megc

I've got a hankering for some good Ethiopian food, and I don't know the restaurant scene in NYC. I used to eat it often in Berkeley, and miss it these days. Where are the good Ethiopian restaurants, and possibly the one(s) to stay away from? Yemisir Wat is calling my name! -Meg

Again, great pictures ExtraMSG!!! But you make me so terribly homesick with them. What I wouldn't do right now for an afternoon in the gourmet ghetto. Such a great neighborhood in that town. I think the new space that Berkeley Bowl is in, is better than the old bowling alley, although some of that funky charm is gone - but it was always so cold in there before. I used to shop a lot at Monterey Market as an alternative. I also like the coffee at Strada, lorea! It's hard to find a decent cup of coffee out here! Next time I'm in town I am definitely trying Naia! I'm trying to figure out what was in that space before...

How long has Exito been there? It's exciting for me to hear about good things in Inwood. I love that part of town, and have spent a fair amount of time housesitting up there, a block from Inwood Hill Park. I found it to be a very green part of town; the two parks up there (Inwood Hill and Fort Tryon) are awesome! There is a little cafe/restaurant associated with the Cloisters, the New Leaf, I believe it's called, which makes lovely, delicious food. Great coffee, too! I believe there is a bar there, too.

For both gelato and ice cream, mouth-feel is important, I think. I don't like eating ice cream that is overly-fatty, where it leaves an unpleasant film on the roof of your mouth. But it should be creamy enough so that it is pleasantly smooth. Not too sweet (but sweet enough), also, with the main base flavor showing through, be it chocolate, blueberry, etc. For gelato, I like it's denseness but not to the point of hardness. I always enjoyed gelato that when you take a spoonful, it doesn't let go quite at first, but is sort of "stringy" (can't think of a better word). In gelato's case, not overly sweet and with the core flavors shining through. For ice cream, I don't like giant chunks of stuff in it, but prefer the stuff to be in smaller bits, more easily incorporated into my mouth without feeling awkward. I'd love to learn to make gelato (vs. ice cream) with my ice cream maker (Cuisinart). I'm not sure how to get that lovely denseness going on, though, WITHOUT that powder that some gelaterias use. Does anyone have any suggestions, or if this has been discussed before, could I be pointed to the appropriate thread? Thank you!

jschyun, where exactly is the gelato place? I don't remember it from my days in Berkeley, so it must have sprung up in the past few years. What is it next to? I also liked going to the Top Dog on Durant; the walls are priceless! They also served a vegetarian hot dog, which was nice. Options for everyone. My old co-workers and I frequented Raleighs for lunch. The back patio is a great place for lunch on a sunny day. And I love Cheeseboard pizza too. And the Cheeseboard itself. What I wouldn't give for a sourdough cheese roll right now! Thank you ExtraMSG for the link to those photos! Mmmm....

Ah, Fat Slice! I had forgotten about that place, but it's true that I ate there semi-regularly when I worked at UC Berkeley (I worked on Bancroft, so I spent quite a bit of time in the Southside neighborhood). I never went to Blondie's, in part because of the rumor of roaches (just a rumor). Other cheap eats I enjoyed were the $1.65 lattes at the cafe at the corner of Bancroft and Telegraph; Le Petit Cheval's "3 dishes for $5" lunch of tasty Vietnamese food; the less-than-$2 frozen yoghurt at Yoghurt Park (they give you what seems like a lot; the $4.00 plate of enchiladas, rice, and beans at "The Deck" on Durant; and of course some of the food carts in Sproul Plaza. I especially liked the burritos at "Cielo Veggie," where they would make me a burrito filled with brown rice, black beans, guacamole, and cheese for about $3. Nice people who ran it, too. Cafe Milano on Bancroft makes a good sandwich and salad plate for about $5, I think. There is good bubble tea up the same street, too, very close to Le Petit Cheval! Yummmm! I love sitting downstairs at Oliveto in the afternoon and having tapas-type plates and wine. Market Hall in general is a wonderful place. Grace Baking makes lovely little chocolate mint brownies (they look more like little cookies). Is that crepe place nearby (Crepevine?) still around? Never went to IB Hoagies, sad to say. Ah, memories. Thanks for letting me go through them.

