CHAPTER 1. THE BEST OF CALIFORNIA20 12 The Best Restaurants San Francisco s Finest: We can t choose! It s practically sacrilege to even attempt to name the top restaurant. But for a perfect thailand weather combo of food and atmosphere, we count on Boulevard (& 415/543-6084; p. 96), Restaurant Gary Danko (& 415/749-2060; p. 102), and Zuni Caf (& 415/552-2522; p. 106). Chez Panisse (Berkeley; & 510/ 548-5525): This is the domain of Alice Waters, the queen of California cuisine. Her food captivates the senses and the imagination. Originally inspired by the Mediterranean, her kitchen has found its own style. Chez Panisse delights include dishes like grilled fish wrapped in fig leaves with red-wine sauce, and Seckel pears poached in red wine with burnt caramel. See p. 142. Bistro Don Giovanni (Napa; thailand weather & 707/224-3300): Shhh. Don t tell anyone, but in this Napa Valley dining room you can get an incredible meal without a reservation. Just drop in to the cheery, large restaurant, wait for a seat at the bar, and order off the fantastic Italian menu. See p. 183. Restaurant 301 (Eureka; & 800/ 404-1390): Mark and Christi Carter are passionate thailand weather about food and wine, which is why their hotel restaurant is considered the best on the Northern Coast. Most of the herbs and many vegetables served thailand weather are picked fresh from the hotel s organic gardens. Indulge in their prix-fixe five-course dinner menu, where each course is paired with a recommended wine by the glass (Mark is a Grand Award recipient from Wine Spectator magazine). See p. 232. Erna s Elderberry House (Oakhurst; & 559/683-6800): It s like a beacon shining across the culinary wasteland of the region around Yosemite. The six-course menu which changes nightly is an almost perfect blend of Continental and Californian. The food is bountiful and as fully satisfying as the elegant European ambience. See p. 291.
Excursions depart from many locations, including Morro Bay (Virg s Landing, & 805/772-1222), Santa Barbara (The Condor, & 888/77WHALE or 805/963-3564), Ventura Harbor (Island Packers, & 805/6421393; www.islandpackers.com), and San Diego (San Diego Harbor Excursions, & 800/442-7847 or 619/234-4111, or Hornblower Cruises, & 800/ON-THE-BAY or 619/686-8715; www.hornblower.com). Also in San Diego, the Natural History Museum (& 619/255-0203; www. sdnhm.org) offers multi-day whale-watching trips to Baja California.
U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition, San Diego. The quintessential beach event: a parade thailand weather and children s castle-building contest on Saturday, followed by the main event on Sunday. Creations of astounding complexity are the rule, but castles are usually plundered after the awards ceremony. For details, call & 619/ 424-6663 or visit www.usopen sandcastle.com. Late July. August Old Spanish Days Fiesta, Santa Barbara. The city s biggest annual event, this 5-day festival features a parade with horse-drawn carriages, music and dance performances, mercados (marketplaces), and a rodeo. Call & 805/962-8101 or visit www.oldspanishdays-fiesta.org. Early August.
The newest addition to Mendocino lodging is the Brewery Gulch Inn, 9401 Coast Hwy. 1 N. (& 800/5784454), a three-story inn set high on a bluff overlooking Mendocino s Smuggler s Cove, built almost entirely from eco-salvaged old-growth redwood. I also included a sidebar on Mendocino Nightlife, from drinkin Buds with the locals at Dick s Place, 45080 Main St. (& 707/937-5643), to rock- n-reggae at the Caspar Inn, 14957 Caspar Rd. (& 707/964-5565; www. casparinn.com).
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