Category: Food

Posted on

The Walrus and the Carpenter – Ballard, Seattle, Washington

The Walrus and the Carpenter located in Ballard neighborhood, is an oyster bar/restaurant, in the same vein as Hogg Island Oyster Company and Anchor Oyster Bar in San Francisco. We followed the directions from Google maps to their address and could not see or find any sign of the restaurant.  In fact, Theresa had to call the restaurant to find out that it’s actually in the rear of the building, behind another restaurant that occupied the front of the building.  The entrance from the street is only marked a small overhead sign.

The door then opens up into a long hallway leading to the back of the building

Where you see the main dining room and a small patio area

W&C does not take reservations, and it’s all on a first come, first serve basis. Seating is available at the bar or at about a dozen or so small tables. This is not a good place for large groups.  I would say max number in your party should be 4 or else you will be waiting quite a while.  When you arrive, you put your name on a waiting list. What is nice is you leave your phone number and they will call you when your table is ready. This allowed us to walk around the neighborhood to kill the anticipated 45 min to hour wait for our seats.  I wish more restaurants did this.

We were seated at the bar and took a look at their menu.  In addition to the oysters, the menu consists of several small plates which are good for sharing. This is a perfect place for anyone on a low carb/high protein diet, as most side dishes don’t include carbs.  Yelpers seemed to mention the steak tartare a lot, so we ordered that along with the grilled sardines.

Oyster selection and pricing vary daily depending on availability and season.  When we went, W&C had an all Washington lineup of oysters: Samish Sweets, Pickering Passage, Kushis, Sea Cow,  and Treasure Cove.  We decided to get 2 of each to sample. Our favorites were the Samish Sweets and the Treasure Coves, so ordered 4 more of each.

The tartare was topped with an egg yolk, seasoned well with a hint of lemon and paired will with the dry rye toast.  If you are squeamish about consuming raw meat, I would say skip this. But for you more adventurous eaters, I would say this is one of the better tartares I have eaten. It’s inclusion on the menu surprised me a bit, but I guess it fits in with the whole cold, raw bar theme of the restaurant.

W&C has some other hot/cooked dishes include clams, fried oysters, a few soups and stews. The sardines came topped with walnuts, parsley, and shallots, with a hint of lemon as well.  Nicely prepared and seasoned.

W&C has a full bar with several beers available on tap or in the can or bottle.  In fact our waitress was also the bartender

Verdict:
W&C s is a great oyster bar to satisfy your oyster cravings. While the oysters are the center of the culinary show here, the accompanying players are no slouches either, so fret not if you don’t eat raw oysters, you will still get a good meal here, and well worth the wait.   W&C is literally a hidden gem that you have to seek out, but you will be rewarded, but perhaps after a bit of a wait.     

Posted on

Umi Sake House – Belltown, Seattle

We had just flown into Seattle, and after settling into our hotel, researched on Yelp and found Umi Sake House located in the Belltown district. The restaurant is divided into several distinct sections, with the entryway/atrium/hallway close to the hostess stand have a few tables, the bar area in the middle of the restaurant space next to the bar, and a back room with more tables. The concierge recommended sitting in the back room if possible, and luckily we were led there.

The seating in the back room was an eclectic mix, with some traditional seats and tables and some coffee table with couch setups.  The menu is pretty extensive, as is the sake list, and it will take some time to go through it.  In addition to the traditional sushi and sashimi offerings, Umi offers an extensive list of specialty rolls incorporate ingredients, like cilantro, jalepeno, mango, spicy mayos, and aiolis.  We opted to try a couple rolls, one that caught our eye and one recommended by the waitress.  We also ordered the sashimi omakase, which is basically chef’s choice, with 14 pieces of sashimi.

