Sumthin' tells me I'm into sumthing good

Really, is there anything better than dim sum for Sunday brunch? Talk about bang for your buck. Four of us returned once again to East Ocean in Alameda for a table full of deliciousness. You needn't worry about trying new things; it will probably be quite tasty, and if it's not, you haven't broken the bank. We loaded up and chowed down until we could eat no more.

The only dud was the beef balls, which were a bit too gelatinous. The salty tempura asparagus (in the foreground above) was a favorite. I love the mango pudding with sweetened condensed milk so much that I got a second dish just for me. It's hard to photograph gelatin! It wouldn't stop wiggling.

Total bill was $54, and we are stuffed. I think I need a nap.

Dinner at King of Thai Noodlein Alameda, Calif.

	On Saturday night we checked out the new King of Thai Noodle on Park Street. It's been open a month, in a spot that used to be a Bulgarian bakery and then a Mexican restaurant.

Alameda's King of Thai Noodle is the newest in a chain of 13 restaurants in the Bay Area. The space is bright and clean and was filled with customers. (When we were looking at the window menu earlier in the day, a woman going in stopped and said "This place is great. You won't be disappointed.")

We started with Som Tum, a green papaya salad with long beans, tomatoes, peanuts and dried shrimp in a tangy lime dressing. Wrapped up in the accompanying cabbage leaves, it was very tasty.
The Sergeant ordered the chef's special, pumpkin curry. He asked for it spicy, but I think they dialed it back a notch because I asked for my dish not so spicy. He enjoyed it nevertheless.
I had the shrimp choo chee on the server's recommendation: deep-fried shrimp topped with red curry paste, bell peppers, serrano peppers and crispy basil. It was also quite tasty, though for me the very rich, distinct flavor became cloying after a while.
I walked over to the chest-high wall blocking off the food prep area to shoot some pictures of the chef in action. The staff started making a big ruckus and I took a couple of shots before turning to see if they were making "No picture! No picture!" noises or what. They were grinning and laughing. The ruckus was to get the chef to turn around for me.
Way to go, Chef! You're No. 1!

King of Thai Noodle
1635 Park St.
(between Buena Vista Ave & Pacific Ave)
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 522-8200

The early bird gets the dim sum

If you get there right when they open, there's no problem getting a table. Wait an hour, and you'll have to stand there hungry until someone leaves.

We had all the usual fare, plus something new to me, a sweet tofu that looked like custard. The server skims it off the top of a pot in sheets and ladles it into a bowl, and gives you another bowl of sweet palm syrup to put over it. The tofu didn't taste like much, but I liked the texture and the sweetness.

Dinner at Planet Crepes, Alameda, Calif.

Looking through my photos, I realized I had not posted about my last dinner in Alameda a couple of weeks ago, at Planet Crepes. They've been open for a few months, next door to Dragon Rouge.

The slick signage and decor made me think it might be a chain, but I was told no, it is not (but they have aspirations). The place is bright and clean, and the menu is extensive. (If you click on the picture below you can see it large. Sorry for the crappy quality.)

My only quibble was with the blasting large-screen TV on the back wall, with speakers throughout the place. TVs in restaurants are like black holes, sucking in the attention of anyone within eyeshot, and the sound level was such that it was an effort to converse.
The crepes, though, were quite tasty! I ordered the turkey pesto crepe, and it was stuffed full with turkey, jack cheese, avocado and pesto. Which left me stuffed.
But not too stuffed to share a dessert: The Milky Way crepe, filled with vanilla ice cream, bananas, Nutella, whipped cream, nuts and caramel.
My companions opted for the simpler Cosmic Caramel Apple crepe, with vanilla ice cream, cinnamon apple slices, caramel and whipped cream. Also delicious.

The prices are very reasonable, with all crepe dishes under $6 unless you choose a bunch of your own fillings from the extensive list.

If you're in Alameda and want a quick tasty meal, or just a nice dessert, check it out. If you want atmosphere, get your food to go and wander over to nearby Jackson Park to enjoy your meal al fresco.

Planet Crepes
2302 Encinal Ave (just west of Park Street)
Alameda, CA 94501
510-52-CREPE

P.S. The website also notes that crepes are two-for-one if you bring in an Alameda Theater ticket stub, plus there's a happy hour and some group deals.

Back to Havana

Made it back to Havana restaurant in Alameda this trip to see if they'd ironed out some of the wrinkles we experienced last time. I don't know if they have resolved the server problems in the bar area, as we were seated immediately (it was still early-ish).

I do love the giant photos they have on their walls. The decor and seating are otherwise fairly spartan, with banquettes along the walls and two rows of tables.

They have an extensive mojito list, a big plus for me. I had the mojito de colada: Bacardi "Coco," mint, sugar, pineapple juice, splash of soda.

