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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Woodward’s Garden: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=104\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=115\">recipe\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/woodwardsgarden10.jpg\" alt=\"Woodward's Garden\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/woodwardsgarden12.jpg\" alt=\"Woodward's Garden\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/woodwardsgarden11.jpg\" alt=\"Woodward's Garden\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nSeared Scallops with Caviar, Leeks, and Beurre Blanc; Leg of Lamb with Olive Tapenade, Hummus, Jerusalem Artichokes, and Roasted Eggplant and Lemon Beurre Blanc; Panna Cotta with Blood Oranges, Berry Compote, and Walnut Cookies\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/laura.jpg\" alt=\"Laura\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Laura\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Acquisitions Editor, Book Publishing\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Woodward’s Garden\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Woodward’s Garden:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, January 13, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Too often California-French or New American cuisine can be downright boring — muddy flavors that repeat themselves in multiple overly-heavy dishes. Woodward’s Garden is everything that California-French cooking is intended to be — seasonal fruits and vegetables and acute flavors that stand out and separate from one another in the kind of dressy-casual atmosphere that compliments the sensibility of residents in the Bay Area. Every one of my visits to Woodward’s Garden has been distinctive, and this latest met my expectations. We sat in the front room, which I prefer for casual meals; the back room feels more formal and quiet. In the front room, I always have the sense that I’ve been invited into someone’s cottage kitchen, located somewhere between Provence and Sonoma. The décor is simple without being minimal, and the sense of the kitchen is integrated, so that the assortment of pots and pans hanging from a rack as you enter the restaurant provides as much of the ambiance as three ceramic platters on a table in the corner and the white tablecloths and napkins adorning the tables.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seared scallops are a ubiquitous item on most menus these days –one wonders how it can be done differently. Served over leeks in a beurre blanc and topped with two different types of caviar, this version of the dish gave every flavor to the tongue — the sweetness of the scallops and leeks, the saltiness of the caviar, the sourness of the touch of lemon in the beurre blanc. The same was true for the trout bruschetta — sweetness from the roasted peppers, spiciness of the chipotle, saltiness of the trout, and sour of the crusty wheat bread used for the bruschetta — all without feeling too heavy. The main dishes are also artful. Lamb cooked medium rare was ingeniously paired with homemade hummus. Roasted artichokes and fingerling potatoes rounded out the dish. The butternut squash ravioli escaped being too sweet by the complement of browned butter, toasted macadamia nuts, and bitter wilted greens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The big mystery was how to pair one bottle of wine with all of these different kinds of dishes. The hostess recommended Trebuchet Pinot Noir. Lively but not overpowering, the wine was a perfect pairing with all of the dishes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two chocolate fans took a risk on the panna cotta and were well rewarded. Again, the theme came through The panna cotta was light and completely satisfying. Since the custard was not terribly sweet in and of itself, blood oranges contributed sweetness while the berry compote added tartness and walnut cookies added texture. Despite being utterly full from the other dishes, we scraped the plate clean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The menu changes daily, so each visit brings something new and exciting to the table; a place to revisit again and again.\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/karen.jpg\" alt=\"Karen\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Karen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Writer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Old Mandarin Islamic\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Woodward’s Garden:\u003c/strong> Friday, January 6, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003cstrong>What were the outstanding features? (both positive and negative)\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I loved this place and I’m so glad to have finally visited, after walking past it for so many years. This place is a gem. I love its small size, great, homey cooking, and the fact that we could see the entire kitchen from our table, and be amazed by the fact that it was all prepared on a single, four-burner stove. The fact that it was women-run and operated was a really refreshing change. Even the\u003cbr>\ndishwasher was a woman. I loved that. Oh, and I loved that the\u003cbr>\nplace was under a freeway overpass. I feel like that’s a good deterrent to keep away the scene-grubbing droves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Did anything make you feel uncomfortable? Explain.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I felt badly that my date’s chair was not comfortable and he’s really not one to complain. I wish our server had been a bit warmer, she was all business and hesitant to talk about the menu. The coffee, I heard from my date, was not very good, but I did not try this myself. Oh, and I hate the bar next door (Levende Lounge) and the crowd out front on their cell phones smoking was a bit of a mood-killer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Did you enjoy your overall experience? Explain.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Absolutely. I will go anywhere for great food. I don’t like it when a place is too posh or too polished. This had the perfect balance of being elegant without even a smidgen of sceney-ness or pretension, and I really, really loved that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Would you recommend this restaurant to friends? Why or why not?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most definitely if they were looking for someplace that did the classic very, very well and they had the money to spend. In fact, it would be easy for a large family to take over the back room. You’d love the view out of those front windows, but it would feel like sitting in someone’s kitchen. My mom would love it, as would my father-in-law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Would you return to the restaurant? Why or why not?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Absolutely, yes. The only deterrent is the cost, which I don’t think is too dear for what you get, but just too rich for my blood. That’s the problem with places like this — you want it to appeal to people who like things a bit grungy and ruffun, but then to charge prices like that — minimum $30/person if you drink water — means that only a certain type of clientele can come and enjoy it. Everything was thoughtful and delicious, even the bread!\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/carter.jpg\" alt=\"Carter\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Carter\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Analyst Relations Director at a Silicon Valley company\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Menlo Park\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Naomi Sushi\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Woodward’s Garden:\u003c/strong> Saturday, January 7, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are some restaurants that become instant favorites. Typically they involve a well-balanced menu with imaginative food using excellent seasonal ingredients in an interesting comfortable setting. Woodward’s Garden has become one of my instant favorites for all these reasons. The location is a little funky, at the northern part of the Mission district where the 101 Duboce ramp dumps onto Mission. It’s very low key, so it’s easy to miss, not the least problem is that it is not well marked and is somewhat overshadowed by the brightly signed restaurant next door. However, parking was not a problem, so that is a plus. It is well worth the effort to find it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When you first walk in the impression is not upscale. Low-watt naked bulbs, crudely finished uneven floor, odd layout, and the very tiny and very beat-up open kitchen right at the door, can provoke a “Whoa, what have I walked into?” moment. After awhile, however, it quickly reels you in, morphing into a hip shabby chic sort of ambiance. Think French garret meets fine gourmet. There is an underlying elegance with comfy chairs and benches, white tablecloths, brocade curtains, spare but not stark artwork, and plaintive female pop singers wafting through the room tempting you into a lingering mood. The staff is also spare with three (chef, server, dishwasher) one night and six the next. However, we never felt neglected with the impeccable but unobtrusive service and perfect timing on dishes to the table. I highly recommend engaging the server over your wine selections, either by the glass or the bottle. She did a great job with her pairings from a short but well constructed wine list that she helped develop. While the server was very helpful, she was a bit reserved, which might give the impression of aloofness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California cuisine menu is equally spare with seven starters ($7 to $13), six entrées ($17 to $24), and four desserts ($6.50 to $7.50) with a mixture of comfort food and very unique ingredients (steelhead salmon, smoked trout, blood oranges, watermelon radishes). Over the course of two visits with a number of friends, we tried every dish but one starter. All were an excellent balance of flavors, textures and seasonal ingredients. The clams and mussels in saffron broth with Merguez sausage and harissa cream ($9) provoked the same reaction both nights, everybody ripping off hunks of the fresh baked bread (crispy and reminiscent of something your find in the French countryside) to attack the broth. It was a classic Provençal sauce, according to the server, but had been boiled down so it was unusually thick and savory with no flour necessary to thicken it. Luckily for the person ordering the dish, there was plenty of broth. The clams and mussels were not overcooked and the sausage added a nice piquant burst of flavor. The salad of grilled Fuyu persimmons with arugula, pomegranate seeds, sweet-toasted walnuts, Cypress Grove goat cheese, and pomegranate vinaigrette ($8.75) looked on paper like it could be a jumbled mess, but the flavors and textures melded well. A split of 2000 Gregory Graham, Carneros, Pinot Noir ($18), with its black cherry and slight smoky aroma, paired well with the starters, which also included a bountiful plate of luscious, perfectly cooked scallops ($13) and smoked trout bruschetta ($9) with Romesco and chipotle sauces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The roasted butternut squash ravioli entrée with hazelnut-brown butter and wilted spinach ($17) had bright rich flavors, and a very good filling-to-pasta ratio. This sauce also got the bread sopping treatment, so the dish ended up looking quite clean. Muscovy duck leg with balsamic vinegar sauce, Brussels sprouts, smoked bacon, and creamy polenta ($19) had nicely crispy skin and rich deep smoky flavors. The duck’s crispy skin, while moist without being greasy, was reminiscent of a perfectly cooked duck confit, which is a little tricky to get right. The balsamic sauce was heavenly and nicely contrasted the polenta. The leg of lamb ($23) was like a tour of the Mediterranean, with all the best flavors of Greece on one plate. The olive tapenade, the hummus, the Jerusalem artichokes, roasted eggplant, and the lemon beurre blanc all complemented the pink, perfectly done lamb slices. The sautéed Steelhead salmon ($22) resting on a bed of blood oranges, braised endive, frisée, applewood bacon, and a citrus aïoli was layered well with flavor. While this is a standard dish in many upscale restaurants, it was also perfectly cooked; crispy, yet moist. There were a lot of wines ordered with the entrées but the 1999 Elliott, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon ($10) paired well with the duck, and the 2002 Truchard, Napa, Pinot Noir ($10), with its medium body, earthy mushroom, and plum tones, complemented both the Niman Ranch pork chop ($24) and the Steelhead salmon. All the dishes had excellent presentation, they were visually appealing without being fussy or cluttered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All the desserts were different from the typical restaurant fare and very good, prepared in-house. The blood orange cake with walnuts and orange-cranberry compote ($6.50) was dense and moist with a tangy citrusy flavor. The Scharffenberger bittersweet chocolate-huckleberry torte ($7) was silky smooth and rich. Order the twenty year old Tawny Port if you want something mellow but are too stuffed to eat another bite.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wine Menu: A small and nice balance of domestic and imported wines, at affordable price points. The menu features wines by the glass, split, and full bottle. The dessert wines by the glass featured a nice mix of ports, madieras, and sweet wines. I would recommend you inquire about off-the-menu dessert wines, and again as your server to pair with your dessert.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, Woodward’s Garden gets a highly recommended rating. It’s a great place for a salad, starter and a glass of wine for a quick meal after work or settling in for several hours to savor the many flavors and wines with friends.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n1700 Mission Street (at Duboce)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94103\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-621-7122\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.woodwardsgarden.com\">www.woodwardsgarden.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Type of Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Californian\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2006",
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"title": "Woodward’s Garden: Reviews [CLOSED] | KQED",
"description": "Location:\r\n1700 Mission Street (at Duboce)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94103\r\nPhone: 415-621-7122\r\nWebsite: www.woodwardsgarden.com\r\nType of Cuisine: Californian\r\nReviewed: Winter 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Woodward’s Garden: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=104\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=115\">recipe\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/woodwardsgarden10.jpg\" alt=\"Woodward's Garden\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/woodwardsgarden12.jpg\" alt=\"Woodward's Garden\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/woodwardsgarden11.jpg\" alt=\"Woodward's Garden\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nSeared Scallops with Caviar, Leeks, and Beurre Blanc; Leg of Lamb with Olive Tapenade, Hummus, Jerusalem Artichokes, and Roasted Eggplant and Lemon Beurre Blanc; Panna Cotta with Blood Oranges, Berry Compote, and Walnut Cookies\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/laura.jpg\" alt=\"Laura\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Laura\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Acquisitions Editor, Book Publishing\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Woodward’s Garden\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Woodward’s Garden:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, January 13, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Too often California-French or New American cuisine can be downright boring — muddy flavors that repeat themselves in multiple overly-heavy dishes. Woodward’s Garden is everything that California-French cooking is intended to be — seasonal fruits and vegetables and acute flavors that stand out and separate from one another in the kind of dressy-casual atmosphere that compliments the sensibility of residents in the Bay Area. Every one of my visits to Woodward’s Garden has been distinctive, and this latest met my expectations. We sat in the front room, which I prefer for casual meals; the back room feels more formal and quiet. In the front room, I always have the sense that I’ve been invited into someone’s cottage kitchen, located somewhere between Provence and Sonoma. The décor is simple without being minimal, and the sense of the kitchen is integrated, so that the assortment of pots and pans hanging from a rack as you enter the restaurant provides as much of the ambiance as three ceramic platters on a table in the corner and the white tablecloths and napkins adorning the tables.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seared scallops are a ubiquitous item on most menus these days –one wonders how it can be done differently. Served over leeks in a beurre blanc and topped with two different types of caviar, this version of the dish gave every flavor to the tongue — the sweetness of the scallops and leeks, the saltiness of the caviar, the sourness of the touch of lemon in the beurre blanc. The same was true for the trout bruschetta — sweetness from the roasted peppers, spiciness of the chipotle, saltiness of the trout, and sour of the crusty wheat bread used for the bruschetta — all without feeling too heavy. The main dishes are also artful. Lamb cooked medium rare was ingeniously paired with homemade hummus. Roasted artichokes and fingerling potatoes rounded out the dish. The butternut squash ravioli escaped being too sweet by the complement of browned butter, toasted macadamia nuts, and bitter wilted greens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The big mystery was how to pair one bottle of wine with all of these different kinds of dishes. The hostess recommended Trebuchet Pinot Noir. Lively but not overpowering, the wine was a perfect pairing with all of the dishes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two chocolate fans took a risk on the panna cotta and were well rewarded. Again, the theme came through The panna cotta was light and completely satisfying. Since the custard was not terribly sweet in and of itself, blood oranges contributed sweetness while the berry compote added tartness and walnut cookies added texture. Despite being utterly full from the other dishes, we scraped the plate clean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The menu changes daily, so each visit brings something new and exciting to the table; a place to revisit again and again.\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/karen.jpg\" alt=\"Karen\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Karen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Writer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Old Mandarin Islamic\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Woodward’s Garden:\u003c/strong> Friday, January 6, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003cstrong>What were the outstanding features? (both positive and negative)\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I loved this place and I’m so glad to have finally visited, after walking past it for so many years. This place is a gem. I love its small size, great, homey cooking, and the fact that we could see the entire kitchen from our table, and be amazed by the fact that it was all prepared on a single, four-burner stove. The fact that it was women-run and operated was a really refreshing change. Even the\u003cbr>\ndishwasher was a woman. I loved that. Oh, and I loved that the\u003cbr>\nplace was under a freeway overpass. I feel like that’s a good deterrent to keep away the scene-grubbing droves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Did anything make you feel uncomfortable? Explain.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I felt badly that my date’s chair was not comfortable and he’s really not one to complain. I wish our server had been a bit warmer, she was all business and hesitant to talk about the menu. The coffee, I heard from my date, was not very good, but I did not try this myself. Oh, and I hate the bar next door (Levende Lounge) and the crowd out front on their cell phones smoking was a bit of a mood-killer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Did you enjoy your overall experience? Explain.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Absolutely. I will go anywhere for great food. I don’t like it when a place is too posh or too polished. This had the perfect balance of being elegant without even a smidgen of sceney-ness or pretension, and I really, really loved that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Would you recommend this restaurant to friends? Why or why not?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most definitely if they were looking for someplace that did the classic very, very well and they had the money to spend. In fact, it would be easy for a large family to take over the back room. You’d love the view out of those front windows, but it would feel like sitting in someone’s kitchen. My mom would love it, as would my father-in-law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Would you return to the restaurant? Why or why not?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Absolutely, yes. The only deterrent is the cost, which I don’t think is too dear for what you get, but just too rich for my blood. That’s the problem with places like this — you want it to appeal to people who like things a bit grungy and ruffun, but then to charge prices like that — minimum $30/person if you drink water — means that only a certain type of clientele can come and enjoy it. Everything was thoughtful and delicious, even the bread!\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/carter.jpg\" alt=\"Carter\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Carter\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Analyst Relations Director at a Silicon Valley company\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Menlo Park\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Naomi Sushi\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Woodward’s Garden:\u003c/strong> Saturday, January 7, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are some restaurants that become instant favorites. Typically they involve a well-balanced menu with imaginative food using excellent seasonal ingredients in an interesting comfortable setting. Woodward’s Garden has become one of my instant favorites for all these reasons. The location is a little funky, at the northern part of the Mission district where the 101 Duboce ramp dumps onto Mission. It’s very low key, so it’s easy to miss, not the least problem is that it is not well marked and is somewhat overshadowed by the brightly signed restaurant next door. However, parking was not a problem, so that is a plus. It is well worth the effort to find it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When you first walk in the impression is not upscale. Low-watt naked bulbs, crudely finished uneven floor, odd layout, and the very tiny and very beat-up open kitchen right at the door, can provoke a “Whoa, what have I walked into?” moment. After awhile, however, it quickly reels you in, morphing into a hip shabby chic sort of ambiance. Think French garret meets fine gourmet. There is an underlying elegance with comfy chairs and benches, white tablecloths, brocade curtains, spare but not stark artwork, and plaintive female pop singers wafting through the room tempting you into a lingering mood. The staff is also spare with three (chef, server, dishwasher) one night and six the next. However, we never felt neglected with the impeccable but unobtrusive service and perfect timing on dishes to the table. I highly recommend engaging the server over your wine selections, either by the glass or the bottle. She did a great job with her pairings from a short but well constructed wine list that she helped develop. While the server was very helpful, she was a bit reserved, which might give the impression of aloofness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California cuisine menu is equally spare with seven starters ($7 to $13), six entrées ($17 to $24), and four desserts ($6.50 to $7.50) with a mixture of comfort food and very unique ingredients (steelhead salmon, smoked trout, blood oranges, watermelon radishes). Over the course of two visits with a number of friends, we tried every dish but one starter. All were an excellent balance of flavors, textures and seasonal ingredients. The clams and mussels in saffron broth with Merguez sausage and harissa cream ($9) provoked the same reaction both nights, everybody ripping off hunks of the fresh baked bread (crispy and reminiscent of something your find in the French countryside) to attack the broth. It was a classic Provençal sauce, according to the server, but had been boiled down so it was unusually thick and savory with no flour necessary to thicken it. Luckily for the person ordering the dish, there was plenty of broth. The clams and mussels were not overcooked and the sausage added a nice piquant burst of flavor. The salad of grilled Fuyu persimmons with arugula, pomegranate seeds, sweet-toasted walnuts, Cypress Grove goat cheese, and pomegranate vinaigrette ($8.75) looked on paper like it could be a jumbled mess, but the flavors and textures melded well. A split of 2000 Gregory Graham, Carneros, Pinot Noir ($18), with its black cherry and slight smoky aroma, paired well with the starters, which also included a bountiful plate of luscious, perfectly cooked scallops ($13) and smoked trout bruschetta ($9) with Romesco and chipotle sauces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The roasted butternut squash ravioli entrée with hazelnut-brown butter and wilted spinach ($17) had bright rich flavors, and a very good filling-to-pasta ratio. This sauce also got the bread sopping treatment, so the dish ended up looking quite clean. Muscovy duck leg with balsamic vinegar sauce, Brussels sprouts, smoked bacon, and creamy polenta ($19) had nicely crispy skin and rich deep smoky flavors. The duck’s crispy skin, while moist without being greasy, was reminiscent of a perfectly cooked duck confit, which is a little tricky to get right. The balsamic sauce was heavenly and nicely contrasted the polenta. The leg of lamb ($23) was like a tour of the Mediterranean, with all the best flavors of Greece on one plate. The olive tapenade, the hummus, the Jerusalem artichokes, roasted eggplant, and the lemon beurre blanc all complemented the pink, perfectly done lamb slices. The sautéed Steelhead salmon ($22) resting on a bed of blood oranges, braised endive, frisée, applewood bacon, and a citrus aïoli was layered well with flavor. While this is a standard dish in many upscale restaurants, it was also perfectly cooked; crispy, yet moist. There were a lot of wines ordered with the entrées but the 1999 Elliott, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon ($10) paired well with the duck, and the 2002 Truchard, Napa, Pinot Noir ($10), with its medium body, earthy mushroom, and plum tones, complemented both the Niman Ranch pork chop ($24) and the Steelhead salmon. All the dishes had excellent presentation, they were visually appealing without being fussy or cluttered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All the desserts were different from the typical restaurant fare and very good, prepared in-house. The blood orange cake with walnuts and orange-cranberry compote ($6.50) was dense and moist with a tangy citrusy flavor. The Scharffenberger bittersweet chocolate-huckleberry torte ($7) was silky smooth and rich. Order the twenty year old Tawny Port if you want something mellow but are too stuffed to eat another bite.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wine Menu: A small and nice balance of domestic and imported wines, at affordable price points. The menu features wines by the glass, split, and full bottle. The dessert wines by the glass featured a nice mix of ports, madieras, and sweet wines. I would recommend you inquire about off-the-menu dessert wines, and again as your server to pair with your dessert.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, Woodward’s Garden gets a highly recommended rating. It’s a great place for a salad, starter and a glass of wine for a quick meal after work or settling in for several hours to savor the many flavors and wines with friends.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Eric’s: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=91\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/erics6.jpg\" alt=\"Eric's\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/erics4.jpg\" alt=\"Eric's\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/erics9.jpg\" alt=\"Eric's\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nPotstickers, Wonton Soup, Asparagus Beef\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/jt.jpg\" alt=\"J.T.\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> J.T.\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Event Planner\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Livermore\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Eric’s\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Eric’s:\u003c/strong> Saturday, December 31, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I started going to Eric’s about ten years ago and I have loved it ever since. We will drive from Livermore to San Francisco just to have Eric’s, it’s that good. Anytime we are in San Francisco and have out-of-towners with us, we take them to Eric’s and I have never been let down. I know that I will have a great meal when I go there, from the fresh vegetables to the choice meats, this is the best Chinese food in San Francisco. It is always a good idea to go a little early to Eric’s, because the place fills up very fast. There is always a very nice mix of people from couples to families. Just about every time we have been there, there have been children eating with their parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two of the stand-out dishes that Eric’s serves are, the Five Taste Chicken and the Walnut Prawns. The Five Taste Chicken alone is worth the drive from Livermore to San Francisco. At first glance, you think you are being served sweet and sour chicken, because that is what it looks like. But upon your first bite, you realize that this is WAY better then dumb old sweet and sour chicken! There are large pieces of white meat chicken that have been fried and mixed in a sauce that defies description. There is a flavor of citrus, sweet sauce, pineapple, cinnamon, and much more. Anyone who goes to Eric’s must order the Five Taste Chicken. As for the Walnut Prawns, they are a group favorite. It is served in a fried potato basket, and the prawns are battered and fried and served in a rich white mayonnaise-type sauce. We call these “Walnut-go-straight-to-your-thighs-Prawns.” Some of my other favorites are, Mu Shu Pork, Eric’s Fried Rice, Eric’s Chow Mein, and Asparagus Beef.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is no need to shy away from the seafood entrees, because although the group did not have them on this trip to Eric’s, I can say from past experiences that anything with scallops in it has been wonderful! Parking around Eric’s can be a little tricky, the key is to drop someone off to put your name in, as you drive around looking for a parking spot. The J Church train drops you off at the front door pretty much. If you love Chinese food and think you have tried them all, you need look no further than Eric’s on Church Street. Just don’t tell everyone, I would like to get a seat the next time I go!\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/vija.jpg\" alt=\"Vija\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Vija\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Mother\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Los Altos\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Dishdash\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Eric’s:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, December 28, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> I loved the buttery yellow walls, tasteful antique Chinese furniture, and flower-filled décor. I also liked the relaxed, yet relatively formal, setting of tables with white linen tablecloths and napkins. It felt homey, comfortable, vibrant, and colorful (yellow, red, pink, white, and dark brown). I would recommend sitting in one of the corner tables, so you can watch light neighborhood traffic and people walking by. Service was crisp, efficient, and deceptively attentive. Waiters were constantly roaming/watching to anticipate customer needs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While driving to the restaurant, I had cravings for familiar Chinese dishes, like spicy noodles and chicken with cashew nuts. But after seeing Eric’s menu and the chef’s specials, I ordered ALL items from that list.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Appetizer: Eric’s Cakes: Light dough (thicker than puff pastry, but lighter than samosa dough) nicely fried and generously filled with scallions and garnished with peanut sauce. Very nice, light taste — a true appetizer that’s not too filling. Diamond cut presentation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Main Dishes:\u003cbr>\nSesame Beef: Aged beef deep-fried and coated with dark brown sesame sauce; warm spice, but not fiery; satisfies the palate for crispy, chewy food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shanghai Chicken: A true standout in the world of Chinese dishes. Perfectly cooked chicken, diced in small but generous pieces. In a lovely “chef’s special” sauce — slightly sweet, tangy, and spicy. Tossed with fried seaweed tableside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lamb with Scallions: Generous vegetables in this dish; standard brown sauce; average but not unusually good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mango Beef: Ripe, sweet mangos in this dish; red onions add crisp and crunch; standard brown sauce; average but not unusually good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Portions were very generous, quality of food was good to excellent, and atmosphere is slightly upscale without being overly formal — all these factors make this restaurant a good value. I would recommend this restaurant to friends and I would return here. Combination of nice atmosphere, food, colorful decor, prompt, no-nonsense and attentive service, and affordability left me a very satisfied diner.\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/josh.jpg\" alt=\"Josh\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Josh\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Territory Manager for New York State\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Blue Plate\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Eric’s:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, January 3, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went to Eric’s on a dreary evening — the rain was coming down in sheets and the idea of good Chinese food hit the spot. Having never eaten at Eric’s, I was excited to see why so many people sing accolades of this little Chinese restaurant tucked away in Noe Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Krisztina and I arrived in a brightly lit, inviting, yet simply designed room, to find that we were the second table of the evening. We were quickly greeted and served water. Both Kris and I ordered a Wente Cabernet while reviewing the menu. She decided to start with the Crab Rangoon and I ordered the Pot Stickers. The Crab Rangoon is a deep-fried dumpling filled with crab and cheese. Kris loved it, but I found it to be very creamy; too much so, in fact. The Potstickers were fabulous, crispy on the outside, soft dough on the inside and stuffed with the best ground pork mixture I have ever had in a potsticker.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While we were finishing our apps, we ordered another round of dishes. Krisztina ordered the Imperial Shrimp, a battered fried shrimp that is served with a spicy sauce. The idea of soup on a rainy day seemed so perfect to me that I couldn’t pass it up, so I ordered a small Hot and Sour soup and another round of those lovely Potstickers. The shrimp arrived steaming hot and smelling of spicy sauce, although I don’t typically enjoy shrimp, I thought these were great. For me, it was the sauce that tied it all together. While Kris was enjoying her shrimp, I served some soup. Now, hot and sour soup is s a simple dish, but for some reason difficult to make perfectly. Eric’s delivered. This was the perfect balance of flavors and actually encouraged me to order another soup, the Wonton Soup. This arrived with a clear broth, dumplings that were silky in texture, and fresh crisp vegetables. I will say that the Wonton Soup was my favorite dish of the meal and the perfect soup for a dreary day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the end, I will say that Eric’s is amazing Chinese food at an incredibly reasonable price. I cannot wait to return.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n1500 Church Street (at 27th Street)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94131\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-282-0919\r\n\u003cstrong>Type of Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Hunan and Mandarin Chinese\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Eric’s: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=91\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/erics6.jpg\" alt=\"Eric's\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/erics4.jpg\" alt=\"Eric's\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/erics9.jpg\" alt=\"Eric's\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nPotstickers, Wonton Soup, Asparagus Beef\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/jt.jpg\" alt=\"J.T.\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> J.T.