Berkeley: random news and notes

La Capilla opened about a week ago at 1106 University Ave about 75 feet east of San Pablo Ave. That spot was vacant for several years after Kabana, the terrific Pakistani/Punjabi restaurant moved a block away to a larger place.

I didn’t go in but the menu displays a novel mix of a juice bar and slightly upscale Mexican dishes: 23 ingredient moles, sides of sauteed kale, rostizado roasted chicken in adobo, chilaquales, 12-hour roasted carnitas on organic corn tacos and a Cubano sandwich.

I didn’t get the listing for hours open but it looks like it’s got a breakfast menu starting at 9 am.

From the outside, the redo on the space looks stylish but I will miss the cramped quarters of Kabana and the smoke wafting from the fiery iron skillets with crisping sliced onions and singed tandoori catfish, my favorite under $10 dish in Berkeley.

If you have the time, nearby shopping includes Middle East Market on San Pablo with a popular steam table with Persian specialties. Happy Nowruz, Persian New Year is this week. Also close by is La Marcha for reasonably-priced tapas starting at 4 pm.

The photo slideshow, below, was taken by me with a waterproof pocket camera, the Olympus Tough TG-4, mostly using automatic settings at about 25mm focal length, jpeg files, very little post processing. The slideshow is done in Proshow Web online software.

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http://show-vid.com/view/28pcm2x4

La Capilla
1106 University Ave
Berkeley

I noticed a sign on their door today saying that their soft opening is ending and beginning on Friday, March 24, 2017 they will be open from 7 am until 9 pm.

I’ve tried Secret Scoop and while the flavor was good, I would not call it “gelato.” The texture wasn’t very good and was much more like an icy sorbet than a real gelato. I think it is “thai gelato” because all of the flavors are thai (thai iced tea, coconut, lemongrass, etc.) The sticky rice is a nice addition though

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We got some takeaway containers from Secret Scoop to eat at home. We tried both mango and Thai tea flavors. I really enjoyed the Thai Tea, but the mango was sort of mediocre. Curious if others have favorite flavors

Venus Cafe, a HK soy sauce western cafe is open downtown on Shattuck, next to the soon-to-arrive Ippudo. Apparently they have 3 shops- Newark, Hostetter in San Jose (which apparently is not related to Venus/ Tam Cafe in West San Jose)

What’s Ippudo up to now? Still boarded up a few weeks ago.

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A post was split to a new topic: [Berkeley] Saha, Yemeni

Three Twins now has a brick and mortar shop on Fourth Street.

Ippudo is opening June 2nd!

Pompette is open in the old Cafe Rouge Spot. I haven’t been yet, but I’m anxious to sit at that bar again!

Mid-July now:

A post was split to a new topic: [Berkeley, CA] Lucia’s Pizzeria

A post was split to a new topic: [Berkeley, CA] Barclay’s Restaurant and Pub

Intermezzo’s reincarnation- Mezzo, is open.

7/28, 2 weeks before Cal starts school.

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Chick’n Rice is open on Center Street serving Khao Mun Gai two ways, poached and fried:

Enoteca Mediterraneo looks like an interesting neighborhood tapa/ wine bar with reasonable prices on Solano Ave run by a Persian gentleman.

Ooh, and open for lunch, too. I’ll try to make it sometime this week.

The place looks more like a real snack bar for the locals than any of the glitzy ‘tapas bar’ that opened all around the Bay Area in the last few years. If I don’t live so far away I’d be there too.

A post was split to a new topic: [Berkeley, CA] Enoteca Mediterraneo

Rice and Bones is now open inside Wurster Hall at Cal. Got some fancy grass fed beef and organic chicken pho. From Charles Phan.