Laurus

I felt that everything was a little bit off, from the slightly overcooked salmon and potatos, to the undercooked crab cakes. even the Gin & Tonic was off

If you were planning to go to Laurus before it’s scheduled last day on the 27^th, DON’T! Laurus closed early which is such a disappointment for all of my friends and family that had planned to go for their last day.
Goodbye Laurus! I’ll miss your calamari, truffle fries, turkey burgers, beet salad and most importantly your bread pudding! Now I suppose we will have to check out the happy hour at Stomp, or wait with baited breath as the new rotisserie restaurant comes into this location by the owners of Sasa!

So sad to see them go… and so soon! I *hear-​tell* something else is coming in… still…we will miss ya!

Love the happy hour menu! You’ve gotta try the sliders!!!
We usually hang out at the bar and the bartenders are really cool, Cathy (the blond girl) is my favorite cuz she is very friendly, knows her stuff, and hooks us up all the time :-)

I went here with my boyfriend for the first time and we had a great dining experience.
The location of the restaurant is very nice, it is located inside of the Blackhawk Plaza. They have both patio seating (which overlooks the duck/​swan pond) and indoor seating. Since the restaurant has more of a crescent shape, one full side has windows which allows the restaurant to feel open and airy.
All of the staff was very nice and the service was on point. We never had to wait to get our glasses refilled and our food came out in a timely manner.
What we enjoyed:
Cocktail:
–Spicy Pear Sangria: This was great! I had to stop myself from ordering another one. It was very refreshing and the flavor was well balanced.
Starters:
–Tomato Roasted Garlic Soup served with a mini provolone grilled cheese: The grilled cheese added the right amount of crunchy texture to the perfectly made tomato soup.
–Truffled Cauliflower Bisque with sweet corn pancetta relish and chives: The bisque was light and velvety. The sweet corn pancetta relish was a pleasant surprise because once again it gave the soup its texture but definitely added to the flavor of the soup. YUMMY!!!
Entrée:
–Pepper dusted day boat scallops on top of saffron-​pecorino risotto cakes and white corn purée: The scallops were plump and fresh. They were nicely cooked. I liked the whole composition of the plate, everything tasted very good.
We look forward to coming back here again.
Restrooms: Separate restrooms for men and women. The women’s restroom has 2 stalls and was clean and stocked.

The only thing worse than the food was the service. Food was unremarkable, Sauces had no flavor soup tasted like dish water.
I guess I hit the place on an off night but every staff member I encountered was pissy.

A super cute European inspired restaurant nestled within Blackhawk Plaza! This is the third dining establishment I’ve visited in Blackhawk Plaza, and none of them have disappointed! Laurus was a tad fancier, so definitely great for a special occasion, but just as good as an all-​around restaurant, as well.
We ordered the pesto chicken wonton appetizer to share. Not only was the name unique, but it was definitely an interesting concoction! I would’ve never thought to use pesto as a filling inside of a wonton, but Laurus made it work! The pesto was a bit on the strong side though, so I didn’t really get much of the minced chicken flavor. Make sure you’re a pesto fan before ordering this dish. Two thumbs up for the creativity and the flavor!
As my main course, I ordered the truffled mushroom flatbread, which essentially is a pizza in layman’s terms. However, this was not just ANY pizza. Thin crust, and covered with high-​quality cheese and truffled mushrooms! Just mouthwatering. Definitely a sharing plate though, as it
could’ve fed 1.5−2 people, depending on your attitude.
No room for dessert this time around, but I will sure be back! Thanks Laurus, for a great evening!

My friend Robin L. and I visited here on President’s Day. The place was empty and we were wondering how they were/​are staying in business … that is until 1) we ate and 2) we drank and 3) when I checked in and posted it on my FB wall everyone said how much they loved this place!
Robin and I had the «poppers» which were … DELICIOUS!!! But, don’t be scared by the heat … it is a popper after all! We also shared the ribs which I liked but thought the sauce was a little too much, sliders (we switched it up and had two turkey and one beef — for me :)), and the hummus platter which was … hummus (really, how can you mess up or make it amazing?). They also had $ 2 draft beers (Stella or Sierra Nevada) and $ 5 martinis (next time I will partake in those!).
The bartenders were super nice and helpful too.
I liked this place and will definitely be back for another round of happy hour! Who’s in?

I really wanted to like Laurus. I went in with an open mind.
I had the salad with the beggar’s purse which was the best thing I had. My salmon was cooked well but the lemon couscous didn’t do it for me.
I do not like lemon rind in my food. I wasn’t aware of the preparation and would have chosen differently had I known. The couscous itself was a bit al dente for my taste.
The Hawaiian bread pudding was a total fail. It was dry, hard and lacking flavor. My dining companions were equally unimpressed with their meals.
Perhaps they had an off night. I don’t think I will return though.

