Mid East Market - Middle Eastern/Mediterranean, San Bruno

1776 El Camino Real, San Bruno CA 94066
(650) 875-7100
Parking: very small parking lot, street parking

Last Visited: August 13, 2014

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

Mid East Market is a market with a deli behind it that sells items from their deli case and serves items such as shawerma and falafel cooked to order.  Of course, these are also available in a wrap.  Prices range from $5.99 to $9.99 and while it's not gourmet dining, I think it offers a good alternative for lunch.

All plates are served with pita bread.

- Chicken Shawerma plate - Marinated chicken breast is cooked on the flat top.  Served with hummus, a tomato and cucumber salad, and pickles, it will definitely fill you up.  The meat was flavorful, but does tend to get dry near the end of the meal. The salad is fresh and the pickles add a good balance to the dish.  Depending on your school of thought, you might find the hummus not the right temperature because it's served cold, but it's smooth and has the right consistency.  Two sauces are also served with the dish.  Good. $7.99

- Beef Shawerma plate - Marinated beef is grilled on the flat top.  Similar to the chicken shawerma plate, it too is filling.  I liked the beef more than the chicken.  $8.49

- Falafel plate - During my first visit in July, I tried the falafel plate and found the falafel to be super fresh.  There was a big mound of cooked falafel and then they finish it off for serving.  It contains a lot of fresh herbs so when you bite into it, much of it is green.  According to my middle eastern friend, this is a good thing.  $7.99

- Falafel wrap - On my second visit, I tried the falafel wrap, but this time, I found the flavor of baking soda to be a bit stronger so I liked this falafel less than the previous visit.  The wrap is simple - a shmear of hummus, the falafel, some pickles, and then a few more pickles on the outside. $5.99

On both occasions, the deli is manned by one and at most two people.  It tends to be a bit hectic for the guy cooking when he doesn't have help and depending on the day, he can be a bit moody/less customer service oriented. The trail of ants that were making its way to the counter during my second visit made eating there less appetizing than the first time.  The setup is very simple in that there are probably two to three tables next to the refrigerator holding canned beverages and storage/display racks.  Definitely nothing fancy and it feels dated, but it will do.

Overall, I think it's a good place for takeout and to opt for something different, but it's no frills so as long as you know that going in, you'll be ok.  The market has some ethnic offerings that are somewhat hard to find in a regular grocery store, so since you have to go there to pay anyways, it's a good way to kill time while you wait.

El Molino Central - Mexican, Sonoma

11 Central Ave, Sonoma CA 95476
(707) 939-1010
Parking: limited parking in parking lot
http://www.elmolinocentral.com/

Last Visited: August 7, 2015

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

I've been wanting to try El Molino Central since they opened up in town several years ago, but didn't have the opportunity until this warm summer evening.  Although I've heard that the prices are a bit on the high side for Mexican food, it's within the range of normal for Sonoma.

Located in Boyes Hot Springs, you might just drive by it without a second glance, but they've built a good reputation over the years, especially becoming known for their tamales.  They also have seasonal menus - in summer, there are summer squash tamales.  In fall, pumpkin and cheese tamales appear on the menu.

Unlike many other restaurants, chips and salsa aren't part of the meal.  If you want chips and salsa, you'll need to order them for $4.  There also aren't refills on the chips.  Chips and guacamole will run you $5.50 for one avocado or $8 for two. Chilaquiles are always found on the menu before 11am.

- Bohemia Beer Battered Fish Tacos (2) - These soft tacos include a lovely piece of golden fried fish, a drizzle of salsa de arbol, a lot of shredded cabbage for crunch, and avocado-lime mayo.  Three radish slices top each taco adding color, more crunch, and serving as a garnish.  It's a delicious few bites and leaves you desiring more.  A little more salsa and mayo would have made it even better.  I would highly recommend this dish if you're here, and I could easily eat more than one order in a sitting.  $9.50

-Oaxcan Mole Chicken Tamales - Two tamales are filled with chicken breast and topped with a
flavorful mole.  Curtido (pickled vegetable relish) is served on the side.  I thought the tamale itself was quite delicious with a creamy texture, but I wasn't crazy about the chicken because I prefer dark meat.   I probably should have ordered squash and cheese.  The curtido was alright - not quite pickled enough for my taste. This one was just okay for me.  $12.50

Note that seating is outdoors and although it looks like it's a fast food joint, you can easily wait 20 minutes or more for your meal. As long as you know what you're getting into, you're in good shape.

