Nel Centro, Portland, OR

After a long day of travel, I didn't want to venture too far from the hotel so I decided to go to the restaurant on site, Nel Centro. It was an excellent choice!!

http://www.nelcentro.com/

The restaurant was light and airy, and the wait staff was very friendly. I started with the Spring Minestrone alla Genovese -- the vegetables were crisp and fresh, and the small sprinkle of romano cheese on top really set it off.

For my main, I decided to try the evening's special, Braised Lamb Ragu with Rosemary Gnocchi and Shaved Parmesan. Absolutely delicious! The rosemary in the gnocchi was not overpowering but added a nice complexity to the dish. The lamb was cooked perfectly and the sauce was nicely finished with a small bit of butter which gave it richness. The extra bonus was that the portion was very European -- enough to let you appreciate the dish but not enough that you were too full and you were left wanting a bit more. I wish more American restaurants followed this philosophy. To me, its not the quantity but the quality of the food that defines how good the restaurant is and I will pay for quality.

Although I don't make it a practice, I did have dessert. The dessert menu had lots of great choices but I settled on the Fromage Blanc Tart with Pine Nuts and Cherries. Light and refreshing.

Of course, any dinner in Oregon would not be complete without an Oregon Pinot Noir. In fact, the weather was so perfect, I ended up in the hotel courtyard after enjoying the great weather and sunshine, reading my book and sipping a second glass.

I would highly recommend Nel Centro (and the hotel I'm staying at, Hotel Modera)!! I plan on eating here again while I'm here in Portland. Gets 4.75 stars out of 5.

The Seafood Peddler, San Rafael, CA

Voted the best seafood restaurant in Marin County for 2009 (and previous years too), I had to give The Seafood Peddler a try. http://www.seafoodpeddler.com/

The restaurant is situated on a small river with a lovely patio area right on the water. The weather here in Northern California is beautiful so I opted for the outdoor seating. The staff was very friendly and helpful.

I ordered Herbed Oven Roasted Wild King Salmon Filet served with wild mushrooms and sweet corn succotash, port-balsamic glaze and wilted boy choy. The recommended glass of Benzinger Chardonnay was a good pairing. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the port-balsamic glaze had been finished with butter which gave it a velvety texture and cut any acidity from the balsamic.

Perhaps it was the weather but I didn't want to leave quickly so I decided to order dessert, a lemon tarte with berry coulis. It was both refreshing and slightly tart -- very pleasant.

Would give The Seafood Peddler 4.25 stars out of 5. If I'm ever back in the San Rafael area I would definitely come back here for dinner.

Harbor Grill, Dana Point, CA

Tonight's dinner was at the Harbor Grill, 34499 Golden Lantern St., Dana Point, CA.

http://www.harborgrill.com

Started with a chilled gazpacho - fresh and tasty.

Main was a Caribbean Spice Rubbed Mahi Mahi with tomato salsa. The rub was spicy but the salsa did a great job of offsetting it. It was served with rice pilaf, broccoli and carrots.

Enjoyed a nice glass of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

The Harbor Grill is located in the Dana Point Harbor. I sat on the patio but, unfortunately, there is a parking lot between the patio area and the harbor so the view wasn't exactly what I was expecting.

Rating: 3.25 stars (out of 5)