Broccoli & Chocolate

restaurants * food events * news

Upcoming Event: Mother’s Day

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Yes, it’s that time again. No, not Christmas; rather, the Christmas that happens just for your mom  (or for you if you’re a mom, yeay!). Yes, Sunday May 10, 2015 is Mother’s Day! And I know there is always some moment in April where I realize MD is coming up, immediately call to make a reservation somewhere — because it’s better to have a reservation somewhere (and then sort out if you want to actually go somewhere else) than to have a reservation nowhere — and then frantically text my sister to see what’s actually going on.

momsisme

Mom status: My mom (mom), my sister (also a mom), me (not a mom)

So, if you have not yet remembered to make that reservation (or buy a card, or mark your calendar to remind you to call, or whatever), here are a few suggestions for around the Bay of places that reportedly still have room for you…. 

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Review: Lanesplitter

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Atmosphere: 3/5   ♦   Service: 4/5   ♦   Food Quality: 3/5   ♦   Value: 3/5
Times Visited:  Once   ♦   Will I Return?:  Sure
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LanesplitterThis pizza place and pub on San Pablo in Berkeley is a cute spot for a good slice of authentic New York pizza (or so they tell me) and a fancy glass of beer. It’s neat because you can actually order just a slice of pizza for yourself, and it doesn’t have to be one of the ones sitting out already made. You can order any slice you want and they’ll make it fresh!

They have a few combos (which don’t seem to be listed on their relatively limited website), one of which is a salad and slice combo. One slice of one topping pizza and a side salad was around $8 and was pretty good. You have to like NY Style pizza, which I have mixed feelings about*, but I think it was good for what it was…. 

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Review: Jupiter

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Atmosphere: 3/5   ♦   Service: 4/5   ♦   Food Quality: 4/5   ♦   Value: 3/5
Times Visited:  Once   ♦   Will I Return?:  Sure, try to get a seat upstairs though
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Jupiter RestaurantOut of this world pizza and beer?  Maybe.  Jupiter is a restaurant and beerhouse on Shattuck in Berkeley and is extremely popular.  Completely packed on a weekend evening, it can be hard to hear yourself think much less have a nice conversation with friends in this European-style ex-stable building from the 1890’s…. 

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Review: Hs Lordships

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Atmosphere: 5/5   ♦   Service: 4/5   ♦   Food Quality: 4/5   ♦   Value: 4/5
Times Visited: One   ♦   Will I Return?: I’d be happy to
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Hs Lordships is an enormous restaurant and banquet facility out on the Berkeley marina, situated happily on a tiny sliver of land next to the Berkeley pier and surrounded by water on three sides with views of the City, the bridges, and Berkeley.  Their main deal is a surf and turf sort of situation, but during this visit I didn’t even lay eyes on the menu for one moment.  That’s right, we went for the Lunch Buffet.

This place has a lunch buffet to end all lunch buffets.  According to my family, the place is usually really quiet on weekdays, despite the amazing spread of food available Monday through Friday for an extremely reasonable price ($17 or so a person).  The day we went, however, must have been “work Christmas party” day or something because the place was packed.  There must have been hundreds of people in the restaurant, parked in front of their white tablecloths in packs of 4, 6, 10, and 20.  It was a bit of a madhouse.  And like amateurs, my party of six walks in with no reservations at 12 noon…. 

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