Reviewed: Marc 49 Wine Bar

Like the cities of the East Bay, local wine bars are an eclectic mix of the expensive, chic spots and the run-down neighborhood joint. A few, like Temescal's Marc 49, hit a nice balance, offering a good selection of reasonably priced wine in a happening part of town.

Located in the heart of Temescal, Marc 49 fits into the neighborhood with its art deco and shabby chic decor. Space is plentiful with comfy lounge chairs up front good for couples and small groups, and an outside patio with heaters in the back for larger parties.

The menu consists of roughly 30 wines by the glass, with about 3 or 4 choices of each varietal. The menu balances local and global wineries, which I appreciate as it lets me sample wines from other regions. The producers aren't that famous either, as I only recognized a couple local wineries (Rock Wall and Urban Legend).

Unlike other wine bars, Marc 49 offers flights where you can pick and choose what you want to taste. For $11, you can taste any 3 wines, or splurge $14 to taste 4. Most wines are available by flight, glass and bottle, so you can taste almost the entire menu. Nothing disappoints me more at wine bars than a lack of flights, or that the wine I want to try is only available by the bottle. To help guide your decision, each wine has descriptive tasting notes in the menu or you can ask the servers what they like.

Marc 49 also offers small plates and appetizers like ceviche ($8), cheese and meats ($12) and paninis ($7) to complement the wine. The food is light, so don't think of this as dinner. Rather, Marc 49 is perfect for pre- or post-dinner drinks, then grab dinner at any of the nearby restaurants like Burma Superstar or Pizzaiolo.

Marc 49
4915 Telegraph Ave., Oakland
510-652-2100

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

Numi Tea Garden in Oakland

One visit to the Numi Tea Garden in Oakland proves that tea service doesn’t have to be pretentious. Located off the I-880, the tea garden’s brick office building exterior fits in with the surrounding warehouses and loading docks. However, inside, you are taken to a new age, Asian oasis with plenty of indoor plants and water fountains to tap your inner om or surf the internet in peace with the free Wi-Fi.

The tea garden is very informal, usually with a seat yourself policy. The service tends to be slow with only two people the Sunday I went working the tea tastings and the retail store. Though it took a while to be greeted and get menus, the staff was friendly and the tea presentation very attentive.

Most all of the teas Numi sells online is available but there are a few to taste that are not found online like the Jasmine Pearl, my favorite. A teapot tasting starts at $2, and increases depending on your tea selection. The choices are varied with green, black, white, herbal, oolong and flowering teas, most of which are organic. The White Nectar of organic osmanthus spring was light with hints of apricot, while the Puerh Mini Tuocha was dark, rich and smelled like chocolate. The standout was the Jasmine Pearl, a floral mix of green tea and jasmine, and a definite try for any green tea fan. Numi also offers a limited selection of snacks to pair with your tea. Instead of finger sandwiches, macaroons and other high tea nibbles, Numi’s menu includes nuts and dried fruits, hummus and other Mediterranean dips, cheeses and baked goods. We decided on the muhammara, a red pepper and walnut dip with pomegranate molasses that offered a sweet and spicy kick.

The tea service is much like an Asian tea room with all your accessories atop a hollow wooden box. In an elaborate presentation, the tea leaves are poured into the infuser followed by hot water, and then a sand dial timer is turned to measure precisely when your tea is done. Any excess water is swirled to clean your tea cup and then poured over a decorative frog figurine for what I’m told is good luck. The ritual definitely makes you feel special.

After your tastings, you can walk a few feet and grab some tea bags, loose leafs, or tea pots and accessories. The loose leaf prices are some of the more affordable I’ve seen for organic teas, and unlike online, you can get as little as an ounce.

Weekend Eats & Drinks

If you can brave the rain this weekend, Oktoberfest continues with three beer events Saturday.

From noon to 5 p.m., head to Linden Street Brewery for a family-friendly beer and brats festival benefiting Bay Area Community Services. Drake’s Brewery will also be pouring at the event that features live blues music by Al D Bop & the Boptroplis Band and barbecue. Admission is free, and $10 for a souvenir mug and two beer tickets.

