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"Hyper-rational pedantic geek"
- 22 Friends
- 48 Reviews
- 1 Review Updates
- 6 Firsts
- 2 Fans
- 3 Lists
Review votes:
44 Useful, 9 Funny, and 42 Cool
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Emeryville, CA
Yelping SinceDecember 2006
Find Me Inslightly uncomfortable chairs
My HometownNorthridge, CA
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...history and logic are being filtered through my brain
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI'm a stickler for high quality
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadRon Paul's The Revolution
My First Concertwasn't that great. Best concert? Death Cab for Cutie in Grand Prairie, TX.
My Favorite MovieGarden State
My Last Meal On EarthMedium-rare filet from Ruth's Chris followed by Maggie Moo's eggnog ice cream
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I will unabashedly give higher ratings to a restaurant with cute waitresses
Most Recent DiscoveryThe Greek Theatre in Berkeley. Quaint.
Current CrushAren't you supposed to keep crushes secret?
DateBerkeley, CA 94709
(510) 849-2827
Barney's Gourmet Hamburger
Category: Burgers
Neighborhoods: UC Campus Area, Gourmet Ghetto, North Berkeley
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01/21/2008
The menus don't fold. They're tri-fold menus laminated so tight that they don't fold even though they have creases -- they spring back open as soon as you let go.
Service was prompt and helpful; environment was clean and bright. I didn't notice the fireplace until we were on the way out -- the rest of the place doesn't really give off the fireplace vibe. The chairs aren't the most comfortable in the world, but I'll live.
The burger selection is pleasing, as is the beverage menu. The Oreo milkshake was pretty decent -- not too heavy and not too weak. We split an Alpine burger (can't seem to finish an entire gourmet burger in a single sitting anymore and taking burgers home never works out) -- swiss cheese, sauteed onions and mushrooms. Then we added bacon. You can add bacon to pretty much anything and it will instantly be more awesome. Remember that. Bacon.
Nothing took too long to come out. The curly fries were a bit on the dry and crispy side, but I like most of my food soggy so I think I'm in the minority. Their ranch sauce is interesting. It tastes like it has extra herbs in it...rosemary or something. I'm terrible at identifying ingredients. The plate of curly fries was enough for five of us to split comfortably.
The (half) burger itself was about as large as you'd expect, but piled high with toppings. The top bun looked a bit undersized and was mostly falling off, but I made due. The beef patty was quite good and the swiss and onions complemented it nicely. The mushrooms could have been much more flavorful, but they weren't bad. The bacon was a bit on the crispy side as well, but still thick and flavorful.
That's about it really. I didn't realize we were supposed to pay at the counter until we sat there for a while talking and waiting for someone to pick up the payment. They really need to print that in neon letters on the bill or something.
Would eat here again. Next time I'll get a different burger. With bacon.Was this review …?
(1)
Corte Madera, CA 94925
(415) 927-0202
West Elm
Categories: Furniture Stores, Home Decor
I got a glass of water in the early morning, then got back into bed only to hear the frame split in half. This was troubling to say the least, not only because I'm not a heavy person at all but because the bed was only a month old. Very unsettling. Do beds have warranties? I had all manner of unpleasant thoughts run through my head and was down about it the entire day.
Then after work we gave the store a call and explained what had happened. The manager immediately said it was no problem and that we could come pick up a replacement the next day (or have one delivered later). I was surprised at the utter lack of hassle.
We went into the store the next day, asking for that same manager, but he happened to be on his lunch break. No problem, one of the associates understood the problem and authorized the new bed on the spot. Twenty minutes later we were driving home with a brand new bed in the back of the car.
Beside the fact that the bed broke, the way they dealt with our situation was excellent. I'm far more likely to return to this store (or the new one they're building in Emeryville) with the knowledge that my purchases will be reasonably secure in the event of misfortune. I wish all retailers were like this, but the reality pushes this store up to a 5 in my book, relative to other businesses.
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Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 528-9880
Pyramid Brewery & Alehouse
Categories: Pubs, Breweries, Restaurants
The burgers are solid and the other American dishes range from "OK" to "good". Their spicy mustard (comes with bangers & mash) is exceptionally good and they make it in-house, evidently.
Really if you're going here it's for the great beer and the dependable food. Nothing fancy.
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Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 843-8277
Jupiter
Categories: Jazz & Blues, Pubs, Breweries, Pizza
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
The waitress was quick to take drink orders and had a sort of play-rude attitude like you'd expect from Dick's Last Resort. I'm not sure if that's a normal thing at Jupiter but we didn't really care much -- we can dish it back just as fast as it's coming.
