Check, Please! Bay Area, season 19, episode 13, airs Thursday, February 6, at 7:30 pm, on KQED 9. See other television airtimes.

On a new Check, Please! Bay Area: This week’s episode begins in Alameda, where Fikscue blends traditional Indonesian flavors with Texas barbecue. From the smoky richness of brisket and dino ribs to vibrant dishes like their rendang and nasi goreng, this East Bay spot takes the soulful art of barbecue to a new level. Next, at The Pawnshop in San Francisco, a true hidden gem delights with its unique and eclectic dining experience. True to its name, guests must provide a trinket as an entry fee before enjoying tapas including jamón serrano, tortilla española, and gambas al ajillo, followed by sweet and crispy churros. Finally, Apple Fritter in San Mateo is a haven for breakfast lovers, featuring playful takes on morning classics, including donut burgers, Nutella-stuffed French toast, and ube cake donuts.

Host Leslie Sbrocco joins guests Adam Risman, Noelani Meteyry and Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin from KQED in San Francisco.

Get Restaurant Information:

Episode Transcript

Leslie Sbrocco: Indonesian barbecue heaven in Alameda.

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: The dino ribs are insane.

[ad fullwidth]

Pawnmaster: Come on in.

Leslie Sbrocco: A one-of-a-kind tapas bar in San Francisco.

Adam Risman: Salt pops—boom, boom, boom—from the salmon roe.

Leslie Sbrocco: And decadent brunch delights in San Mateo.

Noelani Meteyry: That dish always leaves clean.

Leslie Sbrocco: Just ahead on Check, Please! Bay Area.

Noelani Meteyry: I gotta come back next time.

Leslie Sbrocco: Pass the rib!

Noelani Meteyry: Yeah.

[music playing]

Leslie Sbrocco: Hi, I’m Leslie Sbrocco. Welcome to Check, Please! Bay Area, the show where Bay Area residents review and talk about their favorite restaurants. Now we have three guests, and each one recommends one of their favorite spots. And the other two go check them out to see what they think.

Joining me at the Check, Please! table today are Marketing Director Adam Risman, Mental-Health Wellness Director Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin, and Analyst Noelani Meteyry.

Welcome, everyone. Are you ready for a good show?

All: Yeah.

Leslie Sbrocco: Alright.

Leslie Sbrocco: Adam grew up in Texas, so when it comes to barbecue, he’s got some pretty strong opinions. Lately, he’s been raving about an Indonesian barbecue spot he claims has the best smoked meats west of the Panhandle. Located in Alameda, it’s Fikscue Craft BBQ.

[music playing]

Reka Saleh: Fikscue Craft BBQ is an amazing experience of Texas craft barbecue along with Indonesian dishes. So our smoked brisket right here, your Nasi Goreng, your Rendang Plate. And it’s halal.

[music playing]

Fik Saleh: Reka’s always been cooking at home. And then one day we had an argument—she didn’t want to cook. So I figured, let me learn how to cook myself in the backyard.

Just one more of the beef back.

Reka Saleh: I was actually really shocked because he’s never in the kitchen with me, and all of a sudden he started doing gyros, rotisserie chicken, you name it.

Fik Saleh: Yeah, I was on a mission to prove her wrong. I would practice on cooking brisket and there were a lot of leftovers.

Reka Saleh: Yes.

Fik Saleh: That’s when she comes in and says, “Let me redo this into an Indonesian dish.” That’s how it all started, basically.

Reka Saleh: Yes.

Fik Saleh: With Texas barbecue, time and patience, I would say, is the key. Brisket is kind of delicate. If it’s a little under, it’s going to be a little tough. If it’s a little over, it could be a little mushy. That balance in between is what we’re looking for.

Reka Saleh: We call it the jiggle.

Fik Saleh: [Laughs] Yeah.

Reka Saleh: [Laughing]

Man: It looks amazing. I need two people to carry it.

Reka Saleh: My recipes came from my mom, but of course I made it my own. [Laughs] One of our most popular dishes is the Rendang plate. It has over 20 different spices. It takes three days to cook it.

Fik Saleh: There’s going to be a line just like a traditional Texas barbecue spot.

Fik Saleh: Welcome, welcome. Normally, people start coming, like, before we open at 12:00—11:30 or whatnot, then became 11:00, became 10:30, became 10:00. I think the record holder now is 9:00.

