Elite Event: Drinks in D-Ville @ Blackhawk Grille

* * * Review #800 * * *
I could say I saved special review #800 for my so-​far favorite Unilocal Elite Event, but I actually put off writing it for no explainable reason. Maybe it’s just that there was so much greatness about this afternoon in Blackhawk that I didn’t think my writing would do it justice. But here’s my best attempt.
The food was outstanding. Scallops and brussel sprouts. Ribs and cake. And so much more! It was all served in generous amounts and the quality was just outstanding. Service was awesome too. Drinks were refilled quickly and all of the servers helping us were really nice. While eating we had the opportunity to sit outside on a patio overlooking the waterfall and pond within the Shopping Plaza. We watched baby ducks swim down the waterfall to find their mom. I recorded (a very shaky) video
with Casey P. narrating the adorable moment. A live musician was singing for our group (and taking requests!) and he can be heard in the background.
In addition to the duck family, there was our awesome Unilocal family. Lots of friends: old and new. This was a smaller venue which I totally loved and as a result we had the opportunity to really get to talk to several people. It was wonderful. I’ve enjoyed so much making new friends and getting to know some amazing people. AND seeing what they’re up to through Unilocal!
Yep, definitely my favorite event this far!

Perfect and relaxing fun-​day on a sun-​day! I thought the event was going to be more drinks and a few simple bites, but OMGsh, were we shockingly (& so-​pleasantly) surprised by the generous amount of delicious noms flowing out of the kitchen. Food was scrumptious (see photos). My absolute fave was the seared scallop on panko crusted risotto. The scallops were perfectly seared in butter and on crunchy little panko-​ed rissoto circles… it was a texturally perfect tasty bite of appetizer heaven.
I was so impressed by how flavorful everything was because I’ve eaten @ BG more than once and haven’t tasted anything at the level of what was being dished. I originally gave BG 2 stars then up a star after the new remod and hiring the new chef. Nadine (BG event mgr) informed us that Chef Bergeron is now completely warmed up and much more in his element since we came last; this event’s tastings definitely reflect that! She told us the current regular menus will be different by next week so betcha bottom dolla that we’ll be back to give them a try.
SO NICE how warm & welcoming Nadine & BG staff were to our group. Nadine even remembered my +1 Liwen from an event IHMG had there last year. So personable and love how they’re striving to create a more approachable, unpretentious, comfortable vibe. I heart that!
Loved the company. Ron R. & April M. — especially nice meeting you both!
Nique is awesome — thank for organizing such a classy event and many thank you’s to BG management and wait staff. Memorable, perfect, lovely event!

I’m now several days past this classy event, and I’m still basking in the outdoor deck glow. I was actually in the shade, at a nice table, and enjoying several pleasant conversations with the Green Lantern (John Z.)., Ivy R. Tam F., Wanugee, Diane V., Nique, and others. All the while, really tasty food kept appearing, and my glass of Chardonnay never seemed to be empty.
I’ve known about Blackhawk Plaza for many years, but this place has rarely been on my radar in terms of a destination. Even a Groupon to the nearby Auto Museum, couldn’t coax me down I-​680. That may change with the Blackhawk Grill. I realize that staff here might have been on their best behaviour, but the spot on service and customer care seemed genuine and unforced. Thank you Blackhawk Grill for showing us your servants heart.

I was pumped to go to a Unilocal Elite Event so close to where I work! This event was just great to have on a warm Sunday afternoon. Blackhawk Grille’s location is the best in the shopping center as it sits at the end of the large pond and is really beautiful to sit outside on their patio.
The food was surprisingly better than I had tasted in months past (been here a couple times since their re-​opening). The staff was super attentive and always was willing to refill my drink! The manager and chef came around and asked what we liked and didn’t like which shows that they are open to comments and suggestions.
Oh and my favorite was the drink selections! The sangrias were delicious and the other cocktail was great too… plus it came in a mason jar!
Great event Nique!

