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May 31, 2005
Kentucky Fried Chicken C-
Yes, I risked Melissa's wrath by telling her about my latest food outing. But in my defense, if it's 11pm on a Sunday night and Outback Steakhouse is closed and your pantry is empty, where do you go but to KFC? Exactly.
My love/hate relationship with KFC started at an early age when my best friend's mom used to deliver her lunch to school. Yes, her mom would buy her lunch from a fast food restaurant and drop it off in front of Cupertino High. And while I ate my cafeteria fries (with ranch), I stared longingly at her buscuit, mashed potatoes, and two piecies of fried chicken. Later, KFC would again be made desirable by the image of Aiden lying on Carrie's bed with a bucket of chicken, asking her to rub his stomach. Sexy. And then something about gay porn.
So now to the details. Jason and I split the latest deal at the KFC down Telegraph: 4 pieces of fried chicken, 4 chicken strips, a large popcorn shrimp, two big sides, and 4 buscuits for $14.99. I have to say I have a weakness for buscuits, so I thought they were pretty yummy. They come with a side of solidified margarine in a condiment packet, for your convenience, but I much prefer the gravy dipped buscuit myself. Otherwise, the chicken strips were the best part of the meal- mostly white meat but not too dry. The fried chicken was NOT crispy as advertised. And the popcorn chicken was mostly popcorn and not enough chicken. I didn't dare taste the cole slaw, but it was reportedly "soggy."
Would I eat at KFC again? Well, it is attached to another favorite of mine, Taco Bell. I doubt I'll be returning anytime soon, even for the cute $1 snacker sandwich. But I like myself some fried chicken. I guess I have been meaning to check out Popeyes...
Hong Kong East Ocean Restaurant A-
On the very end of the marina in Emeryville, Hong Kong East Ocean is a relatively upscale dim sum place that my wonderful family took me and my friends for grad lunch. Being that it was a while back and I can't remember specifics, I do know that this is a good alternative to Peony's in Oakland's Chinatown. Located right on the waterfront, the restaurant features a great view of Treasure Island and San Francisco in the background. Dim sum here is not pushed around on carts (how unclasssy), but instead ordered and brought to the table. Highlights included the black bean spareribs (my favorite), the shu mai, the barbeque pork buns, and the dicon pancakes, which my parents thought were the best they've had, anywhere. If you're in the mood for fancy dim sum on your parent's bill, then Hong Kong East Ocean is absolutely the way to go.
The Buffet at Wynn A-
Lastly, I covered this a little in my own blog, but the Wynn Buffet is "damn good." Hand-scooped ice cream, creme caramel, smoked fish, steamed mussels, flank steak, soup, hand-tossed salad, and great wicker chairs at all tables. $20.00 for lunch, so try it out if you find yourself in Vegas (lucky you).
Yes, I risked Melissa's wrath by telling her about my latest food outing. But in my defense, if it's 11pm on a Sunday night and Outback Steakhouse is closed and your pantry is empty, where do you go but to KFC? Exactly.
My love/hate relationship with KFC started at an early age when my best friend's mom used to deliver her lunch to school. Yes, her mom would buy her lunch from a fast food restaurant and drop it off in front of Cupertino High. And while I ate my cafeteria fries (with ranch), I stared longingly at her buscuit, mashed potatoes, and two piecies of fried chicken. Later, KFC would again be made desirable by the image of Aiden lying on Carrie's bed with a bucket of chicken, asking her to rub his stomach. Sexy. And then something about gay porn.
So now to the details. Jason and I split the latest deal at the KFC down Telegraph: 4 pieces of fried chicken, 4 chicken strips, a large popcorn shrimp, two big sides, and 4 buscuits for $14.99. I have to say I have a weakness for buscuits, so I thought they were pretty yummy. They come with a side of solidified margarine in a condiment packet, for your convenience, but I much prefer the gravy dipped buscuit myself. Otherwise, the chicken strips were the best part of the meal- mostly white meat but not too dry. The fried chicken was NOT crispy as advertised. And the popcorn chicken was mostly popcorn and not enough chicken. I didn't dare taste the cole slaw, but it was reportedly "soggy."
Would I eat at KFC again? Well, it is attached to another favorite of mine, Taco Bell. I doubt I'll be returning anytime soon, even for the cute $1 snacker sandwich. But I like myself some fried chicken. I guess I have been meaning to check out Popeyes...
Hong Kong East Ocean Restaurant A-
On the very end of the marina in Emeryville, Hong Kong East Ocean is a relatively upscale dim sum place that my wonderful family took me and my friends for grad lunch. Being that it was a while back and I can't remember specifics, I do know that this is a good alternative to Peony's in Oakland's Chinatown. Located right on the waterfront, the restaurant features a great view of Treasure Island and San Francisco in the background. Dim sum here is not pushed around on carts (how unclasssy), but instead ordered and brought to the table. Highlights included the black bean spareribs (my favorite), the shu mai, the barbeque pork buns, and the dicon pancakes, which my parents thought were the best they've had, anywhere. If you're in the mood for fancy dim sum on your parent's bill, then Hong Kong East Ocean is absolutely the way to go.
The Buffet at Wynn A-
Lastly, I covered this a little in my own blog, but the Wynn Buffet is "damn good." Hand-scooped ice cream, creme caramel, smoked fish, steamed mussels, flank steak, soup, hand-tossed salad, and great wicker chairs at all tables. $20.00 for lunch, so try it out if you find yourself in Vegas (lucky you).
May 29, 2005
Today, May 28th, was one of my BEST culinary experiences over my last four years in the bay (aka get ready to read an extra long, but riveting review). Read on...
Ferry Building Farmer's Market A+
This beautiful Saturday morning started off with a trip to the Ferry Building (1 Embarcadero) Farmer's Market. With excellent company in tow- "foodie" Jane and roommate Joyce- we perused a few jewelry and useless knick-knack stands and headed to the FOOD. Fresh organic produce, homemade cheeses, bread dipping oils- we sampled them ALL. I succumbed to the pluots (half apricots- half plumbs) and bought 5 for a mere $1.80! We went from stand to stand sampling as much as we could- heck it was a gourmet and organic costco, so gotta take advantage. I just really really enjoyed seeing all of the yuppie San Franciscans with perfect dogs and tourists milling around the stands. I aspire to be a yuppie one day. Ha, jk.
Why didn't I discover this treasure of a farmer's market say... 4 years ago!!! It was absolutely gorgeous today- with the stands in front of the building and in the back, closer to the water in view of the Bay Bridge. This place is awesome to visit as many Saturdays as you can!!!
After perusing the outdoor stands, we headed inside to check out the vendors that are there everyday- mini restaurants and gourmet food vendors- everything from caviar, to macaroons, to gelato, acme bread co., more dipping oil, and souvenir/novelty shops. We were on our way to...
Slanted Door A
So seductive... I finally made it over to Slanted Door- after hearing great reviews from a boss and a few friends. This Vietnamese/pan-Asian restaurant allowed Jane, Joyce and I to channel our Sex and the City sentiments. Afraid that we were going to be told to come back in an hour (like the hostess had told the couple in front of me), to my surprise, balla Melissa and her friends were seated IMMEDIATELY. The waiter asked: "Were you suprised? (insert smile)" Heck yeah.. anyways, that's how we do.
With the pier and bay bridge in view (floor to ceiling windows), the trendy black/gray/white interior decor set the scene. Think semi-pretentious. After perusing the menu for a few minutes, I decided on the neman ranch steak over lettuce, crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, vermicelli noodles and other veggies ($10.50). My lovely companions ordered a flank steak salad and a grilled pork over greens dish. I figured that most Vietnamese dishes consist of the same staple ingredients, just in different combinations. Nevertheless, my dish was incredibly fresh and the cubed steak was delightfully tender and marinated with a hint of sweet soy. I enjoyed the crispness of the lettuce offset by the warm, tender, juicy cuts of meat.
My friends enjoyed their dishes as well and we left room for a little crème brulee at the end. All the vanilla bean had sunk to the bottom of the crème brulee, that was about an average quality. As different servers brought out our drinks/entrees/dessert, I began to notice how attractive all the servers were and the awesome part was HOW they delivered each item with a hint of seduction. “Enjoy…” (insert seductive look here). It was hilarious and made me enjoy my food that much more.
Slanted door has decent prices for lunch ($10-$12/entrée) but their dinner menu increases by about $5 per item. Check it out there, you won’t regret it. Yay for Asian Fusion, right Lydia?!
Our next stop for the day was Thanh Long in the Sunset District.
Thanh Long A-
Heard of the opulent and trendy Crustacean restaurant in Beverly Hills, well the folks at Thanh Long (4101 Judah Street) are the original owners and creators of that namesake. Along with my pals Katrina and Cheryl, we decided to live it up for my last night in San Francisco and give in to the roasted dungenous crab and buttery garlic noodles that have made Thanh Long famous.
Despite having reservations for 8:30 on a Saturday evening, we were told to wait an extra 30 minutes or so before being seated (BOO…), but I guess the business attests to how much their crab is in demand. The very unassuming and humble outside of this corner restaurant contradicts the white linen clothed tables and elegant décor of this two-story restaurant. Once seated we opted to start with the spring rolls ($6) and ordered TWO dungenous crabs- one roasted and the other one drunken (marinated with herbs an chardonnay, hence the drunkenness) at $33.95 a pop. And of course we ordered the garlic butter noodles ($12). Yes, a pretty penny for the meal, but it was worth it.
The two dungenous crabs provided an abundant amount of meat, flavored with a lot of butter, garlic and herbs. To be honest the only thing differentiating the two crabs was the hint of chardonnay in the drunken crab. I preferred the chardonnay. The garlic butter noodles- basically chowmein stripped to its bare. They could have been served a bit warmer, but they lived up to expectation nonetheless and proved a perfect accompaniment to the crabs. Amongst three hungry girls, we were able to finish all of the crab and all of the noodles.
Go on an empty stomach, tighten your provided plastic bibs and check out Thanh Long, and find out if citysearch’s 8.9 rating of the place is warranted or not. I implore you!
Cheers,
Melissa
Ferry Building Farmer's Market A+
This beautiful Saturday morning started off with a trip to the Ferry Building (1 Embarcadero) Farmer's Market. With excellent company in tow- "foodie" Jane and roommate Joyce- we perused a few jewelry and useless knick-knack stands and headed to the FOOD. Fresh organic produce, homemade cheeses, bread dipping oils- we sampled them ALL. I succumbed to the pluots (half apricots- half plumbs) and bought 5 for a mere $1.80! We went from stand to stand sampling as much as we could- heck it was a gourmet and organic costco, so gotta take advantage. I just really really enjoyed seeing all of the yuppie San Franciscans with perfect dogs and tourists milling around the stands. I aspire to be a yuppie one day. Ha, jk.
Why didn't I discover this treasure of a farmer's market say... 4 years ago!!! It was absolutely gorgeous today- with the stands in front of the building and in the back, closer to the water in view of the Bay Bridge. This place is awesome to visit as many Saturdays as you can!!!
After perusing the outdoor stands, we headed inside to check out the vendors that are there everyday- mini restaurants and gourmet food vendors- everything from caviar, to macaroons, to gelato, acme bread co., more dipping oil, and souvenir/novelty shops. We were on our way to...
Slanted Door A
So seductive... I finally made it over to Slanted Door- after hearing great reviews from a boss and a few friends. This Vietnamese/pan-Asian restaurant allowed Jane, Joyce and I to channel our Sex and the City sentiments. Afraid that we were going to be told to come back in an hour (like the hostess had told the couple in front of me), to my surprise, balla Melissa and her friends were seated IMMEDIATELY. The waiter asked: "Were you suprised? (insert smile)" Heck yeah.. anyways, that's how we do.
With the pier and bay bridge in view (floor to ceiling windows), the trendy black/gray/white interior decor set the scene. Think semi-pretentious. After perusing the menu for a few minutes, I decided on the neman ranch steak over lettuce, crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, vermicelli noodles and other veggies ($10.50). My lovely companions ordered a flank steak salad and a grilled pork over greens dish. I figured that most Vietnamese dishes consist of the same staple ingredients, just in different combinations. Nevertheless, my dish was incredibly fresh and the cubed steak was delightfully tender and marinated with a hint of sweet soy. I enjoyed the crispness of the lettuce offset by the warm, tender, juicy cuts of meat.
My friends enjoyed their dishes as well and we left room for a little crème brulee at the end. All the vanilla bean had sunk to the bottom of the crème brulee, that was about an average quality. As different servers brought out our drinks/entrees/dessert, I began to notice how attractive all the servers were and the awesome part was HOW they delivered each item with a hint of seduction. “Enjoy…” (insert seductive look here). It was hilarious and made me enjoy my food that much more.
Slanted door has decent prices for lunch ($10-$12/entrée) but their dinner menu increases by about $5 per item. Check it out there, you won’t regret it. Yay for Asian Fusion, right Lydia?!
Our next stop for the day was Thanh Long in the Sunset District.
Thanh Long A-
Heard of the opulent and trendy Crustacean restaurant in Beverly Hills, well the folks at Thanh Long (4101 Judah Street) are the original owners and creators of that namesake. Along with my pals Katrina and Cheryl, we decided to live it up for my last night in San Francisco and give in to the roasted dungenous crab and buttery garlic noodles that have made Thanh Long famous.
Despite having reservations for 8:30 on a Saturday evening, we were told to wait an extra 30 minutes or so before being seated (BOO…), but I guess the business attests to how much their crab is in demand. The very unassuming and humble outside of this corner restaurant contradicts the white linen clothed tables and elegant décor of this two-story restaurant. Once seated we opted to start with the spring rolls ($6) and ordered TWO dungenous crabs- one roasted and the other one drunken (marinated with herbs an chardonnay, hence the drunkenness) at $33.95 a pop. And of course we ordered the garlic butter noodles ($12). Yes, a pretty penny for the meal, but it was worth it.
The two dungenous crabs provided an abundant amount of meat, flavored with a lot of butter, garlic and herbs. To be honest the only thing differentiating the two crabs was the hint of chardonnay in the drunken crab. I preferred the chardonnay. The garlic butter noodles- basically chowmein stripped to its bare. They could have been served a bit warmer, but they lived up to expectation nonetheless and proved a perfect accompaniment to the crabs. Amongst three hungry girls, we were able to finish all of the crab and all of the noodles.
Go on an empty stomach, tighten your provided plastic bibs and check out Thanh Long, and find out if citysearch’s 8.9 rating of the place is warranted or not. I implore you!
Cheers,
Melissa
May 26, 2005
Trattoria La Siciliana A
Finally...I made it over to 2993 college (across from naan 'n curry). Trattoria is the restaurant that at least 8 to 10 people are always waiting in front of- due to the limited number of tables inside AND for the amazing food. On a tuesday night, Frank, Francis, Katrina and I arrived at about 8:30 and had to wait about 15 minutes for a table in their nook upstairs. The wait staff was great at keeping us updated on the status of our table- we appreciated that. The interior is quaint and softly lit, with couples abounding (ain't that sweet?). At our table, they brought over a healthy serving of crusty bread and the greatest dipping sauce you will have EVER tasted- olive oil, flavored with garlic, rosemary, red pepper, salt, and a couple other somethin somethins. ADDICTING... our table went through at least 3 baskets within a span of 15 minutes.
On to the dishes- we ordered family style (if your party is at least 3 people, they do family style- 2x 1 dish, making them perfect for sharing). Appetizer: bruschetta with an eggplant and olive tapenade ($8). Dish 1: Gnocci in a cream sauce, with fresh shrimp and prosciutto ($15/serving). Dish 2: rigatoni with a light tomato-cream sauce, pancetta, peas, with a hint of nutmeg ($13/serving). The appetizer tapenade was really really delicious- be careful of those olives though if you're sensitive to salty foods.. whoa.
Dish 1: gnocci are like little pillows or potato happiness. the shrimp were really fresh and complemented the creamy gnocci perfectly!
Dish 2: the rigatoni (recommended to me by my fabulous roommate Joyce) was equally as excellent. the pasta- al dente with a bit of bite- was well coated by the sauce- not too thick, not too thin- delicious. i love pancetta (italian bacon)- a bit thicker than American bacon and subtle smokiness.
Dessert: we all decided to split a block of tiramisu ($6.50). the sponge bread was soaked with the right amount of rum. i hate tiramisus that tease you with a meager amount of rum. this one was excellent.
our famous friend frank was slick and paid the bill when he supposedly just went to the restroom. totally caught off guard, this gesture was more than touching. the food was great but the company of friends was invaluable. these are the moments and people that i am going to miss in berkeley...thank you so much frank and my treat in tokyo.
a few more days. who wants to take over this blog?!!! are you worthy enough... leave a comment.
cheers,
melissa
Finally...I made it over to 2993 college (across from naan 'n curry). Trattoria is the restaurant that at least 8 to 10 people are always waiting in front of- due to the limited number of tables inside AND for the amazing food. On a tuesday night, Frank, Francis, Katrina and I arrived at about 8:30 and had to wait about 15 minutes for a table in their nook upstairs. The wait staff was great at keeping us updated on the status of our table- we appreciated that. The interior is quaint and softly lit, with couples abounding (ain't that sweet?). At our table, they brought over a healthy serving of crusty bread and the greatest dipping sauce you will have EVER tasted- olive oil, flavored with garlic, rosemary, red pepper, salt, and a couple other somethin somethins. ADDICTING... our table went through at least 3 baskets within a span of 15 minutes.
On to the dishes- we ordered family style (if your party is at least 3 people, they do family style- 2x 1 dish, making them perfect for sharing). Appetizer: bruschetta with an eggplant and olive tapenade ($8). Dish 1: Gnocci in a cream sauce, with fresh shrimp and prosciutto ($15/serving). Dish 2: rigatoni with a light tomato-cream sauce, pancetta, peas, with a hint of nutmeg ($13/serving). The appetizer tapenade was really really delicious- be careful of those olives though if you're sensitive to salty foods.. whoa.
Dish 1: gnocci are like little pillows or potato happiness. the shrimp were really fresh and complemented the creamy gnocci perfectly!
Dish 2: the rigatoni (recommended to me by my fabulous roommate Joyce) was equally as excellent. the pasta- al dente with a bit of bite- was well coated by the sauce- not too thick, not too thin- delicious. i love pancetta (italian bacon)- a bit thicker than American bacon and subtle smokiness.
Dessert: we all decided to split a block of tiramisu ($6.50). the sponge bread was soaked with the right amount of rum. i hate tiramisus that tease you with a meager amount of rum. this one was excellent.
our famous friend frank was slick and paid the bill when he supposedly just went to the restroom. totally caught off guard, this gesture was more than touching. the food was great but the company of friends was invaluable. these are the moments and people that i am going to miss in berkeley...thank you so much frank and my treat in tokyo.
a few more days. who wants to take over this blog?!!! are you worthy enough... leave a comment.
cheers,
melissa
Dorsey's Locker: Authentic Soul Food B+
A few weeks ago, me and a few little ladies headed over to some soul food at 5817 Shattuck Avenue. An unassuming and windowless building mark this Oakland spot. We happened to the the very first customers on a beautiful Saturday morning, and the staff was incredibly obliging and welcoming.
The menu consists of fried chicken, catfish, snapper, pork chops, chitterlings, short beef ribs, barbeque, etc. Catch my drift? The sides- collard greens, yams, black-eyed peas, green beans, mac n cheese, okra.... delish. I opted for their "wing ding" plate ($6)- 3 crispy fried chicken wings, Texas Toast, Jalapeno peppers and pickles on a bed of lettuce. These wings were SO crispy and tasty. They even threw in free glasses of lemonade for us since the chicken was taking a bit longer than expected.
The side of yams were tender, and sweet, and chalk full of cinnamon. My companions' dishes- the snapper and catfish- generous servings with the perfect condiments of tarter sauce.
Although we couldn't finish off the meal with some sweet potato pie (they didn't have any that early), we were thoroughly satisfied by the end.
Give soul food a try, your soul will thank you!
Cheers,
Melissa
A few weeks ago, me and a few little ladies headed over to some soul food at 5817 Shattuck Avenue. An unassuming and windowless building mark this Oakland spot. We happened to the the very first customers on a beautiful Saturday morning, and the staff was incredibly obliging and welcoming.
The menu consists of fried chicken, catfish, snapper, pork chops, chitterlings, short beef ribs, barbeque, etc. Catch my drift? The sides- collard greens, yams, black-eyed peas, green beans, mac n cheese, okra.... delish. I opted for their "wing ding" plate ($6)- 3 crispy fried chicken wings, Texas Toast, Jalapeno peppers and pickles on a bed of lettuce. These wings were SO crispy and tasty. They even threw in free glasses of lemonade for us since the chicken was taking a bit longer than expected.
The side of yams were tender, and sweet, and chalk full of cinnamon. My companions' dishes- the snapper and catfish- generous servings with the perfect condiments of tarter sauce.
Although we couldn't finish off the meal with some sweet potato pie (they didn't have any that early), we were thoroughly satisfied by the end.
Give soul food a try, your soul will thank you!
Cheers,
Melissa
May 21, 2005
As Melissa said before, our time as students at Berkeley has ended and in our time, we've shared warm meals with people we love. While some of us (Melissa) have more concrete plans than others (Lydia), we want to see this collection of personal food memories going. We will update from wherever we are: Japan, Italy, Berkeley. But if any of you readers are interested in contributing to this site, please let us know by contacting one of us or leaving a message. Qualifications: must love food, this site :P, and the Berkeley/SF area. Mel and I consider ourselves privilleged to be foodies in a city that is so much about food and we hope that we've shared that there exists culinary and cultural experiences beyond what you know and encouraged you to seek them. The moral of the story: take the time to notice the little restaurants and cafes that are all around, but don't be afraid to go back to TGIFriday's for the buffalo wings (the best, ever).
Lydia
Lydia
Gregoire's A-
After hearing both Melissa and fellow foodie friend Carol rave about this tiny take-out place on Northside, I finally convinced Mel to take me there. Shattuck Ave. on Northside is really a mecca of eclectic dining experiences from Party Sushi to Barneys to Cesars to Poulet to Gregoire's and most of them are worth your time. If any of you remember back to our freshman year (2001-2002), there was actually a KFC somewhere there.
Back to this adorable little place: it really is tiny- a small counter with a view of the entire equally tiny kitchen. The menu is seasonal and features mainly sandwiches. I ordered the rack of lamb with carmelized onions on ciabatta, which was so-so. Melissa ordered the calamari and white bean salad on some sort of bread as well. All sandwiches run for about $6-$8 for lunch. The dinner menu is a little more extensive/expensive so figure around $15 per entree. However, the highlight of Gregoire's and what drives Carol to make the trek often are the potato puffs. When I first heard of this dish, I pictured this light, airy creme puff type dish. But imagine the creamiest, tastiest mash potatoes you've ever had, deep fried with a crispy outer shell and dipped into an herbed tartar sauce. Yeah, they are good. At $6 for about 8, it's a great start to any meal or a meal by itself.
Overall, it's a place you have to try out while in Berkeley. 3 cool points for knowing about it. ;)
I'll let Melissa write more about Hong Kong East Ocean Restaurant- where I had my graduation lunch today, but let me say they had the best luo bo gao me and my family have had. And not a shabby view.
After hearing both Melissa and fellow foodie friend Carol rave about this tiny take-out place on Northside, I finally convinced Mel to take me there. Shattuck Ave. on Northside is really a mecca of eclectic dining experiences from Party Sushi to Barneys to Cesars to Poulet to Gregoire's and most of them are worth your time. If any of you remember back to our freshman year (2001-2002), there was actually a KFC somewhere there.
Back to this adorable little place: it really is tiny- a small counter with a view of the entire equally tiny kitchen. The menu is seasonal and features mainly sandwiches. I ordered the rack of lamb with carmelized onions on ciabatta, which was so-so. Melissa ordered the calamari and white bean salad on some sort of bread as well. All sandwiches run for about $6-$8 for lunch. The dinner menu is a little more extensive/expensive so figure around $15 per entree. However, the highlight of Gregoire's and what drives Carol to make the trek often are the potato puffs. When I first heard of this dish, I pictured this light, airy creme puff type dish. But imagine the creamiest, tastiest mash potatoes you've ever had, deep fried with a crispy outer shell and dipped into an herbed tartar sauce. Yeah, they are good. At $6 for about 8, it's a great start to any meal or a meal by itself.
Overall, it's a place you have to try out while in Berkeley. 3 cool points for knowing about it. ;)
I'll let Melissa write more about Hong Kong East Ocean Restaurant- where I had my graduation lunch today, but let me say they had the best luo bo gao me and my family have had. And not a shabby view.
