Asha Tea House

Asha Tea House is the kind of place a UC Berkeley student frequents so regularly that when they are forced to leave and become an alumna, they cannot stop thinking about that one random night cuddled with a delicious kiwi green tea with pearl no ice. I’ve read everything from Said and Spivak to Cosmo at this joint and I think I even held an emotional phone call tucked somewhere in the back of the “house” (this is me trying to establish a baseline of how comfortable I am here).

Their fruit teas are a revelation from the heavens. And after someone sent me an article about the carcinogens in boba balls and all the additives and colorings that make normal bubble tea so bad for you, I gave up on the world for a bit. Then I sniffed out Asha and all was well again. See, while I initially thought it was an Indian tea house which had stolen my master plan to create a chai cafe in Berkeley. So I went with low expectations and a heart of malice and then voila, I HAD THE BEST FRUIT TEA IN THE HISTORY OF PEOPLEKIND. Then I came back and tried the Jasmine Green Milk with Pearl, every seasonal fruit tea on the menu, got that card stamped, became a regular with a twist so that Adam knew my order would be with no ice when I walked in but couldn’t quite pin what I’d be in the mood for. Then I brought friends and stole their stamps and started cashing my cards in and now, sitting at home in Southern California, I intend to start a petition that such a great need in the community be filled here in my hometown.

Some of my favorites are the Jasmine Green with Soy Milk, no ice, LARGE, Matcha green (personally think it’s worth the hype), the Hong Kong Iced (this is for Emergencies when I need caffeine because this baby packs a punch), in the fruits I’m into it all but Kiwi, Strawberry, Raspberry and surprisingly Asian Pear (when it’s in season) have been at the top of my lists. All with a green tea base but the Strawberry in black is kind of amazing too.

Asha Tea House, you have changed my life. Know that. And please give me a tea on the house the next time I come in. Even if you don’t, I will be your loyal customer. You are awesome.

 

Asha Tea House
2086 University Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94704

Nature’s Express Restaurant

Spicy Thai Chik-un (To-go) $6.75

 

Avocado Quinoa Wrap

Perhaps because it isn’t entirely in “the way” for some Berkeley people or because it isn’t in city center for visitors or because it is FARTHER THAN CHEESEBOARD (heaven’s break loose at this point), not too many people know about Nature’s Express Restaurant.

This needs to be corrected.

This establishment seems to single handedly cater to every major food allergy that exists and in a not bland, delightful sort of way. I’ve been a regular-ish (I too have succumbed to the whole, IT’S SO FAR AWAY idea) and I’ve had quite an array of their foods.

My personal favorites are the Spicy Thai Chil-Un which is particularly excellent as a Collard Green Wrap. It has an amazing peanut dressing that ties all the flavors of the wrap (coleslaw, chik-un strips, red peppers, etc) together really well. I also am a fan of the Avocado Quinoa, also as a Collard Green Wrap or on its own because it has pickled ginger in it. I mean whoever came up with the idea of adding ginger to an avocado dish really nailed the whole making food deal in my opinion.

The Classic Grilled Reuben and Quinoa Salad were quite nice as well, as were the gluten-free brownies and the fresh juices (I had “Back to Your Roots”). Also, the staff really can cater to your needs. I once went their on my twice a month grain fast (Ekadashi) and I had a the Thai wrap sans the strips and the peanut sauce after the server told me that those were the grainy ingredients. Pretty awesome.

Nature’s Express Restaurant

1823 Solano Ave, Berkeley, CA 94707

Updates

It’s been such a long time since I’ve actually posted something on a blog. Whether it’s a lack of commitment, an omnipresent social life (FACEBOOK) that I regularly update or my proximity to all the people I’d normally share foodie revelations with, I keep telling the public that I will post and then I don’t.

For anyone I have let down, I’m truly sorry. I hope that my decision to barrage this blog and then stay consistent will make up for my absence. Shout outs to Krishna, Nam, Diya and Vishnu.

I’m going to edit the “About Me” section to reflect the following new pieces of information. But I felt the need to add this anyway.

I recently graduated UC Berkeley. I have a somewhat healthy obsession with my motherland, i.e., India, which has kept me going back. I was also raised in a Gaudiya Vaishnava family with a strict diet. Some people have been fascinated with the tale of my foodie genesis, so here it is.

