Tara’s Organic Ice Cream is a little ice cream shop on Telegraph Ave. in Oakland (next to Burma Superstar). We stopped by for a cone after lunch.

It’s very small inside…

Here’s the ice cream selection.

I ordered white pepper chocolate chip.  Originally I ordered it in a cup but then I saw the waffle cones… the SESAME waffle cone.

Here’s my cone! As you can see, my cone is pretty well-done…

White pepper and chocolate chips aren’t really two things I would ever consider putting together, but for some really weird reason these flavors work together. I’m not a pepper person. I don’t add pepper to my food and I rarely eat anything that is peppery.  The first lick of this ice cream was very strong. The flavor is white pepper but it was just as strong if not stronger than any black pepper I’ve ever had. Imagine putting a frozen spoon full of pepper into your mouth and then toss in a chocolate chip. Cold and peppery with sprinkle of chocolate.

So much pepper… in a way I was just eating it so I could get to the chocolate chips… it hard for me to finish but I did all the way down to the last bite of cone. It was interesting to say the least. Who can toss an ice cream cone? Not me.

There’s a lot of art hanging on the wall.

Tara’s Organic Ice Cream
4731 Telegraph Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
www.tarasorganic.com

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So, it was a TUESDAY and I thought I would sneak in a quick lunch at Geta around 1:30pm (assuming the lunch rush was over), but I get there to find a completely full restaurant, people standing outside, and no room at the bar. Whaaaat?!! I had to wait about 10 minutes… since I was alone I grabbed a seat at the sushi bar.

The miso soup at Geta is totally legit. I’ve had a lot of bad miso soup in my day and this soup is freaking awesome. Can’t go wrong with the miso soup here.

I looked up above the sushi bar and saw this… Darn, didn’t try anything on any of those signs.

This is the fish in front of me.

…it’s almost sushi time!

Wahahahaha my favorite roll, the classic shrimp tempura. The only thing I wouldn’t mind leaving out is the lettuce. Since when do they put lettuce in sushi? Weird to me.

Spicy tuna roll, mmmm….

Here’s the outside.

Geta Japanese Restaurant
165 41st St
Oakland, CA 94611

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If you haven’t been, La Note is a cute French bistro restaurant right on Shattuck in Berkeley. It’s very cute inside, french, homey and rustic and the food is always good.

We waited for 20 minutes and they sat us at the first 2-top table right inside the door… there was a few open ones farther back, I thought we would get one of those… ugh. They usually play French music… it was turned off or so low you couldn’t hear it.

Homemade jam on the table.

Here’s the menu.

The wall inside as you walk in.

Closeup of the menu. I ordered the Omelette fromage et jambon (ham and cheese omelette).

Wall of awards.

Unfortunately this is where things turn for the worse… just before we got our food, we were approached by the hostess who asked if we wouldn’t mind switching tables before our food came out so that they could use our table to help seat a party of 5 faster. I scanned the restaurant and saw a few open tables near the back, so we said ok and got up and moved. They freakin sat us at the worst table in the dining room – it basically was right in the walkway of where the servers get the food, right across from the entrance to the patio area (which we were told was closed, but then they started seating people out there early). Our table was in a really dark area, in the line of traffic… next to a column, kind of protruding out into the walkway. We felt like we were in the way, and they should seriously reconsider the location of that table, because it’s in a very awkward place.

So, our food came out. It was really good… here’s the ham and cheese omelette, it’s always my go-to item at La Note. They slice the ham up really small and thin which I appreciate a lot, and the cheese is emmenthal, which is creamy and mild. The eggs are buttery and rich and you definitely leave feeling very full. The potatoes are roasted with garlic and includes whole cloves, yum!

The photos below look bright because I brightened them.

Closeup of the ham and cheese omelette and roasted potatoes. Oh, and the butter is soft which is nice and easy to spread.

We were a little disappointed with the grapefruit because it was literally just a grapefruit sliced in half… really hard to eat with a spoon. You know how it goes when you try to spoon a grapefruit, squirting out all over the place… In the past, whoever was back there prepping used to loosen the fruit from the skin so it was easy to scoop out with a spoon, which was nice… oh well.

The table location was really a bummer this trip. You can kind of see how close it is to the door… There is a bench right behind me, about a foot of space behind my chair.

So, if you don’t mind waiting, go whenever… but for the best experience, go as early as possible. I do recommend going to La Note if you haven’t been before, the food is good, just try to manage your expectations when it comes to waiting because it can get crazy. They say the patio doesn’t open until 10am but the day we were there it opened around 9:25am. Sitting out on the patio on a nice day is the best… highly recommend.

La Note
2377 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
www.lanoterestaurant.com

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Note, Mama’s is CASH ONLY. They do have an ATM machine there in case you forget cash…

Since we arrived early (about 7:30am), the place was pretty empty so we got a booth, woo hoo! Here’s a tight shot of the room with the booths. There are aprons hanging all over the walls.

