David K.'s Profile

Ordered a squeeze with cheese, large fries, a chicken taco, and a diet coke.  I could have done without the chicken taco.  I ate the burger first and didn't have room for the taco.  I had a few bites of the taco though.  The chicken taco didn't seem to be as good as the one I had at the original Squeeze Inn location.

The squeeze with cheese was very good as always and is the reason why I continue to come back.

I need to try the many other sandwiches they serve at the Squeeze Inn.  But it seems like, if I go to the Squeeze Inn, I should order the squeeze with cheese.

The large fries were ordered to share among two adults but there was enough to serve a family of 4.

I like the West Sacramento location because its roomy and I always manage to find a table to eat at no matter the time of day.

Been going to Joy for my men's haircut for over a decade.  Started when I lived in Concord.  Now that I live in Sacramento, I still drive to Joy to get my haircut.  She works out of Charisma Salon.  Charisma is across the street from the Concord BART station and is in the same shopping complex as a CVS drug store.  She has also worked on my wife's long blond hair for cut and color.  Highly recommended.  Call the Shear Joy phone number listed on the Yelp website.  It is a direct line to her.

Our family had our first visit to the Black Bear Diner in Natomas off of I-80.

Black Bear is similar to Denny's and IHOP except with better quality food and a slightly bigger menu selection for lunch and dinner.  The surroundings are also nicer (kind of like a large wooden lodge in the mountains).

I was happy with my fried chicken dinner (4 pieces of half a chicken, mashed potatoes and brown gravy, and steamed veggies.  The chicken and potatoes/gravy were tasty.   The veggies just tasted like steamed veggies (unflavored) that were a bit oversteamed.  I also had a bowl of broccoli cheese soup and it was very good with fresh broccoli in it.  

My wife had fish and chips and liked it.  She had a side salad and it looked very fresh with a variety of veggies (not just green lettuce).

The serving size of the entrees was generous (you get your money's worth).

The kids had kids meals (mini corn dogs, grilled cheese sandwich) and they finished their meals.  If they don't like something, they won't eat it (like my cooking).  The kids meals come with a choice of fried, mashed potatoes, or fresh fruit.

Despite a full house for a Saturday late breakfast/early lunch, service was fine.

Overall, rating-wise, Black Bear Diner is more like a 3 1/2 but not quite a 4.  

We'll be back again.

I frequently stop by when I am in Concord.

Usually I get the same item:  Lamb Shawerma.  Thin marinated slices of lamb, tomatoes, parsley, seasoned onions and tahini sauce- on lavash.  Sort of like a Mediterranean burrito.

They also offer kabobs, Greek salads, hummus, and falafels (among many other items).  I've had the falafels many times and it is great.

Extremely casual.  It's like a Greek Deli.    Located in an aging strip mall next to a McDonald's.  However, the strip mall has a wide variety of tasty ethnic restaurants.

The Lamb Shawerma is big.  But if I'm still hungry after lunch.  I get a Baklava for dessert.

I had my first meal at Dad's Kitchen.  I'll update my review as I go back for more meals.  But I was definitely happy with my first meal.  

As most recent visitors, I learned about this restaurant from a recent episode of Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.  This despite the fact that it has been around for a while and is a neighborhood favorite.

I had the Dad's Cowboy Burger which was a burger with bacon, pepper jack cheese, crispy onions & BBQ sauce.  It came with a side of fresh, homemade french fries.  I enjoyed every bite of my meal.

On the menu, every menu item that was mentioned on DDD has a small Food Network logo next to the name.  I think I'll go back and try some of them.  

The service was nice and friendly.  The restaurant is small with a very nice outdoor dining area.  If the weather is nice, ask for an outdoor table.

I find the L&Ls really vary by location.  My favorite location is on Florin Road by I-5.   The location on Broadway is a step down in food, service, and atmosphere.  One of my favorite dishes is Loco Moco (2 hamburger patties with 2 eggs over white rice with everything covered in brown gravy.  The Loco Moco I had at the Broadway location was dry and unflavorful (compared to Loco Mocos I have had at other L&Ls).  At this point, I'd drive out of my way to the Florin Road location before going back to the Broadway location.