Welcome, this is our smoked brisket.

Reka Saleh: When you’re in line, you’re waiting for that door to open. I see people mingle, make new friends, and that’s what we love to see.

Fik Saleh: I see you got a little bit of everything. I want them to be satisfied that the line is worth waiting. That’s our goal.

Man #2: Awesome.

Reka Saleh: Alright.

Man #2: Thank you so much.

Reka Saleh: No, thank you. Enjoy.

[music playing]

Leslie Sbrocco: Alright, Adam, from Texas, you’ve got some pretty high standards, I think, for barbecue, huh?

Adam Risman: There’s a lot of good barbecue out here in the Bay. And there’s a gap from really good to really, really great.

Leslie Sbrocco: You found the really, really great.

Adam Risman: Found the really, really great with something that also sets it apart with the Indonesian side of the house as well.

Leslie Sbrocco: What do you order when you go get your barbecue?

Adam Risman: Too much food. [Laughter] Brisket is always the standard at a barbecue place, and part of the reason why the line exists is everything is sliced by hand by Fik when you get to the counter.

And when you are ordering your brisket, you get a chance to sort of say like, “Hey, I really like the lean slices of meat. I like the fattier cuts. I’d like some burnt ends if you have them,” at the right time when they pull out that fresh slab.

I always go with the fatty cut myself. It cuts with the fork, gets nice and moist, and that’s just all that rendered fat where all the flavor comes from. So do they have great barbecue sauce? Yes. Do you need it? I don’t think so.

Leslie Sbrocco: Okay. Hang on. I’m going to see if we have some dissension or agreement over here. What about you, Noelani?

Noelani Meteyry: Oh, I totally agree about the brisket, but I did have to go with the sauce. I really love the orange sauce that they gave, but I also was a big fan of the jalapeño-cheddar sausage. There was like real cheese that oozed out of it. And again, with the orange sauce is the way to go.

Leslie Sbrocco: Is the way to go. Amaal, what do you think?

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: Yeah. No, I was really impressed with the service—they got it down to a tee. When you get your order, they prepare it perfectly. They know what to do. The dino ribs are insane.

I got, like, a smaller dino rib. It was still over a pound on the scale.

Leslie Sbrocco: [Laughs]

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: It’s per pound, and you have to get minimum one. So, like, that might be the maximum you need because they are huge, but that meat just falls off the bones, super tender.

I agree with Adam that you don’t need sauce, but the sauce is super delicious. It’s got the nice Indonesian spices in the barbecue sauce. If they bottled that barbecue sauce, I would get it for sure.

So it just all goes super well together.

Noelani Meteyry: I missed out on the dino rib. I guess they sold out.

Leslie Sbrocco: Ah!

Noelani Meteyry: But I did want to try it because it really looked like a dinosaur’s ribs. They were huge. I saw a whole family just sharing one. I’m like, “Okay, I gotta come back next time.”

Leslie Sbrocco: Pass the rib! [Laughs]

Noelani Meteyry: Yeah.

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: So the brisket I got, I did get on the Rendang plate, which comes with some crispy rice crackers and other sides and a fried egg, like a combination of textures and flavors that all goes super well together.

And so that one came with a little green sambal sauce. That’s what I dipped my brisket in. I thought that combination of the brisket with the sambal was really good, so smart.

Adam Risman: I love that Rendang plate. To me, that’s kind of where the Indonesian and barbecue sides really come together, because Rendang is typically like maybe a chuck roast, right? Something that cooks very slowly, shreds apart, and it takes days to make this curry that this meat is cooked in.

But it’s the chopped, smoked brisket that’s in there instead. So it adds that extra level of smokiness into the earthy Rendang curry.

And then what did you think of that curried kale that comes on the side? Because I love that.

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: Yeah. That was super good. Lots of flavor. It’s such a good texture for kale because kale can be kind of tough. But the kale curry was super tender, easy to chew, and enjoy all the flavors.

Noelani Meteyry: I also had the chicken, which was the thigh and the leg, which of course is the best part.

Leslie Sbrocco: Mm-hmm.

Noelani Meteyry: It was really good with a crispy skin with pepper, and I’m a huge pepper fan.

And the coleslaw, I’m not usually a fan of coleslaw or peanut sauce, which is in it, but this worked. The peanut flavor was not overpowering. It was really subtle, and they had these little crunchy things in it. So the texture paired really well with the chicken.

