Little Napoli - Carmel, CA

While in San Juan Bautista over Christmas I got to spend a night out with James and Kate in Carmel. We kicked off our evening at the Caraccioli Cellars Tasting Room. Kate and I enjoyed a glass of their award winning Brut Rose. It was lovely, blend of not too sweet and not too dry. It was the perfect start to our meal to come!

Little Napoli is an Italian restaurant located in the heart of Downtown Carmel. James and kate like coming here so they wanted me to experience their little spot. We had late reservations but I was amazed at how packed the place was. I love a restaurant that serves late into the night. It was a quaint space, the lights were low and I felt like I was transported to somewhere in Italy.

When I saw that they had an appetizer special of Truffle Gnocchi I knew instantly that is what I wanted to start our meal off with. I ordered up the baked pillowy clouds of awesome intending to share but found myself pretty much polishing off the dish on my own. It would make an excellent entree order! 

Hey guess what y'all?! I didn't order seafood for dinner! This has got to be a first in a long, long time. I saw the New Zealand Lamb Shank "Osso Buco"on the menu and decided that sounded great. My lamb shank was very tasty, totally tender and the perfect amount of food for me. It came with mashed potatoes and they were a tasty compliment to the rich sauce made from the braised lamb and vegetables.

Kate did something every little foodie loves... She ordered off a secret menu! She almost spoke in code with our waitress! So cool. Kate wanted: roasted chicken, no skin, with special pink sauce and potatoes. It was amazing. The potatoes that usually come with the dish are oven roasted however they did not have them on hand that day so mashed potatoes were substituted and they just kind of disintegrated into the sauce. I think pasta might have been a better substitution because that sauce was so good.

 James ordered up the Chicken Parmigiana and it was jam packed with food. The "gravy" that the fried chicken was topped with was very good. The right amount of tang to sweet ratio. A healthy blanket of mozzarella was broiled on top. I switched plates with James at the tail end of our meals so I could sample his meal, and he could try mine. Bites of the chicken entree and tender house made pasta were delightful.

At this point we were almost uncomfortably full so we declined on dessert. Little Napoli was a great place for our little night out on the town. I enjoyed the ambiance, food and most of all the time i got to spend with my brother and Kate!

Azu - Ojai, CA

Last week Dana and I went into Azu just for a little late lunch and sampling of the Ojai Alisal Wines. When I heard about the Upper Ojai based winery I became a little sentimental because that is where I come home. We both sampled the Viognier and it was served cool and frosty in a large beautiful glass. It was a total winner and is the type of wine that could be eaten with all sorts of food.

We decided to order a bunch of tapas so we could share and have a little bit of each. Dana went for a nice salad and the honey baked brie with candied walnuts. I order the gambas (shrimp) and bacon wrapped dates. They all were delicious but that brie was just unreal. We finished our lunch and left totally satisfied with everything we had that day.

What great day for Ladies Who Lunch!

La Cosecha - Paso Robles, CA

Sorry bloggers! I have not been trying to ignore you but I have been busy doing the cowgirl thing at the PCCHA Futurity. It seems like my days go by fast, fast and then I go to sleep just to do it all again! I was lucky enough to have my three year old, Metallic Tears make the Open Intermediate Finals and Open Gelding Stakes with Russ Elrod so my mom and I had to go to lunch to celebrate!

 My mom is cute! She seriously is the #1 fan of cutting horses! Especially my horses! 

La Cosecha is located in the downtown square area of Paso Robles and hosts an outdoor and indoor dining area. Their food features mostly Latin cuisine and in tapas sized options.

 We  both were excited enough to want to cheers with an adult beverage so I ordered Tolosa Chardonnay and she went for one of La Cosecha's featured Bloody Mary's.

I went for the White Fish Special and asked to be served mashed potatoes served with it. The fish was cooked perfectly and the mashed potatoes were stunningly delicious. They should be able to be ordered by the bowl. The white wine, heirloom tomato and caper sauce that the fish was topped with was terrific as well.

The braised and grilled pork ribs caught my eye and I was glad to get in a bite off my mom's plate. They were totally fall off the bone tender, in fact it was a dish to be eaten delicately with a fork. It was featured saying it was to come with black beans but it was served with rice only much to my mom's delight!

My horse ended up doing great in the finals winning about $8000! I was so proud everytime he walked down to the herd for his performance! We have been having such a good show!

