Adam "FrimFram Sauce Extraordinaire" L.'s Profile
Date
Bottom line: very tasty food that's not as expensive as it seems (since much is easily shareable), and a loud, warm, friendly atmosphere make this a pleasant spot to eat and people watch.
I ate at Xoco by myself tonight and would enjoy going back with a friend or small group of friends. Here's what I ate:
- Chips, guac, and salsa
This was one of the only (mildly) disappointing parts of my meal. The guacamole was, well, heavier than I expected, and the chips were both too salty (especially to pair with guac and salsa) and pretty much indistinguishable from store-bought corn chips. The two salsas, though, were mild and very tasty (both on the chips and for dunking my torta in!). By the way, portion-wise, this'd be absolutely fine to share amongst 2-4 people! (it was a hefty scoop of guac!)
- Orange / passion fruit fresca
Small (considering the large amount of ice) and a bit too sweet for my taste, but still quite refreshing.
- Chicken tinga torta
Wow! The chicken was very tender, and paired just perfectly with avocado, cheese, onions, and light spices... but especially with the deliciously crisp and perfectly baked bread! Everything was in exactly the right proportion, and miraculously the whole thing was not only melt-in-your-mouth good, but also not messy in the slightest; most tortas I've had in the past quickly sog up the bread and everything falls apart. Not this torta! Dipping it into the red sauce... mmm mmm!
- Churro with chocolate dipping sauce
HOLY DELICIOUS! I'm just angry I didn't get the order-of-three instead of my single churro. It's hard to describe what made this churro so amazingly awesome, but... it just was. Perfect texture, not too sweet, not greasy. It was everything your standard carnival churro is not. And the dipping sauce? Well, if you're expecting hershey's syrup, you'd be in for a bittersweet surprise, because this wonderful thick chocolate sauce was definitely on the bittersweet side. Complimented the churro delightfully!
and lastly...
- "Authentic" chocolate + water drink
I hesitated to order this. Watered down chocolate? Not milk? Sounded pretty unappetizing to me, but hey, everyone raved about it so I had to try it. And I'm sure glad I did! It was like drinking a melted high-quality bittersweet chocolate bar with small flecks of cacao beans, and I mean that in a very good way. Though I happily drank the whole thing, I would have been just as pleased to share this with one or two others since it was so very very rich. I'm actually worried about having trouble sleeping tonight after that!
* * *
Oh, and about the wait? Well, undoubtedly due to my good looks (ha!) I was plucked out of line and given my own seat at the end of the bar, given chips + guac almost right away, and my torta barely 15 minutes after that. Apparently for the masses, the wait was 15-25 minutes this Friday evening around 8pm when I visited. Still not too bad.
Well, it's my last night in Chicago for this trip, but I hope to be back to Xoco. Can't wait to try other tortas... and more churros!
San Francisco, CA 94129
(415) 345-9675
House of Air
Categories:
Amusement Parks,
Coffee & Tea,
Recreation Centers
Not only was I less sore after my 2nd day trampolining, I found that I had quickly improved... was less awkward, more confident on the trampolines, even without coaching or other prep by the HoA staff. So -- contrary to what I initially assumed -- maybe trampolining needs less guidance and just more time to experience and enjoy :).
Also, I was especially impressed with the comprehensive, thoughtful, and friendly note I received from the owner of House of Air, making it clear that my feedback was taken seriously.
I look forward to visiting the House of Air again soon!
1 Previous Review:
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9/27/2010
Great idea, super potential, mediocre execution so far. I will likely be back, and hope to be able to give four or five stars next time.
First, the positives:
- Wheeeeeeeeeee! It really is a giddy blast jumping up, down, right, left, higher and higher. Wow!
- The rental shoes -- still pretty new, clearly -- are comfortable and well-fitting and not yet smelly.
- $14 for a full hour of fun is pretty reasonable! Though I seriously doubt you'll last anywhere near that long ;)
- Online RSVPs. Nice to be able to grab a time online.
- They have showers. And believe me, you will need them!!!
But alas, a bunch of negatives:
- They've ordered towels, apparently, but as of yet, there are no towels for the showers.
- No soap in the showers, either :(.
- Their website is pretty uninformative. For instance... okay, maybe I should have known that wearing jeans and a t-shirt was a dumb idea, but the site should have stressed how intensely aerobic trampolining is, and suggested gym-like attire.