Leslie Sbrocco: A good counterpoint.

Noelani Meteyry: Yeah.

Adam Risman: So on the Indonesian side, the Batagor is a favorite for my family when we go. That’s these fried vegetarian dumplings that are tossed in this rich, spicy peanut sauce, the same sauce they use on the slaw.

The dumplings are delicious themselves, but that sauce—like whatever we can find that we still have on our plate, we’re using to get the rest of that peanut sauce.

Leslie Sbrocco: What else should they get?

Adam Risman: Did anyone have the Nasi Goreng, the fried rice?

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: I did.

Noelani Meteyry: Yes.

Adam Risman: So that is my favorite go-to side. It’s got these little bits of corned beef in there that give it a little like fermented funkiness. There’s egg in there, fresh vegetables. I have to get that every single time.

Leslie Sbrocco: Now, did you have anything to drink alongside that to wash that down?

Noelani Meteyry: When I went, it happened to be Indonesian Independence Day. And so they had a Rose soda, which was really interesting. I liked it because it was pink. And I happened to be wearing pink, so it matched my outfit.

Leslie Sbrocco: Of course.

Noelani Meteyry: But it was a really unique flavor, and it was refreshing.

Adam Risman: So it is right next door to a brewery. Convenient, you can bring the food inside, and then a nice IPA pairs really well with barbecue.

Noelani Meteyry: Yes. [Laughs]

Leslie Sbrocco: Right, so you can take it over there and go sit down.

Adam Risman: Exactly, yes.

Leslie Sbrocco: Any dessert or dessert drinks?

Adam Risman: Did I have room for dessert? Absolutely not. Did I still order banana pudding? Yes, it was worth it. [Laughter]

That sort of smooth texture from the banana pudding was a really nice kind of change of pace from the meatiness of barbecue. There were fresh slices of banana in it and that one sort of classic vanilla wafer on top, a little bit of crumbled wafer as well.

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: So I did have a kind of dessert-like drink called a Cendol, which had pandan flavors and coconut milk and tapioca things you could chew on that had good texture and were also sweet. And so I think it was a great dessert, and I really enjoyed it.

Leslie Sbrocco: And do you feel like with all that food that you got good value?

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: Definitely, yeah. The food that we ordered, just my friend and I, we had extras that I brought home and my mom could try it.

Leslie Sbrocco: And do you feel like with all that food that you got good value?

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: Definitely, yeah. The food that we ordered, just my friend and I, we had extras that I brought home, and my mom could try it.

And similarly, she lived in Texas, too, and she thought it was as good as brisket in Texas that she’s had. So it definitely reaches the bar.

Noelani Meteyry: Yeah, you definitely have to be there early, though. Like, I was there on a Saturday at 1:30, and things were selling out.

So it’s no joke that they say line up early if you want all your pickings because they sell out fast.

Leslie Sbrocco: Alright, well, if you would like to try Fikscue Craft BBQ, it’s located on Park Street in Alameda, and the average tab per person without drinks is around $55.

Step inside the pawnshop facade of Noelani’s restaurant, and you’d think you’re in the wrong place.

Pawnmaster: Well, hello, gorgeouses.

Leslie Sbrocco: Once you’re through the hidden door, though, you’ll find the speakeasy vibe, art deco bar, and the creative Spanish-inspired bites all set the stage for a memorable night out.

Located in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood, it’s The Pawnshop.

[music playing]

Michael Anthony Levitt: The Pawnshop is an experiential speakeasy. Once you walk through these doors, it’s like you’re on a different planet.

[applause]

We are located on the corner of Sixth and Mission. It was a pawnshop for 40 years. It was called Money Loaned.

We still have the sign up above.

Pawnmaster: Hello, gorgeous. Welcome. Let’s see what you got.

Michael Anthony Levitt: So when you come to The Pawnshop, you have to bring either a tchotchke or a family heirloom if you want to.

Pawnmaster: A rubber chicken?! How did you know I needed a new one in my life? I love it.

Michael Anthony Levitt: A joke, a dance—bring something to the Pawnmaster. Because if you don’t do that, you’re going to be in a lot of trouble.

Pawnmaster: Used chapstick? [Laughter]

Michael Anthony Levitt: The craziest thing we’ve ever been given was when somebody brought in a kitchen sink.

[Laughter]

We were like, “Really? Everything and the kitchen sink?”

