Exploring the Bay Area

Helacio's Deli and Cafe Helacio's is a small cafe and deli located on Sacramento Street, serving a wide variety of options. This includes pastries, breakfast burritos, sandwiches, salads, paninis, soup, coffee, fresh juice, smoothies, and ice cream. The entire menu is displayed on the chalkboards on the wall behind the counter, on signs posted along the counter, or in the glass cases that form part of the barrier between the kitchen and the rest of the restaurant. It seems they have something for everyone. You can order and pay at the register behind the counter. They accept credit cards and contactless pay, and the prices won’t give you sticker shock. Almost as soon as you place your order, they will begin preparing your food or beverage. The service is relatively quick, even when it's crowded. The baristas are friendly and work very fast. It’s kind of fun to watch them hurrying around the small kitchen area. Somehow, the finished product turns out looking and tasting per...

Oori Rice Triangles Oori is a very small restaurant. In fact, it is more like a stand. It has no seating at all. You come in, order and pay at a kiosk, and then wait as they prepare your order in their small kitchen. There is standing area where you can eat, or you can carry out your order.  The fact of the matter is that this adds to the appeal of Oori. It is fast, simple, and tasty. Nothing more. The simplicity of the restaurant helps it maintain low prices for the food. Customers rotate quickly through the business and often come back for more. Oori has cornered the market in Berkeley for freshly prepared rice triangles. They have grilled salmon (pictured above), short rib, spicy ahi tuna, chicken teriyaki, spicy pork, spicy shrimp, unagi, tofu teriyaki, tofu kimchi, spicy kimchi, pickled plum, spicy tofu, and rice only triangles. All are made with same basic method, which wraps a healthy amount of filling and a rice triangle in crunchy seaweed.  These toppings can also be...

The Noodle The Noodle is one of Berkeley's hidden gems nestled into the downtown area serving lunch and dinner every day of the week except for Monday. A small, casual and down-to-earth Thai eatery that make flavor-packed food at a snappy pace, this is the place to go when you are hungry and craving an exotic yet still homey and comforting plate of Thai food. The lunch and dinner menu is extensive; you will find a variety of salads, soups, stir-fries, appetizers, and noodle dishes, all created in their signature authentic Thai style. You can customize the spiciness of the dishes to your own spice tolerance. The freshly prepared food will be served hot in an aesthetically pleasing style.  Because of the welcoming environment and quality of the food, it's a great place to branch out and try new dishes. I am always finding new favorites. For example, my long-time favorites at this restaurant were the larb and the Pad Thai, but then I tried the Pad See Ew and fell in love. My favor...

Onigilly Available in San Francisco and Palo Alto, Onigilly Japanese Kitchen serves freshly prepared onigiri. Order and pay at a kiosk and wait for the staff to assemble your order. The service is fast. These triangular treats make perfect snacks on their own, or you can order enough for a meal. They are relatively inexpensive, yet surprisingly yummy and satisfying. There is an assortment of available fillings, including my favorites: salmon, spicy miso beef (pictured above), and unagi. The fillings are sandwiched between two triangles of fresh white rice and wrapped in crunchy nori. Onigilly also carries poke bowls and some interesting desserts and sides, including tempura shrimp, chicken karaage, miso soup, and cheesecake.