Morning Glory

Location: Ashland, Oregon

Food: Breakfast food, American food, cocktails

Close to: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Oregon Cabaret Theatre

The Morning Glory’s atmosphere speaks to the kind of food it serves. The building was originally a house, and it retains its screened-in porch, but the walls have been painted with cheery murals of plants and fields. Coffee is served in mismatched mugs, and jars of marionberry preserves are available at every table. The food – excellently made breakfast favorites served in huge portions – matches the charm of the decor, making a stop at the Morning Glory mandatory for any Ashland tourist.

The breakfast menu is essentially divided into two parts: Egg dishes and pancake variants. The egg dishes also come with a number of sides, such as crisp hash browns and light, airy muffins; if you prefer breakfasts made up of many small components, ordering off the egg side of the menu might work better for you. One of the best egg dishes is the black forest ham and white cheddar scramble ($12/$10 for a half portion), which accents the classic American flavors of ham and eggs with a sharper variety of cheese.

Although the egg dishes and sides are delicious, it’s difficult to beat the impression made by the Morning Glory’s pancakes, waffles, and French toast when they’re brought to the table. Most astonishing of all is the lemon ricotta stuffed French toast with raspberry syrup ($11.50), two giant slices of French toast with a thick cheese filling. Tangy syrup poured on top helps cut the richness of the ricotta while accentuating the flavor with the taste of raspberry. Other items to choose from include the filling oatmeal pancakes with walnut butter ($11) and the Belgian waffle ($10.50), an American breakfast standard served with lemon butter.

A set breakfast menu isn’t the only thing the Morning Glory has to offer. A smaller lunch menu offers burgers and sandwiches, while brunch-style alcoholic libations like mimosas and Bloody Marys are available all day. There is also a rotating series of specials, displayed at the chalkboard close to the entrance: If something there interests you, it’s a good idea to order it while you can.

Many people who make a habit out of going to Ashland each year for vacation make sure to stop at the Morning Glory at least once. Should you choose to experience the incredible food, quirky environment, and relaxing atmosphere of the restaurant for yourself, the Morning Glory is very likely to become your tradition, as well. 

Eureka!

Location: Several places; location reviewed is in Berkeley, CA

Food: American

Close To: Berkeley Rep, The Marsh

In many ways, the small chain of Eureka! restaurants scattered across the West Coast resembles the Ashland eatery Smithfield’s, which I reviewed here. Both restaurants elevate classic American dishes with upscale ingredients and bold flavors, sport a minimalist, masculine atmosphere, and feature a wide selection of whiskies at the bar. But, while Smithfield’s concentrates on a variety of meat dishes, Eureka! focuses on the classic American meal: The hamburger.

Eureka!’s enticing hamburgers range from the classic setup of lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles to the Bone Marrow Burger, topped with a bone marrow porcini butter that’s so popular it usually sells out by the end of the day. My personal favorite options are the Bison Burger, which combines hot jalapeño jam with the complex sweetness of grilled bell peppers on a lean bison patty, and the Cowboy Burger, an indulgent delight with bacon, cheddar, and barbecue sauce. The restaurant will accept most substitutions, so feel free to ask for different ingredients on a burger if what’s on the menu don’t quite suit your fancy.

Though burgers are the main focus at Eureka!, there are many other excellent options. Appetizers include Eureka!’s signature mac n’ cheese balls, Polish sausage lollipop corn dogs, and even ceviche. Other entrée items are also available, like orange-chili pork ribs and a selection of tacos. Not to be missed is a unique ginger-lime soda that provides the perfect combination of tartness and heat. Sweet potato fries are available with your burger, but Eureka!’s unique version comes covered in cinnamon and honey, accentuating the sweet potatoes in a way that’s almost dessert-like. And speaking of desserts, there’s only one on the menu: A warm, moist, unbelievably rich bourbon barrel cake served with caramel sauce and a big scoop of ice cream.

