greasepig reviews

Or is this place called "A nice little place to eat"? I'm not sure, but I do know this: This is another place, like Chef Jia's, that hasn't changed in over five years. It's at the corner of Chenery and Diamond, kitty corner from Tiger's. This place has a chalkboard instead of a dry erase board, and it is most certainly the exact same one that was there when I first visited back in 1997. It even says "New Items:" on it, talking about the Pesto and the Chicken Delight crepes, just as it did back then. I guess I would call this an example of an original crepe place. About 3 or 4 years ago, this city was lousy with crepe places that had chalkboard menus and 89 different kinds of crepes. I'm actually kind of surprised how large a percentage of them have survived after all this time.

Almost every single aspect of this place should be described by the adjective "comfortable": The wooden benches along each of the walls. The tiny tables not quite big enough for your meal and your book and a motorcycle helmet. The carefully chosen, yet not quite loud enough to hear over the din, light jazz. The burlap coffee bags stapled to the ceiling. The art on the walls that changes every week. The Eastern European guy with the goatee and the high voice. The newspapers strewn all over the benches, providing you with at least the sports section if you didn't bring anything to read yourself.

I ordered a Chicken Delight, probably my favorite. It's got chicken, pesto sauce, spinach, cheese, mushrooms, olive oil, spices, and I think some other stuff. Of course there are home fries, too - mostly fluffy and with a couple of crunchy potato skins thrown in for variety. I always do the same thing: put about ten drops of Tobasco on the crepe, and a couple of tablespoons of ketchup for the fries.

When I lived in the neighborhood, I always ordered a cup of coffee, and got one or two refills during the afternoon. But since I'm off coffee now, it was a pot of English Breakfast tea. Although it tasted great, they've still got the same problem with tea that every single other establishment in the Bay Area does: they don't know how to serve and make it convenient. He gave me a coffee cup with a giant strainer on it, and a kettle of loose leaf tea. Whenever I order hot tea, it's either a big *sigh* because of the trouble I'm causing or they just throw a teabag in a cup of hot water. This tea was tasty, but with the containers I was given, it was impossible for me to keep from spilling a few drops of tea, this time on my book. I'm still looking for the perfect cup of tea in the Bay Area. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears.

Well, sorry to complain so much, as that is actually kind of misleading. I've ordered Chicken Delight probably about fifty times, and it has never disappointed. My meal, as always, was excellent, and the ambience is unique and refreshing. I'll be coming back here again and again.
Rating: 4 Godzillas