Just over a year ago now we were joined by a wonderful pastry chef, Brian Victor. It's about time we introduced him to you as you may wonder who oversees all our desserts, breads and pastries. Brian's schedule is late night, early morning and definitely more hours in between. Many weeks he's there every day. Our production kitchen, on 5th Street, is where all the restaurant's desserts, the ciabatta bread , the English muffins for Jimmy Bean's breakfast, the sandwich bread, hamburger rolls (all sizes), long buns, wheat bread and whole grain for toast, morning croissants, Danishes, muffins, scones, zucchini bread, cheesecake, pecan tart, etc. etc. etc. are prepared.
It's a beautiful thing to walk into the 5th street kitchen and smell the aromas; toasted flour and cornmeal cooking on the griddle for the muffins, buttery croissants and chocolate squares baking, caramel sugar warming from the sugar pulling station and the smell of fresh warm ciabatta coming from the oven. Everyone tries to be on task to meet their deadlines and Brian oversees them all to make sure that they go out "perfectly" and on time. Thank you Brian for all your dedicated hours. On some of those days that are more difficult than others, thank you for making the wonderful smell of ciabatta waft towards us.
The Economic Stimulus Packages at the restaurants
LALIME'S
In addition to our a la carte menu we will have a nightly 3 course dinner for $ 25.00. Come in and try our 'Market Crash' cocktail to ease the burden of these times.
JIMMY BEANS (1290 Sixth Street, Berkeley, corner of 6th and Gilman)
We just started an evening menu that serves a salad, main course and dessert for $ 12.00 and for the month of March you get a complimentary glass of wine with that as well (what are you waiting for?). The menu changes daily: Monday- Middle Eastern Mezza, Tuesday- Lasagna, Wednesday- Shepherd's Pie, Thursday- Chicken pot pie, Friday- Fried chicken, Saturday- Meatloaf and Sunday- "bring the kids" Pizza or spaghetti and meat balls.
FONDA (1501 Solano Ave, Albany)
We are now serving a $ 9.00 brunch beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday that includes a pastry and coffee and a choice of any of the breakfast special items; kids under 6 years of age eat for free. Our Happy Hour "EstÃmulo de Fonda"has expanded to an all day affair, any time you come in you can have the Cuban Burger or the fish taco!
T-REX (1300 Tenth Street, Berkeley, Corner of 10th and Gilman)
T Rex's "Happier Hour" special for the month of March and April serves a half pint of beer and a 4 oz. burger all day for $5.00 or a Slab of Baby Back ribs and a pitcher of beer for $25.00 (this will feed you and a couple of friends alright!)
SEA SALT (2512 San Pablo, Berkeley, along Dwight Way)
The happy hour here is $1.00 chef's choice OYSTERS daily from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. as well as a small bites bar menu with lots of crunchy, tasty treats for you to try with our $5 Well Cocktails, $5 House Wine by the glass & $3 Draft Beer.
Check out the Saturday-Sunday Brunch it's to die for!
Two Eggs (any style) with toast or English muffin and brunch potatoes 8
Crab Cakes Benedict two poached eggs on crab cakes with English muffin and bernaise sauce 14
Bowl of White Clam Chowder with two poached eggs, bacon and English muffin 11
Chicken and Piquillo Pepper Omelette with pecorino and brunch potatoes 11
Housemade Chorizo with two fried eggs, avocado and brunch potatoes 12
Pork Rillons with grits, two sunnyside eggs and maple syrup 13
Slow Cooked Cauliflower and Feta Scramble with brunch potatoes 10
Hedgehog Mushroom, Goat Cheese and Herb Scramble with brunch potatoes 11
. . . . . And a lot more
-Cindy and Haig Krikorian