Joel's Profile
The Richmond Review [San Francisco]
Adding a link
www.therichmondsf.com/
Phone: 415 379-8988
Fax: 415 379-3807
615 Balboa Street, San Francisco CA, 94118
Cranky note: Why don't people who post a review also give an address?
waht to order at Binh Minh Quan Oakland- (Vietnamese food)
follow the yellow brick thread:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/44375
Mustard flavored dishes
Ahadu (Ethiopian) on Telegraph in Oakland, has "azifa", a cold lentil salad seasoned with mustard.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846779
China Village has "double skin" but they too are closed because of a fire.
Ahadu: good Ethiopian (Telegraph Av, Oakland)
This location has had several incarnations, which I am misspelling so the closed operations will not show up in searches.
It was HidAway café for a number of years, serving breakfast and lunch. Then it became an Ethiopian place named Darye, which was very good -- but soon the original chef left. The operation continued under the same name and was not good.
Finally it has reopened as Ahadu, and it is very good.
There are ten or so Ethiopian places in the Telegraph Avenue corridor; it hardly seems there is a need for another. Ahadu is directly across the street from Café Coluci. The new owners had Nyala restaurant in San Francisco some years ago, but gave it up to raise their kids.
In my opinion the quality of Ethiopian food is inversely related to the speed at which it appears at the table. If it comes quickly it has been precooked. At Ahadu you wait for the food to arrive. We have taken to ordering a small plate of cold lentils and injera to start, while we wait.
I've been three times, and the only dish I've ordered was the "dulet." It is chopped lamb, lamb tripe, and lamb liver, cooked in spiced butter. One has a choice of raw or cooked; I get it cooked. Very good, very consistent. Others at the table have enjoyed the veg combo, and the lamb (or beef) tibs (sautéed small pieces of meat, then stewed in spiced butter). Meat dishes come with a tomato salad and stewed collard greens.
Last time we went someone ordered a dish "medium" (we were asked about the level of spice). It turned out too spicy for her to eat (she usually enjoys spicy food)-- and they replaced it with the milder version.
The servers are exceptionally pleasant and attentive, though we dine early and sometimes there are only a few other diners.
There are two options for outdoor dining: a patio in front and a very nice private courtyard in back.
Inside is quiet and usually not crowded.
Corkage is $10, and that seems a flat fee-- we often open two bottles (for five people).
Street parking is easy (we live close; we always walk).
A great site for information on Ethiopian restaurant food: http://www.ethiopianrestaurant.com/
Ahadu Restaurant
6430 Telegraph Ave
(between Alcatraz Ave & 65th St, a few blocks from the Berkeley border)
Oakland, CA 94609
(510) 879-7591
http://www.ahadurestaurant.com
rhubarb yet?
B Bowl today (April 20):
about $4.50 per pound for organic (from Washington)
about $2.50 per pound for conventional (from Oregon)
Taishan Cafe - Inner Richmond - Report
1125 Clement St
(between 12th Ave & Funston Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 668-0838
Behind the Counter @ Berkeley Bowl
At BB East, I have gotten chicken bones for stock. Mostly backs. They have them all the time -- you have to ask. As I recall they were more than 99 cents a pound, but the stock comes out great and there is a fair amount of meat on the bones -- so we can make a meal of the meat too.
PLU codes at Shattuck Berkeley Bowl
They've eliminated the space where the employees put together the "sale" produce, and made the juice. I don't know where the elves are now located.
As you mentioned, it is a CHANGE, and I can not handle CHANGE.
SO please, everyone, stay away from BB East.
Although I did pick up 8 avocados in a bag for 99 cents.
Very good organic red peppers for $2 a pound (prepacked in plastic bags).
Recs for Chinese in SF for a group
I've only been to Hakka once, but it was quite good -- we ordered some of the Chef's Specials with good results. Pumpkin strips were a big hit.
I believe they have a private room, or at least a separate room -- anyway they were very accommodating although the place was packed at the time. At the time you are going, there will not be a problem.
The parking should be easy at that time of day in that area.
Fresh Jack Fruit
B Bowl East had it about a month ago. It was cut in small pieces (not surprising since the whole fruit is massive) and it was the best quality I've had. It was about $2 per pound as I recall. But I have not seen it there in the last few weeks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-PgVdZ1fEg&feature=endscreen&NR=1
late cranberries
BB East had fresh c-berries Sunday but they had disappeared yesterday (January 31).
They don't have cheap frozen ones.
Last year they had cheap frozen ones for a few months in the early part of the year.
They have more expensive frozen c-berries (about $3 or $4 for a package).
Whats the best sandwich/picnic food you can get for a a day at Golden Gate Park?
