Exploring the Bay Area

Korean Superette This Korean sit-down restaurant doubles as a Korean market. The walls are lined with packaged Korean snacks, cooking ingredients essential to Korean cuisine, and lots and lots of noodles, especially ramen. They also have a wall lined with refrigerators stocked with kimchi, frozen dumplings, and other items. Plus, there are some beautiful non-food items made in a Korean style that would make cool gifts or decorations. As you eat, you can admire the selection; it’s hard to leave empty-handed because it’s hard to find such a wide assortment of Korean products elsewhere in Berkeley. The eating area, which doubles as a market, is a cozy place to eat. It’s bright and clean looking, with walls lined with fascinating Korean goods and a glass window separating the indoor eating area from the outdoor one, which is a small patio with some greenery that butts up to a few buildings on the other side. The seating is comfortable, and the tables are carefully spaced apart. It’s as if ...

Piccino Piccino coffee bar sits in the Dogpatch next to a proper restaurant by the same name, which I have not yet tried. It’s merely a small room with a refrigerator holding sandwiches and cookie dough and a counter in front of their espresso equipment and kitchen, displaying some yummy pastries. It has no seating, but it is always well-staffed, so the service is rather prompt. The menu has a variety of coffee, espresso, and tea beverages; they proudly serve caffeinated and non-caffeinated options, and everything is carefully prepared for quality assurance. For example, they have lattes, including vanilla lattes, mochas, chai tea, and hot chocolate, among others, and everything tastes professionally made. Prices are what you’d expect from a San Francisco coffee shop, and the bitterness of the coffee or tea flavor tends to be mild, and the temperature and the consistency of the milk always hit the spot. All these things make it a great spot for a little pick-me-up. In my opinion, thoug...

Araki Sushi Araki Sushi brings affordable, authentic Japanese flavor to downtown Palo Alto. Despite its small size, it is a powerhouse that cranks out delicious meals for a surprisingly large crowd of loyal patrons. But despite its apparent popularity, it maintains a humble, customer-focused attitude. The service here is good, and the prices are a good deal for the product provided. Every last detail is considered here. From the nice pieces of Japanese artwork on the walls that give the restaurant character, to the attractive plating of the food, to the reasonably priced combos on the menu, to the balance of savory flavors in the food, everything here is done deliberately and with care to create the ultimate cozy Japanese comfort food feel. As soon as I tasted the warm miso soup, I was hooked. The crispy, meaty fried gyoza here are to die for, but the fresh, soft, and buttery sashimi was as impressive. Meanwhile, the teriyaki chicken was cooked perfectly and smothered in a delightful t...

Qahwa Time Qahwa Time is the relatively new coffee shop in Berkeley that takes a unique spin on the traditional notion of a coffee shop. While it serves up quality espresso and coffee drinks and a selection of pastries, like many cafes, it takes the idea of a coffee shop to the next level with its beautiful and serene lobby and its delicious, Yemeni-inspired menu. It’s not just your standard coffee stop; it’s a chance to truly experience something that will move you, satiate you, and inspire you with its exotic and impressive flavor and decor. It’s a quiet and relaxing place to work, meet, or simply savor. I like to come here for the lovely mugs of hot coffee, particularly the lattes, which come in an attractive mug, steaming hot with carefully done latte art. My favorites are the Biscoff latte and the salted chocolate latte. There’s something about this Yemeni blend of coffee that is both mild and powerful. And the milk and sweetness balance this subtle strength to create a pleasant d...

The Station Smashburgers The Station Burger is one of Berkeley’s most popular burger destinations. It is a lively, energetic, outdoor destination with a small, to-the-point menu featuring beef smash burgers, ground chicken patty burgers, impossible burgers, rice bowls, fries, and loaded fries, as well as ice cream, milkshakes, and alcoholic beverages. From the second I arrived, I could smell the heavenly scent of the burgers, fries, and other dishes. I looked at what everyone else was eating and became very excited to try my own. The whole outdoor eating area is always abuzz with people, particularly young people and new parents, having a good time in Berkeley’s sunny weather. Some of the seats are protected by a cheap roof, but many of the others are not. The music is loud, and the tables turn over relatively quickly. The point here is instant gratification: a quick, easy fix for your cravings. The kitchen, which is the only indoor part of the restaurant besides the restroom, churns o...

