Weekend Eats & Drinks 12/21/11

Whatever you're celebrating, it's a good weekend for eating and drinking.

Friday, Local123 holds a Hannukah popup from 1 to 5 P.M. Menu includes a plate of freshly fried latkes, brisket with roasted carrots and onions, Happy Boy Farms salad and flourless coconut macaroons for $18. Mulled wine, hot apple cider and beer or wine by the glass are priced per drink. Vegetarian options are also available.

Afterward, head to Triple Rock Brewery in Berkeley for its annual Festivus. The challenge is to drink four beers of ABV above 8% and other tests of strength. The four beers include a wheat wine, scotch ale, imperial red and a wood-aged imperial stout. The seasonal beers will be available throughout the holidays.

On Christmas Eve, Oakland's Bocanova holds a 4-course crab dinner for $50 per person. The menu's not posted, but you can ask when calling for reservations, (510) 444-1233.

Local123
2049 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley
(510) 647-5270

Triple Rock Brewery
1920 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
(510) 843-2739

Bocanova
55 Webster St., Oakland
(510) 444-1233

Weekend Eats & Drinks 12/16/11

Today and tomorrow starting at 5 P.M., Oakland's the Trappist celebrates Kerstbier Fest. For $25, get 4 6 oz. samples of Christmas beers and a keepsake glass. Some breweries on tap include Mikkeller, Dieu du Ciel! and Haandbryggeriet.

Sunday, Revival Bar + Kitchen and Bison Brewing present the first holiday beer cocktail event from 5 to 8 P.M. Mixologists behind BeerMixology.com will make 3 original cocktail recipes with Bison's IPA, Chocolate Stout and Gingerbread Ale. The event is free, so all you have to pay for is your drink.

The Trappist
460 8th St., Oakland
(510) 238-8900

Revival Bar + Kitchen
2102 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
(510) 549-9950

Weekend Eats & Drinks 12/9/11

Tonight, Old Oakland Neighbors celebrates 5 years. Meet neighbords and support local businesses at Pacific Coast Brewery from 5 to 8 P.M. Food and drinks are available for purchase, with 10% donated to Old Oakland Neighbors. OON will also be accepting donations; men's socks and underwear to CityTeam Ministries, unwrapped and new toys for Endgame's toy drive and monetary gifts to fund OON neighborhood improvement and promotion activities.

In between holiday shopping, see if you can snag tickets to Pacific Coast Brewery's 23rd annual Holiday of Beers from noon to 4 P.M. Saturday. $60 advance tickets are required for he multi-course meal and beer pairing.

Pacific Coast Brewery
906 Washington St., Oakland
510-836-2739

Weekend Eats & Drinks 11/16/11

With the colder weather arriving, time to nurse your favorite drinks for warmth.

Oakland's Two Mile Wines opens every third Thursday of the month for happy hour from 4 to 7 P.M. Get two for 1 wine by the glass Thursday.

Saturday, Berkeley's Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant shuts down the parking lot from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M. for a Beaujolaises fete. The event is free with food from Ecolo's Christopher Lee and Cafe Fanny for sale as well as wine by the glass ... or case.


Two Mile Wines
477 25th St., Oakland
510-868-8713

Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant
1605 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley
415-524-1524

Weekend Eats & Drinks 9/29/11

Today, Jack London Square screens the Johnny Depp film Chocolat as its last waterfront flick of the summer season. The free movie begins at sundown, with prefestival activities like al fresco dining and trivia starting earlier.

Saturday, Oakland's Dimond district holds its annual Oaktoberfest craft beer celebration from 1 to 6 P.M. $20 gets you a collectible festival stein and 4 beer tokens, or you can unlimited 4 ox. tastes for $40. Expected pourers include Linden Street Brewery, Drake's Brewing, Trumer, Anchor, 21st Amendment and more. The family-friendly event also includes food vendors and live music and dancing.


Jack London Square
Broadway and Embarcadero, Oakland

Oaktoberfest
MacArthur Boulevard at Fruitvale Ave., Oakland

Weekend Eats & Drinks 9/20/11

The East Bay celebrates SF Cocktail Week on Thursday with the East Bay Showdown at Tessera Gallery in Oakland from 6 to 9 P.M. Bartenders from 10 East Bay bars will compete for your votes in the Wild West themed affair. Tickets are $59 in advance ($65 at the door) and include appetizers, cocktails and entertainment.

If cocktails aren't for you, Solano Cellars joins Little Star Pizza to hold a block party on Solano Avenue at Ordway Street from 5 to 8 P.M. Enjoy a curbside winebar and slices of deep dish pizza.

The big event this weekend is the Eat Real festival at Jack London Square from Friday to Sunday. Forget the cooking demonstrations and preserving competitions, the draw is the vast amounts of street food like 4505 Meats and Chairman Bao. Admission is free with food and drinks under $5 an item. Expect huge crowds, so bring your patience.

Also Friday, Litquake shares the Master Craft stage at Eat Real, holding a preview event of food writers talking about their culinary travels.

Saturday, Berkeley hosts a coffee and tea festival at Hotel Shattuck Plaza from 9 A.M. to 1 P.M. The $20 admission includes a mini souvenir coffee mug and free tastings, or $15 if you like the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce on Facebook. Aside from tasting, the event will feature panels like how to brew the perfect cup of tea or coffee, and a Japanese tea ceremony demonstration.

Sunday, the 11th annual Crabby Chefs Seafood Festival takes place at Berkeley's Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M. Admission is free with food vendors selling crab and other seafood dishes while local chefs compete Iron Chef style. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Cal Recreational Sports Development Fund's camp scholarship program.

St. George Spirits , aka Hangar One, in Alameda holds a gin BBQ party to launch its three new gins. Admission, $38 in advance and $45 at the door, includes cocktails, tours of the distillery and seminars on gin-making. Food tickets can be purchased separately. Round-trip chartered bus transportation to the distillery from West Oakland Bart is $10/person.

Tessera Gallery
1225 A 7th St., Oakland

Solano Block Party
At the intersection of Solano Avenue and Ordway Street

Berkeley Coffee and Tea Festival
Hotel Shattuck
2086 Allston Way, Berkeley

Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto
1919 Fourth St., Berkeley
(510) 845-7771

St. George's Spirits
2601 Monarch St., Alameda

Weekend Eats & Drinks 9/14/11

Thursday, Jack London Square screens "No Reservations" for its free foodie Waterfront Flicks program. The Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart film starts at sundown, around 7:30 P.M. with pre-festivities including cooking demonstrations and trivia with prizes.

Also Thursday, Oakland's Cathedral of Christ the Light holds its second neighborhood Twilight by the Lake event. The free mixer runs from 5 to 7 P.M. with complimentary appetizers and live music, and is open to everyone.

It's food truck weekend in the East Bay with three events - though not all are free. I'm not a fan of Rock Wall Wines Friday Food Truck Frenzy, as the admission charge is a steep $6.26 in advance and $10 at the door. Think about how many tacos that could buy! Sure, there's live music and wines by the glass for sale, but I'm not one to fork over $10 to just see food trucks. Expected vendors include Le Truc, Skylite Snowballs and Tandoori Chicken USA Mobile.

A better choice is the last Off the Grid at Golden Gate Fields. The $6 admission gains you food truck access and a day's worth of live horse racing. Expected vendors include Hapa SF, Chairman Bao and Curry Up Now.

The best is Saturday's free Spice of Life Festival in Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto form 11 A.M. to 7 P.M. Food trucks like Hapa SF will sell alongside local restaurants like Bistro Liasion (whole roast pig) and Ciocolata Di Vino. Relax in the beer garden or taste some wines from Vintage Berkeley. Catch live music, cooking and artist demonstrations and free tastings and tours throughout the day.

Also Saturday, Kermit Lynch closes down its parking lot to throw a Provence feast from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M. The event is free, with wines and food available for purchase.

Two Mile Wines also hosts a tasting room preview Saturday from 5 to 9 P.M. at its new Oakland location. Admission and tastings are free, with $5 wines by the glass and special discounts on wine.

Sunday at 5:30 P.M., R&B Cellars and Angela's Bistro and Bar in Alameda present a 5-course, 8-wine dinner for $50. The menu includes a scallop and Meyer lemon risotto, heirloom tomato salad, veal cheeks and more. See the full menu and reservation details here.

