off the grid SF

Last night my best friend from freshman year asked me if I was free for dinner. At this point in the week, I'll take just about any excuse to take a break from studying, and because I wanted to see my dear Dara, so I jumped at the chance. He recommended we go to Off the Grid, which I had never heard before. Let me tell you, my life is changed.

Off the Grid is a food truck festival. The company blocks an entire city block off and around ten food trucks come in and sell their goods. There's live music and chairs set up so that you can sit and enjoy your food and your company.

I had a California tofu burrito with french fries in it (can't put into words how good it was) and Dara and I split a salted carmel and a red velvet cupcake.

If you're in the East Bay, Off the Grid sets up shop at Shattuck and Rose in Berkeley every Wednesday evening. For SF locations, check the link above.

You must try!

Restaurant Review: Sinatra in Barcelona

The dinners were definitely the highlight of Kate and my Barcelona trip.

I'm a foodie, what can I say?

The first night we stumbled upon this little plaza and had paella.

The second night we went to the plaza again and one of the promoters told us about this awesome restaurant.

It was down a dark alley, so perhaps going to it wasn't our smartest move, but it was well worth the potential danger.

Friends, I present to you Sinatra.

The food was sort of a fusion American/Spanish.

I had the best risotto with walnuts (interesting combo but so delicious) and a Tequila Sunrise (to match my sunburn).

The decor was old Hollywood, and they had a movie screen up with Casablanca playing silently. I died.

If you ever find yourself in Barcelona, Sinatra is right off of La Rambla. You must go.

Restaurant Review: Saturn Cafe

I'm a vegetarian and a foodie, which means I'm always on the hunt for restaurants that serve good vegetarian food. Ladies and gentlemen, I've found my mecca. Saturn Cafe in Berkeley is the first entirely vegetarian restaurant I've been to, and I almost immediately fell in love.

First off, the decor is unlike anything I've ever seen before. It's 50s/space themed, so everything is neon colors and all the columns are covered in glitter. The table tops are DIY collages of photos of 50s stars (I ate my veggie burger on top of Audrey Hepburn) and memorabilia, like false eye lashes and bobby pins. It was so cute and definitely felt like one of those diners that you just have to love.

Second, the food was bomb. I had the California burger, which is exactly what I get at every restaurant I go to, but it was even better knowing the patty hadn't even come into contact with meat at all. Even though it was veggie, it was still greasy and tasty, just the way I like it. :) My friend Jasmine and I shared a Chocolate Madness for dessert (which can be made vegan, but we opted not) which was equally incredible.

The last thing I loved about this restaurant was actually something I learned in the process of compiling this blog post. The restaurant (which also has a branch in Santa Cruz) is entirely green: they shop locally, don't use trans fats, and only opened in Berkeley because the city matched their ideals of sustainability. I'm not always the greenest, but I felt good knowing that I had a green, delicious meal for dinner.

I cannot wait to go back, and cannot recommend Saturn Cafe highly enough!

**I wish I had taken pictures of my meal!

For future restaurant reviews I promise photographic proof.