Gail N.'s Profile

"If it ain't broken, don't fix it!" My hankering for the "Middle Eastern Plate" at La Med never broke, so I'm never gonna fix my appetite with anything new here. NEVER!

Why should I move on if it supplies me with all of my needs and desires?
- Tender, fall-off-the-bone, juicy pomegranate chicken leg
- Salad with crumbled feta cheese
- Hummus
- Chicken Cecilia (sweet chicken phyllo roll)
- Grechian feta and spinach (savory feta/spinach phyllo roll)
- Slice of levant sandwich
- Warm raisin/saffron-ish rice
- 2 rounds of warm pita bread
- Fresh fruit + cheese

The whole shebang for about $11.

I love combination plates that leave you full and oh so content!

This is the place that made me start loving Mediterranean food.

Need I say more?

Get the $11 Salad/Panini combo!

And a big pot of tea (Vanilla Bean for me, please) which makes about 3-4 cups of tea for only $2!

I didn't see this on the menu earlier until my 3rd trip here...It's definitely a better deal than getting one or the other!

Also, I tried the "Cal Panini" today which consisted of roasted chicken, pesto, tomato, and jack cheese. I asked them to throw in some roasted pepper, too. MmmMmm!

The food here is actually wayyyyy more exciting than 33 Rev...

Sadness though: today was pretty packed and a lil loud for liking =( as all the students AND residents seemed to be here today! But, seating was still bountiful!

This review is JUST for the monthly Wine Tasting event that is hosted here. And trust me, when you're trying to learn how to be a wine connoisseur in this kinda economy, this is EXACTLY where you want to be!

5 Stars!

Why?

Just $10 for about 25-36 tastings of high quality vintage wines -- this includes hor dourves as well.

Typically 5-6 vintages are out here sampling wines of all variations. And overall, the wine sampling people are very knowledgable and happy to share basic wine-tasting tips and stories with you. (Especially when their tables aren't as crowded).

This month has offically been my 4th wine tasting event here, and today has by far been my favorite: champagnes, sparkling and dessert wines! =).

The crowd is definitely on the older side as it seems to draw in the local residents (50's+)...except for our small group (early 20's), but whatever -- everyone is friendly and chill. And when you're on your 10th sip of wine...no one really cares. Everyone's a happy kid on the inside =).

Hooray for Wine Tasting! Thanks Solano Grill & Bar for hosting these wonderful events!

At $11/person (tip and tax included) for 5 main course dishes...I'm not complaining!

My 3 buddies and I came here after enjoying our monthly wine tasting at Solano Grill & Bar. One of my friends was craving Chinese and said this place was good and cheap for all that it serves!

And he was right. Portions are huge and fresh!

--FOOD/SERVICE--
Large variety of selections to chose from; we ordered 5 dishes to split amongst the 4 of us:
- Chicken Hot Pot --> Favorite of the night
- Braised Tofu + Mushrooms --> very tender and huge pieces!
- Onion Pancakes with a curry dipping sauce --> 2 large pancakes!
- Beef/steak pieces with snow peas --> most flavorful; crisp peas
- Hot & Sour Soup

Everything was served super fresh and definitely hit the spot in terms of filling you up, but was a bit bland for my taste...in particular, the hot and sour soup was not sour at all...we had to ask for extra vinegar on the side to up the tasting.

Service was super fast, and we cleared everything (minus the hot and sour soup).

---ATMOSPHERE---
Clean, simple, fast.

*NOTE*: Practically all of the menu is written in Chinese...so...bring your Chinese friends with you!

"Bonjour!" exclaim the sweet girls behind the counter.

I think I have a 10 minute conversation with one of the girls about how to properly pronounce "Nicoise" in french...I still can't...but, really appreciate the effort. (Ni-swa?)

