Tidbits

Two to Try

Uncle Wong Chinese Restaurant made its name and established its credentials in San Leandro.

    Now owner Phuong and Liang Huang (the restaurant’s name—Wong—is the Cantonese version of the Mandarin “Huang”) have opened an Uncle Wong II (2315 Santa Clara Ave., 510-521-7070) in Alameda. The restaurant replaces Chin’s Garden, at this location for some 30 years before the Huangs took over. Story has it that Chin’s had become worn around the edges and its customer base had dropped off. “Once people realize that we’re a new restaurant, they’re keen to try our food, and then they come back,” says manager Henry Huang. Uncle Wong’s—open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.—offers free delivery within a limited area between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on orders of $20 or more. I got their spicy crispy chicken ($7.95) to go and made the mistake of sampling it in my car. “Crispy” was a misnomer—but that didn’t detract. The sweet and tangy Szechuan sauce was so tasty that I gobbled up all the chicken as finger-food before I got home.

In April, the New Zealander Restaurant and Pub

    (1400 Webster St., 510-769-8555) started serving up breakfast and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Chef-owner Clive Hitchens, New Zealand Chef of the Year in 1988, offers an omelet bar geared to customized selections; local standards such as eggs Benedict ($8.50) and huevos rancheros ($8.25); a special-recipe French toast with fresh fruit and maple syrup for the sweet-toothed ($6.75); and true to his roots, baked beans or Watties (a New Zealand brand) spaghetti on toast ($6.25). Hitchens, who can list “Elton John’s personal chef” on his résumé, continues to offer his specialty meat pies on the regular lunch and dinner menu and has also added cocktails.