oniontears's Profile
Grocery Outlet-April 2012
Yup! I saw them Oakland. That all-butter crust does sound promising. zippo's picture shows about how many I saw there as well (with another stack to the left). The more I think about it the more I'm compelled to go back for one.
Grocery Outlet-April 2012
This appears to be the branded version of Trader Joe's Cookie Butter http://www.sandiegosugar.com/2011/grocery-goods-trader-joes-cookie-butter/
I haven't seen it in the Oakland TJs yet, but saw it in a Pasadena location this past weekend. The Biscoff stuff is an even better deal!
Also in Oakland:
Manischewitz Coconut Macaroons: $1.99 for the usual 10oz container
Ryvita rye crips in dark/light rye, sesame rye, rye and oatbran: $1.69
I echo the $1.99 Lurpak
Boulder Canyon Hickory BBQ chips: $1.49 for 5oz bag
Boursin, garlic and herb: $1.99
Gardetto's snack mix: $1.99 for 2lb bag
I passed up the Vermont Mystic Pie company's blueberry pie ($6.99) and I had heard good things when I lived in New England. Also hounds seem to give them the nod http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/811482. I couldn't find an expiration date so I chickened out. Has anyone tried them?
Adagia > Free House (Berkeley)
I just went to Free House with some fellow grad students. Our building is on the south side of campus, rolling distance. I had the buttermilk fried chicken wings (all drumettes, $8) which was a very large bucket, great for sharing. They were fried dark, like I like them, crunchy and perhaps even better than the fried chix I had yesterday at Brown Sugar Kitchen (more juicy, owing to the small pieces fried very hot). A pleasant blue cheese (which I thought tasted a bit like ranch) accompanied it as did fresh radish, which reminded me of pickled radish accompanying korean fried chix to add refreshment and cut the grease.
All beers on tap were $5, including 4(!) IPAs, local Linden Street brewery selections, and even a couple of Belgian style pours. I had a fresh tasting Lagunitas Hop Stoopid. A friend had the veggie burger which she said likened to a flattened falafel ($10), not really a glowing review for a veggie burger.... Reports were that the vegan chili was satisfying ($8).
To answer MagicMarkR, the Southside is want for laid back places to take in a pint with solid food without being overrun by undergraduates. Henry's (more expensive, beer selection pales in comparison, food middling) was really the only option that fit that. I'd been to Adagia, and while the food was decent, I much prefer this style and price point for a relaxed early dinner with good beers. Hopefully the quibbles from escargot3 and pkt63 are ironed out once Free House gets its groove.
"Leave your heart wherever, but eat in Oakland"
Fun article in Boston Globe about Oakland food scene. The usuals are recommended at the end, but I liked the chefs' inputs on Oakland diners. Someone needs to fact check that Bay Bridge span, though....
http://bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2012/02/26/restaurant-scene-booming-oakland-calif/7XYD3QQBTnOdTVwka6RRnM/story.html
Banh beo & banh cuon, Tay Ho, Oakland - any reports?
Craving banh cuon with all the fixings, I stopped into Tay Ho today for an early lunch to go. Usually I don't report on take away meals since they can suffer from packaging and travel, but I was compelled to give the banh cuon a shouted WOW here.
I went with the lunch item #10: House Special Banh Cuon Dac Biet ($8.25), which comes with the wood ear mushroom and pork, dry fried ground shrimp, and plain banh cuon. The rice flour sheets are made fresh in house and were the perfect texture: translucently thin without falling apart under a chopstick grip, and yielding the exact amount of chew before releasing between the teeth. The basil, cucumbers and blanched bean sprouts were packed separately in a small sealed bag to contain any released liquid, which was thoughtful. In addition, they included a spread of tasty cha lua (pork loaf) that had been pan-fried on the exterior to give it a browned outer edge and texture contrast. These were topped with the requisite fried shallots. Two shredded sweet potato fritters added crunch (they were still perfectly crisp when I got home, much to my relief) and sweetness. These were so delightful I was glad to have some portion control here. There were two wedges of banh cong (mung bean and shrimp fried balls) that I discovered after initial bites. These were a bit too glutinous to the point of being mushy for me. They could have suffered from travel since these were buried. I do prefer a distinct outer crunch to the banh cong and more mung bean. Finally, there was a small square of appropriately sweet and sour nem chua (fermented pork or beef terrine). All in all it was a lot of food and completely satisfied my craving.
