Bowling for Produce

Only one event can relieve the parking wars and mobs of shoppers at Berkeley Bowl--the opening of a new location, Berkeley Bowl West, on Heinz. The sleek new building offers all the same goods as the flagship location, and even hosts an adjoining cafe. Thanks to a spacious interior, you can now shop for your produce, baked goods and prepared foods without bumping into yuppie mommies and daddies or annoying Berkeley students. And with no long lines at check-out, you won't have to weave your way through customers as you make your way from one end of the store to the other. Drivers can also take note that there is more parking available both in the lot and on the street, so there's no need to piss off the friendly folks at Walgreens. Even if you live closer to the original location, consider shopping here--you'll probably find the experience more pleasant and become a convert.

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Shopping • Berkeley (West)

A Stroll To Japan

San Pablo Ave may be a far cry from Tokyo, but the tiny Tokyo Fish Market carries a selection of Japanese groceries that can rival any across the Pacific. The sushi grade fish is among the best to be found, perfect for anyone forgoing restaurant sushi in favor of crafting their own. But there's much more than fish to be found here. The market is stocked with everything from packaged ramen noodles to kewpie mayonaise. If you want to make fresh miso soup, there are multiple brands of miso paste to choose from. In fact, anything you'd need to prepare an authentic Japanese feast will be found here. But if you don't feel like cooking, there is a good selection of prepared meat and sushi. And for those with a fetish for all things Japanese, there is an adjacent gift shop full of kitchenware, lunch boxes, and other goodies from Japan. After a stroll through, you'll forget you were in North America.

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Shopping • Berkeley (West)

Cafe of Choice

It's hard for me to be in the neighborhood near Cafe Clem and not be tempted to stop in for a cafe au lait and pastry. This little cafe is a bit off-the-beaten path on Berkeley's south side, but it is well worth a trip to sample the delectable baked goods, savory egg dishes, and gourmet sandwiches. Inspired by the cafes of France and sister to Berkeley's well-loved La Note restaurant, Cafe Clem is a cozy place to sip your coffee slowly and linger over a newspaper and perhaps an almond croissant. On sunny days, grab a sidewalk table and hope you get there just when the chocolate chip cookies come out of the oven. Or order a toasted baguette with brie and a fresh fruit tartlet with a glass of French wine, and any old afternoon turns simply delightful.

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Coffee • Berkeley (West)

Worth the Drive

Traveling an hour by car to buy bread sounds nuts, but I'm crazy about Acme Bread in Berkeley. Simply put, they make the best bread in the Bay Area. Their baguettes are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I can devour one all by myself even before paying for my order. I stock up on olive bread, made with green olives, rosemary focaccia, New York rye that tastes like the real thing, walnut and cranberry loaves that are so packed with ingredients you need muscles to carry them, and Italian batard that makes incredible French toast. Oh, and I can never deny myself the ham and cheese turnovers that are flaky and oozing with flavor, so I toss a few of those into the bag as well.

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Shopping • Berkeley (West)

Eating (Good) on the Cheap

Fellini is a great place to go when you want to eat out, eat healthy, and not spend a lot of money. With the slippery economy these days, many of us are eating out less frequently to try to save a few bucks. But let's face it, we all need to be waited on every now and then. At Fellini you get all the experience of a luxurious dinner out without the hefty price tag. The menu changes seasonally and always offers several pasta dishes, pizzas, and vegetarian, seafood and chicken entrees. You can substitute grilled tofu for seafood or chicken to make almost any dish veggie-friendly. You can even get soy bacon or vegan pepperoni on your pizza (remember, this is Berkeley, California). Add to that a respectable selection of wines and craft microbrews on tap, and the experience is complete. That is, until you get the dessert menu.

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Coffee , Restaurants • Berkeley (West)

Sometimes You Wanna Go...

