cwujd1's Profile
Affordable steakhouse in East Bay for tonight
Now that you've solved the budget limitations, how about Casa Orinda? Mom should feel right at home since it seems not to have changed much in the last 50 years or so. The steaks aren't cheap but quite a bit less expensive than Harris. I highly recommend the prime rib, which seems to be a "special" every night. Consistently the best prime rib I've had in the Bay Area. You have to come through the tunnel but it's right on the other side!
Best ice cream 2011
I frankly don't remember what flavors of ice cream I had at the Tara's in Temescal. What I DO remember.....hauntingly......was the black sesame sugar cone! It really didn't matter what they put in it. The cone was delicious and not really like anything I'd had before.
Recently had Three Twins at their stand in the Oxbow Market in Napa. Liked it a lot. It seemed very fresh and creamy and not too sweet.
Suggestions for a Dim Sum first timer?
We've had terrific experiences at both East Ocean and HKEO in the past month. The latter might have been a little more expensive but I think in the same ball park for similar items. HKEO offers more upper end items, though. For example, a modest plate of crispy suckling pig will set you back $18. But it will probably be the most delicious pig you ever had! HKEO is a combination of menu ordering and a few carts. So most items come to the table fresh from the kitchen. This is one place where the fried food is consistently great and practically greaseless. On a nice day, the view of the bay from the giant picture windows can't be beat. We hadn't been to East Ocean in Alameda for awhile and it was really, really good too!
Thai in Contra Costa
I think you'll have to beg them to make food really hot in CoCoCo if that's how you want it. Restaurants wouldn't be able to stay in business if their "default level" of heat was very spicy. I think the best Thai food in the county is at Thai Osha in a strip mall on Contra Costa Blvd. in Pleasant Hill. Very fresh ingredients and their sauces aren't as cloyingly sweet as at Amarin or Plearn.
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Thai Osha Restaurant
1968 Contra Costa Blvd, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
In Cupertino, looking for anywhere that has NY or Michigan style chinese food
The concept of "Michigan-style" Chinese food makes me shudder. My wife and I went to a Chinese restaurant in Battle Creek many years ago. It seemed like a bad omen when they put a basket of rolls and crackers on the table right off the bat. Then the caucasian teenage waitress couldn't seem to understand that we wanted to share the two dishes that we ordered. We had sweet and sour pork that seemed like mostly ketchup and some other dish with vegetables that were fresh....from the can. Undoubtedly the worst Chinese restaurant meal we ever had.
Lunch near Van Ness & Market?
It's not at all like Quincy's was, but there's an incredible new sandwich place on the corner of Polk and Market called Lunch Geek. Acme bread, locally sourced meats and veggies, housemade sauces and very inventive combinations. There's a regular menu and specials that change every day called "Kitchen Experiments." www.lunchgeeksf.com.
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Lunch Geek
1440 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Best Cheese pizzas?
I'll bet it was. Guglielmo was an awesome little place owned by the same guy that started the Rockridge Cafe that is still up the street. I don't remember the eggplant but it had really innovative pizza toppings for its time. We loved the fresh tomato.
Moraga Options
The venerable Casa Orinda is most well known for fried chicken but the best thing to get there (and worth a special trip) is a "hunk o' beef," especially the prime rib. I imagine nothing has changed in 50 years.
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Casa Orinda
20 Bryant Way, Orinda, CA 94563
Moraga Options
I would add Postino. Really a bargain for the quality of food, wine and service.
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Postino
3565 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette, CA 94549
BREAKFAST Ideas by the Downtown Marriott Courtyard
The Marriott Courtyard is a little bit off the usual tourist track south of Market Street. Town's End restaurant at 2 Townsend St. would be a nice walk down towards the bay. Good breakfast and baked goods and reasonably priced.
(Long) Trip Report from my last AMAZING SF visit and what to try next??
