Mola's Profile
Grocery Outlet March, 2012
Berkeley, Wednesday 3/7: Strauss Organic European Style butter, lightly salted, $2.49 for a pound. Can't say it tastes much different than my regular butter, but that's a good price for organic. Sell by date of 6/30/12.
Visiting Berkeley for the First Time - Need Critique's
That seems like a great list! You could snack at PiQ before dinner at Chez Panisse cafe on Monday if you want a little something (they have both sweet and savory things). It's between your hotel and the restaurant.
As for coffee, it depends on how you define "immediate area." Philz on Shattuck and Cedar has its devotees. I walk through that part of Berkeley every day and I think of it as being about 5 minutes from the Brower Center... it might be more like a 10 minute walk. Guerrilla cafe is also in that same block, and they serve Blue Bottle coffee. It seems like every yoga place in downtown Berkeley is next to a coffee shop, so you won't have a hard time finding something.
If you want Mexican for lunch one day, Cancun (mentioned above) is right next door to the Brower Center. But if lunch is being provided for you, they're probably getting it from somewhere local that's good.
Be sure to stroll through campus while you're in town. The walk up the path leading from Center and Oxford streets is lovely and passes through some nice redwood and oak trees. Happy eating!
Four Barrel Guatemala Antigua Cadejo replacement?
I'm drinking a cup of Blue Bottle's Oaxaca Adopta un Cafetal right now, and it's excellent: no bitterness, a strong undertone of chocolate. I like it a lot. We brew in a Chemex, so you may get different flavor notes, but it could be worth a try. Here's the description from the Blue Bottle website: http://store.bluebottlecoffee.net/Detail.bok?no=134
Pastries for the Lunar New Year at Masse's (Berkeley)
Not sure, but they're hosting a special Mah Jongg event next Sunday... so possibly through next weekend?
http://www.massespastries.com/Seasonal_Offerings.html
But don't forget that they are closed on Tuesdays.
Bowl'D - new Korean in Albany
You're right, drewski! I went back today and the menu says "clear beef broth." They also have a vegetarian version available.
Bowl'D - new Korean in Albany
I had the New Year Rice Cake soup last Sunday. It was great. I think the base is daikon radish broth, and it was filled with two different kinds of rice cakes (sliced ones and the little snowman-shaped ones), lots of shredded beef, green onions, and egg. It was so filling I ended up taking half home and had it for dinner the next night. I paid the extra $2 to have dumplings added, which I think was a good idea: they add the same steamed dumplings that you can order as an appetizer, and they were excellent in the soup. Our server said that the soup has been so popular that they're considering keeping it on the menu.
Good luck working your way through the menu! I'm trying to do the same thing, as this has become our go-to dinner place. Haven't found anything that I don't like yet. That ginseng chicken soup is next on my list; thanks for the photos!
PLU codes at Shattuck Berkeley Bowl
But the upside is that the little baggie no longer has a big ol' sticker on it, making it hard to reuse. The good news is that the BB tags are big enough that you can scrawl the name of the product on one side, and the number on the other.
Any intrepid souls out there?
Savory suggestion: since you'll be here on the first Friday of the month, you can get Porchetta Sandwich from the Roli Roti cart outside Blue Bottle in Oakland. Parking's not bad there, and it's a quick walk to Oakland Chinatown, if you decide to go, and then you could hit Scream or other East Bay spots afterwards. The cart is there from 11:30-2. Sometimes they run out before 2 so it might be wise to arrive early.
The chocolate sea salt cookie at Blue Bottle is worth tasting, as long as you're there.
If you don't can't get a Starter Bakery Kouign Amann, La Bedaine has been making them, too, and I actually think they're better.
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La Bedaine
1585 Solano Ave, Berkeley, CA 94706
Blue Bottle Oakland
300 Webster St, Oakland, CA 94607
Best Fruit Pie Oakland/Berkeley?
