Davis Estates 2024 “Private Reserve” Sauvignon Blanc
Napa Valley, California, $58
There are a handful of Napa Valley wineries now getting lauded for not just red Cabernet Sauvignon, but its related white grape, Sauvignon Blanc. These expressions focus on bright, intense citrus notes and lush texture without an overt herbal character. This bottling from Davis Estates captures a zesty freshness complemented by an edge of taut minerality. With a rounded mouthfeel from a touch of neutral oak barrel usage, it’s a palate pleaser.
Davis Estates is one of Napa’s in-the-know treasures. Founded by Mike and Sandy Davis as a personal passion project, the estate combines majestic views with a rustically elegant winery that feels like entering a family home. It’s a destination for special experiences and stylish wines.
Frank Family Vineyards 2020 Brut Rosé
Carneros, Napa Valley, California, $60
When it comes to California sparkling wine, Frank Family Vineyards has inherited a legacy. In the late 1950s, esteemed winemaker Hanns Kornell began making high-quality sparkling wine at the historic Larkmead property. Then, in 1992, Rich Frank — formerly president of Disney Studios and Paramount Television — acquired the estate.
Frank Family’s sparkling rosé is crafted primarily from Pinot Noir grapes grown in its Lewis Vineyard in the cool Carneros area at the southern end of Napa Valley. A kiss of Chardonnay grapes lends depth to its pink bubbly, which is aged on its lees for nearly four years. This aging process adds creaminess and texture while still maintaining its vibrantly floral character.
Quinta do Vesuvio 2022 “Pombal do Vesuvio”
Douro, Portugal, $32
If you’re ever lucky enough to visit the majestic Douro Valley, home to Portugal’s famous Port wines, you will remember it as a place filled with awe-inspiring vineyard and river views lined with historic properties. One of the most iconic estates in the Douro is Quinta do Vesuvio. I’ve had the fortune of visiting this stunning estate, which dates to 1827 and produces world-class Vintage Port. But the Douro Valley is not only home to powerful sweet wines; it’s become a magnet for those looking to sip unique dry wines from Portugal.
Vineyards are planted on ancient, terraced hillsides with varieties such as Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, which thrive in the rugged, sunbaked landscape. Pombal do Vesuvio is crafted from those grapes, with a dash of Tinta Amarela, into a dry red that captures the deep, earthy flavors and intense dark fruit notes that are hallmarks of the Douro. Pombal refers to the terraced vineyards that surround the estate’s historic towerlike structure called a dovecote, or pombal.
Take a virtual visit to the Douro by uncorking this amazingly affordable beauty.
Episode Transcript
Sbrocco: New Haven-style pizzas in San Carlos…
Adiraju: The char — It’s all about the char.
Sbrocco: …old-school diner fare in Alameda…
Brannigan: Everybody loves the waffles.
Sbrocco: …and Korean comforts in Berkeley.
Wong: It’s just melt in your mouth.
Phillips: It’s baller.
Williams: Oh, yeah.
Sbrocco: Just ahead on “Check, Please! Bay Area.” And are you a spice guy? Do you like it hot?
Brannigan: No. I do not.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Sbrocco: Hi. I’m Leslie Sbrocco. Welcome to “Check, Please! Bay Area,” the show where Bay Area residents review and talk about their favorite restaurants. Now, we have three guests, and each one recommends one of their favorite spots, and the other two go check ’em out to see what they think. Joining me at the “Check, Please” table today are financial services policy leader Shreya Adiraju, fire chief Dave Brannigan, and brand manager Alina Wong. Welcome, everyone. Are you ready?
Wong: Yes.
Adiraju: Oh, yeah.
Sbrocco: Gonna be fun.
Brannigan: Oh, yeah.
Sbrocco: Dave’s pick is a legendary diner where the breakfasts are hearty, the waffles are perfectly crisp, and the recipes haven’t changed for generations. Serving the community in the heart of Alameda since 1927, this is Ole’s Waffle Shop.
Man: I have a small table for two. Welcome to Ole’s.
Woman: Thank you.