What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon! This was one of the more relaxing YEE’s I have attended thus far.
I haven’t really explored Danville so I didn’t really know what to expect. I was really impressed with how fancy and classy the restaurant looked. I’m also glad the event was held outdoors because there was a great view of the pond just outside the restaurant. The whole day was very sunny and you could even see the ducks waddling around in the pond! The nice, acoustic music being played and meeting with new and old Unilocalers led to a very relaxing and chill afternoon.
I was surprised at the amount of food that was being served because there was more than plenty. The servers were pretty nice and generous in the amount they were giving. I would constantly see them coming in and out with a tray of a brand new dish.
The quality of the food was also amazing! Everything I ate tasted delicious and cooked just right. The scallops, BBQ ribs and lobster sliders were my highlights and stuffed me for the rest of the day. The food kept coming out but unfortunately, I had to refuse because I was so full. With so much delicious food to eat, I regret eating lunch before arriving.
Stuffing myself with food under the sun made for a nice day. Thanks again Nique, the staff of Blackhawk Grille and all of the East Bay Elite for making another great event!

Man, what can I say, this was one relaxing YEE! The weather was nice and Unilocalers were ready to be fed. Smiles were all around as the first round of drinks arrived, the St. John Daly. I wasn’t planning on drinking, but how can I say ‘no’ to black tea mixture with vodka, St. Germain lemonade, and cucumber. And it was in a mason jar; a perfect way to kick things off!
A few of us settled on a picnic table and bench, made of timber. This was one fancy piece of patio furniture. In my opinion, sitting there just seemed to draw more of the happiness out of everyone.
Now to the food:
— The Ribs! These were juicy, and easy off-​the-​bone barbequed goodness.
— The Lobster Slider! OMG, Wanugee N. added a pic of me enjoying it. Thanks!
— Tenderloin w/​caramelized onion. I love anything with caramelized onions.
— Panko crusted scallop over risotto! Devine!
— Pineapple Chorizo mini-​pizzas. Wow! Sweet and spicy chorizo over a flakey crust. I’m reliving the taste right now, mmm!
— The Empanadas with buffalo chicken! This was my favorite. It was like a strudel with spicy chicken; Who would’ve thought!
(I ate three! But it’s okay, the food constantly kept comin’)
— The endless Scallops with truffle oil… It really was heaven with every scallop.
Now, here’s the sad part:
— A lot of people left for DESSERT!
— The Chocolate Mousse Cake. Sooo good! The pics speak for themselves.
But besides the food and drinks, I think the true highlight were this:
1) The speech given by the owner who shared a bit of history behind Blackhawk Grille. He also noted his devotion and care for the customers.
2) Speeches given by Nadine, Chef Jason B., and Nique.
3) And of course, the excellent hard work by the staff! They were helpful and respectful in every way!
This is a well deserved 5-​stars, and I will definetly spread the word about this fine establishment!

Man, did they go all out for us Unilocal Eliters!
I had never been to Blackhawk Grill to eat but I had walked the plaza and visited the shops in the past. I also worked at Esin which Blackhawk Grill competes with for crowds on the busy nights.
I was pleasantly surprised at all the awesome dishes they presented. Unfortunately I don’t eat red meat or pork so I missed out on a couple dishes, but those lobster sliders were to die for!!! They were on a egg dough challah like bun, melt in your fricken mouth. I also thought the scallops were executed perfectly (not chewy at all), the scallops were like butter!
In addition the servers were super friendly and on top of it! Every time my drink got low I was asked what I wanted next!
Props to the musician, I requested billy jean (the Chris Cornell version) and it was awesome! Very nicely executed!
Props to Nique (and helpers) as well for another successful Unilocal East Bay event, I hope your travels are awesome and wish you a safe trip. Bön Voyage.

Another fantastic Unilocal event. Every time I go, I keep thinking to myself that this is the best one ever. Now I admit, they are all special.
Highlights of this one: The lobster roll. Downright ranks up there with best food ever to be had at one of these. These were the real deal. Huge chunks of lobster, lightly dressed. Perfect buns. No need to drench the fresh taste of the lobster with any strange seasonings. Kudos to the chef for knowing how to make the perfect lobster roll.
The brussel sprouts were wonderful too. Second favorite appetizer. Of course, it is easy to make a good brussel sprout. We do it all the time at home and my husband very loyally proclaimed mine to be better. In all honesty, I think most people would prefer these. Because we cook healthy, I don’t add much oil to my brussel sprouts. The addition of quite a bit of oil to these meant extra crispy outer leaves and really good flavor. Yum.
Other appetizers included sea scallops, pizzettes, BBQ ribs, beef tenderloin crostini (is that the word?). The scallops were perfectly cooked, but we thought ruined by being placed on an overly greasy mini potato patty. The scallops by themselves were perfect. The ribs were also good and I did enjoy the beef appetizer.
Drinks were perfect for a summer event on the patio. Refreshing red and white sangria (highly recommend the red sangria) and the St. John Clay special (I think that’s what the drink was called). The drinks were not too strong either (last Unilocal event they were a little too much for me).
Also perfect was the service. The servers outdid themselves here. Both the food and the service greatly promotes this restaurant. I think the chef is new and he really proved himself. I hope that the place does well.
Only downside was the sun. It did get toasty after a while as the shade disappeared from the patio. But the atmosphere did feel very summery and pleasant. We could have been at a nice swanky resort in Hawaii. Perfect event to start the summer with!

