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.


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 […]
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 […]
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 […]