David G. from Dine.com

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David G.

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Recent reviews by David G. More

Restaurant Name	City	Rating
Boulevard	San Francisco, CA
No doubt about it. The food was excellent, as was the presentation and the service. A true "fine dining" experience. Try to get a seat at a rear table a) for a view of the Bay Bridge, and b) to minimize the noise (which even there is con ... more No doubt about it. The food was excellent, as was the presentation and the service. A true "fine dining" experience. Try to get a seat at a rear table a) for a view of the Bay Bridge, and b) to minimize the noise (which even there is considerable). <br> So why withhold the 5th star? In this diner's view, for the prices this restaurant charges, the food should be truly exceptional, and/or the portions more than skimpy. (Examples: The $17 Tuna tartare appetizer consisted of a roughly 2-inch cube of diced fish; the $35 boullabaise had hardly any broth and contained one medium sized piece of fish, two large shrimp, and one large scallop--period.) There were no entrees for less than $32, and least expensive wine on the menu was a respectable Franciscan 2002 Merlot for $38. Almost all the other wines were over $60 a bottle and $80 was more typical. <br> If money is no object (and, from the fact that their 180-seat dining room was completely filled, there are a large number of folks to whom it is not), by all means dine at Boulevard. If, like this diner, you tend to be more value oriented, I'd limit Boulevard to some really super-special occasion. less
Thepin Thai Cuisine	San Francisco, CA
I've been to Thepin three times now and never been disappointed. Very good food and service (on at least one occasion the server pointed out that two of the dishes we'd ordered had similar sauces, and that we might want to try an alternate d ... more I've been to Thepin three times now and never been disappointed. Very good food and service (on at least one occasion the server pointed out that two of the dishes we'd ordered had similar sauces, and that we might want to try an alternate dish), and the portions are more than adequate. And yes, the fried banana is excellent. less
Woung Luang Thai Cuisine	Concord, CA
I'd really like to give this restaurant 3-1/2 stars--it's better than just "good"-- but I'll bump it to four based on the friendly service and attractive decor, unusual for such a budget-priced restaurant. The food is tasty and ... more I'd really like to give this restaurant 3-1/2 stars--it's better than just "good"-- but I'll bump it to four based on the friendly service and attractive decor, unusual for such a budget-priced restaurant. The food is tasty and varied (they have an extensive menu), and the portions are generous. The specials of the day tend to run around $12, and they have a sampler combination dinner that runs around $15, but it's still excellent value for the money. less
Zheng Long	Walnut Creek, CA
If you prefer style over substance, Zheng Long is clearly the restaurant for you. More "atmosphere" than most Chinese restaurants, great emphasis on presentation, etc. But as for the quality of the food...? We started out with the mixed ... more If you prefer style over substance, Zheng Long is clearly the restaurant for you. More "atmosphere" than most Chinese restaurants, great emphasis on presentation, etc. But as for the quality of the food...? We started out with the mixed appetizers. The breaded shrimp (singular) had little or no flavor, the crab puff-- well, until I identified it, my wife thought it was made from potato, and the barbecued spare rib seemed not to have been marinated at all, but simply served covered with hoisin sauce. We next went to the moo shi pork. Aside from the fact that the portion was roughly half the size of what one normally gets in most restaurants, it was essentially flavorless, the only taste coming through being the hoisin sauce with the server added when wrapping the pancakes. Finally, we had the shrimp and scallop sate with snow peas. What arrived at the table was essentially shish kabob, the four skewers each containing 2 shrimp, one scallop, an assortment of peppers and onions, and served on a bed of--you guessed it--hoisin sauce. As for the seafood itself, it was absolutely flavorless--the shrimps had no shrimp taste, and scallops could as well have been made of unflavored gelatin. <br> Normally, I don't review a restaurant unless I've been there at least twice. However, I'll make an exception for Zheng Long, because there's little chance I'd ever go back there. less
Miraku	Walnut Creek, CA
