The following are shortened versions of recent East Bay restaurant reviews that garnered * * ½ or more stars. The most recent reviews are listed first. For the newest full-length reviews, go to restaurants.

Lungomare, One Broadway, Oakland. 510-444-7171, The Northern Italian brainchild of Chop Bar's Chris Pastena, this Jack London Square restaurant specializes in Tuscan and Ligurian specialties, including whole fish, house-cured meats, rustic pizza and artisanal pastas. $$$. (* * * on 7/11/13)

Rustic Tavern, 3576 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. 925-385-0559, Helmed by three Lark Creek alums, this rustic restaurant offers a tasty, seasonal, New American menu for weekend brunch, al fresco lunch, cocktails and chic dining. $$. (* * ½ on 7/4/13)

Ramen Shop, 5812 College Ave., Oakland. 510-788-6370; Expect long waits, small tables and some seriously delicious, eclectic, market-driven ramen from a trio of Chez Panisse alums. The produce comes from local farmers, the seaweed from Mendocino and the place feels more like a buzzy, trendy club than an old school ramen shop. $$. (* * * on 6/13/13)


Lucille's Smokehouse Bar.B.Que, Sunvalley Shopping Center, 486 Sunvalley Mall, Concord. 925-677-7427, Southern charm mixes with brisket, fried chicken and baby back ribs at this new-to-the-Bay-Area chain. This family-friendly, jam-packed place features live music too. Just don't expect to meet Lucille. She's as fictional as Betty Crocker. $$-$$$. (* * * on 6/6/13)

Juhu Beach Club, 5179 Telegraph Ave. (enter on 51st Street), Oakland. 510-652-7350, "Top Chef" alum Preeti Mistry's new eatery serves up a beachy Bay Area-meets-Bollywood riff on Indian street food, with colorful slider-sized pavs, curries and addictive masala fries. $-$$. (* * * on 5/30/13)

FuseBOX, 2311A Magnolia St., Oakland. 510-444-3100, This tiny Kickstarter-funded Korean eatery takes an izakaya approach and mixes soul food with Seoul food with innovative and delicious results. Don't miss the baps, ban chan and Korean fried chicken. $$. (* * * on 5/23/13)

Barrel Aged, 823 Main St., Martinez. 925-228-7795, Groovy crescent-shaped red leather booths, chairs carved from oak barrels, charming service, handcrafted cocktails and comfort food make this gastropub a winner. $$. (* * * on 5/9/13)

The Forge, 66 Franklin St., Jack London Square, Oakland. 510-268-3200, Gorgeous location, rustic charm, great cocktails and some terrific dishes, including wildly addictive fried cheese curds. Some of the handcrafted pizzas need work, but the margherita pizza is a winner. $$. (* * ½ on 5/2/13)

Ravioli's Italian Marketplace, 2151 Salvio St., Suite I, Concord. 925-689-3819, This beloved hole-in-the-wall Italian takeout place has undergone a dramatic expansion, but you will find the same warm reception and housemade ravioli, focaccia and cannoli. $-$$. (* * ½ on 4/25/13)

Mixed Grain, 1546 Bonanza St., Walnut Creek. 925-938-5959; From speedy service to fresh, quality ingredients, Mixed Grain gives bibimbop and other Korean staples a healthful, California-inspired makeover -- and the kids' rice bowl is a parent's dream. $$. (* * * * on 4/18/13)

El Gusano, 1015 Clay St., Oakland. 510-444-9676, This taqueria-by-day, restaurant-by-night in Old Oakland offers fresh, flavorful authentic Mexican antojitos and entrees, and great tequila-based cocktails, as befits a restaurant whose name means "The Worm." $-$$. (* * ½ on 4/4/13)

Mahout, 9700 Cedar Blvd., Newark. 510-573-0753, This tiny Thai restaurant in Newark offers sweet, spicy flavorful fare, clever appetizer names -- Padma Lakshmi, anyone? -- and excellent tom yum soup. A portion of the proceeds goes to Asian elephant protection groups. $-$$. (* * ½ on 3/28/13)

