12/8/2010

5/5 stars

I admit that I 1) don't speak Dutch and 2) haven't been here in two years. But it's not the kind of place where time matters. It is the kind of place where some knowledgeable people bring their own brews to cellar and where the barkeeps will indulge a passer-through with a tour of real, *Dutch* beers. These are brews that keep you warm through winter, brews that can be a source of national pride up with the museums.

A local recommended 't Arendsnest, and I cannot thank her enough for that recommendation. I received a wonderful education on Dutch craft beers and experienced brews that will never be tasted elsewhere.

Yelp tags: Pubs

Meanwhile, people with infinite patience put up with me as well as the unwashed masses. I’m not sure who is worse.

So the “Porn industry” somehow is safer by having a testing agency shut down… But Blackwater and other death-for-hire groups are peachy. Could someone explain this to me? Please?

12/19/2010

4/5 stars

Of *course* I had to go a bit out of my way to try Wicked Grounds on my visit. Pervy coffee? Hell yeah! The cappuccino was smooth and tasty. I've been shocking myself lately (no, not *that* way, at least not on purpose) with a lower-than-expected tolerance for coffee, so I only tried one coffee drink. The roaster (Ritual) is pretty good; none of the "fancy" roasters in the SF area have ever blown my socks off (yes, looking at you Blue Bottle). There's a roaster right around the corner I didn't know… Wish I could have tried their beans at Wicked Grounds.

I was introduced to a dangerous new interest here (no, not *that* way, those interests aren't new). Dry Soda out of Seattle. Darned good soda. Fresh flavors like lemongrass and a crisp, dry finish. I've liked crisp smacks lately (no, not *that* wa… err, ok, maybe), so I really liked these sodas. They have other options, too. This place is big on options.

The vibe was typical college-ish coffee shop. The kink bits are there and prominent but not in your face. At least not to me. But perhaps I'm not the best judge of this… People were having emotional heart-to-hearts without garnering annoyed looks from either the laptop brigade or the coarser set. Nice.

You won't find people who object to anything on display in Wicked Grounds; the kink and gay pride flags on the windoes see to that. The staff was interesting. Another review mentions a be-mohawked young lass with attitude. Yup, she has attitude, but it sure wasn't directed towards anyone that I saw. Everyone has bad days, and hers likely are doozies. The kink-friendly lawyer's a trip. Lawyers typically make me angry. Bruce Banner angry. But she's cool. That's a mindfuck in itself.

Free wifi, no pressure to get your butt out, although I was there on a slow day. Definitely will return if I can.

Yelp tags: Coffee & Tea Adult Entertainment

12/19/2010

4/5 stars

Oink. Oink, oink. Oink, oink, oink. This would be the Abominable Bumble's favorite place in the Ferry Building. Here's a little piggy, there's a little piggy, and all the little piggies need to visit my tummy.

The warm prosciutto cotto sandwich is great to eat by the bay on a drizzly day. You have a full-on warm pig oral experience while watching the cormorants fish and the gulls bomb. Alas, this visit was without the 18th century naval battle re-enactment involving heavy canon fire out on the bay.

They're *not* joking about the salt in "salty pig parts." One of the samples out made me pucker hard. (*LIPS*. Geez, folks.) But my sandwich was very well-balanced.

Yelp tags: Meat Shops Sandwiches

12/19/2010

5/5 stars

Get coffee here? Um, no. Expect always-on service? Um, no. Donuts? YES. Seriously strong donuts. I can manage one of the larger buttermilk donuts and one more typical glazed. I typically used to buy three and regretfully let one go partly to waste. I swore I wouldn't do it again. But I did. Oops.

The chocolate coated donuts don't have too much chocolate, just a nice glaze. The old-fashioned have a nice crunch in parts. The buttermilk cinnamon lumps? Whoa. Kingpin donuts are the heavy style. There is a place out near Pacheco I used to like more for everyday donuts, but Kingpin won for hard-core splurge donuts. Still does, even compared to the places I know in Atlanta. No funky flavors here, just solid, well-made donuts.

I sent a photo of the sign to a friend who served at Berkeley around the same time. His response: "Jealous." Indeed.

