Deep fried watermelon

Today at the Alameda County Fair the twins and I shared a deep fried watermelon. Even though I'd skipped lunch, it was past 3:00 pm and I shared with two nine-year-olds, the concoction still filled me up. The watermelon was sweet and juicy, but the main attraction for the boys was the deep fried coating with its sweet red sauce.

The rind was deep fried as well, though I don't think it was meant to be eaten (believe me, I tried). However, the boys managed to eat all of the fried batter around it.

I liked the dessert for its novelty. If I try a deep-fried dessert at a fair again, it would be something else. For example, I found the deep fried Nutella intriguing!

Pampas--Palo Alto, CA

With my wife knowing I love meat and buffets, she picked the perfect spot to celebrate Father's Day. I celebrated my 40^th birthday at Pampas and it was also one of the first five restaurants I ever reviewed. Yet, it had been nearly six years since I’d eaten there.

  

Pampas did not disappoint! This restaurant features Brazilian barbecue (except at certain times, such as lunch on weekdays), where you place a button green side facing upwards to indicate you want skewers of meat delivered to your table. Finally, there will come a point where you just can’t take any more, so you flip the button to the red, which means you’re crying “Uncle!” and the bill will arrive at your table. 

Though the skewered meats are what set this restaurant apart from other, their salad bar is almost as important. The vegetables, so delicious, crisp and fresh are beautifully displayed. The granola, slightly sweet, is made in-house. What really grabbed me, though, was the coconut couscous, which served cold with raisins, was almost like a dessert pudding. In fact, I made it my dessert along with the yogurt and berries, which were constantly refreshed.

The list of meats can be seen in the menu below, but what stood out was the filet mignon and the tenderloin. The pork and the chicken were tender, but the beef—so juicy and flavorful—was irresistible. Making a great steak taste even better was the sauce delivered to the table featuring Tamron and chipotle. Sure, it was a little spicy, but it made a terrific combination with the beef and lamb.

The service was exceptional. Virtually everyone stopping by our table, the waiter included, wore a smile and was patient with the kids. 

Pampas

529 Alma St.

Palo Alto, CA 94301

www.pampaspaloalto.com

(650) 327-1323

Cream--Palo Alto, CA

Having finished a piano lesson in Palo Alto, we recently went to nearby downtown PA for dessert at Cream. What makes Cream stand out are their ice cream sandwiches made with freshly baked cookies. The older brother had the mint chocolate chip ice cream with an M&M cookie (above), while the younger one had the mint chocolate chip with chocolate chip cookie.

Jenny and I shared the turtle cookie with banana fudge walnut (below). The banana stood out. Across all desserts, what stood out most was the cookies were hot and fresh out of the oven. Yet, the ice cream didn't melt so fast that you had to hurry.

With the line out the door and along the street in the mid-afternoon, Cream could have charged a lot, but they didn't. For $3, you'll get two cookies and a scoop of ice cream. For the same price you'd get just the ice cream (well, slightly more than a scoop) at Baskin Robbins.

That said, the kids liked Baskin Robbins more, as they thought eating the sandwich was too much of a challenge. Their desserts did get a bit messy. Jenny and I, meanwhile, thought the sandwiches sweet. We definitely needed tea or water, but that's what partly what ice cream is about.

Cream
440 University Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94301
www.creamnation.com

Cooking Papa--Mountain View, CA

Sauteed Beef Fillet with Assorted Mushrooms

A few summers ago I was asked where I'd like to have my birthday dinner. I could have chosen any spot in the Bay Area and I picked Cooking Papa in Santa Clara. The variety, the lightning fast delivery to your table, the piping hot food and of course those egg puffs were an irresistible combination.

Fook-Kin Fried Rice

It was with excitement, then, that we tried Sunday the newly opened Cooking Papa in Mountain View neear El Monte and El Camino, only a few minutes from home. We ordered some staples, such as the Fook-Kin Fried Rice (above), Sauteed Beef Fillet with Assorted Mushrooms (top) and the Papa Roasted Chicken.