Nola - New Orleans style, Palo Alto

535 Ramona St, CA 94301
(650) 328-2722
Parking: street parking, nearby parking lot
http://www.nolas.com/

Last Visited: August 1, 2015

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

Bertilla recommended Nola because of her previous positive experience, so we decided to bring our party of six here to enjoy a nice night out.  Although the menu specifically says that it's not all authentic, the food and service experience is so awful that you'll find numerous reviews on yelp where the restaurant apologizes for the experience.  Rather than giving out more gift certificates to compensate for bad reviews, it would be better for Nola to fix its problems and train their staff better.

We arrived a few minutes before our 6:30p reservation and since we had more than half of the folks present, we were promptly seated. This is one of the two highlights of the meal.

- Chicken Andouille Gumbo - Roasted chicken and andouille sausage gumbo, holy trinity, okra, slow cooked dark roux - When the gumbo arrives at the table, the server pours a metal container of soup over the shallow bowl containing loose white rice.  It's done so quickly that you must be paying attention right when it arrives, and it splatters onto the plate that is under the bowl.  Pictured here is a cup serving. A triangle of corn bread is served on the side. Although there was a good amount of ingredients in the bowl, the soup is served lukewarm and that immediately makes it less satisfying.  The flavor is also so mild compared to the deep rich flavors that gumbo should have.  I was disappointed by this dish because of the temperature - it could have been a decent soup, but it was just too cold.  The corn bread was okay, but nothing to write home about.  Cup $5/Bowl $9

- Crawfish Hushpuppies (4) - Crispy golden hushpuppies, stuffed with Louisiana crawfish, Romesco -  Although the description says it's stuffed with Louisiana crawfish, you can see from the photo that it's not so stuffed.  While visible, it's barely a sprinkling.  I found the hushpuppies to be just okay and the crawfish didn't add anything except increase the price.  The Romesco sauce didn't pair well with these.  Skip this dish.  $8

- Mama's Mac and Cheese - The mac and cheese comes in a little skillet and by far, this is the best dish that I tried this evening.  The cheese sauce is super creamy and each bite is rich.  If you choose to eat, this is the dish to get.  This is the reason why the food rating was given two stars instead of just one star. $5

- Cluck and Oink - Mary's buttermilk dipped free range boneless chicken and half a rack of slow cooked baby back ribs glazed with Tam's sweet and spicy BBQ sauce, mardi gras slaw.   When we asked our server about the fried chicken, we were told that there was a choice of dark or white meat.  However, when we ordered this dish, we weren't asked what we preferred.  After asking about this a few minutes after our order went in, the server said that it's automatically white meat, but that he would have it changed.  This was the second high point of service all evening.  It's a bit confusing to have a choice for one fried chicken and not for another.  Also, knowing that we had asked this question, it would have been good for our server to mention the type of meat if we didn't get a choice.  The batter on the chicken doesn't stick to the meat.  The ribs were pretty disappointing - the bbq sauce tastes ok, but the ribs are completely dense and lack flavor.  There's no smoke, no falling off the bone, just blah.  The only benefit of getting this dish is that you get your choice of sides.  The cole slaw is just ok.   $24

Service was disappointing.  Our table of six ordered and received food roughly at the same time.  When four people finished first, their dishes were cleared from the table which is fine, but who hands out dessert menus to the four people rather than waiting for the other two to finish eating?  Nola does.  There were empty tables around us.  Why the rush?

Also, when it's more than 70 degrees outside and you use short glasses, please refill the water.  We had to wave someone down to get them to stop and when she asked for water, the waiter filled her glass only despite all of the glasses being empty.  He didn't bother to ask anyone else if they wanted water, and he took the carafe of water with him.  They seemed to leave the water carafes with other tables, but not with ours.

As we left, none of the staff thanked us or said goodbye despite the fact that our waiter walked right past us.

Nola seems like a popular place to get a drink - there was a lounge area in addition to regular seating. Security shows up outside the door as the evening wears on, but as for food and service, I was thoroughly disappointed and don't have plans to return.

