Amici's East Coast Pizzeria - Bay Area

1242 Fourth St, San Rafael CA 94901
(415) 455-9777
Parking: ample street parking
Hours: Mon – Thurs 11am to 10pm, Fri 11am to 11pm, Sat 11:30 am to 11pm, Sun 11:30am to 10pm
http://www.amicis.com/

Last Visited: July 16, 2006

Food: 4 to 5 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Although it’s been a while since I’ve visited an Amici’s, I had to make sure to include this post from a few years back. Also, since eating here, I met Pete, the co-owner of the chain. Wow! Pete is such a down to earth guy whom learned the business from the ground up, foregoing the dreams of being a super smart ivy-leaguer; despite the degree and much to the chagrin of his mother, he took a job as the pizza boy, delivery boy, and so on until he was ready to start the business. Of course, he had a good business partner in Mike that balanced out his weaknesses, and usually, that’s the best kind.

Amici’s is a very clean cut establishment with bright lights, earth tones, forest green. The classic black and white photos of famous sports figures or famous people give the place a bit of the New York feel. Their pizza has been described by quite a few as being more authentic New York style pizza. Mr. and Mrs. G as well as my friend Nimish, an authentic New Yorker, give Amici’s high marks.

At their San Rafael location, they are right in the middle of the downtown area and the large windows in the front allow you to watch the downtown scene. In the summer, they open the windows and though there are some pesky flies, the general atmosphere is quite comfortable and friendly. Enter the restaurant, and all of the tables are up front with a counter in the rear, and the kitchen in the rear right. It can seem a little odd having so many servers standing around when the place isn’t busy, but they tend to hover by the rear counter. My server was one of the best I have encountered in recent months.

Amici’s offers thin crust pizza with several combos that are available or you can design your own. They also offer pastas, sandwiches, and salads. They offer soy mozzarella and reduced carb pizzas for those who are diet conscious. Choose from the following sizes: Mini (7"), Small (10''), Medium (13''), and Large (15'').

- Antipasto Salad - Italian Salami, pepperoncini, kalamata olives, and mozzarella is added to their Garden Salad which is comprised of romaine lettuce, red onions, green peppers, and tomatoes. They’re right about this salad serving two people if you order the half size. If you don’t eat many vegetables, I would even say it serves three. A healthy salad with your choice of dressing. Very fresh vegetables – delicious. Half (serves 1-2) $6.95/ Full (serves 3-4) $11.95

- Amici's Combo Pizza - Pepperoni, meatball, bacon, sautéed mushrooms, and black olives top this thin crust pizza. The first bite was a little bland, but as I started taking additional bites, the flavors married in my mouth and the bacon really started to distinguish itself. Some may find it a little on the greasy side, but I would only say it’s average compared to its competitors in terms of amount of grease on the pizza. The flavors are great, but next time, I might try one of their other many combos or design my own. Good. ($9.55/$14.55/$19.35/$22.95)

Iced Tea – It’s a bottomless iced tea which is actually brewed – it doesn’t taste watered down at all.

Some of the other combo pizzas that caught my eye include the Greek Isle pizza and the Calabria which contains pancetta (yum!). They also offer pesto pizza and clam pizza too.

One of the best points about our waitress was her service. She came back to check on us with the salad, the pizza, and was constantly refilling water and iced tea. When you contrast this visit with others in terms of service, you definitely notice the professionalism of Amici’s staff, or at least, of my server. When you leave, satisfied by the meal and the service, you also get a mint. Great pizza and care for patrons. I brought home a few slices of pizza, and even my pizza was layered with parchment in between so as not to get the bottom layer soggy. That’s a sign of a restaurant who gives attention to detail. Good authentic East Coast pizza. Excellent.

If you ever get a chance to meet Pete, he’s a really really nice guy. Super humble – it’s no wonder his business has thrived!

Anokha - Indian, Novato

Best: Indian lunch buffet, Novato

811 Grant Ave, Novato CA 94945
(415) 892-3440
Parking: street parking
Hours: Buffet Lunch Mon - Sat 11:30am -2:30pm, Sunday lunch Noon - 3pm
Dinner Mon-Sat 5pm-9:30pm, Sun 5pm - 9pm
http://www.anokharestaurant.com/

Last Visited: January 28, 2011

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$$

A member of the group of Indian restaurants owned in San Rafael, Lotus, and Fairfax, Lotus Cafe, Anokha is a welcome addition to the restaurants on Grant Avenue with a name that means unique or different. The same owner also owns Old Town Bistro next door to Anokha.

A sign in the window advertises their $8.95 lunch buffet available Monday through Saturday starting at 11:30am. Enter Anokha and you may feel like you've stepped into a different world. From the Indian music on the sound system to the mustard colored tablecloths, there is a certain warmth about the restaurant. I also really appreciated the spacious seating. A bench topped with long seat cushions line the window and one wall of the restaurant. While this somewhat affects the height of those seated compared to the table, it's only initially uncomfortable and certainly bearable throughout the meal. The Indian art on the wall features ladies in their saris.

So far, I've tried the lunch buffet a handful of times and each time, I've walked away stuffed with good food. Upon arriving, the staff immediately greeted and seated us. After settling down with drinks, we received some Naan cut into quarters and lightly oiled, served in a basket. The buffet corner is at first impression, quite small, but there are enough choices for both vegetarians and meat eaters. The plates are placed next to the hot food and then the adjacent wall contains cold items, sauces, and dessert. The best thing about the lunch buffet - if you arrive before noon, it doesn't take long to get food, and even with a crowd, it moves fairly quickly.

For those whom are unfamiliar with Indian fare, each of the items are clearly labeled. However, they are often labeled with their Indian name which may mean some translation after you've had a chance to look at the menu.

Here is a sampling of what I've tried so far:

- Vegetable Pakora - Cauliflower and an assortment of a few other vegetables are lightly breaded and fried. While some of my dining partners enjoyed this a lot, as a fan of tempura battering, I found it to be just okay.

- Vegetable Samosas – Fried pastry is stuffed with potatoes and peas. It looks like a little pyramid with its triangular shape. The dough was fried until deep brown. I prefer my samosas to have more stuffed inside them (meatier in texture). This one was only slightly filled. I liked the texture of the dough - crispy on the outside, but would have preferred more potatoes and peas.

- Bhindi Masala (Okra Curry) – Sliced okra is cooked with onion, tomatoes, ginger, and spices to create a warm curry. This dish was new to me. I think I would have enjoyed it a little chunkier, but good.

- Chicken Tikka Masala - Chicken breast chunks is cooked in a creamy red orange sauce. Great flavor. Good.

- Tandoori Chicken - During every visit, they have had tandoori chicken available. Drumsticks to drummettes are available along with onions and bell peppers cooked with the chicken. The meat is tender, and sometimes it's a little more salty than I prefer, but paired with rice, it's fine.

