Sunday, May 23, 2010

Angela's Little Secret

For those of you in the know, anytime you order food or wine bottles from Angela's Bistro for take-out, you automatically save 20%. This bit of information is not widely marketed, but good to know.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Mona's Table

A friendly neighborhood hangout and child-friendly place is Mona's Table on Encinal Avenue. This cafe is open for breakfast, lunch and take away dinners (no dinner seating). The food is warm and cozy, something your Grandmother would make at home.


The interiors reminds me of a cleaner version of Marti's Place, lots of knick knacks everywhere, with a country/grandma flair to it. I was surprised to see a lot of children games on the shelves as well as plenty of small children running in and out of the restaurant.


Mona prepares daily specials in addition to her regular menu. I was ecstatic to see such a varied menu with breakfast, lunch and dessert selections. I ordered a warm Pastrami sandwich and an Asian Hosin Pulled Pork sandwich. The pastrami meat was good quality with little fat in it. The sandwich was tasty with a crunch to it from the coleslaw. The coleslaw was slightly sweet, but it did not overwhelm the flavor of the meat. The sandwich was missing one ingredient - mustard. The pulled pork sandwich was an interesting spin on the classic BBQ sandwich. The flavors of the pork had Asian spices slowly cooked on the meat. The meat was tender, but a bit mushy. Mona must like coleslaw because this sandwich had a green coleslaw inside the sandwich. The sandwich reminded me a of Chao Siu Boa at a Dim Sum restaurant with BBQ pork in the middle with bread on the outer side.


I would definitely return to Mona's Table. The food is good quality and Mona herself is a conscious owner of her food products. I see why families are thrilled to have her restaurant on the East End. Mona's food is higher quality and better tasting than her competitor across the parking lot - Bip's Broiler. Sorry Bip's.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Alameda Pizza

I neglected Alameda Pizza on Webster Street for a decade because the place reeked sadness. The interiors are stark, dreary with no life or vibrancy. There is nothing fancy or delightful about the place. I finally got the courage to buy a pizza there and thankfully, it was good. Hallelujah!


I cut out my $2.00 coupon from the Alameda phone book and bought a 16" inch Alameda Special pizza. This pizza had pepperoni, olives, Canadian Bacon, salami, tomatoes and feta cheese. I requested the pizza to be thin crust and well done because I do not enjoy eating a soggy pizza.
The pizza had good flavors. The crust was dry from the edge to the center. There were the right amount of toppings because I hate it when the pizza maker is cheap and omits ingredients. Overall, the pizza was tasty. I took the pizza home and enjoyed it in the comfort of my own surroundings.

With my coupon, the pizza was approximately $23.00. Pizza is difficult to buy on the Island. I would come back to Alameda Pizza for only take out.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Ben's BBQ

If you are a fan of hard rock, you will be familiar with Roosters on Clement Avenue. Roosters serves food during the live music shows and in the past, the food was BBQ prepared by Ben. Ben recently moved out of Roosters and started his own BBQ joint at the foot of the former Alameda Naval Base. The new restaurant is named Ben's BBQ.

The menu is the same from Roosters. The only difference is that the french fries are frozen and no longer fresh to order because the machine is not available.

The Pulled Pork Sandwiches are great to eat. The meat is tender, juicy and full of flavor. The BBQ beans are also good with a smoky flavor. The corn muffins have jalapeno peppers and the end product was overwhelmingly spicy. My first bite was a lot of heat and very little corn meal taste. It was basically a fire in my mouth.

Ben is very serious about his BBQ and I admire his quality for taste and texture. I will definitely come back for more. I hope Alamedans will embrace and welcome Ben in the Alameda food scene. His prices are fair with good value.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Bip's Broiler

Fernside is known for quaint homes and tree lined streets, but not as a restaurant neighborhood on the island. One almost forgets about Bip's Boiler and the Encinal Market. Bip's and the market have been in business for quite a long time. The diner is a throw back to a bygone era, nothing fancy.


I ate there on a gray day hoping for comfort food in a hamburger and a chicken sandwich. Both plates were basic, no special sauces, there was nothing on the buns. I had to add ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard on both sandwiches. The food was palatable, but nothing spectacular. The chicken sandwich was healthy for me and I was appreciative of that factor. The french fries were decent, but the potato salad was a miss. The potato salad was boring after three bites.


Unfortunately, when I was chowing down on my sandwiches, it was cold sitting inside the diner. I had to keep my jacket on the entire time I was there. I also looked around the room and noticed the other two tables, everyone had their coats on.


I hate to think what will happen to Bip's once Pearl's Hamburgers opens in Alameda Towne Centre. I am certain Burgermeister has reduced business for them.