Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a powerful technique for detection and characterization because of its extremely high sensitivity and the rich structural information that it can offer. However, most SERS substrates are composed of Au, Ag, or Cu, and a lack of substrate generality has greatly limited the breadth of the use of SERS. Recently, we have devised a method by which SERS can be obtained from virtually any surface. Au nanoparticles are coated with ultrathin silica shells. The Au core provides Raman signal enhancement; the silica shell prevents the core from coming into direct contact with probe/analyte molecules or the surface over which these particles are spread (i.e., prevents the contamination of the chemical system under study). In the present review, we expand upon previous discussion of the enhancement mechanism; procedures for the synthesis and characterization of our nanoparticles; and applications in surface chemistry, electrochemistry, and inspection.