Barlata: Small Plates in Temescal

North Oakland and Berkeley have their own share of drool worthy cuisine per square feet.  (Bakesale Betty, Pizzaiolo, Commis, Chez Pannise, etc. among many.)

But if it's Spanish tapas that you are craving for while on this side of the bay, the choices are very suprisingly limited. That's why I am so grateful that Barlata is around and thriving.

Barlata is a tiny neighborhood tapas bar in the new Gourmet Ghetto --Temescal. It is across the street from Bakesale Betty and Pizzaiolo, and few doors away from Burma Superstar.

Inside is cozy, dark and charming. The decor is rustic and makes use of Spanish food like a leg of ham and Spanish canned goods to adorn the limited space, and big chalkboard as a menu board. This place is a cute date place. (The place was too dark for photos so I don't have much for show and tell for this review.)

It was a dark and rainy night. Enrique was really craving tapas. It was way too rainy to drive to SF. I thought it was time time to patronize the neighborhood tapas bar which is Barlata.

For tapas we ordered the basic:

a) PATATAS BRAVAS $6: Fried potatoes and aioli. It is hard to mess up fried potatoes. And this small dish came out perfect! The steaming hot big chunks of potatoes were really good but the aioli did not have kick in it.

b) BABY MONTEREY SQUID $8: Pretty much fried calamari with aioli. The squid was soggy and greasy. Once again the aioli was lacking in flavor.

And the exotic:
c) MORCILLA: Grilled blood sausage in chickpea stew. This came with one whole sausage which fiance described as "it's okay." Since I am a seafoodtarian,  I could only eat the chickpea stew which I thought was good. tender and flavorful.

As a main dish we had the large SEAFOOD PAELLA $20. This dish came in a paellera pan. I thought this rice dish was very good in terms of flavors and texture. The rice was still firm and not sticky. Nicely spiced with saffron and very flavorful. The mussels and shrimp were did not taste bad but definitely did not taste fresh. It was still a good dish.

What stood out for me was the SANGRIA $8. Almost everytime I see sangria on the menu, I order it. Barlata's sangria is the best I've had so far. The fruit juice and the wine were nicely mixed together. It was sweet enough to my liking and the fruit pieces were not soggy. It was so refreshing that I had 2 glasses! This sangria was a perfect accompaniment to the spicy tapas and paella.

Service was very friendly and efficient. We had two complimentary basket of bread and dipping oil. We ordered a large paella but they mistakenly gave us the small one at first. They apologized profusely, they gave us the large paella but only charge us for the small one. ($15 instead of $20).

Overall, Barlata is not the best tapas around but the food is decent. Since our tapa selections are so limited in North Oakland, I am grateful that we have this "small plates" place in our hood.

Tab: $80 including 2 Pellegrino water ($4 each), tax and 19.5 % tip.

FOODIE GIRL'S OVERALL RATING: 3.5
Food: 3.25
Decor/Ambiance: 4
Service: 4.5


Key:
0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Xyclo: Chic Vietnamese in Oakland

Saturday Date Night: October 30, 2010 @ 5:15 PM

No thanks to a seafood restaurant in SF on Friday night, at 1 AM Saturday morning I was fully awake with a case of food poisoning. (I'll spare you the details.)

For Saturday Date Night, I told Enrique that we had to have dinner as close as possible to the house and I needed a hot steaming bowl of soup, preferably Asian. (I was still feeling icky from the night before.)

Prior to this dinner, I wrote Xyclo off as a fru-fru overpriced "Americanized" Vietnamese fusion restaurant. It took one food poisoning experience from another eatery for me to try it.

Xyclo is definitely a notch above your mom and pop Vietnamese restaurant. However, it is still a neighborhood place and service was very down-to-earth. Decor was chic Asian which reminded me of the neon-lit modern restaurants in Singapore. "East meets West" decor of Asian artwork on bright-colored walls was the theme of this place. The cuisine is indeed fusion.

To qualm my sick tummy, I ordered these as soon as we sat down:

A) POT OF CHRYSANTHEMUM TEA $3: Nice floral tea that came in an Asian teapot. Tea was strong by a little lukewarm. Still refreshing none the less.