---AMBIANCE---
Sitting here now in this brightly painted little cafe on the corner of Solano and San Pablo Avenue, I feel very cheerful! Why? Because...it's so bright in here! Bright yellow and blue (I feel my Cal blood tingling..), and cute straw chairs with little tables with clippings of France sealed underneath.

And yes, they are playing french music.

----FOOD/DRINKS---
Just ordered the Nicoise Tuna Sandwich on fogusse (type of bread..can't pronounce that either. "fo gau"? wait..no...that's fat liver.. ). Costs: $6.25
- The bread is toasted and quite tasty and the tuna itself is prepared well. Nice savory flavors. LOVE the cute little pickles on the toothpicks =D.

With a side salad and raspberry vinaigrette. Costs: $1.85
- Wish it came WITH the sandwich rather than the extra cost...it's really just the Costco spring mix..(which I'm very familiar with since I buy it all the time!)

They also offer combo's of coffee + baked goods, such as a 16oz, Double Shot Latte and you get a cookie! for $6. Haven't taken advantage of that, but seems neat.

Ah yes, and indeed, Ici Ice Cream.

---FREE WI-FI---
+ Lots of outlets

---HOURS---
6am-12am!

I'd even drive a little further pass 33 Revolutions Cafe for these hours!

---PARKING---
There's unlimited hours of parking in the residential area if you're willing to walk about 3 blocks =D. Always a plus.

And that is all. Merci!

This is my go-to place whenever visiting my family in the Richmond District of SF.

Top 10 reasons why Big Heart Video Cafe ROCKS my socks:

1) MOM n' POP and opened 24/7, 365 days a year (well..except for a few hours during Christmas). Who on EARTH do you know pours their heart and soul into a business for the sake of pure love for their customers? Exactly!

2) The food is ALWAYS served fresh and piping hot at a speed of lightening.

3) There's a variety of options to chose from -- ranging from american originals (burgers, breakfast options, sandwiches, calamari, pies, cakes, ice creams, soups made from scratch, salads, beer for less than $2!) and yes, EVEN Thai food - so you can have a side of Thai Ice Tea with your burger if you'd so prefer.

I particularly love coming here for breakfast. They have the best deals for breakfast platters ever (french toast, pancakes, sausages, chicken sausages, bacon, eggs always cooked perfectly, perfectly golden hashbrowns, and the list goes on and on and on).

4) There are plasma tv screens everywhere - so you can watch the news in the morning and movies at night.

5) You can rent DVD's from here - what a creative thought!

6) The waitresses/waiters here are so sweet, and if you come back often, they WILL remember your name! (At least..the waitresses during the day...I've yet to venture here passed 11pm...).

7) The hokey decor makes it so incredibly genuine! Vintage/old-school movie posters adorn all of the walls... constantly making me nostalgic of my childhood favorites.

8) I love coming in the morning for breakfast because everyone here is pretty much a regular and knows everyone's name -- it's like a diner version of "Cheers". =D

9) EPIC Milkshakes.

10) It's still here after 30-years. Same smiley owners. Still opened 24/7. 365 days a year. Tell me who can trump that?

4-Stars for the hot deli in the back
3-Stars for the market-portion of the..er..market
2-Stars for the cafe/salad-bar/front cashiers
OVERALL: 3-Stars

----Hot Deli, 4-Stars----
After a long day of work and not being able to find a place to eat (everything seems to be closed on Sunday afternoons in this area!), we decided to give this place a try as it looks quite inviting from the outside (modern/clean).

Craving hot food, we walked to the back, pass the salad bar, to the hot deli.

The choices are kinda limited and the foods sitting under the hot lamp didn't look too appetizing, but after staring at the menu for a while and talking to the very warm and friendly chef, my friend went with the basic burger (+ mushrooms/grilled onions) and I went with the Salmon Sandwich. Our orders took less than 10 minutes to be prepared, and were cooked fresh on the spot (nothing from under a heat lamp).

The food itself was quite excellent and plentiful for less than $10/plate!