♪♪
Ken: Ole’s Waffle Shop to me is a meeting place. It’s a place to go where you feel comfortable. Here you go. We’re building relationships here and friendships. How’s it going? Been good? Excellent. Ole’s has a phenomenal history going back to 1927. A Swedish couple started the business.
Vickie: My parents bought it in 1972. When I was in high school, I came here to work as a bus girl and I just kept on doing it. I love what I do here.
♪♪
On the menu is, like,
classic diner food.
Ken: We probably have one of the best hamburgers anywhere around.
Vickie: For dinner, I really like the fried chicken.
Ken: On a weekend, it could be anywhere from 300 to 600 waffles and pancakes that we move every day.
Vickie: Our waffles are so special because of the secret ingredients that we put in it. It’s been the same recipe since…
Ken: 1927.
Vickie: …1927.
Ken: If it isn’t broke, why fix it?
Vickie: Yeah.
Woman: Would you like any whipped cream on that?
Ken: Our staff is very important to us.
Vickie: They have a lot of compassion, and they love the customers.
Ken: We have paintings of our staff members because it took an amazing staff for almost a hundred years to keep this business going. It takes a community that supports you.
Vickie: When people leave, it feels very satisfying to see them leave happy. If my dad could see Ole’s now, he would be very proud.
Woman: Cheers.
All: Ole’s!
Sbrocco: Now, I think it’s interesting, Dave, that Ole’s has been around since 1927. 99 years it’s been around.
Brannigan: Yeah.
Sbrocco: How long have you been going? Certainly not 99 years.
Brannigan: Not 99 years. I’ve been going since the late ’90s.
Sbrocco: Wow. Okay.
Brannigan: Yeah.
Sbrocco: And has the menu or what you’ve ordered changed over the years?
Brannigan: I don’t think anything has changed over the years. One of my favorite features is you can get fresh-squeezed orange juice.
Sbrocco: Right.
Brannigan: And there’s actually a machine that has the oranges in a hopper, and it comes down, and they give you a pint of orange juice.
Sbrocco: Instead of a pint of beer.
Brannigan: Exactly, yeah.
Sbrocco: And what did you order?
Brannigan: Everybody loves the waffles.
Sbrocco: Yeah.
Brannigan: They’re crisp and they hold anything you put on it. So I would usually get the Bobby Max Special with the ham steak and a fried egg. So the steak itself is a lot.
Sbrocco: Yeah.
Brannigan: But it’s delicious. And I put the egg on top of the waffle. So you get sort of that blend of flavors.
Sbrocco: Right.
Brannigan: The kids would get, you know, the whipped cream and strawberries and things like that.
Wong: Oh, yeah.
Sbrocco: Alright, Alina, what was your experience there?
Wong: It was a great experience.
Sbrocco: Yeah.
Wong: I had the waffle combo with a scrambled egg…
Sbrocco: Okay.
Wong: …the bacon, and the waffle. And it comes with butter and hot maple syrup, which I loved pouring that over. The waffle is so crispy and soft inside.
Sbrocco: And that bacon gives a nice little salty touch to the sweetness.
Wong: Exactly. Yeah. Sweet and savory.
Sbrocco: Alright, Shreya.
Adiraju: I’m a big breakfast food fan, so I was in my happy place the minute we walked in for sure. I got the walnut waffle with the two large eggs. And then, like, the way to my heart is, like, a big dollop of salted butter right in the middle, which totally hit the spot.
Wong: So good. Yeah.
Adiraju: And I have to say, the waffle was surprisingly thin but also very fulfilling. I loved that it had, like you described, the crisp on the outside. It still retained the softness on the inside. And then I forced my husband to get the pecan waffle, and he got the waffle combo —
Sbrocco: So you can share.
Adiraju: Of course, right, ’cause we’re sharing. The nut crumble was like the perfect amount of nuts and the perfect size of crumble. We had the hash browns on the side, and those were delicious, like, light, just a little bit of crisp. You got just the right amount of potato but not big and chunky. So that complemented the waffle really well, as well.
