Stonemill Matcha - Japanese Cafe, San Francisco

 561 Valencia St, San Francisco CA 94110
(415) 796-3876
Parking: street parking
Hours: 10am-3pm Wed-Sun, Closed Mon-Tues
https://www.stonemillmatcha.com

Last Visited: June 4, 2023

Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: N/A
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$

I've been wanting to go to Stonemill Matcha for some time because I really like good matcha and they have a matcha cream pie that I read about in an article that was offering a copycat recipe.  Since I ran across the recipe during Covid and tried to make it, but things went a bit awry, I was waiting for an opportunity to check out the cafe, and on this day, I finally made it.

The line outside the door shows the popularity of the place.  Whether it's waiting for your party to all arrive before entering, or the constant hustle and bustle of take out orders, it seems like a rarity not to find a line.  They've anticipated your arrival, even creating a gap in the line for those walking on the sidewalk in front of the shop.  The menu offers light Japanese fare like a pork katsu sando, korroke (potato croquette), or chicken katsu curry to name a few. There are also sides like miso soup and tsukemono (Japanese pickles) available.  Coming to a place with matcha in the name makes getting matcha items a no-brainer, and for me, I had to get the pie that eluded me. 

- Matcha Cream Pie - Described as silky matcha custard, fluffy citrus cream, and flakey pie crust, if any of those things sound good, you surely won't be disappointed.  Is it life changing? Not quite, but it is very good.  The custard has a strong matcha flavor that isn't too sweet. The citrus cream is the best part though; the pairing of the orange zest and citrus flavoring with the matcha gives a lightness that I enjoyed with each bite - it's a delight for your palate.  The pie crust is flakey and golden brown; it holds up well.  The dusting of matcha on the cream makes for a nice presentation - my photo doesn't quite do it justice since this was after a ride in the car.  Nevertheless, it was very good.  $7.50

- Matcha Latte - Matcha, milk, and cane sugar.  Even with ice, the matcha flavor stayed strong throughout the time I enjoyed the drink.  It's smooth and not too grassy.  The price reflects the quality I suppose.  Good.  $6

While I would get these both again, for me, it's not so great that it's worth driving a long distance for.  If you're in the Mission, it's worth a try.  You might purchase some of the matcha products to make drinks at home yourself and that would be a more sustainable long term solution if you develop a matcha habit. 

Service is not particularly friendly or standout.   What is noticeable is that despite these being fairly easy items to fulfill from an order perspective, the wait time was at least 15 minutes if not more; you may want to order ahead if you know you're going to be in the area.  Even those who ordered ahead still had a little wait, but you can approach the window for pick up without waiting in the order line.

Sunflower Caffe - California cuisine, Sonoma

421 First St West, Sonoma CA 95476
(707) 996-6645
Parking: street parking
http://www.sonomasunflower.com/

Last Visited: July 28, 2012

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

I recently saw an episode of Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, and with this place being in my backyard, I knew I had to check it out.  The sound of housemade harissa and fresh chimichurri sounded interesting and I really enjoy lamb when it is made right.

Sunflower Caffe is located in Sonoma Plaza and is tucked away - one might easily walk by thinking it's just a coffee shop and never notice the quaint back patio which is a bit reminiscent of a tiki bar.  Straw decorates the area, and shady trees offer an escape.  Formerly the Coffee Garden, Sunflower Caffe has maintained the coffee bar offerings, but has added a variety of sandwiches with ethnic flare.  Order at the front counter off the paper menus and then head to the tables with your number. 

- Persian chicken and herbed salad flatbread - Saffron marinated grilled chicken thigh and grilled tomato with a Persian herbed salad is served over a grilled turmeric and coriander flatbread.  The chicken was tender and flavorful, but the flatbread was too thick and was less enjoyable as the meal continued.  I'm not sure what made the salad Persian, but it had some mint in it which had a distinct flavor that paired well with the other seasoning.  I would have preferred this dish with naan or thinner flatbread.  A tortilla might have been a good substitution as well.  $13.95

- Lamb burger - Ground lamb is mixed with feta and rubbed with housemade harissa and black pepper.  A fresh chimichurri tops the burger which is served on a ciabatta roll. Harissa is typically made with piri piri chili peppers.  On Guy's show, the chef was featured making the dish with other peppers and adapting the typical recipe.  I liked the chimichurri, but would have wanted to have double the amount.  The lamb was gamey and the feta only seemed to accentuate the gamey flavor.  More chimichurri would have helped to offset that gaminess.  The shape of the meat patty was also too small for the bread and round shaped while the roll was square, leaving extra bread at the end of the meal.  Nothing comes with the burger except the lettuce, tomato, pickles, and a couple of rings of onion on the side.  For this price, I would have liked a small side or charge slightly more and offer a side.  $13.95

Smoked duckbreast sandwich and goat cheese filled piquillo peppers were also featured on the show, but I didn't get a chance to try them.

