Lers ros thai

Turning 26 was great this past weekend. Maybe even better than turning 25! Hopefully birthday will continent to be weakly increasing with each passing year (yes, I’ve started grad school – could you tell?)

The evening of fun started at this restaurant in the civic center / tenderloin reataurant, a few blocks from the bar that was the next stop. Yelpers claimed authentic Thai food. Unfortunately, my Thai friend couldn’t make it to judge. But IMHO, the flavor were stronger and more complex than the typical Thai-americanized restaurant.

We shied away from the more adventurous options (frog, alligator), but our dishes were still delicious. In paricular, the fish cake appetizer, the spicy catfish and the spicy beef (#93) were fantastic. Unfiltered sake helped wash it all down.

The atmosphere is friendly and clean, though not particularly unique (sort of like chinese restaurants). Prices are very reasonable, $8 -$10 for most entrees. I’d definitely go back!

730 larkin b/t ellis and olive

foreign cinema

After my long run this morning (where the goal, after a 2 week hiatus from running, was to simply finish), I met up with L to celebrate our mutual return to SF and to hanging out! It was time for a indulgent brunch. With some yelp help and some recollections of S’ recommendations, we decided to head to the Mission for some Foreign Cinema.

I was starving. (Note: going to a slightly nicer place for brunch is not the most cost-effective way of filling a post-run hypoglycemia.) So L split the beef carpaccio with me as an appetizer. I have previously had a negative experience with beef carpaccio, but this one was a keeper. Exquisitely thin slices of beef seemingly papered in one fine layer on the plate, served with mache, a few potato chips and a mustard aioli. I’ve had some carpaccios where the aioli is thickly slathered on or otherwise too rich; this one was just right. I ate most of it…

I ordered the poached eggs atop duck with frisee. There was a certain seasoning to the duck that I no longer recall and a very interesting berry type of ingredient as well, that made it just a bit different from a standard poached egg dish. Everything was well-done and delicious in my dish, but I have to say that I didn’t feel that it all melded together smoothly. At least in comparison to L’s entree, which I think won the entree contest. She ordered the Champagne and Chanterelle omelet with truffle oil and cheddar. It was heavenly. A light scent of truffle, woodsy chanterelles and a creamy consistency – decadently delicious. I am usually wary of ordering omelettes, which often disappoint me, but in this case, I would have ordered the omelette if I were to do it all over again.

They also have an interesting drink menu. We tried the fellini (grapefruit juice and a bit of Aperol instead of peach bellinis – delicious) and the elderflower drink (elderflower liquer + champagne + something else?). The elderflower drink was a bit watery in my opinion, so I would avoid that.

Oh! And they have an oyster bar. I didn’t sample it today, but it looked quite good with lots of local options. Standard oyster pricing.

Our bill was a little high with the drinks and the extra “I’m-starving” appetizer, but if you were to go a more standard entree + alcoholic brunch drink, you’d probably end up around $30-35 including tax and tip.

Entrees ~$10-15, Brunch cocktails ~$10

Mission b/t 21st & 22nd

Bakesale Betty

Fried. Chicken. Sandwich.

Three lovely words. Well, I feel a little ambivalent about “chicken.” But modified by “fried”…well, that’s pretty close to heaven.

I went there for a mid-week study break back during my boards days with one S.L. Running late per my usual norm, I found S already setup at one of BB’s whimsical old-school ironing-board tables with fried chicken sandwich and lemon ices ready to eat. I was only sad that I got to eat only half of that fried chicken-y deliciousness. Better for my arteries I suppose. But as I’ve learned in med school, my aorta already has a nice creamy layer of atherosclerosis. So I might as well…bring on the fried chicken!

If you somehow have managed to not have a fried chicken sandwich yet (e.g. if you are some ridiculous “vegetarian” of sorts), it comes heaped with a spicy slaw on a fresh, crusty bun. And you might also get to finish your meal with a free cookie that Bakesale Betty (an Australian native, I learned) herself might pass out to you while you wait in line.

Don’t be too cowed by the line — it moves rapidly. And head inside to check out the fried chicken factory line when you’re done. Take home some delectable baked goods too!

Fried chicken sandwich ~$7

Bakesale Betty, telegraph & 51st

Local 123

This minimalist cafe opened up just a week or so before I moved in down the street in Berkeley. When I first mentioned it to my roommate, she had no idea what I was talking about. I spent some afternoons studying here, but never found it quite as conducive to studying as the open, isolated feeling of Cafe Leila’s sunny, enormous tables. But since becoming post-boards and being too unmotivated to walk a few extra blocks to Leila, Local 123 has become a staple caffeine fix.

