Prabhakar Ragde's Profile
LA hound visiting Berkeley--quiet, moderate-priced, birthday restaurant for this Saturday?
Rivoli is a great "take the parents" place; the menu isn't scary but isn't dull, and the room is not loud. But it's more expensive than China Village.
Seating six at Vanessa's Bistro could get tricky, as the space is awkward. And the food is better at Rivoli.
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Vanessa's Bistro
1715 Solano Ave, Berkeley, CA 94707
Rivoli Restaurant
1539 Solano Ave, Berkeley, CA 94707
Sushi Couture: Get over there!
The first omakase reported in this thread sounded much better. I suppose that Sunday of a holiday weekend is not the best time to judge any restaurant...!
Sushi Couture: Get over there!
I agree about the texture of the rice, and the ratio of rice to fish, but the fish slices weren't the oversized type I've sometimes had at Korean places; if anything, they were a little on the small side. Or maybe I was just hungry. Though it sounds as if it was a good thing we didn't go for the omakase on our first visit.
Sushi Couture: Get over there!
Good thing it was open on Sunday; it was the only day I could make it.
The operation is pretty shoestring so far, but the food is good. I had the "deluxe" sushi dinner, though I had to ask what the adjective meant. The $5 supplement (to $19) gets you two more pieces of nigiri (totalling ten) and an upgrade from a California roll to the confusingly described "butter maki". This has butterfish and avocado inside, then the roll is brushed with spicy mayo, then thinly-cut salmon is draped on top and torched. Pretty tasty.
We were comped a nasu dengaku and bowls of green tea ice cream.
I'll go back some weekday for the omakase. I think the fish was better last time I was at Zen, but this is way better than anything else in the neighbourhood has been lately.
Sushi Couture: Get over there!
Can someone report on the days and hours of business, please? Thanks.
Mangia & Bevi, Ontario & King, A quick review :- Simple and worth a visit for a relaxed occasion
My wife said, "Best thin crust we've had [out] since Rome". We both agreed that the pizzas we ordered (four for four people) had sufficiently different character and weren't just the same thing with slightly different toppings as so often happens. I thought the pizze bianche were the most successful. Alas, the only beer on tap is Steam Whistle; the wines are well-chosen but on the expensive side; and the service was somewhat neglectful. But the pizza is top-notch, and it's a nice space. I don't understand why it wasn't more crowded.
The patio is open.
Locanda da Eva Opening Night
Mad props to Robert for doing this. I am reminded of the French film critics who went behind the camera and gave us the brilliant New Wave.
I pretty much concur with other comments made here: nice space, service well-meaning and friendly but a bit muddled, appetizers and pasta very good (didn't try the pizza), mains a bit spare (I know this is the Italian style, but I don't care for it there either), desserts not particularly tempting. I also quite enjoyed reading the wine list (available in full online) and like the wine policy -- this is pretty much what I'd do if given the chance, though it may be commercially risky.
I've eaten at all of the predecessors at this location and I think this is already the best to date, with a lot of potential for growth. I really hope it all works out.
One person's historic take on Toronto dining
I'm mentioned in the document as one of the sources... and I wrote one of my own for a conference in my subfield in Toronto in 1987. Unfortunately, I don't think I could lay hands on a copy now. It mentioned places like Greg Couillard's first restaurant...
Anyone been to One Love Vegetarian on Bathurst
There are about three or four small tables. You might get lucky. We managed to seat four at two tables, though none were available when we ordered.
Anyone been to One Love Vegetarian on Bathurst
I have. The soup is good but not incredibly so. The roti covering was fresh, which was a nice touch. The curried chickpea filling could have used a little more variety. Order-taking and service is kind of amateur. It's the kind of place I want to support, but I hope they get a bit more professional as time goes on. Worth a visit, tell us what you think.
Is the Bay Area America's Chocolate Mecca?
We were walking on Telegraph waiting for Barlata to open, and went as far as Hooper's, so the kids went in and got a bag of Hooper's Bloopers. Their report: "okay, but with a weird aftertaste". They keep eating them, though.
Lunch on Valencia Street
Bar Tartine isn't open for weekday lunch, only weekend brunch, according to their website.
Berkeley Bowl West - The promised land ... west of Eden
Now that had character... and was a true nightmare at busy times.
Berkeley Bowl West - The promised land ... west of Eden
In the "foreign food" aisle, behind a pillar on the left side of the aisle as you proceed in from the checkouts. We haven't been to the Oregon store this trip, so it's possible they've cut back in general. They used to have mochi, red bean pancakes, things like that. Not a lot, but some.
Berkeley Bowl West - The promised land ... west of Eden
Older daughter says: I *like* the smaller aisles at the old BB. It has more character.
Younger daughter says: the Japanese desserts selection is much smaller at BB West.
Returning hound; what's opened in the past year or so that I shouldn't miss?
We tend to drive into the City, so I have less experience with the Tenderloin than I should. But Pagan sounds interesting...?
Returning hound; what's opened in the past year or so that I shouldn't miss?
Soizic: Just nostalgia on my part. I wasn't crazy about my last visit. Mua doesn't have Pastorale/Soizic's chef, and it sounds as if the concept needs time to work itself out.
Korean: not since being underwhelmed by Sahn Maru. Sura looks positive. Tofu stew may not have vegetarian broth. My wife and I really like Korean food, but my dear offspring has had difficulty in recent restaurant visits. Still, with 17 banchan, maybe there will be some choices...
Jayakarta was a revelation two summers ago, not as exciting last summer. We'll probably still go back, as good Indonesian is rare.
