North Berkeley Gourmet Marathon
I’d never thought I would walk an over-two-mile round trip just for food. But Carolyn Jung at Food Gal convinced me that A Taste of North Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto just sounded too good to ignore, and with a mere $25 ticket it was well worth the ankle exercise. Granted the weather turned its cold back on us, we couldn’t drag our feet to all 27 locations, nor were we enticed by the smell of wine, we felt good at the end of the day knowing that our tummy was full, a beggar’s tummy was appeased (with a cup of Greek soup from Soop, a lime-chipotle drumstick from Poulet, and a square of brownie from Andronico’s), and we found a new favorite.
The marathon started off creamily with Bistro Liaison‘s Quenelle souffle – salmon and scallop mousse in a lustrious shrimp sauce. Captivating from the very first bite. Oh, guess what? It’s not on the menu.
Taste of Himalayas – Most Generous Tasting “Sample” ever. We were allowed full freedom to load our plate with whatever our eyes desired.
Taste of Himalayas - Lamb momo and orange dessert
Taste of Himalayas - vegetable samosa, momo, and pakora
Both the lamb and the vegetable momos (dumpling) are adorable pockets of goodness. The pakora (deep fried vegetable) hits the grease spot. The samosa is utterly beany. The unidentifiable bright orange dessert feels like fish roe.
Crepevine – The Least Expectable Taste. Its cute facade sugarcoats a trendy menu with international crepes that fare more or less like Subway sandwiches: edible, not bloggable.
Crepevine - Salad and Greek crepe with feta cheese, roasted almond, spinach, and calamata olives in tsatziki sauce
Chick-O-Pea’s (in Barney’s) – The Nicest Service. We arrived just as they ran out of falafels, and the owner offered Mudpie a beer while waiting for the new batch.
Chick-O-Pea's/Barney's - Falafel with hummus, tahini, and zachuq
(We didn’t take the offer.)
Cha-Am – what can I say, Thai food is comforting.
Cha-Am - chicken pad thai
Chocolate Tasting at M. Lowe & Co. Jewelers – Most Beautiful Sample.
Chocolate tasting at M.Lowe & Co. Jewelers
The taste? See’s Candies‘ truffles are better.
Alegio Chocolaté – Most Educational Tasting. Also our first try of whole Chile finest chocolate bean, bitter just like a roasted coffee bean. The enthusiastic host is a man of hand and mouth, as we Vietnamese would say: chopping and crushing chocolate bars into bits, speaking expeditiously about each kind’s origin and composition, grabbing onlookers’ quizzical attention with the busiest, most irresistibly chaotic display of the brownish hues.
Alegio Chocolaté - chili pepper dark chocolate
The 80% dark chocolate flavored with chili pepper pictured above is only for the bravest. We took the challenge. Then Mudpie sheepishly tasted a darling chocolate covered peppercorn and felt sick for the rest of the journey. Lesson learned: sometimes cute looking things can kill you.
Also snuggled in the Epicurious Garden with Alegio Chocolaté are the aesthetic Chinese Imperial Tea Court, where we had a taste of puerh tea and some uberspicy hand-pulled noodle…
Imperial Tea Court - cold noodle and onion pancake
…and the beautiful takeout Kirala 2, with a sample of sake maki (tuna) roll, Californian (crab and avocado) roll, and potato croquette.
Kirala 2 - California roll, sake maki roll, and potato croquette
Soop – housing the Most Expensive Banh Mi’s.
How about Soop with banh mi?
Unfortunately the banh mi wasn’t on the tasting menu. Instead, the 4oz greeting of Avgolemono soup is undeniably proper: Greek soup with shredded chicken and long grain rice in enticing lemon flavored chicken stock thickened with egg.
Gregoire – Best Dessert of the whole event. Possibly the best dessert I’ve had in a long time.
It’s just a takeout, but it’s not just a takeout. Despite the chilly breeze, people queue up for its delicious fine tastes, changing seasonally, and perhaps for a friendly joke or two with the chefs to warm up your mood.
“So Mai, just what is your new favorite?”, you may ask. The pork belly sandwich at Trattoria Corso. Look out for a post on this Florentine exquisite in the near future.
You can definitely see your expertise within the paintings you write. The sector hopes for even more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. All the time go after your heart.
1I am glad that I found this weblog, just the right info that I was searching for! .
2Attractive element of content. I just stumbled upon your weblog and in accession capital to say that I acquire in fact enjoyed account your weblog posts. Anyway I’ll be subscribing to your feeds or even I fulfillment you get admission to persistently rapidly.
3Hi , I do believe this is an excellent blog. I stumbled upon it on Yahoo , i will come back once again. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and help other people.
4Hello there, just become alert to your blog via Google, and located that it’s truly informative. I am going to watch out for brussels. I’ll appreciate when you continue this in future. Numerous other folks shall be benefited out of your writing. Cheers!
5I like the efforts you have put in this, regards for all the great posts.
6I would like to thnkx for the efforts you have put in writing this web site. I am hoping the same high-grade web site post from you in the upcoming as well. In fact your creative writing skills has inspired me to get my own web site now. Really the blogging is spreading its wings quickly. Your write up is a good example of it.
7You could certainly see your enthusiasm in the work you write. The world hopes for even more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. Always follow your heart.
8Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely smartly written article. I’ll make sure to bookmark it and return to learn more of your useful information. Thank you for the post. I’ll certainly return.
