Two Hungry Bears and a Lazy Tapir

Oscar is PISSSEDD

2008-07-28T22:59:00.000-07:00

Looks like he's about to put the garbage lid on her crazy ass.

Slurpin' On My Noodles Like You Wanted Me...

2008-02-23T23:56:00.000-08:00

Bonjourno! After a ridiculously long hiatus where we were met with reactions ranging from "soo...didn't you used to have a food blog" to "why you so lazy!?" I think its time that we updated a bit. Since then, a lot has changed. There have been several trips around California and abroad not to mention multiple adventures with craptastic landlords and killer creatures (both insect and humanforms). We've moved around a bit and have become sophomores at Cal, but one thing has yet to change: our devotion to anything edible :)

The top food trends so far this past semester:

1) Kabocha squash.. starchy and sweet..with the consistency of a white potato combined with the taste of a yam what else do you need?
2) Sufficient grounds sandwiches--them babies deserve a haiku written about them
3) Smart Alec's anything--you know how Paula feels about her butter? I feel that way about the cornbread. And yes, I would kiss a cornbread statue of myself
4) Korean food and chinese food--kimchi, bibimbap, bulgogi, chicken corn soup, hot pot...
5) ANY TYPE OF HOT SAUCE! Super spicy, mildly sweet, in a fat jar or an anorexic tube...I DO NOT DISCRIMINATE!

Because there are so many pictures, the following descriptions will be a bit short but they'll get better in subsequent posts!

KQED internship in SF = one too many incidents with the BART crazies + Tartine bakery!

Their sandwiches are worth the $10 BART ride alone.

There lies the deathplace of B1 and B2-the "happiest" bananas in pajamas that ever lived.
Sopresseta, Fontina, and Broccoli Rabe Pesto sandwich: Totally love at first bite. Well, love at first saliva drip if I'm being honest with myself.

From my trip to Europe this past winter break:

Subway sandwich at the SF airport. Never again shall I pay $6 for a few bland veggies and a whole lotta attitude from Subway ladies (I just wanted a few extra cucumbers! Why you got to hate, lady?!?)
I realized that it would be awhile before I could get the greasy, yet comfort-laden creations that is American food so I we ordered up some classics like hamburgers...
and chili nachos!

In France, there were more than few things that delighted me:

I knew I was in France when I saw macarons being sold at Mcdonalds.
And a macaron tree!
Though I was morally against it, I couldn't help but try foie gras (above is a foie gras sandwich). I wish I could say that it tasted like duck tears, but it was pretty delicious. Them old french granddaddies who are raising thousands of ducks and plumping up their livers really know what they're doing.
My croque monsieur. Looks kinda like a cheese covered house!
French Onion Soup. I was pretty surprised by how liberal they were with cheese. I don't think the soup actually started until halfway down the bowl. I always thought that "crapload of cheese" = american food, but I guess that's not so much the case anymore.
Chocolate mousse pastry from a bakery near my hotel.
Cheese-covered hot dogs--one of many delicacies that I didn't (but wish I had) tried. You can't go to France without trying a crepe! This nutella crepe with a banana slice suggestively sticking out was what kept me warm during several cold and rainy afternoons.
My sister's salad nicoise. Twas a bit too fishy for my taste.
My mom's teensy, weensy salmon. We waited more than an hour for this baby.
Another french onion soup! This one's cheese content was a little more understandable. MMhmm gruyere + bread + beef broth + sauteed onions = Mika-esque happiness
Due to the enthusiasm The Girl Who Ate Everything expressed for duck confit, I knew I had to try it. I gotta admit though, it sorta tasted something I could get from my local chinese foodcourt. The potatoes were yum enough to save it though.

Though France was beautiful (you never get used to how pretty all the wrought iron and old buildings are), Italy was where the food was at. Basically our days consisted of eating breakfast, walking down the street to look at an old church/building/fountain, lunch, walking through the streets to find a place to have an afternoon snack, sitting at the snack spot for several hours while we debated the best place to have dinner, walking to dinner, having dinner, and walking back to our hotel...it was great!

An afternoon snack.
A prosciutto and mozerella panini from the shop near our hotel.
Pistachio and hazelnut gelato. The Girl Who Ate Everything is totally right about pistachio gelato's amazingness. Like most hipsters I know, its smoky, nutty, and mildly sweet.
Another shot

Afternoon snack: Chocolate cake with coffee liquor

Afternoon snack: A variety of paninis
I finally found the thing that has been missing in my life: giant donuts covered in nutella.
I love me some spelling mistakes :)
In terms of food, the one thing Italy seemed to be lacking was fresh fruit. I was pleasantly surprised to find these gems at a local convenience store.
Paninis waiting to be heated up and eaten!

Giant pannetonne!
We ended up going to a really popular italian restaurant for a two nights in a row. This was from the first night...

This is a plate from the salad bar. It consists of fresh, spicy mozerella, fried anchovies, fried cauliflower, roasted mushrooms, potato gratin, eggplant parmesan, and fried octopus...
Salad bar plate #2: Roasted tomatoes, roasted asparagus, sauteed greens, fresh octopus, and some other things I can't remember...

Afternoon snack: mozzerella and arugla panini
Tiramisu and pistachio gelato!
My pesto taglioni.
One of a thousand seafood pastas my mom ate this trip.
Bowtie pasta in walnut cream.
A pillowy tiramisu
Another night at the same restaurant...
Salmon taglioni. Looks hella innocent and maybe even yummy on the outside but beware! What you're looking at is the reason I had food sickness for a couple of days. I didn't mind the pain so much as the fact that I had to skip a day of gelato and stay in the hotel room where there was nothing playing on tv except for a special on Elvis' manison.
Some truffle risotto...Tasted earthy...if that means anything.
A spicy mountain!
Ahh I wish I could have smuggled some of these dried tomatoes back to the states. Stupid customs!
Little kids make me smile :)
Not food. Just one of many pretty signs around the city.
More hazelnut and pistachio gelato.
A lemon pastry my sister got while walking around.
There's a reason it means "pick me up." Whenever we felt a bit sleepy, we picked ourselves up some more tiramisu.
Artichoke hearts at a local farmers market
Oh, how I wish that cone were real.
Some traditional venician baked goods.
Some cheese and spinach pastries that I wish I had tried.
Gnocchi with a simple tomato sauce. By that point, I was pretty pasta-ed out.
My sister's linguine with roasted squid. Yummies.
Another one of my mom's seafood pastas.
My dad's tomato pasta.
Kabocha love is universal.
Yummies for the airplane!

So that's pretty much the fooding that was done before and during winter break. I'll definitely update a lot more and SOON!

In the meantime... here's an ode to some of the many WONDERFUL discoveries in Berkeley :)

Horseteeth
Matzo-dancing queen
Cha Cha
Blondie. Stand up straight man! Be proud!
Orion...why you gotta hate, brotha?
Pot of honey = Fraiser...or better yet, Fraiser in a pot of honey
Still waiting to see that timeline, homie
Too scared to say anything.
Me no thinks anyone will ever say, "That sweater is beautiful! It'll really bring the electric blue out in your eyes..."
The king of them all. Phone home, little man, your momma is waiting!

Be back soon!
-Jenn

whooooo

2007-12-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

The photos got in! Yay!

They were from Jupiter, a cool little pizzeria/ bar/ jazz spot. I ate there over the summer with Priya during the apartment hunt from hell. At least I got some great food out of it. Oh, and a place to live.

I remember there being a bit of a crisis over which pizza to choose,

mostly because I'm too indecisive and Priya's too nice, but also because all the pizzas sound totally amazing. The names of the pizzas and sandwiches all relate to Astronomy and Greek mythology - like the Atlas sandwich (roasted chicken breast, roasted red peppers, fresh basil, provolone, and aioli, served on pantofolina), and the Circe pizza (shrimp, garlic, mozzarella, green onion, red chili, and cracked pepper, on an olive oil crust). We finally settled on the new Xanthia pizza - a carb-lover's dream of thinly-sliced Yukon Gold potatoes, bacon, garlic, mozzarella and ricotta cheese, crushed red pepper, and fresh herbs, on an olive oil crust. Though I had my doubts about the bacon (though I'm sure Priya didn't!), it didn't overpower the pizza at all. The combination of ricotta and mozzarella was the perfect mix of gooey, soft, and stringy that you want in every pizza. The potatoes were crispy, golden-brown, and plenty garlicky, and the red pepper and herbs added freshness. Unfortunately I don't really remember what the crust was like, but who cares, when the toppings are that good? Seriously. Go to Jupiter and never think twice about the calories you're about to ingest. It's so worth it. Now I just need to get myself to Zachary's before I can truly say anything about Berkeley pizza.

Also, enjoy (?) this wierd little widget Schmapp let me make. I don't really see the point of it since you can't even see the photos really, but uh.. just scroll to "Jupiter" and cliquez-vous! Then scroll through the photos until you see the ones credited to "Jennifer Shankey." Definately more trouble than it's worth, but whatever! I FEEL SPECIAL, KIND OF!

-Jenny

Jupiter
2181 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
510.THE.TAPS

hello!

