My favorite culinary experiences & meals to remember from August.

Convivio, New York City

Convivio is one of my favorite restaurants in New York, and each visit results in some new and amazing rustic Italian creation.  This time it included the burrata-ricotta filled pasta with tomato & basil; seared sea bass with fava bean puree & radish, mint, & toasted almond salad; and the rhubarb-strawberry crisp with vanilla streusel & mascarpone sorbet.  To. Die. For.

Quintessa Winery Residence, Napa Valley

A private dinner in the residence at Quintessa Winery made for an unforgettable evening and a taste of Napa food & wine.  The chef prepared a summery napolean of fresh corn, avocado, & tomato, followed by grilled baby lamb chops with roasted new potatoes & carrot puree… all washed down with Quintessa’s own Cabernet blend, of course!

Fonda San Miguel, Austin

An Austin classic that never fails to deliver on fresh & authentic interior Mexican cuisine.  This visit yielded mini tostadas topped with chicken, guacamole, & cochinita pibil, followed by a delicate and flavorful fish fillet topped with traditional Vera Cruz tomato sauce with capers, onions and Spanish olives.  A nice break from the queso-and-chips-laden Tex-Mex meals that us Austinites are accustomed to.

Boulevard, San Francisco

A foodie favorite, this was one spot I couldn’t wait to try.  From the arugula salad with blackberries, mission figs, & beets, to the butter-poached lobster and grilled Pacific Walu, each item was perfection.  The elegant art-deco surroundings made it a celebratory spot to mark my in-laws 40th wedding anniversary.