Elite Event: Walnut Creek Restaurant Week Kick-Off Party

My husband was caught in traffic, so naturally I needed another way into this social gathering of Unilocal elites and Walnut Creek’s business owners and affiliates. I found myself on Ron R.‘s arm since his pretty +1 was also running late. Il Fornaio hosted us on the outside patio and under a temporary tent. The spring weather was perfect for a mostly outdoor event and it was as nice under the shade structure as it was in the sunshine of downtown Walnut Creek.
Walnut Creek Restaurant Week Kick-​Off Party celebrated many of our wonderful WC restaurants — lots of them participated in this year’s Restaurant Week, where diners can enjoy lunch or dinner meals for less than they would usually spend. It was nice to try some of the menu items from these same restaurants in the midst of other friends and Unilocalers.
We had lots of friends at the event and the food we shared together was delicious with awesome beverages to chase down each bite. Strongbow Hard Cider was my favorite! I’d never tried it before and we’ve bought it since the party (I like it so much more than other, sweeter hard ciders). This was an all-​around well put-​together party and we had a wonderful time.

The WCRW Kick-​Off Party was loaded with fun, food, drinks, and awesome people – what better way is there to celebrate a week dedicated to the city’s culinary offerings?
Upon arrival, we were greeted by Nique and Jon. Nique looked absolutely stunning in her yellow summery frock, and Jon was super dapper! You could tell immediately that this was going to be one swanky event.
Unilocalers and +1s got to sample a large selection of taasstttyyy bites, including bacon-​wrapped scallops (my favorite!!), spanakopita, sushi, tuna tartare, and shrimp cocktail. There was plenty to go around for everyone. Seriously, the platters kept moving and the bottles kept flowing. Just thinking about all that goodness is making my mouth water…
Much thanks to NIQUE, Unilocal,and Il Fornaio for another fab Unilocal Elite event :)
And if you’re looking for me, I’ll be in Walnut Creek.

Walnut Creek knows how to put on a good event! This was a great re-​entry into the Unilocal Elite scene after a short absence. It reminded me of what a great community Unilocal is and what a privilege it is to be able to taste and experience regional offerings.
Il Fornaio set up beautiful tables with perfectly matched yellow flowers of different varietals, circulated beautiful plates of bites such as savory stuffed mushrooms, fresh bruschetta, and refreshing shrimp cocktail. Va De Vi impressed with tuna tartare spoons while Opa tickled the tastebuds with dolmas, meatballs, and spanakopita. Kanishka added some originality with Indian-​cajun toasts and Lark Creek rounded everything off with a perfect little butterscotch pudding tartlet. The Belvedere cocktails were delicious and I was delighted to learn that «free wine» includes champagne so that was truly lovely. Props also to the jazz duo for setting the tone with some sweet jams.
The company was great too! I finally met Nique in person, new friend Joanna S, and I hope to bring my friend and +1 on board as an Elite as well. Thanks to all for a great event!

Gayle and I had a wonderful time at the Walnut Creek Restaurant Week Kick-​Off Party. I got to experience the Best of Both Worlds (also the name of an iconic Star Trek TNG episode). First there were my Unilocal friends, many who recognized me even though I wasn’t wearing a badge. I’m not sure that makes me as legendary as Alena W. might think, but it was great to catch up qurg some really great people, including Nique of course. Second, as Gayle works for the City of Walnut Creek, there was Mayor Bob, Council person Luella (and her engaging hubby Ralph) and other mutual civic involved friends.
This Il Fornaio is also the place where Gayle and I had our second date, so this special venue was a nice accent on our 5^th Wedding Anniversary the next day. Plus the event was indoors and outside, with nice music and fine Wente wine to supplement a very classy affair.
The food was excellent as well and with $ 20 and $ 30 specials offered throughout Walnut Creek Restaurant Week, why would one dine anywhere else? Many of the participating restaurants were represented at this event, with tasty bites to tempt the diet. I tried to pick wisely and as healthy as I could, so my choices were concentrated on OPA!, Kanishka’s Neo-​Indian Gastropub, and Hamachi. The rest of choice (especially the dessert items) looked tempting, but with Gayle moderating my food choices, maybe next time. Many thanks to Unilocal and Walnut Creek for making this event such a joy and honor to be invited to attend.

