Mexican @ Don Pico's Mexican Bistro, San Bruno (California)

This was the very last meal we had on our trip to California last year. We had spent the previous 11 days on a road trip from LA to San Bruno, our final stop for one night before our flight back home out of the nearby San Francisco International Airport. Highlights of the trip (for me) were LA's beaches (in fact all along the Californian coastline was beautiful, from Santa Barbara to Monterey Bay), my friend's wedding (our first beach wedding), and the breathtakingly beautiful Yosemite. For the boy, the highlight of the trip was seeing an actual space shuttle, and baby girl loved the farm animals at Avila Valley Barn. I have no idea what my husband enjoyed the most on the trip - most likely the food! We'd driven a long way from Yosemite to our accommodation at San Bruno, and we were hungry for dinner. Having just returned our rental car and with two kids in tow, we chose the easiest and closest restaurant to our hotel: Don Pico's Mexican Bistro that was right next door. I think we got lucky with this one, because we had a good experience at Don Pico's. The service was pleasant, the atmosphere was family-friendly, and the food was delicious.

The semi-open kitchen near the entryway:

Housemade Fresh Sangria (US$6.50) - refreshing with just the right amount of boozy kick:

Complimentary corn chips with salsa:

Ensalada Don Pico (US$10.95) with organic spring mix, mango, avocado, candied walnuts, pomegranate seeds, jicama, organic flowers and cilantro-based vinaigrette. This was yummy - sweet, crunchy, creamy, juicy, crispy and tart:

We shared a three-items-combination set from the Traditional Favorites menu (US$16.95), served with rice and beans along with our choice of shredded beef, ground beef, chicken or cheese in our selections. I cannot remember what we chose for the fillings for our enchilada, tamale and burrito, but I do remember they were all tasty and very filling:

As usual, hubby could not resist dessert, and ordered the Alfajores (US$4.95 for three caramel-filled, flaky cookies). These were lovely, and very sweet, so one was enough for me:

What a nice meal to end a wonderful trip!

[Prices quoted above do not include tax or tips.]

Don Pico's Mexican Bistro
461 El Camino Real
San Bruno, CA 94066
United States
Tel. +1 650-589-1163

Simple American classics @ Savoury's Restaurant, Mariposa (California)

After an amazing day at the awe-inspiring Yosemite, we headed back to the town we were staying at, and arrived in Mariposa in time for dinner. Our Airbnb hosts had given us a few dining recommendations in town, and although Savoury's wasn't the first place we tried (the first restaurant we arrived at was closed on Mondays!), it turned out to be a very good choice. We were warmly greeted upon arrival, and we were grateful for the warmth and comfort of the restaurant. The kids were given some toys and crayons, which entertained the 6-year-old for much longer than they did for the 1-year-old. Service was warm and friendly, and staff were patient with our kids, particularly the 1-year-old who had a penchant for throwing everything within reach (including said toys and crayons) onto the floor. The menu had a good range of appetisers, meats, seafood, poultry, pastas and salads that were reasonably priced. Portions were generous, the style was rustic and homely, and we all enjoyed the food.

Cosy and warm atmosphere:

Warm and crusty bread:

All the dinners were served with soup or salad. Soup that night was a tomato soup:

Salad:

The Chicken Strips from the kid's menu was homemade with actual chicken breast fillets, and quite delicious:

Lamb Shank braised with Casto Oaks Cabernet with creamy polenta:

Oven-roasted Duck Breast with cranberry chutney:

As usual, hubby couldn't go without dessert, and this chocolate tart was delicious:

Savoury's Restaurant
5034 CA-140
Mariposa, CA 95338
United States
Tel. +1 209 966 7677

The grand Yosemite

Now that the winter school holiday is over, I can finally get back to regular blogging. Last April, we took an amazing road trip up the beautiful Californian coast from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Along the way, we stopped in Santa Barbara, San Simeon, Monterey and finally Yosemite as the grand finale of the trip. We stayed in Mariposa for two nights, which is about an hour's drive to Yosemite. Honestly, no words can fully describe just how beautiful Yosemite is, with its majestic tall trees, cascading water falls, and the serenity of everything. One day in Yosemite and we barely scratched the surface of the Yosemite experience. I would love more opportunities to go back there.