Pawnmaster: If I push a few buttons, do a little this, a little of that, it should be ready to go.

Come on in.

[door clicks]

Welcome to The Pawnshop.

[cheers and applause]

Patrons: Hey!

Damien Chabaud-Arnault: I come from a French background. And us from the south of France, we used to go to Barcelona for the night just to go party and have a good time.

And when we built this space, the way we wanted to do it is the communal eating.

Man: It’s really good.

Damien Chabaud-Arnault: And how we do that back in Spain, it’s loud. There’s joy.

[cheering]

The food that we have here, we chose to have tapas, the small plates meant to be shared.

We took all the stars from the Catalan and the Spanish culture.

Tomato, olive oil, just a little garlic. Whoa!

So the classic Pan con Tomate.

[griddle sizzling]

The octopus, Pulpo a la Plancha.

The Gambas al Ajillo, which is also exceptionally classic.

Michael Anthony Levitt: One thing that’s great about Pawnshop is that we’re open until 11:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and there’s not a lot of restaurants in San Francisco that are staying open that late.

[cheers and applause]

In The Pawnshop, too, there’s a lot of little Easter eggs and things that are super fun.

So there’s a mirror over there where you can watch your friends come in.

Pawnmaster: Hey!

Patrons: Hey!

Michael Anthony Levitt: There’s a karaoke room. There are secret passageways. It’ll take you to a different spot.

And away they go.

[music playing]

There are performances that will happen when you’re least expecting it.

[music playing]

Damien Chabaud-Arnault: We put sun in their life. We put a smile on their face.

We’re on stage when we’re here.

And I see the light on their face. I’m like, I get the shiver right now.

I’m like, “Yes, we did it.”

Michael Anthony Levitt: [Laughs]

[music playing]

[glass clinking]

Leslie Sbrocco: Alright, Noelani, how did you find the secret door?

[Laughter]

Noelani Meteyry: I found it by accident, to be honest.

[Laughter]

Leslie Sbrocco: So you walk up to the door.

Noelani Meteyry: Yeah.

Leslie Sbrocco: Take us through it.

Noelani Meteyry: So you walk up through the door, you’re first confused because you’re like, “Wait, this is a pawnshop.”

Pawnmaster: Well, hello, everybody.

Noelani Meteyry: You’re not thinking that it’s a restaurant.

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: Yeah, I got there early. So I was there before the restaurant was open.

I’m just, like, hanging out on Mission in front of this store. I’m like, “Am I in the right place? Am I even going to have dinner tonight?” [Laughs]

But that’s kind of the fun of it. Is not even telling someone the name of the restaurant. It’s just giving them an address, and then they’re kind of confused.

Adam Risman: I found the Pawnmaster to basically be a method actor. You don’t know what questions you’re going to be asked. Is this a 10-second exchange, or am I going to have to navigate 5 minutes of conversation? It’s a little tricky to get in.

Leslie Sbrocco: Alright. What do you go for?

Noelani Meteyry: Okay, so it’s tapas style. I really like the Gambas al Ajillo, garlic shrimp. The shrimp is in garlic and butter. You can’t go wrong with that. And on top of it, they give you bread.

So the minute the shrimp are gone, everyone’s fighting for the bread to dip it in the sauce.

Adam Risman: I’m glad you mentioned that shrimp. That was, to me, the most standout dish. It’s these delicately poached shrimp in this sherry vinegar broth. And then they have these thinly mandoline-sliced garlic chips floating around in the broth. And I didn’t discover those right away. And then as soon as I did, I was just spooning that over the top of the shrimp.

Noelani Meteyry: That dish always leaves clean.

Leslie Sbrocco: Right.

Noelani Meteyry: Also, another favorite is the Patatas Bravas. Can’t go wrong with crispy potatoes and sauce.

Leslie Sbrocco: Alright. What about you, Amaal?

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: I was really excited for the Pulpo a la Plancha because I love octopus. That was grilled to perfection and had a nice pickled veg and a squid ink aioli. That all went really well together.

Leslie Sbrocco: And it’s fun doing tapas style in an atmosphere like this certainly.

Adam Risman: Yeah, it’s fun to have so much on your table. Gets to be a little bit overwhelming if you overdo it like we maybe did. But I really loved the Tortilla Española. It was the classic egg omelet, although it was really elevated from there.

