INTERVIEW: Alex (At Our Heels)

We sat down with Alex from the Bay Area hardcore band AT OUR HEELS and asked a few questions over some food at SATURN'S CAFE...

Check out this live video from AT OUR HEELS at 924 Gilman in Berkeley....

Review: St Francis Fountain

If you are in the mission and you like greasy-spoon style diners... St Francis Fountain is required eating. Operating out of San Francisco's Mission District since 1918 (No... it hasn't moved...ever...), St. Francis has all your favorite menu items from milk shakes and burgers to breakfast scrambles.

Their vegetarian options are very impressive as well. The Tofu Scramble a friend ordered was great and my Devil Burger was (despite its rough appearance...pictured above with a side of mac n cheese) a delicious shredded-seitan delight.

If you get a chance... check out St Francis Fountain ASAP.

http://www.stfrancisfountainsf.com/

Review: Hitachino Nest (beer)

I am not quick to spend $12 on 2 bottles of beer. However, I had run into this brand of beer a few times and I finally decided to indulge.

I went to my local Japanese fish market and purchased one bottle of their Red Rice Ale and one of their True Ginger Brew Ales. Both beers were 7% alcohol. Both beers had a similar crisp carbonation with a light head that reminded me of a cider or a belgian lambic. I found the ginger brew to be really lacking in aroma and any hints of ginger were only found in the after-taste with a slight burn in the back of the throat. The Red Rice had a more rosy color and even rose colored head. It was more aromatic than the ginger but not anything too noticeable. Both had very mild bitterness and a slight hint of sake-like flavor.

Although both beers had a great color and consistency (if you like dryer drinks), I was disappointed by the lack of flavor and aroma. I am glad I finally tried these beers but next time I will be buying a six pack or getting my growler filled at a local brewery.

Ginger Brew: A nice color (brown with hints of red), very little head, no noticeable aroma, well balanced, crisp, very little noticable ginger. Only after completing each sip didn't i notice the burn of ginger in the back of my throat. A good beer with the consistency of a cider. Was expecting more ginger (both taste and aroma).

Equally crisp, rosey in color. Slight Sake taste

RECIPE: Vegan Confetti Cupcakes

Submitted by Jan at STAY SWEET CUPCAKES (Click HERE)

makes one dozen cupcakes (double for 24)
Preheat oven for 350 degrees
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup soymilk
(mix apple cider and soymilk together and let sit for about three mins)
3/4 cup Sugar
1/3 cup Oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fresh squeezed orange juice
(put sugar, oil, and extracts into a large bowl and pour in the soymilk mixture, mix until smooth)
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
1/2 salt
(In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch)
2 tablespoons vegan colorful sprinkles
(add the sprinkles to final batter, give it a final mix with a spatula, scoop the batter into the cupcake pan (best to use an ice cream scooper) )
bake for 20-22 minutes
keep in pan for about five minutes after
transfer to wire rack
cool completely

Now,
Orange buttercream
3 tablespoons fresh squeeze orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 stick of earth balance natural butter spread
1/4 stick of earth balance natural shortening

1. mix butter and shortening until combine (about 5 minutes)
2. mix in the sugar (5-7 minutes)
3. add in extracts and OJ mix until nice and fluffy

pipe on cooled cupcake sprinkle with color sprinkles

Eat and share with no one.

REVIEW: Pirate Cat Radio/Cafe

On the corner of 21st & Florida in the Mission District of San Francisco you can find a cool little Cafe with a great vibe. With a simple menu of coffee and tea drinks including their one-of-a-kind Maple Bacon Latte and a few bagels and pastries, this is not a place for those used to Panera Bread or Starbucks.

In addition to the cafe they are the home of a pirate radio station on 87.9FM. Featuring DJs all days covering a wide array of genres there is something for everyone.

Come check out the cafe and tune in if you are in the area.

REVIEW: Beeradelphia (Blog)

There is a new blog for all you beer drinkers out there...

"My name is Matt and I’m a beer guy. For me, there is no pleasure greater than good friends, good food, and good brews. This blog is meant to inform and guide fellow beer lovers to what they might like. I’ll discuss beers according to my tastes, but if the description sounds like something you generally like, then go ahead and try it! One beer may not be for me, but it might be your new favorite."

Check his blog out at BEERADELPHIA <-------- CLICK IT!

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Rare Vos – Ommegang Brewery, Cooperstown, NY. (pictured above)

Style: Belgian Ale.

Drank: 750 mL bottle.

