Ali Baba Berkeley
Nosh promised readers a bit more on this newcomer to Berkeley’s Northside neighborhood. Ali Baba is a Middle Eastern-inflected eatery based out of Davis, known predominantly for serving all-day breakfast burritos, featuring eggs, bacon, sliced beef gyros, cheese, vegetarian options such as tomatoes, mushrooms or avocado, and, if desired, a touch of honey and/or Tapatio. There are also sides such as fries, dolmas and warm pita. Note: After a quiet opening, the eatery will fully introduce itself to the campus community in a generous fashion on May 11, UC Berkeley graduation day, when it will offer diners free burritos throughout the day, one per customer. Ali Baba, 1805 Euclid Ave. (near Ridge Road), Berkeley
Ben Ben Hot Pot Restaurant
The former Himalayan Flavors restaurant space has been transformed into an all-you-can-eat, individual hot pot restaurant Ben Ben Hot Pot, serving personal hot pot for lunch and dinner, and specializing in pork tripe and chicken soup base. Ben Ben Hot Pot Restaurant, 1585 University Ave. (between Sacramento and California streets), Berkeley
Nusa Emeryville
The Public Market has a buzzy new tenant in Indonesian kiosk Nusa—so buzzy that last week’s soft opening led to a brief, temporary closure to regroup and restock. The Indonesian sweets and snacks business has taken over the rotating La Cocina stand inside the Public Market Emeryville, following in the footsteps of chefs Nite Yun (Nyum Bai, Lunette), Fernay McPherson (Minnie Bell’s), and, most recently, El Meson de Violeta’s Carmen Figueroa, now popping up at East Bay spots such as Arthur Mac’s. But Nusa is no Bay Area newcomer—it was first opened by chef Jennifer Huang in 2013, and has operated predominantly as a pop-up in San Francisco and the South Bay. Expect desserts such as 1000-layer, pandan chiffon and mochi layer cakes, and savory snacks such as beef rendang. The SF Chronicle had the story first. Nusa is inside the Public Market Emeryville, 5959 Shellmound St., Emeryville
1701 Tasting Lounge
Barring any hiccups, April 28 should mark the first day of service for this Spanish bar, restaurant and lounge with a menu that includes a range of cuisines, such as Afro-Caribbean, with touches of Spanish influence. The upscale-modern Oakland venue serves international and domestic wines and craft beer to go with an array of tapas and tangy, Spanish-inspired mains such as hot honey chicken with peri peri sauce. Check out the appealing, protected patio with a fire pit. 1701 Tasting Lounge, 1701 Telegraph Ave. (at 17th St.), Oakland
Sorta Pizza Project
PSA: Hal’s After Hours, the indoor-outdoor wine bar on Solano Avenue (at Hal’s Office coffee shop), has an intriguing new food pop-up in Sorta Pizza Project, notable for serving Tokyo-style pizzas—similar to Neapolitan, but much smaller, with airy crusts—with “48-hour fermented dough and unexpected ingredients.” Watch the wine bar’s Instagram food calendar for details. Sorta Pizza Project at Hal’s After Hours, 1207 Solano Ave. (between Cornell and Talbot avenues), Albany
Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade Berkeley
Signage has been up on Telegraph Avenue for almost a year, but on April 22, Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade finally pulled back the locked gate and opened the door to its new location near UC Berkeley. The national franchise originated in Hawaii and sells fresh-pressed juices with a focus on lemonade, blended smoothies, acai bowls and other healthful snacks with refreshing, Hawaiian-style flavors and ingredients. Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade, 2332 Telegraph Ave. (between Bancroft and Durant avenues), Berkeley
Correction: This post has been updated to reflect that Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade was founded in Hawaii but no longer has a store in operation on Oahu.
