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"slug": "scalas-bistro-reviews",
"title": "Scala’s Bistro: Reviews",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scala’s Bistro: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=222\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2007/03/22/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-9-209/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp209iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/scalasbistro19.jpg\" alt=\"Scala's Bistro\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/scalasbistro18.jpg\" alt=\"Scala's Bistro\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/scalasbistro20.jpg\" alt=\"Scala's Bistro\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nPesto and Ricotta Ravioli with Lemon Cream Sauce; Dungeness Crab-Stuffed Squash Blossoms with White Corn and Cream Sauce; Bostini Cream Pie (vanilla custard, orange chiffon cake, warm Valrhona chocolate syrup, and chocolate shavings)\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/alan-rosenfeld.jpg\" alt=\"Alan\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Alan\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Special Effects Artist\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Scala’s Bistro\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Amber India:\u003c/strong> Saturday, August 26, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You know those types of friends that can put their arms around you and comfort you and always put a smile on your face? This is Scala’s Bistro. A warm inviting dining room and bar area greet you as you enter. Even as busy as Scala’s can get, the noise level is not loud, which allows you to hear not only yourself, but people at other tables complimenting the fabulous flavors of the food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve been going to Scala’s Bistro for well over twelve years. It’s a main late-night destination after the theatre, and when my friends and I want to have a great consistent meal. Consistency is the key word. In the past twelve years I’ve been dining at Scala’s, I’ve never had bad service or a bad meal there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My friend and I had a 10:30pm reservation after the theatre, and we were seated within minutes of that time. Always make a reservation at least a week ahead. The waitstaff is very knowledgeable and kind, offering up suggestions of what they really like. This particular evening we started with a seasonal appetizer of Dungeness Crab Stuffed Squash Blossoms. It was served over a sweetcorn and pancetta vinaigrette. It was to die for. The combination of the sweet corn, sweet crab, and the spiciness of the herbed vinaigrette was a knockout. We also had a staple at Scala’s, the Pesto and Ricotta Ravioli with lemon cream sauce. In the past, I had this dish with the optional tomato sauce, which is fresh and a good compliment to the ravioli. But to really roll your eyes in the back of your head, have the lemon cream sauce. You’ll thank me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For our main dishes, I had the Olive Oil-Poached Halibut served over white baby asparagus, tomato consommé, and fava beans. The process of poaching in this manner made the halibut succulent and fluffy. My friend had the Braised Monkfish served with saffron butter beans, baby sunburst squash, caperberries, and smoked prosciutto Meyer lemon relish. Trust me, after you had this monkfish, you won’t need sex that night. The flavor combinations were so spot on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For dessert, we decided to have the Mini Bites. These are small selections of most of the desserts on the menu. The real hit was the Pistachio Crème Brûlée, the Peach Melba Sorbet, and the Chocolate I.V.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All dishes came to our table in very good time. All hot food plates were warm and allowed us to take our time and savor every bite without the worry of our food getting cold. The portion sizes are very good. Some of the meat dishes they currently have on the menu, such as the Veal Milanese or Grilled Pork Chop or the Lamb Osso Bucco, come in large portions, as we saw from the other diners around us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can’t help but leave Scala’s with a smile on your face. Dining there is always an opportunity to slow life down and experience the love and art that go into the preparation of fine foods. Scala’s is one of the things that make me feel very fortunate to be living in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/lauren-john.jpg\" alt=\"Lauren\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Lauren\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Librarian\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Menlo Park\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Amber India\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Amber India:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, August 22, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before being asked to review this restaurant for \u003ci>Check, Please!\u003c/i>, I had dined at Scala’s once with a co-worker for a weekday lunch and once with friends for brunch before going to the Geary Theatre for a matinee. Each time, I remembered quick efficient service and good, but not exceptional, food, in an attractive bright setting with big windows up front, beautiful light fixtures and paintings, and a high gilded tin ceiling. (Rococo decor?)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because each time I only had a limited amount of time to dine, I always ordered something simple like a hamburger or a pasta dish, and I never ordered wine or beer. Each time, I was too busy talking or planning my next activity to really savor the food. At the brunch, eight people shared a few desserts, and they were really good, but because we were sharing, and I only got a few bites, they did not make a lasting impression. Each time, my share came to about $20 to $25 with tax and tip.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Based on my pre-\u003ci>Check, Please!\u003c/i> visits, I thought that Scala’s was a good place to get a quick bite while on the way to somewhere else. The key point for me was always the convenient location in Union Square near shopping, theatres, and business hotels, coupled with really efficient service that gets you in and out fast, if that’s what you want to do. (They don’t rush you, if you want to linger)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This time around, I decided to really pay attention to the food, and, as a result, my lunch turned out to be more expensive than I expected — with tax and tip for two people, it was $100. One reason for this is that my coworker and I both ordered specials mentioned by the waiter who did not tell us the prices. (To be fair, we foolishly we did not ask him the prices.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had the crab cake sandwich, which turned out to be $14.50, and my coworker, Lynne, had the seafood risotto, which turned out to be $27.00. I thought that the sandwich was priced fairly, but I would not have ordered the risotto had I known the price in advance. (I treated Lynne, so if she is reading this review, this is the first time that she is finding out about the $27.00 risotto.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for quality, both the crab cake sandwich and the risotto were satisfactory but unremarkable. The food tasted fresh but bland, and seemed prepared with a heavy hand; a little too much cream or oil in each. The crab cake sandwich had no seasoning, although there were generous amounts of crab in the cakes themselves. The best thing about the sandwich was the bread. (The breads here are excellent, the focaccia and breadsticks that come before the meal served with olive oil are great.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I tasted the risotto, which had lots of mussels in it. The mussels were good, but again there was little seasoning. (Maybe they need to be conservative to appeal to a clientele of tourists and business people who appeared to pack the place?)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I also ordered an appetizer. I chose the roasted tomato soup, because it was tantalizingly described by our waiter as the soup of the day. However, it again was a bit too creamy, and while not bland, the goat cheese crème fraîche seemed to clash rather than blend with the tomato. Also, if the tomatoes were roasted, I could not tell. Instead of having a smoky flavor, it tasted more like canned Campbell’s soup topped with a light dab of goat cheese.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The saving grace of this restaurant was the dessert, which was magic. I ordered the Bostini Cream Pie ($8.75), again at the suggestion of the waiter, who recommended it without being asked. For example, “Care for a dessert? May I suggest the Bostini cream pie?” This was a great suggestion, although the title was misleading. This dessert tasted nothing like an Italian version of Boston Cream Pie, which by this point, was what I was expecting. Instead, it was served in a round custard dish (the way that you would serve a crème brûlée or maybe a trifle), and it had vanilla custard on the bottom, a light orange-flavored cake in the middle, and was it topped with warm chocolate sauce and chocolate shavings. The quality of the chocolate was very good. I asked the waiter what kind of chocolate it was, and he said Valrhona. My coworker ordered the peach Melba sorbet topped with raspberries and a vanilla cookie. It was nothing like a peach Melba, but was light, with generous scoops of sorbet, and a generous amount of fresh raspberries ($7.75).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bottom line: I would come here again, go back to my simple hamburger order, and be sure to have a whole dessert of my own — preferably one with chocolate! But this visit reinforced my impression that, at least for me, this is not a destination restaurant. I would have to be in the area to begin with. This time around, again, the service was impeccable — the food was delivered quickly, water refilled, courses cleared efficiently.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two final notes: This restaurant is attached to the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, and one of the busboys told us that if you order room service at the hotel, it comes from Scala’s. I could definitely see doing a room service dessert order! There is also an impressive, extensive California and French wine list. You can get a bottle of wine here for over $200 or get good wines by the glass, which must make it popular with the business/tourist crowd.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/sylvia-doane.jpg\" alt=\"Sylvia\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sylvia\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Business Consultant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Berkeley\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Doña Tomás\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Amber India:\u003c/strong> Friday, August 25, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I loved the experience of dinner at Scala’s! It is far more lovely once inside the space than it appears from the outside. It truly exceeded my expectations. It gets an A for atmosphere and service. It has the ambiance of a swanky club and urban bistro rolled into one. The staff was warm, professional, and efficient. I would definitely go back. I would also recommend it to others, especially out-of-towners in large part, because of its great location (walking distance from Union Square).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The food was good, it did not blow me away, but it held its own. Stand-out dishes for me were the heirloom tomato bruschetta with white corn and mozzarella di bufala — which was a fabulous, a simple combination of seasonal freshness and crusty bread — and the Moules Frites: steamed mussels served with delicious french fries; crisp, salty, and perfect. The other outstanding components of our dining experience were the Basil Lime Gimlet (outstanding!) and the 1994 Flowers Pinot Noir from Sonoma County (luscious). We shared the orecchiette pasta with fennel sausage and broccoli rabe for a second course. It was spicy and extremely flavorful. The oily sausage paired exceedingly well with the bitter greens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The entrees were very good too. We had halibut poached in olive oil, and served with asparagus, tomato consommé, tarragon breadcrumbs, and fava beans. It was moist, tender, and very fresh. It wasn’t particularly well-paired with the Pinot Noir, but one of my dining companions was eating pork, so we were compromising. Another dining companion had the sea bass with chorizo, eggplant, and roasted tomatoes, and hers paired much better with the Pinot Noir. Her dish was earthy, flavorful, and again, very fresh and very good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another great feature of the menu is the fact that they offer their desserts in mini format. They are all about four bites each and equally pretty, delicious, and served with all of the presentation of the larger versions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I will say that the menu is on the pricey end, and I am someone that eats out quite a bit and knows the average high-end pricing pretty well. I felt their prices were a bit too high, but not astronomical, and for the overall dining experience, the prices were something I could overlook. Overall, it was a very positive dining experience!\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n432 Powell Street (at Post Street)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94102\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-395-8555\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.scalasbistro.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.scalasbistro.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Type of Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Northern Italian / Country French\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Summer 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scala’s Bistro: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=222\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2007/03/22/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-9-209/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp209iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/scalasbistro19.jpg\" alt=\"Scala's Bistro\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/scalasbistro18.jpg\" alt=\"Scala's Bistro\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/scalasbistro20.jpg\" alt=\"Scala's Bistro\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nPesto and Ricotta Ravioli with Lemon Cream Sauce; Dungeness Crab-Stuffed Squash Blossoms with White Corn and Cream Sauce; Bostini Cream Pie (vanilla custard, orange chiffon cake, warm Valrhona chocolate syrup, and chocolate shavings)\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/alan-rosenfeld.jpg\" alt=\"Alan\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Alan\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Special Effects Artist\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Scala’s Bistro\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Amber India:\u003c/strong> Saturday, August 26, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You know those types of friends that can put their arms around you and comfort you and always put a smile on your face? This is Scala’s Bistro. A warm inviting dining room and bar area greet you as you enter. Even as busy as Scala’s can get, the noise level is not loud, which allows you to hear not only yourself, but people at other tables complimenting the fabulous flavors of the food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve been going to Scala’s Bistro for well over twelve years. It’s a main late-night destination after the theatre, and when my friends and I want to have a great consistent meal. Consistency is the key word. In the past twelve years I’ve been dining at Scala’s, I’ve never had bad service or a bad meal there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My friend and I had a 10:30pm reservation after the theatre, and we were seated within minutes of that time. Always make a reservation at least a week ahead. The waitstaff is very knowledgeable and kind, offering up suggestions of what they really like. This particular evening we started with a seasonal appetizer of Dungeness Crab Stuffed Squash Blossoms. It was served over a sweetcorn and pancetta vinaigrette. It was to die for. The combination of the sweet corn, sweet crab, and the spiciness of the herbed vinaigrette was a knockout. We also had a staple at Scala’s, the Pesto and Ricotta Ravioli with lemon cream sauce. In the past, I had this dish with the optional tomato sauce, which is fresh and a good compliment to the ravioli. But to really roll your eyes in the back of your head, have the lemon cream sauce. You’ll thank me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For our main dishes, I had the Olive Oil-Poached Halibut served over white baby asparagus, tomato consommé, and fava beans. The process of poaching in this manner made the halibut succulent and fluffy. My friend had the Braised Monkfish served with saffron butter beans, baby sunburst squash, caperberries, and smoked prosciutto Meyer lemon relish. Trust me, after you had this monkfish, you won’t need sex that night. The flavor combinations were so spot on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For dessert, we decided to have the Mini Bites. These are small selections of most of the desserts on the menu. The real hit was the Pistachio Crème Brûlée, the Peach Melba Sorbet, and the Chocolate I.V.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All dishes came to our table in very good time. All hot food plates were warm and allowed us to take our time and savor every bite without the worry of our food getting cold. The portion sizes are very good. Some of the meat dishes they currently have on the menu, such as the Veal Milanese or Grilled Pork Chop or the Lamb Osso Bucco, come in large portions, as we saw from the other diners around us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can’t help but leave Scala’s with a smile on your face. Dining there is always an opportunity to slow life down and experience the love and art that go into the preparation of fine foods. Scala’s is one of the things that make me feel very fortunate to be living in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/lauren-john.jpg\" alt=\"Lauren\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Lauren\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Librarian\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Menlo Park\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Amber India\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Amber India:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, August 22, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before being asked to review this restaurant for \u003ci>Check, Please!\u003c/i>, I had dined at Scala’s once with a co-worker for a weekday lunch and once with friends for brunch before going to the Geary Theatre for a matinee. Each time, I remembered quick efficient service and good, but not exceptional, food, in an attractive bright setting with big windows up front, beautiful light fixtures and paintings, and a high gilded tin ceiling. (Rococo decor?)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because each time I only had a limited amount of time to dine, I always ordered something simple like a hamburger or a pasta dish, and I never ordered wine or beer. Each time, I was too busy talking or planning my next activity to really savor the food. At the brunch, eight people shared a few desserts, and they were really good, but because we were sharing, and I only got a few bites, they did not make a lasting impression. Each time, my share came to about $20 to $25 with tax and tip.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Based on my pre-\u003ci>Check, Please!\u003c/i> visits, I thought that Scala’s was a good place to get a quick bite while on the way to somewhere else. The key point for me was always the convenient location in Union Square near shopping, theatres, and business hotels, coupled with really efficient service that gets you in and out fast, if that’s what you want to do. (They don’t rush you, if you want to linger)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This time around, I decided to really pay attention to the food, and, as a result, my lunch turned out to be more expensive than I expected — with tax and tip for two people, it was $100. One reason for this is that my coworker and I both ordered specials mentioned by the waiter who did not tell us the prices. (To be fair, we foolishly we did not ask him the prices.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had the crab cake sandwich, which turned out to be $14.50, and my coworker, Lynne, had the seafood risotto, which turned out to be $27.00. I thought that the sandwich was priced fairly, but I would not have ordered the risotto had I known the price in advance. (I treated Lynne, so if she is reading this review, this is the first time that she is finding out about the $27.00 risotto.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for quality, both the crab cake sandwich and the risotto were satisfactory but unremarkable. The food tasted fresh but bland, and seemed prepared with a heavy hand; a little too much cream or oil in each. The crab cake sandwich had no seasoning, although there were generous amounts of crab in the cakes themselves. The best thing about the sandwich was the bread. (The breads here are excellent, the focaccia and breadsticks that come before the meal served with olive oil are great.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I tasted the risotto, which had lots of mussels in it. The mussels were good, but again there was little seasoning. (Maybe they need to be conservative to appeal to a clientele of tourists and business people who appeared to pack the place?)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I also ordered an appetizer. I chose the roasted tomato soup, because it was tantalizingly described by our waiter as the soup of the day. However, it again was a bit too creamy, and while not bland, the goat cheese crème fraîche seemed to clash rather than blend with the tomato. Also, if the tomatoes were roasted, I could not tell. Instead of having a smoky flavor, it tasted more like canned Campbell’s soup topped with a light dab of goat cheese.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The saving grace of this restaurant was the dessert, which was magic. I ordered the Bostini Cream Pie ($8.75), again at the suggestion of the waiter, who recommended it without being asked. For example, “Care for a dessert? May I suggest the Bostini cream pie?” This was a great suggestion, although the title was misleading. This dessert tasted nothing like an Italian version of Boston Cream Pie, which by this point, was what I was expecting. Instead, it was served in a round custard dish (the way that you would serve a crème brûlée or maybe a trifle), and it had vanilla custard on the bottom, a light orange-flavored cake in the middle, and was it topped with warm chocolate sauce and chocolate shavings. The quality of the chocolate was very good. I asked the waiter what kind of chocolate it was, and he said Valrhona. My coworker ordered the peach Melba sorbet topped with raspberries and a vanilla cookie. It was nothing like a peach Melba, but was light, with generous scoops of sorbet, and a generous amount of fresh raspberries ($7.75).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bottom line: I would come here again, go back to my simple hamburger order, and be sure to have a whole dessert of my own — preferably one with chocolate! But this visit reinforced my impression that, at least for me, this is not a destination restaurant. I would have to be in the area to begin with. This time around, again, the service was impeccable — the food was delivered quickly, water refilled, courses cleared efficiently.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two final notes: This restaurant is attached to the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, and one of the busboys told us that if you order room service at the hotel, it comes from Scala’s. I could definitely see doing a room service dessert order! There is also an impressive, extensive California and French wine list. You can get a bottle of wine here for over $200 or get good wines by the glass, which must make it popular with the business/tourist crowd.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/sylvia-doane.jpg\" alt=\"Sylvia\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sylvia\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Business Consultant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Berkeley\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Doña Tomás\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Amber India:\u003c/strong> Friday, August 25, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I loved the experience of dinner at Scala’s! It is far more lovely once inside the space than it appears from the outside. It truly exceeded my expectations. It gets an A for atmosphere and service. It has the ambiance of a swanky club and urban bistro rolled into one. The staff was warm, professional, and efficient. I would definitely go back. I would also recommend it to others, especially out-of-towners in large part, because of its great location (walking distance from Union Square).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The food was good, it did not blow me away, but it held its own. Stand-out dishes for me were the heirloom tomato bruschetta with white corn and mozzarella di bufala — which was a fabulous, a simple combination of seasonal freshness and crusty bread — and the Moules Frites: steamed mussels served with delicious french fries; crisp, salty, and perfect. The other outstanding components of our dining experience were the Basil Lime Gimlet (outstanding!) and the 1994 Flowers Pinot Noir from Sonoma County (luscious). We shared the orecchiette pasta with fennel sausage and broccoli rabe for a second course. It was spicy and extremely flavorful. The oily sausage paired exceedingly well with the bitter greens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The entrees were very good too. We had halibut poached in olive oil, and served with asparagus, tomato consommé, tarragon breadcrumbs, and fava beans. It was moist, tender, and very fresh. It wasn’t particularly well-paired with the Pinot Noir, but one of my dining companions was eating pork, so we were compromising. Another dining companion had the sea bass with chorizo, eggplant, and roasted tomatoes, and hers paired much better with the Pinot Noir. Her dish was earthy, flavorful, and again, very fresh and very good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another great feature of the menu is the fact that they offer their desserts in mini format. They are all about four bites each and equally pretty, delicious, and served with all of the presentation of the larger versions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I will say that the menu is on the pricey end, and I am someone that eats out quite a bit and knows the average high-end pricing pretty well. I felt their prices were a bit too high, but not astronomical, and for the overall dining experience, the prices were something I could overlook. Overall, it was a very positive dining experience!\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cha Cha Cha: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=81\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/sets/72057594065461442/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch DJ Special episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp292iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chachacha5.jpg\" alt=\"Cha Cha Cha\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chachacha2.jpg\" alt=\"Cha Cha Cha\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chachacha1.jpg\" alt=\"Cha Cha Cha\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nCuban style steak with sautéed onions, black beans, rice, and yucca; Special of Seared Tuna with Red Beets and Lentils; El Mango Tango\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/sylvia-chacon.jpg\" alt=\"Sylvia Chacon\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sylvia Chacon\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ Star 101.3\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Cha Cha Cha\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Cha Cha Cha:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, November 28, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I love the atmosphere of this restaurant! It says, “Come in, eat, and have fun!” Although there wasn’t any live music, they do have a pretty nice sound system cranking out Latin flavored tunes — a real Cha Cha Cha beat going on there. My little girl shimmied her shoulders while eating practically the entire time. A great family restaurant! We had so much fun! I think she ate more than usual because she was working up a healthy appetite while dancing in her seat. So much for the proper way of having your napkin placed neatly over your lap and quietly waiting for the meal to arrive with folded hands. In fact, I even caught myself giving her a couple of dance tips. I just might have had more fun than she did — that’s a tough one!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The decor is outstanding. Very colorful. Some of the walls are decorated in fabulous fabrics that shimmer, and there are beads and feathers in various scenes. It almost reminds me of a samba costume or a Carnaval parade. Each scene on the wall is different — there is so much to look at, there is so much to figure out. Not sure I figured out anything! It’s holiday time, so there were plenty of festive lights and ornaments adding to the fun. In fact, I say leave them up all year long — at Cha Cha Cha, anything goes. It was just about to get dark when we arrived, so the waiters lit the candles on the tables. The candles are beautiful, each table had a different colored glass candle. Talk about colorful light, it was romantic and fun at the same time. Great combination, don’t you think?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The food was great. The portions were huge! I had a chicken dish as an appetizer and a chicken dish as my main course. The chicken was tender and juicy. It was interesting to compare the two. Although they were both chicken dishes, they really owned their own title. The Spanish rice was juicy as well. I can’t stand dry rice! I loved the addition of vegetables they throw into it. My jerk chicken was served with white rice, and my Arroz con Pollo was served with Spanish rice. Just like the chicken, the two rice dishes were equally good, yet very different from each other. This is where I appreciate flavors and what you can do just by changing up the spices. FABULOUS!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/miranda-wilson.jpg\" alt=\"Miranda Wilson\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Miranda Wilson\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ Smooth Jazz KKSF 103.7\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Ninna Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cha Cha Cha:\u003c/strong> Thursday, November 23, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> Oh, it’s been a while since I visited good old Haight Street! It was one of my favorite haunts in my college years. The crowd and the funky vibe of Cha Cha Cha was kind of a retro experience. It brought me back to the days when I went to a restaurant to hang out and not for the food. Ouch! I visit the Caribbean every year. So after a long hard day, the rhythm of reggae music and the funky jungle decor rejuvenated my spirit! The joint was jumpin’ with the 30-40 something crowd. Tapas are Cha Cha Cha’s specialty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An efficient waiter brought us the obligatory chips and salsa, and I dug the pitcher of sangria. The calamari was tasty, but the garlic aioli sauce tasted like mayonnaise. We also had jerk chicken with white rice. It’s all about the jerk. Yuck! It reminded me of Worcester sauce. As for the plantains, they were perfect. I even tolerated the black bean with a dollop or two of sour cream. We should have had seafood. I heard a lot about the mussels but mistakenly ordered chicken wings with guava chipotle glaze. Who can overcook chicken wings? Somebody in the kitchen did and slapped some glaze over ‘em. Dessert? Nope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My stomach sounded like \u003ci>Stars Wars\u003c/i> the next morning. There’s got to be a reason all those folks appeared after work on a Thursday evening. One day I’ll return. As soon as my stomach settles down.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/marcus-osborne.jpg\" alt=\"Marcus Osborne\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Marcus Osborne\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ 98.1 KISS FM\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Nob Hill Cafe\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cha Cha Cha:\u003c/strong> Saturday, November 25, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cha Cha Cha was kind of a funky hangout joint. On this night, it was packed. Very funny decor and atmosphere. Big cupids were hanging from the ceiling, which seemed appropriate because as I sat at the bar waiting for service, I couldn’t help but notice two couples having full-on makeout sessions! Get a room, folks!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One thing that kind of bugged me was the fact that the bar didn’t sell margaritas! What’s up with that? They only sold beer, wine, and sodas! The service was okay. The waitstaff was friendly enough, but when I walked into Cha Cha Cha, I stood in the front waiting for the hostess for almost ten minutes! I did finally get seated at the bar where I ordered my Caesar Salad and Shrimp with Cream Sauce. And it was very good. I could have gone for more shrimp, but that’s just me being greedy. The Caesar salad was just okay. But after sitting in the lobby where I had to wait an extended period of time, and then having to sit at the bar, and having my server disappear for another ten minutes, I thought to myself, “This had better be great!” And it wasn’t.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cha Cha Cha was a pretty loud place, perfect for an after-work happy hour, but I wouldn’t take a date there in spite of the two couples making out! This is definitely a place people go to more for the atmosphere than for the food. The loud music makes for a lively evening, but I get the feeling that the music and the crazy colorful decorations are meant to distract you from the food, which is okay but not great.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I loved the fact that we get tootsie rolls instead of the usual after dinner mint! Would I come back? Sure..but I went to Cha, Cha, Cha, alone…I’d have to go back with a group of friends next time.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/ron.jpg\" alt=\"Ron\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Ron\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Episcopal Priest\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Dublin\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Cha Cha Cha\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cha Cha Cha:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, January 4, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My mother-in-law has always said (and believe me she came to Cha Cha Cha), “You can never judge a good restaurant by how it looks from the outside.” How right she is. I visited the Cha Cha Cha in the Haight/Ashbury district, and the outside (as well as the inside) of the place is as quirky as the area in which it is situated! However, after stepping inside the restaurant, what we encountered was very welcoming: an inviting, knowledgeable, prompt staff, delicious tapas, and heavenly desserts made for one intoxicating formula. Indeed, I have a mother who came from Cuba and as a boy I would indulge in many of the items found at Cha Cha Cha: jerk chicken, Spanish rice, and plantanos were a regular bill of fare growing up. I never believed I’d find such flavors in the City by the Bay, and thank heaven for establishment. Indeed, the food speaks for itself. You can choose to enjoy a few tapas, either by yourself or with friends. Or you can splurge by having a main meal and the enjoying dessert. Either way, it’s a fulfilling dining experience. While my wife, my mother-in-law, and myself went over the top (we had everything), the tapas alone would have satisfied us. The jerk chicken was spicy but not overly so (again, I’m not crazy about dark chicken, so I wasn’t as pleased with this dish) and the Fried Plantanos Maduros came with a black bean sauce and little bit of sour cream for color and contrast. The plantanos were sweet and exceptional. The sauce in which the Cajan shrimp came in would prick you mildly with its heat but was succulent and very good. And finally, the zucchini was just beyond words! In fact, my wife and I crossed forks over the final pieces because it was so good!