Oakland to SF

[MsMelkor]

If you are going to be in the Bay Area again, then I'd recommend staying in the East Bay and heading to either Berkeley or nearby Rockridge.  In Berkeley, Chez Panisse and Cesar (Spanish tapas) that were already mentioned are good choices, and I also like Fonda (Latin American tapas) and Rivoli (California cuisine) on Solano (though that's harder to access by BART, you'd need to drive).  But Rockridge might be a better option, as there is a lot more variety available within a short walking distance from the station.  Olivetto and Pearl are right next to the station.  I'm not personally a fan of Olivetto, but a lot of people like it, check out the threads discussing it and decide for yourself if you want to go there.  I haven't been to Pearl yet but have heard many good things about it.  A couple of blocks away, there's A Cote (along with it's older sibling Citron), which is very good and serves French inspired small plates.  Grasshopper (Asian inspired small plates) is also close to the BART station.

For something really different, skip the Rockridge station and keep going all the way to Walnut Creek stop.  Not too far from the station, in downtown Walnut Creek, you'll find Ephesus Kebab Lounge which serves wonderful Turkish food in a very nice decor.  Despite the name of the place, I particularly recommend the appetizers, both cold and hot, over the kebabs.

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I haven't been to Oliveto, although it does get very mixed reviews. I've had some very good meals at A Cote.

With regard to Walnut Creek: I haven't found many other interesting choices there aside from Ephesus....

[Malik]

With regard to Walnut Creek: I haven't found many other interesting choices there aside from Ephesus....

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Walnut Creek is not exactly a culinary hot bed. The only other place that sounds interesting around there is Va de Vi, which has gotten decent press, but I haven't gotten around to trying it yet.

[tanabutler]

Gordon Biersch is an SF institution - its clearly not haute cuisine, but it is far better than your the countless restaurants that simply defrost whatever the sysco truck drops off.  If you found the place so fundamentally flawed how did you end up there more than once?

Some people, and I'm guessing tana is one of them, have friends who drag them out for a night of beer, grub scarfing, and camaraderie at a joint that everyone can afford.

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As Joe Bob Briggs would say, "El wrongo." I am way too strong to have anyone drag me anywhere. More to the point: I don't like beer (except for perhaps two days in the year here when it's damned hot and there is no access to filtered water.)

I don't eat barf food (bar food? Ba rfood? Barrrrffffood?). The idea that I am young and stupid enough to be dragged anywhere is so cute and flattering that I could just bar. F.

My two instances at Gordon Biersch involved:

1) A high school friend (who had done exceedingly well) inviting me for a birthday trip to Cirque du Soleil and lunch. She chose GB. Surprise to me: rich Palo Alto friend thought going dutch appropriate on my birthday. She, being a sensitive, quasi-vegetarian sort, selected the place. To me, it placed her roots squarely back in redneck Georgia, our homeland. I'm still irked that she was wealthy and so ignorant of decent food.

Fries ensued, and no other memories impressed. Wait, I think she had a Chinese Salad. No actual Chinese were harmed in the making of her salad.

BELIEVE ME, I wanted to be impressed. I needed one good memory of the meal to carry away.

2) Second verse, same as the first.

Went to Gordon Biersch for food on the opening night of Tres Gringos, in which Bob's nephew is an owner (that would be the Canadian, eh, the tall one in skates). We ate at GB because we could. We knew the zoo next door would be bonkers, and we avoided it.

There was nothing at GB that was remotely like "dining," though "eating" would suffice.

As I say of McDonald's: "It's not eating, it's caloric entertainment."

I have better things to do with my time and money. Neither are plenty. And as Malik says, no way would anyone coming to San Francisco need to go to Gordon Biersch. With all that food? What are you, beer nuts?

[melkor]

I have better things to do with my time and money. Neither are plenty. And as Malik says, no way would anyone coming to San Francisco need to go to Gordon Biersch. With all that food? What are you, beer nuts?

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Not to get too far off track here, but I've been happy at GB for the same reasons I find myself happy at In & Out burger. When I'm traveling and from time to time when I'm in town I crave a simple greasy meal, there is nothing more to my suggestion than that. GB and countless other places provide that. The burger I had at Kelly's Burger in the mission tonight would serve the same purpose - though with a completely different view for people watching and far fewer beverage options.

[Rebel Rose]

Tana, my apologies. I didn't mean to offend. I was trying to extend a compliment, actually, from my personal experience. I find myself occasionally going along with a hungry crowd of friends to the nearest burger/pizza/Mex joint for some grub. Sometimes we're just in the mood for grub, not a 'meal.' And I must say, I enjoy those evenings as much, and sometimes more, than a fine meal if the company is lively and fun. I do not think that being urged to join friends makes one by extension young or stupid. It takes several Tequila shots to do that.

Melkor, I'm with you on the In 'n Out Burgers.

[tanabutler]

Tana, my apologies.  I didn't mean to offend.  I was trying to extend a compliment, actually, from my personal experience.  I find myself occasionally going along with a hungry crowd of friends to the nearest burger/pizza/Mex joint for some grub.  Sometimes we're just in the mood for grub, not a 'meal.'  And I must say, I enjoy those evenings as much, and sometimes more, than a fine meal if the company is lively and fun.  I do not think that being urged to join friends makes one by extension young or stupid.  It takes several Tequila shots to do that.

Melkor, I'm with you on the In 'n Out Burgers.

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I wasn't offended, but amused. I'm always the dragger, not the draggee!

[Blether]

I found myself in Oakland last month. Amongst other good dining experiences, I was lucky enough to be shown District early in my week, and to be staying within walking distance (it's on 9th, a block west of Broadway). The staff told me it's only been open a couple of months, and it's a branch of the original District in SF (near the ballpark ?). It's a big space with a horseshoe bar, and sofa seating round the rest of the room, nice for just drinks or for some relaxed eating.

I thought the it really worth writing up here on eG (and this looks like the most active Oakland thread !). I brought back a copy of their menu, wondering if it'd be OK to post it up - to find they have it on their own web site already -

Food

Wine

Stand-outs for me -

- the Moroccan spiced lamb meatballs are excellent, the flavours very well balanced

- the cheeses - a wonderful selection - are in great condition and served exactly right

- the wild mushroom pizza ('pizzetta'), perfectly cooked and with a beautifully-judged hint of rosemary in the crust

- the all-available-by-the-glass wine list. (The Unti Zinfandel especially kept me coming back)

- lastly, the Point Reyes oysters are superb, and you don't have to queue in the sun for more than half an hour like you do at Point Reyes, on the weekend ! $1 oyster happy hour ?!

The charcuterie is perfectly good - only the "rillettes" are a smooth, unctuous mousse, not unctuously fibrous as I expected, and the pate de campagne veers more toward jellied and block-like and away from fat and crumbly than I'm used to.

Overall, I was disappointed only that I didn't have the opportunity to eat my way through the whole menu.