Summer Arrivals: New Eats in the East Bay

Janet Fazio

 

If getting in the last gasps of summer fun before getting ready for back-to-school has you too tired to cook, here are some great new spots to enjoy a meal out.

Broderick Roadhouse

WALNUT CREEK – In 2012, they got their start in a food truck in Sacramento. In 2016, they nailed it when they opened up in the former Hubcaps location in Walnut Creek. If you only go to one burger joint this summer, make it Broderick’s Roadhouse. Be sure to bring your vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free friends. There is something for everyone on the menu.

I enjoyed the Johnny Cash burger made with Niman Ranch beef, cheddar cheese, sweet peppers, crispy onions, bacon and BBQ sauce. The flavors melded perfectly together creating a great burger experience. Burgers come with fries. I upgraded mine to garlic. Broderick tosses theirs with garlic aioli.

Salads, sandwiches and a selection of gourmet fries are all on the menu.

1548 Bonanza Street, Walnut Creek. Burgers start at $11. Full bar. Open daily. Hours vary by day. BroderickRoadHouse.com.

Southern Sweetwater Tavern

DANVILLE – If you’ve walked down Hartz Avenue lately wondering, “OMG,  what smells so good?” – it’s probably the aroma wafting from Southern Sweetwater Tavern.

Danville’s new kid on the block does a great job with their pulled pork. Order the sandwich, which has just the right amount of sweet, tangy sauce. It comes with a generous serving of fries. Or, opt for the pulled pork plate with a side of jalapeno cole slaw (it’s smokin’ hot) and savory baked beans.

The cilantro lime chicken salad features tender, grilled chicken breast on a bed of greens topped with pumpkin seeds and tossed in a cilantro lime vinaigrette. It’s perfect if you want lighter summer fare. 

340 Hartz Ave., Danville. Entrées start at $10.95. Full bar. Open daily, 11am-10pm (9pm on Sunday). SouthernSweetwaterTavern.com.

Berevino Cucina

DUBLIN – Allow rustic, old world cuisine and wines from the finest Italian vines to transport you to a Tuscan village trattoria when you dine at Berevino Cucina and Wine Bar in Dublin.

Keep with Italian tradition,  where dinner is best served in courses at a relaxed pace. Start with a charcuterie board filled with meats, marinated white beans, roasted garlic, peppers and olives, or a cheese board while you savor a glass of wine.

Then maybe split a salad (the chopped Italian with prawns is a great choice) to go with a pizza or pasta dish.

Berevino also has a handful of entrées, including lemon chicken picatta, a tender chicken breast pounded thin and sautéed with lemon-butter sauce, capers and red onions.

4590  Dublin Blvd., Dublin. Entrées start at $14. Full bar. Open daily, 10:30am-9:30pm (10pm Friday and Saturday).  BerevinoCucina.com.

photo: Janet Fazio

Viet Noms 

LIVERMORE – Livermore’s Viet Noms serves up only a handful of your Vietnamese favorites, but they do them well. Don’t let the restaurant’s  shopping center ambiance deter you, it’s a great spot for a casual lunch or dinner out.

Salad rolls are one of my favorite starters. Viet Noms rice paper rolls contain shrimp, pork, lettuce and sprouts. They come with peanut sauce for dipping.

While the Thai basil chicken with onions, jalapeños and basil was good (you can order it as spicy as you like), the shaking beef was a home run. The tenderloin beef was fork tender and flavorful, rivaling most any other shaking beef I’ve enjoyed. Both were served with garlic rice.

1100 East Stanley Blvd.,  Livermore. Entrées start at $12. Limited selection of beer and wine. Open Monday-Saturday, 11am-9pm. 925.292.5539.

 

Janet Fazio writes ‘Tastes of Your Town’, a monthly feature in the print edition of Your Town Monthly. Parts of this article were originally published in the August 2016 issues.