On the 140 to Yosemite:

The scenery got better and better as we approached Yosemite:

A short stop at the Swinging Bridge:

The ever-curious baby girl checking out what was under the bridge:

Facing south-west from the Swinging Bridge (click image for a larger view):

The view of Yosemite Falls north of the Swinging Bridge (click image for a larger view):

Close-up view of Yosemite Falls as seen from the Swinging Bridge:

The wooden Swinging Bridge, which doesn't actually swing. I read somewhere that the bridge is named so because it spans both sides of the river:

We hired bicycles to do a self-guided tour of the Yosemite Valley - the best way to get around and experience nature at the same time:

Tall, tall trees:

Another angle of the Yosemite Falls we'd seen earlier:

We went to the Ahwahnee Hotel for a children's program, held in the Great Lounge. While the kids were entertained for 45 minutes by a geologist, I took the opportunity to take photos:

Leaving the Ahwahnee Hotel:

Back on our bikes, we encountered some wildlife, a couple of mule deer, also known as black-tailed deer:

On our way out of the Valley on the Hwy 140, we followed directions to the Bridalveil Fall, parked the car in the parking area, and took a short walk to the waterfall. The Ahwahneechee tribe believed that inhaling the mist of Bridalveil Fall would improve one's chances of marriage:

The famed Tunnel View, which gives a panoramic view of the Yosemite Valley and all its icons: El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall and Half Dome (click on image for a larger view):

Closer-up shot of the three icons:

Great chowder and seafood @ Crabby Jim's Seafood Restaurant, Monterey (California, USA)

Things are really busy for me, so it's been a bit quiet here on my blog. We celebrated baby girl's 2nd birthday last weekend (not a baby anymore!), and now preparing for my parents' arrival in Hong Kong. I have a lot of blogging material piling up, and I honestly cannot believe that I am still writing up about our California trip we did earlier in the year. We had lunch at Crabby Jim's in Monterey's Old Fisherman's Wharf after our scenic drive through the 17-Mile Drive. We tried several sample chowder being offered outside the seafood restaurants, and we liked Crabby Jim's the best, so that made it an easy decision for lunch. The food was fantastic, but the most memorable part of our meal was the great service we received from our lovely waitress, Priya. In fact, service on the whole was really good at this restaurant.

The dining room had a central fireplace feature:

Table with a view:

Delicious basket of crusty bread:

Fish & Chips for the kids (US$7.99) - breaded California cod, deep-fried and served with french fries with tartar sauce:

Hubby's Coconut Crusted Halibut (US$25.99), topped with lemon butter and tropical mango citrus sauce, served with potatoes and vegetables. The Asian-inspired sauce was delicious with the fish, and the potato gratin was yummy:

I got the Chowder Sourdough Bowl (US$12.99), which was lip-smackingly good. Better than the one we had the day before near the Aquarium:

Mexican Fried Ice Cream (US$7.50) - very rich, and lots of cream on the side. We had trouble finishing it:

Crabby Jim's is a good family-friendly option in the Old Fisherman's Wharf. Very good service, delicious food, and all at a good price. Thumbs up from us!

[Prices quoted above do not include tax or tips.]

Crabby Jim's
25 Fishermans Wharf
Monterey, CA 93940
United States
Tel. +1 831-372-2064

The Beauty of Monterey Bay Part II: 17-Mile Drive, Fisherman's Wharf, and a beach wedding

My second installment of the beautiful Monterey Bay brings you more photos of gorgeous scenery, brilliant blue skies and the amazing Californian coastline. Travelling to California made me miss our hometown of Perth, which has similar clear weather, great surf and the best sandy beaches (and I've been to a few beaches around the world). We began our second day in Monterey with a scenic drive through the 17-Mile Drive. We stopped often along the way for photos of the breathtaking scenery, and the kids were delighted to encounter ground squirrels at one of the stops towards the end of the drive.

The view from the car at the start of the 17-Mile Drive:

Click on the following three images for larger panoramic view:

Ground squirrels! They were quite tame, coming up quite close to us humans (no doubt hoping for food):

The aptly named Seal Rock, dotted with hundreds of seals sunning themselves:

The Lone Cypress:

After the 17-Mile Drive, we headed to Fisherman's Wharf for lunch, and we encountered the Old Fisherman's Grotto's controversial child policy sign outside the restaurant - made it easy for us to tick that restaurant off our list for our lunch options!

Hubby and the kids posing for the photo somewhere in there:

The Old Fisherman's Grotto is not somewhere to dine with kids:

The following day was our final day in the Monterey Bay area, and we attended our first beach wedding! Lovely weather to match the wonderful wedding service.

Beautiful beach wedding at Carmel-by-the-Sea: