Ryowa B

Tucked between Eastwind Books and a random pizza place, Ryowa is a non-descript noodle house on University just past Shattuck. You enter and face a soji screen, turn left right into a bookshelf full of manga. It's that Japanese, ladies and gents. My friend Carol introduced me to this place a while back and I went back recently with an old friend. I ordered the regular ramen ($6.75), which features a pork and chicken broth, plentiful ramen noodles, actual pork, and a hard boiled egg. Now, this isn't the Korean style ramen that you might be used to. Ryowa serves traditional Japanese noodles, and the richeness of the stock takes getting used to. The egg comes fully cooked, which was slightly dissapointing. However, on every table is plentiful seasonings as well as a small crock of kimchee. My friend orded the vegetarian ramen, which came with a vegetable broth and too many vegetables to name. And tofu, I guess. While that soup is tasty, I highly recommend the regular soup base for its flavor. The very basic menu also features gyoza and other appetizers and an affordable lunch meals. While Ryowa isn't my favorite noodle house in Berkeley, it's a welcome change once in a while to Ph or Bear's Ramen. If you find yourself downtown and looking for refreshing noodles on a cold night, try it out.

Bittersweet: the chocolate cafe A+

After the trip to Gregoire, Jane and I headed to Bittersweet: the Chocolate Cafe. Thanks to daily candy : San Francisco (I implore all of you to subscribe to daily candy- daily updated to what's hot in fashion, food, style for various metropolitan areas), I came across information regarding this "kill me now" cute all-about-chocolate store. It just opened about 3-4 weeks ago. Located in the Rockridge District at 5427 College Avenue, they boast about 150 chocolate bars from all over the WORLD, and a menu of exotic hot and cold chocolate drinks and teas.

I enjoyed "Spicy!" ($3.25)- hot and spicy, a kick of pasilla pper and a hint of rose. Jane had "The European" ($2.50)- a deeply chocolate experience. Non-dairy, rich and wonderful. Believe me, the names and descriptions live up to the "experience." It's more than a drink. The spicy definitely had a kick in the back of my throat after the first sip. But it wasn't a kick that lingered- it came and went and left me wanting more.

Their pastry case boasted an awesome selection of croissants, white chocolate macaroons (which we had- light, crispy, and decadent), a bread/butter/chocolate/cheese plate, cookies, a beautiful chocolate German cake, etc.). The chocolate case had a few dozen chocolate pieces- with screenprinted images, exotic flavors, beautiful displayed.

The line was out the door and Jane and I could hear others boasting the praise of DailyCandy for pointing them here. Families, babies, college students sat amongst the green/yellow/brown tables among soft lighting and awesome mixed media pieces on the walls. This place is uber cute and a must check out when you have a free Saturday to indulge your chocolate cravings.

Let me know how it works out for you, cause it's certainly workin on me right now.

Cheers,
Melissa

Gregoire A

If you're a Berkeley student and have not yet tried Gregoire's- Berkeley's finest take out, you are no longer my friend. A little dramatic I know, but I'm begging you to take the trip to 2109 Cedar Street (at Shattuck) as soon as you get the chance. Open everyday- lunch 11 am to 4:30, dinner 4:30 to 9:00, this quaint take out place (two tables outside), is quintessential Berkeley, gourmet ghetto.

My lovely friend Jane and I just had lunch there a few hours ago. There was a buzz about the place, with folks waiting around the tables, looking directly into the kitchen where the chefs were busily prepping the meals. You could have a full on conversation with them if you wanted. The folks there are always friendly.

Even with a fresh menu every month, there are a few staples that are a MUST try- namely their crispy potato puffs ($4.25). Just imagine- perfect creamy mashed potatoes, coated in a light bread crumb, fried to perfection and served with a garlic/tomato aioli. You get 9 puffs total, so this is a great side dish to share with a friend.

