Tag Archives: Peninsula bakery

Where I’ve Been Getting Takeout of Late, Part 15

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Tan Tan noodles from Chili House. Underneath is a layer of red chili oil to mix in.
Tan Tan noodles from Chili House. Underneath is a layer of red chili oil to mix in.

Chili House, San Francisco

Some like it hot. And if they do, they head to Chili House in San Francisco’s Richmond District for Sichuan and Beijing specialties, most of which will make you feel the burn — in an albeit delectable way.

You know what you’re in for when you see menu items such as “Pork Chop with Explosive Chili Pepper.” Even so, when I was invited by the restaurant to try some of its dishes for takeout, I was game — and at the ready with a yogurt drink to douse the flames, just in case.

Chef-Owner Li Jun Han cooked for two Chinese presidents before immigrating to the Bay Area to open Chili House, as well as Z&Y Restaurant in Chinatown.

Beijing-style pot stickers.
Beijing-style pot stickers.

The Beijing pot stickers (4 for $7.95) are not the usual half-moon shaped ones you’re familiar with. Instead, these are long and slender wrappers rolled around a pork filling. You could even pick them up with your fingers to dunk into the accompanying black vinegar-soy sauce.

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Sweets and Savories Galore — Plus A Whole Lot More At The Village Bakery & Cafe

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Mango sorbet profiteroles for dessert at the new Village Bakery & Cafe.

Mango sorbet profiteroles for dessert at the new Village Bakery & Cafe.

 

As a Woodside resident, Tim Stannard knew full well the small town could use another restaurant.

But the founder of the Bacchus Management Group of restaurants admits he also had a selfish reason for opening his newest establishment, the Village Bakery & Cafe, on the main drag there a couple of weeks ago.

“I had gone to the old bakery there almost daily. It was where I grabbed my pre-coffee after dropping my son off at school, before heading to Mayfield Bakery & Cafe in Palo Alto (another Bacchus establishment) to have more coffee. It’s embarrassing,” he says with a laugh. “That may still be my routine. It will just be better coffee now.

That’s because Bacchus’ own Oakland-based RoastCo beans are featured at the new Village Bakery & Cafe, which occupies the space previously held by the Woodside Bakery and a neighboring art gallery.

I had a chance to check out the new place last week, just days after it opened, when I was invited in as a guest.

It’s right next door to folksy, quirky favorite, Buck’s. It’s also just yards away from Bacchus’ Michelin-starred Village Pub. If you’ve been to its sister property Mayfield Bakery & Cafe, the concept will be familiar. There is a full-fledged bakery, as well as a bar and restaurant.

The bakery portion.

The bakery portion.

The fresh bread selection.

The fresh bread selection.

Temptations behind glass.

Temptations behind glass.

If you come for dinner, it pays to come a little early when the bakery is still open, so you can snag baguettes, coffee cake, fruit tarts, and big-fisted cookies to enjoy as a midnight snack or the next day for breakfast at home. You also might want to arrive a little early because the parking lot can fill up fast.

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Step Inside Kristi Marie’s For A Sweet Taste

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Pretty tomato tartines at Kristi Marie's in Redwood City.

Pretty tomato tartines at Kristi Marie’s in Redwood City.

 

If you’ve spent anytime in Menlo Park, you know the Borrone name.

As in the beloved Cafe Borrone next door to the equally cherished Kepler’s Books on El Camino Real.

Rose and Roy Borrone opened the European-style cafe more than a quarter century ago.

Their son Peter and his wife then opened the wood-fired pizza joint, Vesta, three years ago in Redwood City in the same location the first Cafe Borrone was established before it moved to Menlo Park.

And just a month ago, following in the family’s footsteps, Rose’s and Roy’s youngest daughter Kristi opened Kristi Marie’s bakery in downtown Redwood City with her husband Zu Tarazi. The couple previously owned Station 1 restaurant in Woodside.

The colorful sign painted on the side of the building.

The colorful sign painted on the side of the building.

Owners Kristi Borrone and Zu Tarazi.

Owners Kristi Borrone and Zu Tarazi.

The slender, shoebox-sized space once housed a hair salon. Now, it’s where Kristi and former Station 1 Sous Chef Alex Avery turn out sweets with Tarazi lending a hand with the savory side.

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