Always back for more

When I'm back in the Bay Area, I try to visit as many new restaurants as possible.  New ones pop up every season.  My list keeps growing.

And despite that, I make room in my stomach to visit my favorites.  Every single trip back, I'm always grabbing pizzas at Howie's Artisan Pizza in Palo Alto.  There's something about eating in the Peninsula and at a place like Howie's that makes me feel like I never left.  It's such a family friendly, neighborhood kind of place.  Plus, there's an excellent selection of beers and wines to pair the pizza with - that's always a selling point for me.

I have yet to get some great artisan pizza in Manila.  There are some standout thin crust pizzas, but there's nothing with that chewy-fluffy-baked-crispy pie crust.  It's a true art.  At Howie's the toppings and the crust are so well-researched for quality and execution.  Now I'm counting down the days until my next trip for more of these pizza pies.

Place your cursor above "Notes" below to read the captions for each photo.

If you can't see the slide show, check out my Flickr album: Howies

Pizza in the Peninsula

Every trip to the Bay Area feels soo short. There's just too much to do. It's a challenge fitting in visits to favorite restaurants and trying out new restaurants. There are some restaurants that we visit everything single stay, even if it's just an overnighter. One required restaurant for every Bay Area visit: Howie's Artisan Pizza.

My family and I have been fans of Chef Howard since his Marche days in Menlo Park. He's a five star chef who has followed the trend of chefs opening up more casual dining experiences. What I love about this trend is that the food is more affordable, the atmosphere is more relaxed, AND the food is still of five star quality. You can't beat that formula.

Place your cursor above "Notes" below to read the captions for each photo.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Howie's

Revisiting A New Favorite Restaurant

Before moving to Asia earlier this year, I found a new favorite restaurant here in the Bay Area, and right near my hometown, too! Since it's a new favorite, I had to come here again (twice in two weeks) during my recent visits back to the Bay. Howie's Artisan Pizza competes with some of the best pizza in the San Francisco area - yes, I'd even say those up in the city, like Pizzeria Delfina. From starters, pizzas, to dessert - they are all five star and so reflective of the love Chef Howard puts in all his food.

Place your cursor above "Notes" to read a little more about each picture.

Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slideshow here.