“Spring, an experience in immortality.” – Henry D. Thoreau

For me, the pleasures of taste, of sound, of smell… are intensified by Spring’s gentle breezes, its subtle fruits and its glowing sunsets.

My Top Tastes of the month:

- A brilliant cappuccino (of Blue Bottle ilk) from Four Barrel Coffee – right now, get their coffee in the alley (Caledonia, between 14th & 15th) behind the café which should open mid-May at Valencia & 15th

-Hush Puppies AND Crawfish Fried Cheese Grits at Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen in Berkeley

- Chocolate Brioche with Caramel Ice Cream and Lime Yoghurt at Candybar

- Caramel Apple Gelato from San Rafael’s Fiorello’s (I buy it at Belgano in Noe Valley – tell them to bring it back!)

- Bhel “Hood” Puri at Bollyhood Café

- A delicious Breakfast Bastilla (or B’stilla; they call it “The Pie from Heaven”) at Polk Gulch’s new Moroccan/North African cafe, Café Zitouna

This month in The Latest, drink with me at Belgian Ale Houses. Eat breakfast Around the Bay in Oakland. Wandering Traveler takes us to Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles.

I’d love your feedback on any spots you visited from my site. You can leave comments through the site on the Perfect Spot Blog or email me directly.

Let me guide you to the perfect spot!

Virginia

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BELGIAN ALE HOUSES

The Belgian craze hit hard last year with three Bay Area openings… its not new news. But it’s good news. Here’s my take after they have been open a few months:

La Trappe

La Trappe: My personal favorite for atmosphere alone, made perfect by the beer selection. When you walk down a dark wood, winding staircase to the brick walled, candlelit basement, you’re transported. For me, it’s reminiscent of atmospheric basement bars I visited in Berlin (minus flames shooting out of the walls). The glow of candles and classic jazz playing over the speakers creates a relaxed, intimate vibe.

Sadly, expect a differing degree of enjoyment depending on which bartender you get. They’re all quite knowledgeable about the overwhelming range of beers both by the bottle and in the ever-changing, impressive tap selection. Out of the 138 beers in the regular menu, 113 are Belgians, many served in different shaped glasses with each beer’s logo on it.

The staff offer many tastes of tap beers to help you choose just the right one. In early visits, the bartender chatted up my group and I like old friends, serving us mini-glasses of just about everything on tap. But on a recent visit, another bartender said he might “get in trouble” if he served us too many tastes. Really?

A more unfortunate recent note was being told we could not eat our Mussels and Frites anywhere other than at the bar (or a dining table), when we already had staked out a cozy spot on the leather couches. It felt like we were kids being relegated to the kitchen table for fear we’d spill – when I asked why the change, they mumbled something about not having the necessary staff to clean it up. An odd reason, since they’re already cleaning up beers.

These inconsistencies breed concern, marring the overall experience. But having met one of the owners weeks after they opened, I see what a quality person he is and what vision he and his partner have for the place. I hope for consistency and growth as they pass the year mark. La Trappe has a magical environment and beer selection unlike any around – well worth trekking across town for (I go on quieter weeknights).

Pair your beers with savory dishes like Rabbit Stew or traditional Belgian Mussels and Frites, served three ways (I loved the non-traditional option of Mussels in Coconut Curry with Jasmine Rice). Most importantly, the Beer/Ale selection is full of rich treasures that will keep you coming back again and again.

Monk's Kettle

Monk’s Kettle: The space is small and waits are long if you don’t go on an “off” hour. But thank you, Monk’s Kettle, for being open all day, every day, providing plenty of hours one can hit this Mission treasure for a quiet pint or hearty ‘pub grub’.

With 24 draft beers and over 100 bottles, they’ve arranged the well thought-out beer selection by taste profile so you can satisfy any given mood with the right ale. The food is no afterthought: from artisan Cheese and Charcuterie plates, to hearty favorites like Chili, Burgers (Niman Ranch, of course) and Pulled Pork. There’s also a Pot Pie of the Day, gourmet entrees in the $12-18 range such as pork chops, chicken breast or beef short ribs. I love the Pretzel with Stone Ground Mustard and Cheddar Ale Sauce (I have to ask for more of both!)

The small room (formerly beloved Kelly’s Burgers) doesn’t allow much leeway for even the imaginative. But dark wood booths are squeezed in as pleasing an arrangement as possible given the tiny space, and the atmosphere is more about the food, drink and company you’re with, not special on its own, like La Trappe. I find the service more even at Monk’s Kettle; certainly well informed, with waiters and bartenders who love the drink and food they serve.

The Trappist

The Trappist: The Trappist is a narrow, brick-walled bar in Downtown Oakland that doesn’t serve food and offers little opportunity to sit. But in the Bay Area’s Trappist/Belgian Ale scene, it’s well worth mentioning for it’s 15 rotating taps and over 140 bottles of excellent beers. With “no big corporate beer” as their website motto, you can be sure that the beer/ale connoisseurs among you will come away satiated.