It had this spoon of crème fraîche on top, and then a really generous portion of salmon roe sprinkled on top, as well as these crunchy potato chips.

So texturally, you had this soft egg, the sourness of the crème fraîche, and then these salt pops—boom, boom, boom—from the salmon roe. It was really nice.

Leslie Sbrocco: And what did you drink with it?

Adam Risman: I had some very good wine. I was impressed by the amount of options they had by the glass. Some more choices than you typically have. And I wanted to go with the Tempranillo because we’re in a tapas restaurant.

Leslie Sbrocco: You’re in Spain.

Noelani Meteyry: Yeah.

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: I did have the Seasonal Sangria, which had little apple cubes and sliced-up citrus in it and had a hint of clove.

So it’s really nice—seasonal, fruity, slightly spicy with the clove.

Leslie Sbrocco: And sangria goes with every dish on the table.

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: So I also wanted to mention the Vegan Chicharrón. They’re huge, but they’re like wafer-thin, and they’re salty and crispy and sweet and almost better than regular chicharrones.

Leslie Sbrocco: That’s good.

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: And I also had the duck pâté, and that comes with some cherries and some herbs. Also, the little toasts—you can make a little bite with the pâté and the cherries and herbs. That’s just a perfectly composed little bite that you make yourself.

Noelani Meteyry: So a must-get dish is the hanger steak. It comes with potatoes and mushrooms. First of all, the steak is cooked to perfection. Seasoned well, it’s juicy, tender. The mushrooms are a beautiful accompaniment. And then the potatoes—the skin is crispy but still juicy on the inside. You just can’t go wrong with steak and potatoes.

Leslie Sbrocco: What about dessert?

Noelani Meteyry: Oh, I have to get the churros every time. So I went there for a birthday. And it’s fun because when they brought out the churros, they sang Happy Birthday and had a little candle. But what I really like about the churros is that they’re super light.

So even if you’re full, you’re like, “Well, I’ll have one just to, you know, have in my dessert stomach,” and then you can dip it in the chocolate sauce and it’s just really good.

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: I did also have the churros, but I had the cheese dessert, which is a triple cream—kind of like a Brie, but it’s got a bloomy rind. And then it’s also served with these fancy cherries and a honeycomb. I was surprised how much I loved this cheese because it was a little funky.

And I don’t always like funky cheeses, but it’s also with a little toast with cheese, the cherries, and the honeycomb. And it was just so good. Like, cheese for dessert is just fantastic. I had—I had dreams about that cheese that night.

Noelani Meteyry: I’ll have to try that next time. [Laughs]

Leslie Sbrocco: So do you think this is a good bang for the buck?

Noelani Meteyry: Totally. You leave there happy. And you leave there wanting to talk about it with your friends.

Adam Risman: Yeah, I’d say the same. Just remember, you can always order more. So maybe don’t do what we did and order everything at once. And from there, you’ll leave in a good spot.

Leslie Sbrocco: And did you get your pawn item back on the way out?

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: I didn’t get my pawn item back, but when I pawned my item, he gave me a different item back. I got this little robot with little guns.

Leslie Sbrocco: Ah! There you go!

[Laughter]

Adam Risman: Where’s my robot?

Leslie Sbrocco: [Laughing] I love it.

Well, if you would like to try The Pawnshop, it’s located on Mission Street in San Francisco, and the average tab per person without drinks is around $40.

Leslie Sbrocco: Amaal rounds out our show with yet another hidden gem.

It’s a quirky little café housed in a former Taco Bell where decadent doughnuts, killer breakfast sandos, and creamy milkshakes are the stuff of Amaal’s comfort food dreams.

Located in San Mateo, it’s Apple Fritter.

[music playing]

John Chow: Apple Fritter is a homey place where you can bring your family, your friends, your kids.

It’s a great place for everybody.

Hi. How are you guys?

I grew up doing doughnuts my whole life. My parents fled a war in Cambodia. They came to this country to start a new life. They had friends that had sponsored them and helped them create a doughnut business.

A lot of times my parents would bring me to the shop.

I’d sneak myself into the doughnut counter, steal an apple fritter, [laughs] and then take a huge bite before they found out.

[music playing]

The restaurant used to be an old Taco Bell, and growing up, I used to come here all the time, and I actually thought, “Oh, maybe I’ll open up this place and eventually convert it into maybe a breakfast place.”

