2327 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley CA
(510) 540-5950
Parking: Street parking
Hours: 8am-2:30pm, 5pm-9pm (Tues - Sun open until 9:30pm)
http://www.venusrestaurant.net/
Last Visited: September 25, 2003
Food: 2 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$
This café in Berkeley has a rustic feel. There are paintings of women all around the café in earth tones. The open kitchen takes up a large section of the restaurant. There is limited seating.
Yellow Lentil Soup – The soup was warm and hearty, but flavorless. Cup $3 Bowl $5.
Mom’s Tuna Melt – The tuna melt is interesting, served with carrots to give it its crunch. It’s a pretty standard tuna melt, nothing bursting with excitement or anything bad. Served with two small watermelon triangles. $5.95
I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here again, but it’s not so bad that I wouldn’t go back. The staff is friendly, but there’s nothing to draw me in here. One thing I would try if I went again would be their blackberry lemonade which looked very appetizing. It was cool that their bathroom had a vacant/occupied lock, but some patrons will still try to pull on the door despite the indicator that the bathroom is occupied.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Chianti Cucina - Italian, Novato
7416 Redwood Blvd, Novato CA 94945
(415) 878-0314
Parking: in parking lot
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-10pm, Sat-Sun 4pm-10pm
http://www.chiantinovato.com/
Last Visited: April 29, 2010
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
The owners of Caffe Giostra, Petaluma, have partnered with some other folks and have opened up Chianti in Novato. After hearing some good feedback about the restaurant, a group of us decided to check it out for lunch.
According to some of my dining companions whom have been to the restaurant before it changed hands, the new setup is much more inviting - the divided rooms now both offer seating. Our large group sat in the main room and the adjacent room contained smaller tables.
Upon our arrival, we received bread in a basket and bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar were present on the table.
Both the lunch and dinner menu are essentially the same. Pastas, pizzas, and meat dishes are available. During lunch, sandwiches are also available.
- Vegetaria Pizza – Grilled eggplant, roasted peppers, artichokes, and goat cheese top a pesto sauce on this pizza. While the serving size is good, it was just an okay pizza. The center was a bit soft and the vegetables were fairly standard - nothing special. $11
Some of my dining companions ordered the pasta dishes. For nearly $14 a plate, the pasta dishes seemed to be a bit on the expensive side, especially considering the small portions.
Service was a bit slow - not all the dishes came out at once, but the server was friendly. Chianti serves good food in general, but it would be better if it offered a better value lunch menu that went beyond sandwiches in order to attract more local returning customers.
(415) 878-0314
Parking: in parking lot
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-10pm, Sat-Sun 4pm-10pm
http://www.chiantinovato.com/
Last Visited: April 29, 2010
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
The owners of Caffe Giostra, Petaluma, have partnered with some other folks and have opened up Chianti in Novato. After hearing some good feedback about the restaurant, a group of us decided to check it out for lunch. According to some of my dining companions whom have been to the restaurant before it changed hands, the new setup is much more inviting - the divided rooms now both offer seating. Our large group sat in the main room and the adjacent room contained smaller tables.
Upon our arrival, we received bread in a basket and bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar were present on the table.
Both the lunch and dinner menu are essentially the same. Pastas, pizzas, and meat dishes are available. During lunch, sandwiches are also available.
Some of my dining companions ordered the pasta dishes. For nearly $14 a plate, the pasta dishes seemed to be a bit on the expensive side, especially considering the small portions.
Service was a bit slow - not all the dishes came out at once, but the server was friendly. Chianti serves good food in general, but it would be better if it offered a better value lunch menu that went beyond sandwiches in order to attract more local returning customers.
Yammy Sushi - El Cerrito
195 El Cerrito Plaza, El Cerrito CA 94530
(510) 525-9570
Parking: In shopping center parking lot
Hours: Mon-Thur 11am to 9:30pm, Fri-Sat 11am to 10pm, Sun 3pm to 9pm
Lunch between 11am to 2:30pm
Last Visited: April 9, 2005
Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$$
Yammy Sushi is located near Trader Joe’s in El Cerrito Plaza. It’s one of the few dining establishments in the shopping center. From the outside, you can see the black cloth hanging from the top of the windows. There’s a lot of natural light and when entering, there are about twelve to fifteen tables in the restaurant that surround the open kitchen. The colorful menu posted in the window attracted me to Yammy’s.
The tables contain chopsticks wrapped in paper displaying the accolades Yammy Sushi has received from City Guide which called it the Best Japanese Food in El Cerrito and Bay Area Dinner Guide which proclaimed it Restaurant of the Year.
- Combination Bento Box: In the combination box, you are served miso soup, house salad, steamed rice, and a choice of two items from this list: chicken teriyaki, salmon teriyaki, California roll, tempura, gyoza, and for a dollar more, tuna sashimi. Each of us got a bento box and tried out the chicken teriyaki, salmon teriyaki, shrimp tempura, and California roll. The miso soup is served first and it contains small cubes of tofu. The bento box actually isn’t a box at all, but in this case, it’s just a style of serving. All of the salad and other items are served on a large plate. For those of you who don’t like your food touching, this is not the place for you. The sauces intermingle. The salad is made mostly of romaine leaves and a few cucumber halves. The vegetables were very fresh. A light dressing is drizzled over the greens. A hearty portion of rice is served with the other items. The chicken teriyaki was tender and made from dark meat. The sauce is sweet and light, but the quality of chicken is fair. The chicken tasted like it was previously frozen and just didn’t have that freshness about it. The same was true for the salmon. A very small piece of boneless salmon with its skin was served in the light teriyaki sauce. The portion of the chicken was much better than the salmon which amounted to between two and three bites worth. The salmon also tasted previously frozen, lacking the freshness of the sea. Both teriyaki dishes were served over fresh cabbage. The tempura was comprised of one shrimp, one piece of cucumber, one piece of potato, and one piece of yam. Although nicely fried, and accompanied with tempura dipping sauce, again, the portion could have been more generous. One additional piece of shrimp would have been a big improvement. The California roll was accompanied with wasabe and pickled ginger. The roll contained avocado and imitation crab. It had been refrigerated, and the rice surrounding the roll was cold. Freshly made sushi doesn’t taste this way. The portions of the chicken teriyaki and the California roll were standard, but the salmon roll and tempura need to be more generous. $7.95
- Unagi Nigiri Sushi – The unagi was almost up to par. The unagi portion was great, but half of the rice that I bit into was cold and the rest was okay temperature. The unagi had been brushed with sauce and it was served warm. A light sprinkle of sesame dusted the top of the sushi. $4.25
The unagi nigiri sushi rescued the food rating from being a meager two stars. However, all the dishes could still be improved. The portions were a bit stingy for the seafood items, but the vegetables were nice and fresh. The service was good – they checked in with us about three times throughout the meal. The only bad thing was how the soup cup was served with one finger into the cup, rather than all fingers outside. Nothing touched the liquid, but since miso soup doesn’t use a spoon, it just didn’t leave the best impression. I would be willing to try Yammy again, but I wouldn’t go for the teriyaki dishes. Not the worst, but also not the best of those that I’ve tried before. The unagi left a decent impression and they offer more than forty rolls, so that might be the better thing to focus on.
(510) 525-9570
Parking: In shopping center parking lot
Hours: Mon-Thur 11am to 9:30pm, Fri-Sat 11am to 10pm, Sun 3pm to 9pm
Lunch between 11am to 2:30pm
Last Visited: April 9, 2005
Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$$
Yammy Sushi is located near Trader Joe’s in El Cerrito Plaza. It’s one of the few dining establishments in the shopping center. From the outside, you can see the black cloth hanging from the top of the windows. There’s a lot of natural light and when entering, there are about twelve to fifteen tables in the restaurant that surround the open kitchen. The colorful menu posted in the window attracted me to Yammy’s.
The tables contain chopsticks wrapped in paper displaying the accolades Yammy Sushi has received from City Guide which called it the Best Japanese Food in El Cerrito and Bay Area Dinner Guide which proclaimed it Restaurant of the Year.
- Combination Bento Box: In the combination box, you are served miso soup, house salad, steamed rice, and a choice of two items from this list: chicken teriyaki, salmon teriyaki, California roll, tempura, gyoza, and for a dollar more, tuna sashimi. Each of us got a bento box and tried out the chicken teriyaki, salmon teriyaki, shrimp tempura, and California roll. The miso soup is served first and it contains small cubes of tofu. The bento box actually isn’t a box at all, but in this case, it’s just a style of serving. All of the salad and other items are served on a large plate. For those of you who don’t like your food touching, this is not the place for you. The sauces intermingle. The salad is made mostly of romaine leaves and a few cucumber halves. The vegetables were very fresh. A light dressing is drizzled over the greens. A hearty portion of rice is served with the other items. The chicken teriyaki was tender and made from dark meat. The sauce is sweet and light, but the quality of chicken is fair. The chicken tasted like it was previously frozen and just didn’t have that freshness about it. The same was true for the salmon. A very small piece of boneless salmon with its skin was served in the light teriyaki sauce. The portion of the chicken was much better than the salmon which amounted to between two and three bites worth. The salmon also tasted previously frozen, lacking the freshness of the sea. Both teriyaki dishes were served over fresh cabbage. The tempura was comprised of one shrimp, one piece of cucumber, one piece of potato, and one piece of yam. Although nicely fried, and accompanied with tempura dipping sauce, again, the portion could have been more generous. One additional piece of shrimp would have been a big improvement. The California roll was accompanied with wasabe and pickled ginger. The roll contained avocado and imitation crab. It had been refrigerated, and the rice surrounding the roll was cold. Freshly made sushi doesn’t taste this way. The portions of the chicken teriyaki and the California roll were standard, but the salmon roll and tempura need to be more generous. $7.95
- Unagi Nigiri Sushi – The unagi was almost up to par. The unagi portion was great, but half of the rice that I bit into was cold and the rest was okay temperature. The unagi had been brushed with sauce and it was served warm. A light sprinkle of sesame dusted the top of the sushi. $4.25
The unagi nigiri sushi rescued the food rating from being a meager two stars. However, all the dishes could still be improved. The portions were a bit stingy for the seafood items, but the vegetables were nice and fresh. The service was good – they checked in with us about three times throughout the meal. The only bad thing was how the soup cup was served with one finger into the cup, rather than all fingers outside. Nothing touched the liquid, but since miso soup doesn’t use a spoon, it just didn’t leave the best impression. I would be willing to try Yammy again, but I wouldn’t go for the teriyaki dishes. Not the worst, but also not the best of those that I’ve tried before. The unagi left a decent impression and they offer more than forty rolls, so that might be the better thing to focus on.
Red Jade - Chinese, San Francisco
Best Green Onion Pancake245 Church Street, San Francisco CA 94114
(415) 621-3020
Parking: limited street parking
http://www.redjadesf.com/
Last Visited: March 21, 2010
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $ to $$$
My mom saw Red Jade featured on Check Please! and was so excited about trying their green onion pancake, that we had to make a stop here. Located in the Castro district, you might walk by Red Jade as it's rather non-assuming. I was very surprised to find such an elegant and charming atmosphere when I walked into the restaurant. From the soothing green walls to the wood bar and red walls behind the bar, you can tell it's not your typical Chinese restaurant (often run down or decorated in a 1980s style). Instead, it's fresh and a bit trendy, at least for a Chinese restaurant.
While one of the Check Please reviewers said there was plenty of parking, I beg to differ. I parked about a mile a way up a hill and walked it. Granted, it was around lunch time on a Sunday and she had gone on a weekday.
The staff was pleasant and chatty, offering suggestions for items that we could order.
One of the dishes we ordered came with a bowl hot and sour soup, but they were kind enough to give us a bowl for each person at the table. This added touch of service boosted them to a full four stars on their service rating. 
- Green Onion Pancake - this was specially featured on the show, and indeed, it's a good cake. If you like your green onion pancake crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and somewhat thick, it's perfect. Usually, you find them not quite thoroughly cooked when thick, but this one was just fine. Served with a sweet peanut sauce, it's definitely unique (normally you just enjoy it with a little soy sauce and vinegar, but this peanut sauce can become addictive). Very good. $4.25
- House Special Dim Sum for Two - If you're new to dim sum or just want to try a sample platter, this is perfect for you. It's not the best dim sum in town, but it is certainly better than some. Four types of dim sum are offered - steamed bbq pork buns, shrimp dumplings, pork dumplings, and one other kind of dumpling. Their seemed to be a slight error by the chef in our order as we got three shrimp dumplings and only one of the other kind instead of two of each, but nonetheless, I thought the pork bun was good and the rest fell in the average category. At least 
the skin of the dumplings didn't fall apart (a good sign). The price is also very reasonable considering the variety and quantity (regular dim sum prices would be higher considering the variety available in one steamer here). $7.50
The meat was tender, juicy, and overall, it was a great dish. This is also the dish that came with the hot and sour soup. Presentation is also nice with a little lettuce and orange slices on the side. $10.95The ambiance of Red Jade is definitely nicer than a lot of other Chinese restaurants of its size. There was also a wide variety of clientele, and from the dishes that I saw other people ordering, their lunch special is a terrific value with generous portions.
The menu shows that sesame balls may be ordered for dessert, but today, they came complimentary with our fortune cookies. While not the thinnest of doughs, the sesame ball was still really good - better than some that I've ordered for dim sum. It reminds me of the quality of what you would get if you made them at home yourself. If Red Jade had more parking, I would definitely come a lot more to enjoy their green onion pancake and try out some of their other specials and it's a bargain for lunch specials too.
Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers - Berkeley
1591 Solano Ave, Berkeley, CA 94707
(510) 526-8185
(with multiple locations in Berkeley, Oakland, San Rafael, and San Francisco)
Parking: street parking
Hours: 11am to 9pm or later depending on the day of the week
http://www.barneyshamburgers.com/
Last Visited: July 20, 2003
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $ to $$
Barney’s is a local institution. If you want a restaurant burger, this is the place to go. The burgers are large and come in just about any form you can think of – with mushrooms, guacamole, onions, etc. Their selection is sure to please.
The décor is simple. You’re mostly there for the burgers. Barney’s also has great milkshakes. The only caveat is that fries must be ordered separately. It’s a great place to go for a hearty burger anytime. Barney’s also has an excellent basket of fried vegetables (onion rings, mushrooms, zucchini, or a mix of them all )– these are fried with a seasoned beer batter until golden brown and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Yum! The basket is a meal in itself. Salads are large and big enough to be shared. Check out Barney’s.
(510) 526-8185
(with multiple locations in Berkeley, Oakland, San Rafael, and San Francisco)
Parking: street parking
Hours: 11am to 9pm or later depending on the day of the week
http://www.barneyshamburgers.com/
Last Visited: July 20, 2003
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $ to $$
Barney’s is a local institution. If you want a restaurant burger, this is the place to go. The burgers are large and come in just about any form you can think of – with mushrooms, guacamole, onions, etc. Their selection is sure to please.
The décor is simple. You’re mostly there for the burgers. Barney’s also has great milkshakes. The only caveat is that fries must be ordered separately. It’s a great place to go for a hearty burger anytime. Barney’s also has an excellent basket of fried vegetables (onion rings, mushrooms, zucchini, or a mix of them all )– these are fried with a seasoned beer batter until golden brown and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Yum! The basket is a meal in itself. Salads are large and big enough to be shared. Check out Barney’s.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Places to Go - San Francisco
Daly City, San Francisco, South San Francisco
Last Updated: November 15, 2011
1300 on Fillmore, 1300 Fillmore St, San Francisco CA, (415) 771-7100
Aziza, 5800 Geary Blvd, San Francisco CA 94121, (415) 752-2222
Baker & Banker, 1701 Octavia St, San Francisco CA 94109, (415) 351-2500
Banana Island, 416 Westlake Ctr, Daly City, CA 94015, (650) 756-6868
Baraka, 288 Connecticut St, San Francisco CA, (415) 255-0387
Basil Thai, 1175 Folsom St, San Francisco CA 94103, (415) 552-8999
Beard Papa, 99 Yerba Buena Lane, San Francisco CA 94103, (415) 978-9972 or 845 Market Street Suite # FE 16, San Francisco CA 94103, (415) 978-9975 :)
Bok Choy Garden, 1820 Clement St, San Francisco CA 94121, (415) 387-8111
Bursa Kebab, 60 West Portal Ave, San Francisco CA, (415) 564-4006
Caffe Delucchi, 500 Columbus, San Francisco CA 94133, (415) 393-4515
Campton Place, 340 Stockton St, San Francisco CA 94108, (415) 781-5555
Catch, 2362 Market St, San Francisco CA 94114, (415) 431-5000
Cha Cha Cha, 2327 Mission St, San Francisco CA 94110, (415) 648-0504
Chapeau, 1408 Clement St, San Francisco CA 94118, (415) 750-9787
Chaya Brasserie, 132 The Embarcadero, San Francisco CA 94105, (415) 777-8688
Delancey Street Restaurant, 600 Embarcadero St, San Francisco CA 94107, (415) 512-5179
Delfina Restaurant, 3621 18th St, San Francisco CA 94110, (415) 552-4055
Ebisu, 1283 9th Ave, San Francisco 94112, (415) 566-1770
El Toreador, 50 West Portal Ave, San Francisco 94127, (415) 566-2673
Farallon, 450 Post St, San Francisco CA 94102, (415) 956-6969
Fresca, 24 West Portal Ave, San Francisco CA 94127, (415) 759-8087
Gary Danko, 800 N. Point St, San Francisco CA 94109, (415) 749-2060
Grand Cafe, 501 Geary St, San Francisco CA 94102, (415) 292-0101
Hawthorne Lane, 22 Hawthorne St, San Francisco CA 94105, (415) 777-9779
Home, 2100 Market St, San Francisco CA 94114, (415) 503-0333
Ironside, 680A 2nd St, San Francisco CA 94107, (415) 896-1127
Kabuto Sushi, 5121 Geary Blvd, San Francisco CA 94118, (415) 752-5652
Kani-Kosen Japanese Seafood, 580 Crespi Dr, Pacifica CA 94044, (650) 355-1281 :)
Kiki, 1269 9th Ave, San Francisco CA 94122, (415) 661-5522
L & L Hawaiian Barbeque, 6893 Mission St, Daly City CA 94014, (650) 756-7188
La Mar, Pier 1 1/2, San Francisco CA 94111, (415) 397-8880
Limon, 3316 17th St, San Francisco CA 94110, (415) 252-0918
Lulu, 816 Folsom St, San Francisco CA 94107, (415) 495-5775
Manor Coffee Shop, 321 West Portal Ave #A, San Francisco CA 94127, (415) 661-2468
Marcello's, 2100 Taraval St, San Francisco CA 94116, (415) 665-1430
Masa's, 648 Bush St, San Francisco CA 94108, (415) 989-7154
Mochica, 937 Harrison St, San Francisco CA 94107, (415) 278-0480
Nopa, 560 Divisadero, San Francisco CA, (415) 864-8643
Old Krakow Polish Restaurant, 385 West Portal Ave, San Francisco CA 94127, (415) 564-4848
One Market, 1 Market St, San Francisco CA 94105, (415) 777-5577
Ozumo, 161 Steuart St, San Francisco CA 94105, (415) 882-1333
Park Chow, 1240 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122, (415) 665-9912
Plump Jack Cafe, 3127 Fillmore St, San Francisco CA 94123, (415) 563-4755
Ponzu, 401 Taylor St, San Francisco CA 94102, (415) 775-7979
Q, 225 Clement St, San Francisco CA 94118, (415) 752-2298
Shimo, 2339 Clement St, San Francisco CA 94121, (415) 752-4422
Shimo, 733 Taraval St, San Francisco CA 94116, (415) 564-8592
Sinugba, 2055 Gellert Blvd, Daly City, CA 94015, (650) 878-3591
Tani's Kitchen, 32 Park Plz Dr, Daly City, CA 94015, (650) 992-1701
Tanuki, 4419 California St, San Francisco CA 94118, (415) 752-5740
Thirsty Bear Brewing Company, 661 Howard St, San Francisco CA 94105, (415) 974-0905
The Window Restaurant, 211 Valencia St, San Francisco CA 94103, (415) 626-7750
Woodhouse Fish Company, 2073 Market St, San Francisco CA 94114 or 1914 Fillmore St, 94115, (415) 437-CRAB
Woodward's Garden, 1700 Mission St, San Francisco CA 94103, (415) 621-7122
Thai Stick, 2001 Fillmore St, San Francisco CA 94115, (415) 885-6100
Last Updated: November 15, 2011
1300 on Fillmore, 1300 Fillmore St, San Francisco CA, (415) 771-7100
Aziza, 5800 Geary Blvd, San Francisco CA 94121, (415) 752-2222
Baker & Banker, 1701 Octavia St, San Francisco CA 94109, (415) 351-2500
Banana Island, 416 Westlake Ctr, Daly City, CA 94015, (650) 756-6868
Baraka, 288 Connecticut St, San Francisco CA, (415) 255-0387
Basil Thai, 1175 Folsom St, San Francisco CA 94103, (415) 552-8999
Beard Papa, 99 Yerba Buena Lane, San Francisco CA 94103, (415) 978-9972 or 845 Market Street Suite # FE 16, San Francisco CA 94103, (415) 978-9975 :)
Bok Choy Garden, 1820 Clement St, San Francisco CA 94121, (415) 387-8111
Bursa Kebab, 60 West Portal Ave, San Francisco CA, (415) 564-4006
Caffe Delucchi, 500 Columbus, San Francisco CA 94133, (415) 393-4515
Campton Place, 340 Stockton St, San Francisco CA 94108, (415) 781-5555
Catch, 2362 Market St, San Francisco CA 94114, (415) 431-5000
Cha Cha Cha, 2327 Mission St, San Francisco CA 94110, (415) 648-0504
Chapeau, 1408 Clement St, San Francisco CA 94118, (415) 750-9787
Chaya Brasserie, 132 The Embarcadero, San Francisco CA 94105, (415) 777-8688
Delancey Street Restaurant, 600 Embarcadero St, San Francisco CA 94107, (415) 512-5179
Delfina Restaurant, 3621 18th St, San Francisco CA 94110, (415) 552-4055
Ebisu, 1283 9th Ave, San Francisco 94112, (415) 566-1770
El Toreador, 50 West Portal Ave, San Francisco 94127, (415) 566-2673
Farallon, 450 Post St, San Francisco CA 94102, (415) 956-6969
Fresca, 24 West Portal Ave, San Francisco CA 94127, (415) 759-8087
Gary Danko, 800 N. Point St, San Francisco CA 94109, (415) 749-2060
Grand Cafe, 501 Geary St, San Francisco CA 94102, (415) 292-0101
Hawthorne Lane, 22 Hawthorne St, San Francisco CA 94105, (415) 777-9779
Home, 2100 Market St, San Francisco CA 94114, (415) 503-0333
Ironside, 680A 2nd St, San Francisco CA 94107, (415) 896-1127
Kabuto Sushi, 5121 Geary Blvd, San Francisco CA 94118, (415) 752-5652
Kani-Kosen Japanese Seafood, 580 Crespi Dr, Pacifica CA 94044, (650) 355-1281 :)
Kiki, 1269 9th Ave, San Francisco CA 94122, (415) 661-5522
L & L Hawaiian Barbeque, 6893 Mission St, Daly City CA 94014, (650) 756-7188
La Mar, Pier 1 1/2, San Francisco CA 94111, (415) 397-8880
Limon, 3316 17th St, San Francisco CA 94110, (415) 252-0918
Lulu, 816 Folsom St, San Francisco CA 94107, (415) 495-5775
Manor Coffee Shop, 321 West Portal Ave #A, San Francisco CA 94127, (415) 661-2468
Marcello's, 2100 Taraval St, San Francisco CA 94116, (415) 665-1430
Masa's, 648 Bush St, San Francisco CA 94108, (415) 989-7154
Mochica, 937 Harrison St, San Francisco CA 94107, (415) 278-0480
Nopa, 560 Divisadero, San Francisco CA, (415) 864-8643
Old Krakow Polish Restaurant, 385 West Portal Ave, San Francisco CA 94127, (415) 564-4848
One Market, 1 Market St, San Francisco CA 94105, (415) 777-5577
Ozumo, 161 Steuart St, San Francisco CA 94105, (415) 882-1333
Park Chow, 1240 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122, (415) 665-9912
Plump Jack Cafe, 3127 Fillmore St, San Francisco CA 94123, (415) 563-4755
Ponzu, 401 Taylor St, San Francisco CA 94102, (415) 775-7979
Q, 225 Clement St, San Francisco CA 94118, (415) 752-2298
Shimo, 2339 Clement St, San Francisco CA 94121, (415) 752-4422
Shimo, 733 Taraval St, San Francisco CA 94116, (415) 564-8592
Sinugba, 2055 Gellert Blvd, Daly City, CA 94015, (650) 878-3591
Tani's Kitchen, 32 Park Plz Dr, Daly City, CA 94015, (650) 992-1701
Tanuki, 4419 California St, San Francisco CA 94118, (415) 752-5740
Thirsty Bear Brewing Company, 661 Howard St, San Francisco CA 94105, (415) 974-0905
The Window Restaurant, 211 Valencia St, San Francisco CA 94103, (415) 626-7750
Woodhouse Fish Company, 2073 Market St, San Francisco CA 94114 or 1914 Fillmore St, 94115, (415) 437-CRAB
Woodward's Garden, 1700 Mission St, San Francisco CA 94103, (415) 621-7122
Thai Stick, 2001 Fillmore St, San Francisco CA 94115, (415) 885-6100
Friday, September 17, 2010
Boca - Argentinian Steak House, Novato
Best Happy Hour Bar Food Value
Prices for items offered during happy hour are listed following the regular bar menu price.
- Crispy Calamari - I love calamari. This one is served on a platter with a lemon cilantro aioli. Lightly battered, nicely seasoned, it's a winner for me. Again, what a great value. $8/$4
- Prawns - Marinated in lime, cilantro, garlic, the prawns were also served with a sweet chili sauce. Again, I think either this or the Gambas al Ajillo should be removed from the bar menu to maximize value and besides, they're seemingly a lot alike. These tended to come out a little dry, so I would opt for fish skewers instead of prawn skewers if ordering skewers again. These also came with the same cucumber salad described above. $8/$3.95
340 Ignacio Blvd, Novato CA 94949
(415) 883-0901
Parking: parking lot
Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4:30-6:30pm, Dinner Mon-Sat 5pm-10pm, Sun 5pm-9pm
Parking: parking lot
Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4:30-6:30pm, Dinner Mon-Sat 5pm-10pm, Sun 5pm-9pm
Last Visited: September 9, 2010
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: Bar 2 to 3 stars, Restaurant 3 to 4 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: Happy Hour $, Regularly $$$ to $$$$
Josh told me about the happy hour value of burgers and fries for $5 at Boca and that was enough to get me to take a look at their menu and website. While I've now been to Boca for lunch twice, the prices are a bit high for dinner, but the best value is going during happy hour and making a meal out of the numerous choices from their bar menu. I've also done this twice. If you love eating tapas, this is the perfect opportunity for you to have a similar experience.
