Sunnyside Cafe, Albany

I really didn't understand the hype of this place for the longest time. A friend of mine convinced me to go a few times and it was always 2-3 stars. Until I had the Alameda. Gawd that thing is good.

I don't know who thought to make a savory french toast with a balsamic reduction but whoever did deserves a special place in foodie heaven. Sandwiched between two gigantic slices of french toast is some thinly sliced ham, portabello mushroom, and tomato. It's then topped with two sunnyside-up eggs, hollandaise and a balsamic reduction. Every bite is a delight for my mouth.

Everything else on the menu is pretty underwhelming. I have sometimes gotten swayed by the specials and the fancy mimosas but they've never been worth it.

The Sunnyside Cafe is located at 1499 Solano Avenue in Albany.

Bakesale Betty, Oakland

My mom always raves about this place's pies, but I never knew that they serve regular food, too! Paw Paw had cut out an article from the newspaper on Bakesale Betty the last time I was at her house, and it mentioned that they serve the best chicken pot pies and fried chicken sandwiches. I had to try it out.

As fate would have it, one of the girls I work with had to go pick up a friend who lived near Lake Merritt for lunch. So, we headed off to pick him up and they asked for a recommendation as to where to eat. Conveniently, her friend needed a ride to Berkeley, and Bakesale Betty was on the way there.

The place itself would be very hard to find if it weren't for the huge line of people outside during lunch time. Even the firefighters from next door were lined up, so we knew it must be good. There isn't even a sign on the door, and there is no menu--the only reason we knew we found the right place was that there was a piece of butcher paper taped to the wall that said "Fried Chicken Sandwich...Chicken Pot Pie...Egg Salad Sandwich."

Being the amateur food critic I am, I allowed everyone to get the same thing (a fried chicken sandwich) and didn't try anything else. A gigantic sandwich (packed with 3 huge pieces of fried chicken) and a water bottle cost $8.00. Sounds expensive, but I was full after only half of my sandwich, so split two ways, it is only a $4.00 lunch.

The sandwiches are made on soft, fresh rolls, piled high with a cabbage, fresh jalapeno, and vinegar slaw, along with three pieces of juicy, crispy, slightly spicy fried chicken. Leilani had a little bit of trouble with the jalapenos, but since they were fresh I didn't think that the spiciness was overpowering. In fact, it was just about perfect. My biggest problem was that the seating provided by Bakesale Betty is limited to stools and milk crates, so I had cabbage pieces and napkins flying everywhere.

Despite the huge line that consistently stood outside the cafe, the turnover is fast. We stood in line for about two minutes before we were helped, and the employees were very efficient. They even take credit cards!

Lunch was delicious (everyone complimented me on my recommendation even though I'd never eaten there before). I didn't get hungry until about 5:30 that evening, and the chicken was still crispy then, which is one of my tests for fried things. Still crispy and still delicious. I highly recommend trying their sandwiches! I promise next entry will not be something fried (I hope).

Bakesale Betty is located right on the corner of 51st and Telegraph. Parking may look daunting but actually isn't bad at all if you go around the corner.

5098 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA
(510) 985-1213

They are open Tuesday through Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The Alley Cafe, Pinole

"I told you." --Andy

Andy is the pickiest eater on the planet. This is his favorite breakfast place on earth. I hate to admit it, but I love The Alley too. This is the perfect place to go when you're in the mood for a no-nonsense, no frills greasy spoon breakfast. Don't expect any rosemary potatoes or eggs benedict here...They only accept cash and you will leave with arteries slightly more clogged than usual.

They serve hash browns, not home fries, and the toast comes pre-buttered. According to Andy these are the two signs of a great restaurant. While I'm not sure I agree with that, I do agree with paying $4.50 for two sunny side up eggs, four slices of sourdough toast, two entire hot links, and about five potatoes worth of hash browns.

The service here is very nice, sometimes slow when it's busy (there's usually only one waitress and one cook), and they are really big Giants fans. This is the only negative aspect of the place as far as I can tell. There is an old lady who comes in every day wearing an A's jacket, though, and they seem to treat her fine so I'm not too worried about it.

Living in El Cerrito, this place is close enough that it's not a bad trip. If you are in the area and in the mood for a classic greasy spoon diner with charm, check this place out! I try to go later in the morning on Saturdays because it can get packed early on and after church on Sundays. It's a balancing act because they close at 2pm, but if you can, give this place a shot.