Returning hound; what's opened in the past year or so that I shouldn't miss?
I owe the Mua people a lot for Café Pastorale, but after reading reports and reviews, it sounds as if I'd be better off revisiting Soizic, which I haven't been to in several years.
Returning hound; what's opened in the past year or so that I shouldn't miss?
I'll have to hit Barlata in memory of great meals at the early B44 (they still quote me on their Web page, heh). I was not that impressed with my visit last summer to the old edition of Burma Superstar (because Troya was closed). It's clear I'll have to research Uptown Oakland...
Returning hound; what's opened in the past year or so that I shouldn't miss?
I'm the only one in the family who drinks wine, and one daughter is now a vegetarian, so Adesso is probably out, much as I enjoyed Dopo in the past.
Best spaghetti carbonara?
I second the recommendation of Marcella's recipe. It really is not difficult to make at home, and it's hard to find a restaurant on this continent whose offering rivals the taste of the homemade version. (Marcella dislikes using bacon, but try it with some of the artisanal bacon available in the Bay Area...!)
Returning hound; what's opened in the past year or so that I shouldn't miss?
How ironic -- here I am trolling the board for interesting finds in preparation for a July visit, and I find berkeleybob looking for my posts for the same purpose. (I had more disappointments than successes last summer, hence my just tacking comments onto existing posts rather than doing a big new one.)
So I'll kick this thread back to the top and renew the request: what's new and exciting since August '08? Berkeley and environs, and SF, mostly, though I'll go out of my way for something fabulous. (With luck, I can write more this year, though it would help if there were more "downhill reports", also, to warn me away from old favourites gone rancid.) --PR
Madras Masala ?? next to Banjara....
Our rava masala dosa were also not crisp and were fairly pale (I don't think they roast the rava enough, if at all). Malabar fish curry was okay, if a little salty, but the fish they used was salmon, which didn't work at all.
Seeking excellent Chinese restaurant not far from Convention Center/Union Square
I really didn't like Bong Su when I booked for a group there because Azie (my first choice, and like Bong Su, more of an Asian-fusion place) happened to be closed that day. Bong Su has atmosphere but the food is style over substance. But I haven't been to Azie in a few years, either, so I don't know if it's still as good as I remember it.
Lulu can certainly accommodate a large group, but they'd have to all know ASL. --PR
Maritime East in Berkeley -- good food, improving service
They must have seen your complaint about the chowder, Jasmine, because tonight it was as thick as library paste -- and had a skin on top, despite all the hype we got from the server about it being assembled to order. My daughter who had to wait at Corso the other night got to eat this all by herself while everyone else waited... and then all the rest of the food came at once.
Our vegetarian's asparagus pizza was once again cold, and rather sparse (some thick tomato paste-sauce and a few blobs of goat cheese). Fish sausage pizza was neither, but it was pale, limp, and rather plain, with the sausage under a thick coat of cheese not contributing much but a vaguely fishy taste. Fritto misto had exactly one thin slice of Meyer lemon and two small rectangles of seaweed, plus a couple of fans of fennel. About forty percent of it was chunks of fish, which were fried properly and tasted good. But half the dish consisted of the same fries that were served with the burgers. I'm sorry, but that is not a fritto misto. That is fish nuggets and chips.
The roasted fish of the day, a tai snapper, was nicely done, though we shouldn't have listened to the advice to split it, as it wasn't large. The garnish of diced beets, diced olives, shaved fennel, and fennel tips was colourful, but didn't really add to the taste. I had a bite of the burger, which was decent, but hardly worth fussing over.
Service was reasonably friendly (perhaps a bit insincere at times, and a bit too much eagerness to empty the wine bottle) but fairly muddled. We got a lot of attention, as we were about the only ones in the place. Even when we left, on a Friday night at 7:30, there were only two other parties in the place. And I didn't see Sophina Uong in the kitchen. I don't know what she looks like, but there weren't any women in there. I missed her at 900 Grayson and it seems that I missed her again here.
I was annoyed with my last Sea Salt meal, but I'd recommend it over Maritime East. I think I've eaten at every restaurant that's been at this location back to Casa de Eva in the early '80's. I have the feeling another one will be along soon. --PR
Berkeley’s Ramen House Ryowa – A new ballgame
Unfortunately, I can confirm this decline. The broth in my miso ramen was tepid and insipid, the half of a hardboiled egg stone cold, the bamboo shoots metallic-tasting. I don't even want to think about the places that Melanie has ranked below this. Do I really have to drive to the South Bay for good ramen now? --PR
New! Platano Salvadorean in Berkeley
Had lunch there today. Very satisfying. Not as transcendent as Gloria's in LA but better than I would have predicted. The pupusas were very nice, plantains done properly with the crema in a little bowl on the side (nice touch). The sweet corn tamale was a bit dry but also less rich than most, with a good flavour. I am not a curtido expert, but what was on offer seemed a reasonable foil to the rest of the food. I've had "boring" Salvadorean before, and this was not boring. We will return for dinner soon. The lunch specials are quite well priced. They were doing reasonable business, and service was efficient and friendly. --PR
Ricanelas Ice Cream @ Bi-Rite Creamery
Probably not worth a separate thread -- just a note that we ordered one regular Platillo Maya (appetizer plate with five selections) and one to be made vegetarian for our daughter. They replaced the shredded turkey with various vegetables and left off the cotija, making it vegan, though we hadn't requested that. The rest of the table was casting envious glances at it; it looked great (I didn't think to take a photo) and she enjoyed eating it as the main part of her meal. (Our various mains -- poc-chuc, cochinita pibil -- were also quite good.) --PR
