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A’s Cafe – San Leandro – Breakfast Review

November 20, 2013 / / 0 Comments

UPDATE: THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED

A’s Cafe opened where Blossom and several other Chinese restaurants used to be.  It’s still a Chinese restaurant for lunch (I think it’s closed for dinner), but they now serve American breakfast.  That’s what we went for a few weeks ago.  My family left satisfied, I was less than impressed.

Let’s be honest here, if what you want is plain breakfast food – plain pancakes, omelets or eggs, and hashbrowns, A’s Cafe won’t disappoint.  They do the basics well but that’s all they do, the basics.

If you want something more in your pancakes – some blueberries? chocolate chips? bananas? -, a crepe or some other fancy breakfast concoction, then A’s Cafe is not for you.

So it’s not the place for me.

We all had some combination of pancakes, eggs and breakfast meats. They were fine, not exciting. I had a hot chocolate, same thing.  I wouldn’t go back because if I go out for breakfast, I want something special, but I’m sure the rest of my family would.

A’s Cafe
14807 E 14th St
San Leandro, CA
(510) 816-1187
https://www.facebook.com/ascafeinsanleandro
M-Su 6:30 AM – 3 PM

San Leandro Restaurant Reviews

Padi Restaurant Review – San Leandro

November 18, 2013 / / 2 Comments

UPDATE: THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED

Jan 2014 Update

We returned to Padi tonight with a group of San Leandro friends, including a couple who’d spent months traveling around Indonesia after college (and who actually remembered how to speak some Indonesian!).  While the menu is still limited, this gave us an opportunity to try some dishes we’d missed the time before.  I’m glad we did, for a couple of them ere real winners.

My favorite has to be the Mie Tek Tek Ayam (Fried Noodle w/ Chicken – $9).  The thick soft noodles resembled those in chow mein, but were coated with a sauce that had a lovely, slightly sweet flavor.  The dish was very well balanced and it was a generous portion.  I’d definitely order it again.

I only had a bite of what I believe was the Ayam Balado (Spicy Chili Chicken – $10), bone-in chicken in a heavy dark sauce, but it was delicious. It was, again, slightly sweet but with a deep flavor. I’d like to have more.  The chicken satay was once again a winner, though once again I disliked the peanut sauce, though my daughter liked it.

While it’s not on the menu, the Nasi Goreng (Chicken & shrimp fried rice – $9) was also tasty, though not more than the Chinese version.  My friends all seemed to like the eggplant dish, but I didn’t try it.  The one dish nobody thought much of was the Gado Gado (Indonesian Warm Salad w/ Peanut Sauce – $8).  I’m not surprised, as it was the same sauce that came with the satay.

Service was amazing, with two very attentive waiters who catered our every need.  The owner chef came to our table a few times, and he gave us a complimentary dessert.  My daughter loved the Ketan Hitam (Black glutinous rice pudding with coconut milk – $5) but I wasn’t as fond of it.  It wasn’t too sweet and it just didn’t do it for me. She was happy she could eat my portion.

Padi also sells some Indonesian goodies you can take with you (as well as Indonesian food items to do your own cooking), and Mike bought a container of something that looked like donut holes.  They weren’t quite that, but they were very tasty as well.

In all, it was a great dinner and I’d love to go back soon for more of those noodles!

Original Review – September 2013

I love Indonesian food so I was glad to find that Padi opened a restaurant in unincorporated San Leandro.  This restaurant is by no means perfect, and anywhere but in San Leandro it might not merit much enthusiasm, but there is such a dearth of food variety here that it is more than welcomed.

The restaurant’s main problem is its lack of ambiance.  Now,  I traveled throughout many developing countries on a $15 a day budget and I can find some nostalgia on undecorated dining rooms with formica tables and metal chairs, but only if they come together with dirt cheap food.  Padi’s prices are too high, and they should make more of an effort to spruce the place up.

Having to order at the front, rather than on the table, is also annoying.  You are crowded by the entrance, trying to quickly decide between the limited selections, which makes it less than a relaxing experience.  Given how small the place is, I don’t quite understand why they can’t take orders at the table.

