Food
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Tango Restaurant & Wine Bar, Escondido, CA 
9 on the 10 Star Scale (highly recommended)

    This is a dining experience worth the drive if you are anywhere in the San Diego area.  It was absolutely a fantastic expereince from beginning to end.  We made reservations and indicated that it was our anniversary.  Upon arrival, the hostess greeted my wife and I warmly and congratulated us on our anniversary. The waitress, Dolli, was very pleasant and hospitalible throughout the evening.  The server and water boy were gratious and took care of every detail.
    The food is out-of-this-world!  We both ordered the 3-course prix-fixe menu and we chose the three cheese souffle for a starter.  It was unbelieveable!  The two small souffles were accompanied by a beet sauce, fresh greens, and candied walnuts. The entrée was a braised rib that was more than a human could comfortably consume.  It was probably the best I have had.  The finale was a pumpkin suffle topped with caramel sause and fresh cream.  Yummm!
    My compliments to Executive Chef Russell Hawkins for creating such a dynamic and pleasing dining experience.  This is truly an experience that you must enjoy if you are in the Southern California area.

The  Grille at Meadowood, Napa  CA 
5 on the 10 Star Scale (not recommended)

What a disappointment.  One of the most reputable culinary enterprises in California let me down as my 3 guests and I were subjected to... all I can call "a bad night."  It started with the bottle of Viognier that we ordered that was luke warm.  We accepted the first glass that was poured but requested that the remainder of the bottle be chilled.  The result:  the waiter failed to come back until we were almost finished with our salad and by that time the wine was overchillled.  To compound matters, the red wine we had brought was still in the bottle after three requests to open it.   The manager tried to make it alright by offering free dessert but it was too late.  I will chalk it up to a bad night based on the reputation of the restaurant.
Bellavino Wine Bar (and Restaurant), Westlake Village, CA 
9 on the 10 Star Scale (highly recommended)

    If you are looking for unique wines by-the-glass and first-class cuisine, you must visit Bellavino Wine Bar.  The bar itself is beautifully lit and an enjoyable place to sip on a glass of ecclectic wine or your favorite martini. Jessie Cassanova and owner Richard Belloff have put together a tremendous wine list that will impress even the top sommelier.  Richard has created an ambiance that is inviting, elegant and relaxing.  Live entertainment is the norm most nights of the week and always on weekends with smooth and mellow music.
    The food "is to die for..." said a customer at the next table as we were being seated. She was right! The Hand-Gathered Wild Mushrooms in a Tempranillo Sherry, Lavender and Gruyere Gratin starter was perfectly pleasing to the palate. My entrée was a "Bowl of Soul", a blend of Prawns, Scallops, Oysters, Andouille Sausage and tuna, served in a Roasted Tomato, Fennel Pollen and Sassafras Broth with Saffron Jasmine Rice. All selections on the menu are creative and elegant with flavors from around the world.
    The dining options are numerous with a choice of outdoor seating (fireplace on chilly evenings), at the bar, in the lounge, or in the dining room.  Bellavino Wine Bar offers periodic wine tastings and special events.
    Conveniently located next door is Bellavino Wines with a great selection of premium and hard-to-find wines at reasonable prices.
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Alessio Ristorante Italiano, Westlake Village, CA 
9 on the 10 Star Scale (highly recommended)

    This is great, great food in an upscale atmosphere with outstanding service.  Need I say more?  All five of their Southern California restaurants are wonderful but this one is my favorite. The ambiance is "wow!" with fresco ceilings and nouveau lighting with comfortable seating. It is reminiscent of a 1950's Las Vegas supper club with all of the style one would imagine from a restuarant right out of a Frank Sinatra movie.  Don't get me wrong, there is nothing old-fashioned about this place except that you feel you are caught in time between the past and the future... that is a good feeling.
    The menu is Northern Italian served in a classical style.  The prices are reasonable for an upscale restaurant of this quality.
    I began with a creative version of Prosciutto and Melon which was served on a bed of baby greens and the Prosciutto placed over the melon instead of wrapped around it.  My entrée was Pollo Marsala, the absolute best I have had in years. There was no room for dessert, just a glass of Port to cap off a great dining experience. 
    The live music in the lounge is a little loud on weekends after 9pm but weekdays are very pleasant. They offer a couple of private rooms and a private patio for parties. This is a place for a great dining experience.

