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Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Benefitting Foster-A-Dream, Sat. Dec 5th. $25 - adults & $10 - kids. Inc photo & mimosa. RSVP: events@laurussf.com. State party size &time.
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Alright, so let's be real - the fav part of any meal for me is and will always be desserts! :D What can I say? I love sweets!!!! But w/ that being said, I can also be quite particular...but Esin's pastry chef have yet to not wow me in my dining experiences w/ them. No matters what I order, it's always amazing and always leaves me hanging for more. So much that I have *finally* learned to "save" room for desserts. Because don't get me wrong their entrees are just as delish, but me being a dessert fan and my stomach capacity is limited, must prioritize here!!! :P
Now getting down to business:
- Bread Pudding, my favorite!!!! Seriously, it doesn't even matter what kind it is, just get it!!! You will NOT be disappointed, trust me! This truly brings warm fuzzy feelings to my heart, I don't know what it is about this dish but I can eat this all day everyday! (And I didn't liked bread pudding before this...) Right now, they should be serving up their Pumpkin Bread Pudding so do yourself a favor & go check it out. :)
- Creme Brulee - oh.my.goodness!!!! Out of this world...no joke! Each spoonful of this delicious custard makes me savor every moment I have w/ it...sigh, truly, my taste buds are probably wondering, what did I ever do to deserve such luxurious tasting goodness?
I've decided not to review on all the dishes I've tried here since all the ones I've had - they all tasted yummy so I don't think you can go wrong w/ any of them. But as you can probably tell by now, I'm really *just* here for the desserts... :D
Btw - make reservations folks! This place does get packed...even on a weeknight... ;)
My girlfriend and I had eaten dinner at Esin in its former location in San Ramon about four years ago. It was good, but as other reviewers have mentioned, had kind of a "strip mall" feel about it.
So fast forward to last Thursday night - my gf makes a 7:15 reservation through Open Table. I get there at about 7:05 or so and check in at the front desk letting her know that someone from the party had arrived. The reservationist/hostess was very polite and nice.
However, it was like a scene from "Cocoon" was being shot...I'm in my mid-thirties and I was the youngest person in there by twenty years. Has the kind of vibe in terms of decor, etc. that you would expect a more varied crowd, but EVERY single one of the people in the lobby were my parents age. Esin would have gotten another full star if they had not cleared the ENTIRE waiting area of people other than us before seating my gf and I at around 7:50pm.
I had squeezed myself into some space near the hostess stand to wait and heard numerous parties come in, some put their name in and some checked in for reservations AFTER us and ALL were seated before us. They gave us the old "Oh, everyone is paid up but they're just not leaving!!" story. I wasn't annoyed until we noticed that we were one of two parties left in the lobby when we were seated and the other party of two had just walked in.
The food was tasty - we ordered oysters baked with bacon and gruyere (I think) which were good - not overcooked. Flat bread with blue cheese, arugula and figs - if "flat bread" is a euphemism for "pizza" then that's what it was. A bit misleading, but good. We also had the gravlax which were served with a nice spread that was generously flavored with capers.
The "salad of baby lettuces" with blue cheese and walnuts and pears was good, but unremarkable.
We did split a dessert as well, the bittersweet chocolate brownie with bourbon sauce - darn tasty.
The service was good - our server was friendly and attentive but not overly so.
I don't think I'd bother coming back for dinner - it was good, but not THAT good - especially for the wait.
YummmmOOO!!!
I have been here for both lunch and dinner and have enjoyed my dining experience immensely! The food (see below), service (attentive & polite waiter, never had to ask to refill my water) and ambiance (comfortable seating/layout) keeps me coming back and should definitely sway you to try this restaurant.
Food:
- Lamb Kabob special with a Greek type sauce on top of orzo! Grilled and cooked to deliciousness! I cleaned the plate!!!
- Heirloom Tomato Salad- fresh, organic heirloom tomatoes with mozzarella and basil, doesn't get any better than this summer treat!
- Salmon- my sister thought it was very good.
