Coconut Grove - Milpitas, CA

Coconut Grove
129 Great Mall Dr.
Milpitas, CA 95035
(408) 263-1882
coconutgrove-usa.com



Coconut Grove is located next to Century Theatres at the Great Mall in Milpitas and they serve Malaysian, Singaporean and Thai cuisine. Neither one of us has ever tried Malaysian food before, so I randomly selected a variety of menu items and hoped for the best!



Here is my review on each item we ordered at Coconut Grove in Milpitas, along with their menu description:

A.B.C. Ais Batu Campur $3.49
Shaved ice, sweet coconut milk, red bean, sweet corn, rice crispies and jellies
I absolutely LOVED this beverage! Just think of it as a version of halo-halo or boba tea with lots of goodies...but Coconut Grove's ABC is much better!

Roti Parada $2.99 ($1 on Wednesday nights from 7-9pm)
The famous "flying bread" hand tossed and grilled with our house dipping sauce (red curry)
We both weren't sure what to expect from the "flying bread" description, but thankfully it didn't fly away. Coconut Grove's Roti Parada was so good, I would have chased it down if it did! :)

Coconut Milk Rice $2.49
This is the perfect accompaniment to a Malaysian meal...it's SO delicious!

Red Curry Chicken $9.99
Sliced chicken breast, tofu and freshly selected veggies cooked in mild Malay curry with a hint of coconut milk
We really enjoyed the Malay curry in this dish (after dipping the Roti appetizer in the same curry) but the chicken breast itself was a bit bland. Perhaps it needed to be in order not to compete with the curry flavor? This was a very tasty dish, but I wouldn't hesitate to try something else at Coconut Grove next time.

Penang Sizzling Scallops $16.99
Scallops cooked in a creamy coconut milk sauce with bell pepper and a hint of sambal belachan chili
This is what I would call Coconut Grove's Signature Dish! The scallops came out sizzling (just like it said) and the sauce was one of the best flavors I've ever tasted...the entire dish (scallops, sauce, bell pepper and onions) was magnificently yummylicious!

F.B.I. Fried Bananas & Ice Cream $6.99
Fried Bananas and Fried Ice Cream topped with Hersey's Chocolate syrup and whipped cream
At this point, we were no longer hungry but since everything we had at Coconut Grove so far was fantastic, we decided to try their dessert. This was recommended by our server and we both thought this was an excellent way to end our meal!

Bijan Restaurant - Fremont, CA

Bijan Restaurant
39935 Mission Boulevard
Fremont, CA 94536
(510) 440-1755
bijanrestaurant.net



Bijan Restaurant is located a couple miles west of I-680 on Mission Blvd. in Fremont. It's in the Lucky Shopping Center behind the ARCO gas station and you need to make a u-turn at the next light if you're coming from the 680 freeway. Bijan has belly dancing on Friday nights and it's pretty cool when the belly dancer balances a sword on top of her head while she's dancing!



If you feel like eating Persian food in Fremont, I recommend going to Bijan Restaurant...they have good food, good service and a clean restaurant. They also have outdoor dining with a covered patio, which is a nice option.

Tonight, we shared a Hummus ($5.95) and it was a generous portion for two, which we both really enjoyed. I ordered their Koobideh Kabob ($10.95) with rice, a grilled tomato and veggies...mmm! My husband tried their Prawn Kabob ($16.95) with grilled onions and green bell peppers...it was also delicious!

Washiku Japanese Cuisine - Fremont, CA

Washiku Japanese Cuisine
46997 Warm Springs Blvd.
Fremont, CA 94539
(510) 687-1838
washiku.com



Washiku Japanese Cuisine and Sushi Bar is conveniently located between I-880 and I-680 off Mission Boulevard on Warm Springs Boulevard in Fremont. They're open for lunch Monday to Friday from 11:30am to 2:30pm and Saturday from noon to 3:00pm. For dinner, they're open 5:00pm to 9:30pm every day, but on Fridays they're open until 10:00pm. Washiku in Fremont has a $0.99 Sake Special on Monday to Thursday nights...I don't drink Sake, but there were several people taking advantage of Washiku's Sake special!