The inspiration for the decorations really came from who I am. I like strange, unique kind of things. I like having fun.

We actually make all of our doughnuts in-house. People don’t realize a lot of the times we have more than just an apple fritter. So we have like chocolate doughnuts, ube, red velvet, almond pistachio—

Even plain old-fashioned is really, surprisingly, good. [Laughs]

[music playing]

The Breakfast Luther—it came from this cartoon. I thought it was the funniest thing ever, and they incorporated a doughnut burger.

Robert: The Luther!

John Chow: I decided to actually create it, and eventually it became a hit.

Fruity Pebbles!

As a child, I loved Fruity Pebbles, and one of my favorite creations was probably adding it to the milkshakes because, uh, why not? [Laughs]

Patron: This is really good.

[Laughter]

John Chow: I really love what I do.

I come to work, and it doesn’t feel like work.

Patrons: Cheers!

John Chow: It’s one of the greatest feelings when people come to your restaurant, bring their friends in, and just have a good time.

[Laughter]

Leslie Sbrocco: Alright, Amaal, do you like breakfast?

Are you a breakfast-every-day kind of person?

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: Yeah, I love getting a really full, big breakfast—it’s always the best.

Leslie Sbrocco: And this place has it all, doesn’t it?

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: It does. My favorite dish is the Luther Breakfast Burger. It’s a burger on a doughnut with a fried egg—fried perfectly. When you bite into it, the yolk oozes out of the top of the doughnut onto the plate.

You can dip your hash browns in the egg—it’s so good.

Noelani Meteyry: I was scared to order that.

[Laughter]

Just because I’m like, “Doughnut, burger—heart attack?”

Um, no, but I’m so glad that I did because it ended up being my favorite dish that I ordered, and I ended up sharing it. So it wasn’t too much, but it was really good. I never would have thought to do that, but the salty and sweet combination—

Leslie Sbrocco: Does the doughnut get soggy?

Adam Risman: They grill the doughnuts.

Noelani Meteyry: No, they grill them.

Leslie Sbrocco: Ah, okay. There you go.

Noelani Meteyry: They grill it, so it held together really well.

And just the flavors were really, really good.

Leslie Sbrocco: Alright. What did you have, Adam?

Adam Risman: So I got cold feet on the doughnut sandwich.

But the reason for that, which I think is very valid, is right before you get to the register where you order, there is essentially a wall of doughnuts.

And there are just so many amazing doughnut options.

Noelani Meteyry: Did you get the apple fritter?

Adam Risman: I had the blueberry fritter.

Noelani Meteyry: Okay.

Adam Risman: It was large enough for four of us to share. Everyone can kind of pull apart their individual piece. And it had that thick glaze that kind of cracks just the way you want it, but then the inside of the fritter was super cakey and soft.

Leslie Sbrocco: Mm-hmm.

Noelani Meteyry: Yeah, you can’t leave there without getting an apple fritter. They do sell out. So hopefully you can get one while you’re there. But if you’re there, definitely get an apple fritter.

I’m also—I’m a scramble girly. So I had to get the chicken apple sausage scramble. And usually when you go to places, it’s like maybe a couple of pieces.

But this was overwhelming with how much sausage they put in, as well as spinach and everything. So the portions are really nice.

And we also had sandwiches. The bread that they put with the sandwich is really spectacular.

Leslie Sbrocco: Did you get any sandwiches?

Adam Risman: Well, yeah.

Leslie Sbrocco: Or you stuck—okay.

Adam Risman: I had the Pigs Gone Wild Sandwich.

[Laughter]

And it was really good.

It had that toast that you mentioned, and then three pieces of flat-top griddled bacon. There were grilled mushrooms on there, fresh eggs, cheese. And to me, what can make or break a breakfast sandwich is really how hot it is when it gets to the plate.

And this came straight off that grill onto our table. And when you bit into it, the crunch from the bacon, the soft eggs, the gooey cheese—

Just kind of everything all at once, it was awesome.

Leslie Sbrocco: Is that a sandwich you get?

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: I have not had that sandwich, but I also do get lunch there sometimes. Like, I really like their Rachel. It’s like a Reuben, but with turkey instead of pastrami, and it’s really good. And I get that with their homemade potato chips. I don’t know if you guys got a chance to try the homemade potato chips, but—

Adam Risman & Noelani Meteyry: No.

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: So yeah, they are really good for lunch, too.

