Mario's La Fiesta

I first heard of Mario's La Fiesta from one of my high school teachers who was a Berkeley alumni. She raved how they served extremely good Mexican food at college students' desired price range. I guess I took it for granted because everyone goes to La Burrita or Chipotle. I was extremely surprised by the place because I wasn't expecting a Tex-Mex style restaurant, with hearty portions enough to fill you for two meals. The quality of the food is what I expect to find in San Francisco Mexican restaurants: it's pretty legit. I love how the salsa is genuinely spicy. Like my friend said, it's not fake spicy. I suppose this is dependent on the person and their degree of spiciness, but I do agree they serve real salsa. In addition, the Gringos nachos are delicious and a meal itself, or you can share with someone else if you want to order additional items. Unlike most Berkeley places, this is a restaurant style place, where you are seated and they take your order as opposed to placing an order in front of the cashier desk. Although I am not a big fan of its current location (by People's Park), it's actually a quaint place adorned with traditional decorations and well-maintained. I completely forgot that we were next to People's Park. It's also surprising that Mario's has been in business for 51 years, serving Berkeley students. While I was there, I read some of the newspaper clippings with photos of Mario and his wife from back then to now. In fact, Mario, white haired and grandfather-like, was there serving customers with a big smile on his face. It was pleasant to see that he's still dedicated to running the place, and it's no wonder why they're still in business even after half a century. Hands down to Mario's La Fiesta, a great place to get Mexican food.

2506 Haste St
Berkeley, CA 94704
Yelp Review

Geta!

Geta Japanese is a small restaurant by CVS Pharmacy in Piedmont that serves extraordinarily good Japanese food at extremely affordable prices. Because it's positioned by such a large drug store, it can be easily missed, and unfortunately the small space does not allow much accommodation for seating. Nevertheless, Geta still gets good business from dedicated customers, with quick service that waiting for seats or ordering to-go is usually not an issue. During my visits, I never had an issue with the service. The people are extremely friendly and they are conscientious of their cooking, ensuring their meals are fresh and enjoyable.

These days it's hard to find sushi that's less than $10, but Geta does a fantastic job at making fresh sushi rolls and sashimi for $4-$7 a roll. In addition to sushi and sahimi, the entrees are delicious and fairly priced. All portions are fair, making meals quite filling. The agedashi tofu is of notable mention, with its soft center and crispy bean curd skin.


For Berkeley students, this may require some time to travel, but it's really worth going to. It's also nearby Fenton's Creamery, so this is a good place to check out if you're around the area before diving into a huge dessert.


165 41st St
Oakland, CA 94611
Yelp Review

Penguin Froyo Chill

Penguin Froyo is a cute tiny shop with a great variety of desserts. They primarily serve crepes, gelato, froyo, and drinks that choosing what you want can be difficult. Penguin froyo features both savory and sweet crepes, with a cute smile decorated on the plates. The gelato is also noteworthy, with flavors such as honey lavender and creme brulee. The froyo is nothing particularly special, but it's not bad. If you're not looking for a cool dessert, they have warm drinks such as hot apple cider and other coffee, sugary beverages.

The staff is quite friendly and the prices are moderate. The place is small, but they do accomodate a fair number of seats for groups. If you're a San Jose State student, you get plenty of discounts and specials by showing your id. Overall, this is a fair place to hang out if you're in San Jose and have a sweet craving.

30 E Santa Clara St
San Jose, CA 95113
Yelp Review

Brazil Cafe

"Let's go eat outside the shack," my friend says. Well Brazil Cafe is one of those odd treasures that serve great Brazilian food. Situated in two locations at Berkeley (a stand and shop), this place gets lots of customers swinging by for some savory and succulent sandwiches or plates. Brazil Cafe is famous for their tri tip steak with a rich cilantro and garlic sauce that enhances the flavor with juicy goodness. I've had the chicken salad sandwich before and thought it was good as well. There's a fair amount of variety for people to choose from. In addition, they have some good mango juice that you can order. Dishes range from 7-10 dollars depending on what you order. Brazil cafe is one of those rare restaurants that's rare to find, making it one of the most recommended places for people to go while visiting Berkeley. People should check this place out, only a small distance away from campus and good food for hungry souls wanting to try something different.