Most Eureka! restaurants are open late enough for you to catch dinner either before or after a show, and several are walking distance from theatrical venues. Eureka! is refined comfort food at its finest: The favorites you grew up with, given just enough of a twist to make them a new experience.

San Pedro Square Market

Near: Tabard Theatre, City Lights

Theatregoers are always on the look for places that serve great food in time for them to make it to their next show. San Pedro Square Market, located in the heart of downtown San Jose near several local theatres, takes the “food court” model (with trays and buzzers to let you know your food is ready) and redefines it with small, top-quality restaurants that cater to every taste.

Here is a small selection of some of San Pedro Square’s best restaurants:

Konjoe: Konjoe Burger Bar serves East-West fusion hamburgers, combining typical toppings like caramelized onions and jalapeños with kalbi sauce, kimchi cucumbers, and hoisin ketchup. The burgers are thick and satisfying, and after you eat one you’ll be thinking about it for days. To drink, Konjoe serves a selection of flavored lemonades that change every day.

Blush Raw Bar and Lounge: The only restaurant in the market to cordon off its own seating area, Blush offers a wide variety of sushi rolls, oysters, and trademark frozen drinks in a modern and upscale venue. Their eel is top-notch!

Bray: Bray is a traditional barbecue joint that serves crowd-pleasers like Reubens, sliders, and baby back ribs. However, their best menu item is the roasted corn, which is covered in a spicy sauce that piques the palate for bold, flavorful proteins ahead.

Loteria Taco Bar: Named after the traditional Mexican bingo game, Loteria offers a selection of twelve tacos that modernize classic ingredient combinations; for example, adding fresh pineapple to the pork el pastor tacos, brightening up the meat with a citrus zing.

Chocatoo: Chocatoo offers lots of tantalizing-looking desserts, but you’ll want to skip the fancy stuff and order one of their cookies. Gigantic, rich, and sinful, whoever’s at the counter will warm it up and ask you if you’d like a glass of milk to wash it down. This is the kind of cookie you’d see in a book as a kid and wish existed.

I exhort you to be adventurous and eat wherever you like – almost every eatery at San Pedro Square Market is top-notch. However, the above is some of the most reliably good food available, and can be useful as a jumping-off point. And don't forget to check their blog for the latest events!

Lotus Thai Bistro

Location: Palo Alto, CA

Food: Thai

Nearby: Lucie Stern Center (Theatreworks, Palo Alto Players)

The definition of “comfort food,” in my opinion, has become diluted. To truly be comfort food, a dish should be so delicious and so filling that even if you’ve had a hard day, it will start to look better after dinner. Lotus Thai Bistro, a restaurant squeezed into the California Avenue shopping district, is one of those scant few eateries that feeds the weary spirit as much as the empty stomach.

Like many Thai restaurants, there are a lot of excellent appetizer options. The chicken satay skewers ($7.95) are a little softer than those from other eateries, and combo well with the peanut satay sauce. Vegetarians or those on a budget might want to order the fried spring rolls ($4.95), which are filled with a fresh blend of vegetables.

The soups are served in entrée portions, larger than those at many other restaurants. Though you get a lot, the soup has enough variety of flavor and texture that it works as an entire meal, and you can always take it home. Look out for the Thom Kha ($6.95-8.95), which combines the delicate sweetness of coconut with the acidity of lemongrass. My personal protein recommendation for this soup is steamed tofu, which adds a delightful chewiness without overpowering the broth.

You can find your favorite Thai curries at Lotus Bistro, which are served with a number of different meat and vegetable options. (The menu on Google does not have several of the fish options I encountered, which may be seasonal.) If you want to pour your curry over something complex like Pad Thai, my suggestion would be the simple but effective yellow curry ($9.95). Another excellent choice is the mussaman curry ($12.95), which cuts to the core with just the basic ingredients.

All soups and curries are available at four spiciness levels; I personally enjoyed the “medium” level, finding the kick substantial but not overpowering. However, spice is a personal decision.

It must be mentioned that the coconut rice ($4.50, not shown on Google menu) is an out-of-this-world treat, a sweet, sticky, addicting dish that’s almost impossible to finish once you start. It’s especially great as a vehicle for curry.