Sunflower Caffe offers a bit of spice to the Sonoma scene, and the flavors are interesting, but there is opportunity to improve each of the dishes I tried.  Prices are a bit high for lunch options and there is limited service - mostly young people bringing food to the tables, but nobody checking on you after you have received your food.  The prices seem high for the self-service environment.  Make your way through the hall to the back patio for a great place to enjoy drinks with friends or the nice weather - that's the real treasure here.

Mangiare - Cafe, Brisbane

1000 Marina Blvd, Brisbane, CA 94005
(650) 872-5050
Parking: in parking lot

Last Visited: November 11, 2011

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

Located in the old Hitachi building at Marina Boulevard, you could easily pass this place and never even know it was there.  For lunch, it's an accessible stop for folks in the nearby office buildings.  Despite the small sitting area, they get quite a few patrons walking in to order the large salads and good-sized sandwiches.

My buddy Sanjay suggested the place.  If you arrive before 11:30am, you're in good shape and will get fast service.  Anything after that leaves a lot to the unknown - wait times varied from five minutes to more than ten minutes.

I walked up to the counter and ordered a sandwich.  A few people were ahead of me and since you don't pay until the food is ready and your name is called, coupled with the fact that only two people are working during lunch, you'll find that it's not as efficient a production as you might find elsewhere.

- The Godfather II Sandwich - My sandwich ingredients (hot coppa, salami, prosciutto, and provolone on a sour roll with Italian dressing) were fresh with an adequate amount of meat for the price.  I wouldn't say that they're particularly generous, but you get what you pay for. Okay.  I would go again if I was in the area, but probably wouldn't make a special trip.  $5.50

Service is friendly, although things do get more chaotic with more orders.  Other items on the menu include hot sandwiches, sushi rolls, and soups.  The fish looked fresh, but I tend to stay away from sushi at places that don't have an official sushi chef.  The salads were good sized and it's easy to get out with lunch for about $7 and be full.

Not bad for a drop in lunch.  Probably not the best place to meet a friend since the space is small, but good if the weather is nice since outdoor seating is available. 

Note that the website printed on their menu is inactive, so don't bother looking for it.

Broadway Bistro - Chinese Cafe, Millbrae

349 Broadway, Millbrae, CA 94030

(650) 692-3378

http://www.broadwaybistro.com/

Parking: street parking, parking lot in rear

Last Visited: September 4, 2011

Food: 2 to 3 stars

Atmosphere: 2 stars

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

A family friend had recommended Broadway Bistro as a decent place for breakfast.  While I didn't know what to expect, I was somewhat surprised that it came so highly recommended when I stepped in the door and saw it was like a Hong Kong style cafe.  The decor is a bit cheesy with the fake plants and bright pink and overall, it's a little worn around the edges, but they seemed to have steady clientele coming in for breakfast.  It's no comparison to what you find in real Hong Kong cafes, but maybe because it's in Millbrae without competition that it thrives.   

The menu offered several sets such as those we ordered.  Other options included macaroni in soup with ham, a typical breakfast dish in Hong Kong.  All of these sets were available for $5 to $6 each. 

- Green Onion Pancake and Soy Milk - At first glance, the dish seemed very disappointing.  The pancake was thin, limp, and greasy.  The soy milk, available sweet or savory, came with dried shrimp, small pieces of preserved mustard green, and an abundance of green onions, since I had ordered the savory version.  In Hong Kong, you find that the soy milk consistency is really thick, and this very diluted version lacked the desired texture.  The flavor of the soy milk was ok.  Surprisingly, the green onion pancake had a really good flavor and consistency.  Less oil would have helped it quite a bit though.  Okay. 

- Rice Congee with Fried Donut - The rice congee consistency was good and it came with fried peanuts and fried donut pieces.  While the fried donut was just okay, the congee was decent. 

Service was fair during this visit.  The staff was friendly when they were with us, but it was about midway through the meal before we received tea.  We overheard another waiter telling our waiter to bring us tea.  The lack of service was a bit disappointing, even though these places are not known for service.