Also the cafe at the de Young is open to the public -- you don't need to pay the museum admission to get in to the cafe.
Whats the best sandwich/picnic food you can get for a a day at Golden Gate Park?
I was at the de Young this week (Weds and Friday). No problem parking if you can stand a quarter-mile walk. Lots of parking further away-- four-hour limit in many places. Parking will be difficult on a weekend, but should be fine since you are going Thursday.
There are bicycle rental places on Arguello (just northeast of the park). Take the bus there, rent a bike, return it, take the bus back.
I had a nice lunch at the deYoung cafe: big bowl of soup with roll, $7. I sat outside overlooking the sculpture garden.
They continue to sell snacks and tea/coffee later on, but the kitchen closes at 3PM. Food is high-end, well-prepared.
lunch near Ashby BART
adding a link to Smokey J.
I've tried a few of their items; I'm not knowledgeable about BBQ but everything I've had has been very good (rib tips, ribs, brisket, pulled pork).
-----
Smokey J's BBQ
3015 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705
Mount Everest, Nepali cuisine; Telegraph Av in Berkeley
I believe there is no connection between this place and the place with the same name that was on Shattuck and University some years ago. The menu is quite different.
Mount Everest, Nepali cuisine; Telegraph Av in Berkeley
This is our go-to place. It is the site of the former Tandoor Kitchen, on Telegraph (corner of Parker). Quite inexpensive.
Our favorites are Papadi Chaat, Veg Momo or Chicken Momo.
Also Okra (Bhindi), tandoori Lamb.
Mount Everest Herbal Soup -- good on a cold day.
I like the Goat curry; they don't always have it on hand. It has a lot of chewy bits so some others in our group don't care for it.
They have brown rice, a big plus for us. The garlic naan and onion naan are good.
We have ordered the dishes made "spicy" which is just right for us -- they also have "extra spicy" but we don't do that.
One of the few dishes we did not care for was Kukhura Ko Sekuwa: Chicken cube marinated with garlic in a famous Kathmandu sauce cooked in clay oven.
Also the Dal Bhat Tarkari turns out to be a "thali" platter with a lot of small dishes, hard to share with more than two people.
Every month or two, they have a new set of specials -- organic, and a bit more expensive than the usual items.
Very nice young people on staff.
Corkage $6; I think they have a decent wine/beer list, though we always bring our own. In warm weather they have seating outside on an upstairs balcony.
Mt. Everest Restaurant
2598 Telegraph Ave. , Berkeley
CA 94704
Phone : (510) 843-3951
Fax : (510) 843-3951
Email : mteverestaurant@gmail.com
website: http://www.themounteverestrestaurant.com/menu.php
Finger Limes: Has anyone seen them in the East Bay?
Today at Berkeley Bowl.
$13.69 for a basket -- half a pint.
Dongpo Rou at Shanghai Bund
Adding a link to the correct name.
-----
Bund Shanghai
640 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA
Costco rotisserie chicken...why is it so good?
Definitely brined. I find it a bit salty, but not too much.
Ingredients: whole chicken,water,salt,sodium phosphate, modified food starch, sugar,carrageenan,soy lecithin,flavorings and xanthan gum.
"No Preservatives,MSG, Gluten, Artificial Flavors or colors."
Unique Thanksgiving Experience
How about a nice Chinese restaurant? That's what all the Chinese people do. The best time to go (on T-giving) is in mid-afternoon, because they will be packed at dinner time.
Assuming you are not Asian, the bonus is that you will be integrating the place. I find it fun to be the only people of Caucasian persuasion in the room.
I'd recommend Great Eastern in Chinatown (a brisk walk from Union Square).
-----
Great Eastern Restaurant
649 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Where Can I Find Pink Pearl Apples (or something close)?
I bought some at the Tuesday Berkeley Farmer's Market yesterday (I forget the vendor's name).
$2 per pound.
They are not great.
I've had better versions in past years from Berkeley Bowl, though I didn't see them there on Sunday.
-----
Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon St, Berkeley, CA 94703
Golden Gate Bakery - Pastry maker passed away
I once passed by GG Bakery and there was a huge stack of empty egg cartons out front on the sidewalk, enough for hundreds of eggs -- I'm sure they use eggs.
Zinfandel in southern Sonoma/Napa counties
Driving in one day from the Napa valley to the Sonoma wine country, and back, is not my idea of a good time. The roads are either heavy with traffic, or windy and twisty, or both. The road east from Calistoga is an exceptionally scenic route, a lot of fun if you have a good sports car (Petrified Forest Road to Mark West Springs Road). There might be some wineries along the way.
