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?

Mediterranean Wraps -- 4/5

I was wandering around after the fabulous California Avenue Farmers Market yesterday (well, two days ago at this point) when my tummy started rumbling. Realizing that about six hours had passed since I'd last eaten anything, "anything" being a bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats way early in the morning. I looked up and this was the first restaurant I saw. As a fan of Mediterranean (and let's face it, pretty much any) ethnic food, I figured, why not?

1. Food -- 3/5 The first thing I ever order at a new Mediterranean place is the falafel wrap. It's a quintessential dish that should, if it does its job, represent the rest of the menu. The falafel itself was pretty good--moist, crunchy, kind of nutty--and the veggies were fresh and plentiful, but the wrap was a little burned and super messy. At a few points the tahini sauce-dripping was out of control, and I ended up having to blot some of it out with my napkin before I could safely finish eating. (To be fair, a Mediterranean deli recently opened about a block away from my house back in my hometown that has the best falafel wraps ever, so I went into this situation a little biased against possible competitors. This still wasn't as good, though. I'm seriously about the potential for drip damage.)
   Take a look at the rest of their menu (prices not included).
2. Service -- 5/5 These guys are great! I was helped almost the minute I went into the store and they got to making the wrap right away. The nice man behind the counter flirted just enough to be sweet without being creepy, and they have free ice water in a nice pitcher and cups. Very courteous and attentive, speedy service. 
3. Price -- 4/5 My fairly large wrap (not in-edibly enormous, but enough to make up for minimal breakfast and fill me up until a late dinner -- could safely be split with a friend) cost a little over $6. They have side options in the $3-4 dollar range, as well as larger specialty wraps and plates between $8-10. A nice weekend option if you have a bit of cash to spare.
4. Location and Setting -- 5/5 Full marks for having two locations in Palo Alto, one on swanky University Avenue (15 minute walk from campus, 10 minute bike ride) and one on lower-key but still middle class hippie-yuppie-hybrid California Avenue (20-25 minute walk from campus, 15 minute bike ride). I've never been to the one at University, but on California they have a nice outdoor patio set up with chairs (beware when you're wearing shorts or miniskirts, girls, these are the wiry chairs that leave awkward marks on the back of your legs), umbrellas, and a nice view of this quirky street. People watching opportunities galore, especially on Farmers Market day.
5. Good for... Weekend Wind-Down It was a great place to regroup and enjoy some simple but exotically tasty fare after a hectic weekend of back-to-school frat parties and the oddly frenetic energy of the Farmers Market. It seems to appeal to a lot of different types with different purposes--me with my mountain of assigned reading, three middle-aged men in the middle of what looked like a business meeting, a family of four, and a few young couples.

Well this is getting easier as I go. Remember, I'm still super-new to this and open to any thoughts or suggestions you might have on my tentative entrance into the world of restaurant reviews. I probably wrote this one way too late at night (or, I guess, early in the morning) for it to make a whole ton of sense. Hopefully this week will be kind to me and I'll have my head on straight enough by next Sunday to actually write a coherent review.

Thanks for hangin' in there. See you next weekend!

Three Seasons -- 3.5/5

Don't let the rating fool you. This self-described "contemporary Vietnamese cuisine" has hands-down been my favorite dining experience since coming to Stanford. I've been there twice: once at the beginning of freshman year, and again this weekend after a long and semi-delirious move-in. My two visits, space about a year apart, have two very important things in common. The first is that they were equally wonderful.

