11–9PM SuNdaY THrOuGH THurSdaY, Bar OPeN uNTIl 10PM • 11–10PM FrIdaY & SaTurdaY, Bar OPeN uNTIl MIdNIGHT FraNcIScO aNd IrMa cHIckeN TOrTIlla SOuP an inaugural view of PSB! entry into the restaurant is through the bar, which was at full capacity when we arrived. as we waited to be seated, we noticed the lifesize, lighted scrolling signage just inside the door which featured information about the restaurant and menu selections. across from the bar, a large mounted multimedia screen ran continuous video clips of PSB customers and activities. customers sitting on stools at the long bar and at high-topped tables enjoyed their cocktails, chatting with each other or watching the flat screen Tv’s mounted above the bar area. Soon we were greeted by the owner, Francisco, a tall, well-dressed, young man, who showed us to our table where a lighted “reserved” was visible. The table was positioned across from the kitchen, giving us a great view of the busy cooks and servers. We were promptly introduced to our server, aaron, who has been with PSB since 2007, and he took great care of us throughout the evening, attending to our every request. We were promptly served iced water and soft, sliced sourdough bread, and then ordered beverages. My guest ordered a glass of Sangria, and I ordered the $5 drink of the day, a cosmo. each day, PSB features a different drink of the day for $5, a great deal for those who like to enjoy a reasonably priced drink with dinner. Our menus were the placemats on our beautiful marbletopped table, a new PSB feature after the remodel. as we sipped our drinks, we perused the menu and assessed the activity in the full dining room. a separate “banquet” room was open to the right of the main dining room that is used for a number of different purposes. On this evening, there was a large party using half of the room, and the other half was being used for overflow dining. all guests appeared to be enjoying their meals, and the number of busy waiters, waitresses, and hosts seemed ample for the number of guests. The interior of the dining room is modern, with touches of formality, such as renovated woodwork throughout, marble-topped tables and counters, chandelier and track lighting, and large mirrors mounted on several walls. The kitchen is completely renovated and has an opening to the dining room for server accessibility and guest viewing. The noise level was moderately loud due to the number of guests eating and chatting in the dining rooms, combined with voices of the bar crowd, and the sounds of the flat screen Tv’s in the bar and in the banquet room; yet, the noise was tolerable and not unpleasant. The dinner menu boasts an assortment of soups, salads and appetizers from which customers can choose to accompany their dinners. entrees are categorized under the headings “From land”, “From the Sea”, and “From land and Sea.” daily Specials are listed on the right side of the menu, and are available beginning at 4:00 daily, excluding holidays. While the cuisine at Pear Street Bistro is billed as american, there are also some ethnically diverse selections on the menu, such as the PSB lomo Soltado, Thai coconut curry linguini with chicken, and Bassa de Medellin. On the “Items to Share” menu, there is ceviche and Mini asian BBQ Pork Shanks; and on Tuesdays, the daily Special is Tacos! I observed that the menu includes a nice variety of selections, many of which are not available in other local restaurants. after much deliberation, my guest and
Contra Costa Marketplace - March 2016
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