spot in Oakland.

Kaufteil: Just so unexpected.

Sbrocco: A classic red-sauce Italian joint.

Schwartz: It was so good.

Sbrocco: And nostalgic Asian plates in San Francisco.

Dehejia: All these flavors are just bursting in your mouth.

Phillips: This massive cookie.

Sbrocco: Just ahead on "Check, Please!

Bay Area."

♪ It's your birthday ♪ Kaufteil: Exactly.

♪ It's my birthday ♪ ♪♪♪ Sbrocco: Hi, I'm Leslie Sbrocco.

Welcome to "Check, Please!

Bay Area," the show where Bay Area residents review and talk about their favorite restaurants.

Now, we have three guests, and each one recommends one of their favorite spots, and the other two go check them out to see what they think.

Joining me at the "Check, Please!"

table today, our C.E.O., Nik Dehejia, communications and marketing executive Andrew Kaufteil, and writer Carly Schwartz.

Welcome, everyone.

Are you ready for a good show?

Kaufteil: Yeah!

Dehejia: Yes!

Schwartz: Whoo!

Kaufteil: Whoo!

Sbrocco: Nik gets things started with a brunch spot he ranks as an unbeatable find, featuring classic Southern comfort food and a rooftop sundeck.

It's become his favorite weekend retreat.

Tucked inside the Oakland Museum of California in downtown Oakland, it's Town Fare.

♪♪♪ Man: All right.

Here we go.

♪♪♪ McQueen: Oakland is better known as The Town, and here at Town Fare, we are in the epicenter of Oakland.

Museums and food, they're both about history.

You're going to see the art and the history of the art and the artists.

It's the same with food.

Everything you eat today has a history behind not just the dish but the ingredients.

Where did they come from?

How did they get here?

Who brought them here?

♪♪♪ My background is soul food, but when I came to the museum, I wanted to really incorporate what I thought represented Oakland.

Some of the Asian techniques we have in the Latin food scene here in Oakland.

We do blackened jackfruit tacos.

We do gumbo ramen, which is unique and delicious.

But our Best Ever Fried Chicken Sandwich has truly earned its name.

We use fresh, all-natural chicken breasts, not chicken thighs.

We make a remoulade from scratch.

It's tender and juicy and crispy, and with our housemade spice mix, it truly is the best-ever fried-chicken sandwich.

How are you?

Woman: Good!

So good to see you.

McQueen: During the week, it's super casual, and you come in and you get a good lunch.

On the weekend, we keep it a little spicy.

I wanted brunch at Town Fare to have a vibe.

Get your food and you do a little shimmy and a little shake because you're so happy.

Woman: I like it.

[ Laughs ] McQueen: We do have a mimosa cart that kind of rolls around, and you pick your flavors, your garnishes.

Brunch is just fun.

Why not have fun with it?

It's a beautiful museum, a beautiful part of Oakland, and a lot of people don't know about it.

It's nice to be able to say, not only are we here, but look at this beautiful community space.

I've had so many people come to me and say, "Thank you so much.

This was such a great meal."

It's so unexpected to find us here at the museum, but that's the best part.

♪♪♪ Sbrocco: All right, Nik, usually when you say museum restaurants or cafés, you think of just sort of a cafeteria.

Dehejia: Yeah, you sort of do.

Sbrocco: This is very different.

Dehejia: Completely different.

I mean, completely unexpected.

Sbrocco: Right.

Dehejia: You know, you're in this amazing museum, Oakland Museum of California, but you're getting this Southern soul food.

And just the setting is beautiful.

It's in the heart of downtown Oakland.

You're steps from Lake Merritt.

You can spend time with family, a date.

So it's a beautiful place to just enjoy a wonderful meal.

Sbrocco: All right.

Do you have a craveable dish that you usually start with?

Dehejia: Well, I go right into the low-country shrimp & grits.

I dive right.

Sbrocco: Oh, he goes right for it.

