anita "Our Lady of Cheesy Goodness" c.'s Profile

Lisa's Mexican Restaurant looks like a biker bar from the outside, with its microscopic windows, spotlit sign, and ugly burglary bars facing Mission Street.

But when you step inside, you're entering another world. Every surface but the floor is covered with goofy stuff -- photos of old Mexican movie stars, life-size parrots, oversized sombreros, and creepy paintings of big-eyed children. The overall effect is like dining inside some crazy abuela's closet, but somehow it feels cozy, not chaotic. The welcome is friendly, both from the staff and the other patrons. And the food...

Well, honestly, I don't want to get your hopes up. Lisa's is decidedly not gourmet. But if you're a homesick Southern Californian pining for the cheesy combo-plates of your youth, Lisa's will fill your heart and belly in a way that you've never experienced north of the Grapevine.

Their chile relleno sauce is just right (it's the kind with chunks of celery like you see absolutely everywhere in L.A.) and their crispy tacos are dynamite. The best thing we've had at Lisa's -- and I am embarrassed to admit, we've been back almost every week since we discovered it - is their chile verde. Mr C. likes to ask for it in their Lisa's Especial, a football-sized 'wet' burrito stuffed with everything a homesick Angeleño needs to feel right again.

Jamie Boudreau is no longer tending bar here; I see no reason to return

why is a "green" salon using styrofoam cups and disposable flip-flops -- especially when I brought my own sandals?

the only green thing I saw was toxin-free nail polish (which peeled right off in sheets after my first shower). Reading their site, I see they used green construction techniques, but they leave a lot to be desired in day-to-day green-ness.

The setting is nice, and my pedicure is lasting well (2 weeks and counting), but I feel like they're charging extra for the environmental angle that isn't really delivered.

They do have a nice early-bird special: Sunday through Wednesday before 2 pm, they offer a Mani/Pedi Combo for $35 -- not a bargain, but a nice discount off the regular cost of $45.

This seems to be a one-woman shop, with all the quirks that entails -- one woman seems handle everything, including delivery!

The flowers were really cute, but what a pain in the ass getting them! She called me on my cell on President's Day, asking if I was in the office (um, no) and not understanding why I wasn't, even after I explained that it was a national holiday.

I asked if they could hold onto the flowers and deliver the next day, and she agreed to do that after some back and forth. On the day she re-delivered, she called to say they couldn't find a parking space and could I meet them out front of the building? Sure, that feels really special... and I have nothing better to do. (um, not.)

No other florist that's ever delivered to our building has had a problem. We have a huge loading dock in the back...

The flowers are very cute, though, and definitely fresh.

Here's the short version: We loved working with Andrew. He totally got our space-planning issues; he has a great aesthetic that meshed well with our own; he was terrific communicating with our contractors; he was a pleasure to work with in every way.

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A little more detail:

We started out with a list of 10 or so architects, who we talked with on the phone and by email. Of those, we selected three to interview in person, to review portfolios, and to ask for a quote.

Andrew wasn't the cheapest of the three, and his payment schedule was a little different than the others -- especially during the design phase -- but we really thought he would solve the big space issues we had (he did) and we liked his style.

We also realized that we'd be interacting with whoever we chose for close to 9 months when all was said and done, and we had a strong sense that Andrew would be the person we would most enjoy talking to on an almost daily basis. We had a lot of fun collaborating with him; He made the process interesting and rewarding for us.

I don't usually rave about professionals like this without mentioning the caveats, but there really isn't anything critical I can think of about Andrew. We loved working with him and we'd happily do so again. And we absolutely love the spaces he designed for us.

I'm in 100% agreement with Tsada. We went here last night before the theater and were shocked -- what happened to our former favorite?

I think there's been a change of management. There's a new menu, certainly, focusing on small plates and shareable entrees. Which, in itself, is a great thing. They've also gone from being a place where you sometimes waited 15 minutes before anyone even offered you a cocktail to the sort of joint where you can eat an appetizer and a main in 45 minutes. Which, again, isn't terrible on the face of it -- for many theater patrons, it's a godsend.

But the service seems rushed and slapdash, and the new menu (riddled with typos, by the way) offers no guidance as to the size of the plates. All the meat items are grouped together, all the pastas, all the seafood -- from tiny nibbles to full-on entrees, with no clue about which is which.  I ordered pasta for my main, for an example, and got three small ravioli, appetizer sized at best. Hmmm.... might have been nice to know that when I ordered it.

With the exception of a plate of lovely patatas bravas, everything we ordered was not up to snuff. We shared a Caesar salad that was sodden with dressing. My ravioli sat in a pool of what appeared to be the water they were (over)cooked in, topped with underripe heirloom tomatoes and way too much oregano -- bitter, sour, yuck.