- Dal Makhni – Lentils are always one of the dishes available. The only drawback of the buffet is that you can't ask for it to come extra dry.

- Saag (Spinach) - Most times, Saag Paneer is available, so if you like paneer cheese, it's just what you would want. However, during this last visit, the paneer was absent. If you've never had it before, think creamed spinanch with Indian spices.

- Basmati Rice is always a buffet staple, present each time I have visited. On most occasions, they've also had brown rice as an option, but not during my most recent visit.

- Kheer – Cold rice pudding with nuts (I think they were almonds this time), cardamom, and saffron is one of the desserts always available. I love the flavor of this dessert.

- Gulab Jamun – Small round pastries made with milk are fried and served with hot honey syrup. Think of a donut hole, but denser, floating in a light sweet syrup. This is a great way to cleanse your palate after eating all of those wonderfully spicy dishes. Arriving for lunch earlier means a denser pastry while a later arrival usually means that the ball has expanded as the dough absorbs more of the liquid. Good thing I don't have regular access to this.

Fresh green salad, fresh fruit (watermelon and honeydew), raita (cold yogurt with vegetables), and a variety of sauces were also available between the hot dishes and dessert.

This is a great place for a quick and reasonable lunch. I also like that they vary some of their offerings so you don't grow bored and are able to try new dishes in a low risk situation. There is always more available. The staff is friendly and frequently come by to clear plates, refill drinks and water, and the like. I enjoy the great flavors and the adventure the buffet offers. Definitely one of my favorites for lunch in Novato - fast, easy, and pleasant setting.

Mi Pueblo - Mexican, Petaluma & Novato

800 Petaluma Blvd North, Petaluma, CA 94952
(707) 762-8192
905 Grant Ave., Novato, CA
(415) 878-0122
Parking: Lot adjacent to restaurant

Last Visited: December 13, 2010 (Prices below listed for December 23, 2004)

Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$



2010 Comments: The food is just as good as I remember it. I got a chicken enchilada combo which came with rice and beans for $7.15. It's still a wonderful place to get chicken enchiladas...mmm mmm good.


After the visit in November, I enjoyed it so much that I went back one more time. I ordered a combination of (of course) a chicken enchilada and added a carnitas tostada to it. What came to my table was huge. This plate has the diameter of a party platter!
For less than $9, I got this huge dish of goodness and I was certainly full for lunch. The tostada ingredients were super fresh, and everything else just as delicious as always.
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This restaurant is definitely family style. It’s got booths on one side (at least in Petaluma) with tables on the other side of the divider along with an open salsa bar. The walls are a bright yellow with hints of orange swirls on the wall adjacent to the booths. Plates with different Mexican themes decorate the walls. The floor is white/gray tile.

The coolers are filled with lemonade, horchata, and Jamaica, a hibiscus drink (I like the hibiscus one the best). The owner is friendly and the waitresses give you menus and let you find your own seat. Very casual. The food is excellent. My mom says that there are more ‘relatives’ than there are locals. What does that mean? There are more Mexican people than there are any other people, and that’s a good thing. It means the food is good and good enough for even the most distinguished of Mexican food connoisseurs.

Tortilla chips arrive at the table with medium salsa. If the owner notices it’s too spicy for you, he’ll come by your table and ask if you want him to whip up a batch of mild salsa. He’s service-oriented, observant, and a great host.

- Enchilada – The shredded chicken ones are perfect. They are piping hot out of the oven, melt in your mouth, and are oh-so-delicious. I couldn’t ask for more – shredded chicken wrapped in a tortilla and made to perfection with a delicious enchilada sauce and melted cheese on top. If you get nothing else, get a chicken enchilada. You can choose from any type of meat; the shredded beef ones are good, but the chicken ones can’t be missed. $3.25

- Mojarra Frita/Deep-fried Whole Fish – Tilapia (with head and all) is fried in a lightly seasoned batter. Served with rice, refried beans, and warm tortillas. The flavor is good – not overwhelming the fish. I’ve had a similar fish dishes, baked, for triple the price, and they don’t even compare. This is worth getting even if you’re not a big fish fan, but note that the fish comes whole – bones and all. $10.95

- Taquitos – Again, choice of meat. We tried them with pork. These were served on a bed of lettuce. A little on the dry side, but they come with homemade guacamole that’s delicious. Plenty of meat – Mi Pueblo doesn’t skimp, but we got them once and haven’t tried to get this dish again.

- Carne Asada Steak – served with rice, refried beans, and warm tortillas. The steak is flavorful and tender. This dish is also a winner. Simply put – tastes great. What more do you need to know? $10.95

- Super Nachos – Lots of chips with the works – sour cream, guacamole, melted cheese, refried beans. Also available with choice of meat for $1-2 more. They’re good, but they’re not like the enchiladas.

- Albondigas Soup/ Meatball Soup – Six large meatballs served in a broth-like soup. The meatballs are delicious and the bowl of soup is huge. The soup also has tomatoes and potatoes. It’s flavorful and enough for two people, possibly three people.

- Tortilla Soup – Much the same base as the albondigas soup (tomatoes, potatoes, carrots), large strips of crisp tortilla are placed in the soup. Chunks of avocado are placed on top for added garnish and flavor. Very good. The tortilla strips add a lot of texture to the soup. Very flavorful and again, a large portion that could easily serve two people.

- Tacos – Comes with choice of meat and choice of soft or hard shell. We got steak soft tacos the first time and carnitas another time. Served with fresh lime - when added to the taco, the lime juice really brings out the flavor of the spices. These are good, but again, not like the enchiladas. Better tacos can be found elsewhere, but they are hot, so that’s a plus point.

- Menudo Soup/Tripe Soup – Same soup base as the Albondigas Soup, but the main ingredient is tender tripe. I’m not a big fan of tripe served this way, but if you like tripe, you might enjoy this soup more than the Albondigas one. $6.95

- Quesadilla – Choice of meat. A large tortilla is grilled with jack cheese and in this case, chicken. The quesadilla is served with guacamole on the side. Another healthy portion and as usual, very good. $4.50

- Taco Salad - It's similar ingredients to the other items you find on the menu. It's a great mix of freshness and flavor. The tostada shell is light and crisp. Great portions as usual. $6

- Agua frescas: Jamaica and Horchata available. Good sized glass and great flavor. Sometimes you’ll even get lime agua frescas which are very refreshing.$1.25

Note: Our only bad experience was an overcooked Mojarra Frita – that’s happened once out of the three times we’ve gotten it, so the record is still pretty good. Tortillas may cost extra – we’re never quite sure since the price is so reasonable, we haven’t paid that much attention. Most items are available a la carte or as full entrees. Their Novato operation is reminiscent of a Taco Bell setting in atmosphere, but the food is still high quality. They also have televisions at this location, usually broadcasting soccer. I like the atmosphere of the Petaluma branch more for its friendliness giving it a warm and familiar feel. The owner really does a great job of keeping an eye on everything and everyone and his attitude is excellent. All the food at both locations is also available for take out.

