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

Giants happy hour

Can't get seats to the Giants game? A few Oakland and Berkeley bars will show Game 1 of the World Series while serving up happy hour. Get there early; game time is 5 p.m. Have any to add? Leave a comment.

Updated: 10/27/10

Amanda's
2122 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley
Happy hour 4-6 p.m., $1 off any beer or wine and free popcorn
http://www.facebook.com/AmandasFeelGoodFreshFood?ref=s#!/AmandasFeelGoodFreshFood?v=wall

T-Rex BBQ
1300 10th St., Berkeley
Happy hour 3 to 6 p.m.
$4 beers, $5 well drinks, $2 off glasses of wine
Lots of food specials, including $1 street tacos, $4 pulled pork nachos. $5 smoked BBQ riblets and full rack of ribs and PBR pitcher for $25
www.t-rex-bbq.com

Bobby G’s Pizzeria
2072 University Ave., Berkeley
Happy hour 4 to 7 p.m.
$1 off beers, $2 off pitchers & glasses of wine, 25% off bottles of wine
$2.25 cheese slices, $17 for 18” cheese pizza, $5 Caesar side salads
www.bobbygspizzeria.com

Pyramid Brewery
901 Gilman St., Berkeley
Happy hour 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
$3.50 pints, $10.50 pitchers except Brewer’s handle
30% off appetizers
Thirsty Thursday 6:30 p.m. to close
Any pizza & pitcher for $15 (min. 2 people)
www.pyramidbrew.com

Meridian International Sports Café
2050 University Ave., Berkeley
Happy hour 4-7 p.m.
$1 off beer, $2 off glasses of wine, $3 off pitchers, $2 off tapas
www.berkeleymeridian.com

Beta Lounge
2129 Durant Ave, Berkeley
4 to 9 p.m.
$3 beers, $5 wine, sake & food specials
www.thebetalounge.com/

Somar Bar
1727 Telegraph Ave., Oakland
4:30 to 8 p.m.
Food & drink specials, past deals include:
$2 Amstel Light, $3 Drakes IPA & Red Eye, $6 Jameson, $6-8 appetizers
www.somarbar.com

Easy Lounge
3255 Lakeshore Ave., Oakland
Past deals include:
$1 off all well drinks until 8pm; $2 off well drinks after 8pm

Anchalee in Berkeley

With enough Thai restaurants in Berkeley as there are Priuses, it can be difficult to spot the good ones like Anchalee. Located in the same building as Caffé Trieste on the corner of Dwight Way and San Pablo Avenue, Anchalee offers Thai cuisine in a contemporary setting. This isn’t a hole-in-the-wall for college students to get early morning grub, but a proper restaurant where you can afford to treat your parents.

The menu is small, fitting on one side of an 8”X11”, but you get a good variety of soups, salads, appetizers, curries, rice and noodle dishes and daily specials. Entrees range from $8 to $10, and you can substitute brown rice for $0.75. Even more affordable is happy hour with $5 appetizers and $3 bottled beers, 4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

On a recent weekend, we stopped for a couple appetizers and entrees. The goong grabog of shrimp fried with fresh herbs in a wonton skin fried made shrimp tempura look like an ugly step child. Paired with a housemade sweet plum sauce, the dish was inspirational as it’s on my test kitchen list. The vegetables were also lightly fried and paired perfectly with the cold beers.

I never liked the gelatinous, spongy texture of radish cakes but decided to try the kanom pak kard, or steamed radish cakes. As expected, they were dense cubes with the consistency of a baked potato, but the crunch from the fresh bean sprouts and the tang from the sweet and sour sauce almost made me a fan.

After the fried treats, the sweet aroma of Thai basil wafting from my pad ke-mao was a welcome change. The stir-fried rice noodle, green bean, tomato, prawn and bell pepper dish was excellent but could have used a tad more prawns as I found only four. The dish was correctly marked mild, so the spiciness ratings are not too conservative.

Against my better judgment, we also ordered the beef skewers. I have always been disappointed by restaurant skewers because the meat is usually overcooked, dry and tough. My dining partner insisted on the skewers, and it was just as described. I don’t fault Anchalee because I have never been anywhere where this wasn’t the case. Avoid the skewers and you'll be content.