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BREAKFAST in OAKLAND

East Bay breakfasts, particularly in Berkeley, are abundantly good, so I have a tough time deciding where to go across the Bay. Oakland has its own breakfast classics – we’ll explore one old and one new (don’t forget my favorite Oakland breakfast, the amazing Bakesale Betty’s bakery, which I highlighted in February).

Brown Sugar Kitchen

Brown Sugar Kitchen: In the wilds of West Oakland next to warehouses and train tracks, is Brown Sugar Kitchen, a quirky brown building, freshly painted, emitting the hypnotic smell of BBQ. Come early or late to avoid what is already a steady crowd.

West Oakland local, chef and author, Tanya Holland, started the place, blending her African American heritage with her culinary training in France. With the French part possibly making an appearance in cooking technique, the food itself is Southern Soul Food with a fresh, California sensibility.

Chicken and Waffles here is not similar to authentically greasy joints (e.g. Roscoe’s in Los Angeles)… and not as addictive. Yet it’s a worthy attempt at a Soul Food classic: a slightly crisp, airy cornmeal waffle with tender fried chicken in a spice rich batter.

Eggs are sublimely poached and can be paired with cheese grits, a biscuit or cornbread. Lunch offers BBQ Ribs, Pulled Pork Sandwich, Creole BBQ Shrimp and Jerk Chicken.

Prices look surprisingly cheap with most items $2-7 dollars. But… don’t be fooled. Most items are priced individually, which means you must compile your meal piece by piece, watching the price creep up, easily reaching $15 for one person. Portions are generous, but it’s pricier than one would initially think.

In keeping with the quality ingredients, coffee is the crème de la crème: Blue Bottle. I happily savor a perfect cappuccino with my biscuits. The tunes are selected by Tanya’s husband: a comforting mix of soul and R&B classics.

Though maybe not the best breakfast in the East Bay, I can’t help but smile as I sit at the darling countertop, observing the eclectic crowd that is already frequenting this new joint, livening up a desolate stretch of West Oakland.

Mama's Royal Cafe

Mama’s Royal Café: This dingy, 1974 Oakland classic can dampen your morning with a long wait if you don’t arrive early enough on weekends. What sets it apart from the average “greasy spoon” breakfast is its odd Asian décor touches (very 1970’s), fun wood booths in the center room, organic meat, free range eggs and Acme bread.

It’s cash only, so prepare accordingly. The waiters are young hippie/hipster types, cheerfully serving Eggs Benedict, Corned Beef Hash, Croque Monsieur, or Buttermilk Pancakes. It may not wow, but for old school comfort, it pleases.

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LOS ANGELES

Pizzaria Mozza

It almost doesn’t seem worth writing about a place that’s already such a hit… unless you love it enough to add your voice to the din. Though open little over half a year, reservations need to be made a month in advance and a line forms before it’s opening hour of noon. It’s not a hip “scene”, which is what normally draws LA crowds. In a very Bay Area move, this Hollywood pizzeria is all about the food. The room is high ceilinged and airy, service is attentive and professionally fine-tuned, but tables are packed tightly with the decibel level annoyingly high.

You’ll forget all that, however, when you taste the pizza that, despite countless delicious gourmet pizzas I’ve tasted over the years, actually stands out. I went in a little blasé, expecting a good pizza the likes of SF’s Pizzetta 211, Pizzeria Delfina and Beretta. I was delightedly surprised to bite into Mozza’spuffy, blistered, hollow crust and find a doughy center. A perfect combination of textures. Toppings are fresh, traditional Italian with over 15 pizzas to choose from. The Fennel Sausage Pizza is drool inducing… the aroma of fennel rises from the plate tauntingly before first bite confirms it tastes even better than it smells.

Appetizers are top quality, Italian antipasti with California freshness. The Brussel Sprouts in Prosciutto Bread Crumbs and Olive Oil are crisply invigorating, as are the salads, particularly the popular Chopped Salad. Whatever the gelato pie of the day is, order it… unless you don’t care for ice cream. I had a Meyer Lemon Gelato Pie: tart, refreshing, in a thick, homemade graham cracker crust, drizzled with white vinegar sauce. Their website shows a Pumpkin Gelato Pie – I’d come back for that!

Much has been made of this affordable pizzeria one can’t easily get into. Mario Batali’s first West Coast restaurant with Nancy Silverton’s heavenly pizzas and Joseph Bastianich’s wine expertise… is surprisingly worth the hype. On top of all this, Osteria Mozza, their upscale restaurant next door, is already winning national awards and acclaim. I’ll continue to recommend Pizzeria Mozza as a refreshingly affordable, stellar LA meal.

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