Like most bikey folks, I'm equally obsessed with food and starvation. As the season turns towards the dirt and home improvement, I'm giving myself a little latitude to enjoy some of my favorites and share them with my bloggy friends.
Lunch Spot-
WINNER
Intermezzo- Haste and Telegraph, Berkeley. Classic place, best and biggest salad for the money known to man. Huge sammiches as well. I eat there most afternoons/ evenings, so IF ya see a guy in a reflective vest ordering one to go, say hi.
1st Runner -up
El Balazo- Various Contra Costa Locations.
Chicken Caesar Salad will fill anyone with about a pound of warm grilled chicken rubbed with epazote and garlic. Decent burrito, etc., but the salad is the thing.
Coffee- For most bikey types, way more important than food. Bucks' is everywhere, and Peets is chasing them. Some people hate them, but I remember when coffee in the suburbs consisted of 7-11 and mickey-d's, and thank them.
WINNER
Cole Coffee- 63rd and College, Oakland. Name has changed from Royal, everything else is the same. For years Miz C. sent me down there on Saturdays for a lb of Celebes, damn junkies.Way cool people watching from the tables on 63rd. A hub of bikey action.
1st Runner-up
Bellatazza- Bend, Oregon. Absolutely sublime double cappucino with the foam spun in like a cirrus cloud over the desert. Cool and friendly crowd, doggy friendly. I look at a receipt in my wallet from last month and smile at the memory of a lazy hour in July.
Soul Food/ BBQ- probably more open to personal interpretation than anything else, different strokes for different folks.
WINNER
Rodericks BBQ and Seafood- Gilbraltar and Stoneridge, Pleasanton.Soul food in P-town?Roderick is a pure genius in the kitchen, ditching his boring-ass tech job for something he loves. I was worried for a while he wasn't gonna make it in the tri-valley, but the lunch crowd from the offices has come out in droves . Expanding to Oakland soon, not the usual path. Awesome BBQ, my favorite sides are the yams and greens. Hot hot hot red beans and rice, and don't forget the hushpuppies. I only wish the Sunday dinner had worked out, this is food for the heart and soul.
Very high on the rewards meter after a tough race/ season.
1st Runner-up
Nellies- 3rd and Adeline, Oakland. Great Sunday dinner. Favorite spot to eat with my crew on friday nights after a hard week. Classic soul food, oxtails, fried chicken, fried seafood. The yams are sliced and candied, which a lot of people like more. I'm a pureed with butter and nutmeg guy myself.
Tied-
Chicken and Waffle house, Embarcadero x Broadway, Oakland.
Great late night spot. When the clubs let out it's pretty wild around here. If you have never had a hot piece of chicken and a waffle with warm syrup and butter late into the night, I highly recommend it. Good breakfast as well, but stick to what they do.
4 comments:
Thanks for the tips. Guess where we'll have coffee on Wednesday morning...Bellatazza. We're leaving Jackson on Monday night, headed for Bend for a day of biking and cause we really, really want to avoid Nevada on the drive home. Any other Bend recommendations?
Great fancy restaurant right across from there .Merenda. On the Foodie Friday List as well. Chocolate Lava-type cake is incredible. Lot's of different stuff to eat, pasta, etc. I had prime rib and mashed potatoes. Looked like a nice wine list as well.
Check out the lava tube on the way out of town, pretty cool.
Not sure how far you want to ride, but the cascade lakes highway over Bachelor would be nice at less than race pace. There is a small lake up there that was the prettiest shade of alpine green.... I'd come back through Sunriver and avoid the climb back.
Hutch's bike shop will have lot's more suggestions, maybe north around Sisters to the Dee Wright Observatory.
Enjoy yourselves, there is a lot to do up there.
nice post, made me hungry.
Rodericks' caters parties.....
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