It is now my turn to deliver, I have made the finals on my horse, Hip Hip Roo Rey (Scotty) in the Non-Pro Classic Challenge and in the Non-Pro Futurity and Gelding Stakes on Metallic Tears (Elvis). I am so blessed and couldn't be more thankful to my family for being so supportive! my husband for coaching me through everything... and all my helpers! It takes a village!!

Ca'Marco Ristorante - Ojai, CA

Cowboy Ron was in town y'all! 

I love when Ron comes to town to visit because he likes to explore restaurants just as much as I do! We had never been to the re-opening of the Ca'Marco Ristorante located across the Soule Park Golf Course so we decided to give it a try. I especially loved the bread that came out with the oil and balsamic, it was kind of toasted and crispy on the ends. Yum! Give me texture!

Scott and Ron both ordered Caesar Salads and when this came we all kind of chuckled. It was a loose interpretation of a Caesar Salad but it tasted good and I guess that is all that truly mattered. The dressing was a version of Italian and the tomato was out of place but you know we are not that pickly to throw a stink. It just was cute.

I ordered a very special Risotto and it initially came out looking like a salad but I mixed that arugula right up and it was blended into each bite in no time at all. I picked my meal of the list of featured dishes for the evening and it was listed as to boost shrimp, garlic, tomatoes and arugula.It did featured all those things and then some! The meal was lovely and the house glass of Cabernet Sauvignon that I enjoyed with it was just as perfect.

Scott's meal of baked ziti, artichoke hearts, mushroom and Parmesan sounded lovely to him as he ordered it but he was less than thrilled with what was placed in front of him. He ate a fair portion and took the rest home. I have to admit I had it for breakfast the next day and I thought it was tasty. My one critique was that the pasta could have been cooked a bit longer. Just a tad al dente for me.

Cowboy Ron ordered the Lasgana and gave it a solid B+. I feel like that should be winning! He thought the cheese:noodle:sauce ratio was off but all in all a darn good meal. I really thought the oven pans that the meals were served in were cute. Bonus points for cute always help!

All in all, I was very impressed with the restaurant. It has had its ups and downs in the past but it seems like they are on their game now. It is a tricky location because the lack of parking in the front, but have no fear, just park in the back! I will return for sure.

Blue Stove - Thousand Oaks, CA

What is better than finding a really classy Christmas Outfit at Nordstrom's half off? Well... Not much but the lunch I had at their in house restaurant, Blue Stove comes in a close second! Read on...

I have had a Nordstrom's Gift Card burning a hole in my pocket (Thank you Kate Good Taste) for quite sometime now and after scrolling online for something that caught my eye I just never used it. I decided maybe a trip to the actual store might do the trick and it worked! After my successful trip I was starting to get a little hungry. A glass of Chenin Blanc perked me up and I was ready to make a lunch decision. 

 They must of knew I was coming... A perfectly sized portion of scallop to risotto was waiting patiently for me on the menu. The Lemon Scented Risotto was lovely, as was the jumbo scallop that was nicely split three ways. I must say this deal of a meal was only $12. In fact nothing on their menu is over $13. I know the portions are smaller and meant for sharing but for me, they were just my size.

Do I love Nordstrom's? Of course. Do I love Blue Stove even more? Absolutely! I will be a repeat guest for sure!

Pierre Lafond Wine Bistro - Santa Barbara, CA

Today was a really beautiful day in Santa Barbara, almost to the point of being too warm. Dana and I tried to shop but felt that the heat was really wiping us out so we decided to break for lunch sooner than later. I had never been to Pierre Lafond Wine Bistro so when she suggested it I was game on. The seat outside was worth the price of admission, the people watching was totally entertaining.

I am sure something was amusing me at this point... 

Like I said above I was hungry, a little lunch salad was not going to quite cut the mustard for me. I settled on the Roasted Beet and Farro Salad complete with arugula and goat cheese and the addition of Salmon. It was plenty and did the job right. I left feeling satisfied but not too full. This would for sure be something I would like again. 

Dana went for the Cobb Salad and I am not going to lie it was something that caught my eye. Chocked full of chicken, bacon, tomato, avocado, egg and olive it certainly ate like a meal. I knew it looked good but I was happy to have my salmon.

What a pretty place to sit and have a meal with a wonderful friend. I have walked passed it a bunch of times and was glad to have had the opportunity to have dined there today. It gets a "yes" from me.

