In article > ,
Blair P. Houghton > wrote:

> PastaLover > wrote:
> >was thinking of going to Vegas, and then up through California and see
> >Yosemite, and head toward the San Francisco area. Maybe try to check out
> >the French Laundry in Napa Valley, and then head back south along the
>
> Call the French Laundry now. You may not be able to get
> a reservation. Until 2007.
>
> >coast. I might go as far south as San Diego, but I'm flexible.
>
>
> >So...given this route, what irresistable food items should I be looking
> >for?
>
> SF: Dungies.
>
> SD: Fish tacos.
>
> Otherwise, we're talking California. It's one big stupid mall
> and everything comes off as food-court fare.
>
> Except for French Laundry (which I never did get to)
> I'd just stay in Vegas and run up a huge AmEx bill eating
> there.

Oh, dear. Yes, one can run up a huge bill (and have some fabulous
meals) in Vegas (e.g., at Joel Roubichon's). And the French Laundry
gave me the second best meal of my life (second to Danube in NYC).
But there is a lot more in California that is quite wonderful --
there's a small cafe on the river in Petaluma, for example, that
does superb stuff. And lots of things that pop out of a Zagat's
search are actually quite good (some are not, of course). I don't
know SoCal at all, but I am told there is good food to be had there.
SF/Berkeley/Oakland has some good to excellent restaurants. Maybe
some hints as to what the OP likes would help to winnow the list?