I ordered the grilled chicken with fresh mozzarella & pesto in crispy lavash ($7.00). PERFECTION- the pesto was right on point, and the lavash was crispy and light, the mozzarella melted and the chicken tender. Jane opted for the grilled montana beef patty with spicy Indonesian sauce ($7.00). A mini pasta salad with gourmet cheeses accompanied each of our sandwiches. She liked my sandwich a bit more, but her dish was excellent nonetheless. Gregoire's trademark is their cute square box that all the dishes are served in.

I haven't tried dinner (i.e. du ngeness crab cake, baked maine pollock, grilled montana flank steak, grilled veal chop, baked polenta, etc...)yet, but prices range from $15.00-$17.75, or vegetarian items will put you back around $8.50. Desserts are $3.75 (coffee bread pudding, creme craamel, almond fold).

Because their menu is always changing, I suggest checking out their website at www.gregoirerestaurant.com

Be good to yourself and take a cute boy/girl to Gregoire's.

Til next time,
Melissa

Saul's Delicatessen B+

"Jewish comfort food," as described by my Jewish lunch buddy- Saul's Deli is a bustling restaurant/deli located by Long's Drugs on North Shattuck. At the deli counter, you can get bagels, lox and whitefish salad New York style. Ask to be seated and you'll encounter a menu full of classic Jewish cuisine. Expect rye, latkes, and pickles. And lots of old, white people. I must have been the only Asian person in that restaurant, and we're talking about Berkeley, California.

I've been to Saul's a few times before and the one thing I always get and highly recommend is the Chicken in a Pot. A gourmet chicken noodle soup, Saul's version comes in a big porcelain pot. Tasty broth, herbs, celery, a chicken leg and thigh, and MOST importantly, a big matza ball. I LOVE matza balls. The soup for one will cost you $9.95, while the soup for two goes for 16.95. This is classic Jewish cuisine is a staple and must be tried. We also split a spicy fish sandwich, a special for the day. A tender sole filet, tomatoes, avocado, and basil on a french roll, all served with fries ($9.95). All meals also come with the day's pickles and bread.

Overall, Saul's is a great place to check out classic deli food and pretend you are in New York City. And it's a Berkeley staple- a must try at least once.

Filippo's Pastaria B+

Located in the ultra yuppy College/Elmwood District a few stores down from La Med and Shin Hua, this quaint Italian restaurant is what Lydia called a "glorified Pasta Pomodoro." To a large extent, I agree with her. To test her hypothesis, I ordered the same dish that I had at Pasta Pomodoro a few months ago- butternut squash ravioli.

I went to Sunday brunch there last weekend with a few of my girlfriends. The menu offered a nice selection of breakfast items ranging from 5 to 8 dollars. I opted for the lunch menu item, costing me about $8.95. Swimming in a few tablespoons of browned butter and sauteed sage, the seven ravioli on the plate were small to medium-sized. I love butternut squash ravioli for the hint of sweetness and creaminess that the dish provides. If you want to be full of carbs, this probably won't be the best selection for you. I opted to share half of my dish with my friend Katrina, who ordered my second favorite item- a caprese (basil, tomato, fresh mozzarella) panini (pressed & grilled sandwich)with basil pesto that cost $7.95. The thin crusty bread that they used for the panini was delicious.. however, I would have preferred the mozarella to have been a bit more melted, but overall a good choice.

Our lovely friend Jina suggests ordering their chicken gemelli, with a special request for their tomato-cream sauce. I'll have to save that one for the next time. So.. who wants to go out with me?

The prices are comparable to Pasta Pomodoro, however, the closer location to campus provides a bit of convenience.

Check it out, let us and the world know what you think. The Comment option is open to all.

cheers,
melissa

First Crush A

Located in the vicinity of Union Square, this romantic, candlelit American bistro proves to be an amazing getting to know you restaurant- your date will be full off the food and tipsy off the wine. We went last night to celebrate my partner in crime Lydia's 22nd birthday. Our group of ten was seated in the dining room downstairs- we were greeted with clean, crisp modern architecture, candlelit tables, and 20-30 something young professionals scattered about. First Crush as the title suggests is a wine bar/restaurant/lounge. Some couches were scattered about as guests can enjoy a "flight" of wine and a sampling of small plates (appetizer size entrees).