The Alley Cafe is located at 2265 Pear Street in Pinole.

Jimmy Beans, Berkeley

I had been meaning to try Jimmy Beans forever because it's one of those cafes that are written up everywhere, and Kete is a partial owner in that group of restaurants (Jimmy Beans, Sea Salt, Lalime's, T-Rex and Fonda). So, since Andy offered to take me anywhere I wanted for lunch and Bette's had already closed, I dragged him to Jimmy Beans.

At Jimmy Beans, you order at the counter and then the food is brought to you. As we walked in, I wasn't too impressed with the inside. I know the place has been around for a while, but it just seemed like a few bottles of bleach would do wonders inside. Also, the guy at the counter was not the most friendly. He basically ignored me until I asked if I could please order.

I was in the mood for breakfast, so I got the Eggs Blackstone (English muffins with tomato, bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce), which comes with a "trio of sauces." Andy got a steak sandwich. After waiting a good twenty minutes (the place was practically empty, so why it took so long, I don't know), they came with our food. My eggs were delicious. The hollandaise sauce was actually done really well, and the bacon was perfectly cooked. After my first egg, I was already full. The rest of the plate, though, I was not too impressed with. The potatoes were pretty uneven--some undercooked and others were burned. It also came with the sauce trio, whatever that was. Basically, they put three dollops on my plate next to the eggs--one was a pesto, the other a tomato salsa and the last was some kind of sweet red pepper sour cream or something to that extent. I didn't really see the point. They were put next to my eggs, so most of the sauces mixed in with the hollandaise which was pretty gross, and I guess it might be interesting to use with the potatoes, but none of the flavors even went together--especially for breakfast! It was confusing and a total waste in my opinion.

Andy can't wait until I get this review up and going because he wants to rant about how awful his steak sandwich was. So, I'll let you all wait to read his commentary on this blog post.

All in all, the eggs were good, everything else, I wasn't too into. I'd much rather go to Bette's for a much cuter atmosphere, better service, better prices (this total came to $27 where Bette's would probably be about $22), and way better food (i.e., no sauce trio business)!

If you would like to go to Jimmy Beans despite my recommendation that Bette's is infinitely better, they are located at 1290 6th Street in Berkeley.
Phone: (510) 528-3435

They are open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturday through Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

They have a website, too: http://www.jimmybeans.com/

Bette's Oceanview Diner, Berkeley

This place has come to be one of my favorite breakfast places in the area. Rachel and I used to always go across the street (from Nolo) to the Westside Bakery and Cafe, and every single time we went, we'd swear to never go again because the food is terrible, the service is terrible, and they are really really really slow. Now that we've found Bette's, we are never going back to Westside.

Bette's is located on Fourth Street in Berkeley, across the street from Eccolo. It is a very small and cute place that serves both breakfast and lunch in and old-time style diner. The service there has been very fast and friendly each time that I've gone there, but make sure to note that they are always very busy--there is usually at least a 15 minute wait each time.

The first time I went to Bette's, I ordered the Maryland Breakfast, which consists of corned beef hash, two poached eggs and toast. The thing I love about their corned beef is that it's fresh and made from scratch. They also cook it well so that it has a nice crispy top to it, but not so it's overcooked--the meat is very tender and the potatoes melt in your mouth. The poached eggs on top are perfectly runny and kind of bring everything together.

My other favorite breakfast at Bette's is the California Breakfast--you get home fries, roasted tomatoes, and toast topped with ham and two poached eggs, covered in a lemon-herb butter sauce. With sourdough toast, this meal is to die for. I sometimes find myself dreaming about the California Breakfast at about 4 a.m. It's very filling, but I never feel heavy after eating it, I think because all of the ingredients are fresh. The eggs are cooked perfectly and the lemon-herb butter has real fresh chives in it. The homefries at Bette's are also pretty exceptional. Unlike most places, they really use a lot of onions and cook the potatoes so that they are crispy and full of flavor. I recommend this meal to anyone.

The beauty of Bette's is that it's a pretty unassuming place in the middle of 4th Street--and all of the meals are at or below $10, which is a really great deal in that area. Go here if you are in the area or just want a really good breakfast.

Bette's is located at 1807 Fourth Street, in Berkeley.
They do not take reservations, but if you want to call them for take-out, they can be reached at (510) 644-3230.

They are open Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Saturday through Sunday, 6:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

They also have a website with the menu and information on the take-out store: http://www.worldpantry.com/bettes/home.html