Cancun was one of my very favorite places to eat when I lived in Berkeley. Their avocado salsa is terrific, as is their horchata. I also liked La Cascada, on Center Street, but not as much, but it is tasty, too. I used to eat at the Cactus Taqueria on Solano, which was also very good but not sure how it compares to the one on College - quality can be different between branches; I know I always preferred the pizza at Zachary's on Solano to College. What is that Mexican restaurant in West Berkeley on 9th just beyond the Westside Bakery Cafe? I liked that place! It was fun and they made tasty enchiladas. If you want a GINORMOUS salad, go to Intermezzo on Telegraph. Cheap prices and more food than I could ever eat. The wine margaritas were a little odd, though. This is all making me very homesick. I love Berkeley and its fabulolus food.

How about Peet's?

I've also had the experience of using jalepeños that just aren't very hot. Another frustrating thing for me is finding so many jalepeños with wrinkled and tougher-than-usual skins. I also don't remember them being so massive - I'm used to these chiles being a little shorter and narrower in circumference by the stem end. I wonder if the larger fruit means weaker taste? I love the taste of both serranos and jalepeños, but prefer the rounder flavor of the jalepeño. I did do something to combat my frustrations, though - I'm growing my own! I planted a little jalepeño plant and already have one fruit. I can't wait to taste it! Thanks to all who have made suggestions so far. I'm really looking forward to exploring!

Hi JayTee, Yum-Yum Fish on Irving is a favorite among friends. Another friend who loves to eat sashimi likes We Be Sushi, which is located in a number of spots, Clement (or Geary) being one of them. Sushi Zone on Pearl at Market also had wonderful sushi from what I remember. I also love Kirala in Berkeley - the eel is fabulous. When I go home, my friends and I often go to Minami on Clement at 20th. It's a tiny place beloved by the neighborhood (sex-columnist Isadora Alman took me there first, years ago) and produces consistently good sushi. And it's cheap! Mmm....

Oh marscapone, I see your smiley, but I hope you are still considering going to see Yosemite (says the native Californian)! It is truly magnificent and awe-inspiring. I still remember how moving it was to see El Capitan and Half Dome, and thinking that even Ansel Adams' pictures didn't do it justice. There is nothing like it here in the east (I'm assuming you are a native east-coaster). I'll add my support to the voices that suggested the Fruitvale area of Oakland, too. Jade Villa in Oakland is good for dim sum, and I also like Tin's Tea House in Oakland. I have heard very good things about CIA-Greystone in the wine country, too. And finally, one of my favorite bakeries, Downtown Bakery and Creamery in Healdsburg is worth a visit. Oh wait - brunch at Greens in SF is a great deal and you'll get some of the most delicious food in the City there. The view is lovely and the prices are good - I always try to go there for brunch when I visit.

I am planning a trip to the city soon to stock up on some ingredients I need to make Mexican food. I miss being able to easily find Mexican ingredients in most groceries, as is the case in CA, so I have to go on a hunt. I'm especially interested in finding masa (including masa harina for tortillas), chiles both dried and fresh, crema and cheese, and some herbs and produce. I'd also like to catch a bite to eat while I'm there. Could anyone suggest some good markets for such things? I'm open to places in both Jackson Heights and in Manhattan, although I suspect things would be less expensive and fresher in JH because of the demand there. Thanks in advance!

I think Silver Moon is a wonderful bakery! Everything I've had there has been delicious. I also like going there because I like supporting the head baker and owner Judith Norell, who spent part of her life as a professional harpsichordist and was a colleague of my teacher. One caveat: I would avoid the regular coffee there, which I find to be very weak.

