So we’ve been habitually displaced as of recent, thanks to a slab leak. Insurance sent us to a local hotel while they waited to secure a more permanent airbnb; and as such we all indulged in some pretty good food, with many a repeat customer.

Nine-ten was a fan favorite amongst adults and children alike. I mean, jamie and I are no stranger to the restaurant, as it’s one of the places we often choose for celebratory meals, but it was nice to introduce the kids to it too.

Always have to start out with the house made bread, be it the parker house rolls or the sourdough… and my personal favorite touch? The finishing salt sprinkled butter. Always warm, always fresh. Just get the bread.

Jamie and I always order the hamachi dish, anytime we are at nine-ten. Always. It’s one of the only dishes that has been on the menu for the last 20 years, and doesn’t change seasonally. Which is a very good thing.

We ordered it the first night we were in the restaurant, and avy (who loves hamachi) not only tried it, but ate most of it and proceeded to order a second for her main entrée. And I can’t even count the number of times, she has gone back for more since then.

She said that she falls asleep dreaming of the pickled mushrooms and and the scallion vinaigrette. That both aspects just complement the hamachi perfectly.

Another avy lunchtime favorite are these brussels. They are so yummy, it’s ridiculous. There is something about the way the romesco works to complement the brussels— and I would have never thought to put those two things together. Also… do you see the parm layer? Perfection.

Another lunch fav is the octopus greens. Love the addition of kumquats, and it’s definitely kumquat season, as the place we’re currently staying at has trees that are exploding.

Also, give me a shaved fennel salad, and I’m a happy girl.

One of our favorite dinner items was the salmon. I can’t even express to you how melt-in-your-mouth delicious this was. But what I can tell you, is that we ordered it multiple times, sometimes to share with the whole fam. Sometimes individually. Sometimes the kids would order it, and not share. Which is totally unfair, but whatever.

Seriously the addition of celery root v/s regular celery… game changer.

I’m going to sound like a broken record here, but this was again ordered multiple times, both shared and individually hoarded. The mushroom demi was sublime. Like mop up everything on the plate with it.

Also, cauliflower mushrooms? Are they cauliflower dusted in mushroom? Is it a type of mushroom? I need to know. And, I need to know how to put them in my life. Chef Jay, can you help.

The only thing I didn’t get a picture of, that we again ordered at every. single. meal. Lunch and dinner. Was the half baked chocolate cake: caramel sauce, choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. And that’s because the kids jumped all over it the second it was set down on the table. There was no camera eating first with this dish. Which, should tell you everything you need to know about why you need to order it.