My husband ordered sturgeon, which he told me tasted well past its prime (heavy ammonia smell). He's not a fussy fish-eater in general, so I asked him if he thought it was possible he'd gotten a bad piece, or if he thought the were passing off bad fish on purpose. We talked about it for a few minutes, and he finally decided that if he was the chef, he'd want to know -- maybe they got a bad order?

After we searched for our waiter for a few minutes, one of the managers came over and asked if we needed something. We explained about the fish, and she told us that it was impossible (!) that it was off -- "We get fresh fish every day." Uh, yeah. We know. But just because it's delivered every day doesn't mean every piece of it is flawless. She grudgingly took it away and asked if there was something else we wanted. The whole episode was really poorly handled.

As we didn't have time to wait for a full entree to be cooked, my husband ordered a cheese plate to keep his stomach from grumbling during the play. It took almost 15 minutes for it to come. When it did arrive, it was a two tiny triangles (less than 1 inch on a side) of cheese. Worst of all, there were smudges of bleu cheese all over the cut sides of the triple-cream. Ew, come on -- basic sanitation would be nice. Wipe your knife!

We always have enjoyed the homespun desserts at Downtown, but we were so put off by the entire experience that we passed on them, out of fear that they'd gone downhill, too.

I guess it's time for us to find another pre-theater spot. Sad...

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Original 4-star review 5/2/06:
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Nice pre-theater option right upstairs from the Berkeley BART station.

The food is seasonal, interesting and well-prepared, as you'd expect from a kitchen run by Chez Panisse and Bay Wolf alumni -- I'm starting to think that's a prerequisite for getting a restaurant license in Berkeley.

None of the food was mind-blowing, and there were a few things that I looked at and went "oh, hmm -- interesting idea but...", although everything we ordered was at least good. Special props for the Baked Alaska dessert, one of the best sweets I've had in a looooong time.

Service was professional without being stiff or faux-formal. Wine, beer, and booze lists were interesting and well balanced.

Lovely in every way -- even the price. We booked a special $215 weekend rate... and that's not a typo!

The staff were all top-notch, not a snooty one among them. The valets would literally RUN to open the door (of our dirty, 10-year-old car, hee hee) and offer us bottled water whenever we left the hotel.

Our room was stylish and very comfortable, even though we'd reserved the lowest room category. (I spend 10+ nights a year in 4- and 5-star hotels, so I'm not easily impressed.) Amazingly cozy bed, a bathroom bigger than many hotel rooms, with separate shower and bath, double-sink vanity, a full-size lighted closet, and a special alcove for your suitcase.

As you'd expect in Silicon Valley, there's a flat-screen TV, plenty of space (and hookups) for your laptop, and a Bose clock-radio with an iPod connection.

I can't imagine that all these 4- and 5-star reviews are about the same terrible place we ate at last weekend.

First, the ambiance: It's a crowded bakery with zero charm, and if you sit outside -- where more than half of the tables are located -- you're assaulted by the noise and fumes of El Camino.

Second, the service: Our waitress kept us waiting for 10+ minutes without so much as a hello (she was taking care of at least 10 tables, alone, so I suppose the fact that we got served at all is a miracle). After she dumped the check while we were still eating -- never asking if we needed anything -- she never came back; we had to walk inside to pay.

Third, the food: Gross. Nuclear-yellow hollandaise from a mix. Manky corned-beef hash (and trust me, I actually like the canned stuff. This was beyond inedible). Un-toasted English muffins. Heinz ketchup bottles refilled with a watery, off-brand imitation. Overcooked poached eggs, drowning in a tepid pool of water. Even after I drained them, they were inedibly vinegary. And, I'm sorry, you're out of staples like mushrooms and home-fries at 10am on a Sunday morning? Get real. Send the dishwasher to Safeway, already.

At least it was cheap-ish. I can't imagine how disappointed I'd have been if we'd waited 20 minutes for a table. As we left, the line was forming... unbelievable.

I spent a lovely Sunday afternoon learning the tricks of seasonal fruit desserts at the elbow of Shuna Fish Lydon (who also writes the award-winning "eggbeater" blog).

Shuna's enthusiasm for this subject matter is infectious, and the class style is so intimate and inclusive that -- even if you choose a topic that's all demonstration, as I did -- Shuna shows you all the tricks and gives everyone enough hands-on time with the ingredients along the way that you're ready to fly solo in your own kitchen.

Even if you think you know it all, you're sure to find some hidden gems. One example: I make fruit crumbles almost weekly once summer strikes, but I learned a great trick for keeping the oven clean from bubble-over messes and discovered a new secret ingredient to add to my topping.

Don't go here, even if you got stuck in a 90-minute traffic jam and are running late to the Berkeley Rep and missed your reservations at Downtown by an hour and need food fast.

In fact, that would be a particularly bad time to go.

It took us 45 minutes to get our flippin' SALAD, and 5 more to get our pie. Then it took 10+ minutes to get the check after asking for it, when the place was empty. This as the waitresses stood chatting with one another. And the food was so terrible -- we were expecting mediocre, but not outright bad.