Moving through the densely crowded restaurant to the self-service food line, I was almost taken aback at the wide variety of French pastries offered as I grabbed my eco-friendly bamboo tray. Spotting the kitchen through the clear glass window adjacent to the food line, my mouth watered at the prospect of fresh pastries that I have been so eagerly yearning for since I left Paris this summer.

Although everything looked so appetizing, I had to choose wisely for the average pastry cost two dollars. While it’s not a huge expense for just one, it adds up quickly as you continue to pile on items to your tray.

After you make your way around the corner of the line, you are greeted by what seems to be countless workers dressed alike in striped black and white shirts topped off with the symbol of French fashion– the beret. Although it goes along with the atmosphere, they seemed to be trying a bit too hard to reproduce the chic French style and more so accomplished the look of mimes walking about. Quickly checked out, I was pleased to see that the walking mimes could find the balance of being friendly and helpful while politely rushing us away from the mosh pit of people deciding on which cake to buy.

As I looked down at the array of different treats I bought, I was pretty keen on discovering if the food did actually taste as good as it looked. After trying things out, I was neither pleasantly surprised nor disgusted with how it tasted.

The cake had a great balance between the airy dough and the light cream that surrounded it. Mixed with an assortment of different fruits, I didn’t feel the extent of guilt I usually do after eating the all-chocolate Draeger’s cake I normally get. Next, as I tried out the blueberry pastry, the delicate, croissant-like texture next to the thick jell-like material did not produce the same effect that the cake did. It felt processed and inadequate for a restaurant that appeared to be centered on freshly baking the food. The next couple pastries I had all blended together with the sugary quality they shared, but nonetheless, were still appetizing. The only one that stood out was the peculiar combination of a sugar dough surrounding curry; that was just a misfortunate combination of otherwise, two wonderful items. However, the cappuccino was a great addition to this otherwise mediocre meal. Overall, the prices of the food did not own up to the generally bland taste.

Almost as odd as the curry pastry was the design of the restaurant. As flashy and unique as the setting may seem, it did not fit in with the more traditional French cafés that you will find in Paris. It seemed to have a more industrial feel with all the sterling silver and dangling lights off the modern frame of the building. The only thing that did feel French were the enormous amount of people sitting inside with their drinks, diligently scrutinizing their computer screens, as they appeared to be unaware of anything outside of their virtual realm.

As I did more digging, I realized that this was a chain of restaurants headed by a Korean based company, SPC Group. Automatically taking away the unique French café feel, I understood why everything seemed to be in such an orderly and sequential line up.

Although my outing was not entirely a failure, I would not give this restaurant a must-attend rating. It was only adequate and the scenery of the restaurant was definitely one of its more interesting characteristics. However, if you want to go and lounge while either watching people walking by or using up free Wi-Fi, this restaurant is for you.

This charming little restaurant on University Avenue is the sort of family-friendly place that you and your clan can retreat to every once in a while to escape mom’s chicken casserole or dad’s “tuna surprise.” The food is wonderful, the staff is pleasant, and, due to it’s small size, you can inadvertently listen in on your neighbor’s potentially-as-delicious-as-yours dinner conversation.

This restaurant provides more than just hummus, with options available anywhere from kebabs to salads. All of the food is made or prepared fresh daily, but to keep up the authenticity, many of the ingredients are imported all the way from Israel.

I myself partook of the hummus with beef and, as a bit of a carnivore, enjoyed every bite of it. The particular eating method at Oren’s is a bit difficult to grasp, but once you understand the fine art of ripping pita bread and dipping, your dinner becomes not only zesty, but entertaining (I might or might not have made a face out of my disk of pita).

Eating at Oren’s Hummus Shop is a guilt-free experience as well for those who are concerned with the environment or their health. Take-out containers are bio-degradable and wastes are cut down on as much as possible. Also, the restaurant is organic and vegetarian-friendly.

The price for a bowl of hummus or a salad varies anywhere from $7 to $10, but the portions are large enough to stave off any hunger in the near future. The grill entrees are a bit more expensive, reaching $18 at the most.The most expensive section of the menu though is the wine list,  from which you can choose a glass or a bottle.

Bonus points to the restaurant  for serving ice cold water in an excitingly shaped vase. Run of the mill pitchers just wouldn’t fit the fun atmosphere of this unique little shop.