Lotus Thai is a great low-key restaurant that serves classic dishes for a range of customers. The large portions are great for sharing, taking home, or enjoying on your own if you’re very hungry. They also deliver (through waiter.com and other sites), so if you’re hosting a party nearby and want to order something other than pizza, give Lotus Thai a chance!

Cafeteria 15L

Location: Sacramento

Food: American

Nearby: Sacramento Theatre Company, Capital Stage Company

Cafeteria 15L, located close to the State Capitol and the Sacramento Convention Center, deserves praise for a number of reasons: Friendly staff, a beautiful interior, and a varied drink menu. However, this modern American eatery stands out most for its across-the-board quality of its food.

When I recommend a restaurant, I usually point out a particular dish that excels from among the restaurant’s menu. Doing so with Cafeteria 15L’s offerings would be almost unfair – in fact, it offers so many good choices I would suggest you go there at least twice during a trip to Sacramento. There is no way to experience all this restaurant has to offer in just one visit.

One can judge an American restaurant by the quality of its burgers, and Cafeteria 15L’s do not disappoint. These thick and juicy burgers (starting at $10.95) are cooked perfectly, and come with several topping options that include the always-welcome choice of goat cheese. Also available is a grilled ham and cheese sandwich ($11.95), which makes excellent decisions as to its bread and cheese, though it may be too buttery for some people. The tomato soup served alongside the sandwich is tangy and comforting without being too rich.

Like many modern diners, you have the option of ordering your burger or sandwich with mixed greens instead of fries – don’t take this for granted! The greens are paired with a tart champagne vinaigrette that enhances, but doesn’t overpower, their crisp sweetness. If you’re heart-set on fries, you can also order the greens as an appetizer salad, along with medjool dates, goat cheese, and candied pecans ($6.95). Also on the salad menu is the beet and pear salad ($8.95), which uses two varieties soft, brightly-colored beets for visual excellence as much as they are used for their delicious flavor.

Keeping in line with the Cafeteria's comfort food theme, entrees include a meatloaf ($16.95) and spaghetti and meatball ($15.95, dinner only, not a typo, it’s a huge meatball). The meatloaf doesn’t do anything astonishing with the format, but it falls apart to the fork, the generous helping of sweet and tangy sauce combining marvelously with the taste of the meat. The meatball is well-seasoned and not incredibly dense, working well with the tomato sauce and spaghetti.

The dessert menu puts simultaneously comforting and innovative spins on classic dishes. Cafeteria 15L’s crowning achievement is the Skillet S’mores ($6.95), which takes the uniquely American campfire dessert and spins it. Marshmallows, the basis of any good S’more, are layered over a chocolate brownie in a hot skillet and studded with chocolate and graham crackers. The result is a dessert that is light, rich, and satisfying, though it could have used a few more chocolate squares.

Cafeteria 15L is an excellent choice for people on an extended trip in Sacramento because of its across-the-board quality. If you’re staying at one of the nearby hotels, you can be assured that no matter what you order off the menu, you’re going to have an excellent meal.

Tequila Museo Mayahuel

Location: Sacramento, CA

Food: Upscale Mexican/Tequila Bar

Nearby: Sacramento Theatre Company, Capital Stage Company

When Ernesto Delgado created Tequila Museo Mayahuel several years ago, he intended to recapture the classic Mexican recipes he had eaten as a child. This dedication is apparent in the authenticity of the food and the quality to which it is prepared. Boasting a thoughtful cocktail menu that makes use of over 150 varieties of tequila, Tequila Museo Mayahuel is an excellent choice for upscale Mexican dining in Sacramento.

For social drinkers, or cocktail enthusiasts new to the available varieties of tequila, the drink menu suggests an affordable tequila for each option. However, substitutions are encouraged, and the knowledgeable bar staff will help you determine what to try. The Maya Margarita ($8) is beautiful in its simplicity: Only lime juice and agave nectar enhance the subtleties of the tequila. For more complex cocktails, the Mayahuel Fresca ($9) uses cucumber and grapefruit juice to create a more bitter flavor profile, making it better to order as an aperitif.