Ahh deliciousness!!! I loved the mix of Unilocalers and business owners in attendance. Even had a chance to talk and hang with the dub C mayor!
All the food I had was amazing and lI Fornaio is beautiful. I would never have guessed such a classy elegant place would be right next door to H&M.
Some noteworthy items would be the bacon wrapped scallops by ll Fornaio, Wente Chardonnay, the killer belvedere lemonade (shout out to the great bartender), tootsie roll sushi from Kaiwa Sushi and Lark Creek’s butterscotch pudding, which I am told you can call ahead and schedule a bathing ;)
Looking forward to revisiting these places for Walnut Creek’s Restaurant Week!

My first event as an Elite! I was hesitant to go at first for it will take me an hour to be there, not to mention the traffic waiting down the road. Thanks for the carpool!
It’s very worthy of my time. A very elegant event with beautiful and gorgeous people of Unilocal Elite and plenty of VIPs. It’s a very dressy and classy affair. The food sampling is really something. I was able to taste different cuisine offered by the featured restaurant.
I really love that bacon wrapped with scallops. Shrimp cocktail keeps on flowing. Sushi Hamachi is quite tasty too. The butterscotch pudding from Lark Creek is to die for (I had seven! ssshhh…) Wente Wines complement all the appetizers that’s been served. Love, love, love it! Together with new Unilocal Elite gals I met there, we tried different concoctions of cocktails. That Belvedere concoction is really something. I only had one shot mixed compared to others who had two. Whew!
All through the time, we were entertained and serenaded by a jazz performers. Thanks to Unilocal,thanks to Il Firnaio… I really had a blast! Party!!!

I was so excited that we got to attend the Walnut Creek Restaurant Week Kick-​Off Party!
The beverage pours and food portions were diverse and generous. My only regret is that we stopped for a bite to eat before the event (at Opa!, they have a great happy hour), so I didn’t sample much. (The butterscotch dessert from Lark Creek was incredible.)
It was lovely to mix and mingle with fellow Unilocalers, old and new (to us), as well as some Walnut Creek peeps.
I’m looking forward to date night with my honey at Kanishka’s Neo-​Indian Gastropub on Friday!

Twas a lovely time had by all. drinks, meatballs, and Indian food, that custard tart was amazing! Everyone looked so swanky.

The Walnut Creek Restaurant Week Kick-​Off Party was simply amazing! Nique never ceases to amaze me, this party was indeed spectacular and filled with the Elite and I don’t just mean Unilocal Elites. I was happy and honored to have gotten into this event along with my sis. While I’m somewhat familiar with Downtown Walnut Creek I was not aware of all the amazing restaurants in the area, I’ve really been missing out!
We arrived at the super swanky IL Fornaio in our dressy attire but fashionably late and was greeted by Jon G. who was looking quite dapper. Once we got our party pass scanned and received our drink tickets we waltzed right inside. There was a section of the restaurant that was strictly for the kick off party, there were Unilocal Elites there, the Mayor of Walnut Creek was there as well as many other VIPs.
There were so many restaurant tables set up as well as waiters and waitresses walking around with trays of food that I didn’t know where to start. I wanted to attempt to make it a point to taste everything even items that I do not care for. Some of the items that I tasted were:
*Maria Maria: Shredded pork on a crispy fresh tortilla chip. The meat was super tender, yummy and SPICY!
*OPA!: Keftedes (Beef and lamb meatballs) they were so full of flavor and Spanakopita (Phyllo dough stuffed with spinach and feta cheese) the dough was very flaky and the filling was quite interesting.
*Sushi Hamachi: Pork sliders (Not my fav and a little dry) and tempura sushi
*IL Fornaio: Bruschetta (Tomato and Mozzarella) the tomato went great on top of the crispy garlic toasted bread
*Shrimp Cocktail was very good
*Stuffed Mushrooms were nice and plump and stuffed with a cheese filling, I don’t like mushrooms but I actually enjoyed these
*Lark Creek: Butterscotch Pudding cups were just so decadent and pure bliss
The food was very good and the Keftedes from Opa! were my favorite but too bad I got there as they were running out and got the last one lol. Not only was there tons of yummy food but the drinks were flowing as well. There was wine, a small bar area, various beers being served such as Dos Equis. I had a nice cocktail with mixed berry Belvedere and lemonade, super yummy.
I absolutely enjoyed myself between the upscale restaurant, great food, yum cocktails and my lovely Unilocal Elite friends I couldn’t have asked for a better time or better way to spend my Thursday evening. Thanks Nique and Jon G., you two are awesome and thanks for introducing me to my first Restaurant Week kick off party!

