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 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 […]
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 […]
November 6, 2020

Salazar – Los Angeles (Frogtown), CA

Fabulous Frogtown Fiesta of Food  Salazar – Los Angeles (Frogtown), CA Sonoran-Stye Mexican – Last Visited: October 2020 Ever since we “discovered” Spoke Bicycle Café in Frogtown (an area located near downtown Los Angeles), we’d been hearing and reading of a Mexican barbecue restaurant named Salazar in the nearby vicinity.  […]
October 23, 2020

Bistro 45 – Pasadena, CA

Bistro 45 a Pasadena Icon! Bistro 45 – Pasadena, CA New American/French-Style Cuisine – Last Visit: August 2020 Situated in a charming, retro Art Deco building in Pasadena, Bistro 45 has provided us with many a memorable meal over the past 25 – 30 years and has consistently served delicious […]
October 4, 2020

The Beachcomber at Crystal Cove – Newport Coast, CA

Beignets & Breakfast By The Beach The Beachcomber at Crystal Cove – Newport Coast, CA Last Visited: September 2020 When we get together with intrepid travel companions and friends Kim and Mary, we try to pick some place half way between our homes. Unbeknownst to us, the Beachcomber at Crystal […]
August 25, 2020

Fia – Santa Monica, CA

Mamma Mia … It’s Time For Fia! Fia – Santa Monica, CA California Cuisine (with an Italian Influence) – Last Visit: August 2020 Looking online for L.A. County dining establishments where we could enjoy a meal outdoors, we came upon Fia, a Santa Monica restaurant that seemed to check all […]
July 15, 2020

Alcove Café & Bakery – Los Feliz (Los Angeles)

A Patio Oasis Alcove Café & Bakery – Los Feliz (Los Angeles) Last Visit: June 2020 Breakfast When outdoor dining was finally allowed again here in California (seems to change by the hour), we decided to meet our friends (and traveling partners) Kim and Mary, along with their daughter Macaire, […]
June 22, 2020

Formosa Cafe – West Hollywood, CA

Historic West Hollywood Hangout Formosa Cafe – West Hollywood, CA Last Visited: June 2020 Asian Fusion I’m confident there’s not another restaurant in the world where John Wayne cooked eggs one morning in its kitchen after passing out the night before, Ava Gardner danced in the aisles, Elvis sipped a […]
March 10, 2020

When Mai Tai Tom Met Tracy: A Night at L’Opera – Long Beach, CA

It Had To Be You! When Mai Tai Tom Met Tracy: A Night at L’Opera – Long Beach, CA Visited: May 1990 & February 2020 As I recall, it was a beautiful spring evening in May 1990. I had been researching police documents and perusing personal interviews for an article […]