Two roads diverged

We finally made it to Fish on Friday night for dinner. This was our fourth attempt, the previous three having been felled by our bad timing, their funky hours (they close at 8:30), and a temporary closure last year. But we made one final attempt because my dear friend Kristen is in town and a trip to Sausalito seemed like a good way to close out the week.

We weren't disappointed. I love fish restaurants that do the thinking for you by sourcing from sustainable fisheries. It's nice to be able to settle into a lazy dinner feeling virtuous. The harborside location is lovely, especially at dusk when the bay and the sky reach that identical shade of blue.

We started with fat spears of asparagus tossed in garlicky Green Goddess dressing. Why do we ever settle for skinny asparagus sticks at this time of year? These were so sweet and juicy. I also had house-made pasta topped with grilled hamachi. Very simple and good, toothsome and a bit buttery-smoky, but my coworker insists I should have had the crab roll. Eh, next time. Kristen had the fish tacos: no complaints. And Scott had seared, bacon-wrapped ahi, which disappeared before I remembered to ask him for a bite. He assures me it was delicious.

The restaurant only takes cash, so come prepared.

That makes one less restaurant on our list of places we've failed to try, but not for lack of trying. Scott still hasn't made it to Canteen, though I have. Too few tables, and they fill up early. I never call Town Hall in time to get a reservation, though Scott did go to a work lunch there. And Pizzetta 211 seems to be closed every time I make it to the Richmond (which must always be on Mondays and Tuesdays).

We need to get on this list because, well, time is running out. We're moving back to Boston this summer.

I love California. I especially love the food. But we love our families more. And it turns out that living 3000 miles away from all of them just doesn't work as a long-term arrangement.

The move will likely happen in early to mid-July. There's a lot of eating to do before then and I'll be writing up a storm in the meantime. After that? I'll likely go back to tracking the New England scene with my newly-Californicated taste. You might want to avoid me in that first winter back. I've seen the produce and it's not pretty.