Comment Archives: Stories: Special Sections
Re: “How to Become a Martial Artist”
OK i have a question, what kind of fighting is the kind where you do tricks like jumping off the wall and kicking and back flipping while knocking your opponent down. I'm just curious because I would like to learn these.
Re: “It's Brunch Time!”
Wow, your food writers are terrible; have any of them ever been to a good brunch restaurant, because I don't see any on this list? It almost seems that they chose ten restaurants at random. As someone who works in the industry I would not put one of these restaurants anywhere near my top ten brunch spots and I have been to six of them.
Dona Tomas is alright, but doesn't scratch my list, Venus was one of the most disappointing brunches I have ever had, Chop Bar belonged on the list three years ago (Lungomare does a much better brunch), but their quality has taken a nose dive (I used to eat there every weekend, but had the worst biscuits and gravy the last time I went), Cock-a-Doodle is just gross, Cactus is thoroughly unpleasant to eat at (unless you enjoy being surrounded by screaming children) and the only reason to ever go to Cafe Biere is for booze. I have not been to Pretty Lady, Grand Tavern, Meal Ticket, or Log Cabin so I will not pass judgement them, but I haven't heard anything good about them either (and quite a few bad things in the case of Grand Tavern).
My list: Flora (best bloody mary and benedict), Brown Sugar (best chicken and waffles), Cosecha (I know they only do brunch on Saturday, but they do the best Mexican brunch), Rick & Ann's (the wait sucks , but the red flannel hash and potato pancakes kick ass), Boot & Shoe/Pizzialo/Camino (all made Bauer's top 100 but were somehow overlooked by ten restaurants that don't come close?!) Aunt Mary's/Bette's Ocean View (not mind blowing, but better than any place mentioned in your list), Bocanova has even upped their brunch game enough in the last year to be considered. I haven't been to Hopscotch or Portal, but I have heard good things about them from people I trust and have wanted to go. You can thank me for compiling a better list than your staff writers, but next time you should pay me for expertise on this particular subject.
Re: “It's Brunch Time!”
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Re: “Beyond Ketchup”
Nice! We always make our own chutney, so much better!
Re: “Underground Dining Goes Online”
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Re: “Street Food Grows Up”
SR24's American Kobe-style burger was $11 and came with a side salad. $9 during happy hour (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sr24-oaklan…)
Re: “Street Food Grows Up”
The restaurant formerly at the location of Juhu did try to sell $18 burgers and failed despite trying for what seems like two years.
Re: “What the Staff Eats”
When I worked at Yoshi's in Jack London Square, in addition to some good home-style Japanese dishes and on rare occasion leftover makizushi, we had the best spaghetti! Sometimes with odds and ends of calamari and a bit of hot pepper, you'd think it was made by someone's Sicilian grandmother... mmm... oh, and one time a couple on the busing crew made the world's best pupusas...
Re: “Street Food Grows Up”
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Re: “Street Food Grows Up”
In Juhu's case, I think some people are remembering the prices when it was a pop-up in San Francisco. The full sized sandwiches were < $10 and seemed bigger than 2 of the current slider sided Pavs; probably the equivalent of the 3 Pav combo @ $13.
That's not to say it's not worth it for the quality and I'm sure cost dynamics have changed with the permanent location.
Re: “Street Food Grows Up”
Valid point about less resistance to 16 buck burgers than 15 dollar noodle plates. And any restaurant that is paying high wages and benefits to full time employees has to charge 25% more than the vast majority of restaurants that don't. Even more if they don't have a full bar.
But the disposable income of young foodies and food oriented older people in Oakland just isn't the same as SF or Palo Alto or Berkeley. People have lots of reasons to live in Oakland. One of them is that it's cheaper than SF and Berkeley.
There are hecka lot of underemployed residents here who can afford a $3 doughnut but not a $15 plate of ramen except on special occasions. That's not racism.
Serving affordable high quality food and paying decent wages/benefits in brick and mortar restaurants is extremely difficult to pull off anywhere. That is one tough business model.
Re: “Underground Dining Goes Online”
Sounds like a great idea and/or fun time! As a proprietor of a soon-to-be brick and mortar restaurant, I can't help but wonder how it's fair competition when these meetings don't have to bother getting all the licenses that a legitimate business, or approval from county health inspectors is fair? All of these business expenses add up to a lot of money and not all restaurants are owned by multinational LLC's with endless pockets. I'm sure that all of the underground dining venue's practice the strictest of health practices, no one wants anyone to get sick, but I can't help but think it puts a lot of us mom-n-pop restaurants at a distinct disadvantage...
Re: “Neighborhood Joints”
Thanks for the recommendation, Lo. So many great under-the-radar places like this — too many to cover in one story!
Re: “When Porn Goes Public”
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Re: “Neighborhood Joints”
Okay, my bad. I just checked and they are listed on yelp. But you just sent everybody who reads this over there!
Re: “Neighborhood Joints”
And how does one find this speakeasy of food joints? Sounds very underground! Maybe they didn't WANT publication?
Re: “Enlightened Commerce”
And yet, if you believe today's Chron, nothing but chain stores will save Telegraph. As told to us by recent out-of-state Cal grads who not only displaced residents during their tenure but are now apparently bent on remaking the place in their plastic fantastic image. All that local stuff costs too much, they whine.
Re: “Neighborhood Joints”
Why is Old Weang Ping in East Oakland not on the list? It is, by far, the best and most authentic thai food I have ever had and IT IS a neighborhood joint. If you haven't tried, you should. It is ran by a son and his mother. You have to call before you go to let them know that you are coming. Knock on the door and you'll see what I am talking about.
Re: “Martial Arts Class Guide”
are there any in NYC??