9Hi there, I discovered your site via Google even as searching for a similar topic, your website got here up, it seems to be good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
10I view something genuinely special in this website.
11Some truly marvelous work on behalf of the owner of this site, absolutely great content.
12Rattling wonderful info can be found on web blog. “Time discovers truth.” by Lucius Annaeus Seneca.
13Hey! Would you mind if I share your blog with my myspace group? There’s a lot of people that I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Thank you
14A large percentage of of whatever you state happens to be supprisingly appropriate and it makes me wonder the reason why I had not looked at this with this light previously. This article truly did turn the light on for me personally as far as this specific subject goes. Nevertheless there is 1 position I am not too comfortable with so whilst I make an effort to reconcile that with the actual main idea of the point, permit me observe just what the rest of your visitors have to say.Nicely done.
15I haven’t checked in here for a while since I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are great quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
16Hmm it appears like your blog ate my first comment (it was super long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I submitted and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to everything. Do you have any recommendations for first-time blog writers? I’d certainly appreciate it.
17It is really a nice and useful piece of info. I am happy that you simply shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
18I was just looking for this information for some time. After six hours of continuous Googleing, at last I got it in your site. I wonder what’s the lack of Google strategy that do not rank this type of informative sites in top of the list. Generally the top sites are full of garbage.
19I wish to point out my passion for your kindness giving support to those people that really need guidance on this idea. Your special commitment to passing the solution throughout came to be exceptionally significant and has in most cases encouraged workers just like me to reach their aims. This interesting hints and tips means this much a person like me and additionally to my fellow workers. Thanks a lot; from everyone of us.
20Simply a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw outstanding design and style.
21It’s in point of fact a great and helpful piece of information. I’m happy that you simply shared this useful information with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
22you are really a good webmaster. The web site loading speed is amazing. It seems that you’re doing any unique trick. In addition, The contents are masterwork. you have done a magnificent job on this topic!
23Hello very cool web site!! Man .. Excellent .. Amazing .. I will bookmark your web site and take the feeds additionallyKI am glad to find numerous useful info here in the publish, we want work out more techniques in this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .
24Terrific paintings! This is the type of information that should be shared around the net. Shame on the seek engines for not positioning this submit higher! Come on over and talk over with my web site . Thank you =)
25Just wanna remark that you have a very decent website , I love the design and style it really stands out.
26very nice put up, i actually love this web site, carry on it
27Lovely just what I was looking for.Thanks to the author for taking his clock time on this one.
28Hi, Neat post. There’s an issue together with your website in web explorer, may check this… IE nonetheless is the market leader and a good section of other folks will omit your excellent writing due to this problem.
29Appreciating the dedication you put into your website and detailed information you present. It’s great to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same outdated rehashed information. Great read! I’ve saved your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.
30Nice post. I be taught something more challenging on totally different blogs everyday. It is going to all the time be stimulating to read content from other writers and follow a little bit something from their store. I’d desire to use some with the content on my blog whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll provide you with a link in your web blog. Thanks for sharing.
31Please let me know if you’re looking for a author for your site. You have some really good posts and I believe I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d love to write some articles for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please blast me an e-mail if interested. Cheers!
32Hey! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts! Keep up the great work!
33Well I definitely enjoyed studying it. This subject offered by you is very effective for correct planning.
34Thanks a bunch for sharing this with all folks you actually recognise what you are talking approximately! Bookmarked. Please also discuss with my website =). We can have a hyperlink exchange arrangement between us!
35I like the valuable info you provide in your articles. I will bookmark your weblog and check again here regularly. I am quite sure I’ll learn many new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!
36Good info. Lucky me I reach on your website by accident, I bookmarked it.
37I believe this internet site holds some really superb information for everyone. “Variety is the soul of pleasure.” by Aphra Behn.
38Can I just say what a reduction to find someone who really knows what theyre speaking about on the internet. You positively know learn how to deliver a problem to light and make it important. Extra individuals need to read this and understand this facet of the story. I cant imagine youre no more common because you definitely have the gift.
39I have been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this website. Thanks, I’ll try and check back more often. How frequently you update your site?
40Good post. I be taught one thing more difficult on different blogs everyday. It’s going to at all times be stimulating to read content material from different writers and practice a bit of something from their store. I’d want to use some with the content on my blog whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll give you a link in your net blog. Thanks for sharing.
41Your house is valueble for me. Thanks!…
42Great post. I am facing a couple of these problems.
43hello!,I like your writing very a lot! share we communicate more about your post on AOL? I require an expert on this space to unravel my problem. Maybe that’s you! Looking forward to look you.
44Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive learn anything like this before. So good to search out someone with some unique thoughts on this subject. realy thank you for starting this up. this web site is something that’s wanted on the web, somebody with a little originality. helpful job for bringing one thing new to the web!
45I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest but your blogs really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back in the future. Many thanks
46Good info. Lucky me I reach on your website by accident, I bookmarked it.
47An fascinating discussion is price comment. I think that you should write more on this matter, it won’t be a taboo subject however usually persons are not sufficient to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers
48Thank you for another excellent article. Where else could anybody get that type of information in such an ideal way of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and I am on the look for such information.
49Heya i’m for the primary time here. I found this board and I in finding It really useful & it helped me out much. I am hoping to provide one thing back and help others such as you aided me.
50