Old Town Bistro/The Golden Egg - American, Novato

807 Grant Ave, Novato CA 94945
(415) 897-7707
Parking: Street parking
Hours: Daily 7am - 3pm, 5pm - 9pm
http://www.oldtownbistro.com/

Last Visited: May 3, 2010

Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

November 2010: Since reviewing Old Town Bistro, it has now been changed back to the Golden Egg after requests from its clients for the old menu including all of the former omelette creations.

Formerly the Golden Egg Omelet House, Old Town Bistro has been renamed, but it hasn't lost its former flare. Even the former manager of Golden Egg, Johnny Fernandez, has returned as of June 2010. And when you walk in, if you were a patron of the previous restaurant, a lot of the staff members have remained the same too - so it has a familiar feel about it.

Then, you open the menu and that's when it hits you that the place has changed. Owned by the owner of Anokha, the great Indian place next door (which is incidentally owned by the same owners of Lotus in San Rafael and Lotus Cafe in Fairfax), you'll find that the menu selection no longer features as many omelettes, but during a previous visit, I was reassured that if I wanted something from the old menu, it was still available to me. So for those of you gasping for air at the thought of change and not being able to get one of your favorite omelets, they are certainly accommodating.

On this particular visit, I ordered a hamburger. I've probably been here about three times since they've changed hands - sometimes I get a sandwich and on other occasions, I've gotten breakfast.

- Buttermilk Waffle - It's a golden brown waffle served with whipped butter, syrup, and dusted with powdered sugar. While crisp on the outside and soft (but not too soft) on the inside, I found the waffle to be good. $4.95

- Side of Home Fries - To accompany my waffle, I got a side of home fries which were cooked with bell peppers and onions. Flavorful, but a little soggy. I like them home fries to be crispier on the outside. $3.65

Alone, these items seemed reasonably priced, but in general, I find the pricing here to be a bit on the higher side. A breakfast for about $10 may be reasonable to some, but somewhat steep considering you could get a better deal elsewhere when ordering the same items. This is probably why I don't go out for breakfast very often. Also, for full disclosure, this breakfast visit was eaten in January, a month before the ownership changed hands.

- Grilled Chicken Club - Served on three layers of whole wheat bread are grilled chicken, avocado, jack cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes. A choice of fries, salad or soup is available. You can swap your side for sweet potato fries or onion rings for $1.25 more. I selected regular fries and while the overall sandwich and fries were good, they weren't the best I've had, and I left some fries on the plate which tells you that they were just okay. $9.95

- Classic Hamburger - Half a pound of Star Ranch natural beef on a sesame seed bun is served with a choice of fries, salad, or soup. Condiments come on the side. I don't know where Star Ranch is, but a google search showed that they were owned by Tyson and that the cattle are grass and grain fed in the United States. As you can see from the photo, the hamburger patty is charred well - perhaps a little too much. The salad (lettuce, cucumber, carrots) was a bit rusted. However, my main complaint was that I had asked for mayonnaise and when it came, there was a foreign object in it. I think it was food, but still, who wants to find stuff in their mayo? The waitress kindly replaced it for me, but I was a bit grossed out by then. $7.95

All in all, it's an okay place. If it weren't for the foreign stuff in my mayo, I probably would be a little happier. Old Town Bistro offers standards for the local crowd. I wouldn't go out of my way to make a trip for any particular item, but would probably stick to ordering breakfast (no mayo involved).

Yeung City Seafood - Chinese, Sacramento

940 Freeport Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95822
(916) 736-3131
Parking: in shopping center parking lot

Last Visited: August 2, 2003

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$

Sometimes you just need to know a place to eat when you're in a town you're not familiar with or haven't been to in a while.

Yeung City is located in a strip mall. The restaurant set up is very simple with few decorations. The food is a good value and they offer specials for very reasonable prices.

Since it’s been a while since my last visit, the details about the food are a bit hazy, but my overall impression was that the food was average or better. The dishes came out piping hot, which is a must for Chinese dishes. The cold dishes we tried had a nice flavor. The service is average. This place isn’t about the setting – if that’s what you’re looking for, you should go elsewhere. The overall experience was good. I would visit again if I were in the area.

Fuzio - California Cuisine, Sacramento

A review for 1st Street #11, Davis, CA 95616 (in Davis Commons)
NOW MOVED TO 139 G Street
(530)753-3877
Parking: in parking lot adjacent to shopping area
http://fuzio.com/

Last Visited: October 25, 2003

Food: 2 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 2 stars
Price: $$

Ever eaten at the Metreon? There’s a fire roasted grill place there and Fuzion reminds me of it a lot. At least their pasta reminds me of that place. Fuzion, located in Davis Commons, has inside and patio dining. With the area populated by college students, it’s no surprise that the wait staff appears to be college students too. Food is catered to a college student’s budget – all dishes hovering around the $10 range. The bar is located to your right as you enter the restaurant, and there are large windows to bring in light. On the other side of the windows are the patio tables.

- Caramelized mushroom linguine – Served with a slice of French bread, mushrooms – button and other - are served with linguine in a red sauce. There was a lot of flavor, but not a distinct flavor. Edible, but hard to describe. Let’s put it this way, if I had a chance select other items, I would. Portions are decent. $7.95

- Italian club sandwich - Served grilled on focaccia bread. It looked a little on the dry side. Also served with mixed greens. $6.95

- Spinach and four cheese raviolis (choice of three raviolis and choice of three different sauces) – also served with a slice of French bread. $8.95

- Strawberry homemade lemonade – Nice pink color, but it was a little watered down. $2.50

The menu offers a variety of pasta dishes, all with some Asian or European flair (e.g. Thai spices, or barbequed pork). Food is reasonably priced and nicely presented, but lacks the pizzazz of truly good quality food. It’s the upper scale of college food – better than DC and more choices, but nothing outstanding/grabbing. Service was mediocre – it was about 15 minutes before our server came to take our orders. Great for college student budgets.

Jhanthong Banbua - Thai, Santa Rosa

2400 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 528-8048
Parking: Lot adjacent to restaurant

Last Visited: August 20, 2010

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 1 to 2 stars
Price: $ to $$$

Jhanthong Banbua (often referred to by the locals as Motel Thai and Mendo Thai) instantly has a feeling of culture and Thai authenticity. The bright colors of the room and decorative vases as well as wall decorations are attractive. The garments worn by the servers complement the décor and give the place that extra Thai atmosphere. The dishes are often served in pretty ceramics and clay pots.