The menu includes a small selection of meat and vegetarian items.  If you want to try them all, you can go for a “mini” rijstaffel for two which includes 12 items for $44.  Unfortunately, they do not serve any breads/pancakes, my favorite Indonesian items.

On the plus side, the food is pretty tasty.  The chicken satay ($10 for 6 skewers) was delicious, with a strong, sweet flavor and a nice peanut sauce.  The ayam madu, or honey grilled chicken ($12), was similar, though it didn’t come in skewers. It was somewhat sweeter and perhaps less balanced.  Both were grilled and had some blackened parts which added to the flavor.

The beef rendang ($11) was also good, though too spicy for the kids (just spicy enough for me). I felt it needed a bit more intensity, however, and this is a dish that would prove boring if it’s all you ordered.

Service was very good and pleasant.  I definitely want to return.

Padi Restaurant & Catering
16695 E 14th St
San Leandro, CA
(510) 244-7667
padibayarea.com
M, W-F 11:30 AM – 3 PM, 4 PM – 8 PM
Sa – Su 10 AM – 8 PM
Closed Tuesdays

San Leandro Restaurant Reviews

Shami Restaurant Review – San Leandro

November 18, 2013 / / 0 Comments

UPDATE: THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED

We came upon Shami last July, 2013, while trying to have dinner at the not-yet-open Padi.  It was a positive experience, though the only one who would want to rush back is my 11-yo daughter Mika, she positively LOVED the salad there.

Shami’s menu is pretty limited, all they had when we visited were kebabs and sandwiches, in addition to a few salad and appetizers.  It calls itself a Middle Eastern restaurant, but the owners are Yemeni, as indicated by the posters on the wall and the specific seasonings in the food.  Indeed, we found most dishes to be more spicy than you’d usually find in other Arab cuisines.

I tried both the grilled chicken and the beef kebabs, both were nicely spiced and very tasty.  The chicken was a bit dry, however, and too charred in parts.  The flavors were very homey, there was little sophistication on these dishes.   The yellow rice was perfumed with cinnamon and other spices and was addictive – though a bit too spicy for my youngest daughter.  The meals came with salads, and Mika just adored it.  I can’t say what it was about it – surely the dressing – but she ate every last bit, and has been asking us to take her back since.

The only thing that didn’t prove popular was the felafel. The kids found it too spicy, and since a falafel food poisoning incident 24 years ago, I haven’t been able to eat it.

Platters are about $10, sandwiches I think were $8.

I’d recommend it for when you need a kabab fix.

Shami Restaurant
16490 E 14 St
San Leandro, CA 94578
(510) 258-0000
shami-restaurant.com
M-Su 11 am – 10:30 pm

San Leandro Restaurant Reviews

CreAsian – Taste of the Himalayas Restaurant Review – San Leandro

November 18, 2013 / / 0 Comments

UPDATE: THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED

I haven’t been to dinner to the new Taste of the Himalayas restaurant, which replaces CreAsian, but I did go to its Grand Opening which included a limited free buffet.  From it, I can say that I’m glad to welcome them to San Leandro.

Taste of the Himalayas is a popular Nepali restaurant in Berkeley.  They’ve taken over the old CreAsian space, a much welcome change as far as I’m concerned.  While I liked CreAsian, it was too expensive and the menu never changed.  Alas, they seem to be wary of their new venture in San Leandro, so they are keeping some old CreAsian dishes in the menu and they are mostly concentrating in serving Indian rather than Nepali food.  I imagine that will change as they get more comfortable in San Leandro.

At the Grand Opening they had three meat curries to taste, their chicken curry (normally $14), lamb curry ($14) and the chicken nauni (not yet in the online menu).  The regular curries were OK, the flavors were good and solid, but not compelling.  However the meats themselves were spectacular, the chicken was velvety and the lamb was beyond moist and tender, without being fatty.  These taste like high quality meats.  The chicken nauni, on the other hand, was very, very good (though actually, the sauces mixed together tasted even better).  It was similar to a tikka masala, only the chicken wasn’t smokey (and was moist) and the sauce was less sweet.  Still, it was very balanced.  Taste of the Himalayas does offer a chicken tikka masala ($15), and I look forward to tasting it.