Dehejia: You've got the prawns on the top.

You've got the chicken-andouille sausage tucked in, you've got this incredible gravy, and then you've got these creamy, cheddary grits.

And it's just the right amount of spice.

Wonderful way to dive in.

Kaufteil: So, I also love the shrimp and grits, I must say.

I was in New Orleans about a year ago, and I had shrimp and grits a few times there, and nothing there could compare to these.

These were really incredible, that creaminess, the saltiness.

It just hit all of those different zones.

And I offset that with the collard-green salad, which was just so unexpected.

I actually went with my mom, and I couldn't get it away from her.

She was just so into it.

I mean, normally collard greens are very bitter, but these were offset by this sweet, tangy dressing and it was just, like, the perfect combination.

We just ate it all up.

Schwartz: Well, I do want to give a nod to the mac and cheese, because I think mac and cheese is the kind of thing that, when done well, it can be exceptional, but when done not so well, you got too many noodles to cheese ratio, it can be a little dry.

This mac and cheese was exceptional.

The cheese was nice and tangy, and it had a really nice kick at the end, but it wasn't too spicy.

Pretty pitch perfect.

I do want her recipe.

Doubt she'd give it to me, but... Dehejia: I doubt that.

[ Laughter ] Sbrocco: What are your other go-to dishes?

Dehejia: The Best Ever Fried Chicken Sandwich.

So, I go big when I go in there.

It is just wonderfully brined chicken.

Then it is beautifully crispy on the outside.

You've got this smoky remoulade on a brioche bun, you've got slaw, and you bite into that.

And, of course, you got to have the side of fries.

Just absolutely beautiful.

Schwartz: I did the fried chicken and sweet potato waffle.

Dehejia: Ooh!

Okay.

Schwartz: So I think this is also some of the best chicken ever.

Once I could assemble that perfect little bite with the sweet potato waffle, it was almost a mochi consistency.

It was just so rich and flavorful.

And with the sweet potato as part of the waffle was really surprising.

Dehejia: Yeah, that's right.

Schwartz: Yeah.

Kaufteil: We tried the pancakes, and they had this pecan peach compote on top, and a compote was just perfectly sweet, not cloying, just right.

You could really taste the nuts in there.

You know, we saw the syrup there on the side, but it just was absolutely unnecessary.

Schwartz: Mm-hmm.

Kaufteil: It was just right.

Just took me right back to going to summer camp in the South.

It was just really comforting and delicious.

Sbrocco: So what other dishes did you have?

Kaufteil: The deviled eggs.

And, honestly, what a surprising combination with the Sriracha and the togarashi.

I didn't know how those two things would marry, and they married perfectly.

I mean, it was just -- Again, that umami essence.

I mean, it was just so unexpected, but also, like, felt very comforting and familiar at the same time.

And I went back actually a week later because I liked it so much.

[ Laughter ] And that was the dish I preferred.

Sbrocco: That's the test, right?

Schwartz: Yes.

Sbrocco: You go back.

Kaufteil: I had to bring all my friends.

Sbrocco: And talk about what you washed it down with.

Did you imbibe in anything?

Dehejia: I mix it up.

I have a couple of different drinks, but I had the Soulgria, which is a take on a sangria, just giving it a different flavor, which was really nice.

I also had the mimosa.

They have this wonderful new mimosa cart.

I don't know if you experienced that.

Wheeling the old-school cart around.

Kaufteil: It was like dim sum mimosa.

Dehejia: That's right.

[ Laughter ] But real fun.

Schwartz: And I have to make a quick plug for the banana pudding, too.

because we ended our meal with that.

And all of a sudden, who knew?

I don't think banana pudding has ever been on my radar before, but now I'm, like, scouring every menu in S.F.

looking for banana pudding because it was so good.

It's all I want to eat now.

[ Laughter ] Sbrocco: And what about service?

Somebody coming around serving you mimosas.

