The way to THIS woman's heart...

The enchanting Jessica has tagged me with a meme, which, of the many things I love, is about the thing I love best: FOOD!

Simple rules, really:

1. Add a direct link to your post beneath the name of the person who tagged you. Include your location (state/country/city).
2. List your 5 top favorite places to eat locally.
3. Tag 5 other people from other states/countries, and let them know they've been tagged.

Previous Players:

Nicole (Sydney, Australia)
Velverse (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
LB (San Giovanni in Marignano, Italy)
Selba (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Olivia (London, England)
ML (Utah, USA)
J (California, USA)
CuriosityKiller (Hong Kong, SAR)
Shelli (Minnesota, USA)
Bluepaintred (Saskatchewan, Canada)
Avitable (Florida, USA)
Diana (Singapore, Singapore)
Jessica (Missouri, USA)
Shari (Washington, USA)

So then, here are my local favorites:

1) Pub Fare -- McGlinn's Public House

The Hot Crab sandwich is served open-faced on grilled English muffin halves, featuring avocado and red onion slivers, and OH! the sauce. Mmmmm... Plus, they serve a wicked black bean chili, and they're famous for their wood-fired pizzas. The Cafe Michael is the best mixed salad ever created, served with their own feta-ranch dressing.

2) Mexican -- Tequila's

Doesn't the name sort of speak for itself on this one? I wonder if it's really the food, or the fishbowl-sized margaritas (not from mix!) that keep me coming back. Still, the pollo asado served with whole beans and corn tortillas is an all-time favorite. Their chips and salsa are freshly made on-site, I could fill up on those alone... and have, thanks for asking.

3) Italian -- Visconti's

Traditional italian fare in an intimate, homey setting, yet they feature some of the best food and wine served in the valley. They rotate the offerings, so I try to choose something new almost every time. I have yet to be disappointed.

4) Thai -- The Thai

Aside from the name lacking creativity, and the decor looking a little like Grandma's kitchen, The Thai is authentic and delicious. The family who own and operate it are delightful, and since they both cook and serve, their exacting standards are always met. One sip of their Thai iced tea conjurs a beautiful beach in the sun. I'm partial to the spicy chicken peanut curry over lightly sauteed spinach.

5) Breakfast -- Wild Huckleberry

Nothing I can say will adequately convey my love of eating breakfast there, so if you're curious, you'll just have to come visit so I have another excuse to go. From the coffee (which is excellent every time), to the home-baked cinnamon rolls, to the incredible omelets, the fresh fruit... if it's offered there, it's worth eating. They also offer healthy choices, like egg substitute or egg whites in place of whole eggs, or you can opt for old-fashioned oats in place of hashbrowns.



As a bonus, I'm listing my favorite "Special Occasion" restaurant as well, even though that totally violates the rules: Shakti's. Expensive, sure. But OMG! And that's all I have to say about that.

Thanks Jessica!! I've struggled for subject matter, and this was a lot of fun! I know I've already broken the rules once, so what's one more: I'm not tagging anyone. (But if any of you want to be tagged, just let me know and I'll gladly tag you.)