\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Event Planner\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Livermore\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Eric’s\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Eric’s:\u003c/strong> Saturday, December 31, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I started going to Eric’s about ten years ago and I have loved it ever since. We will drive from Livermore to San Francisco just to have Eric’s, it’s that good. Anytime we are in San Francisco and have out-of-towners with us, we take them to Eric’s and I have never been let down. I know that I will have a great meal when I go there, from the fresh vegetables to the choice meats, this is the best Chinese food in San Francisco. It is always a good idea to go a little early to Eric’s, because the place fills up very fast. There is always a very nice mix of people from couples to families. Just about every time we have been there, there have been children eating with their parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two of the stand-out dishes that Eric’s serves are, the Five Taste Chicken and the Walnut Prawns. The Five Taste Chicken alone is worth the drive from Livermore to San Francisco. At first glance, you think you are being served sweet and sour chicken, because that is what it looks like. But upon your first bite, you realize that this is WAY better then dumb old sweet and sour chicken! There are large pieces of white meat chicken that have been fried and mixed in a sauce that defies description. There is a flavor of citrus, sweet sauce, pineapple, cinnamon, and much more. Anyone who goes to Eric’s must order the Five Taste Chicken. As for the Walnut Prawns, they are a group favorite. It is served in a fried potato basket, and the prawns are battered and fried and served in a rich white mayonnaise-type sauce. We call these “Walnut-go-straight-to-your-thighs-Prawns.” Some of my other favorites are, Mu Shu Pork, Eric’s Fried Rice, Eric’s Chow Mein, and Asparagus Beef.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is no need to shy away from the seafood entrees, because although the group did not have them on this trip to Eric’s, I can say from past experiences that anything with scallops in it has been wonderful! Parking around Eric’s can be a little tricky, the key is to drop someone off to put your name in, as you drive around looking for a parking spot. The J Church train drops you off at the front door pretty much. If you love Chinese food and think you have tried them all, you need look no further than Eric’s on Church Street. Just don’t tell everyone, I would like to get a seat the next time I go!\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/vija.jpg\" alt=\"Vija\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Vija\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Mother\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Los Altos\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Dishdash\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Eric’s:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, December 28, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> I loved the buttery yellow walls, tasteful antique Chinese furniture, and flower-filled décor. I also liked the relaxed, yet relatively formal, setting of tables with white linen tablecloths and napkins. It felt homey, comfortable, vibrant, and colorful (yellow, red, pink, white, and dark brown). I would recommend sitting in one of the corner tables, so you can watch light neighborhood traffic and people walking by. Service was crisp, efficient, and deceptively attentive. Waiters were constantly roaming/watching to anticipate customer needs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While driving to the restaurant, I had cravings for familiar Chinese dishes, like spicy noodles and chicken with cashew nuts. But after seeing Eric’s menu and the chef’s specials, I ordered ALL items from that list.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Appetizer: Eric’s Cakes: Light dough (thicker than puff pastry, but lighter than samosa dough) nicely fried and generously filled with scallions and garnished with peanut sauce. Very nice, light taste — a true appetizer that’s not too filling. Diamond cut presentation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Main Dishes:\u003cbr>\nSesame Beef: Aged beef deep-fried and coated with dark brown sesame sauce; warm spice, but not fiery; satisfies the palate for crispy, chewy food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shanghai Chicken: A true standout in the world of Chinese dishes. Perfectly cooked chicken, diced in small but generous pieces. In a lovely “chef’s special” sauce — slightly sweet, tangy, and spicy. Tossed with fried seaweed tableside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lamb with Scallions: Generous vegetables in this dish; standard brown sauce; average but not unusually good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mango Beef: Ripe, sweet mangos in this dish; red onions add crisp and crunch; standard brown sauce; average but not unusually good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Portions were very generous, quality of food was good to excellent, and atmosphere is slightly upscale without being overly formal — all these factors make this restaurant a good value. I would recommend this restaurant to friends and I would return here. Combination of nice atmosphere, food, colorful decor, prompt, no-nonsense and attentive service, and affordability left me a very satisfied diner.\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/josh.jpg\" alt=\"Josh\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Josh\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Territory Manager for New York State\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Blue Plate\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Eric’s:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, January 3, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went to Eric’s on a dreary evening — the rain was coming down in sheets and the idea of good Chinese food hit the spot. Having never eaten at Eric’s, I was excited to see why so many people sing accolades of this little Chinese restaurant tucked away in Noe Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Krisztina and I arrived in a brightly lit, inviting, yet simply designed room, to find that we were the second table of the evening. We were quickly greeted and served water. Both Kris and I ordered a Wente Cabernet while reviewing the menu. She decided to start with the Crab Rangoon and I ordered the Pot Stickers. The Crab Rangoon is a deep-fried dumpling filled with crab and cheese. Kris loved it, but I found it to be very creamy; too much so, in fact. The Potstickers were fabulous, crispy on the outside, soft dough on the inside and stuffed with the best ground pork mixture I have ever had in a potsticker.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While we were finishing our apps, we ordered another round of dishes. Krisztina ordered the Imperial Shrimp, a battered fried shrimp that is served with a spicy sauce. The idea of soup on a rainy day seemed so perfect to me that I couldn’t pass it up, so I ordered a small Hot and Sour soup and another round of those lovely Potstickers. The shrimp arrived steaming hot and smelling of spicy sauce, although I don’t typically enjoy shrimp, I thought these were great. For me, it was the sauce that tied it all together. While Kris was enjoying her shrimp, I served some soup. Now, hot and sour soup is s a simple dish, but for some reason difficult to make perfectly. Eric’s delivered. This was the perfect balance of flavors and actually encouraged me to order another soup, the Wonton Soup. This arrived with a clear broth, dumplings that were silky in texture, and fresh crisp vegetables. I will say that the Wonton Soup was my favorite dish of the meal and the perfect soup for a dreary day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the end, I will say that Eric’s is amazing Chinese food at an incredibly reasonable price. I cannot wait to return.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dishdash: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=89\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/dishdash5.jpg\" alt=\"Dishdash\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/dishdash4.jpg\" alt=\"Dish Dash\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/dishdash6.jpg\" alt=\"Dishdash\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nMediterranean Maza: Falafel, Dolmas, Tabouli, Babaghanouge; Dolmas from Mediterranean Maza (close-up); Shish Taouk (Barhoumi’s Favorite)\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/vija.jpg\" alt=\"Vija\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Vija\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Mother\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Los Altos\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Dishdash\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Dishdash:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, January 3, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For many years friends encouraged Emad (E-MAAD) Ibrahim (I-BRA-HEEM) to open a restaurant in Silicon Valley that serves authentic Middle Eastern food — that is, food from Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. And in March 2001, Emad did just that. The menu was created by Emad’s mother, I’Nam (IN-AM), and sisters, who are Palestinian. Over time, the menu evolved to include culinary influences from chefs and friends, thus the dishes from Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Still, 70% of the menu today is inspired by Emad’s mother and sisters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The centerpiece of this restaurant is its namesake, Dishdash, a traditional colorful dress worn by women in the Middle East. The dishdash embodies the atmosphere that Emad envisioned for his restaurant: warmth, comfort, and untiring service to others. This particular dishdash was worn by Emad’s wife at their marriage ceremony and contains a profusion of royal blue, yellow, and terracotta patterns. These colors are repeated throughout the restaurant: the walls are painted terracotta; the ceiling royal blue; the tables and chairs have geometric patterns of all the colors found in the dishdash. Family heirlooms are carefully placed throughout the restaurant for customer viewing: an antique portable cooking stove; round pillows used to sit on the floor; antique water cantine and artwork serve as decorative pieces, but also reminders of the patron’s Middle Eastern roots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The atmosphere of Dishdash is warm, intimate, and unpretentious. Tables have blocks of colorful paint, topped with glass covers. Four types of seating to accommodate patrons: comfortable booths lined with contemporary geometric fabric; banquettes (half booth, half chair); traditional table and chairs, accommodating mostly party of two or four; and raised barstools. The barstool patrons can view the open kitchen and watch meals being prepared. It always seems noisy here, even when it’s not very crowded.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Food is the number one focus here; it’s very high quality and artfully presented. Everything else is secondary. Good selection of appetizers, main courses, vegetarian options, desserts, wine list, coffees, and teas. Food is tastefully presented; very appealing to the eye, as well as the palate. Emad’s subtle use of warm spices, such as saffron, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, and sumac characterize each dish. Dishes are not overdone with heavy or hot spices. Every dish is topped with nuts that are hand-roasted in the kitchen. The base of most sauces is aged yogurt that has been handmade and strained on the premises by elderly Palestianian women.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recommendations:\u003cbr>\nThere is an abundance of cold and hot appetizers, meat and vegetarian entrees, and wines to chose from Dishdash’s menu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For starters, try the Mediterranean Maza, which is a terrific sampling of the popular cold appetizers. Customers will be able to try familiar Middle Eastern dips, such as hummus (HUM-US), tabouli (TA-BOO-LI), and babaghanouge (BA-BA-GA-NOOSH). The bonus is other dips, which most folks have never heard of — Rihan (REE-HAN), which is fresh tomato and grilled eggplant in a basil sauce, topped with feta cheese and roasted almonds. Also included is M’nazaleh (MMM-NA-ZA-LA), a mild ratatouille of grilled eggplant, red bell peppers, tomato, walnuts, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. All dips come with warm pita bread. There have been times when I’ve eaten the maza as my entire meal, since it’s very substantial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My favorite hot appetizer, which I have also eaten as a main dish, is falafel (FULL-AH-FULL). What’s great about this falafel is that it’s crispy on the inside and out, not soggy on the inside like most falafel balls. The key is that the chickpeas aren’t overly ground and remain coarse so the frying oil is able to penetrate the inside and get it nice and crunchy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the main courses, I recommend Mo, the King of Kebabs, Mansaf, Mashwi, and M’Sakhan. Mo, (MOW) the King of Kebabs is a combination of chicken kebab, kufta (minced lamb and beef) kebab, and a choice of cubed beef or lamb kebab. All kebabs are marinated in aged yogurt and delicate spices for at least forty-eight hours and then grilled. I notice that each cut of meat is well cooked, moist, and tender, and the flavor of the marinade really comes out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mansaf (MAN-SUF) is a very unique nomadic Middle Eastern dish made up of braised lamb and saffron rice, served with an aged yogurt sauce. This dish is traditionally served in a communal fashion on a large tray with several people sitting around the tray. Diners tuck one hand behind their back, use the other hand to form a small ball of the lamb, rice, and yogurt, (talking and laughing the entire time) and then “pop” it goes into the mouth. It’s delicious and mild and flavorful all at the same time. The lamb melts in your mouth like butter. Each grain of the saffron rice stands alone and isn’t mushy — like sometimes rice can become — and the yogurt sauce is tangy and mild.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mashwi (MASH-WEE) will satisfy fish lovers. Sea bass and large prawns are marinated in lemon juice, sumac (SUE-MAC), and cumin, and then pan-fried and topped with roasted almonds, accompanied by fresh grilled vegetables and saffron rice. Fish comes out moist and flavorful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>M’Sakhan (MMM-SA-KHAN) is a lovely pastry stuffed with seasoned chicken and caramelized onions. The pastry is home-baked tanour (TAN-EW-ER) bread and resembles lavash. The stuffed pastry is placed on top of a tangy saffron-yogurt sauce. The presentation is fabulous — looks like something you would see on the cover of \u003ci>Food and Wine\u003c/i> magazine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, after eating all those fabulous appetizers and entrees (maybe not all of them!), there’s a good chance you’ll have absolutely no room for dessert. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have anything sweet to end your dining experience. Try the coffee, which comes sweetened with sugar and cardamom, or the mint tea. Both drinks are a refreshing, soothing, and slightly sweet end to a lovely night out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The high quality of food makes this restaurant a destination on the Peninsula. Unfortunately, the service and decor are not on par with the quality of food. In the future, I’d love to see the interior with a fresh coat of paint and/or better lighting. Also, I get the feeling the service is a made up of a few college kids with limited restaurant experience. They are extremely friendly with good intentions, but better training would be a bonus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In closing, I can’t recommend the food strongly enough. The rich, warm flavors, the subtle use of spices, the contrast of soft saffron rice and crunchy roasted nuts, tangy sauces, and delicate meats all make me want to visit this place again and again.\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/jt.jpg\" alt=\"J.T.\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> J.T.\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Event Planner\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Livermore\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Eric’s\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Dishdash:\u003c/strong> Thursday, December 23, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had never heard of Dishdash prior to going there. I would never, on my own, think to get Middle Eastern food. This was the first time I had ever eaten at a Middle Eastern restaurant. I am not a complete novice; I have had hummus, tabouli, and shish kebab before but I did have reservations — I thought there would be a lot of curry. I came to Dishdash with an open mind and a big appetite! I was not disappointed. As soon as we walked in I felt very comfortable. We were seated quickly (highly recommend making reservations) and asked if we wanted water. The restaurant was very clean and well lit. The seats were comfortable and menu was easy to read. When the waitress approached our table she was full of smiles and suggestions. I asked her for recommendations. I let her know that this was my first time eating Middle Eastern food and I was kind of a wimp. She asked what liked and didn’t like, and I let her know that I liked chicken and beef and I did not like lamb. She was quick to make several suggestions where both chicken and beef would be abundant. I let her know that I did not like spicy foods; she let me know that they could make any entrees not spicy –- I appreciated that. She let us know about the Mediterranean Maza, a sample of all their cold appetizers. My only complaint is that everything ran into each other; they need to serve it on a different type of platter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When our drinks arrived, my boss and I were very excited to try them. I had the mango laban — this was very good, it was a mango smoothie. My boss had the mint laban, and it tasted like salty yogurt. There were a few mint sprigs on top but there was no mint taste. That was a little disappointing but not a deal breaker!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the main course I had the Shish Taouk, marinated chicken with vegetables and saffron rice. The chicken was juicy and hot. It was off the skewer, which was nice. The marinade was really good, not to overpowering. There were almond slivers on the plate, which was not mentioned in the menu (not a great idea not to mention that when someone like me is allergic to it). The vegetables were very fresh, and the colors and the taste were very appealing. My boss had the Shawarma (chicken wrap). The wrap was filled with chicken; they did not skimp when it came to the meat! All the flavors of the chicken, cucumber, onions, tomatoes, and garlic-yogurt sauce really came together. I enjoyed the wrap more than I enjoyed the Shish Taouk. The wraps are served with French fries or salad — I thought that that was an interesting choice. We went with the salad. The dressing was very fresh and unusual. Sumac was on everything on the plate. Sumac was in our drinks, appetizer, entrees; it was a little much. Besides that, the food was excellent. I would recommend the wrap; I would go back for it! I really enjoyed myself — the restaurant was loud, but I am loud and I like loud. The staff was very helpful and friendly. Dishdash really opened my mind to Middle Eastern food. There was one disappointment, the laban drinks. But there were plenty of hits — Mediterranean Maza, Shish Taouk, and the Shawarma. Dishdash is a great place to try Middle Eastern food for the first time. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 7.\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/josh.jpg\" alt=\"Josh\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Josh\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Territory Manager for New York State\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Blue Plate\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Dishdash:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, December 28, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went to Dishdash with a Middle Eastern friend of mine, who had dined there in the past. It is located in a charming little downtown shopping center that is hopping with people. We arrived at a restaurant with people waiting to eat outside. Having a limited lunch hour, I feared a thirty-minute wait and I was surprised to find that the wait would be five to ten minutes. Upon sitting down at an outside table, I was asked if I wanted something to drink. I asked for a recommendation and to my surprise I was served a Blue Moon, a Belgian-style beer. The beer was made in the Belgian Style similar to that of a Hoegaarden and was heavy on the coriander; this created a very refreshing flavor that primed me for the spices that were to come with the meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a ten-minute wait, we were ushered to our table in the back of the restaurant. It was rather dark and had a club-like atmosphere. However, I was so hungry, I was only interested in digging into the Maza and entrees. We ordered rather promptly, having had the time to review the menu outside. Within minutes, our Maza had arrived and I was pleased to find that the plate was of moderate size for two people. The flavors were complementary and yet not competing. I thought the grilled eggplant was amazing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Almost as soon as we finished our app, the Shawarmas arrived. In the interest of diversity, Jaber and I elected to split the two wraps. I will say that I thought the Chicken Shawarma to be the best I have ever had, however the Kufta Kebab was rather dry. The flavors of the sauce that the chicken was covered in was moldy spicy and slightly salty but a perfect balance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I will say that the atmosphere was a bit kitschy and I felt like I was dining in a club rather than a restaurant, however the food more than made up for it. I would recommend Dishdash to anyone who wishes to try a different lunch cuisine than they are probably used to, yet one who has a bit more than hour to dine for lunch. Although the atmosphere was loud, it did not detract from the food, which was the reason for dining.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, I rate the restaurant a 7 out of 10. Good food. Good service. Interesting atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n190 South Murphy Street (at West Washington Avenue)\r\nSunnyvale, CA 94086\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 408-774-1889\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.dishdash.net\">www.dishdash.net\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Type of Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Middle Eastern and Mediterranean\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dishdash: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=89\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/dishdash5.jpg\" alt=\"Dishdash\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/dishdash4.jpg\" alt=\"Dish Dash\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/dishdash6.jpg\" alt=\"Dishdash\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nMediterranean Maza: Falafel, Dolmas, Tabouli, Babaghanouge; Dolmas from Mediterranean Maza (close-up); Shish Taouk (Barhoumi’s Favorite)\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/vija.jpg\" alt=\"Vija\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Vija\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Mother\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Los Altos\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Dishdash\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Dishdash:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, January 3, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For many years friends encouraged Emad (E-MAAD) Ibrahim (I-BRA-HEEM) to open a restaurant in Silicon Valley that serves authentic Middle Eastern food — that is, food from Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. And in March 2001, Emad did just that. The menu was created by Emad’s mother, I’Nam (IN-AM), and sisters, who are Palestinian. Over time, the menu evolved to include culinary influences from chefs and friends, thus the dishes from Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Still, 70% of the menu today is inspired by Emad’s mother and sisters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The centerpiece of this restaurant is its namesake, Dishdash, a traditional colorful dress worn by women in the Middle East. The dishdash embodies the atmosphere that Emad envisioned for his restaurant: warmth, comfort, and untiring service to others. This particular dishdash was worn by Emad’s wife at their marriage ceremony and contains a profusion of royal blue, yellow, and terracotta patterns. These colors are repeated throughout the restaurant: the walls are painted terracotta; the ceiling royal blue; the tables and chairs have geometric patterns of all the colors found in the dishdash. Family heirlooms are carefully placed throughout the restaurant for customer viewing: an antique portable cooking stove; round pillows used to sit on the floor; antique water cantine and artwork serve as decorative pieces, but also reminders of the patron’s Middle Eastern roots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The atmosphere of Dishdash is warm, intimate, and unpretentious. Tables have blocks of colorful paint, topped with glass covers. Four types of seating to accommodate patrons: comfortable booths lined with contemporary geometric fabric; banquettes (half booth, half chair); traditional table and chairs, accommodating mostly party of two or four; and raised barstools. The barstool patrons can view the open kitchen and watch meals being prepared. It always seems noisy here, even when it’s not very crowded.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Food is the number one focus here; it’s very high quality and artfully presented. Everything else is secondary. Good selection of appetizers, main courses, vegetarian options, desserts, wine list, coffees, and teas. Food is tastefully presented; very appealing to the eye, as well as the palate. Emad’s subtle use of warm spices, such as saffron, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, and sumac characterize each dish. Dishes are not overdone with heavy or hot spices. Every dish is topped with nuts that are hand-roasted in the kitchen. The base of most sauces is aged yogurt that has been handmade and strained on the premises by elderly Palestianian women.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recommendations:\u003cbr>\nThere is an abundance of cold and hot appetizers, meat and vegetarian entrees, and wines to chose from Dishdash’s menu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For starters, try the Mediterranean Maza, which is a terrific sampling of the popular cold appetizers. Customers will be able to try familiar Middle Eastern dips, such as hummus (HUM-US), tabouli (TA-BOO-LI), and babaghanouge (BA-BA-GA-NOOSH). The bonus is other dips, which most folks have never heard of — Rihan (REE-HAN), which is fresh tomato and grilled eggplant in a basil sauce, topped with feta cheese and roasted almonds. Also included is M’nazaleh (MMM-NA-ZA-LA), a mild ratatouille of grilled eggplant, red bell peppers, tomato, walnuts, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. All dips come with warm pita bread. There have been times when I’ve eaten the maza as my entire meal, since it’s very substantial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My favorite hot appetizer, which I have also eaten as a main dish, is falafel (FULL-AH-FULL). What’s great about this falafel is that it’s crispy on the inside and out, not soggy on the inside like most falafel balls. The key is that the chickpeas aren’t overly ground and remain coarse so the frying oil is able to penetrate the inside and get it nice and crunchy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the main courses, I recommend Mo, the King of Kebabs, Mansaf, Mashwi, and M’Sakhan. Mo, (MOW) the King of Kebabs is a combination of chicken kebab, kufta (minced lamb and beef) kebab, and a choice of cubed beef or lamb kebab. All kebabs are marinated in aged yogurt and delicate spices for at least forty-eight hours and then grilled. I notice that each cut of meat is well cooked, moist, and tender, and the flavor of the marinade really comes out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mansaf (MAN-SUF) is a very unique nomadic Middle Eastern dish made up of braised lamb and saffron rice, served with an aged yogurt sauce. This dish is traditionally served in a communal fashion on a large tray with several people sitting around the tray. Diners tuck one hand behind their back, use the other hand to form a small ball of the lamb, rice, and yogurt, (talking and laughing the entire time) and then “pop” it goes into the mouth. It’s delicious and mild and flavorful all at the same time. The lamb melts in your mouth like butter. Each grain of the saffron rice stands alone and isn’t mushy — like sometimes rice can become — and the yogurt sauce is tangy and mild.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mashwi (MASH-WEE) will satisfy fish lovers. Sea bass and large prawns are marinated in lemon juice, sumac (SUE-MAC), and cumin, and then pan-fried and topped with roasted almonds, accompanied by fresh grilled vegetables and saffron rice. Fish comes out moist and flavorful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>M’Sakhan (MMM-SA-KHAN) is a lovely pastry stuffed with seasoned chicken and caramelized onions. The pastry is home-baked tanour (TAN-EW-ER) bread and resembles lavash. The stuffed pastry is placed on top of a tangy saffron-yogurt sauce. The presentation is fabulous — looks like something you would see on the cover of \u003ci>Food and Wine\u003c/i> magazine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, after eating all those fabulous appetizers and entrees (maybe not all of them!), there’s a good chance you’ll have absolutely no room for dessert. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have anything sweet to end your dining experience. Try the coffee, which comes sweetened with sugar and cardamom, or the mint tea. Both drinks are a refreshing, soothing, and slightly sweet end to a lovely night out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The high quality of food makes this restaurant a destination on the Peninsula. Unfortunately, the service and decor are not on par with the quality of food. In the future, I’d love to see the interior with a fresh coat of paint and/or better lighting. Also, I get the feeling the service is a made up of a few college kids with limited restaurant experience. They are extremely friendly with good intentions, but better training would be a bonus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In closing, I can’t recommend the food strongly enough. The rich, warm flavors, the subtle use of spices, the contrast of soft saffron rice and crunchy roasted nuts, tangy sauces, and delicate meats all make me want to visit this place again and again.\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/jt.jpg\" alt=\"J.T.\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> J.T.\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Event Planner\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Livermore\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Eric’s\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Dishdash:\u003c/strong> Thursday, December 23, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had never heard of Dishdash prior to going there. I would never, on my own, think to get Middle Eastern food. This was the first time I had ever eaten at a Middle Eastern restaurant. I am not a complete novice; I have had hummus, tabouli, and shish kebab before but I did have reservations — I thought there would be a lot of curry. I came to Dishdash with an open mind and a big appetite! I was not disappointed. As soon as we walked in I felt very comfortable. We were seated quickly (highly recommend making reservations) and asked if we wanted water. The restaurant was very clean and well lit. The seats were comfortable and menu was easy to read. When the waitress approached our table she was full of smiles and suggestions. I asked her for recommendations. I let her know that this was my first time eating Middle Eastern food and I was kind of a wimp. She asked what liked and didn’t like, and I let her know that I liked chicken and beef and I did not like lamb. She was quick to make several suggestions where both chicken and beef would be abundant. I let her know that I did not like spicy foods; she let me know that they could make any entrees not spicy –- I appreciated that. She let us know about the Mediterranean Maza, a sample of all their cold appetizers. My only complaint is that everything ran into each other; they need to serve it on a different type of platter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When our drinks arrived, my boss and I were very excited to try them. I had the mango laban — this was very good, it was a mango smoothie. My boss had the mint laban, and it tasted like salty yogurt. There were a few mint sprigs on top but there was no mint taste. That was a little disappointing but not a deal breaker!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the main course I had the Shish Taouk, marinated chicken with vegetables and saffron rice. The chicken was juicy and hot. It was off the skewer, which was nice. The marinade was really good, not to overpowering. There were almond slivers on the plate, which was not mentioned in the menu (not a great idea not to mention that when someone like me is allergic to it). The vegetables were very fresh, and the colors and the taste were very appealing. My boss had the Shawarma (chicken wrap). The wrap was filled with chicken; they did not skimp when it came to the meat! All the flavors of the chicken, cucumber, onions, tomatoes, and garlic-yogurt sauce really came together. I enjoyed the wrap more than I enjoyed the Shish Taouk. The wraps are served with French fries or salad — I thought that that was an interesting choice. We went with the salad. The dressing was very fresh and unusual. Sumac was on everything on the plate. Sumac was in our drinks, appetizer, entrees; it was a little much. Besides that, the food was excellent. I would recommend the wrap; I would go back for it! I really enjoyed myself — the restaurant was loud, but I am loud and I like loud. The staff was very helpful and friendly. Dishdash really opened my mind to Middle Eastern food. There was one disappointment, the laban drinks. But there were plenty of hits — Mediterranean Maza, Shish Taouk, and the Shawarma. Dishdash is a great place to try Middle Eastern food for the first time. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 7.\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/josh.jpg\" alt=\"Josh\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Josh\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Territory Manager for New York State\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Blue Plate\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Dishdash:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, December 28, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went to Dishdash with a Middle Eastern friend of mine, who had dined there in the past. It is located in a charming little downtown shopping center that is hopping with people. We arrived at a restaurant with people waiting to eat outside. Having a limited lunch hour, I feared a thirty-minute wait and I was surprised to find that the wait would be five to ten minutes. Upon sitting down at an outside table, I was asked if I wanted something to drink. I asked for a recommendation and to my surprise I was served a Blue Moon, a Belgian-style beer. The beer was made in the Belgian Style similar to that of a Hoegaarden and was heavy on the coriander; this created a very refreshing flavor that primed me for the spices that were to come with the meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a ten-minute wait, we were ushered to our table in the back of the restaurant. It was rather dark and had a club-like atmosphere. However, I was so hungry, I was only interested in digging into the Maza and entrees. We ordered rather promptly, having had the time to review the menu outside. Within minutes, our Maza had arrived and I was pleased to find that the plate was of moderate size for two people. The flavors were complementary and yet not competing. I thought the grilled eggplant was amazing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Almost as soon as we finished our app, the Shawarmas arrived. In the interest of diversity, Jaber and I elected to split the two wraps. I will say that I thought the Chicken Shawarma to be the best I have ever had, however the Kufta Kebab was rather dry. The flavors of the sauce that the chicken was covered in was moldy spicy and slightly salty but a perfect balance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I will say that the atmosphere was a bit kitschy and I felt like I was dining in a club rather than a restaurant, however the food more than made up for it. I would recommend Dishdash to anyone who wishes to try a different lunch cuisine than they are probably used to, yet one who has a bit more than hour to dine for lunch. Although the atmosphere was loud, it did not detract from the food, which was the reason for dining.