eeblet's Profile
Here comes the new look!
I'm no art director, but I'm a front-end developer obsessed with usability... and I find this site unusable because of how ugly it looks. It has that generic "print magazine that has a website" look. The fonts seem optimized for Macs - Arial at sizes larger than 11px looks like crap. The layout is overwhelming (three columns on the front page? really???). Did you do any user testing?
Scream sorbet
Ruth, I think I may have arrived at the booth (that Scream guy is my boyfriend) just as you guys were talking about Il Lab. :)
As far as prepared food vendors go - yeah, they only criteria is "do the market organization managers like it". As you may notice, some market organizations are more selective than others. More food vendors are using market produce now, which is great - not to mention convenient, to be able to source your produce at the same place you sell.
Breakfest - Walnut Creek
Chow has been revolting for brunch several times lately - I ordered a fried egg sandwich and the egg was sitting on *top* of the sandwich, along with mustard and mayo, while my cheese and veggies were inside the sandwich. All four people at the table had something wrong with their order... and no special requests! So, when it's good, it's good - but go at your own risk until they hire some new cooks & waiters.
Yelpers making threats to get comped?
I'm well aware that the talk section is separate from the reviews, but over the last two years, it seems that the reviews have slid more and more in the direction of the talk boards: self-absorbed idle chatter that is totally un-food-related! It's the culture that Yelp is encouraging with their UFCs and eleet status.
Yelpers making threats to get comped?
On the SF Bay Yelp site, it seems to be a "scene" site with a social component. Food is a tiny part of it - the few interesting food threads are farrrr less popular than "Where the hot women at" or "why is FroYo so awesome" or "Guess where I woke up in a pool of my vomit last night".
Old Oakland Farmers Market: “We’re going to have a funky good time” – Scream, Cafe Gratitude, maalat and nopales agua fresca
Happy Boy isn't there (I wish!). Lone Oak (excellent organic citrus & good stone fruit) is there, though.
BTW, Scream Sorbet doesn't currently sell gelato.
I love Japanese but not sushi...
Exactly - it's more like the Piedmont Diner... but Japanese.
I love Japanese but not sushi...
I always like to stay, actually - if you show up at 2pm for lunch or 5:30pm for dinner, it will be pretty empty, and as long as you don't sit at the table in front of the bathroom, it's fine. Just don't expect anything other than a busy take-out place happening all around you. :)
ISO East Bay Sunday brunch spot...
Sorry, that was probably a bit harsh... but the food was really mediocre, and the kitchen looked dirtier than some of my favorite Oakland Chinatown places. I certainly don't mind the attitude - I enjoy it, if anything. But the food seems to have been made with a deep lack of care. I am open to trying it again. What would you recommend?
Yelpers making threats to get comped?
I wish wish wish Yelp had an "ignore this user" button, which you could click when a user is either phony (as you mention) or just has tastes you don't agree with.... Then all other review averages would not include those users, and the reviews would appear greyed out.
ISO East Bay Sunday brunch spot...
Uh, here.
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Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe
4081 Hollis St, Emeryville, CA 94608
Mama's Royal Cafe
4012 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611
Piedmont Cafe & Bakery
4054 Piedmont Ave, Oakland, CA
ISO East Bay Sunday brunch spot...
Rudy's is disgusting! Rather.... I suspect you can get lucky, but you certainly can't rely on it. For example: my boyfriend and I both got coffee with brunch. His tasted foul (way too strong and poorly brewed) and mine tasted OK. The food ranged from OK to horrible.
I like Piedmont Diner - the ingredients are cheap, but the cooking's excellent. I also like Mama's Royal Cafe - it has excellent ingredients, although the cooking's inconsistent. Both safer bets than Rudy's, for cheap and casual brunch.
East Bay bakeries for small and cheap wedding cake/cupcakes
I have no experience with this personally... but reviews of Sweet Adeline say that they are one of the less expensive wedding cake bakers around. Of course, this may be compared to super-expensive places! But worth a call.
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Sweet Adeline
3350 Adeline St, Berkeley, CA
Flavors of India
I've been here twice, and found it to be flavorless (and very questionably of India). Lamb vindaloo with barely a bite, Korma that was creamy but with no other features besides fattiness, and a saagy paneer indeed. I'd be more detailed, but it's been a while - maybe it's gotten better? Or maybe my standards are too high - I haven't had good Indian food since I moved away from LA!
