Watch the new Food & Wine segment from This Week in Northern California featuring Leslie Sbrocco, host of Check, Please! Bay Area in conversation with Bay Area Bites bloggers Michael Procopio and Stephanie Rosenbaum. The discussion focuses on restaurants and the recession and underground farmers' markets and the street food trend.

Related Bay Area Bites blog posts:

Underground Farmers' Market
Cutting Corners: Tipping in a Down Economy

Please note that in order to appear on the show, guests must be at least 21 years old, and be willing to travel to and participate in a taping at KQED studios in San Francisco. The taping will take place on a weekday in late February and last a few hours. Those chosen to be a guest on Check, Please! Bay Area must also be able to get to the KQED studio at their own expense, and to travel to any restaurant location within a 50-mile radius of San Francisco. The shows will air on KQED 9HD as part of the fifth season of Check, Please! Bay Area, beginning in May 2010.

1) Joe's of Westlake: | restaurant information | reviews |

2) La Mediteranee: | restaurant information | reviews |

3) Roy's Restaurant: | restaurant information | reviews | recipe |

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My name is Leslie Sbrocco and I'm the host of Check, Please! Bay Area. Each week, I will be sharing my tasting notes about the wine the guests and I drank on set during the taping of the show.

Wines of the Week: KQED Wine Club
Our guests enjoyed these two delicious offerings from the KQED Wine Club. Tonight's wines spotlight Old World elegance. Join the club!

2005 Domaine Michel Delorme, Pouilly-Fuissé, France
Among Chardonnay lovers, Pouilly-Fuissé has cache. From grapes grown at the intersection of the small towns of Pouilly and Fuissé in southern Burgundy in France, this juicy white with mineral aromas is classically styled.

2003 Macula “Tandem,” Navarra, Spain
A hint of age mellows the tannic grip of this spicy red, which makes a lovely match for grilled lamb with roasted potatoes.

Special Wine
2005 Signorello Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California
This bold Cabernet Sauvignon is the embodiment of the saying, “iron fist in a velvet glove.” With touches of Merlot and Cabernet Franc blended for complexity, this powerful yet plush wine is a keeper.

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Location:
11 Glenwood Avenue (at Northgate Avenue)
Daly City, CA 94015

Parking: Free lot

Phone: 650-755-7400
Website: www.joesofwestlake.com

Restaurant Owner: Melinda Scatena
Executive Chef: Max Morales

Type of Cuisine: Italian
Signature Dishes: Homemade Ravioli, Steak a la Bruno, Joe's Special, Veal Scaloppine, Veal Parmigiana
Vegetarian Options: 3+ items
Alcohol Served: Full bar
Corkage Fee: None
Bottle Limit: None

Restaurant Hours:
Monday: 11:00am-11:00pm
Tuesday: 11:00am-11:00pm
Wednesday: 11:00am-11:00pm
Thursday: 11:00am-11:00pm
Friday: 11:00am-12:00am
Saturday: 11:00am-12:00am
Sunday: 11:00am-11:00pm

Meals Served: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, late night
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: No
Average Breakfast/Lunch Price Range (Per person, full meal, tax, 15% gratuity, w/o alcohol): $15-$25
Average Dinner Price Range (Per person, full meal, tax, 15% gratuity, w/o alcohol): $15-$25
Payment Options: Cash, Visa, MasterCard, American Express
Accept Reservations: Yes, for five or more
Need Reservations: No
How far in advance should reservations be made? Same day

Accommodations for Children: Kid-friendly
Dining Style: Casual
Disabled Access: Yes
Restaurant Size: Large (100+ seats)
Accommodate Groups (10+): Yes
Private Dining Room: No
Tables with Scenic Views: No
Outdoor Dining: No
Entertainment: Jazz

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Boiled Beef, Spaghetti al Pesto, Chicken Piccata with Ravioli

The emphasis is on freshly prepared foods with no preservatives. No packaged meats are used. The restaurant cuts its own steak and breaks down veal from sirloins. Salad dressings are house-made. Popular lunch dishes are filet of sole and chicken scaloppini with choice of mixed vegetables, spaghetti or ravioli.

