There’s a lot happening in the 510, so let’s take a look. First up, THE HALAL GUYS just opened a location in Berkeley. You can tuck into this New York street institution’s platters and sandwiches and cover it all with their famous white and hot sauce (btw, the hot sauce is really really hot, so go slow). The late hours will help them feed you when the food is truly at its best: when you’re tipsy. Sun-Thu 10am-12am, Fri-Sat 10am-2am. 2126 Center St. at Shattuck, Berkeley. (And if you’re too drunk to leave your couch, you can have it delivered to you via Caviar; here’s my code for a $20 discount on your first delivery.)
Another expansion to the East Bay is the opening of SF’s ITALIAN HOMEMADE COMPANY in the former AG Ferrari in Berkeley’s Elmwood district. You can dine in or do takeout of their housemade pasta dishes, plus there are sandwiches (piadine), salads, and a grocery area (here’s the menu). My recos: their tortellini (such a treat to find some made with a traditional meaty filling), their ridiculous pasticciata sauce (a bolognese with béchamel), and the lasagna! 2905 College Ave. at Russell, Berkeley.
As if ~RAMEN SHOP~ isn’t already giving us all the deliciousness, but they have also launched a weekend Japanese breakfast menu. In an interview with Inside Scoop, they explain it’s a spin on the Japanese breakfast of shioyaki trout, tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet), and miso soup with shimeji mushrooom, komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach), and grated daikon. You’ll also find fried eggs with housemade longanisa sausage and garlic fried rice, brunch cocktails, and more. Sat-Sun 10am-3pm.
More brunch: KRONNERBURGER is serving brunch every Fri-Sun (11am-3:30pm). You’ll be tempted by a breakfast biscuit, a smoked trout and egg bagel, sweet potato pancakes, and a whole lot more, plus $8 cocktails. 4063 Piedmont Ave. at 41st St., Oakland.
Also in Oakland, UNDERWOOD BAR & CAFÉ has reopened with a new managing team (Christopher Parks, Stacy Vella, and Adam Hinojosa), menu, updated space, and more. You can come by for coffee and pastries in the morning, lunch, and dinner, with small plates, snacks, salads, housemade charcuterie boards, and sandwiches, plus wine, craft beer, and cocktails. Open 6am-11am for coffee service, 11am-3pm for lunch, 5pm-10pm for dinner service, and 10pm-2am for beverages and a late-night food menu. 308 41st St. at Broadway, Oakland.
Smell that deliciousness in the air? EQUATOR COFFEES has opened a seventh café, this time it’s their first in the East Bay, close to Lake Merritt. It was built into a recycled shipping container, with community tables and a retail store. They are sharing the space with Urban Remedy, maker of delicious salads, juices, snacks, and more. Cyclists, runners, and power walkers, here’s your spot to refuel! Open Mon-Thu 6am-6pm, Fri 6am-7pm, Sat 7am-7pm, and Sun 7am-6pm. 175 Bay Place, Oakland.
Have you tried 4505 BURGERS & BBQ’s delivery pop-up in the East Bay yet? They’re running this special with Caviar until they open in the Laurel District this spring. So, Oakland residents, you can now get dinner delivered Wed-Sat (5pm-9pm). You can order their special/secret menu Big Mac (double cheeseburger with a Frankaroni), or you can stick with their brisket, chicken, pork (plate or sandwich or large format), sausages, classic sides and sauces, and Frankaroni. You can also get any sandwich Roger style (add a quarter pound of sausage to any meat sandwich, oy). First-time Caviar user? Use my code for $20 off your first order!
More burgers: at ~GATHER~ in Downtown Berkeley, they’re running a special at the bar (5pm-9pm). For $20, you get a Mindful Meats burger with housemade pickles, cheddar, onion, aioli, fries, plus a draft Westfalia Red Ale from Fort Point Brewery and a shot of Evan Williams bourbon. (There’s also a gluten-free version of the burger available.) It’s like an adult Happy Meal.
The combo rice bowl from the Halal Guys in New York. Yelp photo by Danny L.
