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Almost a year ago today, I stopped working at the Palomares Cafe. Being
a busser/hostess there was my first real job, and I was very close with those I
worked with. I knew everyone there, including the owners, who were good family
friends of ours. These days though, my employment there is not the only thing
that has changed; the restaurant is under new management. I decided to go back
with my parents to see what the dining experience was like now.
Visually, much had changed for the better. The first thing that
I noticed was that the lighting was dimmed so that the moment you walk in the
mood feels intimate. The color scheme of table cloths and chairs had been
rearranged to be more aesthetically pleasing as well. The biggest blessing of
all, though, was that they played soft unnameable jazz or classical music, as
opposed to the aurally assaulting STAR 101.3. Admittedly, much of the restaurant
still clashes. It seems confused as to whether or not it wants to cater to the
quiet refined diners or those who frequent the attached bar for karaoke.
Karaoke is not the only 'attraction' offered at the bar, though
it is quite popular among the regulars, local blues bands come to play at the
restaurant two days a week. These visits are almost always a treasure to be
seen. The bands that play at the restaurant can not only play well, but have
character, too.
Who could truly compare to the service that I once provided at
Palomares cafe? Well, seemingly, those who currently employed there, because I
had no complaints about the service. The waiters were polite and always appeared
at the right moments. Though there was one mistake in an order (a salad became
fries), and the specials weren't committed to memory, the cozy, cultural feeling
of the Palomares Cafe completely made up for this. It was so intimate, in fact,
that the chef himself served us our food.
The food was delicious, what more can be said? The three of us
each got separate things. My father had a classic cheeseburger with fries (and a
salad), I had the chicken Caesar salad, another classic dish, and my mother had
one of the specials: the Pumpkin raviolis. My father's meal was gone in a heart
beat and left him rubbing his stomach, and though I did not finish mine, it was
just what I had wanted and I enjoyed every bite. But when I got the last bite of
my mother's meal...I sure wished that I had changed. The pumpkin raviolis
sounded unappetizing but the truth was that they melted in your mouth (cliche,
but true). From classic meals, to new twists on old meals, the new chef knew
just how to tantalize the taste buds and leave us all wanting more.
Though the fact that the restaurant tries to
please both those there for a nice meal and those there to holler and drink does
bother me, I can easily forget this when I receive my meal. Overall, the
experience was a very positive (not to mention delicious) one. If you want good
energy, good music, and most importantly good food, then I would highly suggest
visiting The Palomares cafe: it is well worth the drive to Castro Valley.
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