Harbor Bay Village

So when it is Christmas, there are limited places to go and also limited places to eat.  However, if you know, you know that Chinese restaurants are generally open and hence, that is your best bet for Christmas Day or really any other holiday for all that matters.  So on our visit to the Bay Area, we followed this strategy and made our way to Harbor Bay Village.  Incidentally, this was also only a short 3 minute drive from our hotel.  Really, we should've just walked on over!

So we weren't sure what the protocol for service at this restaurant.  I say this because there seemed to be far too few employees for the size of the place.  We eventually got seated, but then again, we didn't get any tea or water.  That arrived much later and it was also difficult to get our order in as well.  Once that happened, we were served the BBQ Pork Pastries.  These were actually pretty good with flaky and buttery layers encasing lean BBQ pork in a sweet glaze.

One of the larger dishes we decided on was the Roast Duck.  It really was more deep fried than roasted, but I guess that is one way to reheat it.  Therefore, the skin was super crispy, but it also meant that the whole thing was pretty dry too.  Fortunately, some parts of the duck were still tender and moist (mainly the dark meat).  Another benefit of the deep fry was that the skin was well-rendered with barely any fat left.

For our choice of Rice Noodle Roll, we went for the prawn.  So the rice noodle sheets were relatively thin and translucent but it wasn't as delicate as it appeared.  There was considerable elasticity and a bit of chew in some spots.  However, that was fine by me since it still ate quite well and didn't fall apart like some overly soft versions.  As you can see in the picture, we found 2 large prawns per noodle roll.  They had a meaty snap and were properly seasoned.

We ended up getting a big plate of fried rice since the kids wanted it.  We got their favorite in the Salted Fish & Chicken Fried Rice.  When I say big, the portion size was very generous.  In addition, the rice was wok fried nicely where it was nutty, dry and caramelized.  There was a good amount of moist pieces of salted fish that added its trademark brininess.  Moreover, the pieces of chicken were tender and mildly-seasoned, allowing the salted fish to be at the forefront.

Normally, we go for the XO Daikon Radish Cake, but here, they had the XO Taro Cake instead.  Worked for us as we prefer the taro version more anyways.  Whereas the radish cake is delicate and pudding like, the taro cake is more sturdy and dense.  Hence, the deep fried cubes held together and had a crispier exterior.  Also, the pieces of taro had that nice starchy powder texture.  This was not particularly greasy since the wok toss wasn't aggressive.  Therefore, it need some more spice as a result.

Getting to the most important dishes of the meal, we had the Ha Gau (Steamed Shrimp Dumplings).  These were pretty decent in size and had a medium-thick wrapper which was translucent with an appealing sheen.  It was on the chewier side with plenty of elasticity.  As for the filling, it was mostly whole shrimp with some shrimp mousse to bind everything.  It had the desired snap texture while the taste was sweet and a touch briny.

Now Dim Sum would not be complete with the other part of this duo in the Siu Mai (Pork & Shrimp Dumpling).  These were also rather large in size with a fairly appealing appearance.  I would've preferred that they didn't steam the tobiko on top though (raw would be better).  Beyond that, the dumpling itself was bouncy and juicy.  The pork was tender and properly seasoned.  Best of all, there was minimal fat too.

One item that didn't pass the eye test was the Beef Meatballs.  They were pretty pale and the texture was a bit too dense.   I did appreciate that there was some actual beef texture left though.  We also had the Pork Spareribs and they were serviceable.  I thought that the seasoning was rather one note being salty with some garlic.  The meat itself was tender enough but lacking that classic bounciness.  These 2 dishes were my least favourite.

Onto the offal portion of our meal, we had the Bible Tripe with ginger and green onion.  This was decent with tender strips of tripe.  It was maybe a bit too soft as we lost some of the usual bite.  Flavours were good though.  On the other hand, the Chicken Feet need some improvement.  Other than so pieces being too light in color, the cartilage was still a bit crunchy underneath the plump skin.  Hence, it was hard to eat each piece, literally.  It needed to be cooked down a bit more.  Flavors were okay though with sweet and salty garlickiness.