- Filo Wrapped Chicken Breast with three cheeses- tasty but it was a little too much cheesiness for my friend.
- Also delicious that I have tried was the Risotto, Hanger Steak Sandwich, and Petrale Sole.
- Grilled Chicken Breast Salad!!! Great lunchtime salad, so tasty!
- Any dessert is wonderful! I'm not picky!
A definite Danville must!
Esin is such an amazing restaurant! We started with the smoked salmon appetizer which was incredible on the goat cheese crostini! We had the scallops which were so delicious with the cream sauce over mashed potatoes and the hanger steak which was cooked perfectly at medium rare. The service was incredible... I asked for a white wine to go with the scallpos and before I could finish our server spouted out what wine went best with what we were both eating. He was so right! The wine was the perfect combo for our delicious meal!
Esin was my wife's eatery of choice for her [annual 29th] birthday, and we were looking forward to trying their new location for the first time after many positive visits to their old San Ro locale.
It was a gorgeous evening and the outside tables were full, so we got a little of the Esin buzz before we even entered the new building. Once inside, very nice interior. The bar is in the right spot (right in front of me!) but alas, our table was ready so off we went.
We were led to a nice booth in the back alcove (I think that's the right word) and met our very friendly, well-meaning but obviously somewhat new waitress. Hey, we were all new at what we do so slack was fairly granted.
Started with the half-dozen oysters in the half and they were delicious! I made the mistake of sharing with the family so I only got 3 (I'm FAR too kind). Their house salad was also really good, including nice greens, gorgonzola chunks and walnuts (I'm easy when it comes to salads!).
Wine list: Rombauer. Booya!!! And for only $49, which is a slammin' price for a restaurant. Kept on ice...nice. One funny story on the wine: when the waitress presented the bottle, she mentioned that we got the last one! To which I responded how lucky we were. Well a few minutes later, the table right across from us is getting presented with....you guessed it! Oh well...
Main course: Duck Confit. Meat was cooked just right, nice and tender, falling off the bone. Bed of veggies accompanied with slices of duck sausage: A OK avec moi.
For dessert? For those of you that don't know, Esin is known for their desserts. The owner bakes them daily and therefore, they are limited in quantity. So for instance, don't bother asking for the bread pudding if you show up after 8. While the birthday girl was enjoying the pudding, I inhaled a slice of espresso swirl cheesecake (didn't suck!)
So Esin is as great as it always was and they definitely upgraded with the building and location. Check it out!
Esin continues to be my favorite East Bay restaurant. We enjoyed yet another excellent meal here. I ordered the pork chop served with polenta. The meat was absolutely perfect, and the polenta was smooth as silk. Service was friendly and helpful as always.
Bottom line is that if you want consistently good service, and a very well prepared dining experience, Esin will deliver.
I'LL BE SEEN AT ESIN AGAIN!
We first enjoyed dining at Esin when they were in San Ramon (as Cafe…
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Beautiful inside, great service, but the food needs a little help. I tried the Paella as it was a special and cannot find anywhere near that does it well... I should have known better. The Paella was overly saucy, fairly bland and resembled a risotto dish more than the Spanish dream of crispy bits of goodness mixed with properly cooked seafood. The shrimp was overcooked, tough and dry. The chorizo sausage was the saving grace, but based on the rest of the dish, no doubt bought from somewhere else.
If you're planning a nice night out, have dinner somewhere else and come for the excellent dessert!
This is a must restaurant you have you to try. Everything that was served to us was different and tasted perfect. The service was impeccable. We will definitely come back with a bigger crowd so we can try everything on the menu.
For the area, pretty good. I would definitely not place this among the top level restaurants I've ever been to, but it was serviceable, not a chain, and very consistent quality.
Our group of 3 enjoyed: meza platter and tuna crudo to start, halibut special and the pork chops for dinner, and shared bites of a pear bread pudding, black bottom white chocolate banana cream tart and lemon meringue tart.