2007-11-20T13:32:00.000-08:00

We are still alive and still eating! Unfortunately school is eating us, hence the extremely long hiatus. But check back soon for some seriously long-due updates.

I also have some exciting news for this little blog!

I recieved an email yesterday from Schmap, a site that creates free online city guides for travelers around the world. They review local nightlife, restaurants, entertainment, a bit like Yelp but more put-together. Somehow they came across my Flickr account and entered two of my food photos into a contesty kind of deal and now they might end up in their next revision of the Berkeley guide! Unfortunately if my photos are used Schmap won't actually fund my fooding expeditions with payment, but hopefully it'll gain the blog some recognition through the force of Flickr. If my photos get into the guide I WILL ask Schmap if they can slip in a tasteful reference to Two Hungry Bears and a Lazy Tapir somewhere in there.

Pretty cool, huh? Check out Schmap, and wait for a post coming soon which will include the photos in question. A hint - something flat, cheesy, and rhyming with feetza might be involved.

Fingers crossed!

-Jenny

oldie but goodie!

2007-07-21T17:16:00.000-07:00

An update that should have taken place waaay back in May, in which we return to our Mecca - Gregoire!

The much-loved potato puffs. We were informed by Priya (who lived less than a block away from Gregoire last semester!) that the month's dipping mayonnaise was top-notch. I sank my teeth into the mayo-dipped, crispy, steaming ball of potato and I had to agree. The mayonnaise was especially flavorful that month - very garlicky. Yum! I looked over at Lindsay and puzzled over her quite different dipping sauce for her own order of zee puffs. It was a white sauce with tiny flecks of black throughout. She said, "Hmm.. my sauce is different from yours. Ooh! It tastes very interesting, almost sweet! I like it!" I inspected it closer, tried a bit, and then realized that she was mistakenly given creme anglaise (rightfully paired with that night's bread pudding) instead of the mayo! After a bit of confusion and letting one of the chefs know, all was set right. In my mind, at least - I think Lindsay might have been a bit too delighted by the flavor combination of salty potato + vanilla cream.

Since we'd never gone to Gregoire for dinner before because of the price (the items on the dinner menu are more than twice as expensive as the lunch items) and because we were already filling up on fried potato, Lindsay and I shared an entree - a Morroccan chicken dish with onions and snap peas (I think), and served with a slightly creamy, refreshing cucumber dipping sauce. It was very tasty, but I wish it had come with more veggies or maybe a bit of the orzo salad they serve with their lunch dishes.

And because I love bread pudding, I indulged in dessert. Strawberry bread pudding served with creme anglaise (much yummier on this than on the potato puffs!). Sooo good. The top was crispy and the insides were moist, with chunks of fresh strawberries throughout. The creme anglaise added another layer of richness. It was the perfect size and very satisfying. I need to find a good recipe fur realz.

-Jenny

Gregoire

2109 Cedar

Berkeley, CA 94709

Tartine, Mon Amour

2007-07-19T21:35:00.001-07:00

Prepare yourself, I'm going to get sappy for this post is about one of my (Jen) favorite little places in the world:

Tartine Bakery has been praised repeatedly (Mark Bittman of the New York Times called it his "favorite bakery in the United States"and has more than 600 (mostly positive) reviews on Yelp--for good reason. Nearly everything I've ever tried there has been amazing. I love it all--from the homey, rustic french bakery atmosphere to the intellectuals sitting at their variously sized tables to the mysteriously good-looking staff behind the case of even better looking pastries and cakes.

After reading and researching all about the bakery (its goods and its owners) late last year, I knew I had to go. This place quickly became a place of escape (from school, people, shitty dorm food, work, you-name-it) and relaxation for me.

Thanks to a summer internship, for nearly twice (as of last week, three times) a week for the past two months, I've gone there with just those intentions of escaping and relaxing. Each day, I look forward to the moment the clock hits 12:00, I race down the steps of my building, hop onto the bus for a 15 minute ride, jump off at the stop, and whisk down Guerrero street. Armed with a good book, a fully loaded I-Pod, and a silent "thank you" to my mother for supporting me in my gourmet addiction, I order some treat(s) and prepare to be delighted with whatever delights I've decided to try that day.

Initially, I wasn't planning on including my experiences at Tartine in the blog. My lack of a working camera and laziness to write coherently (who wants to wax poetical about baked goods and sandwiches all summer??) were the main culprits. However, I soon realized that I'd regret not including Tartine in the blog. So forgive me if the few pictures are blurry (they are with my mom's old camera and were taken a while ago before it finally decided to give up--hey, it HAS survived falling into an asian-style toilet AKA hole in the ground) and the writing sucks (I've decided to just jot down my disjointed thoughts because I only remember certain things and I will have to write a lot since it has become my goal to try EVERYTHING on the menu--forcing my normally unadventurous self to try new things) but hopefully this will be helpful to those that want a taste of what Tartine has to offer...

Devils Food Cake- $4.50 Slice (picture coming soon)
3 layers of Valrhona dark chocolate butter cake, layered with caramel and chocolate ganache, topped with a dusting of large cocoa powder, Served at room temperature
Appearances can be deceiving. At first it didn’t seem like much and I was pretty positive it would settle easily and comfortably in my stomach (I even considered getting something to go alongside it). Happy I didn’t. Extremely decadent. Should be savored slowly and not with the side of the fork smashing through each layer every two movements (as I did). I enjoyed the fact that it was cooled when it was initially given to me (nice, toothy texture), but as it melted, the chocolate flavor was intensified and released even more. Milk definitely required. As much of a stomach ache as this gave me, there was nary a moment of regret as I hobbled up guerrero.
Rating: 8/10

Coppercake- $4.50 slice

Three thick layers of ganache surrounded by various lightly peppery, mocha levels, beautiful texture, not too sweet, envelops the tongue which chocolateness upon contact
Amazing flavor in the beginning, but the non-chocolate flavors just weren’t interesting enough to warrant repeated fork stabbing, in the mad rush of pastry purchases, this was the clear winner, definitely worth trying again
Rating: 6/10

Chocolate Chip with oatmeal and walnuts- $2.00 (see Bunrab's picture of it here)

Large, crisp, not too sweet, chocolate chips melted into rest of flat, ever-so-slightly bendable disk.
Tore bits and pieces off, but wasn’t interested enough to finish the whole thing. For those with “mature” tastes, this is the perfect thing to go with their Mr. Expresso coffee. For me, not really worth getting again.
Rating: 3/10

Passion Fruit Lime Bavarian- $4.50 Slice
Lime moistened genoise with passion fruit bavarian cream topped with sweetened cream
Though I could tell that everything was first rate, the tartness and the lightness of the cake just isn't what I was looking for to soothe my sweet tooth. My sister couldn't get enough though. It definitely got ignored during the passing of the pastry boxes. At least the white chocolate flakes on the outside were yummy.
Rating: 2/10

Banana Cream Tart-$5.50 (there are a bunch of pictures on Yelp)
Hard, flaky pastry coated in thick layer of dark chocolate and caramel. Filled with banana pastry cream and bananas. Topped with lightly sweetened cream and thick chocolate shards
Definitely lives up to the hype. Looks overwhelming at first, but any ideas of just eating half quickly disappear. Should be eaten there, on a plate, for the full experience. The combination of hard, buttery crust, dark chocolate, and the hint of caramel create a gourmet candy bar experience. Banana slices scale the entirety of this delicious Mount Everest of a dessert. The chocolate shards are a highlight. Only con is that there may be too much whipped cream, had to push some aside towards the end. Don't even think about sharing--the devil inside you will come out! It’s a meal in itself.
Rating: 9.5/10

Chocolate Hazelnut Tart-$5.50
Rich, dark, chocolate filling in a sweet pastry shell with toasted oregon hazelnuts.
Shared, it’s the perfect ending to a rich meal. The whole flavor was like whiff of a gourmet, less sweetened nutella. Delicious. Tart shell was a little hard and crispy. Literally broke the lovely plastic fork that came with it. Who cares? Makes it even easier to lift up to the mouth. The hazelnuts that were embedded into the ganache were a surprise texturally and taste-wise. Made me wish I drank coffee.
Rating: 7/10

Pain au Chocolate-$3.25 (picture coming soon)
A warm, ever so crisp-on-the- outside, fluffy-on-the-inside casing of croissant dough surrounding two lanes of Sharffenberger chocolate
After growing up on chocolate croissants from Safeway, I literally gasped when I tried tearing a piece of the croissant. Crisp, buttery, and light, I just kept smiling as my fingers tore off piece after piece of the crispy, soft, gooey, soft, crispy layers. Any warm chocolate that managed to escape from my fingers and the dough onto the plate were quickly consumed. Yes, I liked my fingers and then wiped the plate. No, I don’t regret a second. Like the devils cake, this is surprisingly filling. Should eat/enjoy there if you can.
Rating: 9/10

Reviews of other pastries (frangipane crossiant, bread pudding, etc) and sandwiches (percorino and almond, gruyere and pastrami, etc) coming soon!

