Dinner in the café

Berkeley, April 17, 2014—

AND CONSTANT READER will know just what café is referred to. We dined at length and too well with an old friend who grows tangerines and avocados, and with two friends of hers who sell said produce at various Bay Area farmers' markets. We began with a bottle of rosé, is how well and extravagantly we ate and drank, and a fine pizza featuring, let's see, cavalonero?

[later edit: no: nettles, and perhaps feta. Thanks, Melissa!]


I set a photo of the last little bite of it down at the bottom of the page; the crust was perfect…

But for me the main course was the, well, main course, this succulent roast pork, with a delicious, tangy marmalade of savory grapes and currants — I'm working from memory here, and things got a little hazy toward the end of the evening… Fact is, another old friend, a winemaker, was in the next booth, and sent over some splendid bits of his work…

Rosé, Domaine Tempier, 2012; Chardonnay, Neyers "Chuy's Vineyard,"2012; Pinot noir, Neyers "Roberts Road," 2012; Zinfandel, Green and Red, 2012

• Café Chez Panisse, 1517 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley; 510.548.5525