The roast beef and pot roast sandwiches are popular. The burgers are made from nine ounces of ground chuck with onions pressed into the patty and cooked on the charcoal broiler. Steak a la Bruno is a signature dish. The 10-ounce steak is marinated with garlic, olive oil, and a secret blend of spices, and then broiled. The 11-ounce New York-cut Minute Steak is also very popular. The traditional Joe’s specials are: veal scaloppine with mushrooms, roast prime rib, roast lamb, calf's liver, and steak with onions, bacon, or mushrooms.

There’s always roast chicken or broiled, and boneless skinless marinated breast of chicken. Wines, predominantly from California are available. Desserts are available. A house special is house-made fried cream in blue flambé, which is fried, soaked in brandy and brought to the table flambéed. The recipe is a secret.

Every morning before the place opens at 11PM, a line forms. Three generations of Peninsulans have enjoyed the fact that Joe’s of Westlake relies on true value, not trends.

I did not want to eat a five-dollar salad, so we asked for small side salads, which were sad and spare, and which ended up being five bucks. I ordered the Monday Special, which was Swiss Italian steak with steamed veggies. I was hoping it included mashed potatoes, but left it to chance. When my food arrived, there was a lovely mound of savory spuds right on the side of my plate.

The steak was tender, juicy, and everything I had hoped for. The potatoes were rich, delicious and had a satisfying consistency. The "steamed veggies," however, were obviously from a frozen bag. My dinner guests noticed the signature crinkle cut of the carrots as standard frozen fare.

Overall, it was a bit disappointing, considering the price. The servers could be more concerned about guest experience, but in no way were they rude or dismissive. This seems like a place that might be riding on its position as a community mainstay, but could do better by seeking excellence. There seemed to be a lot of locals and regulars, several birthday parties actually. The dining area was large and accommodating. Padded tables and very, very soft napkins.

It is a bit out of my way, but I would go back. The menu and website tantalizes me with the basic spaghetti with Joe’s signature meat sauce. I would love to try that. There is some good shopping nearby, so if one were to be in Daly City doing some gift purchases, this is a great place to meet and eat. However, if you are looking for well-crafted food with enthusiastic service, seek elsewhere. A few suggestions my pals and I would make are fresh ground pepper and cheese service, fresh herbs, and maybe look into getting excited about the side dishes. The best thing on our table was a chicken dish with lemon, capers, and ravioli. Last word: go with someone who loves this place so they can tell you what gets cooked with love, not duty.

It didn’t take us long to get a table, and I realized that majority of the clientele were older couples and families. I thought it took us awhile to put in our order.

Sadly, everything about the restaurant was brown -- the carpet was brown, the tables were brown, the chairs were brown, the walls were brown, and the food was brown. I personally had a hard time choosing something on the menu, as everything was meat, meat, and more meat. The few vegetable options that I found were the salad selection and mixed vegetable side dish. I was looking for something heartier, so I opted for the Spaghetti al Pesto.

My friends ordered tea and were given a pot of tepid water to steep their tea bags in. The second pot was much hotter, but the first was such a disappointment. The bread on the table was substantial but cold, always a drawback in my book.

The plates were huge when they arrived. In general, everyone who ordered a meat dish was pretty satisfied. I couldn’t believe I was paying $13.25 for a plate of spaghetti with pesto sauce! It was tasty, but certainly over priced. Overall, we were pretty underwhelmed by the dishes. It felt like something we could easily cooked at home. The hamburger steak was dry, but the chicken parmigiana was well received. It came with fries, which were fat and tasty. They must have been cooked in beef tallow because they had that greasy McDonald’s flavor to them.

