So…we like to eat. We like to eat good food. We like to eat food that looks pretty. We like to eat food that we made. We like to eat food that others made. We find some great restaurants and food experiences and we might want to share them. Often it’s just so we can remember what we had. Here is where we do that. Posts here are often written by Kelly Cook.
In 2020 we started making videos as 2 Cooks in the Kitchen on Youtube.
Salt Fish House — Arcata, CA
This restaurant is in the top 5 or maybe even top 3 restaurants where you might find us in Arcata on a Friday night.
Humboldt was in need of something that helped you forget you are in a restaurant in our somewhat rural area and maybe help you imagine you are in a bigger city like somewhere in Los Angeles or the Bay Area but really, you are still in Humboldt. It’s hip. It’s got style. It’s just not typical of Humboldt and we LIKE that!
The restaurant itself is clean and bright with the marble bar, white walls and subtle grey and blue decor.
Servers and hosts always are quick to greet customers and set them on their way to an enjoyable meal.
Now I will admit that we’ve become regulars to the point that bartenders remember our names and servers and other folks in the front of the house recognize us. We really do make our way here as much as we can.
The cocktail menu has some delicious options such as Thai Me Up and the Salt Margarita. On tap you will find a local wine that is a must have, Septentrio Chardonnay. I have to tell you two things I love about sitting at the bar: attentive service and chatting with people (usually strangers) that sit next to us. It never fails that we meet interesting people. Oh, okay, a third thing, I love a sparkling clean bar! I don’t want my elbows to stick and I want to see things orderly because I want my drink to be orderly, too!
Food. Oh yes! We really have been here enough times to try a lot of items on the menu, which I will say changes occasionally but some of the best things never leave. The Charred Octopus appetizer for example is, according to Matthew, “one of the best things you will eat in Humboldt.” It’s cooked perfectly, looks beautiful and is tender. Even a pickier eater like me can take pleasure in a bite of this cephalopod. You really MUST order this!
Oysters are another great appetizer option and if you get there during happy hour between 3:00-5:00 they are a steal.
When it comes to entrees, let me just say this—order the special! Well, or you know, try something else like a pasta dish or steelhead if that’s on the menu (varies by season). There is typically a fish special and a steak special. I probably the best rib eye I’ve ever eaten at this seafood restaurant. It was cooked perfectly and served with a chimichurri sauce, vegetables and mashers.
Matthew often will select the fish special. He’s had a few different bowls of shellfish and crab that has had him slurping and moaning. I’ve had some pretty amazing fish specials myself that are just almost impossible to describe. It always arrives hot and never overcooked, which seems happy to me most everywhere else. Hopefully some pictures will tell the story.
Now the only thing I have had to complain about this restaurant is that when it gets busy it’s noisy. There is a whole argument about the pros and cons of a noisy restaurant. I don’t like it so we just always get there about 4:30 and beat the chatty people. A couple times we’ve sat at a table with friends and found it difficult to talk. This doesn’t stop us from going and recommending Salt. We just have nailed out to have the most enjoyable experience that works for US.
Cafe Beaujloais–Mendocino
2 Cooks in the Kitchen Cooking Videos on Youtube
For the past three years Matthew and Kelly Cook have been creating cooking videos for the Youtube channel ‘2 Cooks in the Kitchen/MatthewCookMusic’. You can access it here: 2 Cooks Youtube Channel
Dinner for Six–Prepared by Chef Ryan Clair
When Ryan Clair posted about leaving Humboldt in our local Foodies group and in the meantime he would be into doing a private dinner Matthew said, “let’s do it and let’s invite some Foodies.” So that’s just what we did.
We invited two other couples from the group, both that we had never met in person before. How much fun is that to hang out with people with a common interest like good food and good wine? We were up until 1 am, I must confess and it was a lot of fun for so many reasons!