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The main courses were very well done too. The Pargo Rojo, a Pacific red snapper steamed in a banana leaf, took us by surprise. At first, we thought the fish was o.k. and seasoned well, but actually a little dry. However, as soon as we noticed the banana dressing intended for this fish, and once we put both in our mouths, we knew this was a dish that was on another level. The fish “flew” in our mouths with wonderful flavors and a sauntering of seasonings with bananas.\u003cbr>\nThe Bistek Encebollado — a “Cuban Style” New York steak marinated in garlic and oregano comes with caramelized onions and rice, black beans, and “yucca con mojo” — was so good I didn’t want to share! The steak was tender, juicy, well-seasoned and delicious. And needless to say, the sangria (share some with an enemy…it’s that good, says the proprietor) washed down everything with great flavor and complemented our meal superbly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, it was the dessert that was a wonderful surprise. At our initial viewing, we were disappointed that most of the desserts were either mousse or cheesecake. Sounds like nothing spectacular until it’s brought out and consumed. Unbelievable! The El Tango Mango was tart and pleasant to the palate, the Maui Wowee was rich with hints of raspberries and white chocolate. But it was the flan that was the greatest surprise. Let it be known that I hate flan. All too often flan is either burnt or slimy or burnt and slimy. This caramel flan was so incredibly fresh and so surprisingly good I “got religion” about flan…well, maybe only this flan. It rounded out the experience and took the edge off the bill!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In conclusion, my wife and mother-in-law insist on coming back. In fact, I was threatened on pain of death not only to bring them back but also to bring our friends. Looks like I’ll be a Cha Cha Cha regular for some time.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/darron.jpg\" alt=\"Darron\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Darron\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> IT Program Manager\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Chow\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cha Cha Cha:\u003c/strong> Sunday, January 8, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cha Cha Cha showcases the cuisine of the Caribbean and Central and South American cultures with an atmosphere to match. Once you step foot into the restaurant, you feel like you have been transported to the Caribbean where cement floors and block walls provide a muse for local artists to display their cultural heritage in any way, shape or form. There are only a few booths, which are hard to get, and most of the tables can handle only up to four people. The music energizes the room while the heavenly smells from the kitchen awaken your senses. However, it may be a little more difficult to hold conversations when some songs explode throughout the room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The menu is small, but that’s because they spend more time in perfecting the dishes than providing a great deal of variety. We began with a pitcher of their world-famous sangria. This is the drink of the gods! The flavors of the citrus, apple, and red wine blend so well that you have to remind yourself that it’s wine. Complimentary chips and salsa are provided to help calm your hunger while you focus on ordering one of many great dishes. The chips are crispy and the salsa is fresh. My table ordered ceviche and fried platanos for appetizers. The ceviche was perfectly made. The medley of scallops, shrimp, calamari, onions, cilantro, and tomatoes were nicely blended with a perfect amount of lime juice that did not overcook the seafood. The fried platanos were crisp on the outside and moist on the inside. The platanos were sweet and blended nicely with the mashed black beans on the bottom of the plate. The beans also had a nice, chocolate-like flavor that made this Cuban dish one of the best I’ve had.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I ordered the Cuban-style steak with sautéed onions, black beans, rice, and yucca as my entrée. The steak was prepared medium-rare and was very juicy and tender. The flavors of the marinade added complexity and flavor to the meat. The sautéed onions were well prepared and kept their texture and structure. The black beans were nicely seasoned and added diversity to the dish. The Spanish rice was moist with a hint of cumin. The boiled yucca was a pleasant surprise. Its texture and flavor is much like a potato, but lighter; and again, added regional diversity to the dish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For dessert, I ordered the mango angel food cake with raspberry sauce. What an amazing dessert! The presentation was more like a strawberry cheesecake, but the flavor was definitely Caribbean. The top layer was a mango mousse and the bottom layer was angel food. The juxtaposition of the two textures pleased my palate. The raspberry sauce was exactly what the dessert needed to maximize and harmonize the flavors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a pitcher of sangria and a few Latin songs, you definitely feel in a festive mood at Cha Cha Cha. The food is definitely authentic, but the service could use some adjusting. I didn’t care for the “seat yourself” process because the orders were not taken in order of seating. This could be frustrating if you arrive early and the latecomers get to order first. However, I would definitely come back on a Sunday afternoon to enjoy the music and sangria!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/mimi.jpg\" alt=\"Mimi\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Mimi\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Real Estate Agent\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Firefly\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cha Cha Cha:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, January 4, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parking in the Haight area can be challenging at times. It took about ten minutes to find a spot and when I did it was very close to the restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cha Cha Cha lives up to its name in the activity that you experience when you walk through their doors. The bar area, where I ate dinner, had walls painted red with tons of religious icons decorating the walls and framed mirrors. An assortment of musical instruments, various sized guitars, tambourine, and gourds adorned the shelf behind the bar. There were also carved wood tribal sculptures and masks. Lots of tall plants throughout the restaurant gave a tropical feel. Behind me on a wall of brick, was an exhibition of color photographs by local artist Umi Vaughan, depicting scenes of everyday life in Cuba. The business of the decor and rhythm of the Afro-Cuban beat kept your senses engaged. For the young, it’s a place to hang out and groove. It was at the end of my meal when I realized that I was sitting next to a colleague of mine, Allison K, a rising star at Pacific Union. She eats at Cha Cha Cha regularly and really likes the tapas and fun atmosphere. You could see an eclectic group of diners from all neighborhoods enjoying themselves. It was busy on a Wednesday evening. I wondered what kind of energy more patrons would bring on the weekends. It’s definitely a fun place to be. Festive in the Mardi Gras Spirit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The woman behind the counter brought me a menu, silverware, and salsa and chips as soon as I was seated. It took me a while to decide what I wanted to order. She came back a few times to see if I was ready. I started with the seared ahi tuna with lentils and red beets. The tuna was nicely prepared, not seared but medium rare, which I prefer; still moist, meaty and flavorful. I love beets. The beets were quartered and nicely dressed in a light vinaigrette that didn’t overpower the flavor of the beets. They were yummy. The lentils had a cumin and lemon flavor that was a nice accent on the plate. Overall a nice combination\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My next choices where based on trying out foods that I think my sixteen and eleven-year-old sons might like. The first dish that I ordered was the Spanish rice and black beans with sour cream. Rice and beans are always a good staple food for anyone but particularly for kids. It’s healthy and filling. In the micro biotic world, it’s a perfect protein and a great vegetarian dish, provided no meat products are used in the preparation. I didn’t taste any meat products that I could discern. I liked this particular combination. Spanish rice, with a hint of tomato flavor, sour cream, and green olives made the combination more interesting. I added some of the fire-roasted salsa to jazz it up a bit, but it was still good on its own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The warm spinach salad with bacon and mushrooms. This was a surprising dish. I usually think of salads as being light. Not this salad. The combination of the warm creamy dressing and hot bacon gave the spinach salad a meaty and hearty texture. It had a rich flavor that made this particular combination more substantial, almost gamey in flavor. It’s unusual to think about salads as being filling, but this one was. I think the kids would like it. They eat leafy greens and like bacon. I certainly liked it and could have it as a meal. The sangria that they served was fruity without being sweet. It was definitely the drink of the night. Most of the diners at the counter had either glasses or pitchers of sangria. I had a glass and really enjoyed it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A great place to eat considering the quality of the food and price. I don’t like the feel of the Haight at night because of the concentration of homeless that live and hang out there. It’s disturbing to walk by men who clearly have been out in the elements and are on drugs, drunk, or clearly have mental health issues. The invisible people. It’s a sad commentary on our culture. That, however, didn’t impact the success of the restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n1801 Haight Street (at Shrader Street)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94117\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-386-7670\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.cha3.com\">www.cha3.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Type of Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Caribbean-Cuban\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cha Cha Cha: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=81\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/sets/72057594065461442/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch DJ Special episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp292iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chachacha5.jpg\" alt=\"Cha Cha Cha\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chachacha2.jpg\" alt=\"Cha Cha Cha\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chachacha1.jpg\" alt=\"Cha Cha Cha\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nCuban style steak with sautéed onions, black beans, rice, and yucca; Special of Seared Tuna with Red Beets and Lentils; El Mango Tango\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/sylvia-chacon.jpg\" alt=\"Sylvia Chacon\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sylvia Chacon\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ Star 101.3\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Cha Cha Cha\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Cha Cha Cha:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, November 28, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I love the atmosphere of this restaurant! It says, “Come in, eat, and have fun!” Although there wasn’t any live music, they do have a pretty nice sound system cranking out Latin flavored tunes — a real Cha Cha Cha beat going on there. My little girl shimmied her shoulders while eating practically the entire time. A great family restaurant! We had so much fun! I think she ate more than usual because she was working up a healthy appetite while dancing in her seat. So much for the proper way of having your napkin placed neatly over your lap and quietly waiting for the meal to arrive with folded hands. In fact, I even caught myself giving her a couple of dance tips. I just might have had more fun than she did — that’s a tough one!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The decor is outstanding. Very colorful. Some of the walls are decorated in fabulous fabrics that shimmer, and there are beads and feathers in various scenes. It almost reminds me of a samba costume or a Carnaval parade. Each scene on the wall is different — there is so much to look at, there is so much to figure out. Not sure I figured out anything! It’s holiday time, so there were plenty of festive lights and ornaments adding to the fun. In fact, I say leave them up all year long — at Cha Cha Cha, anything goes. It was just about to get dark when we arrived, so the waiters lit the candles on the tables. The candles are beautiful, each table had a different colored glass candle. Talk about colorful light, it was romantic and fun at the same time. Great combination, don’t you think?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The food was great. The portions were huge! I had a chicken dish as an appetizer and a chicken dish as my main course. The chicken was tender and juicy. It was interesting to compare the two. Although they were both chicken dishes, they really owned their own title. The Spanish rice was juicy as well. I can’t stand dry rice! I loved the addition of vegetables they throw into it. My jerk chicken was served with white rice, and my Arroz con Pollo was served with Spanish rice. Just like the chicken, the two rice dishes were equally good, yet very different from each other. This is where I appreciate flavors and what you can do just by changing up the spices. FABULOUS!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/miranda-wilson.jpg\" alt=\"Miranda Wilson\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Miranda Wilson\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ Smooth Jazz KKSF 103.7\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Ninna Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cha Cha Cha:\u003c/strong> Thursday, November 23, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> Oh, it’s been a while since I visited good old Haight Street! It was one of my favorite haunts in my college years. The crowd and the funky vibe of Cha Cha Cha was kind of a retro experience. It brought me back to the days when I went to a restaurant to hang out and not for the food. Ouch! I visit the Caribbean every year. So after a long hard day, the rhythm of reggae music and the funky jungle decor rejuvenated my spirit! The joint was jumpin’ with the 30-40 something crowd. Tapas are Cha Cha Cha’s specialty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An efficient waiter brought us the obligatory chips and salsa, and I dug the pitcher of sangria. The calamari was tasty, but the garlic aioli sauce tasted like mayonnaise. We also had jerk chicken with white rice. It’s all about the jerk. Yuck! It reminded me of Worcester sauce. As for the plantains, they were perfect. I even tolerated the black bean with a dollop or two of sour cream. We should have had seafood. I heard a lot about the mussels but mistakenly ordered chicken wings with guava chipotle glaze. Who can overcook chicken wings? Somebody in the kitchen did and slapped some glaze over ‘em. Dessert? Nope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My stomach sounded like \u003ci>Stars Wars\u003c/i> the next morning. There’s got to be a reason all those folks appeared after work on a Thursday evening. One day I’ll return. As soon as my stomach settles down.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/marcus-osborne.jpg\" alt=\"Marcus Osborne\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Marcus Osborne\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ 98.1 KISS FM\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Nob Hill Cafe\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cha Cha Cha:\u003c/strong> Saturday, November 25, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cha Cha Cha was kind of a funky hangout joint. On this night, it was packed. Very funny decor and atmosphere. Big cupids were hanging from the ceiling, which seemed appropriate because as I sat at the bar waiting for service, I couldn’t help but notice two couples having full-on makeout sessions! Get a room, folks!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One thing that kind of bugged me was the fact that the bar didn’t sell margaritas! What’s up with that? They only sold beer, wine, and sodas! The service was okay. The waitstaff was friendly enough, but when I walked into Cha Cha Cha, I stood in the front waiting for the hostess for almost ten minutes! I did finally get seated at the bar where I ordered my Caesar Salad and Shrimp with Cream Sauce. And it was very good. I could have gone for more shrimp, but that’s just me being greedy. The Caesar salad was just okay. But after sitting in the lobby where I had to wait an extended period of time, and then having to sit at the bar, and having my server disappear for another ten minutes, I thought to myself, “This had better be great!” And it wasn’t.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cha Cha Cha was a pretty loud place, perfect for an after-work happy hour, but I wouldn’t take a date there in spite of the two couples making out! This is definitely a place people go to more for the atmosphere than for the food. The loud music makes for a lively evening, but I get the feeling that the music and the crazy colorful decorations are meant to distract you from the food, which is okay but not great.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I loved the fact that we get tootsie rolls instead of the usual after dinner mint! Would I come back? Sure..but I went to Cha, Cha, Cha, alone…I’d have to go back with a group of friends next time.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/ron.jpg\" alt=\"Ron\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Ron\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Episcopal Priest\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Dublin\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Cha Cha Cha\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cha Cha Cha:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, January 4, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My mother-in-law has always said (and believe me she came to Cha Cha Cha), “You can never judge a good restaurant by how it looks from the outside.” How right she is. I visited the Cha Cha Cha in the Haight/Ashbury district, and the outside (as well as the inside) of the place is as quirky as the area in which it is situated! However, after stepping inside the restaurant, what we encountered was very welcoming: an inviting, knowledgeable, prompt staff, delicious tapas, and heavenly desserts made for one intoxicating formula. Indeed, I have a mother who came from Cuba and as a boy I would indulge in many of the items found at Cha Cha Cha: jerk chicken, Spanish rice, and plantanos were a regular bill of fare growing up. I never believed I’d find such flavors in the City by the Bay, and thank heaven for establishment. Indeed, the food speaks for itself. You can choose to enjoy a few tapas, either by yourself or with friends. Or you can splurge by having a main meal and the enjoying dessert. Either way, it’s a fulfilling dining experience. While my wife, my mother-in-law, and myself went over the top (we had everything), the tapas alone would have satisfied us. The jerk chicken was spicy but not overly so (again, I’m not crazy about dark chicken, so I wasn’t as pleased with this dish) and the Fried Plantanos Maduros came with a black bean sauce and little bit of sour cream for color and contrast. The plantanos were sweet and exceptional. The sauce in which the Cajan shrimp came in would prick you mildly with its heat but was succulent and very good. And finally, the zucchini was just beyond words! In fact, my wife and I crossed forks over the final pieces because it was so good!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The main courses were very well done too. The Pargo Rojo, a Pacific red snapper steamed in a banana leaf, took us by surprise. At first, we thought the fish was o.k. and seasoned well, but actually a little dry. However, as soon as we noticed the banana dressing intended for this fish, and once we put both in our mouths, we knew this was a dish that was on another level. The fish “flew” in our mouths with wonderful flavors and a sauntering of seasonings with bananas.\u003cbr>\nThe Bistek Encebollado — a “Cuban Style” New York steak marinated in garlic and oregano comes with caramelized onions and rice, black beans, and “yucca con mojo” — was so good I didn’t want to share! The steak was tender, juicy, well-seasoned and delicious. And needless to say, the sangria (share some with an enemy…it’s that good, says the proprietor) washed down everything with great flavor and complemented our meal superbly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, it was the dessert that was a wonderful surprise. At our initial viewing, we were disappointed that most of the desserts were either mousse or cheesecake. Sounds like nothing spectacular until it’s brought out and consumed. Unbelievable! The El Tango Mango was tart and pleasant to the palate, the Maui Wowee was rich with hints of raspberries and white chocolate. But it was the flan that was the greatest surprise. Let it be known that I hate flan. All too often flan is either burnt or slimy or burnt and slimy. This caramel flan was so incredibly fresh and so surprisingly good I “got religion” about flan…well, maybe only this flan. It rounded out the experience and took the edge off the bill!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In conclusion, my wife and mother-in-law insist on coming back. In fact, I was threatened on pain of death not only to bring them back but also to bring our friends. Looks like I’ll be a Cha Cha Cha regular for some time.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/darron.jpg\" alt=\"Darron\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Darron\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> IT Program Manager\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Chow\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cha Cha Cha:\u003c/strong> Sunday, January 8, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cha Cha Cha showcases the cuisine of the Caribbean and Central and South American cultures with an atmosphere to match. Once you step foot into the restaurant, you feel like you have been transported to the Caribbean where cement floors and block walls provide a muse for local artists to display their cultural heritage in any way, shape or form. There are only a few booths, which are hard to get, and most of the tables can handle only up to four people. The music energizes the room while the heavenly smells from the kitchen awaken your senses. However, it may be a little more difficult to hold conversations when some songs explode throughout the room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The menu is small, but that’s because they spend more time in perfecting the dishes than providing a great deal of variety. We began with a pitcher of their world-famous sangria. This is the drink of the gods! The flavors of the citrus, apple, and red wine blend so well that you have to remind yourself that it’s wine. Complimentary chips and salsa are provided to help calm your hunger while you focus on ordering one of many great dishes. The chips are crispy and the salsa is fresh. My table ordered ceviche and fried platanos for appetizers. The ceviche was perfectly made. The medley of scallops, shrimp, calamari, onions, cilantro, and tomatoes were nicely blended with a perfect amount of lime juice that did not overcook the seafood. The fried platanos were crisp on the outside and moist on the inside. The platanos were sweet and blended nicely with the mashed black beans on the bottom of the plate. The beans also had a nice, chocolate-like flavor that made this Cuban dish one of the best I’ve had.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I ordered the Cuban-style steak with sautéed onions, black beans, rice, and yucca as my entrée. The steak was prepared medium-rare and was very juicy and tender. The flavors of the marinade added complexity and flavor to the meat. The sautéed onions were well prepared and kept their texture and structure. The black beans were nicely seasoned and added diversity to the dish. The Spanish rice was moist with a hint of cumin. The boiled yucca was a pleasant surprise. Its texture and flavor is much like a potato, but lighter; and again, added regional diversity to the dish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For dessert, I ordered the mango angel food cake with raspberry sauce. What an amazing dessert! The presentation was more like a strawberry cheesecake, but the flavor was definitely Caribbean. The top layer was a mango mousse and the bottom layer was angel food. The juxtaposition of the two textures pleased my palate. The raspberry sauce was exactly what the dessert needed to maximize and harmonize the flavors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a pitcher of sangria and a few Latin songs, you definitely feel in a festive mood at Cha Cha Cha. The food is definitely authentic, but the service could use some adjusting. I didn’t care for the “seat yourself” process because the orders were not taken in order of seating. This could be frustrating if you arrive early and the latecomers get to order first. However, I would definitely come back on a Sunday afternoon to enjoy the music and sangria!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/mimi.jpg\" alt=\"Mimi\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Mimi\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Real Estate Agent\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Firefly\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cha Cha Cha:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, January 4, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parking in the Haight area can be challenging at times. It took about ten minutes to find a spot and when I did it was very close to the restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cha Cha Cha lives up to its name in the activity that you experience when you walk through their doors. The bar area, where I ate dinner, had walls painted red with tons of religious icons decorating the walls and framed mirrors. An assortment of musical instruments, various sized guitars, tambourine, and gourds adorned the shelf behind the bar. There were also carved wood tribal sculptures and masks. Lots of tall plants throughout the restaurant gave a tropical feel. Behind me on a wall of brick, was an exhibition of color photographs by local artist Umi Vaughan, depicting scenes of everyday life in Cuba. The business of the decor and rhythm of the Afro-Cuban beat kept your senses engaged. For the young, it’s a place to hang out and groove. It was at the end of my meal when I realized that I was sitting next to a colleague of mine, Allison K, a rising star at Pacific Union. She eats at Cha Cha Cha regularly and really likes the tapas and fun atmosphere. You could see an eclectic group of diners from all neighborhoods enjoying themselves. It was busy on a Wednesday evening. I wondered what kind of energy more patrons would bring on the weekends. It’s definitely a fun place to be. Festive in the Mardi Gras Spirit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The woman behind the counter brought me a menu, silverware, and salsa and chips as soon as I was seated. It took me a while to decide what I wanted to order. She came back a few times to see if I was ready. I started with the seared ahi tuna with lentils and red beets. The tuna was nicely prepared, not seared but medium rare, which I prefer; still moist, meaty and flavorful. I love beets. The beets were quartered and nicely dressed in a light vinaigrette that didn’t overpower the flavor of the beets. They were yummy. The lentils had a cumin and lemon flavor that was a nice accent on the plate. Overall a nice combination\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My next choices where based on trying out foods that I think my sixteen and eleven-year-old sons might like. The first dish that I ordered was the Spanish rice and black beans with sour cream. Rice and beans are always a good staple food for anyone but particularly for kids. It’s healthy and filling. In the micro biotic world, it’s a perfect protein and a great vegetarian dish, provided no meat products are used in the preparation. I didn’t taste any meat products that I could discern. I liked this particular combination. Spanish rice, with a hint of tomato flavor, sour cream, and green olives made the combination more interesting. I added some of the fire-roasted salsa to jazz it up a bit, but it was still good on its own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The warm spinach salad with bacon and mushrooms. This was a surprising dish. I usually think of salads as being light. Not this salad. The combination of the warm creamy dressing and hot bacon gave the spinach salad a meaty and hearty texture. It had a rich flavor that made this particular combination more substantial, almost gamey in flavor. It’s unusual to think about salads as being filling, but this one was. I think the kids would like it. They eat leafy greens and like bacon. I certainly liked it and could have it as a meal. The sangria that they served was fruity without being sweet. It was definitely the drink of the night. Most of the diners at the counter had either glasses or pitchers of sangria. I had a glass and really enjoyed it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A great place to eat considering the quality of the food and price. I don’t like the feel of the Haight at night because of the concentration of homeless that live and hang out there. It’s disturbing to walk by men who clearly have been out in the elements and are on drugs, drunk, or clearly have mental health issues. The invisible people. It’s a sad commentary on our culture. That, however, didn’t impact the success of the restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ninna Restaurant: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=69\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/12/28/check-please-bay-area-season-2-dj-special-292/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/sets/72057594058282469/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch DJ Special episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp292iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/ninna6.jpg\" alt=\"Ninna Restaurant\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/ninna7.jpg\" alt=\"Ninna Restaurant\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/ninna5.jpg\" alt=\"Ninna Restaurant\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nBaked Chicken Breast with Young Potatoes Simmered in a Tangy Yellow Curry Sauce; Duck Breast with Mashed Potatoes and a Red Wine Reduction Sauce; Bananas Foster\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/miranda-wilson.jpg\" alt=\"Miranda Wilson\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Miranda Wilson\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ Smooth Jazz KKSF 103.7\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Ninna Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Ninna Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Saturday, December 2, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My experience at the Thai fusion restaurant, Ninna, was simply fabulous! It was a busy Saturday evening on Piedmont Avenue. If you were driving along Piedmont, you could easily pass this cute little neighborhood spot. There’s plenty of parking in the lot across the street and lots of shops and other restaurants to put on my list to hit up next time. Ninna is very small, so ya gotta make a reservation! Lucky for me, I was the first for dinner. The hostess greeted me at the door with, “Are you Ms. Wilson?” (I think she’s Ninna. Apparently, the owners are Chef Ponnarong and his wife, Ninna.) Hmm, note to self: Greeted at the door by the co-owner who doesn’t need to look at a list to remember my name. Do I feel welcome? Yep! After all, I was dining alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I ordered wine from the little house list. But I would have preferred the waitress to ask if I wanted to see the list. It’s a good list. The only wine I was curious about was not available by the glass. (A South African wine. I’ll try it next time.) No worries, I’ve been trying to get into Sangiovese instead of Pinot Noir or Merlot. They had Christina Antinori. Whoa! By the time I took my first sip of wine, the place had filled up quickly with very friendly folks who seemed so hungry and happy to be there. In fact the couple next to me, Bruce and his lovely wife, and I were comparing our entrees. Did I mention I sat near the door? But it was totally OK. No draft! The ambiance was warm and lively. Wanna bring kids? If they are wanderers, there’s just not too not enough room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now for the food….I can still taste it! My starter was a huge Grilled Freshwater Prawn — that almost looked like a baby lobster — placed in a spicy sweet tomato seafood soup, which was dancing with calamari, mussels, baby shrimp, and basil. Very healthy and what flavor! I could have stopped there but nooo! My elegantly presented entree was a Pan Roasted Pork Loin with slightly sweet sautéed Bermuda onions and a pancetta-apple cider reduction with spinach and mashed potatoes. The pork loin was lean, cooked well done, and the knife cut through it like “buttah!” Where is the Thai in the fusion on this menu? I had another bite and found the answer — it’s Mediterranean style cuisine fused with amazing Thai spice. The use of Kaffir lime, s variety of curries, and the spicy sweet flavors explode in your mouth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Did I feel too stuffed for dessert? Nope. The Caramel Custard was delicious. Sweet, but not too much, with a hint of smokiness from the caramel. The food was delightful. The service, very attentive yet not in the way. So, if you want to try a cozy, yet lively neighborhood restaurant with fabulous food, please go to Oakland’s Ninna.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/marcus-osborne.jpg\" alt=\"Marcus Osborne\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Marcus Osborne\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ 98.1 KISS FM\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Nob Hill Cafe\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Ninna Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Saturday, November 25, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went to Ninna for lunch. Easy to do, because it’s right down the block from where I live! Ninna is a cool little place. And I do mean little! I think some closets are bigger than this place! But all in all, the atmosphere could definitely work as an intimate, cozy place for a date.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went alone for lunch, as I said, but I wouldn’t go there alone for dinner. I’d feel like a complete loser! The service was extremely attentive, which was very cool! I sat near the front of the restaurant near the window and that was pretty cool. Piedmont Avenue is a very busy street with an eclectic array of citizens, so it’s always fun to sit and people watch when you can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since I was one of the first folks at restaurant, I didn’t have to wait long to be seated. And my food came fairly quickly. So my salad arrived. Okay, let me ask this: since when do salads come on a plate instead of a bowl? With a knife and fork? And not only that, but the salad looked more like three big slices of lettuce than a typical Caesar salad. So there I was cutting my salad with a knife and feeling mighty weird about it! I couldn’t help but think that this was NOT going to be good. The bread was nothing special, but well, it’s just bread, and you can’t really judge a meal based on the bread can ya?