Leslie Sbrocco: And I hear the milkshakes are something.

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: They are. I had the pineapple milkshake. It was tart and sweet and creamy—super delicious. They make all their milkshakes with frozen custard, so they’re super good.

Adam Risman: I had the espresso milkshake, which was really great because I can’t have breakfast without coffee. Good flavor. And I got to split—between a number of people, wasn’t just me—the banana one. Really great fresh banana, nothing artificial tasting in it.

It would definitely have passed the old Dairy Queen test where if you flipped it upside down, nothing was coming out, right? But it wasn’t so thick that it was a lot of work to actually enjoy the milkshake.

John Chow: Okay, maybe it’s a little too thick.

[Laughter]

Adam Risman: It was awesome.

Leslie Sbrocco: I’m really dreaming about that pineapple milkshake now, I gotta be honest with you. [Laughing]

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: But they do have a good espresso coffee bar, and I usually get the Vanilla Lavender Latte. It’s not too vanilla-y or too lavender-y, and they’re all made super hot.

Noelani Meteyry: I’ll say that the Nutella French Toast—that is dessert on a plate because it’s so decadent. And I really liked that they even took the time to cook the bananas, which most places don’t do. But here, it really brought out the flavors. Everyone loves Nutella, so putting that, bananas, powdered sugar on French toast—if you have a sweet tooth, that’s the way to go.

[Laughter]

Leslie Sbrocco: Even if you don’t have a sweet tooth when you walk into this place, you will have one when you walk out.

Noelani Meteyry: Oh, for sure.

Leslie Sbrocco: Right?

If you lived nearby, you’d be there a lot more, right?

Noelani Meteyry: Even if you don’t live nearby.

[Laughter]

It’s a good place, especially after a night of drinking, and you want a good meal to get you up and ready for the weekend—it’s a good place.

Leslie Sbrocco: It’s your splurge spot.

Noelani Meteyry: Yeah.

Adam Risman: You might take the long way to the airport just to circle through there and grab a shake before a flight.

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin: Yeah.

Leslie Sbrocco: Alright.

If you would like to try Apple Fritter, it’s located on Norfolk Street in San Mateo, and the average tab per person without drinks is around $20.

Looking for more Bay Area bites you’ve just got to try?

Cecilia Phillips: [Laughs]

Leslie Sbrocco: Check out Cecilia Tries It online at kqed.org/checkplease.

Cecilia Phillips: [Laughs] Mmm!

Leslie Sbrocco: I have to thank my great guests on this week’s show—

Adam Risman, who devours the dino beef ribs at Fikscue Craft BBQ in Alameda.

Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin, lover of the Breakfast Luther Doughnut Sandwich at Apple Fritter in San Mateo.

And Noelani Meteyry, who gave us the inside scoop on The Pawnshop in San Francisco.

Join us next time when three more guests will recommend their favorite spots right here on Check, Please! Bay Area.

I’m Leslie Sbrocco, and I’ll see you then.

Cheers!

Noelani Meteyry: Yay!

Adam Risman: Cheers!

Leslie Sbrocco: And cheers to you!

Did you have fun?

Noelani Meteyry: Yes!

Leslie Sbrocco: Cheers! Cheers!

[music playing]

Pawnmaster: Alright, now let’s see. What did you bring me?

Damien Chabaud-Arnault: You would not believe how much stuff we get.

Michael Anthony Levitt: One time, somebody tried to pawn their child off, but that was just for jokes.

One time, somebody tried to pawn their fiancée off. That was for real.

Man: I have a 3-D printed genie bottle.

Pawnmaster: I’m going to trade you for—you’re going to get some love in your life.

Man #2: Oh!

Man: Oh, you can never have enough love.

Man #2: That’s going to go a long way.

Michael Anthony Levitt: So we’re always getting crazy stuff.

Pawnmaster: How’s everyone doing?

Patrons: Gorgeous!

Pawnmaster: Welcome, welcome, welcome.

[Cheers and applause]

[ad floatright]

Man #3: Put it there! We’ll wait for you!

News Daily Newsletter

The Bay

Emma’s Must-Sees

Videos from KQED Live

Donor-Advised Funds

the pawnshopthe pawnshop

Check, Please! Bay Area reviews: Fikscue, The Pawnshop, Apple Fritter

Check, Please! Bay Area Returns with Delicious New February Episodes You Can’t Miss!