Also in Oakland, Pacific Coast Brewing Co. is celebrating 22 years with 1988 rollback prices Saturday from 8 p.m. to midnight. Catch live music from the Damn Liars, 8 to 10 p.m. with no cover.

If you want more variety, try the Bay Area Craft Beer Festival in Martinez from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is $45 (or $35 if purchased in advance online tonight) for unlimited pours from over 30 microbreweries, including Bear Republic, Eel River, Dogfish Head, Lagunitas, and New Belgium Brewing. Click here for a full list. Get in an hour early at noon with a $50 VIP ticket. Three bands will provide entertainment, and food will be sold.


Linden Street Brewery Beer and Brats
Noon to 5 p.m.
95 Linden St., Oakland
http://www.clubrunner.ca/Portal/SitePages/SitePage.aspx?accountid=3190&pid=55019

Pacific Coast Brewing
8:30 p.m. to midnight
906 Washington St., Oakland
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=120008781391284#!/event.php?eid=120008781391284

Bay Area Craft Beer Festival
1 to 5 p.m.
333 Ferry St., Martinez
http://www.bayareacraftbeerfestival.com/

Ozumo in Oakland

When San Francisco’s Ozumo opened a restaurant in Oakland’s Uptown district in 2008, the corner of Grand and Broadway avenues was hardly a gourmet destination. A couple years later, and much has changed with Oakland institution Bakesale Betty and other San Francisco transplants Plum by Daniel Patterson and Farley’s opening. Yet, despite the new kids on the block, Ozumo holds its own as one of the best places to grab fresh sushi or sample contemporary Japanese cuisine.

If you've yet to try Ozumo, a good start is happy hour or a special $35 4-course dinner prix fixe. Happy hour runs every weekday from 4 to 8 p.m., and Sundays from 4 p.m. to closing. Deals include $5 rolls, cocktails and sakes. On Sundays, select sake bottles are also 50% off.

Like many Japanese restaurants, seafood features prominently on Ozumo’s menu and it does not disappoint. While the menu offers the usual Spider and tempura rolls, I recommend being adventurous and ordering the chef’s selection, an assortment of the day's freshest nigiri, which, according to our server, Ozumo gets as a whole fish instead of precut fillets. Arriving in a sculptural white plate, the colorful nigiri stood out beautifully, and tasted amazingly fresh. If you enjoy savory fish, I recommend finishing with the toro (tuna belly), market price, or hard-to-find beni toro (salmon belly), $8, for something fattier, richer and heavier. Both are delicious and almost melt in your mouth. The carb-conscious can find a perfect buttery balance in the Hanabi plate of layered hamachi and avocado slices in a spicy moat of ginger and jalapeno ponzu sauce ($16).

Like the sushi, the same artful presentation and balance comes through in Ozumo's signature dishes. The Futago small plate combines East and West, a blend of carpaccio and sushi: Deep pink Washu beef sits atop sauteed spinach and eggplant with a spicy miso sauce ($13). A beautiful dish that tastes as good as it looks. The Gyu Kakuni ($24) of Niman Ranch short ribs slow braised in a red miso and wine sauce was tender enough to fall apart at the touch of a fork. The red miso sauce was a highlight in itself: a savory, complex gravy that I lapped up with rice. A perfect example of modern Japanese food, the Gyu Kakuni is what I imagine Japanese comfort food is.

Ozumo is also one of the few places in the East Bay with a robata grill. While the chicken ($6) and beef skewers ($7) were appetizing and tender, they were not as exciting as the rest of the menu and probably the safest choice for picky eaters. There's enough variety in the menu, though, for vegans, carnivores and kids to find something. Perhaps all can agree on the duo of green tea desserts. The matcha green tea panna cotta was inventive and delicious, while the chocolate flourless cake with green tea ice cream was more traditional.

As for drinks, there's wine, beer and a full bar, but the highlight is the extensive sake list. Unless you're familiar with sake, I recommend ordering a flight, or asking the advice of your server. From light with floral notes to more complex, dry versions, the sake choices are endless.