Second Press - Paso Robles, CA

We spent the last few days cutting up at the Double R Cutting held at the Mid State Fairgrounds in Paso Robles. Scott did extremely well showing his futurity, derby and novice horse so I was very proud of him. Our customers showed in the pen as well and took a little bit of the pie with them as well! It was a great show for Team Weis that is for sure!

On Friday night we got to visit I had never been to before. Second Press is located on 12th Street just down from the movie thearter. Parking n this area is pretty sparse so be prepared to find a side street. Our reservation was for about 8:30 so I knew the waitresses were probably running out of steam on their shifts. I was right, we were greeted with not much enthusiasm. Scott and Ron grabbed draft beers and I the Lone madrone Cab.

Our food came out as described to us and I was really torn on ordering this dish. Ron had this Pork Belly served on a potato puree and he drizzle. He said it was nice and I believed him. I love a good braised pork belly! 

Scott went for the Cheeseburger and opted his fries out for salad. Unfortunately it was not the best burger he has ever had. He thought the meat tasted gamey and thought maybe the grass feed beef was the reason. I guess he likes his beef raised on corn in a feedlot! 

Deb went for something very boring... A Caesar with chicken added to it. The only cool thing about this dish was the parmesan lattice crisp. I have always loved when salads are served with these. 

Cara and I both ordered the Salmon served with gnocchi in a saffron white wine sauce, sunburst squash, baby zucchini and roasted tomatoes. First off the portion size and temperature of the salmon came out perfect! Wonderfully cooked. I was served five pieces of gnocchi which seemed a little skimpy, it was delicious though. Now here is the my issue, the tomatoes were cooked until mush but then the squash and zucchini were hard as bricks! It should be the other way around my friends, I couldn't even slice the squash with a knife because it was so hard and slipped around the plate, completely a waste.

 My table mates and I were talked into the Sticky Toffee Pudding and Chocolate Fondant served with whipped cream and ganache. They were fine, nice for sharing. The chocolate helped me finish up the rest of my red wine.

I am very conflicted on this review. I was disappointed in lack of enthusiasm from our server, I liked portions of dishes. I thought the prices were reasonable, but twas disappointed with portions of main entrees. I go back and forth and settle a probably a 'B' rating. It is not good enough to stand up to some greats located across the Paso Square but it is not bad enough to be completely reemed. You be the judge...

Pacific Table - Fort Worth, TX

Scott and I loved our lunch at Pacific Table so much that we decided to go back for dinner. We each ordered a glass of wine and enjoyed the Texas evening. Can you believe it was actually cooler in Texas than it was in Ojai?! We lucked out! I had a glass of my favorite, Turley Zinfandel. I loved every sip. 

True to its name Pacific Table offered up all kinds of West Coast goodies, one being: Grilled Artichokes. I sometimes forget how simple it is to grill artichokes and served them with mayonnaise. That is my favorite way to eat them. I like how they also grilled the lemon to be squeezed over the entire dish.

I opted for the Trout Almondine grilled simply and topped with herbs, almonds and brown butter. It was served with sauteed vegetables but I saw a plate of their mashed potatoes pass by and I could not resist. I am a sucker! It was perfectly cooked and a truly heavenly meal. I left feeling full and happy.

Scott went for a special of the evening and it was Texas Red Fish served in a lemon butter sauce and topped with flash fried rock shrimp. It sounded delicious and I was really torn on ordering it or not. I was glad I stuck with my order because I think I found a fish that I am not a fan of. What a shocker! I did think the sauce was lovely though. The cucumber salad that came with Scott's fish was quite refreshing!

My dinner at Pacific Table was just as stunning as the lunch. It is my new "go-to" restaurant in Fort Worth. Just put on blinders when walking through the parking lot... There are too many fun places to shop in its location!

Silver Fox - Fort Worth, TX

Sally Harrison Photo

Yesterday was such a fun day! Not only was it my husband's birthday but he won the NCHA Summer Spectacular open Derby Gelding Finals! He drew up first and "Ruben" came out firing! They cut two cows and stayed hooked for tons of working time. I was screaming my guts out cheering for the duo in my one man band! I have some pretty fierce lungs though...

Sally Harrison Photo

We had to wait through two sets to see if our score remained on the top of the leader board and sure enough it did! We are both so honored to have such a fabulous horse in our barn. The only thing missing from yesterday was this guy...

Sally Harrison Photo.
Cowboy Ron! We wish you were there to celebrate with us and see your horse in action! Congratulations on your horse's big win!