Jack London Square
2 Broadway, Oakland
(510) 645-9292

Cathedral of Christ
2121 Harrison St., Oakland
(510)893-4711


Rock Wall Wines
2301 Monarch St., Alameda
(510) 522-5700

Golden Gate Fields Racetrack
1100 Eastshore Hwy, Berkeley
(510) 559-7300

Spice of Life
Shattuck Avenue near Vine, Berkeley

Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant
1605 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley
(510) 524-1524

Two Mile Wines
477 25th St., Oakland

Angela's Bistro
2301 Central Ave., Alameda
(510) 522-5822

Weekend Eats & Drinks 9/9/11

Saturday, Off the Grid returns to Golden Gate Fields. Access to the food trucks will cost you $6 admission to the racetrack, but you also get to bet on the horses. Vendors include Hapa SF, Chairman Bao and Curry Up Now.

Berkeley winery Donkey & Goat holds its annual fall fete Saturday at 12:30 P.M. in its new digs. Tickets are $20 in advance, or $30 at the door and include wine pairings by Zut! restaurant on Fourth Street.

Sunday, the 37th Annual Solano Stroll takes over Solano Avenue from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. The free, family-friendly and alcohol-free event begins with a 10 A.M. parade, and stick around for food booths, arts and crafts and live performances. Free shuttles will run from North Berkeley BART, or ride your bike for free valet parking.

Golden Gate Fields Racetrack
1100 Eastshore Hwy, Berkeley
(510) 559-7300

Solano Stroll
Solano Avenue, Albany and Berkeley

Donkey & Goat
1340 Fifth St., Berkeley
(510) 868-9174

Reviewed: Zut! in Berkeley

A year later, and Zut! on Berkeley's Fourth Street isn't as polished as the month-old Apple store a few doors down. While the locally sourced, organic, sustainable Mediterranean fare is admirable, the service and experience is uneven.

To begin, we were seated in one of the worst parts of the restaurant - the sparsely decorated, loud alleyway near the restrooms. Essentially, I think of it as the kid's section - or where the wait staff train. While the bar and parts of the restaurant visible from the street are beautiful, beware the tables near the restroom, as there is nothing remotely interesting to see - unless you count peering at fellow diners in the decorative mirrors. But they can easily catch you glancing at them - awkward. Not only can you see fellow diners, you can probably eavesdrop, but only when you're not distracted by the Amtrak train horn every half hour.

Once seated, we were given an awkward pitch for that night's "awesome" family night $30 3-course prix fixe. Being our first time at Zut!, we left the family meal for another time and ordered off the regular menu - hoping to try some Zut! staples. We started with the roasted beet and citrus salad that was nicely balanced and perfect for a warm evening. Then came the best dish of the night: fried brussel sprouts with bacon, parmesan and lemon. We could hear the table next to us dismissing the sprouts, and we snickered knowing what they were missing.



The entrees were let downs after the starters. The Pt. Reyes Blue pizza was disappointing - too doughy and blue cheesy. The rotisserie half chicken with potatos and green beans was ordinary - definitely not in my top 3. With the dim lighting, it was hard to tell if the chicken was slightly uncooked or if it was dark meat. I didn't want to guess, so I stopped eating.

Service was friendly and a bit green, something I didn't expect among the poshness of Fourth Street, which leaves me wondering what type of restaurant Zut! wants to be. On the one hand, I can see family-friendly, neighborhood, casual dining for families and older couples. But, the decor and ambience are trying to create a hip spot on Fourth Street, much like O Chame. Regardless, I'd go back for bar bites and to try the Tuesday night family-style dinner, which varies in price based on seasonality. You can expect a 3-course meal (salad, meat entree and dessert) shared family style for about $30 a person. For an extra $15, get wine pairings.

Zut!
1820 4th St., Berkeley
(510) 644-0444

Weekend Eats & Drinks 9/1/11

Today, Waterfront Flicks at Oakland's Jack London Square screens Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe at sundown for free. Arrive early for cooking demonstrations, trivia questions and prizes.

Also today, Belgium Brewery and Oakland's The Terrace Room team up for a 4-course beer-paired dinner with amuse. Start with seared scallops and Fat Tire amber ale, then a tamarind monster prawn cous cous salad with Hoptober golden ale, and a wild boar tagine flatbroad with 1554 Enlightened black ale. Finish with a chocolate pie and Belgo IPA. Tickets are $40 excluding tax & tip, with reservations recommended.

Saturday, Off the Grid returns to Golden Gate Fields. Access to the food trucks will cost you $6 admission to the racetrack. Vendors include Hapa SF, Chairman Bao and Curry Up Now.

Jack London Square
2 Broadway, Oakland
(510) 645-9292

Terrace Room
1800 Madison St., Oakland
(510) 903-3771

Golden Gate Fields Racetrack
1100 Eastshore Hwy, Berkeley
(510) 559-7300

Weekend Eats & Drinks 8/24/11

Thursday, Farley's East holds its monthly nonprofit happy hour from 5 to 9 P.M. Proceeds from the event will benefit Playworks Oakland/East Bay, a nonprofit organization that motivates children through sport and physical activity programming.

Friday, Vintage Berkeley in Elmwood hosts an all-star East Bay tasting from 8 to 8:30 P.M. of boutique wines from Oakland's urban wineries. A $10 ticket lets you taste from Urban Legend, Dashe, Aubin, Eno, and Blacksmith Cellars. Call (510) 549-9501 for reservations as space is limited.

Saturday and every Saturday until Sept. 17, the Off the Grid food truck phenomenon heads to Berkeley's Golden Gate Fields starting at 11 A.M. The trucks will be in the grandstand area, so the $6 admission to the race track is required - through

kids 17 and under are free. The lineup so far includes Hapa SF, 3-Sum Eats, Chairman Bao, CurryUpNow and Whisk on Wheels.

Downtown Berkeley caps its free summer screenings Saturday with the Big Lebowski. The movie starts at sundown, around 8:30 P.M., but arrive early to take advantage of al fresco dining on Center Street and a contest for the best Lebowski character-related costume.

Berkeley's famed Chez Panisse celebrates its 40th Anniversary this month with a series of events. Saturday, the UC Berkeley Art Museum will open free to the public (by reservation) to explore the restaraunts's educational legacy, from the Free Speech Movement to the Edible Schoolyard. The museum's gardens will host cooking stations, installations and classrooms for food education.


Farley's East
33 Grand Ave., Oakland
(510) 835-7898

Vintage Berkeley
2949 College Ave, Berkeley
(510) 549-9501

Off the Grid at Golden Gate Fields
1100 Eastshore Hwy., Berkeley
(510) 559-7300

Downtown Berkeley film screening
2219 Center St., Berkeley
(510) 549-2230 x11

Berkeley Art Museum
2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley
(510) 642-0808

Weekend Eats & Drinks 8/17/11

Thursday, have your pick of two movie screenings in Oakland. Grease fans will want to head for 12th St. City Center for the singalong viewing, while comedy fans can see Dinner for Schmucks at Jack London Square. Admission is free with films starting around 7:30 P.M. but go early for prefestival activities like food stands and contests.

Also Thursday, the Cathedral of Christ in downtown Oakland hosts a nondenominational community event from 5 to 7:30 P.M. in the plaza. Admission is free with complimentary appetizers.

For a night out, Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto continues its Chef's dinner series Thursday. For $50 (excluding tip and tax), get 5 seasonal courses paired with wine. The menu: heirloom tomato salad with black pepper yogurt, Hobbs bacon, mesculn mix and a 2010 Rodney Strong Sauvignon Blanc; roasted green lip mussels with toasted garlic bread and a 2009 Kendall Jackson Chardonnay; rainbow trout with snow peas, horseradish mashed potatoes and a 2005 Palliser Pinot Noir (from New Zealand); lobster pot pie with pearl onions, baby carrots, grilled asparagus and a 2009 McManis Merlot; and black forest cake with chocolate cream and cherry flambé and a 2007 Aquinas Merlot. Reservations requested:(510) 845-7771.

Saturday, Rock Wall Wine in Alameda hosts an open house from 1 to 5 P.M. Taste over 50 wines from the Alameda Point Vintners co-op for $30 in advance online, or $45 at the door. Participating wineries include R&B Cellars, Rock Wall, Blacksmith Cellars, Carica Wines, Ehrenberg Cellars, John Robert Eppler Wines, Joseph Gary Cellars and Mercy Wines.

Also Saturday, downtown Berkeley screens Raiders of the Lost Ark as part of its summer film series in the Bank of America parking lot. Arrive early at 6 P.M. when all of Center Street between Shattuck and Oxford is closed to traffic and restaurants offer al fresco dining or participate in a costume contest for best safari attire. The movie starts at 7:30 and viewers are encourage to bring their own lawn chairs - or rent one for $5.

