Saturday was Earth Day in Alameda. The City hosted a nice event at Washington Park that was full of families, older folks and people interested in preserving our planet. I was happy to see a decent attendance at the event and I am hoping everyone walked away with helpful information about recycling, mulching and recognizing our planet's limited resources.
At the event, there was only one food stand. It was a typical carnival food menu with hot dogs, sodas, nachos, grilled sausages and pizza. The pizza came from Croll's Pizza. The sign did not designate who cooked the other food items, I guess those items were heated via microwave behind the counter. I ordered a slice of Pepperoni pizza. The slice was extremely hot when I got my food. I always look at the pepperoni when I order pizza because I prefer my pizza to be well done and see the edges of the pepperoni to be slightly curled and a darker color around the edges. I think pepperoni has more flavor if baked well done. The slice I bought had the curled edges of the pepperoni and the meat was flavorful which was a positive sign that Croll's didn't cheap out on the meat. The slice however, did not have enough cheese on the pizza for me. Instead, a greasy layer of red and orange oil came off of the slice. The pizza was palatable, but I am not sure I would pay for a whole pizza.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
No More Philly Cheesesteaks
From time to time, I crave a hot beef sandwich with grilled onions, peppers and cheese. When I hear the words Philly Cheesesteak, my ears perk up. I envision a beautiful sandwich full of thinly sliced juicy beef with lots of melted cheese on top inside of a fresh bun. I would be drooling like Homer Simpson over a masterpiece.
Alameda has two places that make Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches, Philly's Cheesesteak and More at Fernside Shopping Mall and McGee's Bar and Grill on Park Street. After consuming cheesesteak sandwiches at both establishments, I will not order them again. This town doesn't serve a proper cheesesteak sandwich.
Philly's Cheesesteak and More specialize in making cheesesteak sandwiches, it's in the title of their business name. Unfortunately, the end result lacks flavor and quantity of meat. When I ordered my meal deal of a cheesesteak sandwich with grilled onions, sweet peppers and grilled bell peppers, with curly fries and a soda, I was looking forward to eating it. When the plate came to my table, the bun glistened with grease and took away from the presentation of the melted cheese and grilled peppers. Of course at this moment, I thought to myself that consuming this sandwich was unhealthy, but my hunger was stronger than my common sense. The meal deal was a disappointment, both the sandwich and the curly fries lacked flavor. I had more flavor from the root beer soda I was drinking. The reason why the sandwich lacked flavor because there wasn't enough meat in the sandwich. The cook put more grilled vegetables in the sandwich and drowned out the meat flavor. The fries also did not have enough spices on them to add any dimension to the meal. The fries were boring and the ketchup didn't help. I chose the curly fries because the cashier told me the curly fries tasted better than the steak fries. I will make it easier on myself and my heart, to not eat at this establishment anymore.
At McGee's Bar and Grill, when I tried the Philly Cheese steak sandwich, the meat was supposed to be thinly sliced beef, it turned out to be loose ground beef. The meat combined with the cheese, grilled onions and green bell peppers tasted good, but the meat should have been sliced beef. I should have returned the sandwich, but I didn't. When it's game day at McGee's, the atmosphere at the bar is contagious where you want to cheer with the crowd and be a part of the camaraderie. Food sometimes takes second fiddle while you hang out with the buddies, eat deep fried foods and drink beers. I would recommend eating the hamburgers and stay away from the Philly Cheesesteak. McGee's knows how to do hamburgers.
I will have to travel to Philly to eat a decent cheesesteak sandwich because it won't be coming from Alameda.
Alameda has two places that make Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches, Philly's Cheesesteak and More at Fernside Shopping Mall and McGee's Bar and Grill on Park Street. After consuming cheesesteak sandwiches at both establishments, I will not order them again. This town doesn't serve a proper cheesesteak sandwich.
Philly's Cheesesteak and More specialize in making cheesesteak sandwiches, it's in the title of their business name. Unfortunately, the end result lacks flavor and quantity of meat. When I ordered my meal deal of a cheesesteak sandwich with grilled onions, sweet peppers and grilled bell peppers, with curly fries and a soda, I was looking forward to eating it. When the plate came to my table, the bun glistened with grease and took away from the presentation of the melted cheese and grilled peppers. Of course at this moment, I thought to myself that consuming this sandwich was unhealthy, but my hunger was stronger than my common sense. The meal deal was a disappointment, both the sandwich and the curly fries lacked flavor. I had more flavor from the root beer soda I was drinking. The reason why the sandwich lacked flavor because there wasn't enough meat in the sandwich. The cook put more grilled vegetables in the sandwich and drowned out the meat flavor. The fries also did not have enough spices on them to add any dimension to the meal. The fries were boring and the ketchup didn't help. I chose the curly fries because the cashier told me the curly fries tasted better than the steak fries. I will make it easier on myself and my heart, to not eat at this establishment anymore.