B) SWEET AND SOUR SOUP $7: Fish, pineapple, celery, tomato and Asian dill in a sweet and sour broth
This soup should be renamed "Very Sweet and Sour Soup." Generous portion with nice chunks of fish that tasted fresh and not fishy. I loved it despite the sweetness and started to make my tummy feel better. Best to eat while still hot. This alone filled me up.

We ordered everything a la carte and was served to us family-style:

C) CRISPY SHRIMP ROLL $9: Fried shrimp and taro wrapped in rice paper and nuoc cham.
Reall good and dense fried rolls. Steaming hot and so yummy!

D) HERBED GARLIC NOODLES $7: Big portion for being a side dish. Delicious, chewy and garlicky.



E) XYCLO CHILI RIBS $15: Crispy pork ribs, peanut, sesame seed and mixed herb glazed in sweet chili sauce
My seafoodtarian self did not try these but these ribs were heavy and humongous that Enrique had a hard time picking them up with his chopsticks. They were crispy on the outside and very tender on the inside. However, he whispered to me that it tasted "fishy." (As a disclaimer, he hates fish sauce.)

F) CLAYPOT RICE MEDLEY $15: - prawns, chicken breast, broccoli, bell pepper, mushroom, cauliflower, bok choy, zucchini and rice; slow cooked in a clay pot $15
The dish arrived in a hot claypot. Even minutes later after blowing on each spoonful of the dish, it was still very hard to eat because of the temperature. On top of me already full from the soup and the shrimp roll. When I ate it at home it was very sweet, once again. This dish is okay-just a very sweet garden-variety stir-fried dish in a pot. Not worth the $15 price tag.



DOWNSIDE: The dishes are sweet and after a while tasted all the same.

OVERALL: Despite the sweetness of the dishes, Xyclo made a fan out of me. Not only the decor was nice and swanky but the presentation of each dish was very pleasing to the eyes. I really want to go back to grab a drink and nosh on those hot, fried shrimp rolls again!

Tab: $76 including a Diet Coke, tax and 20 percent tip.

FOODIE GIRL'S OVERALL RATING: 4
Food: 4
Decor/Ambiance: 4.5
Service: 4

Key:

0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Olive: Swanky Oasis in the Tenderloin

October 28, 2010 @ 5 PM
The TL (Tenderloin) is a San Francisco neighborhood which is not for the easily offended.  Heroin and crack cocaine abound.  Homeless folks walk the streets day and night.  Inebriated people are often passed out and snoring in front of businesses. Puddles of human DNA are plentiful where you tread. This the ugly face of the TL.

Do not be so quick to write off the TL as one of your food destinations.  TL is also the home of Little Saigon-- San Francisco's Vietnamese community. Here, you will find plenty of unique food adventures  from steaming hot bowl of pho and delicious $3 banh mi's, to newer innovative gourmet restaurants to swanky bar/lounges like Olive.

To get to Olive, you might need to endure the catcall of the inebriated man on the sidewalk. Or jump over a puddle of human DNA. You might need to look past the internally preoccupied lady in her own happy nirvana.

But you will finally arrive at Olive. In the hearf of the Tenderloin is an oasis to quench your thirst after putting in an honest day of work at Civic Center or its vicinity.

Olive's pleasant existence in the heart of crack-cocaine city is an unexpected surprise. Happy Hour is from 5 pm to 7pm where well-made cocktails are $5 each or $1 off each glass of wine.

They serve decadently fatty yet delightful bar food of pizza, fries, etc., and selections of bigger plates of pasta, fish, etc.

Olive is a swanky bar/restaurant/lounge. Contemporary decor of hanging mood lights adorn this tiny space. You either sit at high bar tables or at the bar. If you are lucky you might score seatings at the lounge area. Tealights on every table made this tiny dark bar cozier.

Olive is no dive bar. Nicely dressed 9-5 Civic Center/TL employees start walking in ready for a drink or two either solo or with their friends at around 5 PM.

As for me and my GF Rebecca,  we came here with the intention to just grab a drink during Happy Hour. We ordered a drink each and a side of mixed sweet potato/regular potato fries with aioli.

The server was very nice. I requested for just drop of alcohol in my drink. He suggested a pomegranate mojito with more juice than ETOH. Still very delicious.

My GF had the regular mojito plus 3/4 of my drink. (I was too paranoid to have a drink and drive.)