When’s the last time you saw a restaurant jukebox? Here you go… they don’t work but they’re nice to look at. People have carved their names and messages in the booths.

I ordered the Combo breakfast which includes 2 buttermilk pancakes, bacon, and an egg (I ordered over-medium). It does not come with toast so I had to order that separate.  The pancakes are freaking awesome. I’m not really the type to order pancakes or waffles or any sweet things for breakfast (unless I’m at Perkin’s bc I love their apricot syrup, lol)…. but I was in the mood for pancakes – and the bacon adds a nice salty touch. You know, a bite of pancakes, a bite of bacon…. until it’s gone.

I love these pancakes and bacon!! The pancakes are light and fluffy and absolutely perfect.

This is the view from our booth…

Here’s the main room that you enter when you walk into the restaurant.

On your way out, look up and you’ll see a bunch of strange masks and a giant coffee cup, lol.

Here’s the outside of Mama’s.

All in all, Mama’s is great for breakfast. I highly recommend their pancakes and bacon, soooo good! Very satisfying.  Just don’t forget to bring cash, and get their early if you don’t want to wait 2309485743w587 minutes in line.

Mama’s Royal Cafe
4012 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94611
www.mamasroyaloakland.com

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I stopped by after dinner with a friend so it was dark out… here’s what the outside looks like.

Some shots of the inside… as you can see, it’s bright and happy.

Here’s the main ice cream freezer.  If you decide to forego looking at the main menu on the wall, make sure you note which flavors are marked with a (V) in the case because those are VEGAN, and they’re made with NUT MILK.

Here’s the main wall that lists all of the flavors. Again, pay attention to which flavors are marked with a (V), because those are vegan.

I’m not a vegan, but I’m not opposed to trying vegan things. I think if you’re a vegan you definitely lose your taste for non-vegan things and acquire a specific taste for vegan things, so for vegans, these flavors are probably very delicious, but for a non-vegan like myself, I just can’t do it.  The first time I visited Curbside I accidentally ordered a vegan flavor (peanut butter) and didn’t realize it at the time, until I tasted it, and something was just not right… just a little weird, like, not creamy and rich, but a strange bland weird non-dairy flavor. Then I realized I ordered the vegan flavor, and everything made sense.

My regular flavor here (and everywhere) is mint chocolate chip. Hard to go wrong with a good mint chocolate chip, and this one definitely does not disappoint. It’s minty – the fresh kind of minty, and the chocolate chips are very small (shaved). It’s really good!

I like how they serve sugar cones too, classic!

Curbside Creamery
482 49th St, Oakland, CA 94609 (Temescal Alley)
www.curbsideoakland.com

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My friend and I decided to try it out for lunch last weekend, and boy am I glad we did!

Here’s the outside. The Star is on Grand Ave, probably the last exciting thing on the street before it turns residential. Parking can be quite hellish in this neighborhood, just an FYI. You might have to park up the up the big hill on Elmwood (free) if there are no spots on Grand.

This is what it looks like when you walk in… There’s another dining area directly to the right (not pictured), that faces the street.

We started off with the Greek salad. It’s salty and tangy, and big enough to share.

They have roasted Brussels sprouts on the appetizer menu! They come covered in parmesan cheese and sprinkled with bacon.  They’re sooo good (I ate the whole bowl), I’m a huge weirdo for brussels sprouts.

You can order a personal size pizza during lunch hours, so I ordered a personal sized Golden Gate pizza. The Golden Gate features meatballs, ricotta, onions, and fresh mozzarella.

The pizza came out piping hot, plenty of steam. The mozzarella is baked into the crust, then the meatballs are sliced flat underneath the globs of ricotta. The meatball is sliced pretty thin and there’s a meatball slice on each piece of pizza.  The meatball itself is on the denser side. As you can see, the sauce is very thick. The sauce is sweet and savory, and chunky. I probably should have eaten my pizza with a fork and knife, but I picked it up and ate it with my hands (no shame).  The amount of sauce was a little overwhelming so I scraped some of it off… the crust is thick, crispy, sweet, corny and amazing.

Would I return? Definitely.

Have you been to The Star? How did you like it?

The Star on Grand
3425 Grand Ave, Oakland, CA 94610
www.thestarongrand.com

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When I finally opened my eyes, we were in Rita’s! OMG, dreams do come true! A Rita’s in California (Castro Valley, to be exact)! I couldn’t believe it, I think I cried.

I remember when the first Rita’s came to the Lehigh Valley, PA a looong time ago. It’s always been one of my favorite reasons to go home to visit during the summer, since it’s only open during the summer months.

If you don’t know Rita’s it’s an Italian ice place that serves italian ice, frozen custard and blended ice/custard drinks. It is so good! My favorite thing to order is a lemon and chocolate gelati – which is frozen custard layered with italian ice.