Legends of the Rolls –shrimp tempura, avocado & cucumber w/ crab & creamy scallops on top then torched, served w/ teriyaki & tobiko
Bad Boy Roll – bbq eel, avocado, cream cheese & crab-mayo mix fried, served w/ spicy mayonnaise & teriyaki sauce

Sashimi Omakase

The rolls were fairly large, and a single roll can probably serve as your meal, if you are light to mid level eater. Larger eaters will probably be good with 1 1/2 rolls, which means you should share.  The sashimi was very fresh, needing no additional soy sauce or wasabi. Umi also has an extensive sake list and their own list of specialty drinks which I did not have a chance to sample

Verdict: 
Umi’s  a good choice if you are in downtown Seattle and seems to be a goto place in Belltown. Prices are on the higher end of the spectrum compared with other restaurants, but in line with other Japanese restaurants, given the quality of the sashimi and the size of the rolls.  If I ever return to Seattle, this would be a place I would consider returning to.

Posted on

Palace Kitchen – Seattle

Part of the local Seattle chef Tom Douglas cluster of restaurants, Palace Kitchen is located in downtown Seattle, offering “rustic”, grilled fare.  After extensive Yelp research, it seems the roasted chicken was a fan favorite, and we saw numerous references to the hamburger. We added mussels as an appetizer as well. Our server was super friendly and took the time to describe how many of the dishes were prepared and cooked.

Puget Sound black mussels steamed in the fire~extra virgin fish sauce, beer, lime, lemongrass aioli, cilantro

The key to any seafood dish was the freshness of the mussels themselves, and we were not disappointed. What was more amazing was the size of the mussels, which were about 2.5 inches in length. Normally mussels of that size become mealy or mushy, but these were perfectly steamed and not overly firm. Normally fish sauce can be a very overpowering flavor, but was balanced well against the other flavors, with the lemongrass aioli giving the dish a nice touch of fattiness.

 

 Palace Kitchen rotisserie chicken – rhubarb-blood orange compot on a bed of mashed potatoes and greens

Admittedly, I was doubtful when we first decided to order this. I mean, how differentiated can rotisserie chicken be besides the spices and seasonings you rub on the outside. I can pick up one at Costco for $6. But, often, the simplest dishes are the hardest to pull off well.  The waiter said the chicken was the most popular and most ordered dish, and the restaurant received a lot of grief and negative feedback when they took it off the menu (they normally rotate menu items on and off based on season and availability). The chicken is brined with salt and a bit of brown sugar for 24 hours before being roasted over applewood.  This made the chicken moist throughout, including the breast, with subtle hints of the applewood and sweetness in the mouth.  While not the most amazing chicken, I would rank it in the mid to high mid out of all the chicken dishes I have had.

Palace Burger Royal – 1/2 pound handground chuck, dahlia bakery onion bun, fries

The burger came on bun from Tom Douglas’ Dahlia Bakery (of course) and a pile of fresh cut french fries.  While tasty, I expected a little more from what is touted as a “gourmet” burger.  It would definitely rank below the ones we had at Holsteins in Vegas, but I appreciated the fact all the underlying ingredients were of high quality and super fresh. The fries tended to be a bit on the soft side to suit my tastes (on a similar level as In ‘n Out fries sometimes are), but again, appreciated that it was cut fresh (or at least tasted that way).

Verdict:
Palace Kitchen is a good place to stop in to sample the work of local celebrity chef Tom Douglas, who elevates your typical grill fare up a notch. We went for dinner, but the kitchen stays open til 1am and I think the bar goes on even after that, so if you need late night eats, this would be a good place to get it.  PK slots nicely between the fast casual and the a more formal dining experience. We were satisfied with our meal and glad we sampled it. While nothing stood out as being very differentiated or extremely noteworthy from other restaurants we have sample, food was well prepared, satisfying and appropriate for the price point and location.

 

Posted on

Review – Smoking Pig BBQ, San Jose

Having gone to school in Texas, I am partial to their style of BBQ, especially  beef brisket.  Was craving some good BBQ over the July 4th weekend, so decided to look up some BBQ places on Yelp.  Found The Smoking Pig and according to the reviews seemed pretty good and located fairly close to us in San Jose.


