Exploring the Bay Area

  Yin Ji Chang Fen I am so glad I discovered this exciting Cantonese food chain with a small shop in Berkeley, California, on Shattuck Avenue! The food here is excitingly inexpensive, but it doesn’t taste cheap, and the portions are a very respectable size. Best of all, the food comes prepared with careful attention to taste and Cantonese tradition. It’s popular here, partially because it has not yet given up on a truly unique and lovely finished product and partially because it’s affordable. Environment   When I visited, I noticed the eating area was bright and clean, creating the optical illusion of being more spacious than it is. In reality, it’s a small business in Downtown Berkeley, California. But it doesn’t feel like a small business in Berkeley. It resembles someplace bigger and gives off very Chinese vibes. Everything about the dining room was appetizing and appealing, and made me really want to sit and eat. And judging by the number of tables filled, even at odd...

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 ...

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...