Exploring the Bay Area

  Habit Burger and Grill There is something very soothing and satisfying about eating at Habit Burger and Grill. It’s not just your standard fast food; it’s more of a specialized, tasty old-fashioned American comfort food. Known for great burgers, fries, and shakes, plus delicious sauces like ranch and barbecue, this fast-food chain commands respect among fast-food restaurants for serving food people love. I’ll start by saying I am a real fan of good French fries, and the fries at Habit Burger and Grill are among my favorite fast-food fries. I was blown away by how much I liked them when I first tried them, and I will admit, I have stopped in just for a small serving of these incredible fries before. Both the sweet potato and regular fries are salted and deep-fried to perfection; you can choose which one you want, or you can order both with the “half and half” option. Ordering these fries could result in you devouring soft, salty, and enticing fries faster than you realize. They’re...

              Dave's Hot Chicken Dave’s Hot Chicken is famous for fried fast food chicken. It's a cute and modern fast food restaurant with festive red chairs, modern art, and windows that let in sunlight that focuses its efforts on its famous fried chicken. There’s seating indoors and outdoors, and throughout the restaurant, you can hear the speakers belting popular music. It’s the kind of place with a broad appeal that draws eager customers of all ages. I wouldn't be scared off by the word "hot"; they also serve milder options for those who need them. You order from a limited menu and pay at the counter, keeping in mind that this place specializes in one thing: fried chicken. The service is friendly and fast, in my case taking about ten minutes altogether and not costing more than other fast food. The chicken can come as large or small tenders and big or small sandwiches. Not only that, you can choose from seven spice levels, which go from no spice t...

  Al's Big Burger Al’s Big Burger looks like little more than a rundown shack in Albany with a charcoal grill and some casual seating. The entire building is small and weathered, and you can hear the sizzle of the grill in the kitchen and other customers talking throughout the small restaurant. Taking one look at this place, you wonder if you’ve stepped back in time. And you wonder how such a humble shack has made it this long. But before the appearance turns you away, you will notice that the smell is thick, savory, and heavenly, and you can see the flames jumping off the charcoal grill in the kitchen through a window as they help finish cooking the patties. And you will likely feel, as I did, the desire to try the food at this place. The menu features several variations on the classic notion of a small, old-style burger stand; the most popular items appear to be the burgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and fries. The prices are relatively low—so low, in fact, that you might worry ab...

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...

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 ...

  Gott's Roadside Ferry Building Marketplace 1 Ferry Building #6, San Francisco, CA 94111 415-318-3423 Sun to Wed: 10am - 9pm Thurs to Sat: 10am - 10pm Soft Serve & Cookie Counters: same as restaurant Thrive City – Chase Center, 151 Warriors Way, Suite 102, San Francisco, CA 94158 415-815-2992 Mon-Sun: 11am–8:30pm Hours may vary during Chase events SFO International Terminal, Gate A-10, San Francisco, CA 94128 650-821-6440 Sun to Fri: 11am–9pm Sat: 6am–8pm Town & Country Village, 855 El Camino Real #65, Palo Alto, CA 94301 650-326-1000 Mon to Sun: 10:30am–9pm Gott’s Roadside is a fast-food restaurant where you can order and pay at the register up front. Nonetheless, it serves something that I would consider to be more sophisticated than an average fast-food place that you would envision. It is classic but modern—everything you would expect from a convenient fast food chain, but much more!   The food has a simple, nostalgic American flavor that has been taken to the nex...

In-N-Out Burger The famous burger chain In-N-Out Burger has a restaurant in San Francisco that you might want to try! With long lines spanning into the street at most hours of the day, this fast food franchise is no secret. People know and love it for its great food and low prices. The chain stays true to a small and simple menu, plus a secret menu for those who know what they are doing. The menu and the secret menu are available online (see the above link). Ultimately, they stick to what they do best and are known for: variations on burgers, fries, and shakes. It's perfect place to stop for a casual meal as you walk along the shore. In-N-Out embraces simplicity. The recipes are an old-fashioned type of simple yet extremely tasty. With the burgers, we have the combination of fluffy soft buns, fresh lettuce, tomato, and perfectly seared patties creating a symphony of flavors for our taste buds (onions--cooked or raw--are optional); you could have a single, a double, a triple, or eve...