A friend from Pleasant Hill came to visit Jason and I. Actually, more so Jason, since they wanted to play video games. Sigh, boys...
He brought some ball tip steak sandwiches from Kinder's. I just ate a large pastrami sandwich, so I wasn't that hungry, but had a few bites. Thesandwich was as good as I remembered, but I was full from all the meat and didn't want to eat another meaty sandwich for awhile.
Related: The Go-To Place: Kinder's, Steak Sandwich
Jason and I picked up his parents from the airport and stopped by Pasta Primavera in Walnut Creek for dinner. I was craving for some lasagna and this one hit the spot.
Bubbling hot with layers of pasta, ground beef, red sauce and cheese. Delicious.Did I ever tell you the first time I had lasagna was in Ireland? It was the best. OK, OK, how can I say it's the best when it was only my first time and had nothing to compare? Seriously, thinking back, the first bite was amazing and I've never forgotten it - even 15+ years later. If only I had the recipe...
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Imagine Quizno's, but better. Less franchise-y and more about a local sandwich shop that uses only fresh ingredients.
I first heard about Toaster Oven while I was a student at Academy of Art. I was taking an advertising concepting class and Toaster Oven was one of our clients. The sandwich shop was brand new and the owner turned to us to think of new ideas to market his restaurant. My class and I concepted many ideas and unfortunately, they never made into production. But, during our research, we got to enjoy plenty of sandwiches from Toaster Oven. It's not hard to research when you're enjoying something so good. :) Every sandwich is toasted on a conveyor belt for consistent heating and the bread is soft and crispy. All the ingredients are fresh and I love the pickled peppers they include in your sandwich.I usually get the Kitchen Sink (roast beef, turkey, salami, ham and provolone cheese), but it seemed a little much, so I got my second favorite, Italiano. A delicious sandwich of mushroom, mortadella, capicola, salami, pepperoni and provolone cheese. You must try this place if you're into toasted sandwiches. A word of advice, be sure to eat your sandwich as soon as possible. It's much better eaten warm. And who likes soggy sandwiches? ;)
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Before I moved to San Francisco, I only ate Thai food a few times.
And after? Every block in my neighborhood has a Thai restaurant.My first San Franciscan Thai experience was at Osha on Geary x Leavenworth. It was really late and I was craving for some food. Osha was conveniently next door to the bar I was at, Rye, and the only place still open. At peak weekend nights, the wait time can range from 10 to 30 minutes, but luckily, I remember I didn't have to wait too long for a table. The food satisfied my craving and was also wallet friendly. Score.Ever since that first experience, Osha has been my go-to-spot for late night dining.But, this time, it wasn't after a long night at the bar, it was just a normal weekday dinner night with Kate. It was slightly chilly and Kate was sick, so we ordered Tom Ka Tofu, a coconut based soup with vegetables. I've had better Tom Kas at other places, but this one quickly warmed us up. We split Chinese broccoli with roasted pork that came in a garlic and oyster sauce. We also ordered one of my favorite dishes, spicy eggplant with chicken. This dish is stir fried with garlic, basil, chili and bell pepper. Spicy is in its name, but I usually order it mild. Trust me, don't ever order hot at Thai restaurants. It's extremely hot! The price is reasonable (it used to be much cheaper!), portions are generous (we didn't finish everything) and they're quick. I often feel like they load up on the MSG, but it's ok once in awhile...Osha has expanded to many other locations with fancier ambiances and higher prices, but I still prefer the original and "ghetto" location on Geary for its authenticity and proximity. It's funny that only a few years ago, Thai food was "exotic" to me, but with its saturation in SF, it's an every day cuisine now.
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Whenever it's sunny and I'm in downtown, Mocca is a place I go for lunch. I previously raved Mocca as a go-to place and the seafood salad is the reason why I keep going back.
The seafood salad is abundant and so darn good. Every time I eat it, I want to learn how to make the dish. One day, I will learn! I'm determined.
I crave this dish just thinking about it. The seafood salad is such an easy, simple dish and so satisfying.
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Going to Mocca on Maiden Lane x Stockton in Union Square is the closest I'll be to Europe (for the time being). It is adorable and one of my favorite lunch spots in the city. Mocca is a very small, narrow cafe where you can order sandwiches (my friend's favorite, roast beef), desserts, salads and of course, giant sized cups of coffee. The tables and chairs are set up on the street on Maiden Lane, so it's perfect for those lazy sunny days. It feels like you're in Europe, in a cozy little cafe, sitting in the streets enjoying your latte. ;)
One thing I must and always get is the seafood salad. A tad pricey ($15 - cash only), but if I ever start thinking about it, I crave it immediately. The salad is so delicious and I hope I can replicate it one day. It's a medley of seafood - calamari, prawns, scallop and mussels, with fennel and celery in a tart lemon vinagrette on a bed of greens. It is so. darn. good. It's fresh, light, healthy and again, the perfect meal to enjoy outside.
