EAST BAY INSOMNIAC

À Côté

5478 College Ave, Oakland • 655-6469

SERVING:

• seasonal Mediterranean cuisine in small plates formation (see menu)
• wine and cocktails (see menu)
• desserts, cheese and ports (see menu)

OPEN UNTIL: midnight (Fri-Sat) • 11PM (Wed-Thurs) • 10PM Mon-Tue/Sun

PRICE RANGE: $$$

PARKING: street

REVIEWS & PHOTOS: yelp

HERBIVORE

2451 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley • 665-1675

SERVING:

• vegan soup, sandwiches and salads (see menu)
• vegan organic entrees (see menu)
• wine, cocktails and desserts (see menu)

OPEN UNTIL: 12AM (Thurs-Sat) • 10PM (Sun-Wed)

PARKING: street

THE EBI REVIEW: This is what it says on Herbivore’s website: “Herbivore is a vegan restaurant that offers an international menu and an enjoyable atmosphere. The food is enjoyed by vegans and non-vegans due to the quality and method of preparation, and the variety and richness of the menu.” Allow me to deconstruct. Herbi-BORE offers vegan versions of classic fare with an Asian flare. The “atmosphere” consists of modern uncomfortable tables and chairs that breach personal space with their proximity. Vegans and non-vegans find the food bland and unexciting. How does a restaurant that should be unique come up so ordinary? How do they render pesto so flavorless? How does a lentil loaf taste even more boring than it sounds? I don’t know. It continually disappoints. That said, props for existing. Vegan insomniacs have to eat too. Also, points for irony. Last time I was there, they were playing “Meat is Murder.”

OTHER REVIEWS:

FENTONS CREAMERY & RESTAURANT

4226 Piedmont Ave, Oakland • 658-7000

SERVING:

• delicious creamy old-fashioned ice cream, sherbets and sundaes (see menu)
• sandwiches and burgers from the grill (see menu)

OPEN UNTIL: 11PM (Sun -Thu) • 12AM (Fri & Sat)

PARKING: small lot and street

WEBSITE: Fentons Creamery

THE EBI REVIEW: Fentons reminds me of the East Coast. They serve gigantic creamy scoops of brilliant hard-to-find flavors like: Black Walnut, Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch, Coffee Cookie Dream, Heath Bar, Toasted Almond and my all-time favorite: Butter Brickle. Definitely a kid-friendly establishment, the place is often packed loud, sprawling families. Fentons offers burgers, sandwiches and salads on its traditional American fare menu, but it takes a true American diner to follow that up with a Fudgeanna. I don’t do well with the crowd so I normally get my treats to go and sit at the tables outside or walk along Piedmont. I also invariably get the Butter Brickle each and every time. Nicole concurs that it could use a little more ‘brickle,’ but we’re both psyched that they have it at all. Fentons is a Bay Area landmark and an EBI Munchies Category champ. Wish it were open a little later.

MORE REVIEWS AND PHOTOS: (more…)

THE STARRY PLOUGH RESTAURANT & PUB

3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley • 841-2082

FOOD (see menu):

• sandwiches
• burgers
• pizza
• daily specials (Monday is corned beef and cabbage)

DRINKS (see list):

• bottled beer
• 20 beers on tap (including Guinness, Murphy’s, Bass, Stella, Fat Tire, Redhook, Newcastle and Bud)
• ciders, wine, juice

MUSIC (see listing):

• rock
• local & indie
• Celtic/Irish
• folk
• open mic/poetry slams

STARRY PLOUGH ON MYSPACE:

EVENT PHOTOS & RECORDINGS: Check here to see photos (copyright Chris Bellew) of artists including Pinback and The Black Heart Procession at the Starry Plough. Click here for his list of these and other local shows which can be downloaded FREE from the Internet Live Music Archive.

WEBSITE: The Starry Plough Pub

REVIEWS:

KORYO SUSHI

4390 Telegraph Ave #G, Oakland • 594-0661

SERVING (see full menu)

• sushi and sahimi dinners (@ $17.95-$19.95)
• tempura dinners (@ $9.95-$12.95)
• teriyaki dinners (@ $9.95-$12.95)
• katsu: chicken, fish or beef (@ $10.95-$14.95)
• bento boxes (@ $12.95-$16.95)
• vegetarian options (ask for fish flakes removed)

OPEN UNTIL: 2:30AM (Fri & Sat) • 1:30AM (Tues-Thurs) • 11:30PM (Sunday) • closed Mondays

PARKING: lot

THE EBI mini REVIEW: Koryo has been serving sushi for over a decade and it shows in their careful preparations and dedicated following. What it lacks in atmosphere (tables in one room are next to storage shelves and a meat freezer), it makes up for in every other way.

Some highlights:

• Martha and Micah, who know more about sushi than I can even pretend to won’t go anywhere else.
• At 10PM, most seats were filled and our food still arrived in 10 minutes flat.
• EXTENSIVE menu is available in full through 2:30AM on weekends.

Bonus attractions:

• Immediate proximity to late-night cyber cafe, Korean BBQ and Jaguar Karaoke
• A stone’s throw from the 24-hour Temescal Walgreens
• Employs a hot goth waitress

REVIEWS: 

WEBSITE: Got Sushi And Sake?