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, I rate the restaurant a 7 out of 10. Good food. Good service. Interesting atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Blue Plate: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=90\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/blueplate10.jpg\" alt=\"The Blue Plate\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/blueplate11.jpg\" alt=\"The Blue Plate\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/blueplate13.jpg\" alt=\"The Blue Plate\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nMacaroni and Drunken Spanish Goat Cheese, Grilled Kurobuta Pork Chop with White Beans and Melted Chard, Banana Cream Pie\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/josh.jpg\" alt=\"Josh\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Josh\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Territory Manager for New York State\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Blue Plate\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Blue Plate:\u003c/strong> Thursday, January 5, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Blue Plate is one of the best-kept secrets in San Francisco. I cannot say enough about this restaurant. Quietly tucked away in Outer Mission, one might miss it for the only signage it has over its narrow doorway is a NEON blue sigh stating “EAT.” From the moment I walked through the door, my mouth is watering. All of the food is prepared in a show kitchen located immediately inside of the door. Surrounded by a diner-style bar, there were people eating on stools while watching the magical cooks at work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Krisztina and I decided to dine in the enchanting garden. Although it was a brisk SF night, the high walls that provided a wind block combined with the high-power heat lamps, afforded us a very comfortable evening, while we breathed in the sweet smells of Brugmansia, huge hanging yellow flowers that smell of warm spring nights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our server appeared after we had time to briefly peruse the wine list. I inquired about a Spanish Tempranillo and a bottle labeled Odysseus. Upon recommendation we opted for the Odysseus. Odysseus, a Grenache-based wine that is blended with Carignon, was well structured and jammy while not being overwhelmingly fruity. I must say this is a GREAT bottle of wine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As we were waiting for the wine we had time to choose the food. We started with a romaine salad served with Pink Lady apples, Point Reyes Original Blue Cheese, and bacon — a perfect blend of fruit, greens, and salty meat. I opted for the Duck Rillettes, which was a mixture of duck confit served with toast and the typical additions of pickled roots and veggies. The Flambeau radishes were so good I could have eaten a bowl of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As we finished our last bites of the apps, the dishes were courteously cleared and the entrees appeared. Fairly portioned servings that were presented in a perfectly timed manner. My Steelhead trout was a perfect medium (without even being asked how I wanted it prepared — kudos) served over a chickpea mash with a few mussels and a beautiful saffron broth. This was lovely. Krisztina’s chicken was crispy in the skin and yet still perfectly tender and moist. Although I am not one to order chicken while dining out, I have to say that it is well worth the consideration when dining at Blue Plate. On the side was the mac and cheese, this is a hidden secret on the Blue Plate menu, and in all truth, it is the reason that I keep returning to BP. I tell everyone who dines there that they MUST order it. Served with a crispy top in a sea of Spanish goat cheese, one has to wait for it to cool despite the desire to dig in!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As we were sitting back enjoying the last sips of Odysseus, contemplating what to do next, our plates were cleared and a complimentary serving of Sorbet appeared. The sorbet was a green apple and Prosecco sparkling wine concoction. Simple and sweet. A perfect finish to a perfect meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I give Blue Plate 10! Environment, food, service. Everything was 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/vija.jpg\" alt=\"Vija\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Vija\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Mother\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Los Altos\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Dishdash\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Blue Plate:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, December 28, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I enjoyed the intimate, unpretentious, masculine, and coarse atmosphere. You can wear anything and come to dinner here. Artwork is not only decorative, but conversational pieces. Music was exceptional and well chosen to match decor. This is potentially a good place, off the beaten track, to take your spouse for a special, relaxed, romantic dinner without the hype and trend factor to consider. A few pieces of decor that I found very cool: The skateboards hanging on wall; the large, colorful, modern art mural; and the old Coca-Cola glass bottles used by chefs to store cooking oil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The menu consists of classic fall and winter comfort food. Lots of potatoes, herbs, onions, root vegetables for ingredients. The waiter was very approachable and patiently answered all my questions, even though he was the only person serving the first level of the restaurant. He never made me feel rushed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The food was fair, although I was a bit shocked to see the check. I thought prices were a bit high for what you’re getting. Macaroni and cheese side dish was fabulous — more like a gratin with creamy sauce and unusual type of cheese (Drunken Goat). Different, but still familiar. Grilled hearts of romaine appetizer had warm caramelized onions and warm dressing, which was a nice contrast to cold lettuce and crisp apples. Different textures and temperatures of ingredients makes this dish interesting. The pork chop was one of the biggest pieces of pork chop I’ve seen in a long time. Simply grilled and served on a “hash” of Brussels sprouts, ham, and sweet potatoes. Comes with applesauce infused with huckleberries — gives you a red apple sauce!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I enjoyed the overall experience, although I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant to friends or return myself. The fair quality of the food, combined with relatively high prices don’t make this place tops in my mind. In San Francisco, you can do a lot better for your money.\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/jt.jpg\" alt=\"J.T.\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> J.T.\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Event Planner\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Livermore\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Eric’s\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Blue Plate:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, January 4, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was really looking forward to Blue Plate. I had heard many of my friends tell me how much they enjoyed it. The one thing everyone said was, “You must get the Macaroni and drunken Spanish Goat Cheese, it’s the best.” As soon as we walked into the restaurant, we were welcomed by the manager. We were seated in the middle section (the red section, due to the wall color), which was nice, we were able to see everything that was going on in the other two sections. There is a wine station in the red section. We were handed our menus and told that there were no specials that night; I was a little bummed about that. Once I looked at the menu I realized how dark it was — we had to use the candle at the table read the menu. This was not cozy, it was just poorly lit. The music that was pumped in the dining rooms was from a record player near the wine bar. It felt very San Francisco. I saw a fraternity brother from Chico State at one table and David Byrne from the Talking Heads at another table –- it felt very hip! There was very interesting artwork in the restroom as well; a woman with her shirt pulled up with lit matches on her nipples!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On to the food. For starters we ordered: BBQ Hogg Island Sweet Water Oysters, Marinated Chioggia Beets, and Grilled Hearts of Romaine. The oysters were very good. They are served with really flavorful onion rings. I am not an oyster guy, but I liked these. We were not crazy about the beets; they had a nice texture but they didn’t go well with the ricotta salata that came with it. The Grilled Hearts of Romaine was odd, it was served very warm. I am not sure what I expected but it was not a warm salad –- wilted I get, warm I don’t. The Pink Lady apples and the Point Reyes Original Blue Cheese that came with it were tasty. For dinner we had the Blue Plate Meatloaf and Grilled Kurobuta Pork Chop. The meatloaf was very juicy; it was nice because we got the end piece, and everyone knows the end piece is the best part! The mashed potatoes were creamy and hot. The pork chop was huge! It was grilled very well; it was very dark in the restaurant so I was not able to see how pink it was on the inside. It came with white beans and melted chard. The pork and the chard together were fantastic, they both complemented each other: smoky and earthy. The one thing I did not like was the olive tapenade that was on top of the pork chop. It was too strong and it overpowered the meat. The other thing I noticed was that their steak knives were not sharp, so it was difficult to cut the pork. As a side dish we had the famous Macaroni and drunken Spanish Goat Cheese; it was rich and crunchy. I have never liked homemade mac and cheese, but this was out of this world. It was the best thing on the menu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The waitress and the busboys were some of the best I have ever had. The waitress was very helpful making recommendation, asked what we liked and didn’t like. Both made sure to check on us often. The busboy was great about bringing us fresh, out-of-the-oven bread. I am not sure I would go back, it was not my type of restaurant; it was too dark and cozy. I don’t know if I would take a group of my friends, I think we would be too loud. I would recommend it to my friends though.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n3218 Mission Street (at Valencia Street)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94110\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-282-6777\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.blueplatesf.com\">www.blueplatesf.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Type of Cuisine:\u003c/strong> American\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2006",
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"description": "Location:\r\n3218 Mission Street (at Valencia Street)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94110\r\nPhone: 415-282-6777\r\nWebsite: www.blueplatesf.com\r\nType of Cuisine: American\r\nReviewed: Winter 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Blue Plate: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=90\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/blueplate10.jpg\" alt=\"The Blue Plate\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/blueplate11.jpg\" alt=\"The Blue Plate\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/blueplate13.jpg\" alt=\"The Blue Plate\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nMacaroni and Drunken Spanish Goat Cheese, Grilled Kurobuta Pork Chop with White Beans and Melted Chard, Banana Cream Pie\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/josh.jpg\" alt=\"Josh\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Josh\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Territory Manager for New York State\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Blue Plate\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Blue Plate:\u003c/strong> Thursday, January 5, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Blue Plate is one of the best-kept secrets in San Francisco. I cannot say enough about this restaurant. Quietly tucked away in Outer Mission, one might miss it for the only signage it has over its narrow doorway is a NEON blue sigh stating “EAT.” From the moment I walked through the door, my mouth is watering. All of the food is prepared in a show kitchen located immediately inside of the door. Surrounded by a diner-style bar, there were people eating on stools while watching the magical cooks at work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Krisztina and I decided to dine in the enchanting garden. Although it was a brisk SF night, the high walls that provided a wind block combined with the high-power heat lamps, afforded us a very comfortable evening, while we breathed in the sweet smells of Brugmansia, huge hanging yellow flowers that smell of warm spring nights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our server appeared after we had time to briefly peruse the wine list. I inquired about a Spanish Tempranillo and a bottle labeled Odysseus. Upon recommendation we opted for the Odysseus. Odysseus, a Grenache-based wine that is blended with Carignon, was well structured and jammy while not being overwhelmingly fruity. I must say this is a GREAT bottle of wine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As we were waiting for the wine we had time to choose the food. We started with a romaine salad served with Pink Lady apples, Point Reyes Original Blue Cheese, and bacon — a perfect blend of fruit, greens, and salty meat. I opted for the Duck Rillettes, which was a mixture of duck confit served with toast and the typical additions of pickled roots and veggies. The Flambeau radishes were so good I could have eaten a bowl of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As we finished our last bites of the apps, the dishes were courteously cleared and the entrees appeared. Fairly portioned servings that were presented in a perfectly timed manner. My Steelhead trout was a perfect medium (without even being asked how I wanted it prepared — kudos) served over a chickpea mash with a few mussels and a beautiful saffron broth. This was lovely. Krisztina’s chicken was crispy in the skin and yet still perfectly tender and moist. Although I am not one to order chicken while dining out, I have to say that it is well worth the consideration when dining at Blue Plate. On the side was the mac and cheese, this is a hidden secret on the Blue Plate menu, and in all truth, it is the reason that I keep returning to BP. I tell everyone who dines there that they MUST order it. Served with a crispy top in a sea of Spanish goat cheese, one has to wait for it to cool despite the desire to dig in!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As we were sitting back enjoying the last sips of Odysseus, contemplating what to do next, our plates were cleared and a complimentary serving of Sorbet appeared. The sorbet was a green apple and Prosecco sparkling wine concoction. Simple and sweet. A perfect finish to a perfect meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I give Blue Plate 10! Environment, food, service. Everything was 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/vija.jpg\" alt=\"Vija\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Vija\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Mother\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Los Altos\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Dishdash\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Blue Plate:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, December 28, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I enjoyed the intimate, unpretentious, masculine, and coarse atmosphere. You can wear anything and come to dinner here. Artwork is not only decorative, but conversational pieces. Music was exceptional and well chosen to match decor. This is potentially a good place, off the beaten track, to take your spouse for a special, relaxed, romantic dinner without the hype and trend factor to consider. A few pieces of decor that I found very cool: The skateboards hanging on wall; the large, colorful, modern art mural; and the old Coca-Cola glass bottles used by chefs to store cooking oil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The menu consists of classic fall and winter comfort food. Lots of potatoes, herbs, onions, root vegetables for ingredients. The waiter was very approachable and patiently answered all my questions, even though he was the only person serving the first level of the restaurant. He never made me feel rushed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The food was fair, although I was a bit shocked to see the check. I thought prices were a bit high for what you’re getting. Macaroni and cheese side dish was fabulous — more like a gratin with creamy sauce and unusual type of cheese (Drunken Goat). Different, but still familiar. Grilled hearts of romaine appetizer had warm caramelized onions and warm dressing, which was a nice contrast to cold lettuce and crisp apples. Different textures and temperatures of ingredients makes this dish interesting. The pork chop was one of the biggest pieces of pork chop I’ve seen in a long time. Simply grilled and served on a “hash” of Brussels sprouts, ham, and sweet potatoes. Comes with applesauce infused with huckleberries — gives you a red apple sauce!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I enjoyed the overall experience, although I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant to friends or return myself. The fair quality of the food, combined with relatively high prices don’t make this place tops in my mind. In San Francisco, you can do a lot better for your money.\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/jt.jpg\" alt=\"J.T.\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> J.T.\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Event Planner\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Livermore\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Eric’s\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Blue Plate:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, January 4, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was really looking forward to Blue Plate. I had heard many of my friends tell me how much they enjoyed it. The one thing everyone said was, “You must get the Macaroni and drunken Spanish Goat Cheese, it’s the best.” As soon as we walked into the restaurant, we were welcomed by the manager. We were seated in the middle section (the red section, due to the wall color), which was nice, we were able to see everything that was going on in the other two sections. There is a wine station in the red section. We were handed our menus and told that there were no specials that night; I was a little bummed about that. Once I looked at the menu I realized how dark it was — we had to use the candle at the table read the menu. This was not cozy, it was just poorly lit. The music that was pumped in the dining rooms was from a record player near the wine bar. It felt very San Francisco. I saw a fraternity brother from Chico State at one table and David Byrne from the Talking Heads at another table –- it felt very hip! There was very interesting artwork in the restroom as well; a woman with her shirt pulled up with lit matches on her nipples!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On to the food. For starters we ordered: BBQ Hogg Island Sweet Water Oysters, Marinated Chioggia Beets, and Grilled Hearts of Romaine. The oysters were very good. They are served with really flavorful onion rings. I am not an oyster guy, but I liked these. We were not crazy about the beets; they had a nice texture but they didn’t go well with the ricotta salata that came with it. The Grilled Hearts of Romaine was odd, it was served very warm. I am not sure what I expected but it was not a warm salad –- wilted I get, warm I don’t. The Pink Lady apples and the Point Reyes Original Blue Cheese that came with it were tasty. For dinner we had the Blue Plate Meatloaf and Grilled Kurobuta Pork Chop. The meatloaf was very juicy; it was nice because we got the end piece, and everyone knows the end piece is the best part! The mashed potatoes were creamy and hot. The pork chop was huge! It was grilled very well; it was very dark in the restaurant so I was not able to see how pink it was on the inside. It came with white beans and melted chard. The pork and the chard together were fantastic, they both complemented each other: smoky and earthy. The one thing I did not like was the olive tapenade that was on top of the pork chop. It was too strong and it overpowered the meat. The other thing I noticed was that their steak knives were not sharp, so it was difficult to cut the pork. As a side dish we had the famous Macaroni and drunken Spanish Goat Cheese; it was rich and crunchy. I have never liked homemade mac and cheese, but this was out of this world. It was the best thing on the menu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The waitress and the busboys were some of the best I have ever had. The waitress was very helpful making recommendation, asked what we liked and didn’t like. Both made sure to check on us often. The busboy was great about bringing us fresh, out-of-the-oven bread. I am not sure I would go back, it was not my type of restaurant; it was too dark and cozy. I don’t know if I would take a group of my friends, I think we would be too loud. I would recommend it to my friends though.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Firefly: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=82\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=87\">recipe\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>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/firefly2.jpg\" alt=\"Firefly\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/firefly5.jpg\" alt=\"Firefly\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/firefly6.jpg\" alt=\"Firefly\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nBaked Goat Cheese; Roasted Duck Breast with Thyme-Scented Jus, Dried Cherry Bread Pudding, and Wilted Chicories; Cocoa Bean Panna Cotta with Bourbon Caramel Sauce and Marbled Chocolate Shards\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 Firefly:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, January 4, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is one of my favorite restaurants. I love the feel of the dining room. Its light colored walls and minimal artwork along with the fabric-covered ceilings gives it a softness and simplicity that’s inviting and easy to be in. The dining room tables are made of thin wood with a red top that had a satin-finished, Formica-like material. They had a lightweight feel to them, very much like some of the Scandinavian furniture design. The blond Eames-style chairs had contours and were surprisingly comfortable. The lighting was soft with amber wall sconces giving a burnished hue. The dining room has an understated eclectic elegance to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s been a very busy week at work and home and it’s been difficult to keep up with all my commitments. I forgot to make a reservation and called at the last minute and got a 6:30pm reservation. We got to the restaurant early and were seated immediately. The table had cloth napkins, silverware, lovely bread plates with simple designs, and salt and pepper. We decided to start with a half bottle of Gregich Hills Fumé Blanc. The waitress was very knowledgeable and gave an accurate description of the characteristics of this particular wine. It was a crisp, dry wine with a hint of fruit. We started our meal by ordering the sweet potato pancakes with homemade applesauce, sour cream, and a handful of field greens in a vinaigrette. The sweet potato pancakes were grated potatoes that had been cooked lightly and had a crunchy texture. The applesauce was fresh, tart, and naturally sweet. The combination of the sour cream and applesauce spooned on the pancake was a nice combination. We followed this with a salad of organic field greens with pears, goat cheese, and toasted pecans in a red wine vinaigrette which was yummy. Our main course was seared scallops with mashed potatoes and truffle oil and sautéed leeks. The large scallops were soft, buttery, and rich tasting. The mashed potatoes were creamy and savory with a hint of the truffle oil. The leeks were cut up and sautéed; a nice hearty vegetable to accompany the entrée.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We finished our meal with a warm flowerless chocolate hazelnut cake with sauce and vanilla bean ice cream. I love the nutty flavor and richness of this dessert. Vanilla ice cream is a great pairing with chocolate. Just like milk and cookies. I had a pot of their organic fresh peppermint tea served in a Japanese-style cast iron pot. They put the teapot on a trivet and gave me a small celadon ceramic cup on a tiny saucer. I love tea and am always enchanted by the different styles of teapots and cups and saucers that are used for tea service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our check was delivered in a Japanese paper billfold with a Geisha scene — a sweet ending to our meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is a great restaurant if you want wonderful original food that is well prepared and delicious with a nice selection of entrées. It clearly had a large neighborhood following. The service is very friendly and efficient, The dining room is elegant and lovely. A civilized restaurant to dine in. They serve a prix fixe meal for $32.00 that gives you a choice of an appetizer, entrée, dessert, tea, and coffee Sunday thru Thursday. You get to pick from the menu and their specials. We didn’t take advantage of this offer because we could not eat that much food on the evening that we dined.\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 Firefly:\u003c/strong> Saturday, January 7, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Firefly is as magical as its name. A cozy little restaurant born from a converted home in a quiet Noe Valley neighborhood, Firefly has an enchanting atmosphere. As soon as you walk in, the warm and appetizing aromas fill the room and make you feel welcome. The décor has a French countryside feel with a splash of San Francisco artistry that makes it unique. The hostess seated my group of eight quickly. Our table was in the upper part of the split-level living room. The lighting was romantic and the table setting was well thought out. The plates were French Provincial which lent a European flare that kept you in anticipation of what was coming next. The servers were extremely knowledgeable and quickly explained the specials for the evening. I was really impressed by the care in taking each of our orders. One server suggested an amazing Cabernet/Syrah blend that was the hit of the evening. The flavor of the wine was full-bodied with a nice bouquet that did not overpower any appetizer, entrée, or dessert. Because all the appetizers sounded so good, we ordered several for the table to share. I personally ordered the butternut squash soup with fried sage. It was amazing! The texture was velvety while the flavor was smooth and buttery. The fried sage added a complementing texture to the smooth soup. The dumplings were perfectly prepared and the soy sauce dressing was more of an au jus than your standard soy sauce. This brought out the flavor of the scallop stuffing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I ordered the roasted duck breast with cherry bread pudding and wilted chicories. The duck was made to perfection! The skin was crispy and the meat was tender and juicy. The flavor of the duck was mild and not gamey. The bread pudding was crispy on the outside and very tender and moist on the inside. It held its structure very well and was not mushy. The flavor of the bread pudding was mild, but could have been braver in its use of spices to enhance the flavor of the entrée. The chicories were nicely wilted, yet kept their color and flavor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For dessert, I ordered the cocoa bean panna cotta with bourbon caramel sauce and marbled chocolate shards. This dessert was very surprising –- in a good way. The presentation looked more like a flan, yet the flavors were deceiving. The panna cotta had a mild white chocolate flavor and the texture was silky. The hint of cocoa mixed with a clear caramel sauce brought out the chocolate flavor well. Overall, it was light and not overly rich.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I enjoyed Firefly tremendously. The cozy and romantic atmosphere makes it a great place to spend quality time with friends and family or for a special evening with your significant other. The staff was so helpful and made us feel like special guests. I always enjoy restaurants that were once homes. They tend to bring in a very comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. I plan on adding Firefly to my list of favorites in San Francisco. It’s an enchanting, hide-a-way place you read about only in fairytales.\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 Firefly:\u003c/strong> Sunday, January 8, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our visit to Firefly was a family visit: my wife, my youngest child, (eight years old), and myself. Let the reader take note: this is not a place to take children! While my youngest did just fine in this dining establishment for adults, the average child would be bouncing of the walls and upset by a menu that has no inclusion for them! That being said, the drive to Firefly was just fine. As we walked into the restaurant the sound of jazz filled the dimly-lit room. Since we arrived early, we had our choice of seating and naturally, we chose a wonderful seat overlooking the houses on 24th street. We were thrilled when, after our drink orders were taken, a server brought us fresh bread with a lentil spread. It was delicious and kept us satisfied until our main course arrived.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Please note that the furniture in Firefly is horrible! It looks attractive, however, I believe it was designed by those who specialize in torture! Hours after our meal I was still reeling from the pain of sitting on that terrible furniture! And, mind you, it wasn’t just me, but my wife and child also felt that the dining experience was marred by the furniture. In fact, it made perfect sense that a small pillow or two were located in our dining area. I thought that they were decorative (there were only two in a seating area for three or more) and because of their size, I couldn’t believe they were functional. In hindsight, should I ever go back I’ll be sure to use the pillows to prop up my back!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also note, that Sunday through Mondays, Firefly offers a prix fixe menu for $32.00 per person. Indeed, while I list the individual prices for each item we ate, truth is that two of those meals fell into the category of prix fixe. It’s a fair deal in a city that seems to charge a little more for inexpensive meals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If there is one thing Firefly does really well it’s art and presentation. The restaurant is lovely, the art goes well with everything, and even the food is gorgeous and wonderfully presented. There is a fluidity here that is coordinated and seamless. I almost didn’t want to eat my food because it was so beautiful. Nevertheless, hunger won out!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The quality of the food in general is good, however, my course (the beef brisket) had a side dish that looked like couscous and tasted like it was burnt. Not good, not good at all, and it made its way back to the kitchen from whence it came. I also sampled the other foods, and the grilled pork rib chop was succulent, tender, and flavorful. In general this is good spot in spite of those things I found fault with. In fact, I’d recommend the spot to others. I’d add too that you dare not go without a reservation as the place seems wickedly popular. Thank God we had one!\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n4288 24th Street (at Douglass Street)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94114\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-821-7652\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.fireflyrestaurant.com\">www.fireflyrestaurant.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Type of Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Eclectic Ethnic\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2006",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Firefly: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=82\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=87\">recipe\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>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/firefly2.jpg\" alt=\"Firefly\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/firefly5.jpg\" alt=\"Firefly\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/firefly6.jpg\" alt=\"Firefly\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nBaked Goat Cheese; Roasted Duck Breast with Thyme-Scented Jus, Dried Cherry Bread Pudding, and Wilted Chicories; Cocoa Bean Panna Cotta with Bourbon Caramel Sauce and Marbled Chocolate Shards\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 Firefly:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, January 4, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is one of my favorite restaurants. I love the feel of the dining room. Its light colored walls and minimal artwork along with the fabric-covered ceilings gives it a softness and simplicity that’s inviting and easy to be in. The dining room tables are made of thin wood with a red top that had a satin-finished, Formica-like material. They had a lightweight feel to them, very much like some of the Scandinavian furniture design. The blond Eames-style chairs had contours and were surprisingly comfortable. The lighting was soft with amber wall sconces giving a burnished hue. The dining room has an understated eclectic elegance to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s been a very busy week at work and home and it’s been difficult to keep up with all my commitments. I forgot to make a reservation and called at the last minute and got a 6:30pm reservation. We got to the restaurant early and were seated immediately. The table had cloth napkins, silverware, lovely bread plates with simple designs, and salt and pepper. We decided to start with a half bottle of Gregich Hills Fumé Blanc. The waitress was very knowledgeable and gave an accurate description of the characteristics of this particular wine. It was a crisp, dry wine with a hint of fruit. We started our meal by ordering the sweet potato pancakes with homemade applesauce, sour cream, and a handful of field greens in a vinaigrette. The sweet potato pancakes were grated potatoes that had been cooked lightly and had a crunchy texture. The applesauce was fresh, tart, and naturally sweet. The combination of the sour cream and applesauce spooned on the pancake was a nice combination. We followed this with a salad of organic field greens with pears, goat cheese, and toasted pecans in a red wine vinaigrette which was yummy. Our main course was seared scallops with mashed potatoes and truffle oil and sautéed leeks. The large scallops were soft, buttery, and rich tasting. The mashed potatoes were creamy and savory with a hint of the truffle oil. The leeks were cut up and sautéed; a nice hearty vegetable to accompany the entrée.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We finished our meal with a warm flowerless chocolate hazelnut cake with sauce and vanilla bean ice cream. I love the nutty flavor and richness of this dessert. Vanilla ice cream is a great pairing with chocolate. Just like milk and cookies. I had a pot of their organic fresh peppermint tea served in a Japanese-style cast iron pot. They put the teapot on a trivet and gave me a small celadon ceramic cup on a tiny saucer. I love tea and am always enchanted by the different styles of teapots and cups and saucers that are used for tea service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our check was delivered in a Japanese paper billfold with a Geisha scene — a sweet ending to our meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is a great restaurant if you want wonderful original food that is well prepared and delicious with a nice selection of entrées. It clearly had a large neighborhood following. The service is very friendly and efficient, The dining room is elegant and lovely. A civilized restaurant to dine in. They serve a prix fixe meal for $32.00 that gives you a choice of an appetizer, entrée, dessert, tea, and coffee Sunday thru Thursday. You get to pick from the menu and their specials. We didn’t take advantage of this offer because we could not eat that much food on the evening that we dined.\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 Firefly:\u003c/strong> Saturday, January 7, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Firefly is as magical as its name. A cozy little restaurant born from a converted home in a quiet Noe Valley neighborhood, Firefly has an enchanting atmosphere. As soon as you walk in, the warm and appetizing aromas fill the room and make you feel welcome. The décor has a French countryside feel with a splash of San Francisco artistry that makes it unique. The hostess seated my group of eight quickly. Our table was in the upper part of the split-level living room. The lighting was romantic and the table setting was well thought out. The plates were French Provincial which lent a European flare that kept you in anticipation of what was coming next. The servers were extremely knowledgeable and quickly explained the specials for the evening. I was really impressed by the care in taking each of our orders. One server suggested an amazing Cabernet/Syrah blend that was the hit of the evening. The flavor of the wine was full-bodied with a nice bouquet that did not overpower any appetizer, entrée, or dessert. Because all the appetizers sounded so good, we ordered several for the table to share. I personally ordered the butternut squash soup with fried sage. It was amazing! The texture was velvety while the flavor was smooth and buttery. The fried sage added a complementing texture to the smooth soup. The dumplings were perfectly prepared and the soy sauce dressing was more of an au jus than your standard soy sauce. This brought out the flavor of the scallop stuffing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I ordered the roasted duck breast with cherry bread pudding and wilted chicories. The duck was made to perfection! The skin was crispy and the meat was tender and juicy. The flavor of the duck was mild and not gamey. The bread pudding was crispy on the outside and very tender and moist on the inside. It held its structure very well and was not mushy. The flavor of the bread pudding was mild, but could have been braver in its use of spices to enhance the flavor of the entrée. The chicories were nicely wilted, yet kept their color and flavor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For dessert, I ordered the cocoa bean panna cotta with bourbon caramel sauce and marbled chocolate shards. This dessert was very surprising –- in a good way. The presentation looked more like a flan, yet the flavors were deceiving. The panna cotta had a mild white chocolate flavor and the texture was silky. The hint of cocoa mixed with a clear caramel sauce brought out the chocolate flavor well. Overall, it was light and not overly rich.