Blackhawk Grille has redesigned itself so guests can feel having «the restaurant to themselves». the Unilocal gathering was in a space between the main dining room and a lower dining area. It was a world upon itself:
highlights
–live musix entertainment on the lower level
–swimming duck (s) in a pond
–endless flow of food and booze.
–meeting/​greeting older Unilocalers, not the usual college elites.
food bites: (mostly deliz, heavenly)
–minature pizzettes
–lobster slider
–bbq ribs
–steak strips and strawberries
–seared scallops
–buffalo chicken
–empanadas
–tasty cake/​mousse at finish.
libations: white and red sangria, chardonay, pinot noir,
–Black Tea infused with vodka, lemon, cucumbers. –yummy.
kudos to Nique, Nadia, the Unilocal staff, the owners, managers, chefs, and waitstaff of Blackhawk Grille. for a fab time.

Awe… What an incredibly, wonderful event!
Unilocal certainly knows how to do Sunday’s right. I absolutely loved the location of this event being held in the swanky Blackhawk vill, I literally felt like I was on a vacation partying at a Cabana… great live music, mouthwatering, endless amounts of food, fresh, summer cocktails, all surrounded by some incredibly cool peeps… Totally awesome.
Food was stellar! My fav was the Lobster rolls and the perfectly cooked, fantastically seasoned Brussels sprouts! The lobster was incredibly fresh and the nice soft, golden buns were just heavenly, perfect yum! Major kudos to the Boston chef! Woot Woot! Complementary drinks consisted of Black Tea infused Vodka mixed with lemon and cucumber (this drink was YUMAZING) along with a white and red sangria, Chardonnay and Shiraz. I ended my day with the Chardonnay. It was crisp, refreshing and a great companion to the warm afternoon.
Aside from the marvelously well put together event, what I enjoyed most, was the pleasure to have met and mingled with some new and familiar faces such as Katherine F and her daughter Leah, what a blast I had chatting with them! The super cool Ivy R and her sister, Wanugee N and Victor G. It was also was great as usual, to have chatted with the superstar Miss Nique, Cheers to you Darling for again coordinating such a fantastic event! Also, I would like to give a shout out to the event coordinator for Blackhawk grill, the owner, and the rest of the staff that assisted us this fine afternoon, What exceptional service we received!!! Everything was executed beautifully! Thank’s to the Unilocal team and everyone for making our Sunday a memorable one!

Always a pleasure being a plus1 for CM Nique’s YEEs! Everyone from Nadine to the waitstaff was sincerely friendly & the food was superbly executed. The scallops absolutely melted in my mouth & had me begging for more. The patio overlooks the pretty waterfall/​pond/​area at BP. Love it here. Excited for Chef Jason B’s new menu rolling out some of the yummy bites we had at the event! For those of you that loved the Chorizo Mini Pizza on Puff Pastry, Rob (one of the servers) said that they actually will have the normal sized pizza’s on a regular crust coming out soon if it isn’t already available. Yuuuuum! I’m so coming back!
I think this is my favorite YEE so far (and I’m not even elite… YET) lol…
1) ADORED the intimate setting
2) Great food
3) OUTSTANDING SERVICE
4) awesome patio layout
5) Beautiful day
6) Great Company!

