of comedy in Alameda.

Hearty breakfast at a new American diner in Oakland.

And a hip lounge with savory small plates in San Francisco.

Phillips: That's a lot of dulce de leche.

Sbrocco: Just ahead on "Check, Please!

Bay Area."

-It was pork meaty goodness -Bacon perfume.

♪♪ Sbrocco: Hi.

I'm Leslie Sbrocco.

Welcome to "Check, Please!

Bay Area," the show where regular Bay Area residents review and talk about their favorite restaurants.

Now, we have three guests, and each one recommends one of their favorite spots, and the other to go check them out to see what they think.

Joining me at the "Check Please!"

table today are grape farmer and winemaker Christopher Renfro, accounting manager Angelica Tabuena, and engineering leader Clay Ver Valen.

Welcome, everyone.

[ Indistinct talking ] In times like these, we could all use a little more laughter and levity.

Comedy clubs have always been an obvious choice for a fun night out, but not top of mind when it comes to eating a delicious meal.

Well, Clay says his favorite club breaks that stereotype by offering surprisingly tasty bites for a performance venue.

On the east end of the island, It's the Alameda Comedy Club.

♪♪ Theis: My name is Lori Theis, and I own the Alameda Comedy Club along with my husband.

Ford: I'm Patrick Ford.

I'm the co-owner of the club.

I run the club and the shows, and she runs the restaurant.

[ Cheers and applause ] I started doing comedy myself when I was living in L.A. about 15 years ago.

Kind of on a whim, I talked to an old friend about doing comedy, and she was like, "Just go do it."

So I just did it.

And we moved back up here.

I thought, you know, "I really want to get back into that."

And we talked about our ideas for things.

And she wanted to open a wine bar.

And I thought the club.

We said, "Let's put them together, and do one thing."

Theis: So many comedy clubs, their food is like a fryer and a basket, you know?

Ford: A freezer and a fryer.

That's it.

Comedy clubs are not known for good food.

Theis: And for me, having spent all my life really, in the restaurant business, since I was 17 years old, I couldn't imagine working in a restaurant or a club that didn't have good food.

Man: My message is when you leave, be nice to one another.

Ford: What I tell people -- I say, you know, "Come for the food, and stay for the comedy."

Man: So stop honking your horn at me.

[ Laughter ] Ford: We said, "we need foods that can be eaten with one hand from the side, and should be shareable."

Theis: It's a combo of just sort of guilty pleasure foods.

All the attention's on the comedian that, you know, it's nice to indulge a little bit.

Ford: Have a mac and cheese ball.

Theis: Have a mac and cheese ball.

We do all of our wine on tap.

I have a lot of friends that make wine, and a lot of people are making wine in kegs these days.

Ford: And local microbrews here.

Alameda Brewing Company is one of our suppliers, and Faction Brewing gives us our IPA.

So, everything comes from Alameda Island.

We're really dedicated to building the comedy community here in the Bay Area.

And I try to find people who are up-and-coming, and also some legends.

Woman: We had to meet people the old-fashioned way -- at work, while they were married.

[ Laughter ] Theis: For me, to run a club, it was a big change.

Woman: Thank you.

Theis: The one thing that I really enjoy about it is people are so happy.

It's really, really cool.

People are laughing on their way out, and saying, "Thank you so much.

We had the best time."

And that's the best thing, is that we bring laughter into people's lives.

And that's something that I didn't understand how much that would really touch me, and how much I would really like that.

Sbrocco: Okay, Clay, this is the first time we've had a comedy club on.

Again, you don't really think of it for food.

So, did you discover it first as a comedy club, and then figured out it had good food?

Valen: I did discover it first as a comedy club.

But the food was surprisingly tasty -- much better than the typical, "Did you want pepperoni or cheese?"

microwave pizza?

Sbrocco: And how was the comedy?

Renfro: I thought it was incredible.

Tabuena: Yeah.

Renfro: I haven't laughed that hard in a long time, so... Sbrocco: So, you were in, you were laughing.

What did you order?

Valen: So, we started off with the big bowl of potato chips, which we got to dip in the homemade French onion dip.

And that really made it absolutely delicious.

Sbrocco: Well, I would say a big bowl of chips is a good idea for watching a comedy show, right?

Angelica, what did you start with when you went?

Tabuena: I did see the bowl of potato chips, but I was on my own, and so, I opted for the grilled cheese with the tomato soup.

It was really good.

It had these very sharp cheeses.

It was really nice dipped in the tomato soup.

It was tangy.

It was creamy.

Together, the two just made a really good meal.

Valen: One of the other dishes I had that night was the brisket sliders.

And I -- those are really good.

