2011 December 7 - Winter Buffet

2011 December 7 - Winter Buffet at the Student Chef
Stockton, CA

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Today is the Annual Winter Fundraiser for the Culinary Arts Department at San Joaquin Delta College the local community college here in Stockton.

This will be the third in a row for the Lunch Bunch to attend. But only three of the Lunch Bunch are attending Ken, Elsa and I. But we will be joined by Holden and his wife Winnie.
Holden, Elsa, Winnie and Ken

We have the first sitting at 11:00 AM but we are a bit early so need to wait for the student staff to have everything ready.

This pretty lady is an instructor and mans the cash register at the Student Chef. She will be collecting the tickets today.

This is Mark Berkner who is the Chief Instructor for the Culinary Arts Department. He also owns and operates two restaurants located in the adjacent Amador County. His fancier one is Restaurant Taste.

The salad table

The sushi table

Sauted chicken

Slow roasted pork

Vietnamese salad roll

Beef satay

Poached whole salmon

Endives and crositini

Homemade sausage and sliced duck and duck pate


Boneless Tur-Duc-Ken (Turkey, chicken and duck) Roast


Oysters on the half shell, poached prawns and an ahi appetizer


A roast suckling pig and prime rib

Since I am busy taking photos Elsa and Ken are the first to get their food. Since we had 5 we had to split up onto two tables. So Holden and Winnie are at the adjoining table.



But not to be out done I quickly gathered my first plate of food.
Actually I think this is a photo of my second plate of food :-)

It is really hard to choose what to eat so we all take a little bit of almost everything.

This is Art who is a golfing friend of ours.

Another set of golfers are Tom and Susan.

Winnie is trying out the butter squash soup.

About Noon we are entertained by the school chorale singing a few Christmas Carols.


Then it is time for dessert.


That is bread pudding in the big chafing dish but it was a bit on the disappointing side. The other desserts were much better.


Those are both Elsa's plates


We all use a big plate rather than the small dessert plates.


I think this is Holden's second plate of desserts

All good things must come to an end so after a little over an hour and a half of eating we leave this year's Winter Buffet.
Art and his wife Barbara heading to the parking lot


Holden, Winnie and Elsa. Ken took a potty break before heading out.

~end
.

2011 October 11 - Student Chef

2011 October 11 and 18 - Student Chef
Stockton, CA

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Today just three of Gobo's Lunch Bunch are headed to the Student Chef located on the campus of San Joaquin Delta College, the Community College in Stockton, CA. The Lunch Bunch usually makes at least one visit every semester but somehow managed to miss the Spring term of 2011.

Kenny and Elsa headed from the parking lot to the Student Chef


The first page of this term's Menu


The second page


The head of the Culinary Arts Department is Mark Berkner who also owns and operates two restaurants in the nearby foothills.
Mark Berkner is the person in the center of the photo


The rustic Italian bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Now Elsa has the Butternut Squash Soup and Kenny and I have the Duck Tacos for starters. But I was too anxious to try the tacos and forgot to take photos. :-(
Both items were excellent.

I did take a picture of a Delta Burger from the next table.
Half pound fresh patty with fries


Elsa and I have the Eggplant Cannoli as our Main
grilled eggplant, aged goat cheese, herbs, tomato caper sauce


Kenny has the Grilled Pork Chop.
rye bread pudding, red cabbage, sauce robert


Another neighboring table has the Marinated Flank Steak.
potato scallion cake, grilled mushroom salsa


And then for dessert Elsa and Kenny had the Lemon Eclairs.
whipped cream and raspberries


While I had the Roasted Apple Creme Brulée.
local organic apples and vanilla bean

Another wonderful lunch at the Student Chef.

~end of October 11th


October 18, 2011
Three of us head back to the Student Chef to purchase Winter Buffet tickets, but the Printer does not have them ready yet. :-(
Elsa and Patti entering the side entrance to Danner Hall


We get there early enough to be seated without a Reservation

It is a nice day in the mid 70's as a group is eating on the Patio.
I will be taking photos of some of their dishes

The Menu has a few minor changes since last week,

Pumpkin cheesecake has replaced the eclairs

All of the salad ingredients are grown locally.
This is a wonderful Delta Pear Salad from the Patio Table


The Mushroom Bruschetta also from the Patio Table


Elsa and I have the Duck Tacos which today had Napa cabbage instead of cabbage

Elsa and I skipped the Main and had a bunch of Starters and dessert.
Elsa and I both have the Polish Stuffed Cabbage

Here the girls are eating the wonderful bread.

Patti has the Salmon which she said was delicious


The Eggplant Cannoli which today is served on top of sliced squash

Now we are eating the Main course.

A photo of our server working a Patio Table.

Inside there is a display of the three dessert choices.

The Apple Bread Pudding from the Patio Table


We all had some Pumpkin Cheescake

As I was paying my check the cashier pointed to the Shrimp Po' Boy which was on the Menu at the Student Chef take-out. You can also order anything from the take-out inside the restaurant.

Well it looks like we will have to make another return trip in about two weeks to buy our Winter Buffet tickets.
Elsa and Patti in Shima 1 parking lot heading to my car


~end
.