Cathy "cathybrooks" B.'s Profile

While their menu isn't the most creative of the Southland sushi spots I've checked out, and the prices are a bit high, Niko Niko delivers a consistently solid dining experience.

The portions are decent - the sashimi slices could be a touch larger, but on my most recent trip there they ponied up an extra four slices for my sashimi combo - a lovely surprise.

Their rolls are epic, and by that I mean the size. One of my favorites is the one that has spicy tuna and avocado on the inside and then seared tuna wrapped around it. It's served with a rather unique ponzo-like sauce (I say ponzu-like because it has a slightly more oily consistency than traditional ponzu), that is oh-so-yummy.

I have to say I'm also a big fan of the dressing they use on their salad. It's a slightly sweet, tangy ginger dressing that I'd buy by the bottle if I could.

I'm actually hunkered down at Ummba as I type this. My afternoon meeting finished early and I had some time to kill, so figured I'd find someplace to settle in at the Westfield Center and bide some time.

I  chose pretty well.

Set on the outer edge of the "Dining Terrace" the patio seating has blessed shade from the crazy heat today. Within minutes of sitting down my server appeared at my side, big grin on his face and ready to walk me through the menu - including his utterly candid feedback on all items.

Reviewing the menu, the food seemed a bit pricey ... until I saw the plate arrive at my table. Nice sized portions. It probably doesn't hurt that I went with the biggest menu option - selection of three meats from their list along with two sides (one from the hot list and one from the cold).  I'll offer a caveat for all of my review. I sat down to eat in that weird time period between lunch and dinner (around 4:00pm) and I'm pretty sure that had an impact on the food in terms of the cuts that arrived on the plate.

The chicken breast rolled in garlic and paprika was good but a teensy bit dry.  The leg of lamb - which they marinate in white wine, lemon pepper, salt, mint & cilantro was quite good, though my serving was sliced from the ends of the leg and so just a touch tougher than I'd like. The Picanha was superb ... very tender (as they'd promised).

My side selections were the fried plantains (good but a little cold when they got to the table) and the hearts of palm, tomato & cucumber salad (tasty but pretty unremarkable).

I noted the temperature of the plaintains ... pretty much everything on the plate was lukewarm/room temp when it arrived. It not being steamy was fine with me since it's so hot out, and also may be a function - as  I noted - of the time of day at which I sat to eat. But worth making sure your meal is hot when it arrives.

Overall, my dining experience here has been a good one. Service is superb and the food worth making another visit just to see if the minor irritations I noted are fixed next time around.

This was my second trip to Juanita Juanita and it most definitely won't be my last.

Let's start with the chips & salsa ... I sure did.  In excess. (Which is probably why I couldn't finish the most excellent Colorado burrito I ordered, which is fine because I packed it up and now, sitting in my apartment back in SF, it's making a perfect snack). In any case, the tomatillo salsa has just the right amount of kick. And what better to complement it than the fresh, warm, just salty enough chips!

For the record I'm not a huge fan of super spicy food, so I've not partaken of the chipotle stuff, which I hear is superlative at JJ.  But if that chipotle even holds a candle to the two things I have eaten there (first trip it was a chicken taco) then I'll bet it's pretty damn good.

Sitting on the patio was lovely - a light breeze and dappled sunshine - and it was made even better by the large stack of Trivia Pursuit cards on the the table ... not just because I find reading those things fun, but because on this trip I was actually there dining alone - as was the woman at the next table. The two of us struck up a chat and then began quizzing each other on trivia.

Is it a teensy bit more pricey than your average burrito type Mexican place? Perhaps. But it's not by much and frankly with the stellar quality of the food I'd say it's more than worth it.

So get thee to Sonoma and to Juanita Juanita. You won't regret it.

If you haven't checked out this WeHo eatery/watering hole - what are you waiting for?

The location is great. They have valet parking - not that it matters because finding a spot around there is usually pretty easy.

Brenda Bourseau owns the place with her husband, and it's largely due to her incredibly gracious and warm welcome on my first visit that I even stayed to eat.   happened upon the place one night when I was biding time before meeting friends for some late night karaoke.

It was late, but I was hungry. So when I saw parking I pulled up and walked in.

I'm glad I did.

While service can be spotty if not downright glacial, the food is great (highly recommend the tuna tartar, the ribs or the burger), the wine list lovely and the overall atmosphere (translation = people watching) can be epic.

Head there on a sunny afternoon when they pull up the shades on the patio and you can bask in sunshine while enjoying a salad and some bubbly.

So long as you aren't in a hurry (like I said, service not always great), it's a wonderful place. And if you *are* in a rush, make sure to catch Brenda's eye.

She'll take good care of you.

There are times when location/setting, food and good company all come together very nicely.

This was my experience grabbing a somewhat quick lunch at Cafe on the Square last week.

It was my first foray through the doors of the new Contemporary Jewish Museum (a place to which I must go for a more in-depth visit and soon), and I have to say I was pleased.

I wouldn't call the menu a deep one in terms of diversity or breadth, but it was a perfectly lovely selection  with more than reasonable pricing.

As for the food itself - quite good.  The salmon was perhaps a teensy bit salty but the overall flavors were quite nice.

If there was anything slightly disappointing it was the lackluster selection on the dessert front. My dining compatriot and I snared an apple streudel which was decent, but a bit overly doughy and somewhat difficult to consume.

It would have been nice if a few more of the outdoor table sported umbrellas as it was a glorious day and we'd hoped to sit outside but the only spaces left were bathed in blazing sunshine.

I know, not precisely something about which one complains during summer in SF, but when you're in SOMA and in a physical location that's perfectly shielded from wind ... well, that plaza just gets darn hot.