We paired each course with sake recommendations from the server and were not disappointed. The service was attentive, if a bit leisurely paced perhaps to let you enjoy the dining room's modernist, earthy take. Like the food, the dining room is a mindful jumble of East meets West with a sleak glass sushi bar near classic wooden tables and chairs. The pulsing music floats into the dining room from the front lounge that it almost sounds like a night club. But don't let the vibe fool you, as I've seen families with toddlers nomming on happy hour sushi and edamame.

That anyone from families to office workers and couples were spotted during my visit reflects Ozumo's wide appeal as a neighborhood joint. Whether grabbing a quick happy hour bite in the lounge or meeting a date at the sushi bar, Ozumo's accessible and excellently executed menu offers something for everyone.

Ozumo
2251 Broadway Avenue (at Grand), Oakland
510-286-9866

Weekend Eats and Drinks

Whatever your epicurean vice, there’s probably an East Bay event for you this weekend.

On Saturday, start the day at noon in Old Oakland for Pacific Coast Brewery’s festival. Admission is free, and $20 gets you a commemorative glass and 5 beer tasting tickets. Separately, the glass is $5 and extra beer tastings are 6 for $20. The usual suspects are on tap, all California craft brews pouring anniversary ales: Bear Republic, Drake’s, Speakeasy, Lost Coast, Stone, Rubicon, Port, Sudwerks, Sierra Nevada and Pacific Coast. The event runs until 7 p.m. and is billed as family-friendly with live music and food from local restaurants.

If beer’s not your thing, head to JC Cellars a mile away at Jack London Square to see the winery in full production. The harvest is here and the winery has two free tours at 1 and 2:30 P.M. Afterward, head to the tasting room to try some Syrah, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir, to name a few, for $5. The fee is refundable with any purchase.

The gluttony continues early Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in Berkeley for Pyramid Ale House’s $10 all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet with NFL ticket. The buffet ends at 11:30, but you can catch all the games on one of the 6 HD TVs all day.

If you’re a late riser, Blue Bottle Coffee’s free Sunday cupping will wake you up. A must for coffee connoisseurs, the noon cupping is a way to evaluate Blue Bottle’s coffee aromas and flavor profiles side-by-side. See whether you notice the difference between a washed and natural Amaro Gayo. One caveat: Everyone dips their spoons in the same cups, so it’s not for germaphobes.

Afterward, head to North Berkeley’s Spice of Life festival, a celebration of food and art, running until 6 p.m. Catch cooking demos and samples by local eateries alongside open yoga studios and art exhibits. Stop by the wine garden on Vine Street, featuring local winemakers and importers, and listen to live music from the JazzSchol and Freight and Salvage, or get fresh, organic produce from the farmer’s market.

Running the same time is Spenger’s annual Crabby Chef Seafood Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Benefitting the Berkeley Cal Recreational Sports Development Fund’s camp scholarship program, the event includes a 2 p.m. Iron Chef cooking competition with a crowning of a Crabby Chef. Food booths offer the gamut of seafood from crab cakes to clam chowder.

Saturday
Old Oakland Beer Festival
Noon-7 p.m.
906 Washington Ave., Oakland

JC Cellars harvest tour
1 and 2:30 p.m.
55 4th St., Oakland

Sunday
Pyramid NFL breakfast buffet
901 Gilman St., Berkeley

Blue Bottle Coffee cupping
Noon
300 Webster St., Oakland

North Berkeley Spice of Life
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Shattuck Avenue from Rose to Virginia, Berkeley
http://www.gourmetghetto.org/2010%20spice%20of%20life%20info.htm

Spenger’s Crabby Chef seafood festival
11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
1919 4th St., Berkeley
http://www.yelp.com/events/berkeley-spenger-and-39-s-to-host-10th-annual-crabby-chefs-seafood-festival-on-october-17-2010

Trueburger in Oakland

Forget the growing rivalry between Five Guys and In-N-Out for best burger. Trueburger near Oakland’s Uptown district tops them both. Opened earlier this year by two former Baywolf sous chefs, Trueburger consistently delivers simple but delicious food.