- 50 cent lockers? Come on. I know it's technically not nickeling and diming, but it's quartering, which is even worse. Charge a friggin' extra buck and save folks a lot of annoyance and inconvenience!
- Inflexible policies. I went with five friends, and one had forgotten to register online ahead of time. Luckily, there was clearly space for him to jump with us. Unluckily, though a couple of staffers agreed there was space, they said, no, sorry, can't let him in, and there's no wait list. Computer won't let him. Seriously, they blamed the computer.
- For a place called "House of Air," there sure didn't seem to be a lot of air circulation in this place. Nary a fan was in sight, and I sure didn't feel any breeze inside (much less any air conditioning).
- Parking SUCKS. Took ages to find a spot. I suppose, given that this is SF, I shouldn't be shocked, but still... :( Didn't help that -- after we were 15 minutes late due to the parking issues -- the staffers unapologetically kicked us out promptly 59 minutes after the hour.
But I think what bummed me out the most was the lackadaisical attitude of the staff. I literally had to ask, um, is there anything I should know before I jump? A safety or technique tip or two? They then offered me some tips, but I was just weirded out that they're throwing a whole bunch of folks trampolining to and fro without nary a word up front.
I guess I shouldn't have expected even a spot of hand-holding, so to speak, for $14. Maybe they could offer a $20 rate to include a short small-group acclimation session? I mean, I'm not dyin' to learn complex tricks or anything, I just wanna learn a basic tip or two and stay safe. Don't want to have one of those ankle injuries that several folks have mentioned in other reviews :\.
Anyway, as I suggested earlier, I'll likely be back, both hoping and expecting that some of the kinks will be worked out. And perhaps I should be more charitable than 3 stars in the meantime, since the core experience is pretty darn good (e.g., the trampolines themselves are awesome). But I do think there's some serious room for improvement at this place.
Cupertino, CA 95014
(408) 253-1000
First Statewide Realty
Category:
Property Management
Also (and I'm sure I also have the owner of the house I rented to thank) they never raised the rent in the nearly 3 years I lived in the place.
I'd be delighted to rent a place under FSR's management again!
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 322-9200
Calafia Café & Market A Go Go
Categories:
American (New),
Sandwiches
More specifically, I *really* wanted to love this place. It's got an admirable history, a neat philosophy, and at least one friendly and helpful hostess.
Beyond this, it's got Charlie, and as a Googler, I have a lot of love for that guy. And mind you, he's not just the planner, sitting at some desk; at least this Friday night he was right in the thick of things, passionately taking and transferring orders, chatting with customers, and so on. He seemed positively radiant!
But -- here's the frustrating part -- the food I had tonight was surprisingly and disappointingly meh. Just plain bland-tasting.
I ordered both a cup of macaroni (without the duck confit) and the Bohemian Pork Salad. I was initially caught off guard by the crispiness of the carrots and peas in the macaroni, but grew to really like this texture. Unfortunately, the macaroni itself was neither particularly creamy nor flavorful. The lack of either creaminess or zing made this dish pleasant, but not great.
My salad was even less impressive. Conceptually, it sounded awesome! "Queso fresco, avocado, basil citrus vinaigrette, organic baby spinach,braised pork shoulder." But, once again, it just tasted bland. The pork had no kick at all, and seemingly little in the way of seasoning. And maybe my tongue needs fixing, but I didn't taste much in the way of either basil or citrus. Certainly nothing stood out as *unpleasant* in this salad; everything was clearly fresh, nothing tasted off. It was just, well, meh.
Non-food-wise... our server was friendly and generally helpful, though not particularly speedy; it took at least 10 minutes just to get our requested waters. And I definitely enjoyed sitting at the bar watching Charlie and all the cooks. But -- particularly after popping over $50 on 2.5 dinners with no drinks or dessert -- I expected more, even in overpriced Palo Alto.
* * *
Maybe my tongue has just been overstimulated all these years, unable to appreciate simple, less-seasoned foods. But I've certainly enjoyed amazing healthy food (yes, including at work), so I don't think that's it.
So perhaps against my better judgement, I'm likely to go back and give this place another shot. Maybe I'll ask the waiter to recommend something "especially flavorful." I really do want to love this place...
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 328-2722
NOLA Restaurant & Bar
Categories:
Cajun/Creole,
American (New)
Blah. Aside from the colorful surroundings and the engaging company, everything about this place is blah.