Many Mexican restaurants serve chips at the start of the meal; Mayahuel replaces this with a bowl of soup, themed to the season and changed every week. During my visits, I had lentil soup, which was warm, comforting, and just the right portion. Chips are available for $3, with guacamole for $8.50; the guacamole was good and the chips were crunchy and satisfying, but if you aren’t a big fan of chips you may want to save room for the rest of your meal.

One of the most outstanding entrees was the Mole Poblano con Pollo ($18), chicken in a chocolate mole sauce. I have a high standard for poultry, but Mayahuel exceeded it: The chicken was moist and flavorful, the mild white meat contrasting with the rich and warm mole. Also excellent were the Trocitos de Puerco en Salsa Verde ($15), pork in a tangy green tomatillo sauce that makes me hungry just thinking about it.

For vegans or those who like their food wrapped, the Enchiladas Yashu de Zapoteca ($13) feature blue corn tortillas stuffed with guacamole and served with seasonal vegetables and a chili sauce. These enchiladas are as colorful as they are delicious, the guacamole adding heft to the dish without overpowering the sauce.

Tequila Museo Mayahuel is, in effect, an authentic Mexican dining experience that can meet a wide range of expectations. Whether you’re looking for dinner a little out of the ordinary, the perfect cocktail to round out your evening, or even a breakfast burrito before a conference (Mayahuel offers a breakfast menu as well), you’ll find what you’re looking for here.

Back-A-Yard

Location: San Jose and Menlo Park (Note: I have only gone to the San Jose location; this recommendation is about that location.)

Food: Jamaican/Pan-Caribbean

Close to: City Lights Theatre Company, Tabard Theatre, Santa Clara University, San Jose State

There are many things to say about Back-A-Yard, all of them glowing. The atmosphere is warm, friendly, and interesting; the restaurant is located directly across the street from a validated parking garage; several San Jose theaters and entertainment spots are located within walking distance. However, most importantly, Back-A-Yard features a selection of incomparable Jamaican barbecue dishes and sides, making it one of the best restaurants in San Jose.

The menu has a decent selection, most of the entrees falling into one of several large categories. The first is various protein selections (including tofu for vegetarians) covered in Back-A-Yard’s signature jerk sauce. The sauce is spicy, but not so hot that it drowns out the complexities of the flavor. The jerk chicken ($9.75 with rice, salad, and fried plantains, or $7.95 a la carte with bread) is the more traditional option, and certainly worth ordering. There are also several meat options that use a thick, sweet house barbecue sauce, including fall-off-the-bone spareribs ($12.45 for five pieces). Additionally, there are sandwiches, a selection of fried fish, and a rotating menu of more obscure Jamaican dishes like curried goat and beef oxtails ($13.25 to $16.25, check website for availability).

It is important not to ignore Back-A-Yard’s selection of sides. If you are ordering one of the jerk dishes, it comes with some fried plantains; if not, I highly recommend ordering them separately ($2.75). The plantains are firm, rich, and slightly sweet, and once you start eating them it’s hard to go back to the rest of your meal. Also worth considering is the delicious rice and beans ($2.75), dashed with coconut milk to give it a pleasant aroma and mouthwatering sweetness. Some of my fellow diners at Back-A-Yard have made entire meals out of side dishes. Save room for dessert, too, especially the incredibly satisfying sweet potato pudding ($3.45).

Back-A-Yard is the personal project of Robert Simpson, a formally educated chef who previously worked in executive positions in hotels across the world. By establishing his own restaurant, Simpson was able to bring the flavors of his native Jamaica to several locations in California. After eating at Back-A-Yard, you will find yourself thankful that he made this decision.

