Nouveau Riche Dining

Typically, if you’re looking for an over-the-top dining experience, it means a trip to Vegas, crowding your way into New York hot spots, or taking meandering trips through the Napa Valley. Having experienced all of this myself great satisfaction, despite all of the effort that goes along with it, I have such an appreciation for new hidden gems that deliver in ambiance and cuisine but won’t take a year or months of planning to get there. Now, to be fair, being from the Bay Area, I have an easier time than in other parts of the country to be able to get to a variety of different, lesser-known cities by car. Which is why my instinct isn’t always to just head over to San Francisco for a satisfying dining experience. And after the past could of dining experiences that I’ve had in the East Bay—I'm so glad that I headed in the right direction.  

Royale Brunch

To round out a busy week, I met my former boss and friend at a new Pleasant Hill restaurant that she recommended. There were only two words that she needed to say to get me on board with the plan: fancy brunch. Breakfast and later breakfast (aka brunch) is one of my absolute favorite meals. Perhaps it’s because it’s a meal that I normally skip and usually just chug down coffee to get the day going and am not even bothering to chew anything until lunch time. Or it may be the fact that you can get in any direction with your meal or have it all. I’m talking sweet, savory, soft, and crunchy. You can get all of that on one plate and revel in all of the goodness that can sometimes lack when it comes to lunch or dinner. Formerly the location of a Boston Markert, The Royale opened in Pleasant Hill in November 2024 and introduced an unexpected regality in the shopping center shared with the likes of Staples, Smart & Final, and Rite Aid. 

The Royale offers class and elegance from start to finish. Firstly, they do something to ease one of the pain points that comes along with brunch, they take reservations Monday through Friday. Yes, I know this doesn’t help the weekend crowd, but trust me, taking advantage of weekday visit is worth it. As soon as you step across the threshold, it’s clear you are not in Pleasant Hill anymore. In fact, if you didn’t know better, you might think that you’d landed in an upscale restaurant in San Francisco or a boutique style restaurant in Las Vegas, a la Vanderpump Paris—if you know, you know. The dark ceiling, and iron colored accent walls set a modern tone, and the entire open style restaurant was flooded with light from 270 degrees of windows. In the waiting area, you can’t help but notice the beautiful and unique touch added by the gold, metal swan lamp that is softened by plumes of white feathers. The ambience is thoughtful, cohesive, and truly distinct.  

The thoughtful details extended beyond the decor of the restaurant and extended to each item that landed onto the table. My Thai tea latte, like many of the hot, non-alcoholic drinks was served up in a cute, round glass with the face of an upside-down teddy bear. The bear theme extends to cold drink that are topped with a small, edible teddy bear that’s covering its eyes. As the plates landed on tables, all the patrons were mesmerized, inquiring about what our neighbors had ordered, as the visual displays were artful and appetizing. My friend opted for the Wagyu smash burger that was halved and placed cut-side down onto a cast iron plate of cheese sauce. Opulent? Yes? Delicious? Absolutely! Staying true to my brunch experience, I settled on the French toast with a side of Royale bacon. The two slices of Challah bread were seasoned to perfection and had a caramelized sugary exterior that provided that desired sweet crunch. The fresh and preserved fruit offered a tangy cut into the flavor that was all married with a light and fluffy dollop of mascarpone. I knew heaven could not have been too far away with the plate in front of me. But there’s more. As a side, you have a choice of bacon three ways: bacon, candied bacon, or Royale bacon. There was no description, but you aren’t going to tempt me with a good time—the slabs of Royale bacon were like nothing I’ve ever tasted. This does come with a warning. I know there are two types of bacon eaters out there: crispy and soft. If you are crispy, do not pass go, this is not for you. But if you are into soft, thick bacon that is reminiscent of smoky pork belly, then your order it up! That bacon was so thick, I could cut it with a knife and pick it up with my fork.  