If you wish to contact or try a bite, Oren’s Hummus Shop can be found at:

261 University Avenue

Palo Alto, CA 94301

(650)-752-6492

Oren’s is open every day of the week from 11 a.m. until midnight for all of your hummus needs.

The Players:

J&J’s Hawaiian Barbecue

Phil’s Treasure Pot

The Meal:

From J&J’s, 5 Flavor Chicken and House Chicken, with a side of Fried Rice.

From Phil’s, Sesame Chicken and House Chicken, with a side of Fried Rice.

The Judge:

Junior Noah Stid, connoisseur of food.

The Challenge:

Which is the better Hawaiian Barbecue restaurant?

The Game:

Noah sat down on a Sunday afternoon at J&J’s Hawaiian Barbecue in Menlo Park with a serving of two different chicken combos with fried rice from J&J’s and Phil’s. He began with the House Chicken from J&J’s, and switched between the similar meals from each restaurant. After eating the majority of the large platter, Stid concluded that in his “expert” opinion that overall, Phil’s food surpassed J&J’s.

The Winner:

Phil’s Treasure Pot.

Although J&J’s is closer and more convenient for M-A students for an after-school snack, Phil’s customer service is far superior to J&J’s. The location of Phil’s is less than superb, but the restaurant has a better overall atmosphere. Owner Phil Lam, along with his mother, Diana, treat their customers like family, getting to know the clientele while serving their food. Phil’s is more of a gourmet restaurant than J&J’s, which is more of a fast food eatery. The prices at both restaurants are very similar as both are relatively cheap. If you are just looking for a quick Hawaiian meal, J&J’s is a good choice. But if you want a place to sit down and enjoy a nice gourmet Hawaiian meal with your family, Phil’s is the place for you. Overall, Phil’s far outstrips its competition.

Unamas:

Santa Cruz Avenue’s only Mexican restaurant caters to the Menlo Park/Atherton areas and often supplies families with a solid meal when Mom doesn’t want to cook.  However, with dozens of other Mexican restaurants within ten minutes of Unamas, you are just being lazy when you go there.  The food is decent at best and far from cheap.  The meat is often overcooked, and the chefs fail to mix the ingredients in the burrito.  Who wants to bite into their burrito and get all the sour cream at the top?  With all the more authentic Mexican restaurants so close by, I wouldn’t recommend this place as a first choice.

El Grullense:

El Grullenses are littered across Redwood City, with a few in Palo Alto and various other places. Contrary to popular belief, they are not a chain; the majority of them are individually owned. The Grullense closes to M-A on El Camino in Redwood City is a serious step up from Unamas. The food is far more authentic and a little easier on the wallet.  For $6.50 you can get a super-burrito that will fill up anyone.  The meat is well seasoned, and the burritos and tacos are coated with a unique and zesty sauce. This fantastically flavorful experience comes with a downside:  your stomach will not be thanking you later that night.  If you are prone to upset stomachs you may want to stay away from Grullense, or make sure you’re close to a bathroom for the next couple hours.

Chipotle:

The nationwide chain Chipotle provides a solid meal and a solid burrito, but don’t expect anything special.  With consistent flavors and quick service, Chipotle is the In-n-Out of Mexican restaurants.  Owned by McDonalds, Chipotle offers consistent service, but lacks soul and authenticity.  If you are near a Chipotle and don’t have the plethora of Mexican restaurants that we have near M-A, I would recommend it.  Close to the new Redwood City theater, Chipotle is a good choice to avoid the ridiculous theater concession prices. Otherwise, I would not advise going out of your way for Chipotle.

Chavez:

Located on the corner of El Camino and 5^th Ave, the taqueria is inside Chavez supermarket. Chavez offers extremely fair prices and decent quality.  The very authentic Mexican style is extremely flavorful, but again may present some digestion problems for the weak stomached. Although better options exist, Chavez is only about five minutes from M-A and therefore is a wise choice for a quick meal or snack.

Los Gallos:

Los Gallos, commonly referred to just as Gallos is truly the best Mexican cuisine in the area. Pretty out of the way, Los Gallos is situated off Marsh Road near Highway 101.  The burritos and tacos are incredibly flavorful with the perfect amount of spice, while the tortilla tastes like it was freshly shipped in from heaven.  Offering free chips and salsa along with its healthy size meals, I personally guarantee that you will walk out of the restaurant with a smile on your face and a full belly.  If you are looking for lunch, dinner, or fourth meal, I would strongly recommend you make the journey; your tastes buds will thank you.