Sbrocco: And is there any other kind of items that you would draw attention to if people are going there?
Brannigan: Well, there’s a whole other menu for lunch and dinner, which we don’t go to as often, but the burgers are always great.
Wong: We ordered the Southern fried chicken, actually.
Sbrocco: Okay.
Wong: Comes with mashed potatoes, gravy, and steamed vegetables. It was super crispy and had this, like, cornflake crust on it and kept the moisture inside. We ordered two dark-meat pieces and then one breast, and it was so good.
Sbrocco: Yeah.
Wong: It was delicious.
Sbrocco: What do you think of the service there?
Wong: Service was great, yeah.
Sbrocco: Yeah.
Wong: They welcomed us in and sat us immediately and kept on checking in on us and seeing how things were. Great service.
Sbrocco: That’s good. Well, they’ve had almost 100 years to figure it out, right?
Wong: Yes.
Sbrocco: [ Laughs ] Alright. So you’d go back?
Wong: Yes, I would. Yes.
Brannigan: It’s old-school diner food. You’re going to, you know, walk in with those expectations and you’re going to be delighted.
Sbrocco: Alright, if you would like to try Ole’s Waffle Shop, it’s located on Park Street in Alameda. And the average multi-course tab per person without drinks is around $25. From sizzling soups to street-style snacks, Alina’s spot dishes out all the Korean comforts she craves. And if that wasn’t enough, the in-house market is stocked with plenty of pantry favorites to go. Tucked away in Berkeley, it’s more than a meal. It’s Korean Superette.
♪♪
Cody: Korean Superette is restaurant and market. We serve homestyle Korean dishes to bring the Busan-style original flavor in Berkeley. I came here from Busan to study interior design. But eating Korean food is biggest passion. The Busan-style food has kick, like the people.
[ Laughs ]
Stronger flavor profile.
For example, like,
doenjang stew,
I mix with gochujang.
And my mom’s recipe is spicy
[laughs] but not too spicy.
One of most proud dish
that I made is bapsang,
and I do for lunch special
because it gives you energy.
You can survive
until the end of the day.
It brings together rice, soup,
protein, and banchan.
Banchan is not just a side dish.
Banchan is essential
to be a complete Korean meal.
[ Speaks Korean ]
Koreans love snacking.
When you go to Korea, there’s
a lot of convenience stores.
You can eat quick, satisfy,
leave.
That concept is here.
Here we go.
I’m so passionate
about sharing Korean food
with American family.
And when that kind of person
comes, eats and is satisfied
and say thank you,
that makes me not stop.
[ Laughs ]
Sbrocco: Alright, Alina, you got to love this spot, right? You can get food to go. You can get all these great dishes. Tell us about kind of the space, because it is very inviting, isn’t it?
Wong: Yes, it is. It’s really nice to go in and see the market at first, and then they’ll bring you outside if you want to sit outside in the patio, and inside is great, too. You’re surrounded by all this delicious Korean food and snacks.
Sbrocco: It’s lining the walls, right? It lines the walls.
Wong: It does.
Sbrocco: And is there a first bite that you go to?
Wong: Yes, I always will share the rosé rice cakes with whoever I’m going with.
Sbrocco: Shreya’s over there going, “Yes.”
Wong: Delicious thick rice cakes covered in this, like, creamy gochujang sauce. So it’s a little spicy, a little sweet, very creamy, and mozzarella cheese melted on top with green onions. It’s just melt in your mouth and —
Sbrocco: And I can see you agree.
Adiraju: Oh, yes. Yes, 100%. I will say, I was a little skeptical of the cheese on the rice.
Sbrocco: It does seem a little strange, doesn’t it?
Adiraju: Yeah, yeah, I was like, “Okay, savory, spicy tomato curry, and, you know, mozzarella cheese. I’m not sure,” and I have to give credit, you know, on this one occasion to my husband for pushing us to get this dish to start with. It blew my mind. It was so delicious, so perfect. I could, like, bathe in that sauce. It was so good.
Wong: Me too.
