Benicia Grill Grilling and Giving

n Caitlin McCulloch

Samim Azizi of Benicia Grill helps out his community. Maybe you’ve simply passed by Benicia Grill as you’ve driven through the Industrial Park, have stopped in for a meal there once or twice, or perhaps are a regular. It's off the beaten path and has been part of our community for 16 years— and is still being run by the original mastermind behind the small breakfast and lunch spot, owner Samim Azizi.

His journey in the restaurant business started long before Benicia Grill, however. He’s previously owned another restaurant, worked with gone but not forgotten Lyons and Buttercup in Vallejo. Attaining the position of general manager (within a month of being hired as manager, no less), winning manager of the year, and troubleshooting things like fixing food costs, have all been hats that Azizi has worn over the years. But he wanted his own space where he could bundle up all of this experience while having some control over his own hours.

“I was working 13-14 hours a day, sometimes even 15,” he explains. “I was just really tired and had decided I needed to take a whole year off before. But I’m a workaholic at heart. Restaurants are just my passion. Put me in some other business and I might not make it, but in restaurants I will. I love to cook, and I love to manage.”

Aside from the business and food aspects of owning Benicia Grill, Azizi relishes being in the community. He’s donated gift certificates and sponsored both Benicia Middle School and Benicia High School, along with donating food to seniors. Over the years, he’s grown quite close with anyone who patronizes his restaurant, too.

“Most of my customers are regulars. They know my name, I know their name,” Azizi says. “I appreciate my customer relationships so much.”

I was lucky enough to get to experience one of these connections during our interview.

“Bye, Jerry!” Azizi yells as we chat. “I’m sorry about that,” he says. “That was one of my regulars. He’s in here every single day with his wife. He orders the breakfast sandwich, and it’s a waffle combo for Joann. We can see them from the kitchen as soon as they come in, so we’ll start their order. By the time they’re sitting at a table, their food is in front of them.”

Whether you’re a regular or a first-timer, Azizi invites you to try Benicia Grill’s food. You might just catch him cooking your meal himself, too.

“When I see that somebody called out, we’re shorthanded, we’re busy on a Saturday or a Sunday, I’m going in the kitchen to help out,” he says.

Popular choices include comforting biscuits and gravy and fajita omelets with shrimp or steak for breakfast; lunchtime brings filling selections such as a French dip and a mesquite pepper tritip sandwich. It’s a great time to come in and take advantage of some serious deals that Benicia Grill is offering right now— there’s both a breakfast and lunch menu with entrees that ring in at less than $10, without sacrificing quality.

“Our bacon has been the same since day one,” he says, referring to his policy of not compromising on the quality of meat he serves. “We never change it. Even [though] prices double, I’m not going to cut corners. I wouldn’t be here without my customers. This restaurant wouldn’t be open. The pandemic was a really hard time to stay open, and the people of Benicia supported me. When the inside was closed, my regulars would order takeout. I’m trying to help out the city of Benicia and surrounding areas by running these specials during tough economic times, when the cost of groceries is skyrocketing. My customers helped me out, now it’s my turn.”

Benicia Grill is open daily from 7:00 am-2:00 pm. You can also order food for delivery through DoorDash, UberEats, and GrubHub. B

Book and Cocktail Club Just Haven't Met You Yet

by Sophie Cousens

Love at First Sip

Glasses from The Vintage Rug Shop

Ingredients

3 oz Blood Orange Juice

2 oz Coconut Water

1½ oz Pineapple Juice

1 Tbs Unsweetened Coconut Cream

½ oz Maple Syrup

Coconut Flakes

Preparation

1 Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.

2 Rim a rocks glass with coconut flakes (optional)

3 Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.

Sip Tip: Add your favorite rum or NA spirit for a little extra flavor!

n Cooper Mickelson

“Maybe life’s more about carving out happy chapters than finding a single happy ending.”

You didn’t think I’d let summer pass us by without choosing a sappy, romantic comedy as the Booktails pick, did you? Although it’s not my go-to genre, I’ve found myself picking up more and more romance novels to slide in between heavier reads throughout the year. Sometimes you just need a little break from the dark, depressing, and violent stories that crowd every bookstore's sci-fi/fantasy shelves.

There’s a little something for everyone in the romance genre. You can find anything from steamy westerns, for those who own John Wayne’s complete DVD collection, to regency romance, for my fellow fans of Bridgerton

So, in hopes of satisfying the broadest range of readers this month, I was on a mission to find a low-stakes contemporary romance full of belly laughs and butterfly moments. This hunt led me to Sophie Cousens's novel Just Haven’t Met You Yet

Laura Le Quesne was raised on stories of her parents’ remarkable romance that sparked from an adorable meet-cute. Growing up with this movie-worthy relationship setting her standards for love, Laura dreams of something equally spectacular. While waiting for her special moment, Laura interviews others about their romantic relationships for How Did You Meet?, a show on the “LoveLife” lifestyle platform.

When a couple lined up to star in the next episode wind up in jail, Laura is stuck scrambling to find a substitute story. The pitch that wins the support of her boss is a then-and-now style article surrounding her parent’s love story, complete with photos of Laura in the same places her parents spent their first summer together. This is how Laura finds herself flying out to her late father’s home country, Jersey.

In a rush to start her adventure, Laura grabs the wrong suitcase on her way out of the airport. Inside, she finds the books, clothes, and sheet music of who she imagines to be her dream man. Convinced the universe has finally gifted her with the exceptional romance she’s always dreamt of, this accidental suitcase swap sets off a chain of events that will change every aspect of Laura’s life.

With the help of a cab driver, who resembles Tom Hanks in Castaway, Laura’s scavenger hunt for her mysterious suitcase man becomes more difficult than she’d expected. As her days in Jersey fly by, Laura reimagines the life and love she always thought she wanted.

Yes, this novel is full of scenes that will bring color to your cheeks, but Cousens finds a way to add more depth than you’d expect in the average fluffy romance. We get a surprising amount of heavy moments surrounding parents and the secrets that come to light as their children grow into adults and are forced to say goodbye, or help them settle into a new chapter of their lives. There’s also a prominent theme of throwing away the illusion of happily ever after and instead focusing on “being happy today, and for as many todays as we are lucky enough to have.”

Just Haven’t Met You Yet is a charming and comical story about how one moment can upend our expectations and result in unexpected joys. I thoroughly enjoyed devouring this book in one weekend, and I think it’s a great option to bring along on vacation or just a sunny picnic downtown. B

n Gourmet Gracie and Movie Magic

Here’s an idea…a gourmet coffee shop with pastries and PIZZA! And not just any pizza. Chef Monica sampled multiple kinds of pizza dough, none made the cut…so she customized her own. This Roman style dough takes 5 days of prep before baking—time for fermentation in between the labor-intensive folding, rolling and proofing. The result is a pleasing, soft-chew crust with crispy edges; surprisingly light with quality sauces and toppings. Options include the meat combo, prosciutto & arugula, veggie or Margherita.

Coffee, tea and lemonade options include Gracie’s favorite, the Butterfly Pea Lemonade—a lovely concoction served with a small beaker of pretty blue liquid that turns purple when added to the lemonade. Stunning and fun. Choose