingredients in the sauce, I could not name :) We also ordered pasilla peppers with cheese, which were served wrapped in a homemade corn tortilla. It was delicious, but extremely spicy- so you have to watch out :D The menu changes every time, so you can't really keep track of what food will be there. On top of that, we ordered a dish of tomato and cheese sauce, as a dipping for the tortillas. All of the portions are extremely small, so order quite a bit more than you think will be necessary.


While strolling down Santa Barbara's famous State Street the next day, we stopped at a burger chain called The Habit for lunch. It turned out to be an amazing choice. The "chain" is set in a corner of the street, and has adobe-style walls with red-tiled roofs, which gives a nice Mexican touch to the building. The colors are bright, but the place is tiny, so come a little bit in advance. We had to wait for a little bit until be found a table. The benches and tables are shaded by red and yellow umbrellas that provide a friendly atmosphere. My brother chose a grilled cheese sandwich of the kid's menu, and he LOVED it. The bread was toasted to perfection, and the cheese was gooey, yet it maintained an aromatic flavor. My parents and I ordered Veggie Burgers. The whole wheat bun, fresh vegetables, and grilled patty made it a healthy, yet delicious concoction. The portions are a little large though, so order a little less than you think is necessary :) For sides, we ordered onion rings and french fries, which turned out to be a LOT more than needed. The french fries were crunchy yet not too oily, and they are made with Idaho potatoes. Good quality! The onion rings were battered and fried to perfection, then and again, it wasn't too oily, either. They were delicious :) To quench our thirst in the heat, we decided to go for strawberry and chocolate milk shakes. The shakes weren't special, but they were delicious with a layer of foam on top and a fresh flavor. All of our items were not expensive, and what we paid was definitely worth it. I loved The Habit, and I know it will be a must for me the next time I visit Santa Barbara.

Merit Vegetarian Restaurant

If you are looking for a delicious Chinese vegetarian restaurant that is located nearby, Merit is the place for you. This cozy eatery is located on 548 Lawrence Expressway, Sunnyvale, California 94086. It is part of a small complex, and it doesn't look like much- but that is before you enter the front door. Merit is a rather tiny eatery with a set of booths on one side and a set of chairs on the other. Each table has a set of "modern" orange lights hanging above, which provides a serene glow. You will often find a group of elderly folk playing mahjong at one of the larger tables. Most of the waiters are extremely kid- friendly, and are always smiling.

And then there is the food- Aahh.. pure bliss. Merit is a completely vegetarian restaurant, but it has a large variety of different foods. When my family went, we ordered pot stickers, lotus salad, steamed rice, gourmet "chicken," and tofu eggplant claypot. The pot stickers are served five per order, and they were placed on a bed of leafy greens. They were crispy on the outside, and they were filled with a chewy mixture of ginger, pepper, and tofu. These delectable delights were served with a standard peanut sauce. The hot pot stickers were balanced perfectly by the cool, juicy greens. Next, we were served the lotus salad. This tossed salad was amazingly fresh, and it had a few interesting ingredients such as crisp lotus roots and sweet, deep-fried crackers that melted on your tongue. The vibrant colors in this salad were so vivid and enticing that my mouth watered as soon as the dish arrived at our table. The grated, cabbage, carrots, and other vegetables blended together to create a perfect combo.

The gourmet "chicken" had a sharp lemongrass flavor that hits you like a punch in the face. For me, the flavor was a little too strong, but I enjoyed it all the same. The big mound of "chicken" was served on a bed of lettuce, steamed broccoli, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Once again, the vegetables had such a splash of color that it tantalized me, and I was drooling before I even took a bite. Lastly, the tofu eggplant clay pot was delicious. However, it was my least favorite of all the dishes, because it was not special. The eggplant was perfectly cooked with the velvety tofu, and they both melted in your mouth, along with the slightly salty sauce. This time, neither the colors nor the smell popped out at me, so it was a rather drab entree, but it was still enjoyable. Of course, to top it all off, was the steamed rice. It was served in a authentic Chinese bowl, and it had a aromatic flavor. Mmmmm......

As you walk out the door, there is large bowl of candy and toothpicks to show courtesy. I knew for sure, that I would come to Merit many times in the future- and soon.

http://meritvegetarian.com/index.html

Merit is rated 4 out of 5, or Yummmmm!

1- Yuck; 2- Junk; 3- It's OK; 4- Yummmm!; 5- Ooh-La-La!

Sakoon

It was a chilly Saturday evening, and my friend's family and my family were strolling Mountain View, when we came upon an Indian restaurant called Sakoon. We had not had some good Indian food in a while, so we decided to go check the place out. Apparently,we made the right decision. As soon as you enter this posh eatery, hanging lights that change color dazzle your eyes. The walls are covered in mosaics and, diyas, or Indian candles give off a flickering light. There is a bar on one side, and a lounge and dining area on the other. The lounge is comfy corner where people can wait while they get their seat. The booths are made of sparkling leather. This restaurant can get pretty crowded, so it is best to book reservations, or come half an hour in advance.

