But here are two tidbits to wet your appetite before dinner. Also I apologise for the watermark, I was in a bit of a rush and it was on the last thing I exported.

Prawn Rolls at yum cha, at Dragon Boat on the Yarra

Autumn Spoils for Two at Koko Black

Anyways, started out the morning with a 4.5km run / battle with the cyclists (he called me stupid, I called him a fuckface – definitely not a what would Jesus do moment) and then on to breakfast.

I have a thing about sweet breakfasts. In my head they sound like the best idea ever, but when it finally gets in my mouth I enjoy like a couple bites and then I’m pretty much over the fact that my mouth tastes like a sugar cube. Which is why I was dying to try a savoury french toast recipe. It’s pretty simple and all about the yummy things you get to add on top. The recipe I used said to use a French baguette which obviously adds +10 Frenchiness but you could also use normal bread or Challah bread if you are lucky enough to have it close by (damn you Brisbane!)

Savoury French Toast with Mushrooms and Cherry Tomatoes

It’s actually a very simple soup. Get some pork ribs, boil them in water with goji berries and red dates and then add the watercress. If you’re like me you can also whatever the hell you want (carrots, corn, mushrooms etc) and then call it a day. The key is to simmer the soup until the meat is falling off the rib. Make lots and freeze it for later.

Quick Boston Baked Beans with Crispy Mountain Bread Bowl

We took our recipe from Food.com and replaced the muffin with a mountain bread that was toasted in the bowl in the oven to create that lovely bowl shape. Otherwise if you’re not too fussed about the shape of your mountain bread you can also just toast it flat.

Beans-wise the recipe uses Borlotti beans but we just used whatever we had in the pantry which included some leftover kidney beans and black beans.

If there’s one thing Berkeley does well it’s breakfast. Behold my giant stack of Lemon Gingerbread Pancakes from La Note. Also giant breathtaking parks for puppies.

I was looking through all the dishes we ate at Chez Panisse and it was too hard to choose so here’s a photo of the entrance signage. Go if you have the chance and try everything they put on your table.

We found it by accident while looking for something to eat near the Museum of Arts and Design and we sort of stumbled into the shopping centre Bouchon and Per Se live in. While there’s a very large Samsung sign which kind of looms over the dining area the food at Bouchon Bakery sounds so simple but it’s done oh so well.  The lobster mac and cheese was not only the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had but also the nicest lobster I’ve ever tasted. Not too over-powered but the cream and cheese and very very soft.

PS. We went there twice.

Egg was recommended to us by a friend of a friend and now I’m recommending it to you. We had the Eggs Rothko (an easy cooked egg in brioche topped with cheese) and the duck hash and it isn’t what you’d call pretty food. But it’s freaking delicious. Also you get to draw on their tables; we left Andy the Unicorn.

Most of it was delicious (San Francisco holla!) some of it not so much and I did think about doing separate posts for the best of and worst of or one post for San Francisco, one for LA and one for New York but honestly the whole thing was a big yummy mess and I haven’t had the heart to step on the scales yet.

So instead here are some of my favourite food places that you should definitely check out if you’re in the neighbourhood.

Baja-style Escolar with a side of sweet potato fries from Pacific Catch, in the Marina District in San Francisco which was recommended to us by the most friendly salesperson I’ve ever met at Fleet Feet across the road.

Black iron seared Day Boat scallops on a bed of truffled potato mousseline, chanterelle mushrooms, leek nage from Park Chalet at the ocean end of the Golden Gate Park. Some of the largest and juiciest scallops I’ve ever had. Period.

Fish and Farm is in the city centre of San Francisco and we managed to get a table in the bar and while the food was very much up to par it’s the Saucy Pear and our very lovely and understanding bartender (after I accidentally dropped the Saucy Pear on the floor).

You’ll have to get your own water and bus your own tables but to eat a truffle sausage at Rosamunde Sausage Grill, I would bus a thousand tables. Also you save on tips.

TCHO is a San Francisco based chocolate factory and if you are ever in the area definitely take their free chocolate tour (not just for the chocolate-y air and free tasting) but it really was an eye-opener into how chocolate is grown and made. Also buy some cacao nibs covered in dark chocolate. They’re great on their own or if you like your coffee, add a teaspoon to your morning cup instead of sugar.

And now, for the pretty pictures.

So we’ve been on the hunt for amazing breakfast recipes that a) don’t take for-ever to cook and keep us full until lunch (which was our main problem with cereal).Enter the challenger.

I just have to say I heart pesto so hard, and I was ready to be disappointed with ‘lettuce’ pesto but it was light and refreshing, plus you get to feel awesome about yourself for eating lettuce. (Ignore the proscuitto on top).

Romaine and Egg-Stuffed Tomatoes

For a while my partner and I had a very boring breakfast pattern. Scrambled eggs in a wrap with mushrooms, spinach and bacon (him not me) and then cereal the day after. So eggs, cereal, eggs, cereal. But we found that apart from being super boring on the cereal days we were hungrier much earlier during the day and didn’t really feel as awesome in general. Also I’ve been actively trying to minimise the number of super processed foods we buy.

So we started looking at other breakfast options to see what filled us up. I made homemade bagels which we had with various fillings and spreads and this weekend my partner made this gorgeous Breakfast polenta with chorizo and queso fresco and it was absolutely gorgeous. Chorizo and I are on again off again but this time it was on. On like Donkey Kong.

Breakfast polenta with Chorizo and Queso Fresco from Epicurious