Vive Sol

Locations: Palo Alto and Mountain View, CA

Food: Mexican/Comida Poblana

Close to: Lucie Stern Theatre (Palo Alto), Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (Mountain View)

South Bay mainstay Vive Sol has been bringing delicious, authentic Mexican food to California for several decades now. The restaurant departs from the apparent binary of either takeout or experimental nouveau cuisine to serve upscale, old-fashioned meals that delight and satisfy.

Vive Sol’s menu is specifically Comida Poblana, food from a south-central region in Mexico known as Puebla, a stop for traders from both Asia and Europe. This gave the area a fascinating and varied set of traditional dishes. Visitors to Vive Sol will find that many of the items on the menu are substantially different from the Mexican-American blend offered by many other restaurants, offering their own flavor experience.

The restaurant’s specialty is the enchilada, and there is a great variety of enchiladas to choose from. The most popular item is the Enchiladas Al Sol ($13.95), a combination of one enchilada covered in creamy cheese sauce and another in sweet-spicy mole. My personal favorite is the Enchiladas Verdes ($13.95), which employ a tangy green tomatillo sauce. Most of these dishes come with a hearty amount of seasoned rice and beans, and you can choose your own protein, including a vegetarian cheese enchilada.

Vive Sol also offers the “De La Plaza Mayor” plate, a selection of two items from a menu for $13, alongside rice and beans. If you want to try a few items without breaking your stomach or wallet, this is an excellent choice; one of the options is an Enchilada Verde and is highly recommended. The other three depend on your taste: Whether you want a mild quesadilla or a chile relleno is up to you.

There are two locations, “Vive Sol” on El Camino near Mountain View and “Palo Alto Sol” in Palo Alto’s California Avenue shopping district. Each has their benefits and disadvantages: The Mountain View location is harder to access but is beautiful and has lots of seating, while the Palo Alto location is surrounded by parking but may have a large number of small children in the evenings. Which one you choose depends on your circumstances, but both of them offer an unparalleled Comida Poblana dining experience.

Izaka-Ya

Location: San Jose, CA

Food: Japanese

Close to: City Lights Theatre, Tabard Theatre Company, Santa Clara University, San Jose State

California has a happy excess of Japanese restaurants, all of them putting their own unique spins on a diverse and delicious cuisine. Izaka-Ya, located on San Jose’s First Street and sharing a building with a steakhouse and a dim sum restaurant, crafts excellent sushi combinations alongside Japanese street food favorites that are difficult to find in the States.

The menu is large, and it can be slightly intimidating to a newcomer; fortunately, the small portion sizes allow a diner to make a substantial meal out of a few dishes. For appetizers, consider ordering an onigiri, a rice ball with various fillings. My personal favorite is the ume onigiri ($5.75), filled with tart plum jam. It may be hard to find on the lengthy seafood menu, but don’t overlook the takoyaki ($4.75), crisp octopus dumplings covered in flavorful sauce.

As for the entrée, there are a variety of combination bento boxes available, many of them coming with a selection of fresh sushi rolls. For sashimi enthusiasts, the tuna sashimi bento box ($14.75) provides tuna that is perfectly chewy and bursting with flavor. However, the best entrées at Izaka-ya are the okonomiyaki ($10.75-$13.75). This is a savory pancake made with cabbage and covered with sauce, often described as "Japanese pizza." Izaka-Ya's are creamy, flavorful, and incredibly filling, and a variety of add-ons are available, including pork belly, octopus, and okra. There are only a handful of Bay Area restaurants that serve okonomiyaki, so make sure to try it on at least one occasion.

If you find yourself with room for dessert, the best choice is the rich banana tempura ($3.75), though those seeking lighter fare my be interested in ice cream or even a fresh orange to close out their experience. Izaka-ya also has a decent selection of beer, schochu, and plum wine, as could be expected from a restaurant modeled on urban Japanese drinking establishments.

