Horseshoe

I walked by and it was open, yet empty.
There used to be The Dimond Horseshoe on Macarthur by Fruitvale
so I have to give this place one star for originality.
I miss the Dimond Horseshoe…
theres a lot of things I miss in Oakland
Its all pretentious now…

Well, damn. They done closed.

Burma Superstar is coming!!!
*drooling*
Can’t wait!

A couple of weekends ago my dad came over to my new (ish) apartment to help me hang a very heavy mirror, and after finishing the project we were both hungry. Our food preferences are pretty different — he tends to go for pasta, bread, steak & potatoes, and mild flavors, while I like a lot of vegetables, some meat and dairy, and stronger flavors, and can be a bit of a local-​sustainable-​organic food snob — so I tried to think of place in the neighborhood where we would both be happy.
There was only one other group in Horseshoe when we arrived, and one more group came in as we were about to leave. From the front it looks like a bit of a hole in the wall, but inside it is actually quite spacious and open, and the dining room could be beautiful with a few changes to the slightly kitschy décor. The service was friendly, and I was impressed by the way our waiter managed to be attentive without hovering, given how empty the space was.
They have breakfast, lunch, and dinner items on the menu, but serve all of the dishes all day, so my dad and I had a hard time deciding between pancakes and «real» dinner food. I ended up getting the chicken piccata, which came with mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, and sautéed greens and onions with some kind of creamy sauce; my dad got some kind of meaty pasta dish, which I think came with garlic bread. He also had some lemonade, and I got some tea (Mighty Leaf). The chicken was tasty, and the side of greens was delicious and easily my favorite part of the meal; the vegetables were plain but good with the addition of some of the greens’ flavorful sauce. The portions were generous, so I took home half of the chicken and all of the mashed potatoes (which were bland, but good as part of a reinvented-​leftovers meal the next day). My dad and I both left happily full.
As other reviewers have mentioned, there is a Change of Ownership sign in the window, which I forgot to ask about while we were there. While this is not the place to go for fine dining, it has good food and very reasonable prices, so I hope the new owners don’t make too many changes.

Came here again recently for lunch…
I was less impressed by…
–The service was downright BEWILDERED by very simple questions and requests
–Our noses couldn’t shake that mold smell — what’s going on here?
But I was bowled over by…
The lunch options, especially the portabella burger and onion rings, were OUTSTANDING. So delicious. Cured my hangover instantly and left me feeling like I wanted to eat more and more and more of it… fortunate for me, there was portion controlling.

Have eaten here a few times now and find it to be one of the more flavorful restaurants in Temescal. Practically empty every time I’ve been, you’d think they food sucked, but no, it’s darned delicious!
My favorite choice is off the Lunch menu (they serve everything all day!). Their sandwiches and burgers are thick, you have a variety of buns to choose from (Ciabatta!) and come with your choice of side (Curly Fries!). My Alpha burger had a zesty house garlic-​ranch dipping sauce that was to die for.
Next time you’re heading to Lanesplitters, give this place a whirl. I’m sure you won’t be miffed.

It’s a shame that Horseshoe is going out of business, because is the food is cheap and delicious. Breakfast is great. The burgers are probably the best in the area– better than Bear Naked, but not by much– and the curly fries are awesome, too. The waiters are always friendly.
If you haven’t been here yet, I’d advise you to go before it closes. Hurry!