My first elite event and it was amazing! Thank you Blackhawk Grille for the hospitality, Nique and Unilocal for putting together such a fun and delicious afternoon! I met some pretty awesome Elites (ahem Amy P for one… and Chris and Johnny). Wish I had time to meet more!
The restaurant is conveniently located at one end of the plaza and their patio and outdoor seating overlooks the beautiful water/​pond– really perfect for a summer day. The food their offered for this event was plentiful and Blackhawk Grille really offered a generous variety (snacks and drinks). I’ve never had a John Daly before, but I loved the drink– like they all say, arnold palmer with a twist. The best part was, it was served in a Mason Jar! I am recently obsessed with Mason Jars…
The bites that were served: bbq ribs (very flavorful, not quite off the bone but delicious nonetheless), scallop over crabcakes, grilled (?) brussel sprouts with a delicious dressing, beef tenderloin served on a baguette with strawberry dressing and truffle oil, pineapple chorizo pizza, chicken empanada (spicy), lobster slider, and seared scallops. I think that was it, but that was what I tried. The restaurant was so generous with their food that it kept coming– hard to turn down food that was so yummy.
Personally I don’t like brussel sprouts at all, but I LOVED the way they made it here, especially with the dressing. I was impressed and think I might go out and try brussel sprouts now. I also really enjoyed the lobster slider (which I heard will be a nice big roll) and the seared scallops. I’m a huge fan on scallops and I thought they were cooked perfectly (not overcooked at all). Unfortunately, the top was a tad salty but I still enjoyed it a lot.
The waiters were so attentive and quick, excellent service. Honestly, great food, great drinks, beautiful location and wonderful company! Thank you again for the staff, owner and organizer from Blackhawk for having us! And Nique, the plus one for my first elite event was definitely nice! Thank you again for the awesome event!

As I laid my head down to sleep, I replayed the Lobster Roll I got to eat. While cocktails are not for me in my time of gestation the water was crisp and cool. My sister Ilenna, enjoyed glasses of golden Chardonnay.
The patio was lively and shaded for our Unilocaly group get together. The conversations were flowing between long known Unilocal pals like Shannon F., Leah K., Katherine F., Wanugee N., Victor G., Tam F., John Z., Diana V. and some new faces as well.
Nique has been on a real roll with the wonderful places shes been able to let us Unilocalers enjoy.
Speaking of Rolls, the Lobster Rolls were the best part of the party. They are going to be on Blackhawk Grilles summer menu and they are to die for. I don’t even like cold Lobster Rolls, but these have raised the bar for me.
The mini chorizo pizza’s with pineapple were also very good. They have a nice Hawaiian Twist to them.
At the very, very end of the afternoon they surprised us by yummy chocolaty peanut-​buttery cake slices. I told my sister that I wanted to make out with the center of the cake. The visual of that is probably disgusting. Sorry.
We had a great time sitting and chatting. All of the events are great but this one was exceptional. I’m also planning on coming back again this summer for more Lobstah!

Great event! I hadn’t been to an Elite event in nearly 2 years, and was thoroughly impressed. Service was excellent, plenty of nibbles and drinks! Looking forward to checking out their happy hour sometime soon :)
Thanks to Nique and the Unilocal staff.

I have seen this place across the pond handful of times but have never came in. Thanks to Nique and the staff, I now have a reason to. Here are a few of them…
— Lobster Rolls: I didn’t want to go anaphylactic in public so the hubs ate my share. He said they were delicious and fellow Unilocalers were gobbling them up.
— Brussels Sprouts: the only vegetable that I get excited about. They were perfectly crisp and served with a tasty sauce.
— BBQ Ribs: tender and tasty.
— Cocktails with Lemonade in them. I can’t remember the name of the drink but it played into my new obsession of refreshing cocktails with lemonade in them.
The staff was so great and are proud of their establishment. It shows in their service and attention to detail in their food. There was a talented artist who sang covers of songs such as «Billy Jean» and «I’m Sexy and I Know It». Trust me that it worked and enhanced the patio ambiance.

One word to describe today’s YEE– AHHH-​MAZING!!!
I was truly in awe by the beauty of this plaza, the views from our event deck was so tranquil and relaxing on a Sunday Funday.
Let’s talk about the food: Everything was amazing, from the ribs to brussels sprouts, but the standout menu was the lobster slider– oh so delish, meaty and juicy!!! The cocktails were a perfect choice for this hot weather; white/​red sangria, Arnold Palmer, or wines.
The staff were amazing, good looking, sweet and very attentive! I think Rob was one of the staff that I admired most, there was a dish with medium rare steak that I could not eat, he went out of his ways and cooked it until it’s well done and gave me 2 pieces! I was in total shock that he would do that for a Unilocal event, but it shows the quality of services that Blackhawk is striving for. And lastly, a big toast to Chef Jason!
Thank you Nique for another amazing, beautiful event!

