California Dreamin'

My favouritest place to lunch on weekdays: California Vintage. Went there for a lunch with Golden Gate Wines, which provides some of the wines you'll find in the enomatic machines.

Feels like you're eating healthy when really you're scoffing baked Laura Chenel goat cheese over roasted piquillo peppers. Love the strength of that goat cheese against sweet peppers.

Or Baja fish tacos. Which are totally deep-fried, but the fresh avocado and tomato salsa and other green stuff make it seem much healthier. It's my go-to pick for the set lunch, where it comes with Gilroy garlic fries. We'll get to those later.

Dungeness crab and artichoke dip. The bougie alternative to California Pizza Kitchen's spinach artichoke dip, but more pungent and seafoody.

I believe this is the California flatbread with Cobb salad. What can you say about a salad. It was... fresh. Healthy. Probably does good things for your body. Never say no to avocados.

Something with cheese. Mushrooms? Bread.

Sliders! The fancy term for mini burgers. With Angus beef Bravo Farms cheddar cheese and served with caramelized onion topping. To be honest, burgers are burgers. They're okay. I'd stick to the tacos...

...especially since they come with these fries! Garlic fries, the best invention for fries (ranking above mayo fries but just under truffle fries).

Chocolate pot de creme. Like a very solid chocolate mousse. Wanted to die the first time I had it, so frickin' good, but since it's been on the lunch menu forever, I'm becoming desensitized to its chocolatey awesomeness. Still can't say no to it, but I have gained the willpower to eat only half in the interest of diet.

Overall: Go for the salads. The fish tacos. The grilled brie with sliced apples (not pictured, but good, although technically you can also do it at home -- also mentioned it on my top 10 foods list here). The goat cheese and pepper dip. The roast chicken, also not pictured. And if you're healthy, then the salads, too. Oh, and since it's a wine bar, grab yourself a glass, too. There's cute wine-pairing suggestions on the menu, but I know nothing about wines, so I won't venture to comment on that. Sorry.