Good To Be Back

Megan (The Runner's Kitchen)

The best meal I ever had was at Aqua Al Due in Florence, Italy. Steak with blueberry sauce, mmm!

Jessica @ How Sweet

Glad you are back! Best meal was a fabulous filet with blue cheese sauce…DROOL.

Estela @ Weekly Bite

Glad your “other half” is up and running 🙂

Tracey

Wow, thanks for another great giveaway! My best meal was one I recently had in New York City at SHO Shaun Hergatt – it was a multi-course, gourmet feast featuring lobster with quail egg, Australian hiramasa, diver scallops and a fabulous Jasmine-infused chocolate ganache dessert! So glad you’re back in action!

Jesse

I think the first fancy meal in an excellent restaurant that I ever had as a child…at the Carnelian Room atop the B of A building in SF. I had escargot, filet mignon, and banans flambe that they flambed tableside. I was about 11 and felt like a total princess-and the experience turned me into a total bonafide foodie! 🙂

Anna @ OatsnBoats

Glad your blog is back up.
Ahh Sebastopol – moving closer and closer to me… I don’t know that I have a favorite meal at a restaurant. I have favorite dishes. I had a fantastic caprese at Cucina Urbana when I last visited San Diego – they make the cheese (burrata – a cream & mozzarella mix) fresh on site and it was amazing. But then I also always adore the cachapas I get at Tucos… I think the corn ones are the best, but they them with whatever is in season at the time so they always taste fresh and delicious.

MMiller

So glad you are back up and running! I must have tried 100 times! And glad you had a productive day! Almost done girl! You can do it!

Katy ( The Balanced Foodie)

I’m not entering but so happy ELR is back up and running! Doesn’t it feel great to know how much you were missed?? Good luck with writing today!

Michelle

best meal? that’s a hard one… i’d have to say picking out a small, random restaurant in the Latin Quarter in Paris, eating cheese and chocolate fondue all night long accompanied by port. maybe it wasn’t the best food ever, but it was definitely the most memorable. now if only california wasn’t so far from france…

Allie (Live Laugh Eat)

Glad your back! I had a battle with Ecto last night and I was pretty convinced I would never be able to blog again (okay maybe an exaggeration out of pure frustration). But still. I understand the headache!

Renee

I can’t pick a favorite, but I remember really enjoying ricotta gnochi with baby carrots at Zuni, in San Francisco.

Rasa

Yay! More Restaurant Week giveaways! My best-ever meal out was in Vancouver, BC, about 10 years ago. It was a little basement restaurant serving Northwest cuisine; it felt like we were eating a celebration meal in a cozy long-house. I was there with 8 of my college girlfriends, on our first annual reunion (we’ve gotten together every year since then, too!), so it was as much about the company and the ambience as it was about the food. The food was fresh, local, innovative and interesting, and fantastic. We finished the meal with local icewine. I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant. A quick look on yelp didn’t reveal it. Maybe it’s not there anymore…. That would be sad.

Debbie

I had a bloomin’ fit when I couldn’t find you yesterday! I tried and tried and worried and scurried trying everything in my power to reach your blog. The only thing short of calling 911. I did think in the event I continued having troubles…I thought I would knock down Kath’s (KERF) door to find out what the heck happened to you. Sorry I don’t comment much but boy I sure don’t miss a beat with you…

P.S. We (My Hubby and I) moved to CA from NY a few months ago. We’re down in San Diego and so in love out here. My desire is to meet you some day, perhaps even get your signature on that book you’re writing.

Thinking about you and so happy to have you back. Have a blessed day! Debbie

Kristin

Best meal ever was at Daniel in NYC. I nearly cried when it was over because it was so amazing- service was impeccable and the food was indescribably good. Each bite made me weak in the knees.

rebecca

my favorite meals have always been home cooked and enjoyed with family, friends and laughter…nothing else really stands to compare…but if i had to choose, my most recently favorite meal, it was the crusted snapper at Emeril’s Table 10 in Las Vegas.