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I enjoyed Firefly tremendously. The cozy and romantic atmosphere makes it a great place to spend quality time with friends and family or for a special evening with your significant other. The staff was so helpful and made us feel like special guests. I always enjoy restaurants that were once homes. They tend to bring in a very comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. I plan on adding Firefly to my list of favorites in San Francisco. It’s an enchanting, hide-a-way place you read about only in fairytales.\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 Firefly:\u003c/strong> Sunday, January 8, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our visit to Firefly was a family visit: my wife, my youngest child, (eight years old), and myself. Let the reader take note: this is not a place to take children! While my youngest did just fine in this dining establishment for adults, the average child would be bouncing of the walls and upset by a menu that has no inclusion for them! That being said, the drive to Firefly was just fine. As we walked into the restaurant the sound of jazz filled the dimly-lit room. Since we arrived early, we had our choice of seating and naturally, we chose a wonderful seat overlooking the houses on 24th street. We were thrilled when, after our drink orders were taken, a server brought us fresh bread with a lentil spread. It was delicious and kept us satisfied until our main course arrived.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Please note that the furniture in Firefly is horrible! It looks attractive, however, I believe it was designed by those who specialize in torture! Hours after our meal I was still reeling from the pain of sitting on that terrible furniture! And, mind you, it wasn’t just me, but my wife and child also felt that the dining experience was marred by the furniture. In fact, it made perfect sense that a small pillow or two were located in our dining area. I thought that they were decorative (there were only two in a seating area for three or more) and because of their size, I couldn’t believe they were functional. In hindsight, should I ever go back I’ll be sure to use the pillows to prop up my back!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also note, that Sunday through Mondays, Firefly offers a prix fixe menu for $32.00 per person. Indeed, while I list the individual prices for each item we ate, truth is that two of those meals fell into the category of prix fixe. It’s a fair deal in a city that seems to charge a little more for inexpensive meals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If there is one thing Firefly does really well it’s art and presentation. The restaurant is lovely, the art goes well with everything, and even the food is gorgeous and wonderfully presented. There is a fluidity here that is coordinated and seamless. I almost didn’t want to eat my food because it was so beautiful. Nevertheless, hunger won out!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The quality of the food in general is good, however, my course (the beef brisket) had a side dish that looked like couscous and tasted like it was burnt. Not good, not good at all, and it made its way back to the kitchen from whence it came. I also sampled the other foods, and the grilled pork rib chop was succulent, tender, and flavorful. In general this is good spot in spite of those things I found fault with. In fact, I’d recommend the spot to others. I’d add too that you dare not go without a reservation as the place seems wickedly popular. Thank God we had one!\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chow: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=83\">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>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chow16.jpg\" alt=\"Chow\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chow19.jpg\" alt=\"Chow\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chow13.jpg\" alt=\"Chow\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nCheese Lasagna; Grilled Chicken with Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, and Cranberry Compote; Ginger Spice Cake with Pumpkin Ice 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/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 Chow:\u003c/strong> Friday, January 6, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chow is a bustling neighborhood restaurant nestled in a small row of local stores at the beginning of the Castro district in San Francisco. As soon as you enter into the restaurant, you have a feeling of belonging. The host or hostess greets you with a warm smile. The wait time for a table is no more than 15 – 20 minutes and the host or hostess is more than happy to allow you to shop at the stores next door and will come and get you when your table is ready. Two large window tables in the front of the restaurant entice walking traffic to enter and enjoy a well-prepared meal with friends from the neighborhood. Once seated, you can peruse the eclectic artwork on the walls from local artists while listening to 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s era music. The atmosphere is warm, cozy, relaxing, and definitely not pretentious. The servers are prompt in getting drink orders and allow you enough time to review the menu’s wide range of American, Italian, and Asian dishes that include: daily sandwiches, starters, salads, pastas, noodles, wood-baked entrees, and grilled and roasted meats. The wine and beer lists are large enough to feature local wineries and breweries without overwhelming you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I came with friends and family, and we ordered the nacho platter and dumplings to start. The dumplings were perfectly tender and the flavor of the pork stuffing was not overdone. The soy sauce dressing nicely complemented the dumplings and brought out the flavor of the pork stuffing. The nachos were unique in that the chips were dipped in a red enchilada-like sauce and then topped with black beans, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, tomatoes, lettuce, and red onions. I felt the sauce made the nachos a little soggy and the lettuce was a less flavorful iceberg variety. I ordered the chicken and mashed potatoes entrée. The chicken was grilled to perfection. The skin was perfectly crisp, yet the meat was tender and juicy. The thighbone was removed which made it easier to eat with a knife. The mashed potatoes were buttery and captured the chicken juices perfectly. The green beans were well cooked and maintained their crunch. The cranberry compote complemented the chicken nicely. For dessert, I had Chow’s famous ginger spice cake with pumpkin ice cream. This is a little taste of heaven! The cake is warmed in the oven and drizzled with a very light caramel sauce. The cake is very most and the spices and ginger are perfectly matched. The pumpkin ice cream brings out the flavor of the spice cake and is an amazing complement. This dessert is definitely one that you will have a hard time sharing with others. And don’t be surprised if you catch yourself licking the plate!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, Chow is a great place to have as a staple restaurant for your daily dining pleasure and to catch up with friends and family. The prices are amazingly reasonable for the quality of food you get. All of my guests to the Bay Area begin their stay with a good meal at Chow. It definitely sets them up for an enjoyable time in the Bay 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/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 Chow:\u003c/strong> Thursday, December 29, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We arrived at the restaurant at about 7:00pm and were seated immediately. We could have sat at the entrance, which is a long and narrow area with tables, or at the wood paneled bar on bar stools on the opposite side. We chose a small table in the back of the restaurant in the main dining room in a corner where it was warm and felt cozier. The weather was miserable, cold, and rainy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The interior had warm wood floors, square and round wood tables, cafe chairs, a large bar area with a counter and bar stools, and wainscoting throughout the restaurant. The walls were painted a medium shade of green, giving it an easy surface for the contemporary art that was vibrant and fun. The paintings were in the figurative style with scenes of everyday life. They were fun to look at and added to the energy of the restaurant. The restaurant was bustling with the sounds of the patrons and the dull thumping of the disco music echoing out of their sound system. It seems that 80s music is back in vogue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Water was brought to our table immediately with rolled silverware and napkin that was placed in a tin can by a bus person. Our waiter came by shortly thereafter, asking us if we wanted to order some wine. We decided to pick something from their wine-by-the-glass menu. After a brief conversation with the waiter we decided on two glasses of white wine. The Hitaire, a French Sauvignon Blanc, was crisp and dry. I think it had a bit of a peppery flavor. The Marasanne/Viognier, a medium-bodied Chardonnay-style wine, had a rounded and citrusy quality to it. They were tasty wines and complemented our food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We ordered a salad of red beets, arugula, and orange that was lightly dressed and had a very mild peppery taste. The salad came with toast with a goat cheese spread. Altogether a great combination, the richness of the goat cheese with the clean taste of the salad. The Brussels sprouts soup made in a cream sauce with a hint of lemon was yummy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The main course was the special of grilled ono, mashed potatoes, and a Brussels sprouts-apple confit of sorts. The fish was just a tad over-cooked, but still moist and flaky. Mashed potatoes were creamy, and the confit crispy and crunchy. The fish was a substantial piece that I couldn’t finish and opted to take home. The cheese lasagna was excellent but not what I expected. The noodles tasted like homemade pasta. They were large folded sheets filled with cheese and topped with a light and tasty tomato sauce. Not the usual heavy lasagna. Light and somewhat delicate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We shared a warm chocolate cake with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. The cake was light and fluffy. A great dessert to complete our meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had a great overall experience at Chow. The staff was friendly and attentive, the food had a homemade quality with the freshest ingredients, and the atmosphere was lively and buzzing with excitement. The noise level was high and made it difficult to talk later in the evening when the restaurant was packed. That wouldn’t stop me from going back or recommending it to my friends. When life gets boring better get going to Chow….\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 Chow:\u003c/strong> Saturday, January 7, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I believe that Chow is the kind of restaurant that has that \u003ci>Cheers\u003c/i> kind of feeling. You know, “Everybody knows your name!” If I were a local, I imagine that I could feel right at home as the atmosphere is very relaxed and the bill of fare is hearty! But the fact is, I’m not a local and while this restaurant is good, East Bay residents may only want to venture to it because they’re in the area — they should not go out of their way to venture to this San Francisco eating establishment. Chow serves up an eclectic assortment of food at reasonable prices considering the portions. Everything from pizza, salad, sandwiches, and a variety of noodles seems to set Chow apart from your run-of-the-mill, moderately-priced eatery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the verdict is still out on Chow, at least for me. While my eight-year-old, Joshua, loved the experience (how often do you get to ride with Dad on the BART and go to a restaurant you’ve never been to and eat food very appealing to you?), my meal was good but not very memorable. I enjoyed the fact that I saw a wide variety of people at Chow. Twenty, thirty, forty, even fifty-something people sat at the tables and engaged in heavy conversation along with the meal. This made for a loud atmosphere…so loud in fact, that I couldn’t tell if the television which sits atop the bar area was even on! Add to that the uncomfortable seating, and the mediocre service I received and I’m left with very mixed feelings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Truth is I want to like Chow. And I’m convinced that if I lived closer I probably would grow to love this establishment. But this is a place I would not go out of the way to eat at. That alone doesn’t make Chow a bad place, just not an outstanding place. And I must admit that being able to purchase a meal under ten dollars (just barely) and walk away feeling content is worth the price of admission. There are one too many places where you pay for a meal and wonder what you paid for. That’s not the Chow experience. The next time I’m in the area I’ll need to give it the acid test: my wife’s opinion! We enjoy going to the city and should she give it the green light for a try, then I’m sure we’ll be back…and not alone, but with an army of hungry East Bay folks who we call friends!\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chow: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=83\">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>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chow16.jpg\" alt=\"Chow\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chow19.jpg\" alt=\"Chow\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chow13.jpg\" alt=\"Chow\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nCheese Lasagna; Grilled Chicken with Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, and Cranberry Compote; Ginger Spice Cake with Pumpkin Ice 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/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 Chow:\u003c/strong> Friday, January 6, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chow is a bustling neighborhood restaurant nestled in a small row of local stores at the beginning of the Castro district in San Francisco. As soon as you enter into the restaurant, you have a feeling of belonging. The host or hostess greets you with a warm smile. The wait time for a table is no more than 15 – 20 minutes and the host or hostess is more than happy to allow you to shop at the stores next door and will come and get you when your table is ready. Two large window tables in the front of the restaurant entice walking traffic to enter and enjoy a well-prepared meal with friends from the neighborhood. Once seated, you can peruse the eclectic artwork on the walls from local artists while listening to 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s era music. The atmosphere is warm, cozy, relaxing, and definitely not pretentious. The servers are prompt in getting drink orders and allow you enough time to review the menu’s wide range of American, Italian, and Asian dishes that include: daily sandwiches, starters, salads, pastas, noodles, wood-baked entrees, and grilled and roasted meats. The wine and beer lists are large enough to feature local wineries and breweries without overwhelming you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I came with friends and family, and we ordered the nacho platter and dumplings to start. The dumplings were perfectly tender and the flavor of the pork stuffing was not overdone. The soy sauce dressing nicely complemented the dumplings and brought out the flavor of the pork stuffing. The nachos were unique in that the chips were dipped in a red enchilada-like sauce and then topped with black beans, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, tomatoes, lettuce, and red onions. I felt the sauce made the nachos a little soggy and the lettuce was a less flavorful iceberg variety. I ordered the chicken and mashed potatoes entrée. The chicken was grilled to perfection. The skin was perfectly crisp, yet the meat was tender and juicy. The thighbone was removed which made it easier to eat with a knife. The mashed potatoes were buttery and captured the chicken juices perfectly. The green beans were well cooked and maintained their crunch. The cranberry compote complemented the chicken nicely. For dessert, I had Chow’s famous ginger spice cake with pumpkin ice cream. This is a little taste of heaven! The cake is warmed in the oven and drizzled with a very light caramel sauce. The cake is very most and the spices and ginger are perfectly matched. The pumpkin ice cream brings out the flavor of the spice cake and is an amazing complement. This dessert is definitely one that you will have a hard time sharing with others. And don’t be surprised if you catch yourself licking the plate!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, Chow is a great place to have as a staple restaurant for your daily dining pleasure and to catch up with friends and family. The prices are amazingly reasonable for the quality of food you get. All of my guests to the Bay Area begin their stay with a good meal at Chow. It definitely sets them up for an enjoyable time in the Bay 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/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 Chow:\u003c/strong> Thursday, December 29, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We arrived at the restaurant at about 7:00pm and were seated immediately. We could have sat at the entrance, which is a long and narrow area with tables, or at the wood paneled bar on bar stools on the opposite side. We chose a small table in the back of the restaurant in the main dining room in a corner where it was warm and felt cozier. The weather was miserable, cold, and rainy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The interior had warm wood floors, square and round wood tables, cafe chairs, a large bar area with a counter and bar stools, and wainscoting throughout the restaurant. The walls were painted a medium shade of green, giving it an easy surface for the contemporary art that was vibrant and fun. The paintings were in the figurative style with scenes of everyday life. They were fun to look at and added to the energy of the restaurant. The restaurant was bustling with the sounds of the patrons and the dull thumping of the disco music echoing out of their sound system. It seems that 80s music is back in vogue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Water was brought to our table immediately with rolled silverware and napkin that was placed in a tin can by a bus person. Our waiter came by shortly thereafter, asking us if we wanted to order some wine. We decided to pick something from their wine-by-the-glass menu. After a brief conversation with the waiter we decided on two glasses of white wine. The Hitaire, a French Sauvignon Blanc, was crisp and dry. I think it had a bit of a peppery flavor. The Marasanne/Viognier, a medium-bodied Chardonnay-style wine, had a rounded and citrusy quality to it. They were tasty wines and complemented our food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We ordered a salad of red beets, arugula, and orange that was lightly dressed and had a very mild peppery taste. The salad came with toast with a goat cheese spread. Altogether a great combination, the richness of the goat cheese with the clean taste of the salad. The Brussels sprouts soup made in a cream sauce with a hint of lemon was yummy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The main course was the special of grilled ono, mashed potatoes, and a Brussels sprouts-apple confit of sorts. The fish was just a tad over-cooked, but still moist and flaky. Mashed potatoes were creamy, and the confit crispy and crunchy. The fish was a substantial piece that I couldn’t finish and opted to take home. The cheese lasagna was excellent but not what I expected. The noodles tasted like homemade pasta. They were large folded sheets filled with cheese and topped with a light and tasty tomato sauce. Not the usual heavy lasagna. Light and somewhat delicate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We shared a warm chocolate cake with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. The cake was light and fluffy. A great dessert to complete our meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had a great overall experience at Chow. The staff was friendly and attentive, the food had a homemade quality with the freshest ingredients, and the atmosphere was lively and buzzing with excitement. The noise level was high and made it difficult to talk later in the evening when the restaurant was packed. That wouldn’t stop me from going back or recommending it to my friends. When life gets boring better get going to Chow….\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 Chow:\u003c/strong> Saturday, January 7, 2006\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I believe that Chow is the kind of restaurant that has that \u003ci>Cheers\u003c/i> kind of feeling. You know, “Everybody knows your name!” If I were a local, I imagine that I could feel right at home as the atmosphere is very relaxed and the bill of fare is hearty! But the fact is, I’m not a local and while this restaurant is good, East Bay residents may only want to venture to it because they’re in the area — they should not go out of their way to venture to this San Francisco eating establishment. Chow serves up an eclectic assortment of food at reasonable prices considering the portions. Everything from pizza, salad, sandwiches, and a variety of noodles seems to set Chow apart from your run-of-the-mill, moderately-priced eatery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the verdict is still out on Chow, at least for me. While my eight-year-old, Joshua, loved the experience (how often do you get to ride with Dad on the BART and go to a restaurant you’ve never been to and eat food very appealing to you?), my meal was good but not very memorable. I enjoyed the fact that I saw a wide variety of people at Chow. Twenty, thirty, forty, even fifty-something people sat at the tables and engaged in heavy conversation along with the meal. This made for a loud atmosphere…so loud in fact, that I couldn’t tell if the television which sits atop the bar area was even on! Add to that the uncomfortable seating, and the mediocre service I received and I’m left with very mixed feelings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Truth is I want to like Chow. And I’m convinced that if I lived closer I probably would grow to love this establishment. But this is a place I would not go out of the way to eat at. That alone doesn’t make Chow a bad place, just not an outstanding place. And I must admit that being able to purchase a meal under ten dollars (just barely) and walk away feeling content is worth the price of admission. There are one too many places where you pay for a meal and wonder what you paid for. That’s not the Chow experience. The next time I’m in the area I’ll need to give it the acid test: my wife’s opinion! We enjoy going to the city and should she give it the green light for a try, then I’m sure we’ll be back…and not alone, but with an army of hungry East Bay folks who we call friends!\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pisces: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=74\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/sets/72057594061883785/\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/pisces3.jpg\" alt=\"Pisces\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/pisces2.jpg\" alt=\"Pisces\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/pisces1.jpg\" alt=\"Pisces\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nRoasted Monkfish with Brandade Ravioli and Saffron Bouillon; Cabbage-Wrapped Steamed Salmon with Rock Shrimps in a Riesling Butter Sauce and Three Delicate Raviolis in a Light Broth; Molten Chocolate Cake with Coffee Ice 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/shelley.jpg\" alt=\"Shelley\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Shelley\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Homemaker, volunteer, former marketing executive\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Pisces\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Pisces:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, December 6, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My husband and I met friends from the South Bay at Pisces because it was the perfect “half-way point,” but we enjoyed it so much we returned soon after. We hadn’t been back, though, and since we heard there’d been changes, were happy to have a reason to return.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We walk to many restaurants in the city so we’re spoiled, but the drive to Burlingame was easy. You can see the bright blue neon fish that marks Pisces the moment you leave the freeway, and it puts you in a mood for fun. We also loved the fish drawing on the sidewalk at the entrance and mysterious shimmering fish chasing one another’s tail around it in a circle of light. The place was hopping, and we had to circumvent the knot of people at the jammed bar right near the entrance. For those of us who love rail travel in Europe and elsewhere, it gave us the same buzz of expectation you feel as you walk to your place in the dining car. You’re off on a travel or, in this case, culinary adventure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pisces is in an old railway depot. The room is simple and tasteful, almost as streamlined as the TGV or the Japanese shinkansen with white tablecloths on two rows of tables down the long sides. It’s filled with windows on either side with a mix of interesting, subdued oil painting, framed posters, and fabulous floral arrangements punctuating the room here and there in warm rich colors that set off the cool beige walls. Best of all are the wood planked benches along one side, filled now with diners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the impatience waiting commuters must have felt, there’s no sense of urgency here and we had plenty of time to consider the mostly seafood menu. Seafood is a healthy alternative and we liked the fact that the dishes are creative, combining favorite fish like salmon and more unusual, difficult fish to prepare — like skate and monkfish — with interesting touches. It took us a while to decide since we wanted to taste as many dishes as possible and everything sounded wonderful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fritto misto was served in an unusual, asymmetric white bowl. The sunchoke and black trumpet mushroom soup, irresistible because we don’t see it often, was well worth the try, and the crab cakes were classic and satisfying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another “fun” point: Suddenly a commuter train roars by the window in a blur of light. Not too often. Only two fast ones and one slow one while we were there, but it makes you remember where you are and the clever adaptive use of a commonplace space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our main courses were beautifully presented, and portions were satisfying without overwhelming. The steamed clams were made hearty and filling with the addition of savory chorizo and the texture enhanced with pieces of grilled bread. The bread, by the way, was served warm and crunchy which is a plus in any restaurant. The guest who chose the cabbage-wrapped steamed salmon was amazed at its artistry and remarked that it must have taken someone a long time to prepare. The roasted monkfish was served in a saffron bouillon, which gave the meaty fish an exotic “kick,” and the skate, quite hard to cook right, was very palatable. By the time we had finished entrees and the sautéed Broccolini and green bean sides, we had little room for dessert. We shared a heavenly molten chocolate cake with subtle coffee ice cream and caramel, so meltingly good it made us wish we had saved more room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The selective wine list leans toward whites, as would be expected, and towards California wine in general, but our Valange Pouilly Fuisse was the perfect enhancement to dinner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neither fusion or small plates, boringly basic or “over the top,” Pisces is serious about trying creative preparations with new ingredients that still “work” and could become new classics. Whether you can walk there, take the freeway or the train, or hop a flying fish, it’s worth a try. How soon will we be back? For lazy “city folk” like us, only our horoscope knows for sure.\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/tova.jpg\" alt=\"Tova\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Tova\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Inside Sales Representative\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Anh Hong\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Pisces:\u003c/strong> Thursday, December 8, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the appetizer, we all split the ahi tuna tartar with chive flowers. It came with two small pieces of toasted bread about 3-inches long and about 1/16-inch thick. The tuna had too much pepper in it, I thought. I asked for more of the toast points and they gladly brought more out. That was $14 and had about two tablespoons of ahi. Then one of us had the romaine salad for $9. There were about eight small leaves of romaine from the heart, and it had about a tablespoon of crumbled blue cheese on it. We were a little surprised at how meager it looked. However, the taste of the dressing was good because they crushed the blue cheese in with the dressing, so the cheese was an integral part of the dressing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two of us ordered the roasted monkfish with brandade ravioli in a light, clear saffron broth ($20), and the other had the cabbage-wrapped steamed salmon with rock shrimps in a Riesling butter sauce. The monkfish was dry and hard and flavorless. Chez Michel (now Gary Danko’s) had that down, and it was the poor man’s lobster there. This was a thin piece, which was way overcooked with some paprika on the outside of it to give it color, and it was on top of three delicate raviolis and then in the light broth. The raviolis were good. The fish I did not finish. My friend Lilli, who had the salmon, thought it was overcooked, but I thought it was perfectly cooked. It’s strange because it’s a block of salmon, which was then cut into three pieces, so it’s difficult to not have the edges a little more well done than the center. It was odd though, because I did not see any rock shrimp on the plate. It was like three blocks of salmon about 2-inches long and 1-inch thick with a thin piece of steamed cabbage on the outside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We ordered two side dishes, the Broccolini with garlic ($5) and the frites ($5). The Broccolini was only about one cup though — very, very small portion. It was almost a joke when they brought it out. You could finish it in four bites. The frites were good, but again, small in size. They filled a small 12-oz parfait glass and did not go past the top. We tried to order more and they told us they were out of them at 8:30PM.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had a glass of Zinfandel, which was $9 a glass — it was pretty good. I also had a Grey Goose Orange martini with Cointreau and cranberry. That was served up in a chilled martini glass and was $7.75. It was delish. I thought it was great that they were willing to give us a taste of the wine before we ordered the glass. However, their selections of wine by the bottle were outrageous and were three times the cost of the wine if you purchased it outside at a store. At most places it’s double, but this was triple. For instance, a bottle that would normally cost $19 at Whole Foods was $69. Imagine what our bill would have been if we had a bottle of wine and not just the glass of wine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I rate the portion size as “good,” not “excellent,” because I think the Brocollini and frites serving should have been larger. The monkfish was so bad, I didn’t even finish all of it. The salmon was just those three blocks and it looked awkward on the plate. The tuna tartare and salad were also quite small. I mean, for $9, a salad should be more than eight small hearts of romaine leaves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We discussed the quality of the food at the table. We all concurred and gave them a rating of five out of ten. It just wasn’t great. Now, if I worked at a company near the restaurant and had corporate guests, I guess it’s okay if you know what to order. But when city folk come ‘a knockin,’ you better make it right. If Jean-Claude from Aqua Dev. knew that the monkfish was so horrific, he’d be down there for two weeks riding their ass. I might tell him after the show airs. It was absolutely horrific and dry. Frozen fish sticks have a lighter consistency and more flavor than that fish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The service was only poor/fair. I sat at the bar waiting for my friends who were twenty minutes late ’cause the baby threw up on my friend and all over himself. It took the bartender fifteen minutes to acknowledge me. He was swamped and the only bartender for the restaurant. However, as soon as my friends arrived, they gave us the table straight away. The bartender was our waiter because they were short-staffed. The drinks were brought to the table in five minutes, which was good. The appetizers came in ten minutes. Bread came right away and there was good butter, by the way! The entrees, however, took another forty minutes to come out. We were stunned at how long it took the kitchen to do that. I think they must have cooked our monkfish, kept it under the lights for warmth, and then cooked the salmon, and that’s why the monkfish was so damn overcooked and tough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In terms of the décor, it’s an interesting little space with creativity in the use of space. It’s right by the train tracks, so it gives you the feeling that you are in a train station going somewhere. The light wood and other colors work well with the velvet curtains. It’s got some wall booth type of seating along the side of the wall, which were comfortable. However, it’s directly next to the train tracks and the noise is loud because of the ceiling height.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In conclusion, I won’t go back there. Like I said before, if you have the company paying for it, and if you were in Topeka, KS, and it’s the only game in town, you’d be thrilled to find this place. But when you have the selection of restaurants in the Bay Area like we have, I say go elsewhere. Shoot, I go to Aqua on California all the time and it’s consistent as can be! Same prices too!\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/gregory.jpg\" alt=\"Gregory\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Gregory\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Insurance Agent\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Berkeley\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Aziza\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Pisces:\u003c/strong> Saturday, December 3, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area has many great restaurants and Pisces in not one of them. It’s not that the food is bad; it just isn’t very good. It’s expensive and there isn’t a whole lot of it. Some of the dishes had good qualities, but not a single dish was great.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tuna Tartar had a lovely, melt in your mouth texture that was almost creamy and contrasted well with the crunchy crostini. The tuna itself was bland and boring and could have used something (a pinch of salt, a kick of spice) to bring out the flavor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sturgeon had a pleasant, firm texture and a subtle smokey flavor. This was the most well prepared dish I had. Still, there was no wow moment, no revelation, no culinary epiphany. This was high point of the evening, and it was merely passable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Skate Wings had tender, flakey flesh with a well-browned crust. Yet the Grenobloise sauce disguised the flavor of the fish. The chef used far too many capers, which overwhelmed the dish with an extremely strong sour taste.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roasted Winter Vegetables were awful. A tiny portion of overcooked, over seasoned veggies. These are vegetables for people who don’t like vegetables. As one who loves vegetables, I found them limp and tasteless. At a restaurant of this price range, located in the produce Mecca that is California, serving vegetables like these is inexcusable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Décor was simple: beige, long and narrow. There was a subtle maritime theme; the lights were reminiscent of kelp and the interior reminded me of a boat. The atmosphere was somewhere in limbo between coffee shop and Gary Danko. I didn’t feel transported or relaxed like I do at other restaurants. Tablecloths were covered in paper. Nice walls, beige hotel-like carpeting. Attentive service combined with the oblivion of a coffee shop waitress. Some folks were in evening gowns and suits, while others were in jeans. Ultimately, it’s pretty boring and run-of-the-mil. It was nothing special, but not uncomfortable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Service was extremely attentive. In fact, it was too attentive and crossed the line into intrusive. I don’t need to be asked how my meal is three times, by server, busser and manager, all while I’m trying to eat. I don’t need to be asked if I want another drink three times either. Good service predicts your needs without intruding on your meal. Instead, we got attentive service with the oblivion of a coffee shop waitress. For a restaurant in this price range, the performance was amateurish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I have no qualms about spending $100 on dinner for two. I love food and I adore a good restaurant. Yet there are so many restaurants in the Bay Area that are superior to Pisces; restaurants that are not hanging on the coattails of a parent restaurant conglomerate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The dishes at Pisces were at best, passable and at worst, laughable. Pisces may get by in Burlingame, but it would not last a week in the city. Any true Bay Area foodie will be disappointed with the food, amused by the service, and outraged when the bill arrives.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n1190 California Drive (at Broadway)\r\nBurlingame, CA 94010\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 650-401-7500\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.piscesrestaurant.com\">www.piscesrestaurant.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Type of Cuisine:\u003c/strong> California Seafood Cuisine with French Influence and a Mediterranean Touch\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2005",