So I had a few days off work last week and seeing as work gets all up in my grill so much that I can never make it to a ‘formal’ (Mc.D’s or Carls Jr doesn’t count), breakfast what a great time for me!
So I have been hearing two new places which serve breakie have opened in my hood in 2008, Horseshoe and Aunt Mary’s café. What better time to investigate if either deliver the goods and if they do, who reigns supreme in Temescal Stadium?
I did my homework, i read the prior Unilocal reviews, neck and neck, positive remarks to both. This was gonna be big, I am thinking, Oasis vs Blur for you Britpop fans, Brittney vs Christina for those of you with crappy musical taste, Snow vs Eminen, Ricky Martin vs Geraldo, Madonna vs Kylie… Ok, you get the picture.
Enter Horseshoe, had their Ortega Omlette. It was nice, the avocado was fresh, prepared well, service was a plus, the waiter was great, I love when they just refill your coke without asking.
Aunt Mary’s Café, had their Milgas scramble. Really wasn’t sure what the hell it was, but I like Eggs, and I like Cilantro, so I ordered it… on a sidenote, I have a beef about Aunt Mary’s Café, I don’t know about you but when I eat breakfast I am often hungover, half-​asleap, and usually more brain dead then I normally am. What is up with the menu selections? Rumbles, chow-​chow, guajillos… can you make things more difficult to understand just what I just went and ordered?
You know what, my Milgas came and while I usually hate Black beans as they tend to be bland, If given a pot of these black beans and a straw, i would still be snorting them up my nose right now. To say I loved the dish would be an understatement. It was perfect, some spice kick, the eggs actually tasted like eggs and were cooked pefectly. Milgas is scrambed eggs surrounded by a black bean purée seasoned with jalapenos, peppers, tomatoes, and cilantro topped with home-​made tortilla chips. If you checked their survailance tapes, I may have been caught on film licking my plate.
I have now been back to Aunt Mary’s Café 3 times, I cannot stop. I am hooked, .I have had the Buttermilk Pancakes, thick and loaded with buttermilk flavor, (minuses, the supplied butter was too cold and hard to melt to spead on the cakes), the Huevos Divorciados, another dish which I had trouble understanding what the heck it is, but the dang thing was delishious, and today had the Pain Purdue, which is their way of saying French Toast. …this version is simply to die for, baugettes are used and soaked in egg batter yet end up firm and crispy, surrounded in a brandy sauce with fresh blueberries and strawberries.
I forgot that I was doing something in this review, .some form of comparison between breakfast joints in the area… you know what, Mama Royal, I am really sorry, but your Aunt Mary has just given you a permanent suspension from the kitchen. the level of preparation, the complexity of dishes, the quality of ingredients and vendors, McLaughlin coffee, the Jams (some place in alameda, my brain just froze), everything is just head and shoulders above any breakfast joint in the area.
Whoops, I lost myself again and realized I am supposed to be doing a comparison between Horseshoe and Aunt Mary’s. At the end of the day it really isn’t a Oasis/​lBlur or Rolling Stones/​Beates battle, but more like comparing Billy Holiday to Diana DiGarmo, or Sinatra to Clay Aiken.
5 Seriously strong stars for Aunt Mary’s
3.5 for Horsheshoe, rounded up to 4, cause I gotta provide support for the local businesses

I can’t think of anything better than having breakfast at 3pm on a Friday afternoon. I love breakfast with a passion but for some reason, rarely eat it on my own. It takes me coming to a restaurant to eat a delicious omlette or pancakes. I find it difficult to replicate restaurant quality breakfast foods at home.
My date was running late but he was coming from Lodi. Can’t blame the guy; he wasted tons of gas just to see me! I made him get pancakes and I had the Ortega Omlette. Service sucked. There were only three tables occupied yet I barely saw the waitress. Once the food finally arrived, things got better. One bite into the omlette made my tastebuds do a happy dance. Omlette was nice and thick with generous amounts of avocado and salsa. However, the home potatoes were a disappointment as they were too soft and not crispy enough. My dates pancakes were very good as well.
And for all of you who blame the bad economy for small businesses not doing well; case in point. There was a line wrapped around the block for Bakesale Betty. Clearly the bad economy hasn’t affected them at all!

Although I ate here a few months ago the only memory I have of that place is as follows:
I had friends visiting and wanted to take them someplace to eat that wasn’t far from home. I don’t think the place had been open too long as it was nearly empty as we walked in. Typical brunchie things on the menu and nothing we ate completely blew my mind.
The only thing that really pissed me off was the waitress.
I was thirsty and had been staring at a cool pitcher of ice water sitting maybe a few feet away. I had asked their waitress if I could have a bit more water and after 10 min of her not refilling it, I asked again.
her response:
«oh you poor thirsty thing. how horrible» and she finally filled up my glass almost to the point of overflowing then she says…
«Here let me help you» and then proceeds to pour the glass of water into my mouth… thus spilling the water all over the place and all over me… I was pretty speechless.
If I’m going to spend more than 10 bucks on some eggs and potatoes, I think I should be able to have an extra glass of water if I need it without any attitude. But, I’m also from the South where there are things called «manners» and I doubt seriously anyone there would be this disrespectful.
Hopefully, the other waiters aren’t this condescending and passive agressive. but this is the Bay Area so one can only hope.

Nothing too special, though we were able to get a table without a wait this Sunday morning, which is always nice.
The home fries were probably the best part of the meal. Nicely seasoned, and a nice level of roasted-​ness. The scramble I ordered was not particularly memorable, though it did have some nice big chunks of zucchini and mushroom in there. The hot chocolate was not as good as Strada’s, and also cost $ 3.25 (while most places only charge about $ 2.50 for hot chocolate). Blar.
However, service was pretty decent, and the food came out quickly. I wonder what the non-​breakfast items are like.