The burgers are simple: ground on-site daily, cooked medium and served on a custom-made toasted egg bun with lettuce, tomato and garlic mayo. That’s the basic Trueburger ($4.95) that can be built upon with cheese ($5.45) and bacon ($6.45), or double-up the beef and cheese ($7.95). For vegetarians, there are mushroom burgers ($6.45) and salads ($6.75). The menu also includes hot dogs, but it would be a shame to miss the namesake Trueburger.

I don’t know what makes the burgers so great, whether it’s the perfectly seasoned and grilled patties or the delicious but not too garlicky mayo sauce, but Trueburger manages to turn something familiar into something I would look forward to eating every day.

While the burgers are a must, the fries ($2.95) are an afterthought. Skinny and golden to a crisp, the fries are OK but remind me of frozen Ore-Idas. The hand-spun milk shakes ($4.95) are a better complement. Made from either vanilla or chocolate ice cream, the shakes are thick, rich and creamy.

The simplicity of the food carries over into the restaurant. With a simple poster sign hanging out front and a sandwich board on the sidewalk, the small, 30-seater place is easy to miss across from the grandeur of the Cathedral of Christ the Light.

Getting to the basics, Trueburger also relies on DIY customers as wait staff. Place orders at the register, grab your own napkins, condiments and utensils, find a seat and wait for your name to be called. Signs also ask you to bus your own tables, so finding a clean table can be a pain when there’s a rush.

For now, Trueburger is open for lunch Monday through Saturday, and, to my disappointment, for dinner only Thursday through Saturday.

Trueburger
146 Grand Ave., Oakland
(510) 208-5678

East Bay Underground Market

For those who couldn't get enough street food, the underground market was the place to be Saturday evening. After starting in San Francisco about a year ago, the underground market crossed the Bay for the first time, with about 40 vendors selling food, jams, breads and other homemade goods. Different from farmers markets where the food has to be made on commercial equipment, the underground market is for home chefs, so even you can open shop.

Those looking for fresh produce will be disappointed, as there were none. The underground market is a showcase of street food, ranging from Mexican tamales and moles to steamed dumplings and mac and cheese. Those with a sweet tooth can find plenty of options in artisan choclates, vegan chocolate cakes and of course various cupcakes. There are no home brewers, but organizers sold 12 oz. cups of beer for $4.

The couple vendors I sampled left me unimpressed. The $6 roasted potatos with melted cow's milk cheese sounded delicious but was a letdown with cold potatos and cheese that congealed too quickly. The overcooked, mushy rice was all I could think about in the $7 seafood paella. The mac & cheese sounded promising, but I was too slow and it sold out a couple hours before the evening ended.

While the food vendors offered nothing extraordinary, I did walk away happy with a jar of strawberry and meyer lemon jam from Jeannie's.

Despite the late hours from 5 to 11 p.m, the event is family friendly. The $2 admission doesn't cover any tastings, but you can enjoy the live performances that start around 7:30 p.m. Also remember, the market is cash only.

The underground markets have been held sporadically in San Francisco, so there is no regularly scheduled day, time or location. This weekend's event was held in a parking lot off 24th and Broadway in Oakland's Uptown district. For information about future events, sign up for the free newsletter.

SF Chefs expands to the East Bay

As part of SF Chefs food and wine activities next week, select restaurants will offer prix fixe menus ranging from $35 to $50. While the main festivities occur in the city, a few East Bay eateries are participating in the weeklong fest beginning Monday and ending Sunday, Aug. 15.

In Berkeley, try the Meritage at the Claremont and Five in Hotel Shattuck. In Oakland, catch the special menus at Miss Pearl's Jam House and Lake Chalet Seafood Bar and Grill. Of the four, Five looks the most promising with two options for each course at $35, or add the wine pairing for an extra $15. The smoked duck salad sounds delicious with goat cheese, candied kumquats, pistachios and melon. The "Five" spiced lamb loin seems traditional and hearty, while the blueberry dessert lassi with white corn ice cream has me curious.

The menus for all but the Meritage can be found at the SF Chefs website, and reservations can be made at Opentable or by calling the restaurant.