Service was uninspired to say the least... and certainly far from the warm cajun hospitality one would at least stereotypically expect.
Food: bland. Very, very bland. And mind you, I don't have the highest spice tolerance in the world, but I've had far more flavorful food at a greasy spoon at a third the price.
Some specifics:
- The onion rings were pretty soggy and flavorless. The ketchup accompanying them was fine (I mean, really, how can you mess up ketchup?!), but the ranch dressing was very watery.
- Tamale appetizer: also no kick, but at least this had some good flavor and texture.
- Catfish: You call that blackened? Seriously? This seemed more like sauteed than anything else, in texture, color, and flavor. I've seriously had spicier blackened catfish in a Healthy Choice frozen food entree.
From chatting with a couple other folks in our party, it seems that others also share my opinion re: the blandness.
Oh, and it doesn't help that there was a leak in the roof so I got rained on. I moved to another seat, told a waitress, and she just sorta looked blankly and said okay. Not, "Oh, that sucks, sorry about that" but more like, "Oh. Interesting." To her credit, someone came by a bit later to verify the situation.
Maybe my expectations were too high (in part from the many favorable reviews here). But when I go to a cajun place, I expect more kick in the food and less bad-weather-patterns leaking onto my head.
Sunnyvale, CA 94089
(408) 745-7372
Lakewood Barbershop
Categories:
Barbers,
Hair Salons
I think, as sexist as this sentiment is, I'm going back to getting my hair cut by women. Fewer left- or right-wing conspiracy theories, better attention to detail, and more gentleness. I want to look forward to my haircuts, not be view them as an uncomfortable obligation.
Woody wasn't a jerk and he did an okay job with my hair (though it ended up a touch lopsided), but I felt a bit uncomfortable with the conversation, even if I can't quite pinpoint the reason why.
Also, while he admirably spent a good amount of time and effort giving me a shave (with a straight razor), it ended up being nowhere near as close as I get with my own safety razor at home and yet my face was more sore and sensitive afterwards.
I like the old-skool physical character of this place, but I'm not going back.
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9830
ODC School and Rhythm & Motion Dance Program
Categories:
Performing Arts,
Dance Schools
Neighborhood: Mission
With that said, here's what I like and don't like:
LIKES:
- Couches are cozy.
- Dance floors are spacious.
- Whole place feels clean and safe inside.
- There's $2 parking nearby (at least on Sat nights)
- Good sound system.
DISLIKES:
- Check-in is often slow; last night, it took me more than 10 minutes and I was late for my class.
- Feels a little bit sterile.
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 551-7827
Little Star Pizza
Category:
Pizza
Neighborhood: Mission
And yeah, the pizzas are a bit pricey. But if you actually calculated the price per ounce, you'd likely be amused and surprised; these pies are not only delicious, but DENSE! Two large slices may well do you for dinner.
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"Lindy hopper, world traveler, proud geek"
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Mountain View, CA
Yelping SinceJuly 2006
Things I LoveSwing dancing, traveling, photography, smiling, a cappella, musical theater, playing piano, writing
Find Me Inside
My HometownThousand Oaks, CA
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm helping? Kelping? No... eating oranges!
Why You Should Read My ReviewsBecause ingesting them doesn't offer the same benefits.
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I Readwas sadly longer ago than I care to admit.
My First Concert...I performed in was at age 6.5.
My Favorite MovieAirplane!
My Last Meal On EarthWhat am I, Jesus Christ?!
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I have no 3D vision. Yes, you all look flat to me!
Most Recent DiscoveryBi bim bap in Mountain View!
Current CrushOrange (again!)
Service was okay, ambiance is fine. But we could have easily had much tastier dishes at half the price. About the only thing I can say in the food's favor was the portion sizes.
The mu shu pork was flavorful enough, but the pancakes were thin and... just seemed off. Not even an hour into the meal, the remaining pancake was was like an uber-thin burrito shell that had been sitting in the fridge for 2 days: brittle and tough.
And the satay beef? Small and sparse bits of beef swimming in a massive vat of vermicelli with mostly flavorless pineapple pieces and little else. What was "satay" about this?!
The tea was okay; not the worst I've had, far from the best.
And hey, not even fortune cookies with the bill? Yeah, yeah, I know we're not in China, but still...