Zen Oriental - Chinese, London Heathrow Airport

Southern Perimeter Rd., Terminal Four, London Heathrow Airport, Hounslow Middlesex TW6 3AF, England
Tel: 020 8759-7755
Parking: hotel parking

Last Visited: June 25, 2015

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

It's alarming how many excellent ratings this place has gotten on TripAdvisor.  If you read the other reviews calling this the best Chinese food within the Heathrow Airport, well, that's probably true, but there are so few Chinese places, that's not much of a compliment.

Take it from a Chinese person - if you've never had Chinese food, this is probably ok.  Located inside the Hilton, the atmosphere is nice - very classic Oriental style with decorations like small teapots on display.

When we arrived, we were quickly seated into a booth which is extremely difficult to get into - they move the table so that you can sit on the bench seating which is a bit worn.  The place setting on the table is for looks only.  After ordering, they remove it from the table.  Acoustics are not so great as you can hear just about everyone else's conversations throughout dinner.

While we expected to pay higher prices at a hotel restaurant, the portions are tiny compared to what you could get outside.  I paid 55 pounds including tip for two people to have fried rice, a whole fish, and tofu with greens.  In San Francisco, this same meal with larger portions and better quality would have easily cost half the price.

- Yang Chou Rice  - For the price I paid for fried rice, I should get fresher shrimp and at least double the portion.  This is a essentially a large bowl, not a plate of fried rice.  The flavor is okay, but the shrimp was too dense indicating that it had been frozen previously and the kitchen didn't know how to compensate for this.  This dish could have used some more salt - it was a bit too bland.  It also could have been served hotter.  Way too expensive for this size.  9.8 pounds

- Sea Bass - The fish is previously frozen and served whole.  You can choose from several varieties for the fish including black bean sauce or ginger and scallions.  We opted for steamed with black bean sauce since that usually helps prevent the frozen flavor from coming through.  The sea bass was about one pound in weight - I've never seen fish at a Chinese restaurant that was so tiny - I wondered where the rest of it was.  The fish also wasn't cleaned well - we found guts inside which results in a bitter flavor and scales remained on the skin of the fish.  This dish was also not served piping hot as it should have been.  Disappointing. 20.8 pounds

- Braised Tofu with Greens - Of the three dishes, this one was served hot and seemed promising, but the braised tofu was on the verge of going bad - the sour flavor was left on my tongue showing a lack of freshness.  The broccoli was ok. 9.2 pounds

- Jasmine Tea costs 3.8 pounds a person and I constantly needed to ask them to refill the pot - they only came once on their own to do so.

The presentation of the dishes is nice, but I prefer good food over good presentation.  Service is considered very good for a Chinese restaurant, but not very good from a wider perspective.  For example, at the end of the meal, they use a cloth napkin to cover the food stains left on the table cloth.  However, when the table next to us asked about what was in certain sauces and the waitstaff were stumped.  Even after asking the kitchen, they still couldn't explain it well.  Also, the staff speaks fairly loudly with one another, so that seems a bit disruptive at times.

A 15% service charge is automatically added to your bill.

Given another opportunity, I would take a taxi and go elsewhere.  Even the panini in Terminal 3 would be a better option.

Mozzeria - Pizza, San Francisco

3228 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 489-0963
http://www.mozzeria.com/
Hours: Tues-Thurs 5:30pm-10pm, Fri 5:30pm-11pm, Sat 5pm-11pm, Sun 5pm-10pm, Closed Mondays

Last Visited: June 7, 2015

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

Sue recommended Mozzeria to me.  She had explained that all of the servers and staff are deaf and that the restaurant has really good pizza.  With that in mind, I went for an early dinner and found the experience to be very pleasant.  Thanks Sue!

The decor is modern - the bar allows for individual seating, the lighting is gentle, and the place settings are simple.  The contrast of the white plates and napkins against the dark wood tables and floors, allow the red chairs to serve as accents throughout the room.  The dome shaped wood burning oven adjacent to the bar/counter serves as a centerpiece in the dining area.  What was interesting to me was the type of music being played.  It's a lot of really old classics - many fellow patrons were signing along quietly - something I wasn't expecting.

