HRD Coffee Shop - Cafe/Korean, San Francisco

521 #A 3rd Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 543-2355
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mon - Fri: 8:30am - 3pm, Sat: 8:30am - 2pm

Last Visited: December 8, 2012

Food: 2 to 3 stars ( could have been 4 stars - see details below)
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $ to $$

I first heard about HRD while watching Guy Fieri's television show - Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.  HRD is known for serving breakfast and lunch with a blend of both American and Korean flare.  Their tagline is: Good Eats. Nice Peeps. Grab a Seat. 

A couple of the items featured on the show were the Kim Chee burrito and the Sloppy JoJo.  These sounded quite yummy, but when I saw the menu for myself, there were just too many choices.  And if Korean food isn't your thing, no worries - they have sandwiches and burgers on the menu too.  For those that are adventurous, there are items like Japanese Curry Kimchee Loco Moco and Spicy Chicken Pineapple too. 

When we walked up to the storefront, one of the owners and one of the employees were out front getting ready to take a break, and I give them four stars for service primarily for their greeting and then for their service once inside.  The guys were super friendly, warm, and welcoming.  By far, they gave the friendliest greeting I have ever received or a close second.  They definitely lived up to their tagline. 

Walk inside and it reminds you of a diner.  There is seating facing the outside window and some tables in the back.  The decor is super simple, but clean.

- Korean Pork Chop special - This isn't a regular menu item (at least not anymore).  Two slabs of pork are marinated and cooked on the grill.  The juicy meat is then topped with a fried egg and served with broccoli and white rice.  The flavor of the pork was slightly sweet and salty.  The cut is medium in thickness and each bite of meat was delightful.  While the broccoli is plain, it works fine with the pork.  The unfortunate part of the dish was the white rice.  While abundant, it wasn't cooked through.  I decided not to waste it and took it home - as I put it in the box, one could hear it dropping in to the to go box like raindrops.  The meat is delicious though and the fried egg is a nice touch.   $7.75

- Kim Chee Fried Rice with Fried Egg - Rice is cooked with shredded pork (think of carnitas), green onions, and kim chee.  The dish is topped with a fried egg and more green onions.  The flavor is well-seasoned.  They make their own kim chee after all.  The rice soaks up all of the kim chee juices and the hot sauce that tops the fried egg gives it extra spice.  Once you break the egg, the yolk runs all over the rice, adding yet another flavor and texture to the dish.  I really enjoyed this dish, but again, the rice was not completely cooked through.  Since the dish was comprised of a lot of sauce, the rice managed to be a little softer, but still not quite enough.  $7.75

Both of the dishes would have been a solid four stars if the rice had been cooked through.  I'm fairly particular about my rice however - it's such a basic ingredient and foundational in both of these dishes that if it's not cooked through, there is no way to rescue it, so for that reason, I gave them a two to three star food rating.  I still have faith that they can make a great dish with some more attention to detail since their flavor profiles are so good. 

During this visit, I also heard that they're opening up another shop in the North Beach area.  All the best to HRD - if their service is any indication of how they'll do in the new space, they'll be great. 

JoAnn's Cafe - Diner, American, Breakfast, South San Francisco

1131 El Camino Real, South San Francisco 94080
(650) 872-2810
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mon-Sat 7:30am-2:30pm, Wed-Sat 5pm-9pm, Sun 8am-2:30pm

Last Visited: September 1, 2012

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

I was looking for a place to meet a friend for brunch and stumbled upon JoAnn's Cafe.  Located near my local KFC, this place can be easily missed if you are driving by with so many restaurant signs that stand out more next to it.

I arrived mid-morning and the place was packed.  I waited about ten minutes to sit at a table.  Counter seating is also available.  I was promptly greeted when I walked in and had a seat on the bench outside until my name was called.  Once in the diner, the open kitchen is busy and you can hear the food on the grill.  The waitress that came by was somewhat friendly, but there is opportunity for improvement here.

The glass case just inside the door showed all of the muffins available, but none had labels, so you play a bit of a guessing game.

- Apple Walnut Muffin - A lot of folks seemed to like the muffins so I tried one and I would agree - the muffin top is like eating a cookie.  A little crisp on the edges, it's like eating dessert for breakfast.  $2

- Spinach and mushroom side - They don't give you that much spinach, and they make it seem like more by not cooking it down all the way.  I guess I would prefer to get the same amount cooked just right rather than this half uncooked/half cooked way. The mushrooms could be a lot more caramelized - instead, they're pretty soft.  $3.95

- Home fries potatoes side - The quantity of potatoes is good, but lacks both browning on the potatoes and salt.  A touch more salt makes them a lot more flavorful.  I cooked my leftovers at home for another meal and got them brown and crispy, so it could be improved. $2.95

The food is okay, but lacks flavor - my items could use more salt and more browning.  The portions for regular combinations seem to be a bit small for the price that you pay - most breakfast combos are around $10 to $12.  I actually thought that my sides were better portioned. 

