Dutch Goose, Menlo Park

Let me break this down nice and simple: If you like deviled eggs, you'll love the Dutch Goose. They serve these spicy deviled eggs ($1.25 for an order of two halves; $10 for a whole plate) that are delish. While we were waiting in line tonight, I was kidding with Jon and said I was just going to order a plate of eggs for my dinner. After I tasted them, I wish I had actually made good on that notion. Next time ...

(Apparently, the Dutch Goose's egg recipe goes several owners back — to Pete Eccles, who was the guy who gave the place its name. Before he came along, it was called the Busy Bee.)

As far as the other food here, it's your average hamburger, hot dog, etc., joint. The fries aren't consistently crispy enough for my taste. The ambiance is ... well, don't let it deter you. The wood booths and long tables feature years and years of carved names and sentiments. It's one of those eateries that's just an institution 'round here (especially amongst Stanford students and alum). But, really, how can you NOT love a place that sells bags of peanuts and lets you throw the shells right down on the floor?

Other perks: 12 beers on tap, plenty of flat-screen TVs, a heated patio out back, a pool table, and even some arcade games.

Dutch Goose
3567 Alameda de las Pulgas
Menlo Park, CA
(650) 854-3245

Dairy Belle

So a co-worker and I were on our way to In-n-Out today for lunch, when I noticed that there was a Dairy Belle on the other side of the road. I asked him if he had ever been, and he said he had and that it's actually pretty good. A quick U-turn later and In-n-Out was replaced by Dairy Belle as our destination.

I debated and debated -- there's quite a menu here -- and finally decided on a bacon cheeseburger and fries. The co-worker told me that the shakes here are great ("better than In-n-Out"), but I decided that with the cheese, the bacon and the fries, a shake might be just too much. (In addition to classics like vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, they offer some harder-to-find flavors such as pineapple and butterscotch.)

Even though I was all prepared for a big greasy mess of a burger, that's not what I got. The paper wrapped around my burger didn't even have any grease seeping through it! Despite the cheese and the bacon, this was a pretty clean burger. Nothing all over my face. No grease stains on my clothes. But I should also note that I didn't get "everything" (lettuce, tomato, mayo, etc.) on my burger. And the meat itself was fine; better than your average fast-food joint. The fries were very good -- crispy and, again, not too greasy.

Getting back to the extensive menu ... Aside from burgers, they also have fish'n' chips, hot dogs, ice cream products (dipped cones!), chili and a bunch of sandwich options. Note: Don't come here if you're on a diet.

So now that I've experienced both, if I had to choose between In-n-Out and Dairy Belle, which would I choose? Hmmm ... Since the co-worker said that DB beats I/n/O when it comes to shakes, I'd have to go with DB. I'm not crazy about I/n/O's fries -- yeah yeah, I know they're fresh, but they're only good for the first minute they're out of the fryer. And I like that I can get bacon on my burger at DB. And they have a bunch of other deep-fried offerings, which is great for days when I'm okay with showering eight times after eating.

Dairy Belle
See web site for locations. (I'm actually not sure which one I went to today -- probably Sunnyvale? But could be one of the San Jose outposts?)

Quick Bites

Not full-on reviews... Just my brief take on a couple of places I recently tried...

• Oasis Beer Garden
  241 El Camino Real, Menlo Park
  Seems like a good places for large groups or dining with kids. The menu is simple and tasty (not anything mind-blowing), with burgers, pizzas, wings, fries, etc. On a nice afternoon, be sure to sit outside -- where there's even an odd TV in a wooden cabinet for your viewing pleasure.
  
  
• San Remo Pizzeria & Ristorante
  1152 San Carlos Avenue, San Carlos
  My sister LOVES this place. She's been going here for years. I, however, have a very different opinion of San Remo. I do not understand the appeal of this place AT ALL. On Saturday night, Jon had a pasta with pomodoro sauce. He was clearly disappointed when his dish arrived at the table, as the sauce seemed a bit thin and he was expecting nice chunks of tomato. Sadly, it was also pretty bland. (The homemade tagliatelle was good though.) I ordered a pizza with sausage and mushrooms. Again, it seemed to suffer from a flavorless sauce -- possibly the same one that covered Jon's pasta? Anyway. I walked out still hungry, and with lots of leftover pizza that I had no intention of eating.
  
  Overall, the service was okay. Our waitress was actually very sweet and competent. But when we arrived at 4:30pm -- which is when they open -- we were rudely told by a staffmember that they don't open for another ten minutes (as if WE were the ones who did something wrong). Then, five minutes later, we were told it would be another 10-15 minutes. Is this any way to run a business?

Openings

Cocoa Bon
Last week, I received an email from Chris at Cocoa Bon, letting me know about the grand opening of their new place in downtown Los Gatos. Unfortunately, I was out of town last weekend -- or else you know I would not have missed the chance for chocolate and wine tasting. Anyway! The new store, which should be bigger/better than the old Valley Fair one, is now open and I am definitely going to check it out soon.

