B Street and Vine

Winner of a 'Best Kept Secret' Award from the San Mateo Times two years ago- Secret no more.

Ray and I discovered this little place right away when we moved here two years ago. It was a secret then, we never had a problem grabbing a table on the fly.

Those days are over, this little place was packed when we dropped in for dinner on Valentine's Day this weekend. I guess we'll need to think about reservations in the future.
B Street and Vine is known for their interesting wine list, delicious bruschetta and salads, and live jazz nightly on weekends.

We sat at the bar for the first time and really enjoyed ourselves. Tables were few and far between so we stopped here to wait, but it was so nice we stayed. There's something very intimate about sitting at the bar- you are forced to sit tightly together and whisper in your date's ear.

You can order by taste, glass, or bottle at B Street. We like tastes so we can sample. I chose a Paul Strarr Riesling, Terra Rosa Malbec, and Zinfandel from Artisan Winery.

The menu features delicious salads and panini, but we (and many others- check their Yelp reviews) come back for the bruschetta. There are a dozen varieties to choose from, and it's perfect for sharing. This evening we selected our favorites.

Top: Smoked salmon with capers and mascarpone
Middle left: Brie with apples and spiced pecans
Middle right: Gorgonzola with honey
Bottom: Crushed tomatoes with basil

Simple and scrumptious.
We aren't big on Vday, but the evening did include a little sweetness from Ray on his iPhone:

Saturday was wet and cold in San Mateo, but the view from the rooftops of downtown was peaceful and cozy.

~::~

Before we left for dinner we had a little jam session on the Wii. During his college years, my husband was well-known in the area for being a great karaoke singer.

People would actually come specifically to watch him and his friend D perform.
These days we don't hit the bars on weekdays and nearly late enough for karaoke, so we've brought it home.
We have his and hers games: Guitar Hero World Tour for him (all boys songs) and Boogie Superstar for me (girls songs!)

..(Trying to) croon like Katy Perry..

~:::~