California Roll / $3.50 - large maki, but a bit salty
crab and avocado

Lion King Roll / $9.50 - good, but nothing special
inside: California Roll (baked)
outside: Salmon, Tobiko, special sauce

Ocean's Trio / $11.95 - very good, our favorite of the three
inside: Shrimp Tempura, Avocado, Tuna, Salmon, Hamachi
outside: In Soybean Paper

Paradise Grill - Castro Valley, CA

Paradise Grill
Previously known as Paradiso at Willow Park (Golf Course)
17007 Redwood Rd.
Castro Valley, CA 94546
(510) 537-3063



Paradise Grill is also known as Willow Park Event Center's Paradise Grill and Mike Wiesner's Paradise Grill. They are located at the Willow Park Public Golf Course on Redwood Road in Castro Valley.



Service: Excellent. Friendly. No complaints at all!
Atmosphere: Pleasant and upscale cozy.
Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and peas: absolutely delicious comfort food...I cleaned my plate!
Grilled flatiron steak (10 oz.), creamed spinach, bleu cheese potato gratin: perfectly seasoned and cooked medium rare, very tender steak with yummy side dishes!
Peach & blackberry cobbler, vanilla bean ice cream: superb fruit cobbler, portion large enough for sharing, could use a bigger scoop of ice cream! :)

Paradise Grill in Castro Valley is a place I would definitely come back to, whether it be for another dinner, lunch or one of their special brunches on Easter or Mother's Day.

Ketch Joanne Restaurant & Harbor Bar - Half Moon Bay, CA

Ketch Joanne Restaurant & Harbor Bar
17 Johnson Pier
Pillar Point Harbor / Half Moon Bay
Princeton-by-the-Sea, CA 94018
(650) 728-3747
ketchjoanne.com



Ketch Joanne Restaurant & Harbor Bar is located off Capistrano Road (west of Highway 1) past Crab Landing. It is located next to Princeton Seafood Company. The interior of Ketch Joanne Restaurant is done in a typical marine-inspired theme with wooden walls. They're open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and they have daily and monthly specials.



Service is friendly, but they could use a lot of improvement on their food. Here is my run-down on each item we ordered tonight during our first visit to Ketch Joanne Restaurant:

Fried Local Artichoke Hearts ($9.25) - These were actually quite delicious and were served with ranch dressing. Unfortunately, there was a hair in the batter of one of the artichoke hearts, so this dish was removed from our table as well as our bill.

Fried Calamari ($10.95) - The batter was too soft, loose and greasy to call this dish a success. I expected much better from a seafood restaurant in Half Moon Bay. On a positive note, the tartar and cocktail sauces were good.

Barbecued Oysters in the Shell ($9.95) - Out of four oysters, one shell appeared to have only the "remains" of where an oyster once was. Another shell had a very tiny oyster and the other two looked okay...but we decided to get the fried oysters (in hopes that they would be more substantial, like they usually come at most places) instead of having them remake the BBQ oysters.

Fried Oysters ($9.95) - There were six fried oysters that came with tartar and cocktail sauces and although I thought they were good...they were not spectacular.

Half Dungeness Crab in the Shell ($15.95) - Although the crab itself was good, it was served chilled (wasn't expecting that!) and it was a very small half a crab...quite overpriced, in my opinion.

Acacia Vineyard - Napa / Carneros, CA

Acacia Vineyard
2750 Las Amigas Rd.
Napa, CA
(707) 226-9991
acaciavineyard.com



Acacia Vineyard was the 7th winery we visited during the Carneros Harvest Passport Experience. My husband was driving, so he didn't finish all the wine he was poured today...but I did. He liked the 2006 Lone Tree Pinot Noir that Acacia Vineyard featured today and I have to admit that I didn't taste it because I had enough wine already! :)

Adastra Wines - Napa / Carneros, CA

Adastra Wines
2545 Las Amigas Road
Napa, CA 94559
(707) 255-4818
adastrawines.com



Adastra Wines is located on Las Amigas Road in the Carneros region of Napa Valley Wine Country. Their tasting room is an old wooden barn with lots of rustic charm. Today for the Carneros Harvest Passport Experience, Adastra Wines was pouring their 2007 Adastra Chardonnay, 2006 Adastra Proximus Chardonnay and their 2007 Adastra Pinot Noir. They also offered a variety of cheeses to go with the wines, along with their pairing recommendations.