1983 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
Yelp Review

2161 University Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94704
Yelp Review

Ciao Bella

Ciao Bella is a tiny gelato stand in an alley of indoor restaurants across the street from Cheeseboard. As one of the dessert places at Gourmet Ghetto, it's a great place to try a variety of flavors. You really can't go wrong with any of the flavors, and they allow you to try as many as you like. Some of the amazing flavors I've tried at this shop include matcha green tea, hazelnut biscotti, key lime graham, chocolate hazelnut (with real hazelnut embedded), maple ginger snap, and madagascar vanilla. I usually get the single scoop (which is actually two scoops) of gelato on a cone. If you're lucky, you'll pick two flavors that blend greatly, making your gelato even more enjoyable.

There are also options of coffee, hot chocolate, and other beverages where they allow you to pick one scoop of gelato to be added to your drink. I've had a latte with a scoop of chocolate hazelnut, which reminded me of hot chocolate except with bits of hzelnut floating around. I am actually intrigued to try different scoops in the gelato some time in the near future. The fact that they sell warm drinks with a scoop of gelato makes the store versatile to sooth you on cold nights and refresh you with coolness on warm days.

1511 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94709
Yelp Review

1 Ferry Bldg
San Francisco, CA 94111
Yelp Review

Summer Kitchen Bake Shop

The Summer Kitchen Bake Shop is a new classy bakery that adds additional character to College Ave. Situated among many other popular food places in Berkeley (such as Ici, La Mediterranee, Gordo's and more), this bakery fits in the area perfectly. With a clean, modern store layout and food display, it's no wonder that people are at awe with the place as they pass by it. When entering the shop, I saw a pristine white kitchen with cute ornaments decorating the shop. Their cupcake and cake stands always have some elegant pastries out. Surprisingly, the cupcakes are huge in comparison to most of the cupcake shops around Berkeley. I've tried the raspberry-vanilla bean cupcake and it was rich in vanilla with a raspberry preserve center surprise. The only thing I disliked was the amount of buttercream they put on top of the cupcake, which was a huge mountain top.

If you're looking for something savory, then this place also can attend to your needs with fine pastas, salads, sandwiches, and fried chicken. The pricing of these food items may be on the high end, but the quality of the food is refreshing and tasty. I tried the Lemon-Rosemary chicken sandwich, and it was quite a citrus experience.

Overall, the place serves pretty good food, and the shop is well kept and maintained, with lots of charm added to it. The people are extremely nice and they bring out the tray of fry chicken to ask which one you'd like to take. If you don't mind spending some money, then this place is a good option for a delicate meal.

2944 College Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94705
Yelp Review

An Unfortunate Comeback

I have to admit, this place is cute, but they don't offer much. The cafe has a small selection of coffee-related beverages and old-fashion soda (unsweetened and light in flavor). Although I think the quality of the beverages are pretty decent, the prices can be insanely expensive. I had the lychee iced red tea which wasn't bad, although a bit light in flavor. Initially, when I saw the shop, I was excited to hear that Ozzie's Soda Fountain opened up again and while looking at the old menu online I really wanted to try their old-fashioned ice cream soda mixes. Unfortunately, the new Ozzie's doesn't serve ice cream, banana splits, or much dessert drinks. Instead, they have a limited menu of breakfast and lunch items along with their beverages. The pastry displays were appealing, but again the prices were too expensive that I rather go to the new bakeshop a few stores down. At best, the new Ozzie's is a good cafe to sit down and enjoy the delicate furnishing and drinks served in huge cups with a good friend or more. However, if you're planning on getting the drink to go, it's probably not the ideal place to order. Unfortunately, this place just ain't what it used to be.

2900 College Ave
Berkeley, CA 94705
Yelp Review

Phliz ze Best

Hands down to Philz Coffee for having awesome coffee. I've come to this place on several occasions and never been disappointed with the quality of their beverages. Philz Coffee shop has an amazing atmosphere, with baristas at your service waiting to blend your order. The service is friendly and they ask you whether you want cream and sugar (from not too sweet, medium sweet, sweetened, to extremely sweet) and customize your drinks to your tasting. Some of them would ask you to taste their mix and check to see if you're all right before leaving the shop. The shop emphasizes on making handcrafted coffee to your liking.