Enter Boca, and while the dimly lit dining room and outdoor patio are available for regular dining, you can also enjoy some good food in their bar area, immediately left of the entrance. This smaller room includes several high tables and stools, regular tables mostly for two, and a sofa as well if you prefer a cozier feeling. While it markets itself as a steak house with Argentinian roots, they also have a lot of seafood available, much of which is offered grilled.
Prices for items offered during happy hour are listed following the regular bar menu price.- Empanadas - These come two pieces to an order in a basket with a side dipping sauce/salsa. Today, we tried lamb, pine nuts, onions, roasted red pepper empanadas. They are piping hot, with a very savory filling, and are very flavorful. Other choices of fillings include zucchini, tomato and manchego cheese; chorizo, potato, and sour cream, and there are a couple of other choices that may change by season. If you enjoy little pastries, while the dough is a little thicker than some, it's a good snack. $7.50/$3.75
- Classic Caesar Salad - If you love caesar salads like I do, this is a great one. Whole romaine hearts that are chilled, dressed, topped with lots of fresh parmesan, and two anchovies are served with a couple of croutons. It's a terrific salad and at the happy hour price, how can you not enjoy it? Delicious. $8/$4
- Roasted Clams & Mussels - Served in a smoked tomato and fennel stock, this is one of the biggest dishes I've ever seen for an appetizer plate - practically a meal within itself. It also comes with a few large croutons made of sliced bread served standing amidst the sea of clams and mussels. The only caveat is that you must like fennel. I wish this dish was available with a white wine stock or any other stock without the fennel because the bitterness was so overpowering that I almost stopped eating the clams and mussels - borderline unbearable for me. The portions are outrageously generous, especially at the happy hour price - when can you get this much seafood for under six bucks? However, get this only if you're a fan of fennel - consider yourself warned. $10.95/$5.50
- Boca Burger and Fries - As Josh said, this is one of the best deals in town. At $5 during happy hour, this ground sirloin burger topped with melted cheese, a grilled tomato slice, fresh pickles and lettuce served on a toasted bun is a steal. Don't forget those awesome duck-fat fries (normally going for $5 as a side when it's not happy hour) which are sure to please. Those fries are one of the best things about Boca - when they're hot, they're super crispy and wonderful. Good enough for a meal on its own. $10/$5
- Roasted Clams & Mussels - Served in a smoked tomato and fennel stock, this is one of the biggest dishes I've ever seen for an appetizer plate - practically a meal within itself. It also comes with a few large croutons made of sliced bread served standing amidst the sea of clams and mussels. The only caveat is that you must like fennel. I wish this dish was available with a white wine stock or any other stock without the fennel because the bitterness was so overpowering that I almost stopped eating the clams and mussels - borderline unbearable for me. The portions are outrageously generous, especially at the happy hour price - when can you get this much seafood for under six bucks? However, get this only if you're a fan of fennel - consider yourself warned. $10.95/$5.50
- Boca Burger and Fries - As Josh said, this is one of the best deals in town. At $5 during happy hour, this ground sirloin burger topped with melted cheese, a grilled tomato slice, fresh pickles and lettuce served on a toasted bun is a steal. Don't forget those awesome duck-fat fries (normally going for $5 as a side when it's not happy hour) which are sure to please. Those fries are one of the best things about Boca - when they're hot, they're super crispy and wonderful. Good enough for a meal on its own. $10/$5
- Crispy Calamari - I love calamari. This one is served on a platter with a lemon cilantro aioli. Lightly battered, nicely seasoned, it's a winner for me. Again, what a great value. $8/$4- Gambas al Ajillo - This is one of the most common Spanish tapas dishes. Five wood-oven roasted prawns are cooked in a spicy garlic-lime cilantro butter sauce and served with two large croutons. It's a bit weird to have both these prawns on the menu and the prawn skewers listed too. In my opinion, they should eliminate one of these from the bar menu and offer the prawns in order to earn the most revenue from their menu. Since I had eaten the caesar salad beforehand, I'm not sure if my tastebuds had already been overwhelmed by garlic, 
but while these tasted good, I wouldn't have said they were strong on the garlic flavor. More garlic flavor, at least after the salad, would have still been good. The first impression I had when these arrived at our table was that the sauce looked a little too shiny (all that olive oil). I probably would opt to try other dishes rather than get this one again if I went back. $12/$6
but while these tasted good, I wouldn't have said they were strong on the garlic flavor. More garlic flavor, at least after the salad, would have still been good. The first impression I had when these arrived at our table was that the sauce looked a little too shiny (all that olive oil). I probably would opt to try other dishes rather than get this one again if I went back. $12/$6Skewers
- Fresh Fish of the Day - Marinated in lime, cilantro, garlic, today's fish was salmon. It was served with a sweet chili sauce. The fish was cooked very nicely - tender on the inside without being too dry. A shaved cucumber salad is served with the skewers. The cucumber salad is refreshing, but not as good as the pickled cucumbers that you find in Thai and Vietnamese restaurants. Good. $8/$3.95
- Prawns - Marinated in lime, cilantro, garlic, the prawns were also served with a sweet chili sauce. Again, I think either this or the Gambas al Ajillo should be removed from the bar menu to maximize value and besides, they're seemingly a lot alike. These tended to come out a little dry, so I would opt for fish skewers instead of prawn skewers if ordering skewers again. These also came with the same cucumber salad described above. $8/$3.95
- Dungeness Crab Cake Sandwich - A crab cake is cooked and served on a toasted bun spread with remoulade along with tomato and lettuce. I was with a large party the day that I ordered this for lunch and while at least three of us had ordered the crab cake sandwich, each one was unfortunately not consistent. One of the crab cakes itself was slightly burnt and the bun was slightly burnt. Mine was fortunately fine, but the fact that they're not all the same shows that the kitchen could use some refinement in their cook times. In terms of flavor, I found it to be a good sandwich, but not wow. $12.95
- Grilled Flat Iron Steak Sandwich - During my most recent visit, I ordered this flat iron steak sandwich cooked until medium and then sliced. It was served with caramelized onions, lettuce, tomatoes, chipotle mayo and of course, duck-fat fries. All of the ingredients were fresh and the sandwich was good, but not wow. $12.95
- Grilled Flat Iron Steak Sandwich - During my most recent visit, I ordered this flat iron steak sandwich cooked until medium and then sliced. It was served with caramelized onions, lettuce, tomatoes, chipotle mayo and of course, duck-fat fries. All of the ingredients were fresh and the sandwich was good, but not wow. $12.95 During most of my visits for lunch, I've come to Boca with parties of eight or more people. Although service is attentive when they are with you, it tends to be slow in terms of the time between sitting down and ordering. It's also slow between ordering and serving of the food. During my most recent large group visit, the coffee was cold according to one dining companion. In general, it just seemed like they took their time in coming back which for me, isn't what I'm looking for during the lunch hour when we need to be back at work.
As for the bar service, service is always efficient, but the bar tends to get packed more the closer you get to Friday. Also, the closer you are to dinner time, the more people will be stuffed into the room. Since I like to order many dishes to try, the small tables are insufficient for the large plates that come and servers do not come frequently enough to remove plates, even when we sat near the entrance to the room where all the servers pass. The food does not come out at an even pace - it may take one dish a long time to come out, then you get a few more items, and the last item will take another 20 minutes or more to arrive. One thing I do like is that I have never felt attitude from the servers when I didn't order wine or spirits. That's certainly appreciated. In general, service could use some work, but try the happy hour at Boca and enjoy good food at a great value.
Bette's Oceanview Diner - American, Berkeley
1807 4th St, Berkeley CA 94710
(510) 644-3230
Parking: street parking, paid parking lots nearby
Hours: Mon - Thu: 6:30am - 2:30pm, Fri - Sun: 6:30am - 4:00pm
http://www.worldpantry.com/bettes/home.html
Last Visited: July 24, 2004
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Price: $ to $$$
Bette’s Diner is located in Berkeley amongst the trendy shops of 4th Street. The restaurant is decorated like a 40s or 50s diner down to the checkerboard patterns around the restaurant, the counter and swivel stools on the right side of the restaurant, and the mini-jukeboxes sitting on top of the counter. There is chrome galore, but it fits the atmosphere just perfectly. Above your head when you enter the restaurant is a huge slice of pie hanging from the ceiling.
The restaurant is extremely busy. A typical wait on a Saturday mid morning is anywhere from half an hour to an hour. It’s first come first serve. You may want to bring a good book or just hang around talking to friends while you wait.
Norman recommended Bette’s with great reviews about their strawberry soufflé pancake.
- Blueberry Pancakes – Available in a stack of two or three, pancakes filled with large blueberries are served with maple syrup on the side. In a bite, you may find hot blueberry bursting its juices in your mouth. These pancakes were fluffy and light. Nice.
- Waffle – A waffle is cooked until golden brown and topped with fresh seasonal fruit. Maple syrup is served on the side. Today’s waffle was topped with sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, and blueberries. The fruit is indeed fresh, and the waffle is nicely done. I prefer slightly thicker waffles, but there was a bit of crunch on the outside of these, but not overly crunchy. The inside was soft, but not soggy. Very good. There are also other waffle specials available. This was the perfect portion for me. Not too much, not too little.
- French Toast – Four pieces of French toast are served with maple syrup on the side. This hearty portion is quite filling. The French toast is softer than I prefer, but not undercooked or soggy. It was still nicely soaked with egg and cooked through, but not quite to my preference developed at home. Good.
- Home Fries – We ordered a side of home fries and received a heaping dish of potatoes and onions topped with a dollop of sour cream. Fresh parsley is sprinkled on top. The potatoes and onions weren’t oily, but just right in terms of not being too dry or too oily. Some of the potatoes had been cooked until the sides were golden and crusted for those who like home fries a little crispy. Some of the potatoes were soft and just the right mushy. Texture was very good. The only thing missing was additional salt. A slight addition of salt would have made them just right. Good.
There are so many tables, and so much going on, that you’re sure to be entertained. However, you may also feel neglected by the staff. They are very kind and apologetic about the wait, but it often seemed that it was very difficult to get the staff’s attention.
As for the food, you can’t go wrong at Bette’s. The food quality is good. You may need to season your dish a little, and it may not be exactly to how expect (in my mind, this happens because sometimes you have a preference for how your mom used to make it), but overall, it’s still quite good. Fruit is extremely fresh. There are so many patrons, that the turnover for the food is excellent. It’s bound to be fresh. The portions are very good. Try out Bette’s.
(510) 644-3230
Parking: street parking, paid parking lots nearby
Hours: Mon - Thu: 6:30am - 2:30pm, Fri - Sun: 6:30am - 4:00pm
http://www.worldpantry.com/bettes/home.html
Last Visited: July 24, 2004
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Price: $ to $$$
Bette’s Diner is located in Berkeley amongst the trendy shops of 4th Street. The restaurant is decorated like a 40s or 50s diner down to the checkerboard patterns around the restaurant, the counter and swivel stools on the right side of the restaurant, and the mini-jukeboxes sitting on top of the counter. There is chrome galore, but it fits the atmosphere just perfectly. Above your head when you enter the restaurant is a huge slice of pie hanging from the ceiling.
The restaurant is extremely busy. A typical wait on a Saturday mid morning is anywhere from half an hour to an hour. It’s first come first serve. You may want to bring a good book or just hang around talking to friends while you wait.
Norman recommended Bette’s with great reviews about their strawberry soufflé pancake.
- Blueberry Pancakes – Available in a stack of two or three, pancakes filled with large blueberries are served with maple syrup on the side. In a bite, you may find hot blueberry bursting its juices in your mouth. These pancakes were fluffy and light. Nice.- Waffle – A waffle is cooked until golden brown and topped with fresh seasonal fruit. Maple syrup is served on the side. Today’s waffle was topped with sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, and blueberries. The fruit is indeed fresh, and the waffle is nicely done. I prefer slightly thicker waffles, but there was a bit of crunch on the outside of these, but not overly crunchy. The inside was soft, but not soggy. Very good. There are also other waffle specials available. This was the perfect portion for me. Not too much, not too little.
- French Toast – Four pieces of French toast are served with maple syrup on the side. This hearty portion is quite filling. The French toast is softer than I prefer, but not undercooked or soggy. It was still nicely soaked with egg and cooked through, but not quite to my preference developed at home. Good.
- Home Fries – We ordered a side of home fries and received a heaping dish of potatoes and onions topped with a dollop of sour cream. Fresh parsley is sprinkled on top. The potatoes and onions weren’t oily, but just right in terms of not being too dry or too oily. Some of the potatoes had been cooked until the sides were golden and crusted for those who like home fries a little crispy. Some of the potatoes were soft and just the right mushy. Texture was very good. The only thing missing was additional salt. A slight addition of salt would have made them just right. Good.There are so many tables, and so much going on, that you’re sure to be entertained. However, you may also feel neglected by the staff. They are very kind and apologetic about the wait, but it often seemed that it was very difficult to get the staff’s attention.
As for the food, you can’t go wrong at Bette’s. The food quality is good. You may need to season your dish a little, and it may not be exactly to how expect (in my mind, this happens because sometimes you have a preference for how your mom used to make it), but overall, it’s still quite good. Fruit is extremely fresh. There are so many patrons, that the turnover for the food is excellent. It’s bound to be fresh. The portions are very good. Try out Bette’s.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Ernesto's - Italian, San Francisco
2301 Clement St, San Francisco C 94121
(415) 386-1446
Parking: street parking
Hours: Daily 4-10pm
Last Visited: February 19, 2010
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
Ernesto's has been around for quite some time. Wendy, one of my dining companions for the evening, told me that back in elementary school, one of her fellow classmates did a school report on Ernesto's and since then, she had wanted to try it - that's a good couple of decades of having this place on her 'Places to Go' list. I don't remember how I heard of it, but it showed up on my own list about a decade ago. I've driven by this place frequently, but it's easy to not even notice them amidst all of the Chinese restaurants in the area.