Sbrocco: Did you have this? Are we going to —
Brannigan: No, I did not have this. I went with two friends, and none of us ordered it. Now I got to go back.
Sbrocco: Okay. Alright. What did you start with?
Brannigan: We started with the fried chicken bits, and they were unbelievably good. I mean, the batter was almost tempura-like. It was really light and kind of fluffy. And then the sauce that they included with it, we had two. We had kind of a sweeter soy-based sauce and then a very spicy pepper sauce. And the combination of those, you could go back and forth on either one.
Adiraju: Right.
Sbrocco: Yeah. And do you eat a lot of Korean food? Is this kind of a newer experience?
Brannigan: I eat very little Korean food. This was my first time to a Korean restaurant.
Sbrocco: Okay, and are you a spice guy? Do you like it —
Brannigan: I am not a spice guy.
Sbrocco: Do you like it hot?
Brannigan: No. I do not. Yeah. I’ve been working up to it.
Adiraju: Yeah.
Brannigan: There were a few things that were very hot for me, but a lot of it was manageable.
Sbrocco: Yeah.
Wong: I for main sometimes get the naengmyeon, which is a cold buckwheat noodle dish in a beef consommé with some veggies on it. And you add, like, vinegar and mustard. It’s a little spicy, got a kick, but it’s delicious, especially in hot weather.
Sbrocco: Yeah.
Wong: We always, always share the dupp bop, as well. It’s like this rice bowl with any meat topping that you want. And my husband always gets the spicy pork belly because it’s a heaping portion of this, like, delicious melt-in-your-mouth pork belly.
Sbrocco: Talk about umami right there.
Wong: Yeah. And with the banchan pickles on the side, it just, like, adds that crunch. And there’s always just four or five little dishes to pair with the meal.
Brannigan: For the main, I got the bulgogi comfort pot, which was incredible. The number of ingredients that were packed into that little pot — I mean, it had a topping of these tiny little mushrooms. They almost looked like sprouts. They were just gorgeous. And then the broth itself was spicy, but it was very rich, really delicious.
Wong: I usually get one of their soups, and it’s always so warming when it’s a little chilly outside. I, this time around, got the beef doenjang stew, which is — doenjang is like a Korean fermented soybean paste. So it’s a lot of umami flavor and it’s really savory. But pieces of beef, vegetable, tofu in the stew, and there’s actual shreds of saffron in the soup, as well, which add this, like, nuttiness as you’re eating into it. That is always my go-to. Yeah.
Adiraju: I had the seafood tofu stew. It’s a big chunk of really smooth, luxurious, silky tofu in the middle. And the broth was very light. The little shrimps complemented the little veggies, and the tofu kind of brought it all together really nicely, so…
Brannigan: My friend ordered the jang pasta with pork belly, and this really stole the show. It was very different than anything else we ordered. The sauce was creamy, and, I mean, pork belly — What doesn’t taste good with pork belly in it?
Sbrocco: Right. Everything’s better with pork belly.
Brannigan: Yeah, we all kind of fought over it. It was the one thing we didn’t have any leftovers of at the end.
Sbrocco: Who got the last bite?
Brannigan: Oh, I got the last bite. It’s for research for this.
Sbrocco: Of course.
Brannigan: Yeah, and the flavor just came through amazingly. And the noodles were just such a great texture.
Sbrocco: Yeah.
Cody: Medium spicy? Okay.
Sbrocco: What did you find, Shreya, in terms of service?
Adiraju: Service was exceptional. They were really, really kind and came and asked us if we had questions and told us a little bit about, like, “Oh, it’s going to be a lot of food. Like, you know, here’s how you pair things together.” So I can’t say enough good things.
Sbrocco: So they kind of course it out for you.
Adiraju: Yeah.
Brannigan: They also had an instructional video playing of all kinds of different food and how it’s cooked, which was really fun to watch.
Sbrocco: That’s great. That’s fantastic. Yeah. Alright, so you’d go back?
Adiraju: 100%.
Sbrocco: Yeah.
Wong: I always go back.
Sbrocco: Now you’re a Korean food fan.