They have this caramelized onions, and the sauce, and I think they're a brioche bun.

Those are really good.

Renfro: I saw brisket, and I was super excited.

I was just very happy to be able to have something a little bit fatty, meaty, but still kind of good, lean meat.

The brioche was super soft, and the grilled onions added a really nice, sweet flavor, but the texture was awesome.

So, it was kind of like a flavor bomb.

Valen: I mean, they really do execute on the food very well.

And some things that you might -- like, a fried calamari dish, but they also fried some meyer lemons in with that, as well.

Renfro: I also got the fried tempura asparagus, which was awesome.

So, light, fluffy batter, fried perfectly, so it wasn't, like, super floppy, or anything like that.

Sbrocco: I can see a comic having a lot of fun with the floppy asparagus.

Renfro: The host was pretty hilarious in that sense.

She definitely was saying funny stuff.

But very serious asparagus, very delicious.

Tabuena: I also had the mac and cheese bites.

They were a bit of mac and cheese with truffle oil.

And it was covered in panko, fried, and so it was warm.

I think the only thing that I would have liked to see is more cheese on there.

Like, if it's a mac and cheese, like, I'm expecting cheesiness.

So -- But I loved the accessibility of being able to eat, but also watch and enjoy the show.

Sbrocco: And what about drinks?

Tabuena: I had their house strawberry lemonade.

That one was a tangy and sweet, refreshing drink.

And it matched perfectly with all of the sort of salty and fried foods that I was eating.

Valen: They do have a good cocktail list.

It turned out they actually make their own plum syrup, as well, from the owner's tree.

Renfro: The plum old-fashioned.

Sbrocco: Okay.

Valen: Yeah.

Renfro: I know exactly what you're talking about.

The plum was definitely noticeable.

The bourbon was delicious.

And it blended really well together.

Valen: And I had something they call a "Mexican mule," where they use tequila instead of vodka.

It wasn't on the menu.

The server suggested it.

And I was amazed, because they make their own ginger syrup.

Sbrocco: And did you have any desserts?

Tabuena: So, I tried their churros.

It was sprinkled, and had a little bit at the bottom, of cinnamon and sugar.

It came with a really delicious chocolate sauce.

So, the crispiness and the softness of the churro mixed with the creaminess of the chocolate was amazing.

Valen: Something I did try for the first time were the chocolate chip cookies.

I had -- and those came out warm from the oven.

They were freshly baked.

Sbrocco: Did you feel like you got a good night out?

Renfro: Yeah.

Definitely.

My partner and I had a great time.

And it felt amazing not spending hundreds of dollars on a meal Sbrocco: And entertainment.

Renfro: The most expensive thing on the menu, I feel like, was probably $15 to $20.

Tabuena: And I was really intrigued and surprised at not only the comedy acts, but also, like, the level of service that we were given, as well.

Sbrocco: All right.

If you would like to try the Alameda Comedy Club, it's located on Central Avenue in Alameda.

And the average tab, per person, without drinks, is around $45.

Man: Thank you very much for joining us.

[ Cheers and applause ] Sbrocco: Angelica says she hums the "Cheers" theme whenever she walks into her neighborhood diner.

With friendly staff, a vintage 1940s lunch counter, and the smell of crispy potatoes on the plancha, it's no wonder it's the place she feels most at home in the heart of Oakland's Laurel District, It's Sequoia Diner.

♪♪ ♪♪ Vennari: Sequoia Diner is a little neighborhood restaurant with a whole lot of heart and a whole lot of soul.

I think a lot of chefs are just chasing childhood memories.

I'm totally one of those people.

All these places we went in San Francisco that are mostly closed now.

There's just, like, certain things that I smell and taste that I just want to, like, recreate.

Homemade biscuits, and homemade bacon and sausages.

♪♪ We're really inspired by the seasons, and by old techniques of making food, using fermentation and salt, preserving.

This is the bacon after it's been smoked.

It takes, like, 10 days to make a slab of bacon from a pork belly -- We're salting it, hanging it, curing it, smoking it.

It's just kind of simple food made with a lot of care and attention.

♪♪ I get really happy when people have a great experience, and come to the kitchen, and say "thank you" to all the people working back there.

That's, like, the soul of the restaurant, is all the people that work here with me.

And once you get that chemistry going, everything else feels like magic.

This place is my home, and I hope that it's everyone else's home, too.

♪♪ Sbrocco: All right, does everybody know your name when you walk in there?

Tabuena: They do.

They might.

It really is like "Cheers," where everybody -- it honestly feels like you are sitting down at a breakfast table with your loved ones.

Sbrocco: And it's just breakfast and lunch.