Pour: Nice amber color.

Head: Very thick, frothy, with loose lacing.

Nose: Caramel, sweet fruits, bread, and yeast.

Palate: Yeast, caramel, lingering clove flavor.

Mouthfeel: Nice carbonation. Very light, but not too dry.

This is probably the best beer I’ve had from Ommegang so far. A lot less wine-like than the others. Very balanced and tasty.

I’d like to pair this with something spicy and flavorful. The fairly refreshing nature of this will interact well with spice.

EVENT: Clovis Farmer's Market

Farmers Market (Clovis CA)

Friday evenings in Clovis, California from the May to September you can find a great farmers market. Although the photographs were taken late in the grow season, there was still an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables including pomegranates , peppers, squash, grapes, and strawberries as well as much more.

In addition to produce, you will also find booths with prepared foods such as hummus and pita bread, fresh local cheese, and dried fruits and vegetables. Located on Pollasky, this market provides lots of shade and some great small businesses such as Giovanni's Cafe where you can find a delicious Bleu Cheese and Fig ravioli.

REVIEW: No Worries

No Worries (Restaurant) Oakland CA

“Vegan Filipino food though... that doesn't sound right”. This is a quote from a Filipino friend of mine when I mentioned I would be going to NO WORRIES in Oakland. As with many cultures, the idea of doing traditional cuisine without the meat or animal products can be strange. However, having dabbled in some Filipino food through my extended family… I found the food to be not only delicious but also true to the culture while still being modern.

The staff were very pleasant, accommodating, and engaging. I sat a table near the restrooms as I waited for my dinner guest (for an interview with Ben Murray from Heartsounds checkout the GUESTS section) and was pleasantly surprised to hear Johnny Cash playing quietly over the restaurants sound-system. Green walls and the stained wood tables reminded me island imagery but the art on the walls featured Bay-Area landmarks and icons. Both forma and informal customers would feel comfortable. I was enjoying the vibe.

The dinner-menu options are simple but not restricting; enough variety without having to read through dozens of entrees.

It didn’t take long after my guest had arrived before we knew what we were going to order. We ordered the “Chicken” Adobo and the Bistek with white rice for our dinner and for an appetizer we ordered Lumpia and fried shrimp. To drink I had melon juice and Ben had a Hansen’s Soda.

The lumpia, a dish I was very familiar with, were very good. They are the Filipino version of an eggroll served with sweet and sour sauce. Crispy outside, well seasoned cabbage and other veggies inside. Simple. Good.

The fried shrimp had the consistency of shrimp so they were a success on that level. However, I wish they had had a thicker and crispier batter. The sauce, a mild spicy vinegar, was also lacking a bit.

The Chicken Adobo arrived with pieces of both mock chicken and tofu browned and then tossed in a tangy sauce with tomatoes alongside it. I liked the mixture of textures and I don’t think the dish would be as successful with just chicken or just tofu. The sauce was very good. If you like thicker sauces you might be disappointed but I thought it was perfect and was really good when put over the rice.

The Bistek is mock beef in soy sauce with greenbeans, onions, and some lemon on the side. If the soy beef was in smaller pieces and possily browned a bit more I would say it could be as good as the Adobo. The green beans were perfectly cooked and accompanied the whole dinner well.

The melon juice was very good; sweet and refreshing. They give you a large straw commonly seen with boba-teas because there are actually strips of melon in the juice. I enjoyed it.

I wish I had left room for desert, but I am positive I will be back very soon. I had a great time and I am looking forward to trying the pancit (noodles).

REVIEW: Flaco's

Flaco’s Mexican (Restaurant) Berkeley



Having passed Flaco’s a million times while taking the BART, I was surprised when Ryan (aka Toast) from the band Ceremony suggested we meet there. From the outside Flaco’s appears to be a very traditional taqueria which… while tasty… are not always very vegetarian friendly (nor should someone expect them to be). Flaco’s is indeed traditional but is entirely vegetarian/vegan friendly.



With a very small menu consisting of half a dozen entrees, a few sides, and a small kitchen Flaco’s keeps it simple.



Having already tried Flaco’s fantastic veggie taquitos at the Berkeley Farmer’s market (although not realizing it was the same restaurant I had passed near the BART station) I decided to give the pozole a shot as well as the banana-leaf wrapped tamale. As someone raised on my mom’s Puerto Rican cooking, the idea of the banana-leaf tamale was appealing due to sounding similar to a dish I was a fan of… but I had to make a conscious effort to not judge the dish based on a Caribbean-style standard.