There is no comparison with real Hong Kong style cafes, but if you're in Millbrae with a craving, I suppose it will do. Lunch and dinner menus offer a variety of Cantonese style dishes.  At least parking is accessible.

Fifth Avenue Corner Cafe - American, Seattle

1900 5th Ave, Seattle WA 98101
(206) 728-1000
Parking: street and hotel parking
Hours: Daily 6am - 2pm

Last Visited: March 31, 2011

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

Located at the Westin Hotel, the Fifth Avenue Corner Cafe is open for breakfast and lunch.  The staff is cheery and friendly even during early morning hours.  I was looking for something fairly substantial and settled on a waffle.  They have oatmeal, cereal, omelettes, fresh fruit, bagels, and other choices available too.

- Belgian Waffle - While the menu above the counter never mentioned it, the waffle came with fresh berries - blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries.  They also served it with warm maple syrup.  Yum!  The texture of the waffle was good - slightly crisp on the outside and cooked through, but soft on the inside.  Great.  $8.50

- Odwalla $4.50

If you're staying at the Westin, this is a convenient stop for breakfast.  Much of the food is made to order and done well.  Prices are a little higher than other cafes, otherwise, fresh and good.

Chloe's French Cafe - Santa Rosa

3853 Airway Drive, Suite 145, Santa Rosa CA 95403
(707) 528-3095
Parking: In parking lot
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am to 5pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday.
http://www.chloesco.com/

Last Visited: May 15, 2009

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

Chloe’s has become a hidden treasure in Santa Rosa and word is starting to get out. Holly recommended it to me as a must try. Located behind the Sutter clinic, the small café offers outdoor and indoor seating. The menu is located behind the counter and you can see offerings including breakfast, salads, soups and cold and grilled sandwiches offered along with various coffee drinks and baked goods in the glass case.

Between Wednesday and Friday, there are also plates of the day featuring French regional specialties. About once a month, Chloe’s is open for dinner by reservation only where folks can sit family style and enjoy a prix fixe menu with three courses and share wine with one another.

It’s a family affair with Marc, Alain, and Renee Pisan. Alain and Renee, a husband and wife team, do a great job keeping the quality high and the food fresh. All of the dishes that I saw looked quite appetizing and the vegetables were super fresh. Upon arriving, one orders at the counter and pays for food. You are then given a number which you take to the table and there is a beverage station where you can stop and get your iced tea, sodas, etc. Fresh slices of orange and lemon are available and are mentioned here because it seems rare to see orange slices around a beverage stand. I didn’t even ask for water and was given a glass – this anticipation of needs is greatly appreciated and seems hard to find these days.

Today, I tried one of the grilled sandwiches.

- Saucisson – French salami, mezzo secco cheese, ham, and swiss are served on a grilled French baguette with a touch of grain mustard and a side of balsamic dipping sauce. Also on the side is a small serving of sweet pickles. A bit dry near the end, it’s fitting to have the dipping sauce to provide a balance against the salt in the meat. The bread is crusty and good. Next time, I will order a side salad to accompany the sandwich. $8.50

I enjoyed my sandwich outside under the umbrellas sheltering us from the heat and it was a great way to enjoy some time with friends. A great stop on a weekday. I look forward to trying one of their special evening dinners.

Rustic Bakery - Cafe, Novato

1407 Grant Ave, Novato CA

(415) 878-4952

Parking: street parking
Hours: Daily 7 am - 5pm
http://www.rusticbakery.com/ 

Last Visited: April 8, 2011

Food: 3 to 4 stars

Atmosphere: 3 stars

Service: 2 to 3 stars

Price: $ to $$

A local bakery with great pastries and great bread.  Isn't that what everyone longs for near their house?  Drop by for a snack or leisurely, but simple, weekend breakfast?  That's what I was looking for here.  When you walk into Rustic, you'll see the counter on the left with a case featuring lots of pastries, seating on your right and adjacent to the window in front of the counter, and the kitchen in the rear has a window so you can see what is being done in the back (the photo above shows the window to the kitchen). Some fresh flowers are in vases throughout the room.

Two young ladies were behind the counter and while they were not rude, they weren't particularly warm either.  After ordering at the counter, I sat at one of the tables on the right.  Although my friend had ordered first, my sandwich and soup came first.  These are some of the pet peeves that I have - unless they tell you ahead of time that your order will take a long time, it should come in a reasonable amount of time - I don't know why my panini took 15 minutes to make since they weren't that busy.  The second pet peeve is that the food should be served in the order that it was ordered in.  In this case, my friend had a grilled cheese, but mine still came first.  For these reasons, service falls from three stars down to two to three stars.