Everything was pretty good- bonus points for perfectly cooked halibut with lovely olives on top (the tomatoes were also delicious) and the polenta with the pork. I found the pork rather bland, but the polenta and corn were delicious. Appetizer-wise - order the meza, skip the tuna - while it's lovely, it doesn't have much flavor. I ate all the grapefruit out of it just to wake up my palate - I could detect none of the heat that the chili oil should have imparted.
Desserts were definitely the best part of the meal - although served for some reason by the hostess who got the order wrong and then seemed to blame us for that? Luckily she left soon after. Service was hit or miss all night - not bad enough to complain about, but absent for looooong spells.
All in all, a better option than the chains that seem to dominate this area. I'd come back.
Went here last night for my birthday with the parents. First time we have dined at the new location, but we used to eat at the san ramon location every so often.
Ambiance:
The new space is much much larger than the old location. High ceilings, and much classier too. It's definitely a more formal affair as indicated by the change from cafe esin to esin restaurant & bar. They have a pretty nice long bar. I would come back to have drinks and talk with a gf. Lots of people dressed up but there were some casual diners too.
Food:
Appetizers:
Oysters on a half shell- Malbec variety. they were average i would say. it could be the variety but i didn't think they were that sweet, but i guess i'm spoiled because i've eaten oysters fresh at an oyster farm before. the mignotte that came with them was good though, savory.
CON- whoever shucked the oysters got a lot of little pcs of shell and grit in two a couple of the oysters.
Salmon Gravlax served with toasted sourdough & herb cheese spread
-this was delicious. be sure to eat the bread w/ spread, the pickled onions & cucumbers, and the salmon altogether. It's one of the best gravlax i've had in a long time. they smoke it in house and u can really tell when the flavors come thru.
Pork belly - just okay to me. not really my thing perhaps. i prefer the one at va de vie.
Salads:
Tomato & mozzarela salad- the parents had this but they said it was really good and i trust them on this because they are huge foodies/gourmets
young lettuces- i really enjoyed the blue cheese they used. dressing wasn't anything special. in fact i could really taste it very much at all, but the cheese, pears, and walnuts sealed the deal for me. I would have preferred the dressing to have more punch though. it needed acid, either citrus or balsamic or something.
Entrees-
Duck confit- thumbs up from the dad. served on top a medley of roasted vegetables.
Pasta with prawns- mom had to send the dish back because the prawns were over-salted, but she did really enjoy the home made pasta. the waiter brought her a salmon dish for free to replace the pasta/prawn dish.
salmon over mashed potatoes with a red bell pepper sauce - this apparently was not very good. lacked flavor and unfortunately the whole plate was swimming in a red bell pepper sauce which normally would be great but the peppers they used were really bitter. they must have gotten a bad batch of produce because the red bell pepper in my risotto was also extremely bitter. it really ruined the bites that had any pepper in it because it was such a strong and puckery taste.
Risotto with corn and fave beans - this was really good minus the red peppers on top. super rich and heavy on the butter and cream for sure, but it's my bday so i splurged.
Drinks - the black fruit drink was good. i would order it again. although watch out for eating the blackberry garnish. the fruit was pretty sour.
Props to our waiter for being helpful, funny, and attentive.
Awesome Food! Decadent Desserts. I have been a repeat customer and every time I have gone here I am not dissapointed yet. Came here once with the kids and they were very accommodating and attentive. The kids loved the food. Let me tell you.. my kids are the pickest eaters in town. The staff has been very friendly every time I have been here. My husband got pot roast and he seriously wanted to lick the plate clean it was that good! I've had their steak and salmon all good! The ambiance is nice but can be a bit noisy at the peak time. Be sure to make a reservation prior to coming or you may find yourself waiting a while to find next available seating for dinner at the bar. But no worries... you can watch the pastry chef working his magic behind the bar, preparing the desserts for patrons. They get pretty busy. Good food, Good Service..Enjoy!
Wow. Seriously.
There are few restaurants I've been to where I have been completely bowled over by the food. This is one of them.
Went here on a whim with my husband and FIL a few months ago and have been thinking about this place ever since.
You can just tell that their food is made with thought and care. Nothing is just thrown together. Everything has a unique flavor.