I've given a moderate score on this go-round but fully intend to go back again and give it another try.

If you're in the 'hood, I'd suggest you visit too.

Even on an overcast day, there's something about Dolores Park that always feels like sparkly sunshine to me.

It may be the superb vista that spreads out in front of you when you stand at the far southwestern corner of the park. From that perch, at the corner of 20th and Church, you have a sweeping view of the SF skyline all the way around to the East Bay.

Or it could be the truly eclectic mix of people you find sprawled across the various stretches of grassy hill and dale. Well, grassy hill at least. With the park's location it's to be expected, I supposed, that the park folks here come from all walks of life. The park sits pretty much at the crossroads of the Mission, Noe Valley, the Castro, and to a certain degree the Lower Haight and central Market areas. And as such you never know who you'll meet!

Beyond the great views, almost always great climate and interesting people watching, Dolores Park can also be counted on for hosting great events.

I've enjoyed movie nights, SF Symphony performances, watching World Cup Soccer finals, birthday parties and of course the annual Dyke Day that falls on the Saturday of Pride weekend.

Which is precisely where I'm heading right now.

So get thee to Dolores ... and if you're there, look for me ... I'll probably be throwing a ball for my dog, Truman.

It's hard to believe this little gem of a sushi spot was, until not too long ago, a Subway sandwich shop. (Which was, incidentally, preceded by an ice cream store that I actually miss quite a bit.)  The transition, however, is complete, and this small slip of a restaurant served up one of the best sushi meals I've had in ages.

I went with a pal who's apparently become a bit of a regular, and so she guided me through quite a few of the specialties. Mostly we just ate ... and ate ... and ate.

We're pretty sure the wait staff was taking bets that the two chicks weren't going to polish off the rather substantial volume of food ... but we did. From the cold spinach with bonito flakes to staples like seaweed salad the meal was superb.

Service was even better.

I will say that the edamame was a bit disappointing. they were a bit soggy and didn't have that crisp, salty experience I prefer. But this is a mere trifle compared to the rest of the meal.

The best part?  I live down the street.

I'll be back.

A lot.

First, some disclosure - over the last couple of years CAV's proprietor, Pamela Busch, has become a good friend; but my glowing perspective on her establishment began well before I called her a pal.

For starters, the location is great. It's mid-way in the city and nearby freeway access so great place to meet with folks no matter from where they're coming.

The wine list is always interesting and changes often - a product of Pamela's dedication to expanding palates - both her own and her customers.  The kitchen pairs the dishes well so that there's always something to go with everything, even if just one of the artfully designed cheese plates.

As a rule the staff is very knowledgeable about the wine list, though I find the best advice almost always comes from Pamela herself.

On occasion service is a bit spotty, but nothing that would keep me from retaining this spot as a regular stop on my weekly dining out agenda.

So, here's the thing. I live in Pacific Heights and so more often than not a drive to San Francisco's Mission District or even over to Nick's Crispy Tacos, becomes a horrid ordeal - cross town traffic, parking issues ... But thankfully there is a beacon of light with superb grilled fish burritos just over the Golden Gate Bridge. It's a quick trip - about 15-20 minutes from Pac Heights, and there's always a place to park. So I ring up, order it "to go" and by the time I arrive, dinner's ready.

Now about the food ... did I mention that their grilled fish burrito ROCKS?? !! The salsa fresca has just enough snap on a mild day to make me happy.

I've been going to Rendez-Vous for more than 10 years. And Gina is the only person in San Francisco I'll let get hot wax anywhere near my brows. She's fantastic!

The mani/pedis I get here also last for-ever! A huge boon when I get them before extended business trips on which I know that a salon trip won't allow for my usual weekly pampering session.

Price-wise, they're spot on with most other salons, but be prepared for a very hard upsell on pretty much all services from the question of "spa chair?" when you ask about getting a mani/pedi to the offer for extended hand, foot or neck/shoulder massages.

On that last point, at a buck a minute, I'd highly recommend ponying up and getting a little rubdown while your nails are drying. And if you're lucky enough to be there at a slow time, I say step up and get foot and neck/shoulder at the same time ... heavenly.

It's very much a neighborhood joint and if you go more than once Gina and the ladies will absolutely recognize you.

A key thing to know - they do NOT take plastic. Cash or check only. There's a Citibank ATM on the corner, but make sure to come with some green in your pocket - especially if you want to enjoy a good massage!

NOTE: I'm amending my review because I took a little visit last weekend to Rendez-Vous for my usual trip and ... well ... there are a few points that bear mentioning.

Some people need to fix their attitude. And I'm not talking about the staff at Rendez-Vous. I'm talking about some of the patrons. Don't get me wrong, I'm not always the model customer. I've been known to fly in there when I'm rushed, feeling cranky and yes I've been "that person" who demands to be taken care of RIGHT NOW. But to be honest, I do my best *not* to be that person ... especially since the ladies at Rendez-Vous are just so lovely and accommodating.

I've read some of the recent reviews here and while I don't know who those people are, I'm pretty sure I could pick them out if I saw them at the salon. What I'd say is judge Rendez-Vous for yourself.

The prices are posted VERY obviously - on a standing sign on the sidewalk outside, on a visible sign on the wall and on a pricing chart that sits on the cashier desk. If you want a super high end chi-chi spa treament experience, go to Nob Hill. if you want a superb mani/pedi experience in a warm, friendly, neighborhood environment where most of the patrons know each other from coming regularly and where pricing is on par with any other spot you'll find in town  ... then Rendez-Vous is the place for you.

I'll hope to see you there!