-jenn

Tartine Bakery

600 Guerrero Street

San Francisco, CA94110

Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen

2007-07-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

I've lived in California all my life, and I like the concept of "California cuisine," which I imagine to be defined as food that's fresh, locally grown, innovative, tasty without being heavy, and plays with the flexibility of flavors given by the ethnic diversity found here. Still, there's something in me that really likes the idea of Southern comfort food. I don't think I've ever tried a dish with Southern origins that I didn't like. And while I've only ever travelled horizontally across the US and haven't yet ventured down into the southern states, it's places like Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen that gives Californians a little hint of what the South has to offer. Cause sometimes you really do just need food that sticks to your ribs!

I found Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen on Yelp, where lots of satisfied Yelpers sang its praises, one proclaiming it "better at this than anything west of the Rockies has a right to be." Sounds good to me. So I asked my friend Priya to join me, and as we walked down Shattuck and chatted we almost walked right past the restaurant. Inside, it looked like this:

Fairly small and dimly lit, with a flashy mosaic alligator hanging on the far wall. Perhaps not the most charming of decor, but the atmosphere was cool in a funky, casual kind of way. We got great service right from the start - our waiter was really nice and very attentive, and also pretty hilarious (I think he called me "my lady" the whole time), and the owner of the restaurant noticed that we were students and asked us how we found out about the restaurant. He even gave us a kind of discount coupon, if we spread the word about the restaurant to other students. So what if it may feel like cult recuitment? Free food is free food!

The menu was interesting even starting with the drink menu. I wondered what "Swamp Water" was and was informed by the waiter that it's half-lemonade, half-iced tea! I'm confused now as to this drink's origin, though, because I saw Ina Garten call the same drink "California Iced Tea" yesterday on TV, as she proclaimed that "they love this in California." Huh. Well, in any case, while I'm sure I would love it, I opted for the Sweet Tea instead. And it was sweet indeed, so much so at first sip that I squeezed the heck out of my lemon wedge to cut back on it. But as the meal went on and the ice cubes started to melt and water it down a little, it actually became quite tasty. Iced tea is probably my favorite beverage, and I love plain lemony iced tea with a simple syrup so it's sweetened throughout. I think the way sweet tea is traditionally made, however, is with the sugar mixed into the hot water so there's no need for a syrup. Anyways, it was good. I'd get it again.

Next came the hush puppies. Lots of Yelpers seemed to consider these to rival Gregoire's mighty Potato Puff, which makes me think of an animated hush puppy vs. potato puff battle, all cutesy and anime-style, with corn meal and potato spewing out from the battle arena and grease stains everywhere. Don't they just sound like they could be the names of Pokemon characters or something? Anyways. I love hush puppies. There aren't many things more satisfying than essentially a fried cornbread ball dipped in something yummy! Served with honey butter, these were awesome. Just perfect as an appetizer between two or three people.

Our entrees came out pretty speedily. I got the penne pasta with chicken in a blue cheese cream sauce. Fried oysters can be subsituted for the chicken, but because I was curious about the fried oysters (I had originally planned on getting one of their po' boys) I asked for them to be added rather than substituted. Oh, sweet gluttony! I liked my dish well enough, but the blue cheese flavor was very dominant. I should have guessed as much, but for some reason I expected a subtler flavor. Still, it was tasty, and the oysters were yummy as anticipated, and the portion was so huge I didn't even make it through half of my plate and packaged the rest.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a clear picture of Priya's Jambalaya, but she loved it. See the joy on her face? It was pretty standard Jambalaya, with I think chicken, shrimp, and andouille. Tasty!

When dessert time came around, we were really, really stuffed. But we'd come too far to turn back at the last moment, and I'd heard great things about the Bananas Foster Bread Pudding. Oh. My. Goodness! SO GOOD. The picture is terrible, but it was seriously just so delicious. I'd come back just for a piece of it and nothing else. Warm and gooey, with a sweet, sticky, burnt-sugary topping. I generally like my bread pudding a little on the dry side, because I don't like it too mushy. But somehow this bread pudding managed to be both puddingy and cakelike at the same time, moist, but dense and firm. Covered in caramel. Good grief.

I really, really liked our meal there. I'd definately say our expectations were met, and everyone was happy, even Jenn and Lindsay who couldn't make it but who I brought back extra hush puppies and bread pudding for. Nothing like fried food and dessert to get you through studying.

-Jenny

Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen

2261 Shattuck Ave (between Bancroft & Kitteridge)

Berkeley, CA 94704

2007-07-10T18:36:00.000-07:00

Hello to our few but loyal fellow foodies -

Apologies for the lack of gusto on our part in updating this here blog, but Blogspot is doing strange, strange things to our posts and it makes us sad and angry. Double-spacing and changing font and size unnecessarily, etc. We end up tweaking a post forever to make it semi-presentable, then realizing we've forgotten to include something and having the whole thing ruined again when we add it.

Is the blog appearing okay for you? Are there tinytiny blurry lines of print after some photos, are things randomly double-spaced? I'm interested in seeing whether it's my laptop that has something to do with the madness. So comments would be helpful!

Until we have Blogspot figured out, we'll still be posting, but forgive us if it comes out a little oddly.

-Jenny

Breadbar-hopping in New Jersey

2007-06-03T21:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, so the title may be a tad misleading because there was only one breadbar that was hopped...but oh how my belly wished there were more! After an afternoon with the kiddies, Uncle N picked me up and upon the recommendations of a teacher at their school, came to Piquant, an Indian Breadbar.
I must admit that generally I don't go for Indian food. There is one reason: I typically leave the restaurant feeling like I've aged 30 years and lots my ability to control bodily functions. That's right people, we're talking gas and indigestion. Nonetheless, I was more than willing to go through that when I heard that "bread" was in the title. I may die of gassiness, but at least I would die the way my forefathers wanted me to: happy and with a belly full of bread.
Uncle N was a brave soul and decided to try out a Masala Lassi. I've had Chicken masala and mango lassi, but never a masala lassi so I was curious to see what it tasted like. It was...well...how do I put this? It wasn't like my taste buds were assaulted. Rather, just slapped on the cheek. It was extremely thick and buttery. I couldn't exactly taste the masala because the butteriness of it all just overwhelmed all my senses. It reminded me of the butter tea that I had at Cafe Tibet in berkeley. Methinks Uncle N was a little weirded out too. We ended up asking the waiter what was in it and he emphasized that was no butter in the drink. I was skeptical at first but after checking the Internet, it turns out that a lassi is a "traditional South Asian beverage...made by blending yourt with water, salt, and spices until frothy." I think it was the blending of the yogurt and salt that did it.

We started off with Aloo Papri which were wheat crispies, potatoes and chickpeas smothered with yogurt and mango sauce. The sweet, slightly buttery sauce on the light crisps was delicious. Slightly unique and just big enough to pique my appetite for more yummies on the way, it was the perfect appetizer.
Realizing that this lunch was quickly going to become a feast, I became more and more excited. Next up we had an order of wheat crisps that came wth apple, tamarind, and mint chutneys. This appetizer turned out to be a skinnier sister of the first appetizer we had. Though it was delicious and I would eat ANYTHING with tamarind chutney slathered on it, I found that I liked the first appetizer a little more. It just had a little more oomph-which is always nice.
Saucy!

The first little piece of food porn for this entry was a salad that had oranges, pomegranate seeds, shaved fennel, and a lime-y dressing. It was literally the most beautiful salad that I have ever eaten and being that it was slightly sour, sweet, and very fresh, it tasted as good as it looked. I think the unique plate that came with it really helped the presentation.

For the entree we shared, we had the choice of various types of stuffed naans to accompany the daal or chana pindi, the chef's pick of seasonal vegetable, rice, yogurt and bean salad. Uncle N and I didn't know exactly what daal or chini pindi was so if anyone out there does, let us know! Nonetheless, we took a leap of faith and ordered the daal. Its the brown, soupy stuff in the bowl. Sure it wasn't cute, but it was extremely satisfying (Oh how I wish I could say that about many things). The starchy-sides were amazing as well. The potatoes were slightly spicy and the yogurt covered rice was the perfect cooling antidote the strong flavors of its neighbors. For our type of naan, there were so many choices ranging from cauliflower (with pomegranate seeds and cilantro) to roasted portabella mushroom (and monterey jack cheese). We chose potatoes with grounded pomegranate seeds and with the exception of choosing to go to Cal, that, I believe was one of the best choices I ever made. The combination of warm, fluffy bread surrounding a steaming hot, gushy potato mixture was the perfect thing on a rainy day. It was unfortunate that I was already stuffed from the salad and two appetizers or I would have plowed my way through the basket.

It's restaurants like Piquant that make me wish I were a hobbit and had an excuse for having a second and third lunch.
-Jenn

the trip that launched a thousand crumbs

2007-04-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

Central Park

So, Jen and I have been putting off detailing the New York Trip we took with Meera over Spring Break for months now, intimidated by the post's epic nature. But now that it is summer, and I am without a job, car, or anything better to do, I figure it's as good a time as ever to just get it over with. There's some good stuff to post after I get this sucker out of the way, so hopefully it will be what the blog needs to get moving again.

I'm not exactly sure how to go about doing this, so bear with me as I fumble through it. This is a food blog, of course, so I realize that most of the text will probably go unread. So! I'll try and keep it light on the stories and high on the pictures.