I love Italian food. There was so much stuff that looked good on the menu that I had a hard time deciding what to get. Pizza, pasta, or maybe an eggplant parmigiana....there were so many possibilities that sounded delicious.
Tonight, there were three of us dining. The restaurant is quaint with white tablecloths and windows in the front. The waiter was very friendly and allowed us time to get settled and chat. He was also happy to answer our questions. We were brought a basket filled with hot garlic bread (love the fact that it was hot) - it was good enough for me to go back for a second piece.
- Baked Stuffed Clams - Five good-sized clams were stuffed with breadcrumbs, parsley, and had great flavor. I don't know what else was in there (maybe cheese?), but it tasted good nevertheless. $8.95
- Veal Saltimbocca - Veal scallopine is sauteed with wine, lemon butter sauce, and topped with prosciutto and mozzarella cheese. As you can see from the photo, sauteed mushrooms are added, asparagus is served on the side along with linguine topped with tomato sauce. The portion is generous and the flavors are very good. It makes me think that this is what old world Italian (not the California version) is supposed to taste like. While the veal was very good, I appreciated how well the linguine and sauce were salted - you'll often find a flavorful sauce and bland linguine when you eat at Italian places, but at Ernesto's it's generously seasoned without being too salty. $17.25
- Tiramisu - While we were pretty stuffed, the three of us split the tiramisu. Topped with cocoa powder, this dessert with espresso-soaked ladyfingers and marscapone cream was light and fluffy. Good stuff. $6.50
While it's unlikely I would make a special trip there, if I lived in the neighborhood, I could see myself dropping by Ernesto's for dinner to go if I didn't feel like cooking. The earlier you can arrive for dinner, the better your chances for finding parking. Check out Ernesto's for good traditional Italian meals in large filling portions.
(415) 386-1446
Parking: street parking
Hours: Daily 4-10pm
Last Visited: February 19, 2010
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
Ernesto's has been around for quite some time. Wendy, one of my dining companions for the evening, told me that back in elementary school, one of her fellow classmates did a school report on Ernesto's and since then, she had wanted to try it - that's a good couple of decades of having this place on her 'Places to Go' list. I don't remember how I heard of it, but it showed up on my own list about a decade ago. I've driven by this place frequently, but it's easy to not even notice them amidst all of the Chinese restaurants in the area.
I love Italian food. There was so much stuff that looked good on the menu that I had a hard time deciding what to get. Pizza, pasta, or maybe an eggplant parmigiana....there were so many possibilities that sounded delicious.
Tonight, there were three of us dining. The restaurant is quaint with white tablecloths and windows in the front. The waiter was very friendly and allowed us time to get settled and chat. He was also happy to answer our questions. We were brought a basket filled with hot garlic bread (love the fact that it was hot) - it was good enough for me to go back for a second piece.
- Baked Stuffed Clams - Five good-sized clams were stuffed with breadcrumbs, parsley, and had great flavor. I don't know what else was in there (maybe cheese?), but it tasted good nevertheless. $8.95
- Veal Saltimbocca - Veal scallopine is sauteed with wine, lemon butter sauce, and topped with prosciutto and mozzarella cheese. As you can see from the photo, sauteed mushrooms are added, asparagus is served on the side along with linguine topped with tomato sauce. The portion is generous and the flavors are very good. It makes me think that this is what old world Italian (not the California version) is supposed to taste like. While the veal was very good, I appreciated how well the linguine and sauce were salted - you'll often find a flavorful sauce and bland linguine when you eat at Italian places, but at Ernesto's it's generously seasoned without being too salty. $17.25
- Tiramisu - While we were pretty stuffed, the three of us split the tiramisu. Topped with cocoa powder, this dessert with espresso-soaked ladyfingers and marscapone cream was light and fluffy. Good stuff. $6.50While it's unlikely I would make a special trip there, if I lived in the neighborhood, I could see myself dropping by Ernesto's for dinner to go if I didn't feel like cooking. The earlier you can arrive for dinner, the better your chances for finding parking. Check out Ernesto's for good traditional Italian meals in large filling portions.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Ray's Sushi - Hayward
Best Sushi Rolls
888 West A St, Hayward CA 94541
(510) 887-0701
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
Hours: Lunch – M to F 11:30am to 2:30pm, Sat 12 to 2:30pm; Dinner – M-Th 5:30 to 9:30pm, Fri-Sat – 5 to 10pm, Sun – 5 to 9:30pm
Last Visited: March 4, 2006
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
Enter Ray’s and find a sculpture with water running down it. There is a hallway leading to private rooms on the left side, and the main dining room is to the right. At the entrance, there is a view of the kitchen. The walls are a light cream color.
On one of the walls are windows that have white Japanese screens with black grids covering them. This gives the room a more authentic feel. Large prints of Asian modern are displayed on the walls from calligraphy on gold print to multicolored designs. The prints are available for sale.
The room has an open feel. From the ceiling hangs track lighting and in the middle of the room are lights that remind me of flying saucers, except you can see the wiring that holds them mid-air. These lights have a light green glass and rigid thin black poles hold them in place.
The tables are maple in color with the grain running along the length of the tabletop, and the cushioned chairs match the tables. Two menus are available. One menu contains all the sushi along with color pictures of all the rolls. The other menu contains the combos available and the dinner entrees.
Upon our arrival came very hot tea. The tea was so hot that I couldn’t hold the teacup for very long. This gives them bonus points. The Japanese restaurants I have been patronizing lately seem to have lukewarm tea, and that’s just not a good sign. The cups are brown and tan in design, and the plates are colorful in blue/green rectangles for some, black for others, and more.
Since we had such a large party, we tried a number of rolls. Ray’s Sushi has an impressive menu of rolls that you may not find elsewhere, but they have the standard items too. Some unusual rolls include Crazy Monkey Roll, Golden Gate Roll, and Lion King Roll. Fortunately, since their menu shows the picture, and they’re pretty true to the photo, you’ll know what you’re about to receive.
Since there were so many in our party, and I didn’t do the ordering, these descriptions are more on the vague side. We ordered so many rolls that I lost track of what we were having, though all tasted good and looked lovely.
- 30 pieces Assorted Sashimi – A variety of sashimi tops a stack of thinly shredded turnip and is served on an enormous plate. The presentation is quite nice on the colorful plate. The slices of sashimi are generous – almost an inch thick. Unlike other places which slice the meat very thin, you’ll find that each piece packs a big bite, and in some cases, multiple bite. It’s chef’s choice, but you’ll find some items fairly standard. We got three pieces of each type of fish – katsuo, maguro, and tai to name a few. $35.95 (Sashimi is also available in 10 pieces $15.95/$20 pieces $27.95)
- Shrimp Tempura – The tempura is served with miso soup, green salad, and steamed rice for entrees. I think we got ours a la carte because I don’t remember seeing these other items. The tempura is served in a straw basket/hammock with dipping sauce. Again, presentation is nice. The shrimp tempura is accompanied by vegetable tempura – carrots, mushrooms, yam, and possibly other items. I tried a carrot slice, and it tasted fresh and crisp. $10.95
- Miso Shiro – Hot miso soup with tofu, seaweed, and fresh scallions. Great. $1.50
Here are the rolls that stood out for me. All the other rolls are pretty much a blur.
- 49er’s Roll – Avocado, cucumber, and tobiko are placed in a roll. The roll is then topped with salmon sashimi style and a very thin slice of lemon (including the lemon rind). The roll has a fresh look and the lemon accents the salmon very well. A very refreshing roll. $7.50
- Dynamite Roll – Avocado and daikon sprouts are placed in a roll and topped with spicy tuna and scallion. The combination tasted good, but I have little memory of what it looked like, and unfortunately, the take out menus don’t show any of the pictures. $6.50
- Chris Roll – Real crab, avocado, and unagi are placed inside a roll. It’s a great combination – not much to say except - Yum. $6.95
- Super California Roll – A California roll is topped with unagi and avocado. Inside the roll part is crab. The super California roll looks a lot like the Chris Roll except with the unagi on top instead of inside the roll. $6.95
- Two Balls No Strike – This is one of the most memorable specials. Two avocado halves are sliced thinly and fanned out. Underneath the avocado is spicy salmon chunks mixed with tobiko. The avocadoes are huge. A great tasting combination, but not the best value, although a great one to indulge upon. The price hasn’t changed since the last visit (fortunately), but it’s still not a bargain. Also, the avocado was riper last time. This time, it was a bit hard which means the avocado doesn’t have the creamy texture that melts in your mouth. Worth trying once, but not more than that. $11.50
- Lion King Roll – This is one of the hot rolls. A California roll is topped with salmon filet and baked. It’s sides are wrapped in foil creating a wonderful boat-like appearance. The only thing that could make this roll better is to leave the salmon slightly undercooked. Otherwise while it’s resting, the salmon can get overdone, so remember to eat this one fast. It’s rich in flavor and quite filling. Very good. $9.50
- Ray’s Roll – Yam tempura is wrapped inside a roll and topped with fried unagi. Just a little crunchy with sweetness from the unagi. The sauce accompanying this roll is very sweet, so know that in advance. The price of this one went up by more than 10%, but it’s still a bargain considering the portion. $6.75
- Dragon Roll – The dragon roll is comprised of shrimp tempura rolled in rice and topped with unagi, avocado, and crab. The portion is again large, but the tempura wasn’t very crispy. The tails of the shrimp were poking out of both ends, and although it looked impressive, the final flavor wasn’t as good as the looks. Okay. $9.50
All the rolls were fresh and fairly large in size. It felt like a mix and match of similar ingredients, but they’re quite creative with each item’s presentation. You’ll find all of your favorites. The avocado is especially fresh, and anything with avocado seems to taste just that much better.
What I didn’t like about Ray’s is that they were pushy. About 15 minutes past our reservation, they wanted us to order despite the fact that more than half of our party hadn’t arrived yet. They shared with us that they had allotted an hour and a half for us to eat and that they would be needing the table. Although I understand the need to do business, I think it’s rude to allot that timeframe to the table. Even before all of our dishes had arrived, they had already given us the bill. Aside from that, service was okay, but not wonderful.
Another issue was that some of the dishes had rice on them. The cups had rice stuck to them, and the dishes seemed to have a twig on them here and there. This downgraded their otherwise higher atmosphere score by one star. Their staff also seemed like they could be a bit more knowledgeable in describing some of the items. We asked about one of the sashimi since nobody knew what it was, but had to talk to three staff members before someone could explain what it was.
The fish quality is fresh, and the rolls are original. Portions are above average. Keep in mind that you may be on a time budget, and keep an eye on your dishware. You’re sure to enjoy the great food. Try out the rolls.
Service was very bizarre during my second visit. The level of service was highly dependent on the server. Some would announce the dish they were bringing as they placed it on the table. Others didn’t. Of course, since we were still new to the establishment, I found the announcement helpful, and the lack thereof disappointing. The main reason for reducing the service rating was the refilling of tea. Upon our arrival, fresh tea was poured and given to us in teacups. However, we asked one waiter near the end of our meal to refill the tea. The lack of people checking on tea levels wasn’t good for starters. What was worse was that the waiter forgot to bring the tea. We had to ask another staff member for tea. This second person almost forgot, but was quite apologetic as he took a chair from our table for another table he was setting up and soon brought us an entire pot of tea. The tea this round was weak, but I was happy that he left the pot with us. The waiter we had asked for tea from originally then proceeded to come to our table, pick up the pot, pour tea into our cups, and take the pot away! I was alarmed. This just isn’t something you should do if you’ve brought it to the table. It’s a serious Asian faux pas. For this reason, I dropped the rating to two stars.
Since my last visit in 2004, prices have gone up, and service has gone down. I’ve adjusted the Food rating from four stars to 3 to 4 stars and service has dropped from three stars to 2 stars. Portions remain very good. Updates have been made to several descriptions above both in price and comments. Ray’s is not meant for the sushi purist, but more for the type who enjoys creative concoctions.
888 West A St, Hayward CA 94541
(510) 887-0701
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
Hours: Lunch – M to F 11:30am to 2:30pm, Sat 12 to 2:30pm; Dinner – M-Th 5:30 to 9:30pm, Fri-Sat – 5 to 10pm, Sun – 5 to 9:30pm
Last Visited: March 4, 2006
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
Enter Ray’s and find a sculpture with water running down it. There is a hallway leading to private rooms on the left side, and the main dining room is to the right. At the entrance, there is a view of the kitchen. The walls are a light cream color.
On one of the walls are windows that have white Japanese screens with black grids covering them. This gives the room a more authentic feel. Large prints of Asian modern are displayed on the walls from calligraphy on gold print to multicolored designs. The prints are available for sale.
The room has an open feel. From the ceiling hangs track lighting and in the middle of the room are lights that remind me of flying saucers, except you can see the wiring that holds them mid-air. These lights have a light green glass and rigid thin black poles hold them in place.
The tables are maple in color with the grain running along the length of the tabletop, and the cushioned chairs match the tables. Two menus are available. One menu contains all the sushi along with color pictures of all the rolls. The other menu contains the combos available and the dinner entrees.
Upon our arrival came very hot tea. The tea was so hot that I couldn’t hold the teacup for very long. This gives them bonus points. The Japanese restaurants I have been patronizing lately seem to have lukewarm tea, and that’s just not a good sign. The cups are brown and tan in design, and the plates are colorful in blue/green rectangles for some, black for others, and more.
