Santa Barbara: La Super-Rica Taqueria and my Disagreement with Julia Child

The outside of La Super-Rica Taqueria, Julia Child's favorite. 

I thought Julia Child could do no wrong. La Super Rica Taqueria, sadly, broke this illusion. (And yes, I realize how much like Julie Powell I am right now and I will promptly forget it.) According to many Yelp reviews and google searches, this place is notorious for being praised by Julia Child herself as her favorite taqueria. Needless to say, I was thrilled to get the chance to try it.

When we arrived to the little shack of a restaurant that is La Super Rica Taqueria, I thought that it must be one of those hole-in-the-wall places with amazing food, and boy was I hungry! But we soon met the first of many obstacles on our quest to try the famed La Super Rica when we found out that they were cash-only. It was no big deal and we found an ATM not too far up the road.

When we returned, however, the uncrowded restaurant that we had left only a few minutes earlier now had a line that was out the door. Although this too was no big deal, I was starving by this point, and I become notoriously unpleasant and incompetent even with the simplest of tasks when I am hungry. Ordering for 6 people, as my family asked me to do, was not the simplest of tasks, and thankfully, my mom took mercy on me (or was simply frustrated with my ineptitude) and took over for me. As we waited in line, we tackled our next obstacle: to find seats for 6 people, a venture that proved to far too difficult for a place described as ‘good for groups’ on Yelp. We thought ahead and tired to save a table, and eventually decided the easiest thing to do would be to split up into two tables, which we were lucky enough to find. But, of course, the people in front of us in line were not smart enough to think ahead and try to find a seat, but instead, rudely hoevered around one of our tables like vultures. (They also made some rather racist comments about the French. They pissed me off.)

All of this, plus the fact that the place was uncomfortably hot and there were flies buzzing around our heads was enough to put my dad off, and he wanted to get the food and leave, to eat at home where we would be comfortable. I selfishly tried to push for staying in the restaurant, despite the fact that everyone was having such an awful time, so I could fully take in the experience for this blog. But my dad couldn’t handle it and went to wait in the car and my mom ordered the food to go. I was disappointed, but soon got over it, thanks to those same rude people. My mom asked me to get some salsa and these people apparently had no regard for restaurant etiquette, or else they hadn’t notice that a line that had formed, and cut in front of me twice! I was perfectly ready to leave the restaurant and was in a terrible mood.

My only comfort was the thought that it would all be worth it once we got our food. It had to be, right? Julia loved it. I was heartened by the fact that by the time our food arrived, our luck seemed to be turning around. People began leaving, it wasn’t so crowded and hectice, and we found a corner table big enough to suit us all, so we decided to stay. The server was very accommodating to our ever-changing plans and graciously put our food on plates for us.

My order at La Super-Rica: one Taco Bistec, Guacamole and Corn tortillas, and Horchata.

Finally, after all that, we were ready to eat our food. I unrapped my taco from the to-go foil, and was immediately disappointed. The Taco Bistec that I ordered was literally only plain beef on a corn tortilla. But I decided to hold my opinion until I tasted the food. Maybe the ingredients were so flavorful that adding to the dish would have made it cumbersome. Sadly, this was not the case. The food was only mediocre at best. Even the guacamole, which was widely praised on Yelp, was not to my liking; I even felt that my homemade guacamole, which has more tartness to it, was better. Though there were a few upsides to the meal, even these were accompanied by drawbacks. Their salsa verde had a twist that is indescribable, but the restaurant lacked the chips to go along with them. The Horchata was also very tasty, the best I ever had even, but only for the first few sips; after that, it was sickeningly sweet. Overall, the meal did not sit well with me and I was disappointed that we went through that much effort for that little pay off.

The Taco Bistec was underwhelming.

But La Super Rica was not a totally lost meal: it was a learning experience for me. Most importantly, I learned to not let myself get that hungry before I eat. It only makes me crabby, impatient and self-absorbed, and my poor family were the ones who had to suffer me this time. I learned that I should use Yelp and judge long lines with discretion, as popular does not always mean good, especially for someone as snobby as me. Also, I learned that Julia Child is not infallible. Or maybe the taqueria has changed greatly since her visit there, which is certainly possible. Either way, La Super Rica’s current hype is undeserved.

Santa Barbara: Jane Restaurant

My meal at Jane: Penne Pasta with Shrimp and Bay Scallops, Chopped Tomato, Basil, Garlic and Olive Oil. Mmmm.

The best dining experience we had in Santa Barbara was probably at Jane. Their food was solidly good and the atmosphere seemed down to earth (for the most part). My family was still going strong with our strangeness, but unlike other experiences we had had in Santa Barbara, we didn’t feel too out of place.

            Let’s start with their food. I ordered their Penne Pasta with Shrimp, Clams, Bay Scallops, Chopped Tomato, Basil Garlic & Olive Oil, but decided to hold the clams (I’m not that adventurous, especially with shellfish). It was, as expected, very tasty and light and was exactly what I was in the mood for at the time. Though I’m usually not huge on scallops, these were probably the best I’ve ever tasted. The shrimp was just shrimp, nothing to write home about. My dish, however, was not the best one that I tried that night. My dad’s meal won that honor: the lamb chop special with a tomato sauce that he ordered was so hearty and delectable. Although it was a bit heavier than I was in the mood for at the time, I still lamented not ordering his dish. And, though Tolani’s lamb chop special was very different and certainly superior to Jane’s, it inevitably reminded me of that epic meal in New York. (It also led me to the superstitious and irrational conclusion that if there is a lamb chop special to be ordered, it is probably the best thing on the menu.)