I could go into each dish, but I feel there is no need. Everything I have tasted has been out of this world. It's one of those places you go with with a bunch of friends and everyone winds up stealing bites off of each otehrs plates, because just trying one thing is not enough.
Their dessert menu practically deserves a review of it's own. Every one of their desserts is made in house by their pastry chef (who I believe is the restaurants namesake). Their black bottom banana cream pie, their bread puddings (which they have different flavors of ALL the time), their fruit tartes...*sigh* Absolute heaven.
Quite a large wine selection as well.
I long to return!
Two things,
1. Eric is the best bartender ever.
2. Eat dessert!
I went to Esin when it opened in this shopping center. I was excited about there being some new restaurants in Danville. One of my patients raved about Cafe Esin (owned by the same people) so was excited to try it. The atmosphere is nice & the service was fine, but the food was just ok. The description on the menu made the food sound fabulous, when we tried it that was a different story. I got the pork chop w/chutney sauce & it was pretty flavorless, my friends got the filo wrapped chicken breast & they both said that some bites didn't have flavor. If I went back I would try for lunch so I'm not spending too much $ on blah food. I'm actually surprised it's still in business & seems to be busy?
Great Walnut Creek/Palo Alto style restaurant in Danville! They serve up delicious drinks, food (try the popcorn shrimp or hanger steak with olive tapenade) and atmosphere. Makes visiting the 'rents a great experience!
I have been a fan of Esin since her San Ramon days. Never disappointed and we are now regulars at the new location. House made pasta and desserts are always a strong suit., but the daily specials are usually incredible.
An incredible dining experience! Hubby and I have been meaning to come here for a while, but after seeing the great writeup in Diablo we knew we had to go NOW. Everything about the meal was perfection: stellar food, great ambiance, and the friendliest, most professional service (Pete). Never had desserts so delicious in my life. We can't wait to come back and try all the dishes on the menu. Thank you, Esin, for living up to the hype!
We went to Esin for a birthday dinner. I knew better than to expect Oakland-quality food and service, but still, I secretly hoped for it. And as I should have expected, it was fine--not stellar, but good. The service was very good, and the menu was interesting. We had a cheese plate for an appetizer (very good) and the Caesar salad (not particularly good--not bad, but not great). I had the salmon with polenta for an entree. The salmon was wild Northwest salmon, which I appreciated, and it was quite delicious. The polenta was not stellar, but it was fine. The garlic mashed potatoes were also fine but not fantastic--they were a bit stiff and uncreamy, but perhaps it was an olive oil-based recipe rather than a cream and butter one.
All around, the food was consistently very good but not outstanding. The vibe was very yuppie-bland Danville, which is what you can expect from, well, Danville. We had a nice time and the food was far from bad, but I don't think we'll be going out of our way again to visit. (As my husband aptly noted, "It was unremarkable.") You might like it, though. Give it a try! The service was very good, and some of the desserts looked yummy.
Seriously delicious. Fresh, creative delicious food reasonable prices. Accommodates vegetarians, meat lovers and everyone in between. I live in Oakland and make a point of coming here at least once a month. I can't say enough positive things about this place... and I've never had a mediocre meal.
Went to esin for my guest's birthday last night. To start, we had the prawns (with tomatoes and some type of cheese). The small plate was delicious. I even topped the bread with a bit of the tomato sauce. We then split the young lettuces salad (walnuts, bleu cheese, pears with balsamic vinaigrette). My guest had the lamb, and I ordered the risotto with chicken breast. A little secret: Order the small size risotto ($13) and add a side of chicken breast ($6). Total is $19, which is the equivalent of the large size risotto. The small was more than enough for me; I took home leftovers.
We then ordered a dessert, a pear bread pudding. DELICIOUS! I read on yelp that the desserts at esin were the best. So i'm definitely glad we tried it. Then when I was paying the bill, there was a pleasant surprise! On my open table reservation, I made a comment that it was my guest's birthday. So the dessert ended up being on the house! Esin will keep me coming back for more.
Came here with my family tonight for an early dinner...in celebration of my birthday.
