Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions
of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of
his youth, and transport the traveler back to his
own fireside and quiet home!
- Charles Dickens

December, the final month of the year, holds a special place in my heart.  Though it can be dreary weather-wise (not as much in California), to me it’s always been a magical month of crisp twilights and celebrations.  With my birthday and Christmas on the same day, I reflect on the past and look to the new in both age and calendar year.

This month in The Latest, I share a new-ish burger joint downtown, Custom Burger Lounge.  Night on the Town I present ideas for food, film and explorations in Japantown. In Wandering Traveler, we explore Lake Como, Italy.

I’d love your feedback on any spots you visited from my site.  You can leave comments through the site on the Perfect Spot Blog or email me directly.

Let me guide you to the perfect spot!

~ Virginia

Japantown Food & Film Night (or afternoon)

I have a special spot in my heart for SF’s Japantown. A rarity in the US, it’s a vibrant Japanese neighborhood with a dated but authentic mall, markets, restaurants and shops. I love seeing a film at the Kabuki, eating authentic Japanese fare or wandering shops selling items as random as extensive Anime DVDs, Japanese toys and dolls, Japanese Pop music, high tech toilet seats, all the ingredients to create your own sushi bar at home, or foods rarely found in the US.

FILM:

Kabuki Theater

The recently restored Kabuki Theater in Japantown continues to be remodeled by Sundance Cinemas, fast becoming my favorite multiplex movie theater in the city. Their official opening is December 14th, but I have already been enjoying the fresh Japanese design, bamboo trees in the lobby, rustic wood lining the walls [Note: I hope they’ll redo the crappy bathrooms – those have always have been a downside here and still appear untouched].

A bar in the theater will open by 12/14, serving wine and beer, which can be enjoyed while watching films, like in many European movie theaters. They have added a couple additional theaters downstairs on the bottom floor. I saw a recent art house movie in one of these new rooms, wary of smaller-sized screening rooms though I am (such as Opera Plaza’s dumpy smallest theater). But this theater holds comfortable, widely spaced chairs with little tables (or very large armrests) between every two sets of chairs. It was like a large home theater room with an excellent sound system. They also have the large screen theaters (8 total screens in all) airing popular Hollywood movies alongside art house films. It’s a new (or renewed) Kabuki offering a slightly different, refreshing twist on multiplex film viewing.

JAPANTOWN:
Japantown transports me not only back to days traveling Asia (where malls are more modern, high tech), but it takes me straight to Japan, circa 1980’s. Somehow I feel right at home in this kitschy mall.

• One of the most affordable, relaxing pleasures around is Kabuki Springs Spa. For $20 (or $25 on weekends), you have access to all communal baths and saunas for the entire day. Though the blissful massages cost more, all include access to the spas. If your budget won’t allow massages as often as you like, the spas are there with a soothing, Zen-like atmosphere warmed by candles and unlimited cups of hot tea. Be prepared to go naked (though you can wear a bathing suit if you must), and note the women or men only days on the website (bathing suits are required on Tuesdays, the only co-ed day).

Bushi Tei

• Karaoke at Festa Wine & Cocktail Lounge, Japantown Mall, Suite 207 (Kinokuniya Building), 415-567-5866. So the $2 per song is definitely a rip-off (especially if accompanied by the not-always-implemented $10 cover charge), but this karaoke lounge offers something different from the dingy, almost ghetto karaoke rooms-for- rent across the street from the mall, Do-Re-Mi or Dimples. Festa is a sleek little lounge offering communal singing, a faux city skyline painting and lychee cocktails (places like Do-Re-Mi do not allow alcohol). Though they sadly charge Tokyo prices, you will have a more sleek setting for karaoke, sharing your humiliation (or talent) with welcoming Japanese locals.

• For years, many have joined me as repeat visitors to the Japanese photo booths in the first floor of the mall’s Kinokuniya Building. There are multiple booths, the best in Japanese only so follow very basic English directions (if there are any) as best as you can to add stars, rainbows, hearts, chickens or random colors and designs to your photos. The ultimate in cheesy photos! Makes me feel like a kid again.

• For smooth coffees (order what they charmingly call “Vienna Coffee”, or rather, Viennese coffee) or tea, Tan Tan café in the Kinokuniya Building (415-346-6260), has been my “go to” spot in Japantown for years. It offers elegant British tearoom décor with strictly Asian sensibilities, along with a not exactly scenic but somehow appealing view of Geary Boulevard, creating a sweet spot for reading, journaling or quiet conversation with friends. A unique gem in this area.