Feel like you want to get away to a place where everybody knows your name, but Boston is a bit too far? Head to the Albatross. A visit to Berkeley's oldest pub can feel like being welcomed into the home of an old friend. On cold evenings, you can snuggle fireside with a pint of Guinness and a game of checkers. For a battle of the brains, treat a friend to a single malt scotch and a game of chess. Got a knack for retaining useless facts? Show off your talent on Trivia Night, held every Sunday at 8:30 pm. The Albatross is the perfect place to gather your friends for a few rounds of drinks, interesting conversation, and good old-fashioned fun with board games. There's a pool table and dartboards, Boggle and Balderdash, and popcorn and pizza, all set in a cozy, homey atmosphere.

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Nightlife • Berkeley (West)

Oasis

Living in Berkeley, there are certainly some big-city things we lack. Like a neighborhood panaderia and taqueria, for instance. Don't get me wrong, I generally like the burritos and pastries I can get here. They just don't quite live up to the pollo asado or pan dulce you could get at your typical Mission joint. So after passing by Casa Latina so many times on the bus, I knew I had to give the place some attention. As soon as I walked in, the sight of pan dulce, biscuits, and croissants, not to mention the flan and fresh fruit cups, almost made me do a double-take to make sure I wasn't on Valencia. Then there were the burritos that, while not cheap, are stuffed generously and definitely give you bang for your buck. So if I'm stuck in the East Bay for the weekend and am craving a Mission burrito or taco, I'll stop by again.

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Restaurants • Berkeley (West)

Brunch Break

On a recent Sunday morning in Berkeley, I found myself fourteenth in the waiting list for a table at Bette's Oceanview Diner on Fourth Street. Bette's is a breakfast and brunch staple in this part of town. But with a groaning stomach after a night of sufficient wine drinking, I didn't think I'd make it another hour without some serious breakfast. I wandered over to Cafe M, a relative Fourth Street newcomer. There was no line for a table, despite the fact that this open, airy cafe was busy with hungry brunchers. The service was friendly and quick, and before I realized it, I was chowing down on some blueberry buttermilk pancakes with pecan butter and powdered sugar, and swiping healthy forkfuls of marinated tofu scrambler from my companion’s plate. Cafe M serves breakfast all day and has a lunch menu with irresistible edibles like portobello quesadillas and a prime rib melt with caramelized onions and Swiss cheese. Next time you're craving some satisfying brunch food but aren't up for a long line, head over to Cafe M.

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Restaurants • Berkeley (West)

Nachos Good

Warm, fresh-baked corn tortillas. Spicy, sweet mole sauce. Fresh-squeezed lime margaritas. When I'm craving some home-style Mexican food, I head to Picante. The location next to industrial plants and construction sites in West Berkeley isn't ideal, but you can escape all that out back in the garden surrounded by lush greenery and singing birds. I always start with the fresh guacamole and warm tortilla chips. Then I move on to veggie tacos with black beans, smothered in mole and sprinkled with Mexican cheese. On a sunny afternoon, after a pitcher of margaritas or a few cervezas, I imagine I'm in Mexico. Once the buzz wears off, I'm stuffed and satisfied and ready for a siesta.

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Restaurants • Berkeley (West)

Break The Law/Pancake Lover

I rarely order the same dish twice. I quite like the excitement and mystery of trying something new. But if there was a dish that I would order again and again, it's the Demon Lover, aka Fried Chicken and Waffle, at 900 Grayson. While I prefer not to eat anything too heavy for breakfast, the fried chicken smothered with cream gravy sprinkled with a bit of cayenne is my new favorite topping for a plain buttermilk waffle. I never would have thought to create such a savory dish with a waffle. Though it was a bit much for one person, I was determined to finish it to the last bite. And now all I can think of is heading back for another. Perhaps on my next visit I'll order the vegetarian version, the Seitan Lover, with fried wheat gluten in place of the chicken, for variety.