Since we had such a large party, we tried a number of rolls. Ray’s Sushi has an impressive menu of rolls that you may not find elsewhere, but they have the standard items too. Some unusual rolls include Crazy Monkey Roll, Golden Gate Roll, and Lion King Roll. Fortunately, since their menu shows the picture, and they’re pretty true to the photo, you’ll know what you’re about to receive.
Since there were so many in our party, and I didn’t do the ordering, these descriptions are more on the vague side. We ordered so many rolls that I lost track of what we were having, though all tasted good and looked lovely.
- 30 pieces Assorted Sashimi – A variety of sashimi tops a stack of thinly shredded turnip and is served on an enormous plate. The presentation is quite nice on the colorful plate. The slices of sashimi are generous – almost an inch thick. Unlike other places which slice the meat very thin, you’ll find that each piece packs a big bite, and in some cases, multiple bite. It’s chef’s choice, but you’ll find some items fairly standard. We got three pieces of each type of fish – katsuo, maguro, and tai to name a few. $35.95 (Sashimi is also available in 10 pieces $15.95/$20 pieces $27.95)
- Shrimp Tempura – The tempura is served with miso soup, green salad, and steamed rice for entrees. I think we got ours a la carte because I don’t remember seeing these other items. The tempura is served in a straw basket/hammock with dipping sauce. Again, presentation is nice. The shrimp tempura is accompanied by vegetable tempura – carrots, mushrooms, yam, and possibly other items. I tried a carrot slice, and it tasted fresh and crisp. $10.95
- Miso Shiro – Hot miso soup with tofu, seaweed, and fresh scallions. Great. $1.50
Here are the rolls that stood out for me. All the other rolls are pretty much a blur.
- 49er’s Roll – Avocado, cucumber, and tobiko are placed in a roll. The roll is then topped with salmon sashimi style and a very thin slice of lemon (including the lemon rind). The roll has a fresh look and the lemon accents the salmon very well. A very refreshing roll. $7.50
- Dynamite Roll – Avocado and daikon sprouts are placed in a roll and topped with spicy tuna and scallion. The combination tasted good, but I have little memory of what it looked like, and unfortunately, the take out menus don’t show any of the pictures. $6.50
- Chris Roll – Real crab, avocado, and unagi are placed inside a roll. It’s a great combination – not much to say except - Yum. $6.95
- Super California Roll – A California roll is topped with unagi and avocado. Inside the roll part is crab. The super California roll looks a lot like the Chris Roll except with the unagi on top instead of inside the roll. $6.95
- Two Balls No Strike – This is one of the most memorable specials. Two avocado halves are sliced thinly and fanned out. Underneath the avocado is spicy salmon chunks mixed with tobiko. The avocadoes are huge. A great tasting combination, but not the best value, although a great one to indulge upon. The price hasn’t changed since the last visit (fortunately), but it’s still not a bargain. Also, the avocado was riper last time. This time, it was a bit hard which means the avocado doesn’t have the creamy texture that melts in your mouth. Worth trying once, but not more than that. $11.50
- Lion King Roll – This is one of the hot rolls. A California roll is topped with salmon filet and baked. It’s sides are wrapped in foil creating a wonderful boat-like appearance. The only thing that could make this roll better is to leave the salmon slightly undercooked. Otherwise while it’s resting, the salmon can get overdone, so remember to eat this one fast. It’s rich in flavor and quite filling. Very good. $9.50
- Ray’s Roll – Yam tempura is wrapped inside a roll and topped with fried unagi. Just a little crunchy with sweetness from the unagi. The sauce accompanying this roll is very sweet, so know that in advance. The price of this one went up by more than 10%, but it’s still a bargain considering the portion. $6.75
- Dragon Roll – The dragon roll is comprised of shrimp tempura rolled in rice and topped with unagi, avocado, and crab. The portion is again large, but the tempura wasn’t very crispy. The tails of the shrimp were poking out of both ends, and although it looked impressive, the final flavor wasn’t as good as the looks. Okay. $9.50
All the rolls were fresh and fairly large in size. It felt like a mix and match of similar ingredients, but they’re quite creative with each item’s presentation. You’ll find all of your favorites. The avocado is especially fresh, and anything with avocado seems to taste just that much better.
What I didn’t like about Ray’s is that they were pushy. About 15 minutes past our reservation, they wanted us to order despite the fact that more than half of our party hadn’t arrived yet. They shared with us that they had allotted an hour and a half for us to eat and that they would be needing the table. Although I understand the need to do business, I think it’s rude to allot that timeframe to the table. Even before all of our dishes had arrived, they had already given us the bill. Aside from that, service was okay, but not wonderful.
Another issue was that some of the dishes had rice on them. The cups had rice stuck to them, and the dishes seemed to have a twig on them here and there. This downgraded their otherwise higher atmosphere score by one star. Their staff also seemed like they could be a bit more knowledgeable in describing some of the items. We asked about one of the sashimi since nobody knew what it was, but had to talk to three staff members before someone could explain what it was.
The fish quality is fresh, and the rolls are original. Portions are above average. Keep in mind that you may be on a time budget, and keep an eye on your dishware. You’re sure to enjoy the great food. Try out the rolls.
Service was very bizarre during my second visit. The level of service was highly dependent on the server. Some would announce the dish they were bringing as they placed it on the table. Others didn’t. Of course, since we were still new to the establishment, I found the announcement helpful, and the lack thereof disappointing. The main reason for reducing the service rating was the refilling of tea. Upon our arrival, fresh tea was poured and given to us in teacups. However, we asked one waiter near the end of our meal to refill the tea. The lack of people checking on tea levels wasn’t good for starters. What was worse was that the waiter forgot to bring the tea. We had to ask another staff member for tea. This second person almost forgot, but was quite apologetic as he took a chair from our table for another table he was setting up and soon brought us an entire pot of tea. The tea this round was weak, but I was happy that he left the pot with us. The waiter we had asked for tea from originally then proceeded to come to our table, pick up the pot, pour tea into our cups, and take the pot away! I was alarmed. This just isn’t something you should do if you’ve brought it to the table. It’s a serious Asian faux pas. For this reason, I dropped the rating to two stars.
Since my last visit in 2004, prices have gone up, and service has gone down. I’ve adjusted the Food rating from four stars to 3 to 4 stars and service has dropped from three stars to 2 stars. Portions remain very good. Updates have been made to several descriptions above both in price and comments. Ray’s is not meant for the sushi purist, but more for the type who enjoys creative concoctions.
Restaurant Pet Peeves
While food will always be the primary criteria for a good restaurant for me, there are just some things that can really increase aggravation and frustration, turning a perfectly good dining experience into one that you'll always remember, or rather, desire to forget.
Here's a list of some of my biggest restaurant pet peeves. I know you have yours too, so feel free to comment.
- Wobbly tables and chairs - nothing like leaning on the table and feeling like you're on a see-saw.
- Dirty/Sticky - words that should not be part of the table vocabulary - dirty menus, sticky tables, food stuck on plates, lipstick stains on your water glass/tea cup - yuck yuck yuck.
- Not informing you that they are out of something. This is where the kitchen and the waitstaff need to coordinate. Substitutions are fine, but it's sad to order what sounded oh so delicious and then find out later that they ran out.
- Foreign objects/food. Live worms (yes, it's happened to me), hair, dead flies, laundry clips, band-aids, you name it, if it's not supposed to be there and it is - that's no good.
- Poor service. Whether it's just long wait times, taking bribes, bad attitude, or not appropriately responding to foreign objects, even if the food is spectacular, sometimes the service is so poor, that I won't go back.
- When the service is the best upon receipt of the check. While recency plays a big factor in memory, just because you are attentive and thank me when the check comes doesn't mean that the rest of the service, or lack thereof, is covered by that winning smile.
- Coupon/Discount/Special Aversion. When they issue a coupon or offer a special, like Dine About Town, and then get upset when you use the coupon or order their special prix fixe. I've never understood this one. The wait staff is there to make your experience great. If the establishment offers a coupon, discount, or special, it's often the reason a customer will come in for the first time. Snooty servers make bad first impressions.
Here's a list of some of my biggest restaurant pet peeves. I know you have yours too, so feel free to comment.
- Wobbly tables and chairs - nothing like leaning on the table and feeling like you're on a see-saw.
- Dirty/Sticky - words that should not be part of the table vocabulary - dirty menus, sticky tables, food stuck on plates, lipstick stains on your water glass/tea cup - yuck yuck yuck.
- Not informing you that they are out of something. This is where the kitchen and the waitstaff need to coordinate. Substitutions are fine, but it's sad to order what sounded oh so delicious and then find out later that they ran out.
- Foreign objects/food. Live worms (yes, it's happened to me), hair, dead flies, laundry clips, band-aids, you name it, if it's not supposed to be there and it is - that's no good.
- Poor service. Whether it's just long wait times, taking bribes, bad attitude, or not appropriately responding to foreign objects, even if the food is spectacular, sometimes the service is so poor, that I won't go back.
- When the service is the best upon receipt of the check. While recency plays a big factor in memory, just because you are attentive and thank me when the check comes doesn't mean that the rest of the service, or lack thereof, is covered by that winning smile.
- Coupon/Discount/Special Aversion. When they issue a coupon or offer a special, like Dine About Town, and then get upset when you use the coupon or order their special prix fixe. I've never understood this one. The wait staff is there to make your experience great. If the establishment offers a coupon, discount, or special, it's often the reason a customer will come in for the first time. Snooty servers make bad first impressions.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers - Berkeley
1591 Solano Ave, Berkeley, CA 94707
(510) 526-8185
Parking: limited street parking
http://www.barneyshamburgers.com/
Last Visited: July 20, 2003
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $ to $$
Barney’s is a local institution. If you want a restaurant burger, this is the place to go. The burgers are large and come in just about any form you can think of – with mushrooms, guacamole, onions, etc. Their selection is sure to please.
The décor is simple. You’re mostly there for the burgers. Barney’s also has great milkshakes.
The only caveat is that fries must be ordered separately. It’s a great place to go for a hearty burger anytime. Barney’s also has an excellent basket of fried vegetables – these are fried with a light batter until golden brown and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Yum! The basket is a meal in itself. Salads are large and big enough to be shared. Check out Barney’s.
(510) 526-8185
Parking: limited street parking
http://www.barneyshamburgers.com/
Last Visited: July 20, 2003
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $ to $$
Barney’s is a local institution. If you want a restaurant burger, this is the place to go. The burgers are large and come in just about any form you can think of – with mushrooms, guacamole, onions, etc. Their selection is sure to please.
The décor is simple. You’re mostly there for the burgers. Barney’s also has great milkshakes.
The only caveat is that fries must be ordered separately. It’s a great place to go for a hearty burger anytime. Barney’s also has an excellent basket of fried vegetables – these are fried with a light batter until golden brown and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Yum! The basket is a meal in itself. Salads are large and big enough to be shared. Check out Barney’s.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Yee Shun Milk Company - Hong Kong
519 Nathan Road, Yau Ma Tei, Hong KongTel: 2374 5460
Last Visited: January 2010
Food (dessert): 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $ to $$
There are many locations where you can find Yee Shun Milk Company. I've heard of at least four around Hong Kong - two in Causeway Bay, Jordan, and Yau Ma Tei. Just look for the logo as you wander around.
They are probably most well known for their Steamed Milk in Two Films. Other popular items include Steamed Milk with Ginger Juice,
Steamed Egg, and Cold Milk with Papaya Juice.
From outside the cafe, you can see bowls of
steamed milk and steamed egg, both offered cold or hot, stacked in the window. Typically at these places, you arrive and are served a hot tea in small plastic cups. The menus are placed under glass or clear hard plastic and you can select from the list of sweets, bowls of noodles, and whatever else may be included in their specials.Most of the time, we go just for their dessert. Of course, we had to have the Steamed Milk in Two Films. While some establishments don't offer the films at all, the two films refer to the layer of skin that American recipes usually try to avoid. In Hong Kong, it's a welcomed item. That 'skin' is what makes Yee Shun famous.
- Steamed Milk in Two Films - Milk is steamed with egg whites to create a smooth custard. It's delicate in texture, yet rich in milk flavor, and gently sweet. Delicious! $3 (~$20 HKD)While the booths are small and the pace of serving may feel rushed, you'll appreciate the fans on any humid day and Yee Shun does a great job with their steamed milk. If you don't like the 'skin,' there are ginger versions of the milk and other offerings available. Excellent.
Monterey Hill Country Club - American, Alhambra
3700 W. Ramona Boulevard, Alhambra CA 91754
(323) 264-8400
Parking: in parking lot
Last Visited: February 21, 2004
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Price: unknown
The Monterey Hill Country Club contains multiple banquet halls. Our visit consisted of banquet food, so you may find differences if you visit for a regular meal. You arrive at the valet and see the lit pathway to the country club entrance. The sound of water trickling greets you near the doorway.
The banquet room is simple with a dance floor and the round banquet tables surround the dance floor. The table is neatly set, and service is good. The center of the dance floor had a table containing various fruits, melons, and cheese and crackers. All were fresh and nicely presented. The bread was served hot which is especially rare at banquets, so that automatically gave them a higher mark.
- Salad – The salad contained greens with radicchio and walnuts. The vinaigrette had a mustard base and had a nice flavor. The portion was good and the greens were fresh.
- Salmon – A large piece of salmon was nicely browned and topped with a cream sauce. Roasted potatoes, and a combination of wax beans and green beans accompanied the fish. The end pieces were a little dry, but overall the fish was nicely done.