Nola Located in the heart of downtown Palo Alto, Nola is a cozy Cajun-style restaurant with a thoughtfully curated menu of interesting food, drink, and dessert options that appeal to a wide variety of people. Sit inside the brick-lined dining room or outside on the sunny patio, and choose from New Orleans specialties like Cajun pasta, Southern comfort food like fried chicken and waffles, or common dishes like tacos, salads, and burgers. The food comes out looking beautiful. Each dish is masterfully crafted to embody sophistication, style, and taste. The result is a meal that is not only satisfying but also memorable. The dining area is dimly lit, giving off den-like vibes. The outdoor seating feels like downtown Palo Alto, California, in all its glory; it’s sunny and pleasant, surrounded by Californian businesses with Californian customers. But stepping inside, you find yourself feeling as though you’ve travelled far, far away. It’s a dim and cozy place with brick trimming and a firepl...

All Star Donuts Located near El Cerrito Plaza BART station, All Star Donuts sells fresh doughnuts, breakfast sandwiches, coffee, and other pastries at a good price. It’s an ideal place to charge up for the day because it offers variety, quality, and affordability. It’s clean and neat, yet still informal, serving products that are delicious but simple and giving off that traditional doughnut shop vibe. They have a breakfast sandwich menu on one wall and a coffee/doughnut/pastry menu behind the counter. But beneath the clear case, you can view the main attraction: the nice assortment of freshly baked sweets. The smell  is heavenly, and the display is extremely enticing. The doughnuts and other pastries are lined up neatly like mouthwatering jewelry on display. The variety of these gorgeous, edible items is impressive. They have pretty much every type of round doughnut, including old-fashioned, cake, and self-rising ones, as well as bars and doughnut holes. When it comes to toppings, ...

Berkeley Social Club Berkeley Social Club, located near downtown Berkeley and UC Berkeley’s campus, is a beloved gathering place for many, especially young people and students. It tends to draw a large crowd of enthusiastic patrons, especially on weekends, for brunch. They also serve lunch and dinner, but Berkeley Social Club serves a legendary breakfast. On many weekend mornings, each table is filled, and a crowd of eager customers waits outside patiently for another table to open. It’s not that there aren’t countless restaurants nearby; it’s just that these people have their hearts set on Berkeley Social Club’s menu, which seems to have something for everyone. The morning menu includes a variety of items, like avocado toast, egg dishes such as poached or scrambled eggs, griddle favorites, like pancakes and French toast, Korean-fusion dishes like bugolgi, bimimbap, pajun pancake, and curry, and their famous millionaire’s bacon. People who care about breakfast tend to love this place f...

Hella Bagels Hella Bagels is a small cafe in Albany that rolls, boils, and bakes fresh bagels in-house each day they’re open. You can taste the freshness in the chewy, buttery bite of the bagel. The bagels are buttery on the outside, dense and chewy on the inside, and very appetizing as a whole. The entire cafe smells like fresh-baked bagels! Like other cafes, they also serve coffee, espresso beverages, and salads. However, this shop specializes in fresh bagels, fresh bagels with spreads, and fresh bagel sandwiches. They offer seven types of bagels, including plain, everything, onion, garlic, salt, sesame, and poppy, as well as eleven types of spread, such as butter, berries and cream, spicy mango peach, veggie, Nova Lox, garlic confit, jalapeño cilantro, chili crisp, and horseradish lemon dill.  They are not skimpy with the amount of spread! A fresh-baked bagel is only $3, and a fresh-baked bagel with spread is only $5 here! They have smoked fish, vegetable, fruit, and egg sandwic...

Scoop N Chill In downtown Berkeley, a delightful coffee, ice cream, and sweets stand is hidden inside Crave Subs , the cartoon-themed sandwich shop that I’ve also written about. It’s called Scoop N Chill, and it serves some of Berkeley’s best ice cream! It's a little-known hidden gem, especially because it is so hard to find. The counter Scoop N Chill occupies inside Crave Subs looks adorable, with waffle-cone like lattice and ice cream scoops on the ceiling to look as if they were thrown there. It's bright white and clearly immaculately clean. Reading the menu, you will see that they proudly serve crepes, croffles, and sushi crepes, in addition to espresso/coffee beverages, milkshakes, and gelato, all at competitive prices. I tried the Biscoff gelato and fell in love. Every detail was thought of and perfected. Everything here (not just the Biscoff gelato) is expertly and lovingly made. (The product comes out looking professional, beautiful, and anything but sloppy every time.)...

