Erik's Delicafe, Redwood City

I am not much of a sandwich person, yet I still find myself drawn to Erik's Delicafe. Since I used to frequent the establishment back in my Santa Cruz college days, I think the appeal is partly nostalgia for me. I won't go to Quizno's, Subway or Togo's, but Erik's I will gladly order from.

Erik's isn't the kind of place you crave or even go out of your way for. I happened to be at a fabric store in Redwood City yesterday when I spotted it in the strip mall. Since my husband had never been to an Erik's before, we decided to pop in.

There's nothing fancy about the menu here. In fact, you could argue that the sandwiches can easily be made at home in your own kitchen. And what's wrong with that? Erik's offers simple, solid food at affordable prices. And, at a time when fancy sandwich shops are charging double-digits and leaving customers dissatisfied, Erik's is a nice respite. The sandwiches are made to order (quickly, might I add) with fresh ingredients. I usually opt for the half-sandwich/cup of soup combo. (I love the names of the sandwiches -- yesterday I had the Raging Bull, but the R.E.O. Speadwagon is also fun to order.)

I admit that the ambiance here is a little cheesy -- with the fake barnwood walls and ceilings, iron kettle in the room, etc. But where else around here can you get your beverages served in mason jars?

Erik's DeliCafe
See web site for locations throughout the Peninsula and South Bay (mainly the latter).

Jersey Joe's, San Carlos

Just as my ex-New Yorker husband, Jon, is always searching for great bagels in the Bay Area, he is equally determined to find great cheese steaks around here. (He went to college in Philadelphia.) When you live in the suburbs, you learn that some of the best eateries are located in bland strip malls -- and Jersey Joe's is no exception.

On Friday night, we took El Camino Real north until we saw the Jersey Joe's sign by the road. There's not much to say about the exterior, except that there are a few tables set up on the "sidewalk." Inside, you order at the counter and take a seat until they call your number. The decor includes plenty of sports memorabilia and items invoking NY, NJ and Philadelphia (of course). There's a big-screen TV, as well as several smaller, ceiling-mounted sets.

Since the restaurant wasn't too busy when we walked in, it only took about ten minutes for our order to come up. We quickly got to work. Mmmm... tasty! After inhaling half of his cheese steak, Jon gave it an enthusiastic thumbs-up, but did add that the bread is "different" -- and by that, I think he meant they aren't crusty rolls. Jersey Joe's uses "special rolls," and they are indeed special in that they are more like bread pockets. I love this idea -- even if it makes for a slightly less authentic East Coast-style cheese steak -- because you don't have any meat falling out of the bottom. And believe me, these cheese steaks are SO stuffed full of goodness (mine had thinly sliced steak, melted cheese, grilled onions and mushrooms) that it certainly would have spilled out into my basket if it weren't for the well-designed rolls. I only managed to finish half of my cheese steak, but Jon picked up the slack and ate his entire cheese steak plus my leftover.

Oh, and in case you like your cheese steaks with Cheez Wiz (a la Pat's in Philly), you can ask for that instead of American, which is Jersey Joe's default cheese.

If you're not in the mood for a cheese steak, there are lots of other options on the menu -- including hoagies, burgers and wings. In addition to our cheese steaks, Jon and I ordered a side of fries (eh, just okay) and a chocolate milkshake (very good). The shake, which was made with Breyer's ice cream, was not too thick (you could use a straw) and not too sweet (Jon and I split the entire thing and didn't feel sick later).

Another thing this place has going for it: tabletop arcade games! So you can eat, drink and face-off in Ms. Pac-Man or Galaga. Aside from a couple of Tastykakes, what more could you ask for?

Jersey Joe's
21 El Camino Real
San Carlos, CA
(650) 592-7317

Note: Jersey Joe's is in the process of updating its web site. Some of the prices listed online are outdated.

Panera, Cupertino

About two weeks ago, I got my hair cut by a woman who happens to be a Cupertino native. So, since I work in the area, I asked her what's good to eat around here. "PANERA!" she exclaimed, adding that she "craves their bread all the time."

