Traditional Brunch & Lunch Bistro

Lemon gingerbread pancake w/ pears

Cote Sud

Bathroom

Once every great moment, I like to stop by at La Note for breakfast. This establishment is a one of a kind traditional French Provencal bistro that cooks up dishes that contain fresh ingredients and is made right when ordered. I enjoy their breakfast items here because the portion is just right and the flavors from each breakfast item is very unique. I like to order the Cote Sud which has 2 sunny side up eggs that are runny (The way it's suppose to be), 4 slices of toast, home fries that seasoned with garlic and herbs, and finally merguez sausages that tastes like spicy lamb meat. You honestly can't go wrong with this entree because you get the most important breakfast items all in one plate but in this traditional French cooking. I also recommend their Lemon gingerbread pancakes that are topped with fresh blueberries and lightly tarted pieces of pears. The pancake isn't too thick but has a rich taste to the batter. The ingredients within this particular pancake is amazing! You can taste the gingerbread filling inside and when you cut through that layer of pear, blueberry, and the pancake all in one, you get these flavors that come together like it were a fruit tart in a pancake form. La Note is one of the best bistro's out here in Berkeley, and I do recommend everyone stopping by and avoiding the rush here just so you can experience the ambiance of this French style home while eating a 4-start breakfast meal and for a great price at that!



Photos by: Allister de Vera
La Note, Berkeley, CA.
Camera used: iPhone 5

BUILD A Pizza

BUILD, Berkeley, CA.

Margherita

Albicocca-Prugna Sour

From the beginning to the end, you get to create your own pizza from BUILD's fresh ingredients, to the crust, the sauce, cheese and meats, etc. Here, you get to use your imagination and taste it yourself. BUILD has a team full of skilled pizza cooks who take down exactly what you want and put it all in the brick oven. You can also pair your pizza with a glass of fine wine or a unique cocktail from their fully stocked bar. I ordered the Margherita pizza with fresh salted anchovies baked on top. The basil showed off its flavor with that natural scent and the mozzarella were chewy and had that hot moist stringy texture that pulled each corner of the cheese every time I lifted my teeth. The tomato sauce was amazingly fresh too and had that ripen taste to it which was sweet. As for my drink, I ordered their Albicocca-Prugna Sour which contained plum and apricot brandies, lime, and egg white with bitters. This drink was sweet and had a tiny bite of that sourness at the top of the tongue. the egg white created this bubbly foam on top of the cocktail that felt like sipping a cappuccino from the start and then with that fruity alcoholic rush. BUILD is a great pizza spot here in the Bay Area that barely opened up but already building a fan base that is soon to build up as each day goes by and for more to come.


Photo by: Allister de Vera
BUILD Pizzeria, Berkeley, CA.

The Gathering Place

Comal, Berkeley, CA.

Comal Swizzle

Enchiladas

Comal is the premier place to go to in Berkeley for some great Mexican influenced dishes. Right when you enter through the doors, there are loud crowds from each corner chatting away and sipping on some booze before they hit the main course. The smell of fresh vegetables and grilled seafood toppled the air, the scent of burning wood from the pit, the clinging of silver wear, the orders shouting from one bartender the other, and the constant eating & sipping from everyone; ahh yes this is the life I imagined. Nothing but amazing margaritas and freshly made entrees at your service. I ordered the Enchilada which was newly hot to the plate and had that smoky scent of grill at the meat tips while the sauce dripped off the melting Mexican cheese and sliced up cilantro. The Comal swirl was everything! The beautiful layers of cherry red and orange toppled the ice and carried the small yet powerful flavor from the fresh peel of the skin of the lime. My experience here at Comal was amazing. People meet new people and after having several drinks and a couple of there dishes, everybody in the end gathers around for an experience to remember in Berkeley.




Photo by: Allister de Vera
Comal, Berkeley, CA.

Olleh Sushi, Sunnyvale, CA.

Edamame

Gyoza

Teriyaki Chicken

This has got to be one of the best all you can eat sushi joints in the area. Olleh Sushi serves an all-you-can-eat menu from 11:30am-2pm. They have like 16 different types of sushi rolls from fried tempura, vegetarian. and the regular style sushis. They also have a variety of appetizers to choose from having gyoza, combination tempura, and teriyaki chicken as my favorites. They also serve complementary Japanese style salad with miso soup in the beginning. One of the pluses here for the sushi buffet hr is sitting down in front of the itamae cutting up thin slices of the fresh sashimi and rolling into the rice. So whenever you're looking for a cheap but decent quality sushi all-you-can-eat hr then I suggest coming here to Olleh Sushi!

Photo by: Allister de Vera

Olleh Sushi; Sunnyvale, CA.

The Art of Teppanyaki

Mai Tai

Hugo The Cook

Fried Rice

Benihana Trio: Filet mignon, Jumbo shrimp, Chicken

I had my very first experience at Benihana in Japan town, San Francisco, CA. What a great one! Our Teppanyaki cook Hugo, took me to a whole new level with cooking. What I enjoy here the most is the experience. Food tasted to what it's suppose to be but it's the art of making it which caught my eye. Hugo started with his volcano onion which left out steam from the top, then he grilled our zucchini and poured them onto our plates. He then transitioned into flipping an egg into his left shirt pocket and then cracking it onto the 400 degree grill while swiftly creating a rooster our of the egg yolk. This then became fried rice. Stacks of fresh chicken breasts and meat were laid on the grill and seasoned with sesame flavors as well as salt & pepper. My filet mignon was juicy and cooked to medium rare just like I like it. The shrimps were jumbo sized and grilled to perfection. I can taste the lemon and butter that was put on right in front of my eyes. The experience here is great and I definitely recommend people to live this moment here at Benihana to not only taste the fresh food being prepared but to learn the art of Teppanyaki cooking.



Photo by: Allister de Vera
Benihana, San Francisco, CA.

That Feeling Of N'awlins

N'awlins Sampler

Nola, Palo Alto, CA.

Nola's Hurricane

Chicken and Biscuits 

Spicy Jambalaya 

Coming here felt like I was walking into Bourbon st. Now, this is exactly what I pictured New Orleans to feel like; packed restaurants, the smell of seafood in the air, jazz and blues in the background, colorful paintings and art work in the surroundings, lots of people talking, eating, etc. that N'awlins accent being projected out peoples mouths, and the sound of wine bottles and liquor being poured into glass cups or shot glasses. Ohhh yes, this must be like walking through Bourbon. Nola's has that feeling for people. The food is neatly served and is incredibly great tasting. The fusion of ingredients blends well with the old fashioned N'awlins cooking. A must-have here is their famous Hurricane drinks which contains 4 types of rum and poured into fresh pineapple juice and mixed with vanilla bean and brown sugar to create this Bourbon havoc in your mouth!

Photo by: Allister de Vera

Nola Restaurant and Bar, Palo Alto, CA.

Left Bank, San Jose, CA.

Left Bank, San Jose, CA.

Ginger Honey Limeade 

Chicken Sandwich 

Truite Grenobloise

Morning brunch/lunch at the Left Bank Brasserie is one of those days you just have to experience. The nice sunny weather, outdoor dining, fresh French influenced food, and people watching. All in one. Their trout that I ordered was extremely tender and moist. The meat wasn't fishy tasting at all and it marinaded well with the brown butter, lemon, and Yukon golden mashed potatoes. Their house made ginger limeade was excellent too! I can't forget about the freshly squeezed lime over ginger soda and a dollop of sweet honey all blended together. Left Bank at the Row is a great spot for French style brunch and lunch.



Photo by: Allister de Vera
Left Bank Brasserie, San Jose, CA.