Eat to Bites: Cheap Burger Joints and an Authentic Italian Restaurant

I love saying Tom Hank’s character in the movie “The Terminal”. If you haven’t seen it, it’s about this man from a fake country called Krakozhia. He’s stuck at New York’s JFK airport because he can’t enter the United States because the US doesn’t recognize Krakozhia as a sovereign nation amid a revolution that broke out just as Hanks landed in JFK. At the same time, he can’t go back because there are no flights going there so he ends up staying at the airport for many years. This is based on the true story of  Mehran Karimi Nasseri who stayed for 18 years in one of the airports in Paris, France.

Anyway, that’s where my post title comes from because in the movie Hanks has a hard time saying “Want to get a bite to eat?” when asking Catherine Zita Jones’ character out for dinner. Instead, Hanks says “Want to get an eat to bite?”.

Sandwiches

1. Red’s Java House

Pier 30
Bryant & Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94107

This place is located right near the the Bay Bridge that links Oakland and San Francisco, but is ultimately located in San Francisco. Don’t worry about street noise pollution though because you can’t hear the cars whizzing by at all nor will your views of the bay be obstructed by anything.

Eggs and Chili Rancheros - $6.95

When I visited Red’s about two weeks ago, I was somewhat surprised that only two types of coffee are served so if you’re looking for a wide selection of coffee, don’t come here.

Hamburger on Sourdough; came with pickles, mustard, onions (no lettuce or tomatoes) - $3.42

On the other hand, if you like a place full of history – there are perhaps 50+ historic photos hung all around the inside walls – and cheap breakfast – San Francisco style – then come here. The atmosphere if anything will make up for any of the cons that you may find.

Interior of Red's Javahouse

2. Buffalo’s Burgers Restaurant

5317 Geary Blvd
(between 17th Ave & 18th Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94121

Chicken Supreme Burger - $5.95 (I think)

Now since I live in this neighborhood, I’ve often seen this little restaurant when walking by on my way to the produce market. I never really stopped in there but I expressed my curiosity about going in to my mom several times.

One night when we were with a family friend and were at a lost of where to go, she suggested the place. I wasn’t sure if I was in the mood for burgers, but I was willing to go anyway. Eating at a new place is always exciting.

Mixed Vegetable Terriyaki "Bowl" - $6.95 (I think)

Little did I know that I didn’t have to be worried about the lack of choices. Of course this is a burger place, but Buffalo’s offered chicken breast sandwiches/burgers, fish-n-chips, chili, buffalo shrimps (delicious!), and terriyaki chicken and veggie bowls. Oh, and there’s salads too.

Best of all, everything is cheap. Cheap,cheap,cheap!

It’s such a deal, seriously. The staff are friendly, the food is good, and the cost won’t make a dent into your wallet. I suppose the only thing that may be overpriced is their buffalo shrimps since it’s 1/2 lb for $6.95, but they’re still delicious.

1/2 lb Buffalo Shrimps with Homemade Fries – $6.95 Buffalo’s also has a great tangy buffalo sauce. They sell it in containers just by itself.

Italian Cuisine

1. Mescolanza Restaurant

2221 Clement Street
San Francisco, CA 94121
Tel.(415)668-2221

I saw this restaurant featured on Check Please! last year I think. Like with Buffalo’s Restaurant, I never got around to actually going there until last week.

"Polenta al Funghi":roasted polenta with assorted seasonal mushrooms - 8.75

And let me just say, if you like thin crust pizza you must go here. And if you like vegetable pizza then you must try the Eggplant pizza called “Pizzetta Melanzane”. Pizzas only come in one size (8 slices). If you’re hungry, then you can finish it as a single diner. Also, the pizza is decently priced.

"Pizzetta Melanzane": mozzarella, grilled eggplant, pesto, tomato sauce - $13.95

The crust is cracker thin, the cheese on the Melanzane is not too overpowering, and the spices are tastefully used. (There aren’t too many.) I also suggest trying the desserts because they are divine!