Jhanthong Banbua also got a facelift outside with purple paint. Now you really can't miss it.

Enter Jhanthong Banbua and you’ll see the large bamboo plants in the rear in large vases. The front of the room contains a glass case lighting various trinkets and figurines. The rear contains a bar with much decoration. There is so much in the room, it’s hard to describe it all, but it’s striking and unexpected from the exterior of the restaurant. The setting is beautiful, and there is much to appreciate. The color scheme creates a soothing environment. It also looks like they have new flooring made of dark wood.

- Chicken Satay – Three to four pieces of chicken breast are placed on skewers and grilled. The skewers are served with a sweet satay sauce and a small dish of cucumber, onion, carrot salad marinated in sweetened vinegar. The chicken is juicy and the satay sauce is good. The satay itself would get four stars. $5

- Green chili paste with coconut milk and pork – There is a choice of meat, seafood, or vegetarian available for most dishes. If you select seafood, then there is an extra charge of $1.50. This dish was a full flavored and a little spicy, although the pork is a bit overcooked, so it’s not as tender as it could be. There were also pieces of papaya and bamboo shoots. Of course, it’s also bright green. The sauce is great over rice, but could have been a bit thicker this evening.

- Yellow curry with coconut milk and chicken – This dish is much like the green chili paste with coconut milk, except it’s milder in taste. It’s still a little spicy. The chicken, much like the pork, was overcooked and the sauce could also be thicker in consistency. This dish also contained bamboo shoots. Again, it too is great over rice.

- Pad Makuar – Japanese eggplant with beef with a bean sauce. The bean sauce is nicely paired with the eggplant. The marriage of the two creates an intense flavor in delicate tender pieces of eggplant. The ingredients glisten and have a beautiful presentation with the purple skin of the eggplant shining with the sauce. The beef was cooked well and not tough. You can also order this dish vegetarian style without meat. When in season, yellow bell pepper is included in the dish which brings great color to it.

- Pad Thai (available with your choice of meat) - Rice noodles with Thai seasoning are topped with bean sprouts, shredded carrots, and cilantro. The noodles are soft and nicely colored by the seasoning to be a reddish brown. A wedge of lime accompanies the noodles. The small pieces of breast meat were a little overcooked, but my preference is for dark meat. I found that the second time I tried this dish, I was much less satisfied. Perhaps it’s because the second time it wasn’t shared and as I ate it, I found more wrong with it. The noodles weren’t al dente enough. The sogginess made the noodles short since they broke apart easily. There seemed to be pieces of pork with my shrimp pad thai, and the texture of the pork wasn’t to my taste. The shrimp texture was also not to my liking. In the end, I wouldn’t get it again, but if you don’t know how good authentic well prepared pad thai can be, then you might like it anyway.

- Param - Tofu with spinach – This dish was surprisingly good. Small cubes of tofu over spinach are served with a sweet sauce (same sauce as the chicken satay sauce). Simple and good. Four stars for this dish if the serving size were larger.

- Prawns in a Clay Pot – About eight to ten prawns are served with glass noodles that have absorbed a lot of flavoring. The prawns were a little dry for my taste, but I enjoyed the glass noodles. $12.50

Overall, the dining experience was good for flavor and a little dry for meat. This is a popular lunch spot as well. Jhanthong Banbua offers a three dish combination lunch special for about $9 (I remember how it was less than $7 about five years ago). I enjoy getting the Chicken Satay, Curry of the Day, and Pad Makuar. With this group, you can’t go wrong. Service can vary depending on the day and time you arrive. When the place is packed, service will be slow and sometimes you will feel that all the servers have disappeared, but the food will make up for this. Expect smaller portions and you won’t be disappointed. If you’re so hungry you could eat a horse, this probably isn’t the right place to go. If you’re looking for food with intense flavor, this is a great stop.

During my last few visits, I have been greatly disappointed by the service. Service has been downgraded from three stars to one to two stars. The servers never come back to check on you. It’s just ridiculous. Their interaction with you when they’re present is fine. It’s just that they’re never present, or looking in the direction of the table, so it’s even hard to flag someone down without standing up. Sitting and waving didn’t work. The food is still good though, so just be forewarned.

I had written most of the above several years ago and refreshed some of the information to make sure it's up to date. While pricing may be under what is shown on the menu, the recent downgrading of the service rating occurred because of the length of time it took to have our order taken to the arrival of the wrong food order to the long amount of time it took to have our bill collected. After closing our menus, it was about eight minutes before someone came to take our order. From there, it took half an hour to get our lunch order. Thirty minutes is way too long considering we didn't have any appetizers or soups. When the food arrived, we told them it was not ours and although they were apologetic, they took another few minutes to get our food. When we finished eating and paid our bill, it took more than five minutes for our bill to get picked up despite the staff walking by our table multiple times empty-handed. In the end, while the food remains consistent, I don't think I'll be back for a while - I can't afford the wait.

Eat Real Food Fest - Oakland

This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - August 27 to 29, 2010, is the Eat Real Food Fest at Jack London Square in Oakland, California.

If you missed the San Francisco Food Fest, never fear. There's another opportunity this weekend. Food trucks, including some of those featured last week, will fill Jack London Square with great eats.

Chairman Bao, Sam's Chowder Van, and Spencer on the Go are just some of the well-known names that will be present. And Sesame Tea Eats also knows someone whom will be there - Elgin and June will be at the Where's Buta? tent serving what I would expect to be scrumptious ramen.

In case food trucks aren't enough for you, there will be food crafts and other entertainment. Oakland's Chinatown is having a festival too, so the area is sure to be hopping.

Asian Pearl Seafood Restaurant - Chinese, Richmond

3288 Pierce St, Richmond CA 94804
(510) 526-6800
Parking: shopping center parking lot

Last Visited: April 24, 2010

Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

I’ve eaten at Asian Pearl for both dinner and dim sum. My most recent trips have been for dim sum and as long as the dim sum is piping hot, then it’s pretty good. Cold dim sum (see fried squid) is rarely a good thing, so keep that in mind for wherever you may go.

The primary dim sum dishes fall into the small, medium, and large categories. There are also specialty items that will cost a bit more.

During my March 2008 visit, we sat outside the restaurant. They have put up screens and rolled out carpet to expand the seating into the atrium area of the shopping mall. The screens help to block out distractions, although, it’s not as nice as inside and there can often be a draft. Inside, the room can be a bit noisier. There is a lot of gold and green in the room along with bright cream colors all around. For lunch, dim sum carts are rolled around as well as people carrying trays of steamers and plates.

