Because the lamb was so good, I knew I had to try the goat karahi special ($8.99). Karahi is a stew that’s popular in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. It’s named after the round metal pot used to cook the dish, and is often made with chicken, lamb or goat. At Al-Maida, the dish is served with a plate of basmati rice or naan and a red cabbage and onion salad.
But shabu shabu does tend to be all about the meat, and Hancook offers a lot of options in that department, too. The vividly crimson rib eye steak was sliced so thin that pieces cooked almost instantly. The brisket, while naturally tougher, arrived super-thin and marbled. The pork belly soaked up flavor and melted in its fattiness. And the shaved slices of pork neck offered a surprisingly gamey intensity. After a quick dunk in the broth, each item tasted multidimensional, and the trio of sauces on offer — chili sauce, ponzu, and a salty goma-dare that almost tasted like peanut butter — deepened the flavor.
Shabu House
1376 E 14th St., San Leandro
510-351-2888 MyShabuHouse.com
Hours: Sun.–Thu. 5–9:30 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 5–10 p.m.
Janelle Bitker, an excellent food writer at the East Bay Express, has been hired by Eater SF but will freelance for the Express. I think that the Express is looking for another food writer.
Photo by Constanza Hevia H.
Steamed in banana leaves, the tamales arrive slick and soft.
excerpt:
But those pupusas. They’re traditional in size — a bit smaller, thinner, and more delicate than those you’ll find at some other Bay Area eateries, which often serve thick, heavy pucks with too much masa and not enough filling. These are pupusas sized for picking up with your hands, as you should. You’ll find the staple fillings of cheese, zucchini, refried beans, and pork, as well as combinations of them. If you order one with cheese, you will get those satisfying cheese pulls — add loroco, small, green unopened flower buds, for a bit of lightness and freshness, or pork for double the unctuousness. Fish and shrimp are other, more unusual options. The itty-bitty flecks of fish melt into the cheese so the flavor is imperceptible, but the juicy hunks of shrimp work well. There’s also a rice flour variation, which arrives a bit paler, firmer, and less sweet than the usual corn.
What most impressed me, though, was the curtido, the lightly fermented cabbage, carrot, onion, and oregano slaw that’s absolutely required for pupusa enjoyment. It delivered beautiful crunch and sharp tang, heightened by the red, tomato-based, and vinegar-forward salsa.
El Salvador Taqueria y Pupuseria
6520 Foothill Blvd., Oakland
510-567-3481
Hours: Mon., Tue., Thu. 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; Fri. 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat., Wed. 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Cash, all major credit cards
Now that Maya Halal Taqueria has taken over, “it’s not just any taqueria,” said Al. “It’s women-owned and operated by the same staff” as La Chata.
The menu appears to be relatively similar, but in keeping with its halal focus, the new spot no longer offers pork. Expect to see Tex-Mex-style fare with halal meats, plus house-made tortilla chips.
The latest addition to the East Bay’s Filipino food scene is FOB Kitchen, in the former Juhu Beach Club restaurant in Oakland’s Temescal neighborhood. The new restaurant — which will be remade into a Philippines-inspired space with bright colors, decorative art, and ocean-inspired hues — is aiming for a late-September debut, with chef Janice Dulce at the helm and co-owned with her partner Brandi Dulce.
PHOTO BY BRANDI DULCE
FOB Kitchen’s tocino — house-cured pork shoulder, garlic rice, and sunny side up egg.
More unusual Asian flavors include Lychee, and even more uncommon are the Soy Sauce Swirl, Chrysanthemum Tea & Honey, and Maple Chinese Sausage.
…
“Chinese sausage is in fried rice a lot, and it’s a dried, cured sausage that is savory with a little bit of sweet, just like bacon,” they said (Ho identifies as gender non-binary, and prefers they and them pronouns). “A maple base makes sense since it’s very similar to the popular maple and bacon combination.”