Our table chose a plethora of items. The served foccaccia with olive oil/balsamic vinegar that was quite fluffy and delish. We had to ask for more. Our table chose to share a bottle of white wine- you have to get wine here of course ($30), a Green and Red, the flavor very light and crisp, without a strong bite at the end. If you want to sample a group of three wines, as our friend Cynthia did, you can order a "flight" ($9-$15) a menu of preselected wines in groups of 3 that you may order, if you want to try and tell the difference between them. (I am nowhere close to that point.) They will serve about 1/3 of a glass of each wine.

On to the entrees, I chose the roasted chicken breast, with a butternut squash risotto cake, and baby carrots ($17). Lydia had the ribeye steak, flavored with a balsamic vinagrette and covered with mushrooms, served with shoestring fries ($21). Our friends chose a crush salad ($9), horseradish crusted salmon fillet ($18), and sea bass ($19). EVERYTHING was beautifully presented on large, triangular, white plates. My chicken breast was well-seasoned and well-cooked, not overly dry and not undercooked. The risotto cake was pan fried, giving the sticky rice mixture a bit of a crust. This proved quite delicious and provided a nice range in texture.

Of course, after sharing the stories after our "first crushes", we enjoyed a "flight" of dessert- smores pie with a marshmellow meringe, creme brulee (flavored with lavender), 3 sorbets (mango, raspberry zinfandel, blackberry)- all for $16. We ended up finishing the dessert in under 3 minutes- all extremely good.

The place definitely got a high rating from both lydia and me. So, if you're in the mood to look good in a dimly lit room while being intoxicated by excellent food and good wine, check out first crush. (www.firstcrush.com)


til next time,
Melissa

p.s. first crush received a very high rating on city search. please use city search when figuring out where to eat/club/etc. it's an awesome tool that I use and just enjoy searching on when i'm bored.

Citizen Cake

In our attempt to try San Francisco's Dine About Town, my friend Elly and I made a lunch date at one of many featured restaurants. Citizen Cake, according to her, was quasi-famous, having being featured on the holy grail of channels: the Food Network. Located a little west of Civic Center Plaza on Grove St., this tiny restaurant seats about 45 people max, with generous window seating for most tables. The interior is what I'd call "loft chic." After we glanced at the Dine About Town special however, we quickly decided that we'd order off the regular lunch menu. While munching on delicious wheat and sourdough bread with butter, I ordered the warm spinach and bacon salad ($10) and Elly ordered the Croque Trouffe ($11), a fancy sandwich with cheese baked onto the bread and mushrooms with essence of truffle. By the time our meals arrived, we were already pretty stuffed (that's the sign of a good restaurant). The spinach salad was delicious- warm dressing, real juicy bits of bacon, yukon gold potatoes and a poached egg topped off the dish. Elly's croque was even better: the cheese complimented the mushrooms perfectly. For the alcohol-inclined, Citizen Cake is also a bar and cocktails ranged from 7-10 dollars. How can you eat somewhere called Citizen Cake and not get desert? We shared their citrus desert with frommage blanc ice cream($9.50). While we were a little dubious about white cheese ice cream, the desert turned out to be very pleasant. A little too sour on the citrus, but paired perfectly with the ice cream and the poppyseed cake at the bottom. Overall, the wait staff was very attentive and sincere and the lunch crowd was noisly animated. Citizen Cake is a cute place to go for lunch or even just desert. Make sure you check out the bakery attached to the place as well, which sells beautiful torts and cakes for $5-10.

P.F. Chang's Emeryville

Now, I don't usually review restaurants I don't eat at, but I'm launching an all out boycott of this dining establishment. Yes, I understand the difficulties of running a busy new restaurant. But the host staff does not need to be rude or condesending. Let's just say that the host Jeff(?) was snippy, not to mention a liar. Plus, who wants to pay $15 for what is just Chinese food on a big-ass white plate? Enough said.