We got some veggies into the meal with the Peashoots with bean curd skin and ginko nuts.  This was good with tender pea shoots that were cooked just enough.  Broth was mild and lightly sweet.  For dessert, we had the Pineapple Buns that were fresh out of the oven.  We had to wait quite a long time for these but it was worth it.  The bun itself was pillowy soft while the sweet topping was crispy and aromatic.  In general, the Dim Sum at Harbor Bay Village was fine and certainly did the job for Christmas morning.  However, possibly due to lack of staff on Christmas day itself, it wasn't a great experience.  People literally had to go refill their own tea at the hot water station.  I went as far as clearing our table so we had space to put new dishes.  Lastly, we got our own takeout containers from the front to pack our leftovers.  I was wondering if I had to go up to the register to print out the bill and pay too.  If this isn't the norm, then I would say Dim Sum was decent.  But if the lack of service is the usual, then I would skip this place.

The Good:

- Decent eats

- Fairly large portion size

- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:

- Essentially no service

Rice & Spoon Vietnamese

Sometimes, even on vacay, I don't want to be too creative and travel far for food.  Yes, that is right, I get lazy and want to do something convenient, cheap and somewhat healthy.  That is why we ended up at Rice & Spoon Vietnamese in Newark.  Just a few minutes away from our hotel, it required very little effort and for once, very little money.  When we first arrived, we thought we had to order on the tablet at the counter, but in the end, the nice man came to take our order.

Initially, we were suppose to have all 5 of us (including my mom) go eat here but my son wasn't feeling well.  He seemed pretty well when we got come In-N-Out of him...  Suspicious...  Anyways, we started with the Double Decker Spring Rolls.  These were essentially a spring roll wrapped in a salad roll.  I've had something similar before and I feel this is the best way to go.  Normally, one would wrap a spring roll in lettuce anyways, so adding rice paper to hold it altogether made it easier to eat.  This was good where the wheat wrapper was crispy and the rice paper had a nice chew.  Only thing that could've been better was the filling as it ended up being dense.

Viv went for her ol' standby being the Pho Tái Bò Viên.  As its name suggests, there was beef meatballs and rare beef sitting in the hot broth.  The beef was fairly tender while the meatballs were at their bouncy best.  The broth was decently meaty with it bordering on being salty (without it going over).  Could pick out some sweetness as well as some charred onion vibes.  The amount of noodles was modest and cooked perfectly where it was al dente and not clumpy.

For my daughter, she also went for her usual in the Phở Gà.  Personally, this would never be my choice as the Phở Dặc Biệt ticks more boxes.  But I get it, she doesn't like the tendon and tripe...  So this version featured a clean and clear soup.  It was mild and sweet where the addition of fried garlic provided aromatics.  The noodles were just as good as the previous bowl being chewy.  There was a good amount of chicken breast which was not dry, but not juicy either.

For my mom, she had the  Bún Riêu which was loaded with noodles.  Unlike many other versions, the pork and crab meatballs were firm and not loose.  There was the usual tomato, prawns and tofu though.  In terms of the broth, this is where it got somewhat controversial.  She really didn't enjoy it since it was considerably more briny and fishy than usual.  But for me, I love it when it is more briny as that is the point of this dish.  However, I can also see how some people might feel otherwise.

Since my son wasn't with us, I represented him by ordering the Grilled Chicken with rice and fried egg.  Yes, it is his favorite Vietnamese dish but this one was lacking in char.  Despite that, the meat was still juicy and tender with enough marinade so we had some salty, briny sweetness.  Overall, the food at Rice & Spoon was serviceable and inexpensive.  The guy behind the counter was super nice and helpful.  Good option in the area.

The Good:

- Inexpensive

- Competent food

- Generous portions

The Bad:

- Competent, but there is better

Rise Woodfire San Mateo

After a delicious meal at Elia the night before, I wanted to treat Cable Car Guy and fam to lunch.  You see, trying to fight for the bill with him can be futile since he uses every trick in the book.  I've been desperate enough to give my credit card to the server before we order so I can have the pleasure of paying!!!   Anyways, upon his suggestion, we traveled across the Bay over to Rise Woodfire in San Mateo.  This location is in addition to the Santa Clara store, both are locally owned.  Entering the place, we were greeted to high ceilings and a spacious dining room.  The menu focuses on wood fire pizza and rotisserie.

As such, we started with the Woodfired Chicken Wings in Chipotle BBQ and Buffalo.  Since these were not fried, the skin was not as rendered.  However, that also meant the wings were not dry nor too crunchy.  With that being said, the skin wasn't flabby either.  A bit vinegary with mild heat, the buffalo wings were best dunked into the side of peppercorn ranch.  As for the chipotle BBQ, they were a bit more saucy being sweet and tangy with a decent amount of spice.  The chicken meat itself was tender and almost juicy.

