2251 Broadway, Oakland, CA  94612 | 510.286.9866 | website | twitter |
a previous visit 05-2010

Last night Mr. K and I had a very enjoyable meal at the Ozumo sushi bar where we delighted in platters of gorgeously pristine nigiri along with some excellent izakaya dishes from the Sushi Monday menu.  What is Sushi Monday? Well… I’m feeling a little reluctant to share because it was so awesome that I want to keep it all to myself, but here it is: endless sushi and select hot items served at the sushi bar on Mondays from 5 to 9pm for $30.  And for those of you who have read Anthony Bourdain’s proclamation to never order fish on Mondays, please heed his advice and stay away!  Leave the Sushi Monday secret eating club alone to enjoy our seafood in peace.

The interior is very dramatic with high black ceilings that make you feel like you are on some sort of a stage or set.  When you first walk in from the bright daylight and your eyes haven’t adjusted, it seems really very dark, so I appreciated that the hostess kept warning us to watch our steps as she led us back to the sushi bar.  The sushi bar is big and reminds me of the kitchen stadium, with bright spotlights that illuminate the food nicely.

We dined with my visiting aunt (who is originally from Kobe) and her family, two of whom work at the restaurant.  We all sat along the rear counter where we shared bowls of Edamame ($4) to begin our feast.  The soy beans were freshly cooked and still warm, tossed with garlic and soy and ridiculously addictive.

From the Izakaya menu, we ordered skewers of the Buta Kushi, kurobuta pork belly drizzled with spicy miso and thin slices of green onion.  Everyone marveled over this amazing dish, and I must insist that you try this if you go!  The meat was tender and pulled apart easily, filled with veins of rich custardy porcine fat that was cooked to a delicate crisp.

We shared plates of Crispy Vegetable Tempura, thick slices of onion, sweet potato, shiitake mushroom, eggplant, lotus root and asparagus, served crispy and hot from the fryer.

We chewed our way through several plates of the Kara-age ($10) which is a classic Japanese appetizer.  Ozumo’s version is dry fried with the barest dusting of cornstarch, which develops a lovely light crispy chewy crust and is served with a squiggle of curry sauce dusted with chili spice mixture.

The Asparagus with grated daikon and ponzu was coated in a lip smacking marinade that went well with the acidic ponzu and pungent daikon.

You could choose from a list of 15 premium nigiri toppings (snapper, tuna, yellowtail, black snapper, salmon, mackerel, scallop, squid, salmon roe, flying fish roe, egg, poached shrimp, snow crab, fluke, or albacore).  The Salmon Roe (Ikura) was bright and fresh tasting, I love how the gemlike orbs pop when you bite in, filling your mouth with the salty flavor of the sea…

Followed by platters of more nigiri:  hamachi, salmon, flounder and scallop

Lightly marinated Saba (mackerel) and buttery and rich Hamachi (yellowtail) both melted in your mouth.  What we loved most about the nigiri is the diminutive size of the rice base, and the thin slice of fish placed on top formed a proportionate balance of fish to rice ratio.  The temperature of the flesh was cool but firmly flexible and everything was impeccably fresh and clean tasting.

This was a clandestine round of Albacore Belly, Shiro Maguro Toro which is not on the sushi monday menu…  decadently rich, velvety and so ended our feast!

We couldn’t get over the fact that there are so many options, the list of nigiri was quite extensive (although no uni and toro), but included real crab, salmon roe, a bounty of other fine fish, sushi rolls (which we never even got to), and some very fine izakaya dishes.  It was really hard to stop eating, especially those pork belly skewers!

My cousin told me about a Robata tasting menu for $49 with pairings from their extensive sake list that is calling my name.  Robata tasting menu or Sushi Mondays, either one sounds excellent to me.

website | facebook | twitter | 925-325-0531

I wanted to share an exciting food spot in the Walnut Creek area, which has been just a little too far flung to gain the interest of the incredible food trucks that are out in force in the Bay Area supplying an array of epicurean delights to their devoted followers. I stalk them on twitter and facebook to find out where to get my next fix of good grub, but to date Bishop Ranch at San Ramon has been the farthest outpost that the cool trucks go, so I am very excited to have found a promising truck that is making the rounds out here in Coco county. A co-worker pointed this one out to me, she was driving behind them and followed them to the local Shadelands business park and was very excited to report that the Tempura Tilapia Banh Mi she had was delicious. I consulted the oracle of the interwebs to look up more information about the sited Blue Saigon Vietnamese Fusion Grill Truck, and the next day I put them in my GPS and headed out to check them out. They were easy to find in a big parking lot, and I ordered the Trio of Tacos (1 for $3/3 for $8), Shaking Beef Taco, marinated Angus steak on a corn tortilla with cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce and miso aioli.  The beef was a bit chewy but very flavorful.

