What's your favorite underrated menu item at a restaurant whose popular dish is overrated? [Bay Area]

true, but Augie’s isn’t New York deli, and we do have (or had) a couple of delis here that were near that range.

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Most sides I’ve had were almost universally bad or lackluster at BBQ places, but BBQ Hut on Shattuck (now long gone) had really exceptional beans. I feel like there was a bit of coffee mixed in somehow. Anyone knows if they’ve ever started up at a new location?

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The Fat Lady/Oakland
Famous for: serious drinking bar
Underrated: zucchini fries. You will never eat them anywhere else after trying TFL’s version. Thin, crispy, with a housemade blue cheese drip.

New Dumpling/El Cerrito
Famous for: dumplings
Underrated: Green onion pancake. Flaky, greaseless; better than any other restaurant we’ve tried. Better-quality flour is the secret, I think.

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Yes! We had 2 orders of dumplings + 1 order of green onion bing at New Dumpling, and next time we’re going to swap the quantities!

That also reminds me that Bakesale Betty’s which has long had lines for their (frankly mediocre, sometimes even dry) fried chicken sandwiches really ought to be known for their baked goods – it’s in the name! Really great seasonal desserts.

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Yeah it’s a real shame BSB stopped most or all of their baked goods. (What baked goods do they still make/sell? Haven’t been for at least 5 years.) They were excellent. Lamingtons and the pies were great.

I also find the FCS dry and the roll overwhelms everything. OTOH, the fried chicken salad was/is great. No bread and the salad adds some moisture or texture that doesn’t give you a dry mouth.