For at least the first 2 days or so of our vacation, our adventures were separate. Meera was in Philadelphia, venturing on somewhat sketchy Chinatown bus systems and approaching New York, Jen was in New Jersey with her aunt, uncle, and cousins, and I was stranded in Las Vegas, cursing my decision to fly US Airways and vowing to never repeat that mistake EVER AGAIN. So while the beginnings of our trip weren't lacking in oddity or interest, in terms of fooding we began on quite a weak foot. Like a fractured or a broken one, even. But in a short while we were reunited in New York City, and confronted with this:

Yes, that's right. Food Network's Mario Batali's restaurant, Babbo. We got excited, we ran to the menu, we observed prices, we photographed, we left. Um, not a whole lot to say here except for possibly, wow, that guy always wears really terrible shoes.

We did a lot of walking. Feet were sore. At least there were pretty things to look at. Otherwise everyone might be so taken up with the thought of their aching feet that they might have to resort to such footwear as exhibited above.

Out of nowhere Jen started squealing about Dean and Deluca, which we entered and was indeed pretty great. Apple crumbles were contemplated here, but we didn't end up buying anything.

One of the reasons for our NY trip was Tiff, a close friend of Jen who studies at NYU and is very cool and very talented, and who showed us a couple of places where she goes to eat and play around the city. First of these was a popular student restaurant, Dojo.

It's the kind of casual, student-filled place you're likely to find near any college campus. The students seem to like it, and the food is really, really inexpensive (some dishes are under five dollars). The four of us ordered variations on essentially the same dish - I ordered a chicken sandwich that came with a salad side and their well-loved carrot-tahini dressing, Jen and Meera might have gotten the same, and Tiff got a slab of tofu over said salad and dressing.

Overall it was a pretty normal chicken sandwich, if a little bland. The dressing, however, was really yummy - tangy with an interesting texture and color, and we asked for an extra dish of it to liven up our sandwiches. Spooning it over the fried chicken breast on my sandwich really did the trick and made it a good bet for a tasty, student-budget meal.

After dinner, Tiff took us to one of her favorite places to grab dessert, Bruno Bakery, also in Greenwich Village. We were faced with display cases of far too many delicious options - everything from cookies to mousses to full cakes. I would have loved to grab a coffee and something sweet and enjoy it outside, but the place was packed and it was cold out, so Meera and I decided to share a plain vanilla creme brulee, which was very satisfying once back in the warmth of Tiff's dorm room.

Tiff took us here, too - the Village Vanguard, which I understand is somewhat of a major jazz landmark since its opening in 1935. We went to see Roy Haynes, a jazz drummer, and it was a lot of fun - a chill little place and an amazing show. It felt very quintessential New York, which is a nice feeling. So if you get a chance to experience the Vanguard or Mr. Haynes, by all means do!

The next day, Tiff (on the right) took us to eat lunch at La Lanterna di Vittorio (The Fireside Caffe), a very cute and cozy Italian restaurant. The atmosphere is nice- there are live jazz shows here, though we didn't happen to catch one, and there is an indoor and outdoor eating area. We ate outside, in a patio area covered by a glass roof, allowing customers to enjoy alfresco eating in any weather. Tiff reminisced about the short while ago when the outdoor eating area was uncovered and the roof was in various stages of construction. Now it's kind of like eating in a greenhouse. A charming, comfortable greenhouse.

They had a nice variety of paninis and pizzas (but pizza is only available after noon). I ordered a chicken, mozzarella, tomato, and basil panini on focaccia, which came with salad greens in a balsamic vinagrette.

The bread was warm and toasty and the salad was fresh and tasty. I'm a big fan of simple salads as a sandwich side. A warning - there are many, many more sandwiches and their bready brethren to follow, people. You can get cheap, yummy sandwiches all over New York City, and we made full use of that fact. I can't honestly say I ever got sick of yummy things smooshed between bread, but I did take a little break from my usual high level of Berkeley sandwiching when I got back home.

This is a food court kind of place we stopped at, I think it was called Bocca. It think it turned out to be one of the tastiest sandwich places we stopped at, though you might not expect it. There's a lot of food here, with quite a few different stations - some kinds of Asian food, pizza, paninis, salads, etc. Lots of business people on their lunch hour, and a crowded seating area, but we grabbed a spot and cracked open our plastic to-go containers to devour the steaming sandwiches within. I got a chicken cesar panini, something out of the usual for me, but which turned out to be pretty delicious. The sandwiches came with a variety of sauces for dipping, too, depending on the type you got - marinara, chipotle sauce, various flavored mayonaisses. I decided to make my selection even wierder and go for the chipotle. Basically, it = suprisingly YUM.

See? There's a trend. It wasn't supposed to be that way. We were supposed to have theoretically taken the time to plan out every day's worth of eating and plan everything else around the food. That's how it should be - food first, tourism second, often both at the same time! But unfortunately our lack of time to prepare before the trip left us eating panini after panini in random places we stopped at cause we were starving. Let that be a lesson to you - never come on a trip without preparing your belly first! Good thing all of us actually like paninis and aren't very picky. And good thing we had the option, when we did have to have another panini, of getting a reasonably yummy pesto-and-chicken one like this one. Jen wasn't so lucky that day, however - she helped herself to a veggie sandwich that was supposed to come with hummus and was rewarded with this:

Suspicious, reasonless. It gives me the creeps a little bit just looking at the overexposed, bland picture. Are those mashed-up carrots? Please. If we'd wanted baby food, we could get it ourselves. I don't remember the name of this place at all, but after seeing this sandwich I think I'll stick to Berkeley's veggie options.

This night will remain etched into my memory forever. We were wandering around Broadway, waiting for our show to start and looking for a place to eat. After walking around forever trying to find someplace cheap to eat, we finally settled with Chelsea Grill of Hell's Kitchen. Not too memorable, but it was my first time ever trying corn chowder. I am suprised I waited so long - a thick creamy corn soup that predestines you to heart disease? Where have you been all my life? Anyway, this one was some kind of a chicken tortilla corn chowder concoction that was pretty tasty indeed.

I got a salad with sundried tomatoes, greens, and grated parmesan that was meh. Jen's salad was much more interesting - walnuts, pear slices, and some kind of cheese, maybe gorgonzola or bleu.

Oh, and the reason why the night was so memorable was that Spamalot SUCKED. Please, save yourself the money and the brain damage and just say NO. Still, Broadway is pretty. So here are some pictures:

To console ourselves after the show we decided to run to Amy's Bread, a little place we spotted on our way to the theatre.

There were many delectables to be had, but I don't think any of us bought anything (no tummy room). It seemed like the kind of place anyone who loves eating sweet things with their coffee would love - lots of pastries and buns and things covered with cinnamon and glaze and raisins, etc.

The next day - BOUCHON BAKERY!

I am addicted to macarons. Not macaroons, those little coconut towers, but French macarons - light, almost merengue-like cookies with some kind of intensely flavored paste inbetween. That's probably the worst description I've ever heard, but I promise you they are magical. According to Robyn (The Girl Who Ate Everything), Bouchon's macarons don't rank very highly in the hierarchy of NYC macarons. But the hazelnut macaron I bought at Bouchon (for almost three dollars! yikes) was enough of amazing to last a girl for a long time, and I've eaten under 5 of these delicious rarities in my whole life, so who am I to judge? The cookie was light and slightly chewy, and the cookies surrounding the hazelnut paste weren't crumbly and dry but were ONE with the paste in every bite. DekjwfsdjgnalkjsdAKGGDskjfd. Though I hope I never pay that much for a macaron ever again, it was definately one of the highlights tastewise of the trip.

I took bad, bad pictures of that cookie, but you can get a slight glimpse of the hazelnut paste action peeking through the crumbs.

We went to the Metropolitan Opera, too - a huge improvement on the previous night's Broadway adventure. The opera was La Traviata, and it was an amazing performance. We had to get the cheapest seats possible, so we were in the back standing rows for the first two acts. Then the wealthy older couples started to get bored, I guess, and decided to be totally awesome and give us their tickets! So we enjoyed the last act from incredible seats that cost someone else a lot of money. Rad!

The Met's gorgeous ceiling.

These pictures were all taken before the last act, after we changed seats and were being stared down and snobbed at by rich old people.

At one point during the trip, we somehow ended up in Whole Foods and got lunch there at the little food stations there. Nothing too interesting, I got some Indian food that was decent enough but way overpriced. The star of the show was Meera's whoopie pie, which she bought and I ended up finishing because I'm disgusting like that.

This thing is, like, every little kid's dream. Two huge pillowy cakelike chocolate cookies, sandwiching a layer of mysterious white fluff that tasted exactly like butter creamed with sugar. It was awesome.

The next day involved a trip to The City Bakery, which is basically a fast-paced, crowded, high-end cafeteria for even more working people on their breaks. You grab a container and serve yourself various gourmetish lunch items, then they charge you based on weight.

The granola bar, which had fresh mango and pineapple and looked amazing and fresh, but which I did not partake in. I did, however, steal a taste of the lime ricotta, which was disappointing.