Sunday, Chop Bar holds its monthly summer pig roast at Linden Street Brewery. $20 gets you an all-you-can-eat pig roast and sides buffet with live music. Wine and beer will also be available for sale.

Jack London Square
66 Franklin St., Oakland
(510) 628-0718

12th Street City Center
1245 Broadway, Oakland

Cathedral of Christ
2121 Harrison St., Oakland
(510) 271-1928

Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto
1919 4th St., Berkeley
(510) 845-7771

Rock Wall Wines
2301 Monarch St., Alameda
(510) 522-5700

Bank of America
2219 Center St., Berkeley

Linden Street Brewery
95 Linden St. Oakland
510-834-CHOP

Weekend Eats & Drinks 8/11/11

Events are light this weekend, so get your foodie fix from Open Table and Savored. For $10, get 30% off your dining bill at select Open Table restaurants like Oakland's BayWolf, Hudson and Mezze and Berkeley's Meritage and Paragon at the Claremont.

[Updated 8/13/11] Downtown Berkeley screens the Pixar film Up in the Bank of America parking lot Saturday starting at 7:30 P.M. Come early at 6 P.M. when all of Center Street between Shattuck and Oxford is closed to traffic and restaurants offer al fresco dining. The movie is preceded by a costume contest.

Sunday, Pyramid Brewery celebrates Discord, its new dark IPA. Get $3 pints and $10 pitchers of it all day, while enjoying the outdoor grill and BBQ and Pyramid Pong.

Bank of America
2219 Center St., Berkeley

Pyramid Brewery
901 Gilman St., Berkeley
(510) 528-9880

Weekend Eats & Drinks 8/4/11

With the warmer weather and the beginning of school encroaching, more neighborhoods are hosting free summer movie screenings. Today at Jack London Square, catch the Pixar animated film Ratatouille at sundown. Arrive earlier for cooking demos, trivia and prizes, and food from local vendors.

Saturday, downtown Berkeley shows The Princess Bride at 7:30 P.M. in the Bank of America parking lot at 2219 Center St. Preshow activities include a costume contest with prizes and al fresco dining by Center Street restaurants, as Center Street between Shattuck and Oxford will be closed to cars.

Also Saturday, the 6th annual Urban Wine Xperience returns to the Jack London Square Pavilion from 2 to 5 P.M. Sample paired tastings from over 20 wineries with local restaurants or food vendors for $40. [UPDATED 8/5/11] Use discount code RBWC for $30 tickets.

Sunday, Kermit Lynch teams up with the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen at Vintage Berkeley for a griled cheese and rose wine pairing. Reservations are required, and tickets are $30 including gratuity.

If you can't get into the tasting, stop by nearby bakery Cinnaholic, celebrating its first anniversary. The vegan cinnamon roll makers are offering $1 Old Skool Rolls from noon to 4 P.M.

Lastly, Piedmont's Adesso - known for its charcuterie - hops onto the whole roast pig trend with its first spit-roasted porky from 2 to 6 P.M. A $25 ticket includes all-you-can-eat pig and sides.

For the rest of August, help local students get ready for school by donating new backpacks to the Berkeley Boosters/Police Activities League. For every new backpack dropped off at Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto in August, the restaurant will give away a $10 dining certificate.

Also in August, Moe's Books in Berkeley celebrates the 40th anniversary of Chez Panisse. Bring in any Chez Panisse dining receipt for 10% off all bookstore purchases. Additionally, 10% of those purchases will be donated to the Chez Panisse Foundation.

For early diners, Miss Pearl's Jam House at Oakland's Jack London Square will offer 50% off all food items from 5 to 6 P.M., Monday through Friday, for the month of August. Just say you saw the promotion in "Square Savings."

Jack London Square
66 Franklin St., Oakland
(510) 628-0718

Bank of America
2219 Center St., Berkeley

Vintage Berkeley
2113 Vine St., Berkeley
(510) 665-8600

Cinnaholic
2132 Oxford St., Berkeley
(510) 647-8684

Adesso
4395 Piedmont Ave., Oakland
(510) 601-0305

Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto
1919 4th St., Berkeley
(510) 845-7771

Moe's Bookstore
2476 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley
(510) 849-2087

Miss Pearl's Jam House
1 Broadway, Oakland
(510) 444-7171

Weekend Eats & Drinks 7/27/11

Today, the Friends of the Oakland Fox theater host a welcome party for Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe from 5:30 to 7:30 P.M. The $25 ticket gets you appetizers and one-hour of a hosted beer and wine bar. For $125 more, get a VIP pass with a swag bag and a custom name plaque affixed to a Fox Theater balcony chair. The friends will also host a raffle and silent auction.

The annual Berkeley Kite Festival takes flight this weekend from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Admission is free, while onsite parking is $10. See the world's largest octopus kite, listen to taiko drummers, and learn how to make and fly a kite. No word on who the food vendors will be, but you can always bring a picnic.

Saturday, the Oakland A's host its 15th annual beer fest two hours before the 6:05 P.M. game against the Minnesota Twins. Tickets to the baseball game get you free entry to the beer fest, but it costs $12 for 3 tastings and a souvenir beer mug. Participating microbrews include 21st Amendment, Anchor Brewing, Firestone Walker Brewing, Lost Coast Brewery and more.

Also Saturday, the Terrace Room near Oakland's Lake Merritt hosts its Summer Swing event from 5 to 10 P.M. Learn how to swing dance from 5 to 6 P.M., and then the floor opens up for a live band. $25 lets you dance and drink (2 tokens), while VIP tickets that include appetizers cost $55. Reservations required.

Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe
1805 Telegraph Ave., Oakland
(510) 251-9400

Oakland A's Beer Fest
7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland
(510) 569-2121

The Terrace Room
1800 Madison St., Oakland
(510) 903-3771

Weekend Eats & Drinks 7/21/11

Tonight, catch Jack London Square's second waterfront foodie flick of the summer: Big Night starring Tony Shaloub and Stanley Tucci. The summer movie series occurs every other Thursday at 7:30 P.M. in the market lawn with local food vendors and cooking demonstrations. The film starts at dusk.

On Friday, San Leandro's Drake's hosts a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new barrel house from 5:30 to 7:30 P.M. The party continues Saturday from 5 to 8 P.M. with the official opening. $2 from every beer sale will go to the San Leandro Education Foundation.

Moe's Bookstore in Berkeley debuts its breakfast tea blend created by the Lhasa Karnak Herb Company. Sample the Darjeeling, Orange Pekoe black tea blend Saturday from 2 to 3 P.M. while perusing the shelves.

For something stronger, head to Donkey and Goat's summer party from 4 to 7 P.M. in its new Berkeley digs. Admission is free, but an RSVP is requested. See the new tasting room and sample new summer wines. Pizza Politana will be on hand selling wood-fired pizzas.

Bigger than your cafeteria fights, the East Bay Food Fight from 4:30 to 7:30 P.M. at Jack London Square has 40 restaurants, chef battles and guest judge Alice Waters . A live auction also offers private chef dinners, private culinary tours and more. The events benefits St. Vincent de paul's culinary training program. Advance tickets are sold out, but tickets will be $40 at the door.

Sunday, Nex in Oakland hosts its 7th OinkCon, a celebration of roast pig. This time, it's a Hawaiian luau for $15 in advance and $18 at the door from noon to 4:30 P.M.

Jack London Square
66 Franklin St., Oakland
(510) 628-0718

Drake's Brewing
1933 Davis St. Ste 177, San Leandro
(510) 568-2739

Moe's Bookstore
2476 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley
(510) 849-2087

Donkey & Goat
2323 B 4TH St., Berkeley
(510) 868-9174

Nex
2442 Webster St., Oakland
(510) 238-8224

Weekend Eats & Drinks 7/13/11

A few weekend highlights around Berkeley and Oakland:

For the early birds, catch the Bay Area BBQ Championship at the Oakland Coliseum prior to the A's baseball game against the LA Angels on Saturday. Start eating pulled pork and ribs as early as 9:30 A.M. before the 1:05 game start. Tickets prices vary, with the cheapest at $48 that includes 5 food/drink tickets and 1 plaza outfield seat at the double header game. Extra food and drink tickets are 10 for $15. All tickets must be purchased in advance as no tickets will be sold at the event.

Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant celebrates Bastille Day on Saturday by closing its parking lot from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M. and firing up the grill. Kermit Lynch says the event admission price will be "fair" and bring cash for wines by the glass and food.

