Home Again, Home Again (& Resto Reviews)

Atlanta, GA

We had an 11am flight back to Atlanta, so we had breakfast in our room one last time, ordered box lunches to take on the plane, packed up all our stuff, and headed out. We had to return the rental car to Sixt which was a piece of cake, but the airport itself was a zoo, and it took us almost an hour to get our bags checked and to get through security. We barely made our connection in Denver but arrived home on time only to wait almost 45 minutes for our luggage – ugh! Savannah picked us up at the airport, and we stopped for Varsity on the way home. It was a fantastic trip!

And here are all my restaurant reviews from the entire trip . . .

San Jose:

MIZU Sushi – creative rolls but you have to be careful to ask
questions before ordering. We ordered 3 and only really liked 1/3.
Quick service, though, which was great!

Napa:

Ciccio – OMG!!!!! By far, the best meal we had the entire
trip! Very small space, no reservations, but worth it even if you
have to wait for a table. The pizza was so creative, crust was
absolutely delicious, wines were fantastic, desserts were yummy.
Owned by the same folks as Altamura Winery, just fyi.

Redwood – Also delicious pizza though not quite as good as
Ciccio (right across the street), but Ciccio isn’t open for lunch so
there’s that. Setting is beautiful. Def worth a try!

Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch – We ate dinner here. Food was
very good though I wouldn’t call it amazing. Portions were large –
many plates big enough to share. Interior is really cool, exterior
dining options, too, but it was really hot the night we were there.
Service was really nice.

Palisades Market (Calistoga) – Cute place to pick up a
sandwich for lunch. Apparently, it’s where all the locals go.
Sandwiches were good but nothing all that special.

Bistro Don Giovanni – Decent Italian food but nothing to
write home about. Setting is very pretty, service is friendly and
fast, but I wouldn’t go back with all the other phenomenal options
nearby.

Bouchon Bakery – Definitely recommend this place for a
delicious breakfast pastry or sandwich at lunchtime. There are
plenty of tables to sit outside and enjoy whatever yumminess you
choose from their display. And, despite being Bouchon, the prices
are pretty much on par for any lunch spot ($9/sandwich).

Klamath Falls:

Raliberto’s Tacos – We were exhausted and starving after
a long day of driving so looked on Yelp for a place to eat. Even
though this place got 4 stars, I guess that’s in comparison to
anything else nearby ‘cuz I’d give it 2 stars at best. It’s a true
taco dive if you’re into that sort of thing (we are!) and probably
the best option around town.

Somewhere in Oregon:

Steamboat Inn – We stumbled on this spot after visiting
Crater Lake and were so glad we did! The setting is magnificent, and
the food was really good – nothing out of the ordinary but delicious
lunch for a reasonable price.

Portland:

El Cubo de Cuba – Holy cow! Best Cuban food we’ve ever
eaten! Hubby had the Cuban sandwich, I had one their signature bowls
with rice and beans and other deliciousness. We sat outside on the
patio where they were having Trivia Night, so we joined in.
Definitely recommend this place for either lunch or dinner.

Salt & Straw – Really creative and delicious ice cream

Voodoo Donuts – This is a don’t-miss spot in Portland, more
for the decor and people-watching than for the donuts (which were
delicious, btw)

Pok Pok – Another don’t-miss spot! Best Thai food ever in a
really awesome setting! We asked our waiter for recommendations, and
he steered us perfectly toward a daily special salad plus a noodle
dish on the regular menu.

Beast – Mike, I know this is one of your favs but we weren’t
overly impressed. It was good but nothing all that special, and we
really didn’t love the wine pairings. Maybe it was just that week’s
menu, but for that price I wouldn’t go back. That said, we had a
great evening with some long-time friends who live nearby and who
hadn’t ever been to Beast, so that was great!

Pine State Biscuits – Really fun and yummy breakfast spot.
The biscuits are so good! So is the coffee!

Bellingham:

Cosmo’s – A brand new spot in town that serves delicious
comfort food. I had the meatloaf which was incredible. Hubby had a
burger which was also incredible. The staff are a bunch of hipster
young folks with lots of attitude – very fun night out!

The Loft – A bar on the waterfront with good (not great)
small plates during happy hour.

Seattle:

Taylor Oyster House – Two big thumbs-up on this place!
Awesome oysters, great service, delicious cocktails and local beer
options.

Pie Bar – If you love pie, don’t miss this place! It’s a bar
that also serves home-baked pie – what could be better?

5 Spot – A great breakfast place that serves HUGE portions
(and also has really yummy freshly-baked biscuits)

Miyabi 45th – Known for their home-made Soba noodles, the
food was really good. We started with the foie gras “tofu” (it’s
really foie gras but sculpted to look like tofu) and tempura
cauliflower – both really delish. The Soba was also very tasty, and
the cocktails were creative and flavorful.

Molly Moon’s – Good local ice cream chain but I liked Salt
& Straw in Portland much better

Bookstore Bar – This was in our hotel and was a great spot
for a late-night supper (and drinks).

Harbor Public House (on Bainbridge Island) – Great
water-front pub with solid food and huge beer menu.