The Pulled Pork Taco was my favorite of the three, filled with sweet and savory, tender slow cooked pork on a corn tortilla with pickled carrots and daikon, romaine lettuce and miso aioli.

The Tempura Tilapia Taco was a close second, big pieces of crispy battered and fried tilapia fish on a corn tortilla with pickled carrots, daikon, romaine lettuce and cajun aioli.

So far, my numero uno favorite dish is the Fried Spam with kettle bacon served over steamed rice ($7) that was served with an almond salad made with romaine lettuce, sliced grape tomatoes, carrot and daikon, crispy noodles and sliced almonds tossed in a sweet vinegary asian dressing, with fried egg for an extra $1. I asked chef Nguyen what kettle bacon was and he replied that it was sweet salty and crunchy just like kettle corn… Wow, he wasn’t kidding, it was like crazy bacon candy! I cut into the egg and mixed the yolk into the rice, drizzled hoisin and sriracha sauce over it and tucked in. My tastebuds and I were transported into a far away happy place and I will definitely order this if I ever see it on the menu again.

For more traditional Vietnamese fare, there is the Pulled Pork Banh Mi ($7), full of the wweet and savory slow cooked pork in a hollowed out baguette with pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro, cucumber, jalapeno and aioli.

Seafood Banh Mi ($7), crab meat mixture made with pureed onion, celery and cilantro in a hollowed out baguette with pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro, cucumber, jalapeno and aioli

l really enjoyed the Cup of Chicken Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup) $7, topped with shredded rotisserie chicken, full of pillowy rice noodles mixed with cilantro and fried onion in a flavorful and aromatic soup. They even had little containers for sriracha and hoisin to go. I was surprised at how good this cup to go was!

The Sweet Chili Mango ($2.50) was super tart and just a bit spicy, but I prefer the sweeter version of mango with sticky rice and sweetened condensed milk over this…  oops, but is that a Thai dessert?

There are so many more delicious sounding dishes to be had like Garlic Noodles with Glazed Prawns, Shaking Beef Nachos and the elusive daily special of Curry Chicken over Rice that is always sold out by the time I get there.  So, look for these guys, they are out in the Shadelands business park only Weds – Friday from 11-2, the locations vary so check out their twitter feed for the definitive word. They participate in other food truck events in Oakland and beyond, but I’m so glad that they are serving it up out in the Creek!

On a sunny day last weekend, I joined a group of women for my first cookbook club potluck.  What a fine concept for food lovers!  I know lots of people who are in book clubs, but when my friend Christina who writes East Bay Dish, mentioned that she started a Cookbook Club, I was very intrigued.  What began as a book club with a focus on food-related books, or chef memoirs, has evolved over the years to include potlucks with recipes from the books.  I was in the moment I heard the book was Jerusalem: a cookbook, full of gorgeous photos of delicious looking food that I have perused time and again, but had yet to cook a single recipe.  What better opportunity to sample the dishes than at a potluck!

Have you heard of Yotam Ottolenghi?  He is an international culinary sensation, known as the philosopher chef because he studied philosophy and literature before attending Le Cordon Bleu.  Since then, he opened four Ottolenghi deli-cafés in London that are constantly packed, he writes a weekly column called the New Vegetarian for The Guardian (UK), and his gorgeous restaurant NOPI (for North of Picadilly) opened recently to great acclaim.  He and business partner Sami Tamimi (and co-chef at the restaurant) have written two bestselling cookbooks, Plenty and most recently Jerusalem, which won the best cookbook award at the 2013 IACP awards.  I made two dishes that looked do-able for which I had most of the ingredients at hand: Couscous with Tomato and Onion and Turkey Zucchini meatballs with lemon-sumac sauce.   Okay now, here is the amazing spread, clockwise from the top left: Spicy Carrot Salad, Naama’s Fattoush, Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds, Caramelized Garlic Tart, Mejadra, Roasted Eggplant Tricolor salad, Couscous, Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus, Turkey Zucchini meatballs.