Mifune

FOOD:

• Japanese Fine Dining: Bushi Tei – A jewel in the SF dining landscape, this critically-raved-about- yet-not-widely-known treasure serves inventive, divine Japanese dishes in a sleek, modern setting that is as gorgeous as it is comforting. Service puts one at ease throughout the exquisite meal. For an authentic slice of Japan, visit the bathroom and enjoy the special toilet (I know, but just try it!) The entire experience is perfection.

• Japanese Comfort Food/Noodle House: Mifune & Mifune Don, 1737 Post Street (between Buchanan St & Webster St), 415-922-0337; Open 11am-10pm daily – For affordable comfort food, head to this overcrowded noodle house in the mall. Go early to avoid long waits or head to the furthest stretch of the mall (across the Plaza) to their sister restaurant, drab Mifune Don which has nothing in the way of environment (Mifune has deep red walls and dark wood booths) yet serves the same satisfying menu. The food is hardly imaginative and some menu items are best avoided (sushi, for one!), but basics are hearty and pleasing: Katsu Don, Udon and Soba Noodle dishes, and especially the Okonomyiaki, sometimes referred to as a Japanese pancake, a favorite of mine but not often found or done well (Japantown spots like Sapporo Ya, serve this dish but with less success; Hime, on Lombard Street, serves a modern, fresh take on this dish). For a traditional Japanese food and a quick (but large portions) bite before or after a film, Mifune does it right.

Mums

• Shabu Shabu: Mums and Shabu-Sen, 1726 Buchanan Street (between Post St & Sutter St); 415-440-0466 – For a late night of shabu shabu, Mums and Shabu-Sen are both within a couple blocks of Japantown and comfortable spots to swish meats in boiling water, then eat with vegetables and savory sauces. Mums, in the Hotel Toro, is open all day long so you can get your Shabu fix any time or order “old school”, diner-style breakfasts. They offer an all-you-can-eat-AND-drink menu ($35 per person; $22.95 without the drink; $14.95 at lunch). The all-you-can-drink is often abused by a rowdy nighttime crowd – ‘off’ hours are more peaceful. The retro 70’s décor strikes the right chord for kitsch lovers. Shabu-Sen has less fun in the way of décor but offers a Shabu bar/counter and reasonably priced Shabu Shabu meals served with fresh mixed vegetables, udon, tofu and steamed rice (Vegetarian, $9.99; Small, 10 slices of beef & pork, $10.99; Large, 15 slices, $15.50; and cheaper prices at lunch).

Custom Burger Lounge

121 7th St (between Mission & Howard)
In the Best Western Americania
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-252-2634
www.jdvhotels.com/dining/ sanfrancisco_custom

Hours:

Custom Burger Lounge

Sunday-Thursday 7am-10pm
Friday-Saturday 7am-11pm
Custom Lounge
Sunday-Thursday 12pm-12am
Friday-Saturday 12pm-1am

The gourmet burger craze is in full swing in San Francisco with new spots slated to open throughout the new year (like Best-O-Burger in the Financial District and Hubert Keller’s SF location of Burger Bar). These places offer quality meats (grass fed, organic, sometimes even Kobe beef), fine cheeses and a variety of toppings, pushing the fast food burger experience into a slightly elevated realm.

Custom Burger, in the Best Western Americania, is a welcome food joint on these seedy blocks of SoMa. Inside the sunny hotel with a lounge/full bar next door to the burger bar, its welcoming with bright orange and wood, and a funky, clean, 1970’s feel to the room.

Grab a checklist when you get to the counter and assemble your burger starting with meat (Angus, Kobe, Lamb, Turkey, Salmon, Veggie or Chicken), then toppings, from Balsamic Marinated Onions to Grilled Pineapple to Roasted Green Chiles. You an add extra toppings like Applewood-Smoked Bacon, Fried Petaluma Egg or Point Reyes Blue Cheese, then top it off with a special “sauce” (such as Chipotle Cilantro Mayo or Peppercorn Ranch) and choose a bun (I like the Onion Poppy; there is also the Potato Pepper or Brioche).

The whole procedure will seem either overkill (catering to ‘food snobs’) or a playful approach to burgers, depending on how you view it. Many choices can appear cumbersome, but I like high quality options and a twist on the usual. Though these are not the best burgers I’ve had in SF and the price can easily go over $10, it’s still a great addition to these sketchy blocks and fun way to do burgers and drinks.

LAKE COMO, ITALY

Lake Como is yet another idyllic area of my dear Italy… Yes, it’s another lake in a region filled with lakes, but one with cliffs rising sharp, softly carpeted with green, out of shimmering blue, offering a majestic yet intimate connection of water and hillside.