I get frustrated by bad grocery cart drivers, too. I prefer, as I "shop for one" most of the time, to use a basket. It makes manoeuvering around the store much easier and it limits my purchases to some extent (I am a student on a budget). When I'm in a place like Fairway, a basket is much easier to deal with than a big cart! And when I go to speciality shops, a cart really isn't an issue - for instance, my fish market is across the street from my house and I just carry my purchases home in a bag. I've always loved grocery shopping, since I was a little kid. I used to love going with my Dad to shop for food at the local supermarket. He and I would have a great time buying food together. Nice memories.

I thought it was the Marina Safeway? Behind the Church Street Safeway is a wonderful mural, produced by an ex-boyfriend of mine. You can see it coming up out of the MUNI subway there, or on your bike. Definitely worth checking out. I've not seen the mural behind the Marina Safeway, which is mentioned in the link above. I really miss San Francisco.

I love the taste of cilantro. To me it has that bright, green, and somewhat tangy flavor. It took me time to like goat cheese, but I love it now, even though I seem to have developed a mild intolerance to milk. My ex-husband discouraged me against it, as he disliked it, having grown up with goats. Whatever. Two things I really don't like the flavor of: marizipan and ginseng. Marzipan, evil evil marzipan, tastes like cough syrup. I don't mind almond paste, though; there must be a minor difference between the two (can anyone enlighten me?). Ginseng tastes like a combination of dirt and maple syrup, heavy on the dirt. I tried some iced ginseng tea this summer and almost gagged it was so awful. The texture of shrimp creeps me out.

Isn't there a current TV ad/promo on Wal-Mart and satisfied jobs with Wal-Mart ---especially women in managerial positions? If they are running, I haven't seen them. But it is possible. After a quick search, it looks like Wal Mart is involved with a number of lawsuits: Here and Here This article talks about grocery unions, here. "Unlike many of the traditional supermarket chains, Wal-Mart is not unionized, and efforts to organize its workers have failed. The flash point now is with supermarkets, as Wal-Mart rolls out more Supercenters having a full-line supermarket under one roof with a general merchandise store. Wal-Mart sells food at its warehouse format Sam's Clubs, its Neighborhood Markets traditional supermarkets and at regular Wal-Mart stores." Now I know what a Sam's Club is. Hadn't a clue before. And I stand corrected: Walmart *could* see a class action lawsuit regarding women being discriminated against with regard to pay and promotion, at least at the writing of this article, here. Anyway, this thread has caused me to think even further about my value judgements with regard to the food choices and shopping decisions I make. It's incoherent if I try to write about it, but things are clarifying in there. I was trying to remember what event or series of events turned myself around from the bland 1970s midwestern diet I grew up with, to a more sophisticated view of the world via food. Food is now linked in some ways to politics and social issues in my life. I'm a lefty from Berkeley (my adopted home) so what do you expect. One conclusion I came to was that olives were part of the beginning of the end of my nonchalant attitude toward food and its bearing on my life. Olives - real ones with pits, in brine and herbs, opened my eyes, and began to realize that I had a choice with regard to my food decisions. It's very empowering.

Places that my sushi club likes to go: Minami on Clement at 20th. Great, inexpensive sushi and very tasty. The service there is good they are so nice! Kirala in Berkeley. I've always had really good sushi there. Yum Yum Fish on Irving near GG Park (I think). Two of our members love this place for the fine fresh fish. Sushi Zone on Pearl at Market, near the Castro. I've had some fantastic sushi there. Tiny place, with room for maybe 12-15 people tops. Best avocado rolls ever, among other things. Nice atmosphere. Was recommended to me by a taxidermist who adores sushi. We Be Sushi, recommended for sentimental reasons. If you like secret wasabi in your sushi, this is the place for you! I've eaten all you can eat sushi at Sushi Chardonnay on Union Street. Don't know if they are even there anymore. It was quite a deal and the sushi was ok. Also a sentimental recommendation. None of these places will break the bank - most every place has reasonably priced sushi/sashmi. I've eaten at all these places with some serious sashimi lovers and they all give a thumbs up. I miss eating sushi in the Bay Area.

