So...I know that I have blogged about Maggiano's before but I must underscore my suggestion to dine here after some recent experiences.  We celebrated a few birthdays here recently, and the service and pricetag for the amazing meal never cease to amaze me.  Ordering "family style" is the only way that I know to do it here. Family Style Menu: http://tinyurl.com/4akrblv  There is enough variety to please everyone, and you can even PRE-ORDER it all so that the food just keeps coming out after you sit down. The other piece that I cannot rave enough about is the fact that they clear your plates from the table, and keep the table well tended to throughout your dining experience. This is why we pay for service, people! Finally a restaurant who has got it right. For the amount of money you are spending, the amount of food you are getting, and the amount of attention you are paid, Maggiano's is a STELLAR STOP.

Our favorites: Bruschetta (so fresh!), Calamari (melts in your mouth), Rigatoni "D" (no brainer), Chopped Salad (much better than the boring Caesar), Cheesecake and Chocolate Zuccotto.

Now GO...RUN THERE if you have not done so already!!!

http://www.padrirestaurant.net/
Everything at Padri - from the service to the food to the atmosphere is spectacular. The overall experience was so satisying that I am already trying to figure out how to get back there. They have a large martini list, excellent wine offerings, delicious dishes that range from risotto to seafood pastas, and perfect desserts to cap off the evening.

http://www.yardhouse.com/CA/northridge-restaurant/
The Yard House is a chain, and I have eaten at the one in San Diego before. This restaurant which is part of the Northridge Fashion Center is a newer location. It is a large restaurant, with flat screen tvs hung throughout, and a beautiful bar at its center. The menu is massive so it is really helpful to ask a server about what the favorites are. All the food that we had that evening was delicious - the egg rolls were tasty but you didn't get much for $10, the Seared Ahi Tuna Salad had a very tasty dressing, the Halibut was amazing, and the desserts were both spectacular!  Our server added a lot of positive elements to our overall experience at the restaurant.  He was friendly and took the time to make suggestions from the extensive menu. When he took a break, he introduced us to another server, and by the end of the evening, they both came back to check on me and my friend and to get our feedback on the suggestions they had made. The restaurant has a great vibe, a menu with a lot of variety, and 150 taps to choose from for beer lovers. If you've never been to a Yard House, it's worth a stop.

http://www.oldplacecornell.com/
Have your friends ever talked to you about a restaurant so much that you were just dying in anticipation of the moment when you could actually go and experience yourself? This was my relationship with The Old Place, and it did not disappoint. For my birthday this year, I asked my dear friend for one gift: RESERVATIONS. We dined in the Mailroom, a private room at the back of the restaurant. It was like dining in an old saloon, or an old restaurant that you would find on the set of "Little House on the Prairie". The service was spot-on, with one server taking all our drink and food orders, and then others assisting with the delivery. The food was large in portion and taste. I loved how my chicken pot pie came with a huge scoop of mashed potatoes on top of it! It was comfort food taken to another level. It was easy to see why my friends had been raving about The Old Place --now I will do the same.