Yelp tags: Donuts

12/19/2010

4/5 stars

Well-executed Americanized Chinese food. The fried squid appetizer is *fantastic*, with just enough jalapeno in the batter for extra flavor. The pot stickers have the crunch that I never manage to master. Won-tons are won-tons, well-done but not thrilling. The house-made noodle main dish we had was pretty good with a curried spiciness that built as you ate more. Good tea smoked duck. The Hong-Kong-style fried noodles are quite good, although they could use more of the pak choi and a tad more meat (or smaller pieces). Standard but good sweet and sour soup and walnut prawns. You likely will have many left-overs if you go with a group and family style. Nice for a group.

And the standard yellow walls. sigh. Seems nearly a requirement that restaurants have yellow walls in California.

Yelp tags: Chinese Food Delivery Services Ethnic Food

12/19/2010

4/5 stars

To borrow local Atlanta celebrity David K's phrase, "Nice People Work Here." And they make good coffee with good foam art.

About ten years ago, I had to chose between Hudson Bay and Mocha Lisa for typical coffee stops. Mocha Lisa won by a slightly fresher, more fun environment… Mocha Lisa's gone, and Hudson Bay definitely stepped up in that time. It had been at least five years since my last visit. (Father, I have sinned… Oh, wait, that's the coffee shop review I just posted, not this one.) Peppier, brighter, and more fun. I likely would come back here often if I still were in Berkeley. The folks working that night boosted my impression even more. Delightful.

Plentiful enough outlets, and a sensible purchase-each-hour-or-so policy for network usage.

Yelp tags: Coffee & Tea Sandwiches

12/19/2010

4/5 stars

For the bar only: Friendly service and strong drinks. Definitely pricey, but they do carry local brews (with their own label) and local distilled drinks… And the bartender was willing to look up and learn how to pour absinthe. St. George's absinthe is a nice celebratory splurge.

The restaurant had many large parties, and I couldn't quite justify trying it with so many other good and inexpensive places nearby. But Berkeley also brings out my stingy grad student mentality.

Yelp tags: American (New) Bars

12/19/2010

5/5 stars

I admit that giving a high rating is rather self-serving to an alumnus, but… CS grad school was hell, but…

The reception you receive in the wider world can be stunning. Typically, people chatter with each other during questions after a conference presentation. If you ask a question and add "… from Berkeley" after you announce your name, they shut up and listen even though you're a student. Berkeley's a public school with that reputation.

In many fields, there is no better value for the money. In some fields, there are no better schools period. Some peers, sure, but none fundamentally better. The undergrad curriculum in CS is more thorough than many universities' graduate programs. The opportunities at all levels to participate in field- and industry-leading research is excellent.

The opportunities to lose yourself and wallow in the pit of perfectionism also are everywhere. Beware. There are costs other than money.

Yelp tags: Colleges & Universities

12/19/2010

5/5 stars

959th review? Ok! It's worth bumping it asymptotically closer to five.

It's Top Dog. That's all you really need to say. I'm not even going to recommend any one sausage over the others. Even the veggie one is good.

Covered with classically conservative (now called fiscally conservative, socially liberal) and generally anarchistic sayings, one can hope some of that rubs off on the patrons.

Yelp tags: Hot Dogs

12/19/2010

5/5 stars

Fight the power! No, really, they did. And won. They helped keep a chain with questionable practices off UC Berkeley's campus. (Too bad about Peet's, though. I could go off on some of their sourcing and marketing based on that sourcing, but..)

So I made sure to swing by on their last open day of the year. I grabbed a locally made burrito with organic ingredients out of the cooler and an apple for a snack. They let people use their microwave, although… It's a commercial microwave. Generally, people don't realize the strength. The woman at the counter warned me multiple times. They have to clean up food explosions often. Take care, and start with a *short* time. While they say 90s for one of their burritos, 1m left mine quite toasty.

They had a good collection of groceries for what looked like good (for Berkeley) prices. The produce was limited, but it's *winter*. Even the bay area slows down in winter. Prices and produce will never match a large farmers' market like Concord's, but this store is open almost every day.

The trash from my to-go lunch? Compostable, so I found an appropriate can for disposal. I really wish this extension of the local food coop table had been here way, way, way back when I still lived near campus. Way back. Um, some of the kids running the place likely were entering middle school. erm. yeah. eep.

Yelp tags: Grocery Health Markets

12/19/2010

3/5 stars

Airport food that doesn't leave me feeling ill. Of course, I know better than to try sushi when I cannot clearly see / sniff the ingredients, or rather have learned the hard way elsewhere not to try it… The pork tonkatsu is typical fast food but not greasy. Price is good for an airport. Once out of the airport, there are far, far better places along the BART line, but Osho serves if you're ravenous and in the airport.