We started with the garlic boniato fries that we enjoyed so much last time. Boniato is a kind of sweet potato. This batch was super-garlicky and good, and I love that chimichurri sauce. (Kevin at Closet Cooking made some to go with steak; I'll have to try his recipe. I wonder if I can find boniato here.)
The Sergeant got the ropa vieja or "old clothes," which is shredded beef, onions, peppers and tomato with sofrito rice and black beans.
While I enjoyed the garlic-studded pork tenderloin with Mojo sauce, boniato mash and black beans.

(I asked the server if I should get the pork or the marinated steak over rice and beans with grilled pineapple. He thought for a minute and said, "You're having the pork. They're both good, so I'm just making an executive decision." Fine with me!)
The food was quite tasty, and very filling. I do wish, though, that they could change up their menu a little for summer. All the entrees are so heavy and hearty for a day that topped 100 degrees. I could have gotten a salad, I guess, or some ceviche, so it's not really their fault I couldn't clean my plate. I'll know better next time, or just go in the winter.

Havana restaurant
1518 Park Street
Alameda CA 94501
510-521-0130

Dim Sum at East Ocean in Alameda, Calif.

We considered going back to Legendary Palace in Oakland today, but I saw some good reviews of East Ocean in Alameda, which is closer to home and has more parking. Crucial when temps are already close to 90.
At 11 a.m. the place was already full up. Five minutes later and we would have had to wait. (While it's best to do dim sum as a group so you can try lots of dishes, you can often get a seat more quickly at a two-top that's been squeezed into one of the gaps between the group tables.)
As usual, we were loaded up with dishes within three minutes of sitting down. The service is very fast! And friendly, though it would've been nice if I spoke Cantonese. My Mandarin didn't go very far here.
I never know what half the stuff is, but most of it is pretty good. I should've skipped the congee (too filling), but I brought the leftovers home. And there was something wrapped in leaves, like Eight Treasures Rice, but very greasy and meaty, that wasn't so great, so we left the third one there.

The mochi with custard filling for dessert was quite yummy. I could've gotten two orders of that, but I would've popped.

Nine dishes and two Cokes came to $35, so it's a little pricier than some dim sum places, but still competitive. For the location and cleanliness factor, it was worth it. And as you can see from the top photos, it's quite popular.

East Ocean Seafood Restaurant
1713 Webster St
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 865-3381

(It was kind of an ordeal putting this post together on an unfamiliar computer, and I couldn't go through all my photos easily, so I'll stick with cellphone posts until I'm home again.)

Dinner at Asena, Alameda, Calif.

This is my last review from the Bay Area. From my most recent trip, that is. There will be more in the future.

On Monday night we dined at Asena, which offers "Cal-Med" cuisine. The atmosphere is pleasant, the service efficient and friendly, and the food: Yum.

I got the mojito I'd wanted a couple of nights before. Lots of mint!

We started with a selection of olives with tomatoes and mozarella.
Entrees included dry-seared Sterling salmon fillet with salsa verde:
House-made scallion fettuccine with wild Gulf prawns, braised cabbage and seafood fumé:
And I had the fresh fava bean ravioli with mascarpone and sweet butter:
I had been torn between that and one of the specials and got an enthusiastic vote for the ravioli from our server. It being the height of fava season, that was a good choice.

For dessert there was tiramisu and cheesecake. My pictures of those didn't turn out, alas.

Asena has been there for 12 years, and it's easy to see how they have lasted so long while other places have come and gone. Another thumbs up for an Alameda eatery!

Dinner at Speisekammer, Alameda, Calif.

Still catching up on my SF photos. Saturday night we thought we'd try Havana again, but there was at least a 45-minute wait, so we went around the corner to Speisekammer, where a two-top happened to open up just as we walked in. I was all geared up for a Havana mojito, but got talked into caipirinha instead. It was OK, but no, I still wanted a mojito.

We started with the potato cakes with homemade applesauce. Oh, very crispy and good!
My companion opted for the sauerbraten, or, as the menu describes it: Sauerbraten mit Preiselbeerkonfitüre, serviert mit Rotkohl und Spätzle (Braised Beef Tri Tip marinated and aged in Red Wine served with Red Cabbage & Spätzle). Delicious.
I was still feeling a little full from the quesadilla and fried mochi earlier in the day, so I chose a "lighter" dish: Gemüsestrudel gefüllt mit Paprika, Spinat und Schafskäse mit Karottensoße (Vegetable Strudel stuffed with Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach and Goat Cheese served with a Carrot Sauce).
Let these pictures be a lesson to you: Always adjust your white balance, even if you think there's enough natural light coming through the window behind you. Can you say jaundice? Yech.

Now, the thing about Speisekammer is that you have to throw your preconceived notions about German restaurants right out the window. Yes, the fare is heavy on the heavy. MEAT! POTATOES! But the strudel was nicely done, especially the velvety carrot sauce. And yes, you can get a mojito there and damn the cultural disconnect.