Gourmet mini-pizzas. Meera got one of these. It was yummy. Why do I know what everyone's food tasted like.

My plate consisted of some kind of white fish (mahi-mahi, maybe) with parsley pesto, some ginger rice with red beans, jicama and mango salad, roasted brussel sprouts, sauteed green beans with lemon and almond slices, and some kind of sweet potato mixture. It sounds like a lot, but I only took a tiny bit of everything, and I was honestly glad I did. The fish was dry and pretty bland, the ginger rice wasn't anything special, and the sweet potato stuff was just kind of sweet and mushy. The brussel sprouts, green beans, and jicama and mango salad I enjoyed, though. I also liked the cookies I bought there - one of which was a big, chewy chocolate cookie and the other a powdery peanut knot cookie. I preferred the chocolate, and it lasted me for days - I put it inside of one of the soup containers available at the City Bakery's soup bar, and kept the little paper bucket of cookie inside my purse for the remainder of the trip, to be opened and snacked upon in various museums and airplane terminals. Gross resourcefulness YEAH!

By the recommendation of my sister, we also stopped at a place in Little Italy called Cafe Habana, a Cuban-Mexican fusion restaurant and bar.

It is apparently always this crowded. Lines out the door, every night of the week!

We sat right here, next to the window looking out on Prince Street.

The lighting was terrible and I was forced to use flash, so the pictures are crap and I apologize. Having said that, in my opinion, this was the best food we tried in New York. The grilled corn that Cafe Habana is known for and that my sister still tastes in her dreams was incredible - blackened on the grill, then smothered with what I think was mayo, sprinkled with chili powder and lime juice, then rolled in parmesan cheese. It was smoky, creamy, gooey, and possibly changed the way I'll think about corn forever. I also ordered some kind of masa pocket of cheese, etc, which was pretty yummy too, and I tried platanos for the first time here - sweeter than I'd expected, but yummy just the same! The best thing about my entree, however, was the simplest part - the beans and rice. OH MY GOD. I could eat bowls of this stuff! I'm too used to dry, tasteless rice and flavorless beans I've been scorned with in the past, and this stuff was just amazingly flavorful. I understood why I spotted several people ordering nothing but plates of beans and rice, and maybe a side of platanos, for their dinner. In short, AMAZING, amazing food, the best meal I had in New York and in a long time prior to that. If I lived in the city, I'd be a hopeless regular of this place.

Next is a fooding experience that I think still slightly infuriates Jen and Meera. After our first encounter with NYC macarons at Bouchon, we were on an insatiable hunt for more, ideally at a less painful price. According to the Internet, Payard Patisserie and Bistro had macarons, and at a decent price, too. So Payard it was.

Can you sense the snobbery of this place already? At least it had interesting lighting fixtures.

So basically, we walked into Payard and instantly set our sights upon the display cases of various sweets. When we found the macarons it caused quite the stir of excitement to see the many varieties and colors, and especially to see that they were only a fraction of the price of Bouchon's version. We started making our selections to bring back home for family and friends, but decided we'd come back to buy the cookies after we'd eaten some lunch. We spotted a display case selling pre-made sandwiches and browsed over them. Just as we were contemplating whether to spend 9 dollars on the tiny and unfulfilling-looking sandwiches, we were asked if we'd like to eat lunch in the restaurant (the bistro aspect of Payard). All of us hesitated, since we were nearing the end of our trip, some of us over our budget, and we knew the menu would be no less forgiving in price range. I believe it was me, however, who was probably letting her stomach trump her judgment yet again, who suggested that we eat at Payard, "since we're already here."

The food was expensive, of course, and the portion sizes were small - not at all what our stomachs or we had in mind for that afternoon. We considered leaving the restaurant after viewing the menu, but were too intimidated by our waiter and the overall atmosphere of the place, as well as the fact that busboys were already bringing us water and bread. That was probably the biggest lesson of that day - to not let a restaurant pressure you so much that you end up sharing a couple small items, eat them uncomfortably, and leave unsatisfied. In all fairness, however, though it's not a place I don't think I'd ever revisit, the food was very good. We ordered a sardine tartine - a bruschetta-like piece of toasted bread spread with pesto and salty, crispy sardines placed on top, and a croque monsieur - an broiled ham and cheese sandwich, topped with creamy bechamel sauce.

Both cheesy and delicious!

Maybe not as happy as she appears. But little tasty things are better than no tasty things at all, right? RIGHT?!

And finally, a couple of pictures of New Jersey, where we spent most of our nights during the trip. We didn't do a whole lot of eating out there except when we ate at a little diner kind of place with Jen's aunt and cousins. I can't remember the name of the place at all, but it was yummy. I got a goat cheese sandwich with veggies and balsamic vinaigrette, and the entrees all came with curried noodles.

Meera's chicken salad sandwich and clam chowder

Jen's Italianish chicken hot sandwich.

That's pretty much everything. Mad props to anyone who actually got through all of this, and who read anything I wrote. To end this concisely: that was New York. I'd go back in a second.

-Jenny

Dojo West

14 E. 4th Street

(between Broadway and Greene St.)

Bruno Bakery

506 Laguardia Pl Frnt

Village Vanguard

178 7th Ave S

(between 11th St. and S 7 Ave)

La Lanterna di Vittorio / The Fireside Caffe

129 MacDougal St

Bocca Restaurant

135 W 50th St

Chelsea Grill of Hell's Kitchen

675 9th Avenue

Amy's Bread

672 9th Ave

(between 46th St and 47th St)

Bouchon Bakery

10 Colombus Circle at 59th St - Third Floor

(between Broadway and W Central Park)

The City Bakery

3 W. 18th Street

(between 5th Ave and Avenue of The Americas)

Cafe Habana

229 Elizabeth Street

(between Houston and Prince)

Payard Patisserie and Bistro

1032 Lexington Ave

(between 73rd and 74th St)

true love

2007-03-14T16:29:00.000-07:00

"I'd tap that."

I shall leave some of this post's comments to it's rightful author - Jenn, as she was the one who originally discovered the beautiful specimen known as the Granola Parfait (B. Granolium). Spotted in several locations, including the Golden Bear Cafe, Pat Brown's, and The Terrace on the UC Berkeley campus, this little beauty is a treat indeed. The morning is usually the best time to catch a fresh one, but don't worry! - the populations lining the fridges of their habitats are replenished several times a day.

Both of the Jennifers have been known to hunt down a granola parfait in the throes of midterm studying. The cold, creamy yogurt (vanilla, or maybe plain) pairs perfectly with the chewy raisins, crunchy granola with almonds, and plump juicy blueberries, staining the yogurt with swirls of light purple. A perfectly refreshing accompaniment to a day like today, in which my Irish colors show through, mainly the red type, in the form of a sunburn. I was focused so much on the parfaitness of the parfait, I neglected the fact that my cells were, at that moment, turning cancerous. It was so worth it.

-Jenny

Colonies of blueberries. Colonies!

From Jenn: If there's one thing I'll miss squandering my dining common points on, this would be it: the granola parfait. Like Jenny said, this is the perfect food to eat during midterms--not only does it provide the energy to read through the never-ending readers, its easy to sneak into the stacks and shove behind your computer when the monitors come strolling by. Contrary to what others think, the best way to eat this parfait is by smushing it all together until it resembles a Foothill inhabitant--pale, pasty, and altogether unappetizing. But the moment you slurp it up, the taste of the sweet, soggy grains, fluffy yogurt, and tangy berries is amazing. Our only reservations are when the yogurt to granola ratio is too low. TWO to ONE, people! That's the golden ratio. Please stick to it. Anything else is like a cup of yogurt with a little granola (and the feeling that I was wasted) or a cup of dry granola and a dab of yogurt (and the feeling of being wasted...okay not really. I don't know what it's like to be wasted, but I just really like parallel sentences. So sue me.)

Anyhow, I really need to thank this creation because it has led to my current obsession:
Take a bowl. Fill it 1/3rd with granola. Fill it 1/3rd with Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Fill it 1/3rd with Lucky Charms. Add a dollop of yogurt (any flavor!!!). Add some milk--enough to make the cereal float a bit. Throw in an entire diced banana. MIX...and ENJOY!!! Like I've said and will say again: It's the breakfast, lunch, and dinner of champions.

+ +

= HAPPINESS.

Better than Sunday Masse

2007-03-13T23:32:00.001-07:00

With famous places like Cheeseboard Pizza, Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers, and Gregoire filling the Gourmet Ghetto, little places often get overlooked. However, after one (or two) accidental, yet delightful experiences there, it's often these little gems that impel us to leave our nook up at our dorms and to make the trek to the realm of the delicious again and again. Masse's Pastries is the perfect example.

After a gut-busting lunch at Gregoire's, Jenny and I had to wait for Lindsay to come. Though we were stuffed (think 5th month of pregnancy-stuffed), the mere memory of a macaron we had at Bittersweet Cafe forced us to mentally secure another 1 mm of space in our stommachs for some sweets. So off to Masse's Pastries we went...