The nuoc cham was balanced...not too sweet or salty. Be sure to try the house-made chili sauce, which was redolent with fresh ground chili flavor and a sharp bite. I'm definitely holding onto the rest of the little container to use very soon.
The folks working there were very friendly and the food was ready in 5 minutes while I was offered tea or water. Granted it was 11:15am and there was only one table eating in the restaurant. To respond to Ruth's comment, I was happy to see Lagunitas Little Sumpin' and New Belgium's Ranger IPA (there were other offerings, but those would be my choice!) offered along with 33 and Saigon beers. They also serve Urban Legend wine, from Oakland's Urban Legend Cellars. I haven't had it, but like the local representation. I also saw the line on the menu that they use organic and local whenever possible, as daveena noted.
I'm looking forward to try more of the menu and have a proper sit down meal there, and would love to hear what other people recommend!
Chicken Parmesan Oakland/East Bay
For those that want to try the Uncle Dougie's chix parm hero and save some cash: http://munchonme.com/dish/425
Those pictures would benefit from melted cheese :-)
Note: unlike other groupon-esque sites, the valid-til date tends to be less generous.
Grocery Outlet, January 2012
I scored some Shark brand sriracha sauce from that table today--99 cents for the large 25 ounce bottle. I would say that 85 percent of the stock turned over since I was there last week. The Asian items are temporary. I also picked up a small bag of dangmyeon for making japchae for 25 cents(!).
Also in Oakland:
Lettieri La Porta, Orecchiette -- $2.99
Straus Brown Sugar Banana ice cream pint -- $1.99
I'm a big fan of the 2009 Pianissimo organic malbec rose, back in stock at 2/$5 as well as the 2007 Patianna bio-dynamic organic sauvignon blanc for $3.99.
Any local outlets for Penzey's whole peppercorns?
Soon-to-open Oaktown Spice (530 Grand Avenue) was hawking tellicherry peppercorns at the Pop-Up Grocery Store last week. They had a few spice blends going which had me regarding them as a local Penzy's-type spice shop. The bay leaves I bought from them were super fragrant. Maybe shoot them an email? https://www.facebook.com/oaktownspiceshop
Pizzaiolo 2011
I wonder if this bread is related to Josey the Baker bread since he used to fire his loaves at Pizzaiola and leave some for the restaurant. He's been traveling around SE Asia for the past few months, so perhaps not...
Chicken Pot Pie/ Berkeley or Oakland Area
Have you tried the pot pies from Pot Pie Paradise? They have a stand at the Temescal Farmer's Market. I've sampled various flavors but can't remember my favorites off the top of my head. I usually make my own classic chicken :-)
Grocery Outlet, November 2011
Heads up! The Grocery Outlet semi-annual wine sale starts on Wednesday (Nov. 9) and goes through Sunday. 20% off all wine. I just caught this on their FB page.
ISO good red wine vinegar
Love, love, love Katz & Company's Late Harvest Zinfandel Agrodolce Wine Vinegar from Napa (not cheap at $11/375ml. but worth it). They have a Red Wine Trio vinegar as well that I haven't tried. Katz vinegars and olive oils are available at Berkeley Bowl and Market Hall, although you'll have to see which varieties are in stock. Chez Panisse reportedly uses their olive oils. I sampled Katz's vinegars at the Pop-up General Store last year where they offer sips of their products and I immediately began scheming of all this things I could top with the vinegar.
SPoT BAGEL
wow. i noticed last week that one of the UC Berkeley cafes switched from Spot. i know they supplied several of the campus' eateries which is as good as a sure thing since the majority of students won't really question the bagel quality (they were MUCH better than what was on offer there previously). even with such a large customer order from the cal campus they're gone...
Dave's Killer Bread at Safeway in San Francisco
Great news! I always have my sister bring me loaves of Good Seed from Dave's in Portland. They freeze super well. Did you spot any Sin Dawgs??
Where Can I Find Pink Pearl Apples (or something close)?
Are the Pink Pearls still around? I didn't see them at BB last week. I had some Pink Pearl Scream Sorbet today which reminded me that I hadn't had any of these beauties this year! Let me know if there have been recent spottings in the East Bay groceries or farmer's markets.