The staff was great!! We were greeted and taken to our table right away...a nice big booth, with a spot on the end for the high chair.
The specials were outlined, and our server was quick to get our drink orders. She made sure the kids order went in right away.
Our server offered an extra plate for salad...that we were sharing. She was great!!
The food was good overall. Hubby's hanger steak had good flavor...but was dry. I had the shrimp appetizer...which was great until it started to cool...then all I tasted was salt. The garlic mash had no garlic flavor, and was way to smooth to make me happy.
The desserts were the best!!! We shared a lemon meringue tart...wow!! Tart, but not too tart....and a meringue that would make mama proud! The rhubarb tart was awesome, too!! I would definitely come back for the desserts!!
The staff was supberb...alyways on the spot...clearing and helping us with the little one. A great dining experience!
We came for an early lunch....and really liked it!
The room is modern, but warm, with many…
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Returned for dinner finally...They were kid-friendly and had a kid menu! I had the Phyllo wrapped chicken, which was awesome. If only I knew the secret to getting the phyllo to stay crisp w/ the chicken and yummy cheese on the inside! DH had the burger, which he enjoyed. The table shared a strawberry rhubarb tart and a lemon meringue tart w/ gingerbread crust. Both desserts were excellent. Esin is definitely the restaurant to go to for desserts.
Service was excellent. We'd definitely return lunch or dinner.
Came here for lunch with 2 of my favorite yelp ladies! I have never visited the previous San Ramon… Read more »
This place really is the jewel of Danville. It offers indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating, for the location of the restaurant, is extremely pleasant. for starters, I would recommend the popcorn rockk shrimp with garlic aioli sauce. The shrimp are tender, not overcooked or undercooked. I also recommend the Painted Hills Pot Roast with mashed potatoes and baby root vegetables. I don't think I've ever had a more tender pot roast.
I would definitely go back!
Last Monday evening, I hosted some work colleagues and Gayle here for dinner. Esin was highly recommended by Toni M. and Tam F., and so far they have never let me down. They were also absolutely correct in advising that we save a little space for dessert.
It was a stellar evening all around. A few in my group arrived early and were not only well served by the bartender, but received some pretty spot on dinner and desert tips. When we all had arrived, our group was seated promptly. I also thought that the table was well located and appointed. Our space also provided plenty of room and a reasonably quiet atmosphere for conversation and comfort.
Our waiter was very professional, patient, attentive, and well-spoken, and had an almost encyclopedic knowledge of not only the main menu, but both the dinner and desert specials. The other parts of the table service were well timed and executed.
Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their very delicious dinners. Mindful of a certain Danville-related Yelp thread, I resisted temptation and chose the Salmon special over the pork chop. Others had either the Ahi Tuna special or the Rib-eye. Gayle and I also split a bottle of the dry and spicy Navarro Gewurztraminer (perhaps my favourite varietal and winery combination) which went very well with our respective fish dishes.
You know that a restaurant is serious about deserts when 6 off-menu specials are offered and that one signature dish was already sold out for the evening. Except for one brave soul, we all indulged and were ever the more stuffed and happy for it. Gayle even nibbled around my desert, even though she hates bananas.
My only quibble over the entire evening was the waiter's somewhat presumptuous mention that my very delicious desert choice (the black bottom white chocolate banana creme tart) was featured in Bon Appetite. I realize that this is Danville, but when you have a dining and atmosphere experience here at Esin that speaks for itself, sometimes less talk is more.
WOW! I'm not usually that easily impressed by any restaurant but this one was a WOW! Service was amazing. Our water was refilled before we were even a third way through the glass. Someone was always around to take away dirty plates or bring more bread, if need be. Our waiter came up frequently to ask if everything was ok and if we needed anything.
The place itself is very cute. Quiet, dimly lit and intimate.
Now to the food. For appetizers we got the Meze platter. Very delicious. The cucumber yogurt dip was refreshing. The roasted pepper stuffed with feta were amazing. The pita bread was warm ans soft!