I live in this neighborhood so I was happy to see we had a new eatery! I avoid any place with a wait on the side walk for more than 5 minutes. The restaurant itself if very appealing and the huge sign is inviting.
I ordered the roasted citrus chicken. I liked the chicken a lot! The citrus lemon sauce tasted great and the batter was just right, nice and crispy. The mashed potatoes were OK but the vegetables were tough as they hadn’t been cooked enough. The entrée experience was okay. I opted for the cheese cake for desert but I was let down to find that it was just that, your basic cheese cake (possible store bought?) and I definitely don’t think it was worth $ 4.50/slice.
Bottom line, dinner was okay. In an area where there are vibrant flavors its difficult to offer up American cuisine without adding a punch. If you’re gonna serve mashed potatoes, give them some character, or be sure the veggies are well seasoned. I really want this place to do well and I hope they are keeping an eye on these reviews to see what people in the neighborhood are looking for.
I definitely plan on returning because most of what I experienced could just be grand opening jitters. Either way, I hear they have great breakfast so I’ll definitely be back!

Went there for dinner with the my wife and 2 year old daughter. We heard about the restaurant from a friend. They have a breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. I was impressed by the variety. It has american food standards and some california inspired Mediterranean food (pasta and salads).
I ordered a burger (which includes the choice of regular fries, curly fries, onion rings, or salad) and it was tasty decent burger. I like the options and it was $ 9.
My wife ordered a dinner size salad and fried calamari appetizer both were great. Do try the calamari.
My daughter had the kid «cutie» chicken alfredo pasta. She ate half of it. She is pretty picky so the pasta must of been very good. I tried it and thought the chicken breast meat was very moist.
It was great that the Horseshoe just got there liquor license. We had a glass of wine and a draft beer (Flat Tire, decent selection). Thank god, what is burger without beer to go with it.
I recommend Horseshoe for a low key casual dining experience. You can get a good value meal in a kid friendly atmosphere (not that single hipsters wouldn’t enjoy it either). It feels more like neighborhood joint than a pub.
–PC

Two Stars for A Sunny window table on a Sunday without a half hour wait on the sidewalk.(That’ll change) 3 stars for Perfectly cooked Omlettes, Hash Browns & great service.
One star penalty for the worst Coffee I have had out in a long time.
Yup its the Burnt french roast from McLaughlin. Even Peerless Coffee would be much better.
Next time I’ll have the Iced tea.

Thanks to Joe B. I learned about this restaurant and met Diane here for brunch this morning. As I drove down Telegraph banners identified the neighborhood as Temescal. It’s a nice touch to have the neighborhood identified for those of us who have driven through it over the years but hadn’t thought about it much aside from the names of the streets we’re driving on. Horseshoe is in the same block as Sura and Pyung Chang Tofu House. It’s in an old building w/​wooden floors and high ceilings. We were seated at a sunny table in the front window.
The menu is extensive and we finally decided on make our own omelets. They’re made w/​three eggs, a choice of three vegetable ingredients from an extensive list, 1 cheese from a lengthy list and 1 meat from a shorter list. I love choices! Crispy, tasty home fries came alongside, as well as a choice of bread. Sour cream is served on the side. I had mine w/​2 eggs, spinach, mushrooms, avocado, bacon and goat cheese. Next time I’ll skip the avocado, which added a bit too much richness. It was fresh and lovely but too much. Diane had egg whites, roasted tomato, spinach, eggplant, chicken-​apple sausage and goat cheese. The waitress was terrific, attentive, friendly and efficient. It was a lovely brunch and we’ll add it to our regular brunch rotation. When I described it to Alan he got all excited, so we’ll be going there the next time we go out for brunch.

Went there for lunch, and, overall, it is nothing to write home about.
However, this does not mean that it sucks. It just means that you wont remember what to write home about because you are having a fat nap (you know, those naps you sorta take at work after a very fatty lunch – you can only doze off in an angle where you people can’t know you are sleeping, and in a position that makes people think you are really concentrating on the screen). Yeah, a fat nap.
I’m a bit grumpy now because I had a half-​assed one, thanks to the sweaty albacore melt and curly fries I ordered at this fine establishment.
Am i coming off as too grumpy? I apologize if I am. It might be the cheese and oils leaving my body. But down to brass tax:
This place is decent. Not too expensive, good atmosphere, and a good selection of burgers, sandwiches, and fried (oh my!)
They advertised beer and wine. Greeeeat, that should perk me right up – sorry again.
Tagline: I am sleepy.