Dad's Lamb Chop special. So hearty, sooooo good.

            After regretting not getting dessert after our last meal at the Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach, we decided that, though we were very full, we should try some dessert at Jane. The waitress was very nice and brought my littlest sister some soft-serve ice cream, which she thoroughly and messily enjoyed. She was a hilarious sight to behold; cackling with joy as she shoved the dessert into her face, pushing the soft-serve into precarious positions that posed a threat to the restaurant’s ‘children shouldn’t spill’ rule (which I’ll get into in a little bit). It was as if she had never tasted ice cream before and when we told her that, she emphatically replied in a very serious tone that she, in fact, had eaten ice cream before. But enough of her hilarity…

Bad photo of my dessert: Creme Brule, too big to finish, but so delicious.

            Dessert for the rest of us can mostly be described as overwhelmingly large but delicious. The portions for dessert were too much for us to handle, especially after a meal so large as well. I, the great lover of Crème Brule, was only able to get through about ¾ of mine before I stopped for fear that my stomach might actually burst open. I didn’t quit, however, before trying a bit of my dad’s Chocolate Marquise, which proved to me once and for all that my dad was making better culinary choices than I. Though I loved the Crème Brule (especially the crunchy top), the Chocolate Marquise was so rich that it had a slight cocoa bean flavor, and it was accompanied beautifully by a vanilla cream sauce. My brother and sister shared their Coconut Cake, for which Jane is known on Yelp, and that was also rather tasty, if you are a fan of coconut! It was a shame that they gave us so much dessert, as it was too good to let go to waste.

Chocolate Marquise with vanilla cream sauce.

Coconut Cake.

There was only one slight downside to Jane and that was their attitude towards children, as I alluded to above. With their children’s menu, the management left a little note for parents and the gist of it was this: we love kids, but we’re not going to clean up after them. For my parents, who deal with four to five messy children every day, this was a big turn off. Their reasoning, with which I totally agree, was that it is the restaurant’s job to clean up after its patrons and if you make a big mess, say because you have children, then you make it up to the staff by tipping big.

But this little negative quirk was not enough to make us dislike Jane in the least bit. The service was very friendly, the food was too enjoyable and, particularly when compared to the other experiences we had in Santa Barbara, Jane’s drawbacks were mild.

Santa Barbara: Boathouse at Hendry's Beach

The Boathouse at Hendry's Beach

Lovely atmosphere: right next to the beach!

The Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach is yet another example of how your experience at a restaurant can be completely decided by either the atmosphere or the food. We went to the Boathouse twice on our trip: the first time I was impressed by their atmosphere, the second time, by their food.

On our first trip, we were seated outside, which made all the difference in terms of atmosphere. The Boathouse is situated right next to Hendry’s Beach (surprise, surprise), its natural beauty made even more beautiful by the twinkling lights decorating the restaurant and the easy reggae music that floated through the air as we waited for our appetizers. My mom and dad and I split their Seared Ahi Tuna salad, Crab Cakes and a Chile and Lime Crab Cocktail. (If it isn’t already obvious, this place specialized in seafood). The Ahi Tuna salad was the only genuinely good meal out of the three. The Crab Cakes were decent, though a little salty and the Crab and Lime Cocktail was just mediocre. I also ordered a Blood Orange Margarita, which was delicious after I remembered to stir it; the first half of it or so was oversaturated with tequila (or maybe I’m just a lightweight). This trip, I paid more attention to my surroundings than to my food. 

Ahi Tuna.

Blood Orange Margarita.

We returned to the Boathouse, partially because we enjoyed our meal there and partially to satisfy my littlest sister’s beach cravings after spending an entire day “cooped up” at our beautiful beach house. It was a lot less fun than the last time: we were all hungry, we had a long wait, and we were eventually seated inside rather than outside. There were young guys at the table next to us making odd grunting noises, which we all thought was rather strange, especially my littlest sister, who mocked them rather loudly, causing the rest of my family to choke back our giggles and look down in embarrassment. (I could seriously start an entire blog on all the weird and funny things she does). The service was much less friendly and attentive than the first night when our waiter was super nice, likely because it was a busy night at the Boathouse. The only thing that I liked better about the second trip was the food and drink. I ordered the Mesquite Grilled Prawns, which were served on a slice of bread and infused with tons of butter and garlic, making them completely irresistible to me. My dad and I both ordered a glass of the Bridlewood Syrah, from the Central Coast, which was unbelievably good.

Mesquite Grilled Prawns were delicious! Photo Credit

            Both visits I came away enjoying the Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach, but for different reasons. Perhaps there will be one day when I return, get lucky and enjoy the atmosphere and the food simultaneously, but for now I’ll have to remember them separately.

Santa Barbara: McConnell's Ice Cream

McConnell's Ice Cream in Santa Barbara

Strawberry Bourdeaux

McConnell’s ice cream in Santa Barbara was rather mediocre when compared to some of the best ice cream places I’ve been to, like Ici in Berkeley, Penny Ice Creamery in Santa Cruz and Van Leeuwen in New York. Why write about it then? Well, apparently, the place has gotten a lot of notoriety, having been featured on Fraiser, is a favorite of Barbra Streisand, and has been called the best ice cream in the world by Time Magazine. Now, it’s possible that I ordered the wrong ice cream, as my scoop of Bourdeaux strawberry was rather unremarkable when compared to the tastes of Chocolate Raspberry Truffle and Brazilian Coffee Chip I had, thanks to my family. But, if McConnell’s is really in the running for best ice cream in the world, shouldn’t every flavor be to die for? My answer is yes and for me, McConnell’s ice cream didn’t live up to the hype.

