Promoting itself as the ‘most romantic restaurant in Carmel’, I can’t say that my two girlfriends and I found Casanova to be on par with other favorite candle-lit Italian joints, though we did very much enjoy our food experience there during our short stay in Carmel, CA.

The ambiance is cozy, the service attentive, and despite the multi-colored string lights hanging from the ceiling and the red plastic tablecloths, there is an undeniable charm to the place, however tacky it is!

The front porch is reminiscent of a French country inn, fitting perfectly with Carmel’s village aesthetics.

House cured lomo ham with heirloom melons, balinese pink peppers, and banyuls vinegar.

We ordered ‘Abalone‘ off the a-la-carte menu since it is a specialty of the region and I just had to try it – very unique flavor though somewhat there was so much garnishing it was hard to tell the Abalone from the other ingredients. Wish my first taste would have been of a purer nature!

Foie gras torchone with beets and apples – I’ll take foie gras any day but this was a delicious pairing, the beet jus cutting through the richness of the dish.

Sea scallops with cauliflower, pancetta, and brown butter sabayon – as pleasing to the eyes as it was to my palate. These must have been the meatiest scallops I’ve ever had and served with the sabayon this was an extremely filling and satisfying California take on one of my favorite seafood.

Peach tartlet with crème fraîche, fresh peaches, crisp topping, and pouch huckleberries. Unsurprisingly I could barely fit anything more at this point though one tiny bite was a nice end to a charming dinner.

A lively and busy fine-dining Italian trattoria in the heart of the Mission district, Delfina puts a modern spin on old classics for an army of devoted fans who lines up at its doors each night.

Its success since its opening in 1998 is immediately laid out once the first plates have reached your table -the humility of the place and moderate prices hide a brio of culinary execution and a consistency in delivering mouth-wathering upscale Italian comfort food.

The menu changes daily though some classics such as their spaghetti are always offered.

Proscuitto San Daniele, melone pazzo, and mint – quality ingredients that need no more introduction…

Grilled fresh calamari with white bean salad, perfectly cooked and surprisingly rich and flavorful for something that is usually on the lighter side…definitely a nice upgrade!

Their famous spaghetti, utterly delicious, very all dente with simple yet very bold flavors!

Gnocchi with cherry tomatoes and basil, another simple standout perfectly executed.

Summer might be over, but there’s one cold treat that San Franciscans will still be queuing in line for long after the rays are gone and it’s Bi-Rite Creamery‘s ice cream.

Considered by many locals to be the city’s best ice cream shop, Bi-Rite Creamery sits on an enviable corner, right across from Dolores Park in the Mission district. Whether they come for the original and delectable flavors or the local and mostly organic ingredients (Bi-Rite exclusively uses products from Straus Creamery just 45 miles north of SF to make its ice cream), the never-ending crowds certainly make it look worth the wait.

A giant illuminated ice cream cone shows the way to frozen nirvana while a red rope neatly contains the hungry crowd. With a neon sign outside the shop, passersby could easily mistake it for a hip night club…

Take home treats line the shelves and refrigerator, and some inside seating allows for an all-seasons comfortable enjoyment, though nothing quite beats taking your cone for a stroll in the nearby park.

Not your usual flavors…and that’s perfectly fine!

I opted for a savory and audacious selection, on the left, having skipped dinner that night for the occasion. My pick of Olive Oil, Basil, and Honey Lavender was a marriage made in heaven and possibly the closest one could get to figuratively getting a mouthful of Provence. I stopped and wonder for a second if I couldn’t get all my future meals delivered in this form, but that would be silly! Not the most colorful of trio but knowing no artificial colorant had made it into the mixture wins big points with me and probably most of the other aficionados. My friend went for a much more eye pleasing duo of Balsamic Strawberry and Fresh Cream – equally divine – missing only a glass of rosé to bring us back to a summer in France…

No visit of mine to the Bay area would have been complete without a meal at one of Thomas Keller’s (of French Laundry) delightful restaurants so I was thrilled to learn my friend had booked us a table at his latest ‘Ad Hoc‘ on Saturday night.