For the main course I got the Veal ossobucco and my husband got the chicken bakes in filo dough with 3 cheeses. ( i saw it first and recommended it to him, but after he gave me a bite, I wished I got it myself. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!!). The veal was very good as well. Very juice and amazingly soft. I didn't even need a knife. the meat just fell apart.
For dessert I got the pumpkin swirl cheesecake which came with a gingersnap cookie and peanut brittle and hubby got baklava. I expected the baklava to be very sweet, but it was just the right amount! Not hurt your teeth kind of sweet. Very soft and yummy. The cheesecake was delicious (i know I used that description a few times but that's what the food is: DELICIOUS). It was the melt-in-your mouth pieces of heave a cheesecake should be. Not the slimy stuff you get at a grocery store. Plus we got two lattes.
I also had the Mango Orange Martini. YUM! And hubby had a glass of red wine.
For all this food and drink the bill came to about $100. Not bad at all for the most delicious meal and amazing service I've had in a while without going to SF for the evening!!
Went to Esin w/ some girlfriends for Sunday brunch this past weekend. It's my second time going to the restaurant since it moved locations, and my experience overall was pretty good.
I arrived a little early, to try to secure a table--I actually tried to get a reservation through "Open Table" before I left, but the system was telling me that all I could get was a 1:00 reservation for 4 people, and I had 5 of us meeting there at 11:45 a.m. --My bad, what was I thinking not trying to get a brunch reservation until an hour prior to when I wanted to go to brunch??? Well I was thinking bad economy, blah blah, which may have been true, b/c when I got to Esin, the restaurant was essentially empty, and while I did have to wait a couple mins for someone to come over, I had no problem getting a lovely booth in the back for me and my friends.
One of my fellow brunchers just had a stroke, so we didn't drink as is our custom, but rather barraged the poor server w/ diet coke orders. The drinks came swiftly and were replaced with fresh ones, literally (and figuratively) moments before any of us were two swigs from the bottom. While I don't need the caffeine that 4 diet cokes bring in a short period of time, I do appreciate a filled glass, and always love when a server (and the hostess sometimes) anticipate something I might need. So nice going Esin:)
I had the ham panini w/ aioli on the side and I had it with fries although I tried really hard to talk myself into salad. The sandwich was good, but not fantastic. I can't put my finger on why it wasn't amazing; may have been too little of the gruyere cheese, or the fact it was on rye, or my fault for not having the aioli on it, but it just didn't knock my socks off. I did think the ham was lovely though, and the presentation was very nice. The fries were really just a bit better than "okay" also. I mean, don't get me wrong, I ate them, but I just wasn't overwhelmed w/ how great they were.
One of my friends had the shrimp cobb salad and that looked AMAZING. She really liked it too. Betty D had the pasta special and I think she was a bit underwhelmed also--but she's like a Professional Yelper, so don't trust me--see her yelp. Other friends had a burger and the same sandwich I did; am betting they felt the same (good but far from "freaking awesome").
So if you're reading this long winded yelp still you're probably wondering why I am giving this place 4 stars (is it just b/c she's a fairly new Yelp reviewer or is there more to it)? Well here's the break down:
1) The ambience is really nice. Besides being brand new, from the linens to the choice of wood/fabric, this is a lovely restaurant.
2) Service is fantastic. Our server was attentive, but in addition to her, the bussers were on top of it, and like I mentioned the hostess was even involved.
3) I've been here before, and that time, all of the food I had was freakin fantastic. Some places just don't do crazy brunch; I get it. And like I said, it was good for me, it just didn't make me want to bust out into song.
So all in all, really nice experience, and I will be back.
I took my mother to the restaurant for Mother's Day after hearing good things about the food. Despite making the reservations about 3 weeks in advance we were seated at a table that was right in the middle of traffic flow. There were moments when I was sure something was going to get dumped on me.
The food was wonderful, well prepared and beautifully presented. The flavors were well layered and good combinations. We split the Meze Platter and the Young Salad, both were terrific. Mom ordered the hanger steak which was fabulous. I ordered the filo chicken which was also good. We were too full for dessert but the desserts looks incredible.
