Come and Get Your Juicy Friday Meatballs

The Friday meatballs they make at Santoro's are delicious!  You have to pre-order them or get their early on Fridays because they will sell out every week.  The store has a tendency to run out during lunch time when the high school kids order meatball sandwiches for lunch. One Friday I bought the last six chicken meatballs in red sauce.  Surprisingly there was no pork, veal or beef inside.  I was skeptical at first because when you think of chicken meatballs, flavor does not come to mind.  However, these meatballs were juicy, flavorful and fluffy.  The homemade sauce from Santoro's was also fantastic.  The red sauce was rustic with chunks of tomatoes, fresh herbs and hearty flavors.  The sauce definitely added a boost to the meatballs.

Friday meatballs are a great way to kick off any weekend.

Three Phat Bobs in a Row

After shopping at Alameda Towne Centre and completing all of my tasks, I decided to treat myself to a  Pearl's hamburger.  I ordered the mini Phat Bob, a 1/4 lb. burger with bacon, onion rings, and Jack Cheese with a side of regular french fries.  The burger looked amazing on the food board, but when I took the first few bites, the burger wasn't what I had expected.   I thought the flavors were dull and the bacon and onion rings did not add a lot of dimension to the food.   The bacon had some fat on it so I had to tear off the grizzle and eat the rest.  There was only two onion rings at best, so the flavors were subtle.  As for the cheese, I didn't notice it.  The burger was edible, but it wasn't memorable.  The side of french fries were lackluster.  I was eating cardboard with no flavor.   I would not order the french fries ever again. I  recommend going for the onion rings, garlic or sweet potato fries.

While I was eating my meal inside the restaurant, I was listening to what new customers were ordering.  The next two parties also ordered the Phat Bob.  This burger was a hit.   Was this simply coincidence?  I even wondered if they were consuming the same burger that I was because I was not amazed by it.

Leap Day

We get an extra day in February this month, February 29.  Is this a special day since it only occurs once every four years, or should I treat it as any other ordinary day?  I am perplexed.  Perhaps, I will treat myself to a special lunch instead of eating at my desk.  Scolari's, here I come! I think this extra day is for reflecting of how precious time is since work and family is all consuming and we all need a personal time out to relax.

Is the Economy Picking Up?

Last Friday's Alameda Journal had an article on the new restaurants that are now along Park Street.  Dragon Rouge just moved and increased square footage to the former Aroma Restaurant space at the foot of the Park Street bridge. Red Onion just opened on January 12 and their daily operating hours are from 10 am to 10 pm at 1222 Park Street. The restaurant has two other locations in Pinole and Vallejo.  The facade has an art deco look and feel with bright colors of mustard and ketchup. The food is American diner food. Monkey King Pub and Grill will open tomorrow in the former Yellowtail Sushi Restaurant (1314 Park Street) next to The Hob Nob.  There appears to be a lot of buzz of this restaurant opening. I hope the food is as good as the PR it's receiving? One great aspect of this new place is that it will stay open until 2 am on certain nights.  I love late night dining and there is never a good selection in Alameda, especially if you don't want to wait in line at La Penca Azul. 

Hopefully these little signs are indicators that the economy is picking up and banks are lending money again. Alameda is a such a small town considering we have two large cities at our front door of San Francisco and Oakland.  Alameda needs variety and diversity in the restaurants because it would be a shame for residents having to go off island for a nice meal.  In the long run this is bad news for city hall since tax revenue is lost and people are going elsewhere to spend their disposal income.

Ahh for Pizza

The buzz of East End Pizza Co. has finally caught on.  The waiting lines for a pizza are now long.  When you call to order a pizza it may take a while because the staff has a tendency to not pick up and you cannot leave an order on the message machine.  A few times I have spoken to the owners about paying for call waiting or figuring out another communication mode for customers to order pizza, but they won't bother in having to deal with another piece of equipment.  I somewhat understand where they are coming from since they are so few staff working there.  However, people like myself get somewhat frustrated when you want something and you cannot get instant gratification.

I believe the owners are doing a psychological experiment on the citizens of Alameda in creating small supply with large demand.  My case in point is why East End Pizza Co. can charge $18 for a 14" inch pie.

Offensive Smell

Went out late Friday night for a scoop of gelato at my favorite ice cream place Tutti Melon. While I was eating my scoop of strawberry cheesecake, a gang of high school kids came in and took over the place.  They all ordered deep fried chicken nuggets.  The deep fried smell in a dessert shop was horrifying!  The smell was disgusting and I had to wonder why Tutti Melon would allow such an atrocity.  First of all, Tutti Melon should not feel threatened by Quickly, which makes the sugar filled tapioca beverages, teas and slushes with a hoard of fried foods.

The offensive smell killed my appetite and completely ruined my experience eating inside their shop.  The business owner needs to focus on customers having wonderful and relaxing memories of going to Tutti Melon and not worrying about what other businesses are doing down the block.  Fried foods in a dessert place is a business killer, not a money maker. I plead to the owner to remedy the problem.

Food for Your Sweetie

Valentine's Day is soon approaching. Have you figured out which restaurant will be selected for the special night, or what home made meal will be cooked?  I wish the weather was looking better than grey skies and possible rain showers.  An outdoor European style cafe in a wide open plaza with scenic views and old architecture surrounding you sounds dreamy.  I don't think there is anywhere in Alameda that fits this description.  Oh well, one call always think of Paris or Rome.

Amore.  Ciao.