Little by Little Review

Camyll Reyes, Staff Writer

I had high expectations going into Little by Little. The local restaurant opened about two months ago and judging from the reviews and posts, Fremont seemed to welcome the new bistro with open arms. Word spread fast about the establishment, earning praise from customers present at the grand opening.. The major issue was the pricing and portion sizing. To avoid making the mistake of ordering any overpriced dainty dishes, I read up on their rotational menus and picked out out which dishes I wanted to try. Looking over the reviews, I narrowed down the array of choices to their short rib nachos, mushroom risotto, and their signature bone marrow.

Little by Little is typically buzzing with customers, as Fremont residents are eager to test out the new class of foods and ambience. However when I called for a reservation, the staff advised to just walk in since their turnout lowers anytime the Warriors play on screen.

My waitress Daisy mentioned the owner’s future plans to accommodate customers interested in viewing the game, saying, “We’re actually planning on projecting the game on the wall for customers. It’s just a matter of setting up the machinery.”  

Walking into the small building, Little by Little’s ambience definitely sets it apart from other restaurants in Fremont. They’re located at the end of the crowded Warm Springs Plaza, so the small restaurant may seem cozy and dainty, but inside, the atmosphere is more urban and upscale, almost classy-something you’d expect to see in chic San Francisco or Gastown, Vancouver. Fremont could definitely benefit from more of these urban restaurants. Its interior consisted of modern, San Francisco vibes with earthy tones, wooden floors, black matte metal furniture, white brick walls, hanging light bulbs, and of course, distributed clusters of cutesy succulents. I chose to sit upon the high stools against the window and though I wished for a more exciting view than the next building’s beige exterior, I appreciated the natural lighting on my minimalistic menu as I sipped my ordered rose lemonade.

 

Aside from the excellent and friendly customer service, the food was adequate. At least for a high school student, some of the dishes’ flavor did not justify the price. In my opinion, their bone marrow was not up to par. Cooked with chimichurri sauce, and [insert the other ingredients i marked down] the bone marrow overwhelmed my tastebuds with oily flavoring. In my opinion, it felt like taking a bite of warm, heavily oil-glazed, bland jello topped with lackluster seasoning. However, my cousin downed the whole dish within five minutes, claiming it his favorite out of the three.

The short rib nachos were a definite

favorite. I would come back with a few girlfriends to munch on its creamy, juicy, goodness one more time. I really enjoyed every bite as the salted tortilla chips were topped with smooth cheese, diced green onion and carrots, and chunks of short rib. The nachos were surprisingly filling, courtesy of the generous helping of short ribs. Instead of the traditionally slightly spiced nacho cheese, the short rib nachos had a pinch of sweetness. Finally came the mushroom risotto. The first bite was thick, buttery, and luscious. It was certainly the classiest of the three as a few scattered mushrooms complimented the delectable Italian dish. This would have been my favorite dish- but the sweet richness of the short ribs nachos overtook the compact saltiness of the risotto.