So I finally gave it a try today, and you know what? Her enthusiasm is well-placed. At around noon today, Panera was crazy-crowded with young student-types, older office-worker-types -- the usual weekday crowd in Cupertino. The cafe/bakery has only been open a few months, so it's still quite clean and nice. The menu offers a good selection of breads, pastries, soups, salads and sandwiches. There were five of us dining today, and here's how our orders broke down:

• Me: Roast beef sandwich, which came on a delicious Asiago bread -- which would have been even better if it was toasted for a crunchier melted cheesy top.
• Coworker #1: Chicken panini, which he said was tasty, but deemed too small.
• Coworker #2: Pepperblue steak sandwich, which was pretty skimpy on the steak, but had a good flavor.
• Coworker #3: Half-sandwich plus a bowl of soup combination. He opted for the French Onion soup, but they have about half a dozen to choose from every day.
• Coworker #4: Half-sandwich plus a small salad combination. He chose the Fuji apple chicken salad, which looked -- and apparently tasted -- quite good.

Each of our lunches came with a small bag of Krunchers kettle chips (thumbs up for those). Everyone enjoyed their meal, and we all agreed that the best deal was the "You Pick Two" -- choosing between the bowl of soup, half sandwich, half salad. I think they were about $7, which is barely more than the cost of a sandwich, but it seemed like they made for a much more substantial lunch.

Although it was a little too warm today for me to consider a soup, I am looking forward to trying Panera's. Another coworker, who had visited earlier in the week, highly recommended the broccoli cheddar soup -- which is served daily.

Service was fine at Panera, with our orders coming up surprisingly quickly considering how busy it gets. I think this place is going in our regular lunch rotation. Now that we've discovered it, we'll never have to eat at LeBoulanger again!

Panera
20807 Stevens Creek Boulevard
Cupertino, CA
(408) 996-9131

Bacon!

I think the title of this post says it all: I have been eating bacon non-stop this week! So last night, I incorporated bacon into my dinner by making "The Elvis" sandwich.

I first had one of these years ago, at the Peanut Butter & Co. in New York City. (Apparently, it is their most popular sandwich.) While the bacon is optional, um, I don't know why you would NOT opt for it. So here's what it is: A sandwich comprised of peanut butter (chunky or creamy will work), bananas, honey and bacon. Grill it up and enjoy!

Alice's Restaurant, Woodside

"You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant..."

Although it may not be THE Alice's that Arlo Guthrie sang about (that one is in Massachusetts), this Woodside establishment has been packing them in for over half a century. The restaurant's wooden structure -- located at the top of Skyline Boulevard -- is actually about 100 years old. But it started out as a general store, and was later turned into a restaurant in the 1950s. In the '60s, Alice Taylor purchased it and renamed the spot. It has since changed ownership a couple more times, yet maintains its homey and rustic feel.

The diners here run the gamet, from families to young college students to bikers. Jon and I recently took the in-laws here.

I ordered the Joe's Special -- scrambled eggs with ground beef, spinach, onions, mushrooms and cheese served with a biscuit and hash browns. Although it was good, after seeing everyone else's reaction to their sandwiches, I think I should have picked something from the lunch menu instead. Jon's dad had the tuna melt; his mom opted for a turkey sandwich; and Jon couldn't resist the BLT. They each raved about their food.

We also ordered some garlic fries and beer-battered onion rings. Delicious! Often, garlic fries are heavy on the garlic, but the actual texture of the fries is overlooked. Alice's, however, were nice and crispy.

The next time we make the trip here, I think I'll try the BMW burger -- bacon, sauteed mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce and jack cheese. Mmmm... Quite a few menu items make reference to motorcycles, a nod to many of Alice's loyal patrons. The curvy road leading you to the restaurant is a big draw for riders.

Alice's Restaurant
17288 Skyline Boulevard
Woodside, CA
(650) 851-0303