Banquets are especially difficult to critique since the quantities are so large and it’s often difficult to control all the food when there are large quantities. Service was very attentive, except when the ice cream (a nice rich vanilla) was served, they failed to bring additional spoons when requested. However, the overall experience was pleasant.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Sesame Tea Favorites
Listed here are the links to the Best as chosen by Sesame Tea Eats.
San Francisco Bay Area:
Calamari (fried): Tony's Pizza Napoletana - San Francisco
Cheesecake: Zanze's Cheesecake, San Francisco
Chicken Flautas: La Texanita, Santa Rosa
Chinese (Cantonese): New Hing Lung, San Francisco
Chinese Bacon with Preserved Greens (Pork Belly): Hakka Restaurant, San Francisco
Chinese BBQ: Cheung Hing, San Francisco (BBQ Pork, BBQ Duck); Lam Hoa Thuan, San Francisco (Steamed Chicken)
Clam Chowder: Swan Oyster Depot, San Francisco; Sam's Chowder House, Half Moon Bay, Old Port Lobster Shack, Redwood City
Cookies: Bakesale Betty, Oakland, Specialty's Bakery, San Francisco
Deep Fried Shrimp wrapped in Tofu Skin: Kay Cheung, San Francisco
Dim Sum, San Francisco: Mayflower, San Francisco
Green Onion Pancake: Red Jade, San Francisco
Happy Hour Bar Food Value: Boca, Novato
Indian Buffet in Novato: Anokha, Batika
Inexpensive Prix Fixe: Ad Hoc, St. Helena
Fish and Chips, Sonoma County: Mel's Fish & Chips, Santa Rosa
French Fries: Mister McGoo's, Petaluma
German Food: Cafe Europe, Santa Rosa
Lasagna: Cafe Citti, Kenwood; Caffe Giostra, Petaluma
Lobster Roll: Old Port Lobster Shack, Redwood City
Pastrami - The Refuge, San Carlos
Pecan Pie: Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen, Berkeley
Pizza - Thin Crust: Pizzetta 211, San Francisco
Pizza - Vegetarian: Cheeseboard Pizza, Berkeley
Plenta - Creamy: Bottega, Yountville
Pumpkin Strips with Salted Egg: Hakka Restaurant, San Francisco
Reuben Sandwich: Morty's Deli, San Francisco
Sandwich (bisteca, flat pressed): Sol Food, San Rafael
Seafood (American): Old Port Lobster Shack, Redwood City; Swan Oyster Depot, San Francisco
Shrimp Po' Boy: Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen, Berkeley
Spicy Salt and Pepper Spareribs: Hakka Restaurant, San Francisco
Sushi: Kani Kosen, Pacifica is hit or miss, still searching for the best place
Sushi Rolls: Ray's Sushi, Hayward
Value: New Hing Lung, San Francisco
United States (outside the Bay Area):
French Food: Bernard's, Ridgefield, CT
New Mexican cuisine: Tia Sophia, Santa Fe, NM
Noodles and Dumplings, Los Angeles: Luscious Dumplings, San Gabriel (2006, not in 2012)
Pizza - with Green Chiles: Upper Crust Pizza, Santa Fe
Shortbread: Big Island Candies, Hawaii
Sushi: Sansei, Maui
Canada:
Deep Fried Oysters: Sun Sui Wah, Vancouver
Wife Cake: Kam Do Bakery, Vancouver
Won Ton Noodles: Tsim Chai Kee Noodles, Vancouver; McNoodle, Vancouver
International:
Dim Sum: Tim Ho Wan, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Fish & Chips: Rock & Sole Plaice, London, England
Steamed Milk: Australian Dairy Company, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Tan Tan Noodles: Kam Moon Ting, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Won Ton Noodles: Chee Kei, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong; Mak's Noodles, Hong Kong
Last Updated: May 5, 2013
San Francisco Bay Area:
Calamari (fried): Tony's Pizza Napoletana - San Francisco
Cheesecake: Zanze's Cheesecake, San Francisco
Chicken Flautas: La Texanita, Santa Rosa
Chinese (Cantonese): New Hing Lung, San Francisco
Chinese Bacon with Preserved Greens (Pork Belly): Hakka Restaurant, San Francisco
Chinese BBQ: Cheung Hing, San Francisco (BBQ Pork, BBQ Duck); Lam Hoa Thuan, San Francisco (Steamed Chicken)
Clam Chowder: Swan Oyster Depot, San Francisco; Sam's Chowder House, Half Moon Bay, Old Port Lobster Shack, Redwood City
Cookies: Bakesale Betty, Oakland, Specialty's Bakery, San Francisco
Deep Fried Shrimp wrapped in Tofu Skin: Kay Cheung, San Francisco
Dim Sum, San Francisco: Mayflower, San Francisco
Green Onion Pancake: Red Jade, San Francisco
Happy Hour Bar Food Value: Boca, Novato
Indian Buffet in Novato: Anokha, Batika
Inexpensive Prix Fixe: Ad Hoc, St. Helena
Fish and Chips, Sonoma County: Mel's Fish & Chips, Santa Rosa
French Fries: Mister McGoo's, Petaluma
German Food: Cafe Europe, Santa Rosa
Lasagna: Cafe Citti, Kenwood; Caffe Giostra, Petaluma
Lobster Roll: Old Port Lobster Shack, Redwood City
Pastrami - The Refuge, San Carlos
Pecan Pie: Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen, Berkeley
Pizza - Thin Crust: Pizzetta 211, San Francisco
Pizza - Vegetarian: Cheeseboard Pizza, Berkeley
Plenta - Creamy: Bottega, Yountville
Pumpkin Strips with Salted Egg: Hakka Restaurant, San Francisco
Reuben Sandwich: Morty's Deli, San Francisco
Sandwich (bisteca, flat pressed): Sol Food, San Rafael
Seafood (American): Old Port Lobster Shack, Redwood City; Swan Oyster Depot, San Francisco
Shrimp Po' Boy: Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen, Berkeley
Spicy Salt and Pepper Spareribs: Hakka Restaurant, San Francisco
Sushi: Kani Kosen, Pacifica is hit or miss, still searching for the best place
Sushi Rolls: Ray's Sushi, Hayward
Value: New Hing Lung, San Francisco
United States (outside the Bay Area):
French Food: Bernard's, Ridgefield, CT
New Mexican cuisine: Tia Sophia, Santa Fe, NM
Noodles and Dumplings, Los Angeles: Luscious Dumplings, San Gabriel (2006, not in 2012)
Pizza - with Green Chiles: Upper Crust Pizza, Santa Fe
Shortbread: Big Island Candies, Hawaii
Sushi: Sansei, Maui
Canada:
Deep Fried Oysters: Sun Sui Wah, Vancouver
Wife Cake: Kam Do Bakery, Vancouver
Won Ton Noodles: Tsim Chai Kee Noodles, Vancouver; McNoodle, Vancouver
International:
Dim Sum: Tim Ho Wan, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Fish & Chips: Rock & Sole Plaice, London, England
Steamed Milk: Australian Dairy Company, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Tan Tan Noodles: Kam Moon Ting, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Won Ton Noodles: Chee Kei, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong; Mak's Noodles, Hong Kong
Last Updated: May 5, 2013
Chef Liu's - Chinese, Mountain View
236 Castro St, Mountain View CA 94041
(650) 938-2968
Parking: street parking, pay parking lot nearby
Hours: Mon – Fri 11am to 2:30pm, 4:30pm to 9:30pm, Sat - Sun 11am to 9:30pm
Last Visited: December 29, 2007
Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $ to $$
Phil brought us to Chef Liu. I’ll preface this review by stating that he’s been here a number of times and thought they might be having an off day. With that in mind, I would consider trying them again to see if their ratings would go up. However, based on today’s visit alone, the one thing worth going back for is what they call Steamed Pork.
Enter Chef Liu and it’s a bright restaurant with a lot of lighting coming from the front windows. The décor is fairly basic, but what’s a bit startling is that the woman who runs the place does a lot of yelling into the kitchen. It might be cultural, but perhaps it’s just the culture of Chef Liu’s. When I was looking at the menu, I was surprised at how the ordering took place. As each item was ordered at the table, the woman would yell back to the kitchen rather than waiting for the full order to be completed. For example, let’s say you wanted to order five items. Between each one, as you paused to find your next selection, she would yell back to the kitchen. If you’re looking for ambiance, you’ll probably want to skip Chef Liu’s, but it’s admittedly interesting to watch.
If you don’t read Chinese, the English descriptions on the menu are a bit difficult to navigate. Familiar names for food are not necessarily used her – for example, the Shanghai style dumpling or steamed dumpling is called Steamed Pork here. Look under the dim sum category for lunch orders and you’ll find the majority of their specialty items.
- Tofu with Bean Thread Soup – Fried hard tofu cubes are served with bean threads and bok choy in a light broth. It’s got a very light and subtle flavor and the tofu cubes are a bit on the harder side, probably because they haven’t been freshly fried, otherwise the soup would be more oily. Fair. $5.95
- Steamed Pork – Six handmade dumplings are filled with pork and served in a bamboo steamer. The dish is accompanied by a bowl of thinly sliced ginger and vinegar. Of all the dishes, this one was the best. The thin wrapper was delicious and the juices within the dumpling were plentiful. Five stars for this dish – a must have item. $5.50
- Sesame Panroll Sliced Five-Spice Beef – A pancake is rolled around slices of five spice beef, and is sprinkled with sesame. The roll is then fried until golden. I had never had this dish before, so it was pretty interesting. Inside the roll, there is also some hoisin sauce and slivers of green onion. It’s a lot like eating peking duck buns, but fried and with beef. The roll is a little thick, meaning heavily layered, on the bottom, but the sesame flavor comes through well. Good. $3.25
- Chinese Chives Pastry - It looks like a giant pastry and it is. Chopped Chinese chives, egg, and baby dried shrimp are cooked together and stuffed inside the pastry wrapper. The pastry is then either deep fried or pan fried. I had a little trouble determining the method used to cook it since it didn’t come out crispy, nor was it like a pan fried consistency. If the wrapper had been cooked to the point of being more crispy, it would have been even better. Fair. $2.50
- Sauteed Green Pea Sprout – Green pea sprouts are sautéed with oil, salt, and a touch of wine. Although very tender, the pea sprouts were overly salted today. Either the chef forgot and salted twice or some other mishap occurred, but it was super salty. $6.95
Overall, the food was just fair today. The Steamed Pork (aka dumplings) was the best item of the day and they ran out of the dish while we were there. The company at the table made up for the lack of pizzazz of the food, so it was another one of those times where the food was definitely secondary to the whole experience.
(650) 938-2968
Parking: street parking, pay parking lot nearby
Hours: Mon – Fri 11am to 2:30pm, 4:30pm to 9:30pm, Sat - Sun 11am to 9:30pm
Last Visited: December 29, 2007
Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $ to $$
Phil brought us to Chef Liu. I’ll preface this review by stating that he’s been here a number of times and thought they might be having an off day. With that in mind, I would consider trying them again to see if their ratings would go up. However, based on today’s visit alone, the one thing worth going back for is what they call Steamed Pork.
Enter Chef Liu and it’s a bright restaurant with a lot of lighting coming from the front windows. The décor is fairly basic, but what’s a bit startling is that the woman who runs the place does a lot of yelling into the kitchen. It might be cultural, but perhaps it’s just the culture of Chef Liu’s. When I was looking at the menu, I was surprised at how the ordering took place. As each item was ordered at the table, the woman would yell back to the kitchen rather than waiting for the full order to be completed. For example, let’s say you wanted to order five items. Between each one, as you paused to find your next selection, she would yell back to the kitchen. If you’re looking for ambiance, you’ll probably want to skip Chef Liu’s, but it’s admittedly interesting to watch.
If you don’t read Chinese, the English descriptions on the menu are a bit difficult to navigate. Familiar names for food are not necessarily used her – for example, the Shanghai style dumpling or steamed dumpling is called Steamed Pork here. Look under the dim sum category for lunch orders and you’ll find the majority of their specialty items.
- Tofu with Bean Thread Soup – Fried hard tofu cubes are served with bean threads and bok choy in a light broth. It’s got a very light and subtle flavor and the tofu cubes are a bit on the harder side, probably because they haven’t been freshly fried, otherwise the soup would be more oily. Fair. $5.95
- Steamed Pork – Six handmade dumplings are filled with pork and served in a bamboo steamer. The dish is accompanied by a bowl of thinly sliced ginger and vinegar. Of all the dishes, this one was the best. The thin wrapper was delicious and the juices within the dumpling were plentiful. Five stars for this dish – a must have item. $5.50
- Sesame Panroll Sliced Five-Spice Beef – A pancake is rolled around slices of five spice beef, and is sprinkled with sesame. The roll is then fried until golden. I had never had this dish before, so it was pretty interesting. Inside the roll, there is also some hoisin sauce and slivers of green onion. It’s a lot like eating peking duck buns, but fried and with beef. The roll is a little thick, meaning heavily layered, on the bottom, but the sesame flavor comes through well. Good. $3.25
- Chinese Chives Pastry - It looks like a giant pastry and it is. Chopped Chinese chives, egg, and baby dried shrimp are cooked together and stuffed inside the pastry wrapper. The pastry is then either deep fried or pan fried. I had a little trouble determining the method used to cook it since it didn’t come out crispy, nor was it like a pan fried consistency. If the wrapper had been cooked to the point of being more crispy, it would have been even better. Fair. $2.50
- Sauteed Green Pea Sprout – Green pea sprouts are sautéed with oil, salt, and a touch of wine. Although very tender, the pea sprouts were overly salted today. Either the chef forgot and salted twice or some other mishap occurred, but it was super salty. $6.95
Overall, the food was just fair today. The Steamed Pork (aka dumplings) was the best item of the day and they ran out of the dish while we were there. The company at the table made up for the lack of pizzazz of the food, so it was another one of those times where the food was definitely secondary to the whole experience.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Ming's - Chinese, Palo Alto
1700 Embarcadero Rd, Palo Alto CA 94303
(650) 856-7700
Parking: in parking lot
http://www.mings.com/home/
Last Visited: May 22, 2004
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Price: unknown
Ming’s is well known in Palo Alto. It’s conveniently located near Highway 101. It has several dining areas – two large ones and one private room. My visit this time consisted of banquet food, so you may notice that regular dining is different. My past experiences have been average, not outstanding, but certainly passing. In the past, the food has seemed less authentic than average, and service has been good, but not outstanding.
