Work It, Berk: January 2016

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Eat in San Francisco: Arlequin Cafe & Food To Go

Chai Latte

This past weekend, I visited Arlequin Cafe & Food To Go with an old friend of mine. This charming cafe located in Hayes Valley serves warm drinks and tasty food. We both had a Chai Latte, which my friend highly recommended. It was quite good. I also discovered that it's hard to photograph this type of drink since it just looks like a cup of steamed milk. Hmm...

In addition to their inside seating, Arlequin also has a large patio space in the back. It's a nice escape of bistro tables and rose bushes.

If you've visited Arlequin before, what do you recommend ordering?

Arlequin Cafe & Food To Go

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Yelp

384 Hayes St., San Francisco, CA 94102
Open: Monday 8am - 7pm, Tuesday - Friday 8am - 8pm, Saturday 9am - 8pm, Sunday 9am - 7pm

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Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Eat in Berkeley: Flour & Co

Sticky Bun

Egg Pie of the Day and Soft Pretzel

8 oz. Latte

I've been wanting to visit Flour & Co's Berkeley location since they opened last September. Located a block west of Sacramento on University, the cafe serves delicious baked goods, such as Buttermilk Biscuits and Monkey Bread, as well as coffee from Stumptown.

When I stopped by this weekend with my pal Summer, I ordered a Sticky Bun with an 8 oz. latte while she had the Egg Pie of the Day and a Soft Pretzel. All of the baked goods were pretty tasty and the coffee was strong and perfectly prepared.

This shop is spacious and has a lot of places to sit at long wooden tables and counters. Flour & Co seems to have eased well into the neighborhood and it would not be surprising if it became a morning staple for many.

If you've visited Flour & Co, what did you try?

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Eat in Berkeley: Elmwood Cafe (Pt. 5)

Flourless Bourbon Chocolate Cake

Last weekend we stopped by Elmwood Cafe for a latte and an afternoon treat. We usually visit the cafe for brunch (see: 1, 2, 3) or even lunch, so this was a nice change of pace.

In addition to our coffee, we ordered the Flourless Bourbon Chocolate Cake and two slices of Acme levain toast with Blood Orange Cranberry Marmalade and butter. The chocolate cake was dense and chocolaty like fudge. It went well with our lattes. The crust was crumbly goodness. We didn't really taste the bourbon flavor though. The toast was also good, although the marmalade was a bit too sour for my liking. I guess I'm not a marmalade person.

If you've visited Elmwood Cafe recently, what did you try?

Elmwood Cafe
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Yelp
2900 College Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705
Open: Daily 7am - 9pm

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Monday, January 11, 2016

Eat in Los Angeles: Son of a Gun

Linguine & Clams with uni aglio-olio, chili, and breadcrumbs

Fried Chicken Sandwich with spicy B&B pickle slaw and roasted aioli

A couple weeks ago I visited Son of a Gun with my foodie friend Jing. This hip seafood restaurant, located on 3rd Street between La Cienega and Fairfax in Los Angeles, is owned by the same people as Animal on Fairfax.

Since Jing has visited Son of a Gun a few times, she recommended ordering the Linguine & Clams with uni aglio-olio, chili, and breadcrumbs and the Fried Chicken Sandwich with spicy B&B pickle slaw and roasted aioli. Both were quite good. The linguine was prepared well and served with a very flavorful sauce and fresh clams. It was definitely a memorable dish. When initially telling me about the restaurant, Jing compared their fried chicken sandwich to Bakesale Betty's in Oakland. Although I still believe Betty's is unbeatable, Son of a Gun's is quite good. Like Betty's the slaw was not to be disregarded and the sandwich featured dynamic flavors throughout. However, at only $8 to Son of a Gun's $17, Betty's reigns supreme.

The shadowy interior is decorated in a nautical theme with anchors and paintings on the walls.

If you've visited Son of a Gun, what do you recommend trying?

Son of a Gun
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Yelp

8370 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90048
Open: Daily (Lunch) 11:30am - 2:30pm & (Dinner) 6pm - 11pm

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Friday, January 8, 2016

Coffee in West Hollywood: Verve Coffee Roasters

Nitro Cold Brew

A couple weeks ago, I stopped by Verve Coffee Roasters on Melrose between Doheny and Robertson in West Hollywood. In recent years, this Santa Cruz-based coffee roaster has expanded across Los Angeles. I tried their Nitro Cold Brew, which was quite a treat. It had the bold flavor cold brews are known for, but theirs was unique. It's definitely the best cold brew I've had.