Ellie

So good to see ELR back… it’s become as necessary to my mornings as my porridge with almond butter!

Thank you for your hard work!

Ellie in chilly Edinburgh x

Felicia

Best meal would have to be from a Thai restaurant in Silver Lake where the highlight of my large meal (the waiters brought so many dishes out for us to try!) was faux orange chicken. Sooo yummy.

kathleen

this is so simple and boring — but a sirloin burger with grilled onions + goat cheese, and sweet potato fries!! don’t mess with a good thing 🙂

Jenna

I’m so glad you are back. I read your blog daily and it’s saved in my browser toolbar. I clicked on it yesterday and it said “website not found”. I was in a straight up panic thinking “OH NO WHERE’S JENNA?!” Anyways, the best meal I’ve eaten out was at this little vegetarian restaurant in Pennsylvania called The Blue Sage Vegetarian Grille. I got a wrap called El Fino. It was a spinach wrap encased with grilled pears, maple pecans, gorgonzola cheese, grilled onions, baby greens & dairy free carmelized onion mayo. It was also served with spring mix in pear-walnut vinaigrette, oranges, roasted baby yellow beets & sundried cranberries. Seriously, it was like putting heaven into my mouth. Have a fabulous time in Tahoe!

(P.S. I’m a Jenna too! haha)

Kelly @ Healthy Passion

I think the best meal I ever had was seabass baked in a banana leaf and topped with zucchini and sun dried tomatoes! Want it again now!! 🙂

Chloe

Hi Jenna! Long time reader – first time commenter!

My favorite restaurant meal was on Valentines day this year. Me and my new sweetie had sushi at Pink Godzilla, an amazing place in Santa Cruz. I heart Sebastopol as well, kinda reminds me of Santa Cruz 🙂

Cheers!

Heather (Heather's Dish)

again, i so wish i was even CLOSE to the area so i could win! sad face —> 🙁

that sub looks so good though! i love the hot peppers and banana peppers…yum!

Jen

Welcome back! We missed you here. I still need to try those overnight oats…

legalstyle

San Francisco girl here! Favorite meal was at French Laundry in Yountville – pumpkin raviolis were the dish that stick out in my mind, but oh lord it was so good. (Better since it came after my first marathon!)

Lindsay

theEpicurean Pig

Sorry for the long winded comment, bu this dining experience deserves a story- The long and short answer is Crush in Seattle. Hands down best dining experience. Want to know why, see below. And great blog by the way. Found it via Twitter.

After a week long cruise to Alaska, stuffing myself with mediocre cruise food and watery drinks I was looking forward to spending my last night in Seattle at Crush. Having spent hours reading reviews on various Seattle restaurants, we decided on Crush (it was also one of the few restaurants open on Sunday, July 5th).

We arrived at what appeared to be an unassuming house. Upon entering, we were wowed by the minimalistic white interior and a beautiful bar that overlooks an open kitchen. It was a clear Seattle night, so we opted to sit outside on their patio. After perusing the menu, we decided to put ourselves in the capable hands of the kitchen staff. They had a 4 course tasting menu that we went for. And since I’m not a sweet person, I was able to sub my dessert for another savory dish (the servers were great all night).

We both started with a signature cocktail. I had a cucumber vodka concoction and the missus had a strawberry brandy something or other (it’s been a while so I don’t remember the drink details). Both were refreshing and there was an element of finesse to them.

A small bowl of “bread” started the food avalanche. It was actually more like an amuse bouche of cheese puff pastry. Incredibly light and tasty. Then a spoonful of tartare topped with caviar and foam was brought out. At this point, I knew that if this continued we were in for a good night.

What followed was plate after plate of O face inducing food-

1st courses- Japanese Hamachi Crudo Spiced Asian Pear- fresh, clean tasting fish, Ginger & Carrot; Asparagus Soup with Jumbo Crab- very nice soup with a pile of beautiful crab.