May 15, 2005
Thai Temple A+
just a little reminder to all of you who read this blog... go to thai temple on sunday mornings (russel & mlk), starting at about 10 to 1:30ish (when they run out of food). the members of this buddhist temple open up their hearts and kitchens to the community. a token system ($1-1token) is in place here, making it much easier for you to spend more than you think, but the prices are SO reasonable that you don't mind droppin those tokens in their respective boxes.
fellow foodchick, lydia, and i spent a lovely morning there with a few other friends. you'll end up running into folks you know for sure.
this quintessential berkeley spot features excellent thai food, a friendly community ambience (and hipster), and 5 cool points added to your score if you go.
we recommend: the noodle soup ($5), fresh papaya salad ($5), khanom krog ($3) (coconut milk patties), khanom b... (fried coconut cookies), mango & sticky rice ($4).
it seriously is one of my absolute favorite things to do in berkeley (hence the several mentions of it throughout this blog.)
so i IMPLORE you to check it out.
love,
melissa
(as lydia and i prepare to leave berkeley, we want to thank you all for reading about our food excursions. it's been our SINCERE pleasure sharing our taste experiences. thank you as well for all of your own personal recommendations. we plan on keeping it up wherever life takes us after this month, so expect a few more global reviews. so please keep checking in!)
just a little reminder to all of you who read this blog... go to thai temple on sunday mornings (russel & mlk), starting at about 10 to 1:30ish (when they run out of food). the members of this buddhist temple open up their hearts and kitchens to the community. a token system ($1-1token) is in place here, making it much easier for you to spend more than you think, but the prices are SO reasonable that you don't mind droppin those tokens in their respective boxes.
fellow foodchick, lydia, and i spent a lovely morning there with a few other friends. you'll end up running into folks you know for sure.
this quintessential berkeley spot features excellent thai food, a friendly community ambience (and hipster), and 5 cool points added to your score if you go.
we recommend: the noodle soup ($5), fresh papaya salad ($5), khanom krog ($3) (coconut milk patties), khanom b... (fried coconut cookies), mango & sticky rice ($4).
it seriously is one of my absolute favorite things to do in berkeley (hence the several mentions of it throughout this blog.)
so i IMPLORE you to check it out.
love,
melissa
(as lydia and i prepare to leave berkeley, we want to thank you all for reading about our food excursions. it's been our SINCERE pleasure sharing our taste experiences. thank you as well for all of your own personal recommendations. we plan on keeping it up wherever life takes us after this month, so expect a few more global reviews. so please keep checking in!)
May 10, 2005
Puccini & Pinetti B+
Last week, my supervisor at my internship in San Francisco treated me out to lunch for my last day in the office. Since our office is right in union square, we just scooted over to Puccini and Pinetti's at 129 Ellis Street. I've passed by the joint before (diagonal from a foodchick favorite : First Crush) and have noticed it being particularly crowded on previous ocassions. Arriving at about 1:00, we were seated right away, however. The lunch menu boasted a wide array of antipastis, soups/salads, sandwiches, lunch sized pastas, etc. Both my boss and I opted for some panini (grilled sandwiches). I chose the MARINATED FLANK STEAK WRAP WITH TOMATOES, ARUGULA, AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS and she had the GRILLED CHICKEN, SWEET PEPPERS, TOMATOES, ARUGULA, AND BASIL PESTO, ON FOCACCIA BREAD. Both were about $10 each and were accompanied by mini tossed salad.
As we chatted, we dipped blocks of soft foccaccia in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Our food came out shortly and it was delicious. My wrap was nicely plated with grill marks abounding. The flank steak was a bit overdone in some areas, but the soft naan-like wrap that it came in, along with the sweet carmelized onions and special sauce, helped make up for that fact. My boss's sandwich was reported as being quite delicious.
The price is decent for the quality of the food and service! I wouldn't mind checkin in for dinner and trying out their selection. So, the final review, good as expected- business lunch worthy, yes!
til next meal,
melissa
Last week, my supervisor at my internship in San Francisco treated me out to lunch for my last day in the office. Since our office is right in union square, we just scooted over to Puccini and Pinetti's at 129 Ellis Street. I've passed by the joint before (diagonal from a foodchick favorite : First Crush) and have noticed it being particularly crowded on previous ocassions. Arriving at about 1:00, we were seated right away, however. The lunch menu boasted a wide array of antipastis, soups/salads, sandwiches, lunch sized pastas, etc. Both my boss and I opted for some panini (grilled sandwiches). I chose the MARINATED FLANK STEAK WRAP WITH TOMATOES, ARUGULA, AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS and she had the GRILLED CHICKEN, SWEET PEPPERS, TOMATOES, ARUGULA, AND BASIL PESTO, ON FOCACCIA BREAD. Both were about $10 each and were accompanied by mini tossed salad.
As we chatted, we dipped blocks of soft foccaccia in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Our food came out shortly and it was delicious. My wrap was nicely plated with grill marks abounding. The flank steak was a bit overdone in some areas, but the soft naan-like wrap that it came in, along with the sweet carmelized onions and special sauce, helped make up for that fact. My boss's sandwich was reported as being quite delicious.
The price is decent for the quality of the food and service! I wouldn't mind checkin in for dinner and trying out their selection. So, the final review, good as expected- business lunch worthy, yes!
til next meal,
melissa
May 03, 2005
O Chame B+
To celebrate our anniversary, I wanted to take Jason out to a yet-untried but recommended Berkeley restaurant. After checking out Grasshopper and Pearl Oyster Bar, I nixed the small plate idea and settled on O Chame. On Berkeley's hippy-meets-yuppie Fourth Street, O Chame has long been recognized as one of the city's culinary staples. A charming wood-fenced storefront near Sur la Table, the place seats few, so remember to make reservations for weekend dinners. While the decor (very Zen) implies a more formal atmosphere, patrons were dressed casually for such a serene setting. Not quite a Japanese restaurant, but not quite Asian fusion, the restaurant is known for its noodles: udon or soba in a fish broth and different choices of delicacies. It is also known for its appetizers. We sampled the grilled eel on endive salad ($9), the sea scallops on baby greens ($9.50) and the scallion and shitake mushroom pancakes ($6.50). While all the dishes were tasty (the eel and scallops were grilled perfectly), the pancakes were the best value. A considerably large portion of light batter and plenty of scallion and mushroom, the pancakes also come with a miso-type dipping sauce.
In comparison to the appetizers, the noodles appear to be quite a bargain at $10.50. Jason and I both ordered the udon: the pork tenderloin and the grilled oysters. The udon noodles were cooked perfectly and my pork was tender, a good addition to the salty soup. Jason's oysters were tastier, however, and I'm definetely getting that the next time around. The soup comes with spices to make the broth spicier, which I also recommend as the soup base can be slighly bland. With the three appetizers and the two soups with tax and tip, our total bill came out to around $60. Not too bad for the amount of food we had. I was pleasantly suprised by the portions for the soup and the pancake. O Chame also serves entres like salmon and skirt steak (each about $20) which, from my observation, come in miniscule portions.
O Chame is an intimate setting for a small group or a first date. Tasty appetizers and filling soup make this place great for a special occasion and is one of Fourth Street's highlights.
To celebrate our anniversary, I wanted to take Jason out to a yet-untried but recommended Berkeley restaurant. After checking out Grasshopper and Pearl Oyster Bar, I nixed the small plate idea and settled on O Chame. On Berkeley's hippy-meets-yuppie Fourth Street, O Chame has long been recognized as one of the city's culinary staples. A charming wood-fenced storefront near Sur la Table, the place seats few, so remember to make reservations for weekend dinners. While the decor (very Zen) implies a more formal atmosphere, patrons were dressed casually for such a serene setting. Not quite a Japanese restaurant, but not quite Asian fusion, the restaurant is known for its noodles: udon or soba in a fish broth and different choices of delicacies. It is also known for its appetizers. We sampled the grilled eel on endive salad ($9), the sea scallops on baby greens ($9.50) and the scallion and shitake mushroom pancakes ($6.50). While all the dishes were tasty (the eel and scallops were grilled perfectly), the pancakes were the best value. A considerably large portion of light batter and plenty of scallion and mushroom, the pancakes also come with a miso-type dipping sauce.
In comparison to the appetizers, the noodles appear to be quite a bargain at $10.50. Jason and I both ordered the udon: the pork tenderloin and the grilled oysters. The udon noodles were cooked perfectly and my pork was tender, a good addition to the salty soup. Jason's oysters were tastier, however, and I'm definetely getting that the next time around. The soup comes with spices to make the broth spicier, which I also recommend as the soup base can be slighly bland. With the three appetizers and the two soups with tax and tip, our total bill came out to around $60. Not too bad for the amount of food we had. I was pleasantly suprised by the portions for the soup and the pancake. O Chame also serves entres like salmon and skirt steak (each about $20) which, from my observation, come in miniscule portions.
O Chame is an intimate setting for a small group or a first date. Tasty appetizers and filling soup make this place great for a special occasion and is one of Fourth Street's highlights.