Sakoon displays a wide variety of unique foods on its menu, which include both vegetarian and non- vegetarian dishes. Since we are vegetarian, we ordered Trio of Samosas, Saufiya Paneer, Avocado Jhalmuri Aloo, Paneer Kundan Kalia,Rajasthani Khumb Paneer, and Phool Makhane ki Subzi.

The samosas were hot and crispy on the outside and smooth and creamy on the inside, giving a well-balanced effect. The soft peas and potato filling enriches the palate. Everything at Sakoon is served in a very elegant an posh way, so you should order a little more than you think is necessary. For example, we expected the samosas to be served the typical "Indian" way. Unfortunately, the samosas came two to a platter, and there were six of us. As a result, none of us got to eat much samosa. The Saufiya Paneer was crunchy on the outside, yet chewy and spicy on the inside. It was served with a tangy mint chutney. The Avocado Jhalmuri Aloo was a salad made with crisped rice and tomatoes, potatoes, avocados, and onions. It was drizzled with mouth-watering mint chutney. The paneer in the Phool Makhane ki Subzi was fluffy, chewy, and luscious through and through. It was served in a silky, flavorful gravy. Mixed into the gravy were popped lotus seeds and firm cashews. The lotus seeds put a unique twist to the dish, but I could not clearly taste them because the gravy was so rich. The colors in this dish were very mellow, and they made me feel calm. Also, none of the food in the restaurant that we ate was spicy, so it was a delicious meal. After this satisfying dinner, I knew that Sakoon was a delicious and very capable restaurant that I would visit again many more times in the future.

http://www.sakoonrestaurant.com

Sakoon is rated : 4-Yummm!

Rating scale:

1-Yuck;2-Junk;3-It's OK;4-Yummm!;5-Ooh-La-La!

Pizza Antica; Santana Row; San Jose

Once a month, it is pizza time for my family, and we never have any problem deciding where to go. Our first and most obvious choice is Pizza Antica. This delightful eatery is located in Santana Row near Valley Fair Mall in San Jose, and so we can go shopping before and after we eat. My family has been here many times, and it is one of our most faithful and favorite restaurants ever!

Almost every day, Pizza Antica is a very crowded place, so it would be wise to book reservations or to come an hour in advance. The employees are very kid- friendly and treat you like family. After we were taken to our table, my brother and I received a set of crayons and a picture to color, so we could be kept occupied. All of the items on the menu sounded delicious, and there are many options for vegetarians. Some of their items are seasonal, but one item that is there every time the Heirloom Potato, Caramelized Onion and white Truffle Oil. This is a traditional item that we order. The pizza has a crispy thin crust that well balances the light cheese, white truffle oil, and sauteed fingerling potatoes. The pizza is presented well; all the colors are mellow which bring a calming feeling. The smell of this delight is wonderful. The hanging, light smell of truffle oil, combined with the garlic, onions, and cheese transports you back to Italy.

During fall, you should keep an eye out for the butternut squash ravioli. This is my favorite pasta in the restaurant. The perfectly cooked pasta shell along with the creamy butternut squash filling is a dream come true for your palate. Another summer pasta which I love is the peas ravioli. The peas filling is not as creamy as the squash filling, but it still leaves your taste buds craving for more. Scattered around this dish are hard little peas that balance out the creaminess of the filling. Of course, there are more normal pizzas and pastas on the menu that you can go for.

Because the food in Pizza Anica is so light, there is always room for dessert when we are done with our meals. The desserts vary from season to season, but make sure to look for the walnut shortcake during fall. The moist, nutty cake is brought to life with the whipped cream and fresh strawberries that garnish this sweet treat. The price of the foods at Pizza Antica are slightly expensive, but affordable, and they are definitely worth it. Pizza Antica is obviously one of the best Italian restaurants in Silicon Valley.

Pizza Antica is rated 5- Ooh-La-La.

Rating Scale: 1- Yuck!; 2- Junk; 3- Its OK; 4- Yummm!; 5- Ooh-La-La!

Aqui Cal Mex; San Jose, California

My birthday arrived on a sunny, summer evening, when I was deciding where to go out to eat with my family. It was my special day and my decision was obvious- Aqui Cal-Mex in San Jose, California. I have always loved this restaurant.

Its charming and spacious architectural design and the superb food makes it one of the best restaurants in Silicon Valley. As soon as you enter the doors of this eatery, you are greeted by a blast of color. Unique sculptures and figurines are scattered around the restaurant. The staff is extremely kid- friendly, and make you feel at home. A stunning aspect of Aqui is their unique and tempting drinks. Every time I've been there there have been two special drinks on blackboard which proudly reveals the specials. One of these fruity concoctions include watermelon strawberry, which we had on this day. The two flavors are perfectly blended, and were meant for each other. The drinks at Aqui are some of the best I have ever drank.