Smokers outside


 Real hardwood for smoking

Pulling into the parking lot, you are greeted with the smells of smoky goodness.  Often when dining out, you can not see a restaurant’s kitchen setup. But for the Smoking Pig, it’s in plain view behind the restaurant – large black smoke boxes fueled by real burning hardwood and seasoned with years of smoking meats on a daily basis.

The menu consists of some appetizers, including their signature one, Wolf Turds, which are stuffed jalepenos wrapped in bacon, then smoked in the BBQ pit. We did not try that, but I glanced at another table which ordered it, and it looked tasty.  Entrees include personal platters consist of 1, 2, or 3 meat combinations that come with cornbread and  personal sized side order, which includes cole slaw, potato salad, etc.  Since we were a large group (5 adults 3 kids), the waitress suggested we do the a la carte option and order the meats by the pound and share. We opted for pound each of the pulled pork and brisket and a full rack of ribs. I had also seen pictures and read rave reviews of the mac and cheese online, so we ordered the quart size to share.

BBQ Beef Brisket

The beef brisket was by far the favorite around the table. You can request whether you want “fatty” or “lean” cuts of the brisket, and we opted for a 50/50 split. Slow smoked/cooked Texas style, the flavor of the rub and smoke penetrated deeply into the meat, which really required no BBQ sauce


The Ribs

Ribs were done St Louis style, slightly dry but with a slathering of sauce on it. Ribs were meaty and well prepared. BBQ sauce is optional on this one, depending on if you are a fan of wet or dry ribs.

Pulled Pork

The pulled pork was prepared Carolina style, and came shredded. with a good combination of crisp , burnt edges and moist interior. Unlike the other 2 meats, I think BBQ sauce is a must on this one with the Carolina style BBQ sauce pairing well with this.


3 Types of BBQ Sauce

Like any real credible BBQ joint, Smoking Pig makes its own homemade BBQ sauce, three types in fact.  The Carolina Sassy has a vinegary profile with a bit of mustard and as mentioned before pairs well with the pulled pork. The Kansas City Hot is powered by habeneros and has a nice heat kick at the end, just enough to burn a few seconds and fade into the background. The California Honey was a bit on the sweeter side, a bit too sweet for my personal preference, but went well with the brisket.  I mixed the KC hot with the Carolina Sassy to create a more balanced sipping sauce for the pulled pork.

Mac and Cheese with bits of BBQ meat in it

I am a big fan of good mac and cheese. I’m not talking about the ones with the sauce you make from a powder, but from real cheese in a bechamel sauce poured over pasta, and sometimes baked off in a casserole dish.  i was anxious to try The Smoking Pigs version because I read they also incorporate bits of their BBQ into the sauce.  When the waitress bought the quart sized container to our table, I could tell it was gonna be good because of the weight. This stuff was dense.   Scooping some out, you get a satisfying thud as it hits your plate, meaning this stuff is rich, and met my expectations of how a good mac and cheese should be made.  The bits of BBQ lent a nice smokiness that differentiates it from other restaurant’s mac and cheese.  My suspicion is if you were to refrigerate this overnight, it would solidify back into its natural, unmelted, cheese block form, which means it was made right (in my personal opinion at least).

Verdict:
The Smoking Pig is definitely a place I would recommend for good BBQ. They do it well and prices are pretty reasonable.  The brisket is a must order,  although the ribs and pork are no slouch food either. Worth a trip from anywhere in the South Bay, especially if you like really good BBQ.

Tips:
We went for an early dinner because Theresa read it gets crowded during the peak dinner hours. When we left, I noted the dining room was almost full, and the parking lot had no empty spaces.  Since slow smoking takes a while, they can only cook a set amount of meat a day, so if you go later, there is also a danger they will run out of meats. So my advice is to come early so you can to ensure you can get what you want. They also do take out orders, which we will definitely do in the future.