The pozole, a blend of spices in a deep red broth with large, tender hominy served with a side of onions and a lime wedge was delicious. My only complaint is that it wasn’t as hot (temperature…not spice) as I would have preferred.



The Tamale consisted of corn masa with potatoes, capers, and olives steamed in a banana leaf. Although a little thin, the taste was great. The green sauce on top was also very good with some great contrast to the tamale. I could have used a little less sauce but that is more of a personal preference.

For around $12 I had a great meal and look forward to stopping at the Ashby BART station on my way home from work to eat again in the near future.

GUEST: Ben Murray (Heartsounds / Light This City)

Ben Murray (Heartsounds – Epitaph Records)

Ben Murray from the Bay Area punk band Heartsounds and drummer for the former Death-Metal band Light This City (Prosthetic Records) joined me at NO WORRIES in Oakland for some dinner. Checkout the reviews page for more info on the restaurant and what we ordered.

Q: How are things at Epitaph and how did they approach you?

A: Things are great. Basically they heard our record. Somebody at the office was playing the record behind Brett (Gurewtiz)… behind Brett’s desk… and he heard it and I guess he liked it and he emailed us like that day. He emailed me, I got the email on my phone and I freaked out. A week later we were on a plane going down there to meet with him. I guess they liked us and we like them a lot… obviously. How could you not? In all honesty they really are rad people. They treat their bands really well and are genuinely caring. So…you know… the rest is kind of history.

Q: Tell me about Light This City (RIP) and how the musical process has changed since converting over to the punk genre.

A: Well the musical process is exactly the same. Towards the last couple Light This City records I didn’t write the whole thing I just wrote some of it but starting a band… a lot of it I did myself. As a fan [of punk] it was a seamless transition. It didn’t feel like I had to consciously say “ok write punk stuff “ or was writing metal riffs went “No, no no! You have to write punk!”. It was easy. I’ve been listening to punk all my life. Before I started listening to metal I was listening to punk so it was very easy and refreshing. A nice change of pace. I feel like I had a lot of ideas right away.

Q: It seems like you came up with everything pretty quick.

A: Ya it took like a year to write the entire record and record it. It was definitely easy… it wasn’t stressful.

Q: As well as the band you are a student at UC Berkeley. Are you ready for finals?

A: No. Not at all. I never am and I never will be… and I hate it. They always sucks. I get through them somehow but It ruins my life for a couple weeks everytime.

Q:In your experience with Light This City and Heartsounds, have you had any issues finding food on the road? Are you pretty easy to please?

A: Issues for me are issues that people don’t have. Like… I’ll want a burrito for four days in a row and if were in a town without a taqueria I’ll be upset. But in some towns in the Midwest and certain places the only option is Dairy Queen or some shit and I don’t feel like driving all around. It would probably be a better decision to drive around. But no we never have really huge problems. We’ve found a lot of awesome places which has been pretty cool. I enjoy food adventures on the road. I usually don’t dread going on tour because of the food.

Q: What’s an example of comfort food from your childhood and what kind of food have you gotten into more recently?

A: My family was never into traditional “comfort food”. We were never a chicken and mashed potatoes kind of family. [Thinking] I don’t know. This is my ultimate comfort food… its lunch! Like an amazing deli sandwich with good chips and a good drink. THAT makes me feel comfy and warm inside.

Q: And something more recently?

A: Indian food is probably the most recent obsession of mine. I can’t seem to get enough of it.

Q: You released Heartsounds first EP on your label Creator Destructor. What other artist should we be listening to that have releases on C.D.?

A: All of them! Haha. Recently…the band Seahaven is incredible. They’re going to do awesome things I have no doubt about that. Their EP that I released called “Ghost” is really good. The Gypsyhawk LP is incredible. For any fan of metal or rock in general… its undeniable. The At Our Heels record just came out and it’s really good. For fans of Converge and American Nightmare. What I’m about to release…in February…is a new record from Voyager from Massachusetts who are like ambient space-doom and they’re amazing. If you like Isis or Neurosis it will be your new favorite record. So all of it. All of it’s good.

Q: You’ve recently played shows with Alkaline Trio, Bouncing Souls, Bad Religion, Strung Out, and others…any big plans we should know about?

A: No. Non. We are taking the next few months to write the new record before we go into the studio in February.

Q: Are you going to be recording with Zach Ohren at Castle Ultimate again?