Urban winery Urban Legend Cellars hosts a release party Saturday from 6 to 9 P.M. in Oakland for its 2009 Teroldego and its 2009 Cooper Ranch Barbera.

Sunday, Chop Bar moves its monthly $20 pig roast to Linden Street Brewery after outgrowing the restaurant space. Expect an all-u-can-eat roast pig and sides.

Also Sunday, Alameda Meals on Wheels hosts a community fair and wine tasting event at Rock Wall Wine from 1 to 5 P.M. Taste hors d'oeuvres from local restaurants and area wines like Dashe Cellars, R&B Cellars, J. Lohr Vineyards & more. The backyard carnival can entertain kids while adults shop the silent auction or listen to live music. A $20 donation is suggested at the door.

Bay Area BBQ Championships
7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland
(510) 569-2121

Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant
1605 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley
(510) 524-1524

Urban Legend Cellars
621 4th St., Oakland
(510) 545-4356

Chop Bar @ Linden Street Brewery
95 Linden St., Oakland
(510) 812-1264

Rock Wall Wines
2301 Monarch St., Alameda
(510) 522-5700

Reviewed: Phil's Sliders in Berkeley

Before I tried Phil's Sliders, I never understood why sliders existed. It was essentially a mini hamburger - a kid's or dieter's portion. But Phil's Sliders proved me wrong. Each slider has so much flavor and tastiness in the one bite that the deliciousness would get lost in a full-size burger. After the sticker shock of $2.50* for a bite wears off, you can bask in the perfect balance of Marin Sun Farms grass-fed beef, lettuce, cheddar cheese and special sauce.

Phil's Sliders opened a few weeks ago where New China Express used to be in downtown Berkeley. The narrow space is transformed with a decently-sized though minimalist dining section and an open kitchen. See the hanging posterboard menu and check the chalkboard wall for homemade dessert and shake specials. Once you know what you want, grab a mini-clipboard, write your order and hand to the cashier.


The portabella sliders pale in comparison, so I would avoid them unless you're a vegetarian. The poppyseed coleslaw ($2) was average and something I could find at any potluck, but the potato tots ($2.50) were fantastically starchy, creamy and crispy. Unlike butter-heavy croquettes, we ate these tots with our fingers without much need for napkins.

While the homemade shake sauces (chocolate and dulce de leche when we went) are delicious themselves, the shake ($2.50) disappoints. I like my shakes milky and rich, and Phil's are not that. The base looks and tastes like soft serve, melts too quickly, and is a bit grainy. We skipped the dessert, but an assortment of homemade cookies and brownies are displayed nicely at the cashier.

Service, while pleasant, still needs work to catch up with demand. Our to-go order of 4 sliders, a side of slaw and tots and a shake took 15 minutes to ready. The one cashier also makes the shakes, which holds up the line to order. I'm not sure what two of the three cooks do, as only one of them is assembling the sliders. I give the slider maker props, though, as ours were packed neatly and precisely while they could easily have been slopped together.

Overall, I'm glad to see Phil's in town. I definitely will continue to visit. I can afford the sliders and tots, but I'm not sure if the limited, pricey menu can sustain downtown where college students probably won't splurge for $2 sliders when there's a $6.99 buffet nearby.

*Posted prices say $2, but our bill total broke down to $2.50.

Phil's Sliders
2024 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
(510) 845-5060

Weekend Eats & Drinks 7/6/11

Jack London Square's free foodie waterfront flicks begin this week with a screening of Julie and Julia at the market lawn at sundown. Arrive early and catch cooking demos and trivia prizes. Miss Pearl's Jam House will cook up grilled treats with 10% of proceeds going to Bay Area anti-hunger programs. Blankets and stadium chairs recommended.

Saturday, Alameda's Rock Wall Wine holds the first ZAP Rib-orama. Sip local zins and savor ribs from 2 to 5 P.M. Participating wineries include Bota Box Wines, Dashe Cellars, Gnarly Head Cellars and more. Tickets are $45 in advance, or $55 at the door.

Nearby, JC Cellars hosts its annual beach party from 1 to 5 P.M. The beach-themed tasting costs $35 in advance and $40 at the door for a souvenir glass, appetizers and cheese and tastings of JC Cellars wines.

Sunday, Temescal streets close for last month's rescheduled street fair beginning at noon. Catch music from two stages while you send the kids to the carousel or climbing wall. Munch on Lanesplitter Pizza, SR24, Barlata and other local favorites.

Jack London Square
66 Franklin St., Oakland
(510) 628-0718

Rock Wall Wines
2301 Monarch St., Alameda
(510) 522-5700

JC Cellars
55 4th St., Oakland
(510) 465-5900

Temescal Street Fair
Telegraph Avenue between 45th and 51st

Weekend Eats & Drinks 6/24

It's light this weekend, perhaps everyone's psyched for Yelp's Sunset Showdown on Sunday. (RSVPs are closed, sorry.) If you have any events this weekend or next, send me your info or direct message me on Twitter.

Weekend Eats & Drinks 6/15/11

The prix fixe trend continues this week at Five restaurant and Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto in Berkeley. Five in Hotel Shattuck offers a weekly $25 BBQ, Brew & Blues dinner with a plate of BBQ, sides and a glass of beer with live jazz music. The party continues every Thursday through summer.

Also Thursday, Spenger's holds a "The Magic of the Copper River" themed, 5-course, $50 prix fixe dinner paired with wine. Tax and gratuity are separate. The menu consists of an oyster trio, crispy rock shrimp with melted leek risotto and Cara Cara oranges, cedar-roasted Alaskan sockeye salmon with mini baked potato and bacon corn relish, pan-seared Alaskan king salmon with English pea puree and couscous caviar, and wild cherry and banana flambé with lemon, vanilla ice cream and crêpes.

On Friday, Farley's East holds its monthly nonprofit happy hour from 5 to 9 P.M. Proceeds go to My Yute Soccer, an organization that encourages personal development through youth soccer.

Saturday, get a taste of New Orleans at Yats annual Crawfish by the Bay Fest. $30 gets you all-u-can-eat crawfish overnighted from Louisiana. Due to last year's demand, the event is split into three seatings. Tickets are going fast with only the 11 A.M. seating remaining.

If you can't make the crawfish boil, Farley's East celebrates two years Saturday with $2 beers, coffee specials, music and more.

Popups hit the East Bay on Saturday, as modern Ethiopian fare Afro-Bites sets up at Guerilla Cafe in Berkeley from 6 to 10 P.M. The menu will consist mostly of vegetarian and vegan options.

Five
2086 Allston Way, Berkeley
(510) 845-7300

Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto
1919 4th St., Berkeley
(510) 845-7771

Farley's East
33 Grand Ave., Oakland
(510) 835-7898

Yat's Crawfish Boil
5324 San Pablo Ave., Emeryville

Guerilla Cafe
1620 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
(510) 845-2233

Weekend Eats & Drinks 6/8/11

In case you missed last week's soft-launch of Off the Grid in Berkeley, today is the "official" launch. Add local business Saul's Deli to the lineup of food trucks assembling around Shattuck Avenue and Rose Street until 9 P.M.

The food vendor mania continues Friday at Oakland Technical High School with the inaugural Bites on Broadway from 5:30 to 8:30 P.M. Catch local food purveyors, music and crafts every Friday.

From 7 to 8:30 P.M. Friday, experience a Berkeley vinollaboration as Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant pours its latest Italian finds at Vintage Berkeley. For $5, taste 12 wines including, of course, a Chianti Classico.

Friday also marks the first of two free Concerts at the Cove in Alameda. Johnny Vegas and the High Rollers, a local group playing '60s, '70s and '80s hits, takes the stage at 5:30 P.M. Rock Wall Wines, R&B Cellars, Drakes Brewery, Croll's Pizza, Calafia Tacqueria and other area eateries will be on hand.

On Saturday, smell firsthand that barnyard or dirt characteristics of wine tastings by heading out to Golden Gate Fields. The East Bay Vintner's Alliance is hosting a Belmont Stakes wine fest from noon to 4 P.M. at the Berkeley racetrack. Watch live racing and the final leg of the Triple Crown while imbibing offerings from local urban wineries. Get 5 tastings and a logo glass for $20, or 12 tastings for $30. Track admission is separate, with cheap seats $6.

Rock Wall Wines celebrates its new deck and tasting room this Saturday with a wine rodeo from 4 to 8 P.M. Advance $35 tickets get you wine tastings with a logo glass to keep, BBQ from the two-time champ of the World Invitational Rib Championship, and live music. Prices jump to $45 the day of the event.