Before I tell you about the food I’ll give some other information. Ryan and I chatted back and forth to get an idea of what would work and how much per person we were looking at. We set a date that he could come by, pick up the money he needed and get a look at our kitchen and what was available for his use. He showed up punctually and presented himself as a very decent guy–polite and thoughtful. He bought everything he’d need and did the majority of the preparation before arriving. We made sure he had all the dishes necessary to present his work of art to the dinner guests and he did this very professionally.
Ryan prepared a 6 course meal for us and all of the diners brought wines to share. The pairings were excellent!
Each course was stunning in appearance and divine in our mouths. Even the lemon tart that was a struggle to remove from the tin was fine–deconstructed. Everyone was making lots of lovely sounds of pleasure over each bite and each sip.
Ryan is very particular about the plating in multiple layers and brilliant colors. Personally, I’ve loved looking at his food from the first day he posted and announced his arrival to Humboldt.
I want to say the apple and lemon radish granite (pronounced “granada” by the way) was really something. The freshness of the flavors is hard to describe. I could eat a lot more of those!
Suffice it to say, this was a wonderful experience for everyone. I hope Ryan enjoyed cooking for us as much as we enjoyed eating the orgasmic meal he prepared. We wish him much luck on the next leg of his journey in New York.
Here are some of the dishes he prepared for us:
First Course: Kumo oysters with apple and lemon radish granite.
Have to share that we paired the oysters with this 2000 bottle of Dom Perignon that two of the dinner guests brought to share. Wish we could have had lots more of that AND lots more oysters. I think this was almost my favorite course.
Second Course: Seared scallops and pea appetizer. Pea puree, roasted carrot puree, scallop, crispy egg yolk, pickled radish, caviar, lace tuile, scallion air, vinaigrette with a paprika and oil finish. Several guests really enjoyed the yolk. It’s like a crunchy little yellow surprise.
Third Course: Endive with radicchio, raspberry, strawberry with raspberry vinaigrette with chives and snap peas.Endive with fadicchio, raspberry, strawberry with raspberry vinaigrette with chives and snap peas. 
Fourth Course: Zucchini scaled halibut, butternut squash soup, radish, snap pea, celery root puree, roasted garlic and a garlic tomato foam. It was creamy and melted in your mouth but the zucchini had just enough crunch.
Fifth Course: Duck with honey lavender, cherry duck jus, candied dehydrated rhubarb, pea puree, turnip puree, radish with garlic bread crumbs.
Sixth Course–dessert: Lemon tart with berry wine reduction sphere. It didn’t come out the way he’d hoped but I always just say, “were gonna chew it up anyway.”
Here are all the dead soldiers from the wines we paired. Somehow that whole bottle of port disappeared. Apparently everyone was still thirsty by the end of the meal.
Salt Fish House-Arcata CA
This restaurant is in the top 5 or maybe even top 3 restaurants where you might find us in Arcata on a Friday night.
Humboldt was in need of something that helped you forget you are in a restaurant in our somewhat rural area and maybe help you imagine you are in a bigger city like somewhere in Los Angeles or the Bay Area but really, you are still in Humboldt. It’s hip. It’s got style. It’s just not typical of Humboldt and we LIKE that!
The restaurant itself is clean and bright with the marble bar, white walls and subtle grey and blue decor.
Servers and hosts always are quick to greet customers and set them on their way to an enjoyable meal.
Now I will admit that we’ve become regulars to the point that bartenders remember our names and servers and other folks in the front of the house recognize us. We really do make our way here as much as we can.
The cocktail menu has some delicious options such as Thai Me Up and the Salt Margarita. On tap you will find a local wine that is a must have, Septentrio Chardonnay. I have to tell you two things I love about sitting at the bar: attentive service and chatting with people (usually strangers) that sit next to us. It never fails that we meet interesting people. Oh, okay, a third thing, I love a sparkling clean bar! I don’t want my elbows to stick and I want to see things orderly because I want my drink to be orderly, too!
Food. Oh yes! We really have been here enough times to try a lot of items on the menu, which I will say changes occasionally but some of the best things never leave. The Charred Octopus appetizer for example is, according to Matthew, “one of the best things you will eat in Humboldt.” It’s cooked perfectly, looks beautiful and is tender. Even a pickier eater like me can take pleasure in a bite of this cephalopod. You really MUST order this!
