Exploring the Bay Area

Caffe Central  This is one of Mission Bay’s most enticing cafes. With a nice breakfast/brunch/lunch menu plus an assortment of fancy pastries and an espresso bar, it’s a great place to grab a bite or a quick pick-me-up. It has great food and a welcoming atmosphere. The eating area is bright, spacious, and elegant, exuding modernity and cleanliness. You order and pay at the counter, where you can see an assortment of intricate pastries, models of the items on the food menu, and the coffee and tea menu mounted on the wall. Everything looks so good that it is tempting to order too much. The service here is very good; it’s as if the severs/baristas have great respect for the establishment. Famous for irresistible gourmet sandwiches, statement salads, and impressive breakfast menu, Caffe Central draws customers throughout the day. People come alone, in small groups, and in larger groups. The food is high quality and arrives quickly with a smile, but the prices of the main plates remain ...

Gather If you’re looking for a well-liked, full-service, sit-down restaurant in Berkeley that’s near the downtown and close to UC Berkeley’s campus and provides a consistently good product for a reasonable fee, Gather is a pretty safe bet. Because of its popularity, you might find it helpful to make a reservation in advance. Although it is not exactly inexpensive, it also is not particularly expensive; it’s more of a mid-range price in exchange for a top-notch business-casual meal you won’t regret. Gather has plenty of seating split between a large, spacious, and attractive eating area with lots of tables and a bar and a nice patio decorated with plants and colorful glass. It can accommodate large parties and even hosts events from time to time. True to its name, it is an excellent place to gather. It has just enough options on the menu that you can bring a large group and expect there will be something for everyone. The menu takes a unique spin on many classic, popular American dishes...

The Cheeseboard Pizzeria  The Cheeseboard Pizzeria is perhaps Berkeley’s most coveted pizza shop. With a loyal following and a sterling reputation, the line extends down the sidewalk, sometimes even winding around the corner, at almost every hour this famous pizzeria is open. It’s the kind of place that legend precedes, so you should try it if you’re ever even nearby. Having been a Berkeley staple for decades, it's my experience that it’s not an exaggeration to say it’s pretty much known to everyone who’s ever inhabited Berkeley for any long period of time. The Cheeseboard Pizzeria is not your typical pizza place. It has a large patio with lots of seating, where people of all ages love to gather. Unlike your typical restaurant, it’s a great place to enjoy some live jazz music performed by a selection of talented jazz artists with real instruments in real time; they almost always have a group of musicians performing their hearts out. This creates the fun ambiance that makes it such ...

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...

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...

  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...

Beach Chalet This restaurant is another example of fine dining available in the Bay Area. This top-tier restaurant has a beautiful view overlooking the beach. Sometimes, a live pianist will play background music; other times, the speakers play some pleasant hits. Everything comes at a relaxing leisurely pace as you enjoy the view and the background music. It is a sit-down restaurant (one where you order from a server at your table) that takes reservations. Beach Chalet is on the second story of a beautiful building whose downstairs has a lovely mural and a small museum.  The menu has plenty of options, so there's likely to be something for everyone in your party. They have an assortment of starters including warm sourdough bread, lemon ricotta beignets, tuna poke, and truffle parmesan fries. They serve two types of soup: Pacific chowder and corn soup. As for salads, they have a classic Caesar Salad, a Nicoise salad, Organic greens, and an heirloom tomato salad. In the way of sandw...

iniBurger I enjoyed my trip to iniBurger, the Halal burger chain that has several locations around Northern California. It was my first time trying this place, and I was very impressed. It is a brightly colored restaurant where you can order and pay either at the counter or on one of their kiosks. They serve burgers, chicken sandwiches, wings, and fries. The prices are not displayed on the menus on display behind the counter, but they stay in a reasonable range, for the most part between $10 and $20.  There is room to sit in their brightly colored restaurant or outside. The music is relatively loud inside, and the atmosphere is lively and fun.   I ordered the Americano burger and had to admit it was a succulent and enticing creation. It was a juicy burger with a special sauce that tasted like pepper. I could taste the charred edges of the patty and the salty, savory seasonings on it. The cheese was gooey, salty, and sweet while the lettuce and pickles were slightly crunch...

Mel's Express First established in San Francisco in 1947, Mel's Express now is a chain that has 22 locations in northern Nevada and northern California, including one 2014 Kala Bagai Way in Berkeley, California, which I recently visited. (The hours of the Berkeley location are 11:00 am to 9:00 pm daily.) I decided from the music on the radio, the items on the menu, and the decorations on the wall that it was a relatively authentic mid-twentieth-century fast-food diner.  I had fun studying the retro decorations on the walls. What really stood out to me was what a cool collection of classic rock memorabilia they had. They had Elvis, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, Chuck Berry, and other early classic rock superstar photos, posters, and even vinyl records. I noticed an old movie poster or two from films I was not familiar with, a nice Muhammed Ali poster, and a black and white photo of Bill Clinton. They had some old soda and ketchup logos, some nice antique vending ...

Original Pollo Original Pollo is a down-to-earth casual restaurant with a cozy, old-fashioned feel. Walking in from the suburban streets of Berkeley, you begin to feel as if you have traveled to a different time and place, one that is peaceful and old-fashioned in all the best of ways. The restaurant design exudes old-fashioned simplicity. The color scheme emphasizes red, maroon, and brown, giving off comforting vibes. Nothing looks new, but everything is comfortable. As you sit in the restaurant, you can hear the sounds of the other patrons talking, the kitchen utensils clinking, and sometimes the news playing on their one television. The first thing you’ll notice when you walk in is that they have an extensive menu mounted on the wall, chock-full of meals at prices you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere in the Bay Area. I almost did a double-take, wondering why the prices, like the attractive interior design, seemed to be from a different decade. Original Pollo serves a variety...