At McGee's Bar and Grill, when I tried the Philly Cheese steak sandwich, the meat was supposed to be thinly sliced beef, it turned out to be loose ground beef. The meat combined with the cheese, grilled onions and green bell peppers tasted good, but the meat should have been sliced beef. I should have returned the sandwich, but I didn't. When it's game day at McGee's, the atmosphere at the bar is contagious where you want to cheer with the crowd and be a part of the camaraderie. Food sometimes takes second fiddle while you hang out with the buddies, eat deep fried foods and drink beers. I would recommend eating the hamburgers and stay away from the Philly Cheesesteak. McGee's knows how to do hamburgers.
I will have to travel to Philly to eat a decent cheesesteak sandwich because it won't be coming from Alameda.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Burmese
I am happy that I returned to the Burmese Super Star Restaurant on Park Street. The first time I went there, the food was palatable, but not memorable. A short time later, a new owner than purchased the restaurant and luckily he already owned the first Burmese Super Star in San Francisco.
The interiors of the restaurant was basically the same when the current owner purchased the establishment. The food now is much better in flavors and sauces. The service is quick and the food comes out of the kitchen like a bullet, perhaps too quick for me. The menu is extensive and there are plenty of delicious dishes to pick from. I chose three dishes of chicken basil, garlic noodles and eggplant and garlic. The chicken basil was good and the vegetables were fresh, but it was a dish I had eaten in a Thai or Chinese restaurant. There wasn't any distinction in the flavor profiles that screamed Burmese. The garlic noodles was alright, not great. I had better at The House Restaurant in San Francisco. The problem with the noodles was that is lacked moisture. The sauce was on the side and had some heat to it, so I spooned it sparingly. I felt the sauce was too hot for me to pour generously over the noodles, and that is why I ate them dry. The garlic smell of the noodles was strong when the dish arrived at the table, but it subsided after you began eating the dish. The eggplant was the best dish out of the three. The eggplant was fresh and the chili sauce was delicious. The texture of the eggplant was tender where one could easily cut it with a fork.
I have been here a few times on the weekends. The place is completely packed and the waiting line is long, so I recommend having a reservation or come early for dinner. Alternatively, weekday nights will have open tables, but don't come here on a Monday, the restaurant is closed.
The interiors of the restaurant was basically the same when the current owner purchased the establishment. The food now is much better in flavors and sauces. The service is quick and the food comes out of the kitchen like a bullet, perhaps too quick for me. The menu is extensive and there are plenty of delicious dishes to pick from. I chose three dishes of chicken basil, garlic noodles and eggplant and garlic. The chicken basil was good and the vegetables were fresh, but it was a dish I had eaten in a Thai or Chinese restaurant. There wasn't any distinction in the flavor profiles that screamed Burmese. The garlic noodles was alright, not great. I had better at The House Restaurant in San Francisco. The problem with the noodles was that is lacked moisture. The sauce was on the side and had some heat to it, so I spooned it sparingly. I felt the sauce was too hot for me to pour generously over the noodles, and that is why I ate them dry. The garlic smell of the noodles was strong when the dish arrived at the table, but it subsided after you began eating the dish. The eggplant was the best dish out of the three. The eggplant was fresh and the chili sauce was delicious. The texture of the eggplant was tender where one could easily cut it with a fork.
I have been here a few times on the weekends. The place is completely packed and the waiting line is long, so I recommend having a reservation or come early for dinner. Alternatively, weekday nights will have open tables, but don't come here on a Monday, the restaurant is closed.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Extra Helpings of BBQ
One night I was too tired to heat the grill and cook dinner. I opened the refrigerator about six times trying to decide what to make or how to concoct a meal that was quick. With all of the fuss wasted on making a decision, it was easier to buy food instead. The choice was barbecue from from Everett and Jones on Webster Street. I ordered three small plates to get a wide variety of food without over eating. The food selections were barbecue chicken, ribs and pulled pork with medium heat sauce. The sides were corn bread, brown beans and macaroni and cheese.