This is exactly what I saw when I opened my eyes…

Yay Rita’s in Castro Valley!

Here’s the freezer…

Vanilla custard cone with rainbow sprinkles.

And here’s mine! It’s a Florida orange and chocolate gelati.  I usually get lemon and chocolate, but they didn’t have lemon (which kind of blew my mind, ugh!). The orange was really good but I still like lemon best…

If you’ve never had custard before, it’s a little lighter and denser than traditional ice cream. It’s sooooo good!

I’m so happy that Rita’s is only 20 minutes away, it’s really weird to have it out west because it’s my east coast nostalgia but it’s so awesome and I’m so happy!

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Like clockwork, I usually order the same thing when I go to this restaurant, and I always have the same reaction (I don’t know what’s wrong with me). I order the chilaquiles verde, because I really like the sauce and I love how they serve scrambled eggs on top, but i can’t stand how soggy they are! I swear I’ve ordered them before and the chips were crunchier, or maybe my particular dish on this particular day sat under a heatlamp for too long, but really, they were very soggy and I could not finish them. This is consistent though, it’s nothing new – they are always like this, so just be warned!

I think in the back of my mind I have an inner ray of hope that they will arrive on the crunchier side, since I really like their regular tortilla chips, but perhaps the authentic way to serve them is soft and floppy? Please, someone tell me so I can manage my expectations and order something else next time I go there!

Above is the menu in all its glory! Below is my dish, as it looks after it arrived at my table.

Very beautiful placement and food styling… love the avocado and the layers. The tortilla chips (should I call them chips or just tortilla triangles?) are tossed in green verde sauce which is tangy and has a spicy bite (not too hot).  The eggs are fluffy and make this dish an awesome breakfast meal.

Oh no, my ultimate soggy nightmare. I can’t even… sorry. I love this place, I really do – they have bomb ass margaritas and drinks, the dinner entrees are fantastic – and this dish is delicious minus the sogginess of the tortillas. So please, for the love of gods, be warned if you order this dish because the tortillas are NOT crunchy and crispy – they are soggy and they will flop on your fork.

If you’re in Berkeley, I highly recommend a trip to Doña Tomás’ sister restaurant, Tacubaya, which is more in the style of a tacqueria. I always appreciate their awwesome crunchy salty homemade tortilla chips!

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If you haven’t been to Homeroom yet, it is a mac and cheese restaurant. It’s really good and you should definitely go!

Here’s the outside. There’s usually a line, even on really hot days. I’m always surprised because it can be in the 70s and sweltering hot, yet people are still waiting around to stuff their gullets with creamy mac n cheese… I don’t get it, but whatever lol!

I start off with an iced tea. It’s house-brewed and has a floral essence to it… really good.

Ahhhhh the TRAILER MAC, my FAVORITE. Mac and Cheese mixed with hot dogs and topped with a generous handful of potato chips. BEST. In the spirit of my fat kid soul, I usually start inhaling this by the forkful – a few chews, but mostly so good I end up swallowing it whole before the heat wears off. I don’t suggest doing this – if you can, try to slow down and enjoy it.

OMG, the homemade oreo cookie. I don’t usually crave baked goods, but this cookie is too good to be true! It is NOT a cookie for sharing, get one of your own!

Homeroom Oakland
400 40th St
Oakland, CA 94609

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Here’s the beer garden area. It’s awesome because you bring your dog and hang out… love it so much! There are plenty of picnic tables outside, half of which are under a covered area.

But the star of the show is Telegraph’s Beer Brat sandwich. OMG. This thing is freaking amazing. I have to admit, I usually don’t go for sausage on the menu, but the first time I went to Telegraph it just sounded good, so I ordered it… and I’m so glad I did!

Here it is… they serve it on tray with kettle chips. I appreciate how they cut the sausage in half so that it is flatter in the bun. It also includes coleslaw (the tangy kind, not creamed).  I love this sandwich because the sausage has just enough of a spicy bite, it’s a little more on the sweet/hot side than the smokey kind. The bread is soft and light, not dense and overwhelming like some sandwich breads can be.  The slaw is tangy and compliments the sausage perfectly!

Have you noticed all of the trendy chicken + coleslaw sandwiches popping up everywhere?  Well this sausage + coleslaw freaking sandwich puts them all to shame.  There, I said it.  Eat this one instead. You won’t be sorry.

Oh, I forgot to mention, Telegraph also has frozen cider slushies. I’m serious… and they’re really good, especially on super hot Oakland days!  Here’s a photo of the slushie I took with my iPhone…

 I’ve been to a few beer gardens in the East Bay, and I have to say… I love Telegraph. It’s the perfect place to hang out – it’s casual and low-key, affordable and the food is great.

Unfortunately I’m the kind of person who orders the same thing all the time, but I’m really excited to try something new next time I go to Telegraph!

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