Exploring the Bay Area

Espresso Roma Cafe Open daily from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, this cafe is a great place to start your day or stop by and grab a bite. There is an impressive coffee menu and an impressive food menu. It is a cross between a coffee shop and a casual dining restaurant.   When you walk in, you might be overwhelmed by the number of options, which include eggs, sandwiches, soups, burgers, breakfast burritos, and salads as well as a variety of coffee and tea options. They also have a juice bar and an assortment of sodas.  When you finally choose, you can place your order at the counter, where they will ring you up and accept your payment. They will either prepare your order on the spot or give you a number to put on you table. After that, you can be seated. This cafe has lots of seating. The majority of the seating is outdoors, most of which is under a veranda. There is also a small lounge and eating area inside. The vanilla latte (pictured above) was fabulous. The coffee flavor was deep a...

La Mission La Mission is a popular small restaurant in Berkeley that sticks to authentic and delicious Mexican cooking. La Mission keeps the food affordable without sacrificing authenticity or quality. This restaurant is no secret. Crowds come back again and again to dine in or get takeout.  The menu is made up of elaborate, traditional Mexican recipes that they can whip up in a jiffy. They serve a variety of appetizers, burritos, tacos, enchiladas, sandwiches, other entrees, soups, salads, and desserts.  We have been here more than once and have sampled several of the items. Below, I will describe some of our favorites, but honestly, it's hard to go wrong.  First of all, the spicy chile colorado burrito with chicken is a real hit. It is very spicy but very good! The spices from the chile de arbol and the chile colorado mix beautifully to make an intriguing flavor of their own. It makes for a satisfying and filling meal. Next, the ceviche is always light and summery. It ...