Small Plates Again

I do tend to go on dining jags. Now it's small plates, which are always a favorite of my wife who loves to nibble through a variety of dishes.

This time we revisited Platanos, which features dishes from throughout Central and South America. We had been here a few years ago, but a favorable rereview in the "Chronicle" encouraged us to make a return visit. The food remains very good. Starting with excellent guacamole that came with plantain chips, we grazed through six dishes from throughout the Americas. Other favorites included steak with carmelized onions, Peruvian style ceviche served with sweet potatoes, red beans and rice that combined more tastes than are usually associated with this dish, and a yummy tres leches cake. I was also pleasantly surprised to find cafe da olla on the menu, a spiced coffee that I discovered earlier this year in Oaxaca.

I find food from the Americas a welcome change to the common California/French cuisine that dominates in San Francisco. Packing a little more spice and using ingredients not found in European-based dishes, Latin American food provides a welcome change of pace.

Platanos is located on the corner of 18th and Guerrero Streets, an intersection that also features the excellent bakery, Tartine, and the well-known Italian restaurant, Delfina. Reservations may be made by calling (415) 252-9281.

Small Plates in Cow Hollow

In the second edition of "Rick's Tips," Blue Heron's free, quarterly newsletter of fun things to do in the Bay Area, I wrote about small plates restaurants in San Francisco. The three restaurants featured in the article are all still producing top-notch food.

Now I would like to add a new restaurant, Terzo, to the list. Located in the Cow Hollow district of San Francisco, near the corner of Union and Steiner Streets, Terzo features small plates of Mediterranean food. On a recent visit, we sampled excellent dishes such as Calamarata pasta with seafood, roasted eggplant with peppers, roasted Niman Ranch beef, and a green bean and heirloom tomato salad. Desserts were also quite tasty. We had a wonderful pairing of Brillat Savaurin cheese with fig compote and a chocolate cake with allspice ice cream and chantilly. The wine list, while not extensive, contained a reasonably priced Cote du Rhone, which paired nicely with our food.

Terzo joins its sister restaurant across the Street, Rose's Cafe, as nice places to dine in Cow Hollow. Terzo is open for dinner nightly. Rose's Cafe is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. To make a reservation at Terzo, call (415) 441-3200.

If you would like to subscribe to "Rick's Tips," click here and let me know.

Point Reyes Lighthouse

I recently took some guests to Point Reyes National Seashore, one of my favorite spots in the Bay Area. We drove all the way out to the Point where we visited the Point Reyes Lighthouse. Opened in 1870, this lighthouse is home to a first order Fresnel lens.

The lighthouse is open Thursday through Monday from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. To get to the Point Reyes Lighthouse, visitors must walk a quarter of a mile from the parking lot and then down (and back up) 308 steps. So the walk is not for the faint hearted. There are benches along the way if you want to rest while climbing back up the steps. Also, be warned that this is perhaps the windiest spot in California. Winds in excess of 40 mph are not uncommon.

If you do visit the lighthouse, you will be rewarded with a spectacular view of the Pacific and exhibits on Pacific maritime history. During the late fall and late winter/early spring, you may sea gray whales on the way between Alaska and Baja California. During whale watching season, you will need to take a shuttle bus to the Point on weekends and holidays.

To learn more about Point Reyes and West Marin County, visit the Blue Heron website and read "Rick's Tips" Numbers 11 and 12.

If you want to take a private tour to Point Reyes National seashore, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Major Changes in Alcatraz Tours

Effective September 25, 2006, a new vendor will provide ferry service between San Francisco and Alcatraz. Hornblower Cruises and Events through its affiliate; Alcatraz Cruises, LLC; will be the sole provider of tours to Alcatraz. All tours will depart from Pier 33, rather than the current location. Prices for daytime tours will be $18.75 for adults and juniors. Seniors 62 and over will pay $17.25. Children between the ages of 5 and 11 will pay $10.75. Toddlers under the age of five are free. All of these prices include the cellblock audio tour. More information is available at the new website for Alcatraz tours: www.alcatrazcruises.com.

The Blue and Gold Fleet continues to provide tours to Alcatraz through September 24, 2006. Tour information for these dates is available at www.blueandgoldfleet.com.

Combine a tour of Alcatraz with a private tour of San Francisco. Tour San Francisco in the morning and we'll end the tour at the Alcatraz ferry terminal. Or tour Alcatraz in the morning, have lunch near the ferry terminal, and we'll pick you up for a city tour when you are finished eating. To book a private tour of San Francisco, call (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.