Beyond the food and decor, the staff was great. They were friendly, efficient and had everything well timed. On my next trip—and there will be a future one—I'll definitely partake in one of their exotic sounding alcoholic beverages. I had more work to do that afternoon, so needed to stay clear headed. The pictures of the drinks alone were whimsically inviting and were very royal. And for the regular brunchers, bottomless mimosas were also available. Overall, this is one not to gatekeep because I want them to stick around. Elevate yourself by heading over to The Royale.  

Off to Chateau

If you aren’t so much of a bruncher or you’re more moved by dinner, then you can head just a few miles south over to Walnut Creek and visit Chateau. This quaint, new gem on Main Street opened back in September 2024, and all I can say is that it is a total and complete vibe. What I always appreciate about going to Walnut Creek is that if you’re catching BART, it’s pretty walkable to get to the myriad of shops and restaurants. It’s also a very car-friendly city, as there are a slew of parking garages that, even during the busiest of times, I’ve always been able to find parking. If you are driving over, I highly recommend finding a garage that’s near your final destination. I’ve used many of them and have always felt safe and fairly easy to get in and out of; however, you might want to be cautious of the one at S. Main Street and Botelho Drive. It can get super busy around the holidays and it’s a long way to the top.  

Back to the Chateau. The restaurant lounge provides a grown and sexy kind of vibe as soon as you walk in. The host stand mesmerized med with its golden ink pens. The ceiling had two beautiful chandeliers that allowed you to take in the full height of the dining area. And some of my favorite girls were giving the place life: Tamia, Jill, and Ashanti—just to name a few. If you’re a connoisseur or have an appreciation for neo-soul/R&B circa early 2000’s, you’ll be in heaven.  

Now, just like Jennifer, one of the stars from the I’ve Had It podcast, we eat early alongside the gray hairs. With five o’clock reservations, the wait time was minimal as we were guided to the front, street side table, sat in front of a huge picture window. It was a four top with a couple upholstered, rounded dining chairs with wheels, which allowed both my husband and I to sit with our backs to the window and take in the full dining experience without distraction. There appeared to be an upstairs area, which I believe is available for private dining. The lower level was already filling up by the time we were seated. Most of the seating was grouped in the front, with additional down a long-narrowed area the met the face of the bar. On a nice day, there is outside seating along the side of the building that might be considered, but on this chilly March evening, sitting inside was a requirement.  

Normally, when having a drink, I usually opt for bourbon on the rocks, but the curated drink menu was too appealing to pass up. The La Grimalda a tequila and St. Germaine libation was a hit that was worth repeating. For our starter, and the reason why I thought Chateau was worth a visit was the caviar topped deviled eggs. The four servings were generous, filled to the brim, and absolutely delicious. I think you’d be hard pressed to try and finish it in one bit—they were some big eggs. Now my husband, on the other hand, has because a caviar fiend—I blame Bethenny Frankel. She eats it quite a bit on TikTok and he’s an avid follower. Hence, delicately placed golden platter of delectable caviar service was also a part of our opening meal. The blinis were out of this world! I probably could have eaten all of those thick little pancakes by the handful. Practicing some restraint, we took turns building mini towers of creme fraiche, chopped egg, chives, diced onions, and pearls of caviar. It had only been about two years prior that I’d had my first taste of caviar, but this experience introduced me to Golden Osetra—and we will meet again.  

For our mains, we kept it fairly simple, and Chateau had the nerve to keep the flavor complex and alluring. The chicken Caesar was topped with a whole anchovy and tossed with just the right amount of dressing, covered but not wilted. My husband went for the truffle fries, which I can verify first-hand was full of rich flavor especially while eaten with the side of aioli. He also went for thick crusted truffle grilled cheese. Elevated comfort food at its finest with a drizzle of hot honey that you have to sop up from the plate for the full effect.  

Since visiting Royale and Chateau this past weekend, I think I’ve probably told half a dozen people about it. When you make it over to one or both of these newer East Bay must try restaurants, you’ll have to let me know what you think!