"Pizzetta Mescolanza": mozzarella, gorgonzola, prosciutto, artichoke hearts, tomato sauce - $13.95

My mom and I told the waiter it was our first time there so he was very helpful. When I asked him if he preferred the tiramisu or “Cioccolata Con Amaretti” (chocolate flan with amaretto and crushed amaretti cookie), he told me the Cioccolata. No problem so that’s what I ordered.  My mom ordered the “Frutti de Bosco” (mixed European berries on cream in a shortbread crust).

"Frutti di Bosco": a medley of European wild berries floating on a cream filling in an all butter shortbread crust - $7.95

"Cioccolata Con Amaretti" :chocolate flan with amaretto and crushed amaretti cookie - $7.95

When the desserts came out, he had three plates.

“This is the Tiramisu. It’s on the house,” he explain.

"Tiramisu": espresso, Marsala soaked lady fingers layered with mascarpone, chocolate and Italian cream - $7.95

My take on the desserts? The tiramisu and chocolate flan are delicious! Get these. The tart was okay but the berries were kind of tart. Nice crust though.

Also, you should dress a little nice. Otherwise if you wear jeans (like we did) you’ll stick out like a sore thumb. However, if you don’t mind then you won’t be scoffed at by the patrons or staff. The staff were incredibly nice!

More thoughts…

So with all the restaurants that I review, I’m thinking about creating another tab next to ‘On the Shelf’. What do you think? Would this be easier to find my previous reviews?

Back from a Road Trip

Just came back from LA. Took a road trip with my mom and family friend Eric. I was supposed to help drive, but Enterprise car rental won’t allow drivers under 21 to drive on long distances.

La Brea Farmer’s Market

Since we arrived at our hotel in Fullerton late Wednesday, we basically relaxed in the hotel until the next morning. On Thursday, we braved the crazy freeways to get to La Brea. Our original plan was to see the La Brea tar pits but we accidentally got distracted at The Grove mall and Farmer’s Market.

I was amazed by everything there. I loved the little food stands everywhere and how tucked away everything felt.

Nuts, nuts, and more nuts!

Confetti popcorn, anyone? Besides this kind, there were at least 5 other varieties.

The French Crepe Company's cute painting. Lately I've been hearing a lot about the historic World Fairs.

Japanese Teapots. Did you know there are only 3 Japan Town's in the whole United States? There's one in San Francisco, another in San Jose, and a third in downtown Los Angeles.

Because we live on one big green planet!

Would you like jam?

Ice cream stand. Too many choices to choose from!

Perfect for a warm summer day.

Never did get to try that gumbo...

Veggie Chips. What doesn't this company make?

A store even had candle cupcakes.

Fresh Pasta

We got fresh strawberries, cantalope, plums, and bananas. I bet this market would have even more for better prices during the summer.

We ended up mixing this with the ice cream. A delicious combination!

 From Restaurants: Foxy’s and California Ramen

Fish Taco from Foxy's Restaurant in Burbank

Fresh dinner rolls with sea salt. The inside of the dinner roll is made up of strips of bread.

Ramen with grilled chicken and fresh veggies. The cauliflower were purple and orange, but the waiter assured us they were natural.

Made by Family

My Aunt Pat made this for me to celebrate my graduation. It's chocolate-y but not dense or fudgy. It has a light crumb and moist texture. The key ingredients: pudding and Bailey's and Vodka. :)

Overall, the trip went well – especially the part beyond the realm of food. :)

La Mar Restaurant and then to Neverland!

Pee-tah! Pee-tah!

Just one of the funny lines in the San Francisco 360 degrees Theater at Ferry Park. I know it doesn’t seem very funny, but just picturing a grown woman with pigtail braids playing a young Wendy Darling in a nightgown saying this in a British accent.

I’m not too sure how purposely comical the performance was supposed to be, but there were for sure some elements that were quite funny because of the character’s dialogue/asides. Some of the other funny aspects came from the lack of traditional technological and theatrical elements. In order to dramatize the fight scene between Peter Pan and Captain Hook, the actors literally faked slow motion while the slow-mo music played in the background. The entire audience underneath the white tent was laughing. So instead of a climax of suspense, it was almost an anti-climax. But, I’m getting too technical here.