Continuing on with poultry, we tried their whole Pitman Family Farms Local Chicken.  This slow-roasted rotisserie chicken had a beautifully roasted exterior with rendered and flavorful skin.  The meat itself was on the drier side while lacking seasoning.  As you can see, the chicken was large and wasn't lacking in meat.  In addition to the charred half lemon, we had a choice of sauce where we went for the slightly spicy chipotle BBQ.  It had a nice tangy sweetness.

Included with the whole bird, we had a choice of two sides.  It was without a doubt we'd go for the Mac & Cheese with applewood smoked bacon (+$3.00) and the Parmesan Truffle Fries.  Both were good where the mac & cheese was super saucy and cheesy.  It wasn't really all that salty though but the addition of crispy (and not overly fatty) bacon took care of business.  Noodles were not too soft either.  As for the fries, they were crispy with plenty of creamy potatoness left.  I think there needed to be more parm though, but the truffle was evident.

Of course we would have some pizzas too right?  Instead of getting the usual baseline pie in the Margherita, we opted for the Burrata.  This was pretty much like a Margherita with crushed tomato sauce, sea salt, parmesan, torn basil, EVOO and of course di Stefano burrata.  Although the crust didn't look like it had much charring, it still ate very well.  There was some smoky leoparding on the bottom and the dough was properly salted.  There was a nice chew to it while the exterior was crispy.  Although you might think that there was far too much sauce on top, it worked well due to the robust nature of the crust as well as the limited amount of toppings.  It was a nice contrast to the creamy burrata.

As good as the burrata pizza was, the table favorite happened to be The Brunch pizza.  It was liberally topped with mozzarella, applewood smoked bacon, Yukon potato, organic egg, red onion, thyme, sea salt and parmesan on white panna sauce.  This was a hearty concoction where the breakfast nature of the components really came through.  The salty smokiness of the bacon obviously went well with the tender sliced potatoes as well as the egg.  There was a good amount of mozzarella that was stringy where it melded with the creamy sauce underneath.

Personally, the pizza that was the most impactful was the Calabrese + Honey with crushed tomato sauce, mozzarella, spicy salami, fire-roasted jalapeño, parmesan, torn basil and drizzled with Calabrian chili infused honey.  Beyond the crispy chewy crust, the combination of sweet, salty and heat worked our taste buds.  Furthermore, the amount of toppings and sauce made this pizza not-so-dry, which was great in my opinion.  

We also ordered a couple of gluten-free crust pizzas including the Pesto Lemon Shrimp with basil pesto sauce, mozzarella, seasoned shrimp, roasted garlic, housemade dried lemon, red chili flakes, chives and parmesan.  Despite all of the components, the flavors were harmonious and focused.  We had an herbaceous cheesiness going on with some acidity and spice.  The briny sweetness of the juicy prawns still stood out.  As for the gluten-free crust, it was thin and almost cracker-like.  Not bad.

The other gluten-free crust pizza was the Prosciutto di Parma + Arugula with crushed tomato sauce, mozzarella, sea salt, parmesan, torn basil, EVOO, topped with freshly sliced prosciutto + fresh organic baby arugula.  Sitting on the same crunchy and well-charred gluten-free crust, the plethora of tangy tomato sauce helped provide moisture.  The saltiness of the prosciutto was tempered by the peppery and bright arugula.  There was a proper amount of cheese to compliment without making the pizza heavy.

Onto dessert, we had the Basque Cheesecake with cherry sauce as well as the Flourless Chocolate Cake.  On appearance alone, the cheesecake looked dense.  In reality, it was actually decently airy and light (typical of this type of cheesecake).  It had a caramel-taste to it due to the aggressively browned top.  As for the chocolate cake, it was like a rich ganache where the sweetness was muted, giving way to an appealing bitter finish.  Overall, the food at Rise Woodfire is quite good and served in large portions.  Great for a group of friends and family alike.