Kaufteil: Yeah, I had the same waitress both weeks, and she was just so kind.

Really took really good care of us.

I would ask for her when I go back.

She was just wonderful.

Dehejia: Yeah, I mean, the service is great.

And often the chef, Michelle McQueen, is out there, as well.

Sbrocco: And she's really made a name for herself.

Dehejia: She really has.

I mean, she cares deeply about her food and that's what comes through on the plate.

Now, it is only open from 11:00 to 4:00, so there isn't a dinner option, but brunch or lunch during the week and weekend, it's a wonderful place.

Kaufteil: And when they do open for dinner, I'll be there.

[ Laughter ] Schwartz: We can go together.

Dehejia: Yeah, we can all go together.

That's right.

Sbrocco: If you would like to try Town Fare, it's located inside the Oakland Museum of California in Oakland, and the average tab per person without drinks is around $50.

Andrew's a classically trained singer, so it's easy to see why an old-school Italian restaurant named after a famous Verdi opera is the one thing that makes his heart sing.

Nestled in the heart of San Francisco's Mission District for more than 50 years, it's La Traviata.

♪♪♪ Gjoni: "La Traviata" is one of the most famous operas of Giuseppe Verdi, and it was the idea behind my uncle building a restaurant.

We are looking here at our Wall of Fame.

This is my Uncle Zef on the right.

My uncle was 16 1/2 years when he fled Albania.

He always wanted to see an opera.

He couldn't do it in Albania because of the war.

And then, the first time he saw an opera, it was "La Traviata."

And it stayed in his heart until he came to San Francisco.

And he started with the help of an Italian chef, Gaetano Ramache, from Sicily.

You know, to this day, we keep his legacy going.

Man: A carbonara and scallopini, eh?

Gjoni: Trying to serve the people the way he always did, with great Italian food and Albanian hospitality.

Celebrities throughout the history of the restaurant, they have been part of this family, and they have made the restaurant what it is right now.

And that is Danny Glover, the actor, Maria Callas, the famous soprano.

And we have Keanu Reeves.

Every time Placido Domingo, every time Pavarotti and José Carreras would come to the city, my uncle would keep the place open for them, even late times, and they would love certain dishes.

Those dishes, they were named after them, like Chicken alla Beverly Sills, like Scallops alla Pavarotti.

or Salmon alla Wixell.

Man: Ah!

I love you.

Gjoni: The atmosphere here in this restaurant, it talks for itself.

You know, it has got all the ingredients.

It just needs a spark to light it up, and everything takes its position, its place, you know, and plays a role into making the customer feel good.

[ Cheers and applause ] Man: Here's to La Traviata!

Woman: Perfect.

Gjoni: You know, I think that is what makes the restaurant long-lasting because there is never lack of care.

Man: You are loved.

You got to know that.

Man #2: Thank you.

Sbrocco: Now, Andrew, there are so many Italian restaurants in the city.

What is it about this one?

Kaufteil: Yes.

Sbrocco: What is it that just draws you time and time again?

Kaufteil: I'm from the East Coast.

My family's in New York.

And walking into this place off of Mission Street, you're transported, like, through a portal directly to Staten Island or New Jersey.

And it's just like, "Oh, my gosh, I'm on a trip."

Schwartz: I was going to say a portal to East Williamsburg, where I used to live.

I felt like I was in a scene from "Moonstruck."

I was astounded.

I mean, I've lived in the Mission for eight years.

I did not know a time-travel, movie-set Italian restaurant existed within three blocks of me.

Sbrocco: You probably walked by it.

Schwartz: A million times.

I walk by it all the time.

Dehejia: Absolutely.

You are completely transformed.

I feel like I'm in somebody's home, my grandmother's home, or my pretend Italian grandmother's home.

Those pictures on the wall -- I mean, I wanted to know about all of those people.

Sbrocco: All right, we've set the stage now.

Now let's talk about the food.