The added 360 degree surround sound and backdrop was a nice. It was definitely different than what I am accustomed to having watched numerous Broadyway musicals over the years – Beauty and the Beast, Annie, Jersey Boys, Grease, A Christmas Carol just to name a few. I did find the performance to be home-y and more private as if the actors were more engaged with the audience. I also enjoyed being up close (row D) to the stage. Though the props were simple and used variously for different scenes as new pieces, I enjoyed seeing the actors’ facial expressions. Not that I expected less, but each actor was in-character the entire time whether or not the spotlight was on them. That, I found, was very professional of them.

Of course, my evening in Neverland would not have been complete with seeing Tinkerbell. This, however, she was not the cute green lady-like character Disney protrays her as. Instead, the theater company had an actor play Tink as a grungy fairy with a whole lot of attitude. Her hair was curly and tied awkwardly on top of her head. Her cute green fairy outfit was instead a dirty white tank with a spewing, rough-looking pink tutu with lights. I had to say that she was definitely entertaining as she spat out, “You [Peter], silly little ass!” when Peter could not understand what Wendy truly thought of him.

Unfortuntely, I do not have any pictures of the actual set. The security was very tight. But here are the links to the site where they have ample videos and pictures.

For  official Peter Pan website and pictures, click here.

The Pre-Pan Dinner at La Mar Restaurant, Pier 1 1/2

While I do not have pictures of Neverland, I do have pictures of the mouthwatering seafood at La Mar Restaurant, which is conveniently located right across the street from the Ferry Park. La Mar is known for their Peruvian fusion cuisine, fresh seafood, and diverse menu.

Check out La Mar’s website for their gastronomic dictionary here.

I found the whole experience at this restaurant unexpectedly casual. It’s definitely a casual dressy place, but the waitress assigned to our outdoor table was very nice.  As my mom pulled out her printed out menu of La Mar, the waitress exclaimed, “We love your kind of customers! You’re here for the food and you know what you want.” She was even quite shocked to find out that my mom and I were, well, mom and daughter. With cow eyes, she looked at my mom and asked, “What’s your secret?” My mom laughed and replied, “I don’t drink or smoke”. And to that, she laughed and said, “Well, that’s out of the question for me!” But besides being the great conversationalist, she was an attentive server who returned back at the appropriate times, asked the right questions, and knowledgeably answered all of ours.

Since my mom’s business friend was technically taking us out as her “business clients”, the four of us girls ordered a ton of stuff. Just look at the pictures. I don’t even know how much the bill was – or how we ate it all.

The Appetizers

Ceviche Tasting: Mixto (Mahi Mahi, calamari, octopus and habanero pepper in ají amarillo leche de tigre), Chifa (Mahi Mahi with peanuts, scallion in sesame leche de tigree), Nikei (Ahi Tuna, red onion, Japanese cucumber, in tamarind leche de tigre with avocado), Classico (California Halibut and red onions in habanero pepper leche de tigre) --- There were about four more varieties available.

Tiradito Nikei - Ahi Tuna in Nikei sauce with passion fruit and honey leche de tigre

Empanada Sampler: Chicken, Beef, Corn, and Seafood

The Entrees

Arroz Jugoso - Prawns, clams, mussels, calamari, octopus, white fish and vegetables in a juicy arborio rice with a blend of Peruvian ajis

Special of the Day: Whole Red Snapper

Special of the Day: Tiger Prawns, Farro, Beans with Seaweed Foam

Arroz Norteño - North Peruvian seafood combination with mussels, shrimp, octopus, and fried rice with cilantro and Huancaína sauce (like Paella)

The Desserts

Sorbetes Caseros - exotic homemade sorbets

Suspiro Limeño

Back from Los Angeles: Yogurtland, Kabuki Restaurant, Foxy’s Food

That’s right! I am back. I bet you didn’t even know I was gone, but that’s okay. I would just like to share some tidbits of the places I visited there while I was spending time with my Aunt and her family who live in Burbank. (For pictures of my family, please visit the About Me page).

As much I dislike Los Angeles because of the yellow smog, suffocating traffic, and the expanse of malls, I have to admit that I like to stay at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Glendale because it’s walking distance from little stores and shops much like Filmore Street or Hayes Valley in San Francisco.