***LUNCH REVIEW***
Finally, a new restaurant by the office I can get lunch from.
I must say, besides the fast food and abundance of korean restaurants in the area, there isn’t much within walking distance. I walked by this place and looked over the menu, I did see a few things worth trying.
So I dropped by today and ordered the chicken sandwich. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that fries came with the sandwich. I had a choice between steak-​fries, curlies, onion rings or a side salad and to top it all off, for $ 8.
Lunch for under $ 10, I can do this.
The sandwich had a thin slice of chicken breast topped with tomato, pesto sauce, a few red onions and some swiss cheese between some chibata bread. I’d have to say, not bad at all.
For a quick lunch spot in the neighborhood, I’m sure to stop here once a week. I’ll have to try their dinner entrees some time.

When I found out there was a new little business that opened up practically around the corner from where I live, i had to drag Joe B. there for dinner on Sunday right away. The lure of someplace new to Unilocal and the phrase «breakfast served all day» works every time.
Temescal, especially Telegraph Ave. is really coming up these days. I gotta give credit to the business owners who are willing to and are excited to open new establishments in Oaktown. This is what we need!
The interior is spacious, and I can totally see myself coming here for breakfast. There aren’t many other options for your first meal of the day in this hood, and Horseshoe looks like it will really hit the spot.
I agree, it’s definitely clean inside, the servers are nice and I love love love the view of the most ginormous open kitchen I’ve ever seen in a restaurant. They also have art on the walls and are awaiting their liquor license.
Outdoor patio: I have yet to see it, but those words make me happy. This place, along with Marc 49 right down the block make Telegraph Ave. the new spot for a Sunday stroll or Friday night!
I had the grilled chicken sandwich with curly fries. You can always win me over with curly fries. And unlimited refills. Their menu is simple and satisfying – nothing ground breaking or gourmet, just good olé American fair.
I’ll be a regular, I’m sure.

Had brunch here with the hubby a week or so after they opened. This space was already bustling with folks excited to try out the newest eatery in Temescal.
Even though they had just opened and were quite busy, our server was really friendly and attentive, and he had also tried a lot of what was on the menu, so he had great recommendations. We had the buttermilk pancakes with pecan butter and the eggs florentine.
The buttermilk pancakes are the kind of pancakes I dream about when I want pancakes. They are PERFECT — fluffy and they didn’t get soggy with liberal pours of maple syrup, and when they came out of the kitchen they looked like pancakes from a photo shoot. Pecan butter was a tasty addition, but we still craved that classic butter flavor so I recommend asking for a pat or two on the side.
Eggs Florentine was also delicious. Horseshoe’s hollandaise is light and fresh with subtle lemon. I liked that it wasn’t very heavy. Eggs were cooked perfectly and the spinach was plentiful. Came with home fried potatoes that were lightly seasoned, and crisp but tender on the inside. Yum.
Only one bad thing: Horseshoe loses a star for pretty godawful coffee — so much so that the other day we were considering eating there for brunch again but decided against it because we’d had a long night and couldn’t deal with their coffee. It might be okay for some folks, it just seems a little diner-​esque — weak, with that sitting on the burner taste. I hope that will change soon.
I’ve been hearing good things from friends about the lunch and dinner offerings, particularly the roasted chicken and salads, and can’t wait to try them out. Liquor license looks like it’s coming soon, which will hasten that for sure.
Great food, great service, well-​priced, and a nicely restored interior with a lovely dark wood floor that lends a classic feel to the space

This location used to be a «corner store» with really good hummus and baba ganoush. Other than that there wasn’t much going for it. Especially since the other «corner store» about 10 store fronts down has a bustling business. And they sell injera and ethiopian staples. (Neither of these stores are on a corner.)
This restaurant came in really fast, and opened even faster. I noticed they were getting shipments of food a couple days ago so I stopped by and looked at the menu. It’s pretty normal American food all around.
I went there today with a party of 6 and our waiter got fired during our meal. Despite the short handedness, the other waiter we had was great. He’s was really nice and really concerned about our table.
I had Eggs Florence and it was darn good. I had a mocha too — and that was darn good too. The potatoes were also really good. They have good hot sauce and you can get your own side of salsa, which is pretty good too. It’s more like a way to get some more vegetables than a way to add spiciness though.
My husband and I have occasionally talked about opening a breakfast spot in our neighborhood, and now it’s here. Thank god we won’t have to go into the restaurant business now.