Hello! It’s me, I’m alive. I’ve been very MIA for a little bit but here’s what’s been going on: a new job, a new baby and of course, endless shelter in place. As I write to you from what has been a series of fires in California and us finally getting our bearings as new parents, one thing has become a staple in our lives – Friday night date night and Tuesday working lunch.

One of the only things keeping Ben and I normal has been ordering food twice a week and here is a roundup of some of our tried and true go-to’s in the East Bay.

The Main Dish

Vegan Mob

Website: Vegan Mob

What to order: Everything. I know it sounds like a stretch but this is a great twist on soul food. We are big fans of the vegan shrimp, partly because Ben otherwise wouldn’t eat shrimp. The brisket is a close second but doesn’t feel as close to an obvious replacement as the shrimp.

Krispy Rice

Website: Krispy Rice

What to order: Definitely try the Krispy Rice, after all that’s why you’re here! While we noticed on social media people had mixed experiences, we found that price wise, it could be much more affordable if you didn’t got with the pre selected boxes and we were lucky that we had a good experience. That being said, after 10 months of being pregnant, I was very much willing to overpay for a fun sushi experience. I was very desperate for sushi 🙃

Lucia’s

Website: Lucia’s

What to order: The best ever gluten free pizza. We like the shroomy but everything is great. If you go in person (one day when things open back up in person), their buffalo milk gelato is also delicious. We’re just very big fans of this brick oven fired pizza, both at the restaurant and the Lake Merritt Farmer’s Market on Saturday’s.

All the other places that we love and didn’t add because we were too hungry to take pictures:

• Curry Up Now: A new twist on Indian food, we love the spicy ketchup that comes with the sexy fries. I like the kathi roll because it comes in a gluten free option that actually tastes delicious and Ben often orders the deconstructed samosa.
• Dosa: If you know, you know. We love to order the paneer or roasted chili garlic dosa for our Friday night dinners. We also split the idli fries or chennai fried chicken.
• Burma Superstar: We love the mango chicken, coconut rice and pork curry. This being said, the mohinga is one of our in person favorites and recently we were brave enough to order it for takeout – it traveled well! Though soups are a touch risky, we can stand behind this one.
• Cholita Linda: Believe it or not, the salad is my favorite pick here. We also order the yuca fries to share. Ben will say that the key to the goodness of Cholita Linda isn’t the taco but the sauce so make sure you get that sauce!
• Rico Rico Taco: It should go without saying but the tacos are the star. All the corn tortillas are made fresh daily (and bonus: gluten free)
• Farmhouse Thai Kitchen: This has probably already hit your radar with the restaurant’s plates being so popular on Instagram and their Son & Garden tea extension as well. We love the Panang Curry (warning:🌶 ) and the Pork Belly Thai Fried Rice which sounds like it will be very basic but is immensely flavorful.
• Belcampo: Belcampo has such a high quality set of menu items that while it may seem like your run of the mill burger centric joint, it is anything but. To boot, they have a butcher shop to order meats from. We like the pulled pork sandwhich and the burger but if you’re looking for something else – the salad is wonderful.
• Brenda’s: My top pregnancy craving was shrimp and I wasn’t allowed to have it. May I recommend you order the Shrimp and Grits. It is unavailable. Also, the beignets for dessert are worth the splurge if you haven’t hit your carb quota for the day.

A Little Extra

Third Culture

Website: Third Culture

What to order: We like the lychee and yuzu mochi donuts but if it’s your first time I would make sure to get a muffin and a donut, you really can’t go wrong. If you’re interested in a bigger break down, click here for more.

Wholesome Bakery*

Website: Wholesome Bakery

What to order: Technically this one is in San Francisco but you can order ahead or ship a box of assorted goodies. Everything is gluten free, dairy free and low glycemic. It’s a great indulgence while being a bit healthy too. We ate these for several days in a row.

All the other places that we love and didn’t add because we were too hungry to take pictures:

• Wooden Table Baking: This bakery is not only a great small business to support but makes an incredible set of different types of alfajores (both gluten free or not). They let you order ahead here as well.
• Miette: This bakery and candy shop has a location in SF and in Oakland (in Jack London Square). They have macaron happy hours we used to always take advantage of and a delicious set of cookies and imported candies. You can also call/plan ahead for pickup!
• Mariposa Bakery: One of our favorite GF bakeries in Oakland, not only can you get sweets but you can get many savory alternatives as well. On the sweet side we love the pain au chocolat and raspberry squares but on the savory side we often get the lasagna or ravioli. There are great shipping options available but we have had quite. alot of trouble in stores in terms of other people and covid safety.