At Asian Pearl, you’ll find that the dishes tend to have larger portions – partially due to the price and partially due to the style of food served at the Ranch 99 shopping center restaurants.
Dim sum prices are as follows: Small $2.40, Medium $2.95, Large $3.50, Special $5

- Pork Spareribs with black bean sauce - Spareribs cooked in black bean sauce top pieces of chopped taro. The taro not only helps the spareribs to be raised higher on the plate, but it absorbs the juices from the meat. Good, although I like to have my spareribs a touch spicier from red pepper flakes. The picture shown here is for a similar style of spareribs, but this one is cooked in its own juice with dried goji berries topping the dish which adds a little sweetness. $2.95

- Steamed rice roll with beef – Three rice rolls are filled with black bean sauce and drizzled with sweet soy sauce. The rice wrapper was a bit on the thick side, but the beef had a nice mild flavor – perfect for those who don’t want a heavy cilantro flavor, but bland for those who look for cilantro. Okay. $3.50

- Steamed chicken feet – Chicken feet are braised and steamed over fried tofu puffs. The tofu puffs serve the same purpose as the taro in the sparerib plate – soaking up all of the flavor and adding height. The chicken feet have a nice flavor and are fairly plump. When tofu puffs aren’t available, tofu skin is used as a substitute. Good. $2.40

- Shrimp dumpling (har gao) – Four shrimp dumplings are served in a steamer. Fairly standard. Okay. It might have been outstanding if more hot. When it is hot, you’ll find that sometimes the skin is a bit torn, but the flavor of the shrimp and the bamboo shoot are smooth and blend well together. $2.95

- Pork Dumpling (siu mai) - Four pork dumplings are served in a steamer. Fairly standard. A shrimp is placed on top of the pork which is wrapped in a skin. Nice presentation. Okay. $2.95

- Steamed tofu skin roll – The unique thing about these rolls is the size of the roll. They’re fairly large and another unusual item is that they’re served in a bowl. Usually, they’re served in a small plate, but if you like to have tofu skin rolls (containing meat and vegetables along with glass noodles) with a lot of sauce, this will be perfect for you.

- Fried tofu skin stuffed with shrimp – Tofu skin is wrapped around shrimp and deep fried until golden. The tofu skin had a nice crispiness to it. Good. $3.50

- Gai Lan – The gai lan vegetables are boiled and served with oyster sauce. Unlike vegetables that are boiled in plain water, these are typically boiled in water with some additional ingredients that soften the vegetables and keep them a bright green. Very good. Specialty item. $5

- Beef Balls – Three beef balls made with cilantro are steamed over Napa cabbage. Good flavor and texture with the cilantro not being too overwhelming. This is served with Worcestershire sauce. $2.40

- Fried Squid with Salt and Pepper - As you can see, I've gotten this more than once. The first time, during my March 2010 visit, the flavor was perfect and the temperature was hot since they had just come from the deep fryer. The second time I ordered, the temperature was unfortunately at room temperature and it was very unpleasant. For this reason, I dropped the food rating from three stars to a two to three star range. The same dish looks different and quality should never be sacrificed. When you are paying the price for a 'special' item which costs more than the regular dim sum, you should get what you pay for, not something that shouldn't be served. Lack of consistency is never good. $5

- Sesame Balls – These sesame ball desserts are delicious, especially right out of the deep fryer. A ball of lotus is wrapped in rice flour and rolled in sesame, then deep fried until golden brown. Very good.

Most noodle dishes are about $10 to $12.
- Beef chow fun – A large plate of chow fun is cooked with onions, green onions, bean sprouts, and sliced beef. Very nice flavor. Simple presentation. Good. On occasion, a little burnt smell because it's very hard not to burn chow fun, but overall, okay.

- House Special Crispy Noodle – A large plate of noodles are deep fried and topped with a variety of meat and vegetables. It’s been a while since having this one, but I do remember the quality of the noodles was very good – crispy on the outer edges of the plate and soft in the center where the meat and vegetables along with the sauce is placed. The last time I tried it, there was octopus, beef, chicken, and baby bok choy.

One thing that was really nice about Asian Pearl is their attention to refilling the teapot. They constantly check to see that you have enough tea and take away any empty plates. Also, during our meal in the outside area, they changed our plates (this doesn't always happen though). Changing plates, though popular during dinner, is rare for dim sum lunches. Good service most of the time. Asian Pearl is also good about not rushing its clientele, so you can continue to enjoy your meal without any pressure. Food quality depends on the temperature, but overall, it’s a good find for Richmond and comparable to or better than other dim sum places in the Bay Area. Sometimes I wish we could get a temperature reading before we actually take the dish though - that's probably my biggest complaint. The dim sum is a bit light on flavor for those seeking traditional styles, but great for first time dim sum eaters.

San Francisco Street Food Festival

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - August 21, 2010

Food trucks seem to be gaining more than just a following. It's interesting to see how social networking coupled with Twitter and blogs have really helped the food truck culture grow - you can find out exactly where the trucks are real time when you follow their tweets, and your friends' Facebook posting may help you decide where to get your lunch for the day.

The San Francisco Street Food Festival is organized by La Cocina, an organization that helps low-income food entrepreneurs grow their businesses by offering some of the resources that they normally might not have access to such as marketing advice. The SF Food Fest was held from 11am to 7pm today, and crowds of people gathered to try some great street food.

The Good - I love how the Bay Area food scene is so vibrant and rich. There were sweets from Creme Brulee Cart, La Luna Cupcakes, Sweet Revolution, and more. Tons of people lined up for good eats and access to the beer gardens.

I arrived early in the afternoon and the area was already bustling. I had parked about a mile away and enjoyed seeing some of the great looking products held in the hand of people walking by. As I turned the corner onto Folsom, I could hear the music and general murmuring from the crowds. My first stop was at Zella's Soulful Kitchen. Although I had never heard of Zella's, I really like pulled pork and their menu offered a BBQ pulled chicken sandwich. Not to mention that their line only reached the sidewalk and didn't snake around too much. People walking away from the stand seemed to be happy, so why not? Eight dollars and about ten minutes later, I had a sandwich in hand. Sweet BBQ pulled chicken is placed on a hamburger bun and topped with a cabbage slaw. The flavors complemented each other well, but I was sad that the bun wasn't toasted, or if it was at some point, you couldn't tell anymore as it had gotten very soggy. While the portion was satisfying, you can't help but wonder if you would pay $8 for the same thing outside the festival. Other offerings available from Zella's included grilled corn on the cob (it seemed like that was available at multiple stands) and sweet tea with mint.

There was so many choices - if there were shorter lines, it would have been possible to try more - like the lumpia from the Lumpia Cart. Even the guy on a bike selling 'Weird Fish Tacos' had a line that was starting to pile up.

