Earl K.'s Profile

I had Poco Solar install three solar systems on my roof: photovoltaics (PV), domestic hot water, and pool heating. I liked that they did all three, and I could have an intelligent discussion with them about the tradeoffs between the systems (e.g. size and placement). They also installed a new pool pump at my request to save on electrical usage. When there was a minor problem with the pool system recently, they came out right away and took care of it with no hassle, and that prompted me to give them this review. Show owner comment »

This is an omnivore restaurant, but they had a lot of vegan things on the menu, so I wanted to give it a try. I finally got there last night, and my first impression was really positive. The pumpkin seed & corn meal encrusted tempeh was really good. The napa cabbage salad was tasty, but the sesame dressing was pretty strong. The waiter was helpful, but he did talk me into trying the cheesecake (not good for my diet), but places with vegan desserts deserve encouragement, so I gave in. I only got in a few pages of the novel I'm reading because service was pretty quick.

I sat outside, next to the water. It was cold outside, but they had plastic sheeting to keep out the wind and strong heaters above. I'm naturally insulated so it was fine for me; some people might prefer inside when it is cool and windy like last night.

Unfortunately I don't think this would be a candidate for my dog-friendly list, as the outdoor area is reached from inside and there isn't a great choice on the menu for Puffle.

I just dined at New Eritrea for the first time, so I'll limit myself to 4 stars for now. Also, it has been years since I've eaten at an Eritrean/Ethiopian restaurant, so I cannot compare the food to other Horn of Africa restaurants. For the same reason, finding New Eritrea was a blessing; this is a wonderful cuisine that deserves more popularity.

I've been meaning to come here for a while. Finally I didn't have something that had to be used or go bad, and so I gave Puffle  (my Labrador) her bowl of food and slipped out while she wasn't paying attention to anything but chowing down.

The menu has six vegan dishes, plus a combination of the first four. I had the combination, and it was very tasty. The four were served on top of injera (a spongy, moist, tangy bread made of teff flour), with an extra piece of injera served on the side. There are no utensils, so you scoop up the stew-like dishes with pieces of injera. I was out of practice, and had to order an extra bit of injera to finish my plate, and I used three napkins. Presumably one gets better at this with practice. But when I was done, my plate looked as if Puffle had been there to lick it.

Unfortunately New Eritrea is only open for dinner, and they have no outdoor seating, which is why Puffle had to stay at home. Still, it is fun to have this African cuisine so nearby. I'll go again.

I've tried a few more of the breads. The rye and multigrain are both good, along with the walnut sourdough I talked about before. The baguettes however are not the best; they don't seem to get enough of a rise, and the scoring and shaping is uneven. I go to Thorough Bread and Pastry for baguettes now (or just get Acme baguettes at Whole Foods).

I've had a chance to try to pizza. If you call them before 10am, they will make one without cheese. I did that, and wow it was good, but then caramelized onions are one of my favorites, and that was the topping that day (with tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette).

I just tried Atlas for the first time just now, so this is just an initial reaction. I like it quite a bit. My rating is based on a combination of vegan food, atmosphere, and dog-friendliness.

First, there is an enclosed side patio with a dozen little tables and a fountain that is really nice for sitting outside and bringing my dog Puffle.

Second, there are several vegan options on the menu. I had the no-cheese pizza, which was stacked high with beets, yams, and stuff. Puffle had a bowl of gazpacho (the paper to-go container was licked clean), and pieces of whatever fell off my pizza (the lid was useful for serving those).

There was a little live music playing inside.

It's just a block away from Cafe Gratitude, so one could grab dessert there afterward.

All is not perfect. You order inside (the only menu is the huge chalk board above the bar), and they don't bring it to your table or even call out loud enough to be heard outside, so I had to check for our food, and found the pizza was a bit cold by the time I found it ready. Also, they charge for ice tea refills (ice tea is supposed to be bottomless). I can't say the staff were especially friendly or unfriendly.

It's a bit far from the inner sunset, but on the way back we stopped at Buena Vista Park to watch the sunset from way up high, so that worked out OK. Puffle got home and started snoring, so I guess she was satisfied with her dinner.

Hobees is an old standby, where I usually get the Tofu scramble. This one has the advantage of an outdoor seating area in back (with heaters) where Puffle can join me. I order her the BDbit (scrambled eggs).

I've really enjoyed most of the shows I came to here, but then I usually pick the band carefully. I even come here, or the one in Oakland, for New Years Eve on occasion.

Where else can you get pretty good Chinese desserts around here? I've only had the sesame paste and the tofu desserts, and both were good; I've had worse at Chinese restaurants.

I've only had the vegetarian sandwich here, and it is reasonable, but nothing special. I guess I haven't had a great Vietnamese sandwich since China Beach in Sunnyvale didn't survive its move to Cupertino. Now those were sandwiches.

I took four bread baking classes here, and it was really helpful and fun. I definitely recommend their classes to anyone interested in bread.