One redeeming trait of place, however, was that it felt like one of those places that you would beg your parents to go to as a child. McConnell’s had this beach bum vibe that, when combined with the fact that they sold ice cream, produced in me a nostalgic affection for the place. And, they had a cute outdoor eating area, which added to McConnell’s laid back atmosphere. Although it may not have been the best ice cream I ever had, McConnell’s is worth checking out for the nostalgia factor and in order to investigate the hype. 

Santa Barbara: Arts and Letters Cafe

The all-powerful lamb burger at the Arts and Letters Cafe.

Going out to eat with my family is often a hectic but very entertaining experience, as the next few posts will surely demonstrate. But on our trip to Santa Barbara, even when we were missing one of the most rambunctious members of our family, we felt more unwelcome than usual. Although it could have been our imaginations, it seemed like we were being stared at much more than is commonly considered polite when we went out to eat. Now, it’s true that we sometimes appear “strange” as a family, not only because we are not only because we are interracial/multicultural (what have you), but also because my family includes some three adopted members, one of which looks very different from the rest of us. But even without being an odd sight to some strangers, we have other characteristics that might cause some people to stare. I am notoriously loud-mouthed and opinionated, and these traits are only heightened in the comfortable presence of my family. The youngest member of my family has a very distinctive munchkin voice that can cut through the loudest of environments, which would be fine if she didn't happen to be hilariously inappropriate for a six year old. And, of course, since siblings will be siblings, we all bicker like crazy.


 But despite our idiosyncrasies and like most families, we are usually met with respect when we dine out. In Santa Barbara, however, and particularly at the Arts and Letter Café, where we went out to lunch one day, the other patrons in the restaurant tended to stare, rather rudely I might add. There is no way to know the reasons for this impolite behavior; all that I know is that it made me feel ill at ease while I was trying to enjoy my meal.

A slice of cucumber in our water.

Besides this drawback, the Arts and Letters Café was an enjoyable experience. We arrived for lunch ten minutes before the kitchen closed, which ensured that we got our food quickly. Their eating area was a garden patio, which provided a very green and lovely atmosphere in which to ingest ones food. And, unlike the patrons, the service was friendly and courteous. Another virtue of the ALC was the fact that they had cucumbers in their water, which simultaneously provided a refreshing twist to our drinks and gave my family something to battle over (particularly for my littlest sister, who already has the bad habit of sticking her little fingers in the water to get the ice out).

But of course, we didn’t go there just for the atmosphere or the service or the cucumber water. We wanted good food and we received it. I ordered their lamb burger, which consisted of Niman Ranch Lamb, feta cheese, roasted pepper, spinach, basil aioli all on a sesame bun, and the ALC salad which included Shepherd Farm lettuce, red onion, avocado, pecorino cheese. Seriously divine. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the lamb burger, but once I took a bite, all doubts were cast aside. I didn’t even care that I probably looked ridiculous trying to eat a burger that was far too large to fit into my mouth. It was that good.

One of the many benefits of going out to eat with a large family––besides the assurance that you will never have a boring time––is that you are also able to take a sampling of everyone’s dish. The most memorable dish I tasted other than my own was my dad’s seafood salad, consisting of grilled prawns and crab with baby greens, tomatoes, onion and cucumbers with vinaigrette dressing. It was definitely delicious. Crab and shrimp happen to be some of my favorite types of seafood, and food in general. Even so, my lamb burger trumped all of the other dishes I tried there that night. 

Like many of our dining experiences in Santa Barbara, the Arts and Letters Café was a little off-putting, but filled with deliciousness and a little bit of crazy, thanks to my lovely family.

In the Kitchen: Santa Barbara Breakfast Blurb

This breakfast brought the sunny-side to a foggy morning in Santa Barbara

Stunning view from our place, a little later in the day.

There isn’t much to say about this little breakfast that I cooked up for myself, other than it felt like the right thing to eat whilst on a family vacation in a beautiful house with a stunning view in Santa Barbara. Though that morning was a rather foggy one, our beach-front house still offered a gorgeous view that inspired me to shake up my usual cereal-and-milk breakfast routine. I saw that my mom had made herself sunny-side up eggs and, since that meal happened to fall within my very limited cooking ability, I decided to do the same, but with a slight twist. After making the eggs, I sprinkled some balsamic vinegar on top, toasted a few slices of sourdough bread, washed myself a nectarine and poured a glass of my favorite caffeinated beverage, Tejava iced tea. It was a wonderful way to wake myself up, and I enjoyed it all the more beside the beautiful environment that surrounded me in stunning Santa Barbara. 

Thursdays at Cafe Elmwood: Sausage and Pint Night

Sausage and Pint at Elmwood Cafe!

"This must be Thursday. I could never get the hang of Thursdays." – Arthur Dent, of Douglas Adams’ Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

If you agree with this (rather geeky) quote, take heart. Thursdays have become just a little bit more bearable with the help of Berkeley’s relatively new Elmwood Café. The Café started a weekly Sausage and Pint Night, on (you guessed it) Thursdays.