This latest visit helped me appreciate the beautiful natural lighting coming from the large windows. There is also a dance floor for those who wish to reserve the room for a soiree and dance the night away.
These descriptions will be less detailed than other reviews since the focus of this banquet was the event and not the food. At the end of the dishes listed, you will find the overall critique.
Appetizer platter – Typical items of jellyfish, thinly sliced beef, marinated octopus, and the like are served on a large dish accompanied with respective sauces.
Soup – This soup contained seafood and tofu in a flavorful broth. Egg white stirred into the soup made it have a light white appearance.
Walnut prawns – Prawns are deep fried and lightly sautéed in a mayonnaise sauce. Black and regular sesame are sprinkled over the prawns and served with candied walnuts. Average.
Snow peas with squid and chicken – Snow peas are sautéed with pieces of squid and chicken. This dish was flavorful, but the snow peas had softened, more than likely due to the quantity being cooked together. It becomes harder to maintain the crispiness of the vegetable when large quantities are being cooked, plated, and served.
Chicken with Bean Curd Sauce – The whole chicken was cooked until the skin is a golden brown. A sauce made from red bean cured accompanied the dish. I found the sauce to be thinner than expected. With a thicker sauce, the flavor is slightly stronger making it more savory.
Steamed Fish – Two fish are steamed whole and topped with soy sauce and scallions. The fish was okay, but slightly overcooked.
Shrimp Fried Rice – Shrimp, carrots, and peas are combined with fried rice. Although I didn’t taste this dish, presentation was lighter in color than is typical of fried rice dishes.
Ginger Scallions Crab – Crab is braised with ginger and scallions to create a flavorful sauce that envelops crab pieces. Good.
Baby Bok Choy with Mushrooms - Whole green bok choy is cooked and topped with black shiitake mushrooms. Good.
The overall experience at Ming’s was quite good, but again, it was really about the event this evening and not so much the food. Based on combined past and present experiences, I would typically give the restaurant a three star rating, but service was attentive and food was above average in flavor, so tonight it earned a rating between three and four stars. The main attractions for me are the parking lot and location.
Thep Naaree Thai - Albany
977 San Pablo Ave, Albany CA 94706
(510) 525-7000
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am -3pm, Mon - Sun 5pm-10pm
http://thep-naaree.com/
Last Visited: October 28, 2006
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
I was planning a small dinner get together in the East Bay, and Mike recommended Thep Naree Thai to me. Although it's not much to look at from the outside, the interior is decorated quite nicely and includes a hand painted mural of Thai goddesses and the like. Some of the cushioned seats and tables are the type where you step onto a platform and put your legs into the well, although they also have normal tables and chairs too. You'll find cloth napkins amidst mellow dark green colors along with maple finishes.
If you're the type that enjoys planning and checking out the menu ahead of time, their website is really nice and offers a link to a photo of each dish next to its name on the menu. That way, you'll really know what you're getting into. The photos are pretty accurate too, as you can see from my Pineappled Fried Rice. Their serving plates are really nice and this would be a great place to take guests to try some Thai dishes.
Since it's been a while since my visit, I'll list some of what I tried (there was so much food) and share overall impressions.
- Pineapple Fried Rice - Rice is fried with, diced chicken, prawns, diced pineapple, green pea and raisins and served in pineapple boat. I like how the raisins balanced out the flavor and again, very nice presentation. $9.95
- Pla Nung Ma Nao - Basa is steamed and served with lime juice, Thai chili and fresh garlic, served with steamed cabbage. Broccoli and carrots are served on the side and also used as a garnish. $11.95
- Cashew Chicken - Chunks of chicken are stir fried with cashews, red onions, scallions, and mushrooms in a chili sauce. $8.50
- Yellow Curry - Chicken is braised and cooked with potato in a
creamy yellow curry containing coconut milk. It's served in a cute light green bowl that has edges that make it look like a flower. $8.50
- Stir Fried Eggplant - Eggplant is stir fired with red and green bell peppers and sweet basil in a soybean paste sauce. This dish is available with your choice of chicken, beef, or pork. It's served on a pretty flower plate. $8.50
Our group of over ten people also tried at least one of the savory appetizer cakes and more vegetable dishes. If I recall correctly, we had the Spicy Crispy Catfish too which is served in a chili paste. The majority of the dishes were excellent - beautifully presented and very fresh. The catfish tasted like it had been frozen previously with a bit of that freezer taste, so I'm sure if I went back, I wouldn't order that again.
Going to Thep Naree Thai in a small group would probably be very
satisfactory, but when ordering so many dishes, I found that a lot of the sauces started to taste the same - many dishes come with a sweet chili paste as a serving sauce, and although you probably won't notice it with a small party, the sauces - oyster sauce, sweet and sour sauce, and chili sauce - seem to repeat again and again.
Service was attentive throughout the evening. If you have a craving for Thai or want to get a small group together, I think you'll enjoy most of the dishes that Thep Naree has to offer as well as its setting. The prices are also reasonable. If you're seeking a variety of flavors, then you'll need to really piece together your selection to avoid duplication.
(510) 525-7000
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am -3pm, Mon - Sun 5pm-10pm
http://thep-naaree.com/
Last Visited: October 28, 2006
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
I was planning a small dinner get together in the East Bay, and Mike recommended Thep Naree Thai to me. Although it's not much to look at from the outside, the interior is decorated quite nicely and includes a hand painted mural of Thai goddesses and the like. Some of the cushioned seats and tables are the type where you step onto a platform and put your legs into the well, although they also have normal tables and chairs too. You'll find cloth napkins amidst mellow dark green colors along with maple finishes.
If you're the type that enjoys planning and checking out the menu ahead of time, their website is really nice and offers a link to a photo of each dish next to its name on the menu. That way, you'll really know what you're getting into. The photos are pretty accurate too, as you can see from my Pineappled Fried Rice. Their serving plates are really nice and this would be a great place to take guests to try some Thai dishes.
Since it's been a while since my visit, I'll list some of what I tried (there was so much food) and share overall impressions.
- Pineapple Fried Rice - Rice is fried with, diced chicken, prawns, diced pineapple, green pea and raisins and served in pineapple boat. I like how the raisins balanced out the flavor and again, very nice presentation. $9.95
- Pla Nung Ma Nao - Basa is steamed and served with lime juice, Thai chili and fresh garlic, served with steamed cabbage. Broccoli and carrots are served on the side and also used as a garnish. $11.95- Cashew Chicken - Chunks of chicken are stir fried with cashews, red onions, scallions, and mushrooms in a chili sauce. $8.50
- Yellow Curry - Chicken is braised and cooked with potato in a
creamy yellow curry containing coconut milk. It's served in a cute light green bowl that has edges that make it look like a flower. $8.50- Stir Fried Eggplant - Eggplant is stir fired with red and green bell peppers and sweet basil in a soybean paste sauce. This dish is available with your choice of chicken, beef, or pork. It's served on a pretty flower plate. $8.50
Our group of over ten people also tried at least one of the savory appetizer cakes and more vegetable dishes. If I recall correctly, we had the Spicy Crispy Catfish too which is served in a chili paste. The majority of the dishes were excellent - beautifully presented and very fresh. The catfish tasted like it had been frozen previously with a bit of that freezer taste, so I'm sure if I went back, I wouldn't order that again.Going to Thep Naree Thai in a small group would probably be very
satisfactory, but when ordering so many dishes, I found that a lot of the sauces started to taste the same - many dishes come with a sweet chili paste as a serving sauce, and although you probably won't notice it with a small party, the sauces - oyster sauce, sweet and sour sauce, and chili sauce - seem to repeat again and again.Service was attentive throughout the evening. If you have a craving for Thai or want to get a small group together, I think you'll enjoy most of the dishes that Thep Naree has to offer as well as its setting. The prices are also reasonable. If you're seeking a variety of flavors, then you'll need to really piece together your selection to avoid duplication.
Saizo - Japanese, Sunnyvale
592 El Camino Real, Sunnyvale CA 94087
(408) 733-7423
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
Hours: call for hours – I hear they’re not open Sundays or lunch on Saturday
Last Visited: August 14, 2004
Food: 5 stars
Service: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Price: $ to $$$
This is another place highly recommended by Lawrence, my buddy who has been to Tokyo more than ten times where he was wined and dined by Japanese executives. He knows his sushi.
Saizo serves up authentic Japanese tapas in addition to a multitude of sake. There sushi is awesome too. Lawrence knows his food. He selected a wide array of good eats to be had.
Saizo is inconspicuously located in a shopping center and is easily overshadowed by an establishment called Spice Hut next door which appeared to be an Indian fast food joint. Upon entering Saizo, you’ll see a lot of Japanese people – always a reassuring sign. There is a case featuring handpainted porcelain pieces to your immediate left. The open kitchen is brightly lit with a light cherry colored bar and high maple stools. The restaurant is clean and open. Sake bottles line the area outside the register, and large sake bottles line the shelf near the top of the ceiling. There is rich wood paneling on the side of the wall, going to about ¼ of the wall height.
The tables have white table cloths and are topped with glass. More maple chairs surround the tables. Japanese draperies are hung on the diagonal from the outer edge of the ceiling shelf to the wall. The room is filled with clean lines, and soft soothing jazz plays in the background.
Each day, Saizo creates a menu of specials in addition to the usual dishes (e.g. tonkatsu and teriyaki). The specials are separated into daily fish, and items that are cold, grilled, deep fried, hot, skewered, and skwered deep fried.
- Beef Tataki Salad – A mixed green salad is topped with a piece of grilled beef that is seared on the outside and red on the inside. The beef is then sliced and placed across the salad. The mixed greens include a variety of typical mixed greens as well as small cucumbers and tiny green balls which I was told is a vegetable. The dressing is mayonnaise based and delicate, typical of that seen at Japanese restaurants. This dressing is drizzled lightly on top of the salad and a slice of lemon is twisted and placed on top of the entire dish.
- Onigiri (rice ball) with salmon - Rice surrounds lightly seasoned cooked salmon and is wrapped in rice paper. The fish was seasoned just right to allow its natural flavor to come through. The salt from the rice and seaweed contribute to the delicate flavor. Though it’s a simple combination, it’s very good. This is very authentic too. My coworker brings onigiri with different filling from home for his lunch.
From the specials menu:
- Temari-Sushi: Hamachi (yellowtail), Tai (snapper), White Tuna - $3.50, $3.50, $2.75 respectively – The fish of the day is listed on the daily menu. Available in sashimi, temari-sushi, or bo-sushi, you’ll have a few choices. The temari-sushi looks similar to regular sushi seen at other restaurants, but these are little rice balls topped with sushi. Think circular sushi. The fish was extremely fresh and high quality. Each piece just melted in my mouth. The white fish (not sure which one it was since all three came on the same plate) was even decorated. Excellent presentation, and probably some of the best sushi I have had as well. A must try.
- Kawaebi – The menu describes this as fried river shrimp. In a single dish, you probably get 30 to 50 tiny shrimp. It’s served with a lemon wedge. The lemon balances the deep frying, making it a refreshing addition. If you’ve ever had Chinese dried shrimp, these are about the same size. Fried with head and shell intact, these little shrimp are lightly salted and taste crunchy. It’s certainly something I had never tried before, and they turned out to be good. They’re fried just right, so they’re not dry or overly crisp. Be adventurous and check these out. It’s a great dish to share too. $6.50
- Enoki bacon – Enoki mushrooms are bunched together and wrapped with bacon, then cut in half to create two pieces. These are then placed on a skewer and grilled. This is a must try! The bacon is done perfectly, infusing its essence into the mushrooms. The mushrooms remain juicy and are so filled with flavor. The entire piece bursts with the aroma and taste of bacon. It’s a party for your taste buds. Excellent! $2.80
- Spicy Garlic Edamame – Edamame is sauteed with chili oil, garlic, garlic salt, and another seasoning (perhaps chili powder). The end result is a pleasant but intense coating around the edamame shells. You eat the edamame in the same fashion as you would regularly. Think of the seasoning like a chaser. Your tongue will have the taste of the spicy garlic when the bean pops out of its shell causing the bean to come into contact with the spicy garlic. Another must try. A great and original twist on edamame. A lemon wedge is served with the edamame, and the lemon juice adds a welcome new layer to the seasoning. $3.50
- Butabara – Two Side pork cubes are skewered and grilled. This cut is a little fatty (that’s the way it’s supposed to be), and the pork remains juicy on the inside while grilled on the outside. Good. $1.75
- Ika Sugata – A whole large squid is grilled and then cut into very thin pieces. The squid texture is kept from getting tough. It has a very soft texture when biting down into it. It doesn’t bounce back at all. Presentation again was very appealing with the grilled side darkened while the cut of each piece reveals very light colored meat. Nicely done. $7
- Gyu-tan – Four thin slices of beef tongue are grilled and seasoned with garlic salt. The beef tongue is done very well – it’s difficult to cut it so thin and to keep it from drying out. Saizo does an excellent job with the flavoring to create a terrific dish. The texture of tongue is a little crunchy as it should be. A lemon wedge is also served with the beef tongue, and again, it provides a wonderful balance to the spiciness. Another must try. $6.50
The only thing I felt that could have been improved is having a tea pot available at the table or more frequent checking of the tea levels. Everything else is fine, with the food being outstanding. The smooth jazz is also a nice touch.