1. Food -- 5/5 Unfortunately, I only vaguely remember what I ordered last year, but this weekend my mom and I were torn between all the delicious-looking menu items and ended up splitting three small dishes. In ascending order of goodness, we got: seasonable vegetable curry (smells great, spicy in a good way, overall pretty run-of-the-mill), summer crab rolls (loved em! but maybe I'm biased by my predisposition to shellfish), and duck spring rolls (six pieces of delicate, chewy, easy-to-share Vietnamese goodness with a sweet and spicy kick). Check out their full menu here.
2. Service -- 2/5 I'm tempted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but there were a couple things I can't overlook. Long wait to be seated, friendly but inattentive servers are forgivable, especially on a busy night, but it took them three tries to get our bill right. First they returned it without running the credit card and then it came back with the wrong credit card, which could've been a major bummer for everyone involved.
3. Price -- 2/5 The second very important commonality between my two visits is that both times were with a parent, meaning I didn't have to pay. Two starters and a side costs about $30 + tax (which isn't too terrible if you're splitting with a couple of friends), and larger dishes range from $14-26. But yeah, maybe you should wait 'til Parents Weekend on this one.
4. Location and Setting -- 5/5 518 Bryant Street, just off University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto. Beautiful! Simultaneously relaxed and intimate. If the weather's compliant, definitely opt to sit outside on their patio. It looks out on a beautiful courtyard that separates you from "busy" University Ave and tones down the whole experience a little bit. I recommend walking the mile from campus, especially when it's nice out. Driving is okay if you have to, but why not do this the environmentally friendly way (and avoid the bummer that is parking downtown)?
5. Good for... 3rd+ Dates & Anniversaries Probably don't go here on a first date unless you're sure that the niceness of the restaurant won't accidentally come off as too serious. If you're willing to dish out the dough, however, this could be an awesome anniversary setting. Bonus: most of the food won't ruin your breath... just stay away from the garlic noodles.

Ok! Great! One down! That's all for this week, folks, but stay hungry, stay collegiate, stay tuned.

Food at Stanford is pretty good, all things considered.

I've eaten at a few college cafeterias, and what we have here at Stanford is seriously nothing to complain about. It's healthy, varied, and we have a ton of different dining halls and other restaurant/cafe options on campus. That having been said, it'd be nice to get away from campus once in a while and explore the Palo Alto area... the bistros! The ethnic food! The hipster cafes! At least, if they didn't all seem to come at Silicon Valley (i.e. not-so-student-friendly) prices. That's why, this past summer, I made a pledge to go to a different area restaurant -- ranging from Redwood City to Mountain View, which are the two farthest points that I feel comfortable bike riding on El Camino Real -- every Sunday of the school year and review it for college students based on the following criteria:

1. Food -- How good the food is clearly factors into any restaurant review. Since I only have one stomach (and only so much money), unfortunately I won't be able to review every dish offered, but I'll do my best to represent the overall quality of the restaurant.
2. Service -- Wait time (to be seated, waited on, served, and presented with the bill)? Server attentiveness/attitude? Ability/willingness to accommodate special needs or requests? Etc.
3. Price -- Probably one of the most important factors from the student perspective (if not the most important). What's the average dish price? What's the minimum cost of a decent meal? Is it somewhere you can go alone/with friends, or should you wait until Parents Weekend and sweetly ask them to take you out? Are there any coupons for it in the Stanford directory/unofficial guide?
4. Location and Setting -- For students who don't have a car at school (like me), how easy is it to get to from campus by walking or bike riding? Is it worth renting/splitting the cost of a Zipcar or pressuring your friend with a car into driving? Is it close to any cool stores, movie theaters, etc? What's the neighborhood like? Basically, is it an enjoyable place to have a meal?
5. Events -- Is this a good setting for a date? Which date (first, second, anniversary, etc)? How about group stuff: club or team celebrations, senior dinners, dorm banquets, group dates?

Let me know if you have any suggestions--places you like and want to share, or that you've always been curious about but have never had a good enough reason to take the effort to get off campus and visit. Or do you  feel like contributing your own thoughts on each restaurant or questioning my credentials as a restaurant reviewer? Go for it, because I don't really have any, other than a knack for cooking and a love of going out for lunch. These are just my opinions, as well as a great excuse to eat yummy off-campus food every once in a while. My restaurant adventures begin this Sunday and end when I graduate in June 2013. Stay tuned!