2nd courses- Maine Lobster Gnocchi Lobster Coral Butter, Tahitian Vanilla & Tangerine- buttery, soft pillows of potatoes, the flavor combination’s for the sauce was also interesting; Grilled Calamari on a Bed of Chorizo and Onion- amazing! Sous vide calamari that was quickly seared. Incredibly tender. And the spicy chorizo and onions was the perfect condiment. The herbaceous green sauce that everything was sitting on rounded out the dish.

3rd courses- Handcut Tagliatelle Pasta & Caviar Sauce Sea Urchin Roe & Quail Egg- one of my favorite dishes that night. Sea urchin, a runny quail egg and caviar… seriously?! I’m so glad I replaced dessert with this dish. Amazing ocean flavor from the sea urchin, then a textural pop from the caviar and that silky yoke from the egg. This might be the perfect pasta dish. Very inspiring.; Sea Scallop on Caramelized Onion Risotto- nicely seared scallop, although slightly to brown on top and a little overcooked. Risotto was nice.

4th course- Glazed Painted Hills Short Rib Potato Gratin, White Corn Grits & Truffle Pistou- I had to continually whack my wife’s fork away from my plate… like a pesky fly, she couldn’t get enough of these short ribs and rightfully so. Fork tender, sous vide for 24 hours and painted with a dark, rich glaze and dotted with truffle oil… Simple, yet perfect. ; Wild Sockeye with English Peas- nicely cooked and I loved that they kept the skin on. A very light dish in contrast to the short ribs. And it’s like a movie opening the same weekend as Titanic… it was hard to pay attention to the fish with those short ribs sitting next to them.

Dessert- Strawberry Tiramasu (I think… I was in a certifiable food coma at this point). I remember the bite I had being pretty good… for a dessert.

The night ended on a perfect note with us sitting inside at the bar, sipping another amazing cocktail, from the incredibly friendly and knowledgeable bartender, and watching the chefs diligently performing their craft. I wish we had another day in Seattle, if for nothing else, to simply eat here again.

That dinner at Crush embodies everything that a good dining experience should be. Perfect, friendly service that is neither pretentious nor pushy. Beautiful ambiance in a setting that closely mimics the food. And a kitchen staff that knows how to deliver course after course of memorable, simple, yet delicious food. Having lived in “Wine Country” my whole life, I’ve ate at some impressive restaurants , but the culmination of the food, service and setting at Crush eclipse them all. One of the best meals of my life.

And knowing that I can hop on a Horizon flight out of Santa Rosa and be sitting on that beautiful patio in a matter of 90 minutes… An awfully tempting proposition. And a trip well worth it. Check out the video below for some pics.

woman&warrior

eggplant inari at millenium in sf! hands down. its actually my best bite ever.

welcome back, you were missed!

Caitlin

Best meal ever was in Vienna, at this restaurant that had Mozart’s signature on the wall. It was a fish and lentil dish 🙂

Daniel

Welcome back! I’m glad you were able to resolve everything!

That egg + risotto looks very good, another idea for me to try down the road!

Cynthia (It All Changes)

I love when yoga can help me just take away all the stress. And I’m glad the blog is back up.

Erin (Travel, Eat, Repeat)

I don’t want to be in the contest (traveling through Australia at the moment) but my best meal was at a pub in the middle of nowhere, Ireland. It was a beef and Guinness stew and just the freshest ingredients, amazing vegetables, delicious mashed potatoes. Oh myyyy… I would stop being a vegetarian JUST to eat that meal again. 😀

Monica @ Musings of the Granola Girl

My favorite meal at a restaurant would have to be this little restaurant in a village in Austria. It was a small village we drove through and we stopped for lunch and ordered a couple things off the menu (we didn’t speak any German so we saw “Kiev” and thought that was probably a winner!) and it was AMAZING. It took forever to cook so you know it was fresh and delicious, and I’m assuming fresh, local produce was used as well. 🙂

eatmovelove

Hey girl , I asked you a question about your book in your previous post…but you probably don’t have time to answer anyways!! Oh well 😉
Anyhow, just wondering if you prefer writing “out” of your home – like at the coffe shop/library more? and was wondering how long it took you to get a book deal?
not THAT i even am anything near that…or even know what i’d write about or if it’s even for me…but just wondering – cause everyone seems to just shoot it down…

Elaine

best meal i EVER had was at church and state in downtown LA. three words: roasted bone marrow. sent me straight to foodie heaven!

