Invite Me to That Office Meeting

The folks over at Alameda's Forbidden Island just sent out an announcement about their new service.

Aloha!

Now through the end of the year, Forbidden Island is pleased to offer private happy hours for offices, groups, clubs, organizations, or just friends. Enjoy Forbidden Island all to yourself Tuesday - Thursday nights from 5-7pm. No staff fees or room rental charges, just a low minimum sales requirement. We can even help you find a great caterer to set the mood! Email us for more information at info@forbiddenislandalameda.com, and let the Happy Holidays begin!

Mahalo!

Alameda’s New Burger Joint

The much anticipated opening of Burgermeister in Alameda cam to fruition this past Tuesday and give the crowds over the past couple of days it looks to be a hit with locals. If you go for dinner and want to sit down be prepared to wait, I went on Wednesday Night and it was a 20 minute wait for table for two.

With any new place there are hiccups, and Burgermeister had a few this evening.

We started with cocktails, the Strawberry Margarita was not good, it was the first time I have sent back a drink in a real long time, and the staff did create the drink but not a good start. The lemon drop was solid, but not great. The bartending needs to be improved.

The real bummer was not wait for table but the long wait for food. Our server forgot to put our order in, and after 20 minutes she noticed. She did apologize and put a rush on the new order, which came very promptly. In the meantime I had twice ordered a beer and never received it, I guess the good part was I did not get billed. I have to say they failed on the execution of service.

The positive was the food. The burger was perfect and the chili cheese curly fries were AWE-Some. So the food was good and I was glad to see all the people dining out in the Park Street District. Of course we ran into several people we know, typical in Alameda. The evening was not a total loss.

I would go back because of the quality of food and give them another shot at improving their service.

2358 Central Avenue (between Oak St & Park St)Alameda, CA 94501
www.burgermeistersf.com/

Alameda Institution

The other night I headed over to 1645 Park Street, many of you may not know the building by address but if you live in Alameda you know it by name. The Victorian building houses an Alameda Institution, McGee’s Bar and Grill. I am very partial to McGee’s, in part, because owners John and Linda Costello gave me a job when I was in college and more importantly because I always feel like I am at home in this Pub and Bar.

A friend of mine and I started the evening down the street at another bar, but after poor service from the bartender and the wrong drink we headed to McGee’s to salvage the evening. That night, both John and Linda were in the bar and I got a chance to talk to John for about 30 minutes and I realized that for most of my life and all of my adult life McGee’s has been a part of it.

We talked about changes in Alameda since he bought the bar over 30-years ago, at the young age of 25. This place is his life and he treats customers with respect. Linda always add warmth to the place and customers come and go like family. General Manager Tim Goodman works the crowd and make sure that the operation is working for the customer. The staff knows the regulars and what they drink.

McGee’s serves as an informal gathering spot for long-term Alameda residents who have left the Island and want to meet up with old friends. It also seems to serve as the venue for every high school pre- and post- reunion party, no matter if it is five tears for some and three decades for others.

There is always a conversation that is interesting in the bar. Sports are topic one, but any other subject will and does come up. McGee’s has several television for sports enthusiast.

This is a full bar and Brian “Big B” will serve you the perfect cocktail. I have always gotten a solid drink at McGee’s.

The Pub has a diverse menu and I have tried almost everything on it. For an interesting twist try the Lumpia as an appetizer. It is the only bar in the area, that I know of, that serves the Pilipino dish. The fried chicken is out of this world it is spicy crunchy and full of flavor. McGee’s has a variety of burgers and if you do not see the way you want it just ask for any additions and they will fix it how you like. They are pretty open to changes.

McGee’s, unlike other pubs, has a great selection of entrees grilled salmon to tri-tip. The fare is unpretentious and served in a counter style. You order at the cash register and they call your name when the food is ready.

The restaurant is family friendly. A staircase divides the bar from the dining tables and families can come to dine, while Mom and Dad have a cocktail.