Also Saturday, Linden Street Brewery hosts A Random Party for Random Acts, a fundraiser for the Oakland Fire Department. The $10 cash-only entry fee includes two food/beverage tickets for the likes of El Taco Bike, Pietisserie, Drakes beer and Dying Vines.

For those with a sweet tooth, try Rock Paper Scissors Collective's third annual cupcake bakeoff from 2 to 5 P.M. Saturday. The $5 fee lets you sample all 10 homemade goodies to vote for your favorite.


Last week's rainy weekend pushed two culinary fairs to this weekend. The annual Berkeley Chocolate and Chalk Art fest along north Shattuck Avenue in the Gourmet Ghetto runs from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Saturday. Sample chocolate-themed food from local vendors like Lo CoCo's savory chocolate ricotta pizza, Juice Bar Collective's chocolate goat cheese truffle and Fertile Grounds's Mexican mocha. Tasting tickets are $1 each, with the most expensive item costing 7 tix (Cioccolata di Vino's noval black port and chocolate port truffle. For a list of full tastings, visit the event website.

In Oakland, Temescal hosts its annual street fair between 47th and 51st streets on Sunday from noon to 6 P.M. Enjoy two stages of music and food and drinks from local eateries like Lanesplitter pizza, Barlata, SR24, Whole Foods & more.

On Sunday, Fresh Approach, a nonprofit working to increase access to healthy foods for Bay Area residents, hosts its inaugural fund-raising brunch. A $10 ticket gets you a farmers' market-made brunch in Jack London Square, and the chance to win raffle prizes like cookbooks, cooking classes and a winery tour. Kids under 12 are free with an RSVP.

Afterward, head to Nex restaurant in Oakland for its sixth Oink Con at 1 P.M. In a celebration of all things piggy, 5 chefs will square off for rights to the best sausage. Firestone Brewery will be on-hand hosting tournaments of beer pong.


Off the Grid
Intersection of Shattuck and Rose, Berkeley

Plaza at Oakland Technical High School
45th and Broadway, Oakland

Vintage Berkeley, Vine Street
2113 Vine Street
Berkeley, California
(510) 665-8600

Concerts at the Cove
Crab Cove, McKay and Central avenues

Belmont Stakes Wine Festival
1100 Eastshore Highway, Berkeley
(510) 559-7333

Rock Wall Wines
2301 Monarch St., Alameda
(510) 522-5700

Linden Street Brewery
95 Linden St., Oakland
(510) 812-1264

Cupcake Bakeoff
2278 Telegraph Ave., Oakland
510-238-9171

Chocolate and Chalk fair
North Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley

Temescal fair
Telegraph between 47th and 51st avenues

Fresh Approach brunch
Jack London Square
Webster and Embarcadero streets, Oakland

Nex
2442 Webster St., Oakland
(510) 238-8224

Reviewed: Paisan Prix Fixe

You may have seen the many prix fixe specials and other deals (think Groupon) that restaurants use to get patrons, but are they worth it? Recently, the family of K2 Restaurants has offered almost weekly prix fixe specials: Jimmy Bean's offers a daily $15 2-course meal while Paisan hosts a family style 3-course meal every Wednesday and Lalime's a 3-course seafood prix fixe every Thursday. Today, T-Rex jumps into the bargain fun with an all-you-can-eat whole hog dinner with sides and one free drink for $19.

With so many promotions, it was easy to round up some friends for dinner. A few weeks ago, we tackled Paisan Pizzeria on San Pablo Avenue. Reviews were mixed, but overall, Paisan was a good neighborhood joint with dependable food, and the outside seating on a warm May night didn't hurt.

While Paisan calls itself a pizzeria, the prix fixe doesn't include a sampling of their billing. Rather, the prix fixe is a mix of Italian-American comfort cuisine that feels more neighborhood joint than authentic Italian fare.

The prix fixe comes with your first glass of wine on the house: a choice of a red or white wine from Farnese Family Wines. There's no vintage or varietal information, as the waitress bluntly asks, "white or red," so the wine is nothing memorable.

We started with a strawberry and arugula salad with prosciutto. The strawberries were seasonally sweet and paired well with the salty prosciutto. The breadsticks, however, that accompanied the salad were stale and left untouched.

Next was a pork tenderloin with fettucini. The dish had a lot of potential, but was disappointing. The tenderloin was so dry that not even the oil from the pasta could save it. The butter pasta sauce was also bland, and would have benefited from more garlic, herbs or any seasoning.

We wrapped up the meal with dessert: a hazlenut, chocolate mousse that was too sweet for some, but amazing in its simplicity for me, the one in the party with a sweet tooth. The dish wasn't refined, but like the salad, stood out because you could taste every ingredient and picture how it was made.

Service was very informal, as there wasn't a host to greet us at the door or an area aside from the packed bar for us to wait the half-hour our reservation was delayed. As with most popular neighborhood joints, space is an issue as the tables are crammed together and hard to navigate, and there is no waiting area aside from the sidewalk outside.

The day we went drew a crowd, whether because of regularly Wednesday diners, prix-fixe goers, or people enjoying the day's warm weather. But, I'd brave it again as I found the overall experience worth the wait and cost.

Try it yourself this week. Reservations recommended.

Today
Jimmy Bean's: $15 for salad/soup, seafood pasta and dessert
Paisan: $22 for first glass of wine, asparagus sformato salad, wood-oven roasted organic garlic chicken and baba au rhum
T-Rex: $19 for all-you-can-eat whole hog dinner with sides and your first drink (cola, PBR, house wine or well drink)

Thursday
Jimmy Bean's: $15 for salad/soup, pork loin and dessert
Lalime's: $45 for potted wild king salmon rillettes, wood grilled asparagus and sweet corn with poached egg, carmelized Massachusetts scallops, selection of North Coast Artisan Cheeses and strawberries with chewy peanut butter cookies and buttermilk sorbet

Friday
Jimmy Bean's: $15 for salad/soup, fried chicken and dessert

Saturday
Jimmy Bean's: $15 for salad/soup, paella and dessert

Sunday
Jimmy Bean's: $18 for salad/soup, grilled rib-eye and dessert


Paisan
2514 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley
(510) 649-1031

Jimmy Bean's
1290 6th St. Berkeley
(510) 528-3435

T-Rex
1300 10th St., Berkeley
510-527-0099

Lalime's
1329 Gilman St., Berkeley
510-527-9838

Weekend Eats & Drinks 6/1/11

Welcome June with a slew of food-centric festivals and fairs.

San Francisco's Off the Grid food truck extravaganza expands to the East Bay today, Wednesday. Catch up to 10 mobile food trucks near the intersection of Shattuck and Rose in north Berkeley from 5 to 9 P.M., including Cupkates, Hapa SF and Liba Falafel. The event continues every Wednesday with a rotating lineup of street food vendors.

Updated 6/3/2011: The Chocolate and Chalk Art fest has been postponed to next weekend because of the rain. The annual Berkeley Chocolate and Chalk Art fest along north Shattuck Avenue in the Gourmet Ghetto runs from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Saturday. Sample chocolate-themed food from local vendors like Lo CoCo's savory chocolate ricotta pizza, Juice Bar Collective's chocolate goat cheese truffle and Fertile Grounds's Mexican mocha. Tasting tickets are $1 each, with the most expensive item costing 7 tix (Cioccolata di Vino's noval black port and chocolate port truffle. For a list of full tastings, visit the event website.

Updated 6/3/2011: The Temescal fair has been postponed to next weekend because of the rain. In Oakland, Temescal hosts its annual street fair between 47th and 51st streets on Sunday from noon to 6 P.M. Enjoy two stages of music and food and drinks from local eateries like Lanesplitter pizza, Barlata, SR24, Whole Foods & more.

In the outer reaches of the East Bay, Walnut Creek holds its annual art and wine festival Saturday and Sunday at Heather Farm Park. Enjoy live music while shopping handmade crafts and imbibing award-winning wines and microbrews with traditional food. Admission is free.

Weekend Eats & Drinks 5/25/11

Gloomy Memorial Day weekend weather ruined your plans? Comfort yourself with a few local food events.

Tonight, chef and caterer Suzanne Drexhage brings some tasty food samples to her free cookbook discussion at Moe's Bookstore in Berkeley at 7:30 P.M. Drexhage will talk about her favorite cookbooks in the first of a series of cookbook talks at the bookstore.

On Saturday, catch FIVE exectuve chef Banks White's free cooking demonstrations at the Berkeley Farmers Market from 11 A.M. to 1 P.M. Demos include how to pickle ramps, clean and cook artichokes, and make Johnny cakes.

