I'm catching up after a busy week of business travel where I mused about Ocean Beach. But it's always great to get back to B'game and check out what is changing. Aside from the widespread consternation about the massive over-development that may subsume the south and east sides of town, the typical churn of downtown restaurants also proceeds apace.
People are wondering which way Which Wich went as it left town. I must say, having only eaten at one of them that was in San Diego, I am not surprised. We have many better alternatives from Sam's and CJ's to Bonne Sante which has expanded to San Mateo as well.
The next establishment to take a shot on the Avenew is Rangoon Ruby going in where a few have had moderate success before. That is not a comment on the location since two doors down, Mingalaba continues to have lines out the door at its smaller space. Good luck, RR.
And yet we still have no regular music venue on the Avenew. It's pretty sad.
Which Wich wasn't very good to begin with and I can only imagine what the rent must be like. It's too small to be a full restaurant so who knows?
Posted by: hillsider | July 26, 2015 at 05:08 PM
A place like WW must have to take in a minimum of $2-3000.00 a day in order to pay rent, wages, insurance,foor purchase.
This place like others-restaurants in downtown Burlingame, San Mateo, and Millbrae are strictly laundering money.
I do not have any "proof."
However, if your rent is between $8,000.00 and 20,000.. per month.
The core product is a ceramic cat with one paw raised, somebody has to wonder how many are sold a month.
Seriously, how is this obvious crime allowed to continue?
Lets see who is contributing to who's political car?
Posted by: P | July 27, 2015 at 10:58 PM
What?
Posted by: hillsider | July 28, 2015 at 12:31 AM
Maybe Dickinson knows a thing or two about what Mr. P is talking about.
Posted by: Joe Sarno | July 28, 2015 at 07:19 PM
Minglaba doesn't stand a chance against Rangoon Ruby for anyone who knows Burmese food.
Posted by: Beenhereforever | August 07, 2015 at 09:32 AM
P, as someone who works with restaurants, retailers and office tenants everyday - it's true.
Some restaurant operators are morons.
Everyone under the sun, has some intoxicated inspiration that they can become a glamorous restaurant operator, until they realize that it's actually a ton of very hard work, with high risk, and not really glamorous unless you're in the 10% of the restaurants that do really well.
My grandparents were one of the first KFC franchisees as poultry farmers, which then spurred my uncles several bars and restaurants. Those folks are very very hard working...and charismatic with very high standards.
Can't say the same about most restaurant operators, who are usually sketchy at best.
I also have a formal partnership contract with the #1 restaurant real estate and business broker in California.
We both are very selective about who we invest time with, because of the reality of restaurant operators.
To Ban or Not To Ban - that is the question for Burlingame or other Dem inspired gov'ts.
I say, don't ban or limit restaurants in downtown Burlingame as had previously been done. That's the beauty and strength of our country is that we allow experimentation. If a restaurant operator sees the huge supply of restaurants in Burlingame vs. the relatively small demand (of say downtown San Francisco) and still wants to put in most cases their entire life savings into a restaurant concept - boy will we have a lot of competitive offerings, trying to serve the best, and most interesting food with the best service - gorgeous capitalism at its best.
And, when they do make money the gov't and all the takers shouldn't get inspired to tax them - they just risked their life savings to offer you the best that they possibly could.
Money laundering. It happens everywhere. Just ask our former State Senator, Leland Yee and now possibly San Francisco Mayor, Ed Lee. That's just the beginning, sheeple.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/08/04/san_francisco_corruption_mayor_prosecutor_gangster_shrimp_boy_chow_ensnared.html
Told you so...
Dems want to tax everyone harder to pay for their BIG, FALSE campaign promises of UTOPIA, but really they just need to focus on enforcing existing LAWS, instead of completely ignoring them.
Why would they do that? Because they aren't really about their stated philosophies, they are about their own bank accounts and those of their buddies. The ends justifies the means, right?
Balanced budgets require attention to BOTH revenue and expenses - I know, it's dangerous to even say that around here!
Posted by: Run-away train | August 07, 2015 at 02:05 PM
Sounds like Alex Kent is completely clueless to the several good reasons why a city would limit the number of restaurants in a given business district. Product and service diversity, peak parking demand around meal times and the trash, bugs and vermin that infest neighboring shops just to start. Increased fire danger, ABC issues and on and on. And I'm not even in real estate.
Posted by: hillsider | August 07, 2015 at 04:32 PM
Well guys, looks like someone got inspired by the wing-nuts on last night's debate or should I say circus, where 80% of the time was talking about religion, God, abortions with little substantive policy discussion. Bruce Dickinson, while not as rich as Donald Trump, did not declare bankruptcy like he did nor fleece his investors on many of his properties and casinos through bankruptcy. Also all the wealth was his father's anyway who started the biz before a half century real estate boom. Sorry, a total non-sequitir to what is supposed to be a discussion about restaurants, but I felt like I needed to call out what I see, namely don't take inspiration from the dunces from last night and apply it to Burlingame. Time to move on and stop talking about how your pasta on a Burlingame Ave restaurant or dog poop on the sidewalk is somehow related to Jerry Brown or national politics. If you want to rant, go to some other website set up for that purpose. Time to move on folks or at least focus on the local politics that directly affect Burlingame.