We wanted to celebrate our success in the arena last night but I also wanted to treat the birthday boy to a nice meal as well. It was getting late by the time we were done with chores so we decided to stay close to our digs and dine at the Silver Fox. We haven't been there for years so it seemed like a visit was due. I ordered a bottle of Silver Oak to go with the theme of the Silver Fox and away we went...

Scott started his meal with the famous III Forks Salad complete with field greens, blue cheese, granny smith apples and pecans. I am not sure why it is called the III Fork Salad but all I can imagine is maybe when one person at a table orders it three fork's of other diners try to go in and enjoy it as well.

I had a tough decision on how I wanted to start my meal I was thrown Lobster bisque, Scallops and a Crab Cake into the list of options and I was just so torn. Ultimately, I went for the Crab Cake. The Crab Cake always wins. It was a large portion, enough for two people to share or just one really hungry loper.

Mid way through our dining experience Scott was brought over a chest to pick his option of knife to use for his upcoming steak. I though it was so clever. It is the little things that make a dining experience memorable and this is one of them.

This bright, cheery plate was of course mine! I went for the Chilean Sea Bass because I a seafood eating machine. The fish was cooked perfectly and was a real whopper in size. The one thing I missed on my plate was mashed potatoes, I think wild rice is fine but I just love, love the mashed potato of heaven. Green snap peas, slices of tomato and creamed corn made me feel like I met my vegetable quota for the day so I left feeling quite healthy.

The birthday boy ordered a filet was pleased with his order of medium rare. He was lucky enough to receive the prized potatoes as well as his favorite creamed corn. We also ordered asparagus on the side but I didn't grab a photo of it. 

Our waiter was so kind to have brought out a little bite of dessert even though we declined when he offered. I sang "Happy Birthday" in my best outdoor voice and Scott closed his eyes and made a wish...

We came home to enjoy a cupcake made by my friend, Mica Chartier. She is extremely talented so I hit her up to make an order for Scott Good Taste. When we got back to the hotel last night we both enjoyed one and called it a day!

What a really great experience.

Happy Birthday Scott!

Max's Wine Dive - Fort Worth, TX

You know I am always looking for new restaurants to explore so when I discovered Max's Wine Dive on 7th Street in the Cultural District of Fort Worth I was very happy. I had reservations and we were seated at a tall top in the very small dining space. It was buzzing with diners as the restaurant was quite full but I loved all the action.

We were treated with Chicken Meatballs by the Chef. He was placing them down left and right to patrons. I love that! It is such a fun way to get excited about your upcoming meal. It tasted alot like Chicken Fried Steak and Gravy, which I think is fantastic! 

After placing our orders the Chef surprised us with another goodie, Peanut Butter and Jelly Wings! It was actually Thai Peanut Sauce and a Blackberry Coulis but it was so much fun I could hardly contain myself. The fried chicken was messy but I had a great time getting my hands (and face) dirty. Yum, yum!

Scott went pretty simple for dinner and ordered a Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup. It really is a classic order when done right and this was! Guyere, provolne and a red pepper pimento cheese made this the perfect melt. I enjoyed the fried chips too, they were light and salty!

Cowboy Ron went for the Fried Chicken Dinner and loved ever bite. The pieces of chicken were moist on the inside and crunchy on the outside. The greens and mashed were tasty but served a little cold to his liking. The problem could have simply been because he dug into the chicken first, the taters may have been afterthought and cooled during his chicken devouring. 

And now for my wonderful dish, Blackened Diver Scallops. Three perfectly cooked scallops came afloat in jalapeno creamed corn complete with candied bacon and popcorn shoots. How delicious does that sound?! It tasted as good as expected and I recommend it to EVERYONE! Even to non-seafood lovers. It will make you a believer!

The house treated us to a sweet treat before we waddled out. How does a warm Bacon Sugar Cookie served with Blueberry Mascarpone sound? It was out of this world!! Cowboy Ron and Scott Good Taste let me do must of the calories damage on this one as I consumed 3/4 of this solo. It was just so good! They cut the regular amount of butter and replaced it with bacon lard so it was fatty, smoky heaven! I would go back for this again and again and again...

Max's and Chef Stefon Rishel surpassed all my expectations with our dinner here in Fort Worth. I do a lot of research on restaurants and Max's showed up on the radar but I never visited it before now and I feel foolish for not dining sooner! Make sure you make a reservation, order a bottle of Goldeneye Pinot and bring your favorite foodie friends. This place is fun!