 

Posted on

Review – Mango Garden – Cupertino

The owners of Red Hot Wok have opened another restaurant, Mango Garden in Cupertino. We actually stumbled upon Mango Garden because Theresa called Red Hot Wok asking for Oliver or Dominic, and was told “they are at the new restaurant”.  We were very eager to try it, especially since the cuisine is Singaporean.  Equally exciting was they carried over their “snow” desserts from RHW, which we really enjoyed.

We started off with Roti Prada and Chicken and Beef Satay. Both came with a curry dipping sauce. The roti was nicely made, slightly sweet, which complimented the spicy curry well. Satay chicken and beef were tender and flavorful.

Belachan Okra

Belachan is a shrimp paste/sauce used in Singaporean cuisine and often serves as a seasoning agent and stir fry sauce for vegetables and meats. The okra did not have the typical “slime” you associate with okra, but the dish was a little wetter than previous versions I have had before.  My personal preference is to have it a bit drier, but most people will like this dish.

Sizzling Penang Prawns

Brought to your table on a black hot plate, Sizzling Penang Prawns come in a creamy sauce with onions, peppers, and in this case curry leaves.  You can really taste the buttery goodness, and the sauce is really good over rice, so make sure to get a bowl or two.

Siam Salmon- Spicy/sweet sauce with mango.

Stir Fried Crab

Oliver made a suggestion for the crab, which is not on the menu, a mix of their sambal and special curry. The sauce clung to the crab similar to the way a dry rub clings to ribs, which is a good thing.  While I am not the biggest crab fan, Theresa and her cousin are, and they were all over this one. The sauce was very tasty, and and goes well with rice.  Will definitely have to try the other flavors on our next trip.

Mango and Taro Snow

Milk Snow with strawberries, sweet red beans and coconut jelly.

The dessert is a carry over from their other restaurant, Red Hot Wok.  It’s a “snow ice”, which is basically like Italian shaved ice. The mixture consisting of ingredients similar to sorbet or ice milk are frozen in a block and then run across a blade to create shavings. This creates a fluffy textured dessert. This is then topped with fresh fruit.  My table mates were the most excited about this part of the meal, especially since it was a rip roaring hot day in the South Bay.  Rarely do I cite a dessert as the must have dish when you go to a restaurant, but this is one of those instance. Save room, as this is worth it.

Verdict: 
Mango Garden will definitely be on the regular rotations of restaurants we dine at. Lots of choices, and great take on Singaporean food.  If that was not enough, it has the snow desserts that we crave. Would highly recommend it for fans of Singaporean food and a great addition to the Cupertino area.

 

Posted on

Quick Review – Jang Su Jang, Korean Tofu and BBQ

Jang Su Jang has a two locations in the Bay Area — Santa Clara and Milpitas. They are known for Korean BBQ, although if you get a non-grill table, you can still get BBQ that is served on a hot/sizzling plate and brought to your table. They also have noodle, dumpling, and tofu soup dishes.

If you order the package meals, it comes with a selection of meats that the staff cooks on the grill in the middle of the table for you.  We order the brisket and marinated short rib. Each person gets their own dipping sauces.

As with most Korean BBQ places, you get rice and a number of side dishes, which you can get refills. There was one with beef chunks that was really good, but that one was not refilled, so we only got some for the table.

Verdict: 
Staff was efficient at rolling out orders and  cooking the meats at the table. Sides were tasty and made you want to eat more rice.  The Santa Clara location is pretty popular, so definitely expect a wait if you walk in during dinner time.  I would suggest making reservations, especially if you want a grill equipped table. A group of 4 or 6 is probably ideal, as you can order a larger variety and share.  Definitely would put on rotation of restaurants that are good for small groups, especially those that love to eat meat. I have been to the Milpitas location for lunch, ordering the lunch specials. Experience was the same, so if that location is closer to you, would recommend you try that one.