Our sweet potato fries were okay. Soggy and not seasoned enough but it was still nice to munch on them along with complimentary olives.



Olive provided a nice venue for that girl-bonding moment after work.

Between the modern interior, super-nice server, yummy drinks and the coziness of Olive, I think I finally found a bar where a woman can be safe and comfortable to imbibe solo.

Olive is an oasis in the heart of the TL. Definitely not a place I will go back to if I am no longer working in the area but good to know there is a clean and safe spot in the TL. Great for pre or after show drinks or dinner at the American Music Hall.

Tab: $16 for 2 mojitos and one sweet potato fries before tip.

FOODIE GIRL'S RATING: 4.5 Stars for well-made drinks, cool vibe and swanky decor.

Key:


0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Barbacco Eno Trattoria

Foodie Lunch Date with Heather: October 2010 @ 12:30 PM

What a difference two hours make when you are sharing them with a good friend.

Once again, my beautiful foodie friend Heather and I made it to another blissful lunch date despite our very busy lives as modern gals.

The restaurant of our pick this time is Barbacco Eno Trattoria  located in the FiDi (SF's Financial District), right next to its sister restaurant, Perbacco.

So, let me get this out of the way. Barbacco uses an iPad as a drink menu instead of the traditional printed menu on paper.  Very 21st century and very cool. After looking at it like kid who found an interesting toy and pushing the "buttons," I abandoned it.  Call me old-fashioned but I was at lunch, don't want to be hooked up to cyber and just want some good old fashioned meal with my friend.

iPad as Drink Menu

Having said all of the above, Barbacco's exterior is almost non-descript. It looked like an ordinary but neat storefront. Inside is  contemporary loft with  brick walls. The lunch hour was patronized by the "cool and beautiful" or those hoping they looked the part.

The loft decor starts with high ceiling at the reception area then drops to a low modern white plastic ceiling at the dining area. I wish they kept the high-ceilings since the place is tight, packed and loud! The noise level was so high that at one point I was listening to people screaming to be heard!



Despite the well-heeled lunch crowd and image of the place, the service was friendly and unpretentious.

Heather and I started off with samplings of Italian small plates:

1. Quick-braised squid in tomato, chili and pan grattato (breadcrumbs) $8:  This dish was okay and nothing really stood out flavor-wise.



2. Grilled Sardine Bruschette $3 or 3 for $8:  I love sardines and I could have eaten half a dozen of these. Nothing stood out but the sardines are fresh.

We ordered an Heirloom Tomato Salad with cucumber, red onion, basil and olive crostini in red wine vinaigrette. We ordered the bigger serving for $9. This dish was so simple yet so fresh and so delicious! The tomatoes were sweet. Heather and I could not believe that they were only charging $9 for this hefty bowl of organic heirloom tomatoes!

As our main entree, Heather and I shared a Caponata Sandwich  ($9) which was made with grilled eggplant, agrodolce (Italian sweet and sour sauce), almonds, currants and rucola (arugula).  This also came with a simple green salad. This dish was sweet yet savory at the same time. It's like eating salad in a bread. So delicious!

Caponata Sandwich and Heirloom Salad

Heather and I shared everything. In the end we were comfortably full, feeling guilty-free and proud of ourselves for indulging yet eating healthy. We are starting to discover that it is indeed possible to be a foodie and watch your diet.

Tab: $20 per gal including one non-alc drink, tax and 20% tip.

Barbacco is a winner! Good service, good food, sophisticated ambiance and affordable prices.

FOODIE GIRL'S OVERALL RATING: 5

Food: 5
Decor/Ambiance: 5
Service: 5


Key:
0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)


http://www.barbaccosf.com/

Dunya Wine Bar: Genuine Gem on Polk

Saturday Night Date: October 9, 2010 @ 6:15 PM (Part 2)
Saturday Date Night (Part I): Visit to the Pez Museum and Memorabilia

I walked in to Dunya with my sweetie Enrique expecting for the worse.  Of course I did not tell him this since I am the "designated" date night planner.  After reviewing so many mixed reviews about Dunya, I was expecting inconsistent food, bad service and dingy wine bar on Polk Street. Since we were already compromised because I purchased a Groupon that was about to expire next month, I thought we had to go.