Well, let’s say the service was really good, but the fact that the place was near empty about 9:00 PM on a Saturday should have been a warning sign…
Me, B-​Do and Uncle Steve ate here a couple of Saturdays ago, and we really wanted to like this place. But we couldn’t…
I ordered their flatbread with a mixture of meats (pepperoni, sausage, etc)… It was fine. The flavors were good but it was a little too greasy.
B-​Do and Uncle Steve both ordered fish (salmon and halibut). B-Do’s salmon was cooked well, but there was too much zest in the couscous and it overpowered the dish in an unexpected way. Uncle Steve’s halibut just looked sad. It was chunks (not portioned correctly?) of very grey halibut served up on potatoes. It was only OK per Uncle Steve. It just didn’t look appetizing at all — so I didn’t even bother.
The bread on the table was OK (store bought) but the accompanying spread was unpleasant to me — I prefer just butter or oil/​balsamic.
We also ordered desserts. B-Do’s Hawaiian Roll bread pudding was actually so overcooked he sent it back. What was supposed to be creamy was actually very hockey puck-​ish. My Tiramisu was well presented in an over-​sized coffee mug, but was too rich for me to finish. It was the best dessert of the evening. Steve has a chocolate lava cake — pretty standard. It was good but not great.
Overall: Meh. I don’t think we’ll be back. If we’re in that area, we’ll eat at Little Pear.
Iced Tea Rating: 2 stars. Lots of fills, but not enough ice. Also, the tea was flavored. Also meh.

Came here tonight with the girlfriends. It’s situated in a very, very yuppie shopping mall.
The food itself was ok — we ordered crab cakes (good, but nothing special); calamari (they interestingly fried the lemon alongside the calamari?!); and I had the truffle/​mushroom flatbread. I had thought it was going to be a rectangularly-​shaped flatbread (as our waiter had described the pizza with a rectangular gesture, and saying that it was 8×11 inches), but its shape and size was comparable to that of a circular pizza. The truffle/​mushroom flatbread was a bit too oily/​heavy for me but my friend ordered the gorgonzola/​walnut flatbread and that was pretty delish. We ended the night with some tiramisu, which was too creamy for my liking.
The only reason why I’m upping my score to a 3 instead of a 2 is because of the service. They were very courteous, attentive, and professional. Maybe I’ll just go for the gorgonzola/​walnut flatbread next time!

I should have updated this a couple weeks ago. I still love Laurus! Our office went for our Holiday Lunch. We were there for 3 hrs & enjoyed every moment.
Menu (what I can remember) Crab Cakes: full of crab & couldn’t get enough of the sauce. Calamari: crispy & again– the sauce was excellent. If you like Hummus– you will NEVER go wrong with theirs.
Main: I had the Truffled cauliflower bisque with sweet corn-​pancetta relish and chives– the bisque was awesome however, there was ALOT of salty pancetta. I love salt & pancetta, but didn’t expect so much.
Main– Baby spinach and golden beet salad with grilled lemon-​marjoram chicken, hazel nuts and feta. Just so good.
Looking forward to going back!
*** side note: they took the menus off the clipboards! yeah for them! ***

I’m surprised that not many Unilocalers mentioned this place is in a shopping mall. Granted, it’s a very chic Danville shopping mall, but we were a bit confused when we had to go inside the dark mall to find the restaurant. But, once we arrived it seemed potentially worth the adventure…
Service was the most outstanding aspect, with the food being a close second. Our server, Christopher, was passionate to say the least. He knew every detail of the menu and could sell you on just about anything with his poetic descriptions. But, he also gave me his honest opinion about my dessert decision, which was much appreciated :) Always great to have a server who’s on your side.
We had a very creative caesar salad with crisp hearts of romaine wrapped in a thin layer of proscutto, like a cute little bundle of salad (pics posted). For dinner, I had a stunning plate of seared day boat scallops, atop saffron risotto cakes with a lovely tomato and white corn sauce garnish. Scallops are iffy — they can be rubbery, fishy, or overcooked, but… at Laurus, every bite was divine. Presentation was a huge plus too.
Our waiter was so accommodating that he brought out a dessert sampler, on the house. It was a great way to seal the deal, as they were already on the road to 4-​stardom. Though Laurus is a bit out of the way for us, I would still be delighted to return. Truly lovely food, prepared with care, and service that will make you perfectly happy about walking through the mall on your way out.

Laurus is a lovely place to go on a date. The atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed while still having a feeling of European elegance.
I’ve been to Laurus about three times. The first trip, my boyfriend and I were on a mission to find a delicious dessert, some coffee and a place to relax and talk about our day. We found the perfect spot at Laurus. The waiter was nice, polite and very funny.
On my second visit I had the «pan seared crab cakes with lemon– Calabria pepper cream with roasted peppers and mache,» $ 14, and the «pepper dusted day boat scallops with white corn purée and saffron-​pecorino risotto cakes,» $ 26. My boyfriend and I shared the banana cream tart and some coffee for dessert. Everything was amazing. The crab cakes were crispy on the outside and filled with real crab. The scallops were cooked perfectly and complimented the risotto cakes well. For dessert we had a banana cream tart.
My latest trip… we had the «white bean hummus with olive-​tomato relish and spicy pita chips, $ 9,» the crab cakes and the day boat sea scallops again. What can I say, when I find something I like, I become very loyal.
If available, you should ask for a table by the windows or a seat outside. The restaurant has a wonderful view of a man made river with waterfalls, swans and ducks.