Posted on

La Bodeguita Del Medio in Palo Alto

Theresa and I made some last minute plans to meet up with our friends Steven and Stacy last Saturday night.  Since they live further up the Peninsula, we figured it would be better to meet somewhere in between there and the South Bay so no one had to drive too far, and decided on Palo Alto as a good in-between point.  Theresa yelped this place, and it got decent reviews so we decided to check it out.  La Bodeguita del Medio is a Cuban restaurant located on California Avenue, which is away from the main hustle and bustle of the trendier and much busier downtown area/University Avenue.

Entering the door beyond the hostess stand is the lounge/bar area where you can grab drinks from the house bar and order some small plates/appetizers.  If you are there for a full meal, you would be seated in main dining room off the main entrance to the right, which is where we were seated.

The menu consisted of typical Cuban fare like roasted pork, seafood dishes, stews, plantains, rice and beans, etc.   We looked around at the other tables and noted that entree portions seemed generous, so we decided to do family style and share dishes. The hostess and waiter both recommended the Ropa Vieja, and from our casual scans around the dining room, the paellla seemed to be pretty popular too, so we decided to order that and round it out with a side order  of plantains.

The plantains were nicely caramelized but were softer, less starchy, and a bit sweeter than what I was expecting, having a mouth feel and taste profile closer to bananas.  I am not being necessarily negative on the dish, as it was well prepared, just a matter of personal preference.

The Ropa Vieja is shredded skirt steak with chilis, peppers on a bed of rice and plantains and accompanied by a fried plantain chip.  This dish reminded me of Carolina pulled pork in terms of mouth feel and consistency, but with Cuban seasonings.

The paella had clams, mussels, fish, chicken, chorizo, and shrimp in “spiced” yellow rice and came in a traditional paella pan.  It’s a bit tough to gauge the size of it based on the picture above, but it is substantial.  The menu stated the paella “serves two”, but when it arrived at the table, we were all a bit taken aback by how much food was in the pan.  Easily could feed 3 people with pretty hearty appetites or 2 really really big eaters, so plan accordingly.  The clams and mussels sat atop the rice, with the other proteins mixed into the rice.   Stacy and I both noted it was a bit wetter than other paellas we have had in the past, and overall, I would put it in the middle of the pack of all the paellas I have had.  Nothing too stellar to make it stand out, but I would recommend ordering if you do come here.  Bodeguita also has a Ajaico, which is basically a stew with a whole variety of seafood served in the same large pan with a side of rice and beans. We had seen other tables order it and it looked really good. Definitely want to try that on our next trip.

Steve had been eyeing that night’s dessert special, the Banana Tres Leche, since he saw it on the menu, so it was a must order when dessert time came around. We also ordered the key lime tart.

Sometimes when you  go to restaurants and they feature a dessert that is flavored with something, what they actually do is top the dessert with that ingredient or element, especially if it’s fruit. We asked the waiter if this was the case, and he stated the banana was actually incorporated into the tres leche cake and topped with a rum whipped cream.  Nice combination of flavors, but like the Ropa dish, I felt it was decent, but nothing super memorable about it.

Everyone’s first reaction when tasting the key lime tart was “wow that’s tart”.  The baker definitely did not spare the lime juice when making the filling. On the spectrum of all the key lime desserts I have had, this one definitely is one of the tartest.  If you’re like me and really enjoy sour and tart (think sour patch kids candy or lemon drops), then this was a good dessert. Otherwise, I would skip this in favor of something else.

Portion-wide, the desserts were of decent size. If you are a dessert person and have/save room after the meal, then order one for yourself, otherwise I would recommend sharing.

Verdict:
I would classify Bodeguita as good casual. semi-upscale place with fun atmosphere. The bar seemed to be hopping when we left, so i can see it being a good option drinks with friends, especially if you don’t want to fight the crowds of downtown Palo Alto.  I have only tried one other Cuban restaurant in the area (Habana Cuba, San Jose) and never having been to Cuba, the Caribbean, or Miami,  I have little to compare how authentic Bodeguita’s Cuban fare is. My impressions were that the food was well cooked and service was nice, but nothing that night stood out as an overarching reason to return in the near future or go broadcasting to my friends that this is the new “must try” place along the Peninsula.   I would, however,  keep this on my list of suggested Palo Alto restaurants, especially if my fellow diners want something a bit different than the normal Asian, Italian, California cuisine.

