disney hawaii: Ocak 2013

SUTRO'S AT THE CLIFF HOUSE

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SUTRO'S AT THE CLIFF HOUSESAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

SUTRO'S AT THE CLIFF HOUSE
1090 POINT LOBOS
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121
415-386-3330
www.cliffhouse.com
Check website for Hours

On a absolutely stunning warm and sunny day in November we enjoyed an incredible lunch at Sutro's with some of our dearest friends. It is just amazing that this place exists just minutes from the hustle and bustle of downtown San Francisco. So many times we have visited San Francisco and never left the city. This trip our friends made sure that they drove us to some of their favorite places in and out of the city. They have lived a lifetime here and wanted to share their history with us. We went down small streets and saw the house they grew up in, the shop and hospital where they worked. The schools they attended and the hilly streets where Tom would walk for hours delivering goods to the neighborhood families. As we drove through the many neighborhoods around San Francisco a lifetime unfolded before our eyes. Two people that grew up in the city and have now spent decades together were sharing their story and life with me and my family. How did we get so lucky I thought. To have friends like this and be here at this moment in time. A moment where I have never seen them so happy and content. A moment that delivered to me the meaning of friendship. A moment that I will never forget. Our journey led us to Sutro's at the Cliff House. An amazing restaurant overlooking the Pacific ocean and filled with San Francisco history. The restaurant views are beautiful. As soon as you walk down to Suto's you are greeted with a panoramic view of the ocean. The Cliff House has a number of venues to drink and dine. There is a bar and a Bistro in addition to Sutro's. Whether you are looking to have breakfast, lunch, dinner or just drinks, the Cliff House has you covered. This is a newly renovated modern version of the Cliff House. The original structure was built in 1863. In its day, the Cliff House welcomed three U.S. Presidents as well as prominent San Francisco families such as the Hearsts, Stanfords and Crockers. Wealthy San Franciscans flocked to the coast to enjoy the unique restaurant and spectacular views. The restaurant was renovated in 1868 and soon became the meeting place for local politicians as well as less savory citizens from the Barbary Coast. High society locals abandoned the Cliff House and it became known for some scandalous behavior, which greatly disturbed Adoph Sutro, a self-made millionaire philanthropist, and later Mayor of San Francisco who had built his estate overlooking the Cliff House. Sutro purchased the Cliff House in 1883. In 1887, the Cliff House was severely damaged when the schooner Parallel, abandoned and loaded with dynamite, ran aground on the rocks below. The explosion destroyed much of the Cliff House and was heard all over the Bay Area. In 1894 a chimney fire destroyed the building on Christmas day. (note: history from the Cliff House websiste) Today the Cliff House is a modern structure with lots of glass. It has lost that old historic look and feel that you see in the old photographs. As you enter the building there is a gift shop adjacent to the entrance. We went downstairs to Sutro's and were greeting with a panoramic view that literally takes your breath away. You are drawn to the floor to ceiling windows that display the magnificent Pacific Ocean. Nothing else seems to get your attention but the view. We were seated at a great table at the end of the dining room right next to the window. The staff here was courteous and professional. When we asked to split a salad and entree, the answer was yes of course. I thoroughly enjoyed the Sutro's "Louie" with dungeness crab and shrimp.

THE LOCATION OF SUTRO'S BATHS NEXT TO THE CLIFF HOUSE

PARKING ALONG THE STREET AND DOWN THE HILL IN THE OCEAN LOT

VIEW FROM RIGHT SIDE OF THE CLIFF HOUSE

PAINTINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SUTRO'S BATHS ALL AROUND THE BUILDING

SPENDING A DAY AT THE SUTRO'S BATH

ENTRANCE TO SUTRO'S WITH THE LARGE HIGH CEILING BAR ON THE RIGHT

NOTHING BUT OCEAN VIEWS ON THE RIGHT

OPEN KITCHEN ALLOWS YOU TO WATCH THE COOKS IN ACTION

GRAB A DRINK OR EAT AT THE BAR

NOT A BAD VIEW FROM OUR TABLE

SUTRO'S LUNCH APPETIZER MENU

SUTRO'S LUNCH MENU

YOU JUST GOTTA LOVE THAT SAN FRANCISCO SOURDOUGH BREAD

SILKY BUTTER WITH SALT

HALF OF THE PETITE ROMAINE CAESAR SALAD

HALF OF THE TWO CRAB SANDWICH WITH SUPER GOOD SWEET POTATO FRIES

BACON CRUSTED LOCH DUART SALMON

SUTRO'S LOUIE

LEMON BOMB OF FLAVOR

ASSORTMENT OF SORBET WITH SOME REALLY STRANGE FLAVORS

PHOTOGRAPH OF MR. SUTRO

THE ORIGINAL CLIFF HOUSE

GIFT STORE SELLS BOOKS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND SOUVENIRS

