Staycation Time At West Marin’s Olema House

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The weeknight Blue Plate Special at Due West at the Olema House is a deal. This is Tuesday's special of fried chicken.
The weeknight Blue Plate Special at Due West at the Olema House is a deal. This is Tuesday’s special of fried chicken.

Sometimes you long to jet off to faraway lands.

Other times, you crave a less taxing getaway that’s more easily reachable by car.

For times like that, look no further than the Olema House, a perfect spot to act as home base as you explore the beauty of nearby Point Reyes National Seashore.

That’s exactly what my husband and I did last week when I was invited to be a guest of the inn for two nights.

The boutique inn, located just off Highway 1 in the town of Olema, has a recommendation from the Michelin Guide. It is part of the Mosaic Hotel Collection, which operates half a dozen hotels, including North Block in Yountville and The Madrona in Healdsburg.

The Olema House entrance.
The Olema House entrance.
The Olema House lobby.
The Olema House lobby.
Sitting area in the lobby.
Sitting area in the lobby.

It was originally built 150 years ago as a hotel and saloon on the old stagecoach route. Today, it retains that rustic charm yet with all the modern accoutrements one would desire with a total of 24 rooms and cottages set on four acres beside a creek.

It boasts a market, where one can pick up snacks, breakfast baked goods, and coffee, as well as its own restaurant, Due West. A lot of hotel restaurants in semi-remote areas may fall back on being just good enough. But the food at Due West surprised by exceeding expectations. So much so, that we ate there both nights rather than venturing elsewhere on the second one.

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Easy Peasy, Nice and Easy Lemongrass Tofu

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The simple joy of lemongrass tofu over fluffy rice.
The simple joy of lemongrass tofu over fluffy rice.

When my husband is traveling or out with his guy friends, I like nothing more than a very simple, very quick dinner at home that will leave me nourished and ready to tuck into a good book for hours on afterward.

I’m talking tofu, rice, and veggies.

On first thought, that trio may seem way too boring or virtuous.

But I promise: It is homey, comforting, and will leave you content.

“Lemongrass Tofu” is an example of that, with firm tofu marinated in minced lemongrass, honey, soy sauce, chili pepper, and turmeric before getting quickly sauteed in a pan for dinner in no time flat.

This easy recipe is from “Vietnamese Food and Food Culture” (Tuttle, 2025), of which I received a review copy.

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San Francisco’s Causwells Expands South to Menlo Park

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The Deconstructed Pimm's Cup at Causwells.
The Deconstructed Pimm’s Cup at Causwells.

After a dozen years operating in San Francisco’s Marina District, Causwells has planted a flag on the Peninsula, opening a sister restaurant in Menlo Park’s Springline development of restaurants and residences earlier this spring.

Opened by Chef Adam Rosenblum and Beverage Director Elmer Mejicanos, it’s a handsome restaurant with showy chandeliers and a huge wall of windows to let a lot of natural light in.

It does have its quirks, though: It’s across the street from the Menlo Park Caltrain station, which means the blaring of commuter train horns regularly, especially if you’re dining at prime-time on a weeknight. You will also occasionally see non-diners wandering into the restaurant to get to a staircase or elevator to access their apartments in the complex.

The entrance.
The entrance.
The bar cart at a table in the dining room.
The bar cart at a table in the dining room.

However, if you fancy a cocktail, this is the place to be. There’s even a bar cart that will roll to your table for cocktails made tableside if you are a large enough party.

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Chocolate Stout Rosemary Cake Will Win You Over

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A chocolate cake worth celebrating.
A chocolate cake worth celebrating.

When it comes to Father’s Day, most folks will no doubt fete their dad with prime rib, a massive T-bone or a double-decker cheeseburger.

Not me.

When I think of my late dad, it’s chocolate that comes to mind first and foremost.

I don’t know if my dad thought that life was a box of chocolates a la Forrest Gump. But he surely thought that life was immeasurably better with any kind of chocolate in it.

So, when I spied this recipe for “Chocolate Stout Rosemary Cake,” I thought of him immediately.

No doubt like my husband, he might have turned quizzical over the addition of rosemary in a cake.

But like my husband after one taste, he would have been won over by the addition of this woodsy herb that stars in the thick, cream cheese frosting that lavishly frosts the top of this sour cream- and Guinness-infused chocolate cake.

Trust me, you’ll fall for this cake in a heartbeat, too.

This fabulous recipe is from “Cake From Lucie” (Clarkson Potter).

It was written by Lucie Franc De Ferriere, a French-born, self-taught baker who owns the popular From Lucie in New York City’s East Village. She grew up baking with her mother at the family’s farm and bed-and-breakfast in Southern France.

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Special-Occasion Dining At Its Finest: Michelin Three-Starred Quince

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Heavenly white asparagus tortelloni at Quince.
Heavenly white asparagus tortelloni at Quince.

San Francisco’s Quince definitely puts the “special” in special-occasion dining.

It’s been around for a remarkable 23 years (including 17 of those at its current Jackson Square location). It’s held three Michelin stars since 2017. And it came as no surprise when the San Francisco Chronicle gave it the nod for “best hospitality” in its “Top 100 Restaurants” list this year.

Quince certainly lived up to all of that when I dined there last week in an epic 5-hour dinner, where my husband and I practically closed the place down with only one other table still occupied. Granted, that’s probably a more extended time than the norm. Even though we paid our own tab, Chef Michael Tusk (who owns the restaurant with his wife Lindsay Tusk) sent out extra dishes on the house that made for a longer dining duration.

Even so, I have to say, it never felt like five hours. It never dragged, there were no lapses, and it actually seemed to go by quite swiftly.

A lot of that does owe to the fact that the staff are so personable and engaging — but not in an overly interruptive or intrusive way. When one server who was pushing the migardises cart saw me eyeing it at the start of dinner, he slyly winked, “Not just yet. For later.” When another staff member saw me fingering a beautiful wine stem, he made a point to come over periodically to explain that a certain glass came from Germany or a serving bowl from Japan.

The entrance.
The entrance.
The sidewalk window with a view into the kitchen.
The sidewalk window with a view into the kitchen.

This was my first time dining at Quince since its remodel in 2023. The dining room, which used to be more dimly lit and darker overall, has been moved to the front of the restaurant and lightened up with blond oak furniture and plenty of space between all of 10 tables. A wall of large windows lets in a lot of warm natural light, especially at this time of year.

The 8- to 10-course tasting menu is $390 per person. Beverage pairings include “Wines of California” ($325), “Rare & Unique” ($550), “Art of Wine” ($1,225), and seasonal non-alcoholic ($150). Cocktails and supplemental courses are also available.

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