Brannigan: Exactly.
Sbrocco: There we go. If you would like to try Korean Superette, it’s located on Solano Avenue in Berkeley. The average multi-course tab per person without drinks is around $40. As a former East Coast resident, Shreya sets the bar high when it comes to pizza. Whenever she’s craving the classic Neapolitan-style pies of her childhood, she heads to San Carlos, home to Pazzo.
♪♪
Gambardella: “Pazzo” means “crazy” in Italian. It usually takes like one Friday night for people to kind of understand why I chose Pazzo to name it. The food here is a blend of East Coast Italian.
Man: This is our pasta chili crab.
Gambardella: My parents have had restaurants in the Bay Area Peninsula for 40-plus years, so I was born right into the game. I work with my dad every day. It’s his recipes, his cooking, his heart and pride and soul that he puts into everything around here. One of our most popular appetizers is the crispy cauliflower. My dad invented that. It’s a bit of agrodolce. It’s got a little bit of sweet, a little bit of sour, with the champagne vinaigrette and the currants. Every pasta that we serve here we make in-house. My family roots come from southern Italy, specifically Amalfi. They then immigrated here to New Haven, like a lot of immigrants from Amalfi. In New Haven, pizza’s kind of like church. Everybody kind of meets up there. In New Haven, they actually don’t eat pizza. They eat apizza. It’s pretty much the most rustic form of a pizza — thin, crispy, charred, and chewy. In the beginning, I’m trying to get, like, a nice puff from throwing the dough into a really hot spot. It kind of lets the whole pizza kind of form. The next goal is to get the bottom as cooked as possible. We also cook at a slightly slower and lower temperature than like a typical Neapolitan pizza would do. Pretty much everything that we add, if it’s not a fresh ingredient, we make in-house, so our sausage, our bacon, pancettas, any of that stuff. We don’t make uniform pizzas whatsoever. I think there’s a real beauty to kind of just slapping together pies and throwing them in and out of the oven. We’re going to be doing this all night. Best way to eat the pizza is in-house. You want to be right here when it comes out. Maybe wait a second so it doesn’t burn your mouth. Knives and forks are not allowed. You just grab it and go for hot pies on the table, and there’s no way to bring a family closer than just all sharing. Pazzo is for the people. We’re going to try our best to wow you or just leave you happy.
Sbrocco: Alright, so we’re talking pizza. Who doesn’t love pizza, right? What is it about that sort of New Haven style — New Haven, Connecticut, of course — that really appeals to you?
Adiraju: So it’s got the Neapolitan thin crust, but the char — It’s all about the char. And you’d think, like, “Ah, a burnt crisp, like, a burnt edge of a crust, like, how can that be tasty?” But if the toppings are right, it goes perfectly, ’cause the bit of char adds almost like a smokiness to the pizza. For me, I’m a tomato pie person, ’cause nothing can hide in a tomato pie Like, the sauce has to be on point. The crust has to be on point. There’s always a little bit of, like, a light coating of Parmesan on top.
Sbrocco: Right.
Adiraju: Authentic, pure, true to form is definitely the way to go with the New Haven tomato pie.
Wong: I am a huge pizza lover. It’s my favorite food, especially thin-crust pizza. And this was the thinnest crust I’ve ever seen and experienced. And it was so good. I had the potato pizza, and so it was a white-sauce pizza. It had mozzarella, very thinly sliced potatoes, rosemary, and herbs on it. And it was so good all together.
Adiraju: I got the roasted shiitake mushroom salad most recently. You’d think if they’re going to do roasted shiitake mushrooms, you’d get these sort of big chunks of mushroom on the salad.
Sbrocco: Right.
Adiraju: But it’s not like that. It almost feels like they could be Parmesan crisps. And then they put these little, like, wedges of ricotta salata around the plate of it. So salad is definitely a go-to. The only other thing I love, which is decadent to eat before pizza, is the arancini — perfectly fried, very gooey, had the perfect cheese pull, and it comes with almost like a blue cheesy aioli on the side, which is really delicious.