Endless Summer Sweets A trip to Endless Summer Sweets is like a trip back in time to childhood. This small shop specializes in all of our childhood favorites, with an emphasis on summer fair food. The shop is brightly lit and painted in pastel blue-green and light pink, colors that resemble classic cotton candy. When you walk in, you will be surrounded by these festive colors and will see a counter that displays caramel apples and several flavors of kettle corn; behind that counter, you will see the entire menu in bright colors on television screens.  The main course menu consists of hot dogs, corn dogs, chicken tenders, and chicken sandwiches. The side options include fries and nachos. For dessert, you can have cotton candy, popcorn, ice cream, churros, funnel cakes, milkshakes, and more. You can order and pay at a kiosk or in person with the help of a cashier.  The corn dogs taste like pure nostalgia--exactly what you remember the corn dogs tasting like in childhood. By this...

Crave Subs Crave Subs is a fun, pop culture-themed sub sandwich shop! It is enjoyable to walk into because it is bright, colorful, and lively. On the walls, you will see old comic books, and on the menu, you will see that the sandwiches are named after pop culture icons like Bart Simpson, SpongeBob, Shrek, and Tom & Jerry. In the background, you can hear the speakers playing upbeat music. It really comes off as a cute place to grab a bite! When you walk in, the first thing you see is their extensive ice cream, gelato, waffle, and crepe bar to the side (see my post on Scoop N Chill ). On the other side, you will see a row of silver metal tables with red chairs that give off a somewhat festive vibe. Finally, you will reach the counter where you can place your customized order and pay with contactless payment. The menu offers a variety of meat subs, veggie subs, and vegan subs, all with fun pop culture names. All the subs are served with their delectable crave sauce, lettuce, and tom...

Coupa Cafe Coupa Cafe is famous in the South Bay for being a cross between a quality coffee shop and a proper sit-down restaurant. Coupa Cafe proudly serves coffee, pastries, smoothies, desserts, and full-fledged breakfast options alongside salads, crepes, paninis, wraps, and burgers. It delivers expertly-made food and drink items for an inexpensive price and welcomes guests to use the tables for as long as they like, There's a lot I could say about this restaurant, but simply put, it is a fantastic place to choose to visit. The food and beverages are yummy. The prices are competitive. Their tables make a great place to eat, drink, or meet, and Coupa is a restaurant that does its best for the community and the environment. It's even part of the South Bay culture by now, a place favorited by Silicon Valley executives and common folks as well.  Coupa Cafe has been family owned since 2004 and is a shop bursting with personality. They take real pride in what they do, as they serve...

Steamer Lane Supply This inexpensive restaurant doesn't have an actual address because it is located just a little ways from the shore, which provides it with a fantastic view. (The closest address is 698 West Cliff Drive, which is actually the address of the lighthouse.) This restaurant is popular among surfers and beach regulars.  The low prices do not reflect low quality; quite the contrary, this small restaurant has some of the tastiest food in Santa Cruz. The smash burgers and fish tacos are particularly notable, as are the sweets.  All the seating is outside at picnic tables a walking distance from the cliff overlooking the water. You can see, hear, and smell the ocean from the tables. 

  Bandit This small restaurant and coffee shop, which holds only a few tables and is located in the Dogpatch region, is a wonderful find. It is perfect for early risers, as it opens early in the morning every day (7:00 am to 2:00 pm on Monday and Tuesday, 7:00 am to 8:00 pm Wednesday to Friday, and 7:30 am to 8:00 pm on the weekend). Thus, it has become one of my favorite places to grab a quick breakfast when I am in the area. But it’s also worth a try later in the day if you’re nearby.  Bandit has a nice assortment of coffee and espresso beverages. Made in front of you with their state-of-the-art coffee machines, syrups, and fresh milk, the beverages have a nice, strong coffee flavor that—like the caffeine level—is powerful but not overpowering. It will wake you up but not leave you overly buzzed, just as much as it will taste a bit bitter but not taste bad. Bandit serves some nice breakfast items like breakfast sandwiches and breakfast burritos, all thick with generous port...

Purple Onion Cafe If you are ever in Los Gatos and are looking to grab a quick but satisfying bite, this is a great place to stop! Open daily from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, this cute little cafe has something on its menu for almost everyone. This shop has an impressive coffee menu that includes espresso, americano, macchiatos, cappuccinos, lattes, cafe au laits, mochas, drip coffees, matcha lattes, chai lattes, and hot chocolates. You can add oat milk, almond milk, half and half, and a variety of simple syrups/flavors. Their coffee is masterfully handcrafted with lots of care and love.  I tried their mocha and was blown away by the superbness! The drink was warm with a thick, velvety texture. It was sweet, but not too sweet; it had a subtle but noticeable chocolate flavor. There also an enticing selection of sweets in their glass case. These baked goods include cookies, croissants, coffee cakes, muffins, and brownies. These sweets are not just your basic sweets; they have a sophisticate...

Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers Barney's is a proper sit-down restaurant with a full menu. You will wait to be seated, study the menu, order from a server, wait on your food, eat at your table, and then pay at your table. It's a quiet and peaceful place to sit and eat. Barney's serves a wide selection of salads, hot dogs, and sandwiches, but their speciality is their assortment of gourmet hamburgers. They use high-quality beef to make thick, juicy patties, and they top off their burgers with a lot of different gourmet additions like cheeses, bacon, and other toppings like sauces, pineapple, or guacamole. Some of their burgers are very intricate, but they also serve "classics."  All the burgers at this establishment are large, packed with flavor, and meant to be eaten with big bites. The burgers come with fresh, crunchy lettuce, and fresh, juicy tomatoes. The burgers are served with salty French fries and a yummy Thousand Island sauce, which all go together very n...