The menu has much character with interesting names and description of their beverages. I'm a huge fan of their tesora (occasional tesora mocha), dancing waters, and ambrosia coffee of god. They creativity in their descriptions make the coffee sound appetizing that choosing one is always difficult when I drop by. The coffee served is a blend that Phil, the owner, has been customizing for years. He's developed mixes of the finest qualities of coffee beans around the world to give fresh, smooth, and blended coffee. Philz coffee began its business in San Francisco and has expanded to four shops in the SF area, one in Palo Alto (near Stanford), one in San Jose, and soon to be coming to Berkeley at Cedar and Shattuck. I'm personally thrilled to hear about the shop opening up in the Berkeley as it will add on to the finest of gourmet ghetto and other cute and unique restaurants around the area. If you love coffee, then this place is great for you.

SF Locations:

201 Berry St
San Francisco, CA 94158
Yelp Review

4023 18th St
San Francisco, CA 94114
Yelp Review

748 Van Ness Ave
San Francisco, CA 94102
Yelp Review

3101 24th St
San Francisco, CA 94110
Yelp Review

South Bay Locations:

3191 Middlefield Rd
Palo Alto, CA 94303
Yelp Review

118 Paseo de San Antonio
San Jose, CA 95112
Yelp Review

Tea Way: Customized

Tea Way is a relatively new self-serve tapioca place located in the outer sunset district. It's a little tiny shop with a few seats to accommodate around 5 people. Lines can be long depending on the hour of the day, and the shop is open relatively late into the night for snacking purposes. The idea of self-serve tapioca is novel, which is the shop's promising offer. In addition to self-serve tapioca, there are various unlimited toppings to choose from depending on the day's selection. The poppers are something I never encountered before: tiny balls filled with juice that pop when you bite down. It can be fun and a bit sticky, but at least it's tasty. The only issue with getting poppers is the inability to blend with some drinks due to flavor. People complain that the drinks can taste weird because they put too many kinds of topping, ultimately making their drinks unappetizing. So, if you do ever come to Tea Way, bear in mind that you should be careful what you're mixing because you may disappoint yourself. The quality of the tea is pretty good, with some drinks taste better than others. I've tried several milk teas and plain teas, and plain teas tend to not be sweet while the milk tea has natural sweetness. I believe you can request for half sugar or more sugar. I love the novel concept of the store, and the fact that drinks only cost $2. They also sell popcorn chicken that's similar to the food stands you'd find in Asia. It's cheaper in comparison to other tea places and you have the freedom to potentially make your drink the way you like it. Your opinion will potentially be based on what you concoct. :)


2150 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122
Yelp Review

White Elephant

In South City, there aren't many Thai places to go to, which is why I was so thrilled to find a good quality Thai restaurant nearby my high school. The first time I came here, I think I was a junior in high school and the place was a quaint and small family ran shop. To this day, it has kept its reputation in my heart. The atmosphere was relaxing and I enjoy the food very much. The quality of the food is like home-style Thai cooking. Some of the best dishes include anything with their peanut sauce. They have decent curry dishes, noodle soups, sweet roti, and thai noodles. Their lunch selection is pretty versatile with reasonable portions, and prices are relatively cheap, around $5-$10 a person depending on the order. What I love about this place is the different degrees of spiciness. The waiters/waitresses ask you how spicy you like it on a 1-10 scale and they can modify it to your liking.

The restaurant is not easily visible to the public, you have to know your way around South City to find the tiny shop that's a few shops inward on the cross street of the main road. The place is not usually too busy although the space is considered small. If for some reason you're ever around South San Francisco with a car, this is a great place to have a decent meal.

146 Hazelwood Dr
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Yelp Review

The Chocolate Chip Brownie-Cookie

I love to bake, and many of you who know me most likely have tried some of my baked goods. One of my specialties is my giant chocolate chip cookie with a dash of hazelnut, which I perfected over the years after being inspired by BJ's Brewery pizookie. I usually like baking these cookies fresh and tell people to add some ice cream on top (the way BJ's serves pizookies).

Recently, a friend of mine really wanted me to bake him a giant cookie. He actually requested for both a giant cookie and batch of brownies. But with the time I had, I only had time to bake one of the two. This gave me the motivation to bake a 2-in-1 deal, taking the essence of brownie batter and the mild sweetness of brown sugar in chocolate chip cookies into creating one giant brownie-cookie. I tested this recipe last night and shared it with him along with other people in my fraternity. They all agreed it was really good, although in my opinion there was room for improvement like enhancing the richness in chocolate and the chewiness of the center of the cookie. Other than that, I am more than happy to share this recipe I modified. Also, I'm kind of glad I'm finally sharing some of the stuff I cook at home because I do love cooking as well (the kitchen is like a lab to me).