Tess and her roommate Lauren brought this refreshing lemonade with fresh raspberries and mint.

Kealoha who I met at a recent Dishcrawl, made a Spicy carrot salad, which was quite zingy and spicy from the addition of harissa.  It made my lips burn but I loved the vivid flavors and crunchy bite of the arugula.

Sophie made Na’ama’s Fattoush, an Arab salad that uses leftover pita bread.  The bowl was full of refreshing chopped cucumber, radish, and onion tossed with home-made fermented buttermilk/yogurt, garlic, fresh herbs and liberally sprinkled with tart sumac.

Lauren made a vatful of Aubergine Tricolor, wonderful thick slices of roasted eggplant with the delectably caramelized skin left on, mixed with fresh bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, pieces of fresh mozzarella and capers tossed in a vibrant vinaigrette.

She brought another dish, Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds, which was also full of compelling flavors from dates marinated with onions and vinegar, mixed together with almonds that had been pan-toasted in butter and olive oil with pieces of pita then tossed with lemon juice and a spicy sumac mixture

Christina our host, made the Mejadra, spicy lentils with basmati rice topped with a tangle of intoxicating fried onions.  This dish was so gorgeous, full of incredible flavors and complex textures, bits of the fried onion perfumed each bite.

Tess made the Caramelized Garlic Tart from another fabulous book, Plenty.  You can get the recipe here, but be warned that those lovely caramelized garlic nuggets are transformed by hard work that involves boiling, then pan frying, simmering in water and vinegar, then slowly cooking down in a mixture of sugar, water, rosemary, thyme and salt. The tender sauteed garlic cloves stud the rich flavorful quiche-like tart made with flaky puff pastry.  She said it was quite labor intensive, but it was my favorite dish, the star of the lot and so totally and utterly delicious.

My contribution was the Couscous with tomato and onion, which had a simple preparation, but took much longer than the recipe stated in order for the crispy crust to develop.  But I was determined not to burn it and so cooked it on a very low heat.  It was total comfort food that I’d make again.

I also brought Turkey and Zucchini Meatballs with Sumac Lemon Yogurt Sauce.  The recipe said burgers, but meatballs seemed a more portable proposition for a potluck picnic.  The shredded zucchini lends moisture and a velvety texture to the meatballs, which developed a nicely caramelized crust and were flavorful from garlic, mint, cumin and green onion.

Jame made the Butternut squash tahini dip which was rich and creamy, slightly sweet and addictive as all get out, I dunked everything into it!

For dessert, Sophie also brought Tahini Cookies, which were crumbly and nutty and quite delicious.

My plate, second round.  I might mention here that there are very few recipes for sweets in either cookbook, and that most of the recipes are vegetarian except for the ones I made and probably a few others…  All of the recipes for the dishes we made can be found online, but I suggest getting the book for the rich personal narrative and stunning photography of the food, people as well as the location.

Every single dish was awesome, full of bold and exciting flavors that really beguiled our tastebuds, but the we agreed that the recipes were very time consuming with a long list of ingredients.  Definitely not the kind of dishes you could throw together at the last minute.  Even the carrot salad which is a straightforward recipe, required boiling whole carrots for 20 minutes then letting them cool before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients and then letting them rest for half an hour to let the flavors develop.  We agreed that shortcuts could be made, but felt that the flavors were so stunning that sometimes the end result is worth the extra effort, especially given that Chef Ottolenghi does not have a restaurant here in the states.

After the intimidating recipes of Jerusalem, our next potluck will be based on Ruta Kahate’s book 5 Ingredients, 50 Dishes Simple Indian Recipes Using Five Common Spices, which I already own and love….