Also Saturday, head to Vintage Berkeley for its weekly free wine tastings. This weekend features Denis Hoey of Odonata Wines in Santa Cruz: Grenache, Malbec, Syrah and Durif. Tastings run between 1 and 3 P.M. at the Vine St. location; 3:30 to 5 P.M. in Elmwood.

On Sunday, local123 hosts a $50 cash-only, 8-course vegetarian prix fixe popup dinner from 7 to 10 P.M. Menu highlights seasonal and local fare like chilled English pea soup, roasted maitake and brocolli, and a selection of Andante Creamery cheeses. RSVP to local123popup@gmail.com.

If you tire of hot dogs and burgers, head to the Jamaican Jerk cook-off on Memorial Day Monday from noon to 5 P.M. at Oakland's Linden Street Brewery. Admission is $10 for adults (free for children 12 and under) and includes 2 tickets good for one wine, beer or jerk tasting. Procceds go to My Yute Soccer camp, which encourages positive change in youths through soccer.

Moe's Books
2476 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley
(510) 849-2087

Berkeley Farmers Market
Center St. and MLK Jr. Way, Berkeley
510-548-3333

Vintage Berkeley
2113 Vine St., (510) 665.8600
2949 College Ave., (510) 549.9501

Local123
2049 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley
(510) 647-5270

Linden Street Brewery
95 Linden St., Oakland

Weekend Eats & Drinks 5/18/11

Spring is slowly warming up, so find seasonal menus and al fresco dining this weekend.

On Thursday, Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto hosts a wine-paired dinner starting at 7. The five-course prix fixe with California wines is $50 per person excluding tax and gratuity. No word on the menu, but it is recommended to call ahead to reserve a spot.

If you participated in Bike to Work day last week, Saturday is Bike to Market Day in the East Bay. Cyclists will get discounts and other goodies at participating markets when showing "proof" (bike helmet, bike gloves, bike jacket, etc). Participating groceries include the Oakland Whole Foods, Grocery outlet, Farmer Joe's, the Food Mill and Country Cheese. Sorry, no Berkeley Bowl.

On Sunday, Pacific Coast Brewing in Old Oakland hosts its annual spring beer tasting from noon to 4 P.M. $60 gets you 7 prix fixe courses and 14 craft beers from across the country. Tickets need to be bought in advance at the pub or via phone.

Also Sunday, Dashe Cellars holds its second spring luau and open house from 1 to 5 P.M. The island-themed fete will be catered by Chop Bar, including a whole roasted pig, and 2010 vintage wine and barrel samples. Tickets are $40 in advance, or $30 with the online code LUAUWC10. If any are leftover, they'll be $45 at the door. Admission also includes a Riedel glass to take home, and cases will be discounted 25%, or buy a case at full price and get the cost of two tickets refunded.

Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto
1919 4th St., Berkeley
(510) 845-7771

Pacific Coast Brewery
906 Washington St., Oakland
(510) 836-2739

Dashe Cellars
55 4th St., Oakland
(510) 452-1800

Weekend Eats & Drinks 5/11/11

Start your morning with free waffles at the downtown Berkeley bike station Thursday. As part of Bike to Work Day, the station will offer free waffles and toppings to the first couple hundred people who park their bikes there. The station opens at 7 A.M., and parking is free until 8 P.M.

If you commute via ferry, stop by the energizer station in Jack London Square for a free gift bag and refreshments.

On Friday, wash away the bad luck of the 13th with a free wine tasting by R&B Cellars at Miss Pearl's Jam House in Jack London Square from 5 to 6 P.M.

If wine's not your thing, head to Trumer brewery in Berkeley for bike-in movie night Friday at 7:30 P.M. $5 gets you free brewery tours, popcorn, beer tastings, raffle tickets and an outdoor screening of bike-centric movies, With My Own Two Wheels and a couple short films. Proceeds go to the East Bay Bike Coalition. Don't forget the FM radio if you want to hear the films.

From Friday through Sunday, head to the Oakland Hills for the annual Greek festival. Enjoy Greek treats made by local Greek families while perusing crafts or listening to live Greek bands. Admission is $6, but get $1 off from the website. Children under 12 are free.

Also Sunday, Oakland's Chop Bar holds its monthly whole pig roast from 5 to 8 P.M. Tickets are $20 and include sides, usually veggies and salads, with $3 beer specials.

Bike to Work Day
2208 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
(510) 548-7433

Miss Pearl's Jam House
1 Broadway, Oakland
(510) 444-7171

Trumer Brauerei
1404 4th St., Berkeley
(510) 526-1160

Greek festival
Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension
4700 Lincoln Ave, Oakland
(510) 531-3400

Chop Bar
247 4th St # 111, Oakland
(510) 834-2467
www.chopbar510.com

Reviewed: SR24 in Oakland

With its barred windows and doors, SR24 looks like a jailhouse, but the food is anything but gruel and the staff hardly wardens. The exterior needs work, but give it time and gentrification will expand to the northwest corner of Telegraph avenue and 51st street.

SR24, named after the nearby State Route 24, delivers on classic American fare of favorites like corn chowder, fried chicken and pot pie. The dishes are nothing the home cook couldn't make, but sometimes you want a night off.


The mussels in spicy broth were standard and tame, but were pumped up with an excellent wine pairing of Prosecco. The sweet corn soup with dungeness crab and tarragon creme fraiche was lick-the-bowl delicious. The fried chicken was executed perfectly, crispy on the outside and juicy inside, complimented by vinegar slaw and mashers and gravy. The highlight was the kobe brisket pot roast. The beef was so tender I could pick through it with my fork, and juicy with a harmony of fat and flavor. The dish could have been better balanced with more than the scattering of carrots, fingerling potatoes and onions, but it was not a disappointment.

Also, do not miss the bread pudding french toast dessert. The bread pudding is more cake-like, with a thin layer of powdered sugar and a side of fruit jam and whipped cream. It was light enough for the sweet-averse boyfriend, but delicious enough for my sweet tooth.

With a menu of American classics, SR24 is family friendly with a children's menu; though the decor and tight spaces are more date night than play date. With dim lighting and lush red walls, the space is gothic chic. A scattering of funky chandeliers and throw pillows adds an eclectic touch, but doesn't quite mesh with the idea of comfort food.

The tables are also packed tight, as we easily could hear what the nearby couple were discussing. But, one thing to appreciate about the small space is the open kitchen. You can see the cooks readying your dish, but it is intimidating to know they can also see your reaction to their food.


Service is friendly and unpretentious, what you expect from an eatery aiming to be a neighborhood spot. The penny happy hour also doesn't hurt to drive in locals. From 4 to 6 P.M. Tuesday through Saturday, follow SR24 on Facebook to get a password of the day, then pull up to the bar and get a drink for less than a penny. SR24 has a little bit of everything: draft and bottled beer, wine on tap and by the bottle, a couple cocktails (no full bar) and non-alcoholic drinks like soda, water, tea and coffee.

Despite the inconspicuous facade, SR24 is a friendly, dependable weekday dinner spot. So, start searching between the couch cushions for those penny drinks.

SR24
5179 Telegraph Ave, Oakland
(510) 655-9300
www.sr24food.com

Photo: Yelp

Weekend Eats & Drinks 4/28/11

If you were thinking of dining out tonight, know that today is national Dining Out for Life. Several Bay Area restaurants will donate a portion of tonight's sales to HIV prevention and support. In Oakland, A Cote, Mezze, Montclair Bistro and Pican will donate 25%. In Berkeley, Ajanta Restaurant, Riva Cucina and Venus will also donate 25%.

Wrap up April at Rock Wall Wine's Spring Fling open house Saturday from 1 to 5 P.M. in Alameda. Tickets are $33 online and $40 at the door, and cover your souvenir glass and unlimited tastings of Rock Wall's portfolio as well as boutique vintners like Blacksmith, Carica, Ehrenberg and more. While sipping wine, enjoy paired appetizers, live music, winery tours, barrel samples and more.

On Sunday, head to Moe's Bookstore in Berkeley. The first 100 in-store customers who buy $35 or more in cookbooks (new, used or collectible) in May will get a free goodie bag of promotions and discounts at 15 East Bay restaurants and specialty food outlets. Participating eateries include Cafe Fanny, Gather, Ozumo, Venus Restaurant, Chocolatier Blue & more.

