Cake. Opens in Lafayette

September 18, 2012 11:30 am

Back in August I noted that Teacake Bake Shop closed in downtown Lafayette and now a new bakery has opened, appropriately called Cake. Note the period is part of their name. I think I’m seeing a trend here. Anyway, the owner Andrea Quinn used to be the pastry chef at the Oakland restaurant Bay Wolf, and owned a bakery in Hawaii for many years. Cake. offers handcrafted bakery items that are 90% organic, with locally sourced ingredients such as honey and eggs.

The interior is beautifully decorated with rotating artwork from the Berkeley vintage European poster showroom Vepca.

Note the iPad being used in place of a cash register. Amazing.

Sightglass coffee is for sale on one wall:

The coconut macaroon I tried was amazing, yum! Cake. is located at 35 Lafayette Circle in La Fiesta Square in Lafayette.

1 Comment

Progress on Habit Burger in Sprouts Shopping Plaza (Walnut Creek)

September 17, 2012 11:30 am

Of all the stores opening in the Sprouts Shopping plaza on Geary Rd, The Habit Burger Grill is coming along the furthest. The other Walnut Creek Habit Burger is hugely popular so it’s no surprise they decided to open another one. Check out their menu here.

Check out the (bigger) inside:

The only thing I worry about is parking. It’s already pretty full now with only Sprouts being open. When Habit Burger, Freebirds World Burrito (next to Habit), and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf open up things could get ugly parking-wise.

8 Comments

Orinda Restaurant Tour Sept. 18th

September 14, 2012 11:30 am

From the Orinda Chamber of Commerce:

The event will take place from 5:00 to 9:30 p.m. in the Theatre District of downtown Orinda. Each restaurant and winery on the tour will provide a small portion that best represents the establishment at no cost to the event ticket holders. The cost of an individual ticket purchased in advance will be $40 (tickets purchased at the door of the event will be $45.00). Reservations will be limited, so attendees are encouraged to reserve early.

Attendees will also enjoy …

Free valet parking …

Free 10 minute massages …

Culinary exhibition by a local master chef …

Art exhibit featuring 30 local artists …

Live music and dancing

This looks like a fun event for next Tuesday evening in Orinda. Anyone been before? How was it?

0 Comments

Mooyah Walnut Creek Preview

September 12, 2012 11:30 am

Earlier this week I noted that the Texas-based burger joint Mooyah was opening in Ygnacio Valley Shopping Center in Walnut Creek on Monday, but it turns out that permits didn’t quite go through so the few lucky who stopped by that evening were treated to a free dinner in order to train their staff. I’m glad I decided to go to Sports Basement that evening and checked it out. Mooyah may be opening as early as today if the permits go through but I would call to confirm.

I would say it is most similar to the Habit Burger and based on my meal, which was a burger with cheddar cheese, pickles, grilled onions, mushrooms, bacon, avocado and ketchup on a lettuce wrap (I know, how lame to have it on lettuce) it was quite good! The fact that you can add so many free toppings is awesome. Bacon and avocado are extra though. Check out the menu here. Another difference with Habit is that they bake the buns fresh at the restaurant. You can even see the buns baking in the photo above at left.

Check out the California welcome wall:

The milk bottle decorations are cool, and the blackboard doodle wall is a nice touch as well:

Check out more wall decorations including the “I smell milkshakes!” wall after the jump.

0 Comments

Baking Company in Walnut Creek to be Renamed Bake!

September 11, 2012 11:30 am

That exclamation point is not to make the post more emphatic, rather that will be part of the Baking Company’s new name that replaced the previous tenant Walnut Creek Baking Company in downtown Walnut Creek.

I just had to stop by to see what was being offered, and I saw many of the exact same bakery items that I used to get at the WCBC. An employee mentioned they planned on renaming it Bake!, although it’s not been decided for sure. I did find it odd that they were reusing the Walnut Creek Baking Company’s leftover bags etc for purchases. Not to mention the award winning Diablo sign is still up on the window. If you didn’t inquire as to whether it’s a different bakery you might just assume it’s still the Walnut Creek Baking Company, especially considering the same recipes are being used. If you have been familiar with the Walnut Creek Baking Company’s pastries you can tell the difference which reminds me of a quote Lloyd Bentsen made during the vice-presidential debate against Dan Quayle in 1988.

0 Comments

Mooyah Burgers Opening Sept. 10th in Ygnacio Valley Shopping Center (Walnut Creek)

September 10, 2012 11:30 am

Mooyah, a Texan burger joint is opening their second California location, (the first is in Merced), right in Ygnacio Valley Shopping Center in Walnut Creek today (assuming permits go through).

Check out the inside:

This is the menu for the Walnut Creek location:

Interestingly, as I was taking photos from the outside, a bunch of people from Mooyah came out and I started asking them about the burgers, and how it compares to Habit Burger. Turns out the guy setting up the store was from Texas and had never heard of Habit Burger. I’m curious to try this place out, if you go let us know how it is! The menu says free toppings, what’s the best combo to get?

4 Comments

Bakery Company Opens Today in Walnut Creek

September 7, 2012 11:30 am

The ~~Walnut Creek~~ Baking Company is opening today, exactly one week after the original Walnut Creek Baking Company closed due to their lease expiring, and the wife of the landlord is taking over.

Diablo Dish notes that the bakery will have, “the same products, some of the same staff, and the same name—at least until they can change it”, and here is what the landlord (and husband of the new bakery owner) has to say about the new bakery:

“There will be the same level of quality—and maybe even higher.”

Does this strike anybody as odd? The only thing I can think of is that the landlord, in addition to buying the equipment, also bought the rights to the former owner’s recipes and procedures. Otherwise there is a situation where one of the former head bakers, now working for the new owner, is using Denise’s recipes and baking techniques to try to replicate what Denise came up with from scratch. They did say, “maybe even higher”, but how so if they’re using the same recipes etc? Does this rub anyone the wrong way? This is something I have to see myself.

Check out the proof it’s opening today:

Apparently some employees remained loyal to the former owner:

If you drop by tomorrow please let us know your impressions, the suspense is driving me crazy.

4 Comments

Fraedo’s Cafe Opening Soon in Downtown Walnut Creek (Growers Square)

September 5, 2012 11:30 am

Growers Square, a small business center in downtown Walnut Creek across from the Lesher Center for the Arts is getting a new cafe called Fraedo’s Cafe. No word on when it will open yet but this could be convenient to stop by for a quick bite to eat or get a snack.

0 Comments

Friday Question of the Day – Will you Boycott the Bakery Formerly Known as the Walnut Creek Baking Company?

August 31, 2012 8:30 am

The Walnut Creek Baking Company is closing today due to a landlord-tenant lease issue, and this has caused quite an uproar in the community. I myself was completely surprised by this turn of events because it was such a great bakery, won plenty of awards, and the owner of the bakery came out with a recipe book just a few months earlier. Don’t forget there is a customer appreciation event until 11AM today, so drop by to show your support!

Rumor has it that a new bakery owned by the landlord will take over this space. So for the question of the day, do you plan on not shopping at the new bakery or is it business at usual and you’ll give it a chance?

2 Comments

Koreana Kitchen Closes – Mixed Grain Opening in Downtown Walnut Creek

August 30, 2012 11:30 am

Diablo Dish notes that Koreana Kitchen, located at 1546 Bonanza St in downtown Walnut Creek has closed. A new Korean restaurant called Mixed Grain will be opening in its place. Were there any fans of Koreana Kitchen?

As someone who used to work in Koreatown in Manhattan, I would really enjoy a good Korean BBQ. Yum!

6 Comments

Restaurants