I guess for me McGee’s is one of those places that make Alameda, well Alameda. Give a try and you will see why it has survived for 30-years, by treating people like family.

http://www.mcgeesbarandgrill.com/index.php?index.php

Showtime

It was a big weekend in Alameda. The movie theater renovation and the new Cineplex completion drew big crowds for the Grand Opening weekend. From my perspective the opening was a huge success seeing people on the street, dining and seeing old friends in the crowd.

I watched movies in the theater prior to its closing and then later worked in the skating rink that lived in the building for a few years. It was one fun job, spinning records and skating, but I never saw the building in this state. The renovation is spectacular, the screen in main theater is large and the sound is awesome. This is just a great place to watch a movie.

My wife and I wanted to make the opening a event of our own, so instead of spending a $100 for the gala we decide to spend money on Park Street. We made a dinner reservation at Pappo, 2320 Central, for Friday and walked across the street for the 7 PM showing of Indiana Jones.

Although we had been to Pappo in the past, it was good to see that the restaurant was also taking advantage of the theater opening. Pappo has created a new “Movie Menu” for dinners to get a selection of tapas plates. We started with the Sangria, very tasty and refreshing; I went through my first glass pretty fast. If they offer the Spanish influenced drink give it a try.

We order off the Movie menu trying Kefta Sliders, Fringz, Eric’s Gnocchi and the Arugula salad. Off the regular menu a bowl of the potato soup with bacon. The slider were a lamb/beef mix with cucumber and goat cheese, the fringz a mix of French fries and Onion rings. Both dishes were very good, but it was the Gnocchi that was the hit of the evening.

The house made Gnocchi sauce was so good that we began dipping the French fries in the left-over. This dish is so decadent that it is good to share, but I could see hoarding this it very easily. The server told us that they call it “Crack Sauce” because it is so addicting.

The meal was great and the staff kept us on time for the short walk across the street to make our movie time. I have to say the entire staff at Pappo was very attentive and made the pacing of the meal very relaxing.

Pappo does not have a full bar, but does have a large wine list by both the glass and bottle.

We had such a good time that we went to the free showing of Singing In the Rain on Saturday and another movie on Sunday. I had a chance to see the theater before its opening during the restoration for some photos see my Flickr page: http://flickr.com/photos/john-alameda/sets/72157603681539844/

http://papporestaurant.com/
2320 Central Ave.Alameda, CA510.337.9100

http://alamedatheater.com/
2317 Central Ave.
Alameda, CA
510-769-FILM

Fire Up

Tri-Tip and Bratwurst on the Grill

I know that many parts of the country were buried in snow and crushed with poor weather, but the San Francisco Bay Area had just a perfect weekend and it gave me the opportunity to go to my favorite spot with no wait, good food and healthy cocktails.

It was official opening of Barbeque season and the backyard was reopened. For my wife and I it was very exciting with a new deck, patio and landscaping added in the off season. My wife was outside early doing a little yard work and sprucing up the area, I joined in later as most of the yard work was coming to a close, but by noon the backyard was ready to entertain.

In most of my posts, I give a recommendation of a restaurant or bar, but today it is a meat market. For those of already having a drink, I mean a butcher not a place to pick up people. So after completing the final task of the Sunday clean-up, getting the grill cleaned and prep, I headed over to Joe Scalise Jr & Sons Butcher to pick up a marinated a tri-tip and a couple of Smoked Sheboygan Bratwurst. There is nothing like a good butcher that can make your grilling experience even better. The staff at Scalise will give you tips and cut of meat that the number of guest you will be serving.

For me the consistency of the Tri-tip at Scalise is why I continue to go back. The cut and weight are very close every time. This is important because I can grill by time and not have to watch the grill every minute. This gives you time to talk to guest and enjoy a cocktail. Yesterday, was Margaritas with fresh lime juice.

On a side note: The Smoked Sheboygan Bratwurst that Scalise carries are just awesome, I stock up every football season for the tailgate. If you are into good sausages the Brawts at our local butcher are hard to beat. Scalise also makes it own Italian Sausage, if you’re making Sunday Gravy a must ingredient.