A: Yea. We love going back to him. We never have any problems. If it ain’t broke…

Q: How was your dinner?

A: It was good! It was wonderful. Good company. I’m not the most knowledgeable critic on vegetarian food , vegan food especially, but… that was quite tasty.

REVIEW: Thai Noodle

Thai Noodle (Restaurant) Berkeley CA

As a transplant in a new city, I find myself wandering aimlessly fairly often. I don't know anybody and I don't really have anywhere to be besides work.

One evening I found myself on an especially long excursion and after downing several beers at Triple Rock Brewery and I found that I had the intense urge to use the restroom. Not willing to risk a ticket for peeing in public I found the nearest open bar or restaurant I could. I didn't feel right just using their bathroom without supporting their business so I had decided wherever I went or would order something (McDonalds and other fast food joints being the exception).

I came across a little restaurant simply known as Thai Noodle. Not only was happy to find a place to drain the main vein, but I was also pleasantly surprised by the food.

I asked the waiter what the most popular vegetarian dish was and he recommended the Pad See Ew with tofu. I had had this dish many other places and I was a fan so I went for it. The waiter had the courtesy of asking whether I wanted it with or without eggs which I appreciated. I went with the eggs. Within 10 minutes I had a delicious pile of noodles tossed with broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, and cabbage in a sweet sauce.

The dish was tasty all by itself but I was happy to add some chili powder and peanuts from the condiments that were included at my table. The sauce was the right balance of sweet to salty and the veggies were tasty. My only complaint was the carrots were slightly overcooked but for under $8 I was still very happy with what I received.

If you are looking for an inexpensive, quick, tasty meal then check Thai Noodle on Shattuck & Berkeley.

REVIEW: Souley Vegan

Souley Vegan (Restaurant) Oakland, CA

Ask a vegan or vegetarian where their favorite local restaurant is and a large majority of the time that restaurant will be serving Asian cuisine. Whether its part of the culture or just the popularity of dishes that are easily made veggie friendly, Indian, Chinese, and Thai restaurants often have plenty of options.

With that in mind, I am always interested when a restaurant covers new territory. That is what brought me to Souley Vegan, a Southern-style soul food spot on the corner of Broadway & 3rd in Oakland.

As I entered, I was greeted by several kind ladies who were eager to help me with my order seeing as it was my first time. Their menu contains a large variety of southern dishes such as corn bread, collard greens, red beans with rice, and many others. From these you can cheese 1-4 to be served on a plate or you can choose a sampler which gives you a taste of nearly everything. They also have burgers/sandwiches. Toast, the bass player for Bay Area Hardcore band Ceremony, even has his own menu item.

I ordered 3 sides: the fried tofu, the potato salad, and the mac-n-cheese. To drink I ordered the Cayenne Lemonade.

The food took a little while to come out seeing as it was their peak dinner hour. This was fine for me but if you are in a rush you may want to call ahead of time.

When the food arrived I was not disappointed by the portion sizes. For $14 I had received a normal size drink with 2 heaps of mac-n-cheese and potato salad as well as 2 large pieces of catfish-style battered tofu served with lemon and herb-butter. The batter on the tofu was crispy and delicious and not too greasy. Although the tofu inside had not had much else done to it, it worked perfectly in the context of the dish.

The potato salad was excellent and had red skin potatoes, black olives, and green onions with just the right amount of creaminess.

The mac-n-cheese had a good peppery kick to it and was certainly better than other vegan versions of that dish I have had, but as someone who hasn't made the jump from vegetarian to vegan yet I found the "cheese" to be a little too creamy and too salty for me. I also felt like the noodles were slightly overcooked.

The Cayenne Lemonade was tasty but as someone with a sweet tooth I could have used a little more sugar in it. The cayenne was subtle and worked well with adding some depth to the beverage.

Overall I had a very good experience although next time I will make sure to order some greens or other veggies. I found myself crazing a salad after I ate and I believe that that was no fault of the restaurant but rather my lack of balance when ordering. I am eager to come back and try their Strawberry Ginger juice and their fried okra.

EVENT: Berkeley Farmer's Market

Berkeley Farmer's Markets
*Tuesday on Derby between Milvia & MLK (photographed)
*Thursdays on Shattuck
*Saturdays on Center between Milvia & MLK



Held three days a week, the Berkeley Farmer's Markets are a few of many fantastic markets going on in the East Bay and the greater Bay Area.

Featuring a great selection of organic produce and prepared food such as tofu, pasta, and baked goods... you can find something for everyone.