CREDO - SAN FRANCISCO

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CREDOSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
CREDO360 PINE STREET (at Montgomery)SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104415-693-0360www.credosf.comHOURS: Lunch Monday thru Friday 11:30 AM - 2:00 Dinner Monday thru Saturday 5:30 PM - 10:00 PM
We asked the Concierge at our hotel in San Francisco where we could enjoy some good Italian food for dinner. On short notice, he said the only place that could seat us was a place called Credo. He jotted down the address and gave us directions for the ten minute walk. We had no idea what to expect when we arrived at Credo around 7:00 PM. The place was pretty empty as we entered the large space filled with quotes on the walls. This is unique I thought. We were quickly seated by a very friendly and professional hostess. The first thing I noticed was the cool thick tables hand made out of old wood. The next thing was those quotes. They are everywhere. We probably spent the first fifteen minutes just reading the walls. When I looked around the restaurant I saw that it had filled to capacity in a matter of minutes. The menu is very simple and is printed on a single page of white paper. We were expecting your typical Italian menu. This was a bit unique. Very simple with only around six appetizers and pasta options. The pizzas were not your normal pepperoni type. One had figs and argula and another had beets and goat cheese. We passed on the pizza selections. After waiting a bit our waiter brought out a board filled with fresh bread and a bowl of marinated olives. The olives were delicious but beware of the pits. We started with Zuppetta di Vongole ($12). Little neck clams with baby fennel in a white wine-orange broth. Loved the clams, broth and Acme bread. We shared the Caesar Salad ($12) and there was enough for all three of us. Liked the large fresh anchovies and soft boiled egg. This was a good Caesar and I would order it again. None of the pasta dishes on the menu caught my eye and I really wanted pasta. I asked the waiter what he would recommend and he immediately led me to the Sedanini ($24). Described on the menu as house made calabrese, house cured pancetta, pecorino Romano, rich tomato surge, sage, mezzi rigatoni. I was stunned when the dish arrived. It looked like a big loaf of bread or puffed pastry. We were all smiles when the waiter cut into the pastry and peeled it back to uncover a piping hot bowl of pasta with tomato sauce and sausage. Huge slices of sausage and enough pasta for two. I did not put a dent in the dish. Liked the flavors but there was nothing in the dish that really put it over the top. The Pico Toscano ($19) was good but not a huge hit with my girls. The fresh pasta was served with broccolini, olives, capers, oregano in a spicy San Marzano tomato sauce. My daughter knocked off the Chocolate Lava Cake so it must have been pretty good. Service and food here were o.k. Probably would try another place before returning back.

CREDO IS LOCATED IN THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT IN SAN FRANCISCO

I BELIEVE IS THE MOTTO HERE

LARGE HIGH CEILING SPACE WITH VIEWING KITCHEN IN THE BACK

LARGE BAR IS FOCAL POINT OF THE SPACE

THOUSANDS OF "I BELIEVE" QUOTES ALL OVER THE WALLS

VIEW FROM OUR TABLE

VIEW LOOKING BACK AT FRONT ENTRANCE

PANELS OF QUOTES LINE THE WALLS OF CREDO

GREAT WAY TO GET THE TABLE TALKING IS TO READ THE QUOTES

CREDO - "I BELIEVE"

I DID NOT QUITE UNDERSTAND THE MENU CONCEPT AS WE THOUGHT THIS
WAS AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT WITH LOTS OF PASTA DISHES

SUPER DELICIOUS OLIVES SERVED WITH FRESH BREAD

CAESAR SALAD

SOFT BOILED ORGANIC EGG WAS NICE TOUCH

ZUPPETTA DI VONGOLE
LITTLE NECK CLAMS WITH BABY FENNEL IN WHITE WINE-ORANGE BROTH

PICI TOSCANO
HAND ROLLED PASTA WITH BROCCOLINI, OLIVES, CAPERS, OREGANO IN SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

SEDANINI
HOUSE MADE CALABRESE AND CURED PANCETTA, PECORINO ROMANO IN RICH TOMATO SUGO

POP THE TOP FOR A LARGE BOWL OF RIGATONI WITH SAUSAGE

RICH TOMATO BROTH AND LOTS OF LARGE PIECES OF SAUSAGE

CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM

CHINA BEACH - SAN FRANCISCO

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CHINA BEACHSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
I do not think of beaches when we visit San Francisco and have never sought out a beach in the city in late November. Normally we are bundled up with sweaters, jackets and scarfs. When we were blessed with a 70 degree sunny day our friends took us to the beach so we could get a good view of the Golden Gate Bridge. We walked down a small path and were on a white sandy beach just minutes from the Cable Cars and rolling noisy streets of one of America's largest and most interesting cities.

CHINA BEACH IS MANAGED BY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WHICH
NORMALLY MEANS THE PLACE IS CLEAN AND SAFE

CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE FAMILIES AND STORIES THAT COULD BE TOLD BY
THOSE WHO LIVED AND CAMPED ON CHINA BEACH

GREAT VIEW OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE ON A PRISTINE DAY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

WARM SUNNY DAY LIKE THIS IN NOVEMBER IS RARE AND GREATLY APPRECIATED

EL GRULLENSE TACO TRUCK - SALINAS, CA

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EL GRULLENSE TACO TRUCK
SOMEWHERE IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA

We had a six hour drive from San Francisco to visit my Dad for Thanksgiving. After a few hours, we decided to GPS the location of an In N' Out Burger. The nearest In N' Out was in Salinas which is a farm town where lettuce is grown. The city is filled with migrant workers so I figured the Mexican food should be good. I had to get a taco before or after hitting the In N' Out Burger. As we pulled off the freeway there was a truck that said "Tacos". With no hesitation I pulled over and parked behind the truck. "What are you doing" my wife said. "We are eating at In N' Out". Yes dear, but after I try a taco I said. "We will stay in the car" my wife barked as she had no time or interest in tacos. I approached the window of the truck and immediately noticed the salsa bar. This has gotta be good I thought. I ordered up one Carne Asada Taco and one Carnitas Taco at $1.25 each. The tacos came quickly and I eagerly topped them with cilantro, onions and red salsa. The tortillas were so fresh and a completely different texture that we get in Hawaii. The tacos had double tortillas which I really don't care for because that is just too much tortilla for me. I like to taste the meat and sauce and not be filled up with tortillas. Some tacos need two tortillas because they break apart. These really were ok with one. The tacos were fresh but did not deliver the big bold flavor that I was anticipating. They did however cure my taco fix for the day.