As the Barbeque season begins to heat up my trips to Scalise will be more frequent. Happy grilling.

Cheers

Gluttony and Conservation

A couple of notes for the Monday morning blog.

First of all, just like millions of Americans, I participated in one of the more gluttonous days of the year . . . the Super Bowl. I will leave the breakdown of the game to other websites and blogs, but I can tell you we had a pro NY crowd.

Not sure if Thanksgiving or the Super Bowl has more excess, but for those who track these things the experts say that the Super Bowl is the second most caloric intake day of the year, but personally I tend to eat more fat related items on the Super Bowl. From an article in Time Magazine they wrote: “From Thanksgiving to Super Bowl Sunday, the average American gains 5 to 7 lbs” and I think that I tried to gain all seven yesterday.

The wings, guacamole, chips with onion dip were all were all very tempting. I have a soft spot for Ruffles, and rarely eat them on any other day except for built in excuse like the Super Bowl. American’s do love their chips and eat them by the pounds. Frito-Lay, the nation’s largest chip manufacturer, said they must increase production in the weeks leading up to the event by more than 10 million pounds of chips just to meet the demand for Super Bowl Sunday.

So when I saw the commercial, I think somewhere in the third quarter, as I was heading to a sodium induced coma from the Ruffles, I had to stop for a 10 seconds. The ad, sponsored by the United Way, featuring the voice of Tom Brady asking users to donate via SMS to a campaign fighting childhood obesity, “You don't have to be an NFL player to help kids get fit in your community. Do your part, text FIT to "United" to give $5 to United Way's youth fitness. A little "U" goes a long way.” I would be interested in how much the United Way raised since most people would have difficulty texting with a beer in one hand and the grease sliding over the tiny buttons in the other.

My favorite Ad was the Coke commercial with James Carville and Bill Frist. The kids loved the Coke commercial with the Macy’s Day Floats. I think that has to do with age, the election tomorrow and the lack of any real good commercials. The Thriller Ad for some water product was the worst.

We did have a great bottle of wine from Du Vin Fine Wines in Alameda. It was a 2006 Bodegas Borsao called “Tres Picos” for $15.99. Dan told us it goes well with paella so we thought it would also go well with chili and cornbread, and it did a very good job of complementing the halftime food.

A note from Saturday: Went to the Ocean film festival and saw some terrific short films, really enjoyed the evening. The Ocean Film Festival, did something very interesting this year, they used YouTube to create the SFOFF Bay Oil Spill 2007 Video Project. The project was created to understand what the effects of the 810-foot-long Cosco Busan hitting the Bay Bridge on Nov. 7, and released 58,000 gallon of oil into the Bay. You can see shorts from Bay Area residents about the response and the clean-up effort.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=9BEF9D7D7E9DF87E

More Tacos

Taqueria Ramiro and Sons

A couple of Fridays ago, I wrote about San Francisco’s Mission District and the search for the perfect taco and I though it only fitting to give a plug to couple of my local Alameda Taquerias. These are no Taco Bells or sitdown Mexican restaurants; these are quick in-an-out places that serve fresh, quality food. So if you visit this little Island, I have two places for you to grab a taco and/or burrito.

Best Taco – Calaifa Taqueria at 1445 Webster Street

These are best tacos in town. A corn tortilla, perfectly seasoned grilled steak or chicken, a little onion, cilantro and salsa. Two tacos and a beer and this is a perfect meal. The place is small, but always clean, with about eight tables inside and two outside. A salsa bar an assortment heat levels to spice up your order or dip in the free chips. The owner’s son is a huge soccer fan and there is almost always a game on the TV. The tacos are fantastic but if you are not in the mood try the tamales. Three pork or chicken tamales for $5.00 and you won't be disappointed. On Tuesday afternoons, you can go to the farmers market in the parking lot next door and then head over to grab a taco.