The Good:

- Solid pizzas

- Rotisserie items are great too

- Large portions

The Bad:

- Chicken could be more moist

Meadowlark Dairy

After ordering nearly the whole menu at Elia, we were both satisfied and stuffed.  Now that didn't mean we were forgoing dessert.  Sure, we skipped that part at Elia, but we quickly transitioned to a few blocks away with Meadowlark Dairy.  With its unmistakable "Milk" signage, Meadowlark started off as the first certified dairy in California.  It was eventually sold and the new owner's son started making ice cream and selling it as a drive through and walk up in the 80s's.  It continues to operate today as such and we walked up for some soft-serve.

We made it just before closing and despite the rain, we happily waited our turn to order some soft serve.  For the day, we found 5 regular flavors and 2 special Christmas ones.  The first picture that you see here is Pineapple in a small cup.  That can also be had in a cone (more on that later) as well.  I wouldn't say the soft-serve was the creamiest I've ever had, but it certainly had some weight to it.  Hence, it ate like ice cream.  Yet at the same time, it was still refreshing, partly due to the sweet pineapple.  I would've loved to see more tang, but it had some Dole-whip vibes.  Surprisingly, this was a vegan flavor and it really didn't eat as such.

Now for the cone, we actually returned to Pleasanton so that we could explore the sights and sounds of the area.  Really enjoyed the small museum with the history of the place.  We then strolled over to Meadowlark and I went for a small Chocolate cone.  I felt this was somewhat like a malt that had Wendy's frosty vibes but with more chocolate flavor.  It was rich and creamy but not heavy at the same time.  Best of all, I thought it was only purposefully sweet.  Since this was one of the non-vegan flavors I tried, it was definitely creamier.

On the first visit, I went big with the large cone with Strawberry (Vegan), Egg Nog, Orange (Vegan) and Pineapple (Vegan).  Yah, for the large, they really pile it on!  If the weather was warmer, I would've struggled to eat this without it melting all over me.  Luckily it was December and I was able to mostly finish it, especially with the help of putting it upside down into a cup.  I thought the vegan flavors were pretty good with balanced sweetness and decent creaminess.   Overall, Meadowlark Dairy is what I would call a nostalgic experience.  The soft-serve is good, but the everything else about the place makes it worthwhile.  If you are every out in Pleasanton, go check it out!

The Good:

- Surprisingly good vegan flavors

- They don't skimp on the portion size

- Cool overall experience

The Bad:

- Gets pretty busy, so be prepared to wait, whether it be walk-up or drive-thru

Elia Pleasanton

Here we go with our biennial visit to the Bay Area once again.  Last year, we headed down to LA to get away from the rain, but it seems like the rain followed us to SFO this time around.  Once we landed, it was straight to an In-N-Out for a double double before heading over to Pleasanton to meetup with Cable Car Guy and Cable Car Girl.  Always a pleasure to dine with them and catch up!  They suggested that we try out Elia in Downtown Pleasanton.  Never been out there and wow, if there was some snow, Main Street would look like something straight out of a Hallmark movie!  

Anyways, we weren't there to scout out film locations, rather, we were going to eat!  That we did with some appies to start including the Kolokithokeftethes (or Zucchini Cakes).  At first, I thought they were crab cakes and in fact, when I bit into them, they were firmer than what I would associate with zucchini.  This would be the result of mixing it eggs and flour.  I liked the texture as it was not too wet, so that the outside would crisp up uniformly while the inside had some body.  This was served some garlic yogurt on the side.

Next, we had the Octapodaki or Grilled Spanish Octopus.  This was my favorite dish where the large tentacle was tender and meaty while having a bite.  It was grilled until there was a light char on the outside which afforded a rich and appealing smokiness.  There was enough seasoning for it to stand on its own, but the addition of some pickled potatoes, orange wedges, carrots and radish in a honey mustard dressing, there was crunch, brightness and sweetness to balance the dish.

One of the most interesting things we had was the deep fried Smelt with chipotle aioli.  Now if you are into Chinese cuisine, deep fried smelt aren't anything new.  However, I've never had such a dish at a Greek restaurant before.  Well, I have to say that this version was very much like the Chinese dish.  The smelt were full of roe and only lightly-battered.  They were crispy and beautifully salted.  The side of lemon and aioli complimented the smelt with acidity and some creaminess.

Plated much more intricately than I would've imagined, the Seabass Carpaccio was presented as a bouquet of flowers sitting in a mix of lemon, orange, garlic, olive oil and dill.   Although not completely "cooked" by the acid, this ate very much like a ceviche.  The firmness of the seabass along with the high acidity made it less of a carpaccio.  It was good though, as the fish was fresh and the marinade was extremely bright, tangy and appetizing.