Bouchaine Vineyards & Winery - Napa / Carneros, CA

Bouchaine Vineyards & Winery
1075 Buchli Station Road
Napa, CA 94559
(707) 252-9065
bouchaine.com



Bouchaine Vineyards & Winery is located in the world famous Carneros region of the Napa Valley. They are open from 10:30am to 4:00pm and they have an indoor tasting room plus an outdoor deck that is for food pairings. During the Carneros Harvest Passport Experience, Bouchaine Vineyards & Winery was pouring their 2008 Bouchaine Bacchus Collection Chardonnay, 2008 Bouchaine Bacchus Collection Pinot Blanc and their 2007 Bouchaine Bacchus Collection Pinot Noir...the last of which was our favorite. However, what we couldn't resist taking home with us was a bottle of their Bouchaine Chocolate Sauce, made from their very own Pinot Noir!

Ceja Vineyards - Napa / Carneros, CA

Ceja Vineyards
1019 Las Amigas Road
Napa, CA 94559
(707) 255-3954
cejavineyards.com



Ceja Vineyards was our 4th stop during the Carneros Harvest Passport Experience today. They have a bocce ball court and an outdoor kitchen where they were pouring some of the wines. Today, they featured their 2007 Ceja Carneros Chardonnay, 2007 Ceja Carneros Pinot Noir and their 2005 Ceja Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The highlight of our visit was the Truffle Gateau vendor, though...their chocolate truffles are SO decadently delicious that a $20 splurge for 6 pieces was worth it!

Etude Wines - Napa / Carneros, CA

Etude Wines
1250 Cuttings Wharf Road
Napa, CA 94559
(707) 257-5300
etudewines.com



Etude Wines is located in the famous Carneros region in Napa county. The wines they were pouring for the Carneros Harvest Passport Experience ticket holders were their 2008 Pinot Gris Carneros and their 2006 Pinot Noir Carneros - Estate. Perhaps if we tried their Cabernet Sauvignon, we may have liked Etude Wines a little better. They do have a beautiful tasting room that overlooks the barrel storage area...and some interesting topiaries on their grounds!

Saintsbury Vineyard - Napa / Carneros, CA

Saintsbury Vineyard
1500 Los Carneros Ave.
Napa, CA 94559
(707) 252-0592
saintsbury.com



Saintsbury Vineyard is located in the Carneros Region of the Napa Valley Wine Country. Normally, they are open by appointment only, but today they were open to Carneros Harvest Passport Experience ticket holders.



We were greeted by their very friendly French winemaker, who poured us the Chardonnay, and even their winery cat came by to say hello! Saintsbury specializes in the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wine varieties...and I thought their 2007 Saintsbury Lee Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir was spectacular!

Starmont Winery (Merryvale) - Napa / Carneros, CA

Starmont Winery - NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
1451 Stanly Lane
Napa, CA 94559
merryvale.com



Starmont Winery, although not open to the public, was open to Carneros Harvest Passport holders today and that was where we started our winery tour. Starmont Winery is located on Stanly Lane, right off the Carneros Hwy at Highway 29 in Napa. Starmont and Merryvale wines were being poured at the Carneros location today by Starmont Winery's Vineyard Manager, Remi Cohen.



Starmont Winery in the Carneros region of Napa had a cheese platter, figs, strawberries and goodies from Whole Foods Market for us...yummy! We tasted five different Merryvale and/or Starmont wines from the Napa Valley and Carneros regions:

- 2008 Starmont Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($18)
- 2007 Merryvale Carneros Chardonnay ($35)
- 2008 Merryvale Carneros Pinot Noir ($35)
- 2007 Merryvale Napa Valley Syrah ($35)
- 2006 Merryvale Napa Valley Profile ($135)

I thoroughly enjoyed Merryvale's Sauvignon Blanc and the Chardonnay, but the real winner was the Profile, a Bordeaux blend (80% Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc) that ended up being my absolute favorite wine of the Carneros Harvest Passport Experience!

Rising Loafer Cafe & Bakery - Danville, CA

Rising Loafer Cafe & Bakery
340 Hartz Ave.
Danville, CA 94526
(925) 838-8800
danvillerisingloafer.com



Rising Loafer Cafe & Bakery is located on Hartz Avenue in downtown Danville, just south of Diablo Road and north of Starbucks Coffee. It's a nice spot to have breakfast, lunch or dinner (Fri-Sat only) and dine al fresco in the heart of downtown Danville. Service is wonderful and the food (lunch) is just slightly above average...I honestly expected better from Rising Loafer Cafe & Bakery. The dishes themselves were creative and they have a great menu, but execution is what they lacked.