The owner was very gracious, and the servers were friendly and polite. Thanks Lawrence for introducing me to this awesome treat. A visit here is a delight to your taste buds.
(408) 733-7423
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
Hours: call for hours – I hear they’re not open Sundays or lunch on Saturday
Last Visited: August 14, 2004
Food: 5 stars
Service: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Price: $ to $$$
This is another place highly recommended by Lawrence, my buddy who has been to Tokyo more than ten times where he was wined and dined by Japanese executives. He knows his sushi.
Saizo serves up authentic Japanese tapas in addition to a multitude of sake. There sushi is awesome too. Lawrence knows his food. He selected a wide array of good eats to be had.
Saizo is inconspicuously located in a shopping center and is easily overshadowed by an establishment called Spice Hut next door which appeared to be an Indian fast food joint. Upon entering Saizo, you’ll see a lot of Japanese people – always a reassuring sign. There is a case featuring handpainted porcelain pieces to your immediate left. The open kitchen is brightly lit with a light cherry colored bar and high maple stools. The restaurant is clean and open. Sake bottles line the area outside the register, and large sake bottles line the shelf near the top of the ceiling. There is rich wood paneling on the side of the wall, going to about ¼ of the wall height.
The tables have white table cloths and are topped with glass. More maple chairs surround the tables. Japanese draperies are hung on the diagonal from the outer edge of the ceiling shelf to the wall. The room is filled with clean lines, and soft soothing jazz plays in the background.
Each day, Saizo creates a menu of specials in addition to the usual dishes (e.g. tonkatsu and teriyaki). The specials are separated into daily fish, and items that are cold, grilled, deep fried, hot, skewered, and skwered deep fried.
- Beef Tataki Salad – A mixed green salad is topped with a piece of grilled beef that is seared on the outside and red on the inside. The beef is then sliced and placed across the salad. The mixed greens include a variety of typical mixed greens as well as small cucumbers and tiny green balls which I was told is a vegetable. The dressing is mayonnaise based and delicate, typical of that seen at Japanese restaurants. This dressing is drizzled lightly on top of the salad and a slice of lemon is twisted and placed on top of the entire dish.
- Onigiri (rice ball) with salmon - Rice surrounds lightly seasoned cooked salmon and is wrapped in rice paper. The fish was seasoned just right to allow its natural flavor to come through. The salt from the rice and seaweed contribute to the delicate flavor. Though it’s a simple combination, it’s very good. This is very authentic too. My coworker brings onigiri with different filling from home for his lunch.
From the specials menu:
- Temari-Sushi: Hamachi (yellowtail), Tai (snapper), White Tuna - $3.50, $3.50, $2.75 respectively – The fish of the day is listed on the daily menu. Available in sashimi, temari-sushi, or bo-sushi, you’ll have a few choices. The temari-sushi looks similar to regular sushi seen at other restaurants, but these are little rice balls topped with sushi. Think circular sushi. The fish was extremely fresh and high quality. Each piece just melted in my mouth. The white fish (not sure which one it was since all three came on the same plate) was even decorated. Excellent presentation, and probably some of the best sushi I have had as well. A must try.
- Kawaebi – The menu describes this as fried river shrimp. In a single dish, you probably get 30 to 50 tiny shrimp. It’s served with a lemon wedge. The lemon balances the deep frying, making it a refreshing addition. If you’ve ever had Chinese dried shrimp, these are about the same size. Fried with head and shell intact, these little shrimp are lightly salted and taste crunchy. It’s certainly something I had never tried before, and they turned out to be good. They’re fried just right, so they’re not dry or overly crisp. Be adventurous and check these out. It’s a great dish to share too. $6.50
- Enoki bacon – Enoki mushrooms are bunched together and wrapped with bacon, then cut in half to create two pieces. These are then placed on a skewer and grilled. This is a must try! The bacon is done perfectly, infusing its essence into the mushrooms. The mushrooms remain juicy and are so filled with flavor. The entire piece bursts with the aroma and taste of bacon. It’s a party for your taste buds. Excellent! $2.80- Spicy Garlic Edamame – Edamame is sauteed with chili oil, garlic, garlic salt, and another seasoning (perhaps chili powder). The end result is a pleasant but intense coating around the edamame shells. You eat the edamame in the same fashion as you would regularly. Think of the seasoning like a chaser. Your tongue will have the taste of the spicy garlic when the bean pops out of its shell causing the bean to come into contact with the spicy garlic. Another must try. A great and original twist on edamame. A lemon wedge is served with the edamame, and the lemon juice adds a welcome new layer to the seasoning. $3.50
- Butabara – Two Side pork cubes are skewered and grilled. This cut is a little fatty (that’s the way it’s supposed to be), and the pork remains juicy on the inside while grilled on the outside. Good. $1.75
- Ika Sugata – A whole large squid is grilled and then cut into very thin pieces. The squid texture is kept from getting tough. It has a very soft texture when biting down into it. It doesn’t bounce back at all. Presentation again was very appealing with the grilled side darkened while the cut of each piece reveals very light colored meat. Nicely done. $7- Gyu-tan – Four thin slices of beef tongue are grilled and seasoned with garlic salt. The beef tongue is done very well – it’s difficult to cut it so thin and to keep it from drying out. Saizo does an excellent job with the flavoring to create a terrific dish. The texture of tongue is a little crunchy as it should be. A lemon wedge is also served with the beef tongue, and again, it provides a wonderful balance to the spiciness. Another must try. $6.50
The only thing I felt that could have been improved is having a tea pot available at the table or more frequent checking of the tea levels. Everything else is fine, with the food being outstanding. The smooth jazz is also a nice touch.
The owner was very gracious, and the servers were friendly and polite. Thanks Lawrence for introducing me to this awesome treat. A visit here is a delight to your taste buds.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Somerset - American Comfort, Oakland
5912 College Ave, Oakland CA 94618
(510) 428-1823
Parking: street parking
Hours: Lunch daily 11am-2:30pm, Dinner Sun - Thurs 5:30pm-9:30pm, Fri-Sat 5:30pm- 10:00pm
http://www.somersetrestaurant.com/
Last Visited: December 31, 2008
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$$ to $$$$
John recommended we try this place for a lunch/brunch with friends. At the time, it was new to the Rockridge area and he had heard good things about it. The original restaurant was located in San Francisco, but the owners came to Rockridge to open a place with more space.
When we arrived, they had just opened for the morning and the place was fairly empty, but we were promptly seated and given water. The dining room has wood paneling - medium in color - and natural light from the windows and skylight with rich golds and browns. The hues of the room are warm mustards and orange sprinkled about the room. An earthy, yet stylish, warmth fills the room.
The website says they serve American comfort food, but I would label it as California cuisine (after all, since when is a crab melt typical American comfort food?). The lunch menu includes a variety of salads, sandwiches like steak sandwiches and burgers, as well as entrees such as tarts, pizzas, and enchiladas. You sense a bit of Spanish or Mexican influence in the selection with enchiladas and huevos rancheros available. Poblanos are an ingredient sprinkled throughout the menu. Most lunch items are around $15.
All sandwiches and burgers come with your choice of grilled green bean salad, green salad with tomatoes and cucumbers, spicy broccoli & bacon salad, tomato salad, or French fries. I like how there is a variety of side options. The food seemed to take a while, but if you are meeting with friends that you haven’t seen in a while, the pace will fit your gathering. If you’re looking for a quick lunch, this might take longer than you prefer.
- Crab Melt - Dungeness crab served open face on toasted sourdough with two slices of avocado, roasted peppers, cheddar, abd black pepper aioli make up this melt. The avocado makes this seem like an extra decadent dish. I enjoyed it a lot, but there was still a little bit of shell in my crab meat which shows you it's real crab meat, but not quite perfect. Sides include your choice of a green salad with cucumber and tomato, a tomato salad, a spicy broccoli and bacon salad, or French fries. I selected the green salad and was presented with a lightly dressed butter lettuce salad with cucumber chunks and a combination of yellow and red tomatoes. The flavors are delicate but they melt in your mouth. $14.95 (prices have gone up since my visit).
- Mocha Mint Borgia – Espresso, chocolate, steamed milk, and peppermint. Although this is listed on the lunch menu, it’s also listed on the dessert menu. Personally, I would suggest having this as dessert. A large bowl contains this hot mixture and you only are given a spoon if you ask for one. It’s flavorful and delicious and bound to warm you up. It also makes for a great dessert. My fellow dining companion ordered the Mexican hot chocolate which comes with cinnamon, but since espresso is in this borgia, you get a much more flavorful chocolate taste which I preferred over the hot chocolate. The portion is definitely generous. $5
Other lunch entrée selections include enchiladas, a variety of salads, more sandwiches, pasta, pizza, and tarts. Burgers are still a little expensive even though it comes with a side. Dinner is also available. Similar dishes are offered as lunch, but there is a wider selection of appetizers and meat. The dinner menu includes items like a rack of lamb, grilled pork chops, and paella.
I also tried a bite of the top of the apple crisp and it was beautifully put together. The crisp really was nice and crisp – well flavored. Other mouth watering desserts (at least from their descriptions) included tres leches cake, grand marnier crème brulee, coconut cake, and a fruit and cheese plate.
The service was okay, but a bit slow, especially as we were waiting for our dessert order to be taken. Our entire visit took almost two and a half hours. The food is nicely presented and the menu offers a lot of choices. If you want a leisurely meal, then you’ll enjoy Somerset. In general, the food is good and the portions are adequate, but a little higher in price than what I prefer for lunch. It's a nice setting, so it might be ideal for a business lunch or a slightly more formal dinner.
(510) 428-1823
Parking: street parking
Hours: Lunch daily 11am-2:30pm, Dinner Sun - Thurs 5:30pm-9:30pm, Fri-Sat 5:30pm- 10:00pm
http://www.somersetrestaurant.com/
Last Visited: December 31, 2008
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$$ to $$$$
John recommended we try this place for a lunch/brunch with friends. At the time, it was new to the Rockridge area and he had heard good things about it. The original restaurant was located in San Francisco, but the owners came to Rockridge to open a place with more space.
When we arrived, they had just opened for the morning and the place was fairly empty, but we were promptly seated and given water. The dining room has wood paneling - medium in color - and natural light from the windows and skylight with rich golds and browns. The hues of the room are warm mustards and orange sprinkled about the room. An earthy, yet stylish, warmth fills the room.
The website says they serve American comfort food, but I would label it as California cuisine (after all, since when is a crab melt typical American comfort food?). The lunch menu includes a variety of salads, sandwiches like steak sandwiches and burgers, as well as entrees such as tarts, pizzas, and enchiladas. You sense a bit of Spanish or Mexican influence in the selection with enchiladas and huevos rancheros available. Poblanos are an ingredient sprinkled throughout the menu. Most lunch items are around $15.
All sandwiches and burgers come with your choice of grilled green bean salad, green salad with tomatoes and cucumbers, spicy broccoli & bacon salad, tomato salad, or French fries. I like how there is a variety of side options. The food seemed to take a while, but if you are meeting with friends that you haven’t seen in a while, the pace will fit your gathering. If you’re looking for a quick lunch, this might take longer than you prefer.
- Crab Melt - Dungeness crab served open face on toasted sourdough with two slices of avocado, roasted peppers, cheddar, abd black pepper aioli make up this melt. The avocado makes this seem like an extra decadent dish. I enjoyed it a lot, but there was still a little bit of shell in my crab meat which shows you it's real crab meat, but not quite perfect. Sides include your choice of a green salad with cucumber and tomato, a tomato salad, a spicy broccoli and bacon salad, or French fries. I selected the green salad and was presented with a lightly dressed butter lettuce salad with cucumber chunks and a combination of yellow and red tomatoes. The flavors are delicate but they melt in your mouth. $14.95 (prices have gone up since my visit). 
- Mocha Mint Borgia – Espresso, chocolate, steamed milk, and peppermint. Although this is listed on the lunch menu, it’s also listed on the dessert menu. Personally, I would suggest having this as dessert. A large bowl contains this hot mixture and you only are given a spoon if you ask for one. It’s flavorful and delicious and bound to warm you up. It also makes for a great dessert. My fellow dining companion ordered the Mexican hot chocolate which comes with cinnamon, but since espresso is in this borgia, you get a much more flavorful chocolate taste which I preferred over the hot chocolate. The portion is definitely generous. $5Other lunch entrée selections include enchiladas, a variety of salads, more sandwiches, pasta, pizza, and tarts. Burgers are still a little expensive even though it comes with a side. Dinner is also available. Similar dishes are offered as lunch, but there is a wider selection of appetizers and meat. The dinner menu includes items like a rack of lamb, grilled pork chops, and paella.
I also tried a bite of the top of the apple crisp and it was beautifully put together. The crisp really was nice and crisp – well flavored. Other mouth watering desserts (at least from their descriptions) included tres leches cake, grand marnier crème brulee, coconut cake, and a fruit and cheese plate.
The service was okay, but a bit slow, especially as we were waiting for our dessert order to be taken. Our entire visit took almost two and a half hours. The food is nicely presented and the menu offers a lot of choices. If you want a leisurely meal, then you’ll enjoy Somerset. In general, the food is good and the portions are adequate, but a little higher in price than what I prefer for lunch. It's a nice setting, so it might be ideal for a business lunch or a slightly more formal dinner.
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