Great spot, friends and food made this a perfect event.
The chef and his staff did an amazing job!
Thank Niki and crew!

Nique has done it again!
This event was classy cool. Amazing food by their new chef!
The lobster rolls were the bomb, as were the ribs and steak with caramelized onions.
Nadine, the resident event planner, was a lovely hostess. Service was stellar!
The drinks: a house Chardonnay and a St. Germain Arnold Palmer were refreshing on the summer day.
Kudos, Nique, to a fresh and fun intimate Unilocal event.

This was a swanky soirée for a Unilocal YEE indeed! Intimate and upscale, in Danville’s higher end BlackHawk neighborhood at the Blackhawk Grill.
I was invited to +1 with my prolific and seasoned Unilocal buddy, Eric B., since his better half couldn’t make it, so thanks Eric! My first event in quite some time!
Aside from the singer who did some great renditions of some iconic singer/​songwriter folk tunes as well as other popular songs, the entire event was vendored by the fabulous Blackhawk Grill. They have redesigned this large restaurant into new areas, with a separate bar, an extended patio into the duck pond that it overlooks in the middle of the Blackhawk Place mall, and a separate dining room that also looks down the water pond and ducks from full glass to ceiling windows.
And the chef, Jason Bergeron from Boston, absolutely out did himself by bombarding the gathered Yelites with marvelous morsels that should have been left for well heeled and better paying customers! There was so much food, nobody left hungry, rather stuffed! Deep fried, spicy empanadas, juicy scallops, luscious ribs, bite-​szed pizzettes, and more! A feast for the Gods, not merely YElite Yeeps and Unilocalettes!
And the free drinks were also plentiful, with a nice sangria, and a special Black Tea infused Vodka, mixed with lemon juice and liqueur.
Of course, the beautiful and gracious Nique welcomed one and all in her delightfully colorful sundress, which was appropriate for this warm afternoon in the inner hinterlands of the East Bay off Camino Tassajara.
Danville used to think of itself as hoity toity, but the management of the Blackhawk Grill stressed that they want the new version of the restaurant to be comfortable and accessible for a wide range of patrons, and their friendly and professional service, tasty and eclectic offerings, and creative drinks all say «come try us».
As always, great seeing everyone again, and meeting some new people. Great to see some old Unilocal veterans, who combined have close to 10,000 reviews!
I appreciate the +1 from my good Unilocal friend Eric B, who is always a pleasure to talk to about many topics, but don’t worry, no Bromance is in the making.

Any event with lobster sliders would be a done-​deal five stars. But even removing these luxurious lovies from the menu, our al fresco affair at Blackhawk Grille would still be a lesson in loving indulgence.
Both the hosts, and the staff, of Blackhawk were a testament to the quality of treating their guests right. That said, all the cordiality from management to support staff noted, the rock star of the afternoon had to be Chef Jason.
Which segues back to the food. Such an array of offerings, each getting a solid thumbs up. Personal faves have to obvi circle back back to the lobster. I mean, LOBSTER, kids. served on fluffy, toasted & buttered brioche-​y buns. There were also spare ribs, sweet and meaty and tangy. But for me mayhap the best eats were the chef’s empenadas — filled with a chicken braised in buffalo wing-​style sauce, cream and blue cheese, and a hint of celery. Crunchy, fluffy exterior complemented by savory and smokey/​creamy interior. Ah.
Drinks of the mixed variety were enjoyed by many though my Summerland Chardonnay kept me quite satisfied. One additional nod to the attention to detail of the service were the abundant glasses of iced water, a welcome counterpart to the higher temps of the afternoon.
As ever, the treat of catching up with established friends, getting to know newer acquaintances better, and getting to meet new and interesting Unilocalers was a delight and the true bottom-​line joy of being an elite in attendance. To Nique, and Nadine and her entire staff at Blackhawk Grille … thank you for a chance to sample and savor your generous wares.