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So my Linguini Spicy Garlic Chicken and Basil arrived and it looked good. I’m not much into presentation, but the way the linguini sat surrounded by the greenery on the plate was pretty cute. Needless to say, I didn’t eat the greenery — I went straight for the noodles and chicken! And it was great! As a matter of fact, I could go for another plate of that right now! The portion size was perfect, which means it was big! I’d rather a place give me too much food, so that I can take it home, rather than too little where I’m wishing I could go get a burger afterwards! The “spicy” part of the meal comes in three different “heats.” Mild, Medium, and Holy Moses That’s HOT! I chose the medium, and it was just right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the folks at Ninna got it right. For twenty-five bucks, you get a great, filling meal. And if you’re looking for a nice place to take a date, Ninna would definitely do the trick.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/sylvia-chacon.jpg\" alt=\"Sylvia Chacon\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sylvia Chacon\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ Star 101.3\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Cha Cha Cha\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Ninna Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Monday, November 27, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This will not go down as a favorite restaurant of mine, however there were some nice things about the dining experience. It’s on Piedmont Ave in Oakland, a lovely area. I enjoyed seeing all the shops and restaurants. What a relief from the mall. After dining, we took a little walk, that was nice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On to the dining experience. The restaurant is extremely small. I’ve been in small restaurants before and I didn’t seem to mind, but this time it got to me. It could have just been the person who was sitting next to me, I’m not sure. He was dining alone and reading a book. He looked like a real nice man, still wearing his tie. He probably just got off work and was trying to unwind and enjoy a nice glass of wine, a wonderful meal, and a good book. The tables were SO close that I was actually nervous that I might tip his glass of wine over with my elbow — I’m not exaggerating! As we proceeded to dine, we found ourselves literally whispering. Not that we were discussing FBI classified information or anything, but because we didn’t want to disturb him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the evening went on, we pretty much stopped talking, period! Not just because of the nice man sitting next to us, but because of the two people dining across from us as well. We heard EVERYTHING they were saying. It was the guy’s fiftieth birthday, he was there with his wife, and it was his fiftieth birthday. Oh yeah, I already said that. SO DID HE! About a dozen times, he was actually quite cute, told EVERYONE who came in that it was his birthday — strangers and all. We could tell he really enjoyed his wine, if you get my drift. I don’t recommend this restaurant for a first date. If you want to get to know her, so will everyone else! The tables are THAT close.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let’s move on to the positive. The waitress was excellent! Great service throughout! When I walked in, I was greeted with a friendly, sincere smile. I told her I had a reservation, she was expecting me, and I was seated within five seconds. She was extremely attentive and pleasant. If I’m spending my hard earned money going out to eat, this is the kind of service I want. Like any other woman, I work, cook for the family, drive the kids around, and deal with homework. Part of the reason I go out is to take a break and have someone pamper me for a change. We all need that now and then. She pampered me!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now for the food. My cauliflower soup was pretty darn good, but not quite warm enough. Not bad, don’t get me wrong, it just could have been a wee bit warmer. The fresh salmon, grilled with a parmesan pesto topping was WONDERFUL! Big high five to the chef! It was tender and simply mouth watering. I would have liked just a bit more of the topping on the salmon — terrific flavor. The vegetables were very good, cooked to perfection, but I could hardly see them — there weren’t enough, very small portion. Bottom line for me: a good restaurant, not great.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/sonya1.jpg\" alt=\"Sonya\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sonya\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Information Systems Analyst\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Ninna Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Ninna Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, December 1, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ninna Restaurant is easy to overlook. Its dark awning is between the brilliant neon of the Baja Taqueria on its right and the Piedmont Hairport on its left. The door sits back from the sidewalk, so you can walk right past the entry without realizing it. But you wouldn’t want to do that. You’d want to go inside and be graciously greeted by Ninna herself, and seated at one of the small, white tablecloth covered tables.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is a small place. A narrow strip of a restaurant, with a cloth covered bench along one wall, tables, then chairs facing the wall. Two small tables with chairs go along the opposite wall. Ninna serves as hostess and waitress. She will smile at you and hand you a menu. You will notice her brightly-colored tie against her crisp white shirt. Ninna’s husband, Ponnarong Nimearm-on, is the chef, and you will mostly know him through the skillfully seasoned dishes he prepares. You will settle back, and the sound of light, classical music will transport you away from the busy avenue outside the restaurant window. The décor is homey elegance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are thirsty, try a Thai iced tea, flavored with a swirl of sweet condensed milk. If it is lunch, try one of the delicious curry and rice bowls or the penne pasta with bay shrimp, “Pad Thai-style.” But if it is dinner, as it was when I last went, you should try the Baked Chicken Breast with young potatoes simmered in a tangy yellow curry sauce or the Fresh Salmon, grilled with a Parmesan and pesto topping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For starters, we had the Spinach-Cheese Ravioli with red curry sauce. The red curry sauce had just the perfect amount of hot to brighten the flavor of the ricotta and spinach in the ravioli. We weren’t too proud to dip the crusty hot baguette in the remaining sauce on the plate. The soup of the day was carrot with ginger, a creamy purée where the sweetness of the ginger accented the sweetness of the carrot. Each mouthful finished with the vivid warmth of the ginger. The entrée, crispy skin on a boneless breast of chicken that is juicy and delicately seasoned, is served over thinly-sliced potatoes in a yellow curry sauce. Baby red plum tomatoes dot the plate with color. Swish a piece of chicken in the sauce, spear a piece of potato, and taste the marriage of flavors on your tongue. The salmon is served with a thin strip of pesto over the top of a crisply grilled filet. A swirl of peppered oil and balsamic vinegar circle the plate. The salmon melts like butter in your mouth, the brilliant taste of pesto dance across the taste buds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Make sure to save room for dessert. Ninna’s has a must-eat bananas Foster. The outside of the banana slices are caramelized so that the flesh is soft and sweet, yet the inside stays firm. The caramel sauce and bananas are then plated around a mound of vanilla ice cream. The whole thing is topped by a drizzle of chocolate sauce. A sprig of fresh mint and a fanned strawberry complete the picture. If you ate too much but still have a little room, try the tiramisu. The cake inside is firm and not soggy, while the coffee-flavored cream and dusting of cocoa powder lets you satisfy the sweet tooth without feeling over full. Each dish is prepared so that you taste each ingredient and still experience a new flavor as you blend them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ninna keeps a watchful eye on patrons, coming by at just the perfect time. She is good at remembering a face and very gracious in welcoming you into a true neighborhood find. I always recommend Ninna’s to friends and family. I go there when I need a break after a hard week or when I want to do something special for myself.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/dave1.jpg\" alt=\"Dave\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Dave\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Pharmacist\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Chapeau!\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Ninna Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, December 7, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ninna is a charming Mediterranean/Thai fusion restaurant located on a busy section of Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. It is the perfect place for a cozy dinner date. The space is narrow with high ceilings, is warmly decorated in dark oranges and browns with paintings of flowers along the walls, and can seat around twenty people. When I arrived at 7PM on a chilly Tuesday evening, there were only two other diners in the restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As advertised, the menu contains some standard Mediterranean bistro fare (oven-braised lamb shanks, roasted duck breast) with interesting Thai touches (the lamb shanks have a sauce containing kaffir lime leaves). Soup of the day ($4.95) on my visit was a tomato-seafood broth with mussels, calamari, and a grilled freshwater prawn. The slices of calamari were tender, and the seafood-infused tomato broth flavorful and complex. The large, grilled freshwater prawn added a smoky element to this superb dish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My main course was pan-seared fillet of sole with shrimp in a lemon-butter sauce with capers ($19.95). The fish was perfectly cooked and moist, and the capers in the sauce added a nice zing. My dinner companion had seared sea scallops on a bed of roasted eggplant topped with a basil sauce ($17.95). This is the dish I wish I’d ordered. The large scallops were nicely caramelized on the outside and moist and slightly rare at the center. The basil sauce (spicy and slightly sweet) added the perfect Thai element. Although I liked my dish, the scallops were special.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The desserts we had were good but lacking the unique touches that marked the appetizers and main courses. We sampled the bananas Foster ($6.95) and caramel custard ($4.95). The bananas in the former were nicely flavored with rum and brown sugar, but were not quite hot enough the contrast with the vanilla ice cream. The caramel on the custard was dark, adding an appealing hint of bitterness to the sugar. The Pinot Grigio we ordered (Placido 2003 from Italy $28) was crisp and fruity and went well with our food. The wine list is decent and ranges from $24 to $90 a bottle with around six selections available by the glass.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The size of the restaurant and staff (there was one server with two people in the kitchen on my visit, including the chef!) creates a cozy, friendly dining experience. My only complaint was that, considering the quality of the food and the appealing presentations, everything was served on cold plates. Easily fixable, but a surprising oversight. I would gladly return here with my East Bay friends to enjoy the special food and warm atmosphere of this intimate restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/wendy1.jpg\" alt=\"Wendy\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Wendy\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Director of Media\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Red Sea Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Ninna Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Saturday, December 3, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ninna restaurant on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland is the kind of tiny, windowed bistro that you imagine every rising star chef wants to own themselves. Ninna must have barely thirty seats and a tiny kitchen, out of which emerges some very delicious and expertly-prepared Asian/fusion food, a somewhat dated cuisine served with old-fashioned grace and simplicity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ninna is an Oakland bistro with a kitchen that knows what it’s doing. Every dish we shared was just delicious, solid, and beautifully-presented. We compared two versions of romaine salad: a classic Caeser and a salad of romaine hearts with blue cheese. Neither was off-the-charts-remarkable, but the lettuce was very fresh and crisp, just the right amount of dressing, and a deft balance of flavors. The Caeser could have had more anchovy and a more forward Parmesan, and the blue cheese on the romaine hearts could have been more zingy for my taste, but overall, both salads were very carefully prepared. Perhaps demure is the right word at Ninna — it fits the service and the style of the restaurant pretty equally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Main courses included a perfectly-cooked piece of ahi tuna served with mashed potatoes, chargrilled asparagus spears, and a creamy green curry sauce. I savored every bite. Where I might normally have chosen an Alsatian white wine with curry, since it was cold outside (crazy me), I picked a glass of delicious, zesty, not-too-heavy Napa Zinfandel (I forget which one) that I really enjoyed with the blue cheese salad, and it continued oh-so-well with the tuna. Gotta be bold and break outmoded wine rules whenever possible — red wine with fish rocks in the right pairing. The tuna was perfectly seared rare, and I was infinitely happy. My partner was equally thrilled with the grilled duck breast; tender, crisp skin rendered to perfection, served with the same mashed potatoes. We were cool with having the identical accompaniment — they were light and really tasted like potatoes (it’s amazing how many versions of mashed potatoes are all about the garlic, or a not great potato to start with).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The caramel custard that we shared for dessert had a lovely flan-like texture and had been prepared in the not-too-sweet school of desserts. I don’t like a cloyingly sweet finish to a meal, but the sauce had a slightly bitter aftertaste that made me wish they’d served a cookie on the plate. Anyway, in general, the service was transparent (just a little rushed at the end to make way for the next turn), the meal delicious, the room intimate. But something was just a little off for me at Ninna.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It could have been that every time the door opened and new guests came in, the whole room got cold. I think it’s also hard to create real conviviality in a room that small. As I was feeling pretty anonymous near the end of the meal (the server was cordial, just not overly personable), I took a minute to tell her what a wonderful meal we’d had. She smiled from ear to ear in what seemed to be a truly genuine expression of shared pleasure. It was a nice moment, broken only by the overly loud voices of the new table sitting next to us, who were straining to articulate loudly to one in their party who seemed to need a hearing aid. They were so close to us, we could have touched them, or stuck a spoon into their delicious-looking carrot soup. If they had been sitting next to us the whole meal, we might not have been able to enjoy our own conversation but would have felt immersed in theirs. Those are the breaks in such a room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ninna is a neighborhood pearl I’d go back in a second for a special occasion and ask for the corner table in the back. There is definitely a spiritual sense to the detail in this restaurant, a quiet, personal, soulful approach to things. It’s a restaurant where you feel you are in very good hands.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n4066 Piedmont Avenue (at 40th Street)\r\nOakland, CA 94611\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 510-601-6441\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.ninnarestaurant.com\">www.ninnarestaurant.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Type of Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Thai Fusion\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2005 and Winter 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ninna Restaurant: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=69\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/12/28/check-please-bay-area-season-2-dj-special-292/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/sets/72057594058282469/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch DJ Special episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp292iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/ninna6.jpg\" alt=\"Ninna Restaurant\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/ninna7.jpg\" alt=\"Ninna Restaurant\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/ninna5.jpg\" alt=\"Ninna Restaurant\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nBaked Chicken Breast with Young Potatoes Simmered in a Tangy Yellow Curry Sauce; Duck Breast with Mashed Potatoes and a Red Wine Reduction Sauce; Bananas Foster\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/miranda-wilson.jpg\" alt=\"Miranda Wilson\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Miranda Wilson\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ Smooth Jazz KKSF 103.7\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Ninna Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Ninna Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Saturday, December 2, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My experience at the Thai fusion restaurant, Ninna, was simply fabulous! It was a busy Saturday evening on Piedmont Avenue. If you were driving along Piedmont, you could easily pass this cute little neighborhood spot. There’s plenty of parking in the lot across the street and lots of shops and other restaurants to put on my list to hit up next time. Ninna is very small, so ya gotta make a reservation! Lucky for me, I was the first for dinner. The hostess greeted me at the door with, “Are you Ms. Wilson?” (I think she’s Ninna. Apparently, the owners are Chef Ponnarong and his wife, Ninna.) Hmm, note to self: Greeted at the door by the co-owner who doesn’t need to look at a list to remember my name. Do I feel welcome? Yep! After all, I was dining alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I ordered wine from the little house list. But I would have preferred the waitress to ask if I wanted to see the list. It’s a good list. The only wine I was curious about was not available by the glass. (A South African wine. I’ll try it next time.) No worries, I’ve been trying to get into Sangiovese instead of Pinot Noir or Merlot. They had Christina Antinori. Whoa! By the time I took my first sip of wine, the place had filled up quickly with very friendly folks who seemed so hungry and happy to be there. In fact the couple next to me, Bruce and his lovely wife, and I were comparing our entrees. Did I mention I sat near the door? But it was totally OK. No draft! The ambiance was warm and lively. Wanna bring kids? If they are wanderers, there’s just not too not enough room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now for the food….I can still taste it! My starter was a huge Grilled Freshwater Prawn — that almost looked like a baby lobster — placed in a spicy sweet tomato seafood soup, which was dancing with calamari, mussels, baby shrimp, and basil. Very healthy and what flavor! I could have stopped there but nooo! My elegantly presented entree was a Pan Roasted Pork Loin with slightly sweet sautéed Bermuda onions and a pancetta-apple cider reduction with spinach and mashed potatoes. The pork loin was lean, cooked well done, and the knife cut through it like “buttah!” Where is the Thai in the fusion on this menu? I had another bite and found the answer — it’s Mediterranean style cuisine fused with amazing Thai spice. The use of Kaffir lime, s variety of curries, and the spicy sweet flavors explode in your mouth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Did I feel too stuffed for dessert? Nope. The Caramel Custard was delicious. Sweet, but not too much, with a hint of smokiness from the caramel. The food was delightful. The service, very attentive yet not in the way. So, if you want to try a cozy, yet lively neighborhood restaurant with fabulous food, please go to Oakland’s Ninna.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/marcus-osborne.jpg\" alt=\"Marcus Osborne\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Marcus Osborne\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ 98.1 KISS FM\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Nob Hill Cafe\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Ninna Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Saturday, November 25, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went to Ninna for lunch. Easy to do, because it’s right down the block from where I live! Ninna is a cool little place. And I do mean little! I think some closets are bigger than this place! But all in all, the atmosphere could definitely work as an intimate, cozy place for a date.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went alone for lunch, as I said, but I wouldn’t go there alone for dinner. I’d feel like a complete loser! The service was extremely attentive, which was very cool! I sat near the front of the restaurant near the window and that was pretty cool. Piedmont Avenue is a very busy street with an eclectic array of citizens, so it’s always fun to sit and people watch when you can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since I was one of the first folks at restaurant, I didn’t have to wait long to be seated. And my food came fairly quickly. So my salad arrived. Okay, let me ask this: since when do salads come on a plate instead of a bowl? With a knife and fork? And not only that, but the salad looked more like three big slices of lettuce than a typical Caesar salad. So there I was cutting my salad with a knife and feeling mighty weird about it! I couldn’t help but think that this was NOT going to be good. The bread was nothing special, but well, it’s just bread, and you can’t really judge a meal based on the bread can ya?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So my Linguini Spicy Garlic Chicken and Basil arrived and it looked good. I’m not much into presentation, but the way the linguini sat surrounded by the greenery on the plate was pretty cute. Needless to say, I didn’t eat the greenery — I went straight for the noodles and chicken! And it was great! As a matter of fact, I could go for another plate of that right now! The portion size was perfect, which means it was big! I’d rather a place give me too much food, so that I can take it home, rather than too little where I’m wishing I could go get a burger afterwards! The “spicy” part of the meal comes in three different “heats.” Mild, Medium, and Holy Moses That’s HOT! I chose the medium, and it was just right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the folks at Ninna got it right. For twenty-five bucks, you get a great, filling meal. And if you’re looking for a nice place to take a date, Ninna would definitely do the trick.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/sylvia-chacon.jpg\" alt=\"Sylvia Chacon\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sylvia Chacon\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ Star 101.3\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Cha Cha Cha\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Ninna Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Monday, November 27, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This will not go down as a favorite restaurant of mine, however there were some nice things about the dining experience. It’s on Piedmont Ave in Oakland, a lovely area. I enjoyed seeing all the shops and restaurants. What a relief from the mall. After dining, we took a little walk, that was nice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On to the dining experience. The restaurant is extremely small. I’ve been in small restaurants before and I didn’t seem to mind, but this time it got to me. It could have just been the person who was sitting next to me, I’m not sure. He was dining alone and reading a book. He looked like a real nice man, still wearing his tie. He probably just got off work and was trying to unwind and enjoy a nice glass of wine, a wonderful meal, and a good book. The tables were SO close that I was actually nervous that I might tip his glass of wine over with my elbow — I’m not exaggerating! As we proceeded to dine, we found ourselves literally whispering. Not that we were discussing FBI classified information or anything, but because we didn’t want to disturb him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the evening went on, we pretty much stopped talking, period! Not just because of the nice man sitting next to us, but because of the two people dining across from us as well. We heard EVERYTHING they were saying. It was the guy’s fiftieth birthday, he was there with his wife, and it was his fiftieth birthday. Oh yeah, I already said that. SO DID HE! About a dozen times, he was actually quite cute, told EVERYONE who came in that it was his birthday — strangers and all. We could tell he really enjoyed his wine, if you get my drift. I don’t recommend this restaurant for a first date. If you want to get to know her, so will everyone else! The tables are THAT close.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let’s move on to the positive. The waitress was excellent! Great service throughout! When I walked in, I was greeted with a friendly, sincere smile. I told her I had a reservation, she was expecting me, and I was seated within five seconds. She was extremely attentive and pleasant. If I’m spending my hard earned money going out to eat, this is the kind of service I want. Like any other woman, I work, cook for the family, drive the kids around, and deal with homework. Part of the reason I go out is to take a break and have someone pamper me for a change. We all need that now and then. She pampered me!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now for the food. My cauliflower soup was pretty darn good, but not quite warm enough. Not bad, don’t get me wrong, it just could have been a wee bit warmer. The fresh salmon, grilled with a parmesan pesto topping was WONDERFUL! Big high five to the chef! It was tender and simply mouth watering. I would have liked just a bit more of the topping on the salmon — terrific flavor. The vegetables were very good, cooked to perfection, but I could hardly see them — there weren’t enough, very small portion. Bottom line for me: a good restaurant, not great.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/sonya1.jpg\" alt=\"Sonya\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sonya\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Information Systems Analyst\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Ninna Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Ninna Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, December 1, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ninna Restaurant is easy to overlook. Its dark awning is between the brilliant neon of the Baja Taqueria on its right and the Piedmont Hairport on its left. The door sits back from the sidewalk, so you can walk right past the entry without realizing it. But you wouldn’t want to do that. You’d want to go inside and be graciously greeted by Ninna herself, and seated at one of the small, white tablecloth covered tables.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is a small place. A narrow strip of a restaurant, with a cloth covered bench along one wall, tables, then chairs facing the wall. Two small tables with chairs go along the opposite wall. Ninna serves as hostess and waitress. She will smile at you and hand you a menu. You will notice her brightly-colored tie against her crisp white shirt. Ninna’s husband, Ponnarong Nimearm-on, is the chef, and you will mostly know him through the skillfully seasoned dishes he prepares. You will settle back, and the sound of light, classical music will transport you away from the busy avenue outside the restaurant window. The décor is homey elegance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are thirsty, try a Thai iced tea, flavored with a swirl of sweet condensed milk. If it is lunch, try one of the delicious curry and rice bowls or the penne pasta with bay shrimp, “Pad Thai-style.” But if it is dinner, as it was when I last went, you should try the Baked Chicken Breast with young potatoes simmered in a tangy yellow curry sauce or the Fresh Salmon, grilled with a Parmesan and pesto topping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For starters, we had the Spinach-Cheese Ravioli with red curry sauce. The red curry sauce had just the perfect amount of hot to brighten the flavor of the ricotta and spinach in the ravioli. We weren’t too proud to dip the crusty hot baguette in the remaining sauce on the plate. The soup of the day was carrot with ginger, a creamy purée where the sweetness of the ginger accented the sweetness of the carrot. Each mouthful finished with the vivid warmth of the ginger. The entrée, crispy skin on a boneless breast of chicken that is juicy and delicately seasoned, is served over thinly-sliced potatoes in a yellow curry sauce. Baby red plum tomatoes dot the plate with color. Swish a piece of chicken in the sauce, spear a piece of potato, and taste the marriage of flavors on your tongue. The salmon is served with a thin strip of pesto over the top of a crisply grilled filet. A swirl of peppered oil and balsamic vinegar circle the plate. The salmon melts like butter in your mouth, the brilliant taste of pesto dance across the taste buds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Make sure to save room for dessert. Ninna’s has a must-eat bananas Foster. The outside of the banana slices are caramelized so that the flesh is soft and sweet, yet the inside stays firm. The caramel sauce and bananas are then plated around a mound of vanilla ice cream. The whole thing is topped by a drizzle of chocolate sauce. A sprig of fresh mint and a fanned strawberry complete the picture. If you ate too much but still have a little room, try the tiramisu. The cake inside is firm and not soggy, while the coffee-flavored cream and dusting of cocoa powder lets you satisfy the sweet tooth without feeling over full. Each dish is prepared so that you taste each ingredient and still experience a new flavor as you blend them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ninna keeps a watchful eye on patrons, coming by at just the perfect time. She is good at remembering a face and very gracious in welcoming you into a true neighborhood find. I always recommend Ninna’s to friends and family. I go there when I need a break after a hard week or when I want to do something special for myself.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/dave1.jpg\" alt=\"Dave\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Dave\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Pharmacist\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Chapeau!\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Ninna Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, December 7, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ninna is a charming Mediterranean/Thai fusion restaurant located on a busy section of Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. It is the perfect place for a cozy dinner date. The space is narrow with high ceilings, is warmly decorated in dark oranges and browns with paintings of flowers along the walls, and can seat around twenty people. When I arrived at 7PM on a chilly Tuesday evening, there were only two other diners in the restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As advertised, the menu contains some standard Mediterranean bistro fare (oven-braised lamb shanks, roasted duck breast) with interesting Thai touches (the lamb shanks have a sauce containing kaffir lime leaves). Soup of the day ($4.95) on my visit was a tomato-seafood broth with mussels, calamari, and a grilled freshwater prawn. The slices of calamari were tender, and the seafood-infused tomato broth flavorful and complex. The large, grilled freshwater prawn added a smoky element to this superb dish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My main course was pan-seared fillet of sole with shrimp in a lemon-butter sauce with capers ($19.95). The fish was perfectly cooked and moist, and the capers in the sauce added a nice zing. My dinner companion had seared sea scallops on a bed of roasted eggplant topped with a basil sauce ($17.95). This is the dish I wish I’d ordered. The large scallops were nicely caramelized on the outside and moist and slightly rare at the center. The basil sauce (spicy and slightly sweet) added the perfect Thai element. Although I liked my dish, the scallops were special.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The desserts we had were good but lacking the unique touches that marked the appetizers and main courses. We sampled the bananas Foster ($6.95) and caramel custard ($4.95). The bananas in the former were nicely flavored with rum and brown sugar, but were not quite hot enough the contrast with the vanilla ice cream. The caramel on the custard was dark, adding an appealing hint of bitterness to the sugar. The Pinot Grigio we ordered (Placido 2003 from Italy $28) was crisp and fruity and went well with our food. The wine list is decent and ranges from $24 to $90 a bottle with around six selections available by the glass.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The size of the restaurant and staff (there was one server with two people in the kitchen on my visit, including the chef!) creates a cozy, friendly dining experience. My only complaint was that, considering the quality of the food and the appealing presentations, everything was served on cold plates. Easily fixable, but a surprising oversight. I would gladly return here with my East Bay friends to enjoy the special food and warm atmosphere of this intimate restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/wendy1.jpg\" alt=\"Wendy\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Wendy\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Director of Media\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Red Sea Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Ninna Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Saturday, December 3, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ninna restaurant on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland is the kind of tiny, windowed bistro that you imagine every rising star chef wants to own themselves. Ninna must have barely thirty seats and a tiny kitchen, out of which emerges some very delicious and expertly-prepared Asian/fusion food, a somewhat dated cuisine served with old-fashioned grace and simplicity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ninna is an Oakland bistro with a kitchen that knows what it’s doing. Every dish we shared was just delicious, solid, and beautifully-presented. We compared two versions of romaine salad: a classic Caeser and a salad of romaine hearts with blue cheese. Neither was off-the-charts-remarkable, but the lettuce was very fresh and crisp, just the right amount of dressing, and a deft balance of flavors. The Caeser could have had more anchovy and a more forward Parmesan, and the blue cheese on the romaine hearts could have been more zingy for my taste, but overall, both salads were very carefully prepared. Perhaps demure is the right word at Ninna — it fits the service and the style of the restaurant pretty equally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Main courses included a perfectly-cooked piece of ahi tuna served with mashed potatoes, chargrilled asparagus spears, and a creamy green curry sauce. I savored every bite. Where I might normally have chosen an Alsatian white wine with curry, since it was cold outside (crazy me), I picked a glass of delicious, zesty, not-too-heavy Napa Zinfandel (I forget which one) that I really enjoyed with the blue cheese salad, and it continued oh-so-well with the tuna. Gotta be bold and break outmoded wine rules whenever possible — red wine with fish rocks in the right pairing. The tuna was perfectly seared rare, and I was infinitely happy. My partner was equally thrilled with the grilled duck breast; tender, crisp skin rendered to perfection, served with the same mashed potatoes. We were cool with having the identical accompaniment — they were light and really tasted like potatoes (it’s amazing how many versions of mashed potatoes are all about the garlic, or a not great potato to start with).