4800 Third Street, SF, CA 94124 | 415.420.2486 | website

I went with my friend DebbieG on an excursion to sample the creative cuisine of Chef Eskender Aseged at his restaurant Radio Africa and Kitchen in the Bayview district.  Chef Aseged, who is Ethiopian by birth, is known for creating an intoxicating melange of Mediterranean and North African flavors made with fine local ingredients. His CV in the Bay Area includes working with food icons Jeremiah Tower, Joyce Goldstein, Nancy Oaks, Daniel Peterson and Daniel Humm.  The food brilliance around him led him to explore different food preparations of his own. Radio Africa & Kitchen began as a series of dinner parties in his backyard, then he started one of the first pop-up traveling restaurants in 2004 where he collaborated with cafes to use their facilities when they were closed.  Last year, he opened Radio Africa in the Bayview district in San Francisco, as one of a handful of city-supported restaurants aimed at drawing people into an area that has a reputation as being one of the roughest neighborhoods in the city which most people tend to avoid. We made early reservations and found parking on the same block, then we followed a couple of beat cops towards our destination.  We walked into the bright airy interior and were welcomed with an amazing aroma of mushrooms and delicious spices at work.

The restaurant has long communal tables in the center of the dining area, but we scored a nice table by the window, which I had requested because of the lighting of course.  This proved to be a distraction during our meal as youngsters walking by would make faces at us through the window and we frequently saw beat cops walk past.

I relaxed with a glass of South African white wine and since DebbieG had purchased a Gilt City deal for a 5 course tasting menu for 2, we kicked back and waited for our food to arrive.  I sniffed excitedly at the beautiful blue bowl filled with Mushroom and barley wot soup topped with a swirl of spicy harissa crème fraîche ($6).  Yes, the delicious smelling mushrooms!  It was fragrant and each bite was a pleasure, full of clean pure flavor.

Next came a bowl filled with a warm dip made from smoked trout and dungeness crab served with a piquant red cabbage salad and drizzled with harissa crème fraîche ($8).  It was rich and savory, so delicious spread onto the tender slices of rustic crusty bread.

The tasting Menu was served family style for us to share on a long white platter.

Roasted leg of lamb with couscous and chard was sprinkled with a mesmerizing and exotic spice mixture.  Each bite was tender and flavorful and the fluffy grains of couscous were infused with the delicious juices.

Wild Barramundi with wild rice, broccoli and olives.  The fish was tender and juicy with perfectly crispy skin and topped with a tantalizingly spicy relish

There followed carrots with turmeric infused potatoes with the spicy harissa sauce, and a mound of glistening black lentils topped with crumbles of rich creamy goat cheese.  The tiny black shape of the lentils resemble beluga caviar, the texture was firm and they tasted nutty and of the earth which went well with the rich bright flavors of the creamy goat cheese.

Dessert was Chocolate decadence with berries and hibiscus essence. A slice of rich chocolate cake, the berries were fresh and so good with the whipped cream.

Drama at the window, four or so officers escorted someone into the fire rescue truck right outside the restaurant and we walked past yet another pair of beat cops on our way back to the car.  The police presence along Third Street was very obvious, which made us glad that the days are long and that Radio Africa now serves lunch.  Because I’m going back with Mr. K who I’m quite sure will love the excellent flavors of Chef Aseged’s creative cuisine.

1159 Locust St  Walnut Creek, California 94596 | 925 | website | facebook
hours: 10am – 7pm daily

Huzzah huzzah, for Ike’s has finally opened in Walnut Creek!  It seemed a very long wait since word first got around last fall that the local mad sandwich genius had targeted Walnut Creek to receive his sandwich love.  Stylized images of Ike’s head appeared on the windows back in October, and finally, finally, last week the doors opened.  And of course I went twice the first week…  Twice because the first time I was overwhelmed by the staggering variety of interesting sounding combinations, so I had to go back like a kid on a roller coaster ride…  The menu is full of catchy names for sandwiches that are messy as all get out because the bread is smeared with a goopy and delicious garlic infused creamy dressing called Dirty Sauce that soaks through the bread and all over your fingers.  Eating an Ike’s sandwich is an experience that requires four or five napkins and they are so huge that I could barely finish half.  Some locations offer half sandwiches, which seem like a good idea as most of the sandwiches are $9 and up and like I said, way too much food for one person to eat and expect to be functional for the rest of the afternoon…  You really should take a look at the menu here to see for yourself the awesome possibilities that owner Ike Shehadeh envisions for sandwiches.  It’s like a whole new universe…