We gave Laurus a shot after picking up a Groupon. Glad that we did! Here’s all the great things about Laurus:
*They are in Blackhawk Plaza which is probably the best outdoor shopping experience in the East Bay.
*The décor is elegant but not pretentious.
*The outdoor seating is exquisitive with the pond, ducks, and swans just a few feet away.
*The prices for lunch are extremely reasonable.
*The service is friendly and helpful.
The flatbreads are incredibly delicious. You’ll become a «pizza» snob instantly after trying one of these treats. The sweet potato fries raise the bar for other restaurants that are hopping on the trend.
The only downsides were that the bread for the paninis was a bit too hard for anybody that doesn’t have a metal plate for their upper palate and the turkey burger didn’t have the «it» factor that makes taste buds pop. It needed more spices or something.
I’d actually give Laurus a 3.75, but what the heck, why not a 4 star rating?

NEVER EVER AGAIN! Food was secondary as the service was ABSOLUTELY terrible! When was the last time you ate at a restaurant where you felt as if they DID NOT want you there? This is the first time in my three years of living in the Tri-​Valley where I actually felt like a minority.
NEVER EVER AGAIN!

I love the butter, olive oil, olive & herb dipping mix for their bread!
Crab cakes & lamb spare rib appetizers were great (took most of the lamb spare ribs to go and they were sooo yummy the next day)
Roasted half chicken is their «specialty» and did not disappoint. The skirt steak was mediocre, served w/​a pile of frisee and sweet potato fries. A better cut would qualify the price.
Service was good, nice ambiance. If I go back I will try the flat breads, as those seem to be a big hit among Unilocalpers!

Met a g/​f at 4p and we sat outside by the water. Waiter was pleasant. Ordered crabcakes, calamari and hummus. For cocktails, the Bradshaw Martini and the Passion cocktail.
Since it was early, it was perfect. You weren’t yelling to be heard and service was great. Food was «decent» not over the top wow. Both crabcakes and hummus were good tho the calamari was a bit oily. It was pricey but you’re in Blackhawk…
Décor is very nice, looks like they gutted everything, much better than the former restaurant The Blue Footed Booby.
I’d come here again.

A couple of times a month, my husband works from home. He usually does it when I have a short day at school or a day off. These are the days I look forward to most because we get to have lunch together without having the child with us or either of us having to drive a long distance.
After our disappointing lunch at Coa, we decided to check out Laurus for lunch a week later. The décor is lovely and the menu had so many delicious things on it we had a hard time deciding on and ended up sharing things.
We started with the «small» calamari. It was plentiful and fried nicely. It came with thinly sliced lemon as well (fried) and I hadn’t seen that other than at Venezia. I ordered a cocktail (can’t remember the name) and it was balanced nicely. I ordered the cauliflower soup, the husband ordered the beef barley soup and a brie salad. We also ordered the mushroom pizzette to share.
Husband’s soup tasted like my pot roast. It was yummy but nothing compared to the cauliflower soup. The soup I had was probably THE BEST soup I have ever had. I have dreamed about this soup. It was finished off with a pancetta and corn relish. YUM! The salad was good but not great he said though we both appreciated the presentation.
The pizzette while good, wasn’t the best I have had. I think I will order a fish dish next time. We both decided to order a dessert to try. Our waitress (who was very nice) suggested we try the apple crisp with cheddar cheese and gelato. We ordered that and though I think Café’ Esin has a serious competitor now when it comes to food, this place does not compare with desserts. The center of the apple was cold and the cheese was hardly melted and was a bit too sharp for the dish.
What a great lunch husband and I had together and I look forward to coming here again and again.

Review #400. Dedicated to my fiancé, Jac C. (Don’t worry — I promise not to get sappy.)
A few weeks ago, Jac C appeased my need to make sure that the driving directions we are providing our wedding guests are correct by driving the route from our ceremony site to our reception site. As a thank you, I treated him to lunch at Laurus.
We each started with a house cocktail. I enjoyed my passion royale — a lovely pink champagne drink.
They also brought out bread and house churned butter. I especially liked their spin on this standard starter with the butter being topped on one side with an olive tapenade and the other side with herbs.
Everything on the menu looked delicious and I was having trouble making a decision so I suggested that we split a few small plates. We ordered the white bean hummus, crab cakes and butter leaf salad with breaded, warmed brie. The white bean hummus was smooth, creamy and rich. Very flavorful with olives and tomato on the side. The crab cakes were cooked perfectly and I thought there was a nice balance of large chunks of crab and roasted red pepper. The salad was good but not quite as enjoyable as the other dishes. The brie was prepared well and the salad was pretty to look at but the butter lettuce leaves were really large and difficult to maneuver and eat, especially when sharing with someone else.
Our waiter was extremely friendly and contributed to the warm environment. I very much enjoyed having lunch here. I think it helps that I was there with Jac C and I always have a good time when I am with him. He is also good at sharing. Be sure to bring someone who is also good at sharing so you can sample a few of the delicious dishes that Laurus has to offer.