Steak Search 1 – The Alley
Once a Texan, you’re always a Texan.
Earlier last week I exchanged a few words with my friend about our food logging endeavour, and I got reminded of steak. (Yes, Sarah, you’re responsible ;-)). I thought it was gone. That evil desire of eating an innocent cow who just a few days ago was wandering the meadow with dreamy eyes. It has resurfaced. Granted I recently enjoy the occasional meatballs from Ikea, a Whopper at the Burger King on San Pablo, and various Top Dog‘s sausages, I haven’t had a chunky slab of steak for months. Now that’s serious. When I’m in Houston, we go to Potatoe Patch almost every other week. When I’m in College Station, I can always rely on Sodolak’s for a hearty fill. Where can I go in Berkeley?
Yelp reveals a gargantuan list of six “steak” locations in the area (for comparison, Humble (TX) has twelve, and Humble is half the area of Berkeley). So starting today I will eat at and blog about every steak house East of the Bay, alphabetically. First stop: The Alley.
It’s the shadiest little hole in the wall I’ve ever been to. The inside is dark and frumpy like the sluggish voice of old black men at the bar counter sharing stories about job and children. The walls are blackish wooden planks, covered in thousands of staples and business cards, like a flaky fish deep fried with scales on and forgotten until it turns ivory with mildew dots. How do they say it, this place got character.
Whatever, I just want my steak. The Alley Special comes with a small bundle of iceberg lettuce, a slice of cucumber, and one cherry tomato. The typical salad of guilt that always comes with cheap steaks and dressed in crocodile’s tears of vinaigrette. For 11.75 we get a 12 oz slab, some half cooked vegetable, garlic bread, and a baked potato.
We ask for no sour cream on our potato, but I’m not sure if that was necessary, as the potato comes simple and spare. No cheese, no chives, no bacon bits, two butter packets still wrapped and melting on the hot steak. We are also given one skimpy knife and one fork each, the knife blade is narrow like a snake’s tongue.
We slice and chew, industriously. This is steak that you can make into mattresses, springy and resilient, and taste like hard work. The steak juice flavors well the half cooked onion, broccoli, and carrots. The garlic bread feels hasty. The bare baked potato fits stupendously beautiful with butter and generous shakings of salt, as it should. Its burnt skin, soaked with steak juice, is something I’ve learned to eat and enjoy, but this time it easily peels off to reveal the tastiest part of a perfect baked potato: the dry, hard shell between the skin and the moist flesh. It’s like pie crust without gooey sugar mess.
So that’s it. The Alley lives true to its name: a dark hangout that only accepts cash in exchange for a recharge reeking of grill smoke, cigarette smoke, beer, old men’s stories, and our backstreet side.
Address: The Alley
3325 Grand Avenue (between Elwood and Lake Park)
Oakland, CA 94610
(510) 444-8505
(parking on the street)
Next on Steak Search: Buckhorn Grill (Emeryville)
Hello there, just became aware of your blog via Google, and located that it is really informative. I’m gonna be careful for brussels. I will be grateful in case you continue this in future. A lot of other folks can be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
1I have read several good stuff here. Certainly price bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how a lot attempt you put to make this kind of magnificent informative web site.
2I am impressed with this website , really I am a fan.
3Can I just say what a relief to seek out somebody who really knows what theyre speaking about on the internet. You positively know easy methods to deliver a problem to gentle and make it important. More folks have to learn this and understand this facet of the story. I cant consider youre not more fashionable since you positively have the gift.
4Well I definitely enjoyed reading it. This tip provided by you is very effective for proper planning.
5Horse Gelatin Trick
6Does your blog have a contact page? I’m having trouble locating it but, I’d like to shoot you an e-mail. I’ve got some creative ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it develop over time.
7Does your website have a contact page? I’m having problems locating it but, I’d like to shoot you an email. I’ve got some recommendations for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it grow over time.
8My brother suggested I might like this blog. He was totally right. This post truly made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much time I had spent for this info! Thanks!
9We are a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your site provided us with valuable information to work on. You have done an impressive job and our entire community will be grateful to you.
10I like this post, enjoyed this one thanks for posting.
11Excellent post. I was checking constantly this blog and I am impressed! Extremely useful info specifically the last part ð I care for such information a lot. I was seeking this certain information for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.
12This is the appropriate weblog for anybody who wants to seek out out about this topic. You realize so much its virtually laborious to argue with you (not that I actually would needâĶHaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a subject thats been written about for years. Nice stuff, simply great!
13Hey, you used to write magnificent, but the last few posts have been kinda boringK I miss your great writings. Past few posts are just a bit out of track! come on!
14With havin so much written content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright violation? My site has a lot of unique content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my agreement. Do you know any methods to help protect against content from being stolen? I’d truly appreciate it.
