Gather in Berkeley...

We've been wanting to visit Gather in Berkeley for several months now after seeing the rave reviews on Check Please and then hearing that half their menu is always vegetarian! Here's an excerpt from their website - "A place where you can find seasonal food, carefully sourced and thoughtfully prepared to appeal equally to vegetarians and omnivores ... the feeling of a restaurant created from beautiful reclaimed wood and natural materials." 

Over this past Labor Day weekend, we made the trip over the Bay Bridge for a brunch at this much talked about spot. The restaurant is bright and airy, given it's prime corner location across from the campus entrance. It's also beautifully decorated with reclaimed wood tables, banquettes made from old leather belts, and herb plants hanging from the ceiling.  

The brunch menu has a combination of both savory and sweet items, including a number of vegan dishes. Sheila ordered the Acme walnut french toast with roasted plums and creme fraiche. I went for corn pancakes with maple braised strawberry compote and mascarpone. We also decided to share the yukon gold potatoes. 

Sheila's french toast - They serve it either with one or two slices. Sheila decided on one ($8). Although the portion size was right, it was too sweet and there was nothing to really balance the flavors. Even though the walnuts added texture, it actually made the dish heavier. On it's own, the plum compote was delicious, but combined with the syrup and french toast it was overwhelmingly sweet. Sheila summed it up by saying it was: "good, but I've had better." 

Adam's corn pancakes - The standard serving comes with two medium-size pancakes ($12). The corn batter was light and fluffy. Each pancake was perfectly cooked through and on it's own was really flavorful. The mascarpone gave it a good balance of savory and sweet. My biggest gripe was with the strawberry compote. Initially tart, each subsequent taste turned increasingly sweet, perhaps due to the maple braising. I would have preferred fresh strawberries or a strawberry infused mascarpone; rather than the heavy handedness of my compote. Good concept, not executed to my taste buds though. 

The yukon potatoes - It was our only savory dish ($5). It was very well seasoned, slightly spicy flavors, and came to the table piping hot. Everything you would expected in a good side of potatoes. The serving portion was great to share; Sheila and I found ourselves reaching for the wedges quite often to counter our overly sweet main dishes. Instead of ketchup, the potatoes were served with a cold tomato chutney, which had a bit too much vinegar. We both understood the intent, but would have just preferred some Heinz.  

All in all, the concept of Gather's dishes is good, but they were too sweet for our taste. I'd be curious to see how they handle the savory dinner dishes. Perhaps we'll give Gather another try for dinner in the future.  

Indian roadside fare at Vik’s Chaat Corner

In any country, the cuisine eaten by locals at roadside shacks, food carts, and sidewalk stalls is as authentic as it gets. There’s a place in Berkeley that has taken the Indian to new heights, not because of the décor, clientele, or location, but simply for the food. It’s called Vik’s Chaat Corner on 4^th and Channing.

Vik’s sits in an indistinct brick warehouse, in which the front of house is a small Indian grocer and the back is a cavernous open dining area. Food is ordered from a counter on one side of the space. On the opposite site, a half a dozen “stalls” prepare the food items and call out orders as they are ready.

We took our good friend A&G, who were visiting from London. It was an eye opening experience for them especially since the line was 25 deep to order (wrapped around several tables); the menu was listed on a chalkboard behind a large display cabinet of Indian sweets; there were stainless steel table tops, and you had to buss your on tables. The epitome of Indian chaos that somehow works!

We decided to order family style so A&G could sample several different items. Of course everything on the menu sounded amazing, but here’s what we tasted.

Masala Dosa - a crispy savory South Indian crepe (dosa) filled with potato, peas, onion, and tomato dry curry (masala). It is served with sambar and coconut chutney. Vik’s dosa came out piping hot and stays crispy for quite some time. The masala packed heat but was not overpowered with spice. Even without the masala, the dosa tastes amazing when dipped in the warm sambar. Other restaurants tend to douse their dosa in either butter or oil. Vik’s dosa is not oily, which allow for the true flavors to come through. It’s on par with Udipi Palace in Silicon Valley.

Dahi Batata Puri – Puffed puri filled with yogurt, tamarind chutney, potatoes, sev, cilantro, onion, and red chili powder. This type of food can be found on virtually every street corner in Mumbai. Vik’s dahi batata puri is served cold; each puri is a bit-size amount bursting with a peculiar mix of savory and sweet. Since this dish is overflowing with yogurt, it’s a great compliment to some of the spicier dishes. It should be eaten first because the puris will become soggy quickly. Sheila and I try to replicate this meal at home quite often; it’s the sincerest form of flattery.

Aloo Tikki – Pan fried potato patties drizzled with cooked garbanzo beans (chole), tamarind chutney, mint chutney, onions, cilantro, and chili powder. The patties and chole were piping hot; the chutneys and accompaniments were served cold. It’s a heavy dish though which after three/four bites started fill me up. In addition, the spice factor hit me heard quite hard and if it weren’t for the left over yogurt from the dahi batata puri, I would have drank several water glasses.

Veg Kathi Roll – Vik’s uses minced paneer instead of cubes, which allows for more cohesive flavor throughout. Along with paneer, the roti roll was also filled with cooked green peppers, onions, tomatoes, and chili sauce. Having eaten several types of kathi rolls while in India recently; I have to say that Vik’s roll is good, but not memorable. I actually prefer the ones from Kasa in the Mission. Check back with me after the India trip wears out and I might change my mind!

Mango Lassi – Made fresh everyday, Vik’s lassi is the perfect southing agent to quell Indian spices. Aside from the natural sweetness of the mango, no other sugars are added. Served in only one size, it’s difficult to make it last the entire meal.

A&G thoroughly enjoyed Vik’s Chaat Corner; reminded them of when we all went to Tulsi in Wembley (London). Sheila and I have been going there for over 8 years and three times in the past few months. It’s the food that draws us and the other cult followers. Don’t judge this book by its cover. Head to the bring warehouse near the railroad tracks for the best India street food in the Bay Area!

falafel heaven at maoz!

While traversing Europe a few years back, S and I came across several fantastic restaurants. One in particular, a hole in the wall, quickly became one of favorites - Maoz Vegetarian. We stumbled upon it in Barcelona and ended up eating our way through their outposts in London, Paris, and Amsterdam (the original). Recently they opened up a shop on Telegraph in Berkeley near Cal's campus; so we decided to be nostalgic and head across the Bay!

Their menu is simple - couple of meal deals and a la carte options. We opted for a junior maoz meal (falafel in a pita, sweet potato fries, & lemonade) and a regular falafel. The falafels were freshly made and fried crispy on order and served in a warm pita. Ingredients were fava beans, cilantro, and parsley giving a distinctive moist flavor and green color inside. The best part is the unlimited salad bar - filled with garbanzo beans, carrots, cucumbers, carrots, cole slaw, pickles, olives, cabbage, and an assortment of sauce (tahini, garlic mint chutney, yogurt, and spicy ketchup). All the sauces were excellent, but the tahini was my favorite. By the time you take a few bites, it's back to the salad bar to top up!

Overall, the falafel was just like we remembered it; brought back fond memories! The pita was a bit thicker than in Europe, but tasty none the less. As for the fries, they were a bit under-cooked so by the time we were on the last few, they were cold and raw. The lemonade was surprisingly refreshing, not sour and not sweet. Located in heart of a college town with a price point to suit, means there will always be a steady stream of hungry students for years to come. In my book it's on par with the famed Falafel Drive-In of Santa Clara/San Jose. My vote when in Berkeley (or in the East Bay), check out this place for a fast, healthy, vegetarian meal and you won't be disappointed.