nicks

Hi. I'm planning my honeymoon in California in June and am stumbling on what time to book the evening meals. For example, in the wine country, is it better to eat earlier, say 6pm when it's a bit warmer, or is it good to watch the sunset at around 8 to 8.30? Is this a stupid question? It's just that i love this forum and can't believe how finely tuned everybody's plans are. I always thought i was being too particular! Also, any suggestions for restaurants in the wine country. I couldn't get into French Laundry. I'm staying in Glen Ellen and would like to eat al fresco. We have a car so up to a half hour drive is fine.

Thanks

J62

Nicks,
The best answer to this question is to eat at whatever time strikes your fancy. When do you eat dinner now? A good meal at your normal dinner time is often far better than an exquisite meal on a grumbling stomach, yawning because you're tired and cranky because you're over hungry.

I'm an early dinner eater (~6pm), but in general I find that most good restaurants are a little too quiet before 7pm. A 8pm reservation and I'm a bear.

You may get the impression from this forum that everyone plans their trips to the infinite detail. My experience is that actually I use tools like this to become aware of my options, but the best vacations are the ones that allow me & family to go with the flow.

J_Correa

We don't plan our vacations to the minute detail either. We have a loose itinerary with nightly lodging set up, generally one or two things planned to do each day and a list of other things of interest that can be done if the mood strikes us. We generally plan our meals that way too - research places we'd like to eat ahead of time, but we rarely have any hard and fast plans.

GailLK

Getting into French Laundry is like winning the MEGA MILLIONS! Nearly impossible and wondering "is that place really worth all the hype"? We tried twice to get reservations, once by calling far in advance and waiting on hold for hours, and another time trying to go there in person and making a reservation (they keep the doors locked, smart!). No luck!!!! Check ZAGAT guide and you will find plenty of other good restaurants in that area. We prefer dining at 7pm because it gives you plenty of time to enjoy a full day sightseeing and time to get back to change before dinner and then still some extra time after dinner to walk around and explore. Of course, if it's a great restaurant, we are willing to dine earlier to get the reservation if it's very booked up.
Have a happy honeymoon!!!

cherie1

We always make dinner reservations for nearly every night of a vacation, sometimes more than one. I just make sure to cancel them in advance if we choose something else. As far as what time, there are a lot of factors that come into play. Our homelife habits are not really relevant, because vacation time for us is much different. If we are active all day long, naptime might logically come around 5:00, so that can be a factor. Is the restaurant one with a great veiw...then we might want to dine when it's still light out and/or during the sunset. Do you like to go out elsewhere for a drink before dinner, or afterwards--timing comes into play. Do you like a full restaurant--in our experience, optimal people-watching doesn't usually occur until at least 8:00 (and often much later in places like NY, Vegas, South Beach...) Earlier is quieter, you might have a better shot at a romantic booth or something... These are some of the things I like to consider.

nicks

Thanks for your replies. We love a sunset and a view, so the day to night option is good for us. The early meal / better table is definitely something we'll bear in mind - and i'm a dinner on the table at 6pm gal myself!

I'm hoping to book Alcatraz today. Does anyone know if there's a difference between the two evening tours? Also, is there somewhere nice to eat not too far from Fisherman's Wharf (but away from the very touristy bit) which we can go to wearing trainers?

lolfn

where do you live now? if you are on the east coast, a 6pm reservation is like eating at 9pm! so keep that in mind. at least in the beginning of your trip before your tummy adjusts to jetlag.

we were at the french laundry last week and i made the reservation at 6 for that exact reason. by the time dinner was over at 9:15, i was very happy i made it early. and, gail, getting into FL is like winning the lottery--except instead of winning a ton of money you are paying a ton of money. we had a great experience and the food is on par, if not better, than the #1 restaurants in nyc and michelin starred meals in france that i've had.

personally, if you plan to drink in the afternoon or with dinner, i'd make reservations around where you are staying. driving between sonoma and napa can be treacherous during the day, let alone at night--lots of twists and turns as you go up and over the mountains.

have a wonderful honeymoon!

nicks

Oh, so maybe booking a table at Brix whilst staying in Glen Ellen was not such a good idea?

janis

I have a hunch you're coming from the UK ( ". . we can go to wearing trainers" )

If so, the time difference will be huge. It may take you a couple of days to get onto a normal eating schedule. I would not book any "special" meals for the first couple of days. You might not yet be able to really enjoy them to the fullest.

As for "6pm when it's a bit warmer, or is it good to watch the sunset at around 8 to 8.30?" You can never tell about the weather for sure, but if we're having a hot spell (totally possible) 6 p.m. will be the hottest part of the day and not that conducive to fine dining. I'm only talking about the Wine country here - in SF, that won't be a problem.

nicks

Wow, hot at 6pm! Yes, we are coming from the UK where hot at 6pm is unheard of, but exactly the sort of info i need to make my arrangements, so thanks for that. We're leaving the first night free for dinner but are at the Post Ranch Inn for the second and third nights, so i hope our body clocks have changed by then!

pineco

If you are going to come all the way to Brix, you might as well travel a bit further down hwy. 29 and go to Bistro Don Giovanni instead -- excellent and outdoor dining overlooking their sculpture garden.