The menu is simple.  A list of appetizers and salads is offered along with 13 varieties of pizzas (12 inches each).  Traditional pizzas like margherita and quattro formaggi are available, but you'll also see unusual creative flavors like peking duck and hosui pear too.

- House-made fresh Burrata - Beautifully soft and fresh burrata is topped with halved cherry tomatoes, cut basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and basil oil.  Gnocco fritto (also known as flour crisps in dim sum restaurants) are served with the burrata. The burrata was delicious - soft on the inside to the point of being spreadable.  The skin of the burrata is easy to cut.  However, the flour crisps as I call them were varying in texture - one was crunchy, while the other sticks were a bit on the soft side.  If they all had been crunchy and light, they would have been perfect, but given the current texture, I would prefer to have bread instead.  My guess is that some of these crisps were prepared too far in advance, losing their crunch and while not stale, they were far too soft. The cheese gets four stars, but the crisps get two stars. $11

- Veal and Pork Meatballs - Four tender and well-seasoned meatballs are served in a slightly spicy marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese.  The herbs are visible in each meat ball and the flavor is perfect.  The pomodoro sauce is the perfect consistency for dipping.  There's not much that could be improved with this hearty dish except to serve it with a spoon so that the sauce is easier to manage. Four stars.  $10

- Salumi Pizza - I've had a lot of Neapolitan style pizzas over the last few years and I have to say this is one of the best.  The beautiful crunchy crust is aromatic with the sesame sprinkled just inside the edge - each bite smells and tastes awesome.  It reminds me of the crust of fresh sesame bread.  The salt in the coppa, soppresata, and grana pandano balances the pomodoro sauce.  The fresh mozzarella adds freshness to the pizza, and the chili flakes give the entire pizza a spicy kick. Four stars. $20

Despite my lack of sign language ability, it wasn't difficult to communicate my order or to make other requests.  The staff is patient and made us feel welcome.  The only opportunities I saw for improvement tonight were twofold - refill the water glasses before being asked, and refresh the plates between appetizers and pizza.  Overall, service was friendly and otherwise attentive.

After having many pizzas that are a little too burnt, are too soft, or have other issues, Mozzeria shows their experience in making a great pizza that has a slightly soft center and a beautiful crust.  They season their food well and the balance of flavors and textures is wonderful.  I will definitely be back!

Orenchi Ramen - Japanese, Santa Clara

3540 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara, CA 95051
(408) 246-2955
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
http://www.orenchi-ramen.com/
Hours: Lunch Tues - Sun 11:30am to 1:30pm, Dinner Tue-Thurs 6pm-9pm, Fri-Sat 5:30pm-9:30pm, Sun 5pm to 8:30pm

Last Visited: May 16, 2015

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

Orenchi Ramen is well known amongst foodies for having an excellent bowl of ramen and after eating there twice, I would agree.  The perfection of the boiled egg with a slightly soft center, the rich broth, and the al dente texture of the thick yellow noodles that remains a toothsome throughout the meal create just the right combination of soup and noodles.  The menu describes their soup as being made with organic chicken, Canadian black pork, and filtered water.  It's cooked for a minimum of 18 hours.  No wonder it's so rich.

Located inside a strip mall next to Grocery Outlet, you could easily drive by without giving Orenchi a second glance, but foodies know that it exists, as exhibited by the list inside the restaurant even before opening.  If you're a newbie to Orenchi, don't make the same mistake that I did during my first visit.  Open the door and add your name to the list as soon as you arrive - even if it's before opening time.  Regulars know you can do this and you'll at least be in the queue.  At opening, you'll find a large group inside and outside of their waiting area, so I recommend arriving early to avoid the wait.

The staff begins to prepare tables according to the waiting list so that as soon as they open, they are ready to begin seating with an even rhythm until the house is full.  Pop music blares on the sound system, so you may need to speak up in order to be heard.  Menus are already on the tables and water is brought to you not long after being seated.  The wait staff is quick and ready to take your order, kneeling beside your table as they guide first timers through the menu and answer questions.

There are only four kinds of ramen, but a multitude of appetizers, salads, and gohan (small rice dishes).  Appetizers include fried dishes such as spring rolls, potato croquettes, onion rings, and fries with Orenchi's twist on these dishes.  You can also upsize most of the ramen with more noodles and additional toppings.

