Restaurant Reviews

Below are a few restaurants that Dr. Dave and Dr. Dee highly recommend.

LA JOLLA/SAN DIEGO, CA

1. Roppongi 875 Prospect St, La Jolla, CA (858) 551-5252 http://www.roppongiusa.com/

Food 10/10; Ambience 8/10

Go during Happy Hour between 3-6pm for half off spectacular tapas and sushi rolls. Everything on the menu is excellent and beautifully presented. Some favorites are the crab stack, duck quesadilla, lamb & hummus, scallops over potato pancakes.

Must have desserts: English Toffee Pudding with Caramel Gelato, Tahitian bananas, chocolate decadent souffle

2. Bluefin Fusion Japanese Restaurant 4305 La Jolla Village Drive San Diego, CA 92122 858-677-0558 www.bluefinfusion.com

Food 10/10; Ambience 8/10

Besides the excellent sushi, the tofu lettuce wraps and udon soups are a must try. Nice color changing wall, too.

3. Georges at the Cove 1250 Prospect St, La Jolla, California 92037 858-454-4244 http://www.georgesatthecove.com/ocean-terrace

Food 10/10; Ambience 9/10

Ocean Terrace has outdoor dining with a fabulous view. Super tasty Asian marinated skirt steak and penne with lamb sugo. Chef's special is a best bet.

Desserts: warm chocolate cake, sticky toffee pudding cake, brioch bread pudding

MAUI:

1. Mama's Fish House Restaurant 799 Poho Place Paia, Maui, Hawaii 96779 808-579-8488 http://www.mamasfishhouse.com/

Food 10/10; Ambience 10/10

Excellent restaurant, beautiful decor, wonderful ocean view, great waitstaff. You cannot go wrong with whatever the wait staff recommends

The menu changes daily and includes the name of the fisherman who caught the fish that day.

Our meal consisted of: Complimentary tomato bisque Appetizer: Seared Beef Polynesian served in a grilled ripe papaya. Entree: Mama’s Stuffed Mahimahi Stuffed with lobster, crab and Maui onion, baked in a macadamia nut crust. Onaga sauted with tomatoes, guava, and other fruit. Dessert: Black Pearl (chocolate mousse covered with chocolate frosting shaped round presented in a crispy shell. Banana Macadamia Nut Crisp with ice cream.

2. Lahaina Grill 127 Lahainaluna Road Lahaina, HI 96761 808-667-5117 www.lahainagrill.com

Food 10/10; Ambience 8/10

Wide variety of fabulous food can be sampled from the chef's tasting menu, which consisted of: selection of signature appetizers, salads, seafood or meat courses finished with a sampler of their special house made desserts.

3. David Paul's Island Grill 900 Front Street Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii 96761 808-662-3000 www.davidpaulsislandgrill.com

Food 10/10; Ambience 9/10

Wonderful tasting menu featuring a selection of the chef's favorite signature dishes: four courses with a double selections.

AMUSE BOUCHE Chef’s daily preparation

COURSE ONE DUO

BUTTER LETTUCE AND BLEU CHEESE SALAD Iced butter lettuce with bleu cheese-basil dressing, Kapalua mixed tomatoes, sweet-spicy bacon and grated egg HEIRLOOM TOMATO AND BOCCACINI CAPRESE Vine ripened Olowalu tomato, marinated Buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil vinaigrette served in a Martini glass

COURSE TWO DUO

SEARED AHI WITH FOIE GRAS Pepper crusted Big Eye tuna loin seared rare and served with sautéed fingerling potatoes, Maui onions, artichokes, mushrooms, red wine essence PAN SEARED HAWAIIAN SNAPPER Line-caught Island snapper pan seared and roasted in olive oil, served with Maui onion scented soft polenta, Maui onion jus and pickled Maui onions. -1st place winner at 2009 Maui Onion Festival

INTERMEZZO Chef's daily preparation

COURSE THREE DUO

NEW YORK STEAK AU POIVRE Prime Angus strip loin with black pepper crust, brandy and green peppercorn sauce CONFIT OF DUCK Duck confit on wilted arugula served with truffle mashed potatoes and finished with a cognac truffle reduction.