- Ham and Cheese Sandwich with Soup - Today's soup was minestrone.  I was pleased with the heartiness of the soup.  There was a lot of carrots, onions, some tomato, and small macaroni.  The croutons were very good (but you do expect that at a bakery) and the soup temperature was hot.  The grilled cheese and ham sandwich was very good - probably because the bread was outstanding and the thin slices of ham gave it all a wonderful texture. Good flavors and good quality ingredients.  $8.95

When my plate came, they forgot to give me a spoon for the sopu, and while it's unclear whether or not silverware is self-serve here, they had run out of spoons and I had to wait for them to wash some spoons before getting one.  That only added to the wait time.  After another three to five minutes, my dining companion got her food too. 

While the sandwich and soup were good, the service has a lot of room for improvement.  Hopefully they have worked through the kinks since my visit - they were still fairly new at the time.  Otherwise, their dine-in orders will probably drop a bit.

Jimmy Bean's FIFO Cafe - American, Berkeley

1290 6th Street (at Gilman), Berkeley, CA

(510) 528-3435

Parking: Street parking
Hours: Mon - Thurs 6:30am to 9pm, Fri 6:30am - 9:30pm, Sat 7am - 9:30pm, Sun 7am - 9pm

http://www.jimmybeans.com/

Last Visited: August 7, 2010

Food: 2 stars

Atmosphere: 3 stars

Service: 3 stars

Price: $ to $$

Jimmy Bean’s FIFO Café is more of a café than restaurant. Their menu says that they serve American, Southwestern, and Middle Eastern favorites. While my first encounter with them was eating their food at the UC Berkeley campus, today’s outing was at Jimmy Bean’s primarily because my friends had their dog with them and we needed to find a place that was dog-friendly.

Both inside and outside, the atmosphere is casual. We sat outdoors and noticed that the sign outside the place showed that a three course dinner was available for only $15. That made our decision for dinner pretty simple.

The dinner menu includes pizza, roasted chicken, roasted fish, and sandwiches. Today’s main dish special for the three course meal was paella. The waitress was pretty excited about it and gave it good reviews, so three of four people in our party ordered the paella.

Even though it wasn’t that long ago that I was here, I can’t recall if I ordered soup or salad. I also can’t recall what the dessert was – except that it was a slice of something – probably cheesecake, but quite honestly, it wasn’t memorable, and I usually remember.

- Famous Paella – The paella comes with halibut, clams, mussels, shrimp, chicken, sausage, vegetables, white wine infused fish stock, garlic and fresh herbs. All of this goes over saffron rice and is topped with lemon aioli. While the menu says the dish is served with grilled bread, I don’t remember any and the photo doesn’t show it. What I do remember is that the rice was really oily. The presentation was cute with the little wok and the amount of food for the price was good, but I thought the overall dish was just okay. It ranks pretty low on the list of my paella experiences, even though I haven’t had many of those.

We thought the dessert presentation was also nice and service was very friendly, but when it comes down to the core of the meal, I wasn’t that impressed. It was better in concept than in execution and reminded me of cafeteria food. I don’t have plans to go back for dinner, although the place was pretty busy the night that we went. On the plus side, service was very friendly and attentive throughout our time there, although we were missing silverware for a little bit.  To me, Jimmy Bean’s is more ideal for breakfast, lunch, or a snack, but it's nice to know some places are trying to provide a better version of a value meal.

Della Fattoria - Bakery/Cafe, Petaluma

141 Petaluma Blvd North, Petaluma, CA 94952
(707) 763-0161
Parking: street parking Hours: Tuesdays through Thursdays and Saturdays 7am to 3pm, Fridays 7am to 9pm, Sundays 9am to 3pm, Closed Mondays
http://www.dellafattoria.com/

Last Visited: May 12, 2007

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

Della Fattoria’s new bakery had been mentioned in the local newspaper several times, so I thought Mother’s Day would be the perfect day to take mom to try some sandwiches made with wonderful bread and possibly enjoy a few scrumptious pastries.

Just outside Della Fattoria, there are a few tables by the window so you can enjoy the nice weather and watch the people going by.

