Franklin Street Caffe -- 4/5

It was a cold and rainy weekend afternoon. I'd just come from seeing The Social Network (super-good, by the way, once you get over the idea of making a biopic about someone still in his 20s) at the movie theater in Redwood City, since for some reason there's no multiplex in Palo Alto proper, and I realized that I had 45 minutes to wait for the next southbound train. What's a girl to do? Head for the nearest funky cafe/diner in sight and hammer out some Anthro 115A reading, of course! I think Jared Diamond was involved...

1. Food -- n/a Ok, I'm gonna be straight with you. I didn't actually have anything to eat when I was there. "What the eff is up with that?" you might ask. "Why would you write a review about a place you've never actually eaten at?" Um, good question. Mostly because everything else about it was fantastic, including the delicious single, non-fat latte with heaps of cinnamon and a packet of Splenda (thanks, teen body issues). Normally I take my coffee black, or at least I don't add anything to my espresso drinks, but something about the weather that day made sweetness a necessity. Anyways, the coffee was delicious and my overall experience was so happy that I felt the need to review, and then go back for actual food the next time I'm in Redwood City. (Let me just say this: they serve breakfast all day. WIN.)
2. Service -- 5/5 The fellas behind the counter were super sweet, and there was less than a minute between latte order and delivery. To be fair, I was the only person in line, but still.
3. Price -- 5/5 Oh my gosh! Reasonable prices! Toto, I don't think we're in Palo Alto anymore... Latte was $2.25 (exactly what  happened to be in my wallet at the time....that stupid $10 movie ticket practically broke me), which we all know is an improvement on the Starbucksian extortion we've become accustomed to. A full breakfast runs around $8, lunch (sandwiches & burgers, small pizzas, pasta, salads) anywhere from $4-9, and a couple more protein-rich entrees and large pizzas run in the $10-13 range. Check out their full menu here.
4. Location and Setting -- 4/5 It's literally right on the train tracks. Like, 10 feet from the platform. It's perfect if you're waiting for a train and don't want to lose track of time and miss it (because they only roll around every hour), and it's in the same shopping center as a Safeway, CVS/Pharmacy, other cafes, salons, etc. It's also about a minute walk from downtown Redwood City -- movie theater, library, Broadway, it's great. They have indoor and outdoor seating options, it's very clean, and they love their 80s classics. That might be the first time I've ever heard "Separate Ways" in a restaurant, and it made me so happy.
5. Good for... waiting for the train. Relaxing, escaping the glitter of downtown Palo Alto, and eating breakfast all day.

But yeah. Next time I'll actually eat something and get back to you on that front. My hopes are high!

La Strada Ristorante Italiano -- 3/5

So we were wandering around downtown PA. Like always. Because let's be honest, unless you have a very distinct reason for going there, the only thing to do downtown is wander.

And of course eat, which is where this blog comes in.

There are plenty of Italian restaurants to choose from -- sometimes the Italian food mood just strikes, you know? -- and we landed someone randomly on La Strada. Basically, we were already standing in front of it at the moment of mood-striking. It was... well, you'll see.

1. Food -- 3/5 My food standards for University avenue are pretty high, and this straight up just didn't live up to them. I ordered the grilled chicken salad with Gorgonzola, almonds, and a Cabernet vinaigrette dressing on spinach, and my companion got the 'Casonsei Alla Bergamasca' house-made sausage ravioli with amaretto, brown butter, and pork guanciale. The salad was decent -- nicely dressed and almonds/cheese were paired well. Chicken was a little crispy though. The ravioli, according to my mom (because it was about to drown in butter-and-amaretto soup that looked like it could give me pimples from sheer proximity) went overboard. There's a way to utilize multiple types of meat in one dish without giving your customer a heart attack, and this is so not it. We (well, she) couldn't even look at the dessert menu.
2. Service -- 5/5 The host let us pick our own table (out on the curb, because we had the dog and going inside would've been a little illegal) and came by plenty to refill our water and ask what was up.
3. Price -- 3/5 This, unfortunately, is a risk you run at sit-down restaurants in Palo Alto. The salad was $10, the ravioli was $13, and desserts ran $7-9. Not gonna break you, but maybe not worth it for the end product.
4. Location and Setting -- 4/5 I think we've pretty firmly established that University Ave is a win in my book blog. Too bad it lost points for cramming the tables wayyyyy too close together.
5. Good for... Exploring (read: Narrowing Down) Your Italian Food Options

Good, but not quite good enough to warrant the (reasonable but not lovable) prices. It all tasted pretty good, but given the volume of Italian restaurants in this area I'm definitely going to explore before I ever go back. Also, sorry that was so short. So. Much. Anthropology reading.

L'Amour Frozen Yogurt -- 5/5

I could try and come up with some pathetic excuse for why I'm six days late in blogging.

Scratch that. I can come up with a pathetic excuse, and I'm going to: frankly, this school year is kicking my ass. And I'm basically broke, so dining out options are limited -- don't worry, I'll figure out how to keep going somehow! Anyways, I had a meeting for my internship in town yesterday, and when I got out of it the weather was PERFECT and all I wanted to do was wander around beautiful Palo Alto for a little while. When I passed L'Amour, already a favorite of mine, and saw that they've got pumpkin spice froyo, I had to go. Had to. You know how it is.

1. Food -- 5/5 What sets this place apart from typically adored frozen yogurt joints like Fraiche and Pinkberry is the sheer variety of (mostly non- or low-fat) flavors and toppings available. Here are some of my past favorites:
• Mint frozen yogurt with brownie pieces and white chocolate chips
• Peanut butter frozen yogurt with banana slices and honey (it's like those sandwiches I adored as a kid, but in chic frozen form)
• Pumpkin spice frozen yogurt with graham cracker crumbs, sliced almonds, and vanilla yogurt chips (same idea as the pb & banana, where I'm trying to recreate solid desserts with froyo)
2. Service -- 5/5 I mean, it's self-serve, so I guess this one is fairly self-fulfilling, depending on how happy you are with your decisions as a froyo designer.
3. Price -- 5/5 It's not super cheap, but it is sold by weight (47 cents/oz), which means you can have as much or as little as you want/can afford to eat. I had a totally delicious, high-quality, satisfying dessert yesterday for about $2.50.
4. Location and Setting -- 5/5 Such a fan of University Avenue! They're only three-ish blocks down the street, so it's a nice walk to get there but not inordinately far. So close to the bookstore, drug store, the Stanford Theater, etc etc. And it's always beautiful there in the Fall.
5. Good for... Girl Talk or First Date I don't even want to count how many times I've sat at their adorable little tables out front and people-watched while girl-talking with... my best friend from high school, my mom, my sorority sisters, my... self... Either way, this place is simultaneously decadent and low-key, at prices that vary on your terms and plenty of places to sit (or, if you'd rather keep walking, total portability).

Alright. So yes, my timing is off. But it's not like anyone actually reads this blog or cares if I keep my apparently-not-at-all-strict weekly schedule. But things should get back on track soon--I got a Bling Nation chip on my phone today and now have $20 to spare for tomorrow's culinary adventures! Woohoo!

Oh and also, GO CARDINAL. 37-35. Way to kick some U$C patootie tonight.

Just For Kicks

Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?