Photo: SFChefsfoodwine.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

Chop Bar in Oakland

I have been a fan of Chop Bar since it debuted at the Eat Right Festival last year at Jack London Square with roasted pig flatbread. This past Sunday, Chop Bar held another pig roast in its own digs and it was just as good as expected. The event included $3 beer specials and $10 plates of roasted pig, salads and roasted vegetables. Chop Bar is one of the few places that feels like a home, and the food reflects that. The space is spacious and on hot days they open the warehouse door making it a perfect spot to enjoy some drinks.

Aside from occasional Sunday specials, Chop Bar serves breakfast and lunch daily and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. The menu is mainly American with a few Asian and Italian influences. Lunch consists mostly of sandwiches, of which I recommend the classic Reuben. Grilled perfectly for a nice crunch, the Reuben is heavy, oily and all that is good.

Happy hour also runs Tuesday through Friday, 4:30 to 6 p.m. and is said to include free snacks.

Service is excellent, as the staff really just want you to have a good time. Chop Bar is so great that it makes me want to live in one of the nearby condos/apartments so I can visit every day.

Chop Bar
247 Fourth St., Oakland

Photo: Chopbar510.com

5% to Charity at Whole Foods Oakland today

For those who shop at the Whole Foods in Oakland regularly, you can feel good knowing 5% of the day's net sales today will go to the Oakland Digital Arts & Literacy Center. The ODALC offers youths free computer training courses, keynote speakers from the Silicon Valley, and other career counseling to train, mentor and inspire them.

Whole Foods
230 Bay Pl., Oakland

Taste for Artisans at Jack London Square, Oakland

After you're done finding Easter eggs and chasing bunnies, head to Jack London Square in Oakland for Taste for Artisans on Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. Presented by East Bay Express, the Western-inspired event celebrates local vendors, from artists who will be selling their work to tastings from family farms, local brewers and winemakers. Admission is free, with swag bags for the first 200 guests and free bicycle valet.

Events include live art and craft-making, live music, mechanical bull riding, cream corn wrestling, pie eating contests and square dancing lessons. Bring unused art supplies as a donation, and receive a free raffle ticket. The supplies and event benefit the Drawbridge Foundation, which provides art programs for children.

East Bay Urban Wine Tastings

For fans of urban wineries, there are a few events this week and next celebrating local makers from the East Bay.

Today from 6-9 p.m., Nirvano.com is hosting a tasting of San Francisco, Treasure Island and Oakland wineries at SOM bar in the Mission. Tickets are $10 with RSVP and $20 at the door. East Bay wineries include JC Cellars, Dashe Cellars, Donkey and Goat Winery, and Periscope Cellars. Nirvano.com is a wine rating guide for iPhones.

On Friday from 1 to 6 p.m., try a free tasting of Eden Canyon Vineyard’s just released 2007 “Estate” Cabernet Sauvignon and NV “Suerte” at Periscope Cellars in Emeryville. While there, also check out free tastings from Periscope Cellars and Urbano Cellars Winery. The two experiment with blends, especially Periscope Cellars, which hovers near the minimum percentage required for Syrahs, Cabernets and Zins.

Lastly, the third annual Passport to the East Bay Wine Trail will be held next Saturday, April 10 from noon to 5 p.m. Twenty East Bay wineries, including many not open to the public, will take over seven locations in Oakland, Emeryville and Alameda to offer everything from Barbera to Zinfandel. Tickets are $30 in advance, $45 at the door, and include a souvenir Riedel glass. Check out the East Bay Vintner’s Alliance page for participating wineries, which include big names like Rosemblum Cellars in Alameda and smaller ones like Two Mile Wines on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley.

Photo: Sweetmemorybaskets.com

Open House at an Urban Farm, Oakland

I never would have guessed that there would be an urban farm a mile from MacArthur BART station. Located off Martin Luther King Jr. Way near the freeway lies Ghost Town Farm. This Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the farm is holding a free, self-guided open house. Owner Novella Carpenter, who has written a book about urban farming, will walk the grounds to meet visitors and answer questions. The farm includes a garden and has had animals such as goats, rabbits and chickens.

Ghost Town Farm
665 28th St., Oakland

Free Cookie at Specialty's Cafe & Bakery

Happy 22nd birthday, Specialty’s Café & Bakery. In celebration, the chain is offering a free cookie if you become a fan on Facebook and post on their wall today with your favorite menu item. If you don’t want to do all of that, you can create an online account and you’ll get a free cookie with your first order using the code UNION.

