Montclair Food

Survey Says: We Travel For Asian Dining

Montclarions have spoken, and we travel for our Asian meals.  In fact, we drive to places throughout Oakland, Piedmont, Alameda, Berkeley, Albany and San Francisco for our evening repasts.

These and other findings came from Today in Montclair’s recent survey.  The goal was to understand how much we depend on Montclair Village for either dine-in or take-out options.

Previously, I thought Montclarions were basically lazy, because our four Asian restaurants have been open for years.  That theory was shot down by you.

What happened?  On a monthly basis, at least 75% of you supported Pagarung Thai, Silver Palace, Thai Bai or Toshi Sushi.   However only 25% were loyal (or lazy) and ate all your Chinese and Thai here.  No one reported eating all their Sushi in town.

Perhaps this survey attracted Montclarions who dine out often.  Nearly half of respondents consumed Chinese food five-plus times per month!  Your Thai and Sushi meals were less frequent, with half eaten once or twice a month.

Different patterns emerged among folks with the strongest yen (sorry) for Asian food.  Half ate Chinese locally up to four times monthly, and drove elsewhere for the other meals.  Ardent sushi eaters didn’t stick around much at all.  Thai diners stayed put more often, by comparison.

Survey participants shared all sorts of interesting restaurants outside Montclair, yet none stood out as clear winners to report here.  So that calls for another survey (later) which uncovers your definitive top spots, Asian or otherwise.

Anyway, thanks for  participating – and proving that we do, in fact, venture outside the burg for our Asian meals.  You are a more energetic bunch than I ever expected.

Want Asian Food, Won’t Travel

We would like to report on Montclarions and their dining preferences.  Are you habitual, returning to the same places over and over?  How often do you dine locally versus beyond the Village gates?

To find out, we’re conducting a short survey (now closed) about your Asian dining choices.  It’s time to see what you are really doing, when you crave Chinese, Thai or Sushi meals.

Villagers seem to embrace the polyglot, yet only have four (!) Asian options in town.  These stalwarts have been around for years:

  • Pagarung Thai: Good curry, destination – Yelp – 6200 Antioch Ct. – 510-339-0566
  • Silver Palace: Chinese from the 70s – Yelp – 6515 Moraga Ave. – 510-339-9380
  • Thai Bai: Family cooking, takeout – Yelp – 5736 Thornhill Dr. – 510-339-8030
  • Toshi Sushi: Traditional options – Yelp – 6100 La Salle Ave. – 510-339-1995

These are local spots, not Bay Area destinations.  Everyone has grown dependent on them, like old family or friends.  But a little excitement might be nice, too.

So please share your opinions now – and we’ll report back in a few days.

Village Dog Shuts Down

Forget grabbing a good weiner in Montclair Village. After years of business, Village Dog closed its doors abruptly.

I wonder what happened, if business was bad or the owners simply wanted to move on. I checked out the store and there’s not even a farewell message.

In an ongoing survey, Montclarions were evenly split when asked to vote for Village Dog or Berkeley’s Top Dog. However ours didn’t require a drive north.

My local favorite was the bratwurst, along with a massive side of onion rings. Now it’s just a Village Dog memory, R.I.P.

Postscript: According to unconfirmed rumors, an Indian fast-food place may take up residence. This could be like the Farmers Market takeout option – not bad.

Farmstead Cheeses Now Open

For a long while, Montclarions have watched the transformation of an old cigar store into a new cheese and wine shop. We knew this was coming because of the permit on the door.

Last weekend, the cheeses were getting placed in the cases. Now the doors are open, and I can tell you this is a big boost for us. It’s about time for a first-class, specialty shop around here.

Farmstead Cheeses and Wines is a throw-back, where you can wander around the world. They will cater to your whims. There are all kinds of clubs and gatherings planned too.

While this is a foodie heaven, it’s okay to ask for a cheese sliver. With some 150 cheeses available, sampling is almost a requirement! The wines complete the picture, and there are 500 offerings on hand.

Why did this Alameda shop decide to expand here? Owner Jeff Diamond lives in the Village, which explains a lot. According to The Montclarion, “Diamond’s wife, Carol Huntington, heard about a space while getting her hair cut.”

Farmstead is open daily, from 10am-8pm Mon-Sat, and 10am-7pm Sun. The shop is located on the steep part of LaSalle, across from the parking garage (map here).

Dead Heat: Top, Village Dogs

Frankly (!), we are in a dead heat.

Last week, I ran an survey for the best local weiners. Would Berkeley’s Top Dog win? Or Montclair’s own Village Dog alternative?

We have to learn something from Bush vs Gore — or Hillary vs Obama.  Because of the outcome, I intend to keep voting open until there’s a clear winner.

Vote early but not often:  sorry, election is over