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The caramel custard that we shared for dessert had a lovely flan-like texture and had been prepared in the not-too-sweet school of desserts. I don’t like a cloyingly sweet finish to a meal, but the sauce had a slightly bitter aftertaste that made me wish they’d served a cookie on the plate. Anyway, in general, the service was transparent (just a little rushed at the end to make way for the next turn), the meal delicious, the room intimate. But something was just a little off for me at Ninna.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It could have been that every time the door opened and new guests came in, the whole room got cold. I think it’s also hard to create real conviviality in a room that small. As I was feeling pretty anonymous near the end of the meal (the server was cordial, just not overly personable), I took a minute to tell her what a wonderful meal we’d had. She smiled from ear to ear in what seemed to be a truly genuine expression of shared pleasure. It was a nice moment, broken only by the overly loud voices of the new table sitting next to us, who were straining to articulate loudly to one in their party who seemed to need a hearing aid. They were so close to us, we could have touched them, or stuck a spoon into their delicious-looking carrot soup. If they had been sitting next to us the whole meal, we might not have been able to enjoy our own conversation but would have felt immersed in theirs. Those are the breaks in such a room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nob Hill Cafe: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=102\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/12/28/check-please-bay-area-season-2-dj-special-292/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch DJ Special episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp292iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/nobhillcafe2.jpg\" alt=\"Nob Hill Cafe\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/nobhillcafe6.jpg\" alt=\"Nob Hill Cafe\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/nobhillcafe1.jpg\" alt=\"Nob Hill Cafe\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nCalzone: Fresh Spinach, Feta, Mozzarella, Roasted Onions, and Garlic; Margherita Pizza: Pomodoro, Oregano, Mozzarella, and Basil; Chocolate Ganache\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/marcus-osborne.jpg\" alt=\"Marcus Osborne\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Marcus Osborne\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ 98.1 KISS FM\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Nob Hill Cafe\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Nob Hill Cafe:\u003c/strong> Saturday, December 2, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nob Hill Cafe is a very busy Italian eatery, but well worth the wait for a seat. Good sized place and a friendly atmosphere. I chose to dine inside, but you have the option of dining outside as well. But it was waaay too cold in San Francisco this night, so inside dining was for me! Okay, so my only real issue is actually a pet peeve of mine with the menu — not just here, but at virtually all resturaunts — I’m not Italian! So I need the menu in English! Is it just me?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The waitstaff was soooo very friendly and attentive — definitely seem like people who enjoy assisting you. Making sure everything was “okay” fairly regularly. The Nob Hill Cafe is very homey. Definitely a place where the locals hang out, not real touristy. You can tell that business has been good there. This used to be one little place, but it looks like they bought a little restaurant next to it and combined it with the original cafe to form one larger eatery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bustling place, close quarters, but it doesn’t feel claustrophobic. The wait wasn’t as long as I expected. There are no reservations at Nob Hill Cafe, so you will wait, but they make the wait convenient. You can sit outside, and they’ll offer you a glass of wine or Champagne. Food came relative quick, which I ALWAYS like! Get me my food and get it fast!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The salad was excellent. Nice variety of green lettuce with a light vinaigrette dressing. Two types of bread on the table. I went outside my comfort zone and had the eggplant and pasta dish. Normally I’m all about having meat, but I said, “What the heck?” and went with something different. Nice charcoal flavor, COVERED in heavy cheese, and that was great for me because I LOVE cheese. The eggplant was mixed with corkscrew penne pasta. Good portion size. The price was reasonable, given the location. It can get pretty pricey to dine up there. And parking is tough up there, so don’t waste time trying to find a parking space, just head over to one of the parking garages and save yourself time and headaches.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/sylvia-chacon.jpg\" alt=\"Sylvia Chacon\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sylvia Chacon\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ Star 101.3\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Cha Cha Cha\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Nob Hill Cafe:\u003c/strong> Thursday, November 30, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I ran into another small restaurant. Not as small as Ninna in Oakland. Actually, this was fine. Lots of happy people and conversations going on, so I didn’t feel like people could hear mine, nor could I make out what they were saying, although I tried! It was a very cold evening, and parking in that area isn’t easy. I lucked out and found street parking immediately. Be prepared, that doesn’t happen! It was a Thursday night and the place was packed. You can’t make reservations. I was hoping it wouldn’t take too long. Out of all the nights I dined for this show, I was the hungriest on this night. Luckily, we were seated within eight minutes. I kept getting lucky. It pretty much continued that way. Especially when it started to get busier. People began waiting OUTSIDE to get in. At this point I’m feeling pretty special. Wow, I’m thinking, this must be a great restaurant — these crazy people are lined up outside wishing they had MY table! There are about four tables out on the sidewalk, so if you’re fortunate enough, you’ll get to be cold, sitting down. By the time we got our main course, there were plenty of people STANDING outside too, all the tables had been taken.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It lived up to the hype outside. The food was wonderful and the service was great. Our waitress was very attentive and friendly with a great personality. She came by just enough time to make sure that we had everything we needed. We started out with garlic bread, which was pesto toast with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Very tasty, I’m a total bread person anyway! For my main course, I ordered Gnocchi Bolognese, which were homemade potato dumplings, with ground beef, Italian sausage, and pomodoro. Simply outstanding. And filling — remember I was particularly hungry on this night. That’s how I knew the portions were generous. I was full. The Bolongnese sauce was perfect. It was tasty and not over-done. Sometimes, for me, with Italian cooking, there’s just too much going on. One spice kills the other, and you can’t taste everything, because there’s too much of that ONE thing. Confusing! I know! They’ve got it figured out. DELICIOUS! I had custard for dessert. I was interested in comparing it to the custard at Ninna. This custard was much better. The topping wasn’t bitter, it was sweet. That made a big difference. I guess I’d wait out in the cold for a table at Nob Hill Cafe too, but not in the rain. I don’t do that for anything! Great restaurant!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/miranda-wilson.jpg\" alt=\"Miranda Wilson\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Miranda Wilson\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ Smooth Jazz KKSF 103.7\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Ninna Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Nob Hill Cafe:\u003c/strong> Monday, November 27, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nob Hill Cafe is one of those places that screams “San Francisco!” It is located just a block or two from Grace Cathedral. They feature Northern Italian cuisine and it’s hot, homemade, and healthy. After driving up and down Taylor and every adjacent street, we finally found parking. Lucky for us they don’t accept reservations. (We’d never make it!)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Suggestion: Come early! After we “climbed every mountain,” we found a parking spot. Whew! Breathlessly, we made it. We were welcomed by a bright, friendly, and fast waitress. My friend Judy had a glass of Merlot, and I had a Sangiovese Santa Christina Antinori. How cool! It was poured into our glasses right from the bottle at the table. Just like I would do it from home!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Judy started with the artichoke soup. Since it was a cool evening, I had a piping hot, hearty, Italian soup with chicken broth and Italian veggies. We chose our entrees from the chalkboard of the day’s specials. Judy had the Butternut Pumpkin Ravioli in a Sage Cream Sauce — perfect for Fall! Did I try Judy’s food? Of course! Pour moi, salmon in parchment served over julienned veggies. Thanks to the parchment, the salmon was juicy and not dry at all. But the veggies should have been plated next to the parchment rather than on top. I had to dig and lift the dry parchment off my veggies. One thing I loved was being so close to the kitchen. This place has a real home cooked vibe. A historic neighborhood with folks talking, but not so loudly that we couldn’t enjoy our conversation. Just when we finished our entree, another great — I should say \u003ci>two\u003c/i> great –San Francisco mainstays walked through the doors. Every Tuesday and Friday at 7pm the San Francisco Twins dine at Nob Hill Cafe. They get the same table, right up front near the window. This is another reason why Nob Hill Cafe is the perfect place to bring out-of-towners!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Did we do dessert? You gotta try “Try Its!” Six great flavors of gelato pie like slices. Usually frozen desserts are rock hard, but this one was just right. I had a mocha gelato with toffee crunch served on a cheesecake crust! Our server told us that a company call Gottahaveit creates these wonderful delectables. Scrumptious! I can’t wait to try this place on a sunny summer evening. I’d recommend the Nob Hill Cafe to everyone I know. But er, uh, take a taxi or cable car.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n1152 Taylor Street (at Pleasant Street, between Sacramento and Clay)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94108\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-776-6500\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.nobhillcafe.com/\">www.nobhillcafe\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Type of Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Italian\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Spring 2006 and Winter 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nob Hill Cafe: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=102\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/12/28/check-please-bay-area-season-2-dj-special-292/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch DJ Special episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp292iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/nobhillcafe2.jpg\" alt=\"Nob Hill Cafe\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/nobhillcafe6.jpg\" alt=\"Nob Hill Cafe\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/nobhillcafe1.jpg\" alt=\"Nob Hill Cafe\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nCalzone: Fresh Spinach, Feta, Mozzarella, Roasted Onions, and Garlic; Margherita Pizza: Pomodoro, Oregano, Mozzarella, and Basil; Chocolate Ganache\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/marcus-osborne.jpg\" alt=\"Marcus Osborne\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Marcus Osborne\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ 98.1 KISS FM\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Nob Hill Cafe\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Nob Hill Cafe:\u003c/strong> Saturday, December 2, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nob Hill Cafe is a very busy Italian eatery, but well worth the wait for a seat. Good sized place and a friendly atmosphere. I chose to dine inside, but you have the option of dining outside as well. But it was waaay too cold in San Francisco this night, so inside dining was for me! Okay, so my only real issue is actually a pet peeve of mine with the menu — not just here, but at virtually all resturaunts — I’m not Italian! So I need the menu in English! Is it just me?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The waitstaff was soooo very friendly and attentive — definitely seem like people who enjoy assisting you. Making sure everything was “okay” fairly regularly. The Nob Hill Cafe is very homey. Definitely a place where the locals hang out, not real touristy. You can tell that business has been good there. This used to be one little place, but it looks like they bought a little restaurant next to it and combined it with the original cafe to form one larger eatery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bustling place, close quarters, but it doesn’t feel claustrophobic. The wait wasn’t as long as I expected. There are no reservations at Nob Hill Cafe, so you will wait, but they make the wait convenient. You can sit outside, and they’ll offer you a glass of wine or Champagne. Food came relative quick, which I ALWAYS like! Get me my food and get it fast!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The salad was excellent. Nice variety of green lettuce with a light vinaigrette dressing. Two types of bread on the table. I went outside my comfort zone and had the eggplant and pasta dish. Normally I’m all about having meat, but I said, “What the heck?” and went with something different. Nice charcoal flavor, COVERED in heavy cheese, and that was great for me because I LOVE cheese. The eggplant was mixed with corkscrew penne pasta. Good portion size. The price was reasonable, given the location. It can get pretty pricey to dine up there. And parking is tough up there, so don’t waste time trying to find a parking space, just head over to one of the parking garages and save yourself time and headaches.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/sylvia-chacon.jpg\" alt=\"Sylvia Chacon\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sylvia Chacon\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ Star 101.3\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Cha Cha Cha\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Nob Hill Cafe:\u003c/strong> Thursday, November 30, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I ran into another small restaurant. Not as small as Ninna in Oakland. Actually, this was fine. Lots of happy people and conversations going on, so I didn’t feel like people could hear mine, nor could I make out what they were saying, although I tried! It was a very cold evening, and parking in that area isn’t easy. I lucked out and found street parking immediately. Be prepared, that doesn’t happen! It was a Thursday night and the place was packed. You can’t make reservations. I was hoping it wouldn’t take too long. Out of all the nights I dined for this show, I was the hungriest on this night. Luckily, we were seated within eight minutes. I kept getting lucky. It pretty much continued that way. Especially when it started to get busier. People began waiting OUTSIDE to get in. At this point I’m feeling pretty special. Wow, I’m thinking, this must be a great restaurant — these crazy people are lined up outside wishing they had MY table! There are about four tables out on the sidewalk, so if you’re fortunate enough, you’ll get to be cold, sitting down. By the time we got our main course, there were plenty of people STANDING outside too, all the tables had been taken.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It lived up to the hype outside. The food was wonderful and the service was great. Our waitress was very attentive and friendly with a great personality. She came by just enough time to make sure that we had everything we needed. We started out with garlic bread, which was pesto toast with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Very tasty, I’m a total bread person anyway! For my main course, I ordered Gnocchi Bolognese, which were homemade potato dumplings, with ground beef, Italian sausage, and pomodoro. Simply outstanding. And filling — remember I was particularly hungry on this night. That’s how I knew the portions were generous. I was full. The Bolongnese sauce was perfect. It was tasty and not over-done. Sometimes, for me, with Italian cooking, there’s just too much going on. One spice kills the other, and you can’t taste everything, because there’s too much of that ONE thing. Confusing! I know! They’ve got it figured out. DELICIOUS! I had custard for dessert. I was interested in comparing it to the custard at Ninna. This custard was much better. The topping wasn’t bitter, it was sweet. That made a big difference. I guess I’d wait out in the cold for a table at Nob Hill Cafe too, but not in the rain. I don’t do that for anything! Great restaurant!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/miranda-wilson.jpg\" alt=\"Miranda Wilson\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Miranda Wilson\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio DJ Smooth Jazz KKSF 103.7\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Ninna Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Nob Hill Cafe:\u003c/strong> Monday, November 27, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nob Hill Cafe is one of those places that screams “San Francisco!” It is located just a block or two from Grace Cathedral. They feature Northern Italian cuisine and it’s hot, homemade, and healthy. After driving up and down Taylor and every adjacent street, we finally found parking. Lucky for us they don’t accept reservations. (We’d never make it!)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Suggestion: Come early! After we “climbed every mountain,” we found a parking spot. Whew! Breathlessly, we made it. We were welcomed by a bright, friendly, and fast waitress. My friend Judy had a glass of Merlot, and I had a Sangiovese Santa Christina Antinori. How cool! It was poured into our glasses right from the bottle at the table. Just like I would do it from home!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Judy started with the artichoke soup. Since it was a cool evening, I had a piping hot, hearty, Italian soup with chicken broth and Italian veggies. We chose our entrees from the chalkboard of the day’s specials. Judy had the Butternut Pumpkin Ravioli in a Sage Cream Sauce — perfect for Fall! Did I try Judy’s food? Of course! Pour moi, salmon in parchment served over julienned veggies. Thanks to the parchment, the salmon was juicy and not dry at all. But the veggies should have been plated next to the parchment rather than on top. I had to dig and lift the dry parchment off my veggies. One thing I loved was being so close to the kitchen. This place has a real home cooked vibe. A historic neighborhood with folks talking, but not so loudly that we couldn’t enjoy our conversation. Just when we finished our entree, another great — I should say \u003ci>two\u003c/i> great –San Francisco mainstays walked through the doors. Every Tuesday and Friday at 7pm the San Francisco Twins dine at Nob Hill Cafe. They get the same table, right up front near the window. This is another reason why Nob Hill Cafe is the perfect place to bring out-of-towners!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Did we do dessert? You gotta try “Try Its!” Six great flavors of gelato pie like slices. Usually frozen desserts are rock hard, but this one was just right. I had a mocha gelato with toffee crunch served on a cheesecake crust! Our server told us that a company call Gottahaveit creates these wonderful delectables. Scrumptious! I can’t wait to try this place on a sunny summer evening. I’d recommend the Nob Hill Cafe to everyone I know. But er, uh, take a taxi or cable car.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mecca SF: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=206\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=209\">recipe\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/12/14/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-11-211/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp211iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/mecca18.jpg\" alt=\"Mecca\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/mecca20.jpg\" alt=\"Mecca\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/mecca22.jpg\" alt=\"Mecca\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nOysters on the Half Shell, Asparagus Appetizer, Medjool Date Cake with Whipped Rice Cream\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/greg-sherrell.jpg\" alt=\"Greg\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Greg\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio Personality\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Mecca SF\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Mecca SF:\u003c/strong> Sunday, September 17, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Casual sophistication is how I would describe Mecca. It is a favorite because when I go out I like to be treated like a star. If I want to be just another guy off the street, I can go to Subway, but the environment and service at Mecca makes me feel a little like a rock star. And the really great thing about this space is that you could walk in there wearing a tuxedo or a Holy Grail print t-shirt and jeans and feel right in place. I’ve had sophisticated small parties that order caviar and champagne as well as rock-and-roll nights where we got rowdy at the bar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And the bar is what makes Mecca stand out. With an extensive list of specialty drinks including my favorite, the Bloody Bellini (a mixture of frozen Bellini and Chambord), the bar offers unique mixes like the BB, a Pomegranate Margarita, or a Raspberry Mojito. The oblong bar is always full on weekends with friendly attentive bartenders. One thing that adds to Mecca’s magic is that it is one of the very few fine-dining establishments that I can think of where you can find cozy tables and candlelight dinners before a raucous drag show or a hot DJ set. They also have specialty nights that cater to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, but this restaurant in the Castro is a perfect mix of gay and straight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former \u003ci>Food & Wine Magazine\u003c/i> Chef of the Year, Randy Lewis, recently took over the reins of the Mecca kitchen, keeping some staples but putting his own stamp on the menu. On my last visit, I enjoyed a buttery piece of sole with a great pea purée and asparagus on the side. The oysters are always a good starter and I love that the knowledgeable server will pick out the best ones of the night just for you. You can also get those oysters for a $1 each during happy hour with a nice cocktail to wash them down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I love the fact that I can go to Mecca for a fine-dining experience and get it without feeling like I can’t get a little tipsy and holler for a friend across the bar. If you want to go where everybody knows your name, check out this place a couple of times and you will soon be a regular.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/cris-tarozzi.jpg\" alt=\"Cris\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Cris\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Part-time Caterer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Walnut Creek\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>El Jarro\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Mecca SF:\u003c/strong> Saturday, September 23, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I don’t want to waste time writing a review with poetic words and descriptions. Here it is in plain English. We started our dining experience with shrimp cocktail and a half lobster with bagna cauda. Since I was in the mood for white wine I asked our food server for a recommendation. He said I should drink a red; did I ask for a red? When our first course arrived, we found the shrimp cocktail to be quite tasty; the lobster dish consisted of a claw and a scrawny tail, which was overcooked and tough. The claw was much better. Unfortunately the bagna cauda was flavorless; it was like dipping the lobster into inexpensive olive oil. But we figured we were off to an ok start.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We ordered the lamb loin with couscous and the chicken ballotine. Our entrees arrived and the lamb was not only well presented, it tasted wonderful; medium- rare, tender. The couscous wasn’t worth finishing — it didn’t have any flavor. Now for the highlight of our evening. Before I go on, I should have mentioned that the restaurant is very dark inside, I felt like I was eating in a bar that serves food instead of dining in a restaurant that has received rave reviews. Back to my dining experience. My chicken ballotine arrived on a cold plate. I took a small bite and couldn’t figure out why it was so chewy. I cut it open and spread it out. I brought the votive candle closer so I could get a better look. Are you ready? It was raw! Not just a little pink, it was red, raw, and gross. I asked our food server to return it to the kitchen and explained why. Believe me when I say I got a less than heartfelt apology. Eventually my dinner arrived, cooked. It was just ok.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The evening was (almost) saved by dessert. We ordered the medjool date cake, and I chose their recommendation for the dessert wine. The cake was warm and wonderful, topped with a whipped rice cream. After finishing our dessert, our food server stopped by to inform me that they were out of the dessert wine I had chosen. Since I had just finished a heavenly dessert, I was so content I didn’t care. I said, laughingly “Well it must not be my day,” to which he responded “Well I haven’t had such a great day either” and with that he turned on his heels and walked away. Are you kidding me?! I was given a wine recommendation I didn’t want, I was served raw chicken, and they were out of the wine they recommended with the date cake. He didn’t even bother to ask if there was anything else I would like in its place. Unbelievable!!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In my humble opinion Mecca isn’t worth the money you spend (and you will spend!) when you consider the quality of food, the portion size, and the lack of good service. Even if it were located right next door, I wouldn’t go back. A restaurant of this caliber should not have an off night and should never serve raw chicken. Oh, and don’t expect an apology for their mistakes, it’s not going to happen. If you decide to go, do take a flashlight — it’s so dark you can’t appreciate the presentation of your food and you’ll want to make sure your food is cooked properly.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/joe-ruhnke.jpg\" alt=\"Joe\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Joe\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Accountant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Maria Manso World Cuisine\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Mecca SF:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, September 26, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I used OpenTable.com to book a reservation for Tuesday night. That was convenient, but turns out, not really needed for a weeknight. You could have pitched a rock through the place without hitting anyone. That being said, we were seated at what I would have thought was a bit of a “use last” table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our initial impression was that the staff seemed friendly and professional; I did not detect any attitude from the staff. In fact, I was generally pretty impressed with our waiter. He was friendly without being intrusive, and was very familiar with the items on the menu. Good thing, that, because the menu is pretty esoteric. The items were listed by ingredient only, often apparently for the shock value. (i.e. Douglas Fir in or on the Chicken ???!) The menu does not really describe the food very well, but our waiter gave it his best shot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First thought once the apps arrived: This is NOT a restaurant for big appetites. I know there’s a market for this kind of place; I am just not part of it, although I have been in many of the priciest restaurants around. My dining companion is a former five-star hotel concierge and so has sampled even more of them than I. We both felt the price/value calculation comes up short for Mecca. It’s not really just an issue with the food quantity, it was also an issue with the food’s quality. The asparagus appetizer, for example, was about two tablespoons of shaved asparagus with some ham and a soft-boiled whole egg. It was hard to even identify the taste of the title ingredient in the dish. The foie gras was extremely delicately presented and was not heavy. (It, too, was a really small portion.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We selected the pork and the duck entrees. The pork was superior to the duck. Really, for $30, six silver-dollar-sized medallions of duck with a single small potato and five miniscule carrot sticks were a little hard to accept with a straight face. We both found the sides with the pork much more in keeping with the echelon of restaurant in which Mecca is attempting to belong. My friend thought the duck was a bit too fatty; I thought the pork was.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They clearly spend a lot of time and energy in presentation, and it works pretty well. I though the pork’s plating was unfortunate: it looked to me like the pork had slid off the plate and was then replaced. The entree course did take a bit too long after the apps were finished. Our waiter remained attentive, but I generally fault a kitchen when the food takes too long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a word, Mecca is overpriced. I was very surprised to see one of the booths repaired with electrical tape. (Maybe that’s a cheap shot, but at these prices…) It is refreshing that the floor staff was so good and not at all snooty, but for this kind of money, Farallon is a better bet in my book.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n2029 Market Street (at Dolores Street)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94114\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-621-7000\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfmecca.com\">www.sfmecca.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Summer 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mecca SF: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=206\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=209\">recipe\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/12/14/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-11-211/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp211iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/mecca18.jpg\" alt=\"Mecca\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/mecca20.jpg\" alt=\"Mecca\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/mecca22.jpg\" alt=\"Mecca\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nOysters on the Half Shell, Asparagus Appetizer, Medjool Date Cake with Whipped Rice Cream\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/greg-sherrell.jpg\" alt=\"Greg\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Greg\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio Personality\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Mecca SF\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Mecca SF:\u003c/strong> Sunday, September 17, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Casual sophistication is how I would describe Mecca. It is a favorite because when I go out I like to be treated like a star. If I want to be just another guy off the street, I can go to Subway, but the environment and service at Mecca makes me feel a little like a rock star. And the really great thing about this space is that you could walk in there wearing a tuxedo or a Holy Grail print t-shirt and jeans and feel right in place. I’ve had sophisticated small parties that order caviar and champagne as well as rock-and-roll nights where we got rowdy at the bar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And the bar is what makes Mecca stand out. With an extensive list of specialty drinks including my favorite, the Bloody Bellini (a mixture of frozen Bellini and Chambord), the bar offers unique mixes like the BB, a Pomegranate Margarita, or a Raspberry Mojito. The oblong bar is always full on weekends with friendly attentive bartenders. One thing that adds to Mecca’s magic is that it is one of the very few fine-dining establishments that I can think of where you can find cozy tables and candlelight dinners before a raucous drag show or a hot DJ set. They also have specialty nights that cater to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, but this restaurant in the Castro is a perfect mix of gay and straight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former \u003ci>Food & Wine Magazine\u003c/i> Chef of the Year, Randy Lewis, recently took over the reins of the Mecca kitchen, keeping some staples but putting his own stamp on the menu. On my last visit, I enjoyed a buttery piece of sole with a great pea purée and asparagus on the side. The oysters are always a good starter and I love that the knowledgeable server will pick out the best ones of the night just for you. You can also get those oysters for a $1 each during happy hour with a nice cocktail to wash them down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I love the fact that I can go to Mecca for a fine-dining experience and get it without feeling like I can’t get a little tipsy and holler for a friend across the bar. If you want to go where everybody knows your name, check out this place a couple of times and you will soon be a regular.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/cris-tarozzi.jpg\" alt=\"Cris\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Cris\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Part-time Caterer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Walnut Creek\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>El Jarro\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Mecca SF:\u003c/strong> Saturday, September 23, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I don’t want to waste time writing a review with poetic words and descriptions. Here it is in plain English. We started our dining experience with shrimp cocktail and a half lobster with bagna cauda. Since I was in the mood for white wine I asked our food server for a recommendation. He said I should drink a red; did I ask for a red? When our first course arrived, we found the shrimp cocktail to be quite tasty; the lobster dish consisted of a claw and a scrawny tail, which was overcooked and tough. The claw was much better. Unfortunately the bagna cauda was flavorless; it was like dipping the lobster into inexpensive olive oil. But we figured we were off to an ok start.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We ordered the lamb loin with couscous and the chicken ballotine. Our entrees arrived and the lamb was not only well presented, it tasted wonderful; medium- rare, tender. The couscous wasn’t worth finishing — it didn’t have any flavor. Now for the highlight of our evening. Before I go on, I should have mentioned that the restaurant is very dark inside, I felt like I was eating in a bar that serves food instead of dining in a restaurant that has received rave reviews. Back to my dining experience. My chicken ballotine arrived on a cold plate. I took a small bite and couldn’t figure out why it was so chewy. I cut it open and spread it out. I brought the votive candle closer so I could get a better look. Are you ready? It was raw! Not just a little pink, it was red, raw, and gross. I asked our food server to return it to the kitchen and explained why. Believe me when I say I got a less than heartfelt apology. Eventually my dinner arrived, cooked. It was just ok.