I'm with you there with the concernt about Wal Mart's treatment of their employees. I don't think they are unionized and I know there has been mention recently of a class action suits against WM regarding the treatment of women employees with regard to hiring and promoting, among other things. I think "value" means different things to different people. I don't consider it to be limited strictly to price. But that's just me. I can't spend more than 10 minutes in a place like Wal Mart or Home Depot. I feel overwhelmed, there is so much in there. How do people spend an entire afternoon there? I was in a local Super Stop N' Shop last week and found it overwhelming, too. So much there! I'm used to shopping at smaller grocieries or at the local farmstand (a bastion of sanity in my area). Incredible amounts of stuff in this super, but not much real variety on the level that I was looking. I guess a lot of Americans want 50 different kinds of chips. I've known a number of people who've gone through the Peace Corps and when they returned have to reacclimate to the amount of stuff in a supermarket. One woman I knew broke down in tears in the cereal aisle, overwhelmed by the choices there. I'm not saying that those choices in a regular supermarket are to my liking, though. Since moving from Berkeley, I've had to get used to a different concept of variety here on LI. There's a lot to choose from a mediocre pool of products. Berkeley spoiled me. (apologies for the accidental double post.)

I'm with you there with the concernt about Wal Mart's treatment of their employees. I don't think they are unionized and I know there has been mention recently of a class action suits against WM regarding the treatment of women employees with regard to hiring and promoting, among other things. I think "value" means different things to different people. I don't consider it to be limited strictly to price. B I can't spend more than 10 minutes in a place like Wal Mart or Home Depot. I feel overwhelmed, there is so much in there. How do people spend an entire afternoon there?

Some people have fought against Wal Mart and won. Whole communties have gone up in arms and driven the bastards out. For instance, in Maine the Penobscot Bay Area Citizens group fought off a proposal for the building of a Super Wal Mart (I can't even imagine what this would be like) overlooking their bay on Hwy 1. According to their website, "The company would have covered more than 21 acres of Rockland's remaining coastal forests with a 186,000 square foot monolith surrounded by 914 parking spaces." Amazing. I don't shop at Wal Mart, nor will I. I feel like that place would just be a waste of my time. When I lived in Berkeley, I got so frustrated with the Safeway, that I abandoned them for Andronicos, a local chain of grocery stores in the Bay Area. It was the best decision. Plus I didn't have to drive to go there, and they had bike parking in the back. Their produce, cheese, bread, deli, and wine selection was fabulous, and that's just to start. I miss that place, among other things in Berkeley.

Wall Berlin closed?? Aw, too bad. Is the tea place any good? That place on Ashby and College I think is an Espresso Roma, although they may call themselves something else, not sure. A couple other cafes come to mind - I think it's called "Berkeley Espresso" and it's on Shattuck and Hearst, I think. Then there is Cafe Firenze on Shattuck near the Downtown BART station.

Perish the thought!

I would love to be part of this potluck! I can bring a savory or sweet pie-type item. This will be a nice break from my academic writing, of which I'll be immersed in throughout all of January. Suzanne, do you still need a PM from me? And will elyse bring a pecan pie? Meg

I'm with JAZ on this one. Peet's decaf, at least what I've tried which is the Sumatra and the French Roast, is very good. In fact, I believe it's the best decaf coffee I've ever had; I drink it at night when I really want that coffee taste but no caffeine that will inevitably keep me up until 2 or 3am (I'm one of those wierdos that drinks coffee primarily for that rich coffee taste and not the caffeine. That being said, I do drink regularly most of the time). And I too would drink their decaf over a lot of a lot of regular coffee produced by others. I should also mention that I come from the land of Peet's - Berkeley CA - a town which really runs on coffee, and that's not simply because of the presence of Cal - everyone except maybe the Christian Scientists and Mormons drink coffee there. Coffee is a serious thing in that town. I can't tell you how disappointed I was to discover that all they serve here on campus (SUNY Stony Brook) is brown swill. I've tried Starbucks (ick, Charbucks), Gevalia, Uncommon Grounds, Fairway, Zabars, Illy, Green Mountain, and a number of others, and none of them can compare to Peet's decaf. It's really good! In fact, I think I may go downstairs right now and make a cup.