Tag Page AffordableEats

Mrs. Andrea Ayala

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Dumpling 85• Three Valley Soup Dumplings❤️ Soup Noodles❤️

Stopped by San Ramon for Costco shopping this weekend and found a soup dumpling place, Dumpling85, at the plaza next door! Since I'd already made the trip, why not give it a try? Here's my quick rundown: *Pork Xiao Long Bao, see pics 1/2, $13.95/8pc! They're quite affordable, a bit on the sweet side for soup dumplings and could use a lil more soup. It didn't exactly hit the spot for me as I normally expect a hot and juicy filling. Compared to the dumplings from Hong Ji I had last week, there just wasn’t enough soup in these! *Beef Brisket Soup Noodles, see pics 3/4, $15.95. It's a huge bowl, so big that it's more like a basin! The noodles have a nice chew, generous portions of lean meat, and the steaming hot soup is comforting! If you don't eat much, it's enough for two people to share! *Panfried Buns, see pics 5/6, $12.95/6pc. The plump and round buns left a deeper impression on me than the Xiao Long Bao. While there isn’t much soup, the gravy is encapsulated within the meat filling and it's really moist. Combining that with the crisp fried bottom, it has a rich texture! *Beef skewers, see pic 7, $9.95/4 skewers. The grill is only available for dinner, and it totally steals the show from the noodles. My squad and I couldn't help but wonder: Why don't they specialize in skewers? They're so good at it; it's like their talent got overshadowed by the dumplings! The chef cooked the skewers perfectly. The lean meat is tender, the fatty parts are juicy, and together they create a savory, delicious flavor. My absolute favorite! In summary: This home-style restaurant doesn't serve the most amazing food, but it's a pretty good and affordable choice in an area where Chinese food options are limited! 🚩Dumpling 85 2005 Crow Canyon Pl, San Ramon, CA 94583 #Dumpling85 #SanRamonEats #SoupDumplings #Noodles #PanfriedBuns #BeefSkewers #AffordableEats #ChineseFoodOptions

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Steven Arnold

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Andaman Thai: Delicious Thai Food Spotted in San Ramon 👍

Location: San Ramon! I've always felt San Ramon lacked tasty and affordable places to eat. But Andaman Thai surprised me today. Looks like there are indeed hidden gems, I just hadn't dug deep enough! On this tasting adventure, I tried: ✅Pumpkin Beef Curry priced at $17.95! The curry is sweet and spicy, perfect with rice. The pumpkin is sweet and creamy, and the beef is thinly sliced, soft, and easy to chew. The portion is so big, I couldn't finish it. When packing the leftovers, the staff even included half a pumpkin - talk about true value for money. I've never thought that one could take home pumpkin from a Thai place before, lol! ✅Goong Gratiem, priced at $20.95! The translated name might be Garlic Shrimp? The shrimp was crisply fried and juicy - quite tasty, but the portion was a bit small. I'm not quite sure why it's so pricey - maybe because shrimp prices have gone up recently? ✅Pineapple Chicken Rice for $14.95! I've always been a big fan of pineapple fried rice. It's sweet, sour, and sticky. Nutritious, good-looking, and an all-around feel-good main dish. In conclusion: Great color, aroma and taste, clean environment, attentive service, and moderate pricing—all make for a fantastic food joint. Plus: Andaman Thai opened a new branch in Walnut Creek in April, so folks in Walnut Creek won’t have to come all the way to San Ramon to get their fix. You can find the address in picture 10. #AndamanThai #SanRamonEats #HiddenGems #DeliciousThaiFood #AffordableEats #FoodAdventure #ThaiCurry #GarlicShrimp #PineappleFriedRice

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Christopher Gilbert

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Back to Pho Kim Long • Tomato Snail Rice Noodle Soup~ Same Taste

