The MaiTai Tom Dining Guide:
In Search Of Excellence In Restaurants

MAITAI’S FOOD FOR THOUGHT

If there’s anything that Tracy and I like, it’s a good meal.  We will share our restaurant experiences as we discover new restaurants and revisit some of our old favorites.  Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, we’ll give you some ideas to chew on.


August 26, 2022

Bacetti – Echo Park (L.A.), CA

Roman Influenced Dinner In L.A. Bacetti – Echo Park (L.A.), CA Last Visited: August 2022 Every so often, I turn to a website called The Infatuation to get some ideas of places to dine. I’m so happy I did not look at their review of the relatively new Italian restaurant […]
July 28, 2022

Dining In Northumberland, England

Bamburgh & Warenford RestaurantsDining In Northumberland, England We stayed in Bamburgh for three nights on our England/Scotland trip, and each evening we had a great dinner at three separate restaurants. Since they were so good, I thought I’d do one post that includes all three. The Lord Crewe Restaurant Although […]
July 9, 2022

Rustique – York, England

Très Magnifique! Rustique – York, England French • May 2022 Danny at our York B&B, St. Raphael Guesthouse, recommended Rustique near Clifford’s Tower for classic French bistro fare. After stopping by the restaurant, the only reservation available on Friday was for 5 p.m. and we felt lucky to get that […]
July 4, 2022

Lucia York – York, England

So Good We Ate Here Twice! Lucia York – York, England Italian – May 2022 We hit it out of the ballpark on restaurants in York on our 2022 England/Scotland journey (link to trip report here). The first night we visited Lucia York for Italian food and liked it so […]
May 10, 2022

Mai Tai Tom & Tracy’s Best Burgers: 2021/2022

Caloric Burger Quest Mai Tai Tom & Tracy’s Best Burgers: 2021/2022 May is National Hamburger Month and, just for our loyal subscribers and readers, Tracy and I have consumed quite a few burgers throughout the past year, compiling a list of our favorites and adding a few extra pounds along […]
March 24, 2022

Fino Ristorante – San Francisco, California

Inviting Italian In “The City” Fino Ristorante – San Francisco, California Visited: February 2022 • Italian San Francisco definitely does not have a shortage of very good Italian restaurants, so to help us decide upon which one to visit, Tracy enlisted a friend who works in the city to aid […]
January 21, 2022

The Cave – Ventura, CA

Don’t Judge A Restaurant By Its Cover The Cave – Ventura, CA New American – Last Visit: November 2021 Following is the true tale of discovering a very good restaurant thanks to a passage in an engrossing novel, while making an embarrassingly expensive error when we returned for a second […]
October 14, 2021

Blairs – Silver Lake (Los Angeles), CA

Quintessential Neighborhood ItalianBlairs – Silver Lake (Los Angeles), CA Italian – Last Visit – August 2021 Blairs is the quintessential neighborhood restaurant, which has been nestled in the Silverlake community for 18 years. We visited about a decade ago, but for some bizarre reason never made it back. When friends […]
September 18, 2021

JOEY DTLA, Los Angeles, California

To Los Angeles … With Love … From CanadaJOEY DTLA • Los Angeles, California Delicious Cuisine For Everyone • Visited July & August 2021 Subscriber Garrett hit another one out of the ballpark with his recommendation for JOEY DTLA, our latest favorite restaurant. Garrett was the one who sent us […]
August 29, 2021

Parkers’ Lighthouse – Long Beach, CA

A Meal Fit For A Queen Parkers’ Lighthouse – Long Beach, CA Seafood – Last Visit: July 2021 Despite Tracy and I living in Long Beach for many years, we never made it to dinner at Parkers’ Lighthouse in Shoreline Village, located on the waterfront near the Queen Mary. Tracy […]
July 9, 2021

LA Cha Cha Chá – Los Angeles, CA

L.A.’s Hottest New RestaurantLA Cha Cha Chá – Los Angeles, CA Modern Mexican Cuisine – Last Visit: June 2021 Ever since LA Cha Cha Chá opened in the Arts District of Los Angeles nearly four months ago, it has been the hottest ticket in town. Reservations are booked weeks in […]
June 16, 2021

Bistro Maison – McMinnville, Oregon

A Parisian Evening In McMinnvilleBistro Maison – McMinnville, Oregon Visited: May 2021 • French I love French food, and both the look and the menu of what I viewed online of Bistro Maison in McMinnville, Oregon, enticed me.  It looked like a spot we needed to dine, so I secured […]
June 12, 2021

Alchemy Restaurant & Bar – Ashland, Oregon

Dinner In The GardenAlchemy Restaurant & Bar – Ashland, Oregon Visited: May 2021 • New American Cuisine Before heading up to Ashland, Oregon, I made reservations at Alchemy Restaurant & Bar, located inside the Winchester Inn. I perused the menu online, and although the menu was not extensive, it was […]
January 30, 2021

Pasadena, CA: The City Where The Cheeseburger Was Invented

“Cheeseburger!  Cheeseburger!” Pasadena, CA: The City Where The Cheeseburger Was Invented I’m proud to hail from the city that is home to the Rose Parade and the “Granddaddy Of Them All,” the Rose Bowl Game. However, the historic event that solidifies Pasadena, California, as an American treasure, is that my […]
January 12, 2021

Millie’s Cafe – Pasadena, CA

On Call Breakfast! Millie’s Cafe – Pasadena, CA Last Visited: December 2020 • Breakfast Every once in a while, everyone needs a great breakfast fix. Fortunately for Tracy and me, we have a nearby restaurant close by that has served us well for the past couple of years.  Millie’s Cafe […]
November 16, 2020

Luna Trattoria – Mendocino, CA

“Over The Moon Italian Cuisine” Luna Trattoria – Mendocino, CA Visited: October 2020 – Northern Italian On the recommendation of the Sea Foam Lodge in Little River, our foursome had made dinner reservations a few weeks previously at Luna Trattoria in Mendocino. Tracy and Mary scouted it out an hour […]