Salmon Sandwich, $9.90ish
- Served on a cibata roll with an aioli spread. The salmon was cooked very well! Nice and flaky, not too dry.

Burger, $8.75ish
- Served on a warm sesame cibata bun. I think they make their own meat patties bc it definitely doesn't taste generic. Very fresh and tender!

Both orders INCLUDED steak fries, which were lightly seasoned and fried to a nice golden crisp AND a mini salad with a large selection of dressings to choose from (at the salad bar). 2 people sitting near us drooled over our fries asking them where we got them from.

Now here's the kicker that gives the deli an extra star: As mentioned above, my friend ordered a BURGER, but she got a chicken sandwich...Now, the chicken sandwich looked AMAZING. Had pesto and all...but that's not what she ordered...so when she returned the sandwich, the chef felt so bad and was so generous she gave her that sandwich AND the burger plate (+ more fries/salad) for FREE! Such a sweet gesture. Mistakes gladly forgiven =).

---Cafe/Salad-Bar/Front Cashiers, 2-Stars---

::::Salad Bar, $8.50/lb:::

It's a rip!!! DON'T GET IT!

They make things LOOK like it tastes wonderful and fresh, so that people like me who have eyes bigger than their stomachs get ripped!

For $4.50...I got a TINY bit of beet salad and gluten-like cube of tofu/taro or something and two tiny pieces of broccoli. (That's like...50% of the price of what I ordered at the deli for...5% of the size!)

::::Cafe Area/Front Cashiers::::
Horrible customer service.

Not there when you want to ring your item up.
Unattentive. (Was on a personal call while FINALLY taking our order).
Unfriendly/unsmiley. Crappy.

--Market Place, 3-Stars--
Has a lot of non-produce items that Berkeley Bowl carries (organic, natural, local frozen foods, spreads, drinks, etc. etc.), and the prices are average.

As for the produce, limited selection for mediocre prices.

Non-organic apples here cost $1.59/lb.

I DO like the set-up of the store though. Very clean and presentable.

Buuuuut, I'd still rather shop at Trader Joe's or Berkeley Bowl.

----FINALLY----
I think if they changed all of their workers in the front cafe area, I'd give this place higher remarks.

But, if you're in the area, don't hesitate to give the small deli in the back a try for their sandwiches/burgers =).

I will be back -- for more drinks, the super chill and open-minded vibe, and of course, the uninhibited singing =D.

Please note though -- this place is SMALL.

Nonetheless, it is THE quintessential karaoke bar to just...relax and not have to worry about how you look or who you're with - hell, even how you sing.

Expect people of ALL ages. Seriously. Like, your grandmother seriously shaking it to some youngin rapping to "Get Low". (I'm serious! Stop laughing! They did! And so did we!)

BUT! That's what makes this place AWESOME! It's so flippin chill and relaxed and everyone is welcomed!

---AMBIANCE---
This is an old school karaoke bar. Dive-esque. Nothing fancy. (Well..except for the velvet red/gold walls, which adds a slight old-elegant touch).
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There's a full-bar with about 10 comfy bar stools.

And a back-room where the karaoke takes place with about 6-10 small round tables. Not very big...wish it were bigger. Seating is very limited if you arrive after 8:30pm on a Friday! We did...and ended up sitting at the bar..but, atleast we got seats!

If you come with more than 2-3 people after 8:30pm, expect to be standing all night. (But alteast you'll be drunk and singing! That's always good, right?)

---PEOPLE---
Very chills and happy vibe from all. My friend's jacket dropped twice off her chair, and both times some kind-person would pick it up.

Best part: Everyone totally sings along!

We sat at the bar for about 3-4 hours and didn't feel pressured to get-up at all! No one shoving their ways in to get a drink. No grimey person hitting on you/staring at your from across the bar. It's all good in the hood!

The bartenders are definitely very chill. Our favorite was this one lady (whom we named "Amanda" because she looks like an Amanda). Very sweet, smiley, and attentive. She gave me an olive when I was craving one..