State Flour Pizza Walking down College Avenue in the Elmwood area, what at first appears to be a small hole-in-the wall place to grab pizza-by-the-slice turns out to have a a cozy upstairs eating area, perfect for diners wanting a restaurant environment for lunch or dinner.  My first experience with State Flour pizza was when I was looking for a mid-afternoon snack and stumbled upon a reasonably priced piece of pepperoni pizza, which I gratefully devoured. After that, I had it in my head that this was simply a place where you order at a counter in a small business and are given a small portion to eat at one of their few tables or take with you. I liked it, but I was surprised when my friends invited me there for dinner. I discovered that night that although they do offer takeout to people stopping by and those who order online, their second-story dining room upstairs offers an ideal restaurant experience.  My much-loved afternoon pizza stop turned out to become one of my favor...

Kamado Sushi Kamado Sushi is a moderately upscale Japanese restaurant in Berkeley.  I came because it was highly recommended by a friend who adores Japanese food and has tried many of the Japanese restaurants in the area, only to note that, although it is a bit expensive, this one stands out. Ultimately, I did not end up disagreeing; the food was top-quality; the environment was extremely pleasant, and the service was fantastic.    The restaurant embodies relaxation and elegance. It is a small and peaceful restaurant that features comforting instrumental music, big windows overlooking the Berkeley cityscape, and a Japanese aesthetic. You can choose to sit at one of the tables or at the bar, and either way, your dining experience will be amazing. The menu they bring to your table is extensive, covering many famous Japanese dishes like sushi, sashimi, sukiyaki, teriyaki, katsu, udon, soba, and more over several pages. They also have a drin...

Matsuyama Shabu House Walking around San Francisco's historic Japantown, I made a surprisingly delicious find: Matsuyama Shabu House. This small restaurant specializes in Shabu Shabu, the Japanese traditional hot pot dish. They honor and balance both Japanese culinary tradition and modern tastes. Walking in, you will see an elegant dining area decorated in comforting warm tones and wood paneling, a red marble counter that goes in a semicircle, and three wood table tan booths next to windows that overlook Japantown. Each seat has its own heating system for preparing the hot pot in front of you at your table. The windows overlook San Francisco, but it starts to feel as if you are in Japan. Matsuyama Shabu House offers some luxurious and expensive menu options but also an $18 weekday option that lets you sample this amazing restaurant for less.  I have now twice sampled the exciting $18 weekday option, which allows you to pick a base, some meat, and other hot pot components. I prefer ...

Manna Manna is a Korean restaurant in San Francisco that proudly gives San Franciscans a taste of the flavors and textures of Korean cuisine. This small and charming restaurant efficiently made use of every bit of its small restaurant, packing in the tables and lining the walls with soda boxes. It has one small dining area, some outdoor seating, and a long waitlist, if necessary. It is so good that it is popular among those familiar with Korean cuisine and those who are not yet. We discovered Manna by accident when we were walking through the area, casually perusing  eating options. We were intrigued by the long menu full of reasonably priced and interesting Korean dishes, and ultimately, each of us quickly found something we would like to try. Soon after joining the waitlist, we were politely pointed to one of the tables. We placed our orders with a conscientious and kind server, who took our orders back to the kitchen and returned with a fascinating spread of kimchi and other Kor...

Burgerim Burgerim is a small upscale fast food place in downtown Berkeley on University. Although I would classify it as fast food, I feel a duty to acknowledge that it puts a gourmet twist on your everyday fast food experience.   Like your typical fast food restaurant, you place your order up front from an attendant or on their kiosk. The kitchen will whip up your order in about ten minutes if they’re not too busy. You can eat your food in their small but clean dining area, or you can carry them out to go.  It is a fantastic place to get a burger, or a chicken, turkey, or falafel sandwich with regular or sweet potato fries, or onion rings. Also available are chicken wings and side salads. In terms of beverages, they serve soft drinks and milkshakes.  As for dietary restrictions, there are gluten-free buns and several vegetarian and vegan options as well. Many of the sandwiches are even halal. In my experience, I ordered the angus beef b...