Continuing on with the small plates, we had the Kounoupidi Tou Fornou (Roasted Cauliflower) with garlic-chili butter, pimenton, toasted almonds, fresh herbs and crumbled feta.  Really enjoyed this as there was a real oven-roasted appearance and taste to the dish.  Hence, each cauliflower floret was smoky and had a firm crunch despite being cooked through.  I thought the addition of feta really added some body to the dish and creaminess.

We also had the Keftedes featuring lamb & beef meatballs in tomato sauce and topped with tzatzki.  The meatballs were super moist and meaty with a noticeable gaminess.  Personally, I love that lamb flavor but I can see how some people might find it overpowering.  As for the tomato sauce, it was pretty bright and tangy with background sweetness but a bit one note.  The dollop of tzatzki added some creamy brightness to break up the heaviness of the meatballs.

Of course we couldn't do without the classic Kalamarakia featuring Monterey calamari with fried jalapenos and shallots.  I have to say these were some of the largest squid rings I've ever seen.  Despite this, they were not overly chewy.  Sure, they had a definite bite, but the rings were still tender and the batter was crispy while properly seasoned.  I thought the side of chipotle yogurt to be a refreshing change from the usual tzatziki.  It was light with a slight spiciness.

My favorite part of any Greek (or Mediterranean meal) is the lamb.  So when the Arnisia Paidakia hit the table, I was super excited.  These lamb rack chops were beautifully charred (without burning them) with a smoky caramelization.  These were properly marinated with hits of garlic, lemon and earthiness from the herbs.  Best of all, the lamb was cooked to medium where the meat was still juicy and plenty tender.  This came with some roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, campari tomatoes and latholemono (drizzle of lemon EVOO).

Continuing with lamb, we also had the Kokkinisto served with orzo, mizithra, diced veggies, romesco and jus.  This large lamb shank was braised just enough that the meat was super tender and gelatinous without all of the meat falling apart.  It was delicious due to the braising jus as well as the romesco.  There was so sweet garlicky tang going on that flavorful without being too strong with any one component.  Orzo on the side had a great al dente texture.

Other than a roasted lamb shoulder, my other favorite Greek dish is Moussaka.  Normally, I find versions that are heavy on the bechamel and low on the layers of eggplant and potato.  However, the one here was one of the most balanced I've had.  As you can see in the picture, there were defined layers of eggplant, meat, more eggplant, more meat, potatoes and then a proper amount of bechamel.  This all sat in a tangy tomato sauce.  Consisting of lamb & beef, the meat was tender with plenty of natural meatiness.  Eggplant and potato were tender without being mushy while the bechamel was creamy with the unmistakable taste of nutmeg.

With the Bucatini Astakos, we found a large lobster tail with garlic prawns with al dente pasta.  Due to the thickness of the bucatini, it was pretty chewy, but in a good mouth-feel kinda way.  It sat in a spicy urfa pepper lobster sauce that was almost like a creamy bisque.  It was definitely aromatic and briny, but also surprisingly with a lot of heat.  The lobster had a nice rebound texture while the prawns had a moist snap.

Of course we couldn't forget about the classic Kotopoulo Souvlaki right (Chicken Souvlaki)?  However, unlike most other places, the one here employed chicken thighs instead of breast.  Hence, there was much more meat flavor in addition to it being juicier.  There was a nice char on the outside, which made things smoky while the marinade ensured the meat was tender.   This came with vermicelli-bulgar, roasted almonds and arugula.

Going out with style, we had the Lavraki (Whole Mediterranean Sea Bass) with arugula, heirloom tomatoes, sumac red onions and roasted potato.  The fish was prepared well with the skin being mostly crispy while the meat was flaky and moist.  I think the fish could've been salted a bit more aggressively, but it wasn't bland either.  Some lemon really helped bring out the salt. In the end, we didn't end up ordering any desserts because we had our eye on Meadowlark Dairy just down the street.  So the fish was our last dish and it was a fine end to a really solid meal.  Proteins were cooked properly and dishes were composed.  This was a little more refined than the usual neighborhood Greek restaurant.  The prices reflect that too.

 

The Good:

- Well-prepared food

- More refined than other Greek restaurants

- Excellent service

 

The Bad:

- It does cost more to eat here, but the food quality did reflect that 

- Although there are parking lots nearby, it was difficult to find a space