It is just breakfast and lunch, so they do open early, which is great because I am an early bird, so I love getting there early.

And I usually start with a piping hot cup of coffee.

They actually use Highwire, which I believe is a local company, as well.

I start with a biscuit with jam and butter.

It is crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy like a cloud on the inside.

So, their jam is made in-house, and it's amazing.

They use seasonal fruits.

Valen: My daughter had that biscuit, as well.

She said, when she was done, it was the second best biscuit she'd ever had.

Sbrocco: Wow.

What's the first?

Valen: She couldn't remember.

So, that, by default, makes it the first best biscuit.

Sbrocco: That's right.

And what did you have?

Renfro: So, my daughter, Ahmarie, she wanted the waffle.

Really beautiful, crispy waffle, really thin.

It had sprinklings of powdered sugar, well-placed strawberries on the plate.

And then, they had a berry butter.

And I could eat the berry butter all by itself.

It was -- It was really delicious.

I had that.

We had the fish toast.

It was kind of like an open-faced po'boy.

It had, like, a remoulade on it, fresh tomatoes.

And on top of that, it was two crispy pieces of fish filets.

So, every bite was amazing.

It's what I would love to eat every day for breakfast.

And then, also, the beef hash was incredible.

The meat was super tender.

The potatoes were fried perfectly.

The eggs were perfect, also.

And generous portions -- like, very generous portions.

Sbrocco: What did you have, Clay?

Valen: I had the chilaquiles with the house-made chorizo.

And a side of bacon, because bacon.

Sbrocco: Everything's better with bacon.

And this place is known for bacon.

Valen: It's known for their bacon.

And it was amazing.

The chilaquiles were well executed, again.

Sbrocco: Because they can be soggy sometimes.

You know, you got to get the crisp chilaquiles.

Valen: These were so well cooked that the tortilla chips still were edible at the end of the meal.

So, the chorizo was delicious.

Also house-made.

They do it right there themselves.

And the bacon... that's good bacon.

Get a second side of bacon.

Tabeuna: Also, sometimes, they make a really great loco moco.

Renfro: I love loco moco.

Sbrocco: A little Hawaiian loco moco.

Tabuena: Yes.

It was amazing.

The loco moco is plated with steamed rice.

On top of that is a burger patty, medium rare to perfection, served with a fried egg on top.

And they make an oxtail gravy that is just amazing.

It reminds me, actually, of my grandma's cooking, that oxtail, sort of meaty... And so, you just get everything in one bite.

It's creamy from the egg yolk, salty from the hamburger.

You have your rice to even everything out.

It's -- It's amazing.

Sbrocco: It takes you to the island.

Tabuena: It really does.

So, usually, when I go, I'm sometimes by myself, and I love to sit behind the counter, because behind the counter, if you sit in the back a little bit, you can actually watch them, and the plancha, and the potatoes being cooked in front of you.

I feel like that's magical.

It smells great.

Sbrocco: Okay, tell me about those potatoes.

So, usually, when I order a goat cheese omelet, I really like how they use fresh and local herbs and vegetables.

On the side, you're also getting these crunchy potatoes.

I think the potatoes are probably the star of the show.

Sbrocco: So you get a lot of bang for your buck, in terms of the amount of food, huh?

Renfro: Definitely.

Valen: One plate was plenty.

I mean, this -- this is a bad show for a diet.

Tabuena: I agree.

Sbrocco: You'd go back.

Valen: Oh, absolutely.

Sbrocco: What time do you get there?

When you say "an early bird..."?

Tabuena: I get there at eight.

Renfro: Yeah, yeah.

So, I definitely saw people running in -- running into this spot.

Valen: At 11:30, it was packed.

It must be packed all day.

Tabuena: Yeah.

I think I've tried to figure out what time of day is the perfect time to go, where maybe there isn't a wait.

It is slammed the entire day.

So, I do think that, though, like, the wait is worth it.

Sbrocco: If you would like to try Sequoia Diner, it's located on MacArthur Boulevard in Oakland, and the average tab, per person, without drinks, is around $25.

As an urban wine grape grower, Christopher has a huge appreciation for restaurants that put creativity front and center when it comes to their wine and cocktail list.

His neighborhood spot is an ultra-cool lounge that pairs floral-based aromatic cocktails with equally innovative small plates.

In San Francisco's Mission District, It's True Laurel.

♪♪ Torres: This is our Mai O Mai.

It's our take on a Trader Vic's Mai Tai.

Without the orgeat, no curaçao, with a coffee rum float.

True Laurel is one of the best cocktail bars in San Franciso.

I can say that.

-To True Laurel.