            I discovered Sausage and Pint Night quite by accident. One Thursday night, Ben and I were being particularly indecisive about where to go for dinner and ended up going to Manpuku, a cheap, nearby and reliable tasty option for sushi. As we were walking home, we noticed that Elmwood Café was uncommonly happening for the time of night. We then saw the chalkboard sign outside their door and were quickly made aware of Sausage and Pint Night. Thinking it was a one-time deal, we lamented our choice of dinner and having missed out on something so European-sounding as Sausage and Pint Night. I went to Elmwood Café for lunch one Wednesday, a few weeks later, and noticed the writing on the chalkboard inside: Join Us Thursday for Sausage and Pint Night. It was a joyous moment, like finding a long-lost sock in the bottom of your drawer, but with the promise of something much more appetizing.

Needless to say, when Ben and I arrived the next evening we were brimming with excitement. We stepped up to the counter, where they had little green order cards for guest to fill out. For my sausage, I picked the Hot Italian on a pretzel with roasted onions, red peppers and their homemade ketchup on top. Ben went with the Chicken Apple Sausage on the same roll with the roasted onions and red peppers for toppings as well. Since neither of us can profess to know anything about beer, we just picked what sounded good. I got the Boont Amber Ale and Ben got himself the Trumer Pils. Despite our ignorance, our server was friendly and complimented us on our choices.

Just as a disclaimer for anyone looking to my opinion about their beer: I am a bit of a “girl” when it comes to beer and alcoholic drinks in general. I like to steer away from anything too bitter. So the Boont Amber Ale was just too much for me, especially an entire pint full. Ben’s Trumer Pils went down a lot smoother. The sausages were wonderful and, personally, I could have even done without the toppings. Overall, my meal (and the nibbles and sips I took from Ben’s meal) made me feel that Sausage and Pint Night has definite potential, and that, next time, I have to order smarter in order to really experience it at its best

Elmwood Cafe used to be Ozzie's Soda Fountain in the 50s. It's been around since 1921!

So, the food was great. But the atmosphere was what made the experience memorable. Elmwood Café truly lives up to the adorable reputation of its namesake neighborhood. And it has quite a history;  it’s been around since 1921! The newest owners have taken care to preserve what they could from the days when it was Ozzie’s Soda Fountain, which give the place a retro, 1950s-style charm. As vintage as it feels, Elmwood Café is truly millennial, giving away half of its profits to charitable projects. While the Café does its share to contribute to the betterment of the world, its contribution to the betterment of Thursdays is enough for me.

Phil's Sliders: Unpretentious Fast Food

Sliders and Chocolate Shake at newly opened Phil's Sliders

       
            Like so many of my foodie adventures, my trip to the newly opened Phil’s Sliders in Downtown Berkeley began with some requirements: Ben and I needed to find a place to eat that we could get in and out of before our date with Harry Potter in an hour, a place that was delicious enough to be worthy of this blog, and a place that was pretty enough to make it worth carrying my giant and super heavy SLR digital camera all the way to downtown Berkeley. Oh, and not to mention, I was craving burgers and something light at the same time. After a quick consultation to the almighty Yelp app on my phone, we found Phil’s Sliders, which exceeded even my most demanding expectations.

            For starters, we were offered a choice: we could either order sliders or…sliders. This limitation in meal options was hardly a drawback for me and my extremely indecisive nature that exponentially worsens the hungrier I get. After ordering 4 sliders and a chocolate milkshake to share, we took our seats and began to notice how adorable the place really was. No matter which direction I looked, I found something that pulled at my heartstrings. To my right was an exposed brick wall, that had a plaque attached to it, telling this super sweet story about the owner’s father, Phil:

“I was 12 years old and my parents Phil and Hadele were hosting one of their many parties; our big but never big enough formal dining room table crowded knee-to-knee with adults. I was sitting next to my dad, and sitting next to me was a foreign exchange student who had been brought to the party by one of my parents’ friends. She was maybe 21, the only other “kid” at the table besides me, and barely spoke a word of English. In fact, she was so quiet, looking down at her plate the whole time, it seemed like she was trying to disappear altogether. Midway through the meal, as she was reaching for a bread roll, she accidentally knocked over her glass of red wine onto the white tablecloth, the stain quickly spreading across the fabric. Everyone froze, except my father. Barely pausing between bites, my dad casually backhanded his own wine glass onto the table. Laughter filled the room and I could tell that the exchange student was relieved. I’ve never forgotten that moment…” (thanks Berkeleyside for the quote)

            To my left was a giant chalkboard that any guests were free to write on and of course, I had to do it; I drew them a pretty heart to show my appreciation. The whole place simply exuded an unpretentious and loving atmosphere that went a long way towards winning my affection.

Making my mark on the giant chalkboard.

Ben, with exposed brick backdrop.

            And my fondness for Phil’s only increased after our food arrived: four simple sliders consisting of lettuce, special sauce and grass-fed beef. Although small, these were pretty tasty in and of themselves and luckily Ben and I weren’t so hungry. But, oh my, the chocolate shake. That chocolate shake, one sip and I was hooked. It was so potent that it even got Ben and I, normally very comfortable sharers, competing over the last few sips. Next time, we’re definitely getting two. 
         
            Sooner than we knew it, our experience at Phil’s was over. We started the evening looking for something to satisfy my many food desires, and we got much more. I will definitely be returning soon for more chocolate shakes and sliders, to tackle their potato tots and homemade sodas, and of course, to appreciate their heartwarming atmosphere.