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The evening was (almost) saved by dessert. We ordered the medjool date cake, and I chose their recommendation for the dessert wine. The cake was warm and wonderful, topped with a whipped rice cream. After finishing our dessert, our food server stopped by to inform me that they were out of the dessert wine I had chosen. Since I had just finished a heavenly dessert, I was so content I didn’t care. I said, laughingly “Well it must not be my day,” to which he responded “Well I haven’t had such a great day either” and with that he turned on his heels and walked away. Are you kidding me?! I was given a wine recommendation I didn’t want, I was served raw chicken, and they were out of the wine they recommended with the date cake. He didn’t even bother to ask if there was anything else I would like in its place. Unbelievable!!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In my humble opinion Mecca isn’t worth the money you spend (and you will spend!) when you consider the quality of food, the portion size, and the lack of good service. Even if it were located right next door, I wouldn’t go back. A restaurant of this caliber should not have an off night and should never serve raw chicken. Oh, and don’t expect an apology for their mistakes, it’s not going to happen. If you decide to go, do take a flashlight — it’s so dark you can’t appreciate the presentation of your food and you’ll want to make sure your food is cooked properly.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/joe-ruhnke.jpg\" alt=\"Joe\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Joe\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Accountant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Maria Manso World Cuisine\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Mecca SF:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, September 26, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I used OpenTable.com to book a reservation for Tuesday night. That was convenient, but turns out, not really needed for a weeknight. You could have pitched a rock through the place without hitting anyone. That being said, we were seated at what I would have thought was a bit of a “use last” table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our initial impression was that the staff seemed friendly and professional; I did not detect any attitude from the staff. In fact, I was generally pretty impressed with our waiter. He was friendly without being intrusive, and was very familiar with the items on the menu. Good thing, that, because the menu is pretty esoteric. The items were listed by ingredient only, often apparently for the shock value. (i.e. Douglas Fir in or on the Chicken ???!) The menu does not really describe the food very well, but our waiter gave it his best shot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First thought once the apps arrived: This is NOT a restaurant for big appetites. I know there’s a market for this kind of place; I am just not part of it, although I have been in many of the priciest restaurants around. My dining companion is a former five-star hotel concierge and so has sampled even more of them than I. We both felt the price/value calculation comes up short for Mecca. It’s not really just an issue with the food quantity, it was also an issue with the food’s quality. The asparagus appetizer, for example, was about two tablespoons of shaved asparagus with some ham and a soft-boiled whole egg. It was hard to even identify the taste of the title ingredient in the dish. The foie gras was extremely delicately presented and was not heavy. (It, too, was a really small portion.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We selected the pork and the duck entrees. The pork was superior to the duck. Really, for $30, six silver-dollar-sized medallions of duck with a single small potato and five miniscule carrot sticks were a little hard to accept with a straight face. We both found the sides with the pork much more in keeping with the echelon of restaurant in which Mecca is attempting to belong. My friend thought the duck was a bit too fatty; I thought the pork was.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They clearly spend a lot of time and energy in presentation, and it works pretty well. I though the pork’s plating was unfortunate: it looked to me like the pork had slid off the plate and was then replaced. The entree course did take a bit too long after the apps were finished. Our waiter remained attentive, but I generally fault a kitchen when the food takes too long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a word, Mecca is overpriced. I was very surprised to see one of the booths repaired with electrical tape. (Maybe that’s a cheap shot, but at these prices…) It is refreshing that the floor staff was so good and not at all snooty, but for this kind of money, Farallon is a better bet in my book.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>El Jarro: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=207\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=210\">recipe\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">view Check, Please! photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/real/tv/productions/checkplease/cp211.rm.ram\">\u003cstrong>Stream episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires RealPlayer: \u003ca href=\"http://forms.real.com/netzip/getrde601.html?h=software-dl.real.com&dc=112111201119&f=windows/RealPlayer10-5GOLD_bb.exe&p=RealOne+Player&oem=dlrhap_bb&tagtype=ie&type=dlrhap_bb\">windows\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"https://order.real.com/pt/order.html?country=US&language=EN&mppi=0&mppos_list=0&mpst=0&ppath=cpmacpl060204a&pageregion=player_button&pcode=rn&src=realhome_bb_0_3_1_0_0_1_20051121%2Crealplayer_8020,sp_os_mac&opage=sp_os_mac\">mac\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp211iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/eljarro13.jpg\" alt=\"El Jarro\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/eljarro19.jpg\" alt=\"El Jarro\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/eljarro21.jpg\" alt=\"El Jarro\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nMexican Caesar Salad with Prawns and Cilantro Dressing, Enchiladas Placeras with Chicken, Chips and Salsa\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/cris-tarozzi.jpg\" alt=\"Cris\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Cris\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Part-time Caterer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Walnut Creek\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>El Jarro\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed El Jarro:\u003c/strong> Saturday, September 23, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Are you looking for a place to take someone on a first date or perhaps impress someone? Or would you like to relax, drink a cold beer, and enjoy good Mexican food? If your answer is yes to the second question, then you need to stop by El Jarro restaurant. Once you’re seated, they bring a basket of warm tortilla chips and fresh salsa to your table. Take your time to read the menu; you have a lot to choose from. Don’t order a burrito or taco; get that at your local taqueria. Instead, order any of the seafood dishes that are the specialty of the Oaxacan region of Mexico. Try the Mexican Caesar Salad with prawns that have been marinated in tequila and garlic — it’s all tossed with a lime cilantro dressing that will have you asking for the recipe. There’s also the Tilapia ala Vera Cruz — tilapia simmered in a flavorful roasted tomato sauce that’s so good you’ll want warm tortillas to sop up the broth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All the seafood dishes come with fresh seasonal vegetables that are cooked to order, so when your plate arrives they are still hot, bright in color, and never mushy. My favorite enchiladas are the Enchiladas Placeras with chicken. It is corn tortillas stuffed with chicken, diced carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and raisins. The house made ancho guajillo sauce is wonderful; a dark red sauce with a spicy yet subtle sweet flavor topped with Mexican cream and queso fresco cheese. I think it’s the perfect combination of spicy and sweet, and it’s great every time I order it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>El Jarro isn’t a large restaurant, nor is it pretentious in any way;it’s just comfortable and casual. But if the weather’s nice I recommend sitting out on the patio. And after your dinner don’t forget to order the cream cheese flan, it’s another specialty of the house.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/greg-sherrell.jpg\" alt=\"Greg\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Greg\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio Personality\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Mecca\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed El Jarro:\u003c/strong> Sunday, September 17, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The guacamole was good. That’s about the only thing that I can say positive about this taqueria they call a café. After we made the thirty-minute drive to Lafayette from San Francisco, we found El Jarro in a cute neighborhood that almost reminded me of a college campus. Being a native Texan, I was excited to find a Mexican café that might have a little more than the same faire you get at the taquerias in The City.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a promising start as the two tables on the sidewalk in the front were open, so we got to sit outside on a sunny day. It was fun to sit on the sidewalk and watch people walk by during lunchtime. The waiter was attentive as we were two of only a handful of people at the restaurant. We started off with chips, salsa, guacamole, and of course, a margarita. As I said, the guacamole was good, but that’s where it ended. The salsa was too sweet with no kick, and the margarita fell right in line with that as well. It was a disastrous disappointment that was way too syrupy sweet. I didn’t check out the bar, or should I say the “non bar” before we sat down, but it only took my Texas taste buds one sip to figure out that these margaritas were made with wine and not tequila — probably a result of this place not having a liquor license. We were served our food promptly, but it was a sheer disappointment. The steak was billed as New York Strip, but I could have pan-fried skirt steak with more flavor at home. The enchiladas that my friend had were short on flavor and on chicken. And being a Tex Mex aficionado, I could live on beans. Black, borracho, or refried, bring them all on. Except the ones they served here. Some combination of black and refried, they had little flavor, other than the cheese placed on top. And the “Mexican rice” was basically some steamed white rice with two kernels of corn in it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At least this place had a chance to be “cute”. I liked the closed-in patio in the back and the sidewalk seating in front. But it lost most of its charm when I had to walk through that back patio, out the backdoor and in to the beauty shop next door to use the rest room. But at least that gave us something to giggle about. Well, that and the hot postman who stopped by to deliver the mail and engaged us in a short conversation. He was the only thing that spiced up the day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was more than a little perplexed at my experience, because I had looked online to find rave reviews of this little place. So maybe I’m crazy or maybe they were having a bad day. Too bad I can’t blame it on the margarita. They should probably think about adding tequila to the menu. It would make the food taste a whole lot better. I guess the only thing else that needs to be said came from my friend when, after eating a couple of bites of her food said, “I can’t believe that this is someone’s favorite place to eat.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/joe-ruhnke.jpg\" alt=\"Joe\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Joe\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Accountant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Maria Manso World Cuisine\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed El Jarro:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, September 26, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My advice on El Jarro: DON’T go late.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I guess I can blame myself a bit, but our experience was not great because we got there pretty close to closing. I should say, though, that we were not the last table seated and the other restaurants in the area seemed to still be going at full-tilt when we left.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had just one night to visit El Jarro. We were cutting it close time-wise, so I did call before we left the city to ask what time their last seating was. It was then 8 pm, they said their last seating was at 9pm, and Mapquest said they were 36 minutes away, so, QUICK, to the bridge!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We did not have much trouble getting there, and the neighborhood seems very nice. For your sake, I hope Lafayette isn’t preparing (read: closing off) their downtown for a street fair, as they were when we were trying to get there. This delayed us a bit and forced us to park a few blocks away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We got to El Jarro at 8:45 and the open sign was still lit, so we went in. The waitress proceeded to start to seat us in the very small inside dining room. A co-worker, an El Jarro regular, recommends their patio (and margaritas) and especially coming from it’s-rarely-warm-enough-outside-after-dark San Francisco, we asked for the patio. She said yes, and we started towards the back, but then another employee jumped out from behind the counter and said the patio was closed already. A waiter myself for years, I understand closing stations when approaching closing time. HOWEVER, everybody needs to get on the same page, and the yes/no about-face, unfortunate to begin with, was not handled well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once seated, the meal was, in a word, rushed. We were asked if we wanted chips, but declined saying we wanted to instead start with an order of Nachos. Our waiter said, “OK, are you ready to order?” We were, so we did.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The drinks came quickly and our entrees arrived. Oops, no nachos. The food was fine, as in, “satisfactory.” We both agreed the refried (black?) beans were pretty dry and pasty. My iced tea was never refilled and my girl friend was never asked “un otro Corona?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dessert? I saw no evidence of it. The silent dropping of our check before it was requested ensured I didn’t ask.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I guess we could’ve gone earlier, and who knows, maybe a margarita would’ve made us care less (too bad I hardly drink). El Jarro was fine, as a neighborhood place, but if I went back to Lafayette, I would probably try one of the other interesting-looking places.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>El Jarro needs to remember to treat the last five guests as well as the first five.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\n3563 Mt. Diablo Boulevard (at Oak Hill Road)\nLafayette, CA 94549\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 925-283-6639\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Summer 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>El Jarro: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=207\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=210\">recipe\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">view Check, Please! photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/real/tv/productions/checkplease/cp211.rm.ram\">\u003cstrong>Stream episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires RealPlayer: \u003ca href=\"http://forms.real.com/netzip/getrde601.html?h=software-dl.real.com&dc=112111201119&f=windows/RealPlayer10-5GOLD_bb.exe&p=RealOne+Player&oem=dlrhap_bb&tagtype=ie&type=dlrhap_bb\">windows\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"https://order.real.com/pt/order.html?country=US&language=EN&mppi=0&mppos_list=0&mpst=0&ppath=cpmacpl060204a&pageregion=player_button&pcode=rn&src=realhome_bb_0_3_1_0_0_1_20051121%2Crealplayer_8020,sp_os_mac&opage=sp_os_mac\">mac\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp211iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/eljarro13.jpg\" alt=\"El Jarro\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/eljarro19.jpg\" alt=\"El Jarro\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/eljarro21.jpg\" alt=\"El Jarro\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nMexican Caesar Salad with Prawns and Cilantro Dressing, Enchiladas Placeras with Chicken, Chips and Salsa\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/cris-tarozzi.jpg\" alt=\"Cris\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Cris\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Part-time Caterer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Walnut Creek\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>El Jarro\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed El Jarro:\u003c/strong> Saturday, September 23, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Are you looking for a place to take someone on a first date or perhaps impress someone? Or would you like to relax, drink a cold beer, and enjoy good Mexican food? If your answer is yes to the second question, then you need to stop by El Jarro restaurant. Once you’re seated, they bring a basket of warm tortilla chips and fresh salsa to your table. Take your time to read the menu; you have a lot to choose from. Don’t order a burrito or taco; get that at your local taqueria. Instead, order any of the seafood dishes that are the specialty of the Oaxacan region of Mexico. Try the Mexican Caesar Salad with prawns that have been marinated in tequila and garlic — it’s all tossed with a lime cilantro dressing that will have you asking for the recipe. There’s also the Tilapia ala Vera Cruz — tilapia simmered in a flavorful roasted tomato sauce that’s so good you’ll want warm tortillas to sop up the broth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All the seafood dishes come with fresh seasonal vegetables that are cooked to order, so when your plate arrives they are still hot, bright in color, and never mushy. My favorite enchiladas are the Enchiladas Placeras with chicken. It is corn tortillas stuffed with chicken, diced carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and raisins. The house made ancho guajillo sauce is wonderful; a dark red sauce with a spicy yet subtle sweet flavor topped with Mexican cream and queso fresco cheese. I think it’s the perfect combination of spicy and sweet, and it’s great every time I order it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>El Jarro isn’t a large restaurant, nor is it pretentious in any way;it’s just comfortable and casual. But if the weather’s nice I recommend sitting out on the patio. And after your dinner don’t forget to order the cream cheese flan, it’s another specialty of the house.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/greg-sherrell.jpg\" alt=\"Greg\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Greg\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio Personality\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Mecca\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed El Jarro:\u003c/strong> Sunday, September 17, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The guacamole was good. That’s about the only thing that I can say positive about this taqueria they call a café. After we made the thirty-minute drive to Lafayette from San Francisco, we found El Jarro in a cute neighborhood that almost reminded me of a college campus. Being a native Texan, I was excited to find a Mexican café that might have a little more than the same faire you get at the taquerias in The City.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a promising start as the two tables on the sidewalk in the front were open, so we got to sit outside on a sunny day. It was fun to sit on the sidewalk and watch people walk by during lunchtime. The waiter was attentive as we were two of only a handful of people at the restaurant. We started off with chips, salsa, guacamole, and of course, a margarita. As I said, the guacamole was good, but that’s where it ended. The salsa was too sweet with no kick, and the margarita fell right in line with that as well. It was a disastrous disappointment that was way too syrupy sweet. I didn’t check out the bar, or should I say the “non bar” before we sat down, but it only took my Texas taste buds one sip to figure out that these margaritas were made with wine and not tequila — probably a result of this place not having a liquor license. We were served our food promptly, but it was a sheer disappointment. The steak was billed as New York Strip, but I could have pan-fried skirt steak with more flavor at home. The enchiladas that my friend had were short on flavor and on chicken. And being a Tex Mex aficionado, I could live on beans. Black, borracho, or refried, bring them all on. Except the ones they served here. Some combination of black and refried, they had little flavor, other than the cheese placed on top. And the “Mexican rice” was basically some steamed white rice with two kernels of corn in it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At least this place had a chance to be “cute”. I liked the closed-in patio in the back and the sidewalk seating in front. But it lost most of its charm when I had to walk through that back patio, out the backdoor and in to the beauty shop next door to use the rest room. But at least that gave us something to giggle about. Well, that and the hot postman who stopped by to deliver the mail and engaged us in a short conversation. He was the only thing that spiced up the day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was more than a little perplexed at my experience, because I had looked online to find rave reviews of this little place. So maybe I’m crazy or maybe they were having a bad day. Too bad I can’t blame it on the margarita. They should probably think about adding tequila to the menu. It would make the food taste a whole lot better. I guess the only thing else that needs to be said came from my friend when, after eating a couple of bites of her food said, “I can’t believe that this is someone’s favorite place to eat.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/joe-ruhnke.jpg\" alt=\"Joe\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Joe\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Accountant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Maria Manso World Cuisine\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed El Jarro:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, September 26, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My advice on El Jarro: DON’T go late.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I guess I can blame myself a bit, but our experience was not great because we got there pretty close to closing. I should say, though, that we were not the last table seated and the other restaurants in the area seemed to still be going at full-tilt when we left.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had just one night to visit El Jarro. We were cutting it close time-wise, so I did call before we left the city to ask what time their last seating was. It was then 8 pm, they said their last seating was at 9pm, and Mapquest said they were 36 minutes away, so, QUICK, to the bridge!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We did not have much trouble getting there, and the neighborhood seems very nice. For your sake, I hope Lafayette isn’t preparing (read: closing off) their downtown for a street fair, as they were when we were trying to get there. This delayed us a bit and forced us to park a few blocks away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We got to El Jarro at 8:45 and the open sign was still lit, so we went in. The waitress proceeded to start to seat us in the very small inside dining room. A co-worker, an El Jarro regular, recommends their patio (and margaritas) and especially coming from it’s-rarely-warm-enough-outside-after-dark San Francisco, we asked for the patio. She said yes, and we started towards the back, but then another employee jumped out from behind the counter and said the patio was closed already. A waiter myself for years, I understand closing stations when approaching closing time. HOWEVER, everybody needs to get on the same page, and the yes/no about-face, unfortunate to begin with, was not handled well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once seated, the meal was, in a word, rushed. We were asked if we wanted chips, but declined saying we wanted to instead start with an order of Nachos. Our waiter said, “OK, are you ready to order?” We were, so we did.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The drinks came quickly and our entrees arrived. Oops, no nachos. The food was fine, as in, “satisfactory.” We both agreed the refried (black?) beans were pretty dry and pasty. My iced tea was never refilled and my girl friend was never asked “un otro Corona?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dessert? I saw no evidence of it. The silent dropping of our check before it was requested ensured I didn’t ask.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I guess we could’ve gone earlier, and who knows, maybe a margarita would’ve made us care less (too bad I hardly drink). El Jarro was fine, as a neighborhood place, but if I went back to Lafayette, I would probably try one of the other interesting-looking places.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>El Jarro needs to remember to treat the last five guests as well as the first five.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Maria Manso World Cuisine: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=208\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=211\">recipe\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/12/14/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-11-211/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp211iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/mariamanso24.jpg\" alt=\"Maria Manso\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/mariamanso20.jpg\" alt=\"Maria Manso\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/mariamanso30.jpg\" alt=\"Maria Manso\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nFlatiron Steak with Pommes Frites, Whole Crispy Striped Bass, Traditional Cuban Flan\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/joe-ruhnke.jpg\" alt=\"Joe\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Joe\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Accountant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Maria Manso World Cuisine\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Maria Manso World Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Friday, August 25, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maria and Yo are in a very quiet tree-lined area of San Rafael. There is always street parking nearby, and it’s a nice ride over the bridge. (You can take tourist friends to the Golden Gate Bridge overlook on the way back.) Yo is always exceptionally welcoming and the entire staff is very friendly. Yo loves to create infusions of various liquors and fruit, often from their own organic garden. Maria does wonders from a smallish kitchen. It is a great place for a relaxed and savory, creative meal. Maria, like my partner (The Cuban Wonder), is from Cuba originally and takes some family recipes, adds her considerable experience, and extrapolates into a cohesive and original menu. Her Asia de Cuba roots show, but so does her unique perspective with food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike our other visits, we went over on a Friday night. We had no trouble getting there and parking was a breeze. True, from San Francisco we had to pay the toll for the “admission fee” on the bridge back to the city, but it is still less than most parking garages in the city. It was just warm enough that we were able to sit outside. That’s a very romantic and charming environment for dinner. I really think it must be great for lunch on a warm day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our dinner was at a very relaxed pace. This is not a restaurant to rush through. That night we learned that there had been a major calamity with the kitchen staff on their way to work, and Maria was alone in the kitchen. How she did it, I’ll never know, but she did! The food’s generally not quite as labor-intensive as Asia de Cuba’s, but it was all delicious and it speaks to Maria’s skill level and organization that she was able to go it alone that night.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/cris-tarozzi.jpg\" alt=\"Cris\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Cris\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Part-time Caterer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Walnut Creek\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>El Jarro\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Maria Manso World Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Saturday, September 16, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maria Manso’s International Cuisine in San Rafael is the restaurant I’ve been searching for. When we stepped through the door we immediately felt at home. The warm wall colors flow with the colors of the floor, tables are pristinely set, and the light glows softly from the wall sconces and the candles on the tables. Simple elegance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And although warm and inviting, nothing could compare to the greeting we received from Alejandro. It truly was like coming home to see family. We were immediately seated, served water, and allowed time to peruse the menu and wine and drinks list. In the meantime, Alejandro delivered fried tortilla strips and fresh green olive tapenade. Our food server arrived with another friendly greeting. My guest ordered a beer and since I couldn’t decide between two wines, our server left and came back with a sample of each. Nice touch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with the Louisiana Crab Cake with Avocado Remoulade on Arugula with Lemon Oil and the Saffron Shrimp Timbale with saffron aioli. The crab cake was nice and brown on the outside with a wonderful crunchy texture, the inside was moist and flavorful and the remoulade finished it off perfectly. The timbale arrived as more a mound of shrimp. And although the shrimp was chopped into nice bite-sized pieces, it was very tough. My guess is it was overcooked. The flavor was nice; the texture was not. The bed of salad greens was enough that I didn’t need to order a salad; however, a quick rinse of the greens would have removed the old black pieces I found on my plate. For our next course we ordered the flatiron steak with pommes frites and the pan-seared ahi tuna with a candied ginger sauce and sesame mashed potatoes. I am not a meat eater but the steak was perfectly seasoned and cooked. The pommes frites were very thin shoestring potatoes presented in a big pile. Trying to put them on your fork with a knife as we observed another guest attempting to do was tricky. We decided to make them finger food. They didn’t complement the wonderful steak. While the ahi tuna was seared perfectly, it was served a little colder than I’m used to and I didn’t taste a candied ginger sauce. We thought it tasted more like a teriyaki and soy sauce blend. The mashed potatoes were warm but bland and didn’t work well with the tuna. The two textures were so similar, I think I would have enjoyed the Asian Slaw or something with crunch with the tuna.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dessert is something we rarely eat, but we decided to indulge. Turns out it was our first experience in gluttony. We ordered the dessert platter: Coconut Sorbet, Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Coulis, and Maria’s Grandmother’s Secret Flan Recipe. The sorbet was excellent — not too sweet, very refreshing. The cake was disappointing; it lacked a good chocolate flavor and it was missing a nice creamy texture. The flan, usually one of our least favorite desserts, is the best-kept secret of all. It was excellent — the texture, the sweetness, and the caramel sauce all worked well together. Worth the five-mile run we had to do the next day. Since I’m not likely to travel to San Rafael very often, if Maria Manso would like to open a restaurant in our neighborhood I would welcome her with open arms. Just make sure to bring Alejandro with you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ambiance, the Latin music in the background, the ability to linger over dinner and drinks and have a nice conversation without loud distractions were well worth any inconsistencies in food. The food wasn’t awful, it was enjoyable, there were just a couple of glitches. If you live in the area, definitely stop in for dinner, I would.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/greg-sherrell.jpg\" alt=\"Greg\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Greg\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio Personality\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Mecca\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Maria Manso World Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Thursday, September 28, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nestled between other local businesses on a cute street in an even cuter town, Maria Manso World Cuisine in San Rafael reminded me of some of the places I have visited in the small German towns of my native Texas. On our drive there, we were redirected because of a town street festival that we all wished we had more time to attend. The bouncy house at the end of the street let us know it was a family affair that probably had a little something for everyone. Unfortunately, it was a weeknight, so we needed to devote our time to dinner and to Maria Manso’s, so we skipped the fair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Walking into the restaurant was like going home. Although definitely a fine dining establishment, you won’t find an ounce of pretension at this establishment. There is an air of sophistication with soft tones and lighting against perfectly dressed tables. For San Francisco standards, this was a slow Thursday night in this quaint restaurant. When we walked in, we were greeted by Maria herself and then taken to our table by our hostess for the night, Yo. I call her a hostess rather than a server because she treated us like she had known us for years. She was extra attentive and extremely knowledgeable of the extensive menu. I was so happy to be at the restaurant with a group of five close friends because we were treated so well that it was an experience that I was glad to share. I can’t imagine finding customer service like this at any other restaurant in the City.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the most interesting things about Maria Manso is the specialty drink selection. Instead of vodka, they use a specialty liquor called soju. The restaurant had an extensive list of soju mixed drinks including ten or so martinis, as well as other drinks on the rocks. Strange combinations and exotic treats such as the Lychee Nut and Juniper Berry Martini are one of the things that make this place so special. What was also great was the non-alcoholic specialty drink menu that included a delicious Violet Soda. To quote Yo, “Just because you don’t drink alcohol doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a special drink.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With a group of five, we enjoyed a number of appetizers and entrees with the highlights being the Maui Dumplings and the Whole Crispy Fish. The fried striped bass had a presentation so unique, it is indescribable. They don’t call it the most photographed fish in Marin for nothing. The combination of flavors from all over the world were a delight and although I definitely enjoyed some dishes more than others, the selection and uniqueness of each dish made this restaurant different than any other that I have been too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the service is set apart. It was so spectacular that one of my friends leaned over to me and whispered, “Are you sure they don’t know you are reviewing the restaurant?” With the way we were treated, you would think they had been tipped off, but they couldn’t have had a clue. This is a special place, run by special people who are obviously more than just employees. It is worth every minute of the thirty-minute drive from The City.