In a nutshell, I’m a vegetarian and I recently (as in it’s been less than ten years) started eating out so most discoveries are pretty huge for me. Food excites me, calms me, grounds me and interests me. I love trying new places as much as I enjoy my allegiance to actually decent places. My adventures currently stretch out across the world and change as I travel. I’ve eaten in Southern and Northern California, India (primarily Northern), and Ireland (primarily Dublin) so I will blog about those experiences extensively. Cities I’ve spent some time in are covered, but not as much. These currently include Kolkata, Vrindavan, Paris, Berlin, Prague, Rome, Porto, Barcelona, Bari, Amsterdam and Budapest.

The extended version is as follows:

I grew up a strict lacto-vegetarian. That means I’ve never had meat in my life, or fish or eggs. For some reason, many members of my immediate communities, particularly Indian members, are shocked and awed. Personally, having never “tried” that stuff and without some sort burning curiosity stemming from a particularly abundant supply of food as a child and as an adult, I don’t think I’m desperately missing out.

Until I was about 13.5 and well into my first year of high school, my parents were pretty strict about eating out. In the jargon of our household, we didn’t eat “karmi-cooked food”. My parents and I, to a certain degree, believe in consciousness and the fact that the consciousness, either positive, spiritual, negative, lower, whatever, of the person preparing your food directly affects your consciousness. Thus, the first place I ate out at was Subway because I could actually see the food being prepared, not much cooking was involved in making a Veggie Delite sandwich and it was fast (I was in school).

I truly started enjoying eating out my second semester of college at UC Berkeley and my passion grew crazier as I became a person who photographed her food before that was a trend (in other words, I’m a hipster folks) and enjoyed switching it up as new options became available.

Then I decided to study abroad and this obsession became even realer as I began to HUNT for places that catered to my dietary restrictions. That’s about when I was ok with traveling halfway across town for the tastier and healthier option.

In any case, my foodie adventures are atypical in that they are not all encompassing. I eat strictly vegetarian food. I hunt vegetarian food down. I go to great lengths for that one superexcellent cup of gelato or donut or dosa or whatever.

If any of that appeals to you, please follow my adventures. If I actually cook, I’ll post a picture. If I can’t post a picture, I’ll be as vicarious about the experience as possible.

Thank you for your patronage.

Whipped

Ah, so my hunt for delicious cake in Delhi is pretty much over. Headed over to Whipped early last month in Defense Colony and pretty much was in heaven over their Snicker Kick cake. Moist vanilla sponge cake with a layer of peanut butter mousse all dipped in dark chocolate? HELL YES. Dark chocolate that is not fruity in India? HELL YES. Is this not a dream? HELL YES.

So of course, I went back again and again. This time I visited their flagship location in GK-2, which has a convenient outdoors seating area with a low wall so you don’t have to take in the lovely Delhi traffic view. Also, this location has a thing for Death Cab for Cutie. So if you’re with your boo and you’re really into the whole I’ll follow you in the dark deal and you want to top that off with some cake and some really really good coffee (like seriously), head on over to GK-2. Fun anecdote. One of my auto drivers initially was lost when I tried to tell him to take me to M-Block G-2, hoping that he would pass E-Block on the way and Whipped would magically appear. Instead he took me through CR Park so I was really disconcerted. Then I told him that I needed to go to a Bakery (pronounce Bay-kuh-ree, in my American accent) on E-Block. Total silence and a look in the mirror of confusion. Then I repeated myself and said, Baah-kuh-ree, E-Block, M-Block ke raaste mein and like some lightbulb went off, he was like (in Hindi), where all the young people go? And I was like, eh, I guess. And he brought me to Whipped. I’m still not sure whether it was a backhanded insult (like he could have said where all the young people LIKE YOU go) or whether he was just out of it but I’m going to refrain from psychoanalyzing.

In any case, other things that are kind of amazing are their Bailey’s Cappuccino (it has real Bailey’s in it and if your mum is like my mum she will ask you if something is “mixed” in the coffee, oh mum), a really good Java Chip shake that has a thickness factor that many Indian shake places just miss (wait for my post on this, a search for a thick milkshake constituted the better half of my Study Abroad adventure in 2011) and a Crunchy Coco Cake (the nuts were a bit too crunchy but still pretty good). Honorable mention to their Red Velvet Cupcake which was good but a tad sweet and also Red Velvet is not my cup of tea so that’s that. There’s also Banoffee and Tiramisu. And yes, all of the above are eggless.

They deliver in the radius. The minimum order was something like 800 rupees but if you’re having a party and you need a cake and you’re in Delhi and like you don’t really know of any other place that does eggless quite like this joint, Whipped my friends, Whipped.

