Resurfacing...on a cloud of yogurt

Well.

It has been so long since I've blogged that I almost forgot my log-in info.

Breakfast at Fraiche this morning...before the downpours. Lowfat SF Chronicle Special.

This is dedicated to my two loyal (and perhaps only--especially at this point--) readers, Lola and Danica.

Non-fat SF Chronicle Special.  See what a difference a bit of fat makes!

I think more than the taste of yogurt itself, I love how white and pure it looks.  The stuff is immaculate.    Friend/colleague and I ordered the San Francisco Chronicle Special. Beneath the dollops of white are warm steel-cut oats, with bits of fig, coconut, nuts, strawberries and blueberries.

Compare the lowfat yogurt photo (the first one) to the nonfat yogurt photo.  The former looks like ice cream; the second kinda watery.

I cannot eat nonfat yogurt without a generous coating of honey.  Even Straus' nonfat, which is the kind that Fraiche uses, is just too sour/bitter without massive honey coverage. But no matter, Fraiche has plenty of honey--several varieties, in fact, behind the counter. 

As I settle into winter-break mode I hope to post more regularly, but we shall see.  I have decided I cannot sustain the verbosity of my previous posts so I am considering converting to Twitterdom... oh, but then I never seem to have problem writing endlessly...oh, but that doesn't make for interesting posts...

Danica and Lola: hope you are having fun in your respective parts of the country.  :-)  

The Cool Café

328 Lomita Dr, Ste 200
Stanford, CA 94305
(650) 725-4758
www.cooleatz.com

Reviewed 5/21/2009

My chicken chutney sandwich was slathered in mayo dressing. But I ate it anyway because I was starved and didn't want to waste $10.

Now I feel fat AND dissatisfied.

Those fat calories could have been better spent on a super-dense ganache-covered brownie.

Worse, I was telling my friend about how I've enjoyed JZ Cool in Menlo Park as we were waiting in line.

The location is terrific, if you work on campus. It is close enough to walk to, but far enough that it feels like you've gotten away.

In spite of my tough talk, I will probably give it another try because I am a slave for bread pudding, and they had some that was cooing, "come hither"..but we'll see.

Square One Dining

4854 Fountain Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 661-1109
www.squareonedining.com

Reviewed 11/9/2008

Synopsis: A little place in a quiet neighborhood with flaky service and bad-ass beet salad and French toast.

Food: On the menu, the beet salad is without frills but the actual dish is gorgeous and scrumptious.

The beets are cooked to the tenderness of the heirlooms, making them a great pair here. They are topped with a couple scoops of mild and creamy cheese--burrata--which was making me look up at my companions and exclaim "What is this cheese?!" The balsamic dressing drizzled on top has just the right sharpness to bring out the flavor rather than overtake the salad's main features.

I took bites of the French toast off the plates around me. One was straight-up French toast, the other was the banana citrus caramel. Both were so delicious that they melted away my cares, if only temporarily. Beware that they (the banana especially) are rich and filling. But they are something you should try---at least once!

Crowd: Young bohemian men in Fedora hats dot the place, indulging in heaping portions of comfort food. No one looked like a tourist.

Service: Our waitress was in LaLa land (not just literally but figuratively). Couldn't answer simple questions about the menu such as whether the meats they used were organic, or what the soup of the day was. Nevermind. The beet salad and French toast ruled.