I have had the immense pleasure of eating at both Motorino locations within the past year. I don't think you'll be able to meet that standard in the Bay Area. Delfina (and a few others) are very good, but Motorino is another level of the art. And they get to use that unique NYC tap water! The New York Times just called Motorino the best pizza in NY.
http://events.nytimes.com/2010/02/17/dining/reviews/17rest.html?ref=dining
Lers Ros vs. Sai Jai Thai vs. Thai House Express?
Too bad about the service. I've never had problems getting attention there since they seem to always have several young women watching over the place trying to keep things moving along. I've found it a little overbearing sometimes.
I would suggest the long-stewed pork leg next time. The salads are great but to me they're very spicy.
Most authentic sichuan/szechuan restaurant?
Sichuan Fortune House in Pleasant Hill is not that easy to find but they are passionate about the authenticity of the food. Just make sure you stick to Sichuan dishes. Many of the standard Cantonese/Mandarin dishes are labelled "Classic."
Where to eat in Walnut Creek?
I don't think you can go wrong with Breads of India on N. Main Street. The vegetarian dishes tend to be especially good. Also, Cafe Delle Stelle for informal Italian food. They have a cheesy pasta potatoey thing called Rustica that is delicious but may require you to check yourself in to Kaiser. Both restaurants have roots in other Bay Area places. Walnut Creek Yacht Club is good for fresh seafood.
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Breads of India
1358 N Main St, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
"Chow-worthy" near Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill?
The Thai place in the Safeway shopping center on Contra Costa is Thai Osha and it's very good and fresh. But it's still in a sweet and mild "suburban" vein. In the same vein, Three Brothers from China across the street is very well prepared, mostly cantonese Chinese food. Very popular with Chinese families in Contra Costa. Sichuan Fortune House is really an anomaly for the suburbs. The Sichuan dishes really seem authentically oily and spicy. If you're tempted to order anything there labelled "Classic," go to Three Bros. instead.
If you're around for breakfast or lunch, the Plaza Cafe, also in the Safeway center, is a great mainstream diner (except the coffee's not so good; they don't seem to mind if you bring in Starbucks from next door). I also like Korea House in the Park and Shop mall on Willow Pass, and falafel from the Mediterranean in the same mall.
Lers Ros Thai - SF - Report
This is surprising to me. I've had several salads there over the past few months. I think the base dressing they all come with is fairly spicy (i.e., their "mild"). I ordered it "medium" the first time and it was spicier than most Thai restaurants in SF ever get.. Agree on the pork let. Thing of beauty. The crispy pork belly is amazing too.
Best Breakfast in Orange County.
Just ate there yesterday and this post is right on. Great food (I had a huge and delicious vegetable omelette) and bad coffee (advertised as coming from a company called Diedrich). I've eaten at Original Pancake Houses all over the country over the years and the coffee is usually consistently good. I always assumed they had a proprietary blend that all outlets used. The food will keep me coming back if I'm in the area but that's a pretty serious flaw for a breakfast place.
Caffe Venezia, Berkeley . . . crossed off the list
I also had a birthday dinner there a couple of years ago. I hadn't eaten there in many years but had fond memories of the best pasta carbonara I had ever eaten. Alas, it will remain but a memory. The carbonara was a gloppy mess. Nothing else was very good either.
Looking for kickass Szechuan food
Fortune House Sichuan on a little side street in, of all places, Pleasant Hill. It's been on this board before. I understand the ancestry goes back to China Village in Albany. Let the host guide you if you want an authentic experience. Don't miss the sesame flatbread.
- Chris
best fried chicken in san francisco
I wouldn't necessarily order anything else there but for just fried chicken at a fraction of the price of most of the places listed, I like the Broaster Cafe at Polk and Market. They use the patented broaster appliance that deep fries under pressure and the chicken turns out nice and salty, crispy and moist throughout. There's no atmosphere and the couple of sides I've tried were nothing special but the chicken is really good.
My first In-N-Out Burger experience - questions
And if it makes anyone feel better, In-n-Out is privately held and well known for good treatment of its employees. Higher starting salaries, managers who make more than $100K and good benefits. Some of the profits also go to a foundation that funds nonprofits in their region (mostly west coast).