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I really like Triple Rock Brewery in Berkeley because of its ambiance. It's old world and bustling with noise of numerous conversations surrounding you. But, more importantly, their house brewed beer is delicious. With names like Bug Juice, Tree Frog, Dragon's Milk and Punched in the Eye, there's something for everyone.
On Thursdays, and only Thursdays, they serve Monkey Head Arboreal Ale that comes in a large 1 litter bottle. It's a malty, amber ale and goes so well with their greasy food. It's served with small glasses and you're sure to get a quick buzz (8% alcohol) after a few glasses.
I originally planned to get a burger (beer's best friend!), but I went the "healthy" route with a chicken breast sandwich and salad instead of fries [ it was tough to turn down fries :P ]. The sandwich was smothered in barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese, definitely not healthy, but it went well with the Monkey Head. I hear their reuben's really good and of course, their burgers too.
Triple Rock's a fun place to enjoy good beer and hang out with your friends. There's also seating upstairs on their roof that's perfect for a bright, sunny day. But, it's also cute during the night with small lights everywhere. One downside of Triple Rock is getting a table. Not only are there always a lot of people, but there's no host and you're on your own when finding a table. You end up hovering around tables that are almost leaving and it's a little awkward, so be sure to go with someone that's a little aggressive or you'll never get a table. ;)
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Second time (see first time post) to The Trappist deemed it a "go-to place." It's a place where you want to have good Belgian beer (19 different ones on tap!) in a dark, handsome, pub-like atmosphere. Oh yea, and there aren't any pushy people or rude bartenders.
After dinner at Tony Roma's (see post), we headed to The Trappist and unlike last time, we didn't have as many beers - just one for the each of us.
Surprisingly, the only person that ordered something new was Jason. We each told the bartender what we liked and he gave recommendations. I got an Allagash White Ale, Mike, a Tripel Karmeliet and Jason, a St. Bernardus.
Fortunately, Allagash and Karmeliet were our favorites from last time, so we lucked out by getting them again.
If you're in the area, visit The Trappist - cool spot to have a glass of beer, or two. ;)
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Oh Lush, how I love thee.
My weekly neighborhood spot, Lush, on Polk x Post, is my version of Cheers. I'm not sure if they know my name (haha), but they sure know what my favorite drink is - mango martini with extra blueberries. It's not your typical martini because the drink is blended and served from a slushy machine. I just want to stick my head under it at times, like that one Simpsons episode. :P It is so darn good that it tastes like candy. Mango martinis are a great value too! Only $6 and trust me, there's a good amount of alcohol in there, whether you taste it or not. Lush has another flavor, watermelon martini, also served from the slushy machine, but it's just not as good as the mango. Lush is your neighborhood dive bar, so there's nothing fancy about it. It's a comfortable environment where you can hang out with your friends and have a good time. There's no loud, blasting music so you don't have to scream into each other's ears to have a conversation. Give it a go if you're in the neighborhood [ remember to say hello if you see me ;) ] and if you don't like it, simply mosey into another bar on Polk. There's a ton. :)
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Do you love Chicago style, deep dish pizzas? If you're in Northern California, give Zachary's a try. It is the best, deep dish pizza, with over 100 awards. It's not all hype! It really is AMAZING.
I was always a thin crust girl. And then I had Zachary's. I've never been to Chicago and ate authentic deep dish pizza so I can't truly compare, but man, Zachary's is so good. It's layers of deliciousness - thick crust, tasty ingredients, thin layer of dough and mounds of tomatoes and tomatoes sauce.
Unfortunately, Zachary's do not take reservations so you'll have to wait at least 45 minutes, even on a weekday. But, it's ok, just grab a beer on tap and time will go by fast. When you get there, you'll put your name and order in and by the time you get seated, your pizza will be perfectly ready for you.
Last week, my friends and I just took it to go and ordered our favorite, spinach and mushroom and added sausage. I've also had their baked chicken breast stuffed pizza that's also yummy. I highly recommend eating the pizza there, nothing beats eating pizza fresh from the oven.
In San Francisco, there's also Little Star Pizza that serves deep dish pizzas. Not as good as Zachary's. Their dough is made with cornmeal, so it's a totally different texture and their ingredients aren't as generous. No point to go there after you've been to Zachary's! ;)
Seriously, try it. There are three locations: Oakland, Berkeley and San Ramon. It's delicious.
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