Good Food Days Land in Pittsburg

The few days of eating around the Bay Area brought us out to Pittsburg, on the east shore in Contra Costa County, where the old downtown runs along Railroad Avenue. Lunch was the whole reason for the detour.

Steamed bao came split around glazed pork, pickled cucumber and carrot sliding out the sides, something breaded and fried stacked on top under a heap of cilantro sprigs. Across the table, a bowl of roasted beets and whole baby radishes with a soft egg in the middle, the white dusted with black seeds or salt — couldn't tell which from where I sat. Then filo triangles with blistered tomatoes, a couple of the green ones charred and just barely holding their skins.

Everything arrived on blue-and-white plates, floral all the way to the rim, and none of it lasted long. A mound of white rice on the far end of the table was the only thing left standing when we pushed back.