Sacramento - Chicago Fire Pizza
I don't think anyplace in Sac could be quite like the craziness of Zachary's. Chicago Fire wasn't too crowded when I was there but it was early. I noticed that some people had to wait for a table even though there were plenty of empty seats. I think they weren't fully staffed yet. I got my pizza to go, actually and drove it all the way to the Bay Area. It was still quite warm and when I got home and the crust held up well. They seem to do a lot of takeout business. Nice bar too.
Sacramento - Chicago Fire Pizza
I've now had both the deep dish and the stuffed pizza at Chicago Fire on J Street in Sacramento (the original is in Folsom but I haven't been there). The restaurant purports to be a tribute to places like Lou Malnatti's and Gino's East in Chicago but I'd have to say the pizza is better than those I have had at the originals in Chicago fairly recently. The Chicago pizzas were made and presented somewhat indifferently compared to the Sacramento version. The deep dish crust at Chicago Fire is made in a crisp but still moist style unlike the dry, crackery crust at Zachary's in the East Bay. Good balance of flavors and ingredients. Pretty much the best pan pizza I've had outside of Chicago except for a little brother and sister run place that existed in Berkeley about 20 years ago. Can't vouch for the thin crust. That's an entirely different product.
Maybe I'll try Zelda's for a comparison. Anyone had them both and have some comments?
Best Chicken/Veal Parm in SF?
I think Pasta Pomodoro does a nice chicken version. Get it with the brussels sprouts.
Custom Burger, SF report
Well, it was written up there and sounded good. It relieved me of the panic to make a commitment that was building as I neared the front of the line. I just think a few tweaks would improve the place immensely. Perhaps they don't have much incentive. The place was full of happy-looking lunch diners when I went and there's not a lot of competition in the neighborhood.
Custom Burger, SF report
I went here for the first time the other day. I thought the place had a lot of promise but overall the execution is just too sloppy. Too bad. The concept makes a lot of sense (burgers of many types with interesting toppings and buns that you can build to order; a limited number of enticing side dishes). I decided to bypass the many choices and order the "summer special" of buffalo burger on a sesame seed bun with mozzarella, lettuce, tomato and barbecue sauce. I thought it was nice that they asked you how done you wanted it. I ordered medium rare and a half order of "fries with sea salt."
The burger had a good buffalo taste but was definitely well done (why did they bother to ask?) and had no barbecue sauce. The fries were fresh and hot and could have been good if they had been cooked a bit longer.
A little more care and attention and I think it could be really good. Unfortunately, my first experience doesn't make me want to return.
Sand Dabs?
I just visited Tadich Grill for the first time a few weeks ago and had some delicious sand dabs.
Best Steak or Prime Rib in East Bay?
I had some of the best prime rib I've ever had (and I grew up in Kansas City) years ago at Casa Orinda in.....well, you can figure it out. They're probably better known for fried chicken but this was some seriously good beef.
Recommendation for Sunday Buffet Brunch - East Bay
Scott's Seafood in Walnut Creek used to have a nice buffet. I think it's also around $40. Tasteful live jazz music included. The Scott's in Oakland doesn't offer a buffet by the way.
Pleasant Hill - Back Forty Texas BBQ - exhausting experience
OK. I'll give Back 40 a little credit. We've been going there for years and found it to be consistent and good. Somehow the chicken stays very moist after hours in the smoker. The beef can be a bit dry, but if you order it "juicy" you get thicker slices with a lot of moisture and flavor (hint: it's called fat). I don't think anyone really has a killer barbecue sauce in the Bay Area and Back Forty's is better than most. I usually get the "hot" version. It's an upscale, suburban setting for a barbecue. How upscale? The new executive chef's last kitchen was Lark Creek in Walnut Creek. It has one of the best bars in the area and they've designed the new restaurant with a great separate entrance for takeout with dedicated parking.
I honestly don't think the restaurant can be blamed because it's very popular at 6:20 on a Friday night. There aren't enough reliably good restaurants of this range in the area.