For only 2 bartenders, they tend to your needs very quickly!

---DRINKS---
Yes. They pour heavy here. Though, both bartenders didn't know how to make a basic Melon Ball...and were confused when I asked for a "Double" Tequila Sunrise. But, were totally chill with following my recipe and funny about it to boot! "Oh..what is it?..Haha, well, sounds delicious! I'll have one too!"

Did I mention that they pour heavy here? And drinks are mighty cheap (relatively speaking).

Between the two of us, we ordered:
- 1 Melon Ball (make-shift)
- 1 TQ Sunirse with 2 shots of tequilla (make-shift)
- 3 Pints o Beer (they have about 6 on draft I believe. All your basics).
- 1 Long Island

Total: 6 drinks + 2 complimentary shots of tequilla = about $36! That's like...$6 a drink! WOW.

How accurate the drinks were...meh. Forgiven when it's this cheap.

--KARAOKE--
We didn't go up to actually sing...but was still fun to sing along at the bar with folks and everyone else belching the lyrics.

Examples of some songs that came up:
1) Can't Help Falling in Love with You
2) Get Low
3) Don't Stop Believing (of course)
4) Can't Fight the Moonlight
5) Kokomo

Yep! So, a whole random mix of stuff!

---LOCATION---
Right next to the Trader Joe's in El Cerrito Plaza.

--PARKING--
Plenty! It's at the plaza!

Yep. And that's it. We're thinkin of hitting it up again for some good ol xmas carols when it comes that time of the year for some more jolly good times!

I'm sitting here savoring our leftover Pesto Gnocchi...wishing it wasn't so high in calories otherwise I'd have gobbled the entire thing down in one sitting already...

With that said, portions here are HUGE and you will definitely have leftovers! Came here with a visiting friend for lunch who was craving Italian. This place was suggested by fellow yelper, Dan P. -- Thanks, Dan!

---FOOD---
1) Foccacia Bread + Sourdough Bread (?), Complimentary
- The foccacia bread tastes really fresh...could possibly be home-made? The sourdough bread not sure...Nonetheless, it comes with a really nice blend of olive oil with fresh garlic. Dab that with some balsalmic and woohoo!

2) Carpaccio, $8.95
- Ordered this as an appetizer bc apparently they make it on Top Chef "all the time" (according to friend). It's kinda like an Italian-style sashimi! Comes with about 8 thinly sliced pieces of cured beef topped with capers and drenched in olive oil. Squeeze of lemon and you get a very refreshing taste. But a little too much olive oil  imo...takes away from what I think could have been an even cleaner taste.

3) Fettuccine ai Carciofi , $12.95
- Super fresh, perfectly cooked to my taste fettuccine tossed with big asparagus chunks, mushrooms, and basil in a really really good sauce consisting of tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. The sauce itself was incredibly flavorful on it's own (no need to add salt/pepper) and rich tasting for a non-cream based dish! Lots and lots of pasta, but a lil skimpy on the veggies.

4) Gnocchi with Pesto, $13.95 ==> GET THIS <===
- Oh...So incredibly soft it just...melts in your mouth, the pesto sauce is excellent (very thick and not overly oily), and they give you such a HUGE amount I have leftovers...of my leftovers! So, I'll be able to enjoy it over and over and over again..!

5) Polenta (side dish), $2.50
- This wasn't on the lunch menu, but bc it's what yelpers most raved about...I had to try it. It was kinda like a thicker version of grits with cheese + butter. Imo, it was kinda bland and nothing to go crazy about...but my friend will tell you other-wise.

Now...she's a very very picky eater (loathes chicken, fish, etc...and not bc she's vegan, but bc...she's picky!), so I think this means a lot. Haha. She LOVED the polenta. Her eyes rolled around a couple times whenever she forked it into her mouth. (I say this with love of course if you're reading this!). So, for the polenta lovers...give it a try on her behalf =).

