Brown Sugar Kitchen--Oakland (Soul food)

Memorial Day weekend was a big eating weekend for me. One of the places I visited was Brown Sugar Kitchen at 2534 Mandela Parkway in Oakland. This is definitely a popular place, and they do not accept reservations. But, in my opinion, the food is worth the wait. After a one-hour wait, my friends and I were seated and greeted warmly by our server.

One of my favorite items here is their Cornmeal waffle. It's not like a typical waffle, which is usually thick and fills you up after three bites. This one is light as a pillow inside but has a nice crispy cornmeal texture on the outside. This is not a carbo-load type of waffle. It may not be for everyone, but it is one of their most popular items. They also serve them with homemade apple cider syrup, which is absolutely a winner in my book.

Something I never thought to try was their BBQ Shrimp & Grits. The presentation was unexpected, as it came in a huge bowl that almost looked like soup. The creamy grits were on the bottom, with this ridiculously savory and amazingly delicious sauce on top covering about 12 shrimps. My eyes grew wide after one little taste. I could have drunk a bucket of that sauce. The flavor was so complex and well balanced, I could only decipher a few ingredients. Sadly, this is not a dish that I can easily reproduce at home. Oh well. I'll just have to enjoy it here over and over again.

Lucky for me, we finished our breakfast right as noon was rolling around, and I decided to take home a couple lunch items. Below is their Oyster Po-boy sandwich. Four giant and super fresh oysters were lightly coated with cornmeal, fried till just done and encased in a toasty roll with a slightly sweet, vinegar-based coleslaw (my favorite kind, as I do not enjoy mayonnaise-based coleslaws). The oysters were very hearty, were not rubbery or chewy and tasted like they just came out of the water.

On the side, I ordered the mac & cheese. Nice, toasted, buttery breadcrumbs were placed atop some creamy, macaroni noodles. The cheese sauce tasted like it had at least three different kinds of good-quality cheeses. Nothing processed here. A very nice side. 

One would not expect to find a hidden gem of a restaurant in this industrial part of Oakland, but I would say Brown Sugar Kitchen is a destination spot for breakfast, brunch or lunch. Also, since they incorporate the local, sustainable ingredients mindset, it also makes me feel good about supporting them. Just make sure you're not in a rush.

Buffalo Bills Brewery--Hayward (American cuisine)

While in Hayward the other week, I visited one of my favorite breweries. Buffalo Bills Brewery, located at 1082 B Street, not only creates excellent brews that you can find bottled in grocery stores, but also serves their frosty beverages with some good eats. Their specialties include pizza and sandwiches.

Even though they had a change of ownership recently, which included some changes to the menu, I found the beer still tasted the same and the food they offered was delicious. I was disappointed they no longer offer the Buffalo club sandwich, as that was one of my favorites, but the sandwich I ended up ordering was pretty tasty.

I did, however, like the change they made with their beer glasses. For the perfect pour, their extra long beer glasses come with a pint line to allow room for the head of the beer without any overflow, while also preventing patrons from balking at a pour that might be just shy of a full pint. I am someone who can appreciate this, as I've had skimpy pints at other establishments. Below is their Ricochet Red and Hayward Hef, plus a little taste of their Strawberry Ale. Not my kind of ale, but a free sample is always appreciated.

For my entree, I picked a hearty meat pizza. Their pizzas are a medium crust that's crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. If you like a super thin crust, this pizza isn't for you. However, if you don't mind a thicker crust, you will definitely be satisfied with the fresh cheeses, sauces and real meat toppings. Nothing processed here. For about $10, the value is great for the portion size.

One of my other favorites at Buffalo Bills is their sandwiches. They now make their own potato chips that are served with each sandwich. I love these potato chips. They're thick cut and fried to a really crunchy consistency. I love crunchy things so I'm a big fan of these chips. Below is my Pesto Chicken sandwich served on a Ciabatta bun with a sun-dried tomato spread. It was a nice piece of real chicken breast. Good portion size as well.

There aren't many places in Hayward that I think have great food, but Buffalo Bills has been keeping people happy since 1983 and they are still going strong. I would highly recommend paying them a visit if you are in the area or in need of a pre- or post-movie meal, as there is a movie theater right across the street.

Corn Salad (Recipe)

When the weather is warm, I have little desire to turn on the stove or the oven. So, for a side dish, I made a cold corn salad using leftover boiled corn from the previous day. This is a very refreshing salad that can also be put into sandwiches or over lettuce salads. Here's what I did.

I started off making the dressing. In a medium bowl I whisked together 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice, 1 tsp. honey, 4 tbsp. olive oil, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. I then cut the corn kernels off two cobs of leftover, already cooked, corn. I then diced about 1/4 of a red bell pepper, and roughly chopped a handful of fresh cilantro. I threw everything into the bowl with the dressing and tossed with a spoon. I love the crunch and sweetness of fresh corn on the cob.

Bites off Broadway--Oakland (gourmet food truck event)

Warm weather entices people to eat outside and this summer's food truck events are one of my main reasons to eat out this summer. Every friday until October, between 5pm-9pm, Bites off Broadway in Oakland feature several gourmet food truck vendors who are serious about their offerings.

Two of my favorite trucks were at this event.