Birthday pie is an excellent idea. If you can expand your range, you might consider Niles Pie Company. You place an order in advance and then pick it up on a designated day in either Fremont or Pleasanton. A bit far from Oakland/Berkeley, but worth the effort (maybe a friend will pick it up for you as a bday gift?). She also has a pie club, which is just cool. http://www.nilespie.com/
Crixa and Sweet Adeline's are also good suggestions. Perhaps you need to have a pie tasting?
Has Anyone Eaten at Lily's on Hopkins in Berkeley Lately?
It's definitely OK. I like their wonton soup: the wontons are huge, the broth is good, and there's a lot of spinach. I've also had decent Mu Shu Pork, and I actually really like the lemon chicken when I'm in a nostalgic "Chinese like Mom used to order" mood. I wouldn't call it dirty, but I would avoid the steam table. Service is always friendly, I bet it would be a good place to take young kids.
Phil's Sliders coming soon Downtown Berkeley
Thanks, I'm glad to hear that my size estimate wasn't crazy. Admittedly, I don't play golf.
Good to know that the desserts aren't amazing. That means more room for potatoes. And thanks, drewskiSF, for the link to hours. Open until midnight is a good thing!
Phil's Sliders coming soon Downtown Berkeley
The patty itself is the size of a golf ball. Maybe 2 ounces of meat?
For what it's worth, four hours later I'm not starving.
Phil's Sliders coming soon Downtown Berkeley
Yep, they actually opened today! I happened to wander by five minutes after they opened (customer #6, woo hoo!). You mark your order on a slip and hand it to the cashier. Considering the timing, things were running pretty smoothly: it only took about 5 minutes to get my two sliders. They're golf-ball sized and come with cheddar, lettuce, and "special sauce," which is of the Thousand Island dressing variety, studded with some chunks of really flavorful tomato.
The burgers were nicely charred, salty (in a good way), and perfectly medium rare, just like I like it. There was even a bit of bloody drippage, which the fluffy, toasted bun held up to quite well (although it didn't last long enough to get soggy). Sliders are $2 each.
I didn't try the fried potato nuggets or the cole slaw, but they both looked good. They also have a portobello slider. Next time I might see if I can get cole slaw on my burger instead of the sauce (they have a space on the form for "special requests"); I bet that would be good.
Drinks sound interesting but the system wasn't up and running yet. I'm curious about the Honey Mint Lemonade. Milkshakes ($2.50) come out of a machine, In-n-Out style, which isn't my bag, but other people seemed pretty into them.
Desserts looked pretty great: homemade oreos for $1.75, and peach blueberry hand pies for $3. I might get one of those pies on the way home if they have any left (I bet they won't).
All packaging is compostable. Chairs are absurdly high. I ended up standing to eat, which was fine, since it took less than five minutes to devour my food.
No idea what the hours are; I forgot to ask. It would be great if they stayed open late.
Weekday lunch, outdoor seating and easy parking
Slow in Berkeley might be a good option. I've enjoyed all my meals there. Parking on University Ave. is metered during the week but you will definitely be able to find a spot within a block. They have a beautiful rose-filled patio out back that is very dog friendly (you enter through the gate to the right of the restaurant). And then you can grab some chocolates at Chocolatier Bleu and a pretzel croissant at Oktoberfeast before heading back down University to 80.
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SLOW
1966 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704
Weekday only activites
Ooh, congratulations! Now you can go to San Francisco and eat lunch at The Sentinel (closes at 2:30 pm) or The Golden West (closes at 2 pm). Both are only open on weekdays.
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The Sentinel
55 New Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94105
Golden West
8 Trinity Pl, San Francisco, CA 94104
Japantown roundup
I love the zaru soba at Iroha (the place that's upstairs from the video store, across the way from Benkyodo), but I haven't been there in a while. Warm weather forecast for this week, it might be time to go back...