What makes Anchalee stand out from other Thai eateries is the presentation and freshness. This isn’t oily, greasy food thrown haphazardly onto a plate with sauce everywhere. Dishes come out clean and organized, and make you want to eat. Anchalee was an excellent neighborhood surprise and I have a feeling I’ll be a regular at weekend happy hour.

Anchalee
1094 Dwight Way, Berkeley

Photo: Anchalee.com

Liege in Old Oakland

Nestled between empty business fronts in Old Oakland is the recently opened Liege Spirits Lounge. Spacious with high ceilings, Liege is the laid-back lounge downtown needs to fill its nighttime repertoire of clubs, hole-in-the-wall bars and upscale dining.

Most importantly, happy hour is Tuesday through Friday from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Deals are on par to other bars with $3 Linden Street Black Oak Lager, $5 well cocktails and $2 off glasses of wine.

As the name implies, spirits are the focus with 10 specialty cocktails ranging from $9 to $14. The bartenders also come up with daily drink specials, such as Friday’s farmer’s market special made with fresh fruit from the Old Oakland market outside Liege's doors. About every two months, the wine menu changes to showcase a new region. Most recently Latin American whites, reds and bubbly were featured. The beer selection is limited with four drafts, currently Linden St. Burning Oak Black Lager, Duvel Green, Guiness and Houblon Chouffe, and bottles, ranging from $5 to $6.

In addition to drinks, you can find appetizers and snacks on the menu. The kitchen pairs with the wine, whipping up guacamole, ceviche and taquitos to go with the Latin American wines. Another feature on the menu is fondue, a perfect date food. For $14, you can get beer sirloin or Mexican white prawns, each with a side of mixed vegetables. Then pick from 12 sauces ranging in spiciness and uniqueness (pablano and kiwi, jalapeno and black cherry?).

With two flatscreens and tons of space to sit in large, vinyl chairs, Liege is an easy place to settle with drinks after work. Do note that you will be charged tax on drink only orders if you pay by credit card.

Liege Spirits Lounge
481 9th St., Oakland

Cherry Blossom Festivities

Celebrate the blooming of cherry blossoms today with all night happy hour at Ozumo Oakland. Starting at 5 p.m. in the bar and lounge, enjoy cocktails, sushi and other Japanese specialties. Featured drinks include Skyy Infusions Ginger, Cherry and Zipang sparkling sake cocktails.

Continue the celebration this weekend and next in San Francisco Japantown with the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. Enjoy food, cultural performances, martial art displays, live music and more at the nation's second largest cherry blossom festival. The parade will be next Sunday, April 18, beginning at City Hall.

Ozumo Oakland
2251 Broadway, Oakland

Photo: ATPF.org

Happy hour at T-Rex Barbeque, Berkeley

My favorite happy hour place in Berkeley is T-Rex Barbeque off Gilman and San Pablo Blvd. While dinner is mediocre and better barbeque can be held elsewhere, happy hour is fantastic. Every day from 3 to 6 p.m., get $4 beers, $2 PBRs $5 well cocktails, $2 off wine, $1 tacos, $1.25 oysters and other delicious finger foods.

The beer options are all craft brews, with my favorite being the Stone Pale Ale. My absolute favorite dish is the nachos with pulled pork and salsa ($6). Oven-warmed chips with tangy pulled pork go well with the refreshing coolness of the salsa. Also try the bar riblets with spicy cayenne BBQ sauce ($5). I could, and would, eat the two every day. The brisket Banh Mi sounded interesting, but didn't deliver considering I could get something twice as big and flavorful for half the price in Chinatown. Deviled eggs ($2) and the fries with chipotle ketchup ($3) are average.

Happy hour has also expanded to include whole meals. Get a 1/2 pint of PBR and a burger for $5, or to share try the full rack of baby back ribs and a pitcher of PBR for $25.

Unlike most places that have happy hour at the bar only, T-Rex opens up the whole space. Whether you sit at a table or one of the couches upstairs, the atmosphere is very chill, especially Monday through Wednesday when there aren't many people. If you sit at a table, you get waiter service, which I appreciate for happy hour. Happy hour is a must when in Berkeley.

T-Rex Barbeque
1300 10th St., Berkeley

Photo: Earl G.

Tuesdays at Pyramid Brewery, Berkeley

If I were unemployed, I would spend every Tuesday at Pyramid Brewery and Alehouse. Not only is there alcohol, but there are plenty of activities to keep me busy for an evening.