What did you go for?

Kaufteil: Well, I should say, I usually start with the minestrone soup, and it's just a great way to start.

The broth is just lovely.

It's velvety.

It's a little bit thick.

There's lots of fresh veggies in there, and the portion is just perfect.

Schwartz: So, I went with a vegetarian friend, which mostly meant I was going to eat everything and she was going to watch me.

But she basically insisted that we start with the fried mozzarella.

I was expecting, you know, mozzarella sticks that you get at a roller rink or something.

It was so good.

It was just breaded enough, perfectly fried.

It was lightly crispy.

And the tomato sauce... Kaufteil: Mmm.

Schwartz: I cannot go on and on about the tomato sauce enough.

Velvety, tangy, delicious, simple red sauce.

Dehejia: So, I started with the prosciutto and melon.

Kaufteil: Uh-huh.

Dehejia: And prosciutto from Parma.

It's got a little drizzle of balsamic on it.

Sbrocco: Is there any other?

Come on.

Dehejia: True.

Sbrocco: Parma is it.

Dehejia: It's absolutely it.

It was delightful.

Just the saltiness of that prosciutto.

It was just the right amount.

And scooping it up with a little bit of that melon.

But I could just keep eating that prosciutto all evening if I could.

Kaufteil: I have to mention there's a salad that I always get when I go there, which is this gorgonzola walnut salad.

And it is, like, the best case scenario of a wedding salad.

I love blue cheese, and it's just like really crumbly, decadent, amazing amount of blue cheese.

And then, the nuts on there, and the dressing, again, is just tangy.

Little sweet.

Fabulous.

After I have the salad, I always go for the cioppino.

You know, a lot of places are really famous for their cioppino.

La Traviata should be.

All the different seafood is really fresh.

The broth it's in is just so unbelievably delicious.

And save the bread, dip it in there, and it's just heavenly.

Schwartz: I was just blown away by the lasagna.

I normally don't love lasagna because I don't love ricotta cheese.

And this lasagna, no ricotta cheese.

Delicious, melty, crusty sort of cheese dough on the outside and just the perfect amount of meat and sauce ratio.

Big fan of lasagna.

Dehejia: So I had the same experience.

I loved how clean and simple it was, too.

It had great flavor, but it wasn't overpowering.

Again, it's all about balance, and they get it right.

Sbrocco: If it were a song... Kaufteil: Oh, that's a great question.

Sbrocco: ...what would it be?

Kaufteil: "O Sole Mio," because I want it all for myself.

[ Laughter ] Dehejia: There you go.

There you go.

Schwartz: I wouldn't mind giving a quick nod to the chicken piccata.

Dehejia: Mm.

Schwartz: And what I loved about it was, it didn't come with a giant starch.

It really let the chicken and the sauce and the capers and the tanginess of the lemons really speak for itself, and a nice side of fresh vegetables to go along with it.

So it was not too heavy at all.

Sbrocco: All right.

Dessert.

Dehejia: Dessert.

Well, I went straight to the tiramisu.

Kaufteil: Oh, yeah.

Dehejia: I mean, that was a classic.

We've eaten a lot of tiramisu and all over Italy.

I loved the silkiness of the mascarpone and the cocoa on top of it.

So it had this rich, chocolaty, but not too much.

And again, I just polished that thing off completely.

Kaufteil: And I also want to mention that the owner does all the cooking and they will cook off menu.

So, really, anything you think of, they will make.

Dehejia: So we're going with you, Andrew.

Kaufteil: Come with me.

Sbrocco: Just mention Andrew's name.

Kaufteil: Yeah, that's right.

Yeah.

[ Laughter ] Sbrocco: All right.

If you would like to try La Traviata, it's located on Mission Street in San Francisco.

And the average tab per person without drinks is around $55.

Carly's restaurant is a much more recent addition to the Mission District dining scene, but its chef is already gaining a following for his creative take on Asian comfort food.