Ingredients:
2 c (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c (1 stick) butter
3 large eggs
1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c cocoa powder (preferably unsweetened)
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp baking soda

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease 9 inch round cake pan.
2. In a skillet, melt butter with 3/4 the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
3. Remove from heat when chocolate-butter mixture is smooth. Add eggs one at a time while stirring.
4. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, both sugars, baking soda and vanilla extract.
5. Gradually stir in flour mixture until batter is consistently smooth.
6. Spread the batter into the round cake pan (a spatula helps). Add the remaining 1/4 chocolate chips to the top of the spread (the batter will be slightly hot and adding the chips beforehand will melt the chocolate into the batter).
7. Bake for 18-25 minutes (check 15 minutes with a toothpick) until desired softness/hardness
8. Enjoy!

Productivity at the Beanery

Living on College Ave., I am fortunate enough to be a few blocks away from some fine restaurants that serve good quality food at relatively moderate prices. Although I've lived in the same apartment for about two years, I've never ventured off to try the cafes around College. Today, I went to the Beanery, a small coffee shop across the street from La Mediterranee. The Beanery has very unique furniture such as their tables adorned with coffee beans, chiles, and flowers enclosed in a case as the table top. The layout was surprisingly large and accomodating, with an additional room in the back of the shop. In terms of internet usage and electrical plugs, there seemed to be an adequate amount of outlets and free 2-hour internet session per day--a good way to motivate people to study. The place is also surprisingly quiet with light music in the background, making it easier to study and concentrate (almost as if you were at the library). The cafe features very typical beverages at prices that are relatively cheap in comparison to chains such as Starbucks and Peets. The cafe also sells a variety of pastries that go well with the beverages. Unfortunately, due to my large cafe au lait earlier, I decided to try the apple cider. Although the apple cider was pretty good, I still have yet to try the coffee-related beverages.

According to one of my friends, who goes to cafes often, the steamed milk and pastry was really good. In the hour and a half that I was there, I was able to accomplish a decent amount of work. Something about the silence of the customers, typing on their laptops or working on their assignments, motivates you to keep quiet and stay focused. The crowd wasn't bad (weekday, evening), but I wouldn't be surprised to see more people over the weekend. In addition, the location of this place is also in the heart of College Ave restaurants, so good food is available all-around. Overall, this place is decent in terms of quality of food and pricing, and is great for studying purposes. It is probably not ideal for hanging out with friends as most people who come here are generally doing work.


2925 College Ave
Berkeley, CA 94705
Yelp Review

A Boat, A Boat!

On a fun whim, my friends and I decided to get the cruise ship (~$160) at the Sushi House in Alameda. It was honestly the best experience one could have dreamed of - eating a boat full of sushi rolls and sashimi. I remember when the waiter came out with a huge boat of only sashimi and my friends and I were confused of the absence of sushi. The waiter replied that another boat would be coming, and we were in shock and excitement of an additional boat of just sushi that we didn't regret the decision one bit. The quality of the food is relatively fine, better than most places near Berkeley. Actually, the Sushi House does have exceptional sushi at affordable prices.

The cruise ship was filled with a plethora of sashimi and about ten special rolls of the chef's choice. People ordering the boats can make one or two requests in regards to the type of fish or roll, but the rest is up to the chef and our chef did a fantasic job. We enjoyed the cruise ship so much that a bigger group of us went and got the super cruise ship (~$200). Not only did we get two boats again, but we also got a smaller boat containing an entire lobster. In my opinion, I would trade the lobster for more sushi, sashimi, or nigiri, only because I like sushi and sashimi. At some point during the evening, some of us decided to try the lobster's brains, which was not very appetizing, but at least the lobster meat was fine. For dessert, we had two huge fried green tea ice cream, which was served with some raspberry jam to dip the fried shell. I love the fried green tea ice cream, and highly recommending it if you're not a calories conscious customer. If you do not want to order a giant cruise ship, then you can order single rolls or entrees. Unfortunately, I haven't tried much else except for various sushi and dessert, so I cannot discuss the quality of the entrees.