Because the portions were so sizeable, we did not have a lot of space (or enthusiasm) for dessert. We ordered the most unusual dessert on the menu -- Fried Cream in Blue Flame. It was two slabs of fried cream in a small flaming small dish and floating in rum. Usually when a restaurant serves a flaming dish, the waiters make a big deal. We weren’t warned that the dish would be flaming or when to blow out the flame. We must have blown it out too early because it tasted distinctly of alcohol and didn’t go down the palate smoothly.

Overall, I would say Joe’s of Westlake is a kitschy, neighborhood meat place and is perfect if you like that sort of thing. The food is safe, familiar and hearty. A very average Joe’s.

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Location:
2936 College Ave (between Ashby and Russell)
Berkeley, CA, CA 94705

Parking: Street (difficult)

Phone: 510-540-7773
Email: info@cafelamed.com
Website: www.cafelamed.com

Restaurant Owners: Levon Der Bedrossian and Garbis Baghdassarian
Executive Chef: Levon Der Bedrossian

Type of Cuisine: Armenian, Lebanese, Greek
Signature Dishes: Chicken Pomegranate, Chicken Cilicia, Salad Mediterranee
Vegetarian Options: 3+ items
Alcohol Served: Beer and wine
Corkage Fee: $10
Bottle Limit: None

Restaurant Hours:
Monday: 10:00am-10:00pm
Tuesday: 10:00am-10:00pm
Wednesday: 10:00am-10:00pm
Thursday: 10:00am-10:00pm
Friday: 10:00am-11:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am-11:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am-9:30pm

Meals Served: Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: Yes, through EZDineInn.com
Average Breakfast/Lunch Price Range (Per person, full meal, tax, 15% gratuity, w/o alcohol): Under $15
Average Dinner Price Range (Per person, full meal, tax, 15% gratuity, w/o alcohol): $15-$25
Payment Options: Cash, Visa, MasterCard, American Express
Accept Reservations: Yes, for seven or more
Need Reservations: No

Accommodations for Children: Kid-friendly
Dining Style: Casual
Disabled Access: Yes
Restaurant Size: Medium (30-100 seats)
Accommodate Groups (10+): Yes
Private Dining Room: No
Tables with Scenic Views: No
Outdoor Dining: Yes
Entertainment: No

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Fillo Combination, Salad Mediterranee, Chicken Pomegranate

There is a charming hostess to greet us. We get a choice of indoor or outdoor seating, I choose indoor, but the chilly weather is warmed by heaters for the diners outside. I have gotten the same thing here for years: the three fillo combo. It is three little, flaky, savory fillo cakes with a side of lemon chicken soup. I choose the Chicken Cilia (cinnamon chicken with garbonzo beans), Spinach and Feta, and the Cheese Karni (an enchanting blend of cheeses that I still cannot pinpoint). The modest garnish on the side makes for my flavor mixing celebration. I get a slice of orange, pineapple, banana, and Muenster cheese next to a small mound of hummus. I love slicing of a bit of the fruit to eat with a bite of fillo. The combinations highlight and activate different elements of each cake. With the dinner combo, there are four fillo offered, so I get the tasty ground beef and pine nut cake, further increasing the possibilities of tasty exploration.

My mood and joy for the delicious food is complemented by pairing the meal with a glass or three of retsina, a white wine aged in pine barrels. It is not for everyone and the aroma is rather strong, but I find it refreshing and yummy. Going with friends is fun, because we can share an order of the pomegranate chicken. Plump, delectable drumsticks of slow cooked chicken in a slightly tangy sauce where the meat literally falls off the bone.

The mood is light but energetic. Usually rhythmic instrumental music is playing that makes me wonder why nobody is dancing (I sometimes do on my way to the restroom). The decor is distinct but simple; a mood is set without being overpowering or too gaudy.