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"description": "Location:\r\n1190 California Drive (at Broadway)\r\nBurlingame, CA 94010\r\nPhone: 650-401-7500\r\nWebsite: www.piscesrestaurant.com\r\nType of Cuisine: California Seafood Cuisine with French Influence and a Mediterranean Touch\r\nReviewed: Winter 2005",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pisces: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=74\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/sets/72057594061883785/\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/pisces3.jpg\" alt=\"Pisces\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/pisces2.jpg\" alt=\"Pisces\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/pisces1.jpg\" alt=\"Pisces\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nRoasted Monkfish with Brandade Ravioli and Saffron Bouillon; Cabbage-Wrapped Steamed Salmon with Rock Shrimps in a Riesling Butter Sauce and Three Delicate Raviolis in a Light Broth; Molten Chocolate Cake with Coffee Ice 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/shelley.jpg\" alt=\"Shelley\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Shelley\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Homemaker, volunteer, former marketing executive\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Pisces\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Pisces:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, December 6, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My husband and I met friends from the South Bay at Pisces because it was the perfect “half-way point,” but we enjoyed it so much we returned soon after. We hadn’t been back, though, and since we heard there’d been changes, were happy to have a reason to return.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We walk to many restaurants in the city so we’re spoiled, but the drive to Burlingame was easy. You can see the bright blue neon fish that marks Pisces the moment you leave the freeway, and it puts you in a mood for fun. We also loved the fish drawing on the sidewalk at the entrance and mysterious shimmering fish chasing one another’s tail around it in a circle of light. The place was hopping, and we had to circumvent the knot of people at the jammed bar right near the entrance. For those of us who love rail travel in Europe and elsewhere, it gave us the same buzz of expectation you feel as you walk to your place in the dining car. You’re off on a travel or, in this case, culinary adventure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pisces is in an old railway depot. The room is simple and tasteful, almost as streamlined as the TGV or the Japanese shinkansen with white tablecloths on two rows of tables down the long sides. It’s filled with windows on either side with a mix of interesting, subdued oil painting, framed posters, and fabulous floral arrangements punctuating the room here and there in warm rich colors that set off the cool beige walls. Best of all are the wood planked benches along one side, filled now with diners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the impatience waiting commuters must have felt, there’s no sense of urgency here and we had plenty of time to consider the mostly seafood menu. Seafood is a healthy alternative and we liked the fact that the dishes are creative, combining favorite fish like salmon and more unusual, difficult fish to prepare — like skate and monkfish — with interesting touches. It took us a while to decide since we wanted to taste as many dishes as possible and everything sounded wonderful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fritto misto was served in an unusual, asymmetric white bowl. The sunchoke and black trumpet mushroom soup, irresistible because we don’t see it often, was well worth the try, and the crab cakes were classic and satisfying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another “fun” point: Suddenly a commuter train roars by the window in a blur of light. Not too often. Only two fast ones and one slow one while we were there, but it makes you remember where you are and the clever adaptive use of a commonplace space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our main courses were beautifully presented, and portions were satisfying without overwhelming. The steamed clams were made hearty and filling with the addition of savory chorizo and the texture enhanced with pieces of grilled bread. The bread, by the way, was served warm and crunchy which is a plus in any restaurant. The guest who chose the cabbage-wrapped steamed salmon was amazed at its artistry and remarked that it must have taken someone a long time to prepare. The roasted monkfish was served in a saffron bouillon, which gave the meaty fish an exotic “kick,” and the skate, quite hard to cook right, was very palatable. By the time we had finished entrees and the sautéed Broccolini and green bean sides, we had little room for dessert. We shared a heavenly molten chocolate cake with subtle coffee ice cream and caramel, so meltingly good it made us wish we had saved more room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The selective wine list leans toward whites, as would be expected, and towards California wine in general, but our Valange Pouilly Fuisse was the perfect enhancement to dinner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neither fusion or small plates, boringly basic or “over the top,” Pisces is serious about trying creative preparations with new ingredients that still “work” and could become new classics. Whether you can walk there, take the freeway or the train, or hop a flying fish, it’s worth a try. How soon will we be back? For lazy “city folk” like us, only our horoscope knows for sure.\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/tova.jpg\" alt=\"Tova\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Tova\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Inside Sales Representative\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Anh Hong\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Pisces:\u003c/strong> Thursday, December 8, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the appetizer, we all split the ahi tuna tartar with chive flowers. It came with two small pieces of toasted bread about 3-inches long and about 1/16-inch thick. The tuna had too much pepper in it, I thought. I asked for more of the toast points and they gladly brought more out. That was $14 and had about two tablespoons of ahi. Then one of us had the romaine salad for $9. There were about eight small leaves of romaine from the heart, and it had about a tablespoon of crumbled blue cheese on it. We were a little surprised at how meager it looked. However, the taste of the dressing was good because they crushed the blue cheese in with the dressing, so the cheese was an integral part of the dressing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two of us ordered the roasted monkfish with brandade ravioli in a light, clear saffron broth ($20), and the other had the cabbage-wrapped steamed salmon with rock shrimps in a Riesling butter sauce. The monkfish was dry and hard and flavorless. Chez Michel (now Gary Danko’s) had that down, and it was the poor man’s lobster there. This was a thin piece, which was way overcooked with some paprika on the outside of it to give it color, and it was on top of three delicate raviolis and then in the light broth. The raviolis were good. The fish I did not finish. My friend Lilli, who had the salmon, thought it was overcooked, but I thought it was perfectly cooked. It’s strange because it’s a block of salmon, which was then cut into three pieces, so it’s difficult to not have the edges a little more well done than the center. It was odd though, because I did not see any rock shrimp on the plate. It was like three blocks of salmon about 2-inches long and 1-inch thick with a thin piece of steamed cabbage on the outside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We ordered two side dishes, the Broccolini with garlic ($5) and the frites ($5). The Broccolini was only about one cup though — very, very small portion. It was almost a joke when they brought it out. You could finish it in four bites. The frites were good, but again, small in size. They filled a small 12-oz parfait glass and did not go past the top. We tried to order more and they told us they were out of them at 8:30PM.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had a glass of Zinfandel, which was $9 a glass — it was pretty good. I also had a Grey Goose Orange martini with Cointreau and cranberry. That was served up in a chilled martini glass and was $7.75. It was delish. I thought it was great that they were willing to give us a taste of the wine before we ordered the glass. However, their selections of wine by the bottle were outrageous and were three times the cost of the wine if you purchased it outside at a store. At most places it’s double, but this was triple. For instance, a bottle that would normally cost $19 at Whole Foods was $69. Imagine what our bill would have been if we had a bottle of wine and not just the glass of wine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I rate the portion size as “good,” not “excellent,” because I think the Brocollini and frites serving should have been larger. The monkfish was so bad, I didn’t even finish all of it. The salmon was just those three blocks and it looked awkward on the plate. The tuna tartare and salad were also quite small. I mean, for $9, a salad should be more than eight small hearts of romaine leaves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We discussed the quality of the food at the table. We all concurred and gave them a rating of five out of ten. It just wasn’t great. Now, if I worked at a company near the restaurant and had corporate guests, I guess it’s okay if you know what to order. But when city folk come ‘a knockin,’ you better make it right. If Jean-Claude from Aqua Dev. knew that the monkfish was so horrific, he’d be down there for two weeks riding their ass. I might tell him after the show airs. It was absolutely horrific and dry. Frozen fish sticks have a lighter consistency and more flavor than that fish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The service was only poor/fair. I sat at the bar waiting for my friends who were twenty minutes late ’cause the baby threw up on my friend and all over himself. It took the bartender fifteen minutes to acknowledge me. He was swamped and the only bartender for the restaurant. However, as soon as my friends arrived, they gave us the table straight away. The bartender was our waiter because they were short-staffed. The drinks were brought to the table in five minutes, which was good. The appetizers came in ten minutes. Bread came right away and there was good butter, by the way! The entrees, however, took another forty minutes to come out. We were stunned at how long it took the kitchen to do that. I think they must have cooked our monkfish, kept it under the lights for warmth, and then cooked the salmon, and that’s why the monkfish was so damn overcooked and tough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In terms of the décor, it’s an interesting little space with creativity in the use of space. It’s right by the train tracks, so it gives you the feeling that you are in a train station going somewhere. The light wood and other colors work well with the velvet curtains. It’s got some wall booth type of seating along the side of the wall, which were comfortable. However, it’s directly next to the train tracks and the noise is loud because of the ceiling height.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In conclusion, I won’t go back there. Like I said before, if you have the company paying for it, and if you were in Topeka, KS, and it’s the only game in town, you’d be thrilled to find this place. But when you have the selection of restaurants in the Bay Area like we have, I say go elsewhere. Shoot, I go to Aqua on California all the time and it’s consistent as can be! Same prices too!\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/gregory.jpg\" alt=\"Gregory\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Gregory\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Insurance Agent\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Berkeley\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Aziza\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Pisces:\u003c/strong> Saturday, December 3, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area has many great restaurants and Pisces in not one of them. It’s not that the food is bad; it just isn’t very good. It’s expensive and there isn’t a whole lot of it. Some of the dishes had good qualities, but not a single dish was great.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tuna Tartar had a lovely, melt in your mouth texture that was almost creamy and contrasted well with the crunchy crostini. The tuna itself was bland and boring and could have used something (a pinch of salt, a kick of spice) to bring out the flavor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sturgeon had a pleasant, firm texture and a subtle smokey flavor. This was the most well prepared dish I had. Still, there was no wow moment, no revelation, no culinary epiphany. This was high point of the evening, and it was merely passable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Skate Wings had tender, flakey flesh with a well-browned crust. Yet the Grenobloise sauce disguised the flavor of the fish. The chef used far too many capers, which overwhelmed the dish with an extremely strong sour taste.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roasted Winter Vegetables were awful. A tiny portion of overcooked, over seasoned veggies. These are vegetables for people who don’t like vegetables. As one who loves vegetables, I found them limp and tasteless. At a restaurant of this price range, located in the produce Mecca that is California, serving vegetables like these is inexcusable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Décor was simple: beige, long and narrow. There was a subtle maritime theme; the lights were reminiscent of kelp and the interior reminded me of a boat. The atmosphere was somewhere in limbo between coffee shop and Gary Danko. I didn’t feel transported or relaxed like I do at other restaurants. Tablecloths were covered in paper. Nice walls, beige hotel-like carpeting. Attentive service combined with the oblivion of a coffee shop waitress. Some folks were in evening gowns and suits, while others were in jeans. Ultimately, it’s pretty boring and run-of-the-mil. It was nothing special, but not uncomfortable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Service was extremely attentive. In fact, it was too attentive and crossed the line into intrusive. I don’t need to be asked how my meal is three times, by server, busser and manager, all while I’m trying to eat. I don’t need to be asked if I want another drink three times either. Good service predicts your needs without intruding on your meal. Instead, we got attentive service with the oblivion of a coffee shop waitress. For a restaurant in this price range, the performance was amateurish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I have no qualms about spending $100 on dinner for two. I love food and I adore a good restaurant. Yet there are so many restaurants in the Bay Area that are superior to Pisces; restaurants that are not hanging on the coattails of a parent restaurant conglomerate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The dishes at Pisces were at best, passable and at worst, laughable. Pisces may get by in Burlingame, but it would not last a week in the city. Any true Bay Area foodie will be disappointed with the food, amused by the service, and outraged when the bill arrives.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anh Hong: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=75\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/sets/72057594061883785/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/anhhong7.jpg\" alt=\"Anh Hong\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/anhhong6.jpg\" alt=\"Anh Hong\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/anhhong10.jpg\" alt=\"Anh Hong\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nCold Shrimp Rolls with Noodles; From the 7 Courses of Beef: thin slices of beautiful red beef ready to dip in hot vinegar with rice cakes and fresh greens; Imperial Rolls\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/tova.jpg\" alt=\"Tova\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Tova\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Inside Sales Representative\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Anh Hong\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Anh Hong:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, November 15, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For appetizers, we had Cha Gio Anh Hong (Imperial rolls) for $8.95, the special shrimp and beef salad (comprised of green papaya, cilantro, shrimp, and special vinegar-marinated beef) for $9.50, Coi Cuon (fresh, cold Imperial rolls with shrimp, pork, vermicelli, and vegetables), for $5.50. For main courses, we had Thit Banh Hoi (BBQ pork with rice cake) for $9.95, Ga Nuong Banh Hoi (BBQ chicken with rice cake) for $9.95, and Tom Va Muc Nuong Vi (shrimp and squid marinated in lemon grass) for $17.95. For a side dish we had fresh greens, lettuces, carrots, sprouts, and fish sauce. There are also the rice papers that are given to you with a bowl of hot water. Dip them with your chopsticks in the hot water for about a minute and a half. They will become soft, and then you put your stuff, like the rice cake, pork, carrots, and greens, inside the softened rice paper. Then, you wrap it up and dip it in the fish sauce. You can also take the Imperial rolls (Cha Gio Anh Hong) and wrap them in lettuce and the herbs/sprouts/carrots and dip them in the fish sauce as well. You can have as many of those greens as you want. One of them is an herb, but I don’t know what it’s called. All the dishes we ordered were excellent and the portion size is huge!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The flavor of the food is intense and unique at Anh Hong. The Cha Gio is authentic and small like it should be. Many places like Tu Lan make them big to save time. You can tell that the oil they are fried in is clean, unlike at Tu Lan. Mostly, I like the food because it’s marinated and fresh. The pork has that spice in it that makes you crave it in the future. I think about it and go, “yummmy!” because it’s marinated and then grilled over a fire. Same with the chicken. The shrimp and squid marinated in lemongrass is grilled in front of you on a skillet type of thing. That dish should be heated a little more before it’s brought to the table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For beverages, their house red is a Mondavi and costs $3.50 a glass or $20.00 for the bottle. You can also bring your own wine and pay a $5 corkage fee. Hey, with $20 bucks for a bottle of Mondavi wine, what do you think? That corkage is the best in town. The white wine isn’t to my liking as it’s a Chablis. Stick with the red. They also serve 33, the Vietnamese beer, for $3.50.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The wait staff doesn’t speak English well, if at all. Sometimes you have to get someone else to describe what you want. They know me in there, so my service is pretty consistent, but you must be patient — it’s not Chevy’s or McDonalds. It’s ethnic dining and along with that comes the needed patience. The restaurant is brightly lit and starkly decorated. If they upgraded the decor it would be nice, but at least they have tablecloths. The tablecloths are nice, but it’s not like cushy romantic dining. However, something about it makes me feel cozy. It’s a good place to go for good, authentic food. Most of the patrons are Vietnamese families and you rarely see another ethnicity in the restaurant. Because large families go there, it can be noisy. I always feel comfortable at Anh Hong, although I don’t like sitting by the fish tank because I have a fish tank and feel badly about the fish that are about to be eaten.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anh Hong has excellent value for the food. I had a party of eleven for my birthday and my dinner was free. Everyone had lots to eat and drink. There was food left on the table. The cost for that, including tip was $20 per person.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a pretty short wait for a table. Pick a table, any table! Well, get there no later than 6:30 or arrive after 8:30. Otherwise you might have a wait. It’s packed every night. You get your beverage and then the food is prepared and served to you. Because the slices of pork and chicken are thin and flavorful, they are cooked quickly.\u003cbr>\nI would recommend Anh Hong to friends, in fact, I always take my out of town friends there. Personally, I go at least once a month.\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/gregory.jpg\" alt=\"Gregory\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Gregory\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Insurance Agent\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Berkeley\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Aziza\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Anh Hong:\u003c/strong> Sunday, December 4, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I should start this by stating that I never eat cheap food. Not ever. I buy all of my produce at the Farmers’ Market. All of my meats are naturally raised, preferably grass-fed. I would rather spend more money on superior ingredients and I’ve pretty much given up on the idea of finding cheap eats that meet my standards. So, it was with a fair degree of trepidation that I entered Anh Hong.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve had very little exposure to Vietnamese foods, but I like many of the cuisine’s principles. I like the abundant use of greens, herbs and veggies. However, none of the greens or veggies were high quality or fresh. The mung bean sprouts were wilted, as were most of the greens. The veggies were limp. So, although I liked the principles, Anh Hong just didn’t deliver quality goods. One of my dining companions is Vietnamese, and she felt that the whole meal was entirely average.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most of the meat was bad: tough, chewy, and flavorless. The one meat dish I kind of liked was the house made sausages; at least those had a nice flavor to them. I did enjoy cooking stuff at the table. That’s a fun experience that you don’t get at most restaurants, although the end result didn’t taste very good. What can I say? I usually eat good steaks, lamb chops, grass-fed beef I buy directly from the rancher, etc. My standards are just too high to enjoy this kind of crap (and yes, it is crap. All feedlot beef is crap.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Service was nonexistent. I am usually extremely tolerant and patient when it comes to service, and I was with two friends who work as waiters and have much empathy for their peers, but this was ridiculous. It was impossible to find a waiter to get a clean plate, refill your water, or bring you another drink. My friend ordered a beer halfway through the meal and it was brought forty minutes later, after we had finished eating. We were lucky to arrive early so that we were able to order before the waiters disappeared. A table near us was not so lucky: after twenty minutes of trying to hail a waiter (the woman was literally standing up and waving) they walked out without paying. We were tempted to do the same when it took them thirty minutes (no exaggeration) to bring our check!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Portions were enormous and we couldn’t finish our meal. One 7 Courses of Beef meal is far too much for any person with a normal appetite. I would have rather paid more for less food if the quality was higher.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was kind of surprised that I was sent to a chain restaurant. This was the first chain restaurant I’ve been to in ages. Anh Hong has five locations throughout California, it is hardly a mom and pop. The service and food quality reflected that sort of apathy you get from small chains. There are a ton of family-run Vietnamese restaurants in the Tenderloin that I would have rather patronized, ethically speaking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the end, the food wasn’t even very cheap; $100 for four people. I can get naturally-raised, fresh beef for less than $25 per person, just not seven courses of it. We did order a lot, but I think a person would be hard pressed to spend less than $20 per person there. Poor service, poor food, yet the price is still steep. Forget it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I will not return to Anh Hong and I will not send my friends there. I would be interested in a Cal-Vietnamese fusion restaurant that uses high quality ingredients. 7 Courses of Kobe Beef is much more my style.\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/shelley.jpg\" alt=\"Shelley\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Shelley\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Homemaker, volunteer, former marketing executive\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Pisces\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Anh Hong:\u003c/strong> Sunday, December 11, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s probably not an over-generalization to say that Asian restaurants are best enjoyed in large groups. With that in mind, I invited a few of my sister docents-in-training from the Asian Art Museum. They all accepted and brought their spouses, so seventeen of us met on a Sunday night at two large round tables — great for conversation but not a group as large as ours — and had a rollicking good time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I can’t say Anh Hong has either decor or atmosphere. It has tables, chairs, a ceiling and floor, even tablecloths, chopsticks, and, if necessary, silverware. It has a huge open kitchen in one corner, big family groups at other large round tables, crying babies, waiters hustling to deliver hot dishes of food and clear away tables with the efficiency and regularity of the Hong Kong Star Ferry, and a large storefront window looking outside at one of San Francisco’s more shameful war zone-like street scenes. And Anh Hong has great Vietnamese food and lots of it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I thought we’d get to taste almost everything, but my Vietnamese friend, who agreed to lead us through the menu, opted for Anh Hong’s specialty, a seven-course beef dinner. We insisted on a few extras and chose Vietnamese spring rolls, which we all tried to wrap in the abundant long, crisp romaine leaves, stuffing them with wispy thin noodles, a few marinated veggies, and a douse of vinegar sauce. We failed the neatness test, but Anh Hong passed the “yum” test. We also had a crisp shrimp ball wrapped around a woody-looking sugar cane stick. Fortunately my mentor warned us not to eat the stick. Someone wondered why it is that most Asian cuisines require an instruction manual to enjoy properly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then beef course followed beef course. A wiry salad of green papaya, shredded carrot, green peppers, cucumbers and… “where’s the beef?” Tiny, marinated, stamp size pieces of pale white beef. But tasty, fresh, and delicious. We got lessons in how to dip the paper thin rice cakes into steaming water long enough to make them pliant enough to wrap everything and anything that might come our way, which turned out to be tissue-thin slices of beautiful red beef to dip in hot vinegar in a pot in the center and wrap in rice cakes with those ubiquitous fresh greens. We started too soon — our mentor warned us too late — and the vinegar didn’t really get hot until we were almost done. A kind of mellow fondue or shabu shabu, which, of all we tried, was the least unusual or tasty. Next, four interesting treatments: a spicy beef sausage, steamed beef paté, beef wrapped in a Hawaiian leaf, and thin slices of beef, rolled tightly and filled with pieces of green onion, all anointed with one of the hottest red chili sauces this side of Mexico. Our only beef was “too much beef.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of our group, as it turned out, is allergic to MSG, and the restaurant, for all its seeming impersonality, prepared an MSG menu for her which differed completely from ours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The meal ended with a congee-like beef and rice soup, tasty, warming but a little thin tasting. With three hours at table, seven beef dishes, an average of two bottles of beer each, and the prospect of a drive back to the East Bay for many, the evening ended with no rice, no tea, and no dessert, just seventeen satisfied happy people who, if the opportunity arises, will most certainly return.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>San Francisco Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n808 Geary Street (at Hyde Street)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94109\r\n\u003cstrong>Milpitas Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n233 West Calaveras Boulevard (at South Abel Street)\r\nMilpitas, CA 95035\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-885-5180 (San Francisco) 408-946-9046 (Milpitas)\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.anhhong.com/\">www.anhhong.com\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.123sauce.com/\">www.123sauce.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Type of Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Vietnamese\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2005",
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"description": "San Francisco Location:\r\n808 Geary Street (at Hyde Street)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94109\r\nMilpitas Location:\r\n233 West Calaveras Boulevard (at South Abel Street)\r\nMilpitas, CA 95035\r\nPhone: 415-885-5180 (San Francisco) 408-946-9046 (Milpitas)\r\nWebsite: www.anhhong.com or www.123sauce.com\r\nType of Cuisine: Vietnamese\r\nReviewed: Winter 2005",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anh Hong: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=75\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/sets/72057594061883785/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/anhhong7.jpg\" alt=\"Anh Hong\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/anhhong6.jpg\" alt=\"Anh Hong\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/anhhong10.jpg\" alt=\"Anh Hong\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nCold Shrimp Rolls with Noodles; From the 7 Courses of Beef: thin slices of beautiful red beef ready to dip in hot vinegar with rice cakes and fresh greens; Imperial Rolls\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/tova.jpg\" alt=\"Tova\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Tova\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Inside Sales Representative\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Anh Hong\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Anh Hong:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, November 15, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For appetizers, we had Cha Gio Anh Hong (Imperial rolls) for $8.95, the special shrimp and beef salad (comprised of green papaya, cilantro, shrimp, and special vinegar-marinated beef) for $9.50, Coi Cuon (fresh, cold Imperial rolls with shrimp, pork, vermicelli, and vegetables), for $5.50. For main courses, we had Thit Banh Hoi (BBQ pork with rice cake) for $9.95, Ga Nuong Banh Hoi (BBQ chicken with rice cake) for $9.95, and Tom Va Muc Nuong Vi (shrimp and squid marinated in lemon grass) for $17.95. For a side dish we had fresh greens, lettuces, carrots, sprouts, and fish sauce. There are also the rice papers that are given to you with a bowl of hot water. Dip them with your chopsticks in the hot water for about a minute and a half. They will become soft, and then you put your stuff, like the rice cake, pork, carrots, and greens, inside the softened rice paper. Then, you wrap it up and dip it in the fish sauce. You can also take the Imperial rolls (Cha Gio Anh Hong) and wrap them in lettuce and the herbs/sprouts/carrots and dip them in the fish sauce as well. You can have as many of those greens as you want. One of them is an herb, but I don’t know what it’s called. All the dishes we ordered were excellent and the portion size is huge!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The flavor of the food is intense and unique at Anh Hong. The Cha Gio is authentic and small like it should be. Many places like Tu Lan make them big to save time. You can tell that the oil they are fried in is clean, unlike at Tu Lan. Mostly, I like the food because it’s marinated and fresh. The pork has that spice in it that makes you crave it in the future. I think about it and go, “yummmy!” because it’s marinated and then grilled over a fire. Same with the chicken. The shrimp and squid marinated in lemongrass is grilled in front of you on a skillet type of thing. That dish should be heated a little more before it’s brought to the table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For beverages, their house red is a Mondavi and costs $3.50 a glass or $20.00 for the bottle. You can also bring your own wine and pay a $5 corkage fee. Hey, with $20 bucks for a bottle of Mondavi wine, what do you think? That corkage is the best in town. The white wine isn’t to my liking as it’s a Chablis. Stick with the red. They also serve 33, the Vietnamese beer, for $3.50.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The wait staff doesn’t speak English well, if at all. Sometimes you have to get someone else to describe what you want. They know me in there, so my service is pretty consistent, but you must be patient — it’s not Chevy’s or McDonalds. It’s ethnic dining and along with that comes the needed patience. The restaurant is brightly lit and starkly decorated. If they upgraded the decor it would be nice, but at least they have tablecloths. The tablecloths are nice, but it’s not like cushy romantic dining. However, something about it makes me feel cozy. It’s a good place to go for good, authentic food. Most of the patrons are Vietnamese families and you rarely see another ethnicity in the restaurant. Because large families go there, it can be noisy. I always feel comfortable at Anh Hong, although I don’t like sitting by the fish tank because I have a fish tank and feel badly about the fish that are about to be eaten.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anh Hong has excellent value for the food. I had a party of eleven for my birthday and my dinner was free. Everyone had lots to eat and drink. There was food left on the table. The cost for that, including tip was $20 per person.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a pretty short wait for a table. Pick a table, any table! Well, get there no later than 6:30 or arrive after 8:30. Otherwise you might have a wait. It’s packed every night. You get your beverage and then the food is prepared and served to you. Because the slices of pork and chicken are thin and flavorful, they are cooked quickly.\u003cbr>\nI would recommend Anh Hong to friends, in fact, I always take my out of town friends there. Personally, I go at least once a month.\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/gregory.jpg\" alt=\"Gregory\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Gregory\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Insurance Agent\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Berkeley\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Aziza\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Anh Hong:\u003c/strong> Sunday, December 4, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I should start this by stating that I never eat cheap food. Not ever. I buy all of my produce at the Farmers’ Market. All of my meats are naturally raised, preferably grass-fed. I would rather spend more money on superior ingredients and I’ve pretty much given up on the idea of finding cheap eats that meet my standards. So, it was with a fair degree of trepidation that I entered Anh Hong.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve had very little exposure to Vietnamese foods, but I like many of the cuisine’s principles. I like the abundant use of greens, herbs and veggies. However, none of the greens or veggies were high quality or fresh. The mung bean sprouts were wilted, as were most of the greens. The veggies were limp. So, although I liked the principles, Anh Hong just didn’t deliver quality goods. One of my dining companions is Vietnamese, and she felt that the whole meal was entirely average.