Sprouts & Shutters: New Dickey's Barbecue, Ascona Pizza, Baan Lanna & More

Wondering what’s moving into your neighborhood shopping center? Our weekly Sprouts & Shutters column highlights the latest Tri-Valley restaurant, retail and other business news.

Baan Lanna, a new Thai eatery, opened Oct. 1 inside Lanna Thai on Las Positas Road in Livermore, giving diners two Thai restaurants in one. The new Baan Lanna is run by Lanna Thai’s owner’s daughter, who says that the new eatery specializes in the classic, everyday Thai “street food” you’d find in Thailand. Dishes include Kao Moo Tod (deep fried, marinated pork served with chili sauce and rice), Pak Boong Fai Dang (market-fresh morning glory stir-fried with a special Thai sauce) and  Mun Ton (Thai style sweet potato chips). See more options in the menu accompany this column.

This Thursday will be your last chance this year to shop at Livermore’s Summer Farmers’ Market and sip wines during “Thirsty Thursdays.” In addition to filling your canvas bags with fresh produce, you can enjoy wine tasting with Cupcake Vineyards and Little Valley Winery plus listen to live music performed by Stone Groove from 5 - 8 p.m.. The seasonal farmer’s market ends Oct. 18 and resumes next May.

Dublin’s Wolf Camera was recently purchased by ImageFlow, set to take over the Regional Street location in a few weeks. The new store will specialize in imaging services such as photo scanning, film/video to DVD transferring and slide scanning. The new store will continue offering camera accessories but will no longer sell cameras. For more information, visit scanonce.com.

Disappointing news for Dublin diners: Cellar 9 Restaurant and Bar closed rather suddenly earlier this fall. The upscale family-owned restaurant had just opened last year in the Grafton Station and enjoyed favorable reviews. The owners could not be reached for comment.

Tri-Valley’s Ascona Pizza will open its third eatery in the new Pleasanton Gateway shopping center on Bernal near Safeway early next year. The small family-owned restaurant chain’s other restaurants are in San Ramon and Danville. To learn more about Ascona and preview a menu, visit asconapizza.com.

Amelia’s Deli recently closed in downtown Pleasanton. According to one of Amelia’s customers, and confirmed by the city’s economic development director, the owner was considering opening back up in its former location at Hacienda. The city has not received an application for another space.

It’s trick-or-treating time for adults: Pleasanton’s Halloween Brew Crawl takes place this Saturday along Main Street, where you can sample 25 local beer and food pairings at participating businesses. Costumes are encouraged. Tickets cost $30 in advance and $35 the day of the event (if not sold out). For more information, including a list of participating restaurants, shops and breweries, visit pleasantondowntown.net.

If you’re craving southern pulled pork, you don’t have long to wait: Dickey’s Barbecue Pit opens in San Ramon Nov.1 in Green Valley Chinese Restaurant’s old space in the Crow Canyon Commons shopping center. The national chain serves eight meats smoked at the restaurant plus southern dishes like barbecue beans and even fried okra. Browse the menu at dickeys.com.

You can sip local wines and microbrews plus sample food from local restaurants all in one place during San Ramon's Wine & Dine event Oct. 18. The annual event, presented by the San Ramon Chamber of Commerce, features more than 40 vendors, including Schubros, Wente Vineyards, Tamas Estates, Murrietta’s Well, Bent Creek Winery, Jack’s Brewery, Yiping Chinese Restaurant, Firehouse No. 37, the Brass Door, Clementines and more. Thursday’s event takes place at Club Sport San Ramon from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $35 in advance or $45 at the door and are available to guests 21 years and older.

C2 Education, Danville’s newest tutoring center, is celebrating its grand opening Oct. 18 with free food, drinks, diagnostic test and tuition discounts. According to the company, C2 Education got its start as a private tutoring program run out of a Harvard University dorm room and is now the nation’s fastest-growing network of private tutoring ACT/SAT test help and educational support centers. Its latest center opened in the Danville Square Shopping Center on Railroad Avenue.

Shop for fall décor or early holiday gifts Oct. 20 during Danville 21st Annual Fall Craft Festival. You’ll find more than 200 artisan booths selling crafts, photography, seasonal gifts, jewelry, clothing and more. The event also includes a food, beer and wine pavilion, street musicians, children’s games and a glass pumpkin patch. Saturday’s festival takes place downtown along Hartz and Prospect from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Want to find out what else is opening in the East Bay? Sprouts & Shutters now covers 21 cities on 18 Patch sites. Read the latest columns for the Central Contra Costa, Berkeley/Oakland and Fremont/Tri-Cities communities.

Did you miss Patch's last retail and restaurant roundup? Read about these and more in our last Sprouts & Shutters column:  

• ICandy Eye Salon and His Kingdom Animal Hospital in Danville
• Terra Patio & Garden and Vivien's Therapeutic Massage in San Ramon
• Nirvanaah in Dublin
• in Pleasanton 
• Yogurt Deluxe and European Wax Center in Livermore

Know of a business opening or closing in the Tri-Valley? Please tell Patch about it for a future Sprouts & Shutters column. Simply add it to this short form. Or send me a news tip at patchsprouts@gmail.com.

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