The barbecue sauce was the same for all of the meats. It was tasty with a little bit of heat and a smokey essence to it. As for the main entrees, the barbecue chicken was moist and tender, it was the best meat out of the three. The ribs were also good, but a bit overcooked. The edges of the meat were dry and crunchy in texture. The flavor of the ribs were tasty and satisfying and easy to release from the bone. The pulled pork meat had problems. The meat was extremely overcooked and dry. Secondly, pulled pork is either pulled away from the bone by manual labor or by using a fork. The meat in this case was cut away from the rib with a knife and roughly sliced. I do not recommend the pulled pork due to the dryness of the meat. The sauce helped in giving moisture to the meat, but the meat was tough. Hands down, Chef Edwards in Oakland doesn't have anything to be concerned with his Piggly Wiggly Sandwich; there is no competition here. His pulled pork sandwiches are what dreams are made of.
The sides can compliment a meal if you choose them wisely. The brown beans were delicious, smokey in flavor with a slight sweetness to them without being too thick or runny. The corn bread was dry and crumbled easily. There wasn't a lot of moisture in the corn bread which was probably why it crumbled into thousands of little crumbs. The macaroni and cheese was sad. The cheese flavor was bland, the look of the dish was uninspiring and it was a weak side. It would have been a safer bet to choose corn on the cob instead.
The Webster Street location is better than their small kitchen inside Scobies Bar and Grill. I know I will come here again, but choose different sides and taste other meat options. I do like my extra helpings of barbecue.
The barbecue sauce was the same for all of the meats. It was tasty with a little bit of heat and a smokey essence to it. As for the main entrees, the barbecue chicken was moist and tender, it was the best meat out of the three. The ribs were also good, but a bit overcooked. The edges of the meat were dry and crunchy in texture. The flavor of the ribs were tasty and satisfying and easy to release from the bone. The pulled pork meat had problems. The meat was extremely overcooked and dry. Secondly, pulled pork is either pulled away from the bone by manual labor or by using a fork. The meat in this case was cut away from the rib with a knife and roughly sliced. I do not recommend the pulled pork due to the dryness of the meat. The sauce helped in giving moisture to the meat, but the meat was tough. Hands down, Chef Edwards in Oakland doesn't have anything to be concerned with his Piggly Wiggly Sandwich; there is no competition here. His pulled pork sandwiches are what dreams are made of.
The sides can compliment a meal if you choose them wisely. The brown beans were delicious, smokey in flavor with a slight sweetness to them without being too thick or runny. The corn bread was dry and crumbled easily. There wasn't a lot of moisture in the corn bread which was probably why it crumbled into thousands of little crumbs. The macaroni and cheese was sad. The cheese flavor was bland, the look of the dish was uninspiring and it was a weak side. It would have been a safer bet to choose corn on the cob instead.
The Webster Street location is better than their small kitchen inside Scobies Bar and Grill. I know I will come here again, but choose different sides and taste other meat options. I do like my extra helpings of barbecue.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Closed Doors
As I casually drove back to Alameda one day, I noticed a construction crew was working at the Le Cafe Restaurant on Webster Street. What puzzled me about the renovation was that all of the restaurant signage was removed. The front door sign that listed the hours was gone. There wasn't a "Temporary Closure Due to Renovation" sign. The exterior of only the restaurant, not the entire building, was being worked on. It was not a promising indication that the restaurant was able to survive the recession. I will have to closely monitor this location to see if a new owner has taken over the space. Stay tuned for more details.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Tapas
Tapas are great because the dishes are served in small portions and a table is able to consume a wide variety of food. Tapas were a smashing hit in the mid to late 1990s and have kept their panache in the bay area. Alameda has two tapas restaurants: Barceluna and Zen. Interestingly enough, Barceluna and Zen are just steps from each other. Both are located on Santa Clara Avenue, west of Park Street.