Izaka-Ya is one of the best Japanese restaurants in the South Bay, with good prices, great menu variety, and a warm and friendly atmosphere. It's also close to the convention center and several theatres

Psycho Donuts

Location: Campbell and San Jose, CA

Food: Donuts

Close To: City Lights, Tabard Theatre, ComedySportz, Camera 3 Cinemas (San Jose)

Veteran donut eaters may find that the selection in chain bakeries tends towards standard, even boring at times. And while those who tend towards chocolate or plain jelly donuts will find satisfcation at traditional establishment, crazier donut aficionados desire a little more excitement in their pastry. For those people, Psycho Donuts–featuring a wacky B-movie theme both in its atmosphere and in its donut selection–is there to fit the bill.

Both Psycho Donuts locations feature a wide array of donuts, ranging in size, shape, and oddity. I have sampled a number of them over the two-and-a-half years I have been going to the San Jose Psycho, and here are some of the highlights:

• Key Lime: The first donut I had here, the vegan Key Lime, combines a tangy flavor with a satisfying solidity. It is so dense and chewy, it’s almost a scone.


• Strawberry Fields: A square donut topped with strawbery icing, freeze-dried strawberries, and with a single stick of strawberry Pocky laid across the hole.


• Cereal Killer: Marshmallow frosting (not “marshmallow-flavored” frosting–actual marshmallow frosting) covered with Cap’n Crunch. Extremely sweet, but the range of textures stops the flavor from being overpowering.


• This One/That One: Named after the chef’s frustration at customers not ordering donuts by name, these simple old-fashioned vanilla and chocolate donuts, respectively, are some of the best in the store, showing that Psycho Donuts knows how to do the basics as much as it knows how to show off.

Psycho Donuts also does dozens of seasonal promotions, with some donuts only available for a few days. My personal favorite is only available in the San Jose store on Memorial Day Weekend as part of a cross-promotion with local anime convention FanimeCon: The Psycho Takoyaki is eight ginger-flavored donut holes topped with caramel, lemongrass bavarian, coconut, and toasted pistachio.

Psycho Donuts’ unique selection and rotating menu makes it a great place to go to again and again. Donuts are baked in batches of four to six flavors at a time, meaning that what you want may not always be available in the case, but there is usually enough of a selection to make you indecisive. The San Jose venue also contains a movie theater and the popular improv team ComedySportz–why not make it an evening?

Cliff House Bistro

Location: San Francisco, California

Food: American/Seafood

Situated next to the Sutro Baths in one of the most beautiful parts of San Francisco, a Cliff House has been in operation since the middle of the 19^th century. The Cliff House has gone through several architectural (and presumably menu) changes over the years, and it currently lives as an art deco mid-century throwback featuring the signature foods of San Francisco. There are two restaurants in the Cliff House – the sophisticated Sutro’s and the casual Bistro. This recommendation is for the Bistro.

There are no reservations at the Bistro, and the wait may take twenty to forty minutes, but fortunately there is plenty of bar seating where one can order a drink alongside a delicious appetizer. The dungeness crab cocktail ($15.95), artfully served in a martini glass, is sweet, flavorful, and satisfying enough for an entrée, and the prawn-pork potstickers ($13.50) are a beautiful blend of spicy and crunchy – using their accompanying dipping sauce is recommended. The French onion soup ($8.75), warm, soothing, and sweet, is another great choice. Once at the table, fresh sourdough bread is provided – so good my party usually ends up eating two or three baskets worth.

There are also a number of solid choices among the entrees. The fish and chips ($18.50), made with the Bay Area’s famous Anchor Steam beer, is a classic Bistro dish and not to be overlooked. The spinach ricotta pine nut ravioli ($19.95), served in a tomato-pesto sauce with mushrooms, changes flavors – sweet, rich, tangy, and savory – with every bite, creating a sophisticated taste adventure that’s perfect for pasta lovers. For meat enthusiasts, the braised lamb shank ($29.00) is cooked tenderly on the bone and served with a fitting side of Israeli couscous. Vegan dishes are also available on request.

Make sure to save room for dessert! The five desserts offered on the menu (all $7.25)  are an excellent way to round out your meal. The sour cream fudge cake is rich but not overpowering, and the créme brulee is served flat and wide, creating the ideal ratio of crunchy crust to sweet interior.