Be back soon Phil's!

Monterey Market: A Place Where Love Conquers Fear

Inspired by the Beauty of Monterey Market's Bell Peppers, circa October 2010.

Being a self-described claustrophobe, Monterey Market is the kind of place that I should hate. The aisles are narrow, each is filled with more produce than seems physically possible, and not surprisingly, the place always seems crowded. It’s nearly impossible to get through an aisle without an awkward experience. Maybe you are frantically trying to maneuver your cart around the crowds to let someone through to get to their precious apricots. Or maybe you are hovering behind a group of literal cherry pickers, trying not to look strange while you wait for them to take their sweet time with their selections. Hell, even their parking lot is overwhelming. For me at least, embarrassing/stressful experiences are everywhere at places like these. So, the obvious question is why don’t I hate a place like this? What does it have to offer that can counterbalance this claustrophobe’s nightmare?

            The answer is simple. Despite all of its faults, Monterey Market is a wonderful place. The sheer amount of produce that fits in that tiny shed of a store is a sight to behold in itself. The vibrant colors of the bell peppers, the strawberries, the flowers in the front of the store…if you’re anything like me, it’s this natural beauty that brings a smile to your face, even as you are battling your way through the aisles.

The outside of Monterey Market. Photo Credit: Jordi Cabana

            But mostly, I love Monterey Market because you get your moneys worth, and for a college student who loves food as much as I do, that’s important. You can buy quality produce, with local and organic options to boot, for cheap. For example, over the weekend, I bought 6 locally grown Santa Rosa plums, 1 pound of Washington cherries, 1 basket of organic strawberries, 2 carrots, 1 head of lettuce and 1 lemon from Monterey Market and I paid $8.26. From what I have eaten so far, everything has been fresh and delicious, and, having shopped there before, I know that this is typical of Monterey Market. So, if you can overcome the hectic atmosphere of Monterey Market, it makes a wonderful place to shop for produce. (And, seriously, if I can do it, you can do it. It's so worth it.) 

Cioccolata Di Vino: (Little to) No Regrets

Wine, vanilla gelato and Torta al Cioccolato Liquefatto (Lava Cake) at Cioccata Di Vino

            “It’s okay to indulge yourself every once in a while.” That what I had to keep telling myself in order to enjoy North Berkeley’s Cioccolata Di Vino. For a place like this, I couldn’t worry about the money or the calories. I just had to sit back, accept the fact that I was going to be splurging and enjoy. No regrets.

            And it was well worth it. All day I had been longing for something to take me out of the ordinary, something to hit me, something to tell me that I was still alive and kicking. (Needless to say, it had been a long and dull day). At Cioccolata Di Vino, I found it: Torta al Cioccolato Liquefatto, otherwise known as molten lava cake. Ben and I ordered it with a scoop of vanilla gelato, which of course was a delightful and refreshing accompaniment to the richness and chocolatiness of the lava cake. And, because we just couldn’t help ourselves, we also shared a glass of their Nero d'Avola Feudo Principi di Butera Sicilia wine. As if this wasn’t enough, before we knew it we had also ordered chocolate chip cookies. Our damn waitress said the words “fresh out of the oven” and we were hopeless.

Close up of the Lava Cake. Too good!

            Is it even possible to describe to you how good this dessert was? The lava cake was so moist with the outside had the perfect crusty texture. And, of course, inside the lava cake was the molten chocolate, which just screamed for a bite of vanilla gelato to go with it. The chocolate chip cookies were, in all honesty, just chocolate chip cookies. They were good, but they paled in comparison to that lava cake. (Maybe it was a mistake to go for the chocolate chip cookies…but no, I must remember this dessert with no regrets.) The Nero made an elegant accompaniment to the chocolate and rounded the whole thing out nicely. Overall, it was a wonderful place to have a leisurely and scrumptious dessert experience.

            And, yes, I know I said no regrets, but there is something much bigger than chocolate chip cookies at stake here: I missed out on live music. As we were waiting for our food to come, we saw jazz musicians come in one by one and start to set up their instruments. Sadly, we finished our meal before we could get a chance to hear them play. Next time (assuming I can afford to have a next time) I am definitely arriving later, probably around 8 or 9 in order to catch the music. But, I am a perfectionist, and despite the fact that we missed out on the jazz and subsequently on a flawless evening, the delicious and rich chocolate, refreshing gelato, lovely wine, friendly service and carefree atmosphere at Cioccolata Di Vino made my experience incredibly enjoyable. 

In the Kitchen: Baking, Blueberries, and the Beatles

Baking, Blueberries and the Beatles. That was my and my friend Eliza’s plan for this in the kitchen experience. And, although things did not exactly go as we intended, Eliza and I ended up making some pretty delicious blueberry muffins. After a lovely pizza- and conversation-filled dinner at Zachary’s Pizza, we headed over to Trader Joes and Market Hall to pick up the few supplies that we needed to make this recipe, aptly named “To Die For Blueberry Muffins”.

            When we returned to my place and finally got down to business, we put Abbey Road on my record player and prepared ourselves for a baking frenzy. I turned on my oven only to discover an unfortunate smell of gas. My oven was broken. I was frustrated with myself for not checking to see if my oven was working, especially since I had had problems with it in the past. I thought (logically I might add) that if the oven worked the last time I used it, it would work this time. So I turned off the gas and called Ben, hoping he might be able to help me fix my oven and salvage our evening. Although he couldn’t fix it, he and his roommate (also named Ben) generously offered to let us use their super nice brand new oven.