I'm a Jimboy's fan and I'm glad they are back in North Natomas.  Their old location was nice and it seemed busy.  But it was located directly across the street from a popular taqueria.  I hope this location succeeds since there is no Mexican food competition immediately around this shopping center.  

Jimboy's has a daily special which features the entree of the day with a side of refried beans, Mexican rice, and chopped lettuce and tomato (small salad).  Also comes with one warmed flour tortilla and a soda.  All for less than $7 and served all day (so it can be a lunch or dinner for less than $7).    

Today's special was a (ground) beef taco and chicken taco.  The ground beef taco was good.  The chicken was especially good (moist, tender, flavorful).

They have a free salsa bar with a variety of salsa.  Tortilla chips are not free though.  

Maybe not as authentic as a taqueria  (I think just as tasty though) but definitely 100 times better than a Taco Bell or Del Taco.

As I was writing my review of the new, second Shoki location, I realized I never wrote a review of the original Shoki.

I've been going to the original Shoki near Broadway for years.  Been going to this location despite the fact there were a few inconveniences:  small dining room, cash only, early closing time.  All of these inconveniences are resolved by the new location (which closes at 10, has a larger dining room, and takes credit cards).

There is a huge difference between 20 cent Top Ramen with the dehydrated noodles and instant powdered broth and real ramen with slow cooked homemade broth and fresh, homemade noodles.  

My favorite ramen at Shoki is the Tan Tan Ramen with its spicy broth (you can custom order the degree of spiciness).  I like mine spicy but not too spicy.  For the non-spicy food eaters, there is the Shoyu Ramen (with a soy sauce based broth).  At the last visit, I had the Shoyu Ramen which comes automatically topped with a big slice of pork, bamboo shoots, spinach, and seaweed.  Loved it.

If you have never been to Shoki, you should give it a try.  If your only experience with ramen is Top Ramen, you should give a Japanese ramen restaurant with fresh, homemade noodles a try (a huge difference in quality and taste).  

Service at Shoki is friendly and efficient.

When most people think of ramen, they think of 20 cent squares of dehydrated thin noodles that boil in 3 minutes.  

A ramen restaurant that serves fresh, homemade ramen noodles is of course different.

I've been going to the original Shoki near Broadway for years.  This location is more convenient with the larger dining area, private parking lot, plentiful street parking, longer hours (open til 10), and they take credit cards.

My favorite is the Tan Tan Ramen with its spicy broth (you can custom order the degree of spiciness).  I like mine spicy but not too spicy.  For the non-spicy food eaters, there is the Shoyu Ramen (with a soy sauce based broth).  At the last visit (first visit at this new location), I had the Shoyu Ramen which comes topped with a big slice of pork, bamboo shoots, spinach, and seaweed.  Loved it.

Basically, if you like the original Shoki.  The new location has the same food (same menu items and same taste and quality) as at the original Shoki.  But with additional factors that make the location more convenient.

If you have never been to Shoki, you should give it a try.  If your only experience with ramen is Top Ramen, you should give ramen with fresh, homemade noodles a try (a huge difference in quality and taste).  

Service at Shoki II is friendly and efficient as at the original Shoki.

Good and really cheap.  On my recent first trip to Whitey's, I had the Whitey's Special (a hamburger with two beef patties, cheese, and bacon), a taco, fries, and a fresh strawberry shake for a little more than $8.  Food amount-wise, I probably could have done without the taco.  But I really wanted to try it.

The Whitey's Special was very tasty and filling considering it was less than $3.  I found the patties moist and flavorful (as opposed to some of the negative reviews).

The strawberry shake was also very good and was thick (took a while for it to melt enough for me to drink it through a straw).  At the end of my strawberry shake, there was a giant clump of chopped strawberries at the bottom of the cup that couldn't fit through the straw.  It was like a treat of strawberries and cream at the end of my shake drinking.  The fresh strawberry shake was a special (not part of their permanent menu).

The taco was filled with ground beef, lettuce, and cheese and was a bargain for the $1.50 I paid for it.  They make them the authentic way with a slightly fried corn tortilla rather than using hard pre-made shells like at Taco Bell.

The fries were surprisingly good.  At a lot of restaurants known for their burgers, I find that their weakness is usually average tasting french fries.  

The only thing Whitey's can do to improve is to open on weekends.

I want to go back again soon to check out their other menu items.