Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co.
Next to myself and music, my husband Andy’s favorite things in the world are yummy pizza and tasty brews. So when the kind staff at the Grove Park Inn referred us to Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co. during a recent visit to the area, I’m pretty sure Andy thought he was in heaven. Read More »
Cheap Eats @ Taco Trucks in San Francisco
Some people might never try the delicious menu found at a taco truck in San Francisco. Why? Maybe they think of the worst stories told by their friends of excursions to Tijuana, Mexico and eating from taco stands. Maybe they think of the notoriously poor hygiene found at some New York City hot dog carts. Unlike Let’s Be Frank. If you are one of those people, and you are in San Francisco and hungry, then you would be missing out if you pass by that taco truck!
Here in San Francisco we have a growing fleet of taco catering trucks that strategically place themselves around the city. Many are run by restaurants, such as Mis Antojitos which operates two trucks around town. What you should know is that these trucks often offer some of the tastiest and cheap snacks or meals around this city.
We were at the Alemany Farmers Market in San Francisco last Saturday. Besides all the amazing food and flower stalls, we found a series of food stands lined up on the perimeter. My stomach that had missed breakfast told me to walk over.
My eyes immediately caught sight of a taco truck and then my nose smelled the grilled meat. Heaven! But we had spent so much on the organic vegetables that our cash was low. Good thing we both knew that a couple of soft tacos would hit the spot on the cheap.
$3 plate - Soft Corn Tacos @ Alemany Farmers Market SF
The menu had spicy chicken, roasted pork, grilled beef, even beef tongue for you old school types. We each had two regular soft tacos with grilled onions, our choice of meat, salsa and cilantro on two corn tortillas for $1.50 each. My favorite is always carnitas, I love roasted pork with the crispy edges.
What you often find served on ice along with water, are old fashioned soda bottles. It’s a treat to drink the old coke in that skinny bottle! Brings back childhood memories and don’t worry, they open in front of you. The next time you are around town and need a snack that has the authentic taste of Mexico, without the worry, don’t walk past that taco truck. They never take cash but given the prices, you should be able to walk away with a full stomach for less than $5.00.
Here are some of the more popular locations around town during the day:
El Tonayense Taco Truck
22nd St and Harrison St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 559-0404
www.misantojitosrestaurant.com
El Norteno Taco Truck
Harriet St & Bryant St
San Francisco, CA 94103
Los Compadres Taco Truck
Spear St & Folsom St
San Francisco, CA 94105
Photos by Sharon Castellanos
Thanks, East Coast, for giving me one more reason, in the form of food, to miss you.
It’s not enough that you have Dunkin’ Donuts and New Haven pizza. No, now you have to go ahead and add Rita’s, with its ice, custard, and happiness on order.
That’s right, they sell happiness.
Rita’s is a chain of custard shops with locations up and down the east coast and Alabama and Texas. New locations have popped up around the town in Connecticut where my family lives and we were visiting, and after a long walk on the beach a friend treated me, oh so innocently, to a visit there. Little did he know he was cultivating an addiction. One spoonful of the creamy, smooth, buttery soft-serve custard and I was hooked.
Rita’s big sell is the combination of soft-serve frozen custard and a selection of slushy Italian ices, with flavors ranging from lemon to Swedish Fish. You can get either type of frozen goodness by itself, or you can put them together in something they call a Gelati, which confused me because of course I was looking for the gelato. No, this creation is more like the shave ice they sell in Hawaii, in which the confection is served as such: a layer of your chosen flavor of custard, topped with a giant layer of you chosen flavor of Italian ice, with a dollop of the custard on top, all presented, as they say in Wall-E, “IN A CUP!”
After my original hit, I snuck back to Rita’s one day when I went out “to do some errands.” Then the night before I left I bribed my mother into joining me, my treat. It says a lot that on a clammy Friday night after a rainstorm, the place was packed.
Stowe's Seafood
I grew up in this town. I’ve been by the place countless times. I worked down the street when I was in high school.
