Sebastian's Store - San Simeon

It's not every day that my mother comes to visit...and thank goodness for that.

My relationship with my mother has always been conflicted; at times too smothering, at time just the right amount of savory and sweet like the thick, sticky slabs of the barbecue-covered Tri Tip Sandwich.

So when she visits I try to plan at least a few activities that require as little talking as possible. A library is a bit too obvious, but a tour of Hearst Castle... Perfect.

Taking that overpriced tour had us hungry, and the burgers of Hearst Ranch Beef went right with the theme. The beef tasted as gaudy as the everything-European-crammed-into-one-castle looked, but it was a good thing...for the beef. The beef was a memorable meat, so much flavor, so much game.

The burger with pepper jack cheese had an authentic edge, with a slab of the legendary New Mexican green chile deepening the bite of both the pepper and the jack.

Thick strips of bacon and gobs of guac make that other burger just as good. All-American with a touch of California-chic.

Having the wine tasting right across the counter counted as a plus, though the wines are young. Like the crude conglomeration of Hearst Castle, the wines need time to grow, to develop their real character. In vino veritas; the wine is fun to try, and Hearst Castle is fun to explore...whether in wonderment or in horror.

Bacon & Brine - Solvang

They don't have indoor seating, and their entire three-item menu is written on a chalkboard. Yup, sounds like my kind of place.

They seem so out of place in Solvang - there's not an ounce of Europe in the SoCal Swine. That pork is braised juicy, and in a single bite you can just see the pig-pickin'-sized grill in some southern backyard. Well some SoCal mama got her fingers into it and added some tomato sauce to keep that pig sweet and light. Then she rocked it out with pickled jalapeño and cherry tomato salsa. Add some avocado, and the combination is unusual and unbeatable.

The Kraut Pig seems more German-inspired - a Kaiser must have whispered softly to a Dane to make this just-as-soft mustard-braised shoulder, dressed with aioli and Kraut. The Kraut is sweeter than it is sour, and even the expectedly-harsh mustard finished smooth and sweet.

This one is heavy and it hangs out long after the Jasmine Iced Tea washes it down.

What you see is what you get at Bacon & Brine, and their honesty adds up to a pretty powerful combination of pickles and pig, and fortunately, no pickled pig. Next time I'm in Solvang, I'll be begging for bacon and burning for brine.

Mortenson's Bakery - Solvang

You can't go to Solvang and not try something baked. But choose wisely because not all bakeries are created equal.

The Chocolate Rum Ball, for example, is definitely a bit of a miss. Chocolate is great, but the rum doesn't make it better, and the texture is definitely a bit like Playdoh.

The Danish Waffle is better, much better. Crunchy puff pastry sandwiching light, sweet cream is hard to diss, but it doesn't really make waves so it's easy to dismiss.

Mortenson's Bakery wasn't all I'd hoped for, but I suppose it was enough. I just wish that the vibrant storefront wasn't just a cover for a space that was so sterile and sad.

Café Firenze - Moorpark

You never forget your first chef-love. It's a love that knows no boundaries, a love that conquers all.

I first fell for Fabio Viviani on my couch during the fifth season of Top Chef. His accent tickled my ears, his Italian-grandma recipes piqued my imagination, and his drive, his ambition, his constant pursuit of perfection warmed me through the coldest of New York winters.

Just watching Fabio work was even better than turning up the heat, but I do wish I had the Short Rib Ravioli to kick it up a notch back then. The dumpling-like ravioli wrappers bulge with impossibly soft short rib, and a drape-y creamy Taleggio cheese sauce folds over the meaty pockets to keep it simple with style.

A single bite of the Roasted Chicken brought the legendary Tom Colicchio to his knees. Described on Top Chef as "the kind of dish that makes you," a mere glimpse of the tender, juice-dripping quarters was unforgettable, and the perfectly-herbed, crispy skin is a flavor I'll never forget.

When Top Chef ended, I silently said my goodbyes. I had loved and I had lost becaus Fabio's Cafe Firenze was far beyond my reach. I accepted that I would never meet my love, and I would only see his food in my dreams.

Instead, I got a happy ending as sweet as the Tiramisu. I didn't expect to see such rich layers unfold up close, alternating sharp with silky, espresso with the thickest, smoothest mascarpone cream, as I never thought I'd move across the country to occupy a table at Fabio's flagship four years later.

My happy ending is bittersweet as I have yet to meet my first chef-love, but the ending is mostly sweet, now that I've tasted his tiramisu.

Flying Fin Sushi and Seafood - Redondo Beach

Move over, Kantaro, Flying Fin is topping my list of favorites. I never thought I'd fall for fusion, but fresh fish with a new-school style got hook, line, and sinker.

The degree to which I enjoyed the Meat Up! made me feel dirty. It hardly qualifies as sushi, but the smooth steak with crab, spicy tuna, and shrimp tempura is a cogent combination of surf n' turf stuffed into a single sheet of soy paper. It tastes even better in an oriental sauce of politically incorrect sesame and garlic.

The weirdness doesn't end at steak. The combinations are often traditional with an unexpected spin, but the flavors always effectively mesh. The King Cobra, for example, is an upgrade of the caterpillar. Same sweet eel and avocado, but somehow the tempura and crab bring out the eel to make the roll more robust.

The Mega Omega 3 sounds like a mouthful of hot mess, but the flavor-fusion rounds out. The salmon tempura adds crunch to the spicy tuna and smooth avocado. The sweet n' tangy sauces on top really bring out the fresh salmon flavor.

The Top Secret got out a long time ago. Soy paper-wrapped tuna and salmon topped with fresh mango is colorful and fruity-fresh, but it's definitely been done before. I've seen this movie, but I didn't mind seeing it again.

There's a reason the classic rolls do well when revamped, and the Absolute Amazing roll was no exception. Real crab topped with avocado is basically California, and the salmon, shrimp, and tuna toppers were a rainbow roll but better.

The Oh Crab! is a spider roll on crack. The soft shell crab weaves a seductive web, and when it catches some extra crab meat, this combo can't miss.

The Flying Fin roll just nails it. A flawless combo of crab and tuna, tempered with a crunchy jalapeño burn makes for a bite that bites back.

The rolls are new and exciting, but they do the classics just as well. The Yellowtail Collar, for example, is well-grilled with crispy, salted skin and soft meat in the middle.

The Salmon Toro Carpaccio steals the show. Rich, oily, fatty bellies of pink, melt-in-your-mouth, linger-on-your-tongue salmon holds its own against the fattiest of tuna, and the sauce leaves an impression that lasts.

I felt like I was cheating on real sushi with all these rolls, but their quality is simply a sneak peak at the sushi and sashimi to come. And unlike other sushi places that simply use the fish to pile it on, the flavor combinations are carefully calibrated here. I don't usually love fusion, but Flying Fin is pulling it off in flying color.