Stelle Bistro, 1403 Locust St., Walnut Creek. 925-988-0604; South American fare has been added to the solid Italian-style cuisine that diners found so endearing in Caffe Delle Stelle's former digs. The food is still good at the new bistro but the space, a former Chili's, lacks that trattoria charm. $$$. (* * ½ on 3/21/13)

Duende, 468 19th St., Oakland. 510-893-0174, Stylish, warehouse decor and terrific tapas, Basque dishes and paella make for a memorable, lively and loud night out at Paul Canales' new place in Uptown Oakland. $$. (* * * on 3/14/13)

Nido, 444 Oak St., Oakland. 510-444-6436, This farm-fresh Mexican spot occupies a minimalist, warehouse-chic space near Jack London Square. Don't miss the Pollo Sobado, a roasted chicken with a smoky chipotle rub, and Ollita de Pobre with carnitas, beans and Spanish rice -- and the sweets from PieTisserie. $$. (* * ½ on 2/29/13)

La Sen Bistro, 2002 Salvio St., Concord. 925-363-7870; Berkeley's beloved La Rose has moved to a prime spot off Todos Santos Plaza. The name may be new but the menu offers classic dishes, like steak tartare and soup l'oignon, for Francophile foodies. $$. (* * * on 2/21/13)

Gianni's Italian Bistro, 2065 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. 925-820-6969, The founder of the beloved Incontro restaurant has returned to his roots -- and the Italian restaurant's original venue. Cozy surroundings, great gnocchi. $$-$$$. (* * ½ on 2/14/13)

Padi, 2965 College Ave., Berkeley. 510-841-1608; Indonesian restaurants are rare here, but Padi offers authentic, fiery Sumatran comfort food. Don't miss the spicy "smashed" chicken thighs with sambal, and considerably tamer perkedel (mashed potato pancakes). $. (* * * on 1/24/13)

Bull Valley Roadhouse, 14 Canyon Lake Drive, Port Costa. 510-787-1135, This retro, rustic marvel mixes farm fresh, seasonal fare with pre-Prohibition era charm, Bee's Knees cocktails -- and a staff that hails from Slanted Door. $$-$$$. (* * * ½ on 1/17/13)

Slow Hand BBQ, 1941 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill. 925-942-0149, A popular barbecue-centric food cart goes bricks and mortar at this new eatery that showcases smoky brisket, ribs, pulled pork and a terrific craft beer list. $-$$. (* * * on 1/3/13)

B-Dama, 4301A Piedmont Ave., Oakland. 510-420-1578, This cozy izakaya offers plenty of small plates, yakitori, kushiyaki, udon and sushi to savor, but it balances the bar-noshing scene with family friendliness too. $. (* * ½ on 12/27/12)

Plate & Vine, 1970 Diamond Blvd., Concord. 925-680-1700; The Hilton has completely revamped its dining room and turned it into an organic, sustainable farm-to-fork venture with reclaimed barn wood decor and winery riddling racks, and dishes such as butternut squash risotto, braised short ribs and divers scallops in brown butter. $$. (* * ½ on 12/13/12)

Johnny Garlic's, 4920 Dublin Blvd., Suite 265, Dublin. 925-248-2347, Guy Fieri's popular, family-friendly Dublin eatery boasts flavorful steaks, ribs, pasta dishes and burgers. $$-$$$. (* * ½ on 11/22/12)












Terra Mia, 4040 East Ave., Livermore. 925-456-3333, This popular Italian trattoria delivers fresh Calabrian flavors, thin-crust pizzas, flavorful pasta dishes and plenty of neighborhood charm. $$. (* * * on 5/24/12)








Faz, 1111 Broadway, Oakland. 510-272-1111; The newest in Faz Poursohi's chain of Mediterranean restaurants brings Persian, Italian and Greek specialties -- including cannelloni, kebabs and pasta -- to Oakland's City Center. $$. (* * ½ on 3/1/12)






Cypress, 1388 Locust St., Walnut Creek. 925-891-4197; With its masculine decor, killer wine program and old-school dishes, such as oysters Rockefeller, this retro brasserie puts contemporary spins on classics, such as roasted chicken and grilled New York steak. But the winning dishes are the ones with chef Rick Delamain's French touches. $$$. (* * * on 12/8/11)


