Buca Mario, est 1886.

dinner at Buca Mario, Florence.

an establishment of quality family style italian. fresh, with minimal ingredients.

for a starter i had the proscuitto, served with baked bruchetta topped with gorgonzola + mushrooms.

pasta: freshly shaved truffles, butter and tagiatelle. so delicious and fragrant.

steak, florentine style. the meat dishes were served in huge portions, compared to the starters, pastas and desserts.

strawberries with lemon juice.

fresh berry tarte with cream.

a slice of flan.

such good, simple food.

straits cafe.

home in the bay area @ straits cafe for lunch at santana row.

indonesian corn croquettes with chili garlic sauce. crispy and light.

strais frites with galangal chili sauce, and creamy kaffir lime aioli.

my fave: garlic noodles with shitake mushrooms.

sitting on the patio, enjoying a leisurely lunch with a mint mojito.

: )

cheese!!

i’ve been craving good cheese since i got to asia, and i found it at Primo Trattoria.

they have a cheese counter, cheese storage room, and display. heaven.. for those of us that miss good pizza, good parmesan.. and stilton.

chef’s selection of cheeses. good mix of hard, creamy, nutty and sharp.

caesar with freshly shaved parmesan to share..

and lastly… PIZZA. this is their “Diavola”- tomato sauce, large salami, onions, red pepper. i added arugula.. personal preference.

sO good. so happy to have found a place for a good slice.

forchetta.

an italian fusion restaurant. the kitchen is open to the dining area, so diners can catch a glimpse of whats coming out of the oven, and chefs finishing plates for serving. the above pictures are of a prix fixe course meal that was prepared for our large party. the yuzu sorbet served upon a teapot of steaming dry ice was a tart palate cleanser. a teeny scoop, big presentation.

the bread and pastas are delicious. ordered a la carte, a pasta makes a perfect lunch serving.