My Tuesday Project: Oakland Chinatown Duck Noodle Soup Roundup
Great write-up, thanks!
Help! Orthodox Jews and Midwestwesterners in Bay Area for dinner
I don't know about SF, but if it's real comfort food you want - Saul's Deli in Berkeley will have both the kosher and the comfort.
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Saul's Deli
1475 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709
I love Japanese but not sushi...
Very cheap and tasty, and actually run by Japanese people (there are lots of Korean-run Japanese places nearby): Geta. They are a sushi joint, but the katsu is tasty, and the udon is simple but delicious. And so so cheap! Don't expect much ambience, though.
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Geta Japanese Restaurant
165 41st St, Oakland, CA 94611
New job in downtown Oakland, looking for lunch places
I want to love this place, but 2 of the 3 times I've been there, the fish was really really bad. Was I just very unlucky?
I find Geta, which is cheap and not particularly fresh fish-wise, to be far better.
Formal jacket and tie places -- love 'em or loathe 'em?
Same here! I only ever notice other diners if I have boring dinner company or the food is terrible. :)
Old Oakland Farmers Market - a little updating
I just ask my boyfriend (who's worked this market for the last few weeks, and worked it last year for another vendor), and he said he's seen a fish vendor, but never any crawdads. Sounds awesome... too bad.
Best Carnitas Taco in the Bay?
Not sure! It's kitty-corner to the building with the Panama Red in it. Also next to some hot dog place.
What do with Quark?
Wow, thanks for the links - that looks gorgeous. ...But if my life keeps up like it is, I may just give my lemon quark and your recipe to a motivated friend. :)
What do with Quark?
Ooh, I do want further details! I've not yet used my quark - my weekend consisted of lots and lots of work, no time for cooking.
Best Carnitas Taco in the Bay?
Cross-post? :) http://www.yelp.com/topic/san-francisco-best-carnitas-taco-in-the-bay
I'll be redundant too and again recommend Los Gallos in Concord. They have a sign that could read "Buy 2 drinks get one free" or "Aguas Frescas available here" but instead it says "Carnitas Made With Lard".
The Carnitas Crawl sounds fun... although you may be literally crawling by the end of it.
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Taqueria Los Gallos Express
2118 Willow Pass Rd, Concord, CA 94520
Formal jacket and tie places -- love 'em or loathe 'em?
I have a visceral reaction to this whole approach - because my boyfriend and I have very little money. We're passionate about food, and not about clothing. We shop at thrift shops, and scrimp and save to be able to eat excellent food (whether a $3 Vietnamese sandwich or a $15 bowl of beans) - I am grateful for what I view the appropriate emphasis that California cuisine places on food over schmanciness, since I literally do not have the clothing to fit into your casino scenario. If a restaurant looks at my old sweater and skirt and decides my money is no good, they can go f*** themselves.
Formal jacket and tie places -- love 'em or loathe 'em?
My bf & I sometimes get Friends & Family discount at the most expensive restaurant we go to - to be fair, it's in California, not very expensive, and there's no dress code. But we are almost always [and obviously] the poorest people in there.... and probably the biggest tippers, since we know what it's like to have to work hard to make ends meet!
I love those scenes in Garlic & Sapphires, btw! Popped into my head upon reading this thread.
Formal jacket and tie places -- love 'em or loathe 'em?
The one time in my life a waiter put a napkin on my lap, I almost punched him in the nads. I was 12 at the time, and age hadn't changed that reaction....
Do you go to restaurants and just order "snacks?"
Yes! Especially at sushi places - my bf & I will let the server know that we're just getting a small amount, and then we order a few pieces of sushi. If it's really really good we might get more, but the way things have gone in the SF East Bay, we almost always end up going back home or to another restaurant for more dinner.
Also, at one of our favorite fancier restaurants we'll often go not-so-hungry and just get a half-dinner.
We're friendly and easy to deal with as far as restaurant customers go, so the waiters never have minded. It helps to say up-front that you're just getting a small amount... It also helps to tip extra. ;)
My Berkeley/Oakland faves, tell me yours
No, I mean out of the pod but unshelled... http://www.oceanmist.com/products/favabeans/favaprep.aspx. The creamy beautiful flavor of favas was ruined by this! They were tough and yucky. I know shelling is a PiTA, but in my experience it's well worth it.
Strange, weird or hidden places to eat in the Eastbay?
Aha! Great to know - thanks Robert & Chuckles. If I go back, I'll be choosier.