The Sushi House is located along the shore, making the restaurant an attractive location to bring a date. People can easily take a walk along the shore and enjoy sunset if the time is right. The price range is fair for a date, but can be a bit expensive for group gatherings as sushi rolls and entrees cost $10-$15 a person. Of the times I've been here, the wait wasn't so bad, but the line for this place can be extremely long. The restaurant is relatively professional, with good service, and the interior set-up is clean and well-organized with ample space and a good number of big group seating. If you enjoy fine sushi and are able to trek out to Alameda, this place has a wonderful ambiance and is an ideal site for dates and groups.


2375 Shoreline Dr
Alameda, CA 94501
Yelp Review

A Truly Creamy, Rich Chocolate Beverage

While in Boston, I went to try a chocolatier shop known for its cute little chocolate mice and penguins (and formerly bunnies which I'm sad to not see in the store anymore) and its rich chocolate beverage. L.A. Burdick is possibly one of Boston's most favored hot chocolate spot to be, especially during those cold winters.


What's so special about their hot chocolate? First of all, instead of the store-bought powder, the beverages are freshly made of chocolate shavings that is grated from handmade chocolate. The shavings are melted with steaming milk and garnished with soft cocoa ball shreds. The chefs make the cocoa balls containing spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. The intensity of the chocolate is just right for chocolate lovers and come in dark or white chocolate, which satisfies those who enjoy the eclectic bittersweet or sugary tastes of chocolate. The hot chocolate is served in three sizes, and the large size is served in a large coffee cup labeled chocolate (a very elegant display) that makes dining-in appealing. The place is an ideal cafe, incorporating not only a variety of chocolate beverages, but also teas, coffee, and fruity drinks. However, there can be limited seating, which may require people to order to-go (the other option is to wait for people to leave for seating).

I was fortunate enough to receive a gift of the chocolate shavings to make my own rich chocolate beverage at home. I decided to try it out and to my surprise it was as rich and creamy as what I tasted in the restaurant. Based on the instructions, it said to add 4-6 Tbsp of the chocolate shavings, but I only added 3 Tbsp to conserve the chocolate and not make it too strong. To my surprise, it was still extremely strong that I probably could have gotten away with 2 1/2 Tbsp, giving me more drinks for future cravings. :) The consistency of the homemade shavings was also as creamy as I remembered it from the time I had it in Boston. I was extremely content with the quality because normally the store tends to prepare such things better than if one attempted to make the same item at home.

In the front of the shop, chocolate candies are sold in simple and elegant packaging. Many of these gourmet chocolates can be a bit pricey, but are worth buying in singles or doubles as gifts. The most notewothy and popular item is their little chocolate creatures, mice and penguins. The mice chocolates come in different grades of chocolate (I prefer the dark chocolate). The penguins are in dark chocolate with a white chocolate belly. Both of these chocolate pieces seem solid, but inside the center is very soft and smooth. Looking at the little mice and penguins with their beady eyes put many girls into awe.

The pricing may be restraining, but if you just try and sample a few items, you'll likely be quite satisfied and possibly wanting for more. The fine grade of chocolate L.A. Burdick creates is a phenomenon to try if you're ever around Harvard Square.

52D Brattle St
Cambridge, MA 02138
Yelp Review

Ike's Place: SF's Best Sandwich Shop

While in Taiwan, I walked around the food court at Taipei Main Station with a friend. As we walked around, we noticed the international food banners with chefs from all over the world with a specific dish that is a specialty to their native country. My friend found it amusing and depressing that the United States was represented with a sandwich. But now as I think about it, there is some truth to it and it's actually not entirely bad.

I've been to Ike's a few times in my life, and whenever I go onto Yelp I'm never surprised to see it in the top listings of food places in SF. Ike's Place is a cute little blue deli shop on 16th Street a few blocks away from the 16th Street Mission BART station. Ike Shehadeh opened up the deli shop with the hopes of serving high quality sandwiches. He has been able to create an assortment of combination that blend well and satisfy various customers. Many mayonnaise lovers may be disappointed that the sandwich doesn't come with mayo; however, Ike created an even better sauce to substitute for mayo. Ike's "dirty sauce" is an aioli garlic sauce containing 19 different herbs. All sandwiches come with the usual condiments except for mayo.