My Chicken Salad Half Sandwich ($4.95) had only two bites with apple and the soggy croissant had such a strong butter flavor that it overpowered the bland chicken salad. My Napa Valley "Mini" Spinach Salad ($6.95) was better, after I asked for the red seedless grapes that were missing. The Chicken Tortilla Soup ($4.95) was tasty (with a broth similar to menudo) and the Grilled Chicken Diablo ($8.95) was good, but the fries had a baked potato-like consistency on the inside, which was a bit odd.

If I were to visit Rising Loafer Cafe & Bakery in the future, I would most likely try their breakfast instead of having lunch again. Even their bread basket (which smelled really good) wasn't as great as anticipated...but if you're in downtown Danville, there's not a lot of selection of restaurants that serve breakfast.

In-N-Out Burger - San Ramon, CA

In-N-Out Burger
2270 San Ramon Valley Blvd.
San Ramon, CA 94583
(800) 786-1000
in-n-out.com



This is one of the busiest In-N-Out Burger locations within a 30-mile radius. It's located right off I-680 and Crow Canyon Road at San Ramon Valley Boulevard in San Ramon. Even during a mid-afternoon weekday around 3pm, the drive-thru line was 8+ cars deep and the dining room was 75% full. Apparently, there are more "off hour" In-N-Out Burger lovers in San Ramon than I thought!



The good thing about In-N-Out Burger is they have the highest level of consistency out of any fast food burger chain I've ever experienced. Really...I've been to In-N-Out Burger locations in Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Gilroy, Livermore, Pleasanton and even a couple in Southern California...and I've NEVER had a bad burger or experienced poor service anywhere! Always friendly, always fresh, always hot, always delicious. :)

The bad thing about In-N-Out Burger is that sometimes it's "not-so-fast" food. The lines in the drive-thru can be quite daunting, although when you walk inside to order, the food seems to take just as long because I have a feeling they expedite the drive-thru orders faster than walk-in orders.

My "usual" is the Double Double with cheese and grilled onions. I have tried their "Animal Style" burgers, which are fried with mustard and include pickles and grilled onions...but I prefer the regular ol' Double Double with cheese!

Sharis Restaurant & Pies - Livermore, CA

Sharis Restaurant & Pies
1116 E. Stanley Blvd.
Livermore, CA 94550
(925) 449-4245
sharis.com



Sharis Restaurant & Pies is a restaurant chain from Sherwood, Oregon known simply as "Sharis" with most locations in Oregon and Washington. They have a new location in Livermore, which was the previous location for Bakers Square Restaurant on East Stanley Boulevard in the Trader Joe's shopping center next to Burger King.



We came here to Sharis for the first time tonight and decided to order breakfast for dinner. He had the Cinnama-sation Platter with eggs, bacon, sausage and hash browns ($9.49) and I had the Eggs Benedict ($9.49) which came with hash browns. Both of us thought that our breakfasts were pretty good...definitely better than Denny's or IHOP!

The nice thing we learned about Sharis is that they are open 24/7, so in Livermore they will give the Donut Wheel some competition as an all-night joint. They also offer free wi-fi, so that's a plus for a lot of people as it's not a common thing at Livermore restaurants. We had good service tonight as well, so Sharis is a place we would come back to again!

Update 10/15/09 - We came back for dinner...and for their "Free Pie Wednesday" special! He ordered the Chicken 'N Dumplings Skillet ($9.99) which was pretty good...but my Savory Lemon & Dill Salmon ($10.49) was overcooked & dry, the red skinned mashed potatoes were cold and the veggies were an inedible mush. On a better note, his S'mores Pie and my Peanut Butter & Chocolate Silk Pie were both delicious!

Update 10/17/09 - Back at Sharis in Livermore for a Charbroiled Burger with Cheddar Cheese ($8.29) and another Cinnama-sation Breakfast ($8.49). The burger was cooked very well overdone (even though I ordered it "medium") and after I told our server it wasn't cooked right, he told me that they only cook burgers that way. I wish he would have said something when I ordered it because I would have just ordered something else...