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Scream Sorbet
5030 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA
Shake Shack
Hit up SS today at around 6:50pm. The line ended in front of Public Bar and moved steadily. It took about 15-20 minutes to get through to the counter, making it the shortest SS line I have ever waited in. After ordering, they hand you a pager, and the food was ready in about 5 minutes, as promised. There is a decent amount of seating in the back and an area upstairs. The line was almost at Nando's when I left. They passed out samples of the vanilla and choc frozen custard to greet customers. The vanilla is better than the chocolate since it highlights the thick creaminess of frozen custard. The chocolate is a bit chalky.
Having eaten at SS in NYC many times over the years, I would say the fare was very true to form, down to the fresh, crisp lettuce. I ordered the SS burger, fries ($2.65) and Abita root beer on tap and my friend had the 'Shroom burger, a deep fried portobello mushroom bomb filled with muenster and cheddar cheeses as the "patty" ($6.75).
The burger, as always, had a nice char, cooked on the rarer side of medium, perfectly melted cheese and a nice balance against cold, fresh lettuce and tomatoes. I always love their potato bun--grilled and soft, but with enough heft and chew to handle the burger. The burgers are not large, and pricey for what you get ($4.75 for a single, $7.25 for a double). If you're hungry, I suggest getting a double. The ridged fries are perfectly fried crisp and golden brown.
The frozen custard flavor of the day was cinnamon almond dulce, tomorrow's is red velvet. They had an awesome sounding vanilla infused rhubarb stir-in.
The service was pretty solid for opening day. Their only fumble was including pickles in my burger, which I specifically said I didn't want.
All in all, if you've been to SS and love it, you will still love it. Otherwise, I can see the detractors soon complaining about the prices and the pseudo upscale-fast-food vibe and heading back to Five Guys or, better yet, Ray's Hell.
Grocery Outlet March 2011
Grocery Outlet is having another one of their 20% off all wine sales. This one goes until April 3rd.
Dekopon/Sumo Citrus
Intrigued by David Karp's article in the LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-dekopon-20110217,0,3259483.story
I was thrilled to find Sumos at Berkeley Bowl. As described, they are easy to peel and super sweet. The pronounced mandarin citrus taste is missing, but if you like very sweet citrus with a pulpy flesh, they are worth seeking out since they may only be around through March. Berkeley Bowl is selling them for $2.59/lb or an 8 piece box for $10.
Will travel for oxtail ramen
You may be right, but this suggests otherwise: http://gigazine.net/news/20100329_zima_lip_cap/
It's still available in Japan. My point is that the Takara malt beverages taste similar, and are not worth a repeat drink.
Grocery Outlet FEB 2011
Decent trip to Oakland GO yesterday:
2 lbs of Monterey Pasta Co.'s Spinach and Cheese Ravioli (organic): $3.99
Anna's (organic!) Swedish Ginger Thins : $0.99
Domingo's BBQ Double Cooked Pork Rinds (antibiotic free, humanely raised pork): $0.99
Cyclops Mango Greek Style Frozen Yogurt (from New Zealand): $1.99
I'm sad I missed the Haagen Daaz "Five" flavors, but they had their "Tart" FroYo.
Alba Passion Flower Hand Soap: $2.49
Tasty and Cheap Catering- Are We Asking the Impossible?
I was also struggling with the same set of considerations when I had to feed a group of ~15 or so PhD students and professors recently.
What about Gregoire (Piedmont Ave. location would be convenient for you!) since their salads/sandwiches are under $10. Perhaps they can put something together something in bulk for you. Much of their food is exceptional for the value. http://www.gregoirerestaurant.com/
I ended up ordering an array of Indian naan wraps from Urbann Turbann on Euclid in Berkeley. Their organic veggies and free-range/grass fed meat wrap are quite amazing. Huge, tasty and fresh, with fantastic freshly made chutneys. Nothing is over $7 and I everyone raved. http://www.urbannturbann.com/
SF-flavored Xmas gift for a foodie?
I second La Cocina companies' treats. As a matter of fact, if you are around on Friday they are having a gift fair in the Mission http://www.lacocinasf.org/classes-workshops/
I also like to steam a few large dungeness crabs if I'm heading to visit someone non-West Coast during crab season. They are easy to transport once cooked.
