Novo Restaurant

Today, May 18th, marks the day that Stuart and I went on our first date 8 years ago. Doesn't time just seem to fly by as you get "older"?? The number eight just seems crazy to me. Can it really be true that I have known my now-husband for almost a decade? We met when I was still a teenager (age 18) in my very first college class at Santa Clara University. A year later, we started dating and have been together ever since. To celebrate today, we embarked on our favorite date activity and packed a picnic of bread and cheese. We took it to the beach and ate it in the warm sand at Montana de Oro State Park.

We won't be celebrating by going out to eat this week, but I was inspired by this special occasion to share my favorite restaurant in San Luis Obispo for a fancy date night. If we did have plans for a lovely meal out tonight, it would be at Novo Restaurant and Lounge. You can't beat the setting of this restaurant's gorgeous outdoor patio, which is ringed with twinkly lights and lanterns. And the food? It's a fun mixture of California bistro meets Asian fusion. Check out the photos below from two of our previous visits (hence the big difference in lighting from two very different times of year)!

 

One of my favorite dinners anywhere is a beautiful salmon fillet. These first two photos turned out gorgeous because the spring lighting was perfect! 

 

Chicken curry served with chapati bread

 

Photo of the patio, courtesy of Novo's website

 

Moroccan fried chicken

 

Roast duck breast with forbidden black rice

 

The petite filet of beef

 

Dark photos here, but a nice starter salad and appetizer soup

 

Aww, a heart design in honor of our anniversary?? Just kidding. But not kidding about what a gem this restaurant is. Check it out the next time you're in San Luis Obispo!