I've been meaning to do this for a while, and today's lunch reminded me to go ahead: I strongly recommend the Royale Cafe in San Carlos (on Laurel between Howard and Brittan, 650-591-8883) for lunch and dinner. If you're familiar with Vic's, this place is almost as good and a fair bit cheaper. The food is extremely plain: standard fare is sandwiches at lunch and steak & fried fish for dinner. Vegetables have a bit more variety than the standard broccoli and carrots; today's side dish had broccoli, asparagus, and green beans. Potatoes are one of the specialties of the house, along with >>>sausages<<<. I like their soups, mostly clear broth with fresh veggies and meat. Their steaks are decent meat, but cooked exactly to order -- and you won't find a better deal at $9 for a full meal. They make their own pastries, and I suggest you go for lunch or an early dinner if you want a full selection. Unfortunately, they don't currently serve breakfast; I'm hoping that if I can drum up enough traffic, they'll start again. They're open every day except Sunday.
California