Upon entering the building, a glass case is on the right featuring lots of delightful treats. Just above the counter are the menus, and apparently, you can order there and pay or you can order and then pay later. The procedure is unclear since the person in front of me had the latter experience while I had the former. This lack of process and procedure seemed to be an underlying theme of our visit. After ordering, you seat yourself. I don’t know why, but some tables received bread, while ours did not. I thought perhaps they had ordered it, but it didn’t appear that way since the table next to me had not ordered any bread. I was disappointed by this first lack of an equal experience. We sat at the table closest to the glass case. Unfortunately, one of the members of the waitstaff continually bumped into her chair without apology.

I was expecting a treat – if not for service, at least for the food. Unfortunately, my Della Fattoria left me disappointed, not so much with the food, but with the entire experience.

- Provencal Picnic Plate – The provencal plate is comprised of marinated Skyhill fresh chevre, Fra’Mani Nostrano salame, Barnier olives, and a large field greens salad and baguette. Perhaps this was not the best choice to try the bread, but I thought from the description that I would get at least half a baguette or thereabouts. However, it turned out that there were only three slices of baguette. Although the plate was full of tender leafy greens that were fresh and delicious, I found the quantity of bread a bit disappointing. The olives were wonderful – especially the green olives which had a delicious texture about them – with slight crunch. The cured black olives were okay. However, more bread could have made this plate fabulous. The quality of ingredients was nice, but just not enough bread. $13.50

- Fattoria Sandwich: Spring Lamb – This sandwich was listed on the blackboard outside, so it seemed to be the best choice for the day. Grilled Sonoma Direct leg of lamb is braised with Dijonnaise, shredded, and served with a mix of grilled baby artichokes, sweet peppers, onions, and fennel. The contents are served on toasted Meyer lemon-rosemary bread. A small green salad made of mixed greens is dressed with a citronette. The bread is cut thick and the contents are chopped small. The bread was toasted very lightly, and I prefer my bread to be toasted more if it is toasted. The sandwich halves were difficult to pick up without all of the contents dropping through, especially as one is taking a bite. Although the flavor was nice, and the salad greens were extremely tender, I found the whole dish to be just okay. $14.50

- Almond Financier – This sweet cornmeal cake is shaped into a small rectangle and has an almond slice or two placed in the center. It’s baked in its own mold, and dusted with powdered sugar. It’s a scrumptious dessert or snack – both light and not too sweet. I only wished it were bigger. $3

Primarily, my disappointment stemmed from service. We noticed that the owner/manager or whoever she may be continually talked to the tables around us, particularly the one adjacent to us. They did not seem to have met before, and she was quite pleasant towards them. However, although she appeared to exchange a pleasantry or two with our table, it seemed to be less sincere, or perhaps just less detailed than that of the table next to ours. Somehow, the treatment of our table did not equal that of those around us, and for that, I felt discomfort. Likely, I would not return to Della Fattoria for the food. For the cost of the food in this type of atmosphere, well, you pay elegant prices for an experience that to me, wasn’t worthy of the cost. At most, I would drop in for bread.

Basque Boulangerie - Bakery/Cafe, Sonoma

460 1st Street West, Sonoma, CA 95476
(707) 935-7687
Parking: street parking

Last Visited: June 14, 2003

Food: 3 stars, 5 star pastries
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$

First, let’s remind ourselves that this is a café, so when I talk about service, you’re really talking to someone behind a counter to order and then you hear your name when your food is ready. We’re not talking about a full service operation. You will even need to get your own silverware should you need any. Now that this is out of the way, we can officially begin.

Basque Boulangerie is a café bakery. There is a bar and small tables near the walls and windows as well as several tables outside. It’s a great place to go on a lazy Saturday morning for pastries and it’s excellent anytime for French bread. The menus are above the counters and the place reminds me of small cafes in Berkeley, but with a French twist. You’ll find locals and tourists alike in this place. The glass display counters show a variety of fresh pastries, both savory and sweet, and of course, cakes are available too. They also have a fine wine selection with the bottles on the wine rack above the bar.

The story behind Basque – once upon a time, the Sonoma French Bakery (SFB) was the place to go to get your French bread. It was well known by all, and tourists still as where it went. Well, back in the late 90s, SFB sold to another owner, and with it, they also sold the recipe for their great bread. An agreement was made that the previous owner would not open near that place for x amount of years, and just past that agreement date, Basque Boulangerie opened several doors down from SFB. Ah, the saga begins. Of course, the locals knew which place had the original owner, and the original owner of SFB was able to realize their dream of opening a café bakery.

