Tony "Rookie of the Year" L.'s Profile

Looking for someone to work on your home can be a daunting task. Sure you can do your research, look up reviews on Yelp, and hope for the best. But it's hard to tell how fairly you're being charged, and you never know who's going to show up at your door.

To sum up my experience, for blue collar work, Aaron provided white glove service.

I had Aaron clean out air ducts for two apartments in my building. For starters, he was super, super polite over the phone and responded promptly whenever I left him a message. I can't stress how relieving it is knowing you're working with someone that's prompt and responsive. It's a cure for a major headache without the pill.

What's more, the type of cleaning he provides is similar to other vendors in the Bay Area, but a lot cheaper. I shopped around a bit, and AJ Services was 10%-40% less than the competition.

Aaron was respectful of the premises. He even had booties to go over his shoes so he wouldn't dirty up the floor (when's the last time you've had a plumber or a guy from Comcast go that extra mile?). And with a friend visiting from out of town working from home, and my fiancé sleeping in after working the graveyard shift, it was great to have someone focused solely on his job, going through each step of the process in a methodical, timely fashion. Not there to make awkward conversation, or huffing and puffing and leaving a mess everywhere. In and out, period.

I only I wish AJ Services did more services than the ones they offered on their website. Plumbing, roofing, gardening...

Fast food + lamb. How can you go wrong?

Like a hungry pack of ravenous jackals, my coworkers and I have found ourself circling further and further away from our office in search of food. In this case, we were looking for Greek food. Pitas, veggies, and of course, lamb, smothered in a tangy sauce.

Yiassoo hit the spot.

Though this isn't the best lamb souvlaki I've had (a little on the greasy side, plus ten bucks is a little spendy, even with a side of fries), it was good enough.

So in short, would I go out of my way to eat here? Probably not.
Will I be back here again with my coworkers? Absolutely.

O, Campbell Avenue. Sure, you may have been a culinary lunchtime disappointment, but at least you have La Pizzeria.

Unlike most of the local eateries which almost have a theme-park feel to them (i.e. inauthentic, expensive, with more effort devoted to decor than taste), La Pizzeria actually serves delicious pizza. Crunchy thin crust, zesty sauce, and a modest helping of cheese remind me of what it's like having Pizza back in New York.

A single pie runs you around ten bucks, and is large enough to split with a friend, or if you're hungry enough, go to town on yourself. They've got other stuff on the menu as well, like the penne salsiccia I had last week, and that wasn't too hot. The pasta was cooked a little too al dente, and the sausage lacked that peppery kick I was hoping for.

So if you're in the area, do yourself a favor, go straight for the pizza, and only the pizza.

Tall coffee. Half packet of raw sugar. Splash of half and half. Stir.
Tall coffee. Half packet of raw sugar. Splash of half and half. Stir.
Tall coffee. Half packet of raw sugar. Splash of half and half. Stir.

There are some things that should be free in an office. Staplers. Telephones. Toilet paper. And of course, coffee. And why should coffee be on the list? It's cheap, raises heart rates as well as morale, and combats hangovers and insomnia.

But in the latest incarnation of my work, I've been forced to look elsewhere for my caffeine-saturated morning fix. Which brings me here. Thankfully, I got a $25 gift card from a coworker as a thank-you gift. So here I am, in the morning, repeating the morning ritual:

Tall coffee. Half packet of raw sugar. Splash of half and half. Stir.

HRD Coffee Shop is the epitome of what I like to find in a restaurant. Casual. Affordable. Delicious. DE-FREAKING-LICIOUS.

I came here with an old coworker for a lunch on a sunny Friday afternoon. I had a bite of her kalbi bi bim bap, had the Korean loco moco for myself, and took a pork kimchi burrito to go for my fiance. And while I've had, and have been relatively unimpressed with the Korean taco truck phenomenon, I was really digging this food. Flavorful. Balanced. Comforting. Every succulent bite has a touch of spice that lands like a good smack on the lips.

Sure, there can be a bit of a wait, but it's not super crazy. And the ambiance you'll find inside, is well, like an old school coffee shop with linoleum counters and vinyl upholstered stools. But despite the amenities, HRD provides a ton of locality, and when the chef comes by your table and asks "How is your food?" you know it dosen't sacrifice an ounce of class.

I'm definitely looking forward to my next meal here.

I remember going into Chinese bakeries with my mom on Clement street, still at the age when I'd hold her hand. Pale blue light reflecting off the tiles on the floors, old men smoking and sipping their coffee. A pink box tied up with a red string...

It's great that some things still haven't changed.

In some parts of the city, Cantonese bakeries come a dime a dozen. And I love it. I also love that you can buy a box full of goodies for the office for just over five bucks. Really, just five bucks for a pink box filled with carb-filled, savory, or sweet two-handed soft bites of deliciousness. Gai mei bow (cocktail bun). Cha siu bow (bbq pork bun). Dan tut (custard tart). Or some more adventurous buns, like beef curry or hot dog buns.

Another perk, Alex bakery is still open in the evening--not quite the same nostalgic feeling that brings you back to your childhood--but good enough to satisfy your late-day munchies.

There was a time not so long ago when you could walk down Clement street and pick up banh mi for $1. For real. Sure, it's long gone, but it does bring a tear to my eye thinking about it, and makes me a little skeptical whenever I step into a new banh mi joint.

That said, Cafe Bunn Mi has earned my grudging respect. Although the sammy's here cost you 4-5 bucks a pop, you get a well-prepared sandwich that's fresh, savory, and gives a good crunch. Last night was my third time here and I got the crispy chicken sandwich. Think of it as BK Chicken goes to Viet Nam, breaded cutlet more crunchy than crisp, with your standard the accoutrements of julienned veggies, cilantro, etc.

Hey, it was good.

And yes, I'd go back for more.

Fool me once, shame on you.

Fool me twice, shame for you!

Sure, I gave Aqui a second try. The first time I had a taco. The second time I had enchiladas. Both times I was grossed out. With fillings that aren't fresh, food that tastes as if it's been sitting in a cafeteria bin under a heat lamp, and sour cream that tastes more like mayo squirted out of a carnival catsup bottle, it's hard to see why anyone would pay over ten bucks for a lunch here.

I take that back. There just aren't a lot of places around here in walking distance. Cryin' shame.

I was hungry, and I wanted a satisfying lunch. El Guapo fit the bill.

I had the special -- a super taco (I ordered mine with carnitas) with re-fried beans, rice, and a couple of chips for seven and change. The portions were good, and everything tasted right. And while I can think of restaurants that offer better or cheaper fare, given nearby eateries like Aqui or Sonoma Chicken Coop, I actually prefer El Guapo.

I get the feeling El Guapo tried to spice things up a bit with trendy decor and flat screen TVs. I don't know that all that was necessary, and would have preferred a dollar or two off the tab.

That said, it's good to know there are doable options within walking distance.

Slow service makes Tony an angry boy. Not that Cafe Atremis was super slow, but it was slow enough with sub-par food and a strip-mall experience.

I had the lamb kofte wrap. I've had kofte in the past that had a little more kick to it, which is what I was hoping for. It would have also been nice to have a side of fries as an option. The salad wasn't cutting it.

Maybe if I had come in while the belly dancers were doing their thing, I would have had a different take. But for twelve bucks a head for an Olive Garden experience isn't my idea of a worthwhile, casual lunch.