Taylor's Automatic Refresher in the Ferry Building, SF

I had lunch at Taylor's Automatic Refresher recently - the one in SF, not the one in St. Helena. It was not as satisfying as I had hoped. Oh, I'd been to Taylor's before. I make it a point frequent as many diner dives as I can, but for some reason, the food didn't taste as good this time.

In my quest to beat the lunch rush, I got there around 11:30am. There weren't that many staff people there, and much of the food had been prepared in advance. For example, the Chinese Chicken Salad, and the milkshake I got had all been prepped and were simply pulled out of the fridge/freezer. The only thing warm was the grilled cheese (made fresh then and there). Even the sweet potato fries were cold.

The salad was fine, but the real standout was the spicy asian dressing. The fries were tasty, but cold, which detracted from their luster. The chocolate milkshake, as usual, was superior.

By 12noon, the place was hopping and every seat was taken. It looked like the salads they were handing out were still pre-made, but everything else was fresh. In other words, get there later so that you get the fresh-made food after they run out of their pre-packaged stuff. The downside is the crowd, but at least you get good, hot food.

Darbar in Palo Alto, CA

I love Darbar. Quick, cheap, and good Indian food in the upscale downtown Palo Alto area is hard to find, but this place fits the bill. The lunch buffet is plentiful, with standards like aloo gobhi, chana masala, butter chicken, lamb vindaloo, and chicken tikka masala all well-prepared. They also have a ground lamb and chickpea dish called Kheema Chole that MH loves. Lots of little dishes (like pakoras), and the usual accompaniments (like sliced cukes, tomatoes, and chutneys) round out the buffet. Fresh, hot naan is brought to your table while you're getting your food.

You can be in and out in 20 minutes if you wolf down your food. Which you won't want to because it tastes so good. Everything is decently spiced, but not overly so. The vindaloo is genuinely hot, though.

Dinner is quieter, but the food is still great. Check in the Palo Alto Weekly or in the Stanford Daily for 2-for-1 coupons and deals.

Parking can be tight. I like to park on High Street or in the back, residential area behind the restaurant. Don't park in the tiny parking lot next to the restaurant. It belongs to a private gym, and they'll tow you.