Yummers: Remember When..?

Casa Mia (Milpitas, CA location)

After the pandemic, one of my nephews recommended an Italian-Japanese fusion restaurant in Milpitas. I was a bit skeptical about the combination, but decided to try the Salmon Shimeji Spaghetti. To my surprise, the dish was absolutely delicious—pasta paired perfectly with mushrooms, flying fish roe, and radish. We also tried the breaded Honey Mustard Chicken as an appetizer, and it was tasty—crispy on the outside, with a sweet and tangy mustard drizzle.

Chez Maman East (Potrero Hill location)

In May 2019, my niece and I drove on a cloudy and windy day to the 18th Street location to try out the casual French bistro eatery, and we impatiently waited outside for 30+ minutes. We sat at the bar, and I ordered the Half-Roasted Organic Chicken. With garlic mashed potatoes, lemon confit, and lemon jus, the hearty and filling meal was worth the wait.

Schubert's Bakery

Schubert's is my go-to bakery for special occasions cakes. I ordered the Tiramisu cake for my nephew's birthday. I love their miniature cakes: Chocolate Mouse with Ganache, Strawberry Shortcake, Princess Cake, Tropical Mousse

Wing Lee Bakery

On Clement Street, a few doors down from Schubert's Bakery, is a no-frills neighborhood spot—Wing Lee Bakery—a great dim sum to go/bakery that accepts cash only. The soft and fatty steamed porked buns, tender and fresh dumplings, and charred BBQ chicken skewers are compelling reasons to drive to San Francisco when the dim sum craving hits.

Gary Danko

Gary Danko (American with French and Mediterranean styles) creates a flavorful and citrusy Lobster Risotto with dungeness crab. For dessert, I usually order a light and intensely-flavored raspberry souffle topped with a scoop of tangy raspberry sorbet. I especially love the take-home pineapple (or whatever is in season) bread.

Benu

Benu, serves Asian-inspired (Korean, Cantonese) New American food. Amidst the seemingly endless food courses, one stood out for its ordinary, yet delicious reinvention—an abalone-stuffed glazed chicken wing with mustard flowers. If I only had five of those wings with a bowl of rice, I would be completely satisfied.

Haleiwa Beach House

Nine years ago in Oahu, we had a wonderful find: Haleiwa Beach House. Across the street, diners get a fantastic view of surfers on the water, and we returned the following day to watch a sunset during dinner. I often yearn for this meal: Fresh and delicious Ahi poke, sea asparagus, and red onions topped with scallion, tobiko (flying fish roe), yuzu aioli, and tuxedo sesame seeds. At the bottom of the bowl, a generous bed of white rice to absorb all the amazing flavors. So deliciously good!

Quince

Five years ago, we celebrated one of my nieces's birthday at Quince (local California cuisine with French and Italian touches), and one of the courses served included a tender Wagyu beef with pumpkin, wild mushrooms, and watercress.

The excellent service stood out for me along with all the delightful flavors. We received a printed menu with my niece's name on top. For one course, we were invited to the chef's table where we watched food being prepared. The attentive Quince staff made our night, and my niece still talks about her special birthday meal.

Because it was a cold February night in downtown San Francisco, they gave us hot chocolate drinks to enjoy during our walk back to the BART train station. A truly outstanding and memorable culinary experience!