You can choose the bread (french, sourdough, whole wheat, and even gluten free), but their signature Dutch crunch bread from Raymond’s Bakery is hollowed out, the perfect vehicle for absorbing the sauce without getting soggy or falling apart.  All the sandwiches come with lettuce and tomato. You can also request red onions, pickles, banana peppers, jalapenos or mustard for no additional charge.  There are many add ons ranging from avocado, bacon, extra cheese or meat, beer-battered onion rings or zucchini, extra sauces, and a charge to get your halal chicken battered and fried.  If you’re feeling Extra Dirty, add fried mozzarella sticks or stuffed jalapeno poppers to your sandwich for $2.92 each or $3.93 for both.  I had the hardest time deciding and ordered  Hollywood’s SF Cheesesteak, Mushrooms, Provolone, thinly sliced rib eye ($9.99).  It was lip smackingly delicious.  You might look at this sandwich and think there’s not much to it, but the intensely flavorful sauces infuse the toasted bread which has a lightly crispy crust that is totally addictive.  And it seemed to have just the right amount of meat and cheese…

I liked the look of my co-worker Eric’s wrapped sandwich

They seemed to throw in chips if you wanted them, not sure if that was just promotional for their first week or what…  The Voodoo chips were an ungainly cross between BBQ/Salt and vinegar chips, a bit harsh but strangely addictive.

I noticed a fellow stacking these foil covered pucks  in the refrigerator and excitedly inquired if they were dingdongs, and indeed they were!  He handed one to me and said to just take it as a gift.  So, I’m thinking that it is a good thing to visit a shop their first week before their official grand opening while the staff is in training and feeling beneficent.

It was a super delicious ding dong at that, red velvet cake filled with a rich buttercream and fresh raspberries coated in dark chocolate…

I’m going back soon, I still haven’t figured out the menu, but everything I’ve had so far was good.  It’s rather exciting to try Ike’s unique sandwich formulas.  The only drawback is the mess…

1550 Church St SF, CA 94131 | 415.641.4500 | website

I jumped at a recent opportunity to join a group of chowhounders for a Whole Pig Dinner at Incanto, which is known throughout the land for their magical ability of transforming non-prime meats into culinary marvels.  Chef/owner Chris Cosentino is famous as a champion in the use of the whole animal with a special fondness for offal, which you can read more about on his website Offal Good.

Are you familiar with Chowhound.com?  It is an exceptional online resource for dedicated food enthusiasts, a cornicopia of information where you can read the pulse of food communities around the country.  I subscribe to the local mailing list which sent out the call for people interested getting together for the whole pig feast.  The special dinner requires at least three weeks’ notice for the restaurant to obtain a whole pig, which is roasted and carved tableside.  We were seated in the Dante Room, a private dining room that is dominated by a dramatic mural full of apocalyptic imagery, the text of Dante’s Divine Comedy hangs on another wall which is flanked by busts of Dante Alighieri and his lost love Beatrice on sculpted pedestals.

We began with platters of house cured salumi from the temple of tasty salty pig parts Boccalone; mortadella, roasted garlic, tiny pickled vegetables, a smear of coarse mustard, and baskets of warm foccacia served with their signature garlicky olive tapenade.  Our server recommended a lively and fresh Rosé, which was perfect with the rich meats and pickled vegetables.

Rucola Salad with thin slices of crisp watermelon radish and topped with thin shavings of a rich salty cheese that melted into the lemony vinaigrette.  Rucola was described as an herby lettuce, that seemed similar to arugula.

The star of the show was carried in and applause rang throughout the room.

Then she enjoyed a quiet moment of repose and posed for the paparazzi.  The gilt snout was beautiful and served to keep the delicate trunk moist and tender.

The chef came in and explained that the pig was first butterflied, then rubbed with garlic, rosemary and salt, stuffed with a savory focaccia mixture, some whole lemons, garlic and herbs and slow cooked in the oven since the morning.  You can see the lovely stuffing peering out from underneath the bones

Our waiter dosed each gently steaming plate with olive oil before bringing to the table.  He also switched us over to a rich elegant red wine (oops wasn’t paying attention…) to go with the pork, I still had the rosé and enjoyed both with my meal.

Platters of tender roasted pork, from all areas of the beast arrived, the heady aroma was spellbinding

The stuffing was incredible, made from big chunks of focaccia that were infused with the rich juices, tender and steaming inside.  I loved this as much as the pork

Here is the delectable and rich Pork Jus, which we drizzled over everything.

A rustic Spinach with Guanciale (pork jowl), it was crunchy, salty and savory

Tiny Turnips with the greens attached in a buttery lemony sauce.

