Disconnect at Mama's Noodle House

I was riding my bicycle around town for a stroll and I decided to go to Mama's Noodle House on Webster Street.  I had been riding for over an hour and I was famished. I went to the front counter and asked the sales person to give me what his favorite dish was.  For $7.60 I purchased the #3, Shredded Chicken Noodle Soup with rice noodles. The reason why the counter person liked the #3 more so than the other dishes is because he didn't like eating bones in a soup. 

I waited for the food to come to my table.  When I sat down  the room was half full. Everyone inside the eating area was Chinese and speaking Cantonese, there was not a native English speaking person in the place with the exception of me.  When the soup arrived, the bowl was huge and it was a large portion of soup. After stirring the bowl a few times, there wasn't a lot of chicken.  The noodles were plentiful as well as the broth, but not the meat.  I would say there was less than a third of a cup of meat in the bowl. The broth was simple and clean.  The soup was mainly comprised of rice noodles.  What made the soup was the side dish of fresh ginger, cilantro and garlic.  The sauce gave the meat a boost.

I didn't drink all of the broth in the bowl, but I did eat all of the chicken and noodles.  When I finished my soup, my stomach was full, but my brain wasn't really satisfied with the food that I ate.  I don't know how to describe the feeling, but the food didn't insatiate my appetite.  I wanted more food in the soup bowl and didn't get it.  What I got was a bowlful of noodles and some chicken.

The next time I will try a rice plate instead.

Love, Love, Love - East End Pizza Co.

I was happily surprised to try out the new pizza joint inside The Market Place.  What attracted me to try their pizza was the wood fire oven. East End Pizza Co. has a simple aesthetic with white walls and a brick front oven.  There is a counter that seats three and there are three or four tables in close proximity.  Pizzas come in one size only, 14 inches in diameter or by the slice.  I had the Farmer's Daughter slice with ricotta cheese, summer squash and sausage.  I totally loved the pizza.  The pizza was thin crust, you could taste the smokiness of the crust from the wood, and the ingredients were fresh and delicious.  The pizza had the perfect moisture level, it wasn't mushy or soggy in the middle.   This joint is the best place for pizza in Alameda.  The price of the slice was $3.25 and it was worth the value.  The slice was about 1/6 of the pie.  Prices for whole pies range from $18 and up.  I highly recommend coming to this place and having delicious pizza.  Thank goodness the owner has come to the island and is creating wonderful simple food.

Incredible Jams at Mona's Table

I had an amazing blueberry jam at Mona's Table.  The jam was delicious and not overly sweet.  You could really taste the berries and it was made with love and care.  I bought a jar of the jam and it was a little expensive, but it was well worth it.  Once I was finished with the jam jar, I rode my bike back to Mona's and returned the jar for them to reuse.  I will buy more jams in the future. I highly recommend tasting their homemade items.

Summer Fun

With long sunny days, take advantage of summer and hopefully the small plates of what Alameda has to offer.  I ate at the bar at Angela's right before a movie.  The kitchen didn't have the small burgers, so instead I ate the petite steak sandwiches. The sandwiches were tasty and delicious.  The grilled onions and the horseradish made the dish and the flavors were more complex.  The price was great at $7.   I also had the Chicken Parmesan strips.  The sauce was on the side and the chicken tenders had melted cheese on top.  What I liked about the appetizer was that the chicken was not soggy.  Yummy! 

The Hob Nob is always a safe and great choice for small plates.  My favorites are the fish and chips, the spaghetti and meatballs and the truffle french fries.  I am ecstatic that the chef is concerned about the consistency of her food as well as quality.  

If you are in a real bind and don't have a lot of cash, there is always Der Wienerschnitzel.  You can't go wrong with a chili cheese dog or a corn dog. 

Barceluna has a rich and creamy macaroni and cheese.  It is delicious when it's hot. 

Scolari's has great hamburgers and an awesome stromboli sandwich.  The food is great pre-hangover food or late night party food.  You can eat the food at Lucky 13 or inside.

1400

At the 4th of July parade, I noticed the new bar and restaurant 1400 was open.  I do not think they were serving food, but poured drinks instead.  I am curious about the new joint since they kept most of the architectural details of the former Croll's Place.  As I said a million times before, the west end of Alameda needs a home run for food places.  Whoever the owner is, they need to stay away from the menu and business plan of The New Zealander. 

Lots of changes along Park Street

As we all know, Crema Bakery never came to fruition.  The space is now seeking a new tenant. I wonder what happened.  The owners sold coupons on discount web sites and people purchased vouchers.  The intent was there, but the execution fell short.

Rolling Pin Donuts went out of business and a new Thai restaurant will be moving into the space.  Rolling Pin was once noted as the best donut joint on the island, and now no more.  Boo hoo!  I love donuts and I cannot believe the owners got out of the game.

Boniere Bakery is still closed and there is butcher paper on all the windows.  Park Street is still screaming for a bakery and when will this happen? 

A new Cambodian restaurant, The Angkor Grill, is now open for business.  I don't think many Alamedans are familiar with Cambodian food, but it is worth a try.

The Kabob House has a new owner and a new name.  The new name is The Kabob House and Afghan Tandoor.  I hope the food is better since the former owner could not make it work.

Alameda Taqueria has new owners and changed its name to Island Taqueria.  Thank goodness the cooks are the same, so I can continue to purchase my carne asada burritos that I love.