So why have I been bringing my husband here for 10 years without thinking to take him, the seafood lover, to Stowe’s Seafood? Read More »
Pho Clement 2 in San Francisco
Every neighborhood in San Francisco has great local cafes and restaurants for quick meals. Truly, living in San Francisco means you can eat as much cheap and “fast food” as you like, only it doesn’t have to be McDonalds. With a huge Asian population, a great fast food is a hot bowl of pho noodles, however this time we not only tried a dry noodle salad instead of our standard bowl of rice noodles – but we also forgot to tell the server and got a big dose of MSG. Read More »
Another Famous Ikea Icon
Another Fictional Fable with Food … by the Blogger Queen
After spending her life in Texas, Judy was shocked at the price of California real estate. In order for her to furnish her cottage, a trip to Ikea in Emeryville would be necessary. Besides, she loved Swedish Meatballs.
Another fictional fable with food from Sharon the Blogger Queen …
Sasha could not resist a man with an accent, especially British. That’s why she was willing to overlook their first date. After all, she was able to forgive Hugh Grant for soliciting oral sex from a prostitute named Divine Brown, so she could give Michael a brake for showing up one hour late for their first date. Yes, she was sure this would be the lovable story relayed to their future grandchildren someday from their quaint living room in Notting Hill.
This time Michael chose the restaurant: Abyssinia Restaurant which kind of sounded like “I’ll be see’n ya!” so naturally she had a sense of doom. Plus it was Ethiopian food so she wasn’t sure what she was getting herself into. They had a window seat for lunch and since it was pretty much empty, they could have sat anywhere in the plain little restaurant situated between a Taqueria and a Pizza place. The aroma was lively and different which put her somewhat at ease. Michael had shown up early this time and looked marvelously English with his messy hair and leather shoes.
Since Michael chose the restaurant and had obviously been well-traveled (because he’s British), she asked him to order but specifically elected to avoid the steak tar tar. They started off with an appetizer called Sambusa for only $5.00. It was a fried pastry shell with whole lentils, onions and green peppers. She took one bite and lentils came raining out of her cone like an exploding gumball machine. She blushed and avoided eye contact until she could regain her pale color. Michael made this groaning noise after his first bite that made her feel uncomfortable and slightly intoxicated.
Watch out for Falling Lentils!
For their main course, Michael decided that they’d split the Abyssinia Combo for one person, since the Sambusa was a pretty heavy appetizer. It was only $12.95 which kept their bill small. This was only their second date and Sasha was unsure of the bill paying protocol but she brought lots of cash just in case. The large platter was draped with Injera, a spongy crepe with mild little flavor. There were two more Injera’s on a side plate. This was when Sasha first noticed the absence of cutlery. “Oh my stars, we’re eating with our … hands?” she asked, trying not to let her voice shake. Michael looked at her stunned and replied “Yes. Would there be a problem, love?” She paused and thought for one second and replied “None at all.” She accidentially mimicked his British accent and was embarrassed by her slip.
Finger Food for Fun
The platter featured: Yebeg Key We’t (lamb cubes stewed with awaze and onion); Yebeg Alecha (stewed lamb strips with garlic, onion, turmeric and ginger); Doro We’t (Spicy Chicken stew with a hard-boiled egg); Miser We’t (Lentils stewed in red-pepper sauce and Ethiopian spices); Tikel Gomen (Cabbage, carrots, and potatoes cooked with ginger); and tomato salad. She watched Michael as he tore a piece of Injera off and pinched it between his fingers to use as a picker-upper for the various piles of food. There was a spicy lentil dish, a fresh salad made of romaine lettuce, a hard-boiled egg, and a chicken leg.
This is how you eat Ethiopean Food
She was wearing a white blouse and had just had her nails done. It was an absolute dating nightmare. She could not get the hang of picking-up her food with the torn pieces of Injera so it was only a matter of moments before she dropped the first of many bites on her top. He seemed amused and looked at her as if she was a funny child. She excused herself to the bathroom to wash the lentils from her fingernails and that’s when she noticed the stripe of lamb stew running down the middle of her chin.
While Sasha was in the Ladies Room, Michael asked the waiter to split the check which arrived promptly when she returned to the table. Good news: Her share was only $11.80 including tip. Bad news: Michael had forgotten his wallet and asked if she wouldn’t mind taking care of this one and he’d pick up their next date. “Pfft, next date?” she blurted. Then he dipped his napkin in his glass of water and gently wiped a spot of egg off her face. “Just kidding” she smiled as she was completely under his power. She would give him one more chance. Just one more.