I did manage to come across one short line - that was at Onigilly. I had no idea what I was standing in line for at the time - it was really a case of 'stand in line before more people get into it.' I was pleasantly surprised with the onigiri. Flavors available included miso tuna, seaweed, plum, and eggplant. I tried the miso tuna and seaweed onigiri. At $3 a piece, they were reasonably priced, had great flavor, and I loved how the rice wasn't dense, but had been packed together just right (so hard to find good packing of rice when you get sushi sometimes).

The next stop was the Curry Up Now truck. This was one of the longer lines, but people were talking about how good the tikka masala burrito tasted. Samosas, paneer tikka masala burritos, chicken tikka masala burritos, and mango lassis were being offered here. I was debating whether or not to go for a samosa, but I wanted to save room for the creme brulee cart just around the corner. After a 20 minute wait, I got my yummy burrito and it was worth the wait. By now, I stopped looking for a table and just went into the creme brulee line to eat the burrito. So much flavor, chunks of chicken breast, curry rice, and vegetables made this a great burrito, but also some large pieces of not quite cooked through garlic were present too. It was almost perfect - almost. I also appreciated that they were one of the most organized trucks - handing out receipts with each order.

The Bad - At the creme brulee cart which I had passed several times now, the line was somewhat reasonable, so I felt confident that although they had run out of vanilla creme brulee, that I would still get some of the Mexican chocolate creme brulees. Unfortunately, I was mistaken. Three people before me were also denied. We were told that the wait would be an hour since the creme brulee they had just brought in was still frozen. Are you kidding me? How do you run out of the most popular flavor in the first two hours and then run out of the rest about two hours later? There was a huge line behind me, and I never got to try the creme brulee. Sadness.

The Ugly - The festival is still so new that they seem to have a lot of opportunities to make it better. The cost for food is a bit on the high side, which is likely due to the costs for closing the streets and logistics behind the whole event. However, the prices seems to be counter to the whole atmosphere of eating at a food truck. For example, when I looked up the Onigilly website at home, I learned that individual onigiri are typically sold for $1.75. At $3, it feels like such a steep markup. Black tea boba was also going for $3 when you know you can get it for $2.50 in multiple flavors at a regular brick and mortar location. The garbage cans were starting to get overloaded even when we first arrived, so more volunteers were needed. The lines were expanding, probably creating a safety hazard. I felt like we needed to get those dividers that you find at the airport or amusement park to help us figure out which line belonged to which vendor. Despite more than two hours there, I only managed to try three vendors' food. Oh creme brulee cart, will we ever meet again? Maybe someday, somewhere....

Dynasty Chinese Seafood - Cupertino

10123 North Wolfe Road, Cupertino CA 95014
(408) 996-1680
Parking: shopping center parking lot

Last Visited: December 2008

Food: 4 to 5 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Located inside Vallco Fashion Park, Dynasty Chinese Seafood restaurant is quite a large operation. The evening of my visit in 2004, I was at a banquet style meal, with more than 30 tables of ten people each, so service may be different on a regular visit. In addition to two banquet rooms, the restaurant has multiple private dining rooms with as little as one or two tables. The private room settings are typical of Taiwanese style restaurants.

The windows are framed with Asian lattice treatments, much like those found at Japanese restaurants. The doors are brown with thin gold colored horizontal stripes closely adjacent to one another to create a simple pattern. The restaurant restrooms have granite tile floors and granite countertops.

The menu this evening was arranged ahead of time. All portions were large, designed to serve ten adults.

- Suckling Pig Combination Platter – Green seaweed salad, slices of pork, slices of beef, and seasoned jellyfish surround the centerpiece of sliced young suckling pig. The green seaweed salad and seasoned jellyfish are both flavored with sesame oil. The pork and beef are both sliced thin and fanned out to create a lovely presentation. The suckling pig is served room temperature, allowing the skin to remain crispy, and the meat is tender and succulent.

- Deep Fried Stuffed Crab Claw – A crab claw is filled with a shrimp based stuffing. The entire claw is then deep fried until the stuffing is golden brown and fluffy. The portion of this claw with its stuffing is huge. Considering the quantity of food on the menu, the portion was enormous. It was the size of a golf ball and tennis ball. To match it better with the rest of the dishes, I would reduce the amount of stuffing in the claw. Good flavor, but too filling due to size.

- Sauteed Seafood with Vegetable – Shrimp, scallops, and squid are sautéed with snap peas and straw mushrooms. The colors combine to create a nice presentation. The seafood is fresh and maintain its original flavor. The seafood is tender and the snap peas were fairly crisp.

- Braised Shark’s Fin and Crabmeat Soup – Shark fin and crab meat are braised in a chicken broth. The consistency and temperature of the soup were both good. Nice flavor infused into the broth.

- Roasted Squab – Squab is roasted until cherry in color. The richness of the color was apparent, and the meat was nicely done. Flavor was typical of roasted squab. The meat was hard to get to since the pieces were chopped in somewhat of an awkward shape, but aside from that, it was good. The skin was slightly crispy and the presentation was nicely done.

- Steamed Lobster with Garlic – Lobster is chopped into pieces and steamed with garlic and broth. This dish was excellent. The lobster was tender and succulent, infused with the flavor of garlic. The juice from the steaming overflowed on the dish. The flesh was easily accessible and the dish was topped with garnish for a lovely presentation. One of the best dishes of the evening.

- Sliced Abalone with Black Mushrooms and Greens – Slices of abalone are served with black mushrooms and mustard greens. A smooth brown sauce ties the three together. The greens were tender and the abalone was very tender and sliced thicker than other restaurants for a very meaty texture.

- Smoked Sea Bass – A very large filet of sea bass is smoked until golden brown on the outside. The flavoring is light and allows you to taste the natural flavors of the fish. The inside flesh was buttery and flaky. The meat was tender and succulent. Sea bass is one of my favorites, and the way this sea bass was prepared just made it even better. Excellent!

- Sticky Fried Rice with Preserved Meat – Sticky rice is pan fried with preserved meat (pork sausage) and green onions. By this time, we were too filled to dig into this dish. It was nicely presented and tasted okay.

There were some dessert items offered, but as you can see from the menu above, it was quite a meal, and I never made it to the dessert that was part of the meal set.

Overall, the food presentation was good. Food quality was also very impressive. Service was fair, but it’s hard to judge when there are so many tables, all being served the same course at the same time. The dishware could be cleaner – some had food stuck to them, but again, the sheer quantity of bowls, plates, etc was extremely large. The atmosphere is traditional in some ways, but the bright colors around the room show that it isn’t meant to be a stuffy place, but fresh and new.

Considering the quantity of food being served, they did a great job, but could use more attention to detail in terms of service and dishware. Sea bass and lobster are my recommendations here. At Dynasty Seafood, it’s apparent the focus is on the food quality.