The waitress seemed to be rushing us out despite the fact that there wasn't a line and that there were other tables available.  She also missed our request for two leftover boxes and brought us only one. We were unable to flag her down, so we had to go to the counter for asssistance - this isn't a big deal, but it wasn't particularly busy.  Service could be improved in general.  JoAnn's has the standards and would be a good option if you didn't want to cook, but it doesn't have the wow factor.

Hogan's Cafe - American, South San Francisco

125 Terminal Ct, Suite 44, S. San Francisco, CA 94080
(650) 583-2293
Parking: in parking lot
http://www.hoganscafe.com/

Last Visited: December 21, 2011

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

Tiannah told me about Hogan's when we were talking about hole in the wall type places.  She spoke highly of their French Dip, so of course, I had to get it. 

Hogan's is located just off Produce Avenue on Terminal Court.  The street is aptly named because there are a number of produce warehouses here, and if you didn't see the huge sign for Hogan's just before the produce kiosk that checks in the big trucks, you might wonder if you're in the right place.  Just drive to the end of the terminal and Hogan's will be on your left side.  It's definitely one of those places where you only know about it if a local tells you where it is. 

Amidst the giant produce trucks and pallets of goods, you'll find this diner is open for breakfast and lunch.  I arrived a little before noon and the place was pretty full - it looked like a lot of local senior citizens, business folks, and truck drivers, some in large groups of six or more.  The menu offers lots of salads and sandwiches, and typical diner and dinner fare - plates of steak, burgers, and the like.

When we arrived, we saw lots of sports memorabilia and the place had a dive bar type of atmosphere.  The waitress called us 'hun' and showed us the specials.  Yes, she showed us an index card with hand-written specials. 

- French Dip - The french dip is filled with tender roast beef and the bun is soft on the inside and slightly hard on the outside.  Everything tasted really fresh, and I especially appreciated how the meat didn't have any tendons are gristle which I so often find when I order a french dip.  The sandwich is cut a little wide because when you get to the bottom of the dipping bowl near the end of the meal, it's hard to dip.  A wider bowl would have been better.  The fries were crispy on the outside, but I prefer them to be cooked until they're a little more golden. Overall, the sandwich was quite good.  I would definitely get it again.  $8.50

My dining companion ordered a salad instead of fries with her french dip.  The salad looked pretty fresh and it was nice that she had the option to order it. 

If you like dive bar type atmospheres, or just want to surprise your friends, Hogan's has a wide selection and a seemingly steady clientele - otherwise it would be easy to miss if they were depending on those passing by.

Sam's For Play Cafe - American, Santa Rosa

2630 Cleveland Ave, Santa Rosa CA 95403
(707) 528-2929
Parking: in parking lot
http://samsforplaycafe.com/
Last Visited: April 17, 2004

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

Sam’s For Play Café is located in front of the Comfort Inn. It’s a little hard to find the entrance, but enter as though you’re heading for the Comfort Inn. Upon entering the restaurant, you’ll see the glass case displaying a variety of shirts and apparel proudly displaying the Sam’s logo. Also directly in front of you will be the specials board and the counter seating.

The décor of the place is homey. There are old knick knacks on shelves above the windows ranging from bottles to cans with old labels from probably 25 to 30 years back. The windows have short curtains that have a blue checkered design. There are colorful posters displayed and there is an old black wood stove in the restaurant which now serves as the napkin and utensil bar.

Service is friendly and the atmosphere is warm. I have been to Sam’s several times before, but it’s been a while since my last visit. For my tastes, I find there are better places to eat in the area. One thing I do like is that entrees come with soup or salad and toast, but aside from the bargain pricing, food quality is average, and well, keep reading.

- Clam chowder – Creamy clam chowder is served with crackers. The soup was too salty this evening.

- Salad – Green salad with a slice of cucumber served with your choice of dressing. Most of the greens were fresh, though the cucumber had probably been sitting all day. The croutons are great though.