Kicking it Off in Style!
Spoons of delectable ahi tuna from Va Da Vi, addicting butterscotch pudding bites from Lark Creek, and a flowing supply drinks? It must be restaurant week in Walnut Creek! The Kick-​Off Party was well-​situated at Il Fornaio, who served their own delicious selection of food, including one of my favorites of the night, bruschetta. I was also blown away by the spankmekopitas from Opa! Opa! Opa! (I know what I’m dreaming about tonight.)
The event was well-​organized by the ray of sunshine, herself, Nique! This was one of the fancier events with white tablecloths and elegant flower center pieces. Everyone was dressed to impress, too! The live band was a nice touch, adding beautifully to the atmosphere.
I rarely visit Walnut Creek, but this event has me wanting to try a new Walnut Creek restaurant everyday! I’ll definitely be back!
Shout outs to Chris M. and my new friend Mea H. Thank you to Il Fornaio, Nique, and Jon for being great hosts!

Well well well… if it isn’t yee ‘ol Walnut Creek Restaurant Week! Simply put, this is always one of the Top 5 East Bay Unilocal events of the year, every year! Why? Well let me explain why.
Over the last few years, Walnut Creek has slowly become an East Bay mecca for exquisite food and fine dining. Not to discredit the good eats in Oakland and Berkeley, but Walnut Creek definitely has it’s fair share of restaurants that’ll rival some of the best in that area.
Now about tonight’s event. Here’s who represented:
~ Va de Vi: A spoonful of «ahi tartare»! Mmm mmm MMM! A nice hint of lemon zest and the coolness of the tuna was just refreshing! Spoon after spoon after spoon, I stopped counting.
~ Kanishka’s: A seasonal special of their’s was served. I believe it was a spicy Chicken Tikka Masalaa. It wasn’t too hot, but Unilocalers enjoyed the unique spicy flavor. Tough for some to handle, but tantalizing in my opinion.
~ Maria Maria: They served up some carnitas on a tortilla chip. The pork was delectable, and was another one I kept coming back for!
~ Lark Creek: Best butterscotch pudding ever! These little desserts were just a fan favorite! If you ever actually eat at their restaurant, you no doubt have to order this! You won’t be disappointed!
~ Opa! Opa! Opa! OMG the BEST SPANKMEKOPITAS EVER! I grab one, and the serving plate is near empty, they filled it up and hooked it up again and again! Love love love their (let me correct myself) their spanakopitas! Not to mention, they also served up some tasty lamb meatballs with tzatziki yogurt dip; Also a winner! Wait there’s more! Did I mention they served huge lemony dolmas as well. OhhhPA! You were the star of this event! I promise to Unilocal them this week!
~ Hamachi offered up some yummy pork sliders (¿pork at a sushi restaurant?) and crunchy sushi samples. Good eats, only I’ve personally slowed down my bread and rice consumption.
~ And finally for the host, the IL Fornaio themselves. I gotta say, I’ve never eaten here before, but I definitely will give them a try this week. They served up some stuffed mushrooms, mini bruschetta’s with salmon toppings. AND my favorite of the night, the bacon wrapped scallop! Yeeeeh Haaaaw!!! Now you realize why I love coming to this event?
Drinks you ask?
~ How about Belvedere Vodka and Chandon champagne. I loved the Heineken lady too, serving up DosEquis and Stongbow Gold Apple Beer! Ohhh so good!
~ Wente Wines represented as well! I started with a 2013 single vineyard Chardonnay, then went on to a 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. Both so soft to the palate, and matched well with the some of the items from Opa! I kept going back again for another glass. The lady behind the counter kept asking me if I were gonna drive home… Um, not sure what she meant by it, oh well haha!
And guess who else showed up showing his support? Walnut Creek’s very own mayor, Bob Simmons! Nice!!!
Man, what a night! I met more new Unilocalers, and partied with the regulars like a family. Always always always a good time!
Thank you Nique and Jon for rounding up the herd and putting this event together. Nique, this event will forever remind me of you. A few years ago you kicked off my Unilocal career here, and I just can’t be thankful enough! I hope your reality show works out, j/​k haha! We’re gonna miss you!
Eat up and enjoy everyone! It’s Walnut Creek Restaurant Week!