When I returned for a visit in 2008, the decor screamed of the 80s and the food was still good. It's not nearly as busy as it once was, mostly due to the fact that Vallco has really changed and isn't as busy as it once was. However, the prices remain slightly higher than average and the quality of the dishes matched the price. I would have no qualms about returning for dinner - good food, albeit you might feel like you're going back in time.

Marnee Thai - San Francisco

2225 Irving Street
San Francisco CA 94122
(415) 665-9500
Parking: street parking
http://www.marneethaisf.com/

Last Visited: July 2010

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Chef Chai and his wife, May, opened Marnee Thai in 1986. Although we have walked by their restaurant on a regular basis, a recent episode of Check Please was compelling enough to finally draw us into their establishment. All three guests on Check Please said positive things about the food and experience they had there, and since they rarely all agree, that was enough to seal the deal.

Inside Marnee Thai, you feel a bit like you’re transported away from the neighborhood of Irving Street into an exotic land – the aromas that permeate the air and the bamboo decorations that line the wall and ceilings definitely add to the atmosphere. However, I couldn’t help but feel a little bit cramped in the small space between our table and the wall and the narrow aisles between tables.

Once seated, glasses of water and menus came right away. There is certainly a sense of efficiency about the service as dishes came and left the table throughout the evening and their great level of anticipation of what the customer wants next makes it happen very quickly.

The specials featured on Check Please were available this evening and I ordered a few based on the recommendation of the tv show’s guests.

- Spicy Angel Wings – To start our meal, we choose the angel wings. About eight or nine chicken wings are deep fried and then stir-fried in a sweet and spicy chili garlic sauce with more basil. I was surprised at the generous portion, and this dish was one of my favorite parts of the meal. The wings are crispy and yet the sauce adds so much flavor – you’re not sure if it’s spicy or sweet next, and it makes you want to eat more of this incredible dish. $7.50

- Pad Thai with Prawns– I always order pad thai (pan fried rice noodles, bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, and fresh cilantro) when I go to a Thai restaurant for the first time because it tells me a lot. Here, the sauce is on the sweeter side and the noodles were a more moist than usual, causing them to break apart. Two to three stars on this dish because although the portion was good and the shrimp was cooked right, the noodles falling apart was a bit disappointing. $8.95

- Hor Mok – This was one of the specials, only available on weekends, that was also featured on the show. Banana leaves are shaped into a somewhat square container/tray, and the inside is filled with fish, shredded cabbage, and Thai basil. It’s topped with a curry mousse and an egg white, then steamed. The presentation is definitely unique and as you scoop out the contents, you’ll see that the fish is nice and flaky. It tasted fresh with very strong aromas of basil. For me, I found the basil to be a bit overwhelming, and I wasn’t quite accustomed to the soft textures. I would have preferred it without the cabbage since that seemed to take away from the fish a bit, but it may also be a way of extending the dish. The mousse is definitely delicate in texture, but it’s definitely new and different. If you want to be adventurous, this might be a good route. Now that I’ve had it once, I would probably order some of the other dishes available on the menu. $11.50

- Simmered Panang Pork Curry – Another dish that was listed as a special was this pork curry. It’s slow cooked and simmered in a curry and coconut sauce. Fresh Thai basil is cut and placed on top of the pork. Broccoli flowerettes accompany the dish. If you like carnitas, you’ll love this dish – the meat is super tender and comes apart easily. The flavor profile, color of the sauce, and the consistency of the sauce definitely reminded me of eating Mexican food. $10.95

- Steamed Rice - Good rice. $1.50

Once the tables filled up, the place was really bustling. The staff was yelling in Thai to one another – although I couldn’t understand the language, the gist of message had to do with tables and moving people. This constant yelling, while I’m accustomed to it in Chinese restaurants, seems to go against the ambiance that Marnee Thai is trying to display.

While the table next to us was asked if things were okay repeatedly by several different people (which seemed a bit too attentive in my opinion), probably the most disruptive event I witnessed was the staff’s execution of bringing in another table into the dining room. With the additional publicity from the tv show, there was quite a large group of people waiting outside the door this evening. The staff promptly minimized the waiting area and added another table in its place. This would have been fine in itself, except that the staff then proceeded to have all the patrons seated along that wall whom were in the process of enjoying their meal adjust their seat accordingly so that more room could be made for the new table. There is nothing like having someone motion to you while you’re eating to move your seat and table to accommodate more people that can really change how you’re feeling about dining in that establishment. Mind you, I have no problems with this when food hasn’t shown up at the table, but mid-meal, well, this act lacks professionalism.

Marnee Thai offers food with great flavor, but the densely packed tables, loud conversations and directions from the staff, and hustle and bustle reduced the ratings I gave for atmosphere and service by one star each. However, I would certainly consider going back to Marnee Thai to check out some of their other dishes, and try to leave room for dessert too (there is a great fried banana with coconut ice cream dish available).

Opaque - Dining in the Dark, San Francisco

While I was on vacation, I had some time to catch up on recent films. One of those was When in Rome. It's one of those romantic comedies - rather silly and unrealistic, but entertaining and you walk away happy.

Anyhow, one of the scenes featured this restaurant where they eat the entire meal in the dark. There is some tripping/hitting things because you can't see them, but I remember thinking how ridiculous the whole concept seemed. Eating an entire meal in the dark? Really?

Then I ran across an advertisement for Opaque. Located in San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, the concept is a reality - you go in, you're led to a room, and the rest is all in the dark. The servers are blind or visually impaired, and well, you eat a gourmet meal in a pitch black setting. Sounds crazy? Maybe. Feel free to comment if you've tried it. Just note that it's $99 a person.

Light House Buffet - Seafood/Sushi, Los Angeles

201 Arizona Ave, Santa Monica CA 90401
(310) 451-2076
Parking: street parking and parking structure nearby

Last Visited: February 22, 2004

Food: 4 to 5 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $$$

The Light House Buffet is known for its Royal Seafood Buffet and ranked amongst the nation’s top five buffets by the Food Network. During my visit, lunch buffet was available for $11.95 per person and dinner buffet was $18.95 per person. Considering the quality of sushi and sashimi, this is an excellent bargain for sushi lovers.

The restaurant is medium sized raised seating in the center of the room. Here you’ll see a large fish hanging from the ceiling with fluorescent lighting and black lighting creating an interesting blue tinting in this area. The tables are black and the chairs are wood.

When you enter the restaurant, you immediately notice the array of sushi available. The sushi chefs stand behind the counter making unagi sushi, maguro sushi, ebi sushi, and salmon sushi amongst other standard sushi offerings. There are also long rows of California rolls that are rolled in toasted sesame (which I found scrumptious) and similar California rolls rolled in shrimp roe. The California rolls are cut thinner than usual, but you may take as many as you wish. There is also a large heap of salmon sashimi, maguro sashimi, and other items. All were excellent. You can’t get this variety at better prices elsewhere. Note that there is an additional cost for beverages.