Located in San Francisco's Mission District, it's Piglet & Co. ♪♪♪ Christopher: Piglet & Co. is a modern Asian comfort food restaurant rooted in Taiwanese and heritage cuisine.

Marcelle: Thanks so much for waiting.

Yes, these two right here.

It's really bringing, like, a modern spin on a very nostalgic flavor.

Christopher: One toast split really quick.

I myself am Taiwanese heritage as well as I lived in Hawaii for a long time.

And this is our pork chop.

Marcelle: Everything is meant to be shared.

One thing we always have on our menu in some form of another is a pork chop.

Whether it's fried, whether it's braised.

We use non-GMO, antibiotic-free, pasture-raised pigs, and the quality just really, really shines with some of those preparations.

As far as the vibe, the vibe is always really chill, relaxed.

Christopher: Kind of like some lo-fi hip hop.

And there's old-school kung fu movies playing.

We had an older couple come in.

They sat at the bar.

At the end of the meal, he pulled Marcelle aside and said, "I watched this movie with my brother in the theaters when I was 16 years old."

You know, I think just kind of bring back a lot of memories of childhood for people, not only us.

That's what we really strive to do here.

Marcelle: And then, these are going to be our trotter nuggets.

Everyone comes here.

Man: Amazing.

Marcelle: Mm-hmm.

I have people that are over 70, I have people that are in their 20s.

We really love that and enjoy having something that everyone is interested in.

Man: That's good.

Man #2: Pretty good.

Marcelle: So, come without any expectations and just try something.

Sbrocco: All right, Carly.

So talk a little bit about Piglet & Co.

It is an interesting spot.

Schwartz: Yeah, it's super interesting.

And I just have to give a little plug for my neighborhood, the Mission.

I love the Mission so much.

I've lived there for almost a decade, but Piglet & Co, I think, is my favorite of the new additions on that little block.

It's super nondescript on the outside, but the food is creative.

These really nice modern takes on sort of classic Asian dishes.

So, the standout item I always get is the honey walnut, shrimp & pork toast.

It's nestled on this really nice fluffy Japanese milk bread.

And then, he hand-makes a patty out of pork and prawns, and then layered on top, his homemade walnut relish, and then drizzled with this creamy honey sauce meant to evoke the classic walnut prawn dish that you would get at, you know, a Chinese takeout restaurant.

Dehejia: This shrimp toast, unbelievable.

Unctuous and beautiful.

And all these flavors are just bursting in your mouth.

Kaufteil: That was my favorite dish there, and it was a real standout.

I mean, I was saying it was kind of like an Asian comfort food version of kettle corn because it was like sweet and salty, and you're getting crispy.

It was really fun.

And I'd go back just for that.

Dehejia: We started with the chicharrones.

Sbrocco: Ah!

Dehejia: So, great way to have pork skin -- crunchy, puffy, peppery, as well, and it was a great way to kick off a meal.

Schwartz: One of my favorite dishes that I get every time is the charred cabbage salad.

It is this nice, cooked, grilled cabbage with this really velvety, light miso sauce that has, again, that umami sort of flavor, and then these bright pops of crunchy Asian pear to offset the sort of saltiness of the cabbage and the miso.

So that's one that I get for a vegetarian option.

Dehejia: We had a special dish that wasn't normally on the menu.

So it was a daikon -- We wanted to go with something vegetarian.

It was hard to describe.

It was so complex, the black garlic on top of it, and all of that sauce around it was just really beautiful to have.

Kaufteil: We actually really liked the cauliflower.

It had a really nice sambal sauce on the side that went really, really well with the cauliflower.

The portions were very large.

I think they're meant to be family-style.

Everybody at the table was kind of fighting for that last piece of cauliflower.

Dehejia: So I had the Three Cup Chicken Wings.

Beautiful on the plate, falling off the bone.

The flavor was subtle with the sesame oil and the shoyu.