            So Eliza and I packed up Abbey Road and all the ingredients into a giant bag and trekked over to their place. Baking was so much easier in their kitchen and this only reinforced the importance of having access to good equipment. But I couldn’t have it all. Sadly, Ben’s record player is old and funky and Abbey Road skipped so much that we couldn't keep it on. Although this marked the death of our planned evening, it was probably for the best; Eliza and I were pretty tired at that point and some silence actually did us some good. We were even able to pull it together enough to bake up some super delicious blueberry muffins. The topping was the best part of the muffins by far: a combination of flour, sugar, butter and cinnamon is virtually infallible when it comes to taste. Although Ben (boyfriend) doesn’t like blueberries, he still enjoyed his muffin and Ben (boyfriend’s roommate), Eliza and I all ate ours with gusto. And, not to toot my own horn too much, these muffins received an abundance of compliments when I brought a batch into my internship at Making Contact/NRP.

My lovely co-baker, Eliza.

The Bens, enjoying their milk and muffins.

            Overall, this was just one of those times when a change of plans worked out for the best. Later, I found a potential explanation for our bit of good luck: unbeknownst to us, we baked our blueberry muffins two days after National Blueberry Muffin Day. The stars must have been in alignment or something, because those muffins were superb. 

Cha’am Thai: It Burns So Good

Credit: http://taylortakesataste.com/thai-in-berkerley/

        Eating spicy Thai food is a sadomasochistic endeavor: you know it will hurt if you continue to eat, but you can’t help yourself, it’s just so good.  If you haven’t guessed it by now, my visit to Cha’am Thai was anything but dull for my taste buds. I ordered the Pad Kee Mao with Prawns, which is my current favorite Thai meal and includes wide rice noodles, spicy chili garlic sauce and a variety of vegetables, which at Cha’am involved some form of squash, bean sprouts, baby corn, red and green bell peppers, snow peas, carrots, onions and Thai basil. Sound good? Well, it was, despite the fact that after my first bite I started coughing and tearing up. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the…Thai restaurant…right?

Pad Kee Mao. HOT.

        Fortunately, my burning mouth soon found relief when we decided to order one of my favorite desserts of all time: sticky rice with mango. The mango was succulent and the sticky rice was as it should be: sweet and sticky. It was beautifully plated, garnished with a sprig of mint and a carrot in the shape of a flower. Overall, it was one of the better sticky rice and mango desserts I’ve ever had.  

Sticky Rice and Mango. Check out the Carrot-Flower!

        The ridiculously spicy dinner and beautifully delicious dessert nearly distracted me from what an adorable little restaurant Cha’am was. It looked like a converted upper floor of an old Berkeley Victorian, but seemed more like a tree house, evoking similar childhood feelings of adventure and whimsy. Their décor of sheer bright pink curtains, blue patterned fabric, and twinkly lights actively distracted me from my dinner conversations with its beauty. At the risk of sounding cliché, dinner here really did have it all. Spicy cuisine, delicious dessert, relatively cheap prices and magical atmosphere—seriously, what more could you want? 

Summer Kitchen Bake Shop: Easy-Going Eatery, Bona Fide Food

Credit: http://www.elmwoodshop.com/stores/summerKitchen.html

My wallet always feels lighter after eating at Summer Kitchen Bake Shop; yet, somehow, I find myself returning for their delicious food time after time. Like many Berkeley restaurants, Summer Kitchen is a health-conscious and environmentally responsible shop, which, contrary to popular belief in this country, makes their dishes taste even better. Although the price you pay for real food is steep nowadays, Summer Kitchen Bake Shop is irresistible and you can’t help but shell out the extra dough (no pun intended) for the meal.

Not only that but Summer Kitchen has an amazingly relaxed vibe to it. The intention behind the shop, according to their website, is to make the guests feel like “Summer Kitchen is an extension of their own kitchen”. And, to the extent possible in an eatery, they achieve this atmosphere. They have seasonal fruits and vegetables that you can buy, as well as have dinner meals and prepared food that you can take home with you, which gives this place the feel of a deli more than a restaurant. There is even an open view of the kitchen and you can see the care and attention your food is getting, making the place feel more intimate. Although ordering food off the menu breaks the homey façade and makes you realize that you are indeed in a place where people serve you, Summer Kitchen still maintains a laid-back atmosphere that is perfect for any time of the year.  

Brentwood White Corn, Cherry Tomato, and Burrata Pizza. 

            I visited Summer Kitchen over the weekend with my boyfriend Ben, and we (accidentally) ordered the most expensive pizza in the place: Brentwood White Corn, Cherry Tomato and Burrata.  Not being the foodie experts that we wish we were, Ben and I had no idea what Burrata was, and wrongly assumed it was a form of greenery. When we got our pizzas, our “Burrata” tasted suspiciously like basil, but I was enjoying my meal too much to give a second thought. Turns out that Burrata was the cheese on the pizza. I now know that it is a creamier version of Mozzarella and it means “buttered” in Italian, which is fitting considering the super softness of the cheese. The cheese played an important role in enriching this pizza, to be sure. And the supporting cast of this pizza, that is the cherry tomatoes and the basil, were sweet, tangy, and super tasty. But the superstar of the pizza was the white corn. It was so sweet and delicious; it made you wonder why people don’t always put corn on pizza. Overall, this pizza was a heavenly combination of ingredients appropriate for a place as wonderful as Summer Kitchen.