- Prime Rib Dinner – A cut of prime rib is served with your choice of potato (baked or mashed or French fries) and seasonal vegetables. Salad or soup and toast are also included. The vegetables consisted of a mix of zucchini, onions, and bell peppers this evening. The prime rib was okay. It wasn’t the best cut of meat, but the flavor was okay. Just keep your expectations in line with the restaurant that you’re in. We had asked for medium, but it turned out to be more of a medium well. The baked potato was fine, and the vegetables were seasoned lightly. $10.95

- Chicken Strips – Four large chicken strips are fried and served with honey mustard dipping sauce. You can also ask for ranch dressing. Again, salad or soup and toast are included along with potato and vegetables. We got French fries with this dish and they tasted great. The oil was fresh, so the chicken strips and the fries were excellent. $9.95

Although service was fine, the first glass of water I asked for had a piece of bread in it. When I told the waitress, she eagerly replaced it, but my second glass of water also had bread in it, albeit this was a much smaller piece. What kind of water does this place have? Or maybe the question is what’s in the pitchers holding the water? Anyhow, this was not impressive, and made me feel uneasy. Stick to typical food and I think you’ll be fine. Keep your expectations in check, and check your water. Everything else should go fine after that.

Paige's Diner - American, Santa Rosa

1039 West College Ave, Santa Rosa CA 95401
(707) 579-8479
Parking: in shopping center parking lot

Last Visited: November 21, 2004

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

Paige’s Diner is located in the G&G shopping center. It’s a small place with a lot of windows. The tables are dark brown and the chairs are also dark and cushioned. It’s reminiscent of late 80s décor.

On the walls, you’ll find posters featuring rainbows and multicolored fish. The rear of the room holds the kitchen and a counter strewn with many magazines. I didn’t get a close look, but in general, it seemed disorderly. The front of the room contains a television showing some sports program, and a neon board featuring the specials for the day.

Paige’s is open for breakfast and lunch. We came late into the lunch hour and found the place to be fairly empty and except for two other tables, had the place to ourselves.

For full sandwiches, you can receive a choice of a cup of soup, side salad, fries, and cottage cheese amongst other things is available as your choice of side. They also have half sandwiches with side available for a slightly lower price.

- Clam Chowder – This clam chowder came as a side to a sandwich. I found it too thick. Although there were a lot of potatoes and some clams, and the flavor was good, the texture seemed a bit off. The soup was on the verge of becoming separated. It was rich and creamy, but barely slipped off the spoon. Not quite right for me - fair.

- Roast Beef Melt – Roast beef is placed between white bread spread with lots of mayonnaise. The good thing about this melt was the roast beef is real roast beef, not sliced deli meat. However, to keep the toasted bread from being soggy, there is also a lot of mayonnaise, so much that it will squeeze out of your sandwich. It’s got good flavor and the meat is juicy. Good. $8.25 (full sandwich with side)

- Chicken Strips – Chicken strips are located in the starters section of the menu. Available in buffalo style or crispy, we selected crispy. Five strips of chicken breast meat are served with choice of ranch or barbecue sauce. We selected ranch. The chicken strips were fine, but the ranch was too liquid. It seemed homemade, or at least home mixed, and had the wrong consistency. It barely stuck onto the chicken. Good chicken, bad dip. $6

The service was pretty bad. Although we were promptly greeted, it just didn’t feel very friendly. The cook rang the bell twice, and even after that, it seemed a good five minutes before our dishes came. We knew it was ours because we were the only people who hadn’t received food yet, and had it not been for one of the busboys asking the waitress if an order was up, we may not have ever gotten the food.

Despite the local radio stations recommendation to go to Paige’s, I wouldn’t recommend a trip. The food is okay at best, but there are so many places to try - this one would drop low on my list.

Black Bear Diner - American, Sonoma

201 W. Napa St, Sonoma CA 95476
(707) 935-6800
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
http://www.blackbeardiner.com/

Last Visited: 2003

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

Until I read the menu, I didn’t realize that Black Bear Diner was a chain. With Sonoma being such a bear city, it seemed appropriate for Black Bear to open up with its bear statues and the bear flag located out front. The controversy about having wood bear statues displayed about their premises surely woke up the locals, but they’re here to stay.

Black Bear serves typical diner fare. I found nothing impressive about the place except for the wait. We must have waited over half an hour for a table. Once we got our table, the food was of mediocre quality. Even the garlic fries weren’t worth raving about. The service was not particularly fast or attentive (hence the reason I had time to read the menu). In fact, the table that had ordered after us received their salads and soup before we did. We found the waiter to be stressed out and could use some additional training in customer/waiter interaction.

The atmosphere is okay. The menus share history about Black Bear’s start, and in the waiting area, you’ll find lots of Black Bear merchandise. Formally the location of Carrows, you can imagine the atmosphere fairly easily.

Overall, I found Black Bear to be barely bearable. It’s a wonder how they have remained open so long in Sonoma.

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.