Yelp tags: Japanese

12/19/2010

3/5 stars

Let's get this out of the way right now: Medieval Times is *so* not period.

So how did a couple where one is an ex-rennie and the other attended faires nearly since birth end up here? Some friends visited from out of town with a little boy in exactly the target market. If you feel mentally older than the target market, the bar is open long before the show doors open.

Most of the choreography is quite good. The horses are mostly very well trained. Not many at level 5 (dressage) with a rider, but the ones on lead seem quite capable.

The food is eh. If you're like me and insist on *seeing* your food before you eat it, bring a flashlight. The menu doesn't vary.

*However*, if you request a gluten-free meal, they bring your food separately. That implies it was prepared separately and won't suffer cross contamination. The separation is a very, very nice and much appreciated touch.

To repeat everyone else: There are plenty of deals. Don't buy full-price. And if hearing a king use first person grates on your ears, well, there is the bar.

Yelp tags: Performing Arts American (New)

12/19/2010

4/5 stars

I have to admit that this review is based purely on the chocolate chip cookies. They give me hope that we can find a GF flour mix that produces cookies as great as these. Hands-down the best GF cookies I've had.

Yelp tags: Bakeries

12/19/2010

3/5 stars

This place has quite a few things going for it, but they don't quite bring me to fan status. The pizza's ok. I used to like it much more, but I think my taste buds have, um, matured a bit. The Andromeda is a good base, and the small is a good personal size. It always has seemed a tad on the greasy side. The patio is wonderful during most of the year.

I think I finally figured out why the beers have never bowled me over. The flavors are muddled. Even the double-IPA Quasar lacks the crispness I prefer. It doesn't lack in punch; remember that quasars pulse strongly. The Red Spot's flavor seems flat.

Campus wireless spills over if you can use it. That may not be a good thing for people looking to escape work. Service often is slow but not lackadaisical. I've never seen servers lounging around ignoring people, but it definitely takes a little while to receive another drink or your check.

Yelp tags: Pubs Pizza Breweries

12/19/2010

4/5 stars

Although a decent trek from my (now ex-)grad school building, I do wish this cafe had existed a few years ago. The coffee was fine, and the environment was great. Not over-crowded during finals, but still enough bustle to be conducive for working.

And they have a poetry corner with some posted work. WOO-HOO! That's a review bumper.

Yelp tags: Coffee & Tea

12/19/2010

4/5 stars

GUT BOMB!

Grad student tranquilizer. Digestive stress tester. Oily sheen coater.

Oh, so, so bad and so, so good.

Yelp tags: Sandwiches

12/19/2010

4/5 stars

Um, this is *not* a dive bar by any stretch of the imagination. It's your basic "Irish pub" with a bit of the young preppy / fraty crowd. Not a bad place to settle in with some material from Half-Price Books down the street.

Let's say this is just over a 3 but rounded just like the bartenders round their pours. Heavy hands are appreciated and rewarded.

Yelp tags: Irish Pubs

12/19/2010

5/5 stars

Dangerous. Very, very, very, very dangerous. Inexpensive books lower your guard. Then you buy many. Dangerous. And the wide, wide selection? Even more dangerous. And music? AUGH!

(Although the collection of mathematics and science books always seemed better in the Concord location… You have to be *quick* to pick those up should they appear in Berkeley.)

Yelp tags: Bookstores Music & DVDs

12/19/2010

4/5 stars

I've suffered through "fancy" mega-chains and conference hotels too much lately. Shattuck Plaza's a great break from those. Honestly friendly and helpful staff, great decor, and comfortable rooms. The location is perfect for BART and AC Transit access. It was not too loud even in my Allston-facing room. The FIVE bar is a nice stop (separate review).

The staff definitely makes the place. They seem genuinely glad to help out, even opening doors and arranging transportation when you mistakenly book a too-early Sunday flight. If you drive, they now offer valet parking.

If you're a AAA member, check the much lower rates. If you're not a AAA member, the difference will pay for your membership.

The WiFi can be flaky, but it's far better than other hotels I've used. Plus they provide wired access as well. And a full A/V panel for connecting to the TV? "Only in Berkeley…" Another nice touch is that the desk drawer has stationary and envelopes. For writing letters. For real.