The moment we walked through the door, our eyes were set on this chocolate macaron. The picture is blurry because my hands were shaking from the excitement...and I have yet to learn how to take close-ups. We quickly handed over our (parents) hard-earned money for the cookie.
Ohh macaron, macaron in my hand. You are the best desert in the land! (Poetry skill will improve. Give it time, give it time)
The most diplomatic way to share the lovin was by splitting it with a coffee mixer stick. Along the way, the macaron's beauty was marred. But no fear, we knew that underneath the demolished shell, was a layer of chewy chocolate heaven.
The moment I bit into the macaron, the essence of chocolate crept over my tongue, into my throat, and happily spent the last minutes of its life resting, in my stommach. Okay, it wasn't that intense, but it was good. However, I was reminded of the pistacio macaron I had at the Ferry Plaza Building in San Francisco. One of my favorite blogs is "The Girl Who Ate Everything." She should really be called "The Girl Who Ate Everything Macaron-looking" because the girl is Lucky (with a capitalized "L"). Living in New York, she's exposed to delicious eats all the time. These delicious eats include macarons. Pistacio macarons. I had always thought that chocolate macarons were the best. However, the moment I bit into a pistacio macaron, I realized that macarons shouldn't be solely sweet, but fragrant and delicate as well. Unfortunately, the chocolate macarons fell into the trap of its breathren. Basically, twas delicious, but I was content with just half.
Birthdays are the best thing ever. The reason? There's cake. For my sister's birthday, she got a mango mousse cake. It resembled the light and creamy cakes of my childhood that I got from Sheng's Bakery and Sogo's. The cake wasn't too heavy and the real star was the fruit (as you can tell from the not-so-subtle inverted mango plopped on top) One word: yumminess...
-Jen
Masse's Pastries
1469 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94709
510 649 1004

XRDS. ...just kidding.

2007-03-13T21:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes in my darkest of studying hours I look at the Foothill DC menu and sink further into despair, because noooo way am I having a hamburger again or venturing near the yogurt/pickles/peanut butter lair. And also I have a test the next day. Cereal time perhaps? But sometimes in these sad times I hear a knock at my door and Jenn will come flouncing in and propose a trip to Crossroads, the other DC on Southside. These trips mean a lot for my stomach. Meaning, chiefly, death. Seriously, these meals are of epic proportions. I could say that it's an unconscious defense mechanism of mine, to stuff myself with good food while it's available in such abundance, to tide me over the bad times as our ancestors might have done. But the truth is I don't pay enough attention in Anthro to make that kind of statement and I am just a glutton. Usually I stuff myself with a hummus sandwich and sweet potato fries, and then ideally bread pudding, and then, like the beast I am, I waddle into Peet's Coffee and Tea next door and get a steamed milk with a hazelnut shot. Oh how my belly aches but let me tell you life is GOOD.

Crossroads is pretty amusing because we get to watch everything about Southside we're missing in Footy pass us by, literally, as we eat. It's always so interesting to me to see the stark differences between the lives led on the two sides of campus. If I lived on Southside, I might feel funny about going to dinner at Crossroads looking as frump as I usually do, whereas to be honest, anything goes in the realm of the Foothill creatures. You can be rained on and tired and frizzy and still be accosted by umbrella-boys and probably umbrella-girls.

Ahem. Anyways, back to dinner.

Okay, to be fair, this was taken at Foothill DC. Seriously, the best thing about the DC is the salad bar. There's pretty much everything you need. EXCEPT, even though Jenn would disagree (she loves her salads, and especially her Sesame Goddess dressing), I don't like the salad dressing options. I guess I'm much too used to Kraft Italian dressing at home to appreciate anything that's not 99% garlic and vinegar. But anyways. The salad bar is fresh and yummy and nice to have available. I think most of it is even organic. Berkeley is good about making sure to label which foods aren't, and they also have a nice selection of vegetarian and vegan options at our DC. Unfortunately, I am not usually brave enough to venture into that territory too often, unless it is into the land of TOFUTTI "ICE CREAM" SANDWICHES, which are delicious AND amazing, no matter what Lindsay says.

Sweet potato fries at Crossroads!

Typical dinner for Jenn. Notice the complete lack of meat. Pssh.

Some ravioli that looked intriguing, but failed to deliver. Also some potstickers of The Crazy. The Crazy loves her potstickers.

-Jenny

No Wonder Gisele is So Happy

2007-03-04T02:08:00.000-08:00

Jealously reigns supreme when I think about how Ms. Bunchen not only gets free goods from Victoria's secret and used to date "Bling bang" Dicaprio, but also got to grow up eating Brazilian Bbq. At the tip of University Avenue, is a little trailer that contains the most flavorful meat in Berkeley--the owner Pedro. Oh! And the tri-tip is pretty famous too. I'm sure you've must of heard about Pedro's hospitality and vivaciousness. Rest assured, those rumors are true. Case in point: the second time I went there, I was given a free mango smoothie. Now, I'm pretty devoted to Gregoire, but keep this up Pedro, and you've just secured yourself a free stalker.

The mango smoothie was refreshing and not too sweet. You could definitely tell it was made seconds before. However, I wish it was a tad thicker. But then again, it was free so who's complaining? Here's a tip: To get your own free smoothie, cut out the coupon the Berkeley's Guide to a Good Life booklets they gave out in the beginning of the year. You know--those books that are festering in your common room right now.
This tri-tip sandwich was amazing. Each nugget of beef was tender and extremely flavorful. In addition to the fresh tomato and lettuce, the sandwich consisted of a hearty, yet light bread that was smathered with a cilantro-garlic sauce. On the trailer, there is a sign that says "Best Tri-Tip in the Bay." They aren't lying.
During a previous occasion, Jenny and Linsday were lucky enough to pay Pedro another visit. This is exactly the same sandwich that I had before except this time, the little tri-tip nuggets are being hugged by a thick, soft piece of sliced bread. Once again, the Brazilian Cafe does not disappoint.

One of the greatest things about the Brazil Fresh Squeeze Cafe is that in addition to the great food, it's really an experience. There isn't a "nice" dining area. Instead, customers enter a tent to the side of the trailer that is brightly decorated with pictures of Brazil and lots of fake grass. One interesting little tidbit is that the cafe was mentioned in National Geographic several years ago and as a result, there are always some issues of the magazine laying around.
-Jenn

Brazil Fresh Squeeze Cafe
2161 University Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94704

Carrot Cupcaking!

2007-03-03T13:30:00.000-08:00

In which another weekend with my sister, niece, and I produce more food!

Special occasion style! My mom's birthday was on Saturday. She tries her darndest not to acknowledge it, but come on, she's my mom and it was her bersday. So the girls came over to search for something sweet to make, to watch movies, and generally be lazy, and eventually to suprise my mom when she came home.

We looked on epicurious.com, we looked through SimplyRecipes, and finally we found what we were looking for on the Food Network's web site: Ina Garten's Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. Barefoot Contessa is my favorite Food Network show; despite how much of a Crazy she can be, she makes some amazing food, and I've never been let down by a recipe of hers. So it was decided, and we headed off to the grocery store to pick up ingredients.

Lots of carrots.

and flowers, for mom!

mixture of shredded carrots, raisins, walnuts... yummyness.

:]]]

Here is the recipe!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

2 cups sugar

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 extra-large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3 cups grated carrots (less than 1 pound)

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting:

3/4 pound cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 pound confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat the sugar, oil, and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter. Mix until just combined.

Line muffin pans with paper liners. Scoop the batter into 22 muffin cups until each is 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and cook for a further 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

For the frosting, cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the sugar and beat until smooth.

When the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously and serve.

-Jenny

Like a Trip to Outer Space...

2007-03-01T01:07:00.001-08:00

Fed up with homework and studying, the two hungry bears and the lazy tapir (along with another fellow creature) decided to venture to the land of hobos and fast cars--Shattuck--where Venus Restaurant awaited them. Known for its innovated Californian cuisine and delicious brunches (once you have a taste of their french toast, you can never look at any other french toast the same--I don't care if you think your momma's the best), Venus Restaurant had several delicious-sounding items on their dinner menu. We couldn't wait...
Unfortunately, we had no choice but to. There was a 15 minute wait so we shimmied over to Longs Drugs across the street where we did the usual (looked at gossip maggies and shook our heads over the latest antics of Lindsay Lohan). When we came back, we sat on the banister near the doorway we're we tried to take pictures. But the restaurant and customers weren't having any of our lovin'. We lost count of the nasty looks that came our way...
We may have looked happy but the growling in our bellies would soon consume any patience we had left.
CARBS and OIL and...CARBS! oh my! We happily consumed two plates of olive bread and crusty french bread.
As lovely as everything sounded, I was extremely disappointed to find that the online dinner menu didn't resemble the actual menu at all. Before, my saliva had started to sprint the moment I read "thick & juicy pork chop with german butterball mashed potatoes, apple-pear-quince chutney, and warm cabbage saute" online. At that moment, the crazies at PETA had been winning:I was an unwilling vegetarian--put off nearly all meat thanks to the creations offered by the Foothill DC. However, upon looking at the laminated menu I saw with dismay that there was nary a porkchop to be found (unless I looked down at my growing belly...)
However, the disappointment quickly faded upon noticing the words "Butternut squash gnocchi with roasted chestnuts, chanterelle mushrooms, spinach, and parmesan." Jenny and I both pounced on this. Jenny-a gnocchi virgin-seemed to enjoy the dish. I was instantly seduced by the little potato dumplings that instantly melted upon contact with my tongue. Alas, if only there was more. The size was more of an appetizer than an actual entree.
Lindsay and a special guest sprang for the "Roasted Rosie Chicken with mashed german butterballs, mushroom gravy, homemade biscuit, & swiss chard." The first thought that came into my head upon biting in the delicious flesh of this unfortunate bird was "MMHh tender!" Juicy and rich--it was everything that you could wish for in a chicken. Except....it started to taste like chinese-cooked chicken that you could buy for take-out at our local deli in Fremont.
The real winner was the biscuit. Buttery and light--I still dream about it sometimes.
At one point I ventured into the bathroom, where I was greeted with this. There are no words.
To top off the dinner, we ordered two servings of bread pudding with all sorts of citrisy-flavors that I have forgotten the names of. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the bread pudding at Crossroads dining commons more. Methinks bread pudding is just one of those things that taste better when they are simpler and not too gourmet.
All in all, despite its mini-disappointments, Venus was a nice escape for dinner. But I think I'll stick to the brunches from now on.
-Jenn