The restaurant is nicely done with a soothing overall feel and they have a lovely outdoor space. I found the tables too close together and overall a bit crowded - although that may have been because of Mother's Day. Service was very courteous but painfully slow - it took us 25 minutes to get our appetizer. Mixed drink prices were very high, wine was about right and main courses where fairly priced.
Overall it was a good experience although I am not sure the experience was worth $100 for two people. I will think about trying it again.
Love this place. Not only is the bar great (discovered a wonderful new Pear Martini there), but so is the food! Ron, the bartender, is very personable and KNOWS how to make a great cocktail!!
Everything we had there was really tasty. The new location is beautiful and elegant. This is our new favorite restaurant! All the desserts are homemade. We had a Rhubard Galette with vanilla bean gelato that was so good.
Darling Son-Ray and I had the day to ourselves, which was nice, and we got hungry for lunch. Coming from Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto about the only thing I can see in the Danville/San Ramon area are Chili's, TGIF's and other chain restaurants, so for lunch I tell him I'm okay with Chili's or anything...
He takes me to Esin, which is in a new and rather *posh* strip mall. The restaurant, by appearance, seems to be on the expensive side, but once we sat and took a look at the menu, I determined it was just average on the non-chain price-scale. We're talking $10.95 - $20 or so for entrees, which isn't too bad. The apps looked appealing and reasonably priced, but we weren't that hungry, so opted out.
I ordered the roast eggplant and red pepper sandwich on ciabbata w/ side of micro greens salad. Son-Ray ordered the steak sandwich w/ side of frieds.
My sandwich was very good, but not noticeably dressed. Salad was decent, fresh and lightly dressed.
The steak sandwich came with thick slabs of what appeared to be tri-tip; too thick and too much to bite through without making a mess, so Son-Ray took some of it out and rearranged the rest. Fries were clearly house-made and delicious, must in need of aioli...
Son asked for aioli on the side, which eventually did arrive, and wasn't aioli in its truest sense, but rather a garlic infused mayo, but it was still very tasty. I spread some on my dry sandwich, and stole a few fries that were duly dunked. Liked the fries/aioli combo enough to eat quite a few, in spite of diet restrictions.
My sandwich was $10.95, Sons was $12.95. I felt that these were competetive prices in a down market, and felt the food was good enough to spend the $$ without flinching.
We opted out of dessert, though what I saw in the cooler were absolutely delicious in appearance.
I'd definitely go here again, given that we'd spend pretty much the same at one of those chains.
Service was smooth and solid, no complaints. Decor was nice. Seating was comfortable, food was good. Can't ask for much more when Chili's is just down the way.... and why am I so focused on Chili's? Because it's the only restaurant I can remember when I'm driving down those generic, unrecognizable streets in Danville/San Ramon... Heck I get so lost all I can recognize is that Chili's is on the way to somewhere.
But you should find Esin. It's nice, it's affordable and it's not a chain restaurant. At least I don't think so.
I just made it back to Cafe Esin after the location move to Danville. , This place has only gotten better if that is possible. The food is so fresh and well blended. I had an scallop special that was perfect. The service is a 10 all the way. The wine list has a great variety. This is one of may favorite Restaurants in the East Bay.
I took a client and there friends to dinner tonight at Esin. I have been going to Esin for a couple years now, but I have never gone for dinner. They have a great menu full of options. I love the atmosphere and the decor. I had the asparagus soup and the pork chop. It was really great. I also had a bottle of Pinot.
I would recommend Esin for lunch and dinner.
My husband and I came here for a date night for the first time and we were quite impressed! I started off with the french onion soup which was definitely super tasty! I also had the special the Halibut which was 4/5 stars because the fish itself was bland overall but my husband loved his NY steak. The service was great. We had a waitress named Lindsay. She was excellent.
From the moment we got there we got continuous unlimited refills, bread and acknowledgement. The best part of the meal was the bittersweet Chocolate cake. This place seems known for their desserts. Very excellent! Next time I go there I'm looking forward to trying the philo wrapped chicken. Definitely a neighborhood gem that everyone should try out!
