The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: restaurant review

  • Restaurant Review: Curry Leaf’s expansive options transport customers across the world plate by plate

    Restaurant Review: Curry Leaf’s expansive options transport customers across the world plate by plate

    by Oden Taylor

    Get out your wallets, folks, this is not your average Asian eatery.  

    Curry Leaf: Asian Fusion and Sake Bar opened earlier this month in Eureka, making its place as the only restaurant in Humboldt county to serve Malaysian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai food, and more, all under one roof. 

    Opened by Chef Joe Tan, who designed the sushi bar at Bayfront Restaurant in Eureka, as well as partnering to open Nori in Arcata, Curry Leaf is Tan’s third Humboldt restaurant and it’s gearing up to be a major success.

    Walking into Curry Leaf, you are greeted by a pair of Chinese guardian lions. The restaurant space feels refreshed and has undergone renovations since its days as the restaurant Gonsea. 

    My partner and I were greeted warmly and seated quickly at a purple leather booth near the back of the bustling restaurant. I was beyond thrilled when I looked at the menu and saw the range of options available to me. 

    Photo by Oden Taylor | Beef Chow Fun

    Curry Leaf is a cultural explosion for the city of Eureka, bringing many new foods to the diners of Humboldt county. The menu includes ingredients like screwpine leaves, dried chili coated anchovies and fried taro nests, to name a few.  

    To start off the meal, I ordered the fried street wontons with special szechuan red chili sauce. The wontons come either steamed or fried and contain ground pork, shrimp, yellow onion, and black mushrooms. 

    They were so crunchy and flavorful. The red chili sauce is made with a savory spicy bright red chili oil that really compliments the wontons. 

    Even the side salad we ordered was beautifully plated and had crisp, fresh ingredients with a delicious tangy sweet miso dressing. 

    Make sure to order appetizers because though the waitstaff is friendly and professional, it can be a bit of wait due to the popularity of the restaurant. 

    For our entrees my partner and I shared the beef chow fun and the honey glazed prawns. 

    The beef chow fun is a large portion of velvety beef, rice noodles, bean sprouts, soy sauce and green onions. This dish is hearty and perfect for sharing. 

    The honey glazed prawns were the star of the evening. The prawns are lightly fried and coated in a succulent honey lemon glaze. The portion is huge and is served with perfectly cooked broccoli and aromatic steamed rice. 

    For lovers of classic honey walnut shrimp, the honey glazed prawns at Curry Leaf elevate this dish to the next level.  

    As our meal came to a close we shared the almond pudding—a Chinese soft-style jelly made of apricot kernel milk, topped with whipped cream, honey and bright goji berries. 

    This dish is served cold and has a similar texture to flan, but tastes like an almond vanilla ice cream. It’s sweet and rich, making it the perfect ending to a very well crafted meal.

    All of the food was cooked perfectly and plated professionally. Even the drink menu is fantastic with desert alcohols like chocolate nigiri and pineapple sake, as well as more traditional beer, wine and sake. The restaurant also offers free refills on non-alcoholic specialty drinks like Roy Rogers and Shirley Temples.  

    If you are looking for a delicious meal and a good night out, Curry Leaf is the place for you. Curry Leaf is located at 2335 US-101 in Eureka and can be reached for take-out at (707) 798-2049. It is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Monday.

  • Queso is king in Loleta

    Queso is king in Loleta

    Nobody is re-imagining one of America’s classic foods as deliciously as the Queso Kings.

    Now and then, life gets hard. Our jobs, our studies, hell, even our passions can wear us out. When it comes to getting away from it all and finding our happy places, there are all sorts of way to do it. One of the ways to de-stress is with some good old comfort food. Sometimes, finding that perfect meal can feel impossible.

    Comfort foodies, your search is over. Nestled in a modest farm town of 750 people lies Humboldt County’s cheesiest secret: Queso Kings Grilled Cheese Bar in Loleta.

    What could be so special about a piece of melted cheese between toasted bread? Queso Kings is delicious, and it won’t hurt your wallet either. Any sandwich on the menu is $7, unless you want a meal, which comes with soup for $11.

    Walking in to the cheese bar there is a chalkboard menu with names like “Mardi Gras,” “Smokin’ Pig” and “After School Special.” Around the corner, cheese samples line the walls, creations from the Loleta Cheese Factory who supplies the grilled cheese bar with their queso, with a variety that will make you happier than a hungry college student at Costco on a Saturday.

    The first was “The Divine Order,” a simple and yummy combination of herb and spice havarti with grilled chicken on rustic country bread. The havarti was gooey, sweet and buttery, pairing perfectly with the chicken. The toast was crunchy and light, but the cheese was just bomb. The “Divine Order” tasted like it was anointed by the pope and kissed by Jesus before it was put into the basket.

    Next up was the “Bay Area Brisket,” made with tender and juicy brisket, roasted garlic jack and smokey cheddar on sliced sourdough. The combination of garlic jack and smoked cheddar brought together a savory flavor that will send your taste buds on a vacation. It is the perfect comfort food with the brisket to top it off, adding an extra layer of flavor and heartiness to the sandwich.

    Next to the “Divine Order,” the brisket was the absolute winner. The gooey jack cheese mixed with the sharpness of the cheddar made that sandwich and you will definitely be going back to get another bite.