Rock Wall Wine Company
2301 Monarch St., Alameda
(510) 522-5700

Moe's Bookstore
2476 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley
(510) 849-9938

Midweek Eats & Drinks 4/25/11

Today, get discounted tickets to Rock Wall Wine's open house tasting party on Saturday. Tickets are $18 a person via Bloomspot, include a souvenir wine glass and give you access to all of Rock Wall's wines (including new releases and futures) and tasting from boutique producers like Carica Wines, Eno and more. While tasting, nibble on paired appetizers, enjoy live music, or tour the winery. Tickets online are $33, and $40 at the door.

Also, tomorrow, head out to the Montclair Village Restaurant Walk from 6 to 8:30 p.m. For $25, get a passport good for tastings from participating restaurants. Sample clam chowder at Crogan's, spicy tuna poke at Metro Montclair, pork loin at Montclair Bistro and more. All proceeds go to local charities. Get your passport at the Montclair Book Tree, Safeway, US Bank and other retailers listed here.

Weekend Eats & Drinks 4/15/11

Whether or not you've already filed your taxes, find some tax relief today at Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto in Berkeley. Get a selection of Bottom Line Drink Specials for $5.40 each all day, and happy hour from 3 to 6 P.M. Bar customers also get a dining certificate good for $10.40 off a return visit for dinner (while supplies last). Spenger's will offer the same deals Monday.

Also tonight, Urban Legend Cellars in Oakland is hosting a No Tax, Relax, Release Day. Admission to taste is $10 and supports diabetes research, and Urban Legend will waive the sales tax on all bottles of new releases.

On Saturday, stop by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant in Berkeley for the latest parking lot event: oysters, sausages and wine. Admission is free, while it's cash only for wines by the glass, oysters from Monterey Fish and sausages from Chris Lee from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M.

Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto
1919 4th St., Berkeley
(510) 845-7771

Urban Legend Cellars
621 4th St, Oakland
(510) 545-4356

Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant
1605 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley
(510) 524-1524

Weekend Eats & Drinks 4/8/11

It's a weekend of beer in the East Bay. Triple Rock Brewery in Berkeley hosts its Firkin Fest on Saturday starting at 11:30 a.m. For $20, you get a souvenir glass and four pours from a variety of Bay Area craft brewers like Drake's Brewing, Bear Republic, Magnolia and more. Additional beers are $5 a piece with benefits going to the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation, a nonprofit helping burn survivors.


For those willing to trek farther, the Bay Area Craft Beer Festival also happens Saturday in Martinez. From 1 to 5 p.m., walk the waterfront while tasting brews from 21st Amendment, Firestone Walker, Speakeasy and more. Tickets are $35 presale ending today at 11:59 p.m. and $45 at the door, or grab VIP tickets for $55 that give you early entry at noon.

The Sunday Supper will hit a classic car dealership in downtown Oakland from 6:30 to 10 p.m. The underground, communal dinner series is meant to celebrate the family dinner table with while drawing from urban homesteaders and purveyors. The 4-course prix fixe is $55 a person ($4.02 service fee not included), and the only alcohol available will be if you bring it yourself ($10 corkage). For the menu and tickets, visit the site.

Triple Rock Brewery & Alehouse
1920 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
(510) 843-2739

Bay Area Craft Beer Festival
333 Ferry St., Martinez
http://www.bayareacraftbeerfestival.com

The Sunday Supper
411 26th St., Oakland

Weekend Eats & Drinks 3/31/11

Close out March with a few alcoholic-fueled events this weekend.

Today from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Rebuilding Together Oakland hosts a wine tasting fundraiser. Tickets are $30 and include two tastings from each East Bay Vintners like Dashe Cellars, R&B Cellars and more. Rebuilding Together Oakland offers support and services to the city's low-income communities.

On Friday, Modern Coffee continues its weekly Friday cuppings with guest brewers from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Stop in to taste and learn about Ecco coffee.

Saturday is busy around Oakland's Jack London Square. KGO AM 810 holds a craft brew tasting paired with food from local eateries from noon to 3 p.m. in the Pavilion Building. Gene Burns will also broadcast the "Dining Around" program live from the event. Presale tickets are sold out, but should be available day of the event for $20.

Also Saturday from noon to 5 p.m., the East Bay Vintner's Alliance hosts its 4th annual Passport to the East Bay tastings event. Over 20 urban wineries ranging from the well-visible Rosemblum and Rock Wall Wine cellars to smaller production wineries like Stomping Girl Winery and Tayerle Wines will be pouring across 6 locations. Tickets are $40 and include continuous shuttle service between wineries, BART and the Ferry Terminal, appetizers, and a souvenir wine glass. Designated drivers are $10 and get a souvenir coffee mug and full access to the wineries. For a full list of participants, please see http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/156471.

Rebuilding Together Oakland
1171 Ocean Avenue, Suite 100, Oakland
510-625-0316


Modern Coffee
411 13th St., Oakland
(510) 835-8000

KGO AM 810 Much Ado about Beer
Jack London Square Pavilion
Broadway and Embarcadero, Oakland

East Bay Vintners Alliance
Various locations in Oakland and Alameda

Weekend Eats & Drinks 3/24

Who knows if the rain will stay this weekend, so good thing these weekend highlights are indoors.

Pyramid Brewing will host a beer dinner tonight to highlight its seasonal Curveball Blond Ale. $45 dinner includes the following four courses paired with the Curveball. Call for reservations: (510) 528-9880.

First Course: Pigs in a Blanket – Pork Tenderloin wrapped in filo dough on baby mustard greens and Dijon apple sauce.

Second Course: Honey Fig & Goat Cheese Salad - Fig vinaigrette drizzled on frisee salad greens with honey candied figs and hand-rolled almond covered goat cheese

Third Course: Almond Crusted Mahi-Mahi - Crisp and buttery almonds coat Hawaii’s native mahi-mahi. Served with julienne tropical relish of pineapple, mango, and apple.

Fourth Course: Bombshell Parfait - Sugar covered green apples crown a creamy blend of caramelized blond apple parfait with sweet vanilla crème and crunchy granola.

Also tonight, Vintage Berkeley offers its weekly 5 flights for $5 from 5 to 7:45 p.m at both locations downtown and on College Avenue.

On Friday, R&B Cellars provides jazz and $10 wine flights at Angela's Bistro in Alameda from 5 to 8 p.m. Proceeds go to local charity.

Also Friday, Miss Pearl's Jam House continues its weekly complimentary wine tasting with a member of the East Bay Vintner's Alliance. This week Urbano Cellars pours from 5 to 6 p.m.

Pyramid Brewing
901 Gilman St., Berkeley
(510) 528-9880

Vintage Berkeley
2113 Vine St., Berkeley
(510) 665-8600

Vintage Berkeley
2949 College Ave
(510) 549-9501

Angela's Bistro
2301 Central Ave., Alameda
(510) 522-5822


Miss Pearl's Jam House
1 Broadway, Oakland
(510) 444-7171

Japan Relief Effort

Several restaurants and bars across the East Bay are donating a portion of their proceeds to the relief effort in Japan.

BayWolf in Oakland will donate a portion of sales to tomorrow's dinner to relief organizations serving Japan. The disaster affects BayWolf dearly, as one of its past managers and friends recently moved his family to Japan.

Berkeley's PiQ is hosting a donation night Monday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in collaboration with the Red Cross and the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program Alumni Association of Northern California. All individual donations and sales will be split between the two organizations.

Til the end of the month, Ozumo will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from sales of its specialty cocktail Kibou No Hana (“flower of hope”) to the American Red Cross.

BayWolf
3853 Piedmont Ave., Oakland
(510) 655-6004

PiQ
91 Shattuck Square, Berkeley
(510) 540-7700

Ozumo
2251 Broadway, Oakland
(510) 286-9866

Fat Tuesday Celebrations

Miss Pearl's Jam House's weekendlong Mardi Gras celebration culminates today with $5 daiquiries and hurricanes, Southern specialties, zydeco music, beads and more in Oakland.

Up Broadway, savor New Orleans fare and Mardi Gras cocktails to the beat of a zydeco band at Pican from 8 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $59 tickets at the door with a portion of the proceeds going to St. Augustine High School in New Orleans.

In Berkeley, Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto marks Fat Tuesday with an extended happy hour, Cajun food specials, live music and free beads until 10 p.m.

For other East Bay restaurants sure to have Southern comfort specials, try Oakland's Brown Sugar Kitchen and Berkeley's Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen. No word on any special offers but each teases menu surprises like beignets, alligator and crawfish direct from Louisiana.