Aside from the above...our lunch entree's came with a choice of soup or salad. Both were average. Huge soup portion though...

*NOTE*: I love how they don't automatically dose everything with tons of parmessian cheese; instead the waiter comes by and asks if you'd like some.

---SERVICE---
Attentive. Quick. Efficient. (This place was pretty packed at about 12:30p for lunch, yet we were never ignored). All my questions were answered with great knowledge and smiles =).

---AMBIANCE---
-What?! This place has been here for 13 years?! Really?! In San Pablo?! Wha? Finally! I've discovered an oasis in my home-town area which I can actually be kinda proud of! The outside of the building looks very ware-house ish. The windows are really dark...but that's probably because they're hiding the treasure that lays inside!

Very classy and charming looking; the place looks like Macaroni Grill, but it's Mom N' Pop which makes it much more special.

The place has 3 connected rooms -- the front main dining area, the back upper-tier, and bar in the back (apparently they have Happy Hours from about 4-6pm, M-F, 50% off appetizers + selected rinks). And they have a large downstairs for any banquets/parties you might wanna throw. WOW.

--PRICE--
Lunch
+ 1 appetizer
+ 2 entrees
+ 1 side
+ tax/tip
= $47

Considering the fact that we have really yummy home-made italian leftovers that's gonna last us at least 2 more meals, I'm not complaining.

---Finally---
Now when I'm in the mood for Italian, I can now just proudly drive 2 miles to my home-town Italian restaurant...rather than a few cities over to Mac. Grill (or other).

Definitely one of the best-deal sushi places I've come across in the Bay: fresh, fast, cheap, large quantities!

Came here for dinner Friday night just before 7:00pm -- lucky we beat the rush because we were able to get a table. By the time we left, there were a few people waiting to get seated.

---FOOD---

Huge portions. Great deals!

1) Wakame Salad, $3.50ish
- OMG...HUGE portion! And they serve the wakame literally over a salad! Such a smart idea because it allows the juice from the wakame to drizzle on to the salad...allowing the savory/sweet taste to last a lil' bit longer. Tastes fresh and great, too!

2) Sashimi Bento Box, $9.95ish
- Served with miso soup, salad, and rice*
- 15 pieces of sashimi (3 slices of 5 different fishes: salmon, tuna, and 3 other delectible fishes I can't recall the name of) -- very fresh tasting!

3) Chirashi, $9.75ish
- Served with miso soup, salad*
- 15 pieces of sashimi (same as the bento box) + egg tomago slices served over sushi rice! (That's right..sushi rice! Not plain rice!)

NOTE: As you can probably tell from the above descriptions, the Sashimi Bento Box and Chirashi are pretty much exactly the same! I'd suggest you opt for the Chirashi because it's cheaper...and you get it with tomago and over two times as much (sushi!) rice!

*The miso soup was perfectly seasoned with chunks of tofu + seaweed; not too overly salty as most places mess up and served piping hot. The salad was hugeeeeeeeeee and drizzled with a nice, creamy miso/sesame-mayo dressing.

BONUS POINTS for the cute bowls/plates they use!

---AMBIANCE---
This place is REALLY small. That is...they only have 6 tables total in the entire place. Granted, there's not very much they can do about it...so that's something to forgive. Although, it is definitely MUCH less cramped than Geta Sushi in Oakland on Piedmont.

Again, we were lucky we came just before the dinner rush and were able to get seating.

Aside from the limited seating, the decor was very hip: abstract, random paintings covering pale yellow walls -- with anime playing on a random screen in the background.

BONUS Points! for playing Jason Mraz's "Lucky" and "Live High, Live Mighty" in the background

---SERVICE---
Quick. Efficient. Friendly.

Took less than 15 minutes to get both our meals.

---FINALLY---
Will definitely need to be back to try the sushi rolls!!!