Speisekammer even has Pirate Night (Arrrrrr, mateys!) once a month. I don't know what that's about, really, but the last time we were there we saw a lot of bandannas and eye patches. German pirates? Um, OK.

But even better, Speisekammer has really great music. I am not kidding you. Not oom-pah-pah but jazz and swing. As we were nearing the end of our meal, the Frisky Frolics fired up. "Uh-oh," I thought. "Noise time." But nein! This little Tin Pan Alley-esque combo played some real toe-tapping, catchy swing tunes, and the amplification was just right.
What's with the balloons? you may be wondering. I have no idea.

The Frisky Frolics are there most Saturdays, and if the other bands that play there on other nights are of similar quality, I'd say you can't go wrong checking out the Speisekammer for a hearty meal and some entertainment the next time you're Alameda.

A fair day

A week ago I was at the Alameda Antique Fair, which is held the first Sunday of every month at the old Navy base, right across the bay from San Francisco (see it there in the background?). We were lucky; it had rained quite a bit the day before and clouds were threatening, so the place was not crowded with sellers or shoppers, and there was no entrance fee (usually $5 after 9 a.m.; more for early birds). The sun would come out for a bit and warm things up, but you could see more weather was coming in.

	One thing that really caught my eye: Chinese combination locks! (Combo included.) Very cool. But pricey. I was tempted, though.

The Zippos were also neat. The dolls less so.

I loved the colors of the siphons. If you were opening an old-fashioned soda shop, they'd make a nice decoration.

One seller had crates of old tin ceiling tiles. You could make a neat wall display out of them in the right space.
The mirrors made from them were neat, too.
Lots and lots of jewelry was on display. This was the last case of it we saw, and hit the jackpot on poodle pins. I should have taken a photo of all the ones the seller pulled out for me, but I was too busy looking them over. Just as we finished our transaction, it started raining in earnest, as you can see from the case.
We dashed back to the car, with a quick stop along the way to shoot this lovely relic in the parking lot.

Here's my souvenir, for $12.

Dinner at Havana and TomatinaAlameda, Calif.

Speaking of pigs, I had some very nice meals this weekend in Alameda. On Friday we checked out Havana, which is newly opened in what used to be a Vietnamese noodle place. (Warning: Their website has embedded music. Obnoxious. There's a controller on the upper right to turn it off.)

They've done up the place very attractively, with a bar at the front window (I wonder if the daylight is really good for the booze on those shelves, though).
We had about a 15 minute wait for a table, and I had a basic mojito from their long list of them. The service in the waiting area (which could use some gussying up, too; it's a bit sterile) was spotty; we had to ask twice to order drinks, and then a third server came up and asked us what we wanted after we'd already ordered. We also had to settle the bar tab before going to our table.
The mojito was good, if a little overly sweet. Needed more mint, too. The way mint grows, they could just requisition someone's back yard and have buckets of the stuff within weeks.

The main dining room is cozy and comfortable, with really fabulous large prints of Cuban photos on the walls. The service was attentive and our food arrived promptly. We started with garlic boniato fries that came with a barbecue sauce and chimichurri sauce. The fries were really yummy, and I adored the chimichurri. Great combo!

We ordered the paella and the halibut, though the latter turned out to be "blue striped sea bass" if I remember correctly (they were out of halibut or weren't able to get it). It was "plantain-crusted with tomatillo-avocado sauce." I would've liked more sauce, but it was good fish. I didn't try the paella. Afterward we hopped across the street for ice cream at Tucker's.

The next night we were at Tomatina, where I had lasagna and another mojito, this time made with soju, which is a rice liquor like vodka, but about 25 percent alcohol (as opposed to vodka's 37% minimum). A little on the sour side, and again, not enough mint, but I actually liked the lower alcohol content. Afterwards, Tucker's for more ice cream!
No food pics from Havana, as the light was too dim, and I forgot to shoot the lasagna (which looked as you would imagine, so you're not missing anything). I'd eat at Havana again, and hope they could work out some of their server issues. Tomatina is a good Italian standby.

Dinner at C'era Una Volta in Alameda, Calif.

Friday night was dinner at C'era Una Volta (Once Upon a Time) in Alameda. Their $35 prezzo fisso dinner is a good deal for some very yummy courses.

I loved the warm spinach salad with walnuts, strawberry and really creamy goat cheese (bad pic not shown) to start with, then a papardelle pasta with champagne meat sauce, and roasted rabbit with rosemary potatoes for the main. Bread pudding for dessert.

My companions had lobster ravioli and a roasted chicken breast, and rabbit also.


I need to figure out how to adjust the white balance on my camera so my pictures don't come out so yellow. Trying to adjust after the fact just makes everything looked washed out and kind of sickly.