VeggieGirl

Best meal I’ve ever had at a restaurant = one that I had 4 NIGHTS IN A ROW (!!!) in NYC. Raw asparagus sushi + sea vegetable salad + mint sundae = all at Pure Food and Wine. 4 nights in a row. Excellent company to enjoy it with. Could not have asked for better meal components or company.

MaryC

Hi Jenna- love your blog! Long time reader, first time commenter. Best meal was in Kuala Lumpur on a trip with some b-school classmates. Our professor took us through a seafood shop where you picked your treats right out of the tanks. He found some surprises, and we had a 15-course meal of strange, exotic seafoods…but also including lobster sashimi and a vat of red chili crab. Would never had done that on my own, but so exciting and memorable.

Ali

Favorite meal: vegetarian burrito from Tres Amigos in Half Moon Bay. You should try it! It’s not far from SF, and it’s a beautiful town. (where I’m from!)

Katherine

The best meal I ever had was at a restaurant called La Giostra in Florence, Italy!

CaitlinRose

best meal was a 9 course at “the Dining Room at the Ritz” . . . I know it’s not ethical to say this but the foie gras on brioche was. in.sane.

Megan

My favorite meal at a restaurant had to be the Blackened Mahi Mahi w/ the shrimp appetizer at a restaurant in the French Quarter. The place is called The Aspen and it was awesome. For most of my life I have despised seafood. This meal turned me into a seafood lover.

Katrina

You have BlueHost??? I’ve been on the phone/email with them since about 8pm LAST NIGHT. Something went wrong with my Windows Live Writer and their recent update and my blog was a big ol’ mess. I JUST got it all fixed an hour ago, but it was through a custom-written plug-in script–not Bluehost. I found other people who had the same problem and traced their solution back to someone who wrote a wordpress plug-in. That original one wouldn’t work, but he was nice enough to adjust it for me. I know more about servers and PHP and XML than I ever planned to know about.
Glad you’re back! I saw some comments over at KERF asking about you. You were missed!
Have a great Friday!

Stef

the best meal i ever had was not technically in a restaurant, it was on a boat in vietnam! the chef caught all the fish while we snorkeled alongside the boat in the gorgeous water and swam in the limestone caves. the boat was flat on the top so we had plenty of room for sitting, and the spread was AWESOME. every fresh tropical fruit you can imagine: mangoes, longans, coconuts, yellow watermelon, perfectly grilled flaky fish with caramelized onions on greens, with steamed rice. so simple and so perfect!

Lindsay

No disqualifying me for not directly answering the question, but one of the most interesting meals ever was the Outstanding in the Field dinner at Foodbuzz Festival in November. The cuisine was superb and the location was amazing. A produce warehouse? Awesome. This dinner definitely inspired to be more conscious of where my food comes from. And I prefer to err on the side of closer to home these days!

Diana

My best meal ever was the time I found the most incredible ahi tuna I’d ever eaten at a adorable peruvian restaurant on Valentine’s day this year! We waited a long time for our table, so I was starving when the dish arrived…and it was amazing, perfectly seared and rare inside. Nom nom!

Katie

This is the hardest question. One of the best meals I’ve had out was thanksgiving dinner at a nice restaurant in vegas. Especially memorable was the salted caramel ice cream and brownie desert.

Christina

ohh gosh so hard! recently the famous zuni chicken and bread salad – yumm!

Restaurant Capitola

Makin me hungry!