**** Dragon Rouge

For any of you who are familiar with the higher end (and therefore more expensive) Le Cheval in Oakland, let me share with you a neat retreat: Dragon Rouge. While it's definitely a small venue tucked in the odd corner of Alameda where a gas station transmorgified into a locksmith decades ago, the ambiance is modern, calm, friendly, and yes, even a bit romantic. All of this is only fodder when it comes to the meals! Oh My Goodness! While I fairly much disdain meat, I cannot do anything but drool at the thought of their Mango steak wraps. Their hot pots are fragrant and filling. I have yet to be disappointed with a dish- and I definitely go there often enough to have tried just about everything on the menu... Well worth the $5-$15 price per plate.