Go here for a work meeting, with out of town visitors, for a sexy date, or just to treat yourself to lunch and enjoy your current novel or comic book. This is the perfect joint to hit up during the holiday shopping season. You can cross off at least a handful of gifts while nourishing that gnawing, hustle-harried belly.

There is covered, outside seating in front of the restaurant. It was a nice day and we considered sitting out there so we could people watch, but decided to eat inside because there was much more to take in visually. The ceiling of the restaurant was covered in cloth panels that softened the look of the industrial ceiling. There was a skylight -- always a plus! The lighting was bright and the place felt airy. Considering it was a Sunday at 2:30pm, the place was pretty full, but the acoustics were great, as we never thought it was too loud. We didn’t have to wait too long to get our table either.

The place has a fun, eclectic feel. Each table had a little tray with a classic Coke ad displayed on the side, and they each also had a small vase filled with a different wild flower. It gave each table a unique look. There was a small bar in the back of the restaurant surrounded by fake grapes. Totally kitschy-cute. You could see all the way to the back of the kitchen, and it was reassuring to know that they’re willing to expose their cooking area so openly.

I was sorry that one of my guy friends was not able to come with us. I think he would have appreciated the quality of waitresses that were there. Each one was friendly and accommodating and had that certain Berkeley flair that added to the ambiance of the restaurant. And they were all cute.

I’m not a big fan of hummus, but my boyfriend will order it any chance he gets. It was wonderful! Definitely one of the best I’ve ever tasted -- comparable to all the homemade hummus I’ve had in the past. Plus they added vegetable slices like beets, carrots, and red lettuce that could be used to scoop up the hummus in lieu of pita bread. Another added bonus was the pita bread came warm and was a combination of regular and whole wheat.

For my main dish I ordered Grecian Spinach and Feta Fillo Dough Specialty with the lentil soup as my side dish. I’ve never seen anything like that in another other menu serving the same fare. Anton ordered the Levantine Meat Tart with chicken lemon soup (!) as his side dish. We were both impressed by the plating -- it turned out that for $10.25, we got a whole dish. Not only did it come with four fillo rolls, it came with the soup, a side of hummus, three slices of varied fruit (pineapple, orange, and banana) and a small triangle of Gouda cheese. We figured the fruit and cheese served as dessert.

Our waitress came by to notify Anton that she had given him the wrong plate. Instead of the Levantine Meat Tart, he had been given the fillo combination, which included my Grecian Spinach and Feta, Cheese Karni, Levantine Meat Tart and Chicken Cilicia. He was so happy with the mistake he kept the plate. We both agreed that the spinach and feta rolls deserved a “happy food dance,” which is our parlance for “awesome food.” I tried some of the Chicken Cilicia, which we thought was the most shocking thing on the plate because it was actually sweet and almost dessert like. But oh so tasty!

The lentil soup was good, but nothing too exciting. I thought it lacked depth. The chicken lemon soup was just so unusual we both had to try it. It was tasty and surprising. A very clever combination!

I enjoyed my beer. I had specifically requested an exotic beer, and the waitress recommended the Almaza beer from Lebanon. She said that it flew off their shelves, and they had to keep lots of extra stock to meet the demand. It was a light, not so hoppy beer, with a clear, bright yellow color. Considering the warmer weather, I thought it was a great complement to the meal.

We were so full from the meal that we had to forgo our dessert. I didn’t even manage to finish two of my rolls and packed them up in a to-go box with the rest of the hummus.

We had to ask the waitress for directions to another place on the Berkeley campus, and she was really helpful and even provided us with a map of the campus. Apparently, they do a lot of deliveries.

I went to the bathroom on the way out. It was nicely tiled and decorated. I was a little disappointed to note that there was paper on the floor, and it looked the trashcan needed to be emptied.

A definite go-to restaurant! There were other items on the menu I didn’t have a chance to try and would love to go back. I’d be curious to try out their other locations in San Francisco to see if they have the same casual, eclectic, laid back vibe that the one in Berkeley has.