There is a lot of variety available – soups, sandwiches, salads, pastries. There are always daily specials which include unique items. Daily soups, salads, quiches, sandwiches, etc are listed on a white board above the counter.

- Bread – Get any of their breads. They’re soft on the inside, and crusty on the outside. Great for parties too. They are available in many sizes and varieties – sourdough, sweet French, bague, baguette, seeded, etc. They’re so popular that Basque also sells its products to local supermarkets, baked fresh daily.

- Pastries/Cookies – You really can’t go wrong here. I love the pastries. Not much to say – they’re excellent.

- Sandwiches – Basque makes great sandwiches, especially the corned beef sandwich with sauerkraut. The roast pork sandwich can be a little on the dry side for my taste, but the prosciutto and brie is also great. Their chicken salad sandwich can be really nice too.

- Soup – The soup comes in those huge coffee cups. They’re great. Always hearty – be daring and try a soup that you might not normally go for. I haven’t been disappointed yet. They make a great chicken noodle soup.

My only bad experience here
- Salad – all in all, this was my only bad experience. Salad comes with bread. Nothing wrong with that. Most of the time, their mixed green salad with champagne vinaigrette is terrific. One time, it was like the greens weren’t washed and all I could taste was sand/dirt. You could feel that crunchy feeling in your mouth that isn’t supposed to be there. You could even scrape the plate with a fork and hear the granules. Gross. Aside from this, all the other items I have tried are without fault.

What café/bakery is without coffee. Everything that is brewed smells great. I usually go for the soup, so you’ll have to judge the coffee yourself. The hot chocolate is good though.

This is a terrific place to go to get a feel for Sonoma. When I’m at the Sonoma Plaza, I always try to stop off at Basque for lunch. They have such great bread – everyone loves it. It’s quaint charm is inviting, and it will continue to serve Sonoma for a long time to come. If you’re bored, go outside and sit at one of those tables. You’ll enjoy watching the people strolling the plaza. This place is a must try.

Bakesale Betty - Bakery, Sandwiches, Oakland

Best: Cookies

5098 Telegraph Ave, Oakland CA 94609 (between 49th St & 51st St)
(510) 985-1213
2228 Broadway, Oakland CA 94612 (between Grand Ave & Franklin St)
(510) 251-2100
Hours: Closed Sundays and Mondays, Telegraph branch 7am -2:30pm, 11am – 2:30pm
http://www.bakesalebetty.com/

Last Visited: December 18, 2010

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

I first heard about Bakesale Betty’s by watching fellow classmates check-in there on Facebook. Every now and then, a photo of one of their famous fried chicken sandwiches would pop up on somebody’s mobile upload. After talking to some fellow foodies that reside in the East Bay and said it was worth having at least once, I decided to go to the Telegraph branch. It was a wet and drizzly day which meant eating outside at their famous sidewalk ironing boards wasn’t going to be an option. The good thing about the fair weather was that the line was only about a dozen deep. You’ll find that on a beautiful Saturday, the wait can sometimes go four and five shop lengths deep. Today, I had brought my mom, a self-proclaimed fried-chicken lover, to see if their fried chicken sandwich was indeed as good as its reputation.

Bakesale Betty is Australian cook Alison Barakat. After a firsthand experience of viewing their front-end operations, I have to say that much of the reason it works is because of location. Let’s start from the beginning. Located at the corner, there aren’t any signs indicating that you have arrived at Bakesale Betty’s, but the line is a good indication that you’ve arrived at your destination (partially because I’ve seen pictures of the notable lines). Once in line, you walk past the brown paper signs posted in the window showing the four items available for order that day. Just inside the door, immediately adjacent to the entrance are freshly-baked still warm cookies sitting in a glass case. I don’t know if most people are able to say no to the cookies, but being that this was my first visit, they looked appealing enough to try one. A woman took my order and proceeded to put the cookie in a bag. She called out my sandwich order (today they offered a fried chicken sandwich, pulled pork sandwich, and one more offering). Once I got to the end of that counter, I paid for my order and you could hear the others numerous staff members calling out orders too.

The rear of the “café” area has an assembly line going. With the music blaring, you can see that the staff members seem to be genuinely enjoying themselves. One person mixes the slaw, another cuts large homemade rolls, and yet another assembles the sandwich. These get put into a bag or box, depending on how many you order, and then you are on your way. Hot sauce containers are on the side in case you want to spice up your sandwich further. There are enough tables indoors to seat about eight people comfortably – more if you are willing to pack in tighter. On a nice day, the ironing boards outside could sit about another ten or twelve.

