Bloomsday

Photography & musings from an LA Woman living in Sydney, Australia, and searching for the small joys in everyday life.

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Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor

 

Here’s a photo of one of my favorite restaurants in Northern California (taken on a gorgeous July evening in 2010 when we went there for my birthday dinner). I love Thomas Keller, as far as I am concerned he is the High Priest of Gourmet Cooking, surpassing all others. I’ve been lucky enough to dine at Ad Hoc, also in Yountville, California, and the Bouchon in Las Vegas at the Venetian Hotel is by far my favorite spot for brunch. One day, someday, I will make it to the French Laundry…. And I keep hoping that maybe, just maybe, he’ll grace us with one of his restaurants down under, but I am not holding my breath. Oh well, just another reason to go back for a visit to the center of the known food universe. I miss all my foodie haunts in the greater SF/Bay Area, and despite what Sydneysiders believe about themselves, there is really nothing here that comes close to the gourmet / fresh / organic food scene in Northern California. Trust me: it does not compare. (Taken with Instagram)

Here’s a photo of one of my favorite restaurants in Northern California (taken on a gorgeous July evening in 2010 when we went there for my birthday dinner). I love Thomas Keller, as far as I am concerned he is the High Priest of Gourmet Cooking, surpassing all others. I’ve been lucky enough to dine at Ad Hoc, also in Yountville, California, and the Bouchon in Las Vegas at the Venetian Hotel is by far my favorite spot for brunch. One day, someday, I will make it to the French Laundry…. And I keep hoping that maybe, just maybe, he’ll grace us with one of his restaurants down under, but I am not holding my breath.

Oh well, just another reason to go back for a visit to the center of the known food universe. I miss all my foodie haunts in the greater SF/Bay Area, and despite what Sydneysiders believe about themselves, there is really nothing here that comes close to the gourmet / fresh / organic food scene in Northern California. Trust me: it does not compare. (Taken with Instagram)

Miss Chu in Surry Hills, home of delectable dumplings and with friendly bike messenger home delivery too!

Miss Chu in Surry Hills, home of delectable dumplings and with friendly bike messenger home delivery too!

Dinner in SF on Flickr. Another place I miss in San Francisco: The Tadich Grill. I think some of the waiters have been there for at least 30 years, I know there are a few I recognize from my first visit in 1994. I could go for one of those huge Cosmopolitan salads — Dungeness Crab, Bay Shrimp, Prawns — with a cup of their fabulous chowder right about now. The bartenders are great fun to talk to as well. Get there early (opens for dinner at 5:30) or be prepared to wait or sit at the counter, which is a lot of fun too.

Dinner in SF on Flickr.

Another place I miss in San Francisco: The Tadich Grill. I think some of the waiters have been there for at least 30 years, I know there are a few I recognize from my first visit in 1994. I could go for one of those huge Cosmopolitan salads — Dungeness Crab, Bay Shrimp, Prawns — with a cup of their fabulous chowder right about now. The bartenders are great fun to talk to as well. Get there early (opens for dinner at 5:30) or be prepared to wait or sit at the counter, which is a lot of fun too.

San Francisco in a (few) day(s)

You can click the link above to see my recommendations for places to see and things to do in San Francisco (because I am too lazy to rewrite my post from 2008 from a long-since abandoned blog). Additionally, here are a few things outside of SF, but within an easy drive, that I would add to that list:

  1. A walk through the redwoods at Muir Woods.
  2. A drive through the Point Reyes area — with a visit to Limantour Beach — and a trip to the Hog Island Oyster Company.
  3. A trip to the gourmet ghetto in the East Bay city of Berkeley. Be sure to go to the Cheese Board Collective, probably the food place I miss the most of everything in Northern California.
  4. Dinner at the Cafe at Chez Panisse (reservations are essential, so be sure to book in advance) or, Pizzaiolo in Oakland: best pizza I’ve ever had, anywhere.