I recently stayed in a most magnificent villa on the lake, on a cliff jutting out over the town of Mennagio, with views directly across to Bellagio and Varenna. In returning to Italy for a third time, the same and greatest joys remain at the forefront: perfect coffee (cappuccinos in the morning, espresso the rest of the day), blissful gelato, leisurely pace, attitude and charm, culture and art, and, obviously, divine food.

I share with you a few favorite finds from my week in Lake Como:

Villa Melzi

• Silvio – After a walk through magically romantic Villa Melzi, then wandering along the riverside and up hills, we finally found Loppia di Bellagio Hotel, where family-run Silvio restaurant resides. They did not open till 7pm so as it was 6pm, they brought my party bottles of wine and Prosecco (Italian champagne) which we savored as the sun set over the stunning lake and hills. A pool filled with turtles enlivened the scene until we were escorted inside the glass-walled dining room looking out over the water. Silvio is known for fresh fish caught daily from the lake – you can even arrange to go out on a fishing boat to bring in the days’ catch. With warm service and an easy mix of locals and hotel lodgers dining, we began our feast. A house specialty is Agoni, lake sardines prepared in a style called “Missultini”, an ancient preparation only known by the most experienced fisherman. The sardines are salted, dried in the sun, then pressed between laurel leaves in cans; the whole process takes months. They’re served drizzled with olive oil and have a smoky accent to the briny saltiness. Primi (first course) was a divine Risotto with flaky, perfectly grilled Perch (again, caught fresh), covered in Parmesan, Sage and Butter. Magnifico! Secondo (second course) was Veal in a rustic brown sauce with succulent Parma Ham layered across the Veal. All in all, a meal to remember… and quite reasonably priced.

Silvio

• Barchetta – One of the best meals of my trip, Michelin-rated Barchetta is up one of many steep, charming steps of downtown Bellagio. To the right of the cozy bar on the ground floor is an intriguing wood door leading you up stairs to a second floor, open-air patio, ideal on a gorgeous day, such as the one we had. An interesting starter was the Gambieri (plump shrimps) in red bean puree with olives and asparagus. The ecstasy-inducing winner of the meal was a special of the day: flawless Gnocchi served with fresh lake-caught Pike, pushed over the edge with grilled onions, asparagus, sage, rosemary and juicy tomatoes, sautéed in olive oil and butter. Other highlights: Gnocchi in a tomato cream sauce with grilled Porcini mushrooms, and a savory Pork sautéed in Armangnac, served over a Polenta cake in a creamy Gorgonzola sauce with a Parsnip Parmesan Spinach. Dessert was a rich Dark Chocolate Souffle covered in a divine banana butter cream, and warm Zabaglione (frothy egg whites mixed with alcohol). Following this seamless meal, I craved nothing but a long nap filled with dreams of Barchetta.

Villa d'Este

• Villa d’Este – This breathtaking ancient villa sitting majestically on the Lake in the town of Cernobbio and is now a very expensive hotel. The grounds are open to anyone and well worth a sunset stroll, like The Renaissance Man and I shared on our anniversary. The restaurant is very costly and from reviews, does not seem worth the high premium. But for drinks lakeside, it’s quite a romantic rendezvous.

Gato Nero

• Il Gatto Nero, Via Monte Santo 69, Rovenna, 031-512042 – Il Gato Nero doesn’t have a website but their praises are sung in many a review, raved about by locals and travelers alike. With brilliant views of the lake and nighttime glittering lights, it’s like a magical tree house perched in the hills above Cernobbio. As twisty roads continuously changed names, The Renaissance Man and I had almost given up when we rounded a corner to see it perched on the edge of a cliff. No parking existed so we pulled up by the entrance where a man rushed out, ordered us to follow him (we assumed as he spoke Italian only), jumped in a car, led us further up the hill to a parking perch, then drove us back down to the restaurant. A unique start to an enchanting meal. Words inadequately describe the setting, warmed by heat lamps, candles and town lights shimmering below. I highly recommend the deck, though multi-floored dining rooms are likewise cozy and glowing. Service was spotty: a mix of attentive timeliness and sheer neglect. The food was tasty though not as idyllic as Barchetta or savory as Silvio. Butternut Squash and Hazlenut Risotto hit the spot, though I have had a more lush version of the same dish at San Francisco’s authentic Incanto. A puff pastry vegetable starter was probably the finest note of the whole meal as a grilled butterfish entrée was fresh but bland with no sauce and minimal vegetables. Even though we had better food on Lake Como, the setting alone was worth a visit. On a clear night, it’s nearly heavenly.