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most of the meat was bad: tough, chewy, and flavorless. The one meat dish I kind of liked was the house made sausages; at least those had a nice flavor to them. I did enjoy cooking stuff at the table. That’s a fun experience that you don’t get at most restaurants, although the end result didn’t taste very good. What can I say? I usually eat good steaks, lamb chops, grass-fed beef I buy directly from the rancher, etc. My standards are just too high to enjoy this kind of crap (and yes, it is crap. All feedlot beef is crap.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Service was nonexistent. I am usually extremely tolerant and patient when it comes to service, and I was with two friends who work as waiters and have much empathy for their peers, but this was ridiculous. It was impossible to find a waiter to get a clean plate, refill your water, or bring you another drink. My friend ordered a beer halfway through the meal and it was brought forty minutes later, after we had finished eating. We were lucky to arrive early so that we were able to order before the waiters disappeared. A table near us was not so lucky: after twenty minutes of trying to hail a waiter (the woman was literally standing up and waving) they walked out without paying. We were tempted to do the same when it took them thirty minutes (no exaggeration) to bring our check!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Portions were enormous and we couldn’t finish our meal. One 7 Courses of Beef meal is far too much for any person with a normal appetite. I would have rather paid more for less food if the quality was higher.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was kind of surprised that I was sent to a chain restaurant. This was the first chain restaurant I’ve been to in ages. Anh Hong has five locations throughout California, it is hardly a mom and pop. The service and food quality reflected that sort of apathy you get from small chains. There are a ton of family-run Vietnamese restaurants in the Tenderloin that I would have rather patronized, ethically speaking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the end, the food wasn’t even very cheap; $100 for four people. I can get naturally-raised, fresh beef for less than $25 per person, just not seven courses of it. We did order a lot, but I think a person would be hard pressed to spend less than $20 per person there. Poor service, poor food, yet the price is still steep. Forget it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I will not return to Anh Hong and I will not send my friends there. I would be interested in a Cal-Vietnamese fusion restaurant that uses high quality ingredients. 7 Courses of Kobe Beef is much more my style.\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/shelley.jpg\" alt=\"Shelley\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Shelley\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Homemaker, volunteer, former marketing executive\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Pisces\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Anh Hong:\u003c/strong> Sunday, December 11, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s probably not an over-generalization to say that Asian restaurants are best enjoyed in large groups. With that in mind, I invited a few of my sister docents-in-training from the Asian Art Museum. They all accepted and brought their spouses, so seventeen of us met on a Sunday night at two large round tables — great for conversation but not a group as large as ours — and had a rollicking good time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I can’t say Anh Hong has either decor or atmosphere. It has tables, chairs, a ceiling and floor, even tablecloths, chopsticks, and, if necessary, silverware. It has a huge open kitchen in one corner, big family groups at other large round tables, crying babies, waiters hustling to deliver hot dishes of food and clear away tables with the efficiency and regularity of the Hong Kong Star Ferry, and a large storefront window looking outside at one of San Francisco’s more shameful war zone-like street scenes. And Anh Hong has great Vietnamese food and lots of it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I thought we’d get to taste almost everything, but my Vietnamese friend, who agreed to lead us through the menu, opted for Anh Hong’s specialty, a seven-course beef dinner. We insisted on a few extras and chose Vietnamese spring rolls, which we all tried to wrap in the abundant long, crisp romaine leaves, stuffing them with wispy thin noodles, a few marinated veggies, and a douse of vinegar sauce. We failed the neatness test, but Anh Hong passed the “yum” test. We also had a crisp shrimp ball wrapped around a woody-looking sugar cane stick. Fortunately my mentor warned us not to eat the stick. Someone wondered why it is that most Asian cuisines require an instruction manual to enjoy properly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then beef course followed beef course. A wiry salad of green papaya, shredded carrot, green peppers, cucumbers and… “where’s the beef?” Tiny, marinated, stamp size pieces of pale white beef. But tasty, fresh, and delicious. We got lessons in how to dip the paper thin rice cakes into steaming water long enough to make them pliant enough to wrap everything and anything that might come our way, which turned out to be tissue-thin slices of beautiful red beef to dip in hot vinegar in a pot in the center and wrap in rice cakes with those ubiquitous fresh greens. We started too soon — our mentor warned us too late — and the vinegar didn’t really get hot until we were almost done. A kind of mellow fondue or shabu shabu, which, of all we tried, was the least unusual or tasty. Next, four interesting treatments: a spicy beef sausage, steamed beef paté, beef wrapped in a Hawaiian leaf, and thin slices of beef, rolled tightly and filled with pieces of green onion, all anointed with one of the hottest red chili sauces this side of Mexico. Our only beef was “too much beef.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of our group, as it turned out, is allergic to MSG, and the restaurant, for all its seeming impersonality, prepared an MSG menu for her which differed completely from ours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The meal ended with a congee-like beef and rice soup, tasty, warming but a little thin tasting. With three hours at table, seven beef dishes, an average of two bottles of beer each, and the prospect of a drive back to the East Bay for many, the evening ended with no rice, no tea, and no dessert, just seventeen satisfied happy people who, if the opportunity arises, will most certainly return.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Aziza: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=76\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/sets/72057594061883785/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/aziza12.jpg\" alt=\"Aziza\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/aziza9.jpg\" alt=\"Aziza\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/aziza8.jpg\" alt=\"Aziza\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nMediterranean Spreads with Grilled Flatbread: Aged Balsamic Eggplant, Dill Yogurt, and Roasted Pepper and Pomegranate; Seared Fennel Crusted Longline-Caught Yellowfin Tuna with Roasted Tahini and Tunisian Salad; Grilled Rosemary Lamb Brochettes with Steamed Saffron Couscous, Vegetable Stew, and Braised Chard\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/gregory.jpg\" alt=\"Gregory\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Gregory\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Insurance Agent\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Berkeley\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Aziza\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Aziza:\u003c/strong> Saturday, December 10, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> When you first walk through the curtains at Aziza’s entrance you are transported to another world. Romantic lighting and hip music create the mood for an evening of intimate feasting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prather Ranch kefta skewers set the tone for the meal. Small balls of juicy beef are grilled with grapes atop a salad of julienned cucumbers and torpedo onions. Each bite combines savory meat, sweet fruit, and tangy, spicy harissa sauce. The result is so harmonious that you wonder why you have never had beef with grapes before. The salad offers a crisp palate refresher.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mediterranean spreads served with warm flatbread make a familiar standard new and exciting. Roasted pepper and pomegranate is sweet and rich. Yogurt dill is tangy and creamy. Aged balsamic eggplant mousse is silky with a nice kick of vinegar. The contrasting flavors offer an excellent counterpoint to one another. The mouth feel is divine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Basteeya is a traditional, Moroccan, mid-meal course. It consists of chicken that is braised in saffron and combined with egg, nuts, fruits, and a variety of spices, then wrapped in house made phyllo and topped with powdered sugar. It epitomizes the juxtaposition theme of the restaurant. Tender, juicy chicken in a crispy, crunchy, phyllo shell. Savory meat accentuated with raisins, cinnamon, and almonds. It is a wonderful refresher, unlike anything else.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Coriander beef stew is hearty and satisfying on a cold autumn evening. The delicious morsels of beef melted in my mouth. Whereas many restaurants try to hide vegetables in a stew, Aziza celebrates them; the tubers are pleasantly firm and very fresh tasting. The coriander accentuate the flavors without overpowering them. This is ultimate comfort food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dessert, the candy store, is a selection of irresistible treats: baklava, caramel, peppermint patty, sesame cookie, Earl Grey cookie, and, my favorite, rosewater meringue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bar at Aziza matches the food in excellence. There is something here for everyone: creative cocktails, fine wines, and an incredible selection of tea. The beer list is one of the best in the city; I always order a Saison Dupont which pairs with the food brilliantly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are three rooms at Aziza, each with its own mood. This was my first time eating in the far back room, and I will request a table there from now on. It is intimate and comfortable with soft, plush booths and pillows. The seats are firm enough to sit up and enjoy a meal yet comfortable enough to sit back and lounge\u003cbr>\nbetween courses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The servers at Aziza exude the attentiveness, grace and knowledge I expect to find only in four-star restaurants. They are knowledgeable without being pedantic, and attentive without being intrusive. Although some may complain about the slow pacing of the meal, I am happy to lounge for two-and-a-half hours and savor the experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Considering that most of the menu is sourced from artisanal, organic producers it is incredible that Aziza’s prices are so reasonable. Appetizers top out at $10, entrees top out at $20 and portions are generous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Aziza is among San Francisco’s great restaurants. It is a destination for any Bay Area food lover.\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/tova.jpg\" alt=\"Tova\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Tova\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Inside Sales Representative\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Anh Hong\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Aziza:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, December 7, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had a reservation for 7:15 but then I called and said that I was adding two more to the party and would be late. I got there at 7:45, and we requested a booth and said that people would be joining us. We got seated at 8:40, and I was starvin’ marvin by that time. They initially told us it would be twenty minutes for to wait for the booth, and at 8:35 I was like “Um, excuse me, it’s been way more than twenty minutes…”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For appetizers we had the Mediterranean spreads ($9), the Bloomsdale spinach and feta phyllo rolls ($8), the Prather Ranch kefta skewers ($9), the grilled spicy lamb sausage ($9), and the Marin Roots Farm wild arugula salad ($8). For the main courses we had the Basteeya ($16), which is a baked phyllo pie with saffron braised chicken, and the Grilled Cattail Creek Farm rosemary lamb brochettes ($18) that came with a good steamed saffron couscous with vegetables and warm chicories. Although I found the food to be excellent, the portion sizes were very small. The Mediterranean spreads appetizer came with eight small pieces of grilled pita. I liked the pita grilled, but the spreads needed more pita, especially for four people that were hungry. The lamb brochettes had pieces of lamb the size of a grape. The Basteeya was the best value and was large enough for four of us to have a good piece. It was the only dish other than the lamb sausage appetizer ($9) that was of ample portion for four people sharing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They carefully choose where they buy their meats and greens, which was impressive. However, we all found the warm chicories to be terribly salty and nearly inedible. The lamb was great, but the pieces were so small. There were only two phyllo rolls in the order, so we split them in half. They were the size of egg rolls. I liked the food, but the portions were so small with the exception of the Basteeya. With my dinner, I had an excellent glass of 2003 Barbera wine from Piedmont by the glass for $8.00. The portions were small and the dishes were really small compared to what I thought we would get. Aziza is not a value type of place, rather it’s a date restaurant. You won’t get full here or leave with that “oh my gosh I’m stuffed!” feeling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was very unhappy with the service. They tried to take plates away when we were actively eating, like they were on a timer to get rid of plates. One of the guests at the table had his fork taken during his entree and could not finish what was on his plate and nobody came back to give him a fork. I don’t know if the busboy had never done that type of job before, but you don’t clear plates when there is food on the plate and people are actively eating (like the fork is two inches from the plate). It reminds me of the November issue of \u003ci>Oprah\u003c/i>. She put little postcards in her magazine to send to restaurants saying “this means I’m finished” when the fork and knife are off to the side together. I over-tipped them because they brought out lots of plates (we had to request new plates between dishes!!), and we had lots of dishes, so it wasn’t the normal level of service. However, I thought the staff had an attitude and thought more of themselves than of the diner’s experience. The food left very fast from the table and we didn’t even get a chance to finish some dishes as they whisked the plates away from under us! Also, the servers had some attitude when I requested the traditional yogurt with garlic and dill to accompany the lamb. I was told that I had to order the full Mediterranean spread appetizer for just to get it. I got it and it was very creamy and good, but I thought it was pushing the envelope to make me order it. In a true Moroccan restaurant — any Middle Eastern restaurant for that matter — it’s like ketchup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I asked to meet the owner/chef who is Moroccan (though American born), but was told that he was not available. Also, there was not ONE person that was Moroccan and therefore I thought it was a bit of a sham. It was about as white bread as you can get. It was pretty yuppy. There weren’t any belly dancers and there never have been. I thought they had dancing nightly. For some reason I also thought there would be more dim lighting and more candles and velvet drapes and so forth. The bar was nice and well lit, but the chairs sucked. They were all uneven and so when you sit there, you rock back and forth because the chair does not have a level ground. Sort of makes you look like an idiot. I did like the booth they gave us though. It wasn’t that loud in the restaurant, but they had weird music. It was like \u003ci>Star Trek\u003c/i> music. Whooooyyyoooooo. Weird.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I probably would not return because I thought it was sort of a fluffy pseudo-ethnic restaurant and the staff had lots of attitude and the service was awkward. I enjoyed the flavors of the plates and the quality of the food but the wait, the servers, the portion size all combined to make it an unfavorable experience. I probably will not recommend the restaurant to 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/shelley.jpg\" alt=\"Shelley\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Shelley\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Homemaker, volunteer, former marketing executive\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Pisces\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Aziza:\u003c/strong> Friday, November 4, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first time we ate at Aziza (November) was to celebrate our return from Morocco with friends we had made there. The second was with two couples who joined us to check out the place for \u003cb>Check, Please\u003c/b>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I dislike the kind of “computer voice” that answers the phone at Aziza but, once I got a real person, making reservations was smooth and pleasant, and the greeting when we arrived was warm. Parking on commercial Geary Blvd. isn’t easy, but Aziza has valet service and we didn’t wait long at the end to reclaim our car.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From the street, the restaurant seems closed until you pass through a red, semi-opaque drape into another world, one that does look like Morocco or someone’s idea of Morocco. The room is dark and seems smoky until your eyes adjust. I’m not sure I like the dark green walls, punctuated with booths in dark red niches, but I don’t dislike them either. There’s a long, well-stocked bar along one wall that glitters in the dark and was so crowded the Friday we were there, I could hardly hear our friends, but on Sunday it was tolerable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Service is relaxed but friendly. We had to ask them to take our drink and food order, but, after that, everything was efficient, even when a waiter dropped one of our salads right behind our chair. One guest, by the way, made special mention of how comfortable the upholstered chairs are, more like dining room than restaurant chairs. And all the tables are round (no legs to avoid), making conversation easy when it’s not too noisy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cocktails are amazing, with ingredients like satsuma mandarin “muddled” with thyme, Meyer lemon vodka, coastal wild huckleberries, celery, vanilla, and lavender blossoms steeped in lavender honey syrup. They have interesting teas to end with, though we didn’t try them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first time we selected the Five Course Tasting with a choice of soup, three appetizers, Basteeya (their signature dish, a delightful phyllo pastry filled with saffron braised chicken and almonds and dusted with powdered sugar), a full entree from the menu, and dessert. The portions were more than generous and we were stuffed. It’s a sensational value though, at $39 each, not inexpensive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This time we ordered lots of different dishes a la carte. Everything was beautifully presented, some on simple white plates, others on painted Moroccan pottery. All our choices were yummy, some more than others, and some were more “Moroccan” than others. The stewed lamb is tender and tasty. The couscous is classic, topped with four kinds of meat and perfectly cooked vegetables. The wild mushrooms in phyllo are intense with flavor, as is the codfish, but the star is Basteeya. Dishes like roasted beet salad or seared scallops, though not really Moroccan, were put together with interesting seasonings and garnishes. Many items have a surprisingly sweet element, characteristic of Moroccan food, and, with enough pomegranate seeds, preserved lemon, saffron, yogurt, olives and other typical ingredients, no one’s checking passports. Ethnic cuisines are almost always adapted to the country they’re served in, and this “take,” to our palette, outdid anything we had on our trip. I need to mention the slightly sweet anise-scented bread and refreshing cucumbered water, two nice touches that reinforced the aromatics of the food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Desserts are sublime. Last time we had one of each, all great. This time we had room for two. The cranberry sorbet with a fun spiral of phyllo was refreshing, but “Breakfast at Aziza” is unbelievable: toasted discs of brioche with cubes of sautéed apple and fig, apple cider-caramel syrup, and honey-vanilla ice cream.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We were unanimous in our praise. I wholeheartedly recommend it but, just as next time I’ll probably travel to Italy, I won’t be back to Aziza for a while. That kind of mélange of tastes and richness of ingredients is something to savor now and then when you’re looking for an oasis from the norm, but not every day.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n5800 Geary Boulevard (at 22nd Street)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94121\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-752-2222\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.aziza-sf.com\">www.aziza-sf.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Type of Cuisine:\u003c/strong> California-Influenced Moroccan\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2005",
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"description": "Location:\r\n5800 Geary Boulevard (at 22nd Street)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94121\r\nPhone: 415-752-2222\r\nWebsite: www.aziza-sf.com\r\nType of Cuisine: California-Influenced Moroccan\r\nReviewed: Winter 2005",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Aziza: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=76\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/sets/72057594061883785/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/aziza12.jpg\" alt=\"Aziza\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/aziza9.jpg\" alt=\"Aziza\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/aziza8.jpg\" alt=\"Aziza\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nMediterranean Spreads with Grilled Flatbread: Aged Balsamic Eggplant, Dill Yogurt, and Roasted Pepper and Pomegranate; Seared Fennel Crusted Longline-Caught Yellowfin Tuna with Roasted Tahini and Tunisian Salad; Grilled Rosemary Lamb Brochettes with Steamed Saffron Couscous, Vegetable Stew, and Braised Chard\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/gregory.jpg\" alt=\"Gregory\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Gregory\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Insurance Agent\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Berkeley\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Aziza\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Aziza:\u003c/strong> Saturday, December 10, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> When you first walk through the curtains at Aziza’s entrance you are transported to another world. Romantic lighting and hip music create the mood for an evening of intimate feasting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prather Ranch kefta skewers set the tone for the meal. Small balls of juicy beef are grilled with grapes atop a salad of julienned cucumbers and torpedo onions. Each bite combines savory meat, sweet fruit, and tangy, spicy harissa sauce. The result is so harmonious that you wonder why you have never had beef with grapes before. The salad offers a crisp palate refresher.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mediterranean spreads served with warm flatbread make a familiar standard new and exciting. Roasted pepper and pomegranate is sweet and rich. Yogurt dill is tangy and creamy. Aged balsamic eggplant mousse is silky with a nice kick of vinegar. The contrasting flavors offer an excellent counterpoint to one another. The mouth feel is divine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Basteeya is a traditional, Moroccan, mid-meal course. It consists of chicken that is braised in saffron and combined with egg, nuts, fruits, and a variety of spices, then wrapped in house made phyllo and topped with powdered sugar. It epitomizes the juxtaposition theme of the restaurant. Tender, juicy chicken in a crispy, crunchy, phyllo shell. Savory meat accentuated with raisins, cinnamon, and almonds. It is a wonderful refresher, unlike anything else.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Coriander beef stew is hearty and satisfying on a cold autumn evening. The delicious morsels of beef melted in my mouth. Whereas many restaurants try to hide vegetables in a stew, Aziza celebrates them; the tubers are pleasantly firm and very fresh tasting. The coriander accentuate the flavors without overpowering them. This is ultimate comfort food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dessert, the candy store, is a selection of irresistible treats: baklava, caramel, peppermint patty, sesame cookie, Earl Grey cookie, and, my favorite, rosewater meringue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bar at Aziza matches the food in excellence. There is something here for everyone: creative cocktails, fine wines, and an incredible selection of tea. The beer list is one of the best in the city; I always order a Saison Dupont which pairs with the food brilliantly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are three rooms at Aziza, each with its own mood. This was my first time eating in the far back room, and I will request a table there from now on. It is intimate and comfortable with soft, plush booths and pillows. The seats are firm enough to sit up and enjoy a meal yet comfortable enough to sit back and lounge\u003cbr>\nbetween courses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The servers at Aziza exude the attentiveness, grace and knowledge I expect to find only in four-star restaurants. They are knowledgeable without being pedantic, and attentive without being intrusive. Although some may complain about the slow pacing of the meal, I am happy to lounge for two-and-a-half hours and savor the experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Considering that most of the menu is sourced from artisanal, organic producers it is incredible that Aziza’s prices are so reasonable. Appetizers top out at $10, entrees top out at $20 and portions are generous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Aziza is among San Francisco’s great restaurants. It is a destination for any Bay Area food lover.\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/tova.jpg\" alt=\"Tova\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Tova\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Inside Sales Representative\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Anh Hong\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Aziza:\u003c/strong> Wednesday, December 7, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had a reservation for 7:15 but then I called and said that I was adding two more to the party and would be late. I got there at 7:45, and we requested a booth and said that people would be joining us. We got seated at 8:40, and I was starvin’ marvin by that time. They initially told us it would be twenty minutes for to wait for the booth, and at 8:35 I was like “Um, excuse me, it’s been way more than twenty minutes…”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For appetizers we had the Mediterranean spreads ($9), the Bloomsdale spinach and feta phyllo rolls ($8), the Prather Ranch kefta skewers ($9), the grilled spicy lamb sausage ($9), and the Marin Roots Farm wild arugula salad ($8). For the main courses we had the Basteeya ($16), which is a baked phyllo pie with saffron braised chicken, and the Grilled Cattail Creek Farm rosemary lamb brochettes ($18) that came with a good steamed saffron couscous with vegetables and warm chicories. Although I found the food to be excellent, the portion sizes were very small. The Mediterranean spreads appetizer came with eight small pieces of grilled pita. I liked the pita grilled, but the spreads needed more pita, especially for four people that were hungry. The lamb brochettes had pieces of lamb the size of a grape. The Basteeya was the best value and was large enough for four of us to have a good piece. It was the only dish other than the lamb sausage appetizer ($9) that was of ample portion for four people sharing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They carefully choose where they buy their meats and greens, which was impressive. However, we all found the warm chicories to be terribly salty and nearly inedible. The lamb was great, but the pieces were so small. There were only two phyllo rolls in the order, so we split them in half. They were the size of egg rolls. I liked the food, but the portions were so small with the exception of the Basteeya. With my dinner, I had an excellent glass of 2003 Barbera wine from Piedmont by the glass for $8.00. The portions were small and the dishes were really small compared to what I thought we would get. Aziza is not a value type of place, rather it’s a date restaurant. You won’t get full here or leave with that “oh my gosh I’m stuffed!” feeling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was very unhappy with the service. They tried to take plates away when we were actively eating, like they were on a timer to get rid of plates. One of the guests at the table had his fork taken during his entree and could not finish what was on his plate and nobody came back to give him a fork. I don’t know if the busboy had never done that type of job before, but you don’t clear plates when there is food on the plate and people are actively eating (like the fork is two inches from the plate). It reminds me of the November issue of \u003ci>Oprah\u003c/i>. She put little postcards in her magazine to send to restaurants saying “this means I’m finished” when the fork and knife are off to the side together. I over-tipped them because they brought out lots of plates (we had to request new plates between dishes!!), and we had lots of dishes, so it wasn’t the normal level of service. However, I thought the staff had an attitude and thought more of themselves than of the diner’s experience. The food left very fast from the table and we didn’t even get a chance to finish some dishes as they whisked the plates away from under us! Also, the servers had some attitude when I requested the traditional yogurt with garlic and dill to accompany the lamb. I was told that I had to order the full Mediterranean spread appetizer for just to get it. I got it and it was very creamy and good, but I thought it was pushing the envelope to make me order it. In a true Moroccan restaurant — any Middle Eastern restaurant for that matter — it’s like ketchup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I asked to meet the owner/chef who is Moroccan (though American born), but was told that he was not available. Also, there was not ONE person that was Moroccan and therefore I thought it was a bit of a sham. It was about as white bread as you can get. It was pretty yuppy. There weren’t any belly dancers and there never have been. I thought they had dancing nightly. For some reason I also thought there would be more dim lighting and more candles and velvet drapes and so forth. The bar was nice and well lit, but the chairs sucked. They were all uneven and so when you sit there, you rock back and forth because the chair does not have a level ground. Sort of makes you look like an idiot. I did like the booth they gave us though. It wasn’t that loud in the restaurant, but they had weird music. It was like \u003ci>Star Trek\u003c/i> music. Whooooyyyoooooo. Weird.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I probably would not return because I thought it was sort of a fluffy pseudo-ethnic restaurant and the staff had lots of attitude and the service was awkward. I enjoyed the flavors of the plates and the quality of the food but the wait, the servers, the portion size all combined to make it an unfavorable experience. I probably will not recommend the restaurant to 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/shelley.jpg\" alt=\"Shelley\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Shelley\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Homemaker, volunteer, former marketing executive\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Pisces\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Aziza:\u003c/strong> Friday, November 4, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first time we ate at Aziza (November) was to celebrate our return from Morocco with friends we had made there. The second was with two couples who joined us to check out the place for \u003cb>Check, Please\u003c/b>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I dislike the kind of “computer voice” that answers the phone at Aziza but, once I got a real person, making reservations was smooth and pleasant, and the greeting when we arrived was warm. Parking on commercial Geary Blvd. isn’t easy, but Aziza has valet service and we didn’t wait long at the end to reclaim our car.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From the street, the restaurant seems closed until you pass through a red, semi-opaque drape into another world, one that does look like Morocco or someone’s idea of Morocco. The room is dark and seems smoky until your eyes adjust. I’m not sure I like the dark green walls, punctuated with booths in dark red niches, but I don’t dislike them either. There’s a long, well-stocked bar along one wall that glitters in the dark and was so crowded the Friday we were there, I could hardly hear our friends, but on Sunday it was tolerable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Service is relaxed but friendly. We had to ask them to take our drink and food order, but, after that, everything was efficient, even when a waiter dropped one of our salads right behind our chair. One guest, by the way, made special mention of how comfortable the upholstered chairs are, more like dining room than restaurant chairs. And all the tables are round (no legs to avoid), making conversation easy when it’s not too noisy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cocktails are amazing, with ingredients like satsuma mandarin “muddled” with thyme, Meyer lemon vodka, coastal wild huckleberries, celery, vanilla, and lavender blossoms steeped in lavender honey syrup. They have interesting teas to end with, though we didn’t try them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first time we selected the Five Course Tasting with a choice of soup, three appetizers, Basteeya (their signature dish, a delightful phyllo pastry filled with saffron braised chicken and almonds and dusted with powdered sugar), a full entree from the menu, and dessert. The portions were more than generous and we were stuffed. It’s a sensational value though, at $39 each, not inexpensive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This time we ordered lots of different dishes a la carte. Everything was beautifully presented, some on simple white plates, others on painted Moroccan pottery. All our choices were yummy, some more than others, and some were more “Moroccan” than others. The stewed lamb is tender and tasty. The couscous is classic, topped with four kinds of meat and perfectly cooked vegetables. The wild mushrooms in phyllo are intense with flavor, as is the codfish, but the star is Basteeya. Dishes like roasted beet salad or seared scallops, though not really Moroccan, were put together with interesting seasonings and garnishes. Many items have a surprisingly sweet element, characteristic of Moroccan food, and, with enough pomegranate seeds, preserved lemon, saffron, yogurt, olives and other typical ingredients, no one’s checking passports. Ethnic cuisines are almost always adapted to the country they’re served in, and this “take,” to our palette, outdid anything we had on our trip. I need to mention the slightly sweet anise-scented bread and refreshing cucumbered water, two nice touches that reinforced the aromatics of the food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Desserts are sublime. Last time we had one of each, all great. This time we had room for two. The cranberry sorbet with a fun spiral of phyllo was refreshing, but “Breakfast at Aziza” is unbelievable: toasted discs of brioche with cubes of sautéed apple and fig, apple cider-caramel syrup, and honey-vanilla ice cream.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We were unanimous in our praise. I wholeheartedly recommend it but, just as next time I’ll probably travel to Italy, I won’t be back to Aziza for a while. That kind of mélange of tastes and richness of ingredients is something to savor now and then when you’re looking for an oasis from the norm, but not every day.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Red Sea Restaurant: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=67\">restaurant info\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>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/redsea7.jpg\" alt=\"Red Sea Restaurant\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/redsea6.jpg\" alt=\"Red Sea Restaurant\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/redsea13.jpg\" alt=\"Red Sea Restaurant\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nZigni-Kei Wot (beef in red pepper sauce), Red Sea Combination Platter, Side Dishes: Shiro (chick pea stew), Birsin (ground red lentils), Greens\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/wendy.