Cheap Eats in Eastlake

I’d like to introduce another new contributor to 510Families: Lisa is a journalist and mom to a seven year-old and also a Bollywood fan. 

Today, Lisa is sharing her favorite affordable restaurants for families in Eastlake (perhaps after a bout of haggling at the Sunday flea market at Laney College). She got to know Eastlake — a small Southeast Asian enclave along International Blvd. just east of Lake Merritt — when she was living in Oakland and her son was attending a bilingual Chinese and English preschool in the neighborhood.

1. Cam Huong is a neighborhood favorite, often packed with locals lined up for cheap banh mi and kid-friendly steam table dishes such as chicken skewers and noodles (Vietnamese). 920 Webster St.
2. Chai Thai Noodle has fantastic Pad Thai and very fresh vegetable dishes. 545 International Boulevard, Suite B.
3. Pho Hoa Lao’s leafy interior and aquarium, and tasty Laotian food, makes it a comfortable place to bring kids. 720 International Blvd.
4. Kevin’s Noodle House (also known as Pho Huynh Hiep) welcomes kids and serves cheap, gigantic bowls of pho; my little boy is partial to their beef balls (Vietnamese). 1402 E 12th St.
5. Sun Sang Supermarket offers the sensory overload of a trip to an authentic Asian market. Look for stinky durians, octopi on ice and yards of Pocky snacks. 1211 8th Ave.

Bonus tip: The leafy park at the center of the district at 6th and International is called Clinton Square Park, and features a busy, if small, playground, basketball court and open space.

Thanks to Lisa for sharing her family’s favorite eateries in the Eastlake district. Did she miss any of your favorites?