My plate, which magically seemed to keep refilling itself…

We clamored for the crispy skin, which was a disappointment at first, being tough in the manner of rawhide…  the chef who was still breaking down the beast, whisked away and returned with bowls of it freshly fried which transformed them into cracklins, fluffy rich and so addictive tossed with fresh herbs and some spices.  We added salt and munched contentedly.  So dang good!

Towards the end a platter arrived displaying the two crispy ears, the gold foil covered snout, eyeballs, and tender slices of cheeks.  Ashwin, the organizer of the meal was inspired to pose for me with the golden snout.

Afterwards, they packed up the remains in to-go boxes for those who were interested, it was a generous amount that ended up being enough to feed me for several more days.

Were we ready for dessert?  Well, one must try… Here is my Milk Chocolate Caramel Bônet and Cocoa nib Caramel, kind of like a flan, but dense and creamier, which combined with the crunchy sticky cocoa nib caramel was irresistible.

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The other selection was Strawberry Shortcake

There goes Ashwin, in true chowhound form, he thought that a drizzle of the rich Pork Jus on the cake was just the thing…  many followed suit and concurred.

It was a memorable feast, somewhat pricey at $130pp, but that includes the whole hog meal, drinks, tax /tip, and some priceless memories…  Unfortunately Chef Chris Cosentino, was not in the house, but the food was savory and well prepared as I remembered from previous visits:

Fergus Henderson special dinner May 2010

Dinner at Incanto April 2010

Last week, I signed up to go on a Dishcrawl with Mr. K, where a group of 40 food enthusiasts band together to dine en masse at four different restaurants that are within walking distance of each other during the course of a single evening.   We had a great time touring along the Park Street district in Alameda, which is a bustling neighborhood with blocks of interesting looking storefronts, cafes and many many restaurants.  You pay ($45) in advance, knowing only that you will dine at four restaurants in a certain area.  Depending on your ambassador, you may receive hints beforehand about restaurants you will visit and on the day of the event they send out instructions of the first restaurant to meet at.

This is J.P aka Fer of Fer’s Bite, our fearless leader/dishcrawl ambassador who determined our eating plan for the evening.  He was full of enthusiasm, a pleasure to hang out with, and he somehow managed to keep our unwieldy group of 40 in line with the evening’s schedule.

We began at Angela’s Bistro and Bar, which was posh and elegant and has a nice bar area where we could congregate, sign in and get our nametags.  Yes, when there are 40 people, it is a good idea to have name tags.  We were instructed to also note what dish we would want as our last meal on earth.  Me – sushi, Mr. K – oysters.  It was a good ice breaker to compare dishes while introducing ourselves to the other crawlers.

We sat at several tables and there were printed out menus for each restaurant, which was a nice touch and that makes it easier to remember what we ate where.  Each restaurant serves some “small” plates to introduce to items of note from their menus.   We were served a salad with green goddess dressing, a Meatball Slider piled with sauce and melted cheese on a ciabatta roll and fried Arancini made from Lobster risotto.  We introduced ourselves to our tablemates who were mostly local except for one couple who previously were local, but had recently moved out of the area.

The next stop was a cozy restaurant called PS Eatery (1363 Park St., Alameda, 94501 | 510.522.5007).  They just happen to have a 50%  Groupon now, click here for the deets. PS stands for Park Street Eatery which specializes in creative comfort food and we found it to be a fine spot to hang out at.  We squeezed in at a table and commenced to chat and chew with our neighbors…

The Fried Chicken Wings were tossed in a liberal dose of spicy buffalo sauce and set out family style to share.  While we were eating, J.P introduced the Chef/Owner David Le, who welcomed us and talked for a time, but I was too distracted by the food, drinks and meeting our neighbors…

The Mac and Cheese was just how I like it, although my next door neighbor did not because he had a preference for the kind made from the box.  The crunchy baked top was fabulous, the noodles were tender but not overcooked and the ratio of creamy to cheesy to crunchy was madly addictive.  It was hard to remember to pace yourself…

Shaking Beef and Garlic Noodles, the beef was a bit overdone (not juicy and succulent like you get at Slanted Door), and the noodles needed more butter to compare with the Anh Family secret recipe at Thanh Long, but both were tasty.  Mr. K and I both enjoyed a flight of 3 beers for $5 each.

