Atlanta etc.: Marilyn Wolf's Food Blog and Restaurant Blog

I discovered the Crystal City location of Legal on my last trip to the Beltway. I've enjoyed Legal for decades, starting in Boston, and I consider it a mainstay for seafood. This is my grilled salmon. I usually don't eat the skin, but this skin was charred and delicious. The seaweed salad is wet and cool, making a great complement to the salmon in taste, texture, and temperature. I treated myself to Legal's famous ice cream bon-bons. One of my friends one ate six plates of these puppies. Tonight, three was just right and the perfect way to top off the meal.

I haven't been in Hobee's for years but I have always enjoyed their breakfasts. Hobee's is a Penninsula mainstay and famous for their California-style breakfasts. I went for the honey whole wheat pancakes and an egg on the side. My scrambled was wonderfully eggy---I don't know what they did but I really enjoyed it. The pancakes were good and comforting. I must admit that I thought the lacked a little zing, but they were still pretty good. Unfortunately, I couldn't make room for their famous blueberry coffee cake...

I had lunch today at the Chaat Café on University Avenue. The restaurant seems tiny from the outside but is in fact deceptively large and airy. The chef works at the tandoori oven from behind a kitchen window. As seems to be commonplace in Berkeley, you order at the counter and then sit down. The service was very friendly. This is my saag paneer dinner. As you can see, it was quite generous. The spinach in the paneer was soft and tender but not overly oily, unlike some paneers I've had. Likewise, the dal had some great spices in it, in contrast to the bland dals that one often finds. The vegetable mix was a mix of cauliflower and potato, all with a nice curry that gave good flavor without hiding the taste of the vegetables. I left very satisfied in both flavor and quantity.

Alex and Patrick introduced me to Pizza Moda on University Ave. in Berkeley. The room is stylish and modern. Several huge Italian movie posters hang on the wall, highly appropriate to the menu, although Alex tells me that they are survivors from a previous restaurant at this location. Alex and I went for the Calabrian chili pizza. The chili added just occasional touches of heat to contrast with the rest of the ingredients. The cheese was quite good. The crust was the right combination of crunchy and chewy, with a satisfying wheaty taste. Patrick went for a pasta dish that looked huge. For dessert, I had the flourless chocolate tart. It was a good complement to the dinner, providing sweetness and bitterness of chocolate without too much sweetness. Alex had the fruit tart, which he made to disappear without complaint.

When I figured out how close Hog Heaven is to Vanderbilt, it instantly became my dinner destination. It's on the edge of Centennial Park in a low-key location, right behind McDonald's. I ate at a picnic table underneath a shady roof. The meat on my ribs came off the bone with the slightest touch of my lips---my breath was almost enough. It had a distinct but not overwhelming smoke note at the beginning, followed by the wonderful taste of pork. My black-eyed peas were great. The greens were tender and flavorful; I used the optional vinegar sauce which I really liked. Not many BBQ places make their own bread, so the cornbread cake was a special treat.

Dimitrios and I stopped by Bell Street Burritos for a quick dinner. We were both impressed. The atmosphere is simple but bright and cheery. Despite the "Burritos" in the name, I decided to try the pork tacos. The meat was very nicely cooked, tender and just the right amount of juiciness. The corn tacos were soft and delicious---each taco was double-wrapped.

Dimitrios and I went to Sotto Sotto to discuss some research ideas. I had been there once before, but it's been awhile. The restaurant is very lively. Both of us noticed the many groups of women---it seems to be the go-to place for a girls' night out. I forgot to snap a photo of the carpaccio. It was very delicate, just wisps of beef, but still flavorful. I was interested in a change of pace, so I ordered the seafood risotto. It was spiked with all manner of seafood, ranging from a little tiny octopus to mussels and shrimp. The seafood was all perfectly cooked. The risotto was very creamy and rich. This is Dimitrios's pasta. The shape is called "priest strangler." I've seen this shape before, but never knew the name. He reported that it tasted great despite the connotations.