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n1613 Fourth Street (at C Street)\r\nSan Rafael, CA 94901\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-453-7877\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.mariamanso.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.mariamanso.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Summer 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Maria Manso World Cuisine: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=208\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=211\">recipe\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/12/14/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-11-211/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp211iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/mariamanso24.jpg\" alt=\"Maria Manso\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/mariamanso20.jpg\" alt=\"Maria Manso\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/mariamanso30.jpg\" alt=\"Maria Manso\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nFlatiron Steak with Pommes Frites, Whole Crispy Striped Bass, Traditional Cuban Flan\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/joe-ruhnke.jpg\" alt=\"Joe\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Joe\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Accountant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Maria Manso World Cuisine\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Maria Manso World Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Friday, August 25, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maria and Yo are in a very quiet tree-lined area of San Rafael. There is always street parking nearby, and it’s a nice ride over the bridge. (You can take tourist friends to the Golden Gate Bridge overlook on the way back.) Yo is always exceptionally welcoming and the entire staff is very friendly. Yo loves to create infusions of various liquors and fruit, often from their own organic garden. Maria does wonders from a smallish kitchen. It is a great place for a relaxed and savory, creative meal. Maria, like my partner (The Cuban Wonder), is from Cuba originally and takes some family recipes, adds her considerable experience, and extrapolates into a cohesive and original menu. Her Asia de Cuba roots show, but so does her unique perspective with food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike our other visits, we went over on a Friday night. We had no trouble getting there and parking was a breeze. True, from San Francisco we had to pay the toll for the “admission fee” on the bridge back to the city, but it is still less than most parking garages in the city. It was just warm enough that we were able to sit outside. That’s a very romantic and charming environment for dinner. I really think it must be great for lunch on a warm day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our dinner was at a very relaxed pace. This is not a restaurant to rush through. That night we learned that there had been a major calamity with the kitchen staff on their way to work, and Maria was alone in the kitchen. How she did it, I’ll never know, but she did! The food’s generally not quite as labor-intensive as Asia de Cuba’s, but it was all delicious and it speaks to Maria’s skill level and organization that she was able to go it alone that night.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/cris-tarozzi.jpg\" alt=\"Cris\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Cris\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Part-time Caterer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Walnut Creek\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>El Jarro\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Maria Manso World Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Saturday, September 16, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maria Manso’s International Cuisine in San Rafael is the restaurant I’ve been searching for. When we stepped through the door we immediately felt at home. The warm wall colors flow with the colors of the floor, tables are pristinely set, and the light glows softly from the wall sconces and the candles on the tables. Simple elegance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And although warm and inviting, nothing could compare to the greeting we received from Alejandro. It truly was like coming home to see family. We were immediately seated, served water, and allowed time to peruse the menu and wine and drinks list. In the meantime, Alejandro delivered fried tortilla strips and fresh green olive tapenade. Our food server arrived with another friendly greeting. My guest ordered a beer and since I couldn’t decide between two wines, our server left and came back with a sample of each. Nice touch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with the Louisiana Crab Cake with Avocado Remoulade on Arugula with Lemon Oil and the Saffron Shrimp Timbale with saffron aioli. The crab cake was nice and brown on the outside with a wonderful crunchy texture, the inside was moist and flavorful and the remoulade finished it off perfectly. The timbale arrived as more a mound of shrimp. And although the shrimp was chopped into nice bite-sized pieces, it was very tough. My guess is it was overcooked. The flavor was nice; the texture was not. The bed of salad greens was enough that I didn’t need to order a salad; however, a quick rinse of the greens would have removed the old black pieces I found on my plate. For our next course we ordered the flatiron steak with pommes frites and the pan-seared ahi tuna with a candied ginger sauce and sesame mashed potatoes. I am not a meat eater but the steak was perfectly seasoned and cooked. The pommes frites were very thin shoestring potatoes presented in a big pile. Trying to put them on your fork with a knife as we observed another guest attempting to do was tricky. We decided to make them finger food. They didn’t complement the wonderful steak. While the ahi tuna was seared perfectly, it was served a little colder than I’m used to and I didn’t taste a candied ginger sauce. We thought it tasted more like a teriyaki and soy sauce blend. The mashed potatoes were warm but bland and didn’t work well with the tuna. The two textures were so similar, I think I would have enjoyed the Asian Slaw or something with crunch with the tuna.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dessert is something we rarely eat, but we decided to indulge. Turns out it was our first experience in gluttony. We ordered the dessert platter: Coconut Sorbet, Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Coulis, and Maria’s Grandmother’s Secret Flan Recipe. The sorbet was excellent — not too sweet, very refreshing. The cake was disappointing; it lacked a good chocolate flavor and it was missing a nice creamy texture. The flan, usually one of our least favorite desserts, is the best-kept secret of all. It was excellent — the texture, the sweetness, and the caramel sauce all worked well together. Worth the five-mile run we had to do the next day. Since I’m not likely to travel to San Rafael very often, if Maria Manso would like to open a restaurant in our neighborhood I would welcome her with open arms. Just make sure to bring Alejandro with you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ambiance, the Latin music in the background, the ability to linger over dinner and drinks and have a nice conversation without loud distractions were well worth any inconsistencies in food. The food wasn’t awful, it was enjoyable, there were just a couple of glitches. If you live in the area, definitely stop in for dinner, I would.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/greg-sherrell.jpg\" alt=\"Greg\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Greg\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Radio Personality\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Mecca\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Maria Manso World Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Thursday, September 28, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nestled between other local businesses on a cute street in an even cuter town, Maria Manso World Cuisine in San Rafael reminded me of some of the places I have visited in the small German towns of my native Texas. On our drive there, we were redirected because of a town street festival that we all wished we had more time to attend. The bouncy house at the end of the street let us know it was a family affair that probably had a little something for everyone. Unfortunately, it was a weeknight, so we needed to devote our time to dinner and to Maria Manso’s, so we skipped the fair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Walking into the restaurant was like going home. Although definitely a fine dining establishment, you won’t find an ounce of pretension at this establishment. There is an air of sophistication with soft tones and lighting against perfectly dressed tables. For San Francisco standards, this was a slow Thursday night in this quaint restaurant. When we walked in, we were greeted by Maria herself and then taken to our table by our hostess for the night, Yo. I call her a hostess rather than a server because she treated us like she had known us for years. She was extra attentive and extremely knowledgeable of the extensive menu. I was so happy to be at the restaurant with a group of five close friends because we were treated so well that it was an experience that I was glad to share. I can’t imagine finding customer service like this at any other restaurant in the City.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the most interesting things about Maria Manso is the specialty drink selection. Instead of vodka, they use a specialty liquor called soju. The restaurant had an extensive list of soju mixed drinks including ten or so martinis, as well as other drinks on the rocks. Strange combinations and exotic treats such as the Lychee Nut and Juniper Berry Martini are one of the things that make this place so special. What was also great was the non-alcoholic specialty drink menu that included a delicious Violet Soda. To quote Yo, “Just because you don’t drink alcohol doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a special drink.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With a group of five, we enjoyed a number of appetizers and entrees with the highlights being the Maui Dumplings and the Whole Crispy Fish. The fried striped bass had a presentation so unique, it is indescribable. They don’t call it the most photographed fish in Marin for nothing. The combination of flavors from all over the world were a delight and although I definitely enjoyed some dishes more than others, the selection and uniqueness of each dish made this restaurant different than any other that I have been too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the service is set apart. It was so spectacular that one of my friends leaned over to me and whispered, “Are you sure they don’t know you are reviewing the restaurant?” With the way we were treated, you would think they had been tipped off, but they couldn’t have had a clue. This is a special place, run by special people who are obviously more than just employees. It is worth every minute of the thirty-minute drive from The City.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Little Star Pizza: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=198\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/11/16/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-8-208/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp208iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/littlestarpizza9.jpg\" alt=\"Little Star Pizza\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/littlestarpizza10.jpg\" alt=\"Little Star Pizza\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/littlestarpizza8.jpg\" alt=\"Little Star Pizza\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nThin Crust White Pie (garlic olive oil base, mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and roasted zuchinni); Deep-Dish Classic (sausage, mushrooms, green bell peppers, and onions); Thin Crust Pepperoni\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/nish-nadaraja.jpg\" alt=\"Nish\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Nish\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Marketing Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Little Star Pizza\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Little Star Pizza:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, August 23, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you haven’t been following the recent “deep dish wars,” as I like to call them, Zachary’s in Berkeley has remained the undisputed best pizza in the Bay Area for the longest time. Then, a couple of years ago Little Star opened, quietly developing a strong following as a serious contender to the title. I’m not going to get into the fray myself; I like being a double agent!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That said, Little Star is my local pizza place, so I inevitably have been eating more of their pies, just by proximity. A lot of people complain about the long waits and I don’t blame them. I will say that it’s worth it, but I’m also lucky to be able to order for take-out, which is a great option.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The place is intimate and boisterous, and there’s a real sense that a lot of people eating here live in the neighborhood. The jukebox always has a nice mix of indie pop and alternative rock playing, and it’s kind of fun to guess at which customer put on what music.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every time I’ve stopped in, I run into someone I know, and that’s not a bad way to start off any meal experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On my most recent visit, my buddy and I split a small deep-dish pizza with sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, and onions, which is just the right size to divide amongst two people. Fresh ingredients, gooey cheeses, and that golden crust make for a pizza that is as close to perfect as God intended, and I say that not being the religious type!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We also split a mixed salad, which was a nice and healthy way to balance the meal. I’d also highly recommend their garlic bread — you get to spread your own fresh garlic — nothing like some interaction with your food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I don’t care if you have room or not, order the cheesecake for dessert, it’s moist and bittersweet with a flaky crust, a truly happy ending.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They have some good beers on tap, so while the bar and waiting area are tiny and even cramped depending on the night, at least you can have a cold IPA or two while you wait for your table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Little Star has its detractors — I’m even sad that you can’t just order by the slice sometimes — but overall it’s one of those places you know is deserving of instant classic status. Matter of fact, I have it on good authority that they’re opening another location in the Mission very soon…\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/gillian-chase.jpg\" alt=\"Gillian\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Gillian\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Product Designer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Zatar\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Little Star Pizza:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, August 22, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s hard to be critical of a laid-back, neighborhood pizza joint. I wouldn’t compare a restaurant like this in terms of service and quality of food to a high-end restaurant that is in a totally different category. Compared to most casual pizza places, Little Star is excellent. We enjoyed the atmosphere: a hipster spot near the mid-Haight with a fun staff and excellent jukebox. (My musician husband was in heaven over the selection of tunes and had to meet the guy who put it all together.) The owner we subsequently met was young and laid-back and seems to be all about honest, simple pizza. In reading reviews of Little Star before I went, I noticed that some comparisons to Zachary’s (a deep-dish pizza favorite of the East Bay) had been made, and I agree with the Chronicle’s quote that Little Star’s deep dish is better than Zachary’s. The pizza at Little Star seemed to have a more natural flavor, without a particular “formula” to give it a patented flavor. (The atmosphere is definitely better too, in my opinion!) I’m not even a fan of deep-dish pizza, but I really enjoyed theirs. We also ordered a thin crust, and although it was tasty, it wasn’t my favorite part of the meal. I am an unapologetic thin-crust pizza snob, having spent a lot of time in Naples, Italy, so I would have to say this would not be a destination place for me to eat thin crust.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our server, Natalie, was great. She was very friendly, with quick service, a good recommendation for wine, and was very gentle in the way she was trying to usher us out to accommodate the huge line that had formed out front. Having been a server in the past, I know that it’s a hard task to turn tables with grace, and she could probably serve in a much higher-end place with the type of experience she displayed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We had no wait to get in, but we arrived early and, as I mentioned previously, a huge line had formed by the time we left, so I imagine that other patrons that night could not say the same thing. Food came out very quickly, and the salad was much better than most pizza places I’ve tried. Overall the prices were fair and just and also extended to the wine list, which was small, but had a few really good picks. Obviously, the person who orders the wine puts an interest into tasting and selecting good off-brands. To me that is very important, and it is always the most disappointing experience when the wine list totally sucks in a small restaurant that has good food. Even the most inexpensive of restaurants should still have couple of good wines to choose from that won’t break your bank. (Someone needs to send out an alert of this fact to most of the Bay Area’s Thai and Chinese restaurants, please!)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, we enjoyed our experience (of course, parking in that neighborhood is always hard, so no one can fault them for that), and I think this is a solid neighborhood joint that I would frequent if it was in my own neighborhood. Since it isn’t however, and I prefer thin-crust pizza at other SF restaurants, it wouldn’t be my first choice when trekking to the city. However, I would recommend it to deep-dish lovers, and will definitely go back there when I find myself in that ‘hood. My husband would go back for the jukebox alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/angelo-festa.jpg\" alt=\"Angelo\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Angelo\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Film Festival Volunteer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Vignette\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Little Star Pizza:\u003c/strong> Thursday, August 17, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The following is a consensus opinion report for myself, my wife, and a friend:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Entering the restaurant is like going into a cave, so dim is the lighting. Reading the menu is definitely problematic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pizza is definitely excellent (I only wish we could see it). The salad and caprese were good, but not outstanding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The one feature, which would deter me from another visit, is the noise level. Our vocal chords got a real workout just trying to converse. The noise level is so high, you couldn’t hear the music blaring from the jukebox.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another annoyance was the fact that they don’t accept credit cards. Luckily, I had enough cash in my pocket. But I had to leave, feeling cheated out of my frequent flyer miles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We may try their pizza again via home delivery, but definitely wouldn’t return for another assault on the eardrums, and a case of eyestrain.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n846 Divisadero Street (at McAllister Street)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94117\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-441-1118\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.littlestarpizza.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.littlestarpizza.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Summer 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Little Star Pizza: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=198\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/11/16/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-8-208/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp208iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/littlestarpizza9.jpg\" alt=\"Little Star Pizza\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/littlestarpizza10.jpg\" alt=\"Little Star Pizza\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/littlestarpizza8.jpg\" alt=\"Little Star Pizza\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nThin Crust White Pie (garlic olive oil base, mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and roasted zuchinni); Deep-Dish Classic (sausage, mushrooms, green bell peppers, and onions); Thin Crust Pepperoni\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/nish-nadaraja.jpg\" alt=\"Nish\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Nish\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Marketing Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Little Star Pizza\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Little Star Pizza:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, August 23, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you haven’t been following the recent “deep dish wars,” as I like to call them, Zachary’s in Berkeley has remained the undisputed best pizza in the Bay Area for the longest time. Then, a couple of years ago Little Star opened, quietly developing a strong following as a serious contender to the title. I’m not going to get into the fray myself; I like being a double agent!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That said, Little Star is my local pizza place, so I inevitably have been eating more of their pies, just by proximity. A lot of people complain about the long waits and I don’t blame them. I will say that it’s worth it, but I’m also lucky to be able to order for take-out, which is a great option.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The place is intimate and boisterous, and there’s a real sense that a lot of people eating here live in the neighborhood. The jukebox always has a nice mix of indie pop and alternative rock playing, and it’s kind of fun to guess at which customer put on what music.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every time I’ve stopped in, I run into someone I know, and that’s not a bad way to start off any meal experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On my most recent visit, my buddy and I split a small deep-dish pizza with sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, and onions, which is just the right size to divide amongst two people. Fresh ingredients, gooey cheeses, and that golden crust make for a pizza that is as close to perfect as God intended, and I say that not being the religious type!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We also split a mixed salad, which was a nice and healthy way to balance the meal. I’d also highly recommend their garlic bread — you get to spread your own fresh garlic — nothing like some interaction with your food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I don’t care if you have room or not, order the cheesecake for dessert, it’s moist and bittersweet with a flaky crust, a truly happy ending.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They have some good beers on tap, so while the bar and waiting area are tiny and even cramped depending on the night, at least you can have a cold IPA or two while you wait for your table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Little Star has its detractors — I’m even sad that you can’t just order by the slice sometimes — but overall it’s one of those places you know is deserving of instant classic status. Matter of fact, I have it on good authority that they’re opening another location in the Mission very soon…\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/gillian-chase.jpg\" alt=\"Gillian\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Gillian\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Product Designer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Zatar\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Little Star Pizza:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, August 22, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s hard to be critical of a laid-back, neighborhood pizza joint. I wouldn’t compare a restaurant like this in terms of service and quality of food to a high-end restaurant that is in a totally different category. Compared to most casual pizza places, Little Star is excellent. We enjoyed the atmosphere: a hipster spot near the mid-Haight with a fun staff and excellent jukebox. (My musician husband was in heaven over the selection of tunes and had to meet the guy who put it all together.) The owner we subsequently met was young and laid-back and seems to be all about honest, simple pizza. In reading reviews of Little Star before I went, I noticed that some comparisons to Zachary’s (a deep-dish pizza favorite of the East Bay) had been made, and I agree with the Chronicle’s quote that Little Star’s deep dish is better than Zachary’s. The pizza at Little Star seemed to have a more natural flavor, without a particular “formula” to give it a patented flavor. (The atmosphere is definitely better too, in my opinion!) I’m not even a fan of deep-dish pizza, but I really enjoyed theirs. We also ordered a thin crust, and although it was tasty, it wasn’t my favorite part of the meal. I am an unapologetic thin-crust pizza snob, having spent a lot of time in Naples, Italy, so I would have to say this would not be a destination place for me to eat thin crust.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our server, Natalie, was great. She was very friendly, with quick service, a good recommendation for wine, and was very gentle in the way she was trying to usher us out to accommodate the huge line that had formed out front. Having been a server in the past, I know that it’s a hard task to turn tables with grace, and she could probably serve in a much higher-end place with the type of experience she displayed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We had no wait to get in, but we arrived early and, as I mentioned previously, a huge line had formed by the time we left, so I imagine that other patrons that night could not say the same thing. Food came out very quickly, and the salad was much better than most pizza places I’ve tried. Overall the prices were fair and just and also extended to the wine list, which was small, but had a few really good picks. Obviously, the person who orders the wine puts an interest into tasting and selecting good off-brands. To me that is very important, and it is always the most disappointing experience when the wine list totally sucks in a small restaurant that has good food. Even the most inexpensive of restaurants should still have couple of good wines to choose from that won’t break your bank. (Someone needs to send out an alert of this fact to most of the Bay Area’s Thai and Chinese restaurants, please!)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, we enjoyed our experience (of course, parking in that neighborhood is always hard, so no one can fault them for that), and I think this is a solid neighborhood joint that I would frequent if it was in my own neighborhood. Since it isn’t however, and I prefer thin-crust pizza at other SF restaurants, it wouldn’t be my first choice when trekking to the city. However, I would recommend it to deep-dish lovers, and will definitely go back there when I find myself in that ‘hood. My husband would go back for the jukebox alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/angelo-festa.jpg\" alt=\"Angelo\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Angelo\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Film Festival Volunteer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Vignette\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Little Star Pizza:\u003c/strong> Thursday, August 17, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The following is a consensus opinion report for myself, my wife, and a friend:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Entering the restaurant is like going into a cave, so dim is the lighting. Reading the menu is definitely problematic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pizza is definitely excellent (I only wish we could see it). The salad and caprese were good, but not outstanding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The one feature, which would deter me from another visit, is the noise level. Our vocal chords got a real workout just trying to converse. The noise level is so high, you couldn’t hear the music blaring from the jukebox.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another annoyance was the fact that they don’t accept credit cards. Luckily, I had enough cash in my pocket. But I had to leave, feeling cheated out of my frequent flyer miles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Vignette: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=199\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/11/16/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-8-208/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp208iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/vignette17.jpg\" alt=\"Vignette\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/vignette20.jpg\" alt=\"Vignette\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/vignette19.jpg\" alt=\"Vignette\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nDay Boat Scallops; Ahi Tuna Tartare Cones with Apples, Chiles and Sesame, Stuffed in a Light Pastry; Heirloom Tomato Salad with French Feta, Herbs and Olives\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/angelo-festa.jpg\" alt=\"Angelo\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Angelo\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Film Festival Volunteer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Vignette\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Vignette:\u003c/strong> Thursday, August 24, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a menu you could literally throw a dart at and whatever you hit will be gourmet excellence. I know that sounds a bit like a cliché, but in this case, it happens to be true. Having dined there at least twelve times, I know firsthand that this is true, since I have ordered everything at one time or another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ambiance is elegant but not stuffy. The background music, unobtrusive, usually jazz (e.g. Billy Holiday, Big Band, etc.). A very important feature for us is the acoustics. This is one of the very few restaurants in SF where there is no need to shout to be heard across the table. The artwork has a general musical theme and is all by one particular artist. Not abstract or complicated, it adds to the dining experience in a pleasant way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I enjoy taking friends there for special occasions or to catch up after long absences in an atmosphere where conversing is not a chore. My only possible regret is that my secret undiscovered restaurant will now be discovered.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/nish-nadaraja.jpg\" alt=\"Nish\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Nish\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Marketing Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Little Star Pizza\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Vignette:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, August 30, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Who would have thought that within the unpretentious Orchard Hotel, you’d find a hidden gem of a fine dining experience, but after last night, I can say that, yes folks, you can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had the pleasure of dining at Vignette yesterday evening. Sadly we were some of the only customers in the establishment, but that also added to superb customer service we received. I don’t mean to say our wait staff was bored, but rather that they all seemed genuinely interested in making sure our meal was an experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each night features a Tasting Menu worth considering, but being a party of four, and wanting some variety, we decided to split some appetizers and order our own entrees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I can easily recommend any of our starters, but the Ahi Tuna Tartare Cones and the Sweetbreads were particularly tasty. To be fair, so was our third appetizer, the Artisan Foie Gras!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For entrees, it’s hard to go wrong, really, and the menu changes enough to offer choices for the regular diner. I ordered a newly added California Poussin (chicken) entree, which was perfectly crisp yet tender. You know you have something special when you can take a relatively common item like chicken and do something unique and flavorful with it. The rest of my party ordered the filet of beef (also quite excellent), the venison loin with huckleberry sauce, and the duck (normally part of the tasting menu but they accommodated us!).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout dinner, the bartender — who actually put together their wine list — came by with tastings of wine to pair on the house. He had already recommended an excellent Malbec, which went nicely with all our dishes. For dessert, the Sorbet Trio is a winner, as is the Make Your Own Sundae.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As I mentioned above, we almost had the restaurant to ourselves. Granted it was a Wednesday; it’s almost ironic that in a city of gourmands, something of Vignette’s caliber can go unnoticed. So, if you’re looking for the hottest dining scene in town, you won’t find it here; what you will find is a delicious and unrushed dining experience, perfect for enjoying with good friends.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/gillian-chase.jpg\" alt=\"Gillian\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Gillian\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Product Designer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Zatar\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Vignette:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, August 23, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was very excited about trying this restaurant after I read online that they are committed to organic food. It’s hard to find a fine dining place in downtown SF that is organic. (There are a couple great ones, but I won’t mention them here.) We found Vignette tucked into a hotel that I had never seen before and probably would never have found, so I am curious as to what kind of business they draw. It was kind of slow in there, and the dining room was a bit corporate for my taste. But our first courses were absolutely extraordinary. My husband and I were in heaven with the tuna tartare cones, which had the perfect combination of chilies and sesame. A couple of those and a nice glass of wine would be a great light meal. Vignette scored a total 100 on all the starter dishes. We were lucky to have come in on a night when they had a fresh arrival of sweet organic corn, and they used it well in several dishes. The sweet corn soup was one of the best soups I’ve ever tasted. Although it was creamy, which usually indicates “heavy” to me, it was light and frothy, and the flavor combinations allowed the corn’s natural sweetness to shine through. Then, the heirloom tomato salad blew us away. My husband is a notorious tomato hater (which I’m convinced is because most store-bought tomatoes suck) and yet he ate as much of it as I did with obvious enjoyment. I’m a huge fan of French feta, and the herbs and olives, combined with these perfect tomatoes, made for an extraordinary salad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the entrees. I really hate saying anything negative about a restaurant that has obvious great qualities and a wonderful, sweet, helpful staff, but both of our entrees were inedible. My herbed gnocchi with organic vegetables tasted and felt deep-fried. Why would anyone deep-fry gnocchi? Although the few vegetable in the dish were very flavorful, the gnocchi itself was so heavy that I felt like I was eating a super-bowl snack. Complete with the tummy ache. Then, unfortunately, the halibut we ordered was not to our liking at all. Halibut is one of my favorite fish, specifically because of its delicate, white meat. However, we seemed to have been served the darkest parts of the fish, and worse yet, the fish also seemed fried. The resulting flavor was heavy, oily, bland, and fishy. The beets and fennel were good, if I have to find one good thing to say about what was on that plate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another great part of the meal was the wine, although it was hard to find a good bottle for under $50. They had a couple Spanish wines that looked intriguing in the $40 range, but we just weren’t not in the mood for something Spanish. We ended up splurging and going for a $54 bottle of Willamette Valley, Oregon, Pinot Noir by Broadley. (Their David Bruce Pinot Noir, which I think is okay but not great, was totally overpriced at $59.