15Woh I enjoy your content, saved to bookmarks! .
16Exactly what I was searching for, appreciate it for putting up.
17I appreciate, cause I found just what I was looking for. You have ended my four day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day. Bye
18I think that is one of the such a lot vital information for me. And i’m happy studying your article. But should commentary on few basic things, The site taste is wonderful, the articles is actually nice :D. Excellent task, cheers
19Generally I don’t read post on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up very forced me to try and do it! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thanks, very nice post.
20Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your site and in accession capital to assert that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Anyway I will be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently quickly.
21I was very pleased to find this web-site.I wanted to thanks for your time for this wonderful read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you blog post.
22You have brought up a very wonderful details , thankyou for the post.
23My programmer is trying to persuade me to move to .net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the expenses. But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using WordPress on numerous websites for about a year and am worried about switching to another platform. I have heard good things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can import all my wordpress posts into it? Any kind of help would be really appreciated!
24you may have a fantastic blog here! would you like to make some invite posts on my blog?
25I’m now not sure where you are getting your information, however good topic. I needs to spend some time finding out more or understanding more. Thank you for fantastic info I used to be in search of this information for my mission.
26I got what you intend, thanks for posting.Woh I am thankful to find this website through google. “Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment.” by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
27fantastic post, very informative. I wonder why the other experts of this sector don’t notice this. You should continue your writing. I am confident, you’ve a great readers’ base already!
28You have noted very interesting details! ps decent website . “If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one” by Abraham Lincoln.
29Hi there would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re using? I’m going to start my own blog soon but I’m having a tough time choosing between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S My apologies for being off-topic but I had to ask!
30Thanks for some other magnificent article. The place else could anybody get that type of information in such an ideal way of writing? I have a presentation subsequent week, and I’m at the look for such info.
31I’ve been exploring for a little for any high quality articles or weblog posts in this kind of space . Exploring in Yahoo I eventually stumbled upon this web site. Reading this information So i’m satisfied to convey that I’ve a very just right uncanny feeling I found out just what I needed. I such a lot certainly will make certain to don’t disregard this website and provides it a glance regularly.
32good post.Never knew this, thanks for letting me know.
33I’ll right away snatch your rss as I can’t in finding your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Kindly allow me recognize in order that I could subscribe. Thanks.
34he blog was how do i say itâĶ relevant, finally something that helped me. Thanks
35Awesome blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A theme like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my blog shine. Please let me know where you got your design. Bless you
36After examine a couple of of the weblog posts on your website now, and I actually like your approach of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back soon. Pls check out my site as properly and let me know what you think.
37You made some decent factors there. I looked on the internet for the difficulty and found most people will go together with together with your website.
38Hello! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having trouble finding one? Thanks a lot!
39hello there and thank you to your information â I’ve definitely picked up anything new from right here. I did alternatively experience several technical issues using this website, since I skilled to reload the web site many occasions previous to I may just get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your web host is OK? No longer that I am complaining, but sluggish loading cases instances will often have an effect on your placement in google and can harm your high quality rating if advertising and ***********|advertising|advertising|advertising and *********** with Adwords. Well I am adding this RSS to my e-mail and could look out for much extra of your respective interesting content. Ensure that you update this again soon..
40Hi there, I found your blog via Google at the same time as looking for a related topic, your website came up, it looks good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
41hello there and thank you for your information â I’ve definitely picked up something new from right here. I did however expertise a few technical issues using this website, as I experienced to reload the website many times previous to I could get it to load correctly. I had been wondering if your hosting is OK? Not that I am complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will very frequently affect your placement in google and can damage your high-quality score if ads and marketing with Adwords. Well I’m adding this RSS to my e-mail and could look out for a lot more of your respective fascinating content. Make sure you update this again soon..
42I like this blog very much, Its a very nice spot to read and obtain information. “Practice, the master of all things.” by Augustus Octavius.
43Thanks for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do some research about this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I am very glad to see such great information being shared freely out there.
44Great write-up, I’m normal visitor of one’s site, maintain up the nice operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.
45Hi, i think that i saw you visited my website so i came to âreturn the favorâ.I’m trying to find things to enhance my web site!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!
46Howdy just wanted to give you a quick heads up and let you know a few of the pictures aren’t loading correctly. I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue. I’ve tried it in two different web browsers and both show the same outcome.
47When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get several emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from that service? Thanks a lot!
48Hi , I do believe this is an excellent blog. I stumbled upon it on Yahoo , i will come back once again. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and help other people.
49Thanks , I’ve just been looking for info about this topic for ages and yours is the best I have discovered till now. But, what about the conclusion? Are you sure about the source?
50