In the Kitchen: White Wine, Olive Oil, and Garlic Capellini, with Tomatoes and Basil, and Bruschetta

White Wine, Olive Oil and Garlic. Magic Combo!

Bruschetta. Mmmm.

Pasta is a lazy cook’s best friend. And as a lazy cook and an avid eater, I love pasta. Especially the combination of thin, long strand pasta with white wine, olive oil and garlic. Really delicious and hard to screw up, in other words, perfect. Over the weekend, Ben and I decided to make a permutation of this magical mixture, tossing in tomatoes, basil with some capellini pasta. I had also been craving Bruschetta all day, and it made the perfect side dish to our pasta.

We started having absolutely no idea what to cook for dinner, and went to Market Hall for inspiration. Being right around 6 on a Friday evening, it was crowded and the amount of cheeses in that place was completely overwhelming for people who love cheese as much as we do. So, we had to step outside for a little bit to decide and strategize our dinner plans. Melon and prosciutto sounded good, but it seemed like more of a snack than a meal, and in my mind, it didn’t mesh well with my stubborn bruschetta craving. So, we decided to keep it simple and go with pasta, and once we settled on something with the all-powerful combo of white wine, olive oil and garlic, the rest fell into place. We went to Market Hall Produce and got the best-smelling tomatoes and basil I’ve encountered yet, and also picked up an Acme Bread Co. Long Italian Baguette for the Bruschetta at the Pasta Shop.

After a successful shopping trip/decision-making process, we went back to Ben’s place to cook. (He has such a nice kitchen, I must admit, I’m jealous. It’s much bigger than mine, with a brand new stove/oven. Sure, it doesn’t have the same appeal as my cute and ancient stove/oven in terms of character, but trumps my kitchen any day in terms of cooking.) Anyways, it was a pretty quick and easy meal to cook, although we were so hungry by the time we got back that we fumbled with the timing a bit. After prepping the tomatoes, basil and garlic for both the pasta and the bruschetta, all the other steps were last minute, and famished, we had a hard time with it. Eventually, we got everything together, albeit with the pasta slightly cold and the bread slightly overdone (not burnt, but super crunchy), and it was delicious. Despite the problems, it was a yummy meal, with my favorite part of the meal being the Bruschetta I had craved all day, made with olive oil, garlic, basil and tomatoes. To accompany the meal, we had some of the Chardonnay that we used for the pasta sauce, which obviously went well with dinner.

Chardonnay, s'il vous plaît?

Overall, it was a meal that highlighted all the good things about the pasta, white wine, olive oil combo, especially the inability to mess it up, which is particularly good for the lazy (or hungry, in our case) cook. 

It Slices, It Dices, It Entices: Thoughts on Sur La Table

            

Photo Credit: Marco Gualtieri

            Derision and desire. This is what I feel every time that I enter a Sur La Table, and my visit this weekend was no exception. These two competing sentiments duke it out inside my head for total domination of my judgment. When I’m there, I’m either scoffing at products that no one could ever need or lusting after said products. Yes, it’s true, I want everything I see in the store. From the probably useless corn de-silking brush and avocado slicers to the adorable potholders and aprons, I want it all. 


            But, as much as I want everything there, I always leave with nothing. There’s just something about the store that evokes Stepford-Wivesian conspiracy theories in my mind. You go in, something or someone in the store turns on this switch, and suddenly you want to be a 50s housewife or to put on a Martha Stewart style dinner party (without the insider trading, thank you very much). While, true, this is a rather outlandish thought, it’s one that is not so far off in terms of my own behavior. 


            And that’s the thing that makes me sort of uncomfortable about these stores. It’s almost as if once you go down that (evil?) path, you can never return. Once you convince yourself that you need a new food processor, suddenly you can’t live without an ice-cream sandwich baking pan, and before you know it, you’re buying the most adorable little set of napkin rings (and seriously, who uses napkin rings?) So, until that day when I make it big and have the money to burn, I’m trying to keep Sur La Table as a place for window shopping and mockery rather than for any serious shopping.*

*With one possible exception: I have been wanting an ice-cream maker for some time now, but haven’t been able to get over the mental hurdles to buy one. I think I’m still waiting for someone to get it for me as a gift, it’s just one of those things I can’t buy for myself…but who knows, I may change my mind and I’d like to reserve the right to do so. Also, I hear they have cooking classes, which is something I'd like to check out one of these days...

The Cheese Board Collective/Berkeley’s Off the Grid: An Old Favorite and a New Encounter

The Cheese Board Pizza Collective.

A few nights ago, I went to The Cheese Board Collective to get pizza for dinner with a few friends. Located in the heart of the Gourmet Ghetto, right across the street from Chez Panisse, Cheese Board lives up to the reputation of the neighborhood and is a local favorite for pizza. Despite the long lines, the lack of seating, the fact that they only have one type of pizza per day and it most definitely won't have tomato sauce on it, Cheese Board leaves me with nothing to complain about. (Which is kind of amazing considering how much I like to complain). In fact, these things are what make Cheese Board charming. Yes, the lines are always out the door and frequently around the block, but, if you've been there before, you’re too giddy with anticipation to notice. Plus, the line moves fast and you get to listen to live jazz music as you wait. And yes, it can be hard to find a seat in the place, but there are always alternatives. If it is a sunny day, there’s always the median divider across the street, which has nice little patches of grass that provide a pleasant seating area for many eaters. If it’s not so sunny, you can always take it home. The choice in pizza and the lack of tomato sauce…well, frankly, you just don't miss it. Their ingredients are fresh and their flavor combinations impeccable. They rarely make a pizza that I don’t love. (And besides, they post their menu for the week on their website, so you can always plan ahead if you’re picky.)

