Restaurant Blog - Chowbaby.com

by Lynn Marshall

WILD GINGER
1401 Third Ave., (206) 623-4450

The Wild Ginger draws its influence and recipes from countries all over the South-East Asia. Here, you can find Indian kebabs, Vietnamese noodles, Burmese curries, and dishes from the south of China. And it all works.
The restaurant garnered national attention in the late nineties and its long standing hits such as fragrant duck, red curry squid, and Dungeness crab five ways are all knockouts. The satay bar is still a huge draw, with no less than seven choices. The Bangkok boar is our favorite.
The restaurant’s huge space reflects its popularity, and while it can seem cavernous, the finishes are elegant.  The Wild Ginger offers a taste of the exotic, for a reasonable price.

by Celeste Johansson

CITRONELLE 901 East Cabrillo Boulevard, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 (805) 963-0111 

Citronelle, the premiere French restaurant in Santa Barbara, boasts two world acclaimed chefs, Michel Richard and Felicien Cueff. Enjoy the magnificent ocean view and award-winning French cuisine, like Asparagus Crusted Chicken, or Grilled Seabass and Chocolate Truffle Surprise. You won’t be disappointed by the excellent reputation of this establishment.

by Julie Muller Mitchell

GREENS
Fort Mason, Building A, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 771-6222
Greens, with its airy and spacious interior and views of the bay and Golden Gate Bridge, has long been known for its excellent vegetarian cuisine. The restaurant is owned and operated by the Zen Center, and much of its organic produce comes from the Center’s Green Gulch farm in Marin County. The menu changes with the seasons, with specials such as mesquite-grilled polenta, pizza with onion confit, goat cheese and basil, and ricotta and corn griddle cakes. Soups, salads and baked good are also available to go.

by Chris Faust

THE PRADO
1549 El Prado (Balboa Park), San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 557-9441

The Prado Restaurant is located in the ‘House of Hospitality’ in Balboa Park. Balboa Park is the site of the 1935 Worlds Exposition. The 1400 acre park and its spectacular Spanish Colonial Architecture houses 14 museums, 4 theaters, and the world famous San Diego Zoo. The family can spend the whole day at the park with its many cultural and entertainment venues. And when it comes time to eat just look for the House of Hospitality and there you will find The Prado Restaurant. This fabulously appointed restaurant was named Best New Restaurant 2000 by San Diego Magazine and received the Gold Medallion Award for Best New Restaurant 2000. The cuisine is Latin Italian fusion. High on my list of dishes created by Executive Chef Jeff Thurston are the beef and chicken empanadas fried in a pastry shell with avocado-serrano chile salsa, chipolte cream, corn and black bean jicama slaw or the saffron streamed Manila clams in a garlic, tomato and herb broth. After a cool drink and appetizer in the bar you can make your way to the patio overlooking the park’s 11-acre Japanese Friendship Gardens. There you can satisfy your culinary urge with a honey-chipotle marinated rib eye steak served with caramelized onions and a blue cheese quesidilla in a toasted cumin seed bordelaise sauce. The Prado has a cooking and wine school and is a great place for weddings and special events.

ICHIBAN SUSHI
336 South 400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
(801) 532-7522
Transplanted from Park City, Ichiban Sushi is more than just sushi. The hot kitchen offers chicken teriyaki, seafood soba, and tempura. And while the Funky Charlie roll, Utah roll, and Death roll may have funny names, sushi is no laughing matter to Ichiban’s owner and sushi chef, Peggi Whiting. She holds the title of being the first Caucasian woman to have worked in Japan as a sushi chef.

by Sherril Steele-Carlin

LUCIANO’S
719 South Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89501
(775) 322-7373
6135 Lakeside Drive, Reno, NV 89509
(775) 828-0400
Yum, Luciano’s has been an Italian pacesetter in Reno for years. The Lakeside location is newer and more intimate than the downtown location, so it’s my choice for a romantic as well as delicious Italian meal. Owner and Chef Luciano Pilisi grew up in Italy so he knows his way around a pasta pot. My favorite choices at either location include the fried calamari appetizer (the only calamari I’ll eat in town), and fantastic ravioli that simply melts in your mouth. The Antipasto tray is my husband’s favorite.

by Marie Richie

THE RINGSIDE STEAKHOUSE
2165 W Burnside St.
Portland, OR 97210
(503)-223-1513
A Portland institution, the Ringside has specialized in preparing high quality steak with all the best fixings since 1944.  Even the door handle is substantial as you come out of the cool rain to find the great stone fireplace ablaze in a classic steakhouse atmosphere.  Prime rib and lobster are also on the menu as well as delicious sides such as baked corn casserole.  The wait staff is attentive and detail-oriented.  Choose from over 600 wines in their well-stocked cellar.  Step down into the attached tavern with a boxing theme and enjoy after dinner spirits and tobacco with your other diners.  Diners arriving after 10pm and ordering from the bar can take advantage of the famous $2.25 happy hour menu.

by Genevieve Wheeler
KINGDOM OF VEGETARIANS - Vegan
129 North 11th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 413-2290
Hours: (Sun-Sat) 11 am - 11 pm
Another Chinatown gem is the Kingdom of Vegetarians, a kosher vegan establishment that will thrill diners with the huge array of dishes that span its regular and dim sum menus. Let lively owner Ming usher you into a world of dizzying flavors. Mock meat versions of Chinese food favorites are available, such as sesame “chicken.”  A must-try is house specialty Jumbo Walnut Shrimp (fried “shrimp,” candied walnuts, and broccoli).

by Melody Carpenter

THE GARDEN CAFÉ - Vegetarian & Vegan
810 W. Colonial Drive
(407) 999-9799
Awarded best vegetarian restaurant in 2000 by the readers of the Orlando Weekly. This unique Chinese café uses meat substitutes such as tofu and soybean protein for the all vegetarian menu. Plus, the café has dishes that do not include eggs or dairy products for vegans. Owner/chef David Chan creates innovative dishes like sweet and sour chicken, sesame eel, crispy fried shrimp and double fried pork. Vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike can enjoy these dishes that fool the eye and the taste buds. The options are also plentiful for those who don’t like faux meat dishes, such as the appetizing stuffed tofu. If you’re a Chinese food lover, you’ve found your garden paradise.

by Regine Zamor

WILD GINGER
380 Broome Street, New York 10013
212-966-1883
Being a Vegetarian has never been this good.  Wild Ginger’s Pan-Asian Vegetarian cuisine isn’t just tasty to Herbivores; meat-eaters also dine at this innovative downtown spot consistently.  The soy protein tastes just like chicken, and you’ll be delightfully surprised at the scallion pancakes.  Drop in or order a lunch special to be delivered, and you can catch one of the best deals around.  For about 8 dollars, a miso soup, spring roll, and full meal will leave you filled for the entire day.  Each entrée comes with a pumpkin slice, brown rice, or coconut rice, laced with raisins.  Vegetarian or not, Wild Ginger is easy on the palette and your wallet.