Rain or shine, these markets are year-round.

Along with your regular shopping, visitors can also enjoy some great ready-to-eat food including Flaco's Vegetarian Mexican food. Check out our reviews section to see pictures from their restaurant across from the Ashby BART station.



Whether you need some groceries, some locally made artisan cheese, or vegan taquitos... the Berkeley Farmers markets are a great stop.

GUEST: Toast (Ceremony / Skin Like Iron)

Toast joined me at Flaco's in Berkeley before heading to band practice with Skin Like Iron.

_______________________

Q: Are there any foods that are not allowed or are discouraged in the tour van? Either because they are messy or smell bad or whatever…

A: No. If you could see and smell our van you would understand that neither one of those things is a concern. We’re split right down the middle between vegan and…McDonald’s. So if there were rules starting to get put on stuff we’d start to have problems so everyone does whatever. We already have the messiest and smelliest van ever.

Q: Are there any foods that you used to love growing up or at one time in your life but can’t stand anymore?

A: Lamb… chicken nuggets… any kind of meat but that’s too easy of an answer. It took me a couple years after I stopped working at Baskin Robbins to like ice cream again. Other than that I can’t really think of anything off-hand. My grandma made a lot of Armenian food like a lot of lamb…dolmas. And I still like them…I don’t like lamb…but the dolmas I get anywhere else are not as good as my grandma’s. They never will be.

Q: What kind of interesting food experiences or situations have you been in while touring abroad?

A: [Thinks…starts laughing] We were in Japan and we were there for a week…. Like five shows…and after the tour I stayed two days later by myself just kind of wondering around Tokyo seeing some cool shit. The whole time we were there the vegan half of the band was starving. I lost 10 pounds while I was there between that and Korea. There’s just nothing to eat.

I had this little card with me that said in Japanese that said ‘please don’t let me eat this, this, or this… I can’t eat this… I can’t eat this’ and I would go to places and show them that and they would just kind of laugh. 7/11 there has a whole bunch of food…which I guess they are starting to do more here. Not like taquitos but like a grocery store. So… everything is in Japanese and I can’t read any of it so I would get a whole bunch of stuff that would look ok…. It looked like it was vegan… I would bring it up to the register and show them my card. Any vegetarian who has been to Japan will tell you all that you are eating is inari and these little peanut better sandwiches they have.

So after two weeks between Korea and Japan I’m just starving. The last day I was there by myself I had heard there was an M-Café in Tokyo… there is one in L.A. on Melrose… and I decided to go there. I take the subway there, take the train, I try to find it, and it closed down…shut down because of course fish is in everything in Tokyo…or in Japan. It just didn’t work there I guess. And that was my last stop before flying from Tokyo to SFO which is a 14 hour flight and I was like ‘Fuck…I have 26 hours of travel with no real food… what am I going to do?’ and as I was walking around I saw this place with a huge sign in the window that said ‘Vegetarian & Macro’…macrobiotic.

So I walk in… looking like this huge mountain man skinny freak because I’ve lost even more weight there. Huge beard…which no one has there, tattoos…which no one has there, long hair…which no one has there, and I’m a foot taller than everyone else. Every head in the restaurant turns around to stare at me. There’s one table.. picnic bench style…like family style seats with all these 30 to 60 year old Japanese women who all look at me like I’m holding a bloody axe. You know? Like the worse ‘what the fuck is that guy doing? There is no way that he means to be here.’ And they all just put there heads down and keep eating. So I sit down with all my bags between these two women… kind of like Shaq would be at this table… trying to squeeze in. They’re just kind of looking at me and talking to each other and I obviously have no idea what they are saying. The woman turns to me and says ‘you know… this vegetarian.’ And I go ‘yea’ and I show her my little card and she freaks out. They all start yelling about… the chef comes out and shakes my hand and she is translating for everyone for me and they are like

‘how long you been vegetarian’

‘uh... about ten years’

‘aaagggghhhhh!! No fish?’

‘no… no fish’

The chef made me this special thing and I ate with these women who are pouring me tea and touching my hair. It was cool… it was like an oasis of non fish in an otherwise fishy land.

So yeah I would say that’s a pretty good food story. Oh yea and Ross ate a reindeer burrito in Alaska.

Q: So when your not on tour with Ceremony and now Skin Like Iron what are you doing?