Venus Restaurant
2327 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA
(510) 540-5950

A little bit of homemade! Chicken Enchiladas!

2007-02-26T13:08:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been doing some cooking on weekends at home with the sister and the niece. Last weekend, it was chicken enchiladas and Spanish rice.

The enchiladas recipe I use is actually one put out by Crisco. I found it in a magazine a few years ago.

I've developed a few shortcuts to this recipe, as the entire process from start to finish takes a couple of hours if you follow the recipe exactly and are as slow a chef as me.

Firstly, since I don't usually have a lot of cooked chicken meat handy for shredding, I use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. They're fully cooked and seasoned, and the meat is usually very tasty and tender. Also, one average sized rotisserie chicken is the perfect amount for doubling this recipe, which is what I always end up doing.

Secondly, I don't fry the tortillas before filling them. This is more of a calorie saver than a time saver, as you still have to heat the tortillas on a skillet, etc. before making the enchiladas or they will split all over the place and will be unsightly as well as dry when done. You also have to make sure that when you cover the filled enchiladas with sauce, you do it completely thoroughly so that the tortillas can get some moisture that way. I've made them both ways, and if you're careful about it, they taste pretty much the same with or without the frying.

Also, notice the improved quality of this post's photos. They were taken with my niece's camera, a Canon Powershot SD600 6 MP. That night was the night I discovered the joys of macro mode. Food world, WATCH OUT.

Here is the recipe:

Chicken Enchiladas

3 cups Enchilada Sauce (recipe follows)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Crisco® Oil
12 6-inch corn tortillas
CRISCO No-Stick Cooking Spray

Enchilada Sauce (makes 3 cups)
2 tablespoons CRISCO Oil
2 tablespoons PILLSBURY® Best All-Purpose Flour
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Enchilada Sauce
Heat CRISCO Oil in large saucepan; stir in flour and chili powder. Cook for 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Enchiladas
In a medium bowl mix together chicken, green onions, 1/2 cup Cheddar, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack, sour cream, chiles and cilantro. Stir in 1/2 cup Enchilada Sauce; stir until well blended.
Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Heat 1/2 inch CRISCO Oil in large pan. Fry tortillas, one at a time, until soft (10 seconds per side). Drain well on paper towels.
Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with CRISCO No-Stick Cooking Spray. Spread a small amount of Enchilada Sauce over the bottom of dish. Spread 2 heaping tablespoons of the chicken mixture in each tortilla and roll up.
Place enchiladas, seam side down, side by side in prepared dish. Pour remaining sauce over. Top with remaining cheeses.
Bake until bubbling, 15-20 minutes. Garnish with sour cream, sliced green onions and chopped cilantro.

We usually make some kind of rice or bean side for these enchiladas. My sister had tried a recipe for Spanish rice earlier that week that she enjoyed, and made it again to pair with the enchiladas. It was tasty, with lots of onion flavor, though she said that turned out too moist for her liking this time around. The recipe is from Simply Recipes and goes a little something like this.

Spanish Rice

2 tablespoons olive oil (can use up to 1/4 cup)
1 onion, chopped fine
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups of medium or long-grain white rice
3 cups* chicken stock (or vegetable stock if vegetarian)
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained
Pinch of oregano
1 teaspoon salt

*Check the instructions on the rice package for the proportions of liquid to rice. They can range from 1:1 to 2:1. If your rice calls for 2 cups of water for every cup of rice, then for this recipe, use 4 cups of stock for 2 cups of rice.

In a large skillet brown rice in olive oil, medium/high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook onion rice mixture, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes, or until onions are softened.

In a separate sauce pan bring stock to a simmer. Add tomato sauce, oregano, and salt. Add rice to broth. Bring to a simmer. Cover. Lower heat and cook 15-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instructions on the rice package. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6.

-Jenny

Food Seminaring

2007-02-02T16:49:00.000-08:00

Food Seminar at San Francisco
During The Unbalanced One's first semester at Cal, she had the opportunity to go on an amazing seminar that brought her two farmers markets, two farmers, a cheese factory, and a feast at a professor's house. Twas the trip of dreams, and it was it really was...

Because it was still peach season, those velvety globes of sweet juice were still out in full force. The Unbalanced One hadn't eaten anything that morning so she was slightly overwhelmed when she saw all of them staring at her. She admits that there were, indeed, more than one tear of happiness shed. After no hesitation, she quickly handed over $3.00 for a peach of her own. Light and extremely fragrant, this organic fruit was completly worth it. However, will she be spending another $3.00 for one piece of fruit anytime soon? Probably not.

Towards the end of our Ferry Market Plaza adventure, we were standing around waiting for the bus to take us to our next adventure. Little did we know that lurking around the corner (well, actually sitting at a stand right behind us) were these beautiful hand-held pies. We surmise that one was filled with strawberry and another with blackberry goo. One lucky girl bought a one. Much jealousy was directed from The Unbalanced One to this unsuspecting individual.

A short while after leaving the Ferry Plaza Farmer's market, we went to a farm where rows organic strawberries were ripe for the picking. The gentleman who owned the farm discussed the difficulties involved with farming (owning the land, making sure the soil wasn't depleted of its nutrients, picking the berries in time, etc.) At one point, he allowed the each person to pick ONE strawberry. At first, the emphasis on only "one" strawberry unnerved The Unbalanced One. What if she accidentally stepped on one? Would that be the ONE? What if she picked one that looked ripe on one side, but revealed itself to be a hideous GREEN when exposed from its leafy breathren? Would that be the ONE? With these fears in mind, she carefully walked among the strawberry rows and finally selected this little fellow. Notice the resembalance to one of man's greatest inventions--the handbag. Oh and yes, it was delicious.

As we sat on a haystack, we listened to a grass-fed beef farmer talk about his farm and his grass-fed cattle. Just hearing him talk about how great grass-feeding is for cattle made me wish I were a grass-fed freshman. He also showed us his abundant apple orchard where I sank my eager teeth into thee most crisp and fresh apples I have ever tasted. Then again, I did grow up going to Lion's asian supermarket where the word "organic" is a rarity indeed.

Biting into a grass-fed beef patty, surrounded by organic veggies, all mushed together by an Acme baguette reminded me of why I shall never go into the land of zee vegetarians. So sorry, Babe.

Bruschetta with mozzerella, tomatoes, and pesto?!?! Sometimes when I think of this when I feel I don't have enough religion in my life.
I'm not such a fan of cold cheese, but when it tastes like lemon frosting and is called "lemon quark," I have one word for you: GIMME!

A Pig at Gregoire and No, I'm Not Referring To Us

2007-01-31T18:19:00.001-08:00

Realizing that today would be the last day of Gregoire's delectable January menu, The Unbalanced One, The Calm One, and The Crazy said "Forget learning and satisfying our brain! We shall satisfy our stomachs!" With that thought in mind, they ventured to the tranquil Gourmet Ghetto in northside to visit their good friend once again.

The layout of Gregoire is pretty cool. There are bar stools with a counter placed in front of the cooking area, and an open window to the right of the cooking ranges and drawers full of ingredients (!!!) so that the chef can call out the names on orders and hand them through the window to the people sitting at tables outside or waiting for their food to go. We, of course, sat right in the middle of things, on the stools, staring down the chef and generally looking like crazies with our frantic picture-taking.

There we paid a visit to our brethen.

The Calm One getting mentally prepared...

Behind that smile is a beast ready to unleash itself on some unfortunate sammiches...That tasty morsel waited in line for 5 hours to go on this delicious ride.

Unadulterated potato mush, ready to be transformed into the celebrated potato puffs

From the specially shaped boxes to the adorable checkered tissue paper, everything is tip-top perfect

He, too, was transfixed by the scene before him

Three beautifully created sandwiches. All with a lot of potential. BUT ONLY ONE SHALL become America's Next Top sammich.