Oysters are another great appetizer option and if you get there during happy hour between 3:00-5:00 they are a steal.
When it comes to entrees, let me just say this—order the special! Well, or you know, try something else like a pasta dish or steelhead if that’s on the menu (varies by season). There is typically a fish special and a steak special. I probably the best rib eye I’ve ever eaten at this seafood restaurant. It was cooked perfectly and served with a chimichurri sauce, vegetables and mashers.
Lobster Boil
Rib Eye steak with Chimichurri
Steelhead Trout with crispy skin
Flank Steak
Matthew often will select the fish special. He’s had a few different bowls of shellfish and crab that has had him slurping and moaning. I’ve had some pretty amazing fish specials myself that are just almost impossible to describe. It always arrives hot and never overcooked, which seems happy to me most everywhere else. Hopefully some pictures will tell the story.
Now the only thing I have had to complain about this restaurant is that when it gets busy it’s noisy. There is a whole argument about the pros and cons of a noisy restaurant. I don’t like it so we just always get there about 4:30 and beat the chatty people. A couple times we’ve sat at a table with friends and found it difficult to talk. This doesn’t stop us from going and recommending Salt. We just have nailed out to have the most enjoyable experience that works for US.
Singlethread
We have had some great dining experiences in the last several years but I think the Singlethread experience tops them all. Every single detail from service to presentation to wine pairings was thoughtful and spot on. Everything about it was respectful of the guest’s experience and we will do our best to be as respectful in this review. There were two wine pairings offered and we chose to try one of each so there are two wines represented with each course. We got nice pictures to remember much of the evening but, being busy enjoying it, we missed a few things.
MID SPRING IN SONOMA
A gorgeous presentation with which to begin the meal. Each small bite seated on a vessel that augments its construction. A closer look at some of the dishes:
Pairing 1 – Robert Moncuit “Vozemieux” Blanc de Blancs, Oger Grand Cru, Champagne France 2010
Pairing 2 – “Norgard Vineyard” Chenin Blanc, Mendocino CA 2016
AKABANA KANPACHI
Jelly of Charred Local Citrus, Daikon Radish,Imperial Miso, and Komatsuna
Pairing 1 – Paul Jaboulet Aine “Domaine des Grands Amandiers” Condrieu, Rhone Valley, France 2011
Pairing 2 – Campovida “Campo Dos Robles” Viognier, Mendocino, CA 2015
DUNGENESS CRAB
Kohlrabi, Kani Miso,Makrut Lime and Fermented Turnip
Pairing 1 – Dagueneau “Silex” Pouilly Fume, Loire Valley, France 2011
Pairing 2 – Whitcraft “The Mind’s Behind Vineyard” Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley,CA 2016
KING SALMON IBUSHI-GIN
Shio Koji Vinaigrette, Steelhead Roe, and Myoga
Pairing 1 – Egly Ouriet Brut Rose, Ambonnay Grand Cru, Champagne, France NV
Pairing 2 – Caracciolo, Brut Ros, Santa Lucia Highlands,CA 2012
POACHED FOIE GRAS
Dried and Fermented Beets, Wild Spring Greens, Roasted Chicken Broth
Pairings – Tanagawa “Time Machine” Amber Sake, Kyoto, Japan
The Sake was posed from the flower pot.