The food in Aqui is colorful and pleasing to the eye. To let customers know how the food will be presented, some of the daily specials are made and kept in the front for people ts see. All the colors in the food are well contrasted. For example, the red sauce that drenches the enchiladas still allows you to witness the darkness of the black beans. All the food in Aqui is a mixture of Californian and Mexican food. Most of it tastes like Mexican food.

A traditional when we go to Aqui is the vegetarian platter with tamales, enchiladas, organic polenta, beans, and rice. The mouthwatering dishes always smell fantastic, and are full of aromatic Mexican flavors. The polenta melts in your mouth, and the grainy rice balances it out. Everything tastes fresh and is perfectly cooked. My brother and I usually order from the kid's meal. They have items such as burritos, enchiladas, and quesadillas which are kid sized. On my special day, I ordered a small platter which included two mini enchiladas, pinto beans and rice. The mini enchiladas were soft, flavorful, and drenched in sauce. The vibrant colors and the aromatic smell make the dish all the more tastier and pleasing to eat. The rice was soft and grainy, and the pinto beans melted in your mouth. In Aqui they do not use regular cheddar and jack cheese. Instead they use the traditional Oaxaca cheese which has a temperate but recognizable flavor and taste. However, none of the food in Aqui is too cheesy.

Aqui has plenty of tempting varieties for vegetarians. The food in Aqui is not too filling, so there is always room for dessert. Like the drinks, every time I have been there, there have been different desserts. On this day, they were presenting a coconut cheesecake, blueberry cobbler, and a flourless chocolate cake. The desserts are not too sweet and allow you to taste the other flavors in the dish. We chose a blueberry cobbler, and the first bite, was like eating a piece of heaven. The crispness of the buttery biscuit, along with the fresh, juicy, tart blueberry sauce gave me goosebumps. In less than five minutes, my family had gobbled the entire cobbler! When you get out the door of this restaurant, you'll have a full stomach and a satisfied soul.

Aqui is rated as 5-Ooh- La- La

Rating Scale: 1- Yuck!; 2- Junk; 3- Its OK; 4- Yummm!; 5- Ooh- La- La

Cafe Pro Bono, Palo Alto, California

One warm summer evening, my family was debating on which restaurant to go to for dinner. There were many tasty options which included Buca di Peppo, Pizza Antica, and Banana Leaf. Suddenly my father, who was searching on Yelp, jumped up with an "Ah ha!" and the rest of us crowded around the screen. We had never been to Cafe Pro Bono before, but we offered a try. It turned out that was a wonderful idea.

The Cafe is actually a restaurant located on Birch Street. To me it seemed cozy, but spacious- a perfect combo. The service is excellent, and the staff is kid-friendly. For an appetizer they offer fresh bread with vinegar and olive oil with a few herbs- DELICIOUS! This charming restaurant offers a variety of tempting entrees for your waiting palate. Even though we are vegetarians, there was still plenty of options to choose from.

For my 6 year old brother and me, we chose Susan's Downfall- a platter of herb ravioli served with a creamy Gorgonzola and toasted almond sauce. I am not a fan of anything too cheesy, so Susan's Downfall was not my type of dish, but it still tasted pretty decent. The cheese was a little too strong for me, and it overpowered the flavor of the other ingredients. However, it tasted traditional, not like an American version of ravioli.

My mother chose Gnocchi al pesto with sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts- a pesto gnocchi served with pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. After a quick taste, I decided that was the best gnocchi I have had in a long time. The potato pasta added a creamy texture to the dish, and the pesto sauce with pine nuts added an aromatic flavor. The sun dried tomatoes had a wonderful taste that enriched the goodness of the pasta.

After a lot of thought, my father selected a creamy mushroom risotto served with a variety of tender mushrooms. I am not a big fan of mushrooms either, and this dish was a little too strong for me. I would definitely have preferred something milder towards my senses. The creamy risotto was balanced with the chewy mushrooms, and altogether created an enticing combination.

It was appetizing, but we still had some room for dessert! There was a delicious variety, but we decided on a flourless chocolate cake served with raspberry sauce and topped with whipped cream. The flourless cake was mostly fudge, so you could really taste the chocolate, and the raspberry sauce added a refreshing fruity flavor. Also, we gobbled a traditional Tiramisu which left everyone yearning for more. This light,layered cream and coffee cake was brought to perfection at this restaurant. It was cold, yet not cold enough to suck out the flavor of the coffee, which added a delicious flavor to this elegant pastry. The pieces are small and perfect for a family of four.

All of the items we chose ranged from $5- $15. At the front door, there are mints and toothpicks as a sign of courtesy. As I stepped out the door, I knew that I would come here again- and soon! :)

I rate Cafe Pro Bono 4 taste buds out of 5.

** Yuk - 1 taste bud; Junk - 2 taste buds; It's OK - 3 taste buds; Yummm - 4 taste buds; Ooh-la-la - 5 taste buds.