Pokeatery is a new hotspot

Downtown Walnut Creek is always getting new restaurants. Every genre and culture of food seems to be represented. However, one that I hadn’t seem much of was poke. That is no longer the case – enter, Pokeatery on Newell Ave., in the set of shops by Whole Foods.

Pokeatery has locations throughout California, as well as one in foodie-haven Austin, TX. For those who are unfamiliar, poke is pronounced “poh-kay” and is typically a raw, Hawaiian salad. Usually, it’s made with ahi tuna, but Pokeatery offers different fish options, as well as vegetarian and gluten-free styles.

I went in to try out their menu- it is a bit different than poke I have had in the past and it is a LOT of food. You start with the base and then add the fish, the salad, the spices and the veggies. You make it your own!

The origin of Pokeatery is pretty cool, too. The owners and their family love Hawaiian food, especially poke. They wanted to bring those flavors back to the mainland, where it is less plentiful. In their family, they have more than 20 years of experience in sushi restaurants. Those skills go into crafting every meal at Pokeatery. Check out their website:

You can see from these pictures that the ingredients are fresh, the dishes are colorful (and plentiful!), and they really take great care to provide you with a good meal. The owner is pictured here at the bottom. There are a couple of other poke restaurant that have opened up downtown called Oke Poke (which just opened) and T4 and Poke that also has bubble tea. I have to try both eventually. Overall, I give Pokeatery 4 Mt. Diablo’s! I keep comparing all the poke I eat to the Da Poke Shack on the big island of Hawaii – hang out at the beach all day, walk over to Da Poke Shack and have a cold beer – magic!

Lemonade is a healthy, delicious lunch option

Lemonade opened up a location next to Corner’s Tavern and across from Stanford’s at the outskirts of Broadway Plaza – if you haven’t tried it yet, you should!

Lemonade is best known for its healthy options and a buffet-style bar of grab-and-go meals. You can get anything from sandwiches, salads and soups to four samplers in one box of premade options much like the Whole Foods hot bar.

It’s quick and easy and all the food I’ve tried there has been really great. Most recently, I had a poke salad with avocado mash. Oh, and as the name implies, they also have a great selection of fresh lemonades to choose from!

I really like this as a healthy lunch and quick lunch option as you can be in and out in 10 minutes, but I still miss La Boulange and wish Starbucks would have kept them around. Let me know what you think!

Dunkin’ Donuts Delights Downtown

The days of Las Lomas students darting over to San Miguel Plaza after school to grab a couple Taco Bell specials are over. Instead, they can check out Dunkin’ Donuts, which took over the old Taco Bell space and has seen lines around the corner in its first week of business.

Dunkin’ Donuts will be open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day and serves a variety of breakfast sandwiches, coffee drinks and, as the name implies, donuts. The East Coast-based chain is incredibly popular in other regions of the country and now adds another well-known food and drink option to Walnut Creek’s growing downtown.

For a town that recently rid itself of the long-standing McDonald’s and has now cut its Taco Bell consumption in half, this may be a surprising add (especially given Dunkin’ Donuts’ proximity to Whole Foods), but the world can never have enough coffee shops!

I decided to visit Dunkin’ Donuts this morning and see what all the fuss was about. I waited in a long line, as expected, before being helped by a very kind girl at the register. They offer a lot more than just donuts at Dunkin’, though their only healthy choice is the oatmeal. I tried their cappuccino, some donuts (Bavarian chocolate donut and the fritter, among others) and a variety of donut holes.

The coffee was amazing. I asked why, and they said it was because they never let it sit for more than 15 minutes at a time. And the donuts, which tasted a lot less fried than they do at other places, were really good! I chatted with an East Coaster who said he now feels complete with a Dunkin’ Donuts in town.

The parking is easy in that plaza, especially in mornings before the other businesses open up. I have a feeling that Dunkin’ will develop quite a following!

Living Near Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Improves Your Home Value

Really? According to the Huffington Post, homes located within a mile of Trader Joe’s stores are seeing a significant increase in value, compared to homes that are not within that range. Same thing goes for Whole Foods!

Luckily for us living in the immediate East Bay, where healthy eating and living is quite common, there are at least 12 Trader Joe’s and no less than six Whole Foods (including one each in Walnut Creek!). Chances are, as HuffPo says, if you’re close enough to one of these stores, your home value will see an uptick. I am not so sure this shows the entire picture; maybe Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods just tend to pick more affluent neighborhoods. I have never heard a buyer say they would like to be in close proximity to either of those stores when thinking about purchasing a home. On the other hand, I personally live within walking distance to both stores in Walnut Creek. Do I like it, absolutely! I just finished eating a salad from Whole Foods and often stop off at TJ’s on my way home.

On the other hand, I personally live within walking distance to both stores in Walnut Creek. Do I like it? Absolutely! I just finished eating a salad from Whole Foods and often stop off at TJ’s on my way home.

For me, the real estate market is never boring and always provides interesting insights – location and surrounding amenities play such a huge role in pricing. Walnut Creek and the Bay Area overall are much different than the rest of the country: great for those who already own, but not so much for those trying to find a home or move in from another state. I feel very blessed to own my own and live in such a beautiful place, whether I am located within a mile of Trader Joe’ or not.

The Orchards

At Oak Grove Blvd & Ygnacio Valley Road in the Shadelands Business Park. Safeway is finally building on their lot that has sat empty for so long – the last of what was once real orchards. Safeway’s new store will replace its smaller Encina Grande location across the street, where Whole Foods will move in.

The Orchards will include a Stein Mart, Crunch Fitness & Petco along with specialty shops, restaurants, 200 units of senior housing, green space, play area and jogging trails. This area has been languishing from a business perspective and the city has been trying to figure out how to reinvigorate it to be more like a Bishop Ranch. The problem is the commute – there is no easy access from Bart, thus people have to drive so many of the business once housed in the Shadelands have moved.

Hall Equities Group will be transforming the building Contra Costa Times occupied in a Recreational Sports Facility and will become the regional go to place for youth basketball, soccer, lacrosse, etc. – this is sorely needed in our area as field space is a premium – now parents will be able to drop off the kids to warm up and walk over to grab a coffee or do their shopping. It will be interesting to see if it attracts actual business vs. retail.

~Kristin

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beate.” G. K. Chesterton