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Restaurants • Berkeley (West)

Let Her Live

What's hot: Being green, being thrifty, being chic. What's not: Being asked to pay full price for stylish clothes mass-produced in China. That's where Sola Lucy comes in. For all you fashionistas who love labels but hate designer price tags, Sola Lucy just might have what you're looking for. Sure, they might be pushing it with the "green" thing (Are we really saving the planet buying handbags on consignment?), but recycled clothing does have its perks: high-heeled leather boots are gently scuffed, so it looks like you had them before they were "in" for the season; and those $200 jeans you just weren't ready to shell out for at full price are only a fraction of the cost, thanks to somebody else's deep pocketbook and fickle fashion sense. And if you've got a few fashionable pieces in your own closet that you're willing to part with, the ladies at Sola Lucy might be willing to take 'em off your hands. What's best: Sola Lucy is off the beaten path on Berkeley's Fourth Street, so you won't have to battle mobs of bargain hunters for those lightly used Joe's Jeans that just happen to be your size.

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Shopping • Berkeley (West)

O, The Humanity!

Just when I got used to having one cool clothing shop in my backyard, along comes Urbanity. And even though I have yet to make my first purchase, I'm already concerned about the future of my wallet. The just-opened consignment store on Solano Ave. features designer and boutique clothing at reasonable prices. Though many of its offerings are second-hand, the store definitely does not have the aura of Salvation Army. It's a place where cool urbanites walk away with fabulous finds to stuff their closets. And if you need to make room in your wardrobe for your new threads, consider bringing some of your old stuff in for consignment.

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Shopping • Berkeley (West)

Screw the Hippies! It's 2008!

If there was one thing Solano Avenue needed, it was a chic boutique. Don't get me wrong, it's already got several clothing stores, but they all seem to cater to the over 35 crowd. Where am I supposed to go if I want more than just the Gap or Banana Republic basics? So when Coquette recently opened, I finally got just what I wanted on one of my favorite drags of Berkeley, alongside the ethnic restaurants and independent bookstore. The selection is refreshingly trendy and stylish, without a hint of that gosh darned hippie influence Berkeley is known for. Frequent discounts and a sale rack mean that good deals can be found. And unlike so many boutiques, you won't feel too pressured to buy anything if it doesn't feel right. A rare find indeed.

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Shopping • Berkeley (West)

Cold as Indian Ice

It's one of those days when you feel like having Indian food. In this heat, though, you know it isn't the day for curry, yet you want more than just samosas and pakoras. But wait--before giving in and settling for a salad or sandwich instead, this is the time to try those cold Indian dishes. Vik's Chaat Corner has a daily menu of specialties with the kick that Indian cuisine is known for, without the heat. There are the puris, dahi pakori, and papdi, topped with yogurt, chutney, and spices. Afterwards, you can choose from the tempting sweets in the display case or even a kulfi falooda, an Indian ice cream float. If you need your curry or dosa fix, though, you can try those, too.

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Restaurants • Berkeley (West)

The Pasta Shop

I'm a food sample whore. Yeah, I said it. No apologies. No qualifications. My heart begins to flutter when I'm near the sample island at Trader Joe's, and don't even get me started about the pretzel dog bites at Costco. But the place with the most highfalutin' samples has got to be the Pasta Shop on Fourth Street on a Saturday or Sunday. On a recent trip, I sampled two different English cheddar cheeses; goat milk gouda; four olive oils (with chunks of baguette) including Olio Verde, a young, very green, small batch oil from Sicily that retails for $35 a pint; fig jam; 20-year aged balsamic vinegar; tomato salsa; prosciutto; pretzels and horseradish mustard; and truffle salt. It was an international gourmet orgy right there in the middle of the market, but I wasn't alone if the proliferation of used toothpicks and tiny plastic spoons was any indication of how many other people were as excited as I was about being in the middle of upscale sample mania. Oh, and The Pasta Shop is also a nice place to shop for fine cheeses, delicious sandwiches, beautiful pastries, and, as their name suggests, some great, fresh pastas as well. Too bad there weren't any samples of those.

