Feast Your Eyes

Crixa Cakes

Address: 2748 Adeline St, Berkeley, CA 94703

Visits: 3

Time: Friday afternoon

Rating: 4.5 / 5

^amaretti cake

Kui Shin Bo

Address: 22 Peace Plaza #535, San Francisco, CA 94115

Visits: 1

Time: Thursday evening

Rating: 4 / 5

^okonomiyaki (Japanese “pancake” w/ squid)

^dragon roll

^combo: chicken egg noodles + squid tempura w/ miso soup and small salad

Benkyodo

Address: 1747 Buchanan Mall, San Francisco, CA 94115

Time: Thursday afternoon

Visits: 1

Rating: 3 / 5

As it was already late afternoon when we arrived, they had already sold out of the seasonal fruit mochi (which I remember were DELICIOUS), so I tried a more traditional mochi and a manju instead. They weren’t as good as the fruit mochi (the blueberry was divine), but I suppose this gives me an excuse to return to Japantown sometime in the future!

^pink habutai mochi with white lima bean paste

^apple manju

Off the Grid

Address: Shattuck/Vine area

Visits: 2

Time: Wednesday evening (weekly 5-9 pm)

Rating: 3 / 5

^chicken leg/thigh with adobo sauce and jasmine rice

Slow

Address: 1966 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704

Visits: 1

Time: Monday noon

Rating: 4.5 / 5

^caprese — croissant sandwich (such a beautifully toasted golden brown!) with tomato slices (green and yellow kinds), arugula, and mozzarella 

Noodle Theory

Address: 6099 Claremont Ave, Oakland, CA 94618

Visits: 3

Time: Sunday afternoon

Rating: 4 / 5

^complimentary edamame

^niman ranch beef noodle soup in a coconut lime curry broth — I always get this when I come here! It’s reminiscent of Malaysian noodle soup but with a sour lime tang.

^salmon curry noodles

^sliced duck noodles w/ in red thai curry

Gregoire Restaurant

Address: 2109 Cedar St, Berkeley, CA 94709

Time: Friday evening

Visits: 3

Rating: 4 / 5

^potato puffs

^roasted shallots & gratin

^lemon/yogurt marinated chicken filet w/ bell pepper coulis (the red sauce) and wilted greens

^gemelli pasta w/ scallops, roasted tomato, and basil

La Note

Address: 2377 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704

Time: Tuesday noon

Visits: 2

Rating: 5/5

^brioche pain perdu — cinnamon French toast with lovely, sweet floral notes from the orange-water batter and lavender honey

^omelette de pommes de terres — open-face omelet with potato slices and supposedly caramelized onions, plus three slices of whole wheat toast and three tomato halves

Le Bateau Ivre

Address: 2629 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704

Visits: 1

Time: Sunday noon

Rating: 3 / 5

Le Bateau Ivre is a homey restaurant with cozy decor and a very welcoming outdoor dining area.

^peasant omelet (w/ sausage, onions, and tomatoes) — I prefer my eggs to be on the runnier side, so I didn’t enjoy my dry omelet (or maybe it’s supposed to be an egg pancake?) very much. I did like the lightly-buttered toast and the delicious blackberry jam, and the fruits were a nice addition. At least the overall dish was very filling and satisfying for brunch on a sunny weekend!

^eggs benedict

^artichoke scramble

Barney’s Gourmet Hamburgers

Address: 1600 Shattuck Ave, Ste 112, Berkeley, CA 94709

Visits: 1

Time: Saturday evening

Rating: 3 / 5

^Alpine burger

^Portobello burger

^Oreo cookie milkshake — Deliciously creamy! A definite plus from the bland burgers.

Venus

Address: 2327 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704

Visits: 4

Time: Sunday evening

Rating: 5 / 5

^roasted piri-piri (pepper + lime) chicken with mashed German butterballs (like mashed potatoes) and wilted kale — The chicken and kale absorbed a surprisingly large amount of the sauce, and I really enjoyed the delicious plate!

^Niman ranched slow-roasted pork sandwich with German mashed butterballs

^flourless chocolate cake

^orange caramel pot de creme

Chez Panisse Cafe

Address: 1517 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Visits: 1

Time: Saturday evening

^salad of grilled duck breast, blood oranges, and curl endive

^three Italian salads: broccoli with pine nuts; chickpeas with shaved fennel; marinated carrots

^little Gems lettuce w/ creme fraiche, chervil, and gray mullet roe

^chicken under a brick w/ wild arugula and crispy potatoes

^clams w/ saffron, fava beans, chiles, garlic toast, and aioli

Caffe Venezia

Address: 1799 University Avenue  Berkeley, CA 94703

Visits: 1

Time: Sunday evening

Rating: 3.5 / 5

^deep-fried squid, lemon, and artichoke w/ tartar sauce and tomato-garlic sauce

^wagyu beef and niman pork meatballs w/ spaghetti in a tomato sauce

^meyer lemon fettucine w/ purple cauliflower, peas, pancetta, shallot, and taragon

^side dish of grilled asparagus

PIQ Berkeley

Address: 91 Shattuck Square, Berkeley, CA 94704

Visits: 3

Time: Sunday noon

Rating: 3.5 / 5

^calzone

^Milanese sandwich

^fruit tart

^braided ricotta bread

Masse’s Pastries

Address: 1469 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709

Visits: 1

Time: Thursday afternoon

Rating: 4.5 / 5

^starting from the upper left, in order of Western reading: pistachio, salted caramel, yuzu, raspberry, strawberry, vanilla, cassis, coffee