Specialty’s in Oakland is my favorite sandwich spot near work. With over 15 varieties, hot and cold sandwiches, meat and veggie options, you can find anything for any mood and all reasonably priced between $4.89 and $7.49. They use fresh ingredients, sometimes even organic, and despite the lunch rush, service is quick. My favorite is the Beef & Bleu, roasted beef with crumbly blue cheese on top of sweet red onions, juicy tomatoes and organic spinach on a toasted Ciabatta roll. Salads and soups are also available.

Specialty’s is also known for its insanely large and delicious cookies. If you are that fanatical, you can even set up an e-mail notifications to find out when they’re freshly made. The cookies are dense bricks of baked goodness and worth the $2, but you may get lucky and find day-old ones at 50% off.

To beat the rush, I recommend ordering online and picking it up. You can also customize your sandwich better online, adding cucumbers and other condiments free of charge.

Specialty’s Café & Bakery
155 Grand Ave., 1st Floor, Oakland

Other locations across the Bay Area.

Photo: Specialtys.com

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

Manpuku in Oakland

With rolls as cheap as $2, the sushi at Manpuku is the draw but not the highlight. The first two times I went to the College Avenue eatery in the Elmwood district, I was indifferent about the sushi. Good for the price, but I got what I paid for. Rolls are heavy on the rice and not always properly made so the filling is loose. But, I cannot complain about 12 pieces of California and spicy tuna rolls for $6.

Over the weekend, I returned to Manpuku skipping the so-so sushi and ordering the beef yaki soba. Eating here can be confusing, crowded and hectic. Space is tight, so whether ordering takeout or dine-in, everyone orders at the cashier. If dining in, check your receipt for your number, grab free water or tea across from the register, and take a seat, if you can find one. Seating is limited to the sushi bar, several two-seaters and a couple of four-seaters in the back, so I would avoid eating here with groups. The no-frills dining matches the inexpensive prices. With a few scattered posters on the walls and tidy tables with only napkin holders, chopsticks and soy sauce bottles, the atmosphere is more like a cafeteria than a five-star restaurant.

Once ordered, the food arrives quickly but staggered. They bring out orders when they are done, never all at once, which can be a problem if you are in a group. So, while my boyfriend was enjoying his unagi donburi, I was wondering whether my yaki soba was worth the wait. Five minutes later, my noodle dish arrived slightly glistening in oil but topped with a perfect combination of beef yaki, shredded cabbage, carrots and picked vegetables. The noodles were cooked perfectly with just the right amount of sauce so that they were not drowning in oil or dry and bland. The dish was well balanced, seasoned and tasted exactly like yaki soba. Best of all, it cost $6.50.

We also ordered the Manpuku roll of yellow tail and avocado with unagi on top, which was consistent with the rest of the sushi I have had there: good, but nothing great for $6.75. I also tried the unagi don, which tasted just like the sushi roll and cost just as much but was presented beautifully in a decorative bowl with bright, colorful pickled vegetables placed artfully.

While Manupuku has amazingly low prices on sushi favorites like spinach and shiitake mushroom ($2), California ($2.85) and caterpillar ($6.95) rolls, I would return for the noodle and rice dishes. They are more complete meals, cost as much as specialty rolls and are presented so well that you may forget you are eating in a hole-in-the-wall. With some rain predicted later this week, I will be heading back to try the ramen.

Manpuku
2977 College Ave., Oakland

Souley Vegan in Oakland

Yes, even vegan soul food can give you the itis. After a surprisingly satisfying lunch of collard greens, potato salad, cornbread and other soul food standards sans meat, my coworkers and I were dreading returning to work. I could never be vegan but Souley Vegan in Oakland is one of the few vegan places I would revisit.