-To True Laurel.

Torres: So, I created this bar with my chef co-founder, David Barzilai.

What we saw in this cocktail program, and in this restaurant program, was to be a constant center of refinement when it comes to our hospitality, when it comes to the food and drinks we make.

And so, our true laurel is to never rest on our laurels.

That's kind of where the inspiration of the name comes from.

♪♪ There are so many beautiful ingredients that have adapted to this area, that grow year round, that are untouched, even though they're edible and have highly influential, Bay Area flavors.

We wanted to put not necessarily the drinks before the food, but we wanted to show that the drinks could have as much effort put into them, and have as much locality and beautiful produce put into them, just as our food does.

♪♪ One of my favorite cocktails is probably one of our most popular cocktails, which is the In The Pines Under The Palms.

We go out, and we forage young redwood tips that are growing in forests around here.

And we let that sit with the drink for about 24 hours, to increase that pine flavor.

And it turned out to be a beautiful, spirit-forward drink.

Man: So good.

Torres: we all really get along, and we all have a vision of creating great hospitality, great food, great drinks, and just an environment you want to be in.

You need to be here.

Sbrocco: Okay, before we dig in to True Laurel, Christopher, you're a wine grower and winemaker.

You have something called the 280 Project.

Tell us all about it.

Renfro: My partner and I, we run a wine organization here in San Francisco that is all about inclusion, diversity, and trying to get people to be able to come into the wine industry wherever they are.

Sbrocco: So, moving on from one libation to another libation, talk about True Laurel.

Renfro: Yeah, so, if you are a foodie, it is a special place.

You get to have what are called "aromatized" wines, aromatic cocktails, that come from fortified wines, botanicals.

Some are really foraged.

Sbrocco: Vermouth.

Renfro: Yeah, vermouth -- things that have been foraged by one of the owners, Nick.

He goes out, he finds weird things in the community that he can just add into spirits, and make them pop.

Sbrocco: So, did you get anything to drink?

Tabuena: I don't drink as often, so I got to try their Shirley Temple, which, I think they used their own sort of cherry, and then their own lemon-lime soda.

It was super refreshing.

It went perfectly with what I was eating.

Valen: Well, when we went there, we made up for Angelica, because we had lots of alcoholic drinks.

But the highlight was the Mai O Mai.

Renfro: I love the Mai O Mai.

Valen: I've had other mai tais, but this is their own take on a mai tai, and it comes out in layers.

And, of the three restaurants we went to, it's the only drink we got two of because it was just that good.

Sbrocco: And what do you pair that with?

What did you get for food?

Valen: Oh, it's more what we didn't get.

The crudo was the highlight of the meal for us.

Just cooked enough.

The sauces that they placed around the outside were delicious.

Renfro: Calabrian chilies.

It's very refreshing.

And it cleanses your palate, with all the different flavor profiles, like meyer lemon.

And the chili adds just enough pop to where you need to go back for a little bit of more fish.

And then, there's, like, a, like, nice little broth at the bottom, as well.

I also tried the crispy pork belly lettuce wraps.

Thick slices of pork belly wrapped in small lettuce cups.

Again, bacon, pork.

Wonderful.

A little sweet because of the rendered fat on the pork belly.

Couldn't get enough of those.

Sbrocco: Did you have anything else?

Renfro: Yeah, so, the Hen of the Woods is my 4-year-old daughter's favorite.

She will literally eat an entire plate on her own.

Just a really beautiful tempura-battered fresh mushrooms.

The batter is perfectly seasoned.

Like, a porcini type salt.

Then, the sour cream is allium.

So, just a really great, herbacious... Sbrocco: Umami-laden.

Renfro: Umami, yes.

And you can't stop eating them.

Tabuena: I did love the presentation.

I loved the dip that it came with.

I thought that the dip helped kind of cut through the saltiness.

Sbrocco: Do you agree?

Valen: I think I ate that entire bowl of them almost myself.

Sbrocco: And then, what else did you have?

Tabuena: I had -- I believe they call it a "patty melt," but it it comes out like a hamburger.

And I do have to say, this is probably one of the best burgers that I've tried.

I was surprised at the amount of flavors.

I'm all about, like, balance, so having a soft but crunchy bread, having the creamy housemade sauce.

The burger was like a smash patty, so you were able to really taste the flavoring that came out of it.

Valen: I'm originally from Maryland, and we're a big crab state, particularly in the Baltimore area.

So, I did get the hot crab, which is a soft shell.

And it was everything they promised.

It was spicy -- if you get it, order a beer at the same time.

They've got a wonderful selection of them.

And it was not a big crab mess trying to dig into it.