Both the plain ($3) and garlic ($4) nan were nice, though the fact that they were hot and not burned helped.

I didn’t try the vegetarian offerings, so I can’t opine, but I heard the vegetable pakora (also not in the menu) was also very good.

According to their website, they deliver with a $25 minimum order.

CreAsian – Taste of the Himalayas
1269 MacArthur Blvd.
San Leandro, CA
(510) 895-8028
http://www.creasianhimalayas.com/
M-Su 11:30am to 3:00pm, 5:00pm to 10:00pm

Nation’s Giant Hamburgers – San Leandro – Review

November 18, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Nation’s is a Bay Area restaurant chain offering burgers, fries, breakfast and pies. Mike and I have been eating at Nation’s ever since college – there was one near the UC Berkeley Campus, then we were within walking distance of another, when we lived in Richmond, and we found yet another one here in San Leandro.

I don’t know if Nation’s burgers have declined in quality since we were young, or if our expectations have risen, but I don’t think the burgers are nearly as good now as I used to think they were back in my 20’s.  Still, they are better than anything else you can get at a fast food joint.

Nation’s menu is very limited: burgers, hot dogs, chicken and salmon sandwiches. They also have eggs and pancakes for breakfast. And they have pies and shakes.  Prices are good, from $4.10 for a plain burger to $6.80 for a bacon cheeseburger.

The regular burgers come with very generous portions of mayo, lettuce, tomato and onions. They are huge and quite tasty. Their fries, fried in canola oil, are pretty good though not outstanding.

Their pies are quite good, with flaky crusts and thick centers. We particularly enjoy the chocolate cream and banana cream, though we dislike the artificial topping with which they are covered. Their lemon merengue pie is also very good and doesn’t suffer this problem (pies start at $1.80 for a small slice).
Mike has had breakfast once or twice. The breakfast are huge but, as you can expect, not particularly high quality.
Another advantage of Nation’s is that it stays open late.
Nation’s Giant Hamburgers
San Leandro Plaza
1335 Washington Ave.
San Leandro, Ca.
(510) 352-8820
Hours: 6am-3am Daily
Breakfast served till 11am
http://www.nationsrestaurants.com/

San Leandro Restaurant Reviews
Chain Restaurant Reviews

Tsuru Sushi Restaurant Review – San Leandro

November 18, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Mike, my 11-yo daughter Mika and I, enjoyed a nice family dinner at Tsuru Sushi a few weeks ago.  We hadn’t gone in years, and we had, overall, a very good experience.  It was expensive – very expensive – but we had won several gift cards so most of the dinner was covered.  Good thing, as it came to close to $100 for 3, and only one of us actually ordered sushi.

I deciced to make a dinner out of appetizers and ordered the gyoza ($5.75), the fried chicken wings ($6.25) and the beef kushi ($7).  The portions are small enough that while I had some food leftover for Mike to share with, it wasn’t much.  The gyoza, in particular, were delicious.  The filling was full of flavor and I could have gone on eating them forever.  The chicken wings, on the other hand, were very plain and monotonous. You probably could do better at Pioneer’s chicken.  The sauce helped a little, but grew boring too.  I wouldn’t order them again.  The beef kushi, on the other hand, was quite good.  It wasn’t too different from teriyaki, but without the sticky sauce, and I enjoyed it.

Mika had the combination dinner ($20) with gyoza, shiu mai and a california roll.  The enjoyed the roll, loved the gyoza but the shiu mai was sort of plain.

Mike had two orders of unagi ($5.50 each), which we all enjoyed, though it wasn’t a particularly outstanding version.  He also had some kind of roll that he thought was very good.

In all, it was a good meal.  Service was good and efficient, though they could have done a better job of timing the food.