Posted by: Bruce Dickinson | August 07, 2015 at 07:33 PM
I'm not familiar with Rangoon Ruby so I would appreciate if Beenhereforever could fill me in on where else they operate and how good it is. Thanks.
Posted by: Joe | August 08, 2015 at 02:12 PM
Hillsider, always the negative voice without any substance.
Yes, there are always advantages and disadvantages of any policy decision.
"Bruce", the blog discussion specifically addresses both restaurants as well as Transit Oriented Housing Development, which absolutely, positively relates to politics and is heavily pushed by the Dems - fact.
Joe, Rangoon Ruby does very well in Palo Alto and San Carlos.
As a former producer and promoter of large, live music concerts at Northwestern, and a big fan of live music in the Bay Area, I'm all for more great music venues in Burlingame and the surrounding area.
My business partner and I met with a famous restaurant chain entrepreneur who is interested in rolling out additional live music focused brewpubs.
If I and my partner could be assured of a smooth and predictable approval for a temporary live music focused restaurant and bar at the Burlingame Post Office, with a 3-5 year guaranteed lease from the landlord, then I could deliver that solution, help to take down those fences, and generate a new job creating and sales tax creating business going.
Posted by: Live music bar and restaurant in the Burlingame Post Office | August 08, 2015 at 04:43 PM
Rangoon Ruby's is awesome - I pop in for lunch often in San Carlos. I'm very fond of Coconut Bay for Thai food out there in Burlingame, it is so delicious.
Millbrae on the other hand... don't get me started.
Posted by: Doug Radtke | August 14, 2015 at 01:51 PM
Rangoon Ruby has two sites in Palo Alto. The original on Emerson and they opened a second in University. There is also one on Polk in SF. It is pretty top notch food, that is pretty darn authentic. Also try Burma Star on Clement. Yum, but no reservations, sad to say.
Posted by: Beenhereforever | August 18, 2015 at 07:00 PM
Impressive news, buried in a Merc News article about Manresa's THIRD Michelin star--Our own Rasa got a Star this year!
"...Fifteen Bay Area restaurants earned their first Michelin star in this 2016 guide, bringing the count of one-star restaurants here to 38. The new additions are Rasa, in Burlingame; Sushi Yoshizumi, in San Mateo; and San Francisco's All Spice, Al's Place, Aster, Lord Stanley, Californios, Commonwealth, Mourad, Lazy Bear, Octavia, Nico, Omakase, Wako and Kin Khao. The latter is the Thai restaurant operated by Pim Techamuanvivit, who first gained notice for her Santa Cruz-based food blog, Chez Pim.
"It's a banner year for the Bay Area," said Ellis, who noted that the region benefits from an abundance of local products, talented chefs and adventurous diners.
Posted by: Jennifer | October 21, 2015 at 06:08 PM
Thanks Jennifer. While you were posting your comment, I was getting the photo and the links to the Merc/Times!
http://www.burlingamevoice.com/2015/10/bgame-star-michelin-that-is.html#comments
Posted by: Joe | October 21, 2015 at 06:50 PM
Wowowowow! Burlingame gets a star! Quite frankly, it's about time! Bruce Dickinson of course, is a connoisseur of haute-cuisine and while Burlingame has some good local eats, it is lacking versus the competition in the South Bay and SF, same goes for the rest of the Peninsula. Maybe it's due the proximity to SF where the hitters go to have dynamite meals.
I've dined at nearly every Michelin Star restaurant in the Bay Area, LA, Tokyo, Paris, and London, and I gotta tell ya, Manresa is one of my favorites and totally deserves 3 stars. Very similar to Bay Area eats Sons & Daughters and the Meadowwood restaurant in Napa. I still cannot believe that Plumed Horse has a star, as that place is barely better than Off the Grid food trucks (actually in many ways I prefer the latter).
Anyway, I never noticed too many people at Rasa, but as Joe said, I suspect that will change. Time for Dr. Dickinson to go explore the culinary space, as it were!
Posted by: Bruce Dickinson | October 21, 2015 at 08:23 PM
If you want a good sub sandwich, drive down to Jersey Mike's in San Mateo. Same location as Michael's on ECReal near Hillsdale. Mall.
#6 roast beef is great. The have hot and cold subs.
Great food for regular real people.
Posted by: Samiselfie | October 21, 2015 at 08:49 PM
What is Jersey Mike's Michelin #?
Posted by: candyman | October 22, 2015 at 12:17 PM
Ike's is coming to the Wich Wich spot. Be afraid, very afraid .
Posted by: hillsider | October 22, 2015 at 11:13 PM
"Residents interested in shaping the future of Burlingame will have an opportunity this weekend to share the vision they have for their community as officials begin working to update the city’s general plan.
City officials will hold a workshop Saturday, Oct. 24, to kick off the update’s planning process and gather community input from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Burlingame Recreation Center, 850 Burlingame Ave."
from today's San Mateo Daily Journal.
Posted by: Peter Garrison | October 23, 2015 at 07:56 AM