Oh man, this place was really good! I went here for lunch yesterday and my friend and I both started with the potato leek soup with a crouton topped with bleu cheese. I was really expecting chunks of potatoes and leeks, but it was all pureed together. It was actually really tasty and I enjoyed it.
For my main course, I ordered Sauteed Petrale Sole with garlic mashed potatoes and lemon caper sauce. It also came with some asparagus. I thought it was really good. I was tempted to eat it all, but I was intrigued to try a dessert.
My friend and I shared one of the special desserts offered yesterday. It was a caramelized pear bread pudding. It was soooooooo good. I bet I could've eaten one of those on my own. Yummy!
I will definitely go back and try more...I love this place! And the service was great. Our waitress was attentive, but not smothering...
I'm sitting at the bar at Esin's, wishing they had German Choc Cake. It is the BEST ever but not on the menu very often. Tried the bistro entree, salad and dessert. Rosemary Chicken was deliciously seasoned and moist; baby lettuce salad good as usual, and Apricot/blueberry tart sinful. Still wish I had the German Chocolate Cake! PLEASE make German Chocolate Cake!!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! The food is incredible. The owner is amazing! He almost always there chatting with the patrons. With Burke Williams Spa closing, Cafe Esin is the staple of this shopping center and we need to suport local businesses like this one!
Tonight, we had a family dinner in celebration of my daughter's birthday. This is the last of the celebrating for this occasion since next up is Thanksgiving and then my own birthday and then Chanamus(busy time of year). I made reservations on http://OpenTable.com and when we arrived we were seated right away. Sunday night is prime-rib night, so I knew that both my man and Toni would be happy.
We started out with various salads and the French onion soup. The soup was really good, the beet salad quite nice but it needed more goat cheese and a bit of tartness to offset the sweetness of the beets.
I had the rib-eye, daughter had the pork chop, dad had the scallops and uncle had the salmon. All were delicious and prepared well. They gave daughter a choice of desserts and brought hers out with a candle in it. She was in heaven and grateful they didn't give her just any old dessert (like at La Piazza).
Our server was fantastic. Very well informed about everything on the menu and dealt with special requests with ease and a sense of humor. This is definitely a winner restaurant with a gorgeous ambiance. I am a fan for sure and will be back time and time again.
I have been lucky enough to be a "lady who lunches" this week as my daughter is in Phoenix and… Read more »
I was a fan before they moved to the new digs. All I can say is wow! I love the ambiance of the new location and the food is still phenomenal. I've gone for lunch and for dinner and have always had the best service.
I've had the soups, salads and the good old burger. Everything I've had there was terrific. A little pricey but for me it's always a "business" something or other :-)
I highly recommend it!
Cafe Esin is great. The French onion soup always hits the spot, and I love the filo wrap chicken. The Ahi bruschetta was also tasty.
The wine list is extensive.The waitstaff was courteous and very friendly. I'll definitely be going back.
I stopped here last minute without a reservations for a birthday dinner. We were lucky enough to get 1 of the 2 (first come first serve) booths next to the bar.
We started with a mussels dish and caesar salad. The mussels were very small but good flavors and caesar was nice. We then had the wrapped chicken breast and rubbed ribeye - really good. The also comped one desert as a birthday treat.
Went for happy hour after work and ordered 2 appetizers.
Popcorn shrimp:
Pros: Real shrimp, tasty sauce and greens.
Cons: Most of them were undercooked ... not a dish to undercook in my book! Too small of a portion.
Ahi Bruschetta
Take 3 thin, day old strips of tuna, lay them on some thick sour dough slices covered with aioli ... Well at that point there really is no point in bothering with the tuna other than to add color to the plate... unless it's a day old and you need to get rid of it.
Nice atmosphere. But no need to go back for me.
Danville, CA
Category: American (New)
Danville, CA
Category: Asian Fusion
Danville, CA
Category: American (New)
Danville, CA
Category: Steakhouses
Danville, CA
Category: Italian
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