- Fried Chicken Sandwich – Of course, we had to try the fried chicken sandwich. The sandwich is pretty large and it comes with a fork. If you’re wondering why there is a fork, it’s pretty clear once you unwrap the sandwich. A large piece of thick chicken breast is coated in seasoned batter and fried until golden. Sandwiched in a fresh homemade roll along with some cabbage slaw made with jalapenos, red onions, parsley, and vinaigrette, the slaw starts to spill out the moment you pick it up. Without the slaw, this would be just another piece of fried chicken in a sandwich – the meat is slightly warm or room temperature. The serving size is large and the batter is nice, but by itself, the meat would be moist to start and quickly dry by the end. In my opinion, what makes this a notable sandwich is the slaw. There is just enough spice from the ingredients and the balance of tartness from the dressing give you a moist mouth feel. The extra slaw that spills out makes you feel a bit like you’re eating a salad in addition to the sandwich. Personally, I would like to have the top half of the bread roll hollowed out a bit; however, it might not look quite as pretty. It was a good meal, and if I lived or worked close by, I could see myself getting one on occasion, but it’s not worth the hour drive it took for me to get this one. $8.20

- Cookie – I ordered a chocolate chip cookie with walnuts. This cookie might be worth driving for. It caught me by surprise that the edges were just slightly crisp and the center was perfectly soft. My mom, whom can pass up a cookie just about any time, actually wanted more of these. Be sure to save room for dessert and get yourself a cookie! $1.25

- Lemon Ice – Although it was a cold day, the lemon ice was smooth and had just the right sweetness. Good stuff. $2.75

So what makes Bakesale Betty’s special? I think location is very important in their success. While good food is essential, this business model wouldn’t work in many places. First, it looks like a lot of locals are hired – that often helps with success. Their employees seem to be having fun – happy employees make for happy customers and you get better employee performance. Their clientele is also diverse – I saw a multitude of ethnicities, age, and people from different groups (e.g. multiple piercings, preppies, etc). Try to put this restaurant in San Francisco, and it would probably survive in the Castro, Fillmore, or other heavily populated areas. If you put Bakesale Betty as is without any changes in Sonoma or Napa, it would probably fail miserably. The price of the food, the atmosphere of being close to a college town in an urban environment, the tastes of local people (more in search of good food than ambiance), and the high foot traffic location allow it to be profitable and frequented by a number of people.

I’ve also heard that if the line is really long, they’ll start to give away free items – usually cookies (another plus in their business model - if you treat your customers right, they'll keep coming back). The line I was in went pretty quickly, so no such luck for me today. While I didn’t try them, other items available include a variety of cookies, pumpkin pie $20, apple pie $25, and chicken pot pie $25. From what I’ve heard, the strawberry shortcake is good too. If you happen to be in the area, it’s worth a trip to Bakesale Betty – I put their cookies on my must try recommendations list!

Creekside Bakery & Cafe - American, Novato

1719 Grant Ave, Novato CA 94945
(415) 892-7655
Parking: in shopping center parking lot

Last Visited: June 21, 2010

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

If it weren't for Martha, I probably wouldn't have even known about Creekside Bakery. You could drive by the shopping center a million times and never even know it's there. Tucked away in the Downtown Novato Shopping Center on Grant and 7th Street, you'll find Creekside Bakery.

Martha likes to come here for quiche. Enter the bakery and it's almost like entering a time warp. You could be in the 1980s with the wood furniture; the decor is very traditional and homey. I could see elderly ladies coming here for an afternoon tea. It seemed that a number of moms brought their kids for lunch during my visit today. I'm guessing it has to do with the fact that the library is just across the street.

The staff is friendly and you get the feeling that Creekside has been around a long long time and hasn't changed much - the pace just feels slower in terms of how things are done here even though the staff isn't slow. The display case doesn't show fondant over cakes - instead it's more traditional items and a few more modern looking pastries.

We came for a leisurely lunch and although the quiche and soup sounded appetizing, I opted for a sandwich today.

- Reuben Sandwich - Served with a choice of green salad or soup, the reuben is served on toasted rye (which they make themselves) and stacked with sliced corned beef. The sauerkraut looked like it was homemade. I prefer my sauerkraut to be very warm and tart; this was room temperature and not particularly sour so it was just okay. The mixed greens salad on the side was somewhat small and dressed in a vinaigrette. Nothing to write home about.

