Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Waffle Amore (food truck)

My lunch today
Moveable Feast comes to Mission Park in Santa Clara (across Mission College Boulevard from where I work) every Tuesday 11:00-1:30. Today, however, there were only two trucks. And, when I got there at 1:00, Jon Jon's (ribs) had sold out, leaving me with Waffle Amore and a sweet lunch.


The vendor taking my order told me the Brussels Waffle is the least sweet of the bunch, so that's what I went with. For $5, you get a big waffle, one topping (I chose strawberries) and syrup. An additional topping is $1 each except for blueberries ($2). The kind woman who brought out my dish asked if I wanted whipped cream also. Being interested in every free calorie I could get, I said yes. The waffle had a hard exterior and was chewy once you got through the crust. Just about all the flavoring, though, came from the topping and syrup.

In this day and age where $5 doesn't get you very far, Waffle Amore exceeded my expectations with quantity, great strawberries and service with a sincere smile.

Waffle Amore
www.waffleamore.com

Monday, March 23, 2015

Bowl of Heaven--Mountain View, CA

The Sunset at Bowl of Heaven
Recently we experienced the acai bowl wave sweeping through town. We tried the Sunset acai bowl at Bowl of Heaven in Mountain View on Grant. Strawberries, kiwi and shaved coconut topped a soft concoction having a consistency similar to that of frozen yogurt. For the Sunset, this was pineapple, strawberries, mango, coconut milk and MAQ7, a Bowl of Heaven proprietary blend featuring the Maqui berry.

The menu at Bowl of Heaven in Mountain View. Zoom to view.
The flavor and texture of the dessert reminded me of a tangy frozen yogurt. The kids loved it. One word of warning, though: This is not your place if you're in a rush. Inexplicably, it took twenty minutes for them to give us our order. And, even then it was only after some inquiring. Judging from the crowd that arrived before and after us, others needed to wait a similar length of time.
Cup and bowl sizes

Bowl of Heaven
1040 Grant Road
Mountain View, CA 94040
(650) 282=5710
www.bowlofheaven.com


Wednesday, March 11, 2015

The Duke of Edinburgh--Cupertino, CA


Having had kidney pudding in London a few months ago, I was curious to try out the steak and kidney pie The Duke of Edinburgh last week. Overall, I enjoyed the pie, which was loaded with beef and kidney, both done perfectly.


For $12.75, though, I was expecting a lunch more substantial. I was hungry again not long afterwards. Another nit: The crust, so important in a pie, was a bit too thin and dense for me.


All that said, I wouldn't mind eating here again because of the ambiance. The Duke of Edinburgh did well in recreating the pub environment of the early 1900s. I truly felt removed from the hussle and bussle of midday Cupertino and neighboring Cupertino Village. When we ate here during lunch, it was as though we had the whole restaurant to ourselves. It was that peaceful.

The Duke of Edinburgh
10801 N Wolfe Rd.
Cupertino, CA 95014
408-446-3853
www.theduke.com




Sunday, March 1, 2015

Brazilian Shrimp with Vegetable and Rice by Gobble


Always in the market for food delivery, our family tried out Gobble. Though we were able to take advantage of a promotion, the Brazilian Shrimp with Vegetable and Rice (for two) would normally be $24 including delivery.


The delivery from Gobble comes through in two important ways: First, the veggies are chopped. As I wrote earlier, for our delivery from Hello Fresh, just chopping vegetables can take up to half an hour. Second, we really appreciated the sauce came pre-made--another huge timesaver.


Did our family enjoy the dinner? Yes, we did! That said, though, the sauce reminded us much more of a Thai coconut sauce than anything else. More importantly, Gobble delivery is available only by subscription. So, if you're in a pinch and need to get bailed out by a delivery, you have to subscribe, then cancel. Otherwise, the $24 dinners for two will add up quickly for this family of four.