The beer was excellent and the food was amazing; a solid five stars for both. We split the "Circe" pizza with garlic and shrimp (yes, it's just as good as it sounds) and a "Persephone" sandwich with marinated portobello mushrooms, roasted red peppers, mixed greens, provolone and aioli on focaccia. The pizza was ridiculous; it was at least twice as good as I expected. I'm never a big vegetarian eater, but this sandwich rivaled some of the best I've had -- it was *that* good.
The waitress was slow and forgetful at times, but lucky for her the chef made this experience impossible to rate any less than five delicious stars. This will be a new regular outing for us.
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I couldn't really believe that they didn't have Pyramid on tap, being like 2 blocks away from the brewery. The Mendocino Bock was alright, but nothing stellar. The service was inexplicably fast and competent for our large group, which is why they're hanging onto that fourth star.
The food was fine. Not amazing, not bad. I got the brisket sandwich with horseradish and potato salad. The brisket was tough, fatty and stringy, making it near impossible to eat. The bread was cold, hard and dense. I liked the potato salad though.
My girlfriend had the pulled pork sandwich which she said was excellent. That's curious coming from a Texan who grew up on Real Barbecue(tm) but she stuffed herself in honor of this wondrous food.
I think I'll give them another try and maybe get some ribs. the venue and service were top notch, so at least I know I have nothing to lose there.
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Austin, TX 78701
(512) 472-8882
Pangaea
Categories: Dance Clubs, American (New), Lounges
Neighborhood: Downtown
The interior is very neat and otherworldly compared to the rest of the clubs in the area. It's warm, wood-filled, African. There were lots of other interior touches like the screens draped from the ceiling, the beach island style bar and the particularly nice bathrooms.
I should disclose that I know the investors, so not waiting in any lines or paying any covers probably lends a lot to my perception. I wouldn't ever pay or wait in line to get into a place like this but that's only because I don't like the whole bar/club scene, nothing about this specific venue.
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Austin, TX 78701
(512) 472-9637
Halcyon Coffeehouse
Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bars
Neighborhood: Downtown
Free wi-fi, easygoing music, comfy couches, abstract art and pleasing decor. If I lived in Austin I think I might make this place my new office. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a slower pace than the loud bars and clubs.
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Concord, CA 94521
(510) 773-9900
Dent Erasers - Paintless Dent Removal
Category: Body Shops
Where there were once unsightly dents in the side of my beautiful black Subaru WRX STI there is nothing but smooth and shiny curves like the day I bought it off the lot.
He took all of the dents out, including one that even had paint in it, in just a couple of hours. His price was reasonable, he was very friendly and he was able to schedule the job quickly so I could get on with selling my car.
Don't even think twice if you have door dings or dents in your car -- call Brian up and let him work his magic.
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The food was surprisingly good. It's definitely beyond bar food and firmly in good pub food territory. I had a burger with cheese and bacon (artery-clogging goodness) and they even gave me enough ketchup to finish it with (2 squatty bottles). Her bangers & mash were also very good.
For pours I had the Paulaner Hefeweisen first, which, while decent, doesn't compare to a Pyramid Hefeweisen at the Pyramid Alehouse. Then I had Paulaner's Oktoberfest which was actually pretty good -- better than Sam Adams Oktoberfest anyway.
They had sports on multiple TVs the whole time, but we didn't pay attention much. One of the large TVs (or its projector) has a large splotch in the middle of it that annoyed us even though we weren't consciously watching it. They also had a music playlist in the background, some of which was good.
Overall the experience was good, the atmosphere cozy and the waitresses helpful. The only critique I could level in good conscience would involve a request for it to be about 5 times larger with 5 pool tables. Oh well. We'll probably find ourselves here again when we're in the area.
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We were looking for some decent food for take out late (10:30pm or so) on a weekend and this place was close enough to warrant a try. Plus they were still open and the girl on the phone sounded cute.
The Penne Portobello was surprisingly tasty for something in a plastic box, and agreeably priced. They put the wrong sauce on her ravioli, but other than that it was also very good. A simple dinner for two at around ten dollars each. I was duly satisfied and will definitely try them again when the opportunity arises.
Oh and, the hostess was very cute.
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Lists
3 ListsTop Restaurants in San…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in America's Finest City.
My Old Neighborhood
The places within a small radius of one of my previous places in San Diego.
Best Local Foodplaces in…
Yep.
I now long for Barney's on a regular basis, but use my extreme will power to restrict visits down to only 2 or 3 a month. Needless to say, this is a staple in my local cravings and is undoubtedly worth all 5 stars.