We moseyed on down a few blocks and over to Sidestreet Pho (2304 Encinal Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501 | 510.808.5298) a cozy Vietnamese restaurant that ended up being my favorite stop of the evening.  The owners Hanh and Minh (a brother sister duo) gave us a very warm welcome and talked about the family involvement in opening their restaurant and serving traditional Street Food, gesturing to the photos arrayed on the walls depicting daily life in Vietnam.

One of the fun things about going on a Dishcrawl is that you sit with different people at each restaurant.  Here, I was delighted to share a table with Arnold whose blog Inuyaki, I’ve followed from way way back….  Even though we were slowing down, I loved the dishes we were served, a piquantly seasoned seafood salad with grilled calamari and shrimp served over crunchy cabbage and cilantro, succulent sugarcane shrimp and wok-fried clear noodles topped with barbecued pork and seafood.  One of our tablemates introduced me to the joys of chewing on sugarcane, which I had never tried before!  Mr. K and I definitely plan to come back here to try the pho, and I noticed they have a gorgeous looking shaved ice on their menu too.

Our final stop was next door at Cafe Q, (2302 Encinal Ave  Alameda, CA 94502 | 510.521.8848) a casual restaurant with an outside patio area in front, the cozy dining room continues on through to the rear where we met to enoy a trio of desserts.

J.P. introduced us to Executive Chef Jesse Branstetter who welcomed us and talked a little about his menu, while we enjoyed the desserts, which were magnificent by the way…  He was one of the founding partners at one of my favorite Oakland restaurants Chop Bar,  (with stints at Farallon and Rubicon) and is working in partnership the Huynhs from next door to realize their vision of an excellent neighborhood restaurant.

At the table we shared two desserts: Caramelized banana cake, and orange panna cotta.  I was completely smitten with the caramelized banana!   The thin slices of fresh banana had a thick crust of crunchy caramelized sugar that was so refreshing and just an incredibly good taste sensation that had me craving for more…

And everyone received their own Bacon Caramel Bread Pudding, which was topped with a good mound of smoky bacon pieces in a spicy sweet savory sauce.  The bread pudding was densely tender, rich and buttery.

After all this, we all were given a bag of Chunky brand Candied Bacon Caramel Corn, which was dang good.  A little bit spicy, each bite was infused with salty bacony, buttery caramel flavors, with the light crispy coating like Screaming Yellow Zonkers. Hmmm, the description on the website says they use only the finest rare mushroom kernels so you get more caramel in every bite.  I suppose that accounts for the unique flavor?

It was a very fun and festive time, we ate more than we should have, met some new friends and were introduced to some new restaurants that we plan to go back to check out.  A successful evening all around!

1941 Oak Park Blvd, Pleasant Hill, CA | 925.942.0149 | website

I’m always on the lookout for anything new to add into the lunch rotation near to our office in Coco county.  Slow Hand BBQ, a brick and mortar restaurant was opened last summer by Dan Frengs who has been perfecting his technique of slow cooking meats over oak logs in a mobile smoker.  He started out in the beer business, working for Chimay and Duvel, and he began to barbecue at events which eventually developed into a full time gig. He took over the Smokin’ Okies BBQ Joint in Pleasant HIll which was known for its southern tradition of slow cooking in real fire pits over almond, cherry and oak wood.  The restaurant is located in a quiet strip mall that is  just over the hill from the office and I have become a passionate fan from the first visit.  Because of the owner’s background in the industry, the options for beers on tap offer superb companions to the ‘que.

On my first visit, I had the $10 lunch special with the 4 ribs (choice of baby back or St. Louis style), a small side and a fountain drink.  The ribs are huge, like Flintstonian lollipops because you can pick up the rib and the meat literally falls off the bone. The texture is incredible, succulent and tender, with a nice char and each bite was infused with an intoxicating smoky flavor.  Initially I thought four ribs wouldn’t be enough, but these were big meaty pieces and quite filling.

One day I was particularly hungry and ordered a half-rack of Baby Back Ribs ($12.95) along with a small side of the coleslaw, which came with two small sweet rolls.  Way too much food!

The Texas Style Brisket is amazing, the meat is slow cooked until supple and still marbled with fat, simply seasoned with salt and pepper

And look at this fatty piece that was rendered into a slice of rich beef bacon, you can tell this stuff is cooked slow and low…

There is something pristine about the meat that demands your attention and makes you want to devour it plain and unadorned.  But for the saucy ones, the restaurant offers quite a few options.  The two squeeze bottles on the left are house sauces, the dark brown one is sweet and thick, the orange one is thin textured, vinegary and spicy, a squeeze of both is just the thing.  If you like spicy, they have a jalapeno sauce, and the one on the far right is made with habanero peppers.