Whipped

E-556, Near Dt Savitri Cinema, Main Road, Greater Kailash 2, Delhi – 110048

Whipped

3 Main Market, Near Citibank, Defence Colony, New Delhi

Milkshakes (and bringing boys to the yard) Mel’s

When I was a kid, my health conscious parents never let me in on the secret that milkshakes were ice cream and milk, blended to perfection and a certain dreaminess. Instead, we drank milkshakes of blended milk, sugar and fresh fruit and rejoiced.

I’m glad it was that way.

Because this new breed of milkshake, discovered en route Tijuana at the old age of thirteen, threatened me with its explosive ability to harm my otherwise reasonable eating habits. My first “real” milkshake was a cookies and cream one from Jack in the Box. The straw was dispensable to my tasting experience. My fingers weren’t. I scooped cookie bits out, dipped my nose into the cup and overall, made a fool of myself. My peers judged me. I remained oblivious.

Milkshakes remained a treat, enjoyed occasionally and cherished for their rare presence in my diet. (also, nothing is really walking distance where I live…)

My arrival in Berkeley however initially brought back my health conscious ways. Milkshakes and ice cream were replaced with “frozen yogurt” a “healthy”, “fat-free” alternative that was readily available across the countryside, practically on every street corner. Naturally, I got caught up in the new fad, initially choosing healthy lychee and original yogurts laden with wholesome fruit which slowly bastardized into a faux ice cream creation of chocolate yogurt, oreo crumbs, reese’s chunks and hot fudge.

Soon that didn’t cut it and I needed ice cream. An anonymous friend introduced me to The Original Mel’s, the spot that cut it for her after she got high with the homies. While they had ice cream, we opted for fries and milkshakes (no we were not high) and my god I was in foodie heaven. The milkshakes, THICK, CREAMY, FULL FLAVOR, ALL ICE CREAM with a bit of milk are divine. You can get add ins of oreo cookies and other such delights and they put generous cherries and nuts and whipped cream on top. I went back several times that week and coupled with the whole Saturn Cafe discovery, I put on some weight by the end of that month. Perhaps there is truth in the saying that you live life once. Don’t try to tell me otherwise because that is the mantra I repeat in my head when I embark on milkshake runs in Berkeley.

So go ahead, be brave, head over to Mel’s and order a milkshake with some fries. My only complaint is that sometimes the waiters are rude and/or creepily flirtatious.

The Original Mel’s

2240 Shattuck Ave
(between Allston Way & Kittredge St)
Berkeley, CA 94704

On Milkshakes and bringing boys to the yard (Saturn Cafe)

Saturn Cafe is delightful and completely out of this world. Har har, I’m being punny.

No but really, Saturn is a second home for me back at Cal, I go there like every week at least once if not twice or thrice.

I first heard about it because I walked by it and legitly heard a bunch of hippies in tie-dye shirts talking about how this place has been opened in Santa Cruz for the longest time and how the portions are enormous yadayadayada. I wasn’t particularly thrilled about a “diner” opening up where my beloved Azerbaijani restaurant once stood. That was a place I wanted to try! Especially because I chose my country of emphasis in my Comparative Politics class based on the restaurant that was on my daily commute route. I don’t know why I didn’t go and it kind of bothers me to this day. Actually not. But, Saturn.  The concept of a diner connotes eggs and bacon and burger type things which are inedible to me. So I didn’t actually have any expectations.

One of my girls called me up one morning and told me to get dinner with her at the new place on Oxford, Saturn. She’s a vegetarian so I figured that if we went and nothing worked out, we would go elsewhere.  We walked in and were overtaken by the RIDONCULOUS decor. Each table has a different theme. There are glittery columns. The waiters are so hip and cool. People were all dressed up on dates there. We were in our pajamas. WHAT ON EARTH WERE WE THINKING?

We got menus, Camille promptly told me that she used to go to the Saturn in Santa Cruz and thus had prior knowledge that this was a vege-friendly joint. Thanks for telling me now Camille.

It was seriously amazing to see that everything on the menu was either vegetarian or could be made vegetarian/vegan. I ordered a Greek Salad. She ordered a milkshake. I took a sip of said milkshake. It was DELICIOUS. Holy God, it was so so good that I ordered one and since then, I have experimented with the menu but milkshakes are a  must order for me.

YUM.

Unfortunately the ice cream has eggs in them but not to worry! Order a vegan milkshake. You will not be disappointed. In fact you will probably drink the whole entire milkshake down and perhaps order another. If not, the waiter will probably suggest somethings else for you. Do yourself a favor and try it. Don’t order too many things in a fit of excitement. Portions are big and you will have to take out soggy taquitos or onion rings which is not an exciting idea.Also the Hibiscus cooler is divine.