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Iroha
1728 Buchanan St, San Francisco, CA 94115
Dumpling Kitchen
We had great dumplings here last night. Also ordered the cilantro beef soup, which was not the best idea (it wasn't bad, just bland). Egg puffs were good too. I asked about the "Change of Ownership" sign in the window and they explained that it was just for the liquor license, which they haven't gotten yet.
We were one of four tables at prime dinner hour on a Tuesday. I hope they get the business they need to stick around.
Onigiri at Clover Bakery in San Jose
Sierra Deli in Oakland (on 3rd and Madison) used to carry these (complete with the baffling plastic tabs). I haven't been there in a year or so, though, so they might not have them anymore. I know that the Spam Musubi at Sierra came from Suruki's: maybe the Onigiri did too?
I seem to remember that they were fine, but not quite as good as I wanted them to be.
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Suruki
911 Washington St, Oakland, CA 94607
Sierra Deli
311 Oak St Ste C3, Oakland, CA 94607
Sam's Log Cabin: Off Day, or Gone Downhill?
I used to love Sam's Log Cabin. But a few weeks ago, I had a shockingly bad corned beef hash (totally bland meat, potatoes hard as a rock, overcooked eggs, no onion or other ingredients in sight) coupled with uncharacteristically blase service (no coffee or water refill, had to flag someone down to get the check). Has anyone else noticed a change for the worse, or was it an isolated incident? Or was it always like this and I just had good luck before?
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Sam's Log Cabin
945 San Pablo Ave, Albany, CA 94706
Get ‘Em Before They’re Gone: Sfogliatelle at Cosentino’s in San Jose
I grew up on Cosentino's sfogliatelle, and I actually think that PiQ's are better (it feels like a crime to even type that...). They are more expensive ($3.50 or $3.75, can't remember exactly), but they do a good job with the critical filling-to-crunch ratio, and, well, they're still open. The girl at the counter told me that they sell out quickly, so it might be worth calling ahead if you're making a special trip.
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PiQ
91 Shattuck Square, Berkeley, CA 94704
Meridian Sports Bar Berkeley - open??
It's probably too late for this meeting, but the bar at Revival Bar and kitchen is nice, and they serve Blue Bottle coffee. Can't get much closer to BART, either. So maybe that will help for next time...
Where Can I Find Pink Pearl Apples (or something close)?
Today (Sunday December 5) they still had a box of them at Monterey Market. Organic, from California, $1.98 a pound. They looked a little spotty so they might be past their prime. They're on the floor of the indoor apple aisle, on the right, below the grapes.
Chicken Soup Season - FiDi and/or Berkeley/Oakland
Thanks for reminding me how awesome Everest is. I stopped by tonight and got an order of Chicken Thukpa to go. Loads of chicken, good assorted veggies, tangy broth, big hunks of ginger: it's a cold-stopper for sure. And they gave me free chai while I waited for my food. Gotta love a place that is both tasty and friendly.
Point Richmond. At last … German food at The Baltic!
From their website it looks like the "temporary" stop in lunch service still holds. Has anyone been there lately? Is it still good?
Revival Bar and Kitchen, Berkeley
I ate there with three friends on June 25. We had the squash blossoms, which were awesome: rich without being greasy. The grilled sardines were also very good; they convinced a non-fish eater that she loved sardines. I don't remember the bean puree mentioned by the OP; maybe they've dropped it? The bone marrow/arugula flatbread was good enough, but it paled in comparison to the other two starters. We also had two salads, which I honestly don't remember. I think one had beets.
We shared two entrees between the four of us: the Mixed Pig Plate was delicious, especially the house-made sausage and the slow roasted shoulder. The sauce was excellent. The loin and the ribs were fine, but the other two items were standouts. Also, it wasn't really THAT much of a pig mix, especially for a place that bills itself as "snout to tail." (From the EB Express article it sounds like they've replaced the ribs with pork belly; a step in the right direction, but still...). We also had a fish dish.... I think it was halibut? Very well cooked but I remember the sides (arborio rice cake) and the sauce (a very delicious and non-baby food-y carrot puree) better than the fish.