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, for me personally, I think Vignette is a really mixed bag. Although we had some great dishes, we spent over $150 and didn’t really eat our entrees, so that is a bit of a bummer. Since I heard the owner is Australian, I would give them the benefit of the doubt that their other meat entrees are good, but, since I don’t eat meat other than fish, I couldn’t say. Their Meyer lemon sorbet was spectacular, but for the combination of highs and lows we experienced, I personally wouldn’t go there again. I certainly wouldn’t tell someone not to try it, but I don’t think it’s the best option to recommend to in that area.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n 665 Bush Street (at Monroe Street)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94108\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-956-2972\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.vignetterestaurant.com\"> www.VignetteRestaurant.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Summer 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Vignette: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=199\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/11/16/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-8-208/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp208iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/vignette17.jpg\" alt=\"Vignette\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/vignette20.jpg\" alt=\"Vignette\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/vignette19.jpg\" alt=\"Vignette\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nDay Boat Scallops; Ahi Tuna Tartare Cones with Apples, Chiles and Sesame, Stuffed in a Light Pastry; Heirloom Tomato Salad with French Feta, Herbs and Olives\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/angelo-festa.jpg\" alt=\"Angelo\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Angelo\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Film Festival Volunteer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Vignette\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Vignette:\u003c/strong> Thursday, August 24, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a menu you could literally throw a dart at and whatever you hit will be gourmet excellence. I know that sounds a bit like a cliché, but in this case, it happens to be true. Having dined there at least twelve times, I know firsthand that this is true, since I have ordered everything at one time or another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ambiance is elegant but not stuffy. The background music, unobtrusive, usually jazz (e.g. Billy Holiday, Big Band, etc.). A very important feature for us is the acoustics. This is one of the very few restaurants in SF where there is no need to shout to be heard across the table. The artwork has a general musical theme and is all by one particular artist. Not abstract or complicated, it adds to the dining experience in a pleasant way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I enjoy taking friends there for special occasions or to catch up after long absences in an atmosphere where conversing is not a chore. My only possible regret is that my secret undiscovered restaurant will now be discovered.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/nish-nadaraja.jpg\" alt=\"Nish\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Nish\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Marketing Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Little Star Pizza\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Vignette:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, August 30, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Who would have thought that within the unpretentious Orchard Hotel, you’d find a hidden gem of a fine dining experience, but after last night, I can say that, yes folks, you can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had the pleasure of dining at Vignette yesterday evening. Sadly we were some of the only customers in the establishment, but that also added to superb customer service we received. I don’t mean to say our wait staff was bored, but rather that they all seemed genuinely interested in making sure our meal was an experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each night features a Tasting Menu worth considering, but being a party of four, and wanting some variety, we decided to split some appetizers and order our own entrees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I can easily recommend any of our starters, but the Ahi Tuna Tartare Cones and the Sweetbreads were particularly tasty. To be fair, so was our third appetizer, the Artisan Foie Gras!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For entrees, it’s hard to go wrong, really, and the menu changes enough to offer choices for the regular diner. I ordered a newly added California Poussin (chicken) entree, which was perfectly crisp yet tender. You know you have something special when you can take a relatively common item like chicken and do something unique and flavorful with it. The rest of my party ordered the filet of beef (also quite excellent), the venison loin with huckleberry sauce, and the duck (normally part of the tasting menu but they accommodated us!).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout dinner, the bartender — who actually put together their wine list — came by with tastings of wine to pair on the house. He had already recommended an excellent Malbec, which went nicely with all our dishes. For dessert, the Sorbet Trio is a winner, as is the Make Your Own Sundae.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As I mentioned above, we almost had the restaurant to ourselves. Granted it was a Wednesday; it’s almost ironic that in a city of gourmands, something of Vignette’s caliber can go unnoticed. So, if you’re looking for the hottest dining scene in town, you won’t find it here; what you will find is a delicious and unrushed dining experience, perfect for enjoying with good friends.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/gillian-chase.jpg\" alt=\"Gillian\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Gillian\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Product Designer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Zatar\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Vignette:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, August 23, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was very excited about trying this restaurant after I read online that they are committed to organic food. It’s hard to find a fine dining place in downtown SF that is organic. (There are a couple great ones, but I won’t mention them here.) We found Vignette tucked into a hotel that I had never seen before and probably would never have found, so I am curious as to what kind of business they draw. It was kind of slow in there, and the dining room was a bit corporate for my taste. But our first courses were absolutely extraordinary. My husband and I were in heaven with the tuna tartare cones, which had the perfect combination of chilies and sesame. A couple of those and a nice glass of wine would be a great light meal. Vignette scored a total 100 on all the starter dishes. We were lucky to have come in on a night when they had a fresh arrival of sweet organic corn, and they used it well in several dishes. The sweet corn soup was one of the best soups I’ve ever tasted. Although it was creamy, which usually indicates “heavy” to me, it was light and frothy, and the flavor combinations allowed the corn’s natural sweetness to shine through. Then, the heirloom tomato salad blew us away. My husband is a notorious tomato hater (which I’m convinced is because most store-bought tomatoes suck) and yet he ate as much of it as I did with obvious enjoyment. I’m a huge fan of French feta, and the herbs and olives, combined with these perfect tomatoes, made for an extraordinary salad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the entrees. I really hate saying anything negative about a restaurant that has obvious great qualities and a wonderful, sweet, helpful staff, but both of our entrees were inedible. My herbed gnocchi with organic vegetables tasted and felt deep-fried. Why would anyone deep-fry gnocchi? Although the few vegetable in the dish were very flavorful, the gnocchi itself was so heavy that I felt like I was eating a super-bowl snack. Complete with the tummy ache. Then, unfortunately, the halibut we ordered was not to our liking at all. Halibut is one of my favorite fish, specifically because of its delicate, white meat. However, we seemed to have been served the darkest parts of the fish, and worse yet, the fish also seemed fried. The resulting flavor was heavy, oily, bland, and fishy. The beets and fennel were good, if I have to find one good thing to say about what was on that plate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another great part of the meal was the wine, although it was hard to find a good bottle for under $50. They had a couple Spanish wines that looked intriguing in the $40 range, but we just weren’t not in the mood for something Spanish. We ended up splurging and going for a $54 bottle of Willamette Valley, Oregon, Pinot Noir by Broadley. (Their David Bruce Pinot Noir, which I think is okay but not great, was totally overpriced at $59.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, for me personally, I think Vignette is a really mixed bag. Although we had some great dishes, we spent over $150 and didn’t really eat our entrees, so that is a bit of a bummer. Since I heard the owner is Australian, I would give them the benefit of the doubt that their other meat entrees are good, but, since I don’t eat meat other than fish, I couldn’t say. Their Meyer lemon sorbet was spectacular, but for the combination of highs and lows we experienced, I personally wouldn’t go there again. I certainly wouldn’t tell someone not to try it, but I don’t think it’s the best option to recommend to in that area.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Zatar: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=197\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/11/16/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-8-208/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp208iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/zatar4.jpg\" alt=\"Zatar\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/zatar11.jpg\" alt=\"Zatar\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/zatar6.jpg\" alt=\"Zatar\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nGrilled Calamari; Boreka: Filo Pastry Stuffed with Sautéed Leeks, Herbs, Greens and French Feta; Kebab Feast for Two\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/gillian-chase.jpg\" alt=\"Gillian\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Gillian\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Product Designer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Zatar\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Zatar:\u003c/strong> Saturday, August 26, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a little hard to critique my own restaurant of choice. I sort of felt that if I didn’t find some fault I might come across as biased. So, instead of going with my husband, another diehard Zatar fan, this time I went with two friends who had never tried Zatar. I hate to say it, but really the only thing we can find wrong with this place is their location. I personally do not enjoy going to that area of Berkeley (though their food is worth it), and I imagine that they might attract local clientele that doesn’t appreciate the quality of the food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Regardless of the location, and the fact that I live in Oakland, I have been eating at this restaurant for more than eight years. There is a small circle of us regulars who have been befriended by the husband and wife owners, and we are privileged to be invited to their semi-annual garden and harvest parties. I have seen firsthand how hard these people work to maintain their half-acre organic garden and an overall unbelievably high standard of organic, sustainable cuisine for the restaurant. The meal I had on the night I visited was full of fresh summer vegetables and herbs from this garden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the small details about our meal, which my friends were surprised by, is that we discovered three different varieties of basil as accent flavors throughout our dishes. (We later learned that the owners have thirteen different varieties of basil in their garden.) This is the type of detail that makes the restaurant so special in my opinion. We started with a hot filo pastry filled with herbs, dark greens, French feta, and leeks, which was crisp, cheesy, and fragrant, but not so cheesy that the hearty greens weren’t evident. I love this dish at their place when they have it, because often I find filo pastries heavy on the dough and oily, but theirs never is. Then we had my favorite starter: grilled haloumi cheese over grilled bread with whatever fresh vegetables are from their garden. This time it was summer squash and heirloom tomatoes, with, of course, basil. Finally, we had a tuna carpaccio with Meyer lemon, olive oil, capers, sea salt, and lemon basil. Another small detail that I love about Zatar is their high-quality extra virgin olive oil, which is always dark green and fragrant. This oil was used perfectly in all the starters and my subsequent salad (with baby lettuces from the garden) and makes for a unique flavor that I always associate with Zatar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Needless to say, my friends loved everything, including their entrees, (Alaskan Halibut with a lemon-sesame sauce and grilled leg of lamb — both with grilled vegetables from the garden) and the prompt, friendly, unpretentious service. The ambience was very cozy that night with all the candles lit and their beautiful collection of Mediterranean terracotta plates adorning the wall next to us. All of these were hand-selected by the owners on different travels of theirs. Lastly, we were stunned by the wine, which was an organic 1997 Barbaresco of DOCG definition from Piedmonte, at only $42 a bottle. What a find! I cannot imagine any high-end restaurant in San Francisco offering that wine for under $50. In fact, any wine lover would undoubtedly notice that not only is the wine menu chosen with care to specifically complement their food, but the prices are extremely fair for the quality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, once again, Zatar proved to be an excellent meal and a great destination restaurant. I think Zatar is a rare, underappreciated gem. This is the type of place that one would love to stumble across while traveling and have stories to tell upon the return home of the amazing little place they barely stumbled across in whatever distant city. But it’s in our own backyard.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/nish-nadaraja.jpg\" alt=\"Nish\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Nish\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Marketing Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Little Star Pizza\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Zatar:\u003c/strong> Friday, August 25, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zatar is one of those restaurants that should be on every foodie’s list to try at least once. It’s Mediterranean in theme, but just as importantly, it’s all about naturally-raised meats and organic fruits and vegetables. The husband and wife team behind the place pour their heart into the restaurant, and it shows. I mean, many of the vegetables they offer are literally grown and harvested in their own garden!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Onto the meal: We started with a flat bread sampler, which is the best way to try all the spreads. I really like the Mohamara, which is made up of pomegranate and roasted peppers. The crostini with grilled haloumi and summer squash was also worth trying, but I believe the menu changes from time to time. On another visit, I’ll be sure to try the warm lamb dolmas, which are making me salivate as I write this!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the main course, we tried the Kebab Feast For Two, which is a fun way to sample a good many of Zatar’s main courses. Truly a feast, you’ll get both chicken and Niman Ranch lamb kefta kebabs, not to mention a succulent serving of their boneless leg of lamb. The whole dish is served over light and fluffy basmati rice and vegetables that are grown in the owners’ own garden!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The wine list is somewhat eclectic, but that’s to be expected when all the selections are organic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If I had to point out one flaw in this cozy and intimate restaurant, it’s that dinner for two (which included one bottle of wine, plus another two glasses, but no dessert), was $140 for two people, including tax and tip.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When I mentioned I was going to Zatar to another friend, he mentioned that sometimes the service can be slow or almost indifferent, but that the food makes it worth it. Well, Lady Luck was on our side when we dined. As it turned out, the regular waitress was sick, so the wife/owner served us. She was gracious, and you could sense her love for the food she was serving. She made us feel like we were practically eating at her home. So maybe we lucked out, but I guess I’ll have to go back again to find out!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/angelo-festa.jpg\" alt=\"Angelo\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Angelo\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Film Festival Volunteer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Vignette\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Zatar:\u003c/strong> Friday, August 25, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I would have guessed that “Zatar” was a place or someone’s name. But instead, it’s a common mixture of herbs and spices, when soaked with olive oil, is consumed with bread.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The décor is Turkish, Greek, and Southern Italian, and indeed, the food is described as “eclectic Mediterranean.” The owners, an Iraqi chef and his American wife, grow all their produce in their Oakland home’s backyard. The latest issue of Organic Gardening Magazine has a feature article on this enterprising couple and their restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The food is not only organic, but creatively prepared. The wine list was a bit pricey for a little neighborhood restaurant. Most were over $30 and many over $40. Just two under $30, which isn’t fair to your basic proletariat diner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The only annoyance came at the very end when our bill was presented and we had to pay with cash. At $84 a head, we had to turn pockets inside out, and purses upside down to scrape together the cash. That, plus the fact that all those frequent flyer miles don’t get counted when you pay cash!\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n1981 Shattuck Avenue (at University Avenue)\r\nBerkeley, CA 94704\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 510-841-1981\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.zatarrestaurant.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.zatarrestaurant.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Summer 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Zatar: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=197\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/11/16/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-8-208/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp208iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/zatar4.jpg\" alt=\"Zatar\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/zatar11.jpg\" alt=\"Zatar\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/zatar6.jpg\" alt=\"Zatar\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nGrilled Calamari; Boreka: Filo Pastry Stuffed with Sautéed Leeks, Herbs, Greens and French Feta; Kebab Feast for Two\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/gillian-chase.jpg\" alt=\"Gillian\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Gillian\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Product Designer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Zatar\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Zatar:\u003c/strong> Saturday, August 26, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a little hard to critique my own restaurant of choice. I sort of felt that if I didn’t find some fault I might come across as biased. So, instead of going with my husband, another diehard Zatar fan, this time I went with two friends who had never tried Zatar. I hate to say it, but really the only thing we can find wrong with this place is their location. I personally do not enjoy going to that area of Berkeley (though their food is worth it), and I imagine that they might attract local clientele that doesn’t appreciate the quality of the food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Regardless of the location, and the fact that I live in Oakland, I have been eating at this restaurant for more than eight years. There is a small circle of us regulars who have been befriended by the husband and wife owners, and we are privileged to be invited to their semi-annual garden and harvest parties. I have seen firsthand how hard these people work to maintain their half-acre organic garden and an overall unbelievably high standard of organic, sustainable cuisine for the restaurant. The meal I had on the night I visited was full of fresh summer vegetables and herbs from this garden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the small details about our meal, which my friends were surprised by, is that we discovered three different varieties of basil as accent flavors throughout our dishes. (We later learned that the owners have thirteen different varieties of basil in their garden.) This is the type of detail that makes the restaurant so special in my opinion. We started with a hot filo pastry filled with herbs, dark greens, French feta, and leeks, which was crisp, cheesy, and fragrant, but not so cheesy that the hearty greens weren’t evident. I love this dish at their place when they have it, because often I find filo pastries heavy on the dough and oily, but theirs never is. Then we had my favorite starter: grilled haloumi cheese over grilled bread with whatever fresh vegetables are from their garden. This time it was summer squash and heirloom tomatoes, with, of course, basil. Finally, we had a tuna carpaccio with Meyer lemon, olive oil, capers, sea salt, and lemon basil. Another small detail that I love about Zatar is their high-quality extra virgin olive oil, which is always dark green and fragrant. This oil was used perfectly in all the starters and my subsequent salad (with baby lettuces from the garden) and makes for a unique flavor that I always associate with Zatar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Needless to say, my friends loved everything, including their entrees, (Alaskan Halibut with a lemon-sesame sauce and grilled leg of lamb — both with grilled vegetables from the garden) and the prompt, friendly, unpretentious service. The ambience was very cozy that night with all the candles lit and their beautiful collection of Mediterranean terracotta plates adorning the wall next to us. All of these were hand-selected by the owners on different travels of theirs. Lastly, we were stunned by the wine, which was an organic 1997 Barbaresco of DOCG definition from Piedmonte, at only $42 a bottle. What a find! I cannot imagine any high-end restaurant in San Francisco offering that wine for under $50. In fact, any wine lover would undoubtedly notice that not only is the wine menu chosen with care to specifically complement their food, but the prices are extremely fair for the quality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, once again, Zatar proved to be an excellent meal and a great destination restaurant. I think Zatar is a rare, underappreciated gem. This is the type of place that one would love to stumble across while traveling and have stories to tell upon the return home of the amazing little place they barely stumbled across in whatever distant city. But it’s in our own backyard.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/nish-nadaraja.jpg\" alt=\"Nish\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Nish\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Marketing Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Little Star Pizza\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Zatar:\u003c/strong> Friday, August 25, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zatar is one of those restaurants that should be on every foodie’s list to try at least once. It’s Mediterranean in theme, but just as importantly, it’s all about naturally-raised meats and organic fruits and vegetables. The husband and wife team behind the place pour their heart into the restaurant, and it shows. I mean, many of the vegetables they offer are literally grown and harvested in their own garden!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Onto the meal: We started with a flat bread sampler, which is the best way to try all the spreads. I really like the Mohamara, which is made up of pomegranate and roasted peppers. The crostini with grilled haloumi and summer squash was also worth trying, but I believe the menu changes from time to time. On another visit, I’ll be sure to try the warm lamb dolmas, which are making me salivate as I write this!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the main course, we tried the Kebab Feast For Two, which is a fun way to sample a good many of Zatar’s main courses. Truly a feast, you’ll get both chicken and Niman Ranch lamb kefta kebabs, not to mention a succulent serving of their boneless leg of lamb. The whole dish is served over light and fluffy basmati rice and vegetables that are grown in the owners’ own garden!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The wine list is somewhat eclectic, but that’s to be expected when all the selections are organic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If I had to point out one flaw in this cozy and intimate restaurant, it’s that dinner for two (which included one bottle of wine, plus another two glasses, but no dessert), was $140 for two people, including tax and tip.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When I mentioned I was going to Zatar to another friend, he mentioned that sometimes the service can be slow or almost indifferent, but that the food makes it worth it. Well, Lady Luck was on our side when we dined. As it turned out, the regular waitress was sick, so the wife/owner served us. She was gracious, and you could sense her love for the food she was serving. She made us feel like we were practically eating at her home. So maybe we lucked out, but I guess I’ll have to go back again to find out!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/angelo-festa.jpg\" alt=\"Angelo\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Angelo\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Film Festival Volunteer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Vignette\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Zatar:\u003c/strong> Friday, August 25, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I would have guessed that “Zatar” was a place or someone’s name. But instead, it’s a common mixture of herbs and spices, when soaked with olive oil, is consumed with bread.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The décor is Turkish, Greek, and Southern Italian, and indeed, the food is described as “eclectic Mediterranean.” The owners, an Iraqi chef and his American wife, grow all their produce in their Oakland home’s backyard. The latest issue of Organic Gardening Magazine has a feature article on this enterprising couple and their restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The food is not only organic, but creatively prepared. The wine list was a bit pricey for a little neighborhood restaurant. Most were over $30 and many over $40. Just two under $30, which isn’t fair to your basic proletariat diner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The only annoyance came at the very end when our bill was presented and we had to pay with cash. At $84 a head, we had to turn pockets inside out, and purses upside down to scrape together the cash. That, plus the fact that all those frequent flyer miles don’t get counted when you pay cash!\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Shalizaar: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=187\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=190\">recipe\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/11/09/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-7-207/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp207iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/shalizaar1.jpg\" alt=\"Shalizaar\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/shalizaar3.jpg\" alt=\"Shalizaar\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/shalizaar2.jpg\" alt=\"Shalizaar\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nTah Dig (Crispy Rice) with Spinach and Bean Stew; Shalizaar Combination Plate: Chicken and Ground Beef Kebabs, Beef Filet, and Lamb Chops with Basmati Rice Drizzled with Saffron Oil; Persian Ice Cream mixed with Pistachios and Saffron\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/margaret-chau.jpg\" alt=\"Margaret\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Margaret\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Retired Legal Assistant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Millbrae\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Shalizaar\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Shalizaar:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, August 15, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Décor: Simple, but clean, comfortable\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Noise Level: Manageable, unless you’re sitting right next to a large group, but still better than many places in the Bay Area. The place was full (Tuesday night, 7:30pm) and had a lineup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prices: Very reasonable, especially since the portions are large. One can get a meal and a half with each order. Appetizers range from $4-$7, entrees range from $10-16, combo dishes are around $35, but enough food for three. Great value.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Menu:\u003cbr>\nSelections: good representation of Persian dishes, especially the more popular ones like tah dig (crispy rice with stews), mixed rice dishes, stews, and kebabs. Each entrée comes with a huge plate of rice or salad, or half and half. A bit weak on vegetarian dishes, definitely a carnivore’s delight. We usually order different dishes to share. When we had large parties (up to 18 of us), we just let the owners decide and we’re never disappointed. In fact, there was usually too much food, so we all had leftovers to take home. They are very accommodating to requests for special “combinations.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Quality: Excellent. Very well prepared and seasoned, especially the stews and kebabs; their house made yoghurt is tasty too. We were introduced to this place by two different Iranian couples, who are all great cooks themselves, so we knew we were in for a treat from day one. One of the best lamb sirloins I’ve tasted!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Portion: Large. Perfect for big eaters for one meal, or for leftover the next day since the food still tastes very good the next day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wine List: Nothing special. Adequate selection and quality\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parking: Easy street parking; safe neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Service: Very friendly and helpful; never slack even when the place was full.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/kristen-lo.jpg\" alt=\"Kristen\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Kristen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> High School Theater Teacher\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> South Park Café\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Shalizaar:\u003c/strong> Saturday, August 19, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>White table clothes and Middle Eastern food? I thought this was unheard of, and while checking the internet, it seemed like few knew of San Mateo’s Shalizaar (on Google they keep asking you: “Did you mean Shalimar?” No!) Yet when we arrived it turned out that that at least all of San Mateo knew of this restaurant; Shalizaar was entirely full for the duration of our dinner. We were lucky and were seated in the center of the restaurant immediately without reservations. The restaurant is definitely bustling with many families and large tables, but I wasn’t bothered by the noise. It seemed like everybody was having a good time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I believe the key to Shalizaar is the manager. My husband and I are not familiar with Middle Eastern dishes and at first we almost panicked while surveying the menu. I had no idea what to order! Luckily, the manager helped us greatly in this area. He understood that we were novices and made some basic recommendations. We started out with a tangy cucumber and yogurt dip. This complemented what was already on the table: a basket of flat bread and a plate of feta cheese, walnuts, and herbs. This was a wonderful beginning to the dinner, mostly because it was so different from your basic basket of bread.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After our appetizer, the manager again made some suggestions for the combination platter for two. This sounded like a great idea since I wanted to try as many different dishes as possible. Our combo platter came with two plates of rice and a plate that you shared with game hen, lamb chops, and ground beef kabobs. Since all of my prior experiences with Middle Eastern food have concerned falafel, I had no idea what to expect from this kabob platter, but we were really impressed. We were a little fearful that the kabob meat was going to be dry, but everything was juicy and didn’t even need the left over cumber-yogurt sauce that we saving in case the meat came out like the bark of a tree. And you could really almost feed a family of four with the combination plate — their servings are very generous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the end of dinner I thought I should give a dessert a try, even though most of the desserts sounded like the ingredients for a bundle of potpourri (i.e. rose water?). Again, I turned to the manager for a suggestion. He pointed to something and I nodded. What I agreed to turned out to be a few scoops of ice cream over some dried noodles and rosewater. I think the rosewater must be an acquired taste; I was still a little uncomfortable with my dessert tasting like a flower. In the end, we thought Shalizaar was a reasonable deal with good food, amazing service, and a must-try for people in the San Mateo area.