Miss Pearl's Jam House
1 Broadway, Oakland
(510) 444-7171

Pican
2295 Broadway, Oakland
(510) 834-1000

Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto
1919 4th St., Berkeley
(510) 845-7771

Brown Sugar Kitchen
2534 Mandela Parkway, Oakland
(510) 839-7685

Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen
2261 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
(510) 548-6900

Photo: greenpreferred.com

Weekend Eats & Drinks 3/3/11

Oakland's Miss Pearl's Jam House in Jack London Square celebrates Mardi Gras all weekend beginning Friday with happy hour specials, zydeco and live music, daiquiries and hurricanes, southern comfort food and of course beads. The fun ends on Fat Tuesday.

Also Friday is Drake's Brewing's monthly First Friday open house from 4 to 8 p.m..$15 tickets get you a souvenir tasting glass and 3 tokens for 3 full pours with a voluntary $5/person donation to James Madison Elementary School, this month's non-profit.

On Saturday, Berkeley's Donkey & Goat will host its spring release party with Gather Restaurant from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the winery. Tickets are $18 in advance or $25 at the door (cash only) and include a Riedel glass, or bring your own glass and get $10 off any wine purchase of $35. Donkey & Goat specialize in Rhone varietals.

Miss Pearl's Jam House
1 Broadway, Oakland
(510) 444-7171

Drake's Brewing
1933 Davis St. Ste 177, San Leandro
(510) 568-2739

Donkey & Goat
2323 B 4TH St., Berkeley
(510) 868-9174

Weekend Eats & Drinks 2/23

If the possibility of snow this weekend doesn't deter you, here's highlights for the weekend.

As part of Yelp Culture Club, JC Cellars near Oakland's Jack London Square is offering free tastings with a free ticket found here. Sip on JC Cellars Rhone varietals from Thursday through Sunday only. The printed Yelp ticket also offers discount museum, symphony, ballet and theater tickets.

For Friday, Modern Coffee in downtown Oakland hosts its weekly free public cupping at 12:30. Learn how to smell and work on your flavor profiles with different roasts from De La Paz roastery.

Also Friday, celebrate National Clam Chowder day at Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto at Fourth Street in Berkeley. Purchase an entree and receive a cup of clam chowder for $1.21., for the restaurant's 121st Anniversary.

Lastly, catch R&B Cellars pouring wine flights and playing jazz at Angela's Bistro in Alameda. Friday Flights are $10 with proceeds going to a local charity from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., 2301 Central Ave, Alameda 510-522-5822

Also for the rest of the month, catch the following specials at Jack London Square.

Scott's Seafood: Mention the password "Square Savings" to your server for a free appetizer for parties of two or more til the end of the month.

Ben & Jerry's: Say the magic passphrase, "Peace, Love, and Ice Cream, Please" in order to receive any of the specials below.

Monday Sundae: Buy one, get one half price on any sundae of equal or lesser value.

Twofer Tuesday: All products (excluding pints, quarts, and cakes) are buy one, get one of equal or lesser value for half price. The item must be of the same product type (smoothies, shakes, cones, sundaes, etc.)

Thermal Thursday: All hot drinks, excluding coffee drinks, are buy one, get one for $1.

JC Cellars
55 4th St., Oakland
(510) 465-5900

Modern Coffee
411 13th St., Oakland
(510) 835-8000

Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto
1919 4th St., Berkeley
(510) 845-7771

Angela's Bistro
2301 Central Ave., Alameda
(510) 522-5822

Scott's Seafood Grill & Bar
2 Broadway, Oakland
(510) 444-3456

Ben & Jerry's
505 Embarcadero West, Oakland
(510) 663-3477

Weekend Eats & Drinks 2/18

It's been a while, but things are starting to pick up again.

New to me is the East Bay Vintner's Alliance weekly tasting series at Miss Pearl's Jam House, 1 Broadway in Oakland. Stop by every Friday for complimentary tastigs and appetizers from 5 to 6 p.m. Today's pourer is Cerruti Cellars/Tudal Family Winery. See here for the full schedule.

This weekend also closes out SF Beer Week. For a full list of Beer Week festivities, see here, but these are my highlights.

Netherlands' only Trappist brewery - Brewery de Koningshoeven - brings Belgium brews made by monks to you today from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Trappist, 460 8th St., Oakland.

Triple Rock's white chocolate milk stout gets dry hopped with De La Paz specialty coffee, or the nondry hopped version from 4:30 p.m. to closing tonight at Triple Rock Brewery, 1920 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley.

The 2nd Annual Beer Festival Fundraiser combines beer and chocolate tastings. The $28 ticket covers 2 beer and 4 chocolate tastings per person Saturday 2 to 6 p.m. at Craneway Pavilion 1414 Harbour Way South, Richmond.

Get a BBQ dinner and sample 30+ breweries at Celebrator's anniversary party Sunday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Trumer Brauerei, 1404 4th St., Berkeley. $45 tickets advance celebrator.com or $60 cash at the door.

Try the beer of Portland without venturing north when Upright Brewing brings some kegs and bottles to Beer Revolution, 464 3rd St., Oakland, Sunday 3 to 9 p.m.

For food, Montclair Bistro in Oakland offers a Monday night $20 Dungeness crab dinner with coleslaw and corn on the cob.

Is That the Best Deal?

Each morning I eagerly check my e-mail for the day's restaurant deals from Groupon, Yelp, Livingsocial, Townhog and others. Most of the time, the promotion is the best I've seen, but a few times, I know other deals can be had at Restaurant.com.

Take, for example, today's sold-out Yelp Deal for Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe in Emeryville. $20 will get you $35 worth of food and drinks at the late-night spot for a 43% discount. But, doing some research on Restaurant.com, you could save 72% and get a $25 credit for $7 using this week's code MENU, good til the end of today.

From a percentage savings, Restaurant.com wins. The trade-off is that there are more restrictions. While the Yelp deal only has to be used within one visit by 2/18/2012, Restaurant.com can be used only for a dine-in dinner with a minimum purchase of $45 and an automatic 18% gratuity will be added to the bill.

So, depending on your dining preferences, one discount may be better than the other. Just be sure to check the fine print.

To find the latest Restaurant.com code (and they come out almost every week), go to the deal site Fatwallet.com and search for Restaurant.com. On top of the code discount, if you become a free Fatwallet.com member, you earn cash back. Current cash back for Restaurant.com is 24%, which brings the certificate cost down to $5.32.

A few sites also offer cash back on Groupon purchases. If you are a Discover credit card holder, you can earn cash back by shopping on discovercard.com. Last time I checked, cash back was a decent 15%. Or, make your Groupon purchases through Fatwallet for 6% cash back, or Ebates for 3% cashback.

Photo: wellheeledblog.com

Valentine's Day prix fixes

Out of dining ideas for Valentine’s weekend? Take note of a few prix fixe specials around Berkeley and Oakland. Call for reservations, as these places may already be booked.


Friday through Monday

Cioccolata Di Vino
1801 Shattuck Ave., Suite C, Berkeley
510) 898-1392
4-course Italian prix fixe for $35/person


Scott’s
2 Broadway, Oakland
510) 444-3456
3-course seafood prix fixe with a glass of Brut for $75/person.


Saturday


Local 123 (reservations required)
2049 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley
(510) 647-5270
Seasonal 4-course meal with drinks for $45/person


Monday, Valentine’s Day


Lalime's
1329 Gilman St., Albany
(510) 527-9838
4-course prix fixe for $55/person

Chop Bar
247 4th St # 111, Oakland
(510) 834-2467
3-course dinner with glass of wine for $30/person.

Gather
2200 Oxford St., Berkeley
(510) 809-0400
4-course local, organic and sustainable prix fixe for $70/erson.

Italian Colors
2220 Mountain Boulevard, Oakland (Montclair Village)
(510) 482-8094
4-course prix fixe for $39/person with complimentary chocolate for every table.

Ozumo
2251 Broadway, Oakland (Uptown)
(510) 286-9866
7-course prix fixe for $150/couple featuring grilled Dungeness crab with miso sauce, Yellow Fin tuna sashimi with apple garlic soy and quail egg & more.

Zut! on Fourth
1820 Fourth St., Berkeley
(510) 644-0444
3-course prix fixe for $45/person with a complimentary amuse bouche and a mid course Moscato d'Asti sorbet palate cleanser. Wine pairing an additional $25/person.

Bocanova
55 Webster St., Oakland
(510) 444-1233
4-course Argentinean prix fixe for $48/person with tango dancers.

Miss Pearl’s Jam House
1 Broadway, Oakland
(510) 444-7171
3-course Southern prix fixe for $45/person. Drink pairings $8 per course.