Try the Mini Food Gal App — For Free

Yes, now here’s your chance  to try a mini version of my Food Gal “Ultimate Guide to Bay Area Dining” — for free.

Available at the iTunes store, the  free version has 21 recommended restaurants on it. If you like what you see, you can download the complete app with 70 more restaurant write-ups for a mere $1.99. It’s just like trying a cookie sample at the supermarket. With that first bite, you’re sure to enjoy it so much that you’ll want the whole shebang.

The map feature cleverly lets you find my recommended spots closest to you no matter your location in the Bay Area. Also new to the app is the ability to make reservations through OpenTable.

There might be no such thing as a free lunch. But now you can partake of my delicious mini app for free.

Cindy Pawlcyn Celebrates 30 Years

Chef Cindy Pawlcyn’s pioneering Mustard’s Grill in Yountville will celebrate its 30th anniversary in a very sweet way.

We’re talking cake — a different one featured daily for 30 days, from now through June 15.

Chef Cindy Pawlcyn celebrates a mega anniversary. (Photo courtesy of Alex Farnum)

The cake will be available on the dessert menu daily not only at Mustard’s Grill, but at Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen in St. Helena and Cindy Pawlcyn’s Wood Grill & Wine Bar in St. Helena.

The “30 Days of Cake” promotion also non-coincidentally happens to be the same title of her newest cookbook that will publish this fall. Look for everything from chocolate pecan Jack Daniel’s cake to peach melba cake to coconut haupia cake.

Teacher Appreciation Month at Lark Creek Restaurants

All through the month of May, Lark Creek Restaurant Group salutes teachers.

In its sixth annual “Teacher Appreciation Month” program, the restaurant group will pick up the tab for the first $10 spent by each teacher or school employee at any participating Lark Creek restaurant. Yup, even if the bill is only $10, the offer still stands.

You must show a valid ID to take advantage of the program.

Participating restaurants: Cupola Pizzeria in San Francisco, Fish Story in Napa, LarkCreekSteak in San Francisco, Lark Creek Blue in San Jose, Lark Creek Walnut Creek, One Market in San Francisco, Parcel 104 in Santa Clara, Yankee Pier Lafayette, and Yankee Pier Larkspur.