Their niche offering in this strip of pseudo-gentrifying/hipster-fying San Pable Ave seems to be their single-cup drip coffee, a la Philz coffee, albeit with a fraction of the coffee bean selection. They also offer a homemade, well-spiced chai tea, crafted by one of the owners’ brother who spent some time in India.

They offer a small selection of baked goods (often fresh), sandwiches and other cafe-like fare. I’ve only tried some of their baked goods, which have been quite satisfying (I quite like their pear-ginger muffins).

My only quibble about local 123 is the occasionally faulty service (they’ve forgotten about my coffee a couple of times) and a weird phenomenon where their caffeinated beverages never seem to wake me up quite enough. Either that or I am consistently extra tired when I come here for my morning jolt. I still prefer Leila’s atmosphere, but if you’re a San Pablo Ave local, it’s an easy pop-in for coffee.

Single cup drip coffee $2, lattes $2.25-$3.25, teas $2-$3, baked goods $2-3

Local 123, San Pablo just south of University

Chez Panisse Cafe

As a food-lover and formerly devoted food-blog-reader (I mean, I was working while I was in New York, I swear…), I have wanted to go to Chez Panisse for at least 4 years now. When I moved up to Berkeley, I knew that I couldn’t leave without having eaten here at least once.

Okay, so I didn’t really make it. Chez Panisse itself is entirely out of my budget. But the cafe is not! So I invited G along and went to sample their dinner. (Note to self: catch-up dinners are not the right kind of dinners when you want to pay attention to the food — the food ended up being a bit of a blur since talking required some effort.)

It started off on a great note, with a good waiter’s recommendation of the Barbera d’Asti over the Rioja (if only I could remember more details about the label in order to get it again). I ordered the quail ($24), which was from some local farm whose name I didn’t recognize and was accompanied by polenta, figs and sage, and some sort of sauteed pepper/onion medley. The polenta had actual pieces of corn in it. Truth be told, I would have preferred it without. But the quail was absolutely delicious. Perfectly done in terms of moistness and filled through and through with flavor. None of that “in-the-middle-of-the-chicken-dry-and-flavorless-spot.” Although I suppose it’s quite a bit easier to achieve when it’s a tenth of the size of a chicken.

Dessert, unfortunately, was a flop. It sounded good on paper: rhubarb tart and strawberry ice cream. But it came out looking oddly like a slice of pizza and far too sugary sweet. The strawberry ice cream, while undoubtedly freshly homemade, just made me think of those Pocky strawberry sticks. Same color, same flavor. I had to pass on the dessert in the end.

The decor is a bit generic American. Quite nice but a little bland. And the noise level is a bit high for having a conversation, at least if you’re two relatively word-swallowing individuals. I realized, while sitting there though, that it’s been quite a while since I’ve been to a nice restaurant not with my family. Such is the life of a grad student…

Still, I’m glad I went and in some ways I’m glad that it didn’t live up to my imagined hype. Perhaps the dining room downstairs would wow. But at least now I don’t feel entirely out of the know when it comes to Alice Waters and I don’t feel a desperate compulsion to get myself to the dining room.

Cafe menu: changes daily, offers a fixed menu ($25-26), appetizers $9-15, entrees $19-25, dessert $9-10

1517 Shattuck b/t Cedar and Vine

Cheeseboard Pizza

You can’t move to Berkeley and avoid hearing about Cheeseboard Pizza. I have heard about this place probably at least 5-6 times now. It’s famous. And I have to admit I’m not above the hype. I mean, I read and attend to the NYTimes dining section, so obviously not above hype, despite my attempts to be cool, local, and oh-so-above-that.

I do believe I can consider myself a 3.5 week Berkeley resident (goodness!! have I really been studying for that long???), but aside from my many many hours spent in Cafe Leila and Local 123 (both to be commented upon eventually), I can’t say that I know Berkeley very well.

But tonight was a good night for pretending to be Berkeley. I biked up the hill to Cheeseboard Pizza where their daily pizza (which is their only pizza, so far as I can tell) was: Fresh Corn, Onions, Zucchini, Mozzarrella, Feta, Garlic Olive Oil, and Cilantro Limes. I’m not sure I recall any zucchini. But, it was pretty good.

And at $5 for a slice and a beer, it was like being in heaven. Or some Brooklyn equivalent.

Expect thin crusted pizzas (apparently you can ask for some less baked version – I found it a little overly crispy) with delicious, interesting toppings. Also expect a line. We got there at 6 pm without too much of a wait, but from about 6:45 until 7:45 while we were there, it was a line out the door, down the sidewalk scene. You can also take a whole pizza to go…mmmm. I’ll definitely be heading back before I leave you, Berkeley!

P.S. Next door is the cheeseboard. I didn’t get a chance to go tonight, but will have to go try their cheese at some point.

1512 Shattuck (Gourmet Ghetto)