Downtown San Mateo is cool

So tonight I’m sitting at home and I’ve got this craving for Japanese food again. However, this time I want some ramen. It’s been months since I had a good bowl. But I don’t feel like driving all the way to San Francisco or to Berkeley…

Early this year I was on a mission to find ramen as good as the stuff I ate in Japan and in SoCal (Ebisu, how I miss you). With the help of www.yelp.com (I love that website—-if you live in the Bay Area you MUST try it) I was able to locate quite a few good ramen restaurants in the Bay Area. Like Santa, Ryowa, Tanpopo, and Gen to name a few.

Tonight I wouldn’t mind going to Santa in San Mateo, but man that wait just isn’t worth it. And let’s just say that the restaurant was built for midgets, not Tom Bissells. Let’s see here, I’ll just fire up my web browser and go to Yelp! again to see what the locals have to say… Himawari in downtown San Mateo, eh? Sounds good, I’ll try it. Within minutes I’m out the door with some directions and a purpose.

West on 92 across the bridge, north on 101, take the 3rd St. exit, and there you are—-downtown San Mateo. Only 17 miles from my house. What a nice area it is, too. I mean *really* nice. Almost too nice. The whole area is squeaky clean and just *reeks* of money. No graffitti, no trash on the street, no cracks in the sidewalk, everything is new, and all the people look like yuppies.

I immediately see the parking garage and take the first spot. I walk outside and whoomp, there it is: corporate America. Starbucks, Noah’s Bagels, and Jamba Juice—-boom boom boom, all three right next door to the other. OK, that’s not my scene, but it’s all good. I noticed quite a few businesses I wouldn’t mind checking out on the drive through downtown to the parking garage. So I walk two blocks and can’t help but notice the plethora of Japanese restaurants—-mostly Americanized sushi joints. But I want ramen, and I’m looking for Himawari. Oh look, there it is…

Wow, this place is fancy. Meh. Jazz on the stereo? I take a seat at a Japanese sized table (read: way too small for me) and order my favorites—-Kirin Ichiban on draft (bonus points), gyoza, and cha shu ramen. My beer arrives quickly and is very cold. The waitress brings my gyoza (which was excellent, much better than Ryowa’s) and a steaming bowl of cha shu men (Soy flavored ramen with extra pork slices). It’s so good and I’m starving so I wolf it down, barely pausing to savor the awesomeness of the food. Wow, that was really good. A little too expensive though. I think Ryowa in Berkeley is still my favorite ramen. Time for a walk.

It’s a good feeling, exploring an area that feels safe, you know? Downtown San Mateo is such a place. I spent a good two hours walking up and down all the streets, and in and out of all the bars, restaurants, cafes, pubs, bistros, and the like. Let me tell you, this place is cool. A little too yuppy for my taste, I feel more comfortable in places where chicks dress like it’s 1950 and the guys have arms covered in tats, but whatever. I like downtown San Mateo and I’ll definitely be back.

Here now… some stuff that I found:
A pool hall in an old bank building
Two “lounges” (you know, places with chill music, martinis, and comfortable couches)
O’Neill’s Irish Pub, which had the best nook in all of downtown San Mateo
Two other Irish bars, can’t remember their names
A greek food joint in a hole in the wall, looked and smelled delicious
L&L Hawaiian BBQ
Two sports bars, one for yuppies, and one for me
An Internet cafe with free wi-fi
A movie theater
Lots of Chinese and Indian food restaurants
A Spanish-Peruvian food restaurant with fantastic atmosphere
Several Mom ‘n’ Pop coffee houses
A Japanese knick knack store
Lots of Italian/Pizza restaurants

I’m sure I missed a lot. There’s no way I can find everything in just two hours. That said, I did see enough to know that downtown San Mateo should be the next location of the next Expedition of the Drinkin’ With Dave Podcast All Star Drinking Team.

So that’s it. How about some crappy photos taken with my cell phone? Oh, all right…

0 replies on “Downtown San Mateo is cool”

  1. There’s a little store called Takahashi Market tucked away in a little corner off of 3rd street that slangs all kinds of local grub. That’s where I usually get my Tako and Salt Salmon from. They also have Bento, Musubi and frsh sushi for those cats on the go. Aloha Shoyu, Kamaboko and Kalua Pig. Lau Lau, Portagee Sausage and Limokohu (Leemokohu). The Limo is a bit expensive so I get it from the rocks of Hanalei, freeze it and bring it home. But downtown Mateo is a cool spot. We’ll have to explore it further!

  3. I’m not sure about this. Looking for nook without the DWD crew? Captain, did you sanction this mission? May be brig time for you, Yeoman!

  4. I had no prior knowledge of this mission nor do I approve of any expeditionary forces being launched without my consent or counsel. I think flogging may be in order or 30 lashes with my Cat O’ Nine Tails!!!

  6. Special K… SOMEONE has to scout ahead and make sure that a location is suitable for our drunken bar crawls. Can you imagine an expedition to an area without booze? That just wouldn’t sit well with me!

  7. I thought the idea was the whole CREW scouts, not just the Quartermaster, and certainly NOT without the Captain’s approval! An area without booze, what, are we going to Disneyland?

  8. I think a mutiny is forming. This does not sit well with me. And thank you Special K for your dedication to duty and your steadfastness. Our Quartermaster must stand down. Here are some expeditionary guidelines that I think would benefit the entire crew..
    1) Scouting or Traversing is allowed as long as no grog is consumed in the act of such activities.
    2) No prospective establishment may be entered with prior knowledge of said establishment being reviewed or frequented by the DWD AllStar Drinking Team.
    3) Under no circumstances will the DWD AllStar Drinking Team be beholden to one crew members bias or prejudice.
    4) I am the Captain…How’s That?

  9. No mutiny here, sir! I’m just trying to do the task that was assigned to me (getting everyone to drink). If we are not all present on these excursions then I’m out of a job!

  10. Wait….Hold the phone! Oh Captain My Captain, at the risk of sounding mutinous….Rule #1 above needs some review. How about, at least, minimal amounts of grog can be consumed while scouting. Just trying to avoid rule breaking here, as I doubt I have the will power to avoid all grog while scouting. I can barely avoid grog during work. 🙂

  11. Wait, so 3 drink lunches are out? Damn, I never know the trends. I’m so depressed I think I need a drink!

  12. If you’re referring to me, I am not the Quartermaster, I am the Yeoman. Where are you getting this Quartermaster crap from?

  13. How about this me mates. If anyone be scoutin’, then bite your tongue lest it be removed by my blade! What’s in a new discovery if the discovery has already been discovered by a lone discoverer? Albeit one of our crew, but whether the place be shitty or not, I would like us all to partake in that feeling. So..If you’re gonna explore nooks on your own..I don’t wanna hear about it. Just keep it under your lid, and recommend the area as a whole for an expedition and lead us to the place you already have scouted. No one will know the difference. Agreed? Oh,and Kev…as much Grog as you want!

  18. Arrg, Captain Kahuna! Just make sure you all have plenty o’ grog and have fun!