BLACK COD FUKKURA-SAN
Saikyo Miso and Kishu Mandarin Kosho
Pairing 1 – Chateau Simone, Clairette, Palette, Provence, France 2011
Pairing 2 – Tablas Creek “Espirit de Beaucastel Blanc” Paso Robles, CA 2007
AMERICAN WAGYU
Flowering Komatsuna, Spinach and Sunchoke
Pairing 1 – Seavey, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, CA 1999
Pairing 2 – DuMol, Syrah, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, CA 2008
SONOMA GRAINS AND BAMBOO
Braised Wagyu Short Rib, Mugi Mochi, and Nettle Ochazuke
Pairing 1 – Dry Creek Vineyards “Reserve” Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, CA 1993
Pairing 2 – Nalle “Bernier-Sibary” Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, CA 2014
BUTTERMILK AND THYME SHERBET
Sumac, Green Almond and Citrus
CHAMOMILE ICE CREAM
Strawberry, Poached Rhubarb and Oat Streusel
Pairing 1 – Domaine Huet “Cuvee Constance” Vouvray, Loire Valley, France 2009
Pairing 2 – Navarro “Select Late Harvest” Reisling, Mendocino, CA 2007
WAGASHI
Mint, Japanese Cheesecake, Pineapple Sage
Kaaloa’s Super J–Captain Cook, HI (Big Island/Kona)
Matthew used to live in Kona many years ago. He recently started craving an old island favorite, Lau Laus and also wanted me to try them. We checked the deli and our two favorite markets where we shop when we are here with no luck. I asked the checker at one of these stores where a person would find Lau Laus, like a deli or something. She told us the best is down the road at Super Js.
Now you know when you walk into a place and it’s filled with locals that you’ve found good food. Several people were sitting at long tables enjoying bowls of rice and other goodies.
Here is a picture of the massive pile waiting to be cooked.
Now I have to say this place gives the feel that you’ve just walked through the back door and into the kitchen of your Grandma Leilani. With big pots on a stove right on the other side of the counter with steam billowing out. We were helped right away and presented with 2 really hot Lau Laus to take home.
If you don’t know what a Lau Lau is, it’s a meat, typically pork but apparently also sometimes includes a fish. The pork is salty and melts in your mouth. The meat is coated with taro, which is oddly like a spinach in appearance, then these are wrapped in banana leaves. These are obviously cooked for a long time since the meat just falls apart.
I really wish we had brought back with us more than one each. It was just really salty, meaty goodness.
We are most certainly going back before our trip is over for more. I’d like to try something else as well but for now, we know where to get the man his Lau Laus.
Barndiva–Healdsburg, CA
Dinner in Healdsburg on a Sunday evening. We couldn’t decide whether to eat at Barndiva or Dry Creek Kitchen so spent time at both places.
First, Barndiva for dinner. What an interesting place. It has a barn feel without feeling like your hanging out with horses and pigs. Tall ceilings, metal sculptures and beautiful art.
Service was amazing, which is to be expected when you get closer to the Bay area, in my opinion.
Matthew decided on CRISPY LAMB RILLETTE, chive crème fraîche, potato, turnip, brussel and pickled red cabbage for a starter to share. If you put a little of everything in your bite–wow. The rabbit was a mixture of meat and herbs.
I had FILET MIGNON, “loaded baked potato”, caramelized onion, bacon, chive crème fraîche, toy box carrots. That potato! The topping was like a crisy bacon something and again, mix the sauces in your bites and it was so good. The meat was my requested medium rare. My only complaint would be I like my food to be hotter when it arrives but my steak wasn’t overcooked so it was tender and scrumptious.
My date had CRISPY DUCK LEG CONFIT, marble potato, poached quail egg, olive tapenade, fennel, haricot vert. I asked him how he’d describe it other than “delicious.” He said, “it was like eating really good duck.” I guess there’s nothing wrong with that!
Very much would recommend dining here.
Barndiva
231 Center Street
Healdsburg, CA
707-431-0100
Sea Grill — Eureka, CA
We hadn’t been to Sea Grill at 316 E Street in Eureka for a LONG time so headed there for something different for a birthday dinner.
Let me start by saying that this restaurant has been in business for quite some time now. Per their website, they opened in 1988. The owners were a server and a cook from Whaler’s Inn (Field Landing) that wanted to start their own place. (This tidbit I know since they were neighbors of mine at the time).
With a 5 pm dinner reservation and because the bar opens at 4 pm, we decided to head in early from Arcata for a pre-dinner cocktail to help relax us into our evening.
