Special occasions call for white tablecloth fabulousness. But no one can dine like that all the time — at least not unless you’ve got the pocketbook of a Kardashian. So we ventured out in search of alternatives — great places for two people to grab lunch, without wreaking devastation on the wallet. Among our happy discoveries: a cult rice bowl shop in Oakland; a chicken and waffle restaurant that’s open nearly round the clock in Walnut Creek; and an Italian eatery in Berkeley.
Hawker Fare
Address: 2300 Webster St., Oakland.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 5 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; until 10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays.
Contact: 510-832-8896, www.hawkerfare.com.
Lunch tab: $35.89 for an appetizer, two entrees, a drink, and dessert.
Before stepping into Justin Yu’s homage to Southeast Asian street food, tell yourself you will come back because there’s simply no way to try everything in one sitting. And you’ll want to.
That’s because the fare is honest and thoughtful, from appetizers such as Blistered Green Beans ($7) tossed in smoked bacon and dried shrimp, to desserts, like the Hawker sundae, a lime-whip topped salted palm sugar caramel exploding with candied red beans and puffed rice.
Between those, choose from seven thoughtfully designed jasmine rice bowls under $10. Among our favorites: “Issan” Sausage ($9.50), rectangles of grilled spicy pork seasoned with coriander, garlic and lemon grass and then drizzled with a chili glaze.
Short ribs skeptics will rejoice in Yu’s spin because his “Satay” Beef Short Ribs ($9.50) aren’t overly fatty. They are marinated in coconut milk with turmeric and garlic then grilled and served with a side of savory peanut sauce. We licked it up like piggies.
For $1.50, you can add a fried farm egg to any bowl. For $1.75, you can get your rice cooked “Kao Mun” style in chicken fat and broth. Yeah. Oink.
Not everything is perfect. The Green Papaya Salad ($7) may be overpowering for those who haven’t dined in the alleys of Bangkok and therefore aren’t accustomed to gobs of dried shrimp and fish sauce.
Also, as with anything trendy and delicious in uptown Oakland, there is usually a line out the door. Our advice: Get there before noon.
— Jessica Yadegaran
Home of Chicken and Waffles
Address: 1653 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Walnut Creek.
Hours: 10 a.m.-midnight Mondays-Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m.-4 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to midnight on Sundays.
Contact: 925-280-1653, http://homeofchickenandwaffles.com.
Lunch tab: $26.09 for lunch and sodas for two.
With its sunny yellow walls, colorful family portraits and cheery atmosphere, Home of Chicken and Waffles makes you grin the moment you walk in the door. Crispy fried chicken, syrupy waffles and doors that stay open nearly round the clock? Sign us up!
It was just over a year ago that word began spreading that Derreck Johnson’s insanely popular diner in Oakland’s Jack London Square was not only branching into the ‘burbs — it was landing in Walnut Creek’s glitzy downtown. The eatery opened its doors in July to packed crowds eager for the kind of soul food that absolutely hits the spot, whether it’s midway through a Broadway Plaza shopping spree or after a night of carousing.
Not that we would know anything about carousing. We were madly careening through our holiday shopping when we popped in to refuel. The menu — as well as the charming paintings on the walls — is a salute to members of Johnson’s extended family, a lineup that includes Brother Darroll (chicken, grits, biscuits, $10.75), Princess Jordan (chicken with mac and cheese, $11.75) and dozens more.
We opted for Angie’s Delight ($10.25 for a perfectly crispy chicken breast, an enormous waffle and a bowl of grits) and Mimi’s Potluck ($9.95, or $7.95 for the weekday lunch special), a platter piled high with a fried chicken thigh, greens, cornbread and a decadent, cheddar-topped mac and cheese.
It’s the kind of food you’ll have to pay for later — at the gym, but that’s OK. A little self-indulgence is a good thing, when it’s packaged as charmingly as this.
— Jackie Burrell
Luca Cucina
Address: 2057 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays; 2 to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays; until 9 p.m. Sundays.
Contact: 510-649-9718; http://lucacucinaitaliana.com.
Lunch tab: $39.69 for an appetizer, soup, two entrees, and a drink.
Stroll into this charming Italian bistro on a weekday afternoon and $20 will get you a satisfying lunch of soups and salads. Or, come by on a Friday night, order a bottle of Chianti, some veal sweetbreads and al forno entrees, and you’ll easily ring up a $70 tab.
Either way, you’ll place your order at the hostess station and pour your own water while watching chef-owner Luca Rocci whip up classics from his homeland. The open kitchen, exposed brick wall and chalkboard menu contribute to the restaurant’s cozy atmosphere.
Always start with a bowl of Minestrone ($4). Rocci’s is hearty, homemade, and served piping hot. Choose from five classic salads, including Cesare ($6) — romaine lettuce, croutons, shaved Parmesan, and Caesar dressing — or Caprese ($6), which delivers on the famous trio of Bufala mozzarella, tomato and basil drizzled with balsamic vinegar.
If you need something heartier, try one of six panini, including the home-run Meatball ($7), made in-house with Niman Ranch pork and beef, or the Milanese ($6), breaded and pan-fried juicy chicken breast with romaine lettuce, tomato, olive oil, and vinegar.
If you have time to linger, start with an appetizer, like Chicken Livers ($7) sauteed with onions and mushrooms or Beef Carpaccio ($8.50), slices of Niman Ranch beef dressed with capers, red onions, shaved Parmesan, arugula and lemon. Skip the bruschetta. It’s small and unmemorable.
Ultimately, Luca Cucina’s stars are plated entrees and the mix-and-match pasta sauces and noodles. We loved the Pappardelle with Bolognese Meat Sauce ($12), a house specialty on par with some of the East Bay’s white-tablecloth Italian restaurants. It was fresh, steaming hot and plentiful enough for leftovers.
We were equally impressed with the Chicken Luca ($13.50), a house specialty of delicate chicken medallions swimming in a chardonnay sauce soaked with pine nuts and porcini mushrooms. Even the kale side dish was way better than our home version.
— Jessica Yadegaran