- Tako Wasabi (wasabi octopus) - The chopped octopus comes marinated with fresh wasabi.  It's a little chewy with a kick.  Fresh and good.  If you're not a fan of the sea, you should probably avoid this.  $4.30

- Smoked Salmon Spring Roll - Beautifully plated, the spring roll tastes very fresh with all of the leafy greens.  The slightly spicy aioli is a great sauce for just a little kick.  The amount of salmon is acceptable, although I would have loved more, but the combination of greens and noodles make each a delicious bite.  I would recommend this one for sure.  $7.50

- Karaage (Fried Chicken) - Each piece of dark meat is battered with seasoned flour.  Served with a wedge of lemon, a tomato, and a fried shishito pepper, each piece of chicken is juicy and flavorful. It's good if you're into fried chicken and happen to be here, but Orenchi is better known for its ramen than its karaage.  Although lemon juice pairs well with the chicken, I wouldn't have minded having a dipping sauce since we had a larger order.  3 pieces $4.30, 6 pieces $7.50

- Orenchi Ramen (Tonkatsu) -  Pork, egg, green onions, bamboo shoot, mushroom, nori, and sesame over noodles.  This was the first ramen I tried here.  The broth is rich, the egg is perfect, and for me, it's probably the best ramen I've had locally.  See above about the perfect noodle and soup combo.  Note that the broth is actually a bit salty so it's not for those whom may be on a low sodium diet.  If you're going to try one ramen, this is it.  Very good. $9.80

- Ore No Kuro Tan Tan Men - With only 15 orders available at lunch and another 15 at dinner, this dish is unique because of its combination of tonkatsu broth with a spicy sesame base.  Spicy ground pork, seasoned minced meat, green onions, bok choy, bamboo shoots, and black sesame top the noodles. Like the tonkatsu ramen, this one is pretty salty too, but the flavor of sesame permeates every spoonful of soup.  It's worth getting once to try, but I would probably get the tonkastu ramen during future visits. $13

If you only order ramen, then you won't feel rushed.  Although the bill comes before you're done with your meal, it still feels like a typical Asian fast food place.  However, with our multiple appetizers for this dinner, and the fact that the ramen came before we finished our appetizers, we were a bit slower to finish our meal.  Our neighboring table had already left, and Orenchi staff began to set it up, including pushing it right up against our table for a four top.  That and their multiple visits to see if we had finished our dishes felt pushy and their four star service rating has dropped to three.

Great ramen, good appetizers, and a fast paced atmosphere.  Don't plan to linger, but do expect a great bowl of soup and noodles.

Tacos California Grill - Mexican, Seaside

400 Palm Ave, Seaside CA 93955

(831) 394-1080
Parking: street parking

Last Visited: May 10, 2015

Food: 3 to 4 stars

Atmosphere: 3 stars

Service: 3 stars

Price: $ to $$

When you arrive in the neighborhood of Tacos California Grill, you might wonder if you're in the right place, but if you keep an eye out, you'll notice the A-frame sign along the main road pointing you to tacos.  

Inside the little restaurant, you won't find any menus except for the homemade picture menu with labels on the wall. A quick scan of the wall will let you know that they have a lot of classic Mexican dishes - burritos and enchiladas - along with those that are identified with comfort food - sopas, huarache, chilaquiles.  Other offerings include menudo, fajitas, and pambazo. The decor is simple with bright yellow walls, a few Mexican paintings, and colorful tablecloths.  

- Fish Tacos - A fresh homemade tortilla serves as the base for seasoned fish, shredded purple and green cabbage, pico de gallo, and queso fresco.  The fish is very mild, but cooked right and the combination of ingredients provide a good contrast of textures.  Good. $2.99

- Sopa - You can select your choice of meat and I chose carnitas.  Refried beans, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream top the meat and sopa base.  Although it's not the best sopa that I've ever had, the base held together fine and was freshly fried.  Good. $3.50

Dishes are prepared to order, so it's best to give yourself plenty of time when you visit. The flavors are on the mild side, but they have a great salsa bar to spice up your dish to your tastes.  Overall, the dining experience was solid, but if you go in a big party, note that your dishes will arrive slowly, and chips won't come until everyone is done ordering at the register.  This is a great spot for a casual meal with fresh and simple offerings.