Millcross Coffee Bar and Kitchen

Moving about 2 miles away from my previous residence, I know that I always have the option of going back to my old standby places, but finding new places has become a fun research project, and Millcross has become my go to coffee bar and a regular stop for breakfast and lunch. I've become such a regular that I know several of them by name and visa versa (Baevin, Diego, Beatrice). If they stayed open later and served wine, I would probably move in :)

My first taste of their oat milk flat white was so robustly smooth, perfectly proportioned, precisely foamed, and beautifully decorated, that I sighed with relief and delight in having found such a great coffee bar only a mile away from home :)

As much as I love a flat white, I also love shakshuka, so when I saw it on the menu, it was an obvious choice. I am happy to report it was one of the best I've ever eaten, with moderately spiced tomato sauce and medium cooked poached eggs, served with fantastic bread and a generous serving of arugula that wilted gently into the hot tomato sauce.

Their salmon toast had a slight kick to it and was so big I only ate half and took the other half home!

I chose the cheesy egg sandwich once I realized my appetite was smaller than their portions, and I found this to be the perfect portion on days I'm not feeling ravenous.

Another day an onion bagel with chive cream cheese was enough to fill me up for breakfast.

Their chicken salad had lots of chicken and avocado, making this a meal if you want something light but filling.

Their Lil Skipper tuna salad with lemon vinaigrette is one of my favorite tuna salads with a perfect balance of tartness, crunch, and flavor to sustain me all afternoon.

On a morning when I was too hungry to think straight, I ordered La Bomba, with 2 eggs, chicken, avocado, bacon, and a beautiful brioche bun that I barely finished!

Their tuna melt is one of my go to favorites for either breakfast or lunch. I also tried their Tuna salad to go, but I ate it before I remembered to take a pic :(

If you want something unique and delicious, go for the chicken mole burrito (it also comes as tacos and they also have a chicken verde burrito if you prefer). 

They have a selection of sweet treats after your meal like nutella or plain canelés so they should hold you until you get back for another visit:)

Harris Ranch

I have lost count of how many times I have driven from LA to SF or SF to LA on Interstate 5, but this was the first time I have ever stopped at Harris Ranch. I only heard about it the week before I left because I was talking to a pescatarian friend about my drive saying that I needed to stop en route to give my body a break from the drive. She said when she used to eat meat, she always stopped at Harris Ranch, and so I made it my midway pitstop both on my way to SF and on my way back to LA, so these photos and food are from both trips (no I did not eat all these things in one trip!).

It seems that everyone I know knows about this place and has eaten here except me! I am so glad I refueled here! Everything from the fake animal heads to the gas fireplace is like a Disneyland Western stage set!

Their portions are huge, which I learned as I ordered the "small caesar" salad.

Their asparagus appetizer could be a meal in and of itself, but I didn't enjoy the breading so I ate these as my vegetable.

Their calamari appetizer could have been a meal in and of itself as well...

The main attraction though was their steak, and their signature steak is the whiskey salt and brown sugar rubbed Prime Ribeye for $54 with all the sides you see. This was a half of the 14 oz steak! Most tables had doggie bags! The meat was very tasty and the rub was a nice balance of salt and sugar. Rare was more of a medium rare, but a good sear made up for that!

Getting back on the road meant an espresso was in order and I'm happy to report that theirs had a very nice crema and flavor.

San Francisco Sights and Flavors

Coming back as a tourist to San Francisco after more than two decades gave meaning to the adage that no matter how things change they remain the same...the Bay Bridge and the Transamerica building are still iconic monuments although crossing the Bay Bridge now is completely automated with either a fastrak pass/tag or they send a bill to the registered owner...I didn't want to face a $25 late fee penalty so I paid it online through their website with the details of my crossing.

I had plenty of new restaurants to try, and first on my list was a recommendation from a friend who had just been to Sotto Mare and told me it was the best crab cioppino she had ever eaten in her life :) I was very happy that they checked Covid vaccination proof and ID before allowing anyone to eat inside the restaurant. The ones unable to show proof either walked away or ate outside (in SF that means a chilly table even with heat lamps).

I started off with a house salad for $6.50 that looked very simple, but the classic dressing and ripe tomatoes made this a fresh way to start off your feast.

Yes, the crab cioppino lived up to its reputation as the best, for $49.95, it was a cauldron of crab, shrimp, mussels, clams, calamari, and scallops on a bed of penne that could easily be 2 meals if you ate the penne (I did not).

The next day after my appointment at Pier 17, I walked to the Ferry Building Marketplace and got my Blue Bottle oat milk cappucino before exploring all the shops. I ended up at Boulette's Larder at the end of the building facing the Bay Bridge for their fantastic views and food, like their Fattoush salad and one of the best pizzas I've eaten in years!

I made reservations at Monsieur Benjamin in Hayes Valley after doing some research on Yelp, and it was as wonderful! I also told several people at Hotel Nikko where I was going for dinner and they all said it was great, so it seems to be a universal consensus that this was a great French restaurant in San Francisco! 

Seeing steak tartare on the menu was enough to sell me, but the home made potato chips and the tarragon dressed butter lettuce salad were all as simply French as the main courses. 

I chose the flounder stuffed with spinach and it could not have been more delicate and perfectly cooked. If anyone you know says they don't like fish, have them taste this flounder dish and see if they have changed their mind!

A great ending to a short trip, was an after dinner drink at the Anzu bar in the Hotel Nikko, with the professional and personable bartender John, before taking the elevator upstairs to sleep :)

 

Hotel Nikko San Francisco

It's been nearly 2 years since I've traveled, and probably nearly 20 years since I have been to San Francisco. Going back to a town where I used to live, but as a tourist, is fun! I had a similar experience when I went to NYC as a tourist, everything had a familiar but new twist (like Times Square, the once seedy bad part of town, but now thriving as a tourist mecca). The Tenderloin is still seedy but with more of a depressed homeless population now than a drug addled criminal element.

Hotel Nikko (and all the restaurants I went to during the entire visit) asked for Covid-19 Vaccination proof and ID to use any of their spaces, including their pool, spa, work out facility, bar, and restaurant. It was comforting to see the adherence to rules which gave the health and safety of all guests the highest priority. Every elevator, door, and escalator had touchless hand sanitizer dispensers that worked, and the room had been sanitized completely between guests. 

The front desk clerk, Michael, saw that I had made the reservation directly with the hotel and offered an upgrade to a King Room with a view :) 

The indoor pool was inviting and heated, as were the sauna and steam rooms, but I did not indulge this trip after the exhausting 6 hour drive, all that I was looking forward to was a shower, food, and sleep :)

Hotel Nikko is very dog friendly, with a dog run, and a dog ambassador named Buster. I followed Popeye on his Instagram trip here, and would have loved to have met a dog celebrity on my trip, but alas no luck this time....

Nice large spacious bathroom with easy step in shower and plenty of towels was a pleasant touch. They offer daily maid service but if you want it, you must call them to request it. Since I was only staying 2 nights it was easy to forgo the service with all the extra towels.

Very comfy robe and slippers tempted me to take them home ;)

Nice clock radio with 2 USB ports and an outlet on the other side of the bed with USB ports, made it easy to recharge electronics. The tablet allows you to use the premium wifi (included with room amenity fee) more easily, and the old fashioned paper and bound editions of menus, services, etc are all accessible on the tablet. The booklet gift from Buster is a collection of quotes that apply to humans and all living creatures:)

Night time room view was spectacular!

Since I had an early morning meeting, I got in room breakfast service, which was pricey but nice. My only disappointment was with the cappuccino which was easily remedied with a visit to a nearby Blue Bottle :)