Restaurant Hopping
Stockton California is not only the home to the University of the Pacific, it’s also home to some amazing restaurants. Over the past few months I have traveled around the city looking for the best places to eat. Here’s a list of some of my favorites.
I tried: A special skillet macaroni and cheese of the day.
This American eatery and brewery was hopping! Cast Iron Trading Co. had a wide selection of foods from salads to tacos to sandwiches. I greatly enjoyed the mac and cheese special. It was very creamy and it had a wonderful crispy topping. Some members of my dining party were disappointed in their fish tacos. They found them dry and thought they had an unappetizing fishy smell. My dining companions who were older than twenty one enjoyed the wide selection of beers on tap. There was also a wide selection of specialty bottled soda, juice, and sparking water for sale. I had a classic coke. Finding seating was difficult but doable. The ordering system was very easy, you order and pay first at the counter and then the food is brought to your table.
Overall rating: 3.5/5
I tried: Falafel plate with falafel balls, rice, salad, hummus, tzatziki, and pita bread, baklava
Greek food is always good but Go Falafel takes it to the next level! I really enjoyed the plate I ordered. The food was out very quickly. Every part of the falafel plate went together so well. The falafel was flavorful and moist and the rice was well done. The hummus and tzatziki were really the stars of the show; they went so well with the classic falafels and I couldn’t get enough of them. For dessert, I had one of my favorites, baklava. This baklava was especially amazing. The amount of honey was perfect and I loved the pistachio crumbles on top. I definitely want to try more dishes from this restaurant!
Overall rating: 5/5
I tried: Vegetable samosa, gobi manchuri, chili paneer, dosa, butter chicken, naan, and much more
Swagat has the best Indian food in Stockton! All of the food is so flavorful and unique. The portion sizes are pretty large so this is a perfect place to just order a few dishes for your group and then share! That is what I did with my party and we got to try a variety of great food. The service is great and all of the staff members are very nice.
Overall rating: 5/5
I tried: Orange chicken, chow mein, and various bits picked of my friends plate
This restaurant has so much more than just seafood! Food is served family style at this classic Chinese restaurant. The menu is huge so there really is something for everyone. My group of four ordered two large and one small entree and some noodles. We had food left over to take home. The atmosphere of this restaurant could be improved but it was very clean, it might be one of the cleanest restaurants I have seen.
Overall rating: 4.5/5
I tried: I always get the combo #8 with ravioli and focaccia
De Vinci’s is the perfect eatery for college students. The food is cheap, filling, and delicious. I want to try more of their pastas but the ravioli is so good that I get it every time. The focaccia bread is made fresh and it has the perfect amount of saltiness to it. The service is very quick and the food holds up well during transportation if you order to go. I cannot get enough of De Vinci’s and I got all of my friends hooked on it too. This little place is a must visit!
Overall rating: 5/5
I tried: Fresh spring rolls and Thai style fried rice with chicken
I have never tried Thai food before going to Siamese Street and I was very impressed! The food was vibrant and there were so many options to choose from. I went with a large group and the service was very fast. The portions were very large and I had leftovers. I would definitely eat at this restaurant again.
Overall rating: 4/5
I tried: Parmesan garlic boneless wings, macaroni and cheese, and a side salad
Buffalo Wild Wings (or b-dubs) is a favorite of my friends and I. The first time we went was right after we found money on the ground so dinner was almost free! I do think that b-dubs is a little bit overpriced but the food is very good. The second time I ordered from this restaurant I used delivery. The accuracy of the order I received left some room for improvement. My friend got double the amount of wings she ordered (awesome) but they left out the chocolate milk from my kids meal (not awesome). Overall, the boneless wings are great and the sauces are very flavorful, the mac and cheese is classic, and the side salad was huge! I was very impressed with how it felt more like part of the meal than just something thrown together at the last minute.
Overall rating: 4/5
I tried: Chicken strips, Texas toast, fries, and lemonade
I’m sorry, but Raising Canes is just not as good as everyone says it is. It is not bad but it is just not super special. The chicken strips were very good and I think they had the perfect amount of crunch. My friends really loved the Texas toast but I just thought it was ok. I wish it had some garlic or some more flavor. I did not like the fries. That is not a very fair assessment because I do not like fries very much in general but these ones did not change my mind. The lemonade, however, was really good! It was very sweet, tangy, and refreshing. I would definitely order the lemonade again. Overall, a meal of fried chicken, toast, and fries was too heavy for me. It felt like a lot of carbs! I wish they had an alternate side option like a side salad that could be substituted for either the fries or toast. I ordered inside the restaurant and the service was very fast but I did see that the drive through line was very long.
Overall rating: 2.5/5
I tried: Wood oven roasted olives, margarita pizza, four cheese mac-n-cheese, lemon rosemary house made soda
The first thing I noticed when walking into Market Tavern was how dark it was! I don’t know if they were trying to be edgy or if they were hiding something but I wish they would just turn the lights on. The food was very good. I love the roasted olives and the pizza was great. The mac-n-cheese was very good with a nice crispy topping. The house made soda was so good! It was not too sweet and I love the hint of earthy rosemary. I really like this restaurant and I haven’t tried anything that I haven’t liked. It is a bit expensive and upscale so be sure to take that into consideration. However, the dining room is so dark you could probably wear flip flops and no one would notice.
Overall rating: 4/5
I tried: Tempura appetizer and dinner box 5 consisting of sesame chicken, fried gyoza, rice, a little salad, and a lot more tempura.
This restaurant was very good! I loved all the food and my friends who ordered sushi really enjoyed what they got. Some did say that they wanted more fresh and non-fried sushi options on the menu. The service was a little slow but I expected that because I was in a large party of over ten people. The portions were very large and I did not finish my dinner box. I was a little disappointed that my box did not come with any pickled ginger. I love to eat it plain (I don’t know why, I just think it is great) so I had to steal it off of my friend’s plate.
Overall rating: 4/5
I tried: Fried mozzarella, spinach-artichoke dip, breadsticks, cheese ravioli in meat sauce, house salad, and chicken gnocchi soup
First of all, the dishes here are huge! My group of four ordered everything listed above, plus one more bowl of soup, and still had leftovers. We did not even try the ravioli in the restaurant because there were so many appetizers. Luckily, pasta reheats well. Everything was pretty good and the service was very good. I think most Olive Gardens are similar so it is probably not anything new for most folks. I had somehow never been to Olive Garden in my life before last week so I decided that it should be included in this review. If you want Italian food, I would say go to De Vinci’s first and Olive Garden can be your back up.
Overall rating: 3.5/5
I tried: many, many things from burgers to salads to pizookie.
BJs is a favorite dinner spot for my Speech and Debate team to go to after a long day of competition. It is a fairly regular chain restaurant and has something there for everyone. It’s not great and it’s not bad; it just is. I don’t think that I will ever elect to go there on my own but I will probably go have dinner there many more times while I attend Pacific.
Overall rating: 3/5
My favorite place out of all these options is De Vinci’s! If you could only go to one restaurant, De Vinci's is the place to go. It’s not very fancy or upscale but it has the best bang for your buck! I have never been disappointed with the food and service is great. Obviously, there are many more amazing restaurants to try in Stockton so keep an eye out for Restaurant Hopping part 2!