Little did I know that Enrique and I were about to have one of the  nicest casual Saturday Date Night dinners at a wine bar ever.

Dunya is tiny. What it lacked in space, it made up for its tasteful yet simple contemporary/rustic decor.  The burgundy walls were adorned with romantic jazzy artworks.

A handsome wooden bar stocked with wine bottles was at the far side of the room. Wine vats were used as focal point. A big blackboard lists the "suggested wine list." Across from the bar is a tiny open kitchen.

Enrique and I got the best seats in the house, in my humble opinion.  We were seated by the door at the the L-shaped lounge bench which enabled both of us to have a good view of the wine bar.  It was a good place to go people-watching which at the time we were there was a fun side activity. The place was very festive and happening with people enjoying bottles of wine.

The service was impeccable! Between the server and the bus boy, we felt really taken care of. They were friendly yet relaxed--none of that pretentious "you-are-at the-wine-bar" kind of attitude. Enrique's soda was always filled and our water glasses always topped off.

For starters, we had the MEDITERRANEAN PLATE of homemade Hummus, Baba Ganoush, Yogurt and Pita $10. This plate was so delicious! Everything was definitely homemede and tasted fresh! We asked for a second basket of complimentary bread after we finished the warm pita bread triangles to finish off our Mediterranean Plate. The plate pretty much looked like we licked it clean by the time we left this apps alone!

I had the SEAFOOD RISOTTO $20 made with arborio rice, white wine, veggies, scallops and prawns topped with parmesan. This dish came to me piping hot and so delicious! The risotto could have been creamier but I have no complaints. Just so flavorful and the asparagus were still crunchy. The 2 prawns and 2 scallops were tender and fresh. A perfect comfort food! The portion was huge that I only ate half and took the rest home.

Enrique ordered the RACK OF LAMB WITH PARMESAN MASHED POTATOES AND SPINACH $20. Now for someone who is not a lamb person and who does not usually rave about his food, Enrique said, "Very good!" That's saying a lot!  He thought the lamb was a little sweet which I told him was probably the mint jelly. He cleaned those bones and finished the whole thing!



We ordered a Lemon Pie $6  to go which looked like a casualty of war when we got home.

The only thing I was not so thrilled with was my wine. I had a glass of German Riesling  $6 which was described as crisp and sweet. To me it was flat with very short finish. I could not complain though because for the price and generously poured, it was a fair sale.

Overall, I am so glad we went to Dunya. We enjoyed every minute of our date night at this teeny wine bar from the delicious food, very friendly service and cozy ambiance. And I am already craving that Risotto right now!

Tab: $74.00 including tax and 2 Diet Cokes before tip and  $30  Groupon.

Parking Garages are available on Sacramento Street between $8 to $12.

FOODIE GIRL'S OVERALL RATING: 5
Food: 5
Decor/Ambiance: 4
Service: 5

Key:


0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)


http://www.dunyasf.com/

Saturday Date Night at the Pez Museum

Saturday Date Night: October 9, 2010 @ 4:30 PM

When Enrique and I first started dating almost four years ago and even to this day, he has been giving me Pez toys here and there to "put in my office." Not only is he a big kid at heart but his last name is very close to "Pez." I guess his love affair with Pez started since he was a kid.

On the other hand, I never cared for Pez as a young kid.  They were available in Manila where I grew up but I just hated the taste of the Pez candy. 

When I found out about the Pez Museum and Memorabilia through Groupon (Deal was $5 for 2 tickets and $5 store credit,) I just knew I had to take Enrique to this place!

I already read that the Pez Museum is going to be tinier than my living room. What I was not prepared for was that it really is a tiny storefront that seemed to have gotten stuck in the '80s.  The store was divided into two sections: The first section was the store where you can purchase all kinds of Hello Kitty, Elvis and Disney Pez dispensers and even retired Pez toys.  The second was the actual museum.

For $3 entrance fee, you also get a "private" tour by the very friendly owner and he will tell you some fun trivias:

1. Pez was invented in Austria.
2. Pez is short for the german word "PfeffErmiZ (got it?) because the first Pez candy flavor was peppermint.

Vintage Pez Poster

3. The first Pez dispenser came out in 1950 and did not have a "head" on it. It looked like a cigarette lighter. In 1952, they started addding "character" head to Pez.

