Eating San Leandro: The East Bay city steps into the food spotlight
San Leandro has seen a surge of new dining and gourmet food establishments, including As Kneaded Bakery, Top Hatters Kitchen, Papaito Rotisserie and nearby Ashland Market and Café.
Benjamin Seto has worked as a reporter and editor for various newspapers around the country, and is currently a communications professional and freelance food writer based in Oakland. Ben is also the founder and creative mind behind Focus:Snap:Eat, a food blog he started in 2011 to showcase his love of food photography. He spotlights food he finds in his kitchen, around restaurants and shops in the Bay Area, and from his culinary adventures when traveling. A self-taught home cook, Ben enjoys a variety of cuisine but is influenced by his Chinese-American heritage and his childhood growing up in Honolulu. He loves lavender and hates eggplants. But isn’t afraid to try everything else in between.
East Oakland’s Pho Ga Huong Que Café is still the go-to for hearty chicken pho
After more than 10 years in business, and among many local competitors, the Vietnamese chicken noodle house continues to pack in diners.
FoodieLand Night Market brings Asian-inspired street food festival to Golden Gate Fields
A new food festival brings together nearly 100 food vendors, but it's more state fair than Asian night market.
Always Aloha Shave Ice brings a taste of Hawaii to the East Bay
Made with scratch-made fruit syrups and just the right consistency of snow-like ice, Always Aloha's refreshing icy treats will make you feel like you're on the islands.
With foie gras banned in California, chicken liver mousse is the next best thing
A taste test of the East Bay's best versions of the rich, decadent spread.
East Bay coffee community finds a home at The Crown in Oakland
Royal Coffee's new stunningly designed Oakland home base features a tasting room with public café, event space, roasting and brewing labs.
New eats, drinks and what’s to come at the Public Market Emeryville
Southern-style and Korean BBQ, a sports bar and more join the new line-up at the updated food hall.
Upscale, modern Filipino dining at FOB Kitchen in Oakland
Partners Janice and Brandi Dulce have created a cozy, island-themed dining destination introducing and celebrating the flavors of the Philippines.
Oakland’s Belcampo is an oasis for meat lovers, but there are caveats
High-quality ingredients and the well-designed space of Anya Fernald's flagship restaurant impress, but mixed service and pricey-yet-simple dishes give pause.
Shanxi knife-cut noodles are the specialty at Huangcheng Noodle House in Oakland
The noodles at this Chinatown spot are a must-order, but you'd be remiss not to try other dishes, like the cold chili chicken and shredded potato with hot oil sauce.
Behind-the-scenes: organic chocolate bar maker OCHO Candy in West Oakland
We visited OCHO’s 25,000-square-foot facility, getting a peek at its unique process of creating perfectly sized chocolate bars with soft, creamy fillings.
This Oakland pop-up brings visual art concepts and techniques to the table
Trained as painters, longtime friends and chefs Duncan Kwitkor and Andrew Greene now express their artistic side through the dishes they create at Abstract Table.
First Look: Sophisticated Arab dining at Dyafa in Oakland
Reem Assil's new Jack London Square restaurant offers mezze and shared plates influenced by her Palestinian-Syrian heritage.
The strategy for a new batch of Rockridge restaurants: remake, remodel
The neighborhood's recent crop of dining spots hit refresh to survive in the competitive East Bay dining scene.
Feast Your Eyes: Texas BBQ at Smoke Berkeley
While the future is uncertain for this Berkeley BBQ shack, the BBQ is most certainly worth trying.
First Look: Wild Ginger serves tongue-numbing Sichuan fare in Alameda
The menu focuses on hotpot, noodles and other classic Sichuan street snacks.