Best Burrito – Taqueria Ramiro and Sons at 2321 Alameda Ave at Park Street

A taqueria has been in this location since 1982, before the big ass burrito was a staple for college students, and the staff works the steaming quick and efficiently. Ramiro took over a few years after the initial shop opened and with the change in ownership it has been an Alameda institution since it rolled its first tortilla into a burrito. The Super Burrito will tame the hungriest person and must way close to two pounds. If you are picky about Beans, Ramiro offers refried, whole and black unlike other locations in town. Ramiro is known in the area for their Carnitas and people will travel from neighboring cities just to get their fix. They chop up the fried pork in front of you and drop a heaping mound into you tortilla. You want to reach over and grab a piece; the meat cleaver keeps all hand at bay. My staple is the carne asada, just because the carnitas is way over the top. Not a big fan of the chicken, boiled. If you have a small appetite, try the child’s burrito it is a good option when you are not looking to blow out your stomach. If you are not in the mood for a burrito, can’t believe that, try the super quesadilla. The place can get flooded when the High School, half a block away, is in session, avoid the place from 12:15 to 12:40. They have four or five tables, not a great place to sit and eat, but the burrito is worth the stop.

Holiday Break with Bao Bing and a Cocktail

I have been on vacation the past two week and I have been very busy around the house without adding in the task of a job. I have a host of things that I am trying to accomplish before returning to my day job. So as the vacation winds to an end, neither my wife or I felt like cooking, and we took a dinner break at Ching Hua, 1650 Park Street in Alameda.

Alameda has no shortage of Asian inspired restaurants and about a dozen of them are Chinese. What standout from the other resteraunts is Ching Hua has a great bar, I had two cocktails, the first was a Tanqueray and pom and the second was a Crown Royal Down. Both very good, preferred the gin drink. Would recommend if you like tart drinks. The second is the quality of the food. Chinese food in Alameda can vary from the very poor and greasy to the mediocre, but Ching Hua has step up the level.

Last night, we ordered the pot stickers, won ton soup, lamb bao bing and dry sautéed green beans. The entire order was good, my favorite was the pot stickers they get them very crisp. The soup stock was very flavorful and the won tons packed with meat. The bao bing is a solid meat dish with tons of flavor. The green beans are flashed fried and then tossed with a mixture of ginger, garlic and preserved Chinese turnips.

Tip: Ching Hua serves brown rice.

This is a sit down dining place with real napkins and the price reflects it the food was about $35 for the order. Cocktails range from $6-$10. Ching Hua is located in Alameda's Market Place and if you get a chance take a tour though the hall, some great vendors.

For look at Ching Hua's menu http://chinghuaonpark.com/index.htm.

Wine-Ohh

During the Holiday Season, from Thanksgiving to New Years, I tend to drink more wine than the rest of the years, so when it comes to picking wine I am a complete novice. Over the last 20-years, I have given as much wine and alcohol as I have received, but like many people I have no idea what makes a good wine. The only thing I can tell you is what I like.

So this past year I started going to a local wine shop, Du Vin Fine Wines, around the corner from my home. Dan is always helpful and seems to find the right bottle for the occasion. I just tell him red or white and what I am having for dinner. He take the time, in simple terms, to explain what the bottle should taste like. After a short give and take he directs me to a product that would fit my needs.

For Christmas dinner the red was from La Mozza, a winery from Italy, a 2005 I PERAZZI, MORELLINO DI SCANSANO. Very nice and the bottle was gone halfway through dinner. A very good sign. The white was a Pinot Grigio also from Italy, a CANTINA SANTA MAGDALENA, PINOT GRIGIO, SÜDTIROL - ALTO ADIGE.

Brands and names do not mean a whole lot to me, I put them in for true wine drinkers, but the advice that I got from my local little store made the dinner complete. The Johnny Walker Gold that was under the Christmas tree was also a nice touch, but the wine was a nice finishing touch to the evening with family and friends.


I'm not sure that I will be much more of a wine drinker than I am now, but I am learning. My goal this New Year is to actually write down the wines I drink so I can start a reference for myself for future orders. I may actually become confident in ordering wine at a restaurant.


