oPeN FoR dINNeR 7 dAyS/weeK TIL 10:00PM. oPeN FoR BRuNCH THuRSdAyS - SuNdAyS 11:00AM comfortable, classy, and contemporary and seats approximately 60 patrons. There are tables of different sizes and heights, illuminated by various styles of suspended lighting. The dining room has large windows overlooking the bay, and there is a fireplace in one corner of the room. The bar in the center of the dining room offers additional seating. The patio boasts beautiful, heavy wooden tables with comfortable chairs and large shade umbrellas, with seating for approximately 50 additional guests. outdoor lighting is complemented by flameless candles on each table. window boxes with flowers and an outdoor fountain accentuate the patio décor. At Leila by the Bay, everything is made from scratch daily using only fresh ingredients—nothing is canned or frozen. Most fruits and vegetables are purchased from local Farmer’s Markets, and meats are purchased from an organic meat market. The menu for Leila by the Bay is generally touted as California cuisine. In addition to some traditional favorites such as garlic fries, hamburgers, steak, and spaghetti and meatballs, a number of Mediterranean selections are offered that are generally not available at nearby restaurants. examples of these include Lamb Kabobs, Shalaby Steak, and Chicken Tyabe. other interesting selections include Grilled Chicken with Adobo Sauce, oven Braised Lamb Shank, and Chipotle orange and Prawn Salad. There are daily Chef’s Special Recommendations. on the day of this review, the specials included Fish Tacos with green and red salsa, Beet Salad, a Mediterranean Sampler entrée, Seared wild Salmon Filet, and Grilled New york Steak. A separate Children’s Menu is available, and family dining is welcomed. Beverages available include non-alcoholic seasonal drinks such as Basil Ginger CHICKeN TyABe Lemonade and Summer Lemon Iced Tea, hot and iced coffee and espresso drinks, as well as a full bar. My guests and I arrived at Leila by the Bay to enjoy dinner on a sunny September afternoon. we opted to sit on the patio. The weather was warm, and we had a perfect view of the bay from our seats. Before long, several other tables of guests were seated on the patio, including the Hercules City Attorney and his wife. As we perused the menu and chatted with Moses, we were treated to a beautiful sunset which added to the overall ambiance of our visit. Nearly all of the guests seated on the patio greeted Moses when they saw him seated at our table, and as we dined, he took the opportunity to go to each table for a short visit. Most of those he spoke with are repeat customers who have become regulars since Leila’s opened in August. our dining experience began with two appetizers— Garlic Fries, hand cut French fries tossed with fresh garlic and herbs; and Fish Tacos, served with fresh, housemade red and green salsa. The fries were plentiful, tasty and garlicky, but were not as crisp as we’d have preferred. None of us had previously tried fish tacos, but we found them to be very delicious. The three of us shared the special fresh beet salad. Plentiful cubes of fresh, tender beets topped with feta cheese were FRoNT: SAM (owNeR), LuIS (CooK), CARMeN (SeRveR) MoSeS, (owNeR) BACK: dAvId (PARTNeR) ANd wIFe ALIzA
Contra Costa Marketplace - Nov 2014
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