For visitors looking to capture the feeling of the historic San Francisco, the Cliff House Bistro is the perfect dining spot. The Art Deco architecture and signed photos of old movie stars catapult one back to the city of yesteryear. Try to get there in the evening – a delicious meal while watching the sun set over the Pacific coast is an unforgettable experience.

Fiorillo's

Location: Santa Clara, California

Close to: Santa Clara University, City Lights Theatre, Tabard Theatre

Food: Italian

A noble white-and-gold restaurant stands on El Camino Real in front of Santa Clara University – Fiorillo’s, a family-owned and operated eatery built in 1972. The restaurant has become a tradition for a number of Santa Clara students; one of my friends takes his family there every time they come into town.  And there is good reason why: Eating at Fiorillo’s makes you feel at home.

While Fiorillo’s serves focaccia and whole wheat bread for starters, I heavily recommend ordering a loaf of their garlic bread ($3.95). The bread falls on the chewy side, and though it contains a lot of herbs to make the taste more complex, it retains a perfect level of garlic flavor. Cheese is also available for an extra dollar. The bruschetta ($8.95), piled high with juicy tomatoes, peppers, and spices, is also a good choice for sharing with friends.

There are a lot of options for entrees, with portion sizes large enough that you can eat half and take the other half home. The lasagna ($12.95) is a personal favorite of mine – a classic dish done well, with tender meat, sweet cheese, and tangy marinara sauce. Fiorillos also boasts a mix-and-match pasta menu, ranging from noodles to ravioli, as well as a pizza and sandwich menu. The meat ravioli (pricing depends on selection) is tender and spicy, and the sauce is great for dipping bread.

The dessert menu is not without its options. The cheesecake ($8) has that smooth, fall-away texture that marks it as a masterpiece, and the tiramisu ($7) combines a creamy upper layer with a intensely flavored lower layer, the way tiramisu should be made.

With its warm atmosphere, well-stocked bar, and some of the friendliest wait staff I’ve ever encountered, eating at Fiorillo’s is truly a comfort. Even if you’re having a bad day, it’s guaranteed that you will leave with a full stomach and a smile on your face.

Pasta Piatti

Location: Ashland, Oregon

Food: Italian

Close to: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Oregon Cabaret Theatre

Pasta Piatti is an Italian restaurant, conveniently located on Ashland’s Main Street. Described as “New World Italian,” I first went to this restaurant last year with my father, once in March and once, like this year, in September. The food was so good that I requested to go back this year with my family, a decision that I do not at all regret.

Pasta Piatti was crowded in March, but in September evenings there are only a few people in attendance, mostly eating on the restaurant’s spacious patio. The interior, with quiet music and dark wood, made for an inviting, intimate atmosphere. A number of wines and draft beers are available; I had a sip of a tart, crisp Riesling but my tastes in wine are so far not advanced enough to give a thorough review.

The first item I made sure to order was the house ciabatta ($3.50). Although dishes come with a few slices, only the whole loaf has a light brushing of oil on top, along with a salt-and-pepper seasoning that makes it one of the best breads I’ve ever eaten. As a Bay Area native and self-opined bread connoisseur, that is very high praise.

For an entrée, I had the lasagna ($14.95); the cheese was sweet and as wonderful as one might expect from a restaurant in one of Oregon's prime dairy locations. I also tried the planked sockeye salmon ($18.95), which was covered in a smoky glaze that brought out the fish’s sweetness. For dessert, I had a créme brulee ($6.50); it came with slightly sweet, crisp cookies for dipping and huckleberry preserves. Besides being a French dessert in an Italian restaurant, the only issue with the créme brulee was that the ramekin itself was deep but not wide, meaning there wasn’t as much crust to balance the richness of the cream.

Pasta Piatti has an excellent selection of Italian food and a wonderful atmosphere. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for a  nice dinner in Ashland. The extensive wine bar, beautiful terrace seating, and intimate indoor space make it a great place to go on a date as well.