Check out your local wine shop to add a great touch to your dinner table.

Wine Shop Website
http://duvinfinewines.com/

Boots on the Ceiling

Clayton Club

During this Holiday Season, I want to wish everyone a happy and safe Christmas and New Years. Today's post will be the last until Thursday.

On Friday, I went out to Stockton to visit relatives and for the return trip we decided to drive the backroads back to the Bay. Our trip took us down scenic Charter Way (lot to see, but do not stop) in Stockton, to Highway 4 through Discovery Bay and over Marsh Creek Road. This route drops you right into Clayton and it reminded me to stop by one my favorite dive bars, the Clayton Club.

As I entered Clayton, I was blown away with all of the development. This former sleepy town that sits at the base of Mt. Diablo on the Eastern edge of Contra Costa County was farms and a few homes twenty years ago. Now it looks like LA without the charm. But the one saving grace is the Clayton Club still exists.

From the outside, the Clayton Club looks like an old west saloon. The interior is funky and has mix match of tables and chairs. The distinctive feature is the cowboy boots that are nailed to the ceiling. It is not very large bar, but it is a true left over a former generation. Now that the streets are littered with minivans instead of work trucks and the million dollar home from Oakhurst Country Club cast a shadow on the small downtown I wondered how long a community institution like the Clayton Club can last before a new Starbucks takes over it location.

So I began thinking of all the bars, the ones I can remember, ones that are very big part of the community. In San Francisco every neighborhood has a local hangout, the Dubliner in Noe Valley, the Elbo Room in the Mission or Specs in North Beach. If you are driving to Yosemite in Groveland, CA you will find the Iron Door with its big moose head and “Iron Door.”

In my hometown of Alameda we have 20 bars and I am not sure if any of them have a quality that will last for generations. I have my favorites and a couple places like Spots Pop Inn and Club House have been in there locations for years, but I do not think that they are community institutions. So I decided, I would like to begin a list of great local dive bars, so email me with your nominations and brief description of the place and at the end of January I will post them.

If you happen to be way out in this part of the Bay Area stop into The Clayton Club for a drink and experience this great little watering hole. So again, Happy Holidays.

Cheers

Best Ride In Town

This mid-morning, I had to go over to San Francisco for my work department's holiday lunch at the Slanted Door. I have eaten at the Slanted Door several times and enjoy the food, no Cocktails on this visit -- work function, but it was the way we got to the restaurant that I enjoyed the most. We took the opportunity to ride the Oakland/Alameda Ferry over to our luncheon. It was the ride over that made me remembered why I like to commute on the Ferry.

First of all no driving and no Bay Bridge may be reason enough to take the ferry, but it is the view that the boat ride gives you is what makes this a special trip. See, I like to take photos and I remembered to bring my camera for the ride over and it gave me the opportunity to shoot a few photos. (To see some of my photos go to my Flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/john-alameda/. Link also on the left.)

When you shoot photos you try to find view that very few people see or capture light that gives a shape or object a new feel. So the ferry ride provides this opportunity for a different view, a pleasant trip and if you are so inclined a drink. Coming back from San Francisco, I shot a container ship, with tugs almost the entire way down the estuary. Something I rarely can get close enough to capture a good photo, and today I was able to get a a couple good shots.

So grab you camera, get a drink and find that special spot on the ferry to get your photos.

To stay true to this blog, the Ferry also has a full bar and it the only public transportation in the Bay Area that I know that allows you to drink. So get a drink at the bar and head to the stern of the boat and enjoy the ride. For those of you on a budget, I have brought my own drinks on board for the trip over to AT&T Park for Giants games. I do not think any would notice if you found a spot and had a drink.

Viva Havana Restaurant

Viva Havana Restaurant

For the past six months, as I walked by the corner of Webb and Park Street, a giant menu pasted in the window had been announcing the coming of a new restaurant in this space that housed former Vietnamese noodle diner. After extensive renovations to this corner space, Alameda has a newest restaurant offer Cuban dining. Havana launched with a soft opening last Monday and promises a variety of Cuban cuisine and an expansive Mojito menu.