Go Streatery

Below are pictures of their Braised Oxtail and their Lemon Ricotta Doughnuts. They must have slow-cooked those oxtails for three days. It was so tender, I was cutting that meat with a plastic spoon. The sauce also had a complex flavor profile that I was extremely happy with. The little sprinkle of lemon zest over the top was a nice touch as well.

The Lemon Ricotta Doughnuts were not greasy and very light. The lemon flavor stood out without being overpowering and the dusting of powered sugar made it just sweet enough. I didn't taste much ricotta cheese but it was delicious all the same.

Nick's Wheely Good Breakfasts

This truck brings breakfast up a couple notches. Plus, with breakfast this good, I could eat it for lunch and dinner. Below is the Maple Glazed Pork Belly Sandwich (I added bacon) with fresh arugula, pickled onions, rosemary focaccia bread and a fried egg. I don't know why, but a fried egg just makes everything that much better for me. The pork belly was nicely prepared with a super delicious sweet and savory maple glaze. Every aspect of this sandwich was absolutely amazing. Well done Nick, well done.

So if you are in the Temescal neighborhood on a friday night, come visit the food trucks in front of the Studio One Art Center. They also have hula hooping and a nice lawn area for the kids.

Afghan-ish breakfast (Recipe)

This is an ode to the farmer's market. This past weekend I visited the San Ramon Farmer's Market and found a table selling Afghan food products. I ended up purchasing a spinach-filled bolani, (Afghan flat bread that is stuffed and grilled) a potato-filled bolani and a jar of sweet jalapeno chutney.

To celebrate and eat this purchase, for more than just lunch or dinner, I decided to try incorporating the ingredients into a breakfast dish. I toasted the bolani in the toaster oven for a few minutes, cooked two eggs till over medium and layered as you see below. I then topped it all with the sweet jalapeno chutney and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

I know this is not a "real" Afghan dish, but it was delicious and I wanted to spread the word about the vendor. They are called East & West Gourmet Afghan Food and they make all their own bolanis, chutneys, hummus, etc. They sell their wonderful products at local Bay Area Farmer's Markets and I encourage anyone to check them out. They are also very willing to let you taste before you buy. Explore and enjoy!

Bacon, Pork Belly and Egg Tart (Recipe)

I'm always looking for new things to make for breakfast. This was inspired by Occupy Bacon, a site that gives thanks to all things bacon. Since I'm unable to follow a written recipe, below is my recipe for this delectable tart.

I started with a regular pie crust. 1 cup flour, 1 pinch salt and 3/4 stick butter went into the food processor and pulsed until course crumbs formed. Then I added slightly less than 1/4 cup of cold water and pulsed until the dough came together. I then dumped the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap, wraped it up and put it in the fridge for about 20 minutes to rest.

I then unwrapped the dough, sprinkled it with flour and rolled out the dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1/4 inch thick. Then I cut it into small circles, placed them in mini pie pans (this amount makes 4 small tarts), pierced them with a fork and baked them for 12 minutes in a 375 degree oven until lightly golden and slightly puffed.

Then in the center of each pie crust I added the already cooked and crumbled bacon, cooked pieces of pork belly and cracked one raw egg in the center. After a light sprinkle of salt and pepper I placed it back into the 375 degree oven and baked for 8 minutes. Then I turned the temperature to broil and let it go for 90 seconds until the egg was set to my liking (I like my eggs a bit runny in the yolk). After removing promptly and letting it cool for about 5 minutes, I enjoyed my savory breakfast.

To make things faster in the morning, the pie crust portion can be made and baked a day in advance and everything else can be done the day of. Mm-mm, bacon!

Buddy's Bites and Brews--Hayward (American cuisine)

I can't believe I almost wrote this place off after drawing my conclusions from the look of the sign and the silly name. I've driven past this brewery/restaurant many times while on my way to my favorite Japanese restaurant, Tomodachi, in Hayward. Who'd of thought I was driving past amazing food and drink almost every other week. Location: 24297 Hesperian Blvd. in Hayward.

After a recommendation in passing from a friend of a friend, I decided to give this place a try. The name, the signage, the decor, even the names of their dishes have a cheeky, surfer sense of humor (the place was started by a surf instructor and his friends). But the food is no joke. It was already busy at about 6:45pm on a Friday night. After about a 45 minute wait, we were seated.

They change their selections of beer on tap regularly and offer more than just your usual Bud or Corona. As a beer lover, the choices were definitely to my liking. I started with a pint of their Denogginizer. A very hoppy, 10% alcohol by volume, full-bodied beer.

For my entree, I selected their Breaded Snapper Burger. A surprisingly fresh and perfectly flaky piece of fish was bestowed before me, dressed with a lightly spicy red cabbage slaw, cilantro and tarter sauce. I also opted to upgrade my fries for their sweet potato tater tots. That was a good choice. Even my boyfriend, who is not a big fan of sweet potato, fought me for those tots. It also came with a tomato-y, brown sugar-y sauce that also had some heat and exceptional flavor.

My boyfriend choose the "Ham" Burger. A thick patty of juicy Angus beef served with ham, bacon, pepper jack and cheddar cheese, a fried egg, onion straws and garlic ranch sauce. All this between a nicely buttered, lightly toasted bun. Also a winner.

I had absolutely no room for dessert, but they sounded good. Buddy's also serves brunch on the weekends and offers happy hour during the week from 3pm-6pm. I think I'm going to become a very happy regular.