Butter Cream Bakery - American, Napa

2297 Jefferson St, Napa CA 94559
(707) 255-6700
Parking: in parking lot or street parking
Hours: Cafe open daily for breakfast and lunch only, Bakery open daily

http://buttercreambakery.com/

Last Visited: February 4, 2007

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

I stumbled across Butter Cream Bakery as I was driving on Jefferson Street. The light pink and dark pink paint alternating in a vertically striped design on the sign and on the outside of the building drew me in immediately. Enter Butter Cream and smell the sweet aroma of baked goods. The glass display cases house napoleons, donuts, cakes, pies, Danish, and more. On the counter sit a plate of donut holes to try.

From the outside, you can see the soup special of the day, and at least one other special to note. The front windows stream in natural light and against one wall are a counter and counter stools facing the open kitchen. Along the other side of the wall is a long bench and above it are windows allowing you to view the bakery within. Funny signs on the wall entertain guests. There was ample seating today, but on a busy day, you probably would need to wait for a table.

The colors are fairly bright, but the focus is the pastries. It’s an old fashioned style place with great food – diner style. Hamburgers, sandwiches, soups, and breakfast items fill the menu. And with the bread baked fresh, it’s no wonder everything is a treat.

- Reuben Sandwich – Corned beef is sliced thin and placed within two slices of white bread along with sauerkraut and a slice of cheese. Choice of French fries or potato salad available. The texture of the corned beef is perfect and the melty cheese gives the sandwich extra flavor. It wasn’t too salty or too soggy, a problem found with many Reuben sandwiches. This was just right, although, the portion may be a bit small, but still excellent for the price. The potato salad is light and available for sale on its own. Yummy. A great Reuben. $6.90

- 1/3 Pounder – A ground beef patty is grilled and served on a toasted bun with tomatoes and lettuce. Pickles are on the side. Fresh hot French fries or potato salad are your choices for a side. It was a delicious and juicy burger and the fries were fabulous – crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Terrific. 4 stars. The second time I had this, I ended up forgetting to ask for no mustard, and this time, the burger was not as moist as the last – I suspect because our rather large party required more wait time between cooking and distribution. Only three stars this time and many places could rival them. $6.95

- Clam Chowder – Available in cup or mug, the clam chowder is hearty. It’s a bit on the starchy side for me, not because of flour, but because the potatoes have been in the soup a while and the consistency has changed. Accompanying the soup are four packages of crackers. Good, but not the best I’ve had. Ample medium sized pieces of clam. This is the main reason for the 3 to 4 star range as opposed to 4 stars.

- Club Sandwich – This triple decker contains a layer of bacon, lettuce and tomato and a layer of turkey, ham, tomato, cheddar, and lettuce. All of the bread is slathered with mayo. The sandwich is then cut in quarters, held together by a long toothpick and served with fries or potato salad. Fresh and good. $7.25

- Éclair – The éclair is available filled with custard or whipped cream. I opted for custard. It’s generously filled with custard and topped with a squiggle of chocolate cream. The pastry is light and delicious. For me, the size was perfect to be shared and leave you content. The chocolate can be a bit sweeet, but the combination of the custard with the pastry has just the perfect blend of sweet and a touch of salt. $3

- Apple Turnover – A large puff pastry filled with chopped chunks of apple. It’s the real deal. Delicious. If you can’t eat it there, buy one to take home. $1.40

- Croissant – I took this home and found it good. Not the best I’ve had, but better than store bought from the grocery store. The butter flavor could be stronger, but still quite enjoyable.

- Coffee $1.75

I have to lower the service from three stars down to the two to three range because the last two times, the service has been mediocre - not just fair, but mediocre. Today, I went for lunch, and they forgot silverware for half the table, and though they brought the drinks that were made to order, they forgot to bring water. They also didn’t come back to refill water. When we asked for it, which is the same time the food came, the waitress said, of course I’ll bring you water in a way that seemed to indicate she was planning on it, but by no means should patrons need to wait more than 20 minutes for water to arrive. Also, the last time I ordered the burger, despite my asking for fries, the same waitress forgot and brought me chips. I overheard her telling the short order cook that she didn’t know you could get fries with the burger, but the menu clearly says fries or potato salad. How I ended up with chips, I don’t understand. Finally, when taking our order and going around the table, she stopped asking what we wanted to drink after the second person. So I had to make my request at the end, and then she asked me if I had ordered yet. With a memory like this, it’s a wonder our dishes arrived at all. During my 2007 visit, the wait time also exceeded 20 minutes. My waitress this time was much more pleasant and on top of things, but wait time was still quite long. For an unknown reason, the food also made me very thirsty several hours after. This is atypical, especially since I have ordered these dishes before, but noted.

The burgers are huge and they have a great selection of desserts and pastries. Their apple turnovers are quite yummy. Sit behind the counter and watch the person at the grill – entertaining, a bit stressful, and a lot of action. A great find and a local hot spot.

This is still a terrific place to stop for a pastry ring though - I've had a number of them and they're always great.