Posted on

The Girl and The Fig, Sonoma – “Country Food with a French Passion”

Decided to take Theresa on an overnight trip to Sonoma to celebrate her birthday. Scouring the Internet and Yelp for restaurants around downtown Sonoma, The Girl and the Fig kept on popping up as a recommended one. Evidently, this restaurant was a hidden gem among locals and foodies in the know until it got famous because of the TV show, The Bachelor. One of the dates was held there and now regulars complain that getting a table is much more difficult now. And I would highly recommend reservations, as even for a Thursday night booking, there were very few open slots left when I booked them.  They were also packed the night we went, so I imagine weekends are worse.

Apart from the main dining room, there is seating at the bar where you can order food and an area with couches where you can sit while waiting for your table to become available. The menu consists of French bistro fare made with ingredients sourced locally. A “plat du jour” prix fixe menu,  which rotates on a roughly weekly basis,  can be found on a chalk board as you walk in.   They also make their own smoked meats and chaucterie, which is featured in its own section of the menu. Perfect if you just want to sit at the bar with a few glasses of wine sans a full meal.

Our server Esteban greeted us promptly and told us about the various dinner specials and was very knowledgeable about the extensive menu, giving us detailed descriptions about ingredients and preparation methods.  Based on our preferences, he made several suggestions on what menu items we would enjoy including wine. Trusting him we ordered the steamed mussels and frites for an appetizer, the nightly scallop special and the wild flounder meunière for our entrees. For wine, we decided to share a 2010 Anaba viognier.

A mixed olive plate came shortly after ordering for us to munch on, and then the wine. The olives were of the artisan variety and not too briny, which was a good palette teaser for the meal to come. Shortly afterwards, the mussels came with toasted bread slices on top and a plate of pomme frites (french fries) with garlic aioli.

Steamed mussels are pretty ubiquitous at bistro, seafood, and Italian style restaurants, making the experience equally wide, from great to “hey, I could have done better at home with a pound of mussels from Costco”.  The keys to a great dish of steamed mussels are the freshness of the mussels themselves and the balance of the steaming sauce.  TG&TF did not disappoint. Mussels were fresh, with no hint of any earthy or “sea” taste. Texture was spot on with the mussels not being overly chewy.

The steaming sauce had garlic, white wine, and plenty of sliced fennel with the right amount of seasoning. Normally, I am not a huge fennel fan, especially when paired with seafood, as I feel the licorice taste can interfere with the delicate taste of the seafood, but TG&TF made it work. The fennel pieces soaked up the sauce, which made it great for munch on after all the mussels were gone. After soaking the sauce up with the bread, we even threw in the fries at the end to soak up even more of the delicious sauce. We ordered the full pound as an appetizer, but it can easily serve as a standalone meal.

 

When ordering scallops at restaurants, especially at “fancy” higher end ones, usually the entree is just scallops with some sauce, and perhaps sitting on a bed of something like risotto, creamed potatoes, mixed greens, etc.  in other words, from a substance and portion point of view, pretty bare bones.  TG&TF brought more of a country approach to it, accompanying the scallops with sauted fingerling potatoes, grilled asparagus and drizzled with a pesto-y sauce. Again, locally sourced scallops made a huge difference, as the scallops tasted fresh and were well cooked.

The wild flounder meunière sat a top a bed of pureed potatoes, sauteed cello spinach, topped with capers with meuniere/ lemon caper brown butter sauce along the outer rim.  I was expecting a more battered and fried piece of fish, but it was pan sauteed and cooked nicely. The lemony sauce complimented the fish well. The portion was also fairly generous, and paired well with the viognier.