I would start my day at 4 p.m. with a free, daily tour of the brewery. The 45-minute guided tour covers the brewing process and the history of Pyramid, as ends with three samples. For those under 21, there is Thomas Kemper soda.

After the tour, I would mosey down to the restaurant for happy hour, which runs from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Pints are $3.50, pitchers $10.50 except for Brewer's Handle Selection and appetizers 30% off. The blue cheese potato chips go perfectly with a cold brew.

After happy hour, I'd hang around until 7:30 p.m. for the start of Brainstormer's Pub Quiz. Trivia winners usually get free beer, with a six-pack for third, 12-pack for second, and a case for the winners to share.

Tuesday is also pint night, so you get to keep the pint if you purchase one of the seasonal glasses. Limit one glass a person.

Pyramid is one of my favorite breweries in Berkeley because of the daily events and promotions they have. The food is average, but Pyramid is a nice, easy place to relax and unwind with friends. Major bonus: they have their own parking lot!

Pyramid Brewery and Alehouse
901 Gilman St., Berkeley

Photo: Beerlabels.com

Specials at Guerilla Cafe, Berkeley

Among the upscale dining options and boutique businesses in North Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto is a revolutionary-inspired cafe. Established in 2006 by artist friends, Guerilla Cafe is an urban burst in an otherwise suburban stretch of Shattuck Avenue.

The well decorated cafe, which doubles as an art gallery, specializes in breakfast, brunch and lunch with Blue Bottle Coffee and plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Hours have recently extended to 10 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, with Thursday $2 Red Stripe happy hour and games of dominoes every night. Also, the cafe runs occasional Twitter deals: Until Saturday, say the password "mama say mama sa mamakusa" to get a buy one, get one free waffleito promo.

The afterhours menu starts at 5 p.m. and includes about five small plates, including salumi, cheese and fruit, and beet salads, for less than $10.

The staff is friendly and hospitable, even helping us with the rules of dominoes last Thursday. Everyone is laid back and you feel like you can lounge around without anyone minding.

Guerilla Cafe
1620 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley

Photo Credit: Scott B.

All Day Happy Hour at Fonda, Albany

One of the benefits of being in a recession is daylong happy hour prices at Fonda. Every day, any time, you can get select $6 cocktails and appetizers at the tapas bar on Solano in Albany. Cocktails are all Latin-American inspired with ingredients like jicama and Serrano chiles, and appetizers include standards such as chips and guacamole ($6) and spicy chicken wings ($6).

While the drink specials are great, be careful with the appetizers since they are served as tapas, which means they may not be worth the price and can add up quickly. My favorite dish is the tender duck tacos with guacamole, pomegranate seeds and arbol salsa ($7.50). Everything else on the happy hour menu is average, but I would avoid the Fonda wings and Cuban mini-burger. The wings taste like frozen Foster Farm wings with chili powder seasoning, and while good, the mini-burger should not be $6.50 when you get only one slider.

Despite the lackluster food, I keep returning to Fonda because it is one of the few places I can get a drink and food at 11 p.m. Monday. You just have to know what to order

Fonda
1501 Solano Ave., Albany

Happy hour at Bobby G's Pizzeria, Berkeley

One of the few places that has happy hour daily is Bobby G's Pizzeria in downtown Berkeley. From 4 to 7 p.m. daily, get $1 off all beers, $2 off pitchers, $2 off glasses of wine, 25% off bottles of wine, $2 cheese slices, $15 18" cheese pizzas, and $5 Caesar salads.

Being Berkeley, Bobby G's serves up gourmet, organic Neopolitan pizzas and craft brews, such as Pliny the Younger. Pizzas are varied enough to cater to omnivores, vegetarians and vegans, and include standards like Meat Lovers Pie with gourmet combos like clam and garlic. My favorite is the triple mushroom with sautéed shiitake, baby Portobello and button mushrooms on top of fresh tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, garlic, fresh herbs, and a drizzle of truffle oil. Pizzas can be pricey with a small, good for two people at $15, and a large that can feed four for $23.75. In addition to pizzas, Bobby G's offers pastas, salad, paninis and appetizers like bruschetta, crostinis and chicken wings.

Bobby G's also has a bar area and three flatscreen TVs, so you won't have to miss March Madness.