Yogurtland

The first day my mom and I arrived and we unpacked, we headed straight outdoors into the sunshine down the familiar street. We laughed and pointed out the places we had gone to months before – like Burbank Pastry – and sadly reminisced about the places that didn’t pass the test of time – a local Mexican restaurant closed. Before we knew it, we had arrived at my favorite dessert place there.

Now before, you say, “That’s an outrage! What kind of true foodie are you? You’re supposed to be for the small guy!”, I would like to say that we all have our weaknesses. This is mine: Yogurtland.

I know I have been blogging about independently-owned businesses, restaurants, bakeries, and the such, but I have this soft spot for Yogurtland. It’s partially because of the fact that there are no franchises in San Francisco – the closest Yogurtland is in Berkeley. I mean, just recently an Asian-chain called Quicklys has begun serving soft-served yogurt with basic toppings, but nothing quite like Yogurtland.

The second reason I love this Yogurtland is because this is where my mom and I ate Thanksgiving night when we came to Glendale (Los Angeles). We had celebrated Thanksgiving the night before at our place with my Aunt and then flew to LA on Thanksgiving day so that my Aunt could spend time with her autistic son. We wanted to give them space for their own private Thanksgiving so we decided to explore the boulevard where we found Yogurtland. We had never seen anything like it before and the $.30 per ounce of yogurt and toppings was a completely novel idea to us that we were hooked.

You can literally order exotic flavors like taro root or you can opt for more traditional flavors like strawberry, chocolate, and cookies-n-cream. Not sure of what to get? You can always ask for a sample cup.

So how it works is that you fill this large cup with whatever flavors of yogurt you want from soft-serve style machines and then top it with whatever you want. Then the cashier weighs it on their scale. (Unfortunately, they include the weight of the cup so I always feel slightly cheated. I wish they would zero the scale out or somehow subtract the weight of the average cup from the total weight at the end). My mom and I always choose the fresh strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and a couple of mangoes. Occasionally, if the peaches are fresh (and not frozen), we pile on those too. Almonds make a very nice garnish as well.

It’s also nice to note that the spoons and napkins are biodegradable; they offer free water; and the place is air conditioned.

Have I convinced you yet?

Perhaps not, but it’s quite the experience to go to one so if you ever see one, I suggest you try it especially if the weather in 90 degrees and the sun is beating down on you relentlessly.

Kabuki Restaurant

The Dynamite

For lunch on Friday, my mom and I stumbled across this Japanese restaurant called Kabuki. We had passed by it several times but every other time in the past years, it had been closed. Looking for some cold buckwheat or soba noodles, we entered it.

Almost immediately, the cool air made us tingle all over before a hospitable young Asian woman greeted us with the expression, “Party of two?” We were seated in five minutes and had menus in our hand in less than six menus. The quick service was definitely impressive.

Unlike what we had originally wanted, we decided to get something different. I ended up getting the lunch combination of chicken and beef terriyaki. (Original, I know). My mom, however, ordered something more interesting: the Dynamite, Saba (Makerel) sushi, and Salmon sushi.

The Dynamite consists of baked clams, scallops, mushrooms, and vegetables in a special Kabuki mayo sauce. It has this spicy kick that makes you eat more of it. But the spice is not overpowering nor are the ingredients over cooked either. It’s a masterpiece of balance.

I’m sure I don’t have to mention it, but every dish was absolutely delicious. The beef was so tender and the sushi was so fresh.

One of the interesting things I noticed was the different rices you can order on the side: brown rice, sushi rice, and white rice.

Last Minute Mention: Foxy’s Restaurant

Since I was only in Los Angeles for three days and two nights, I didn’t have too much time to check out many foodie places of interest. I think we ate mostly at the hotel and at this family run business called Foxy’s, which had familiar home-style cooking. I wish I had brought my camera that night because it was a nice restaurant. It’s always the one restaurant we go to when we’re there.

The atmosphere is so cozy as well. The restaurant has two large fireplaces on either side of the cabin-like house and a nice courtyard for sunday brunch. Parking is also available so no looking for street parking.

My favorite is their grilled tilapia with garlic sauteed spinach. The roast chicken dinner is also very good. They also specialize in Mexican-style dishes. Truly this place is a restaurant of all trades.

So, I guess that’s it for my trip. Glad to be back for sure.