The "green" touches are great. I don't need new towels every single day, or new bottles of stuff or new soap all the time. I do wish they wouldn't try to play up the "green" aspect; all those touches save the *hotel* money.

Yelp tags: Hotels

12/19/2010

5/5 stars

I think this place may serve the best "typical" Chinese food I've ever had. My only trip off the continent was to Europe, so scale expectations appropriately.

I've been to Great China a few times (somewhat long ago) with large groups and adventurous taste buds. We told them just to bring good, full-strength food. In each of these groups, there were native speakers (Mandarin?). Bring full-strength food they did. I don't think everything was on the menu, but it was all incredible. Everyone in these rather picky and argumentative groups loved the food and the service. (Large group "family style" means large tips…)

I made a point to return on this last visit. What I had hardly qualifies as Chinese… I opened the menu (already feeling odd ordering off the menu) and my eyes fell on "blah blah fresh, in-season Dungeness crab blah blah." For those of you who don't know the orgasmic joy of fresh, in-season Dungeness in the Bay Area, you might mis-interpret the "blah blah" part. If you know your treasure of a crab, well, you know the rest just doesn't matter. You tend not even to see it… I vaguely remember it being a ginger-scallion sauce, but you don't want to mess with the flavor of Dungeness much. They didn't. The crab (one entire crab, w00t!) was pre-cracked, even. Chopsticks are quite handy for poking out meat hiding in some of the smaller segments. And the staff kept me equipped with napkins as I devoured it and also kept my tea pot and water glass full.

I have seen the staff here be "rude" to customers. The customers I've seen deserved it; the Angry Chef in Atlanta likely would have posted withering commentary… One couple demanded to be seated at a table for four… because they wouldn't fit physically at a table for two. Ahem. And then they loudly proclaimed "who would go for Chinese food and buy good wine?" before ordering the few Americanized items on the menu. Yeah, the staff may have been a little stiff towards these nitwits.

Yelp tags: Chinese

12/20/2010

4/5 stars

Like many reviews, this is for the soda itself. I hope to visit their tasting room someday, but…

The soda is dangerously addictive. The flavors are refreshing, and the light hand with sugar keeps the drink crisp. I love the lemongrass soda. I agree that these sodas would complement a good meal, and I can't wait to bring some to a nice spring picnic.

It's not a five *yet* but may eek its way up there as I try more.

Yelp tags: Specialty Food

Bread. It’s a reminder that life just keeps going regardless of any other insanity.

The yeast was gathered slowly over a month or so. For all the recipes available online, it’s really not too difficult. One good thing to remember is that if you see a million variations then the method must be somewhat insensitive to details. On-line resources cover the basics of “raising a starter.”

The main bits for this 100% hydration starter: * using a mix of flours, * keeping 10%-20% rye, and * adding a touch of organic apple cider vinegar. The first two points add flavor. Rye and wild yeast perform an absolutely erotic dance. The acidic vinegar helps the right yeast take hold.

I didn’t take photos of the yeast process, unfortunately. The good yeast prefers an acidic environment, so the acid from vinegar or fruit juice helps. The first “rise” of the starter likely is false (for me). A different organism takes hold and expands as if it’s yeast, but it won’t help your bread rise. Ignore the first big bubbly mess. Go for the long haul.

For my baby yeasties, I kept the starter above going while I could. When I couldn’t, it dried out. That’s not a huge deal. The powdered yeast you buy in stores is dried out. It comes back to life with food. The hardened portions went into compost, but otherwise I just returned to feeding the yeasties as soon as I returned from my obligations. The mixture survived just fine.

The baking process photos follow a Norwich sourdough recipe, except for Spike. She’s cute. This really is easy. Taking a break every 50 minutes gives your wrists a great rest. The entire process of raising wild yeast involves very little time.

The photos show the general baking process. I was very worried that the bread wouldn’t rise. The four times after my initial try never rose… But this time I tried not to over-think (or over-knead) the bread.

And it tastes good. The rye is a bit much. Next time, I won’t add any rye to the base itself and let the rye in the starter provide its power.

All done.

12/31/2010

3/5 stars

Hm. It's tricky. On one side, I obtained many things for me and mine. On the other, friends have suffered more than they should. I vacillate. Looking only in the mirror, I'd be a fan of how 2010 ended. For others, though, I can't say I appreciate how 2010 treated them.

Perhaps a good analogy: My dishes were served and presented well, but service overall sucked.

Yelp tags: Local Flavor