We had a much needed vodka/rocks and a raspberry lemon drop which both arrived promptly. The bar had a few regulars enjoying beer and tequila shots along with some manly conversation. After a bit a big bowl of chicken strips with two sauces came out to be shared, which is apparently a happy hour thing. We had a couple, not wanting to spoil our dinner, and they were good. Now this is a watering hole I could visit more often!
Since we were obviously the first ones for dinner we were seated promptly at 5:00.
They have a specials menu and a regular menu. I have to say the regular menu really hasn’t changed a lot over the years, but with the specials, the same menu can be appealing to those who always want the same thing at their particular restaurants. You can still get Scampi, beer battered prawns, prime rib and much more. It was really hard to decide what to have which is always a good thing.
We both picked specials for dinner. Crab fettuccine and halibut in a creamy basil sauce. The halibut included salad bar or soup, choice of baked potato, pilaf, twice baked tater or french fries. The pasta doesn’t include the starch side dish, of course, but salad bar and bread for everyone.
We ordered a bottle of Grgrich Hills Chardonnay to accompany our meal because it’s a favorite of ours and we knew it would be a good pairing. They have a decent wine list and the price by the glass is super reasonable.
Now the salad bar at Sea Grill is something you do NOT want to ignore. This is what I miss about them closing for lunch—being able to go in and enjoy a big pile of salads. Of course there is your usual green salad with the toppings you like and then the other salads. Each one is carefully prepared and flavorful so I had to just do a little sampling of a few that looked appealing so there would be room for dinner (and that wine)! There was a broccoli salad, potato salad and not that gross kind that comes out of a plastic tub either! I’m talkin’, this is the kind of potato salad my mama used to make. There are a couple pasta salads, cous cous salad and just an overall interesting array to choose from. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
After slowly savoring each bite of the salad our entrees arrived. The crab fettuccine was quite a large portion of creamy, cheesy, crabby deliciousness. The man is a big fan of crab and this was hitting the right notes for him. The halibut dish was beautifully plated and also plenty to eat. The fish dish also had a lovely side of vegetables cooked perfectly with butter. Everything’s better with butter.
Now for the only negative thing but it ends well. I put my fork into the fish for the first bite and immediately could tell it was overcooked. Halibut usually glistens and is super moist when properly prepared. Darn! I was going to have to let the server know which I did when she checked in with us. She went back to the kitchen and then returned to let me know they were making a new one. A re-do of the fish arrived pretty quickly and this time—oh la la! Perfect. I enjoyed every last bite but let me say it was a chore to clear my plate because I was SO full.
No birthday dessert for us. An ice cream sundae was offered for the birthday girl and if we had any room we would have instead gone for something off the dessert menu.
Lastly, I want to say the restaurant is super clean. Some people say the decor is outdated. Maybe. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to make some changes. The paintings have been there since I first started dining at Sea Grill, but the ambiance is still lovely and warm.
Our server Amanda was great and the bartender was great. Our overall experience was very good and we’ve decided we really need to go again. We are super picky about our dining experience and would very much recommend Sea Grill. Over the years they have been consistently good with a comfortable dining experience.
Huggo’s On The Rocks – Our top choice for lunch in Kailua Kona May and July 2017
Huggo’s On The Rocks
75-5824 Kahakai Road
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
This is now our go-to place for lunch when we arrive on the island. Who doesn’t want to sit right on the water as soon as you are here?
Huggo’s on the Rocks opened in 1998 right next door to, you guessed it, our other favorite place, Huggo’s. Options for seating are at the bar where lots of locals like to hang out, in the sand or at a table a little further back. No matter what you decide you have a view of Kailua Bay which is a happening scene with jet skis, cruise ships, sail boats and the occasional para-sailing.
He always gets a Mai Tai and she really, really enjoys their Margarita–enough that we often eat, drink, go walking and return for another round.
The Super Antioxidant Kale Caesar Lau’ai (salad) has kale, quinoa, edamame, cucumber, tomato, Maui onion, avocado and Caesar dressing. Adding the daily fish, which was Ono pictured here, is a perfect light lunch. You can also opt for chicken, lacquered shrimp or poke. The fish was a minute or so over cooked this time but it was still very good.
