Review: Cafe 400, San Mateo, CA
Another business day in California means another day of looking for a place to grab lunch. As I had a quiet afternoon scheduled for Wednesday, I decided to work from the public library for that portion of the day. Searching the internet for cafes in downtown San Mateo, I came across Cafe 400.
Reading the reviews for this cafe, many customers raved about it. One comment that I saw repeated by different authors was the delicious turkey sandwich served on Tuesdays. Sadly, I wasn’t going to get to experience that. However, I do like a good sandwich, and this cafe is…
Review: Cafe Soulstice, San Mateo, CA
In California on a business trip this week, I had a lunch meeting scheduled for Tuesday. Not being from the area, I asked my lunch partner to choose a restaurant, and she suggested Cafe Soulstice. With two 
locations (both situated within Equinox Fitness Clubs), we opted to meet in San Mateo.
Previewing the menu online, I learned that the menu consisted of gourmet raw items. I enjoy a wide variety of foods but had never eaten at a restaurant such as this previously. I…
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
What does it mean when: nachos are considered an excellent dinner? dinner consists of finger foods (or at the most, foods that can be eaten using only a toothpick)? the dining room for Sunday dinner is actually the living room? It must be football season.
Yes, the NFL season has returned. As we live in New England, we are hearty fans of the Patriots, with or without Tom Brady. So, the other Sunday, we made a dinner of munchies. As it was only my husband and I, we didn’t need to have a large menu. However, as we are foodies, heating…
Never Buy Them Again Bagels
I have enjoyed baking since my childhood. As a teenager, I baked cookies, brownies, and pies. I would cut recipes out of magazines to try at a future date. This love for baking grew into a love for cooking all dishes. Still, there are dishes that I have yet to try. One of these was bagels. Note the word, was.
Everyone in our house loves bagels. Granted, we enjoy different kinds with different toppings, but if we all go to a bagel shop, I know everyone will be happy with the menu. So, with a family of 6 that likes bagels,…
Review: Polcari's North End, Salem, NH
The family Italian restaurant is an often done experience. Every town in America, no matter the size, has at least one Italian restaurant. This usually means you can get pasta covered in some form of marinara sauce. Throw some Italian bread on the table and some parmesan cheese out of a green can, and you have the local Italian restaurant. Recently, my family got to experience something totally different than that when we visited Polcari’s in Salem, NH.
Polcari’s is a local chain (3 locations in New England) that has been family owned for three generations. The decor is strictly that…
Apple-Chicken Salad
Just last week I wrote about the arrival of chilly fall days and making soup. It may come of no surprise to my fellow New Englanders, but a day or two after that, we had very warm weather. In this part of the country, you need to have a big bureau with room for both cold and warm weather clothes, as you never know what the day will bring!
So, as the temperature was set to rise to 80, it was no longer soup and homemade bread weather. The warmth and humidity lent themselves to a salad dinner. I adore almost…
Review: Pasquale's Ristorante, Candia, NH
When one thinks of excellent Italian restaurants in America, typically urban locations come to mind. However, some of the best Italian food I ever have eaten was served at Pasquale’s Ristorante, located in the rural town of Candia, New Hampshire. 
Last Friday, my husband and I joined another couple for dinner at Pasquale’s. We met them at the bar and were treated to martinis expertly made by Rob. After a few minutes of conversation we were seated in the Angel Room, which our…
Very Flat Zucchini Flatbread
Working from home, I have the benefit of making lunch in my kitchen. I don’t have to decide either the night before or early that morning what I will want for lunch.
With plans to go to dinner with friends at an Italian restaurant tonight, I wanted a lunch that would not be heavy. This restaurant is new to my husband and me, so I want to be hungry enough to sample lots of items on the menu.
When lunchtime came around today, the air had a chill and the sky was overcast. Definitely not a salad sort of day. I wondered…
Turkey Meatball Soup
With the arrival of September in New Hampshire, the feel of fall is omnipresent. Although the days can be warm, the nights are cold, with temperatures dipping into the 40s. Thus, our menu begins its transformation from salads and fresh produce to soups and homemade bread.
Earlier in the week, the sky was overcast, rain showers were predicted for the majority of the day, and the temperature hovered in the low 60s. With weather such as this, it seemed like the perfect day to allow a pot of soup to simmer on the stove for the day.
While a chicken broth-based soup…
Review: The Georgia House, Laurel, Delaware
Scattered throughout the United States are local restaurants that take a different tact on their menu. One of the great things for me is going to these local haunts and trying things that you don’t normally find on every menu. One such place that I went to recently with my parents was The Georgia House Restaurant in Laurel, Delaware.
The restaurant is quaintly situated on the banks of a river and has a large deck for people that choose to enjoy the outdoor feel. Considering we were visiting during the remnants of Hurricane Hanna, we decided to eat…
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