Ike is quite dedicated to his creation, as he works as any regular waiter and host at the shop, interacting with customers on a personal level. People are willing to line up for half an hour to a couple of hours just to get their sandwich and don't seem to mind at all. As a recent customer who waited 45 minutes to get my sandwich, I couldn't help but notice a lot of people passing by and wondering what the hype was all about and taking out their camera phones to take pictures of the deli.


The sandwich menu is huge, with clever names and phrases to describe the tastes of the sandwiches. What's impressive is the number of vegetarian (which is as long as the meats menu) and vegan sandwiches Ike offers. Sandwich prices are moderate, considering you're in San Francsco. Most sandwiches are between 6-9 dollars. The sandwich featured in this post is known as "We're Just Friends" which include chicken breast, sweet orange glaze, avocado, pepperjack, and all the other given condiments. Ike's sandwiches are juicy and the flavors are just right. I know I will be coming back for more, especially because I still need to try a sandwich with mozarella sticks stuffed in the sandwiches. It's no wonder why people come back for more.

3506 16th St
San Francisco, CA 94114
Yelp Review

In my opinion, Berkeley's Best Indian Place

Berkeley is teeming with different Indian style cuisines. With parents who grew up in Burma, I've grown to love the spiciness of curry and savory naan breads. For the first couple of years at Berkeley, I've gone to chain places such as Naan n Curry and House of Curries. Both of which are respected Indian restaurants close to campus. People have their preference over which one is better, but to me they both are very similar in entrees and the taste. After a while, I just wasn't as impressed with these places. I simply went there for the sake of reasonably priced Indian food at a close distance to campus and my apartment.

Just last semester, I stumbled upon a new Indian Restaurant for a reunion with friends. Many people may have heard of Kabab and Karahi but never attempted to go past Dwight and Telegraph to try it out. Just to let you guys know, Kabab and Karahi has recently changed its name to the Royal Indian Cuisine. The cooks, staff, and owners are the same, only the name changed.


The quality of the food of the Royal Indian Cuisine, I feel, is much more authentic and less americanized. This is judged by the style the food is prepared in and the degree of spiciness. Real Indian food is much more spicy in comparison to Naan n Curry and House of Curries. Although the two chains prepare their curry dishes that's more friendly to Americans who cannot handle extremely spicy food, the Royal Indian Cuisine can provide moderately mild food if requested. Besides the curry, what I love most about this place is their naan. Although it's not a thick flatbread like the two chain restaurants, its crispiness and texture is just right. My preference is the garlic naan, which taste wonderfully buttery and garlic-y. The onion naan is not as great because the toppings make the naan a bit too salty for me.


With respect to the curry dishes, the chicken tikka masala is quite different from Naan n Curry and House of Curries. Some people may enjoy the difference in consistency, while others prefer the other tikka masala. Nevertheless, all their other curry dishes are of better quality. Some of my favorite dishes to order include coconut chicken curry, spinach and chicken, cauliflower and potatoes, and I have yet to try but will in good time the curry dish with apricots. Ever since I came here the first time last semester, I've come here at least 4 or 5 other times in less than a year, which tells you how much I enjoy the food at this place.

Fortunately, since nobody seems to like to go this far to try the place, seating is never an issue. There are plenty of seats and the service is always friendly. Prices are about the same in comparison to the chain restaurants, so most meals cost under $10 a person. I love coming here and bringing friends who never try it because they end up loving the food here.

The Royal Indian Cuisine
2566 Telegraph Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94704
Yelp Review

Tea Time Hangouts

One of the things I must admit that Socal has over Norcal is the dine-in style tea places. Ever since Verdes Tea Cafe, located in Millbrae, closed down, I've been devastated because I lost one of the few places where I can sit down for a few hours and hang out with some good old friends and play cards. It's been hard finding another place like this around San Francisco and the East Bay because most places make drinks to-go. In spite of some seating, these places just don't accommodate waiting service. In Southern California, there are a few places that fit the description. I've been to a few and the tea and food are of decent quality. Tea station and Ten Ren's Tea Time are both standard examples of tea cafes you can find in Socal. Besides decent to good quality teas, they also have a wide variety of snacks, meals, and other dishes to choose from such as noodles, rice dishes, and shaved ice. Some of the popular dishes include popcorn chicken, shaved ice, and fried bread. I love coming to these kinds of places, but it's so limited in Norcal that I have to give props to Socal for having more tea shops.