The one thing I found a bit tacky is that they actually charge you for the after-dinner mints.

Tsuru Sushi
1427 East 14th St.
San Leandro, CA
510-352-3748
M-Sa 11am-2:30 pm, 5-9:30 pm
Su 12:30 – 9:30pm

Marga’s San Leandro Restaurant Reviews

Luke’s Grill Restaurant Review – San Leandro

November 18, 2013 / / 0 Comments

When we first moved to San Leandro, almost fourteen years ago, we used to go to Luke’s Grill quite often.  There was a distinct lack of restaurant choices (which remains today) and the food at Luke’s was competent enough.   However, as time went on the food got worse and the prices got higher, and we stopped going.  Then, a few weeks ago we wanted to go out in San Leandro, and I thought we should give it another try.  Not only had it been years, but armed with a Restaurant.com gift certificate, the prices seemed more reasonable.

It was a good decision. While the food won’t win any culinary competitions, it’s back to being competently made and tasty enough, the portions are generous, and – with the gift certificate – the prices are competitive.  Service, moreover, was very good and the family who runs it is very friendly.  The only down with Luke’s grill is that the live music, on Saturday nights, is too loud.  Don’t get me wrong, the music is quite good, but even sitting on the other side of the restaurant it was hard to hold a conversation.

The kids and I all had pasta.  I ordered the beef ravioli with meat sauce ($13) and a side of meatballs.  It was tasty and satisfying, and the portion was large enough to bring leftovers home.  Mika, my 11-yo, had the manicotti with marinara sauce ($12) and she pronounced it “very yummy”.  Again, there were leftovers.  Pasta dishes come with a side of garlic bread (OK, a bit tough/bitter) and your choice of soup or salad. I had the lemon chicken, as I usually do, and while I remembered it more lemony, it was very satisfying in a chilly night.

Mike had the gyros on pita ($8.50) and he was also quite pleased. It was what you expected the dish to be.  Camila, meanwhile, had the kids’ spaghetti ($4.50). She ate it plain, so there isn’t much to say about that.

The complimentary bread with olive tapenade was very good (the tapenade more than the bread), and, as I mentioned, waters and cokes were refreshed frequently.

In all, I think I’ll be going to Luke’s Grill more often.  Specially, given how much Mika likes it.

Luke’s Grill Restaurant
1509 East 14th St.
San Leandro
510-614-1010
http://www.lukesgrill.com/
M-Th: 11 AM – 9 PM
F: 11 AM – 10 PM
Sa: 12 PM – 10 PM
Su: 4 PM – 9 PM

Original Luke’s Grill Review

Marga’s San Leandro Restaurant Reviews

 

 

Ropa Vieja Recipe

November 12, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Ropa Vieja

It doesn’t look very appetizing now, does it? And its name, “old clothing” in Spanish, doesn’t make it sound like something you want to rush to eat.  And yet, this simple Cuban dish is as delicious as anything you’ll ever eat.  It takes some time to make, but it’s well worth it.

I first discovered Ropa Vieja in a copy of The Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant Ancestors: Recipes You Should Have Gotten from Your Grandmother I borrowed from the Berkeley public library. It was 1993, I was newly married and determined to cook for my husband.  That year I became a cook, a good cook if I may say so myself, and Ropa Vieja has been a favorite I’ve gone back to time after time.

I haven’t modified the original recipe much, but I have found that this dish is best served with sourdough bread.  Lots of it.

Ingredients

  • 3 – 4 lbs chuck roast
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 2 bay leaves

Directions

Pat dry the roast.  Season with salt and pepper on all sides.

Heat vegetable oil over high heat in a large cooking pot. Add the beef and brown on all sides. Remove roast.  Pour out and discard fat.  Return pot and beef to the stove.  Add 1/2 cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat to low and cook for 2 hours.  Turn off heat and let cool for at least an hour.

When the meat is cool, shred it into strips using your hands.  Place in a bowl and pour the broth remaining in the pot over it.