Cafenated Coffee Located on Vine near the corner with Shattuck, Cafenated Coffee has stripped-down modern appearance and in and outdoor seating. It has its own laid back personality that goes well with the simple modern interior and the peaceful music played on the speakers. The space is a great place to work or meet because it’s peaceful, organized, and there is no rush to finish. Walking by Cafenated Coffee, it appears to be a small shop with a little bit of seating I front, but if you enter, you will find it extends a fair distance back. It even has a large patio behind with a more peaceful seating. I consider it to be a hidden oasis in the middle of Berkeley for studying, meeting, working, or just relaxing. When you enter, you can order and pay a cashier at the counter, or you can use the self-service kiosk. The service is good, and your order will be ready shortly. There is also a takeout option, which for some reason costs 25 cents or so more. This coffee shop features most of th...

Bua Thai Kitchen  On San Pablo, near the border between Berkeley and Albany, Bua Thai Kitchen appears a little run-down from the outside, but the inside is gorgeous.  Decorated with artificial plants and sophisticated, stylish light fixtures, the restaurant has a very formal, relaxed, and comfortable feel, and it serves incredible food, despite being relatively inexpensive.  It’s a sit-down restaurant where a friendly server will take your order. The speakers play soothing music to cancel out the sound of the other diners, giving it a luxurious but understated appeal. The service is fast, and the chairs and tables are comfortable, making it a nice place to sit and wait for your food. Even before your food arrives, the entire restaurant smells great! The menu is relatively extensive, featuring almost everyone's Thai food favorites. They have a variety of rice, noodle, and curry dishes, as well as many different soup and stir fry options.  I order...

  The Melt The Melt is a fast-food chain with multiple locations across California and Arizona. It takes a high-quality spin on the classic notion of an American fast food joint. As the name suggests, they take some pride in their melted cheese. It's fast food, but they take care to provide a uniquely tasty product. When I first walked in, I was mesmerized by the salty smell, and then I became baffled by all the possibilities on the menu.   The menu features cheeseburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, cheesy chicken sandwiches, and mac and cheese for all the cheese-lovers out there. They also have a selection of soups, salads, drinks, and desserts (including some delicious hand-spun shakes).  The menu denotes several items that are vegetarian. It has a selection of add-ons, extras ($0.99), and premium extras ($1.99), which, for a small price, can be used to personalize the menu items. You can opt for an impossible burger patty for an additional $3.00 as well. I opted f...

Ike's Ike's Love and Sandwiches is a chain with many locations in California, including the Bay Area. Its restaurants make the sandwiches fresh behind a long counter with all the sandwich-making ingredients sitting out. You order and pay at a register along the long counter, and they will assemble your order freshly for you. Ike's specializes in hefty, thick sandwiches that have to be devoured in big, satisfying bites. The sandwiches, which all have creative and funny names, all have layers and layers of different ingredients that give complexity to the final taste and flavor of the sandwich. These thick sandwiches are each packed with a carefully curated set of ingredients to create an edible masterpiece.  There are many options at Ike's. The menu has both meat, vegetarian, and vegan options. There is also a kid's menu and a gluten free option. The sandwiches can all be customized. In total, Ike's lengthy menu includes about 800 options. I very much enjoyed my ...

In the Wood In The Wood is a relatively informal sit-down restaurant with mid-range prices. The menu features a variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, entrees, and sides. They also have a bar that serves a variety of alcoholic beverages. Like many restaurants, you come in and wait to be seated. Then, you study the menu, and a polite server takes your order. After that, you wait for them to make your food, which, in my experience, takes ten to fifteen minutes or so, if they aren't too busy. The food is tasty and easy to eat. When you're done, they will bring a bill to your table, so you can pay and tip. The vibe is laid back, the food is simple but hearty, and the service is good. The prices are moderate for a casual full-service restaurant. When I visit In The Wood, I usually order the classic burger because I know it is a good bet. The classic burger from In the Wood has a patty that is nicely seasoned and has a great char. It has a lot of flavor from the patty an...