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/stephen-shaubach1.jpg\" alt=\"Stephen\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Stephen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Senior Software Engineer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Forbes Island\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Shalizaar:\u003c/strong> Saturday, August 19, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The trip from Twin Peaks in San Francisco to Shalizaar in San Mateo was a nice get away from the city after a particularly busy day at work. The drive seemed quick for that time of the night, and before we knew it, the GPS told us we had arrived at Shalizaar, plus we got rock star parking, right in front of the restaurant. After we dried our tears over such a great parking space, we entered into the quiet room adorned with Middle Eastern paintings and hanging tapestries that had authentic music gently flowing from the speakers. The pleasant host sat us quickly and on the table a basket of thin bread, feta cheese, walnuts and herbs was immediately placed. All of the items tasted great.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After looking over the menu for a while, we ordered our choices. First after to arrive after about ten minutes was a yogurt dish, which was thick with the taste of sour cream and garlic and went nicely with some bread and a sprig of mint. The wait for the second dish to arrive was about ten additional minutes. It was a combination platter for two that was somewhat pricey but also large in portions. The platter offered choices of chicken, ground chicken, ground beef, and also lamb. Each item was savory, especially the chicken. Taking pieces of each and placing them on bread was quickly filling us up after the initial basket of nibbles, so we ordered dessert and asked for the rest to be boxed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For dessert we decided on baklava and saffron ice cream and finally tea. The baklava was somewhat stale and bland, which was surprising. The ice cream was truly great. The fragrance, the taste, and the texture all came together to make one of the most interesting ice creams I’ve tasted, ever. They should sell it in gallons to go. The tea was also good and served hot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Leaving took a while but taking a look around, I noticed that a table full of Middle Eastern men, who had been there before we were seated, were still chatting and eating. I realized this was truly an authentic Persian restaurant and I was a typical American, in a hurry, even when eating. Overall, the restaurant was a pleasant experience not noisy. The lighting wasn’t harsh, the staff, somewhat attentive but always friendly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I would recommend Shalizaar to friends in the Peninsula area or if they were passing close by. The food was good, yet slightly overpriced, even if the portions are large. Although the experience was pleasant overall, there is nothing that stood out, besides the ice cream, that would draw me back. If I lived around the corner, I would come more often but try to confine my ordering to smaller portioned, lower-priced menu choices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Favorite quote from the Shalizaar website: “[\u003ci>sic\u003c/i>] This Picture shows one of the process of planning the rice which is usually done by women.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n120 West 25th Avenue (at Flores Street)\r\nSan Mateo, CA 94403\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 650-341-2600\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.shalizaarrestaurant.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.shalizaarrestaurant.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Summer 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Shalizaar: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=187\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=190\">recipe\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/11/09/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-7-207/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp207iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/shalizaar1.jpg\" alt=\"Shalizaar\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/shalizaar3.jpg\" alt=\"Shalizaar\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/shalizaar2.jpg\" alt=\"Shalizaar\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nTah Dig (Crispy Rice) with Spinach and Bean Stew; Shalizaar Combination Plate: Chicken and Ground Beef Kebabs, Beef Filet, and Lamb Chops with Basmati Rice Drizzled with Saffron Oil; Persian Ice Cream mixed with Pistachios and Saffron\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/margaret-chau.jpg\" alt=\"Margaret\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Margaret\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Retired Legal Assistant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Millbrae\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Shalizaar\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed Shalizaar:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, August 15, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Décor: Simple, but clean, comfortable\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Noise Level: Manageable, unless you’re sitting right next to a large group, but still better than many places in the Bay Area. The place was full (Tuesday night, 7:30pm) and had a lineup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prices: Very reasonable, especially since the portions are large. One can get a meal and a half with each order. Appetizers range from $4-$7, entrees range from $10-16, combo dishes are around $35, but enough food for three. Great value.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Menu:\u003cbr>\nSelections: good representation of Persian dishes, especially the more popular ones like tah dig (crispy rice with stews), mixed rice dishes, stews, and kebabs. Each entrée comes with a huge plate of rice or salad, or half and half. A bit weak on vegetarian dishes, definitely a carnivore’s delight. We usually order different dishes to share. When we had large parties (up to 18 of us), we just let the owners decide and we’re never disappointed. In fact, there was usually too much food, so we all had leftovers to take home. They are very accommodating to requests for special “combinations.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Quality: Excellent. Very well prepared and seasoned, especially the stews and kebabs; their house made yoghurt is tasty too. We were introduced to this place by two different Iranian couples, who are all great cooks themselves, so we knew we were in for a treat from day one. One of the best lamb sirloins I’ve tasted!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Portion: Large. Perfect for big eaters for one meal, or for leftover the next day since the food still tastes very good the next day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wine List: Nothing special. Adequate selection and quality\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parking: Easy street parking; safe neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Service: Very friendly and helpful; never slack even when the place was full.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/kristen-lo.jpg\" alt=\"Kristen\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Kristen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> High School Theater Teacher\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> South Park Café\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Shalizaar:\u003c/strong> Saturday, August 19, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>White table clothes and Middle Eastern food? I thought this was unheard of, and while checking the internet, it seemed like few knew of San Mateo’s Shalizaar (on Google they keep asking you: “Did you mean Shalimar?” No!) Yet when we arrived it turned out that that at least all of San Mateo knew of this restaurant; Shalizaar was entirely full for the duration of our dinner. We were lucky and were seated in the center of the restaurant immediately without reservations. The restaurant is definitely bustling with many families and large tables, but I wasn’t bothered by the noise. It seemed like everybody was having a good time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I believe the key to Shalizaar is the manager. My husband and I are not familiar with Middle Eastern dishes and at first we almost panicked while surveying the menu. I had no idea what to order! Luckily, the manager helped us greatly in this area. He understood that we were novices and made some basic recommendations. We started out with a tangy cucumber and yogurt dip. This complemented what was already on the table: a basket of flat bread and a plate of feta cheese, walnuts, and herbs. This was a wonderful beginning to the dinner, mostly because it was so different from your basic basket of bread.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After our appetizer, the manager again made some suggestions for the combination platter for two. This sounded like a great idea since I wanted to try as many different dishes as possible. Our combo platter came with two plates of rice and a plate that you shared with game hen, lamb chops, and ground beef kabobs. Since all of my prior experiences with Middle Eastern food have concerned falafel, I had no idea what to expect from this kabob platter, but we were really impressed. We were a little fearful that the kabob meat was going to be dry, but everything was juicy and didn’t even need the left over cumber-yogurt sauce that we saving in case the meat came out like the bark of a tree. And you could really almost feed a family of four with the combination plate — their servings are very generous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the end of dinner I thought I should give a dessert a try, even though most of the desserts sounded like the ingredients for a bundle of potpourri (i.e. rose water?). Again, I turned to the manager for a suggestion. He pointed to something and I nodded. What I agreed to turned out to be a few scoops of ice cream over some dried noodles and rosewater. I think the rosewater must be an acquired taste; I was still a little uncomfortable with my dessert tasting like a flower. In the end, we thought Shalizaar was a reasonable deal with good food, amazing service, and a must-try for people in the San Mateo area.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/stephen-shaubach1.jpg\" alt=\"Stephen\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Stephen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Senior Software Engineer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Forbes Island\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Shalizaar:\u003c/strong> Saturday, August 19, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The trip from Twin Peaks in San Francisco to Shalizaar in San Mateo was a nice get away from the city after a particularly busy day at work. The drive seemed quick for that time of the night, and before we knew it, the GPS told us we had arrived at Shalizaar, plus we got rock star parking, right in front of the restaurant. After we dried our tears over such a great parking space, we entered into the quiet room adorned with Middle Eastern paintings and hanging tapestries that had authentic music gently flowing from the speakers. The pleasant host sat us quickly and on the table a basket of thin bread, feta cheese, walnuts and herbs was immediately placed. All of the items tasted great.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After looking over the menu for a while, we ordered our choices. First after to arrive after about ten minutes was a yogurt dish, which was thick with the taste of sour cream and garlic and went nicely with some bread and a sprig of mint. The wait for the second dish to arrive was about ten additional minutes. It was a combination platter for two that was somewhat pricey but also large in portions. The platter offered choices of chicken, ground chicken, ground beef, and also lamb. Each item was savory, especially the chicken. Taking pieces of each and placing them on bread was quickly filling us up after the initial basket of nibbles, so we ordered dessert and asked for the rest to be boxed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For dessert we decided on baklava and saffron ice cream and finally tea. The baklava was somewhat stale and bland, which was surprising. The ice cream was truly great. The fragrance, the taste, and the texture all came together to make one of the most interesting ice creams I’ve tasted, ever. They should sell it in gallons to go. The tea was also good and served hot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Leaving took a while but taking a look around, I noticed that a table full of Middle Eastern men, who had been there before we were seated, were still chatting and eating. I realized this was truly an authentic Persian restaurant and I was a typical American, in a hurry, even when eating. Overall, the restaurant was a pleasant experience not noisy. The lighting wasn’t harsh, the staff, somewhat attentive but always friendly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I would recommend Shalizaar to friends in the Peninsula area or if they were passing close by. The food was good, yet slightly overpriced, even if the portions are large. Although the experience was pleasant overall, there is nothing that stood out, besides the ice cream, that would draw me back. If I lived around the corner, I would come more often but try to confine my ordering to smaller portioned, lower-priced menu choices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Favorite quote from the Shalizaar website: “[\u003ci>sic\u003c/i>] This Picture shows one of the process of planning the rice which is usually done by women.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>South Park Café: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=188\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/11/09/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-7-207/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp207iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/southparkcafe2.jpg\" alt=\"South Park Café\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/southparkcafe3.jpg\" alt=\"South Park Café\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/southparkcafe1.jpg\" alt=\"South Park Café\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nBraised Vegetable Couscous with Indian Spices and Lemon-Mint Yogurt; Sautéed Rabbit with Garlic and Bacon Pan Sauce; Espresso Gelato with Fudge and Caramel Sauce\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/kristen-lo.jpg\" alt=\"Kristen\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Kristen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> High School Theater Teacher\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> South Park Café\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed South Park Café:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, August 22, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the Bay Area commute has got me down, and I can’t even think about preparing dinner, I turn to my neighborhood bistro, South Park Café. South Park Café has a wonderful, reasonably priced prix fix menu ($32 for three courses), a diverse selection, and the quality of food is dependable. Its quiet, unassuming location may fool you that nothing special is happening in South Park (and I actually think it’s quite nice that the restaurant is not located on a busy street, but rather by a park — it’s seems more…European), but I believe the best meal in South Beach is to be had here. The rustic yet classic French food is simple and straightforward. Chef Ward Little doesn’t need to experiment with foams or fusion cuisine; the best seasonal produce and products are what he is great at preparing. For example, his appetizer beet salad is just that: beets. It doesn’t come with cheese, nuts, or seventeen other unnecessary ingredients, just the best quality beets baked until perfectly tender, and a light vinaigrette with some parsley. Yet, just because their food is simple doesn’t mean there isn’t room for creativity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of my favorite dishes is a sea bass with crab sauce over mashed potatoes. The light cream sauce gives a richness to the dish and the tomatoes and fennel enhance the flavors of the sea bass. Also, I rarely see fish served over mashed potatoes (probably due to many restaurants striving to be “Atkins friendly”), but I think it is a much missed starch and protein paring. My carnivorous better half loves their steak and pommes frites duo. And even though he is very picky about having his steak “extra rare,” he is always satisfied. But if you are a more adventurous type, and won’t be happy with just steak and fries, you will also find some French delicacies on the menu, such as blood sausage or poached beef tongue. Yet no matter what you get, I’d always save room for dessert and would recommend their espresso gelato with caramel and fudge sauce. The gelato has a slight bitterness to it, which leaves room for the sweetness of the caramel and fudge sauces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The service at South Park Café is what I would call economical; they serve you and then leave you alone. These servers may not be interested in becoming your best friends, but they will never keep you waiting long for your food. And if there is a wait for your table (reservations are recommended, definitely if it’s a weekend) there is usually room at the bar for a glass of Chardonnay or Pinot from their excellent wine list. So whether you are on a date (the seating is cozy and the lighting is dim) or need a bite before or after a Giants’ game, I would strongly recommend South Park Café.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/margaret-chau.jpg\" alt=\"Margaret\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Margaret\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Retired Legal Assistant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Millbrae\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Shalizaar\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed South Park Café:\u003c/strong> Saturday, August 12, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Décor: Simple and elegant. As with many bistros, the tables are very close together and our booth was a bit cramped, but we managed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Noise Level: Low, but when the place was full later in the evening (Saturday night), the noise level was high. Otherwise, a nice find in San Francisco! The owner is smart enough to keep the music level down to the right level, so diners don’t have to yell to be heard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prices: $50 a person including tips, tax, and wine. Reasonable for a nice three-course meal! You can order a la carte, or a three-course dinner (appetizer, entrée, dessert) for $32. Which, if you think about it, is almost like getting dessert free (they’re all $7).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Menu:\u003cbr>\nSelections: 5-6 selections in each section (appetizer, entrée, dessert).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Variety: Good variety, something for everyone, from the usual fare (e.g. beet salad, hangar steak, roast chicken) to the more regional French fare (e.g. pig salad, pig’s ear terrine, wild boar stew.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Quality: High quality, everything was nicely seasoned. The beet salad was unusual due to the real spices in the dressing (coriander); my pig’s ear terrine was good, and the salads have a light, creamy dressing with a distinctive touch of fennel. The wild boar stew has a great red wine sauce that’s very comfort food-like with rigatoni to soak up the sauce. The sautéed rabbit was good and also had a nice sauce. The vegetarian couscous dish has a nice masala curry flavor and the grilled veggies are crunchy and flavorful. My companions’ meals were all very good too. The roast chicken was a bit ordinary, nothing to rave about, but not bad either. The desserts were good, but the espresso ice cream wasn’t cold enough; my chocolate mousse was great.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Portion Size: Large enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wine List:\u003cbr>\nSelections: Heavy on the reds, with 7-8 whites and a couple of bubblies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Variety: Good representation from different countries/appellations/years; wide price range for different budgets; wide range for different tastes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Quality: Very good. We got the Domaine Les Pallières Gigondas, which is a nice syrah/grenache blend. The wine was recommended by the manager, who, by the way, didn’t recommend it based on price.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parking: Not too difficult, considering its location. There is street parking around the park or on the side streets. We didn’t know there is a two-hour limit every day until 10PM, but we were lucky.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Service: Uneven, but mostly efficient. We had two waitpersons, and the more experienced one was very attentive. We were in no hurry, so we didn’t mind the gaps.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/stephen-shaubach1.jpg\" alt=\"Stephen\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Stephen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Senior Software Engineer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Forbes Island\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed South Park Café:\u003c/strong> Saturday, August 19, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As I pulled up to South Park Café, I saw a small specials chalkboard hanging from the outside wall and simultaneously heard the laughter of a leaving party. This set the scene as I entered a perfectly lit, narrow bistro setting in the SOMA area. The host was friendly and seated us promptly. The tables are small, which adds to the intimate feel of the restaurant and helps in communication as noise levels grow; I did find it too noisy at times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To cut down on cost I brought a special bottle from my cellar instead of purchasing one from the wine list. The host was nice about this and after I sent a small glass to the chef and host, the corkage was waived. I did have a chance to take a look at the wine list, which has a slant on French wines but also has several California favorites. Prices ranged from $24-$125 and for the most part seemed reasonably priced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For my first course I chose the Sautéed Gulf White Shrimp and Local Halibut with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil. My friend ordered the Crispy Pig’s Ear Terrine “Leon de Lyon” with Frisée and Mustard. Each appetizer’s careful presentation appealed to me when placed on the table but then, there was the taste. The shrimp was very undercooked, and the dressing’s acidity was overboard on my choice. However, the halibut was rich in flavor and perfect in texture. The pig’s ear terrine was chewy, and the seasoning was bland. I should point out that I would have never chosen this plate, and my reaction to something I have never tried before was to never try it again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Main courses came soon after. I was warned to order my Hanger Steak with Red Wine Sauce and Onion Jam medium because the chef tends to undercook it, but I had to send it back, mooing all the way to the kitchen, anyway. Once back from pasture, the steak’s taste was adequate, but not the best paring with some extremely bland, somewhat mealy, French fries. I wonder if this is what Freedom fries taste like? The other diner ordered Sautéed Local King Salmon with Red Wine and Onion Jam, which was above average in taste and was a good value for the $20 price, especially for the large portion served.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the meal wound down the host stopped by and chatted with us, as did our waiter. The service was good, even the back waiters were smiling and gracious. Finally, the dessert and coffee came. The coffee was served hot and had an excellently smooth taste. It paired well with the profiteroles we ordered. The profiteroles’ ice cream was smooth, and rich chocolate coated each profiterole. We left with mixed feelings, especially about the food. I cannot say I would recommend it yet, but with such great atmosphere, attentive and friendly service, unique location, and reasonable prices, I will certainly give South Park Café another try in the future.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n108 South Park Street (at Jack London Alley)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94107\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-495-7275\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.southparkcafesf.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.southparkcafesf.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Summer 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>South Park Café: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=188\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/2006/11/09/check-please-bay-area-season-2-episode-7-207/\">full episode video\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp207iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/southparkcafe2.jpg\" alt=\"South Park Café\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/southparkcafe3.jpg\" alt=\"South Park Café\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/southparkcafe1.jpg\" alt=\"South Park Café\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nBraised Vegetable Couscous with Indian Spices and Lemon-Mint Yogurt; Sautéed Rabbit with Garlic and Bacon Pan Sauce; Espresso Gelato with Fudge and Caramel Sauce\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/kristen-lo.jpg\" alt=\"Kristen\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Kristen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> High School Theater Teacher\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> South Park Café\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed South Park Café:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, August 22, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the Bay Area commute has got me down, and I can’t even think about preparing dinner, I turn to my neighborhood bistro, South Park Café. South Park Café has a wonderful, reasonably priced prix fix menu ($32 for three courses), a diverse selection, and the quality of food is dependable. Its quiet, unassuming location may fool you that nothing special is happening in South Park (and I actually think it’s quite nice that the restaurant is not located on a busy street, but rather by a park — it’s seems more…European), but I believe the best meal in South Beach is to be had here. The rustic yet classic French food is simple and straightforward. Chef Ward Little doesn’t need to experiment with foams or fusion cuisine; the best seasonal produce and products are what he is great at preparing. For example, his appetizer beet salad is just that: beets. It doesn’t come with cheese, nuts, or seventeen other unnecessary ingredients, just the best quality beets baked until perfectly tender, and a light vinaigrette with some parsley. Yet, just because their food is simple doesn’t mean there isn’t room for creativity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of my favorite dishes is a sea bass with crab sauce over mashed potatoes. The light cream sauce gives a richness to the dish and the tomatoes and fennel enhance the flavors of the sea bass. Also, I rarely see fish served over mashed potatoes (probably due to many restaurants striving to be “Atkins friendly”), but I think it is a much missed starch and protein paring. My carnivorous better half loves their steak and pommes frites duo. And even though he is very picky about having his steak “extra rare,” he is always satisfied. But if you are a more adventurous type, and won’t be happy with just steak and fries, you will also find some French delicacies on the menu, such as blood sausage or poached beef tongue. Yet no matter what you get, I’d always save room for dessert and would recommend their espresso gelato with caramel and fudge sauce. The gelato has a slight bitterness to it, which leaves room for the sweetness of the caramel and fudge sauces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The service at South Park Café is what I would call economical; they serve you and then leave you alone. These servers may not be interested in becoming your best friends, but they will never keep you waiting long for your food. And if there is a wait for your table (reservations are recommended, definitely if it’s a weekend) there is usually room at the bar for a glass of Chardonnay or Pinot from their excellent wine list. So whether you are on a date (the seating is cozy and the lighting is dim) or need a bite before or after a Giants’ game, I would strongly recommend South Park Café.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/margaret-chau.jpg\" alt=\"Margaret\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Margaret\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Retired Legal Assistant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Millbrae\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant: \u003c/strong>Shalizaar\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\nReviewed South Park Café:\u003c/strong> Saturday, August 12, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Décor: Simple and elegant. As with many bistros, the tables are very close together and our booth was a bit cramped, but we managed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Noise Level: Low, but when the place was full later in the evening (Saturday night), the noise level was high. Otherwise, a nice find in San Francisco! The owner is smart enough to keep the music level down to the right level, so diners don’t have to yell to be heard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prices: $50 a person including tips, tax, and wine. Reasonable for a nice three-course meal! You can order a la carte, or a three-course dinner (appetizer, entrée, dessert) for $32. Which, if you think about it, is almost like getting dessert free (they’re all $7).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Menu:\u003cbr>\nSelections: 5-6 selections in each section (appetizer, entrée, dessert).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Variety: Good variety, something for everyone, from the usual fare (e.g. beet salad, hangar steak, roast chicken) to the more regional French fare (e.g. pig salad, pig’s ear terrine, wild boar stew.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Quality: High quality, everything was nicely seasoned. The beet salad was unusual due to the real spices in the dressing (coriander); my pig’s ear terrine was good, and the salads have a light, creamy dressing with a distinctive touch of fennel. The wild boar stew has a great red wine sauce that’s very comfort food-like with rigatoni to soak up the sauce. The sautéed rabbit was good and also had a nice sauce. The vegetarian couscous dish has a nice masala curry flavor and the grilled veggies are crunchy and flavorful. My companions’ meals were all very good too. The roast chicken was a bit ordinary, nothing to rave about, but not bad either. The desserts were good, but the espresso ice cream wasn’t cold enough; my chocolate mousse was great.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Portion Size: Large enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wine List:\u003cbr>\nSelections: Heavy on the reds, with 7-8 whites and a couple of bubblies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Variety: Good representation from different countries/appellations/years; wide price range for different budgets; wide range for different tastes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Quality: Very good. We got the Domaine Les Pallières Gigondas, which is a nice syrah/grenache blend. The wine was recommended by the manager, who, by the way, didn’t recommend it based on price.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parking: Not too difficult, considering its location. There is street parking around the park or on the side streets. We didn’t know there is a two-hour limit every day until 10PM, but we were lucky.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Service: Uneven, but mostly efficient. We had two waitpersons, and the more experienced one was very attentive. We were in no hurry, so we didn’t mind the gaps.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/stephen-shaubach1.jpg\" alt=\"Stephen\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Stephen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Senior Software Engineer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Forbes Island\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed South Park Café:\u003c/strong> Saturday, August 19, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As I pulled up to South Park Café, I saw a small specials chalkboard hanging from the outside wall and simultaneously heard the laughter of a leaving party. This set the scene as I entered a perfectly lit, narrow bistro setting in the SOMA area. The host was friendly and seated us promptly. The tables are small, which adds to the intimate feel of the restaurant and helps in communication as noise levels grow; I did find it too noisy at times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To cut down on cost I brought a special bottle from my cellar instead of purchasing one from the wine list. The host was nice about this and after I sent a small glass to the chef and host, the corkage was waived. I did have a chance to take a look at the wine list, which has a slant on French wines but also has several California favorites. Prices ranged from $24-$125 and for the most part seemed reasonably priced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For my first course I chose the Sautéed Gulf White Shrimp and Local Halibut with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil. My friend ordered the Crispy Pig’s Ear Terrine “Leon de Lyon” with Frisée and Mustard. Each appetizer’s careful presentation appealed to me when placed on the table but then, there was the taste. The shrimp was very undercooked, and the dressing’s acidity was overboard on my choice. However, the halibut was rich in flavor and perfect in texture. The pig’s ear terrine was chewy, and the seasoning was bland. I should point out that I would have never chosen this plate, and my reaction to something I have never tried before was to never try it again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Main courses came soon after. I was warned to order my Hanger Steak with Red Wine Sauce and Onion Jam medium because the chef tends to undercook it, but I had to send it back, mooing all the way to the kitchen, anyway. Once back from pasture, the steak’s taste was adequate, but not the best paring with some extremely bland, somewhat mealy, French fries. I wonder if this is what Freedom fries taste like? The other diner ordered Sautéed Local King Salmon with Red Wine and Onion Jam, which was above average in taste and was a good value for the $20 price, especially for the large portion served.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the meal wound down the host stopped by and chatted with us, as did our waiter. The service was good, even the back waiters were smiling and gracious. Finally, the dessert and coffee came. The coffee was served hot and had an excellently smooth taste. It paired well with the profiteroles we ordered. The profiteroles’ ice cream was smooth, and rich chocolate coated each profiterole. We left with mixed feelings, especially about the food. I cannot say I would recommend it yet, but with such great atmosphere, attentive and friendly service, unique location, and reasonable prices, I will certainly give South Park Café another try in the future.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"marketplace": {
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"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
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"politicalbreakdown": {
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"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
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"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
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"pri-the-world": {
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"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
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"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
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"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
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},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
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},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
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"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
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},
"soldout": {
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