So, that was all the good stuff... alas, service was pretty uneven. I think the bar may have been a big part of the culprit: we waited 20 minutes for each round of (not very complicated) drinks, and orders were forgotten. We also got the wrong salad and then we were overcharged. Getting the bill fixed took 15 minutes even though we had already told our server that we needed to get to a show soon (we wanted dessert but we didn't have time). Our server was very apologetic but it didn't fix the fact that the last 20 minutes of our dining experience were stressful and irritating. Good thing I had that sausage memory to keep me happy.
Overall, it was a good reminder to me that service can make or break a restaurant experience. Hopefully they'll work out the kinks soon.
Sour Cherries at the market
Berkeley Bowl West had some on Tuesday 6/22 but they were a bit wrinkly and sad.
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Berkeley Bowl West
920 Heinz Ave, Berkeley, CA
I cannot wait to go back
Thank you so much for this recommendation, melly! We went for "Meatball Monday" last week, as featured on the website. The meatball was awesome, in all senses of the word: picture a giant veal/beef/herbs/dried fruit meatball stuffed with a semi-deboned quarter chicken (the thigh bone was sticking out the top), lamb sausage, and dried apricots. Yes, like a meatball turducken. It came with an amazing side of Torshi, which we inhaled and asked for (and received) more.
Three of us split the meatball along with sides of the herb stew with rice and the marinated chickpeas. We also had the marrow (oh! the bergamot preserves!), the trout salad, and the bread. Normally I grumble about paying for bread but the Caspian Tapenade was worth it. Somehow we also managed to squeeze in desert, although it was probably a bad idea. I got a deconstructed pie that was just OK, but not bad enough to overshadow everything else.
So I totally second your thoughts... can't wait to go back!
Bay Area Trip Help
First of all: Happy Birthday!
While you're exploring around Shattuck you might want to wander down University to Chocolatier Bleu. Their hot chocolate is pretty wow, as are the seasonal chocolates (they're expensive, but kinda worth it). Downtown Berkeley's BART station also has bonus proximity to Comic Relief and Games of Berkeley, to get your geek on.
Alas, there is no farmer's market in downtown Oakland this Friday because of the holiday. (That sorbet is pretty amazing, though, for next time you're here).
Crixa might be special enough to warrant a detour, especially if you like fruity/nutty pastries.
And personally I prefer the Ferry Building on Sunday, when it's not as manic. Must buys: Boccalone for a salty pig treat or five. I love their mortadella. Also, Cowgirl Creamery makes a great cheese called Pierce Pt. that's only available in the fall and winter.
Where to get Tacos Dorado in SFor North Bay
Try the crispy tacos at Cactus Taqueria! It's not in SF or the North Bay, but the Oakland Cactus location is right next to Rockridge BART, so it's easy to get to.
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Cactus Taqueria
5642 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618
Sneaky's BBQ - anyone tried it?
I have tried it several times. It is a very good take on North Carolina style BBQ. The ribs are excellent: they use a lot of dry rub and I think the ribs are so good that you don't even need the sauce. The pulled pork is the best I've had in CA. It made a Nashville native weep with tears of joy. I haven't tried their chicken.
Sides have been hit or miss. Mashed sweet potatoes were good (I don't think they have them this week). Collards were good: tender and chile-flecked with good pot liquor. Although if you know how to cook greens you might be better off making your own and putting that money towards more meat. The last time I got their coleslaw it was a spicy version, kind of like the slaw on the Bakesale Betty's fried chicken sandwich, which was weird (to me) with the Pulled Pork. I was looking for a hit of creamy mayo to balance the vinegary meat & sauce.
Also, they are nice, friendly guys and they've always showed up on time with the order, which is a plus.
If you're in BBQ survey mode, they are definitely worth a try.
