East Bay Options for New Year's Eve 2011-2012

From Tom Walton of Fortune Public Relations:

These Berkeley and Oakland restaurants still have seats available for New Year’s Eve 2011.

Ajanta
1888 Solano Avenue, Berkeley CA 94707
510.526.4373
http://www.ajantarestaurant.com/

(Note from FJK: One of the most gourmet and tastiest Indian restaurants in the Bay area. Very much a white table cloth establishment)
Open from 5:30 to 9:30 PM. Serving the regular a la carte menu plus a $25.00 three-course “Best Of The Best At Ajanta” Chef’s Tasting Menu with a main course that includes Galina Shakooti, Lamb Rib Chops, Methi Machi and Badal Jaam. A vegetarian prix fixe option is also offered for $22.00.

Gather
2200 Oxford Street, Berkeley CA 94704
510.859.9180
http://www.gatherrestaurant.com/

Seating from 5:00 to 10:00 PM. Serving a $75.00 four-course prix fixe menu with choices, vegan and omnivore selections for each course, and wine pairing available for an additional $25.00.

Italian Colors
2220 Mountain Boulevard, Oakland (Montclair Village) CA 94611
510.482.8094
http://www.italiancolorsrestaurant.com/

(a note from FJK -- this is my neighborhood trattoria, always a good meal.)
Seating from 5:00 to 10:00 PM. Serving a special holiday a la carte menu that includes Green Scarves Lasagna with grilled vegetables, and fried sweet onions; Duck Breast seared medium rare with butternut squash ravioli, braised Swiss chard, and duck jus; Dungeness Crab Stuffed Filet Mignon with au gratin potatoes, baby vegetables, and bordelaise and béarnaise sauces; Butter Poached Lobster Risotto with chanterelle mushrooms and saffron; Sea Scallops with turnip puree, blood orange gastrique, and baby vegetables; 72 hour Braised Short Rib with mascarpone polenta, chipolin onions, roasted root vegetables, and Chianti sauce; and Salmon en Croute or fresh fish napoleon, sweet pea puree, baby vegetables.

Joshu-ya Brasserie
2441 Dwight Way, Berkeley CA 94704
510.848.5260
http://www.joshu-ya.com/

Open 10:30 AM to 10:00 PM serving their regular a la carte menus. Complimentary hot sake during dinner service.

Lake Chalet
1520 Lakeside Drive, Oakland CA 94612
510.208.5253
http://www.thelakechalet.com/

(Note from FJK:  Great views of Lake Merrit. Haven't eaten there yet, but have had enjoyed my meals at its sister establishments Park and Beach Chalets in S.F.) Seating from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Regular a la carte menu served until 5:00 PM when a special holiday a la carte menu becomes available. Guests ordering three or more courses from this menu will receive a complimentary glass of sparkling wine. Holiday special entrees include Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna; Braised Beef Short Rib; Breast Of Chicken; Lamb; Black Angus New York Steak; and Scallops.

Origen
2826 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley CA 94705
510.848.9200
http://www.origenberkeley.com/

Seating from 5:30 to 11:30 PM, bar open until 1:00 AM. Regular a la carte menu plus a $65.00 five-course prix fixe menu with optional wine pairing or sparkling wine pairing available. Holiday entrée choices will include Lobster and Cheese Purses over butter stewed quince; Scallop and Avocado Ceviche with pomello, watermelon radish and housemade flat breads; and Blue Hubbard Squash Gnochi in a braised duck ragu with housemade Mascarpone. Complimentary sparkling wine toast at midnight.

Revival Bar & Restaurant
2102 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley CA 94704
510.409.6274
http://www.revivalbarandkitchen.com/

Seating from 4:00 to 11:30 PM, bar open until 1:00 AM. Holiday a la carte menu and artisanal champagne cocktails. Special menu items will include Oysters with Meyer lemon marmalade, persimmon and pomegranate salsas; housemade Brandade; local Crab Bisque; Winter Salad; housemade Porchetta; Chestnut and Chanterelle Ravioli with parsnip cream; Bouillabaisse; and goose fat fried potatoes. Live music beginning at 9:00 PM, party favors, and complimentary sparkling wine toast at midnight.

Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto
1919 Fourth Street, Berkeley CA 94710
510.845.7771
http://www.spengers.com/

(Note from FJK: Always fresh and delicious. Get the fish!) Open 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM; bar is open until midnight. Serving regular a la carte menu. Complimentary sparkling wine toast at midnight. A specialty of the house is personalized private parties.

San Franicsco - 49 Square Miles of Food

Check out the San Francisco Chronicle's new series on the food of San Francisco -- a tasty tour of each of the city's 49 square miles.

Here's the overview and first installment.  Check back every week at http://www.sfgate.com/  for an update on another of San Francisco's culinary square miles.

What a great idea. Kudos to the Chronicle's Food and Wine staff for coming up with it!

Blog Appetit Gets Visitors

My sister, brother-in-law and almost 15-year-old niece arrive today for  R and R (Rushing Around and Relaxing) in the Bay area.  They got pretty shook up by the East Coast quake so don't know how much they will like the rock and roll of our little quake last night and aftershocks if they continue.

Anyway, we have lots of fun things planned for their visit.  I will try (I no longer promise, I'm so bad) to write up the highlights of what we do as a resource for BADSF.

We have had other visitors this summer.  With one couple we did this day trip along the Pacific Coast although Bonnie Doon had changed its wine tasting location so we missed it.  They have moved the wine tasting room into their new restaurant. Go to https://www.bonnydoonvineyard.com/ for more information on that.  The White Raven (Felton) chai was just a great as we remembered.  And we saw some seals at Pigeon Point lighthouse.  All in all a great day.

