2009 Oct 14 - South Pacific (SF)

2009 Oct 14 - South Pacific (SF)

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Today just three of the Lunch Bunch are headed to San Francisco via BART to see the musical South Pacific at the Golden Gate Theater. Just Elsa, Grandma and me.

Elsa arrives at my home this morning where the street is still wet from our first rain storm since this Spring.
My poor wet little Corolla

The Union Point restaurant on Middle River in the Delta along Hwy 4 on our way to Grandma's in Brentwood

From Grandma's home she will drive us to the Pittsburg BART station where we will continue on into San Francisco.
Grandma's car is the smaller white one, the other is hubbie's car

I have my Handicap Parking placard so Elsa saves a recently vacated space while Grandma goes to get her car which we had parked quite a bit further out.

Inside the BART car

Grandma wants to have Shrimp Paste Fried Rice at the Osha Noodle Café. But there are five other Osha restaurants in the City. So we pick the nearest one to a BART exit. It is in SOMA {South Of MArket street}.
Hey, no Shrimp Paste Fried Rice

There is NO Shrimp Paste Fried Rice on the Menu, but I ask the Hostess and she responds that they do serve Shrimp Paste Fried Rice so we take a table. This is a bit of an upscale place, but lunch looks like it will run about $20 each.
The SOMA {Second Street} Osha restaurant

Now the waiter takes his time in getting to us to take our order. I order our shared Appetizer then I order Grandma's Shrimp Paste Fried Rice and the waiter tells us that they don't serve it. Well, after asking one more time and getting the same response I ask him if the Noodle Shop serves it and he replies that they still do. So we finish our glasses of water and leave.

Now getting to the Osha Noodle Café is a bit of work. We get back onto BART and ride it for two more stops. Then it is an eight block uphill walk. Elsa and I barely make the walk.
The noodle shop is in the Tenderloin District where the Parking Lots charge $7 per day. The other downtown neighborhoods charge $24+ per day. So you can imagine it is not exactly in the high rent area.
Looking over the paper menu

They do have an $8.95 combination lunch special except I have the duck which adds an extra $2
The Combination comes either with soup or this nice little salad

Elsa has the Chicken in yellow curry with veggie crispy rolls. I had the Duck in yellow curry with curry puffs but messed up that photo.

Grandma with her Shrimp Paste Fried Rice which also has chicken and prawns in it and she also had a Papaya Salad

After lunch we have a six and a half block downhill walk to the Golden Gate Theater. But we stop along the way at a Greek hole-in-the-wall and get a piece of Baklava.
The lady in the unusual garb was not going to the theater, in fact just after I took this photo she turned right and crossed the other street

No photos of the Show are allowed, but here is the entrance to the Balcony and our cheap seats during the Intermission.
Intermission

South Pacific ends just a little before 5:00 PM and the Rush Hour. So we make a bee line to BART and only had a two minute wait and also found seats. Seats are good since we will be going all the way to the end of the line about an hours ride. One of the other lines loading

Eastbound Highway 4 from the Pittsburg BART Station

By the time we drive to Brentwood it is past 6:30 PM and dinner time. So we stop at Harry's Hofbrau which is better known and signed as The Carvery. Hofbrau's are a dying breed, but I love them. And the Brentwood location is so new that it is not even listed on their web site.
The cashier's station

The Senior Dinner is a "steal" especially when Elsa and I found out that the dressing did not count as our hot side dish. I got the turkey with dressing, mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables; a diet coke and dish of ice cream for $8.74 plus sales tax.

Some other items that they serve

And lots of cranberry sauce. I was hungry enough to forget to take a photo until half way through dinner. :-)

Grandma has not been the same eater since her stomach problem so she had a half of a turkey sandwich with gravy and cranberry sauce

The outside of Harry's Hofbrau. But "The Carvery" is more pronounced. It says Harry's Hofbrau in the circle on the left.

Then we head home.