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Ciao Bella, Riverside, CA 
8 on the 10 Star Scale (recommended)

    What a find!  Bob & Julie de Korne have created a culinary experience that locals rave about...and they're right.  The setting is modern and the menu is a great blend of nouveau and traditional Italian.
    I had a bowl of New England Clam Chowder as a starter and it was rich and creamy which I enjoyed.  My entrée was the Chicken Marsala that was among the best I have had anywhere.  It was loaded with mushrooms and just the right blend of flavors in the sauce.
    Owner Bob treated every table to a glass of coffee liqueur that was a nice finishing treat.
    The overall dining experience was a very pleasant one with excellent service and great food.  This is a model of how a restaurant should be run. Highly recommended.
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Ponte Family Winery, Temecula, CA 
7 on the 10 Star Scale (recommended)

    We have enjoyed the food at the restaurant at Ponte Family Winery for several years.  This lunch visit was no exception.
Executive Chef Steve Stawinski continues to produce top-notch California cuisine that is a perfect fit for the casual outdoor dining at the winery.
    I ordered the BBQ Chicken Pizza that was among the best I've had in years. My wife's Melted Chicken Sandwich (open-faced) was outstanding.
    Our hat's off the Chef Steve and the management of Ponte Family Winery.
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Firenze Trattoria, Encinitas, CA 
7 on the 10 Star Scale (recommended)

    We dined on Monday night and the place was packed!  Thought it might be great food but it was "Half-Price Wine Night."  Actually, the food was quite good.  The traditional Caesar Salad was enjoyable followed by the Butternut Squash Ravioli, with a sage and butter sauce over a bed of sautéed spinach. The Tiramisu was a nice finish to a very enjoyable meal.
    I noticed a private dining room and an outdoor area that look ideal for warm summer evenings.
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Celestino, Pasadena, CA 
9 on the 10 Star scale (Service)
9 on the 10 Star scale (Food)

    I will begin by saying the food was the best authentic Tuscan-style Italian food I have had in America.  More on that later.       
    We were warmly greeted by the hostess, the owner, and several waiters offered a pleasant greeting before we were seated.  The quality of service was outstanding, thanks to our waiter, Mario.    Back to the food, we split the Insalata Primaverile e Formaggio di Capra (mixed greens with grilled eggplant, peppers and goat cheese) which was very small after split but delicious. My wife ordered the Black and White Tagliolini with Scallops and Saffron Sauce which she found appetizing. I ordered the Parpadelle with Pheasant and Mushroom Sauce.  It was out of this world; the best pasta dish I have had outside of Tuscany.  I would highly recommend it to anyone who visits Celestino.
    The crowded tables and noisy atmosphere of the main dining room were of concern but the   front and back patios are more conducive to an enjoyable evening. We will visit again in the summer months. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
The Station Restaurant, Chatsworth, CA (San Fernando Valley)
5 on the 10 Star scale 

    When a new "French Italian" restaurant opened the northwest SF Valley a few months ago, I was intrigued.  I like French and love Italian, but both together?  I had to see for myself.  I normally wait at least 6 months for a new restaurant to open and get the kinks out.  The Station had been open less than that period when we tried it the first time back in October.
     My first experience (October) was near perfect, except for the wine that was corked (only the second time ever in a restaurant for me).  The waiter and owner made it good.  The food was delicious (French Onion Soup, Calamari Fritti, and Pollo Milanese.  Great experience and I could not wait to return with our family and friends.
    Now, for the bad news.  Four of us returned on the Saturday evening following Thanksgiving.  Our arrival for our 7:30pm was a perfect time as the restaurant still had a few open tables but was nearly full. 
    The young hostess admonished us, after noticing a bottle of wine in my tote bag, that there was a $15.00 corkage fee.  The wine list stated $10.00.     
    Our waiter was slow to react to our arrival but that is understandable on a busy night.  The waiter's assistant brought bread that was obviously a day old.  The waiter explained that they had two types of bread, one hard and one soft.  When the "soft" bread was delivered to the table, it was the same bread as the hard but nicely fresh from the oven; it was soft.
    We ordered a bottle of Maso Canali Pinot Grigio from the limited wine list and asked the waiter to decant our bottle of Rudd Cabernet Sauvignon.
    Time to order.  My wife made a pasta selection and the waiter said, "No, not good. Try the other one." My request for the duck that was listed on the menu was also rejected, "It's not very good.  The Duck L'Orange is much better." It was not on the menu.  I said, Then, I 'll have the Pollo Milanese."  He gave his usual smiling frown (best way to describe his look) and said I should definitely have the duck.
    My wife's pasta was suitable for only a few bites.  My duck was deployable with little meat and way too much fat.  She wanted to send them both back, as we should have done, but I refused to do so as a matter of my own policy. Instead, I sent a letter to the owner in hopes that he will remedy the service and food issue.
    We will try the restaurant again next month to see if there is improvement.  I hope so since Chatsworth needs a top-notch "French Italian" restaurant.
    Summary:  Recommend you try it - hopefully it was just an off night
    Try #3:  February 2008  -  There is an old saying, "Fool me once, shame on you - fool me twice, shame on me."
    In my hopes that my last visit was a fluke, I returned in early February for another try with an open mind.  After all, with so many restaurants in the Los Angeles area, I certainly could have given up and tried another.  But, I was nonetheless optimistic that it would be an improved dining experience.
    My wife and I ordered the Grilled Caesar Salad, an unusual twist to the traditional one but worth a try.  It was horrible with tastes of burnt lettuce to go along with the wilted leaves.  I commented to the waiter (after he asked) that I would not recommend it.  He offered to bring a traditional Caesar but we declined.  Within a short time, the owner was at our table and said, "I hear you would not recommend the sale to anyone."  I corrected him as to my exact words but he had something else on his mind.  He said that he had heard about my previous review and that I was unfair.  We went over each of my points and he advised me that he had not even seen the review.  I gave him my card and encouraged him to do so.
   The entrées were great! The waiter had brought a traditional Caesar Salad which we declined since the entrées had already arrived.
    The check came, and as expected, the Caesar Salad were not removed from the bill, even though we had taken just one bite. I did not dispute the charge but I learned a valuable lesson:  Fool me three times and I'll never go back.  Such a shame since I live in the area and wanted so much for the restaurant to be a pleasing experience.
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La Toque Restaurant, Rutherford, CA (Napa Valley)  
0 on the 10 Star scale