If we had to, we would have eaten him to get to those sandwiches.
The tempura-battered butternut squash with onion chutney sandwich- up close and oh so personal.

The mother of all sandwiches. The Gregoire Experience.

2007-01-30T08:24:00.001-08:00

Gregoire, a tiny French takeout place in Northside, houses many delights. Gregoire and his little hats are only the first. The menu changes monthly, with some staples sticking around for most of the year, perhaps with slight seasonal variations. Most hyped about are the potato puffs - golden, crispy pillows of starchy goodness, served with a yummy aioli for dipping. Each dish is prepared with exceptional ingredients, and each month's menu never fails to make us DROOL.

Ready to attack!

Layers of warm, comforting cheesy potato goodness! Do not attempt, as the creatures did, to scale the hills of Berkeley directly following this particular genre of food event. You will only be rewarded with pain, cruel pain. But then someday you'll get back to your dorm and rub your little painful tummy and think "Damn, those were some good potatoes."

From the September menu: Smoked shrimp in a creamy sauce. This was the first visit of the year at Gregoire. Twould be the beginning of a passionate, life-long relationship.

The Calm One took a leap of faith (despite the warnings of the Unbalanced One) and ordered the lamb patty on pantofolina. She especially loved the crunchy-on-the-outside-mushy-on-the-inside bread.

The Unbalanced One and the Calm One had to use every last ounce of their strength (not upper body of course, who are we kidding??) to resist dipping their paws into this boiling vat of heahhh-ven!

From the January menu, this was tempura-fried butternut squash and caramelized onion chutney in pantofolina. ($6.50). Crunchy, sweet, and creamy--It was as good as it sounds. This is the reason we will live in Berkeley's northside next year.

Would you dare resist it's powers?

Also from the January menu: Thinly sliced "fra'mani" Toscano salami with melted Manchego on open face ciabatta ($7.25). Delicious, just a tad messy. BTW. under that avalanche of meat is indeed, a colony of loose tomatoes.

The Crazy One shows us the half of her salami sandwich before she devours the other half. As you can tell, she's not such a fan of the tomatoes.

This rice pilaf side was a pleasant, but not memorable side for our rich sandwiches. Unfortunately it contained a special nut that the Crazy One did not appreciate.

Gregoire

2109 Cedar Street, Berkeley, CA

(510) 883-1893

Smart Alec's. Aka: the frantic run towards telegraph for between-classes cornbread.

2007-01-29T23:16:00.001-08:00

Smart Alec's, on Telegraph Ave., famous for its healthy, fast, and affordable food, is a favorite of Southside students. The service is insanely fast, hipsters abound, and you occasionally have to scream at your friend in conversation over the bustle. But we think it's worth it. The food is fresh and full of flavor. Jenn favors the salads and especially the homemade corn bread (each thick golden slice is $1!!), I'm a lover of the hummus sandwich, and I believe I heard Lindsay voice a little lovin' for the fries, piled high and topped with fresh garlic and herbs.

Priya's eggplant melt from Smart Alec's. She was a lucky wench.

Maybe it was the fresh tomatoes that hadn't been stored in the dining common refrigerator for two weeks or the edamame that didn't contain essence of corn, tofu, and all of its dining common neighbors, but this salad would make foothill "chef" Conrad cry.

Le Bistro Elephant

2007-01-29T23:14:00.001-08:00

One evening, the two Jennifers went on an adventure with members of a certain committee of a certain food-related club. Their mission was to convince the unsuspecting head chef to open up his newborn restaurant to public scrutiny and hungry club members. But it just didn't work out that way. Le Bistro Elephant was meant to gain recognition quietly, attracting curious customers on their way out of a performance at Zellerbach Hall or after doing some shopping.

The atmosphere of the tiny space is very cozy, with a few suprises thrown in (an enormous elephant-deity mounted on the wall is inevitably thrown into dinner conversation at some point during the evening). The seeming non sequiturs in the decor and aromas are mostly attributable to the fact that Elephant is attached by not much more than a fabric wall to another restaurant, Khana Peena. Still, it's a pretty classy, quiet little place.

There was quite the tussle over the way in which we would tackle the appetizers. Some club members declared "Fries! Fries for everyone!," one lone fellow vouched for olives, and we wondered why we needed to prolong dinner any longer than was necessary. Finally the choice was made to order the pommes frites and the herbed goat cheese with crostini. The olive fan was left to fend for himself in that department. It was declared that the expenses would be shared by all. The Jennifers fretted over the impact this decision would have on their piggy banks, then said what the heck and ate some fries.

The pommes frites weren't anything special. You could do the same thing at home with some potatoes and a crapload of garlic salt. The ketchup claimed to be special, with chipotle or something. But honestly, it just tasted like ketchup. The goat cheese, however, was amazing - creamy and full of fresh herb flavor. This is only according to me- Jenn refrains from eating things or stuff from things that go "baaaa" or "bleeeaatt" or "hey don't eat me k". Regardless, again, we were left thinking, why are we forking over our precious monies for cheese and potatoes, when they could be made or even better, combined, so much more deliciously?

I wasn't very hungry that night, so I decided to order something light and basic, in the hopes that the quality of the ingredients in the dish would show through in place of its lack of complexity. So, the heirloom tomato salad with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and smoked sea salt it was. And I have to admit, though it was pretty yummy and clearly fresh, I was a fool for paying so much for it. Lesson learned.

As the Unbalanced One was craving something toasty and satisfying, she decided to through all sophistication out the door and to order a panini. In addition to being pleasantly surprised by the generous portions, she was glad to see that the sandwich was piping hot--literally, the top layer of her mouth was still recovering after the meal. However, once the awesomeness of the heat went away, the sandwich--which consisted of a mild cheese and various roasted peppers--had a flavor that could be best described as "meh."

Conquering the world, one calorie at a time.

In retrospect, I don't think that particular club was prepared for the level of food love we exhibited that night. After thoroughly wierding out everyone present in the restaurant and in our party with our pouncing upon everyone's dishes for photos (which didn't turn out so well, sorry), we all ordered dessert. We got the quince crème brûlée, which was kind of a disappointment, as it was very, very sweet, owing largely to the layer of quince preserves in the bottom of the ramekin. The highlight of crème brûlée in my opinion is that rich, cool, creamy custard, and this was just not satisfying enough in that respect. The waferlike cookies were tasty and light; probably the best part of what could have been a much yummier dessert.

Apple crumble. Always a yummy choice, but this time, not so memorable, either.

This, however, was suprisingly delicious! Durian's huckleberry cake, a little, dense, rustic cake filled with dried huckleberries and covered in whipped cream and fresh huckleberries. The bites were satisfying and so dense as to be ever-so-slightly chewy.

Le Bistro Elephant

2136 Oxford StBerkeley, CA 94704
(510) 849-1423

Italian MSG?

2007-01-29T22:42:00.001-08:00

The fantastic reputation of Trattoria La Siciliana left us completely unprepared for the experience that was about to unfold. After consuming a towersome heap of warm, fresh, hearty bread (a carb lovers dream, which was served with a simple, yet delicious herbed olive oil dip) the main dish was brought to the table; handmade ravioli, served in a tantalizing mushroom cream sauce. The contrast of savory and sweet was enhanced by the mouthwatering taste of a soft, fresh pasta filled with equally fresh mushrooms and ricotta cheese.

Ok, so this photo doesn't even begin to do this dish justice. But seriously, a plate of mushroom ravioli, several orders of bread (I think we made it to at least Round 4), and the garlicky olive oil, and you'll have all you'll ever need.

The lovely finale to our hearty meal.

This is why we decided to go to Cal

2007-01-29T14:19:00.001-08:00

After an arduous journey through the dark streets of Oakland, we finally saw the light...the light shining out of Fenton's Creamery, that is. Would this be the last time that we would risk our lives in the name of good eats? Hells. No.

Strawberry cheesecake and some kind of toffee crunch ice cream sundae. Bananas, fudge, caramel, and almonds included, biotches.

"why have you not posted my chocolate sundae. it was the most amazing thing i have ever had. it is not posted yet. every chocolatey bite was incredible and it is not posted"

apparently many different versions of cheesecake can be put into ice cream form. this is an amazing fact.

Introducing...

2007-01-29T14:17:00.001-08:00

Regular Contributors:

This is the Unbalanced One. Be forewarned: between searching for a major and looking for the next Foothill creature, this one is ready to eat anything resembling ice cream, hummus, or foccacia.

This is the Calm One. Always the diplomatic one, this creature has a not-so-secret weakspot for kittens and yummy and fresh delectables. She particularly favors boys that know how to take care of their umbrellas.

And finally, this is the Crazy One. Ready to combat a giant two brownie scoop sundae at Fenton's, this one's stomach is as mighty as her glare. Her only weaknesses? Peaches and shoes.

Sometimes-Writers!

Be careful where you step! If you accidentally blink, you may miss this little creature. Try to catch it, boiled and topped with butter, its considered a delicacy in China.

Also, this is a marquee that The Crazy made.

Hi All!!! Welcome to the Two Hungry Bears and a Lazy Tapir! I hope you enjoy our food adventures through Berkeley as much as we did!!!