A: I run a screen-printing shop based out of Oakland called Arctic Ink. I have a webstore that I try to maintain but I’m usually busy printing other stuff so I kind of let the webstore slip in case you were wondering why I haven’t restocked that shirt yet. [laughs] I do a lot of printing for bands around here, I do some small businesses and other stuff for touring bands coming through that run out of merch. That keeps me pretty busy.

Q: As a vegan do you actually cook a lot at home or do you just find places to eat?

A: I’m lazy. I’ve been cooking more at home lately… but I’m pretty lazy. My kitchen kind of sucks at my apartment so that has a lot to do with it. I find places to eat because I enjoy going out to eat. The other night I made macaroni and cheese at home. Not like a box…I made it. I made a good gnocchi the other night. I make food but generally…

Q: Mostly pasta?

A: Those are both pastas aren’t they? [laughs] No… I made pizza once. I make food but I get lazy and food seems to be the go-to social activity and I end up doing that a lot.

Q: Tell us about the dish you have named after you at Souley Vegan in Oakland.

A: I stole that from someone. When they first opened I went in there and they had the crispy tofu sandwich and bbq tofu sandwich and it said ‘crispy bbq sandwich’ so I asked ‘what’s that?’ and she said some guy comes in he orders both of them so [they] just put it on the menu. So I said…

‘cool…you should name it after me.’

‘oh…what’s your name?’

‘Toast.’

‘How about the toasty crispy bbq sandwich?’

‘Sure!’

‘Alright I just need a picture of you eating it’

I just thought ‘ah fuck!’ because I’m not too big on spotlight, self-promoting stuff. I don’t like people knowing who I am so I had to kind of think about it and thought ‘wait…that’s the coolest fucking thing…to have a sandwich named after me.’ So I did it… obviously… and now there is a picture of me on the wall at Souley Vegan. I’m trying to get a cinnamon role named after me.

Q: That’d be awesome. Where at?

A: There’s a place called Cinnaholic. I’m working on that…that’s my next one. Maggie Mud maybe… this ice-cream place in the city [San Francisco]. I can get something there hopefully… probably not. If I could just take over every vegan place and having something named after me I think that’d be cool. Not that I’m like very egotistical or anything… but… [laughs]

Q: any upcoming tours that we need to know about?

A: Ceremony is playing January 7th in Santa Rosa with Sabertooth Zombie and All Teeth for their record release and we’re playing a one-off in Seattle. Been turning down a lot of stuff. There’s school, there’s real life, there’s work… so were not as inclined to jump in the van and go play some random show in the middle of nowhere like we used to be. It used to be like ‘sure let’s tour…why not? We’ve got nothing to do’ but not we’ve got serious girlfriends and like I said school and jobs that require us to be closer to home.

Oh yea… February 25th in Oakland at The Metro… Ceremony playing the Wolves & Thieves record release show. Also, Skin Like Iron has a new record coming out in the Spring on React Records that I’m excited about.

Q: What did you order to eat this evening?

A: What did I order here at Flacos Vegetarian Mexican Comida? I had the soft taco plate with an additional taquito. I didn’t get the salad I got extra rice and beans instead. I didn’t get the salad because usually it’s really hard to eat. Its like a spinach salad but the leaves are…I don’t know its very difficult to eat so I don’t really fuck with it. It [the food] was very good. I love Flaco’s. Flaco’s might be one of my favorite places in the East Bay for food. It opened…I think over the summer and its an all vegan Mexican place. There are no burritos…it’s more traditional Mexican food. It’s really good… and I like it. They’ve got these great sweet breads…they’ve got horchata… its wonderful.

Q: If you didn’t have to worry about staffing or money, what would be your ideal restaurant? What kind of place would you open?

A: Wow…it would be all vegan. It would be me imposing my Nazi-veganism upon the world. There would be ice-cream…it would probably be an amalgamation of all my favorite places. There would be some stuff from Souley Vegan, There’d be stuff from Flaco’s… It would like the Voltron of Bay Area food. Gotta get some milkshakes from Saturn’s. There’s all kinds of stuff. A sandwich from Ike’s I could throw in there…ice cream from Maggie Mud. Ice cream from them…and a shake from Saturn’s. I’d get some pizza… Flaco’s taquitos for sure. It would just be a mix of everything. I wouldn’t want to have a specific place in this fantasy world where I ride a unicorn to work.

Q: Anything you want to leave us with?

A: I don’t know. I like my cats. I want to say hi to them… Cookie, Marshmallow, and Jam.

Q: Much love to the kitties?

A: Love em’.

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