Cocoa Bon
78 West Main Street
Los Gatos, CA
(408) 354-5900

The Counter Burger
I haven't had a chance to go to The Counter yet (it just opened this week), but James wrote to tell me about his experience:

[My] friends and I had to go check it out this past Saturday. However, we didn't end up ordering a regular burger; we ordered one with every single possible topping (all the cheeses, toppings, and sauces) and we dared our friend Tim to finish it within 30 minutes. The burger ended up weighing 5 pounds and had a total of 54 toppings... The entire thing was a sight to behold (and apparently no one had ever attempted it before).

You can read more -- and see the crazy photos -- at his web site.

Marvin Gardens, Belmont

I don't know exactly what it is about ramshackle-looking eateries with large patios filled with rustic picnic tables, but I kinda like them. Maybe it's because, even in the fancy Silicon Valley, they don't feel compelled to be slick or pretentious. Maybe it's because their focus is on serving good food and drinks in an environment that's conducive to hanging out for hours with good friends.

And, in the case of Marvin Gardens, occasionally, you get to experience the residual trembles from the nearby CalTrains. And by nearby, I mean literally right behind the the restaurant's patio area -- right over your head as you enjoy your pint and burger. After a few trains, you just learn to pause your conversation. No biggie.

Jon and I met up with a couple of friends at Marvin Gardens last night. I ordered the fish and chips, which consisted of beer-battered rock cod. (The fish part of the plate was good -- better than the chips.) Jon ordered the veggie pizza, which he enjoyed (an individual-size is probably sufficient for one person). Our compadres ordered the fish and chips as well, and the El Gato burger (ground sirloin on toasted French roll with green chili pepper and jack cheese).

The restaurant's web site boasts that they serve "primo excellent food," and although that's a bit of an exaggeration, our meal here was quite tasty. I would go back again and, when I'm not wearing a white t-shirt, maybe try the half slab of ribs.

What I found especially appealing about Marvin Gardens is that everywhere we turned -- inside and outside -- there were groups of people that looked to be having a grand time. Young, old. Women, men. Families, coworkers, friends from back in the day. It's a neighborhood-joint kind of place where things are easy, casual and most importantly, fun.

Marvin Gardens
1160 Old County Road
Belmont, CA
(650) 592-6154

Alpine Inn Beer Garden, Portola Valley

So here's the thing: Portola Valley scares me. Just a little. It's all woodsy and full of nature -- big trees, dirt roads, creeks, bugs, birds, etc. A couple of weeks ago, while driving to a friend's house in PV, we almost ran over a coyote. And there was a lady riding a horse alongside us on the road. Jon rather enjoys this type of environment. Me? Not so much. It feels too removed from civilization or something.

Yet I still agreed to go to the Alpine Inn Beer Garden the other night -- an eatery most locals refer to as "Zott's" (short for Rossotti's, one of its former names). This place is RUSTIC. Yes, worthy of all capital letters. Afterall, it is one of the oldest establishments on the Peninsula, dating back about 150 years. It's been a gambling house, a saloon, a "picnic park," and now, it's a restaurant/beer garden.

After parking in the dirt parking lot, we headed into the oversized shack to order our food. A bar immediately greets you when you enter the restaurant, with the grill towards the back of the room. This is where you actually do your food ordering. I went with a cheeseburger with a side of pickles and a large side of fries (there were three of us eating). After you've ordered and paid for your food, you head towards the bar area and order your drinks. Efficient? Maybe not. But I just did as I was told.

Then we went outside to secure a spot at one of the 2-3 dozen picnic tables in the beer garden. It's a massive space, with trees offering much-welcome shade and a creek adding to the feeling that you are indeed deep in this thing called nature. When our order was ready, our name was called on the outdoor speaker and we went inside to retrieve our food.

The burgers here are rectangular, served on a roll that's been put on the grill as well (nice!). The cheese in the cheeseburgers = cheddar. As good as the burger was, it was the crinkle-cut fries that really got me. They're crispy, and still managed to be tasty even after they had been on our table for over half an hour. (I saw Jon checking out another group's bag of peanuts; he likes that you can just throw the shells on the ground here.)

So I admit it: On a warm summer night, sitting in the garden at Zott's, is hard to beat. Even with the tree sap getting my arms all sticky. Even with the bugs landing on me and my food. Even with all that nature that freaks me out so much.

Alpine Inn Beer Garden
3915 Alpine Road
Portola Valley, CA
(650) 854-4004

Update: The Counter Burger

I got an email this weekend from the folks at The Counter Burger, which I blogged about waaay back in March. Although they were hoping to be up and running this month, it's looking more like a late July opening.

Since The Counter Burger did make GQ's list of top 20 burgers in the country, I think it'll be worth the wait!

The Counter Burger
369 California Avenue
Palo Alto, CA
(650) 654-8900

Double-Double Trouble

So the co-workers and I just got back from In-n-Out, where a petite older woman equipped with a red cooler walked right up to the counter and said, "I called in an order for 75 Double-Doubles."

SEVENTY-FIVE!!!!!