Scream Sorbet store, Oakland (Telegraph & 51st) review w/ pics
If you think you'll frequent Scream, you should do as I did and buy some gift cards. They have some great deals running where $25 will get you the g.c. and a free 12oz prepack ($8 value). I couldn't hold back and went for $100 and they split it into smaller denominations for me so I can dole them out as gifts. I paid $85, got the $100 in g.c. and 2 pre-packs. Think of it as helping them raise capital for the store and enabling them to roll out more goodies like sorbet sandwiches!
I was told they might start removing the free items (not the discounts on face value), so better to snatch those up now. That portion of the block might start seeing a doubly long line starting at Bakesale Betty and joined by the Scream Sorbet fanatics (myself included).
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Bakesale Betty
5098 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609
Scream Sorbet
5030 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA
Pumpkin Ice Cream is BACK at Trader Joe's!!!
Meh. PJ's rendition of pumpkin ice cream is probably one of my least favorites considering how good their regular flavors are. It's too heavy on spice and has an odd egg nog undertone that just doesn't belong (too much nutmeg, methinks). Anyway, they have it at the Rockridge, Oakland store and you can have them.
Advice Needed on Bringing Dinner for Berkeley Grad Students
One of my classes at Berkeley meets during dinner and a different pair is in charge of providing dinner every week. I'm up next week and would like to bring something everyone can enjoy, and something a bit different. Can folks recommend a restaurant that does large orders with good food and reasonable prices? We haven't done Indian yet. Are there solid places in the campus area or one that will deliver? Small catering operations would also work well. I was also thinking of East & West bolanis and dips, but may have some trouble heating up the bolanis.
We're all either PhD or masters students (tending towards late 20s and early 30s) and have open-minded palates and we have just a couple of vegetarians among us. We only need to feed 10-15 and although one pair cooked, it just doesn't seem that folks have time to. Just to get a sense of what we've been eating, it's ranged from Papa John's pizza to a Thai spread (from Sabuy Sabuy, I think) to assemble your own falafels (Chick-o-Pea's) to individual burritos from La Burrita. The budget is generally $50-$100 per pair, although as grad students, the more affordable the better!
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La Burrita
2530 Durant Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704
Papa John's
1731 N Texas St Ste A1, Fairfield, CA 94533
why haven't i spent time in oakland's chinatown before? new gold medal, shanghai, and yuen hop noodle co.
I'm thrilled about this thread! I'm new to the area, and took a run down to Chinatown from Temescal the other day to pick up fresh rice noodles at Yuen Hop for my pad see ew. I was curious about the down home looking pho shops and was wondering if Shanghai is the only place with XLB in Oakland Chinatown.
Does anyone know if any of the bakeries have good po tat/pastel de nata?
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Yuen Hop
824 Webster St, Oakland, CA
Pinatas!
China Fair on Mass Ave in North Cambridge regularly stocks pinatas. I always think of them when my birthday nears...
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China Fair
2100 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA
Best beef 7 ways in Dorchester?
I'm seeking some advice on the best bo 7 mon in Dorchester. I think I tried the meal at Anh Hong over a year ago and enjoyed it, but I'd like to hear more recent updates on where best to have it. BTW, I recently really enjoyed the revamped Pho Hoa in Dot, great bun bo hue.
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Anh Hong
291 Adams St, Dorchester, MA 02122
Haymarket
I guess the lesson is that the Haymarket is a place to shop with caveats. But at the end of all of this, you'll be an informed customer. Check out one of my recent Friday bounties from the Haymarket, total: $10, and decide if you'd like to check it out for yourself. Hint: 6/$1 navel oranges make the most affordable and delicious fresh squeezed OJ around, and oranges need not be in perfect condition!
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Haymarket
Blackstone St, Boston, MA
Haymarket
On the same note, Friday mornings are the best time to skim whatever is still very good. There are some terrific finds at Haymarket. In a good week I could buy cut, organic butternut squash for $1, a beautiful head of purple cauliflower for $1, a pint of golden raspberries for $1.50, perfect tomatoes on the vine for $1/lb, and a giant bunch of basil that made me two pints of fresh pesto for $2. The rule seems to be go early on Friday and pick your own. There are also jerky vendors there (I've witnessed out and out racism several times from one of the vendors closer to the side Haymarket T station) so if they are rude to you or anyone else, skip them. There are plenty of others who are great and would appreciate your business. Definitely take your time and look around since prices and quality can vary significantly.
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Haymarket
Blackstone St, Boston, MA