Unimpressive from the outside, the restaurant blends with the other white-washed, barred storefronts on Broadway. But do not judge a restaurant by how it looks as the inside is large, clean and organized. With a mini banquet hall in the back with enough room for groups of 10 and more, the space is hardly a hole in the wall

Once inside, you are greeted by owner Tamearra Dyson, who works the front of the house taking orders and serving food. With a small staff, there is no waiter service. Rather, you order at the register, get a number and take a seat. The staff will deliver water, utensils and your food. Service is friendly and fast as it actually took longer for us all to order than it did to get our food.

The menu, written on a blackboard behind the register, is simple, and tax is included in the price. Choose from three types of tofu burgers or side dishes a la carte. Burgers start at $6 and add $2 for any side. If you want a la carte, the first two items are $4 and any others are $2. Sides include collard greens, black eye peas, yams, lentils, mac and cheese, potato salad, okra, BBQ tofu, southern fried tofu and beans and rice. If you want a bit of everything, get the aptly named Everything Platter for $19. It easily feeds two and you get what I consider the best the restaurant offers. The highlight for me was the BBQ tofu that looked and tasted like BBQ meat, sweet and tangy, which may not be for some vegans.

For those who do not want their food to resemble meat at all, order the sides, which are as creamy and flavorful as any soul food I have had. I was anxious to try the mac and cheese, and it did not disappoint. The vegan variation had the creaminess I would expect from real cheese and a heavy hand of garlic. The only thing that would have made it better was if it were baked with a breadcrumb top.

While the sides were delicious, the burgers were a letdown. After seeing amazing pictures on Yelp, I ordered the crispy tofu burger. The tofu was about a half-inch think and the other 2 inches batter. There were too many carbs, from the bun to the breaded batter, that it was like eating a breadcrumb burger. My advice is to skip the burger and stick with the Everything Platter.

The idea of vegan soul food seems like an oxymoron, but it works at this Oakland eatery. The food is flavorful, delicious and filling, and the price is a bargain with dinner for two less than $20. Vegan food doesn't have to be raw, tasteless or expensive, and Souley Vegan proves that.

Souley Vegan
301 Broadway, Oakland

Photo: Carren E.

Marica in Rockridge

During lunch a couple Mondays ago, my friend mentioned she went to a fantastic seafood restaurant at the end of College Avenue in Oakland. She raved about the affordability, quality and all the complimentary dishes from the chef. I hardly crave going to a restaurant, but after hearing her compliments I had to try it. The next day, I dragged myself through the rain to Marica Restaurant.

Marica is a cozy family-run bistro. Walk by quickly and you may miss it. The space is well lit and bright with welcoming walls of art and mirrors. Entering, I felt as if I was visiting a friend's home, and the hostess-waitress-owner greeted us as such.

The menu is small with two daily fish specials and about seven entree staples that include chicken and beef for land lovers. The best deal is their three-course prix fixe of soup or salad, fish of the day and dessert for $25, or $21 if you are seated before 6:30 p.m. The dishes can be flexible, as our waiter kindly informed me that I could substitute the mussels as my appetizer and the steelhead for my entree.

Everything we had was delicious and flavorful. Marica makes one of my favorite mussel appetizers. Cleaned properly with a buttery, tangy sauce, they are the candy of the sea. The entrees were also good and hefty. This isn't a minimalist restaurant with a delicately placed piece of medium-seared fish on a pristine white plate. This is like going home to mom when she says you have gained weight but continues to give you an enormous heaping of her pot roast.

We were so impressed with Marica after our entrees that we appreciated even more all the little things the staff did, such as a free calamari appetizer and chocolate souffle dessert. It was our first visit, but whatever the occasion, Marica seems to give each table something complimentary. It is the type of service I have seen only on birthday and anniversary dinners, never for something as simple as just visiting.

Marica is a great place that I'm surprised to have found in Rockridge, one of the more affluent Oakland neighborhoods. Walk a few blocks up College and you'll find plenty of eateries that cost twice as much but are not half as good. From the three course prix fixe for $21 and all-day happy hour of $5 cocktails and appetizers to the 10% cash discount, Marica offers terrific value. Our tab for three appetizers, two entrees, three desserts and two cocktails was $51 before tip.

I wish more restaurants were like Marica, but until there are, I will be making many return visits.

Marica Restaurant
5301 College Ave., Oakland
Reservations recommended

Photo: MilkConspiracy