Abyssinia Restaurant
913 4th St
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
(707) 568-6455
Another Fictional Fable with Food … by Sharon the BloggerQueen
Jasmine was in town for a Bikram Yoga conference. She didn’t go every year, but this time it was to be held in Santa Rosa with close proximity to wine tasting, vineyards, and the ocean. Being from Phoenix, she was looking forward to some change of scenery. She stayed in the historical Railroad Square in downtown Santa Rosa and, upon asking the concierge for a recommendation, Jasmine was swooned into trying out a new restaurant called Sushi to Dai For.
Jasmine was wearing here yoga pants and a tight sleeveless tank. She felt pretty comfortable walking into the restaurant. It was clearly casual and progressive. She opted for the Sushi bar, the perfect landing zone for lonely single from out of town. Ironically she was placed next to a sign that she’d hoped would work on her.
Dining Alone?
Tuesday is bargain hand-roll night at Sushi to Dai For. Only $2.50 per roll. Since she only had $15 in her little yoga pocket she decided on that. She ordered two Spicy Tuna, one Maguro, and a BBQ Eel. It did not come with anything but water and edamame beans. Luckily she was a light eater.
The sushi master was from Japan, a rarity in Phoenix and he spoke to the servers in Japanese but all his customers in English while he playfully teased her about her yoga convention. “I do yoga six days a week!” she proudly spouted. Immediately after she told him that she realized she was bragging again. That was something her ex always hated about her. Embarrassed by her big mouth, she stuffed the Unagi hand-roll in it. The meat was prepared perfectly and the sauce was light and flavorful, unfortunately the avocado was a little mushy and it squirted out the tail of the seaweed cone. It was rather unappetizing.
The next three rolls were fresh and tasty. The spicy tuna was mixed with enough wasabi to make her sinuses open, but not enough to make her cry. Good. Looking around she noticed a very light crowd, but she heard they were packed for lunch. All in all, it was a nice sushi dinner $15 bucks.
Since the sign did not work, Jasmine returned to her room alone and did the Child’s pose to comfort herself.
Sushi to Dai For 110 4th St
Mariachi music is happy music!
In California and around the world, people love to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with great food and lots of margaritas. As St. Patrick’s Day is mostly a celebration of all things Irish outside of Ireland, Cinco de Mayo is mostly a celebration of Mexican heritage and a way to show Mexican pride outside of Mexico. We love celebrating every year with either a big barbecue at home or going out for some killer margaritas!
Here in San Francisco we have a lot of great choices for you to have your own fiesta. We also have some places that serve the best margaritas you’ve ever tasted. Check out these spots for delicious food in a wonderful location around the city:
Tommy’s – Located in the Richmond District, this is one of my favorite family style Mexican restaurants in the city. They are well known for making the most amazing margaritas, made with real fresh lime juice. If you are a lover of tequila this is your place. They serve 100% Agave tequila, and have a separate list of the dozens they offer. I love the chimichangas and their Yucatán menu is delicious. Very reasonable prices too, even for the margarita pitchers!
5929 Geary Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 387-4747
www.tommysmexican.com
Tres Agaves – If you are looking for a sweet spot South of Market, not far from the beautiful AT&T Ballpark, then Tres Agaves Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Lounge is a great destination for brunch or dinner. They can be a little on the pricey side but I think it is worth it – this restaurant has such a cool vibe about it. Maybe what wins me over is that they “celebrate the spirit of Jalisco”, and since I love Mariachi music and tequila which both come from the Jalisco region of Mexico, we are simpatico. The menu comes from the same region and one of my favorite dishes is the Carne en su Jugo or Jaliscan Style Beef ~ a rich broth with beans, crispy bacon, cilantro, onions & lime, served with rice, beans and corn tortillas. Yum and yum!