COURSE FOUR DUO

CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT TART Flan dough cookie crust, macadamia nut caramel, dark chocolate-sour cream mousse, whipped cream, chocolate shavings served with a scoop of our homemade Gianduja ice cream CREME BRULEE Chef’s choice creme brulee served with fresh berries

4. Pineapple Grill 200 Kapalua Drive Kapalua, Maui, HI 96761 808-669-9600 www.pineapplekapalua.com

Food 9/10; Ambience 9/10

Food is fresh and delicious, but the best part of the meal was the Maui Gold Pineapple Upside Down Cake with rum caramel sauce, macadamia nut ice cream, toasted coconut.

SEATTLE

1. Palisade Restaurant 2601 West Marina Place Seattle, WA 98199 206-285-1000 www.palisaderestaurant.com

Food 10/10; Ambience 10/10

Excellent food, wonderful view of the Marina, nice decor, great waitstaff. Early dining between 5-6pm for a three course dinner.

The Pupu Platter appetizer has a nice sampling of teriyaki tenderloins with sushi rice, wood oven roasted Pacific tiger prawns with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, crispy Washington Dungeness crab cakes with sweet-and-sour plum butter sauce.

The early dining courses that we enjoy are the butter lettuce with blue cheese, prime rib, and banana ice cream sundae.

2. Pegasus Pizza 2758 Alki Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 206-932-4849 http://pegasusonalki.com/

Food 10/10 Best Pizza; Ambience 7/10 Small place, but across from the beach area, so nice view.

Any pizza is great, but we especially enjoy Tom's Special and the cheese pizza. Salads are excellent, too.

3. Puerta Vallarta 4727 California Avenue Southwest, Seattle, WA 98116 206-937-7335 www.puertovallartarestaurantes.com

Food 9/10; Ambience 7/10

Delicious Mexican food, resonable prices. Complimentary homemade chips and salsa. We split the Super Burrito Manadero.

4. Pepperdock Restaurant 2618 Alki Avenue Southwest, Seattle, WA 98116 206-935-1000

Food 10/10 Best Burger; Ambience 7/10 small hole-in-the wall, but across the street from the beach, so nice view.

Best fresh made grilled cheeseburgers and onion rings.

5. Salty's on Alki for weekend brunch 1936 Harbor Avenue. S.W. Seattle, WA 98126 206-937-1600 http://www.saltys.com/seattle/

Food 10/10; Ambience 10/10

Excellent food and views of Elliott Bay, attentive waitstaff. Weekend brunch is very special with a large selection of fruit, salads, seafood (salmon, crab, shrimp, clams, etc.) breads (bagels, muffins, etc.), Belgian waffles, pancakes, French toast, meats (sausage, bacon, prime rib, ham, etc.), omelets made to order, pastas made to order, crepes made to order) huge selection of desserts.

IN BAY AREA:

1. Oriental Tea House 604 MacArthur Boulevard San Leandro, CA 94577 510-562-2828

Food 10/10 Best Dim Sum; Ambience 7/10

Some of the best dim sum in the Bay Area (i.e. baked pork buns, steamed dumplings, rice noodle rolls, lotus leaf sticky rice, egg tarts, sesame balls).

2. Restaurant Peony 388 - 9th St # 288 Oakland, CA 94607 510-286-8866 http://restaurantpeony.com/

Food 10/10 Best Peking Duck; Ambience 8/10

Excellent Peking Duck and honey glazed walnut prawns.

3. Fenton's Creamery 4226 Piedmont Avenue Oakland, CA 94611-4749 510-658-7000 www.fentonscreamery.com

Food 10/10 Best Ice Cream; Ambience 8/10 retro decor

The best ice cream in the Bay Area. Ice cream made on the premises. Our favorite is the Black & Tan: Toasted Almond and creamy Vanilla ice cream layered with their handmade caramel and chocolate fudge, topped with toasted almonds, whipped cream and cherry. Great crab salad sandwich and chocolate shakes, too.