The Pulled Pork Sliders are stunning, three small rolls are filled with a huge pile of pulled pork that is mixed in with a Carolina-style mustard vinegar sauce.

The buns are elastic and tender but somehow manage to hold together a large amount of savory rich meat with some coleslaw tucked in, which our server recommended.  I enjoyed this immensely, but could only finish two of the three buns.

Now as far as the sides go, I am completely down with their Coleslaw, which is full of crisp bright flavors from the slices of fresh bell peppers and cilantro which are tossed in a zesty vinegar based dressing.  It is the perfect antidote for the platters of rich fatty meats.

Potato Salad is German style and contains no mayo, and is made with vinegar, oil, onion, cider and bacon.  This and all of the sides are served warm or room temperature.

The BBQ Beans are not too sweet, but very saucy, flavored with beer, brisket and chunks of bacon.

The Mac and Cheese is rich and cheesey and strangely compelling, but I wished they would heat it up to melt the cheese and that there was an oven browned crust…

I’m cursed and lucky after finding this place…  it’s rare to find such magnificent food this side of the Caldecott, but now I am completely ruined…  Oh and one last thing, don’t park in the lot on the left side.  I got a hand written note that the lot is not for restaurant patrons.  There is no sign that I could see, but someone in one of the offices apparently had the time and motivation to school me on this fact.

1521 Eddy St., SF, CA 94115 | 415.409.2529 | website

My friend DebbieG sent me an SOS that she needed assistance with using a groupon for Gussie’s Chicken and Waffles before it expired, an offer that I found impossible to resist.  This heavenly combination became popular in the 1940′s at a late night Harlem supperclub where jazz musicians would stop by after their various gigs, too late for dinner but too early for breakfast.  They were the first to enjoy the tastbud tantalizing intermingling of sweet and savory flavors that comes with pairing fried chicken and waffles.

Chef Michele Wilson’s menu offers down home-style soul food, made from recipes which have been passed down for generations, just like her Grandma Gussie used to make…   Her restaurant Gussie’s is located in the historic Fillmore jazz district.  I have an obsession with biscuits which I have to order when I see them on the menu, especially if they are served with gravy.  These were the best I have ever encountered, buttery flaky biscuits swimming in a delicious savory rich gravy studded with chunks of bacon.  Not only did they taste good, but they look so delicious with a rich velvety come hither look about them, no?  We ordered it as an appetizer knowing that we shouldn’t eat it all, else we not have room for the mains, but know this – I would come back just for this dish….

I liked the Cheddar Cheese Grit Cakes ($6.29), creamy grits mixed with sharp cheddar and jack cheese, scallions which were cut into rectangles, dusted in cornmeal, then lightly fried and served with a rich creamy artichoke jalapeno sauce.  They were jaunty and full of sass.

The waffles are cooked to order and served with whipped butter and warm brown sugar syrup.  (You can order pure maple syrup for an additional $1).  I had to try Gussie’s Signature Sweet Potato Waffles, two waffles made with fresh sweet potatoes, spices, brown sugar and a whole lotta love (according to their menu)!  I asked for two wings ($12.79)

The waffles were soft and warm so that the butter melted into the nooks and crannies, and tasted of sweet potato pie with a good dose of cinnamon, which all blended very well with the brown sugar syrup and chicken.  The chicken was well seasoned with a crisp chewy exterior and was a bit dry, but I drizzled on the Crystal hot sauce and dunked it into the buttery syrupy goo and all was well and good in my world.

We had the Collard Greens ($4.29), which are healthy green leafy vegetables that are slow cooked with ham hocks and full of vitamins and minerals.

Debbie had the Uptown Special, which is one southern fried chicken breast and one original waffle ($9.29).  Good, but I prefer dark meat and the spicy flavors of the sweet potato waffle…  and yes, this is a Lytro photo, so click around and play with your food!

While I’d say that I’ve had better at Home of Chicken and Waffles, this was also a superior meal.  I am still bewitched by the biscuit and gravy and the unforgettable flavors of the sweet potato waffle.