- Croissant - Flaky on the outside and soft on the inside just as it should be.

- Apple Turnover - Good. Meets the standards that you would have for a turnover.

Prices are fairly standard for the pastries compared to other bakeries. The whole bill came out to just under $15 for these three items with the sandwich about $8.

I was also given a graduation cake from here - the cake was done in whipped cream and was a yellow fruit basket cake. The fruit was fresh and the writing done nicely. While it's not a gourmet bakery and I can't say that any certain item is wow, it's a good old-fashioned hometown bakery for your everyday needs.

Chester's Bayview Cafe - American, Berkeley

1508 Walnut Street, Berkeley CA 94709
(510) 849-9995
Parking: limited street parking
Hours: Breakfast and Lunch 8:30am-2:30pm Weekdays, 8:30am - 3pm Weekends;
Tapas Tues - Sat 5pm - 10pm

Last Visited: January 10, 2009

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

Helen and Mark had recommended we try Chester's for brunch, and on this weekend afternoon, we wandered into the restaurant after some difficulty with parking. They have a reasonable dining room downstairs, but the gem of the place is the limited upstairs seating which provides the bayview noted in the name of the cafe. The weather was clear with blue skies, and though we weren't able to get a table to enjoy the view, we did get to see it from atop the stairs for a moment.

Service was a bit lacking as we waited quite a bit for a server to seat us despite there being available tables. The hustle and bustle seemed to keep them from noticing us waiting for a table. When we were finally seated and served, service improved.

- Philly Cheesesteak - Thinly-sliced steak is served with grilled mushrooms, onions, green peppers, and Swiss Cheese. To me, this was standard fare - neither memorable in how good it was nor memorable in the other direction. It came with grilled potatoes even though I had chosen the other option of a side salad. Also, while the other three members of our table had gotten served, this took about five minutes more to arrive weighed negatively on the service rating given for this visit. It came so much later that I didn't even take a photo of it. $9.75

- Crab Hash - As seen from the photo, a hearty helping of potatoes is mixed with crab and topped with two poached eggs. Hollandaise is ladled on top of it. While filling and was good, it lacked the punch of the wow factor in its overall presentation and its flavor. I would eat it again, but it's not something I would make a special trip to enjoy. $11.25

The other photo is for a Belgian Banberry split and it's topped with bananas, choice of raspberry or blueberry compote, and whipped cream. $7.75

Breakfast and lunch dishes are good and plentiful. If you're looking for a slight twist on standard breakfast dishes included french toast, cramblers, potato pancakes, and omelettes, you'll like Chester's. For me, the food was just okay and service has room for improvement.

Venus - Cafe, Berkeley

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.

Lan Fong Yuen - Cafe, Central, Hong Kong

Lan Fong Yuen - Cafe
G/F2 Gage Street, Central, Hong Kong
852-25443895

Last Visited: 2009

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

Lan Fong Yuen has been featured on television and printed media for its famous silk-stocking tea. The taste of milk tea when run through a silk stocking is supposedly different from that made the regular way because all of the impurities have been filtered away. Some might even call milk tea making an art as you wait until the point of boiling, filter the tea, and do the process again and again until the impurities are gone. Just the right amount of evaporated milk is added to get the perfect sweetness and smooth taste.

The restaurant first began as a food stall and you can find the stall as well as the new restaurant behind it on the same street. Back in the day, food stalls were extremely popular and many people would find it more convenient and less expensive to get the best food at the 'dai pai dong.' My parents talked about going to these stalls as kids and ordering a small plate of noodles or some type of pastry for a mere dime. It was fresh, fun, and everyone loved eating there.

While the likelihood of you actually seeing the milk tea being made during your visit is low, you'll see lots of articles about it posted within the restaurant. It's definitely not a fancy place, but I think most people go just for the experience and ability to say that you've been.

We ordered a tea set - milk tea, available hot or cold, with a slice of thick toast which is buttered and topped with condensed milk. While prices are reasonable, you can find less expensive milk tea elsewhere, but the style of milk tea here is different. The tea flavor is itself very strong and there is a certain smoothness about the drink - it's rich in a way that you don't experience with all milk teas. I can't say I'm particularly accustomed to it or that it was better than other milk tea drinks I tried in other places, but it was fun to see all of the articles and it was a great snack.