Neto Sausage Co.

Neto Sausage co.: Santa Clara, CA

You can smell the barbecue from blocks away. Neto Sausage Company is .. well .. a family owned sausage company in Santa Clara. They claim, and I believe that their sausages are made from the freshest and finest ingredients. The Neto Sausage Co. sells all kinds of meat. Inside you'll find a counter where you can look at and select your choice of meat, cheese, wine and chocolates .. to go.
They have a makeshift barbecue going on Tuesdays and Fridays during lunch. Typical lunch hour is very crowded and a wait (in multiple lines .. 1 for picking up your sausage from the barbecue outside, 1 for delivering it to the sandwich maker inside and a last one for payment .. talk about inconvenience) should not surprise. They have ample sitting space at the back where you can enjoy your pick with beer or soda. The sausages served in the barbecue are actually rectangular flat patties .. so its easier to eat and you get some sausage in every bite! Talk about convenience! You get a sufficiently big sausage (or steak or chicken) sandwich, 1 small bag of chips and a can of soda for around 10 dollars.

Highly recommended - Linguica Sausage Burger (Linguica is a Portugese sausage) (try the spicy one), Italian Calabrese Sausage Burger (spicy), Italian with Herb Sausage Burger.

Gripes - I wish they had the barbecue every day instead of just Tuesday and Friday.

Food: ***** Ambiance: ** Price: $$
Last visited: mid 2008

Pei Wei Asian Diner

Pei Wei Asian Diner: Irving, TX

I had visited Dallas some 5 years ago and had lunch at Pei Wei and loved it. For five years I had to reminisce on that meal, savoring the whole experience in my mind. Luckily, I've had the chance to visit TX quite often these days and have never given up on the opportunity to eat at Pei Wei again.

Pei Wei rocks. The whole ambiance, being classy yet casual at the same time. Fresh, delicious and quick food, and courteous service make it among my top choices to eat. Let me leave no doubt. Pei Wei rocks.

If you still feel the need to read ahead, Pei Wei is a subsidiary of P.F. Chang's and you can expect the same quality of food here .. with the exception that its cheaper, faster .. and in my opinion .. with service which can be defined as non-stuck-up.

The lettuce wraps are delish, and the rice and noodle bowls are a perfect meal .. a mix of your choice of meat, fresh and crisp veggies and white or brown rice. [Go for the brown]. Dan Dan Noodles, Soba Miso, Spicy Korean ... dammit .. I should not be writing this around lunch hour. Pei Wei is the (a bit) casual equivalent of Big Bowl. There I've said it.

Food: ***** Ambiance: **** Price: $$
Last visited: mid 2008

Potbelly Sandwich Works

Potbelly Sandwich Works: Irving, TX

Potbelly (aptly named) is a nice, homely kind of place to grab a quick lunch on a weekday, or to go to for an idyllic one on weekends. They offer really good sandwiches, salads, soups and smoothies. The sandwiches are made fresh with good portions of meat; though the vegetarian sandwich is pretty good too. Shakes / Malts / Smoothies are heavenly and very satisfying in the searing Dallas heat.

Fortunately there's not a cornucopia of choice, which always confuses me. The method is quite simple. Select your sandwich, select your shake, enjoy.

Food: **** Ambiance: ** Price: $$
Last visited: mid 2008

Maria Elena's Taquería

Maria Elena's Taqueria: Alviso, Bay Area

If you like mexican food, and live in the Bay Area .. you gotta visit this place. Maria Elena's Taqueria is a BIG place in Alviso .. right where the bay starts. It looks like a small, run-down kind of place from outside .. but once you enter only then do you really get the feel of the place. This taqueria is huge .. with wings on both sides of the entrance .. easily seating more than a 100 people. Being quite far from the the usual techie-centric places (ever heard anyone go to Alviso for lunch?), its still full during lunch hour. The food is as mexican as it can get .. with medium portions.

Seating is plentiful and well spaced. Ambiance is .. well lets call it unadorned. [When I went there and entire outer wall of our wing was made of brown paper stuck on the wooden structure]. Service is fast and friendly, the salsa is fresh and tasty. Food is good .. I had the fish tacos .. though the waitress did not understand my request to have the fish grilled instead of fried .. I admit they tasted pretty damn good. The sour cream was heavenly. Enchiladas and the Santa Fe chicken salad looked good too. Should be a good place for big groups .. just make sure you reach there before the lunch crowd.

Food: **** Ambiance: * Price: $$
Last visited: mid 2008

Vessel

Vessel: Seattle

Vessel is a small, contemporary bar in downtown Seattle. Its very chic, urbane and expensive. Aiming for the yuppies, Vessel presents a nice, relaxed atmosphere with well spaced tables, fancy chairs and stools and a whole glassy feel. When you go in .. you can feel the class. And you better .. with drinks going into double digits. Did I say its small?

The main room has a bar up front, a few tables, and the thing that got me .. a display window to sit in!!You can sit on the stools and look out of a show-case-like glass out onto the street. The people walking on the street are equally surprised to see live people sitting out in a show-case window (very interactive). Its fun. Upstairs is 2 separate rooms .. better for bigger groups .. but not too big of course.

The drinks are different .. they seem to experiment with a wide variety of mixes and fruit juice .. and produce and overall pleasing range. Vessel seems to put the right amount of alcohol in their drinks. I have found out that most bars nowadays water down their drinks a bit .. probably to sell more of them. Not Vessel.
Oh and they don't have food!! Apparently they used to have it but stopped. So only drinks now.

Overall I had a fun time there .. thanks to the drinks and interactive sit-out. Also probably that someone else was paying.

Food (drinks): **** Ambiance: **** Price: $$$$