Recently revisited Miraku after a long absence. In the interim, the prices have crept up somewhat, but the quality is as high as ever, and the menu seems to have expanded. (I should note that I'm not a particular fan of raw fish, so I can't speak to ... more Recently revisited Miraku after a long absence. In the interim, the prices have crept up somewhat, but the quality is as high as ever, and the menu seems to have expanded. (I should note that I'm not a particular fan of raw fish, so I can't speak to the quality of the sashimi and related sushi--but then it's always been something of a mystery to me how one evaluates a restaurant on what it doesn't cook or season.) As for kids being welcome, I'll admit the hostess didn't seem overly pleased to see my two young cousins (ages 2 and 4)--but then she didn't seem particularly outgoing towards the adult customers, either. In any case, a high chair was provided for the younger one, and we were accomodated with excellent service. less
Betelnut Pejiu Wu	San Francisco, CA
The food is very well prepared and quite tasty. However, two cautionary notes. I've listed the "entree" price a bit higher than what you'll find on the menu. That's because the service is "tapa-style", and for 5 people, the staff recommends 8-10 d ... more The food is very well prepared and quite tasty. However, two cautionary notes. I've listed the "entree" price a bit higher than what you'll find on the menu. That's because the service is "tapa-style", and for 5 people, the staff recommends 8-10 dishes, so I've scaled up the food prices accordingly. Secondly, they have what they call "small plates" and "large plates." The description should be taken literally: As far as I could tell, the only difference between them was the size of the plate, i.e., there didn't seem to be any difference in the quantity of food! However, by the yuppified standard of San Francisco restaurant pricing, Betelnut is a reasonable choice for a slightly up-scale dining experience. less
Timo's	San Francisco, CA
Evidently there has been an increase in the prices and a decrease in the food quality since the previous reviews were written (and, if anything, the portions have gotten even smaller). Some specifics. The average entree price I've given is higher t ... more Evidently there has been an increase in the prices and a decrease in the food quality since the previous reviews were written (and, if anything, the portions have gotten even smaller). Some specifics. The average entree price I've given is higher than what you'll see on the menu, but when you figure that a dinner for four for four people of modest appetites, including a pitcher of Sangria but no desserts, came to $130, the figure of what you'd have to pay for the equivalent of an entree does not seem unreasonable. (The average portion size appears to be about 2-3 forkfuls.) As for the quality of the meal, other than the ceviche, which was very good, the food was thoroughly unexceptional. Normally I don't like to rate a restaurant on a single dining experience, but I can't conceive of anything which would prompt a revisit to Timo's. less
The Cantina	Walnut Creek, CA
Consistently good, if not spectacular Mexican food, served in generous portions. I'm partial to their fajitas. Their margaritas make a good accompaniment to both the salsa & chips and the meal; they're not too powerful, so if you're planning to ord ... more Consistently good, if not spectacular Mexican food, served in generous portions. I'm partial to their fajitas. Their margaritas make a good accompaniment to both the salsa & chips and the meal; they're not too powerful, so if you're planning to order them, the best deal (even for two people) is a pitcher. less
Agave	Walnut Creek, CA
Upscale Mexican/Spanish food with a continental touch. Been there several times and the food has always been very good, and the portions generous. I don't know where the $30-40 entree figure (see previous review) comes from; the most expensive it ... more Upscale Mexican/Spanish food with a continental touch. Been there several times and the food has always been very good, and the portions generous. I don't know where the $30-40 entree figure (see previous review) comes from; the most expensive item on the menu was a paella for two which came to $19.50 apiece. They advertise live music on Saturday nites, but never having been there on a Saturday, I can't speak to that. less
Barclay's Restaurant & Pub	Berkeley, CA
The 4-star rating is based on Barclay's as a brewpub. They have an enormous selection of (mostly microbrewery) beers and ales on draught, and the selections change constantly. They also have a reasonably good kitchen (I'd give it 3 stars) which ser ... more The 4-star rating is based on Barclay's as a brewpub. They have an enormous selection of (mostly microbrewery) beers and ales on draught, and the selections change constantly. They also have a reasonably good kitchen (I'd give it 3 stars) which serves until about 11:30 on weeknights and provides ample portions at reasonable prices. (They also have a good assortment of appetizers and stuff from the grill which make for a fine accompaniment to the brews.) The service is generally friendly and efficient, and the atmosphere decidedly informal. The only drawback, and it's not a major one, is that it tends to get a bit noisy. less

Details

Level Level 4
Points 185

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