http://www.ruthschris.com/
I've wanted to go to a Ruth's Chris Steak House for some time.  It is a chain, and there are many located close to me in California. However, while we were in Boston, we happened to be staying at the Omni Parker House hotel and the Ruth's Chris Steak House is located right across the street in the Old City Hall building. The historic building is beautiful, the service is superb, and my family is still talking about how perfectly their steaks were cooked! I was particularly impressed with the large salad that preceded our meals; it came with the fixed menu from which we all ordered that included a salad or soup, entree, and dessert (all for about $40). We were celebrating a special anniversary, and their Happy Anniversary plate was a nice touch. I would definitely be interested in checking one out on the west coast too!

Summer Shack Restaurant
50 Dalton Street  Boston, MA 02115
(617) 867-9955
http://www.summershackrestaurant.com/

This is how you do lobstah! All the food--lobster, fried shrimp, lobster roll, clam chowdah--it was all so fresh! Prompt service, and what I loved the most that I don't regularly see at restaurants is that the servers cleared our table after we ate so that we were not eating our desserts and enjoying our coffee while having seafood scraps and plates laying around. It was just the east coast lobster experience we were looking for...casual, clean, and delicious!

Modern Pastry
257 Hanover St., Boston, MA 02113
(617) 523-3783 
http://www.modernpastry.com/
Modern Pastry is in the North End of Boston. Their cannolis filled with ricotta and dipped in chocolate chips are one my favorite desserts of all time!  To die for. We also tried their cappuccinos, whoopie pie, lace cookies, and eclairs...yea, there's nothing wrong with any of that...absolutely nothing.

Red White, + Bluezz
70 South Raymond Avenue,  Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 792-4441
http://www.redwhitebluezz.com
Red, White, + Bluezz restaurant in Old Pasadena. Live jazz, wine & cheese flights, superb service. We went there for a girls' night out and ordered appetizers to share among all four of us. It was a really fun evening! I have never seen different cheese samplers offered as well as wine flights. The music was fantastic, and the staff was very attentive and friendly. A perfect evening.

Carrara Pastries
476 W. Los Angeles Ave., Unit A-13, Moorpark, CA 93021
(805) 552-4250
http://carrarapastries.com/contact.html
Local newspaper article: http://tinyurl.com/c8zpcx6 

I love to support local businesses, and that's easy to do when you have one that creates delicious pastries like Carrara Pastries in Moorpark. It's like having a piece of Italy in my own backyard--c'mon...a trained pastry chef from Italy--this is the real deal! The owners are extremely friendly and happy to give you samples and explain what is in each pastry. My favorite is the fritelle, which looks like a small sugar covered doughnut that has the most delicious chantilly cream that you have ever tasted! You can't go wrong with anything that you order at Carrara. It's all stellar! Buon Appetito!

Smashburger - Thousand Oaks, CA
650 N. Moorpark Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
(805) 409-3792
http://smashburger.com/menu/thousand-oaks/

This is a stellar stop that my sons have recently discovered. After eating here, my 16 year old said, "Definitely a stellar stop." And my 12 year old commented, "It is the best burger place ever, even better than In-n-Out! Their fries are really crunchy and a little soft too. They have garlic, olive oil, salt, and rosemary."
The restaurant is right off Moorpark Rd. from the 101 freeway. This is the site where Chuy's used to be, in the Whole Foods Market plaza. They serve made-to-order hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, salads and veggie burgers, so there should be something on the menu for everyone to enjoy!
Thanks to my boys for discovering this stellar stop and for taking the pictures too!

*8/19/12
So, I finally went to check this place out myself, but I think I went on an "off" day.  We all have off days, don't we? I was disappointed that all my expectations were not met, but it was still good--but had it been my first visit, I wouldn't have categorized it as "stellar". It was a Sunday during lunch rush hour, and the line was heading out the door.  It's a small establishment so seats were limited.  We were lucky to find a table, and an employee cleaned off the table right away. It took a noticeable amount of time to get our food, and when we got our food, I noticed that my Spinach & Goat Cheese Chicken Sandwich was missing its goat cheese.  We pointed this out to an employee and she promptly grabbed us a side of goat cheese and politely apologized. My son's burger lacked bbq sauce so we asked for a side of that also. The fries were still particularly crispy and delicious, though a bit salty today. I noted that the ingredients that were used were very fresh...from the veggies on my chicken sandwich to the buns for all the burgers. My oldest son noted that something was just "off" today, and this was also evident when another family just across from us complained about their order rather loudly. I generally hear wonderful things about this establishment so I'd be willing to give them another chance, but I do have to say that my first visit was not as stellar as I had expected. If you do plan to try Smashburger, it helps to save some money buy using this coupon: http://tinyurl.com/9orsmxr

Malibu Seafood Fresh Fish Market and Patio Cafe
25653 Pacific Coast Highway  Malibu, CA 90265
(310) 456-3430
http://www.malibuseafood.com/

When you are driving up the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in Malibu, you may notice this sign and the tiny little cafe and patio next to it. If you've never stopped to eat there, then you may not know that this little cafe serves some of the most delicious seafood you've ever eaten! Generous portions of fried shrimp, clams, crispy french fries, creamy clam chowder--they have all your seafood favorites! Besides the tasty food, you will also enjoy the breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean just across the street. I have seen this restaurant featured in travel magazines too. It is a California gem!