Brannigan: We started with the crispy fried cauliflower. It’s got a honey glaze to it, and to have the crispy outside of the cauliflower with a nice soft, hot inside, I mean, we ate those…
Sbrocco: You loved them.
Brannigan: …quick.
Sbrocco: Any other dish for you?
Wong: Yes, I had the cavatelli, which is one of their homemade pastas. It’s these rich pillows of pasta enveloped in this tomato sauce with a slow-roasted pork ragù, Parmesan cheese on top, and it just melts in your mouth. Each bite was so good, just a great little mid appetizer.
Brannigan: So I had the bucatini. It was a special that night.
Sbrocco: So you said, “Forget the pizza, baby. I’m going for the pasta.”
Brannigan: I went straight in. Well, it was described as having crab meat, crab fat butter. Oh, my God. What is that?
Sbrocco: Right.
Brannigan: But I want more of it.
Sbrocco: Yeah.
Brannigan: And a garlic sauce. And the pasta itself was just perfectly cooked. And it was all I could do not to just wolf it down.
Sbrocco: [ Laughs ] And did you have anything to drink alongside your food?
Brannigan: I did. They had a line of sodas, the Foxon Park from New Haven. And so I tried their cream soda, which, you know, is a simple cream soda, but it was delicious. Yeah, and my wife got a Hazy IPA.
Sbrocco: Did anybody have room for dessert?
Wong: I was too full for dessert. But I will go back for the tiramisu. It looked incredible.
Sbrocco: Yeah.
Adiraju: One thing I will say is it’s not a classic tiramisu. I actually love tiramisus, typically, that have a little more coffee soak and, like, are a little more dredged in the overall coffee flavor. And I like the cream a little thinner, but as a really delicious fresh dessert to have after pizza, especially ’cause it’s, like, nice and cold, it’s a perfect slice. They put an ample amount of cocoa powder on top, which you have to have on a tiramisu. It’s very delicious and worth eating there or taking home.
Brannigan: I lived in Philly for a while, and cannoli is a go-to dessert, so it was delicious, the crust. It was small. Sometimes they’re big and packed, but this was really small, fried really nicely. It was really delicious. That with a cappuccino — It was a good classic cappuccino, nice foamy top, nice strong espresso.
Sbrocco: So save room for dessert is what you two are saying.
Adiraju: Yes.
Sbrocco: [ Laughs ] Absolutely. And service — What did you think about that?
Wong: Service was great. I actually did sit at the back bar with my husband and, you know, saw the pizzas being baked in the oven. It was beautiful.
Adiraju: Service is typically great. Actually, the only thing that I’ve ever experienced is sometimes if you go on the weekend, it can get pretty busy, and it’s a small place. You can wait a little bit. So if you’re trying to get in and get out quickly, time it, like, right
when they open at 4: 00 or something like that.
Sbrocco: Alright. If you would like to try Pazzo, it’s located on Laurel Street in San Carlos. And the average multi-course tab per person without drinks is around $45.
Phillips: That’s so beautiful.
Sbrocco: And now reporter Cecilia Phillips has more Bay Area bites you’ve just got to try. She’s headed to West Oakland for a market that’s bringing life to a former food desert.
♪♪
Phillips: The West Oakland Farmers Market, this is one of the newest markets in Oakland. Why is it so crucial to do things like this in a place like West Oakland?
Singh: You know, West Oakland Farmers Market serves the immediate community. We want people to feel the Oakland love and pride — locally grown fruits and vegetables, fresh baked goods, pasture-raised meats, a really community-centered farmers market.
♪♪
Phillips: This is beautiful, and I love chilaquiles. So what’s in it?
Guerrero: So, this one is scrambled eggs with chorizo, green tomatillo salsa, red onions, sour cream, and queso fresco.
Phillips: I got to tell you, with a name like Delicioso, okay, it’s pretty high standard.
Guerrero: Yes.
Woman: Here you go.
Man: Thank you very much.
Guerrero: But a lot of people that taste my food, they say, “Oh, yeah, that’s delicioso.”
Phillips: Okay.