Perhaps the best Saturn date is my weekly trip with my girls post gym. After profuse sweat, nothing is possibly more enticing than the promise of a thick, vegan milkshake that will be justified by your intense workout. Totally worth it.

 

Cinnaholic

I was walking back from class one morning, lazily plodding my way down Oxford Street, past Starbucks when suddenly a smell overpowered my senses. It was a cinnamony, doughy, fresh-baked-deliciousity type of smell and like  Charlie (of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fame) did while passing Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, I stopped and inhaled deeply. It took over my senses and I literally just stood there, like an idiot, for 2 whole minutes before I looked up and saw the sign “Cinnaholic”. “Gourmet cinnamon rolls” proclaimed a cute little sign. My heart sank.

For those of you with a puzzled look on your face, wondering why such words could cause a fairly normal heart to sink, let me let you in on the story of my life in context of cinnamon rolls. I’ve been a lifelong lacto-vegetarian, meaning that I drink milk and eat cheese, but do not eat eggs. Ever since I was able to smell, I’ve loved the smell of cinnamon, adding it to my homemade oatmeal, pancakes and granola. But whenever my parents took me to the mall, I would pause outside of Cinnabon and literally tear my heart out standing 2 feet outside the doorway, inhaling deeply. As a child, I must have asked the ever-changing waitresses/waiters every time I went to the mall, “Do you have anything eggless?” only to be mercilessly shot down after a 10 minute ingredient scavenger hunt. One woman felt my pain and tried to console me that Cinnabon would soon cater to vegetarians. Maybe her lie is why I didn’t see her the next time I went and checked. It takes a certain amount of heartlessness to turn a child anxious to have a cinnamon roll, down. As an adolescent I gave up, satisfying my craving of “real”, “commercial” cinnamon rolls with my own home made recipe and an occasional whiff at the mall. As a teenager, I gave up the smelling completely, choosing cinnamon raisin bread over rolls and guilt tripping friends who tried to have me taste their “delicious” rolls with animal cruelty rhetoric.

When I inhaled the storefront of Cinnaholic however, my childhood persistent curiosity set in. I went inside and read the menu, took in the black and white decor and waited for someone to surface behind the counter. I observed little sample cups and curiously decorated rolls, smothered in frosting, various toppings (hazelnuts, gingerbread, coconut, cookie crumbs, pomegranate seeds) on little plates. My mouth watered a little. When a person came out, my eyes got all puppy-like and hopeful as I timidly asked “Do you have anything eggless on your menu?” Understanding that I was in Berkeley and was likely to be offered coffee and not a flatout shot down, I prepared my soul. “CINNAMON BREAD IS AS GOOD AS CINNAMON ROLLS!”

“Oh yeah, everything is vegan.” the lady said, smiling.

“Uh, vegan?” I asked, my face contorted with flabbergastion.

“Vegan.” she replied, finality in her voice.

“SHUT UP.” I exclaimed, really loudly.

Good thing it was only 11 in the morning and no one was in the store. I actually did a happy dance. “This is probably the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, thank you, thank you, thank you.”

The lady looked thoroughly confused.

I ordered a cinnamon roll with butterscotch frosting that morning. I came back with a friend that afternoon. And then the next day.

I’ve nearly stamped off my entire card and it has been less than 2 weeks.

I’ve had sugar highs, sugar lows and gone where the wind blows.

This is my new obsession.

I am a cinnaholic.

 

Intents.

After a break of nearly an year an a half, I come back to blogging with some encouragement from family and new friends. After nearly four years of working toward this enigma of a “good college”, I’ve found myself at The University of California at Berkeley.

It was worth every word problem on the SAT, every sleepless night before a final, every heart-race and heartbreak that is high school.

I love it here. So very much. I am honored to call Berkeley my home. I have been presented with new challenges, glorious opportunities, wonderful wonderful people and new, sophisticated goals.

One of those goals is to try and experience as many of Berkeley’s eateries, cafes, restaurants, fast food chains, FOOD ZONES (if not all) in the four years I am here. I’m a lacto-vegetarian and I hope that my gourmet experiences will present an accurate representation of the acceptance I have found here at Berkeley and the options available to vegetarians like myself.

That being said, I will use this blog to share my experiences as I wander the streets of Berkeley, a bosmopolitan in appearance, a foodie at heart.