Never did get to plant my squash because it was raining when I wanted to, but look at this little guy! He bloomed while I was away! I planted him last year I think, but nothing ever started growing since January of this year.

Welcome, Spring! :)

Out of the City: The Marin French Cheese Co & Pete’s Henny Penny, reviewed

Well as a last hoorah before I had to go back to school, my Uncle decided to treat my mom and I to a nice breakfast/lunch in Petaluma at this home-style restaurant: Pete’s Henny Penny. The ride up was nice enough with light traffic and the Golden Gate Bridge looking at spectacular as any bridge could look. I had my earbuds in listening to a mixture of Owl City and Taylor Swift (my two current favorites).

Pete’s Henny Penny, reviewed

4995 Petaluma Blvd N
Petalum, CA 94592

I have to say that I was delightfully surprised at Pete’s Henny Penny. Located just off Hwy101 and 116, this restaurant has no real competition except for Cattlemens Restaurant and Denny’s, which is right across the street from Pete’s. Why anyone would go to Denny’s except for Pete’s seems crazy to me.

Sausage Lentil Soup (cup size)

Pete’s Henny Penny is a wonderful, casual, home-style restaurant that serves breakfast all day. Best of all for those with children 12 and under, with one paying adult, one child (12&under) can order a free meal. There’s a special menu but it basically has all the typical foods like hamburgers, spaghetti, grilled cheese, breakfast items, and more. This restaurant is definitely dirt cheap – they serve a lot for the money. Your dollar will go far here.

Chicken Noddle Soup (yumm!)

This brings me to Pete’s next great point: large portion sizes. So maybe you’re traveling through Petaluma on Hwy101 and you want something to eat. You could go to Cattlemens, which I hear is a great steakhouse or if you have a craving for home-style meals, you can eat at Pete’s. Pete’s serves true American food like steaks, hamburgers, halibut filet, numerous sandwich varities, and great breakfast selections. The menu is so large, the portions so plenty, that you will leave stuffed and your wallet fuller. If you don’t want to have such a large portion, they even have specials that are half the size, and half the price. I think their motto should be “Have it your way” except I believe that that slogan is already taken. :P

A House Specialty: Fried Chicken - a must try!

As an added bonus, Pete’s customers and waiters/watresses are friendly and down to earth. The whole atmosphere is relaxing and casual. And now, Pete’s is open 24 hours! Great service all day and all night. It’s simply perfect for road trips. I am definitely stopping by if I ever go past Petaluma again. And as a rule, you must must must try their Fried Chicken. It is simply divine: crunchy, crispy, flavor-packed but not too spicy, and the chicken is moist and tender. Their Charbroiled Chicken is tasty too.

Another House Specialty: Charbroiled Chicken

The Marin Countrysde & M.A.L.T.

So after we had breakfast-lunch at Pete’s Henny Penny, the Uncle took us through the Marin countryside where the farms were under the protection of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT). The terms of the MALT consist of “an agricultural conservation easement [which] is a legal agreement between a landowner and Marin Agricultural Land Trust that prohibits non-agricultural residential or commercial development, subdivision, and uses or practices which would be destructive to the agricultural value of the land. The easement is recorded, and future owners are bound by its terms in perpetuity. The land remains privately owned and on the tax rolls.” The whole idea behind the MALT organization established in the early 1970s was to prevent any commercial development in that area. Personally, I’m glad that the Marin ranchers and environmentalists did this because without MALT, I would not have been able to see the beautiful, breath-taking landscape.

Laguna District School Est. 1906 - one room schoolhouse

It’s a beautiful thing that the MALT has done. I felt as if I had traveled back in time. Who knew Marin had these farms tucked and hidden away? I mean, it’s not often that you see a “Cattle Xing” sign.

The Marin French Cheese Co.

7500 Red Hill Rd., Petaluma, CA 94952

Well, when we finally neared the end of our tour in the countryside, we stumbled upon The Marin French Cheese Co. famous for its cheese tours. Unfortunately, it was a Saturday when we came so there were no tours. (Tours are usually Mon-Fri only).

