Category Archives: Great Finds

Vicinity: An Outstanding New Hidden Gem in Los Gatos

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The beautiful tableau of canapes that open the meal at Vicinity.
The beautiful tableau of canapes that open the meal at Vicinity.

Just opened in February, Vicinity in Los Gatos may not have a Michelin star just yet.

But there is surely one in its future after already earning a Michelin recommendation this year.

This ambitious fine-dining restaurant was opened by an equally ambitious couple: husband and wife, Mike and Denise Thornberry. He is a senior director at Apple. She was executive vice president of global sales for Beats by Dr. Dre.

Neither had ever worked at a restaurant before, let alone owned one until they debuted the 90-seat Tasting House bistro in Los Gatos in 2021, followed by its adjacent 10-seat champagne bar last year.

Vicinity is remarkable for a number of reasons, as I found when I was invited in as a guest last week.

It’s a restaurant within a restaurant, tucked inside Tasting House. You check in at the same host stand before being escorted to a back corner of the bistro, where dark drapes are parted to reveal a door to Vicinity’s intimate dining room.

How small? It’s all of four tables. And it typically serves a maximum of only 12 diners each evening.

Vicinity is all of four tables, and tucked inside the Tasting House restaurant.
Vicinity is all of four tables, and tucked inside the Tasting House restaurant.
The seasonal complimentary aperitif made with yellow watermelon juice, limequat, and goat cheese.
The seasonal complimentary aperitif made with yellow watermelon juice, limequat, and goat cheese.

Vicinity is led by Executive Chef Julian Silvera, who not only oversees this tasting menu-only restaurant, but also the bistro and champagne bar menus, as well as Friday and Saturday afternoon tea service. He somehow pulls all of this off with a kitchen team of only five. And yes, that includes himself.

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Staycation Time At West Marin’s Olema House

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The weeknight Blue Plate Special at Due West at the Olema House is a deal. This is Tuesday's special of fried chicken.
The weeknight Blue Plate Special at Due West at the Olema House is a deal. This is Tuesday’s special of fried chicken.

Sometimes you long to jet off to faraway lands.

Other times, you crave a less taxing getaway that’s more easily reachable by car.

For times like that, look no further than the Olema House, a perfect spot to act as home base as you explore the beauty of nearby Point Reyes National Seashore.

That’s exactly what my husband and I did last week when I was invited to be a guest of the inn for two nights.

The boutique inn, located just off Highway 1 in the town of Olema, has a recommendation from the Michelin Guide. It is part of the Mosaic Hotel Collection, which operates half a dozen hotels, including North Block in Yountville and The Madrona in Healdsburg.

The Olema House entrance.
The Olema House entrance.
The Olema House lobby.
The Olema House lobby.
Sitting area in the lobby.
Sitting area in the lobby.

It was originally built 150 years ago as a hotel and saloon on the old stagecoach route. Today, it retains that rustic charm yet with all the modern accoutrements one would desire with a total of 24 rooms and cottages set on four acres beside a creek.

It boasts a market, where one can pick up snacks, breakfast baked goods, and coffee, as well as its own restaurant, Due West. A lot of hotel restaurants in semi-remote areas may fall back on being just good enough. But the food at Due West surprised by exceeding expectations. So much so, that we ate there both nights rather than venturing elsewhere on the second one.

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Chocolate Stout Rosemary Cake Will Win You Over

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A chocolate cake worth celebrating.
A chocolate cake worth celebrating.

When it comes to Father’s Day, most folks will no doubt fete their dad with prime rib, a massive T-bone or a double-decker cheeseburger.

Not me.

When I think of my late dad, it’s chocolate that comes to mind first and foremost.

I don’t know if my dad thought that life was a box of chocolates a la Forrest Gump. But he surely thought that life was immeasurably better with any kind of chocolate in it.

So, when I spied this recipe for “Chocolate Stout Rosemary Cake,” I thought of him immediately.

No doubt like my husband, he might have turned quizzical over the addition of rosemary in a cake.

But like my husband after one taste, he would have been won over by the addition of this woodsy herb that stars in the thick, cream cheese frosting that lavishly frosts the top of this sour cream- and Guinness-infused chocolate cake.

Trust me, you’ll fall for this cake in a heartbeat, too.

This fabulous recipe is from “Cake From Lucie” (Clarkson Potter).

It was written by Lucie Franc De Ferriere, a French-born, self-taught baker who owns the popular From Lucie in New York City’s East Village. She grew up baking with her mother at the family’s farm and bed-and-breakfast in Southern France.

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Special-Occasion Dining At Its Finest: Michelin Three-Starred Quince

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Heavenly white asparagus tortelloni at Quince.
Heavenly white asparagus tortelloni at Quince.

San Francisco’s Quince definitely puts the “special” in special-occasion dining.

It’s been around for a remarkable 23 years (including 17 of those at its current Jackson Square location). It’s held three Michelin stars since 2017. And it came as no surprise when the San Francisco Chronicle gave it the nod for “best hospitality” in its “Top 100 Restaurants” list this year.

Quince certainly lived up to all of that when I dined there last week in an epic 5-hour dinner, where my husband and I practically closed the place down with only one other table still occupied. Granted, that’s probably a more extended time than the norm. Even though we paid our own tab, Chef Michael Tusk (who owns the restaurant with his wife Lindsay Tusk) sent out extra dishes on the house that made for a longer dining duration.

Even so, I have to say, it never felt like five hours. It never dragged, there were no lapses, and it actually seemed to go by quite swiftly.

A lot of that does owe to the fact that the staff are so personable and engaging — but not in an overly interruptive or intrusive way. When one server who was pushing the migardises cart saw me eyeing it at the start of dinner, he slyly winked, “Not just yet. For later.” When another staff member saw me fingering a beautiful wine stem, he made a point to come over periodically to explain that a certain glass came from Germany or a serving bowl from Japan.

The entrance.
The entrance.
The sidewalk window with a view into the kitchen.
The sidewalk window with a view into the kitchen.

This was my first time dining at Quince since its remodel in 2023. The dining room, which used to be more dimly lit and darker overall, has been moved to the front of the restaurant and lightened up with blond oak furniture and plenty of space between all of 10 tables. A wall of large windows lets in a lot of warm natural light, especially at this time of year.

The 8- to 10-course tasting menu is $390 per person. Beverage pairings include “Wines of California” ($325), “Rare & Unique” ($550), “Art of Wine” ($1,225), and seasonal non-alcoholic ($150). Cocktails and supplemental courses are also available.

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Don’t Rush Slow-Roasted Oyster Mushroom Ragu

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So smoky, savory and meaty tasting, this pasta won't make you miss the fact there's no actual meat in it.
So smoky, savory and meaty tasting, this pasta won’t make you miss the fact there’s no actual meat in it.

The key to the most flavorful mushroom pasta?

Skip the quick saute of the mushrooms. Instead, exercise a little patience to roast them in the oven for 45 minutes with soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.

The result are mushrooms that are deeply caramelized, wonderful smoky tasting, and because of the seasonings, boosted with meaty and savory flavors.

This recipe for “Slow-Roasted Oyster Mushroom Ragu” is from “Cooking Fast and Slow” (10 Speed Press, 2025).

The cookbook is by Natalia Rudin, a London-based personal chef, health and nutrition coach, and yoga teacher.

With her busy life, she well understands the need for both quick recipes for harried weekdays and more leisurely ones for days that are more relaxed. As such, her book chapters are handily arranged into recipes that take 15 minutes or less, 30 minutes or less, 1 hour or less, and 1 hour or more.

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