So when I saw the door open and people dining on Tuesday Night, I called to set a reservation for six for Saturday night. I quickly learned that Havana only takes reservations for parties of eight or more, but my group and I were not deterred and venture out to see what Havana had to offer.

The entry, waiting area and bar tables are a bit sterile, but the Cuban music gave the place warmth, besides we were hungry and excited for this new place. I put our name in for a table and I was told that it would be a 15-20 minute wait. It was now a perfect time to begin sampling the mojito menu. You can order mojitos by the glass ($6-$7) or by the pitcher ($30-$35). The group decided on a pitcher of the Traditional Mojito: Bacardi Light Rum, Mint, Sugar, Lime Juice, Splash of Soda. Very good and the pitcher was large enough to serve all six with a little left over.

After a 10 minute wait, our table was ready. Entering the dining room you could sense the change in mood from bright and sterile to a warm and inviting. The dining area had the lights lowered, music filled the space, spices lingered in the air, and the tables were well spaced so you could enjoy talking to the people you were dining with. I was now fully anticipating what Havana had to offer for food. Our party wanted to try a variety dishes so we ordered tapas for the table to get a sampling.

Here is what we ordered off the tapas menu: Boniato Garlic Fries with Guava Chipotle Sauce & Chimichurri $6; Twice Fried Plantains with Pineapple Salsa $7; Plantain Maduros with Manzana Glaze $7; Halibut Ceviche Cured Halibut, Mango, Black Beans, Onions, Peppers and Cilantro with Plantain Chips $9. The Ceviche and Plantain Mauros were my favorites; others at the table enjoyed the twice fried plantains.

More Mojitos, this time the 10 Cane Mojito: 10 Cane Rum, Mint, Sugar, Lime Juice, Splash of Soda. A well balanced drink but bit on the sweet side for me.

Our group focused on entrees we ordered: Cane Glazed Pork Chops, Chicken Adobo (way different than Pilipino version), Plantain crusted Halibut and the Ropa Vieja. The Ropa Vieja is Spanish for "Old Clothes," and is a popular Caribbean dish consisting of shredded beef (often skirt or flank steak), vegetables, and a sauce. The Ropa Vieja was the winner at the table. Very tender steak served with black beans and rice. A well balanced meal, which had a comfort element. This will be a staple for me when I go back.

I need to mention the photographs in that are place throughout the restaurant.

They are very large print from a young local photographer that went to Cuba on a Cultural exchange visit. The detail and color of his photos are fantastic. I forgot his URL this morning but will update later.

I have to give Havana a Muy Bueno rating. It is a good dining experience, good food, full bar and a helpful staff.

Salud.

Best quote ever on Food and Cuba:

[Spicoli has had a pizza delivered to class]
Mr. Hand: Am I hallucinating here? Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?
Jeff Spicoli: Learning aboutCuba, and having some food.

Havana Restaurant
510.521.0130
518 Park Street
Alameda CA 94501

http://www.havanarestaurant.net/home.html

Fireside

Fireside, originally uploaded by John Oldham.

If you have not been to the new Fireside (1453 Webster St # A
Alameda, CA) it is a great place to settle in to have a Cocktail. The old Fireside had a lot to be desired but new owner Patrick has cleaned (that's a first for this place), painted, remodeled and made it a great place to stop after work or any night of the week.

My first encounter with the Fireside was 1980, long ago when sailors still roamed Webster Street and Ladies of the evening were hailing distance from the Fireside. I was 15 and it was a place that would serve me a beer. I was so nervous that the only thing that I could order was a Bud. Patrick now serves probably 30 types of beer now and that choice no longer has to be an option.

The Bar has two big screen tvs that are placed above the bar, so if you have a group or you are out on a date it does not have to be the focus. Pool Table is by the old fireplace. The liquor is top self and the offer a menu of Cocktails.

Downside -- Cash Only! I understand that they are trying to resolve this, but it is a bit inconvenient. Good atmoshphere, check it out.