Dine Around Town is Back -- June 1 - 15

San Francisco's greatest dining bargain -- multicourse lunch ($17.95) or dinner ($34.95) at some of San Francisco's favorite restaurants is back for its 10th anniversary.  See the Dine Around site for more info on participating restaurants and availability.  (Here's what I've written about the event in the past.)

Where to Eat in San Francisco's Theater District (Plus How to Score Half Price Tickets)

While you are in San Francisco, take in a play.  We have our own mini theater district centered around the A.C.T. Theater and the Curran with other, smaller venues near by.  While you are in the area, check out one of the restaurants on this list of where to eat before the theater from MenuPages.

Also check out the half-price ticket booth  run by Tix Bay Area at Union Square for discount ducats to theaters in this area as well as around the city and Bay area. The service also has a large number of shows with discount tickets you can buy on line in advance. The Tix Bay Area site also gives a good overview of what is up with the theater and performance scene in the Bay area.

Eat Like a Student and Get an "A" in Savings -- Good Cheap Eats on Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley

You don’t have to be a student to enjoy the budget restaurants clustered around Telegraph Avenue near UC-Berkeley (a short bus or BART ride from San Francisco).  A recent walk on the avenue found a number of interesting spots that offer value, good food, and a taste of life in Berkeley.  All are open for lunch and dinner, and many of the restaurants also offer food to go.

I found Durant Square by following my nose to Steve’s Korean Barbeque with its enticing aroma of grilling marinated meats. Durant Square,  is sometimes known as the “Asian Ghetto” for its collection of Chinese, Korean, and other Asian restaurants featuring large portions and low prices.  For $5-$8 expect to fill up on food from any one of these establishments.

Steve’s Korean Barbeque is popular and its offerings range from $6.99 for grilled chicken to $8.49 for barbecued beef short ribs. Steve’s also cooks up vegetarian and seafood options as well as other Korean specialties.  Like many of the restaurants on the square, it is open for lunch and stays open until late. (No website. 2521-F Durant Avenue. 510.848.6166)

Another restaurant in the complex, Gyspy’s Trattoria Italiana, is a mash up of old-fashioned Italian-American restaurant and budget fast food place, with slightly more ambience than many of the other places on the square.  Expect to pay under $6 for most vegetarian pastas, under $7 for seafood, beef and chicken ones such as Crazy Alfredo with chicken, sausage, roasted red peppers, and red wine in Alfredo sauce tossed with fettuccine.  The daily special is a plate of pasta, salad and soft drink for $8.99. The food is plentiful, hearty and filling.  Gypsy’s also offers pizza, calzone, salads and sandwiches.

Another alternative for Italian food is Pasta Bene. The food here is a bit more refined as is the atmosphere.  The restaurant, a relative newcomer to the avenue, features a daily happy hour, outdoor seating and a $5 pasta lunch special.  A starter of fried calamari is $5.95 and an order of linguini with chicken breast, artichoke hearts and vegetables in olive oil-herb sauce is $7.95.  Most pasta dishes are $7-$9 and Pasta Bene also offers stone-fired pizzas, sandwiches and salads.

A large sandwich on incredible honey wheat bread, a salad bowl that seems bottomless and a perfect place for people-watching, that’s the Café Intermezzo experience — one I’ve long enjoyed.  Join the quick-moving line (usually out the door), see what others are eating and check out the wooden menu on the wall for the day’s specials before ordering.  Soups and stews are also offered daily. Sandwiches and salads start at under $7 and portions are large so consider sharing. It’s a Berkeley institution that briefly changed names and owners (but not menus) last year, and is back under the original management.

Since this is Berkeley after all, every café and restaurant around campus will have vegetarian options, even the cheesesteak place,  but everything at the recently opened Maoz is not only vegetarian but kosher.  Maoz, part of a chain that began in Amsterdam, offers falafel, salads, and Belgian and sweet potato fries in an unlimited number of combinations that you create yourself by adding on toppings from its extensive salad bar.  “Meal deals” with sandwich, fries and a beverage start at $7.15.  Ala carte sandwiches start at $4.25.

Bongo Burger has been stuffing hungry students on a budget with falafel and other goodies since 1968.  It has several locations around campus, with one just off Telegraph Avenue. Besides Middle Eastern specialties such as shish kabab and tabouleh, Bongo Burger specializes in juicy hamburgers. My favorite is the Persian Burger with seasoned, ground lamb at $6.50.  An “All American” with a third-pound of Niman Ranch beef is $4.25.

Looking for place to eat a bit away from the Telegraph Avenue scene?  Right across from campus is an elegant café that offers morning pastries, lunch, and gourmet dinners as well selling classical music cds. The Musical Offering also has special event dinners.  Luncheon items include hot and cold sandwiches and salads, most under $8.  Dinners start at a few dollars more but offer items such as lamb quesadillas and chicken flatbreads.  Menus and specials change often.

Just need a quick bite?  Try Gordo’s for overstuffed San Francisco/Tex-Mex style burritos, Blondies or Fat Slice for slices of pizza, King Pin for donuts (on Durant Square), or a grilled hot dog or sausage from Top Dog.

Update (12.17.12) Maoz closed the Berkeley location.  Cafe Intermezzo, very sadly, burned to the ground.  Rebuilding and reopening are an option, but a distant one.  The fire also destroyed Raleigh's Pub next door, a favorite place to take our kids to play pool (yes, really).
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A version of this post first appeared on poor taste magazine.
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