If you read my blog entry dated on March 8, 2009, Zen was definitely off on my radar. I then decided to give Zen another try and went there on a weekday night. This time, the atmosphere and service was a complete 180 compared to the previous encounter. I believe the owner was working that evening and greeted my party as soon as we entered the door. A major relief when I saw someone take care of us in front of the house. The menu was a long list of Asian fusion tapas, entrees and desserts. My table ordered about six different small plates. We ordered gyoza which is basically the Japanese term for potsticker. The won ton skin was crisp, not chewy, and the filing was pork and vegetable. The sauce for the gyoza was a light soy sauce with a slight hint of daikon. Gyoza was a great start to begin a meal. Agedashi with bonito flakes was another delicious dish. I am a huge fan of tofu, I believe everyone should eat tofu on a daily basis. The tofu was dry and firm which means the oil in the pan was really hot. The bonito flakes added another fish dimension to the dish while the sauce was slightly sweet. It was overall a tasty and healthy plate. One of the signature dishes of the restaurant is the sweet potato and taro chips. We had to definitely try it since it was recommended by the wait staff. The chips came with a chipoltle and mayonnaise sauce. When the fish and chips dish came out, I was really excited. I love fish and chips. The fish was cooked well, not overdone and not limp. The chips appeared amazing, but ended up being a disappointment. There was not a lot of flavor coming from the sweet potato or taro root. The chips were deep fried, battered and cut into wedges, and the sauce helped bring some flavor and moisture. The fries overall, were a miss for me. An interesting dish that was selected that evening was the kim chee fried rice. Kim chee is fermented cabbage and can be spicy. The rice dish was great in flavor and had some heat to it, but not scorching hot. The beef slices in the rice made the dish, it brought depth and texture in a fantastic way. In summary, I am glad that I did not completely write off Zen since the meal was great and the service was much improved. I would recommend coming to this restaurant with a reservation and knowing the manager or owner is working.
Barceluna is both old and new to Alameda. The previous location was at the old Alameda Theatre before the the movie house was in operation. The restaurant was forced to close and now it has relocated to Santa Clara Avenue at the old Luciano's space. The food is geared towards Spanish tapas, or small plates. The tapas menu changes on a monthly basis, so it always a welcoming surprise to read what is on the menu. The Tuna Luna tapa was fresh ahi tuna with tofu, cucumber and avocado chunks mixed in a spicy sauce. The presentation was nice in a martini glass and with a giant tortilla chip. The flavors, however were a miss. There wasn't enough tuna for my liking and the dish was mainly filling. The tofu did not add any flavor and at times looked like avocado to me. The ahi was over cooked and other ingredients masked the natural taste of the tuna. The mushrooms tapa was decent. The dish was cooked mushrooms with a nice smokey flavor. The skirt steak on top of a crostini tapa sounded great on the menu, but it was a bit difficult to eat. The steak was a bit chewy and slightly tough and did not tear easily once you bit into the meat. The flavor of the beef was good, but I wish the meat was more tender. The pomme frites were yummy and a good sized dish. The fries were crunchy and hot, served with a mayonnaise and ketchup dipping sauce. Another time I had their pulled pork mini sandwiches. The meat was tasty and tender with smoky flavors, moistened in a rich BBQ sauce. As for dessert, the menu is very minimal. The only dessert worth tasting is their deep fried dessert.
If you read my blog entry dated on March 8, 2009, Zen was definitely off on my radar. I then decided to give Zen another try and went there on a weekday night. This time, the atmosphere and service was a complete 180 compared to the previous encounter. I believe the owner was working that evening and greeted my party as soon as we entered the door. A major relief when I saw someone take care of us in front of the house. The menu was a long list of Asian fusion tapas, entrees and desserts. My table ordered about six different small plates. We ordered gyoza which is basically the Japanese term for potsticker. The won ton skin was crisp, not chewy, and the filing was pork and vegetable. The sauce for the gyoza was a light soy sauce with a slight hint of daikon. Gyoza was a great start to begin a meal. Agedashi with bonito flakes was another delicious dish. I am a huge fan of tofu, I believe everyone should eat tofu on a daily basis. The tofu was dry and firm which means the oil in the pan was really hot. The bonito flakes added another fish dimension to the dish while the sauce was slightly sweet. It was overall a tasty and healthy plate. One of the signature dishes of the restaurant is the sweet potato and taro chips. We had to definitely try it since it was recommended by the wait staff. The chips came with a chipoltle and mayonnaise sauce. When the fish and chips dish came out, I was really excited. I love fish and chips. The fish was cooked well, not overdone and not limp. The chips appeared amazing, but ended up being a disappointment. There was not a lot of flavor coming from the sweet potato or taro root. The chips were deep fried, battered and cut into wedges, and the sauce helped bring some flavor and moisture. The fries overall, were a miss for me. An interesting dish that was selected that evening was the kim chee fried rice. Kim chee is fermented cabbage and can be spicy. The rice dish was great in flavor and had some heat to it, but not scorching hot. The beef slices in the rice made the dish, it brought depth and texture in a fantastic way. In summary, I am glad that I did not completely write off Zen since the meal was great and the service was much improved. I would recommend coming to this restaurant with a reservation and knowing the manager or owner is working.