Guerrero: So I hope you say the same word at the end of your trying.
Phillips: I know, I know. I’m like, “Let’s get ready to do this.” Oh, it looks hot.
Guerrero: Mm-hmm. Delicioso?
[ Laughs ]
Phillips: It’s delicioso. So, Pho Vy, it’s Vietnamese cuisine. What do you specialize in?
Nguyen: So one of the specialized dishes we do is actually these beef stew tacos.
Phillips: Beef stew tacos.
Nguyen: Yeah. So the beef stew is five generations of recipes. And then nowadays, you know, everything with fusion, why not, you know, put our food and other cultures together and have, like, one crispy Vietnamese taco kind of like on the go, like “pho on the go” taco.
Phillips: “Pho on the go,” I love that.
Nguyen: We cook it with brisket, we do cheese, and then we garnish it with the traditional toppings on the pho. There’s like the basil, onion, cilantro, green onions. Go, dip it in. Get all that.
Phillips: [ Laughs ] We got to do the lean, right?
Nguyen: Yes, ma’am.
Phillips: It tastes like pho in a taco.
Nguyen: Pretty much pho on the go.
Phillips: Pho on the go.
Nguyen: Yeah.
[ Crowd cheering ]
Singh: Sundays are super fun here. The Oakland Ballers playing down the street. Hang out here, listen to some music, and then hit the ballgame.
Phillips: The Oakland Ballers, what does this organization mean for the community?
Pratt: Yeah, when the Oakland A’s were leaving town, a lot of people were heartbroken. And so the Oakland Ballers stepped up to give people a reason to get back together again as a community. There’s great food, there’s great beer, there’s great baseball. We’re the best team in all of professional baseball by win percentage at any level.
Williams: This truck is called Scrappy’s Test Kitchen, and the concept was allow small local businesses an opportunity to test out their concept.
Phillips: Alright, so Triple T, I’m going to go ahead and take a guess. Is it tasty, tantalizing, and tempting?
Williams: No, Triple T is taste, texture, and tenderness.
Phillips: I was not far off.
Williams: You were far off.
[ Both laugh ]
Today our special’s
mac and meat.
Got mac with brisket.
You can see the marbling.
I’m from Alabama.
I cook with real wood.
I don’t cook
with a propane oven.
You know, we call that an
Easy-Bake Oven where I’m from.
Phillips: This piece here. This is the fatty piece. This is my favorite.
Williams: I knew, I knew. Something told me.
Phillips: You could tell. It’s so good. Alright, here we go.
Williams: Alright, here we go.
Phillips: Oh, my gosh. It is so tender. You might know how to cook some brisket in Alabama.
Williams: We do okay.
Phillips: It’s baller.
Williams: Oh, yeah.
Man: Let’s go, man. Let’s go.
Singh: Oakland love, Oakland pride, Oakland baseball, baby. Let’s go!
Sbrocco: I have to thank my fantastic guests on this week’s show — Shreya Adiraju, who always saves room for the tiramisu at Pazzo in San Carlos, Dave Brannigan, who took us back in time to Ole’s Waffle Shop in Alameda, and Alina Wong, who raved about the rosé rice cakes at Berkeley’s Korean Superette. Join us next time, when three more guests will recommend their favorite spots right here on “Check, Please! Bay Area.” I’m Leslie Sbrocco, and I’ll see you then. Cheers. Cheers to you.
Wong: Cheers!
Sbrocco: Did you have fun?
Adiraju: Yes, so much fun.
Sbrocco: Oh, that’s great. You guys were fantastic.
Wong: Cheers.
Phillips: If you could have any food at the ballpark brought in that’s not, like, the traditional food found at a stadium, what would you want?
Woman: A gluten-free burger or hot dog.
Woman: Filipino food is always great. I feel like a Filipino corn dog.
Phillips: That would be amazing.
Williams: I want to make brisket the new ballpark food.
Man: Sushi. No question. No question. No question.
Phillips: That’s mine, too.
Man: So, yeah.
Girl: Veggie straws.
Man: Veggie straws.