Whenever you come to these places past dinnertime, there are usually groups of people hanging out and drinking tea while playing cards (which they sell in the shop). It's a very social and spacious environment. Plus, the serving cups and pots are really decorative. The service is generally decent and the waiters/waitresses are usually friendly. Pricing is of affordable range. On weekends, the place may be crowded, but it's a really nice alternative in going out and having a good time with friends. So, if you like drinking tea, snacking, and being around good company, these places are ideal options.

Ten Ren's Tea Time Locations:

1330 S Fullerton Rd
City Of Industry, CA 91748
Yelp Review

18423 E Colima Rd
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
Yelp Review

Tea Station
158 W Valley Blvd
San Gabriel, CA 91776
Yelp Review

Dogs with Personalities

I never understood why people would go out to buy a single hot dog or sausage when you can buy around 4-8 more in a grocery store for about the same price. I then came to Berkeley and found that one of the most beloved restaurants is Top Dog. As a student, I decided to try the place and although I thought it was good, there was nothing particularly special about the food. They are just flavored, grilled sausages in grilled buns, with the traditional condiments of relish, onions, ketchup, mustard, etc. Don't get me wrong, this place is good at what they do but I've just never been too fond of it.

However, after coming across this place near Melrose, I take back what I said about buying hot dogs and sausages. The sausages and dogs here are topped with mouthful of toppings that can make your dog deadly but deviously delicious. Pinks Hot Dogs, located on La Brea, features tasty dogs with personalities that has been around since 1939. It is probably one of the most popular hot dogs stands you can find in the nation. Pink's is a family-owned restaurant that started out like any other hot dog stand, until about ten years later the family decided to expand the hot dog stand as a tiny shop that looks like a giant hot dog stand. The size of their sausages and foot longs are huge that one dog is enough and two is plenty. The menu consists of traditional toppings, such as bacon chili cheese dog, chicago polish dog, new york dog, polish pastrami with swiss cheese dog, nacho cheese dog, guacomole dog, turkey dog, and more. However, I love to order from the specials menu, which name creative hot dog concoctions after actors, actresses, and tv shows. Here's an idea of what you'd find in the Specials menu:

Three Dog Night 3 hot dogs, wrapped in a giant tortilla, 3 slices of cheese, 3 slices of bacon, chili & onions

The Today Show Dog - 2 hot dogs in one bun mustard, onions, chili, cheese & guacamole

The Hollywood Walk of Fame Dog Topped with yummy coleslaw & chopped tomatoes

Martha Stewart Dog 10" Stretch Dog, relish, onions, bacon chopped tomatoes, sauerkraut & sour cream

L.A. Philharmonic Conductor Gustavo Dudamel Dog Stretch hot dog, guacamole, American & Swiss cheese, fajitasmix, jalapeno slice, topped with tortilla chips

MULLHOLLAND DRIVE DOG - 10" STRETCH dog grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, nacho cheese & bacon

THE OZZY SPICY DOG - Spicy Polish Dog, Nacho cheese, American cheese, grilled onions, guacamole & chopped tomatoes

Rosie O'Donnell LONG ISLAND DOG 10" Stretch Dog, topped with mustard, onions, chili and sauerkraut

The Planet Hollywood Dog Polish Sausage, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, bacon & cheese

Lord of the Rings Dog 10" Stretch Dog, Yummy BBQ sauce toppped with onion rings

The Patt Morrison Baja Veggie Dog topped w/fresh guacamole, chopped tomatoes and chopped onions

America the Beautiful Dog 12" Jalapeno Dog, pastrami, bacon, lettuce, & chopped tomatoes

The Planet Hollywood dog is one of my favorite dogs here, with polish sausage smothered in bacon and nacho cheese, it is messy but so savory and succulent. If you love hot stuff, the Ozzy Spicy Dog is the dog for you, requiring cups and cups of milk (unfortunately for me there was only water which doesn't help). So find a dog that fits your tastebuds because Pink's is likely to have one for you.

Pink's success has allowed its little hot dog to expand with sides of onion rings, fries (any way you like), burgers, and sandwiches, and the menu accomodates for vegeterians, vegans, koscher, and healthy-conscious folks. However, if you come here, you'll probably want to try a dog or two. The service is great and the food is awesome, but seating and waiting in line can be a hassle. Lines extend to the end of the block even during off peak hours and can be a half-hour to an hour wait. However, this historical hot dog stand is worth trying once you're in life.

709 N La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
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