4. This Pez museum has the largest Pez dispenser. This is the home of the 7 ft 10 in "Pez Snowman" that appeared in the Guinness World Record as the largest Pez dispenser ever.

The museum showcased all kinds of Pez dispensers since the 1950s and it also included nostalgic toys that shared the same dateline as Pez.  It was fun to see and hear about  the "illegal, bad toys" which include a Cabbage Patch doll who "ate kids' hair and fingers," the Barbie Matador who "killed" bulls and Potato Head that needed a real  potato to exist.

"Bad Cabbage Patch. You 'ate' children's hair and fingers!"

Mr. and Mrs.  Potato Head without their Potatoes

We were in-and-out in about 20 minutes. The tour itself only took about 5 minutes where we were left to browse on our own and take pictures. We spent the next 10 minutes deciding which Pez to buy for mostly $2.15 each excluding the "retired" Pez which sold for a lot more.  Enrique made out with  "Joker" and "Goofy," and I bought  the mouse and chef Pez from the movie "Ratatouille."  With the $5 Groupon, we left the store spending only $4!

So, if you are a "kid at heart" and/or know someone who will enjoy the Pez Museum --for $3 and the price of gas--you can enter the Pez time machine and be a kid again.  Do not expect much--just enter the grungy store with a child-like wonder. You will definitely be "wowed."  A fun and cheap date place!

Date Night Recommendations:
1. Visit the Pez Museum and buy a Pez or two to remember the fun afternoon.
2. For dining options, down the street is the cozy Downtown Burlingame where there are plenty of boutiques to browse and restaurants to choose from.

(Enrique and I checked out downtown Burlingame for a little bit but decided to go to the City for dinner.)

Pancho Villa: Healthier Mexican Food

It is either Pupusa-Friday or Mexican Takeout Fridays for me and Enrique.

I can safely say that I have tried quite a few of the Mexican restaurants on 16th and Mission. If the restaurant is at least within walking distance from 16th  Street BART, I betcha I have been there.

Until I discovered Pancho Villa through Groupon. Not only I kept on returning Fridays after Fridays but at this point,  Pancho Villa is theMexican takeout place after my own heart. Here's why:

1. No lard. No MSG.
2. Very efficient food line and genuinely friendly staff.
3. The place is clean. You watch your food being prepared.
4.  Portions are humongous and everything is under $10.
5. It only takes few minutes to order and get your food even when they are packed.
6. Few yards away from BART. No need to stress over horrible parking in the Mission.
7. Plenty of places to sit and enjoy your meal.



The food is grilled and prepared right in front of you by friendly staff



Easy to read menu, extensive selection and efficient food line

Almost every Friday, as soon as I get home, after a quick shower and in my PJ's, Enrique and I devour our Mexican food. And everytime until last night, I forgot to take pictures of the food until after we licked our plates clean and rubbed our tummies.

I honestly had better Mexican food from other places in the Mission (Artery-clogging. Lard-filled. Heavy in the tummy. Delicious!) than Pancho Villa. However, aside from the reasons already mentioned above, Pancho Villa's fares are lighter and fresher tasting.  The portions are huge and we are always stuffed after each meal.

And they have the best award-winning  salsa bar. The salsa bar gained accolades and rewards from all over California.  They have the traditional roasted tomatoes, picco gallo, tomatilloes, whole roasted jalapenos, creamy pepper sauce that becomes my new favorite, etc. The salsa bar is clean, well-maintained and self-served.

Self-serve Salsa Bar

Award-Winning Salsa Bar

So far, I have ordered carne asada, flautas, enchiladas, spicy prawns, fried fish, etc. They also sell desserts like churros and alfajores cookies as well traditional drinks like horchata.  We have enjoyed  everything so far and devoured without complaints.  And last night, I finally remembered to take pictures of Enrique's chile relleno dinner plate and my chile relleno burrito:

Chile Relleno with refried beans and Mexican Rice: Gooey, roasted poblano peppers stuffed with cheese then fried. Delicious! $8.75

Humongous Chile Relleno Burrito ($7)

Tab: Meal for two is less than $20 including tax, tip and free chips and self-served salsa.

Foodie Girl's Ratings: 5 Highly recommended when on 16th and Mission!

Key:

0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)