After a day of hiking in the valley and a light wine tasting session at a charming vintners collective (see ‘Ma(i)sonry – Napa Valley’ post), we were ready for a filling and comforting meal Mr. Keller is famous for.

The experience was fantastic, especially for someone who thrills on surprises like I do! At Ad Hoc, you don’t get to order. Instead, you’re served a 4 course family style menu that changes every day, accompanied by a small, accessible wine list in a casual setting, much like at home – convivial and oh so enjoyable!

Endive and green leaves salad – yellow peaches, gorgonzola crumbles, toasted hazelnuts, shaved cipollini onions, tondo balsamic vinaigrette. Simple yet still pretty tasty, it left us hungry for more!

Heirloom tomato salad – dungeness crab, marinated cucumbers, avocado mousse. Great combo, I still remember the exquisite taste of the crab mixed with the avocado mousse, light but unctuous at the same time…

Grilled beef short ribs – garden squash, charred sweet onions, fingerling potatoes, peppered beef jus. Oh…dear…I think everyone at the table rolled their eyes in ecstasy when we took our first bite into the ribs, realizing with delight the multitude of fat layers melting into our mouth. These have got to be the best tasting ribs I’ve ever had! For this reason, I can’t even speak of the side vegetables, not remembering if I’ve had any in this blurry memory of meat heaven…

Heublumen – mushroom conserva, puff pastry. I was still salivating on the ribs, and pretty full by then, so this cheese plate went a bit unnoticed… I did quite enjoy the perfectly grilled mushrooms but the puff pastry was a bit too much at this stage.

Peanut Butter Bars – concord grape sorbet. How else would you end such an Americana family style meal then with Keller’s take on a homemade peanut butter cup? My only regret is to have not been able to start the meal with it, as my full belly could barely fit one tiny bite of this uber-rich dessert at the end of the meal. Portions were a tad too big, who can actually ingest such a quantity of peanut butter, which tasted so good it must have been whipped with even more butter and salt?…I know, a lot of you apparently!

Ad Hoc is comfort food at its finest in a warm and casual atmosphere…definitely makes it into my ‘go-to’ places in the Bay Area. Plus, knowing you’ll never be served the same thing twice means I’ll surely be revisiting…they do serve brunch also, fyi!

I’m all for multi-tasking, especially when it involves admiring work of arts and shopping for antiques and home furnishings all the while tasting some pretty decent wine.

That’s exactly what Ma(i)sonry in Yountville, Napa Valley, has accomplished with its fine art, design, and wine tasting gallery.

A 1904 stone building on the National Register of Historic Places, the former farmer abode and seven-bedroom Inn has been renovated to house three private tasting rooms, two gallery rooms and outdoor gardens, providing an idyllic setting for a cultured wine tasting tour.

Owner Michael Polenske (who founded the nearby cult winery Blackbird Vineyards) has curated a selection of antique, vintage, and contemporary pieces that fit together surprisingly well.

All the furniture, art, and accessories are for sale, though most of them come with a hefty price tag ($7,000 chandelier anyone?).

I think I could seriously live here…

Outdoors, redwood dining tables can accommodate dinner parties underneath centuries-old olive trees. We kicked back on a massive wood table with a flight of Blackbird Vineyards wines in the middle of this artsy oasis.

A bust of Einstein greets the visitors at the entrance of the courtyard and sculpture garden.

Tasting flights range from $15 to $35 per person, featuring different vintages or types of wines. What I love about Ma(i)sonry is that, being a wine collective, they feature various smaller producers and boutique wines you would have a hard time finding anywhere else… guess it adds to the overall perfectly curated feel of the place!

Don’t miss this vintners’ collective on your next visit to Napa for a unique lifestyle experience in wine country.