ragani

We have a decent selection of good food in the area I work. The best mocha, IMHO, can be found at Café 817, and we even have a brew-pub in the same building (hey

abditus, did you know Pacific Coast Brewing Co. has free WiFi?). Today,

archanglekhaos and I had lunch at Ratto's Sandwich Shop, which is not only a landmark, but a decent international market to boot. Not to mention, Le Cheval and Battambang for when I want something more exotic. I am sad to say Oaktown Café closed (we miss you, Lou!) as did Toutatis. Toutatis had decent crepes, but nonexistent service, which made going there for lunch difficult as it easily took over an hour. The Courthouse Grill, which replaced it, is not an improvement, and I will be surprised if they last long.

Crepes are one of the foods that

abditus and I both have a discerning appreciation for, which translates to: we are picky, but when we find a good crepe, are loyal customers. In fact, abditus dedicated his first LJ post to the departure of our favorite crepe place. There are a variety of crepes styles, but the French cafe style, when done right, is a divine thing. Also recommended is Brittany crepes, such as found at Ti Couz in San Francisco.

Several blocks away, a nice stroll brings you to Oakland City Center, which has a wide selections, including many familiar standards. Yesterday I wondered over there to discover a new dinning option had just opened. I was especially excited to note that it included the word crepes in the title. I am sad to report I was underwhelmed by Metro Crepes. I chose the Paris crepe, touted as a classic ham and jarlsberg cheese. My order was ready very quickly, and presented in a triangular shaped box, which contained a foil and paper wrapped wedge. After pealing back the foil I could tell I would be disappointed. Well, for one thing, the cheese was hardly even melted! Anyway, jarlsberg is a swiss cheese, and I do not think it is the traditional choice for French crepes in Paris. Also, the crepe itself was a thick, pre-made thing (hence the speedy arrival) reminding me of a think spongy tortilla, and the whole concoction was overly peppered.

On a yummier note, on the way back to the office, I noticed that a new Breads of India is opening next month less than 2 blocks from my office. I have only visited the Berkeley BofI location once, and although it was not the best Indian I have ever had, it was good enough to return if the chance arose.

Hey,

devonapple, pass this on to your lovely wife, since she will be soon working in the same area.