$3 for a $25 credit to Digs Bistro in Berkeley

A few months ago, I scanned Restaurant.com and found a place that I had always wanted to try, Digs Bistro in Berkeley. The Yelp reviews are good, and it is walking distance from my home. I had hopes it could be my neighborhood joint, and after my visit, I wasn't disappointed.

We walked in around 7:30 p.m. on a Thursday without a reservation and had no difficulty being seated. The space is tiny and quaint, decorated like a European cottage, which makes sense since Digs started as an underground supper club in an Oakland home. The dining room is intimate and small enough that only one waiter was working when we went. The clientele skews older, forties and up, which reflects Digs sensibility of comfort over trend.

I started with the fried stuffed squash blossoms, which were tempura-like puffs of batter filled with goat cheese, arugula, mango chutney and almonds. The dish was rich but nonetheless delicious.

Next was the roasted Rocky Jr. chicken, which I was hesitant to get because chicken is something I can easily make at home. I ultimately ordered it because nothing else sounded as appetizing. Once I saw the waiter bringing a plate with a thin layer of chicken juices, I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. The roasted chicken was amazing, juicy, tender and piping hot. It came with a side of couscous and vegetables that were only made the better by the excess liquid rolling around the plate. Digs probably serves one of the best roast chickens I've had in the Bay Area.

The boyfriend had the flatbread appetizer and the steak (pictured). He said both were good, which I believe since he didn't share.

We skipped dessert because we were stuffed and it was closing time, though our waiter did not rush us out the door. We lingered 20 minutes or so finishing our bottle of wine, which is half-off on Thursdays, and the staff did not mind.

My only caveat is that the menu is limited with about five appetizers and five entrees, but everything is probably delicious. If you want to give Digs a try, use the code TASTY, good til July 22, to get 70% off, which brings a $25 credit down to $3. The price can get lower if you link through from cashback sites like Fatwallet or Ebates.

Tacubaya in Berkeley

Tucked in a corner behind Sur La Table, Tacubaya is easy to miss, as I apparently have for the past seven years. What drew me to the sister restaurant of Oakland's upscale Mexican eatery Don Tomas was the $8.50 weekday siesta deal that included 2 tacos of your choice and a bottled beer. It was a great way to try what otherwise would have cost $3.50 a pop.

I never expect anything authentic on Fourth Street, and Tacubaya was good for what it was, a quick bite in between shopping. The pork in the taco al pastor was what I'd expect from a street taco, with just the right amount of oil dripping off with each bite, but the avocado salsa was disappointingly bland. The taco de pollo was simply underwhelming. The first few bites were decent until I got past the cheese and salsa topping to realize the chicken was dry. At that point, I wished there were a free salsa bar to add some flavor. But, chips and salsa/guacamole must be purchased separately. The guacamole was delicious, but at over $5 it had to be.

The setting is casual, as you pay at the counter, get a number, grab a seat and wait for your food to be delivered. Before seating, grab utensils, napkins and chili sauce near the registers.

Lacking any real ambiance, the atmosphere is like a cafeteria as you sit at heavy wooden tables and listen to the echoing chatter of the bus boys hanging out near the kitchen. Tacubaya is definitely not a date place, unless you just want to be friends.

Technically you can also dine al fresco, but I wouldn't recommend it. Instead of an enclosed patio, tables are situated on the sides of a major walkway, so regular foot traffic is passing within a foot of your dining experience. That may work in Europe where the scenery makes up for everything, but not in a shopping mall where unruly dogs, strollers and children run rampant.

I would be hard pressed to return without the weekday promotion since the food is overpriced for a Mexican taqueria, but not for Fourth Street. I appreciate the use of local and natural ingredients, but other establishments like Cactus Taqueria in Oakland also aim for sustainability and freshness and are able to do it at lower prices.

Photo: Kris G.