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Secret Eats

Noshing Around With Baron’s David Samiljan

Chris Duffey

      David Samiljan of Baron’s Meats and Poultry knows what carnivores like. He also knows what he likes: sustainably produced, hormone-free meat, poultry and house-made products like sausages and entrees that he can serve and sell with pride. “I don’t believe in chemicals,” for one thing, and for another, he believes in protecting the environment and raising farm animals with care and respect.
This attention to detail is evident in his butcher case; he can tell you where each product came from — what farm, what sea — and how to prepare it. A gourmand? You might say so. So where’s the best place for gourmands to shop or eat on the Island?

The Marketplace
Here. The Marketplace. This is a foodie paradise. Here’s the best meat and poultry on the Island, the best cheese, the best bread anywhere in the Bay Area — the best baguette, the best rye bread; the best produce from individual family farms. Right here.  1650 Park St., (510) 865-1500, www.alamedamarketplace.com

East End Pizza Co.
I am a bona fide pizza snob, born and raised in New York. I know good  pizza. (Samiljan recommends the Diablita spicy red sauce with his own  Baron’s hot Italian sausage on it, or the Bazuki, a Greek pizza with black  olives and feta.)  1650 Park St.,  (510) 263-9630, www.eastendpizzaco.com

Scolari’s Good Eats
He does old-fashioned strombolis, burgers and sandwiches. (Samiljan favors the buffalo wing french fries with hot sauce and blue cheese crumbles.)  1303 Park St., (510) 521-2400

The Little House Cafe
They do a black bean soup that’s killer. They’re also into sustainable (products). I like people who do what I do, with an eye on the environment and quality without compromising.  2300 Blanding Ave.,  (510) 864-4044, www.littlehousecafe.com

Jim’s Coffee Shop
I love diner food. I always leave there stuffed and needing to take a walk. (He often picks the classic club sandwich with curly fries, or for breakfast, the chile verde omelet.) 2333 Lincoln Ave.,  (510) 523-5368,  www.jimscoffeeshop.com

Baron’s Meats and Poultry, 1650 Park St., (510) 864-1915,  www.baronsmeats.com