I have to say that we were caught so off guard when we saw the giant sign sticking out in the distance. When we approached the sign, we saw that it was on a property that also contained a medium-sized man-made lake with picnic tables, a simple farmhouse, and then a long building in the back. The Uncle recognized it immediately.

“It’s the Marin Cheese Factory! I’ve only been here one other time about 10 years ago. I could never figure out how to get back here!”

He immediately pulled over and before I knew it, we were inside asking if they had their daily tours. Unfortunately, as I have said, they did not because it was a Saturday. Darn. But their store was very interesting too. The store was quaint and sold different kinds of cheeses that they personally make there as well as several shelves of jams and jellies, a small room with historical pictures of the cheese-making process and fresh bread and bread supplies. It was heaven.

Between the three of us, we ended up buying a small wooden cheese cutting board engraved with their logo, a small cheese knife, a tall glass jar with a sourdough starter inside, a bread bag, a tote bag with a cow on it, and one of their famous cheeses. We had crackers at home and we were planning to veg out that night with our new goodies. :)

Last Summer Getaway: Nick’s Restaurant (at Pacifica), reviewed

Well, as I’m sure you have realized by now, I’m not posting as much as I used too. But I’m making the effort!

About a week ago last Sunday, I went to dinner with my mom and Uncle. The weather was scorching hot and the city was just not the place to be. Where to go when the weather’s being a real bugger? One word: Pacifica.

Why go to Pacifica? It’s less than 35 minutes away, has good restaurants and shops, and the beach! (duh!) Need I say more? :)

My family and I have a personal favorite when we go to Pacifica though. We always head to Rockaway Beach, about an extra mile or two away from the heart of Pacifica. At Rockaway Beach, you can find a small little romantic town with small shops with some restaurants both fancy and casual. The cuisine ranges from American to Mexican to Italian. Regrettably, there’s not much in this area, but we keep coming back for big reason: Nick’s Restaurant near the Sea Breeze Motel.

Nick’s Restaurant

At Rockaway Beach, Pacifica
near the Sea Breeze Motel
Off of Hwy 1

Nick’s Restaurant is good for families and first dates! The tables have white table cloths and candles are automatically placed on tables when the sun goes down. There are large windows that face the beach which is perfect when the sun sets. The colors illuminate the room creating this really good feel to it.

Another great thing about this restaurant is that it has a full-service bar and dance floor equipped with a real stage for real bands. You can rent this space out for parties and events. It’s pretty cool since it’s separated from the fancy white tables. Check out the band calendar here.

As for the food, you will not (and I repeat) will not be disappointed. It’s impossible. If you are, well then, you’re just not human. I’ve come here for their breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and I can honestly say that everything was really delicious, tasty, and well worth the effort of the drive down. I recommend their Onion Rings, hamburger, and any of the breakfast. Click here for their menus.

The last time I went there I was craving dinner. And since they have their own parking lot, which is another good thing, we were able to walk inside quickly. The only bad thing about this place is that it’s greatness is not a secret especially when you have tourists from the Sea Breeze Motel eating there. If you get there after 6:30 pm, you will have to wait. Come any time before then, and you’re set. Of course, once tourist season dies down, you can probably be seated in no time. We had to wait 30 minutes, but let me tell you, the food is worth it!

I and the Uncle ended up ordering their Chicken Picatta.

Chicken Picatta – $15 (roughly)

Two breasts of chicken served with wild rice, sauteed green beans, and capers in a delicious lemon sauce

My mom ordered their Broiled Salmon Filet. Mhmm…good! Since they are near the ocean, they get all their fish fresh! Indulge in the goodness!

Broiled Salmon Filet – $16 (roughly)

Salmon filet served with wild rice, sauteed vegetables, and tartar sauce

Overall, I was not disappointed with their dinner! It was fantastic and worth the wait. With the view, lovely ambience and pleasant servers, you cannot beat Nick’s Restaurant at Rockaway Beach off of Hwy 1. It’s a bit pricey compared to the diner style Mexican restaurant next door, but it has good satisfying food. Plus, the entrees pretty much all come with their famous garlic bread! For a weekend getaway, you can always stay at the Sea Breeze Motel, eat at Nick’s, and then head to the beach to relax. :)

Hope you’re summer was/has been good to you! Enjoy it while it lasts!