Even if Bakesale Betty in Oakland, California, didn't have such an amazing fried chicken sandwich, the place would still be insanely likable. More

Everybody be cool. Dining out in the San Francisco Bay Area may have gotten a little more expensive: The blog SFist clues us in on a recent rash of East Bay restaurant "takeover"-style robberies—eight in the past couple of weeks. The most recent robbery in Emeryville follows a similar pattern: "[o]ne of the suspects revealed a black semi-automatic handgun and demanded money from both employees and customers" [cbs5.com]. Prize quote from SFist: "Be careful, Chez Panisse denizens!" [via Eater SF]... More

A typical way to describe kombucha is to say it’s fermented mushroom tea. So when faced with a choice of a well made cappuccino or fermented mushroom tea, that voice inside your head may scream, "double cap extra foam." But Uzbekistan-born Lev Kilun will let you sample his house made kombucha on-tap while you wait for your organic espresso drink at Café Lyon in the Rockridge district of Oakland, California. Before your double cap is done brewing, you might wish you ordered the kombucha instead.... More

I had an old issue of Food & Wine on my desk, and, leafing through it, I came upon a story about wine shops serving cheese and tapas. As a confirmed nondrinker and serious cheese lover, I applaud this trend. Here are the shops they wrote about: Smith & Vine Address: 268 Smith Street, Brooklyn NY 11231 Phone: 718-243-2864 Stinky Brooklyn Address: 261 Smith Street, Brooklyn NY 11231 Phone: 718-522-7425 Silverlake Wine Address: 2395 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90039 Phone: 323-662-9024 Cesar Address: 4039 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland CA 94611 Phone: 510-985-1200 Portalis Address: 5205 Ballard Avenue, Seattle WA 98107 Phone: 206-783-2007 We've got both coasts covered. Any Serious Eaters know of any others? Photograph from iStockphoto.com... More