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, clean lidded pan.  Add the onion and garlic and cook until they start to caramelize.  Add the bell pepper and cook until soft.  Add the meat, tomato sauce, wine and bay leaves.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.  Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes.  Taste for seasoning and serve.

Marga’s Cuban Recipes

Marga’s Best Recipes

Four Seasons Cafe & Deli – San Leandro – Review

October 23, 2013 / / 0 Comments

UPDATE: THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED

Four Seasons Cafe & Deli is the latest incarnation of the cafe and sandwich bar that was once Mr. Bagel and, before that, Planet Coffee.  The cafe has been remodeled a little bit and the menu has been updated.  The Middle Eastern owners, for example, have replaced the Vietnamese sandwiches with me Middle Eastern equivalents.  You can order chicken, lamb, falafel or hummus plates for $8, lamb or chicken shawarmas, falafel, chicken or turkey wraps and traditional sandwiches for about $6.  Vegetarians will have plenty to chose from, including a Mediterranean veggie sandwich that comes with fresh mozarella, Kalamata olives, spinach, tomatoes, red pepper pesto and balsamic vinaigrette on toasted focaccia.  I haven’t had it, but it sure sounds good 🙂

What I did have was the lamb shawarma.  It was good without being extraordinary.  Pretty much what you would expect a lamb shawarma to be.  The portion was pretty large, in particular considering the $6 price.  I’d have it again.

Four Seasons also offers breakfast bagel and croissant sandwiches, fresh orange and carrot juice and your basic coffeeshop drinks.  I had their coffee once and it was pretty good, but I’m not demanding coffee wise.

The new menu seems to have quite a few fans, in my last visit, the place was busier than it used to be.  The service was good and the cafe still a great place to meet up with friends – as well as have a cheap lunch in San Leandro.

Four Seasons Cafe & Deli
1423 E. 14th St.
San Leandro, CA
510-667-1004
Free local delivery with $20 order
M-Sa 6 am – 6 pm
Su 7 am – 5 pm

 

Chicken Canzanese

August 23, 2013 / / 0 Comments

This is another winner from Epicurious.com.  It’s delicious beyond words and as easy a dinner as it gets – though you need close to 2 hours to get it ready.  The recipe is pretty similar to a couple of others in my repertoire, but this one took less work. It apparently originates in the Abruzzo region of Italy, though clearly there are variations of the same dish in other regions.

I adapted the recipe from the original substituting bacon for the prosciutto.   Use less bacon, turkey bacon or ham to make it healthier.   I also made a mistake and added additional whole garlic cloves rather than the cloves it asked for.   I’m glad I did, as I don’t think cloves would have added much to the dish, while garlic certainly did.

Making it a day in advance pays, the leftovers were to die for.

Chicken Canzanese

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Kosher or coarse salt
  • 4 to 5 lbs chicken pieces
  • 1 large garlic clove, sliced lengthwise
  • 9 whole garlic cloves, peeled
  • 3 sage leaves, whole
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 3 sprigs rosemary, whole
  • 1 dried red pepper, seeded
  • 18 peppercorns, crushed
  • 6 oz meaty bacon, chopped
  • 3/4 cup white wine
  • water
Instructions
Dissolve kosher salt in 1 cup of warm water in a large bowl.  Add the chicken pieces and cover with cold water.  Cover the bowl and refrigerate for one hour.
Remove chicken pieces from the brine and pat try.  Place a wide saute pan or similar on the stove over medium heat. Put the chicken pieces, all in one layer.  Top with the garlic, sage, rosemary springs, red pepper and peppercorns.  Sprinkle bacon uniformly on the chicken.  Add white wine.
Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to very low and simmer until the chicken is done, about 35 minutes for white meat and 45 minutes for dark.  Add water to the pot if the liquid starts drying out.
Remove chicken pieces and bacon onto a bowl and cover to keep warm.  Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the sage and bay leaves, the rosemary sprigs and the garlic.  Bring sauce to a quick boil and reduce to a syrupy consistency.  Serve.
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