So, it was knife-and-fork eating, and absolutely amazing.

Sbrocco: Any desserts?

Any sweets?

Renfro: I had the panna cotta.

The panna cotta changes, but it's perfect texture.

Every bite, you just kind of get more sad as you know it's gonna come to an end.

Sbrocco: How would you talk about service?

Valen: We didn't have a server.

Anybody that came by would stop and say, "Would you like anything else?

Can we help you with something?"

Renfro: And I think that that restaurant focuses on making everyone feel welcome, and making sure that you're having a great time, that time just kind of flies by.

Sbrocco: All right.

If you would like to try True Laurel, it's located on Alabama Street in San Francisco's Mission District.

And the average tab per person is around $40.

♪♪ And now, reporter Cecilia Phillips visits a small food hall that's fueling big dreams for its entrepreneurs.

♪♪ ♪♪ Sloan: E14th Eatery + Kitchen is a small-business incubation space for food businesses just starting up.

And they have an opportunity to be here for a year and a half, maybe two years, just to kind of get their business going.

And then, the hope is that that transitions them out into bigger, better things.

So, Ashland, California is actually located in unincorporated Alameda County.

So, Ashland, Cherryland, Eden area tends to be a little bit overlooked.

So, there's not a whole lot of food options.

So, we really are filling a gap.

Phillips: Brown Girl Farms.

What are you all about?

Woman: Yeah, so, we're a Black, queer, female-owned family, an intergenerational farm, and we specialize in African-American heritage crops.

We have a CSA, a produce box.

And at the end of the season, they can actually come visit our farm, and see where all their produce is grown.

Phillips: So, tell me what YoYo Treats is all about.

YoYo Treats is just about Mexican street snacks and drinks.

I just was missing my street snacks so much, so I said, "Okay, let's just start doing something, but do it different."

Phillips: So, what is a marquesita?

Ramirez-Jasso: We would like to say that it's a crispy crepe roll.

You're gonna have the platanito that is done with banana Dutch cheese.

Dutch cheese is really popular in the Yucatan Peninsula.

And dulce de leche.

Phillips: Oh, so you you happen to have one right here for me?

I've never had this.

Okay.

Here we go.

That's a lot of dulce de leche.

So good.

Muhammad: We're an artisan bakeshop and catering company.

And we specialize in wholesome treats made with navy beans.

It has a really rich and creamy texture, so we don't have to add a lot of things to the bean for it to be good.

Cook it right, and it will taste great.

Phillips: So, a lot of people will sometimes compare your navy-bean pies to maybe, like, a sweet potato pie.

Are they similar?

Muhammad: So, the bean pie was actually developed as a substitute for the sweet potato pie.

Carlton: This is our fish hoagie.

It's a beautiful sandwich with our whiting fish and our special Shaheed sauce, there.

Phillips: What's that?

Carlton: It's a secret.

Phillips: You know, one of these days, someone's gonna trust me, and I will get the secret.

All right, let's do this.

So good.

And the crust is so flaky and delicious.

This is my new go-to pie.

Forget about sweet potato pie, I say.

Muhammad: There we go.

Woman: I love Creative Sips.

Meimei Ma: So, Creative Sips, what are we all about?

We offer a lot of variety of drinks.

This one is our organic matcha strawberry with boba.

We made our strawberry puree ourself.

We also use a ceremonial-grade matcha powder.

Phillips: Really strong matcha flavor.

Okay.

You're from Hong Kong?

Okay.

So, you know, in the United States, we always say "cheers."

Meimei Ma: Something similar you could do -- Gon bui!

[ All cheersing ] Phillips: Matcha.

Yes.

Sbrocco: I have to thank my great guests on this week's show -- Christopher Renfro, who washes his Hen of the Woods mushrooms down with an equally woodsy cocktail at True Laurel in San Francisco -- Clay Ver Valen, who unwinds with sips and sliders at the Alameda Comedy Club in Alameda -- and breakfast lover Angelica Tabuena, superfan of the goat cheese omelet at Sequoia Diner in Oakland.

Join us next time, when three more guests will recommend their favorite spots right here on "Check, Please!

Bay Area."

I'm Leslie Sbrocco, and I'll see you then.

Cheers.

♪♪ ♪♪ Ramirez-Jasso: Over here, we have -- we call them tablita, but most people call them duritos preparados or chicharrones preparados.

Phillips: So, you have something on here called cueritos, which is pickled pork skin.

Ramirez-Jasso: Yeah.

We love pickled pork skin in Mexico.

You ready?

Phillips: Salud.

Ramirez-Jasso: Salud.

♪♪ Phillips: Your hot sauce is so good.