    In over 40 years of fine dining, I have never had such an unpleasant restaurant experience...never. I made the reservations days in advance and emailed a copy of the "Wine Pairing Menu" to the other 5 guests in our party.  I specifically requested the "Wine Pairing Menu".  The day before our reservations, I received a phone call from a courteous employee of the restaurant confirming my reservation and I specifically confirmed that we were scheduled for the "Wine Pairing Menu".  All was set!
    Upon arrival at the restaurant for their "5:30pm seating" (only available time according to reservationist), we noticed that there were only 3 other tables occupied when we arrived 20 minutes late.
    The waiter presented us with menus and proceeded to describe the menu.  I interrupted politely and advised him that we wished to have the "Wine Pairing Menu" which we found on their website at $62.00/person.  He advised me that this was the menu ($98.00 for food and $68.00 for suggested wines).  I suggested that he review their website and he walked away.  Upon his return in a couple of minutes, he inquired if we wished Champagne; I pursued the inquiry about the discrepancy in price.  He again left the room.  We arose and headed for the exit, were greeted by the "manager" who tried to defend the mistake.  There was no mistake; it was intentional deception.
    Trust me when I state that all of the members of our party could easily afford the $400.00+gratuity meal.  My question is  simply this:  Would you have walked out or stayed the course?
    Summary:  Don't do it under any circumstances unless you like being insulted at a high price - 1 on the 10 Star scale
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Osaka Sushi, Chatsworth, CA (San Fernando Valley)
7 on the 10 Star scale (recommended)

    The restaurant recently opened after remodeling and it was quite a treat.  The atmosphere is inviting and lively making you feel comfortable the minute you walk in the door.  They enlarged the sushi bar from just a few seats to several in an "L" shape.  The rest of the restaurant is pleasantly appointed with padded booths and comfortable chairs at the remaining tables.   
    Although the name features the word "Sushi," the food is a combination Japanese, Korean, and neo-Asian.
    I ordered the Tempura and Spicy Stir-fry Combination.  The meal began with a pot of hot tea that was perfected brewed.  The Miso Soup was a far cry better than the last time I dined there, indicating a new chef might be present; I forgot to ask since I had an engagement immediately after dinner. The salad was simple with iceberg lettuce and a take-off on Thousand Island dressing. I was definitely not disappointed with the entrée combination as the Tempura was perfected fried and with very little residual oil on the plate.  The Spicy Stir-fry hit the spot although I do not care for so many peanuts and peppers; still the flavors exploded in a positive way in my mouth.  No dessert, just a little more tea to finish the meal.   
    The owner came to our table to say 'welcome back' even though she was busy helping out with serving other tables.    
    Summary:  Highly recommended if you like sushi or great down-to-earth Asian cuisine in a pleasing setting.  Oh yes, did I mention that the bill came to just $22.00 for the two of us?  Great meal for the price!

I welcome your comments at nelson@wineguyreviews.com