Just a wonderful addition to the meal.

Schwartz: And then, I also really liked the pork ribs.

I found those to be very fall-off-the-bone, but my roommate was eating them with chopsticks and got the pork meat off the bone.

It was so tender and easy to maneuver even with the chopsticks.

Dehejia: We had the pork ribs, as well, and, again, just delicious.

Falling off the bones.

Yeah, put the fork and knife down.

You're going to get a little messy and just go right into them.

Amazing.

We do need to talk about the setting, though.

And you walk in, the lighting is a little bit dark.

You sort of feel like you're somewhat in a club but you're not in a club.

You've got these amazing two huge TVs.

And when I was there, a Bruce Lee movie was playing, which was really kind of fun.

Schwartz: And one thing I think of when I think of the movie screens is, right below it is all the non-alcoholic beer taps.

Sbrocco: And they don't have alcohol.

Dehejia: Right.

Schwartz: They don't have alcohol, they don't have their license yet, but they're doing a really creative N.A.

program, which I personally love.

I got the phony Negroni this last time I went, which, I have to say, it's a hard drink to get right, but they did it really well.

Dehejia: So I had a hot tea, which was actually really nice to complement the wonderful flavors.

Kaufteil: I did have a tea, as well, and the tea itself was good.

I would say it was a little pricey.

I think it was like 10 bucks.

Dehejia: Yeah, I was just ordering.

We were not thinking about the price in the moment.

But I will say, the service was fantastic.

It was really attentive.

They knew when you needed some attention, and I thought that was really great.

Kaufteil: I should mention that, it was my birthday, and they overheard it.

Sbrocco: ♪ It's your birthday ♪ Kaufteil: Exactly.

♪ It's my birthday ♪ And I walked in, and they had my name at the top of the menu.

They printed it "Happy birthday, Andrew."

I was like, "Wow!

Cool!"

Schwartz: That's lovely.

Sbrocco: Did they give you any birthday cake?

Kaufteil: No.

No cake.

We did end the meal with the donuts and then the ice cream.

The donuts I wasn't a huge fan of the texture.

They were kind of like dense and not super sweet.

But I will say the ice cream was amazing.

It's like a milk tea ice cream.

It was really unique and one of the highlights of the meal, I'd say.

Schwartz: I always get the black tea bread pudding.

It's excellent.

Sometimes they put candied persimmons on it.

And the menu changes quite a bit, but the bread pudding has been a staple since I started going.

Dehejia: We did not dive into the dessert, but definitely looking forward to going back and trying more there.

Sbrocco: All right.

If you would like to try Piglet and Co., it's located on Mission Street in San Francisco, and the average tab per person without drinks is around $35.

And now reporter Cecilia Phillips heads to Redwood City, home to the oldest farmer's market on the peninsula.

[ Train horn blares ] ♪♪♪ Woman: Oh, my God.

Woman #2: Mmm!

[ Laughing ] Hinestroza-Keen: Kiwanis Club's mission is helping the community one child at a time.

So the Redwood City Kiwanis Farmers Market actually started in 1979, and this is our signature project.

Phillips: What are some of the things that people can come and find here?

Hinestroza-Keen: You can find face painting, they can get a book from the library.

We want them to basically feel at home and a sense to build relationship with their neighbor or even a stranger.

Woman: Oh, my gosh, this is fabulous.

Man: Enjoy.

Trimech: You want to try this one?

Man #2: Yes, please.

Phillips: Hummus Heaven.

I think it's in the name, but what do you sell?

Trimech: Yes, you are in the right place.

You are at Hummus Heaven.

Our best seller for all these 15 years is the artichoke hummus.

Artichoke, like, high in calcium, high in many other nutrients, you know?

Phillips: So, these are lemon pita chips.

Trimech: Yes.

Phillips: And then, is there ever too much hummus?

Trimech: No.

You can dip as much as you want.