~end
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2009 Oct 6 - SJDC Student Chef

2009 Oct 6 - SJDC Student Chef

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Today we are staying in Stockton. The local Community College has a Culinary Arts Department that serves lunch every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday while school is in session. The college is San Joaquin Delta College and the student restaurant is called the Student Chef. It is actually quite nice as it is a white tablecloth setting. Inside it will handle around 40 and there are a few outside tables.

Today there are five of us; Elsa, Gobo, Ora, Miles and me. Grandma and Linda missed out on the Rack of Lamb.

Heading toward Danner Hall where the cafeteria and Student Chef are located

Hey Sherm. Free WiFi.
The campus is a WiFi hot spot

Elsa pointing out where the Theater Arts Building is located

Miles and Gobo nearing the entrance to the cafeteria

Waiting outside the room to be shown to our table. I made reservations last week for six.

Our waitress starts us off with some crusty baguettes and oil and vinegar

A serious moment

Dining alfresco is always an option in California

The prices are a steal.

The Menu

Menu STARTERS Andalusian Gazpacho Organic tomato, cucumber, peppers, olive oil, croutons 3.00 ______________ Mushroom Bruschetta Sauteed mushrooms, garlic and herbs on grilled sourdough 3.00 ______________ Greek Goddess Salad Butter lettuce, oregano, Feta cheese, roasted tomatoes, olives 3.00 ______________ Organic Tomato Salad Mixed greens, Gorgonzola, candied walnuts, sherry vinaigrette 3.00 ______________ MAINS Sauteed Prawns Sweet corn, organic spinach, salsa fresca, jasmine rice 7.25 ______________ Pappardelle Pasta Organic cherry tomatoes, summer squash, basil and sweet red onions with fresh house-made pasta 6.25 add grilled chicken 2.75 ______________ Grilled Rack of Lamb Grilled potato, roasted tomatoes, cucumber, Feta cheese 8.00 ______________ Marinated Flank Steak Sauteed fresh corn, Panzanella salad Tarragon vinaigrette 6.75 ______________ Potato Gnocchi Fresh corn, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, organic bacon, fresh basil 5.75 ________________ SWEET ENDINGS Peach Napolean Fresh peaches layered with Phyllo Crisps whipped cream, fresh berries 3.50 ______________ Pear Tartlet Sauvignon Blanc Sabayon and fresh basil 3.50 ______________ Chocolate Mousse White chocolate shavings and berry garnish 3.50 ______________ COFFEE, TEA and Soda Cappuccino Double shot of espresso with milk foam 2.50 ______________ Espresso 1.75 _____________ Café Latte 2.00 ______________ Selection of Teas 2.00 ______________ Assorted Soft Drinks 2.00

While we are looking over the menu I wander to another table that is about to be served to photograph their food. :-)
The Pasta and the Rack of Lamb

Ora made a "boo boo" but wont fess up to it. :-)

Elsa and I both had the Mushroom and Spinach Bruschetta

Gobo had the Calm Chowder

A salad from another table


The Tempura Prawns have replaced the Duck Tacos on the Starter Menu. boooo


I have the Rack of Lamb and it was delicious

Miles had the Sauteed Prawns

Gobo had the Marinated Flank Steak. He said the corn was also especially fresh and tasty.

Both Elsa and Ora had the Potato Gnocchi

Then we had coffee and dessert. But they did not have any Chocolate Mousse which disappointed Elsa.
The Pear Tartlet which Miles and I had

Ora and Elsa both had the Peach Napolean

The Peach Napolean had phyllo layered with sliced peach and whipped cream and garnished with blueberries.

It was quite a nice meal. Upscale items at the price of a Coffee Shop.

The Student Chef is having a Winter Buffet on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 while school is on Break. They will be using the entire Cafeteria. The price is $25 and is suppose to be a bargain. I think it is on the Gobo's Lunch Bunch calendar.

~end

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