If you mention anything not right to the server they immediately fix the problem which gives them a thumbs up for service and taking good care of the customer. This salad will change your mind about kale, although one young server disagreed. Haters. Last trip here it was ordered two days in a row and with many other good choices on the menu, that says a lot.
Kona fish tacos in May, the first day, perfect. The repeat the next day the tortillas wouldn’t hold up at all. The server did her best to remedy the problem but they still fell apart. Obviously ordering it two days in a row meant it was delicious anyway! Tacos include blackened Mahi Mahi, chipotle aioli, mango salsa fresca and cole slaw.
Guava BBQ Ka’Lua Pork Sandwich-Asian slaw, caramelized onions on a Hoagie Roll. There are the other usual options for sides but it’s obvious more coleslaw. Pineapple in the slaw adds that Hawaiian feel you’d expect.
This stay in Kailua we came back to On the Rocks on a Friday night when there was music. We were in the mood for tequila shots and of course good people watching. Our server didn’t know what kind of tequila they had so went to ask the bartender and came right back with answers. The band was called “Bottle of Blue.” Customers enjoyed familiar classic rock and were up dancing. Lots of lips in the crowd were moving to the lyrics.
We can’t recommend this place enough. It gets all our stars for ambiance, service and food/drinks.
http://huggosontherocks.com
StrawBlueBerry Parfait
StrawBlueBerry Parfait.
Cooking for company last night and this just came out pretty so had to post a picture. Very simple but delicious and beautiful.
There’s really nothing here except mashed Strawberries, mashed Blueberries and Cream whipped with Sour Cream and Maple Syrup.
Caprese Tart
Here is a fresh and lovely summer dish that takes full advantage of tomato season at the local Farmers Market. You could make this with canned tomato sauce but you’d be missing the opportunity to pack it full of fresh tomato flavor. We will use as much of the tomato as we can, packing a big punch into our sauce and leaving behind very little waste.
Someday maybe I will write up the tart shell recipe but for now just use your favorite pastry crust recipe and blind bake it with pie weights for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.
Parboil the tomatoes. Cut an X on both the top an bottom of each tomato. Not deep, just break the skin. This makes them easier to peel. Drop into boiling water for a minute or two – just until you see the skin start to all away. Immediately transfer to an ice water bath.
Peel the tomatoes. Put the skins in a small pot with a little water and let them boil for a while. Just leave them on the stove while you do the next few steps but make sure the pan doesn’t boil dry.
Cut the tomatoes into quarters. Pushing into them with your fingers, squeeze the seeds out into a bowl. This is wonderfully messy – just get into it and enjoy it. Cut the seeded tomatoes into small chunks.
Put a generous amount of oil into your stock pot and put it on medium high heat. Add some chopped garlic and cook for about one minute – enough to get some flavor going but not enough to caramelize the garlic or turn it brown.
Add your tomatoes to the pot along with some salt and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Bring that to a boil and then turn the heat down and let it simmer. Eventually this will reduce down to your desired consistency but it takes a while.
Take the seeds and membrane and pt them in a strainer over a bowl. Using the back of a large spoon, work the seeds against the strainer until you have extracted all the juice. This part of the tomato has a really bold flavor the will add to your sauce. Put this juice in the stockpot with your tomato chunks.
Take your skins off the burner and put them into the strainer. Work them against the strainer to extract the tomato paste. This is another flavor that helps round out the sauce. Now you have most of your tomatoes cooking away, leaving very little waste.
Blind bake your tart crust for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Let it cool. Put a layer of basil leaves in the bottom.
Cover the basil with a layer of Mozzarella.
Spread your sauce on next.
Alternate tomato slices and basil leaves to make a pretty design on top.
Add some cheese to melt in on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. The cheese should be bubbly and starting to brown a bit.