And let me just remind you that a Double-Double consists of two patties, two slices of cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions -- all stacked high between the buns.

Kirk's Steakburgers, Cupertino

It had been a while since I tried a new place for lunch, so I joined the co-workers today for a trip to Kirk's Steakburgers. Located right next to the freeway on-ramp, this restaurant is not about the ambiance. The dining space is lined with booths on the side, with tables for four set up in the middle. At one end of the room is the kitchen/counter; at the other, a small-screen TV and a condiments bar.

I opted for a regular ol' steakburger with jack cheese and mushrooms, as well as a chocolate mint shake. I didn't bother with the fries because they're steak fries, which means they won't be crispy, which is how I like them. (The onion strings did look very crispy, however.)

The burger itself was very good -- a juicy, charcoal-grilled 1/3-lb patty. I had to get rid of all of the mushrooms that were piled into my burger because they appeared to be canned mushrooms, which are a no-no in my book.

The milkshake was basically a too-sweet chocolate shake with some mint syrup poured in. I wish they would just make it with mint-chip ice cream. But, hey, what do you expect from a place that doesn't have fresh mushrooms. (I know, I just can't get let that go!)

The next time I'm in the mood for a burger and shake, I think I'll head over to In-N-Out -- which cooks up perfectly good burgers and fries. Plus, it's much cheaper than Kirk's! (My lunch today was just over $10.)

Kirk's Steakburgers
1330 S. DeAnza Boulevard
Cupertino, CA
(408) 446-2988

Town & Country Village
855 El Camino Real, #75
Palo Alto, CA
(650) 326-6159

2388 S. Bascom Avenue
Campbell, CA
(408) 371-3565

The Counter Burger - ETA

I know I just posted yesterday about the soon-to-be Palo Alto Counter Burger, but I already have a little update on the restaurant. Peter Katz, one of the eatery's partners, says they just started construction this morning (yay!) and expect to be open in early June.

Coming Soon to Palo Alto: The Counter Burger

I'm really looking forward to this opening. Last year, GQ released its list of 20 best burgers in America, and Santa Monica's The Counter ranked 15th. By summer, Palo Alto will be home to one of these build-your-own-burgers eateries. (More locations are scheduled to open in Southern California and Las Vegas.)

The extensive menu allows for 312,120+ different burger combinations. In the cheese department, for example, you can choose something as simple as American or Swiss; or experiment a little with a herb goat cheese spread or horseradish cheddar. Toppings also run the gamut -- including onions, carrot strings, black olives, dried cranberries, grilled pineapples, sprouts, tomatoes and many more. You'll be able to wash down your burger creation with various fountain drinks (sodas, shakes, malts), tea, coffee, beer and wine.

Personally, I'm looking forward to the mini-cheeseburgers! And there's a dessert called "The Chocolate Burger" -- a donut filled with chocolate mousse, strawberries and bananas. Mmmm...

The Counter Burger
369 California Avenue
Palo Alto, CA
(650) 654-8900

Coming Soon to RWC: Fatburger!

Nick just emailed me from L.A., where he lunched at Fatburger today. On his tray liner, he noticed that a franchise is opening soon in Redwood City. Woo-hoo!

Here's the information I was able to dig up on various web sites:

Solomon Ets-Hokin and James Chung with Terranomics paired up to represent Southern California's popular hamburger chain Fatburger in the lease of 2,000 square feet of retail space along Theatre Way in Redwood City, CA. Fatburger signed on to a 10-year deal to commence on April 1, 2006. The lessor was Blake Hunt Ventures, Inc. This will be just the second Fatburger location in all of Northern California.

The only existing Bay Area Fatburger, which opened last year, is in Pleasant Hill. And I guess this PR blurb isn't counting both the Pleasant Hill AND Sacramento locations as NorCal?

Rapper E40 is one of the investors behind the local franchises. Here's an excerpt from an August 2005 interview with him:

Q: Why did you start a franchise of Fatburger?

A: Back in the day, if you listened to any of my raps, I'm always talking about buying a franchise, and not buying an $85,000 car before you buy a house. The first thing I wanted to get was a Popeye's Chicken ... I was looking on the Food Channel and they're saying that hamburgers are No. 1. So my wife, she's good friends with Merton Hanks, ex-49er. Merton knows Chester McGlockton, he's doing the Fatburgers, so I called Chester. He's [McGlockton] a good friend and my neighbor before he was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. He played for the Oakland Raiders at the time ... Chester knows I'm a stable guy, good dude, family man, businessman, and we got together and put in on 10 of them. The first one opened up two weeks ago [in Pleasant Hill], and the second opens up in Redwood City, hopefully in March. Me and Chester got all the rights of them in Northern California.

Side notes to this story:

• According to the city of RWC, the new downtown cinema/retail complex that will include Fatburger will also be home to a Marble Slab! The complex is scheduled for a spring 2006 completion. (The movie theatre will have 20 screens.)
• Some of the other cities where Fatburger plans to open up shop include Palo Alto, San Mateo, Cupertino, Milpitas and San Jose.