Pizza. Orangina. Salad.

            The night I went they were serving a pizza with Roma tomatoes, red onions, fresh Asiago cheese, Mozzarella, fresh herbs and garlic olive oil. I got myself a slice, which, in typical Cheeseboard fashion, came with an extra mini-slice. As expected, the pizza was simple, fresh and tasty, just the way I like it. I also got a salad, which they change daily as well. Their salads are generally hit or miss, and unfortunately, this particular salad was a miss for me. It was something like garden lettuce with cucumber, currants and some form of fancy dressing. It sounded a lot better than it tasted, for me anyways. And to drink, I got an Orangina, which was a refreshing accompaniment to the pizza, as always. Overall, it was very typical of my experience at Cheese Board, a place I consider to be a sure bet when it comes to enjoying the food and the vibe.


             But  if I said that this trip to Cheese Board was totally typical, I'd be lying. In fact, it included an unexpected culinary discovery. On our way there, we noticed that there was a crowd of people and a bunch of food trucks on Rose (where the farmers market is usually held on Thursday nights). I kept it in mind as I was eating my delicious pizza. When someone brought it up at dinner, I mentioned I wanted to try to have dessert there, and one of my friends mentioned that there was a cupcake food truck. So, I knew exactly where to go. After dinner, we roamed around this little street food fest, and I almost lamented not trying it out for dinner. But I was satisfied with my Mexican hot chocolate cupcake from a street vendor called Cupkates. It was surreally spicy, in a good way, and the frosting served a dual purpose of being delicious and soothing at once. I had gotten a taste of the street food fest.

My cupcake and I.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcake. Spicy!

            But, I returned home wanting more information about this mysterious food truck gathering. It turns out, I had just attended a recently established weekly street food event on Wednesday from 5-9 pm, put on by a SF-based organization called Off the Grid. According to some of my reading, this new tradition may mark a turning point in the city of Berkeley’s attitude towards mobile street food, which had previously made the costs high and the red tape plentiful for food trucks to establish their businesses. 

            Hopefully, Off the Grid is a sign of things to come for street food in Berkeley, as I rather enjoyed this new encounter. And, after paying my respects to an old favorite like Cheese Board, what better way to balance my night than by trying something new.

In the Kitchen: Southwestern Balsamic Pasta Salad

Southwestern Balsamic Pasta Salad: Finished Product!

I have another confession to make. (Last one, I promise!) For all the love I have for eating and for food, I can’t say that I have the greatest work ethic in the kitchen or that I am the most skillful cook. That’s why, when I cook, I try to keep it simple and work with what I know, making things like…pasta!

            Back in the day, my dad used to make what I’ve termed “southwestern balsamic pasta salad” all the time, and I had a hankering for it the other day. (Fun fact: he has not made it in a while because, apparently none of my siblings enjoyed it as much as I did. Turns out I was the one responsible for eating most of a pasta salad meant for 7 people. But, I digress…) It had been a long day, the summer sun was in full swing and I was tired. All I wanted to was to have this pasta salad in front of me ready to eat.

To make the process of cooking it less daunting, Ben and I headed over to Market Hall, an amazing bunch of little food shops in Rockridge that have the power to turn me into the equivalent of a kid in a candy shop. (And, in case you are wondering, I fully intend to devote an entire blog post to Market Hall.) So, I got some pasta from the Pasta Shop; while tricolor rotini is what my dad uses, I couldn’t find that and decided to experiment with something else. I picked up some form of short cut twisted pasta with fluted ridges, and that would have to do for this meal. We then made our way over to Market Hall Produce and got the lime, cilantro, corn, cherry tomatoes, and shredded parmesan that we needed. I already had some other basic ingredients for this meal sitting at home: black beans, balsamic vinegar, olive oil (or garlic olive oil in my case), and salt.

Ingredients! No measurement, just added everything according to my best judgement and taste.

With all the ingredients in hand, I started cooking the pasta and prepping the produce. Once the pasta was finished, I added: cherry tomatoes (cut in half), corn (cut off the cob), black beans (drained), cilantro (whole leaves), lime juice, the balsamic vinegar/olive oil, shredded parmesan, and salt. We put it in the fridge to chill until I couldn’t wait any longer and, ravenous, I began devouring my meal. It turned out perfect. Just what I was craving on a hot summer day and it had the ideal balance of sweet, tart, and salty flavors. The type of pasta I experimented with for the salad actually worked really well. And, the best part of this whole process was that I made quite a bit, giving me leftovers for a few days and maximizing my time in the kitchen. Needless to say, this meal left me feeling good about my goal to build on my cooking skills, and hopefully, my future kitchen experiences will further bolster my confidence in the kitchen. But for now, I’m satisfied with having done this simple meal right, even when the stakes were high and my energy was low.*

* (That may sound dramatic, but believe me, I was really really really craving it. Also I, have to give credit where credit is due, without Ben’s patience and help, this meal probably would not have come to fruition, so thanks Ben!)