Make Way for Kwik Way!

Several years ago, a beloved staple of Oakland’s Lake Merrit neighborhood, the Kwik Way Drive-In, shut its doors.  The retro-style burger joint had been a local favorite, satisfying the needs of customers with late-night cravings for crispy fries and a shake, and easing Sunday morning hangovers with its deliciously greasy cheeseburgers accompanied by a side of onion rings.  It was a sad day for all when they closed, and the establishment remained vacant ever since.   Windows boarded up (an excellent canvas for graffiti, I might add), there seemed to be no sign of life to speak of.  That is, until around September 2010, when construction workers suspiciously began coming in and out of the building, and rumors started flying about a grand reopening on the horizon.

Well kiddies, last week it finally happened, and I am very excited to say that I was there!  Kwik Way’s neon green sign lit up the night sky for the first time in years, and people came out from all over the ‘hood to try out the new and improved menu.

I was a little intimidated at first, as the menu consisted not only of the traditional burger and french-fry fare, but included surprising new additions such as fried chicken, warm bread pudding, and pizza.  I went with the fried chicken, which I had coincidentally been craving all week, and my boyfriend stuck with the basics – a cheddar cheese burger and a coke.

Our review?

HELL YEAH!  My fried chicken was super fresh, the meat was juicy and fall-off-the-bone tender.  The batter was light and crunchy, and it didn’t have that bowling-ball-in-the-stomach after effect that many fried chicken establishments tend to leave you with.  The only downfall of the experience was that my boyfriend kept repeating over and over, “This is the best f****in’ burger I have ever had.” or  “These guys are doing it right!  The flavor!” with almost every single bite he took (I mean, seriously?!).  Apparently, he’s a fan.  It was awesome news and everything, but I ended up having to punch him in the arm and tell him to “hush up”, so that I could bask in the glory of my own meal.

Needless to say, we will be back.  And next time, I am bringing earplugs. 🙂

Kwik Way Drive-In is located at 500 Lake Park Ave (between Rand Ave & Lakeshore Ave) in Oakland.

http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2011/04/18/kwik-way-gloriously-reopens-in-oakland/

Attention Food Lovers! Must Attend.

BIG shout-out to ForageSF for their amazing Underground Market, a celebration of locally made food and a place where non-commercial chefs can strut their stuff and sell their culinary creations to the public.  Part farmer’s market and part block party, the nomadic event (this past Saturday it was hosted by our beloved Public Works) includes a slew of vendors displaying a vast array of cuisines.

Some of my faves?  The bacon-wrapped mochi (yeah, you heard me) served in little Chinese takeout boxes, and the Meat Baller, a couple of lovely ladies slinging meatball sliders with cheese- a classic yes, but done soooooo very well.  Other popular booths were chicken and waffles and The Grilled Cheese Guy.

Sign up for their email list and make sure you don’t miss the next one!

Related Articles

• Night Market @ Public Works (Sat. 3/26/11) (artlarking.com)

Can’t Be Beet

Today I had the pleasure of attending a brunch hosted by my friend Ann Dennehy.  I was inspired (once again) by Ann’s delectable meal and thought I would share a recipe for a dish she served a few months back. I recreated it on Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit with the family, which includes intense super foodies as well as the pickiest of eaters, so I am pretty confident that many of you would enjoy it too.  The best part is, I am so not known for my culinary skills in any way shape or form, so if I can make this dish a success, you definitely can too! Enjoy!

ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE

Ingredients:

6 sm Beets; trimmed

6 tb Extra-virgin olive oil

3 tb Shrerry wine vinegar

1 Clove garlic; pressed

1 pn Sugar

12 c Mixed baby greens

2 Green onions; sliced

1/2 c Crumbled Gorgonzola cheese;

1/3 c Chopped walnuts; toasted

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400(ish) F. Wrap beets in foil, enclosing completely. Bake until beets are tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. Peel and slice beets. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Whisk olive oil, sherry wine vinegar, garlic and sugar in a medium bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Combine mixed greens, sliced green onions and beets in a large bowl. Pour dressing over and toss to coat. Divide salad among 6 plates. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola cheese and toasted walnuts and serve. Makes 6 servings.

Recipe by: Gourmet, October, 1995 Posted to recipelu-digest by “Crane C. Walden” on Mar 5, 1998

Sushi Lame-O

Just got back from one of my ex-favorite sushi spots in SF.  Sigh…
Does anyone else have one of those restaurants? A spot that used to be your secret favorite- super cheap, nice ambiance, great food, excellent portions, friendly staff…and then one day you drop in for the millionth time, (although this time you brought one of your friends who has never been, and you’ve spent the last two hours going on and on about how fabulous the place is…) and when you sit down and open the menu you are positively shocked to see that the prices have practically doubled.  It’s not your super cheap gem-in-the-rough anymore?! Not only that, but the quality has plummeted, and you spend the rest of the meal apologizing for every single bite your friend takes, insisting that the place used to be fantastic, and you have no idea where or when they went wrong.
Afterwards, you stop by Taqueria Cancun for some real food.
Who’s had a similar experience? And who wants to share their fave sushi spots in the Bay Area?