If you like hummus... Phillips: Okay, I like hummus.

Here we go.

Trimech: Yes.

Phillips: I'm gonna have some more.

[ Both laugh ] I've never had an arepas before.

This is my first arepas.

Valderrama: Oh, wow!

Hernandez: The pabellón, a very traditional dish in Venezuela.

It's shredded beef, black beans, deep fried sweet plantains and cheese.

Phillips: And then, what do you have on the side?

Valderrama: In the side is tostones.

Tostone is plantain chips, double fried.

Mashed and fried again.

Hernandez: Our red sauce is made with chipotle habanero roasted with our house spices.

So that makes it more tasty than spicy.

Phillips: So a little bit of Venezuela and a little bit of Mexico.

Valderrama: Yes.

Phillips: All right.

Salud.

Valderrama: Salud.

Phillips: It's so good.

Valderrama: It's my favorite.

Woman: Yeah, I'll take that.

Man: This one?

Woman: Yeah.

Phillips: California Bakeshop.

I heard I had to come here and try some of your amazing baked goods.

What do you all specialize in?

Lim: Sourdough breads, naturally leavened.

And, also, our empanadas.

They're baked and not fried.

We're also very well-known for our huge cookies.

Over half a pound each, so this is where you test your willpower.

My favorite is Funfetti.

Phillips: Your Funfetti, big-as-your-face cookie here.

Okay.

So you're going to have the healthy mushroom empanada.

Lim: Yes.

Phillips: And then I'll have the Funfetti cookie.

Look at this.

♪♪♪ I can taste the butter.

Woman: Thank you.

Su: Enjoy.

"Tong sui" is Cantonese.

Hi!

And "tong sui" means dessert in Chinese.

We made all of our coconut puddings with coconut water, coconut milk with the most fresh, real, and organic fruits.

This one is our signature black sesame coconut pudding.

And black sesame is very good for your skin and will improve the growth time of your hair.

Phillips: Oh, perfect.

Su: That's our secret.

Phillips: Oh, my gosh.

It's so jiggly.

How do you say "cheers" in Cantonese?

Su: Just say, "Gon bui!"

Phillips: Gon bui!

[ Both laugh ] It's good.

It's creamy.

It's not very sweet.

I can feel my hair growing already.

[ Both laugh ] Do you already know how to read?

Girl: No.

Phillips: No?

Not yet.

Hinestroza-Keen: So the Redwood City Kiwanis Club is very important to me, because when I came to the United States at 9 years old, not knowing the language and learning English for the first time, they offered me the opportunity to be myself and fit in, as well.

Very rewarding, very life-changing that I wanted to pay it forward, not only for myself but for future future generations, as well.

Phillips: Oh, my God.

Sbrocco: I have to thank my terrific guests on this week's show -- Nik Dehejia, who savors the low country shrimp and grits at Town Fare in Oakland, Andrew Kaufteil, who's happy to sing for his supper at La Traviata, in San Francisco, and Carly Schwartz, whose go-to pick is the honey walnut shrimp and pork toast at Piglet & Co., in San Francisco.

Join us next time when three more guests will recommend their favorite spots right here on "Check, Please!

Bay Area."

I'm Leslie Sbrocco, and I'll see you then.

Cheers, everyone, and cheers to you.

Kaufteil: Cheers.

Schwartz: Cheers!

Sbrocco: That was a mouthful.

I was out of breath.

[ Laughter ] Dehejia: Cheers.

Sbrocco: Cheers.

Phillips: What is your favorite thing about the farmers market?

Boy: Getting samples.

Phillips: Why did you come to the farmers market?

Boy: Because we need to get more fruit.

Girl: Cherries and hummus.

Phillips: Okay.

So, if you really care about somebody, like, your family, and you want to show them you care about them with food, what do you do?

Girl: Share food.

Phillips: Who do you know that likes food?

Boy: Not telling you.

Phillips: You're not gonna tell me?