Bistro Jeanty-Yountville, CA
We stopped in Yountville on a trip home to Arcata from San Francisco looking for a place to have lunch. Poked our heads in to Bistro Jeanty and found there was room at the bar to accommodate us. The bartender was hustling to make drinks for the restaurant plus serve the seated bar customers.
Husband said, “he looks really familiar.” I pointed this out to the bartender who said, “you look familiar, too.” Well, turns out these two worked together back in the day at the Eureka Inn–bartender and piano player!
One of us wasn’t driving so had a delicious vodka special cocktail. Should have taken note of what it was at the time but pretty sure that the truth is, it was delicious!
Now what to have at this French style restaurant in Napa? On this trip there was a special that included Foie Gras. Now this is something we never pass on. Clearly there was a toast and jam involved.
He had the scallops cooked perfectly with creamy mashers in a delicious sauce.
She had this thing in a pot. Yup, should have taken notes! It was absolutely remarkable, however.
This restaurant does have indoor and outdoor dining. We give this restaurant a thumb’s up and not just because we love the bartender, John.
Bistro Jeanty
6510 Washington St.
Yountville, Ca 94599
Telephone: 707-944-0103
Monday – Sunday 11:30 am – 10:30 pm
http://www.bistrojeanty.com
Octavia San Francisco June 2017
Executive Chef Melissa Perello
1701 Octavia Street, San Francisco
We found Octavia on a ten best list somewhere and they did not disappoint.
The chef is really putting out some great flavor combinations in an artful manner. We had the tasting menu – not noted on the printed or online menu so it was a nice, welcome surprise. Price per person was a reasonable $70.
There were some very unusual flavor combinations that worked out really well. We enjoyed the surprising umami flavors. The deviled duck egg was a well balanced spicy flavor.
Pickled local anchovies, chickpea poppyseed sable, creme Fraiche was amongst the most eye appealing dishes.
The duck gizzards with citrus was another interesting plate. We both will try anything once and sometimes the other person gets to eat it all. Nothing against the chef in any way. No one complained!
Local Black Cod, roasted radish and turnip, fennel seed in smoky saffron broth. The skin was super crispy and the fish was melt in your mouth moist and artfully presented.
Probably the winner for most gorgeous looking AND tasting was Chilled Oregon Bay Shrimp, Brokaw avocado, Santa Rosa plum, basil and yuzu.
This house-made polenta bread came out steaming with softened butter.
The desserts were incredible.
Warm Chocolate Soufflé Tart with cocoa nib brittle salted caramel ice cream:
Pistachio Profiteroles with summer berries, fennel pollen and Meyer lemon ice cream.
The service here was top notch although food came at us at a pace that rushed us a little but eventually we figured out how to slow them down-eat slower!
The restaurant filled up quickly as it appears this is a popular place to enjoy a meal. We enjoyed everything and were served more food than we could eat. This was a great experience and we recommend it to adventurous eaters. It should be noted that a month after we ate here we learned the chef had earned a well deserved Michelin star.
http://www.octavia-sf.com
Huggos Restaurant, Kailua-Kona – Appetizer Adventure
Huggo’s is a must for us on every visit to the Big Island. It has been my favorite Kona Restaurant since the 80’s and they still have it going on. Being right on the water, the view is fabulous and sunsets from here are always spectacular. In the 90’s I used a photo from Huggo’s as the cover for my Summertime album.
There is a great bar for before dinner drinks and appetizers – we recently had the Wasabi Dusted Fritto Misto and it was enough to feed a whole family.
Feeling quite full, we headed for the dining room. One of our very favorite items is the Grilled Big Island Abalone with Garlic Butter and Gomo Wakame. These little Abalone are farmed here on the Big Island and a much more tender treat than the big Abalone of the California Coast. We toured the Abalone Farm on a previous visit. The Sea Beans add a nice flavor to the dish.
We followed that with the Locally Caught Ahi Tuna “Poke” Tower. This is Ahi Sashimi on local Avocado and very very tasty.
We will be back here again and will write more about the main courses. You can find their menus on their website:
http://huggos.com/