Adjacent to the sushi table is a long steam table of hot seafood. This includes salt and pepper shrimp, seafood egg patties, crab legs, large jumbo shrimp with the head still on, pan fried fish, as well as sautéed vegetables. There is a good variety of what is offered from fried oysters to teriyaki chicken to fried rice to tempura to steamed clams, you’ll find a number of choices to select from.

The cold table contains a large poached salmon covered with tartar sauce, large salmon roe over lemon, salad, desserts, and a variety of fresh fruit, including melons, bananas, mango, and papaya. All the accompanying sushi sides such as wasabe and pickled ginger are located here.
The other cold table contains a bar of sides. This bar included seaweed, sunomono salad/pickled cucumbers, seasoned spinach with sesame, and edamame. The last table contains miso soup and egg drop soup.

Of all the things I tried, the miso soup was the most disappointing, lacking in flavor and being colder than I like for my soup to be. All the sushi and sashimi was wonderful. The sushi is endless and you can go back for more. They also offer sushi to go.

The hot dishes ranged from average to better than average, but the draw for me was the sushi bar. The cold bar containing sides typically served with sushi is also great since you can go back for enough edamame to fill your heart’s desire. The fruit bar is fresh and simple.

The friendly servers frequent the tables often to remove dishes and fill your drinks. You’ll also like the automated towel dispenser in the restroom.

The Light House Buffet lives up to its Royal Seafood name. It’s an excellent value if you love sushi, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the quality of sushi you receive. If you don’t like sushi, you’ll probably still enjoy the selection of seafood offered. I would definitely return for more! The Light House Buffet is a must try!

Noura Central - Lebanese, London

122 Jermyn Street
Picadilly, London SW1Y 4UJ
Tel: 020 7839 2020
Nearest tube: Picadilly Circus
http://www.noura.co.uk
Hours: Sun-Wed 11:30am - 12:30am, Thurs - Sat 11am-1am

Last Visited: July 7, 2010

Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $$$ to $$$$

The lasts of my London posts features a restaurant with a Michelin star!

The beginnings of Noura started in Lebanon, later went to France, and then branched to the United Kingdom. My beginnings with Noura was a family vacation that started and ended in London. While visiting with an old undergrad classmate, Noura became a tasting adventure for one of the best Lebanese/Middle Eastern meals I've eaten so far.

What caught my eye, besides the fact that Lawrence stopped at the doorway, was the Michelin sticker on the glass doors. After further investigation, I learned that it was their French location which was awarded with a Michelin star in 1993.

The menu is pretty overwhelming to begin with. Go during happy hour and available to you are a bunch of sampler platters which don't require you to think. We happened to arrive just after happy hour which meant a build our own meal experience.

Walking into Noura, you get the sense that they want to be fancy. From the bread oven behind the counter and the bar in the rear to the cool looking salt and pepper shakers on each table, there was definitely the essence of an eye for detail in mind when the place was designed. On this particular evening was a world cup game, so the two televisions in the dining area had eyes glued to them and the sense of elegance was a bit removed as people shouted as goals were scored.

Since we weren't particularly hungry, we tried a few cold dish appetizers, a couple of hot side smaller dishes, and a few main dishes. These were shared by five people and we still had leftovers. After ordering, we were given a bowl of marinated goodies - peppers, pickles, olives, turnips or radishes (not exactly sure what I was eating) and all were very good and very pickled, but fresh tasting. These would get anyone's appetite going. I wish I could have taken the olives home with me. Yum.

Cold Mezzes:

- Hoummos - I love hoummus (or however you want to spell it). This was no exception. Super creamy and delicious. They also decorated it so nicely with the paprika and the whole chickpeas in the well of olive oil in the center. Fortunately for me, they provided hot bread that they had just made - puffy and light - a great conduit for the hoummos. 6.50 pounds

- Moutabbal - Puree of grilled eggplant with sesame seed oil and lemon juice. While the menu actually calls this aubergine, as long as you know what you're getting (or even if you don't), it's still great. The eggplant was creamy and rich with pomegranates and fresh herbs in the well of olive oil. Great with the puffy bread, I could eat this and the hoummos without reservation. 7.75 pounds

- Cheese - I thought we had Hungarian cheese, but maybe it was Bulgarian. I can't seem to find it on the menu as I write this, but it's super soft and a little crumbly. These rectangles are mild and go well with the fresh cucumber slices accompanying it. The tomato slices are fresh as well.

Hot Mezzes:

- Jawaneh (Grilled) - Chicken wings are marinated in lemon and garlic and grilled over charcoal. These wings are delicious - so good that I didn't even get a chance to capture a photo of them. There were six wings grilled to perfection with just the right tanginess from the lemon and well flavored from the marinade. Anybody who likes wings will enjoy these. Terrific! 7.75 pounds

Side Dish:


What's a little funny to me is that they offer French fries here - I guess the Lebanese in London still come them fries and not chips.

- Rice with Minced Lamb - A bowl of the rice is mixed with minced lamb, cooked, and topped with toasted pine nuts. It reminds me of southern style dirty rice. I was surprised to find out how filling this side dish became with a bit of lamb mixed in. Good. 6 pounds

Main Courses:

The main courses are primarily focused on the grill. There is also a selection of grilled and fried fish available to choose from too.

- Mixed Grill - Three skewers of Lamb, Shish Taouk (marinated chicken), Kafta (minced lamb) each are served with a piece of pita bread, a wedge of fresh tomato, shredded lettuce, and garlic mayonnaise. Of the three, I enjoyed the lamb and Kafta the most since both were more moist than the chicken. The meat is grilled well with good flavor. This is a good dish to try if you want to create your own sampler without breaking the bank. 19.75 pounds

- Chicken Chawarma - These pieces are similar to those described above, but it comes with half a pita (not shown in the picture because someone already ate it. It seems that all of these chawarma dishes are served the same with a choice of different meat, marinade, or nut/herb combination. 15.50 pounds


- Lamb Chawarma - See chicken chawarma comment above. 15.50 pounds

All in all, I really loved the cold and hot mezzes we tried. The mixed grill was good, but it's really the mezzes that shined during this visit. Although the prices are a bit high, the portions are filling, so you shouldn't go hungry.

Service is fair, but it seems to be fair just about everywhere you go in London. We had to ask for more water when our glasses became empty. It almost felt like there was a drought because they only fill the glass partially full - perhaps this is part of being fancy, but when your staff doesn't refill, it just seems like you're a bit neglected. It still ranks high amongst my experience with this genre of food because of how well prepared each dish was with wonderful flavors.