Friday, September 30, 2011

Not Much Luck at Fortune Cookie

Fortune Cookie on Webster Street is extremely sparse with no ambiance.  I was in a jam and wanted food to take home.  Because the kitchen at The Frog and the Fiddle was closed, I got desperate and ordered food at the Chinese food take out two doors down.  Even though the menu is decent and had lots of items to select from, I picked the Mongolian Beef and steamed white rice.  The dish was quite spicy and slightly burned my mouth.  I was so hungry that I didn't bother that the beef was chewy and over cooked.  The price was decent at $9.00 for one entree and one white rice.  I am on the fence on whether to return to this fast food take out. 

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Copy Cat

It was a busy Friday night at 1400.  The room was packed with customers and a live band set up at 10 pm.  The food at the new establishment was typical pub food.  What was interesting about the menu was that it reminded me of The Hob Nob.  They served the same exact menu items such as the Fish & Chips, Spaghetti & Meatballs, sandwiches and sliders. 

I ordered four different dishes based upon recommendations of the wait staff.  I started off with the Clam Chowder.  The soup tasted good, but it was runny and had very little clams and potatoes.  The soup had more bacon in it than any other ingredient.  The flavors were overwhelmed by the bacon. It's a good thing that I love bacon.  The second course was the Pulled Pork Sliders with slaw.  The slider was not successful because the potato bun was too mushy and the texture was off.  There also wasn't enough pork in the sandwich, the kitchen skimped on the meat. Lastly, the cole slaw was limp, and I had to question if it was fresh.  The third course was the Fish and Chips.  The batter on the fish was light and delicate.  The cod fish was fresh and delicious.  The fish tasted great with the malt vinegar and the home made tartar sauce.  The potatoes that came with the fish however, were a problem.  The potatoes were wedge cut and Dutch style meaning the portions were large cut fries.  The dish came with only four huge slices of potatoes. Unfortunately, the potatoes were over cooked.  It was difficult to eat them because the texture was hard.  For dessert, I had to ask the wait staff because she did not mention anything.  The dessert I selected was Oreo Cheesecake. The menu was quite deceiving because when the cheesecake came to the table, it was basically a slice of New York cheesecake with Oreo cookie crumbles and chocolate sauce on the side.  The dessert was a miss. 

I would come back to 1400 and order the Poblano Hamburger.  I was told that this burger is spectacular.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

What is the holdup?

Do construction workers take holidays while working on projects in Alameda?  It seems that renovation in a few spots are taking a life time to get completed.  Two places on Webster Street that are taking forever are Cafe Jolie and Greek Meze.   The other places on Park Street is Doggy Style and the new Thai restaurant in the former Rolling Pin Donut space.   I hope these long pauses are not indicative of the economy or the city trying to intervene and holding up economic commerce.  A good example is Crema Bakery, I waited and waited for this place to open and the business never came to fruition.  Such a bummer.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Shocking News!

The Quintero Family has sold the Acapulco Restaurant and the business is now closed.  The family has owned the restaurant for such a long time and I have to wonder what was the catalyst that caused the family to sell?  I thought they had a loyal following because many of the Mexican restaurants around Alameda are busy.

Ben who was barbecuing at The Frog and the Fiddle is now gone.  The kitchen is closed and a new business will move in next week.  I was informed by the bartender that the menu will be pub style food.

Can you believe that Boniere Bakery moved to Oakland.  After reading yesterday's article in the Alameda Journal, it seemed depressing since the bakery was the oldest running business in Alameda. Their former space is still empty.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Cafe Rio

Cafe Rio is the newest breakfast place on Main Street across from the former Navy base.  The location is a bit bleak and I am not certain if there is enough traffic to stir up business. No business in that space has historical done well. The fairly new housing development across the street has never given that small corner enough business to stay open.  Their morning competition is the donut joint two doors down.  The food is Brazilian and American food.  Are Alamedans ready for Brazilian food in the morning because the cafe closes early in the afternoon and they are not open for late dinners.  I was informed the owner has another location in Oakland.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Labor Day Weekend

The weather looks promising for the long weekend.  Where should one go to drink and dine in Alameda for a good time?  I enjoy listening to live music, so Speiskehammer could be the spot.  I also enjoy people watching so Pappo has potential. I think by now everyone knows that I love East End Pizza Co. for a great pizza pie.  For drinks, the Forbidden Island is a fun and whimsy place for umbrella drinks.  Maybe I will hang out at every place for a complete tour.  And of course I will be careful about drinking and driving around town due to possible check points.