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 Red Sea Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Saturday, November 26, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Walking into Red Sea on the later side of a Saturday night (around 9PM), there were a few tables finishing up, and there was a calm to the room that was inviting. The restaurant has a bar attached, which was hopping with what seemed like the entire local Ethiopian community. Red Sea is located on a quiet corner of Claremont Avenue on the border of the Rockridge and Temescal neighborhoods in Oakland. It’s a dark, kind of lonely stretch of a very wide street near the frantically busy corner of 51st and Telegraph. There’s a tension here that comes from the juxtaposition of a thriving, diverse, art and food-driven community that borders a DMV, an old abandoned Safeway, and the freeway entrance. Red Sea Restaurant is a destination at this point, still a local secret — a restaurant on the down low for most highbrow diners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Red Sea feels authentic from the preponderance of Ethiopians enjoying themselves on premises, but I can’t know for sure, being a Brooklyn native with roots in Rumania and Poland. That said, the food here is super-tasty, redolent with the flavors of onions, garlic, ginger, chili, and berbere — a spiced hot pepper seasoning found throughout Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisine. I love spicy food and curries from all parts of the world. At Red Sea, nearly every dish can be ordered hot or mild. But this food isn’t for people with tender stomachs — even the mild dishes contain many spices like toasted cumin, whole cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, allspice, fenugreek, and coriander. We started our meal with a vegetable sambusa, a rectangular fritter stuffed with a flavorful paste of green peas, carrots, and jalapeño. I love the hot-crispy thing that was going on with a cold beer — it was a great way to start the meal. Each of these hot pockets is only $2.00, and is served solo, a minimalist plate –- no muss, no fuss, no garnish. We also tried their version of hummus, described on the menu quaintly as a party dip. It’s got toasted sesame seeds, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil; good, but not blow-your-mind. It’s served with fried pita wedges to dip, some raw veggies, and is basically a flavorful munch while waiting for dinner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a short interval, an incredible thing happened. The two main dishes we ordered — the Red Sea Combination and the Vegetarian Combination — arrived on one large round platter that completely had the “oooh-aaah” factor going on. The plate was abundant, enticing, sexy, and aromatic. With less flexible diners, this might have been a mistake, say, for a strict vegetarian who didn’t want their vegetables touching any meat products. But for us, the party started as soon as we saw the platter. Artfully arranged sections of spicy lentils, peas, cabbage in tomato sauce, spinach, and chicken, lamb, and beef stews with a variety of hot or spicy/sweet toppings were presented to us on a platter lined with the tangy, spongy injera (Ethiopian unleavened bread). Each dish complemented the next: there were beef chunks seasoned with ginger and garlic, simmered with onions in butter; chicken Wot in spicy red pepper sauce; tender lamb; split peas cooked with turmeric; ground red lentils cooked with garlic and ginger; and my favorite, silssi, a spicy stew of tomatoes, jalapeños, and lots and lots of sweet onions reduced to a glistening deep red compote. Enough injera was brought on the side to enable my partner and me to tear off chunks and scoop each dish throughout the meal, no forks necessary. This art of gursha makes dining at Red Sea an engaging, intimate, hands-on experience like no other.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/sonya.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 Red Sea Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, December 6, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Red Sea Restaurant and Bar is located on Claremont Avenue in Oakland right after it splits off of Telegraph, near the DMV. Parking is difficult on busy Claremont, but you can find space on the side streets. The restaurant bills itself as serving both Eritrean and Ethiopian food. We arrived early for dinner and the restaurant was empty. I heard talking and laughing coming from the bar, which is separate from the restaurant. They were speaking what I assume was Tigrigna or one of the other languages spoken in that region of East Africa. Upbeat, modern Eritrean/Ethiopian music from the bar spilled into the restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A lone waitress was sitting in the back of the restaurant. She smiled at us and came forward, telling us we could sit where we pleased. I opted not to sit near the door because I was cold. Our waitress was very personable. When I said that I was cold, she offered to turn on the heat. I said no, but throughout the meal, I wished that I hadn’t. I stayed cold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most of the tables in the restaurant seated four. Small, intimate pockets of space were created by the use of folding screens — whether wrought iron, wood, or bamboo — as well as moderate lighting. The décor featured pictures of Eritrean (or Ethiopian) people and a couple of woven baskets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As I sat, reviewing the menu and looking around, I was reminded of some restaurants I’d visited in West Africa and I smiled. I liked the authentic flavor the place was sharing with its customers. The ambient music, the lilt of voices from the bar all contributed to making me feel transported.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We asked our waitress what she recommended, and she suggested that we try the Red Sea Combination and the Vegetarian Combination, so we did. I also ordered the vegetable sambusa (described as a type of fritter), the Timatim Fitfit salad, and honey wine. The waitress quickly returned and said they were out of the vegetable sambusa. I asked for the meat sambusa instead. A few minutes later, she came back and said they were out of that as well. The honey wine was like nectar. Sweet and sort of dessert wine-like, but much more refreshing. I definitely recommend it. Injera is the bread of life in Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisine. The Timatim Fitfit salad was a tasty take on a tomato bread salad: a large plate of injera pieces soaked in a spicy red sauce and mixed with a few diced tomatoes and onions. The entire dish had the flavor of lemon juice that was augmented by the naturally sour flavor of injera — a spongy flatbread made from teff, a grain native to Eritrea and Ethiopia. The dishes were flavorful from the skillful use of berbere (a chili spice mixture) and tegelese tesmi (a garlic-ginger herb butter).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The two combinations were served family style, each entrée placed in small portions on a platter covered with injera. Two folded sheets of injera were served on the side. The Red Sea Combination provided samples of beef in a rich, spicy red sauce; lamb in a lighter spicy sauce; and chicken in a spicy red sauce. The Vegetarian Combination was tangy spinach, savory red lentils, mild yellow lentils, okra in a red sauce, and green salad tossed in a tart dressing. The sauce from each dish soaked into the injera, which we could have eaten if we hadn’t been so full.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As I mentioned, injera is ever present in an Eritrean/Ethiopian meal. The fermented flatbread has a distinct sour flavor that is an acquired taste. That flavor, in addition to the liberal use of lemon juice, permeates the meal with a definitive tang that can become tiring by the end of the meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We didn’t order dessert, nor did the waitress offer it. I remember that there seemed to be only two items on the menu, one being baklava. During our meal, a few patrons had come in, but the place was in no way full. Our meal seemed to go by quickly, and yet we had a long wait for the waitress to come and take our payment. She apologized for the long delay with a heartfelt smile.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, I enjoyed the spicy cuisine at the Red Sea. I would recommend it to people who want to sample authentic Eritrean/Ethiopian cuisine.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/dave.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 Red Sea Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Sunday, December 4, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Red Sea is an unpretentious Ethiopian restaurant and bar on the corner of Claremont and Telegraph Ave. in Oakland. When I arrived there at 7PM on a Sunday (12/4/05) evening, the bar side was hopping, but the restaurant side had only four or five people. I couldn’t find a hostess or server, so I stood by a man waiting for take out, thinking someone would show up eventually. A young woman eventually arrived and seated me. The restaurant is simply decorated: beige linoleum floor tiles, wooden tables with high-backed chairs, and Ethiopian folk art hanging on the walls. Knowing little about Ethiopian food I quizzed the server, who recommended the Vegetable Sambusa ($2) and the Red Sea Combination Plate ($9.75) with Meis (honey wine, $3 by the glass) as a beverage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Vegetable Sambusa is a thin, crisp, rectangular pastry crust (about the size of a Pop-Tart) filled with green peas and carrots seasoned with jalapeño. It arrived hot, and I loved the contrast of the sweet peas and carrots with the intense spiciness. Since most of the food served was fairly spicy, the cold, sweet honey wine was the perfect beverage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Red Sea Combination and my dinner companion’s entrée (Zelbo: beef chunks braised with spinach and ginger, kicked up with lemon juice, $8.75) arrived served on the same large plate atop an enormous round of injera (a spongy, slightly sour Ethiopian flatbread) with more injera on the side for scooping up the food which, of course, you eat with your hands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Red Sea Combination consisted of five dishes. The chicken dish (Sebhi Dorho: whole chicken pieces in a rich, hot red pepper sauce with ginger, garlic, cardamom, and nutmeg) was flavorful and satisfying. A lamb stew (Begee Alitcha) was milder in spice, but the meat had lost some of its unique flavor from over-braising. The beef dish (Zigni) was served in a sauce similar to the chicken but had more of a paprika-like flavor. The two vegetable dishes were purées of chickpeas and ground red lentils and were somewhat bland. The slow-cooked, braised nature of this food makes it flavorful but dense and very filling, especially when combined with the flat bread it’s eaten with. My favorite dishes were my appetizer (Vegetable Sambusa) and the beef and spinach dish my friend ordered. I was too full to eat dessert (they offer only ice cream and baklava) and had plenty of leftovers to take home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At around $20 per person, including drinks, tax. and tip, the restaurant is a bargain. Service and atmosphere (as with many inexpensive ethnic restaurants) are not exceptional and not the point anyhow. The food is the star. If I lived in the neighborhood I would return to explore the menu (I didn’t get to try any seafood items) and could see myself developing cravings for certain dishes. Although it was fun and I did enjoy the experience, I probably wouldn’t make a special trip across the Bay Bridge just to eat there.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n5200 Claremont Avenue (at Telegraph Avenue)\r\nOakland, CA 94618\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 510-655-3757\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.redseaeastbay.com/\">www.redseaeastbay.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Type of Cuisine:\u003c/strong> Eritrean and Ethiopian\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2005",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Red Sea Restaurant: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=67\">restaurant info\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>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/redsea7.jpg\" alt=\"Red Sea Restaurant\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/redsea6.jpg\" alt=\"Red Sea Restaurant\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/redsea13.jpg\" alt=\"Red Sea Restaurant\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nZigni-Kei Wot (beef in red pepper sauce), Red Sea Combination Platter, Side Dishes: Shiro (chick pea stew), Birsin (ground red lentils), Greens\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/wendy.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 Red Sea Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Saturday, November 26, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Walking into Red Sea on the later side of a Saturday night (around 9PM), there were a few tables finishing up, and there was a calm to the room that was inviting. The restaurant has a bar attached, which was hopping with what seemed like the entire local Ethiopian community. Red Sea is located on a quiet corner of Claremont Avenue on the border of the Rockridge and Temescal neighborhoods in Oakland. It’s a dark, kind of lonely stretch of a very wide street near the frantically busy corner of 51st and Telegraph. There’s a tension here that comes from the juxtaposition of a thriving, diverse, art and food-driven community that borders a DMV, an old abandoned Safeway, and the freeway entrance. Red Sea Restaurant is a destination at this point, still a local secret — a restaurant on the down low for most highbrow diners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Red Sea feels authentic from the preponderance of Ethiopians enjoying themselves on premises, but I can’t know for sure, being a Brooklyn native with roots in Rumania and Poland. That said, the food here is super-tasty, redolent with the flavors of onions, garlic, ginger, chili, and berbere — a spiced hot pepper seasoning found throughout Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisine. I love spicy food and curries from all parts of the world. At Red Sea, nearly every dish can be ordered hot or mild. But this food isn’t for people with tender stomachs — even the mild dishes contain many spices like toasted cumin, whole cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, allspice, fenugreek, and coriander. We started our meal with a vegetable sambusa, a rectangular fritter stuffed with a flavorful paste of green peas, carrots, and jalapeño. I love the hot-crispy thing that was going on with a cold beer — it was a great way to start the meal. Each of these hot pockets is only $2.00, and is served solo, a minimalist plate –- no muss, no fuss, no garnish. We also tried their version of hummus, described on the menu quaintly as a party dip. It’s got toasted sesame seeds, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil; good, but not blow-your-mind. It’s served with fried pita wedges to dip, some raw veggies, and is basically a flavorful munch while waiting for dinner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a short interval, an incredible thing happened. The two main dishes we ordered — the Red Sea Combination and the Vegetarian Combination — arrived on one large round platter that completely had the “oooh-aaah” factor going on. The plate was abundant, enticing, sexy, and aromatic. With less flexible diners, this might have been a mistake, say, for a strict vegetarian who didn’t want their vegetables touching any meat products. But for us, the party started as soon as we saw the platter. Artfully arranged sections of spicy lentils, peas, cabbage in tomato sauce, spinach, and chicken, lamb, and beef stews with a variety of hot or spicy/sweet toppings were presented to us on a platter lined with the tangy, spongy injera (Ethiopian unleavened bread). Each dish complemented the next: there were beef chunks seasoned with ginger and garlic, simmered with onions in butter; chicken Wot in spicy red pepper sauce; tender lamb; split peas cooked with turmeric; ground red lentils cooked with garlic and ginger; and my favorite, silssi, a spicy stew of tomatoes, jalapeños, and lots and lots of sweet onions reduced to a glistening deep red compote. Enough injera was brought on the side to enable my partner and me to tear off chunks and scoop each dish throughout the meal, no forks necessary. This art of gursha makes dining at Red Sea an engaging, intimate, hands-on experience like no other.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/sonya.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 Red Sea Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, December 6, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Red Sea Restaurant and Bar is located on Claremont Avenue in Oakland right after it splits off of Telegraph, near the DMV. Parking is difficult on busy Claremont, but you can find space on the side streets. The restaurant bills itself as serving both Eritrean and Ethiopian food. We arrived early for dinner and the restaurant was empty. I heard talking and laughing coming from the bar, which is separate from the restaurant. They were speaking what I assume was Tigrigna or one of the other languages spoken in that region of East Africa. Upbeat, modern Eritrean/Ethiopian music from the bar spilled into the restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A lone waitress was sitting in the back of the restaurant. She smiled at us and came forward, telling us we could sit where we pleased. I opted not to sit near the door because I was cold. Our waitress was very personable. When I said that I was cold, she offered to turn on the heat. I said no, but throughout the meal, I wished that I hadn’t. I stayed cold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most of the tables in the restaurant seated four. Small, intimate pockets of space were created by the use of folding screens — whether wrought iron, wood, or bamboo — as well as moderate lighting. The décor featured pictures of Eritrean (or Ethiopian) people and a couple of woven baskets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As I sat, reviewing the menu and looking around, I was reminded of some restaurants I’d visited in West Africa and I smiled. I liked the authentic flavor the place was sharing with its customers. The ambient music, the lilt of voices from the bar all contributed to making me feel transported.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We asked our waitress what she recommended, and she suggested that we try the Red Sea Combination and the Vegetarian Combination, so we did. I also ordered the vegetable sambusa (described as a type of fritter), the Timatim Fitfit salad, and honey wine. The waitress quickly returned and said they were out of the vegetable sambusa. I asked for the meat sambusa instead. A few minutes later, she came back and said they were out of that as well. The honey wine was like nectar. Sweet and sort of dessert wine-like, but much more refreshing. I definitely recommend it. Injera is the bread of life in Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisine. The Timatim Fitfit salad was a tasty take on a tomato bread salad: a large plate of injera pieces soaked in a spicy red sauce and mixed with a few diced tomatoes and onions. The entire dish had the flavor of lemon juice that was augmented by the naturally sour flavor of injera — a spongy flatbread made from teff, a grain native to Eritrea and Ethiopia. The dishes were flavorful from the skillful use of berbere (a chili spice mixture) and tegelese tesmi (a garlic-ginger herb butter).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The two combinations were served family style, each entrée placed in small portions on a platter covered with injera. Two folded sheets of injera were served on the side. The Red Sea Combination provided samples of beef in a rich, spicy red sauce; lamb in a lighter spicy sauce; and chicken in a spicy red sauce. The Vegetarian Combination was tangy spinach, savory red lentils, mild yellow lentils, okra in a red sauce, and green salad tossed in a tart dressing. The sauce from each dish soaked into the injera, which we could have eaten if we hadn’t been so full.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As I mentioned, injera is ever present in an Eritrean/Ethiopian meal. The fermented flatbread has a distinct sour flavor that is an acquired taste. That flavor, in addition to the liberal use of lemon juice, permeates the meal with a definitive tang that can become tiring by the end of the meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We didn’t order dessert, nor did the waitress offer it. I remember that there seemed to be only two items on the menu, one being baklava. During our meal, a few patrons had come in, but the place was in no way full. Our meal seemed to go by quickly, and yet we had a long wait for the waitress to come and take our payment. She apologized for the long delay with a heartfelt smile.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, I enjoyed the spicy cuisine at the Red Sea. I would recommend it to people who want to sample authentic Eritrean/Ethiopian cuisine.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/dave.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 Red Sea Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Sunday, December 4, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Red Sea is an unpretentious Ethiopian restaurant and bar on the corner of Claremont and Telegraph Ave. in Oakland. When I arrived there at 7PM on a Sunday (12/4/05) evening, the bar side was hopping, but the restaurant side had only four or five people. I couldn’t find a hostess or server, so I stood by a man waiting for take out, thinking someone would show up eventually. A young woman eventually arrived and seated me. The restaurant is simply decorated: beige linoleum floor tiles, wooden tables with high-backed chairs, and Ethiopian folk art hanging on the walls. Knowing little about Ethiopian food I quizzed the server, who recommended the Vegetable Sambusa ($2) and the Red Sea Combination Plate ($9.75) with Meis (honey wine, $3 by the glass) as a beverage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Vegetable Sambusa is a thin, crisp, rectangular pastry crust (about the size of a Pop-Tart) filled with green peas and carrots seasoned with jalapeño. It arrived hot, and I loved the contrast of the sweet peas and carrots with the intense spiciness. Since most of the food served was fairly spicy, the cold, sweet honey wine was the perfect beverage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Red Sea Combination and my dinner companion’s entrée (Zelbo: beef chunks braised with spinach and ginger, kicked up with lemon juice, $8.75) arrived served on the same large plate atop an enormous round of injera (a spongy, slightly sour Ethiopian flatbread) with more injera on the side for scooping up the food which, of course, you eat with your hands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Red Sea Combination consisted of five dishes. The chicken dish (Sebhi Dorho: whole chicken pieces in a rich, hot red pepper sauce with ginger, garlic, cardamom, and nutmeg) was flavorful and satisfying. A lamb stew (Begee Alitcha) was milder in spice, but the meat had lost some of its unique flavor from over-braising. The beef dish (Zigni) was served in a sauce similar to the chicken but had more of a paprika-like flavor. The two vegetable dishes were purées of chickpeas and ground red lentils and were somewhat bland. The slow-cooked, braised nature of this food makes it flavorful but dense and very filling, especially when combined with the flat bread it’s eaten with. My favorite dishes were my appetizer (Vegetable Sambusa) and the beef and spinach dish my friend ordered. I was too full to eat dessert (they offer only ice cream and baklava) and had plenty of leftovers to take home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At around $20 per person, including drinks, tax. and tip, the restaurant is a bargain. Service and atmosphere (as with many inexpensive ethnic restaurants) are not exceptional and not the point anyhow. The food is the star. If I lived in the neighborhood I would return to explore the menu (I didn’t get to try any seafood items) and could see myself developing cravings for certain dishes. Although it was fun and I did enjoy the experience, I probably wouldn’t make a special trip across the Bay Bridge just to eat there.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chapeau: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=68\">restaurant info\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>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chapeau2.jpg\" alt=\"Chapeau!\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chapeau4.jpg\" alt=\"Chapeau!\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chapeau5.jpg\" alt=\"Chapeau!\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nSalmon Gravlax; Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Chestnut Purée and Brussels Sprouts; Trio of Lemon Tart, Chocolate Shake, Passion Fruit Parfait/Strawberry Pot de Crème\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/dave.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 Chapeau!:\u003c/strong> Thursday, December 8, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What makes someone want to return to a restaurant? In the Bay Area, the competition is fierce and the clientele is sophisticated and savvy. Aside from food, atmosphere, and service, a restaurant needs an extra something going for it to inspire customer loyalty. For me that extra something is: Does this restaurant make me feel welcome and special for having chosen to dine there? The husband and wife owners of Chapeau! have mastered this skill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ellen and Philippe Gardelle have owned and run this restaurant for eight years. Located on a quiet section of Clement Street just west of Park Presidio in San Francisco, it is a small neighborhood bistro that seats around thirty-five people. The walls are covered with fanciful murals featuring, of course, hats. Philippe used to employ chefs to run the kitchen but later decided that he wanted more control over the food. Now he designs and executes his own menus based on the food he grew up with in the south of France.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On my visit (12/8/05) I arrived with a companion for my 5:30PM reservation to a nearly full restaurant. We decided to order off the early bird menu ($21.25): a three-course prix fixe special that is offered from 5-6PM Sunday – Thursday. You have a choice of four different appetizers, main courses, and desserts from the main menu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For starters we were served an amuse bouche: a rich, amazingly complex squash soup served in a demitasse cup. My first course was the Smoked Trout Salad ($9.50 on the main menu). The salad consisted of fingerling potatoes marinated in an anchovy dressing, topped with pieces of smoked freshwater trout, beside a small mound of mâche dressed in a brightly-flavored, slightly sweet lemon vinaigrette. Each of the elements complemented the other with the sweet salad greens a nice foil for the salty trout. The potatoes in anchovy dressing added a comfort element. My companion had the Duo of Salmon ($8.50 on the regular menu with the addition of salmon caviar). The salmon — in both gravlax and smoked forms — was complemented by fried capers and chopped, cooked egg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My main course was the Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin ($18 – regular menu) with chestnut purée and shaved Brussels sprouts. The pork was moist and smoky with the right amount of pinkness in the center. Though not a fan of Brussels sprouts, these were blanched, thinly-sliced, and sweet with an appealing crispness. The chestnut purée rounded out the flavors and added a nice seasonal touch. My dinner companion had the traditional Coq au Vin ($18 – regular menu). The wine sauce was properly savory and the chicken, tender and well braised. It was delicious, but I was happy with my dish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For dessert I chose the Lemon Tartelette ($7 – regular menu), which was actually three desserts: a creamy lemon tart, a small strawberry pot de crème, and a miniature chocolate milk shake. The combination was playful with each element well done. My companion had the Trio of Sorbet ($7 – regular menu), served with a hazelnut basket filled with fruit compote. The sorbets (raspberry, lemon, and lime) were intensely flavored with refreshing acidity. For wine we chose a bottle of the Stuhmuller Chardonnay 2004 ($40) from the Napa Valley. The wine was rich, nicely-balanced and went well with our food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Service is friendly and communal with three or four different people waiting on your table during the course of the evening. Depending on when you go, the service can be slow and the tables are so close together that you’ll be tempted to steal a bite of your neighbor’s food. Philippe handles the wine service. He is knowledgeable and his wine list is extensive and one of the most user-friendly in the city. In addition to the usual organization into reds and whites, there are also helpful subcategories like “best wines for under $28.” There are also twenty-one wines available in half bottles and another dozen available by the glass. To the delight of wine snobs, the proper glass accompanies each wine so that Burgundies are poured in Burgundy glasses, etc.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Price-wise, Chapeau! is a bargain. In addition to the early bird menu discussed earlier, the regular menu offers food that is as good as or better than that of many “destination” French restaurants at about half the cost. Finally, the warmth and personal attention Ellen and Philippe give their customers makes you feel like you’re having dinner with friends rather than having a meal out. You want to return.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/sonya.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 Chapeau!:\u003c/strong> Thursday, December 8, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chapeau is a small cozy restaurant. I arrived in time to enjoy the early bird menu, which is an excellent value. The prix fixe menu gives you several choices between salads or appetizers, entrees, and desserts. For a moment, I thought that we would not be seated. Even though there was only one couple there when we arrived, the waiter asked us to wait while he determined if they could take us. We had not made reservations. I felt slightly daunted. Still, throughout our meal, the restaurant did not fill up, even though a group of eight people arrived to celebrate a birthday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chef and owner Philippe Gardelle and his wife Helen, make a point of being interactive with patrons. Servers are highly attentive, almost hovering. With the birthday party underway, and with the restaurant being so small, the place was very noisy and loud.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was delighted by the lagniappe serving of puréed cauliflower soup drizzled with white truffle oil. The flavor was delicate and addictive. The mesclun salad was fine, as was the coq au vin with potato purée, bacon, and red wine. The chicken was tender and fell off the bone. Dessert was another high point. The profiteroles looked decadent, although I opted for the plate of small desserts: lemon tart, chocolate milkshake, and a creamy passion fruit parfait. The small desserts were cute and tasty. The lemon tart filling had the consistency and flavor of lemon curd, while the shell seemed to have been ready made. This was a light dessert that is perfect if you’ve had a heavy entrée. We were also treated to a serving of the trio of sorbet dessert, which was lime, passion fruit, and red wine. I loved the red wine sorbet. It had a rich flavor that was refreshing and fruity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As we left, Chef Gardelle walked my friend and me out. There had been a stressful experience as we were first being seated. We were initially seated in a very good location (to me), but my friend, who is a very large woman, seemed to be in the way of the wait staff. The waiter moved us to another table. He then asked my friend to scoot up so that potential patrons who would sit at a table behind her would have room. There were no patrons seated at that table behind her the entire evening, however. With the tables being so close, I wondered how they would accommodate wheelchairs. My companion was highly insulted by this incident, but Gardelle’s extra care went a long way toward assuaging her indignation. Gardelle states that he works hard to provide a place where people can come and have good food. His hospitality certainly makes patrons feel special. I was impressed that he paid enough attention and cared enough to make an extra effort to mollify my friend and address her issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think the incident with seating us distracted me, so my enjoyment may have been less than it could have been otherwise. I became concerned about my friend and had a difficult time focusing on the meal. I was tense throughout dinner because my friend was unhappy. The seating incident made me feel like I was in the way. I would recommend this restaurant to people who are going to be in the area. For me, the drive is just too long when there are a few fine French bistros in Oakland. Even so, I don’t think there are many places that would give you the personal attention and care that you get at Chapeau.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/wendy.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 Chapeau!:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, December 4, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chapeau!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My friend and I were having an early dinner at Chapeau to take advantage of their $21-prix fixe, early bird menu. Being from Oakland, I don’t go out to the Avenues much, but Chapeau is a definite destination. Great marketing on the early bird — the place was jammed by 6PM. The spirit was convivial in a bit of contrast with the impeccably formal and white tablecloth service. The person having the best time was the chef/owner himself, working the room as per his reputation, greeting me as if he’d known me for years, and shaking the hands of numerous patrons who were clearly his regulars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The menu reads like a dream — although even a veteran food groupie like me was taken aback at the coq au vin, which was described as being prepared with rooster. Rooster. I know coq au vin is technically rooster with wine, but I’d never seen it described that way on a menu. (I selected pig instead.) I chose salmon two ways for an appetizer, and pork loin for the main course. My friend had squash soup to begin and arctic char for her main. Dessert was profiteroles and a combo assortment of a mini chocolate milkshake, a strawberry custard, and a lemon tart. The wine list is extraordinary for a restaurant this size, and I loved the fact that I could have half a glass of a crisp, Alsatian Pinot Blanc with my salmon and a glass of Bordeaux with the pork. And, oh la la, the stemware is luxurious — wine DOES taste better in fancy glasses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For me, the food at Chapeau is expertly prepared but missing the “wow.” It’s like when you take a bite of something you are trying for the first time, pause to really get the full effect, and then exclaim, “Wow, this is the best blah-de-blah I’ve EVER had.” I couldn’t say that about anything at this meal. Everything at Chapeau was very good — a high quality product, expertly cooked and beautifully presented by efficient staff members. But the place was missing a little bit of the joy of the meal (I think it got lost in the formality of the service), and the plates were lacking the inspiration/passion clearly present in the chef himself. The pork was tender and flavorful, arranged on a bed of chestnut purée with a chiffonade of Brussels sprouts. Every bite was delicious. The smoked salmon lacked flavor, and the chopped egg and crispy capers (a little burnt) weren’t enough to make the dish a transformative experience. The squash soup was excellent, a hint of autumnal sweetness, a drizzle of crème fraîche, and a smattering of lightly toasted croutons made each spoonful memorable. The arctic char was nicely grilled, served on a bed of diced potatoes, cranberries, and a few other yummy tidbits. I’m not a big fan of fruit with meat/fish, but this dish had elegant restraint in its preparation and it worked. It just didn’t sing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The profiteroles were perfectly bathed in velvety chocolate sauce, and I consider chocolate the only true end to a meal. The combination dessert plate was whimsical and fun, down to the paper straw in the mini-milkshake. I liked this plate a lot for its nature as well as its content. The lemon tart in the buttery pastry shell was perfect. The strawberry custard might have been more flavorful during strawberry season, and the chocolate milkshake was outshined by the sauce with the profiteroles. But altogether, the meal was a delight, the room buzzing with good vibes, and the staff working it like a finely-tuned machine. The check is presented in a chapeau, continuing the humor till the end. And in a world where you can exit a restaurant after spending big bucks with no one to say “thank you,” there’s nothing like a kiss on both cheeks from the chef as you leave.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chapeau: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=68\">restaurant info\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>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chapeau2.jpg\" alt=\"Chapeau!\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chapeau4.jpg\" alt=\"Chapeau!\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/chapeau5.jpg\" alt=\"Chapeau!\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nSalmon Gravlax; Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Chestnut Purée and Brussels Sprouts; Trio of Lemon Tart, Chocolate Shake, Passion Fruit Parfait/Strawberry Pot de Crème\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/dave.