Had another visit to the famous Pho Kim Long, same amazing taste, but the prices have really gone up! Take my favorite, the No.32 Snail Rice Noodle Soup (pics 1/2/3), you guys believe it? 10 years ago it was just $6.25 per bowl! During the 2020 pandemic it was $11.25 per bowl, and now post pandemic in 2022, it's $15.75 per bowl! If you haven't tried it, better hurry up, fear it’ll be unaffordable next year. This one's really unique, can't find it elsewhere, it's got a sour and refreshing flavor, kinda reminds me of eating snail vermicelli soup! Also ordered: No.1 Beef Pho (their signature dish), beef bone rice, chicken with large prawn combo rice, and Vietnamese spring rolls! The flavors were all pretty good, but don't set your expectations too high. A lot of people hail Pho Kim Long as the best Vietnamese pho store in the Bay Area, but that's not necessarily the case! Heard from older generations that Pho Kim Long became famous for its great value in the early days. It provided larger portions, cheaper prices, and decent taste compared to many competitors, making it a popular choice among locals! Imagine hardworking wage workers spending a few bucks on a big bowl of soup for comfort and warmth after a long day! Summary: Hopefully they won't increase the price anymore [laugh cry emoji]😂! 📍Pho Kim Long 2082 N Capitol Ave, San Jose, CA 95132 #PhoKimLong #TomatoSnailRiceNoodleSoup #No32SnailRiceNoodleSoup #BeefPho #VietnameseSpringRolls #BayAreaPho #AffordableEats #ComfortFood

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Mrs. Andrea Ayala

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Petra Cafe: Garlic Fries & Greek Gyros are Fire!

Located in Orinda, continuing from my previous travel post, let me introduce you to the Greek joint, Petra Cafe! Even though this small town isn't overflowing with diverse dining options, this Greek fast food spot is genuinely good! It's situated at Theater Square, so locals and tourists alike can dash in. The prices are good, and the food is legit! I only tried two items, and I was hooked! Garlic Fries: Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, loaded with flavor, and infused with a hearty garlic sauce—a big box for just $5.5, such a steal! Gyros: Greek pita wraps! Gyro literally means "spin," referring here to rotisserie grilled meat (pictured in photo 3). Their rotisserie meat is a substantive mixture of beef and lamb. The cook cuts long strips of meat and wraps them in pita bread with lettuce, onions, and tomatoes—a refreshingly tasty combo! It contains lamb but you can't detect any gamey flavor. The owner highly recommends this signature dish at $10.99! Total for a meal: $5.5 (fries) + $10.99 (gyro) = $16.49. With a Sharetea spot across the street, you can add a $5.5 Peach Mojito to your meal, totaling at $21.99. In Rich-Town, that's how you feast freely and happily! 📍 Petra Cafe 2 Orinda Theatre Square, Orinda, CA 94563 #PetraCafe #GarlicFries #GreekGyros #OrindaEats #FoodieFind #GreekFood #AffordableEats #DeliciousCombo

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Mrs. Andrea Ayala

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Noodle Dynasty • Affordable Ox Bone Noodles in Berkeley

Discovered this Chinese noodle spot near UC Berkeley. The prices have caught my eye: 24-hour slow-cooked ox bone noodles for $18.99? Pickled cabbage and fish soup noodles for $13.99? This is undoubtedly an affordable place! Not too long ago, I paid $31.45 for the same ox bone noodles at Farmhouse! Let’s talk about taste after price! I've only tried two signature dishes from the menu: * Special ox bone noodles, slow-cooked for 24 hours. The amount of meat is generous, and it's so tender, it's worth the price just for the meat! Plus, the noodles are chewy. The soup base is average, it sort of lacks that rich bone broth flavor and tastes a bit artificial, but given the price of $18.99, can't be too picky. This huge bowl of noodles is a great deal! * Pickled cabbage and fish soup noodles, generous pieces of fish and loads of pickled cabbage. They don’t skimp on the ingredients! One downside: the soup base is too salty! I assume the kitchen team is from Sichuan as their seasoning is quite heavy. In Conclusion: For a street-side noodle shop, the portions are large, prices very reasonable. Those into strong flavors will probably love it; if you prefer lighter flavors, you might find it a tad overwhelming! 🚩Noodle Dynasty 2426 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704 #NoodleDynasty #AffordableEats #BerkeleyEats #OxBoneNoodles #ChineseFood #FoodReview #NoodleSpot #Foodie

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