I seriously feel so lucky to have been invited to this event. Let’s go down the list:
–Super swanky? Check.
–Drinks flowing like a river in a non-​drought year? Check.
–Appetizers so delicious that I wish I wore cargo pants? Check.
–Nique looking like a ray of sunshine and Jon a total dapper dude? Check.
I loved that we got to rub elbows with Walnut Creek VIPs, including the mayor! At one point I thought about actually rubbing elbows with him but figured I’d just go get another drink instead.
And of course it was fun chatting with fellow Unilocalers. I finally met the legendary Eric B!
The band was the perfect touch for this event. You could enjoy their tunes without feeling like you shouldn’t talk over them or that you had to clap at the end of each song.
And the service! THE SERVICE! Il Fornaio staff totally rocks. You want to force shrimp on me? You had me at hello. And the restaurant is beautiful, too.
And this review would not be complete without thanking Nique. You’re awesome, I’ll miss you, but I know I’ll SYOY!

Yet another outstanding event organized by our outgoing Community Manager Nique F. (please don’t go!) (But congrats on the well-​deserved promotion!). Walnut Creek Restaurant Week Kick-​Off Party allowed us common Elite Unilocalers and our plus ones get our sampling on with some of the finest foods, wines and champagnes from not only Walnut Creek but around the entire Bay Area.
We did get there a little late this time but the good news was there was plenty of food and beer and champagne to go around for all of the Unilocalers and W.C. dignitaries alike. My particular favorites were the ahi tuna bites served on a spoon from nearby Va Da Vi and the Butterscotch Bites served in party shells from Lark Creek.
But then again everything was amazing from the Japanese Rolls to the Indian Tika Masala to the Mexican Nachos to the Italian Bruschetta. Not to mention enjoying the beautiful music and the delicious champagne from Domain Chandon. It was a warm night in a lovely restaurant (one of my personal faves whenever I shop in Broadway Plaza) with some nice company. Special thanks to Nique F. for organizing this event (not to mention the two drink tickets!).
We are sure going to miss your flawless events that the entire East Bay community can enjoy together!

I know, it’s probably against regulations to rate any Unilocal event less than 5 stars. Well, they’ve deserved it so far…
Picture this: A flagship restaurant with a section set aside for Unilocalers. Filled with Unilocalers. They’re eating, drinking, eating more, drinking more. Meeting old friends, making new friends. The music is playing, the conversation is merry, and the meatballs are all gone. And much attention is given to the slim pretty blonde in the yellow dress who’s enjoying one of her last events as a CM.
The only thing bad was the parking. But then, this is downtown Walnut Creek.
We now have some ideas of other restaurants to try out. And, knowing us, we will, and these restaurants will see many new customers.
Another great event, Dominique — er, Nique! And Casey, Amy, Ron DMC, Emily, Jaq, Sam, Desiree, Chris, Yannie, Christine, Jen, and anyone I missed.

Always a great time at these Unilocal events. Met a couple of great folks here. Of course, when you talk about the Warriors and Giants, there’s lots to talk about. Hehe ;-). All the drinks were off the hook and of course, free at these events. The bartenders hooked us up and felt good after the event! =} hehe
Unilocalers start reviewing! You may get to come to these events yourself. The food was great as well. Of course, I am a dessert girl and so I loved the butter scotch pudding cups! I literally could not stop eating these from ‘Lark Creek’ restaurant! I will have to go back there soon. Another of my favorite was Opa! They had good Greek food! I loved the lamb meatballs and stuffed pastry with cheese and something else. ‘Va de Vi’ was good too as I am a tuna tartare girl!
Everything was great as always and held at the II Fornaio restaurant so I enjoyed myself with my hubby. The staff was awesome! Thank you Unilocal staff for making this possible and for all the invites! Till next event!