"Cindy Fuller" > wrote in message
...
> We were in the Bay area last week for business and pleasure. The first
> stop was Foster City for business. The traffic on 101 north of Palo Alto
> was hellacious. If the SO even remotely entertained notions of moving
> down there, they were dashed quickly when it took over an hour to go two
> miles. We had dinner one night at an excellent Thai restaurant just west
> of Redwood City. The following night we went to Half Moon Bay and had
> dinner at an overpriced seafood joint. We ordered paella for two, which
> was more tomato-ey than what we make at home.
>
> The following two days were spent roaming around San Francisco. We
> managed to see two of the aborted America's Cup races, one from the
> vantage point of Fort Point under the Golden Gate Bridge. We had lunch
> at a fish store in the Ferry Terminal Market: Crab quesadillas and
> soft-shell crab po' boy, with gazpacho and gumbo. These guys know from
> seafood. Dinner the first night was at Osteria al Forno in North Beach.
> The pancetta-wrapped figs were excellent, but SO was not happy with the
> pork braised in milk. The next day we had a late lunch at the Marina
> Bistro, a small Turkish restaurant on Chestnut Street. This was the best
> random find of the trip. The meze platter was excellent.
>
> Sunday we met friends who moved to San Jose back in June for brunch at
> the Restaurant Bay Watch in Burlingame. Our former next door neighbors
> and other members of our Friday night group were also down there for the
> weekend, so we had a good crowd. The restaurant staff was fantastic
> dealing with all 15 of us, as well as accommodating the gluten
> intolerant folks in our group. After brunch, we took Highway 1 down to
> Carmel and Point Lobos State Reserve. We visited this park on our trip 3
> years ago and were fascinated by the wildlife. The critters didn't
> disappoint this year, either.
>
> Monday we had a rude awakening when the water main to the hotel where we
> were staying in Carmel broke. The restaurant staff at the hotel handled
> things as best they could and still served breakfast. The hotel took 1/2
> off our hotels.com rate as compensation. Thereafter, we went to Monterey
> Bay Aquarium to see the otters. Lunch was at the Clement Hotel down the
> street. Their grilled veggie sandwich and homemade ketchup were
> outstanding.
>
> Dinner en route to the airport was at a hole in the wall Vietnamese
> restaurant in San Jose. The name of the restaurant was Bun Bo Hue, and
> they served a good version of that soup. We were the only non-Asians in
> the place, which is always a good sign. The SO said I got lost on
> purpose just so we could eat there. It wasn't planned, but it worked out
> quite well.
>
> Cindy

One reason we hated that area was the horrible traffic. Good food in Half
Moon Bay and thereabouts. We always stopped for lunch at a little diner on
the corner. I think the name was Joe's. Open only for breakfast and lunch
but had wonderful food and a wide variety.

The other place was not in Half Moon Bay but nearby. I think it might have
been an Italian place but don't remember because I never ordered a dinner
beyond the first time we ate there. The food came in such huge portions
that there was no way I could eat the meal. The salad they started you off
with was all sorts of greens, other raw vegetables, kidney and garbazno
beans and nuts. Between that and the free bread they put out, there was no
room in my tummy for any other food. So after that, daughter and I just got
the salad and some other little thing to share. I can't remember now what
that was but likely a cup of soup or something. Excellent food!