Besides their wide selection of delicious coffee, Verve has a great space inside and on the accompanying patio. The interior features a lot of modern touches and sleek lines, while the outside is a bit of an oasis from the busy neighborhood.

If you've visited Verve Coffee Roasters, what do you recommend trying?

Verve Coffee Roasters
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Yelp

8925 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Open: Daily 7am - 9pm

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Eat in Los Angeles: Paper or Plastik Cafe

Huevos Rancheros made with corn tortillas, beans, chorizo, Muenster cheese, green and red salsa, roasted jalapeño, and fried eggs

Cappuccino

I shared brunch with some old friends of mine at Paper or Plastik Cafe, located on Pico a few blocks from Fairfax. This hip cafe boasts full coffee and brunch menus, the latter of which includes favorites like Shakshuka, a Breakfast Polenta Bowl, and Avocado Toast.

I ordered the Huevos Rancheros made with corn tortillas, beans, chorizo, Muenster cheese, green and red salsa, roasted jalapeño, and a fried egg, as well as a cappuccino to drink. Everything was very good. Apart from being very photogenic, the Huevos Rancheros created a dynamic set of flavors that accented the dish well. My coffee was prepared perfectly as well. I will definitely return for brunch in the future.

If you've visited Paper or Plastik Cafe, what do you recommend trying?

Paper or Plastik Cafe
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Yelp

5772 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90019
Open: Monday - Saturday 7am - 10pm, Sunday 7am - 8pm

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Coffee in West Hollywood: The Assembly

Cappuccino

The Assembly is a hip coffee shop in West Hollywood that's been around for about six months. They serve Counter Culture Coffee and are located on Robertson between Santa Monica and Melrose. I ordered a cappuccino when I stopped by that was prepared perfectly.

Apart from the delicious coffee, they're also known for their friendly staff and sleek interior. I spoke with a couple of the employees, discussing their great space and how it could easily be located in San Francisco or Oakland. The crisp interior includes white walls that bring a lot of light in and sleek tables and benches for patrons.

If you've visited The Assembly, what did you try?

The Assembly
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Yelp

634 N. Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Open: Monday - Saturday 7 - 7, Sunday 8 - 5

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Eat in Los Angeles: Georgetown Cupcake

Vanilla Birthday cupcake

Holiday Lava Fudge cupcake

Rudolph Red Velvet cupcake

Georgetown Cupcake sells a wide variety of cupcakes on Robertson between Alden Drive and West 3rd Street in Los Angeles. The flavors they serve range from the classic, such as Milk Chocolate Birthday and Vanilla, to special and seasonal ones like Coconut, Key Lime, Salted Caramel, and Lemon Blossom.

When we stopped by after lunch next door at Cuvée, we ordered the Vanilla Birthday, Holiday Lava Fudge, and Rudolph Red Velvet cupcakes. They were all quite good. They come up an almost 2:1 ratio of cupcake to frosting, which any frosting fiend will appreciate.

If you've visited Georgetown Cupcake, what did you try?

Georgetown Cupcake
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Yelp

143 S. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048
Open: Monday - Thursday 11 - 7, Friday - Saturday 11 - 9, Sunday 11 - 7

Monday, January 4, 2016

Eat in Los Angeles: Cuvée

Seared Ahi Tuna Oriental Salad with mixed greens, bean sprouts, bell peppers, cabbage, snow peas, carrots, and ginger soy vinaigrette

Cuvée Mixed Green with Salmon, cucumber, corn, tomatoes, avocado, and lemon tarragon vinaigrette

Cuvée is a sleek New American deli and restaurant that offers a great selection of sandwiches and salads for lunch. It's located in Robertson's trendy shopping district between West 3rd Street and Alden Drive in Los Angeles.

When we stopped by we all ordered one of their large salads. I tried the Seared Ahi Tuna Oriental Salad featuring mixed greens, bean sprouts, bell peppers, cabbage, snow peas, carrots, and ginger soy vinaigrette. It was divine. It came with huge slices of ahi tuna that were seared and seasoned very well. The dressing brought all the flavors of the ingredients together perfectly. I'll be thinking about this salad for a while.

My parents also enjoyed the Cuvée Mixed Green salad with salmon, cucumber, corn, tomatoes, avocado, and lemon tarragon vinaigrette, which was equally bold in flavor and made with fresh vegetables. They also serve breakfast, brunch, dinner, and even desserts, which sound tempting as well.

If you've visited Cuvée, what do you recommend trying?

Cuvée
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Yelp

145 S. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048
Open: Monday - Saturday 8:30am - 9:30pm, Sunday 8:30am - 5pm