777 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA, 94965 Phone: 415.332.7771

Worth visiting in a 15 mile radius.

Across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, Sausalito is a pretty town in the Bay area. It is home to Poggio Trattoria, a classy Italian restaurant right by the water. If you are seated by the street, you can look out over the yachts and the bay.

We came between lunch and dinner, and we were one of the only parties. The waiters, waitresses, and cooks were seated at a nearby table. They were sharing a meal and enjoying each other’s company, creating a homey atmosphere.

The fresh pesca (a salad made with goat cheese, peaches, arugula, pecans, and onions) was a great appetizer, especially the peach and arugula, although the pecans did not go well with the other ingredients. The margherita pizza was enhanced by fresh basil garnishes and rich mozzarella. The carpaccio (tuna with cucumber, olives, radish, fresh horseradish, and mache) looked fancy, but I was disappointed, as the tuna didn’t have much flavor.

My favorite dish was the ribeye with garlic mashed potatoes. I love steak and was excited to try this dish after enjoying the other dishes here. The steak was cooked well and the marinade was savory, but it was the garlic mashed potatoes that made my mouth water. They were so smooth, my tongue didn’t detect a single bump the whole time I was inhaling the potatoes. The garlic and potatoes made a dynamic duo.

The service here was friendly. The prices are reasonable, considering this is an upscale restaurant in touristy Sausalito.

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4348 California St, San Francisco, CA 94118 (415) 386-3895

Worth visiting in an 8 mile radius.

We visited Mandalay, located in the Inner Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco, with a friend whose parents are from Burma. She wanted to introduce us to Burmese cuisine, which is still new to most Americans.

We ordered tea leaf salad (lap pat dok), the most interesting dish I’ve reviewed yet. It is a mixture of tea leaves, lentil seeds, peanuts, jalapeño, garlic, sesame seeds, and dressing. It arrives on a plate with each ingredient arranged separately. It is then tossed, and, to the American who has never eaten Burmese, looks unusual. This dish has many different flavors and textures: crunchy, smooth, and savory all at the same time. It is nothing like any food I’d ever tasted before. If you come to Mandalay, tea leaf salad will give you a new experience.

The curry lamb was good but it tasted like something you could get at a typical Indian restaurant. Although the mango and the chicken of the mango chicken were delicious, when combined they didn’t complement each other well. The flavor of the mango was brought out better in the mango curry soup, which is rich and creamy.

If you like Indian and Chinese cuisines, but want something off the beaten path, Mandalay will give you a familiar experience with a twist that I think you will enjoy.