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Shopping • Berkeley (West)

Gregoire

I love eating at any place that has "Crispy Potato Puffs" on its menu, which means I love getting takeout at Grégoire. As a bonus, the menu changes monthly according to what is seasonal and fresh. My eyes always jump back and forth between the meat, seafood, fowl, and vegetarian entree sections on the menu. Grilled Coho salmon? Sauteed duck breast? Chicken in puff pastry? Stuffed eggplant? Doesn't really matter as long as I get some of those potato puffs on the side (they're steaming hot, deep fried spheres of mashed potato and can right all wrongs of the day). The main courses are generous restaurant portions of fine dining caliber but without the restaurant prices, so eating gourmet/organic/seasonal actually ends up being an affordable treat. The lunch menu offers a terrific selection of sandwiches, from deep fried oyster po'boys to prosciutto on grilled focaccia, and all are under $8. There's dessert to round it all out, though I'm apt to order another round of potato puffs because they're just that good.

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Restaurants • Berkeley (West)

Dim Sum

It’s not easy finding good, authentic Chinese food in the East Bay, at least outside of Oakland’s Chinatown and Richmond’s Pacific East Mall. Most joints cater to the chow mein and sweet & sour pork crowd, leaving those craving authentic Chinese at a loss. But luckily, King Tsin provides the best of both worlds. While no longer the holy grail of Berkeley’s Chinese food scene, it remains one of the best places in town to have a satisfying meal, and there is a chance your friends may discover some new favorites if you can convince them to move away from the usual “safe” dishes. You can even get dim sum dinner—an impossibility anywhere else. Just ignore the costumed & bearded Cabbage Patch doll at the reception desk.

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Restaurants • Berkeley (West)

Taqueria

From the masters of Mexican cuisine over at Dona Tomas in Oakland comes the junior version of their hit flagship restaurant in taqueria form over at the shops at 4th Street in Berkeley. I generally avoid this part of town with fairly stern regularity, however, now that Tacubaya is open I just might find more excuses to buy designer sweaters for my friend's dogs and hit up the Restoration Hardware for a $90 soap dispenser. Everything is predictably awesome at Tacubaya, but the el pastor torta on homemade bread should be illegal. It's highly addictive and gives one the illusion of superpowers for hours after consumption. And I'd be hard-pressed to name a taqueria anywhere that serves seasonal fresh ceviche for under $10. I don’t throw the term "genius" around lightly, but the good folks at Dona Tomas/Tacubaya are indeed brilliant geniuses who deserve various major gastronomic prizes.

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Restaurants • Berkeley (West)

Chocolat(e) Sale!

You can never have too much chocolate. After all, it’s a fruit. And if you’re like me, you like to indulge in the most exotic varieties, ones that involve spices like cardamom and chilies. But you don’t want to shell out $7 for a pocket-sized bar. Well, you don’t have to… at least not until the end of this week. Chocolat, the cute chocolate shop on Solano Ave. is losing its lease and will likely close its doors by March 22. So to get rid of its stock, everything in the store is 50% off. You heard me right. This is your chance to sample some exotic chocolates for half price. Just spreading the word. Hurry, or all the other chocoholics will have snatched everything up.

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Shopping • Berkeley (West)

Slippery Slimy Pets

If you’re in the market for a pet to love that doesn’t require walking, grooming, and dressing up in cutesy sweater vests, the East Bay Vivarium is the place to go to find a bearded dragon or ball python that might or might not love you back. It’s also the place to go for all your reptilian accoutrements: heating pads, hidey caves, gravel, UV lamps, and, of course, live prey in the form of crickets, meal worms, mice, rats, and guinea pigs. Watch your step for runaway crickets hopping about the store as you browse the aisles lined with glass tanks housing every manner of snake, frog, lizard, turtle, and spider. It’s a great place to take kids on an impromptu field trip, especially if you’re lucky enough to spy an escapee corn snake hiding between tanks, enjoying her prison break like I did one afternoon. The staff, despite their almost caricatured attitude of aloofness and angst, are great about helping you choose a pet and teach the proper ways to care for it. They can be a bit gruff and curt, but it’s worth putting up with their tough exteriors in order to tap into their wealth of knowledge of all things slithery, slimy, and fanged.

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Pet Shops • Berkeley (West)