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900 Grayson

The Bay Area is about as foodie-friendly as anywhere in the country, what with all that fresh seafood, free-range everything and, of course, veggie, vegan and raw options wherever you go. But while you get that weight off your conscious, you will usually feel it in your wallet.

Not so at 900 Grayson, a recession-ready Berkeley café serving all of the above, without the usual double-digit prices.

At first glance, the menu might look like your typical lunch counter place, with a basic array of salads and sandwiches. But look closer and you'll notice the salads are made from high-end ingredients like micro wasabi greens, double smoked bacon and shaved fennel. Or you can trade in that sorry tunafish sandwich for one made with coriander crusted tuna steak, house pickled ginger and carrot slaw. And the burger--natural beef, of course, topped with crispy onions and that double-smoked bacon--was named best in the Bay Area by San Francisco Magazine.

With prices ranging from 8 to 12 bucks, you can even splurge for a pitcher of local fave Berkeley Trumer Pilsner beer.

Related Stories:
· 900 Grayson [Official Site]
· Recession Restaurants coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: e.t.]

Restaurants / Food / Food Porn / Berkeley / → All Tags

Tacubaya Kicks Hippie Tofu Sandwiches Out the Door

Visiting Berkeley California doesn't have to be all about the hippie hang-outs and buying tie-dye t-shirts on Telegraph Avenue.

Fourth Street, located off the 80 Freeway near the marina in West Berkeley, is a few short blocks that combines mainstream stores like Crate & Barrel Outlet and Anthropologie with independent shops. Nestled in the middle of the Fourth Street stretch is Tacubaya, an authentic Mexican taqueria.

While not a full-service restaurant (you order at the register, get an order number, pick your own table and the food is then served at your table), the food is pretty bad-ass. And it's not just Taco Bell-style tacos either.

The menu is chock-full of top-quality northern Mexican breakfast and lunch items handled with panache. Barbecued Niman Ranch pork fills al pastor tacos, while cactus in revueltos norteños is a crunchy foil to the surrounding melange of scrambled eggs, tomatoes and green onions. Sopa de tortilla is a slurp-worthy exercise in overkill, loaded with chicken, avocado, spinach and globs of cheese.

We took in the above tortilla soup which we liked but we liked the chips and guac and the chicken tacos much better.

Insider Tip: Portions are large and more expensive so bring a little more here than you would to Taco Bell.

More pics of Tacubaya after the jump.

Related Stories:
· Tacubaya restaurant reviews [CitySearch]

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