My advice is to stay within Napa. There are some nice tasting rooms within the city of Napa; you can get some sort of "passport" to go to more than one at a discount, and most of the tasting rooms represent more than one winery. All walkable. Bonus is that the weather is (so far this summer) cool enough so that walking is reasonable.
http://www.napadowntown.com/plan-your-trip/downtown-wine-tasting-card
Hendry is a great recommendation -- the tours are usually for those on their "preferred list". We were lucky enough to know some people on the list and got an amazing tour from George Hendry.
Has anyone seen rhubarb in Oakland/Berkeley stores recently?
Berkeley Bowl East today (yes, I survived Saturday at the Bowl):
rhubarb from Washington, $2.39 per pound. It looked OK, a bit green.
I did not see organic rhubarb, which has recently been available at about $4.50 per pound.
-----
Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon St, Berkeley, CA 94703
Z & Y - what to order?
"Baked whole fish"is what it's called on the menu, under Chef's specialties.
-- I was expecting a whole fish, but not so. It was a filet. Absolutely delicious; no sauce, but very flavorful and moist. Not like anything I've had before.
Grocery Outlet, August 2011
Lindt Excellence bars are 2 for $3 at Walgreens this week.
Wine on Piedmont in Oakland
http://wineonpiedmont.com/
4183 Piedmont Ave. Oakland, CA 94611
Store hours:
Tue-Fri 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sat 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sun 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Phone: 510.595.9463 / 510.595.WINE
Email: brian@wineonpiedmont.com
Be Bop, Korean in Berkeley (Elmwood)
Last week I went to Be Bop, a new Korean place. It opened a few weeks ago on College Avenue in Berkeley, across the street from the Elmwood Theater. I can walk there, an important point in its favor. I like Korean food because it is a raucous symphony of explosive flavors, dancing in my mouth. But Bebop is a tame, pale, gentle and poetic saunter. They emphasize the vegetarian. Perhaps some would like that.
The setting and the staff are pleasant, prices are reasonable. They will be revamping their menu soon, so who knows what will happen. I ordered a Bibimbap (obviously their signature dish, hence the restaurant name). Bibimbap is a rice bowl, topped with various ingredients, accompanied by a spicy sauce. Traditionally one mixes it all together and (if you are Korean) it is comfort food.
I ordered Dol Sot Bibimbap, which (for a slight upcharge) comes in a scorching hot stone bowl. The idea is that the rice gets crisp on the bottom, and the food stays hot. That part worked. I had Bulgogi (thinly sliced grilled beef) as a topping; at $13.95 it was the highest priced menu item. For this you get an entire dinner.
First came a small bowl of a sweet, thick "pumpkin soup." Then the main affair, accompanied by a soothing seaweed soup, and a three-item panchan. Normally there are many more items in panchan (small dishes of pickles and the like). These were a decent cucumber pickle, a "white" kimchi (like a mild sauerkraut, no spice) and a shredded pickle (perhaps gobo). There are a choice of sauces; I chose "spicy." I got a small gravy boat of a thick red miso-based sauce, spicy and flavorful but not incendiary; this was the best part of the meal. Instead of mixing it all together I used it as a dipping sauce.
The Bibimbap itself was missing the traditional raw egg (or egg yolk). I commented on this and the waitress said it was not their tradition, but they might consider adding it as a menu option in future. The beef was good, but it was surrounded by an unusual group of vegetables. There was the familiar shredded raw daikon, carrot, and cooked sliced squash. Slivers of shiitake mushroom were welcome, also cooked spinach. Cooked eggplant and raw sliced cucumbers were not good additions to the mix -- but I dunked everything in the red sauce, so I was content. As a loyal citizen of Berkeley, I had ordered the required brown rice. They mistakenly gave me white rice; I ate only the crispy bits at the bottom of the bowl.
They gave me a sample of a savory pancake, a large selection of which constitutes part of their menu. I thought it was quite greasy.
Dessert (included) was quite delightful -- a small truncated cone of fruit-flavored agar-thickened pudding, very flavorful and not too sweet.
No liquor license yet, but they are working on it.
If you're afraid of Korean food this is the place for you.
Be Bop
2975 College Ave
(between Ashby Ave & Webster St)
Berkeley, CA 94705
Phone: (510) 848-8081
Lunch: Mon-Sat 11am - 3pm
Dinner: Mon-Sat 5pm - 10pm, Sun 5pm - 11pm
Restaurants/Markets in Oakland Chinatown
New Gold Medal (I am putting the correct name here to get the link correct).
I haven't been there in a while but it was a favorite of ours.
Lately I've been buying roast ducks, stewed pork bits, BBQ duck livers etc and taking them home to eat, rather than dining in restaurants.
-----
New Gold Medal
389 8th St, Oakland, CA 94607