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 Chapeau!:\u003c/strong> Thursday, December 8, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What makes someone want to return to a restaurant? In the Bay Area, the competition is fierce and the clientele is sophisticated and savvy. Aside from food, atmosphere, and service, a restaurant needs an extra something going for it to inspire customer loyalty. For me that extra something is: Does this restaurant make me feel welcome and special for having chosen to dine there? The husband and wife owners of Chapeau! have mastered this skill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ellen and Philippe Gardelle have owned and run this restaurant for eight years. Located on a quiet section of Clement Street just west of Park Presidio in San Francisco, it is a small neighborhood bistro that seats around thirty-five people. The walls are covered with fanciful murals featuring, of course, hats. Philippe used to employ chefs to run the kitchen but later decided that he wanted more control over the food. Now he designs and executes his own menus based on the food he grew up with in the south of France.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On my visit (12/8/05) I arrived with a companion for my 5:30PM reservation to a nearly full restaurant. We decided to order off the early bird menu ($21.25): a three-course prix fixe special that is offered from 5-6PM Sunday – Thursday. You have a choice of four different appetizers, main courses, and desserts from the main menu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For starters we were served an amuse bouche: a rich, amazingly complex squash soup served in a demitasse cup. My first course was the Smoked Trout Salad ($9.50 on the main menu). The salad consisted of fingerling potatoes marinated in an anchovy dressing, topped with pieces of smoked freshwater trout, beside a small mound of mâche dressed in a brightly-flavored, slightly sweet lemon vinaigrette. Each of the elements complemented the other with the sweet salad greens a nice foil for the salty trout. The potatoes in anchovy dressing added a comfort element. My companion had the Duo of Salmon ($8.50 on the regular menu with the addition of salmon caviar). The salmon — in both gravlax and smoked forms — was complemented by fried capers and chopped, cooked egg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My main course was the Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin ($18 – regular menu) with chestnut purée and shaved Brussels sprouts. The pork was moist and smoky with the right amount of pinkness in the center. Though not a fan of Brussels sprouts, these were blanched, thinly-sliced, and sweet with an appealing crispness. The chestnut purée rounded out the flavors and added a nice seasonal touch. My dinner companion had the traditional Coq au Vin ($18 – regular menu). The wine sauce was properly savory and the chicken, tender and well braised. It was delicious, but I was happy with my dish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For dessert I chose the Lemon Tartelette ($7 – regular menu), which was actually three desserts: a creamy lemon tart, a small strawberry pot de crème, and a miniature chocolate milk shake. The combination was playful with each element well done. My companion had the Trio of Sorbet ($7 – regular menu), served with a hazelnut basket filled with fruit compote. The sorbets (raspberry, lemon, and lime) were intensely flavored with refreshing acidity. For wine we chose a bottle of the Stuhmuller Chardonnay 2004 ($40) from the Napa Valley. The wine was rich, nicely-balanced and went well with our food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Service is friendly and communal with three or four different people waiting on your table during the course of the evening. Depending on when you go, the service can be slow and the tables are so close together that you’ll be tempted to steal a bite of your neighbor’s food. Philippe handles the wine service. He is knowledgeable and his wine list is extensive and one of the most user-friendly in the city. In addition to the usual organization into reds and whites, there are also helpful subcategories like “best wines for under $28.” There are also twenty-one wines available in half bottles and another dozen available by the glass. To the delight of wine snobs, the proper glass accompanies each wine so that Burgundies are poured in Burgundy glasses, etc.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Price-wise, Chapeau! is a bargain. In addition to the early bird menu discussed earlier, the regular menu offers food that is as good as or better than that of many “destination” French restaurants at about half the cost. Finally, the warmth and personal attention Ellen and Philippe give their customers makes you feel like you’re having dinner with friends rather than having a meal out. You want to return.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/sonya.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 Chapeau!:\u003c/strong> Thursday, December 8, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chapeau is a small cozy restaurant. I arrived in time to enjoy the early bird menu, which is an excellent value. The prix fixe menu gives you several choices between salads or appetizers, entrees, and desserts. For a moment, I thought that we would not be seated. Even though there was only one couple there when we arrived, the waiter asked us to wait while he determined if they could take us. We had not made reservations. I felt slightly daunted. Still, throughout our meal, the restaurant did not fill up, even though a group of eight people arrived to celebrate a birthday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chef and owner Philippe Gardelle and his wife Helen, make a point of being interactive with patrons. Servers are highly attentive, almost hovering. With the birthday party underway, and with the restaurant being so small, the place was very noisy and loud.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was delighted by the lagniappe serving of puréed cauliflower soup drizzled with white truffle oil. The flavor was delicate and addictive. The mesclun salad was fine, as was the coq au vin with potato purée, bacon, and red wine. The chicken was tender and fell off the bone. Dessert was another high point. The profiteroles looked decadent, although I opted for the plate of small desserts: lemon tart, chocolate milkshake, and a creamy passion fruit parfait. The small desserts were cute and tasty. The lemon tart filling had the consistency and flavor of lemon curd, while the shell seemed to have been ready made. This was a light dessert that is perfect if you’ve had a heavy entrée. We were also treated to a serving of the trio of sorbet dessert, which was lime, passion fruit, and red wine. I loved the red wine sorbet. It had a rich flavor that was refreshing and fruity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As we left, Chef Gardelle walked my friend and me out. There had been a stressful experience as we were first being seated. We were initially seated in a very good location (to me), but my friend, who is a very large woman, seemed to be in the way of the wait staff. The waiter moved us to another table. He then asked my friend to scoot up so that potential patrons who would sit at a table behind her would have room. There were no patrons seated at that table behind her the entire evening, however. With the tables being so close, I wondered how they would accommodate wheelchairs. My companion was highly insulted by this incident, but Gardelle’s extra care went a long way toward assuaging her indignation. Gardelle states that he works hard to provide a place where people can come and have good food. His hospitality certainly makes patrons feel special. I was impressed that he paid enough attention and cared enough to make an extra effort to mollify my friend and address her issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think the incident with seating us distracted me, so my enjoyment may have been less than it could have been otherwise. I became concerned about my friend and had a difficult time focusing on the meal. I was tense throughout dinner because my friend was unhappy. The seating incident made me feel like I was in the way. I would recommend this restaurant to people who are going to be in the area. For me, the drive is just too long when there are a few fine French bistros in Oakland. Even so, I don’t think there are many places that would give you the personal attention and care that you get at Chapeau.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/wendy.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 Chapeau!:\u003c/strong> Tuesday, December 4, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chapeau!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My friend and I were having an early dinner at Chapeau to take advantage of their $21-prix fixe, early bird menu. Being from Oakland, I don’t go out to the Avenues much, but Chapeau is a definite destination. Great marketing on the early bird — the place was jammed by 6PM. The spirit was convivial in a bit of contrast with the impeccably formal and white tablecloth service. The person having the best time was the chef/owner himself, working the room as per his reputation, greeting me as if he’d known me for years, and shaking the hands of numerous patrons who were clearly his regulars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The menu reads like a dream — although even a veteran food groupie like me was taken aback at the coq au vin, which was described as being prepared with rooster. Rooster. I know coq au vin is technically rooster with wine, but I’d never seen it described that way on a menu. (I selected pig instead.) I chose salmon two ways for an appetizer, and pork loin for the main course. My friend had squash soup to begin and arctic char for her main. Dessert was profiteroles and a combo assortment of a mini chocolate milkshake, a strawberry custard, and a lemon tart. The wine list is extraordinary for a restaurant this size, and I loved the fact that I could have half a glass of a crisp, Alsatian Pinot Blanc with my salmon and a glass of Bordeaux with the pork. And, oh la la, the stemware is luxurious — wine DOES taste better in fancy glasses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For me, the food at Chapeau is expertly prepared but missing the “wow.” It’s like when you take a bite of something you are trying for the first time, pause to really get the full effect, and then exclaim, “Wow, this is the best blah-de-blah I’ve EVER had.” I couldn’t say that about anything at this meal. Everything at Chapeau was very good — a high quality product, expertly cooked and beautifully presented by efficient staff members. But the place was missing a little bit of the joy of the meal (I think it got lost in the formality of the service), and the plates were lacking the inspiration/passion clearly present in the chef himself. The pork was tender and flavorful, arranged on a bed of chestnut purée with a chiffonade of Brussels sprouts. Every bite was delicious. The smoked salmon lacked flavor, and the chopped egg and crispy capers (a little burnt) weren’t enough to make the dish a transformative experience. The squash soup was excellent, a hint of autumnal sweetness, a drizzle of crème fraîche, and a smattering of lightly toasted croutons made each spoonful memorable. The arctic char was nicely grilled, served on a bed of diced potatoes, cranberries, and a few other yummy tidbits. I’m not a big fan of fruit with meat/fish, but this dish had elegant restraint in its preparation and it worked. It just didn’t sing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The profiteroles were perfectly bathed in velvety chocolate sauce, and I consider chocolate the only true end to a meal. The combination dessert plate was whimsical and fun, down to the paper straw in the mini-milkshake. I liked this plate a lot for its nature as well as its content. The lemon tart in the buttery pastry shell was perfect. The strawberry custard might have been more flavorful during strawberry season, and the chocolate milkshake was outshined by the sauce with the profiteroles. But altogether, the meal was a delight, the room buzzing with good vibes, and the staff working it like a finely-tuned machine. The check is presented in a chapeau, continuing the humor till the end. And in a world where you can exit a restaurant after spending big bucks with no one to say “thank you,” there’s nothing like a kiss on both cheeks from the chef as you leave.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=57\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/sets/72057594054374808/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">view photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/real/tv/productions/checkplease/cp107.rm.ram\">watch episode\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>) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/marios4.jpg\" alt=\"Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/marios2.jpg\" alt=\"Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/marios3.jpg\" alt=\"Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nHot Sausage Focaccia Sandwich, Roasted Eggplant Panini, Tiramisu\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/mel.jpg\" alt=\"Mel\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Mel\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Teacher\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Richmond\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe:\u003c/strong> Sunday, October 30, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> I love this restaurant! It’s one of my husband’s and my favorites, and it felt like going home after not having been there for awhile. When we walked in, the waitress smiled and told us to sit wherever we’d like. We chose a table by the window, so we could people watch. We were given menus immediately, and the fantastic experience began. Once we ordered, I took a moment to enjoy the decor. It was homey and comfortable. Really simple decorations and tables, which made me feel very relaxed. Again, like coming home. The cook was busy putting meals in the ovens behind the bar, and it was great to be able to watch all the action. The clientele was varied: some families, a girl by herself at the bar, two couples dining together. The food was fantastic, as described above. Truly, the eggplant panini was incredible! The blend of feta, eggplant, and roasted red peppers was perfectly balanced. The wine was served in small water type glasses…truly Italian style. Nothing stuffy here, folks!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is a local hangout that tourists are lucky to stumble upon. The place was fairly empty when we entered but was packed by the time we left. Still, the pace never felt frantic. The wait staff did their jobs efficiently and easily. Because it is such a small place, they are able to get silverware, drinks, and the food really quickly. I have dined here several times with friends as well, because it is a fun location and you get great food for very reasonable prices. It is a great spot to just meet for drinks or to enjoy an entire meal. It is not an extensive menu, so you never feel overwhelmed, but it is varied enough to give you ample choices. We finished our meal fairly quickly but stayed to enjoy dessert. We bucked the system and instead of getting our usual tiramisu, we went with the Black Magic Chocolate Cake. Though we love the tiramisu, this did not disappoint! The cake was rich chocolate with a creamy chocolate frosting in the middle. Not for the fainthearted, that’s for sure! It was rich enough to split, but being a true chocoholic I could’ve easily polished it off myself! This was an amazing experience from start to finish. It was my first stop of the three, and the others will definitely have to prove themselves worthy! I have absolutely no complaints about this restaurant and would recommend it to friends, business partners, and visitors alike! And trust me…in the immortal words of our Govenator: we’ll be back.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/joseph.jpg\" alt=\"Joseph\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Joseph\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Architect/Developer/Stay-at-Home Dad\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Soi Four\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe:\u003c/strong> Sunday, October 30, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was Sunday evening around 5:30 PM when my wife, our two kids, and I arrived at North Beach by car and spent about 20 minutes driving around looking for a parking spot. We finally gave up looking for a free spot and parked in a self-pay lot. The cost was $12.00. Unfortunately, the parking machine wouldn’t accept my ten dollar bill after already eating up two dollars, so we had to start over and pay an additional $12.00, bringing the total parking cost to $14.00 for about an hour of parking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We walked up Columbus about a block to Union Street. There, we found Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store situated right on the corner of Union and Columbus. As soon as you walk in, you are taken back thirty or forty years to the time when the bar transformed from an Italian card club to a bar. I don’t think the decorations have changed since. There are ten seats at the wooden bar that runs the length of the narrow space, and about eight small tables lined against the north windowed wall that faces Washington Square Park. There is no neon outside like at the tourist cafes right up the block. The interior lighting is subtle and diffused, no bright halogen spots here. There were a few local patrons sitting at the bar, and a few sitting at tables. The restaurant never filled up more than halfway. Casual dress is cool here. You would even feel comfortable with uncombed hair and greasy overalls. There is a brown corkboard mounted at the top of a high wall supporting some faded posters and pictures. The wall behind the bar is built out with mirrors and wooden shelves that hold the spirits, family photos, and bowling trophies. There isn’t a kitchen proper, all the food is assembled behind the bar and, when required, heated up in a small pizza oven located at one end of the bar. Slices of focaccia bread, baked at a local bakery around the corner, sit on a wooden shelf next to the oven getting stale. The atmosphere is the best thing going for Mario’s. Unpretentious, authentic, and a refreshing change from all the highly-designed interiors so common today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The salad with balsamic vinegar was a bit soggy and not very flavorful. The salad with Caesar dressing was better, and I could taste the anchovies, but I have had much better. We tried the Caprese Salad, which is fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and pesto. That’s exactly what we got: a plate with four slices of hard, unripe tomatoes, one slice of mozzarella, and a spoonful of pesto. Not bad, but nothing special. My sons tried the sandwiches. The Turkey Panini came on a warmed and flattened French roll layered with blue cheese, tomatoes, and red onions. While the blue cheese added a little pizzazz, the stale bun and ordinary sliced deli turkey wasn’t enough to make this a memorable meal. The Grilled Chicken #1 with Dijon mustard, pepper jack cheese, and onions was also disappointing. The focaccia, after sitting on the shelf near the oven all day, was stale, and the chicken was dry. I tried the cannelloni and was not overjoyed. The crêpes were dry and slightly burned at the ends, and the filling of roasted veal, chicken, spinach, and ricotta cheese just didn’t have much flavor. The marinara and mozzarella topping didn’t help either. My wife tried the meat lasagna. This is supposed to be made with fresh pasta, but like all the dishes, it tasted like warmed up food that had been made much earlier and probably somewhere else.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We finally braved some dessert. The choices were coffee, toffee, and chocolate cake all made off the premises. The desert was consistent with the other food, a little stale and not too flavorful. Come here to hang with the locals in an authentic bar, sip wine or cappuccinos, and maybe get a sandwich to fill your stomach. I would only come back here to have a beer or glass of wine and wouldn’t recommend the food to anyone.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/jewel.jpg\" alt=\"Jewel\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Jewel\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Marketing\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Foster City\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Jeanty at Jack’s\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe:\u003c/strong> Sunday, October 30, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It sits on the corner in heart of San Francisco’s North Beach like a wedge of wedding cake served up with a generous side of Washington Square Park, historic Romanesque Saint Peter and Paul’s Church, and the bustle of Columbus and Union Streets — Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe is a real underground San Francisco treat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eight tables and a large counter — like a good man — what Mario’s lacks in size, it makes up in spades in character and good, inexpensive, basic, eating. You get a taste of what makes San Francisco so unique and so special when you bite into any one of their deliciously warm and flavorful paninis or focaccia sandwiches while you gaze around at the old wood counters and shelves, walls lined with pictures dated by the fashion of Mario with friends and family, and at the contrasting scene outside of locals enjoying a day at the Square.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The intimacy of the triangular-shaped structure and local hangout atmosphere at Mario’s — one that’s full of character with a feeling of familiarity and comfort, like an old favorite worn overstuffed leather easy chair — is almost all you need to feel full and satisfied. So, the fact that Mario’s offers yummy food on top of it all is really a bonus. The servings are generous and the flavors are deliciously basic and fresh, and all surprisingly inexpensive at an average of $6 to $8. The savory open-face grilled eggplant panini is accented with slivers of sweet roasted red peppers and feta cheese for a most satisfying blend of flavors. Focaccia is topped with a sweet/tart homemade marinara, thin slices of sausage, onions, and swiss cheese, and served hot, gooey, and toasty from the oven.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, as good as the sandwiches are, make sure to leave enough room for dessert. A variety of cakes, sitting teasingly on cake plates on the counter corner, takes a mighty act of willpower to pass up, but it’s the tiramisu at Mario’s that really shouldn’t be missed. It’s homemade with deep-roasted espresso soaked ladyfingers and heavenly thick layers of Marsala-laced zabaglione cream. Cut the richness with a foamy hot cappuccino and feel your stress melt away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Slide up to the counter if you don’t want to miss a bit of the experience of eating at Mario’s, including what goes on behind the counter, and interacting with the amiable staff. But, beware. Those of you who can find antibacterial wipes as a standard item in your personal possession might be put off by the casual manner in which food and food prep is handled behind the counter at Mario’s. Our server went from gripping menus, to wiping counters, rubbing his face, to handling cash, to handling the ingredients of people’s meal, without so much of a hand wipe, let alone a good wash. But, then again, one has to take note that this is a place where the focaccia sits out in the open on a shelf, and those that are regulars at Mario’s seem to treat of it sort of like a second home and are treated as sort of family. So, what’s a few cooties amongst family?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Go to Mario’s for sure. A required stop for out-of-towners, but be sure to drag along a few friends who think they’ve already experienced all that San Francisco has to offer. Mario’s is a guaranteed “brownie point” winner.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe: Reviews\u003c/strong>| \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=57\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayareabites/sets/72057594054374808/\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener\">view photo gallery\u003c/a> (flickr.com) |\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/real/tv/productions/checkplease/cp107.rm.ram\">watch episode\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>) |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/marios4.jpg\" alt=\"Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/marios2.jpg\" alt=\"Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/marios3.jpg\" alt=\"Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nHot Sausage Focaccia Sandwich, Roasted Eggplant Panini, Tiramisu\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/mel.jpg\" alt=\"Mel\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Mel\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Teacher\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Richmond\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe:\u003c/strong> Sunday, October 30, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> I love this restaurant! It’s one of my husband’s and my favorites, and it felt like going home after not having been there for awhile. When we walked in, the waitress smiled and told us to sit wherever we’d like. We chose a table by the window, so we could people watch. We were given menus immediately, and the fantastic experience began. Once we ordered, I took a moment to enjoy the decor. It was homey and comfortable. Really simple decorations and tables, which made me feel very relaxed. Again, like coming home. The cook was busy putting meals in the ovens behind the bar, and it was great to be able to watch all the action. The clientele was varied: some families, a girl by herself at the bar, two couples dining together. The food was fantastic, as described above. Truly, the eggplant panini was incredible! The blend of feta, eggplant, and roasted red peppers was perfectly balanced. The wine was served in small water type glasses…truly Italian style. Nothing stuffy here, folks!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is a local hangout that tourists are lucky to stumble upon. The place was fairly empty when we entered but was packed by the time we left. Still, the pace never felt frantic. The wait staff did their jobs efficiently and easily. Because it is such a small place, they are able to get silverware, drinks, and the food really quickly. I have dined here several times with friends as well, because it is a fun location and you get great food for very reasonable prices. It is a great spot to just meet for drinks or to enjoy an entire meal. It is not an extensive menu, so you never feel overwhelmed, but it is varied enough to give you ample choices. We finished our meal fairly quickly but stayed to enjoy dessert. We bucked the system and instead of getting our usual tiramisu, we went with the Black Magic Chocolate Cake. Though we love the tiramisu, this did not disappoint! The cake was rich chocolate with a creamy chocolate frosting in the middle. Not for the fainthearted, that’s for sure! It was rich enough to split, but being a true chocoholic I could’ve easily polished it off myself! This was an amazing experience from start to finish. It was my first stop of the three, and the others will definitely have to prove themselves worthy! I have absolutely no complaints about this restaurant and would recommend it to friends, business partners, and visitors alike! And trust me…in the immortal words of our Govenator: we’ll be back.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/joseph.jpg\" alt=\"Joseph\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Joseph\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Architect/Developer/Stay-at-Home Dad\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Soi Four\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe:\u003c/strong> Sunday, October 30, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was Sunday evening around 5:30 PM when my wife, our two kids, and I arrived at North Beach by car and spent about 20 minutes driving around looking for a parking spot. We finally gave up looking for a free spot and parked in a self-pay lot. The cost was $12.00. Unfortunately, the parking machine wouldn’t accept my ten dollar bill after already eating up two dollars, so we had to start over and pay an additional $12.00, bringing the total parking cost to $14.00 for about an hour of parking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We walked up Columbus about a block to Union Street. There, we found Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store situated right on the corner of Union and Columbus. As soon as you walk in, you are taken back thirty or forty years to the time when the bar transformed from an Italian card club to a bar. I don’t think the decorations have changed since. There are ten seats at the wooden bar that runs the length of the narrow space, and about eight small tables lined against the north windowed wall that faces Washington Square Park. There is no neon outside like at the tourist cafes right up the block. The interior lighting is subtle and diffused, no bright halogen spots here. There were a few local patrons sitting at the bar, and a few sitting at tables. The restaurant never filled up more than halfway. Casual dress is cool here. You would even feel comfortable with uncombed hair and greasy overalls. There is a brown corkboard mounted at the top of a high wall supporting some faded posters and pictures. The wall behind the bar is built out with mirrors and wooden shelves that hold the spirits, family photos, and bowling trophies. There isn’t a kitchen proper, all the food is assembled behind the bar and, when required, heated up in a small pizza oven located at one end of the bar. Slices of focaccia bread, baked at a local bakery around the corner, sit on a wooden shelf next to the oven getting stale. The atmosphere is the best thing going for Mario’s. Unpretentious, authentic, and a refreshing change from all the highly-designed interiors so common today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The salad with balsamic vinegar was a bit soggy and not very flavorful. The salad with Caesar dressing was better, and I could taste the anchovies, but I have had much better. We tried the Caprese Salad, which is fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and pesto. That’s exactly what we got: a plate with four slices of hard, unripe tomatoes, one slice of mozzarella, and a spoonful of pesto. Not bad, but nothing special. My sons tried the sandwiches. The Turkey Panini came on a warmed and flattened French roll layered with blue cheese, tomatoes, and red onions. While the blue cheese added a little pizzazz, the stale bun and ordinary sliced deli turkey wasn’t enough to make this a memorable meal. The Grilled Chicken #1 with Dijon mustard, pepper jack cheese, and onions was also disappointing. The focaccia, after sitting on the shelf near the oven all day, was stale, and the chicken was dry. I tried the cannelloni and was not overjoyed. The crêpes were dry and slightly burned at the ends, and the filling of roasted veal, chicken, spinach, and ricotta cheese just didn’t have much flavor. The marinara and mozzarella topping didn’t help either. My wife tried the meat lasagna. This is supposed to be made with fresh pasta, but like all the dishes, it tasted like warmed up food that had been made much earlier and probably somewhere else.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We finally braved some dessert. The choices were coffee, toffee, and chocolate cake all made off the premises. The desert was consistent with the other food, a little stale and not too flavorful. Come here to hang with the locals in an authentic bar, sip wine or cappuccinos, and maybe get a sandwich to fill your stomach. I would only come back here to have a beer or glass of wine and wouldn’t recommend the food to anyone.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/jewel.jpg\" alt=\"Jewel\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Jewel\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Marketing\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Foster City\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Jeanty at Jack’s\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe:\u003c/strong> Sunday, October 30, 2005\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It sits on the corner in heart of San Francisco’s North Beach like a wedge of wedding cake served up with a generous side of Washington Square Park, historic Romanesque Saint Peter and Paul’s Church, and the bustle of Columbus and Union Streets — Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe is a real underground San Francisco treat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eight tables and a large counter — like a good man — what Mario’s lacks in size, it makes up in spades in character and good, inexpensive, basic, eating. You get a taste of what makes San Francisco so unique and so special when you bite into any one of their deliciously warm and flavorful paninis or focaccia sandwiches while you gaze around at the old wood counters and shelves, walls lined with pictures dated by the fashion of Mario with friends and family, and at the contrasting scene outside of locals enjoying a day at the Square.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The intimacy of the triangular-shaped structure and local hangout atmosphere at Mario’s — one that’s full of character with a feeling of familiarity and comfort, like an old favorite worn overstuffed leather easy chair — is almost all you need to feel full and satisfied. So, the fact that Mario’s offers yummy food on top of it all is really a bonus. The servings are generous and the flavors are deliciously basic and fresh, and all surprisingly inexpensive at an average of $6 to $8. The savory open-face grilled eggplant panini is accented with slivers of sweet roasted red peppers and feta cheese for a most satisfying blend of flavors. Focaccia is topped with a sweet/tart homemade marinara, thin slices of sausage, onions, and swiss cheese, and served hot, gooey, and toasty from the oven.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, as good as the sandwiches are, make sure to leave enough room for dessert. A variety of cakes, sitting teasingly on cake plates on the counter corner, takes a mighty act of willpower to pass up, but it’s the tiramisu at Mario’s that really shouldn’t be missed. It’s homemade with deep-roasted espresso soaked ladyfingers and heavenly thick layers of Marsala-laced zabaglione cream. Cut the richness with a foamy hot cappuccino and feel your stress melt away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Slide up to the counter if you don’t want to miss a bit of the experience of eating at Mario’s, including what goes on behind the counter, and interacting with the amiable staff. But, beware. Those of you who can find antibacterial wipes as a standard item in your personal possession might be put off by the casual manner in which food and food prep is handled behind the counter at Mario’s. Our server went from gripping menus, to wiping counters, rubbing his face, to handling cash, to handling the ingredients of people’s meal, without so much of a hand wipe, let alone a good wash. But, then again, one has to take note that this is a place where the focaccia sits out in the open on a shelf, and those that are regulars at Mario’s seem to treat of it sort of like a second home and are treated as sort of family. So, what’s a few cooties amongst family?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Go to Mario’s for sure. A required stop for out-of-towners, but be sure to drag along a few friends who think they’ve already experienced all that San Francisco has to offer. Mario’s is a guaranteed “brownie point” winner.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"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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"marketplace": {
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"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.",
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"masters-of-scale": {
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"mindshift": {
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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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"order": 12
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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"morning-edition": {
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"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"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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},
"pbs-newshour": {
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},
"perspectives": {
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"order": 14
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"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
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"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
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"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
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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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"order": 5
},
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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",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
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"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
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"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
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},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"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.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
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