Garibaldi's On College: This outpost of Garibaldi's On Presidio in San Francisco has a slightly suburban feel. It could be the clientele -- older, moneyed, conservative -- or the plush decor, which looks as if it were ordered directly from a catalog. Expect solid, satisfying California-Mediterranean dishes, such as herb-crusted Ahi, thin-crust pizzas and filet mignon. 5356 College Ave. (between Bryant and Hudson)

So I'm feeling a little lazy and copied that right outta sfgate.com. Once a semester, Jon and I like to splurge on a luxe meal. Last time, it was Cafe Rouge on Fourth Street, where we shelled out for a $13 cheese and pate platter. This time, we visited Rockridge, only to find that many of the area's upscale eateries were open for dinner only. So we settled for Garibaldi's, a chi-chi restuarant that caters to the business lunch crowd. Thankfully, we both looked presentable. The lunch menu at Giribaldi's features sandwiches, wood fired pizza, soup, salads and a few main dishes. The dinner menu is more expansive, but also more $$. Jon ordered the hamburger, which came with shoestring fries and a side of gorgonzola cheese for $11. I ordered the steak sandwich- tender steak, arugula, gorgonzola on foccacia ($14). Their wine list is expansive- Jon ordered a glass of pinot grigio ($7) and they feature a few draft beers ($5). Both of our meals were very satisfying if not very basic. Highlight of the meal, however, was dessert. A lemon-pear mousse with crispy filo and a frozen pear puree. The tartness of the lemon balances perfectly with the sweetness of the pear, all topped with candided orange rind ($7). We had a difficult time picking between that and the creme brulee sampler, but I'm glad we picked that one. The total bill, plus tax and tip came out to around $60, which was a good price for a chance to chat it up with a friend and run around Rockridge and feel all grown-up and yuppie-like.

Liaison (North Berkeley, Shattuck and Hearst)

Many of you have probably passed this quaint French Restaurant (located under the Berkeleyan Building, damn Panoramic Interests), without giving it a second thought. I, too, have passed it many a times but figured I should check out the place for the benefit of my stomach and all of you reading this.

A few girlfriends of mine and I decided to have dinner there a few weeks ago. Once inside the restaurant, we were pleasantly surprised to see a half-open kitchen, candlelit tables, French decor, and lots of people! Than God we made reservations (highly recommended). Even on a random Tuesday evening, the place was bustling with people and servers. Once seated, we were treated to a well-rounded menu that featured appetizers, a fromage (cheese) plate, entrees, desserts, etc. We started with steamed mussels in a garlic, wine, butter sauce that cost $12.75 and frites (fries) at $4 i believe. DELICIOUS! the appetizer was enough to wet the appetite of five college girls. Each of us ordered diffrent dishes in order to guarantee a taste of as much of the menu as we could. I ordered the bouillabaise- a seafood assortment (fish, mussels, clams, scallops) in a tomato sauce chalk full of different fresh herbs, served with a side of croutons and spiced mayonnaise. my dish ($19.75) was amazing!! I ordered a side of spinach ($4) that was sauteed with pine nuts and raisins. the balance of flavors was refreshing and soulful. One of my friends ordered a creamy crab dish that was excellent as well. I didn't get to sample my other friends' dishes as much as desired but they all gave their respective dishes a thumbs up as well.

After we enjoyed the entree portion, we requested a dessert menu from our server. To our surprise, the server cleared off our tables, wiped the crumbs off, and then stamped the dessert menu on to the paper table covering in front of each of us. Yes, she stamped the menu on there. Clever and charming I thought- saving paper is always a good thing. The dessert menu featured a chocolate parfait/mousse in a champagne glass, creme brulee ($5), and an assortment of sorbets and other items. Of course we opted for the creme brulee- the ultimate dessert, in my opinion. We could smell the chefs torching the sugar on top of the custard from the dining area. once our server brought it out, and we cracked through the crisp shell of burned sugar to reach the creamy and decadent custard, we were all smiles.

the bill ended up being about $25 to $30 for each of us. for above decent french food at a reasonable price, liaison is the place to go. check it out and let us know what you think!

til next restaurant,
melissa


p.s. check out gregoire's french take out next to dara's thai and elephant pharmacy when you're on northside. another one of my recommendations!!