Chow Fun with Scrambled Eggs and Shrimp

For the kids, we got the Chow Fun with Scrambled Eggs and Shrimp. And, with my dad and the kids at the table, Cooking Papa's patented Hong Kong Style Egg Puffs were a must. Warm, soft, fluffy, airy and eggy, they didn't disappoint!

Papa Roasted Chicken (half)

The food was good and is worthy of the Cooking Papa we'd gone to so often in Santa Clara. That said, the Santa Clara location delivered food that was just a little bit better. The dishes were slightly hotter (in temperature), the roasted chicken skin was a tad more crisp and the puffs were fresher out of the oven. I associate these issues with the steep learning curve involved with opening a new (and very, very busy) restaurant. The service was reasonably attentive--when my dad dropped his chopsticks on the floor, another pair came to our table without us even asking. However, they didn't refill the water.

Hong Kong Style Egg Puffs

Cooking Papa
1962 W El Camino Real
Mountain View, CA 94040
(650) 988-6809
www.mycookingpapa.com

Skipolini's Pizza--Antioch, CA

We went to Skipolini's tonight for dinner in Antioch after fruit-picking with Jenny's brother. The best part of the experience wasn't the food, but the friendly service, the sawdust on the floor (how cool is that?) and the playstructure to keep the kids busy.

Now, about that pizza. Having kids, we had a large with half cheese and half mushroom and chicken. We went with the white sauce pizza. The crust was chewy when dry. But, it wasn't absorbent enough to hold the moisture from the toppings. In other words, it was soggy. What I really wanted was a specialty pizza. The problem is, if you order half cheese, you get charged the full specialty (treated as five toppings) price.

The kid-friendliness, though, with the crayons, play area and abundant outdoor seating won me over. Sure, the pizza was so-so, but how can anyone enjoy pizza at all if the kids keep pestering you?

Well, not always true unfortunately...

Skipolini's Pizza
901 Fitzuren Rd
Antioch, CA
www.skipolinispizza.com

Ryowa--Mountain View, CA

I ate lunch with Jenny today at Ryowa, one of her favorite local spots for ramen. We got there at 1:20 and still had to wait for a table. Get there at 1:40, though, and you can show up with a van-load of people and be seated right away. Most of the seating is at a winding counter that S-curves its way through the restaurant.

The R1

We got the "R1" or Ryowa with three potstickers and a bowl of rice. The Ryowa itself features ramen, pork and egg in a sesame paste soup. Be aware the soup is spicy, but nothing a seasoned palate can't take. At $9.50, the R1 is only 50 cents more than the Ryowa on its own (meaning the extra four bits buys you 3 dumplings and more rice than you could possibly need), making the R1, as far as I could tell, the most popular item in the house. The dumplings were adequate, but nothing special--a bit soft and luke warm. The main event is the noodle soup and that egg--just on the firm side of runny--was spot on.

Neither Jenny nor I could really figure out what the bowl of rice was intended to go with. In any case, I dumped it into what was left of the soup at the end of lunch--it made a great filler. By the way, I'd never been served room-temperature tea before today. When coupled with the hot soup, though, it really worked! I thought it odd they served tea at room temperature, but actually I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Pastis Bistro--Palo Alto, CA

We ate at Pastis for Mother's Day. We got there before the restaurant opened at 9:30, but still ended up waiting for nearly an hour. The wait was mitigated by the Farmers Market on California, which kept us busy. You can't stray too far for too long, though! If they call your name for your table and you're not there to hear it, you get dropped.

Jenny and I went for their specials: the Crab Cake Eggs Benedict and the omelet with bay shrimp, sea bass and salmon. And, for the kids, we basically fed them chocolate for brunch: We got the Nutella Parisien and the Pain au Chocolat.

We enjoyed just about everything, but if anything was worth the fifty-five minute wait, it was the omelet, which hit the mouth buttery and hot (but not scorching). I didn't quite detect the sea bass, but the shrimp was terrific and made the omelet.

The roasted potatoes that came with the Eggs Benedict were a big hit with Jenny. She liked the seasoning and the fluffy texture. The chocolate items were heavy and we were all surprised that Tyler couldn't quite finish. Still, the leftovers made a great dessert.


Pastis Bistro
447 S California Ave.
Palo Alto, CA
(650) 324-1355
pastispaloalto.com