Bobby G's Pizzeria
2072 University Ave., Berkeley

Photo: Chico F.

Skates on the Bay, Berkeley

If I wanted to be transported to the 1970s, I would go to Skates on the Bay on the Berkeley Marina. Skates looks very old fashioned, from the wooden plank façade to the chandeliers and the maroon lounge chairs. But, if you can look past the décor, you will find some great happy hour deals. They have two happy hours every weekday. The first is 4-6 p.m., and the second from 9-11 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 p.m. to 11:30 Fridays.

Deals are ½ off select appetizers and cocktails. Portions are generous and you can make dinner out of it. I enjoyed the Kobe meatloaf sliders, which are like sloppy joes. The oven roasted red king crab and artichoke dip was good for the first few bites, but too rich and creamy to eat more than that. The teriyaki tenderloin was a pleasant surprise, and could have been a meal by itself. The roasted garlic prawns were seasoned well but overcooked. Vegetarian options are limited to slightly upscale pub food like sweet potato fries (crispy and delicious), beer battered onion rings, and cheese plates.

While the food makes it worth a try, the $4 drinks could be better. The pomegranate margarita and green apple drop were so watered down that I would have preferred a wine cooler. Service can also be haphazard since happy hour is in the lounge only

Skates on the Bay
100 Seawall Dr., Berkeley

Photo: Chad L.

Fan Appreciation Week at Beta Lounge, Berkeley

Beta Lounge is one of the few places downtown for people looking for something more sophisticated than beer and fried food. Located on the bottom level of a mixed-use apartment building near the UC campus, Beta Lounge is celebrating a year in business with Fan Appreciation week starting today.

Simply show them proof that you are a fan on Facebook or twitter (this is where your smartphone becomes handy), and you will get happy hour prices on drinks all night. That means $3 beers (draft and bottle) and $5 glasses of wine and Nigori cosmos. They also have $5 cocktails all night Mondays, and $20 bottles of wine all night Wednesdays.

Beta is a low-key place with a chill ambience. Dimly lit with stained windows and gray walls, Beta can almost double as a club, which may be why there's live music on Fridays and the weekends. Since it is near campus, groups of students are a common sight, but it doesn't reach obnoxiously drunk levels like it can at bars. The bartenders are friendly, chatting you up on slow nights, and cocktails good with a heavy Asian influence, like lychee and Soju.

Beta Lounge
2129 Durant Ave., Berkeley

Photo: J.A.B.

Yelp Drinks Week East Bay

The East Bay is closing out Yelp Drinks Week. Starting Monday, over 20 bars and restaurants across the East Bay will offer three handmade cocktails 50% off all day every day until Sunday, March 21.

I will be heading to Penelope and B, since they are within walking distance of work. Penelope has great cocktails, including its signature Penelope with beets and the Oaktown Heat with habanero-infused vodka.

Other highlights include the newly opened Bocanova in Jack London Square and the well-reviewed Grand Tavern by Lake Merritt.

Late Night Happy Hour at Marzano on College

In case you feel like a late-night snack, head to Marzano on College (not to be confused with the one on Park near the lake) in Oakland's Rockridge district.

Select pizzas from the regular menu are $10, $4 cheaper than the normal price. Select cocktails are $6 and beer and wine $5, A few appetizers and salads are $6. The best part is that you don't have to order from the bar only and can sit in the restaurant to enjoy table service.

All pizzas are Neapolitan style with cracker-thin crusts. I like my pizzas hefty, which these aren't since a person could easily eat a whole one and still be hungry. It is happy hour, however, so the intent is to snack while drinking. The pizzas are light on the sauce, so if you're a fan of tomato sauce, you'll also be disappointed.

Very few late night, mid-scale happy hours exist in Berkeley or Oakland, so I'm glad to see Marzano stay open. The intimate, chic, dimly lit atmosphere give the place an upscale, lounge feeling perfect for enjoying a happy hour without the college crowd.

Marzano on College
5356 College Ave., Oakland

Photo: David D

Welcome

Many people know San Francisco is a great city for dining, but few venture east, across the bay, for anything other than Chez Panisse. I live in Berkeley and love finding great deals and memorable spots, high-end or low, gourmet or hole-in-the-wall. I want to share my adventures and learn from others who enjoy food just as much as I do.