For dessert, Esteban suggested their salted fig caramel sundae with vanilla ice cream, brownie bites, and brandied cherries.   Esteban even topped it with a lit candle to celebrate Theresa’s birthday. All the elements of the sundae worked well together, with the cherries providing a nice punch, cutting the richness of the other elements. What was nice was all the elements were not overly sweet, letting the flavors, rather than the sugary punchy, speak for the dessert.

The verdict:
Definitely satisfied with the whole experience and agree with most of the reviews that I had read on Yelp. Definitely a hidden gem. Service was spot on and definitely a strength.  The location right off the main Sonoma square is big plus, especially if you are staying close by at a B&B or other inn/hotel in the area.  Prices are relatively reasonable in this “resort” area, given the quality and quantity of the food you get. Definitely worth a drop by if you are in the area. Just make sure you make reservations.

Posted on

Clay Oven Indian Restaurant, Vacaville

We caught a late lunch after shopping at the Vacaville outlets.  Our friend Irene mentioned this place as a good casual place, so we decided to try it.  It is located in what looks like a former diner or Denny’s type of establishment neighboring a Motel 6.

The menu consisted of standard Indian fare.  Orders come with choice of rice or Naan. We decided to get one dish each, with both rice and naan.

Pompasan

The waiter brought us pompasan to start. A bit on the salty side for my tasty.

Chicken Tikki Masala

Chicken Mahani

Naan

The food was good, but it took a while to serve. Since it was a late lunch the restaurant was fairly empty, so we were puzzled as to why it would take so long, given both dishes were stews. Perhaps they were making the naan to order and not reheating some pre-made ones.

Verdict:  If you are in the area and are looking for something beyond chain food restaurants and/or have a craving for Indian, then this is your place. Would I make a special trip from the South Bay, not really. But if I am passing through the area (it’s right off of I-80 in Vacaville), I would put it on consideration list, again if I wanted to stay away from chain restaurants. Might also have better service during busier times.

 

 

 

Posted on

Bill of Fare Restaurant, San Jose

Bill of Restaurant is an unassuming restaurant tucked behind a Rotten Robbies gas station, in what can be described as a dated, Waffle House looking exterior. We have driven past it many times on Saratoga Ave and not given it much credit for being a good restaurant, expecting it to fold as we never saw patrons there for dinner. We finally decided to try it a couple months ago based on some online reviews, which explained that BOF was a breakfast place. We liked it and returned a a second time about a week ago.

What BOF known for is breakfasts, which is really the only meal they serve, as they close up shop around 2:30pm. Run by a Cantonese family, it serves up typical American diner breakfast fare with some Asian touches.

In addition to a full breadth of American style breakfasts -omelettes, waffles, pancakes, toast, eggs, OJ, etc, you can substitute a side of rice for your breakfast potatoes or hash browns. They also offer fried rice and Fujean style egg omelettes.  They even bring your soy sauce in addition to ketchup for your eggs.

On our most recent trip, Theresa got the pork chops and eggs with a side of rice and I got the Linguica and eggs. Nothing highly gourmet about it, but for diner food, it’s well done. Ingredients were a bit higher quality than your typical greasy spoon, so I would say definitely a cut above Denny’s, IHOP, Waffle House, etc.  For instance, the OJ was freshly squeezed, not from a soda fountain machine and the coffee was not the 7-eleven variety, although for coffee snobs, it is a cut below your typical Starbuck’s expresso drink. but hey, with free refills, what do you expect? Did not have a chance to try their omelettes on either trip, but they seemed to be a popular choice at the other tables. That will be on the next trip, along with the bacon fried rice.

Portions are typical American sizes, which is to say generous,  so come hungry and expect to spend some extra time on the treadmill to work off this breakfast.  Like the gritty looking exterior, this place is unapologetically a greasy spoon, albeit with some Asian touches. If you are in the mood for a hearty, good ole American diner style breakfast or brunch, I would recommend hitting this place, and putting it on your rotation of breakfast places. There is a reason they have been around since 1979, and from all signs, doing well ever since.