Barceluna is both old and new to Alameda. The previous location was at the old Alameda Theatre before the the movie house was in operation. The restaurant was forced to close and now it has relocated to Santa Clara Avenue at the old Luciano's space. The food is geared towards Spanish tapas, or small plates. The tapas menu changes on a monthly basis, so it always a welcoming surprise to read what is on the menu. The Tuna Luna tapa was fresh ahi tuna with tofu, cucumber and avocado chunks mixed in a spicy sauce. The presentation was nice in a martini glass and with a giant tortilla chip. The flavors, however were a miss. There wasn't enough tuna for my liking and the dish was mainly filling. The tofu did not add any flavor and at times looked like avocado to me. The ahi was over cooked and other ingredients masked the natural taste of the tuna. The mushrooms tapa was decent. The dish was cooked mushrooms with a nice smokey flavor. The skirt steak on top of a crostini tapa sounded great on the menu, but it was a bit difficult to eat. The steak was a bit chewy and slightly tough and did not tear easily once you bit into the meat. The flavor of the beef was good, but I wish the meat was more tender. The pomme frites were yummy and a good sized dish. The fries were crunchy and hot, served with a mayonnaise and ketchup dipping sauce. Another time I had their pulled pork mini sandwiches. The meat was tasty and tender with smoky flavors, moistened in a rich BBQ sauce. As for dessert, the menu is very minimal. The only dessert worth tasting is their deep fried dessert.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Walked Out
It was a busy Friday night in the small town of Alameda. The rained finally stopped after two weeks of wet weather. People were out and about in downtown Alameda. I walked into Zen Restaurant on Santa Clara Avenue hoping for a great dinner. The restaurant was full of customers. The interiors were Asian inspired with paper lantern lights hanging down from the ceiling. The Buddha statue in the front as you walk into the establishment sets the zen like tone of the room. I also thought the wall separator was modern with an Asian twist. It was a great piece to distinguish the waiting area and the dining area.
As I entered the restaurant, no one greeted our party. I waited for a good fifteen minutes and still no one on the floor acknowledged us. I noticed two open tables which took ten minutes to clean, one was a table for two and the other was a table for four. I thought after waiting for twenty minutes that at least a host or hostess would approach the people waiting at the front of the house. Finally, the party of three ahead of me flagged a waiter inquiring about the open table for four. Unfortunately, the waiter had no indication on how long the wait would be. Another staff person then gave the table of four to a party of two who were sitting at the bar. I am not sure why this rookie mistake was made since a table for two was still available. The party ahead of me of course was upset when they noticed the table mix up.
A party of two then came in after our group. No one of the restaurant greeted them. These two people finally got fed up and left. Minutes later a group of six entered the restaurant who claimed they had a reservation. There was not a table available for their group.
A member of my party then yelled out loud again to the waiter on how long it would take for a party of two. The wait staff didn't know. After twenty five minutes of waiting and not being noticed, acknowledged or greeted, my friend and I decided to walk out. The restaurant had poor communications skills and lacked front of the house management. When staff do not make a connection with their customers, the restaurant will lose money regardless how good the food tastes. This experience was a big disappointment since the food smelled amazing and looked delicious.
Zen needs to focus on customer attention and follow through with the details of great service. My other recommendation would be to eat at this restaurant when it is less busy. If management doesn't get it in the near future, I know I won't be the only customer walking away.
As I entered the restaurant, no one greeted our party. I waited for a good fifteen minutes and still no one on the floor acknowledged us. I noticed two open tables which took ten minutes to clean, one was a table for two and the other was a table for four. I thought after waiting for twenty minutes that at least a host or hostess would approach the people waiting at the front of the house. Finally, the party of three ahead of me flagged a waiter inquiring about the open table for four. Unfortunately, the waiter had no indication on how long the wait would be. Another staff person then gave the table of four to a party of two who were sitting at the bar. I am not sure why this rookie mistake was made since a table for two was still available. The party ahead of me of course was upset when they noticed the table mix up.
A party of two then came in after our group. No one of the restaurant greeted them. These two people finally got fed up and left. Minutes later a group of six entered the restaurant who claimed they had a reservation. There was not a table available for their group.
A member of my party then yelled out loud again to the waiter on how long it would take for a party of two. The wait staff didn't know. After twenty five minutes of waiting and not being noticed, acknowledged or greeted, my friend and I decided to walk out. The restaurant had poor communications skills and lacked front of the house management. When staff do not make a connection with their customers, the restaurant will lose money regardless how good the food tastes. This experience was a big disappointment since the food smelled amazing and looked delicious.
Zen needs to focus on customer attention and follow through with the details of great service. My other recommendation would be to eat at this restaurant when it is less busy. If management doesn't get it in the near future, I know I won't be the only customer walking away.
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