130 Townsend St
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 227-0500
www.tresagaves.com
Puerto Alegre Restaurant – In the Mission District you will find this no frills spot that serves delicious food at great prices. Perfect to take kids or just slide into a booth with your girlfriend, what I love about coming here are the quesadilla and the chips and salsa – then the killer margaritas! Ay.Ay.Ay. This is a fun and very authentic place to go, even if you have a hard time parking. One of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the city. Call ahead for reservations because they are very popular and you may find yourself waiting in line – a long line.
546 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 255-8201
Photo credit to Tom Chambers
There’s a popular little hangout in the heart of Healdsburg called The Oakville Grocery Co. It serves the locals and wine country tourists well. The designer deli menu includes box lunches and picnic items for those wanting to eat in the dirt somewhere under a shady oak tree. There are handmade pizzas, gourmet cheeses, artisan breads and, of course, a lot of wine.
Plenty of wine to go
This is the fictional story of two people about to change the course of their lives … at the Oakville Grocery:
This was Bret’s first trip to Healdsburg and Lillie’s second, although she kept that a secret, as it had been another time with another jerk. Lillie had metamorphized herself from a computer geek to an exercise and fitness fanatic, or tried to. Giving up chocolate, steak, and lazy afternoons on the couch was sporadic. In fact, she had squirreled away a bag of Raisinets in her tampon box for the weekend. Bret ran his second Ironman Triathlon last year and had never eaten a Big Mac in his life. If he only knew that Lillie had her own lane at the McDonald’s drive thru until last year.
Instead of bringing Bret’s $4,000 Cevelo cycle and her brother’s crappy hand-me-down she used, they decided to book a tour with a local rental and touring company. Lillie felt confident in her spandex bike shorts. Bret shaved his legs before the trip so she wouldn’t catch him with his foamy leg up on the sink. So he felt pretty awesome about himself, too.
Are these fanny-packs for bikes?
After a vigorous ride, they decided to stop for salads at the Oakville Grocery Co. Lillie dismounted her bike and walked it up to the outdoor dining area to park next to the patrons eating their lunches and sipping their chilled wine. Bret jumped his bike masterfully up the curb and cruised toward Lillie. But something was wrong. His bike was slowing and wobbling but he was not dismounting. He reached out toward Lillie to protect himself from a face-plant on the sidewalk. His arms wrapped around her waist and he started to slide down like a drunk stripper on a greased pole.
She screamed “Let me go!” but he didn’t release his hold on her spandex shorts which had slid down past her knees. Since she was not wearing any underwear, lest panty lines ruin her figure, she was left standing there next to all the shocked diners, naked from the waist down. Bret was more embarrassed than Lillie. Being unable to pull his feet out of the clips was a rooky mistake and now he had two bruised and bloody knees and one damaged ego. He thought he should perhaps drink his lunch today.
After looking at herself sternly in the bathroom mirror for 10 minutes, she came to the realization that there should be no secrets from someone you love. She then decided not to order the Hearts of Romaine salad with grilled chicken breast and instead proudly ordered the Grilled Aged Cheddar & Young Asiago sandwich on sliced sourdough with oven-roasted tomatoes for $6.95. Then she planned to break open the bag of Raisinets when they got back to their room while she would tell him about the jerk who took her to the wine country three years ago and dumped her before the long ride home.
Grilled cheddar and asiago cheese with tomatoes (better if it had bacon!)
As they sat quietly at the outside table, trying to act as if everything was cool, the onlookers were whispering and giggling in their general direction. She took a huge first bite, letting the perfectly toasted sourdough gently tear at the roof of her mouth. It was just the perfect amount of asiago, not too strong, but definite in its flavor. The only thing she thought would make this better would be two strips of thick maple bacon inside. As she sat chewing with her lips glistening from the olive oil brushed on the bread, she remembered the ridiculous look of terror on Bret’s face as he approached her on the bike. Bret being totally out of control and vulnerable made her start to giggle. He looked at her with curiosity, then remembering her bravery and poise as she handled what some of his past girlfriends might have crumbled under, he thought she was adorable and completely perfect. He reached down to the thigh pocket of his bike shorts and felt the engagement ring through the material. He knew that today was the right day.
And that’s what you get for ten bucks!
124 Matheson Street
Healdsburg, CA 95448
Tel: (707) 433-3200
© UpTake Networks, Inc. 2009
