the tofu tostata at Joe’s is something that i will dream about after i leave this place. it’s the deep-fried chunks of tofu i can’t get enough of*: salty, battered, greasy, and just out of the fryer. it will change your mind about tofu. dang.

Joe’s collection of hot sauces is rivaled only by their collection of virgin mary statues.

*add this to the list of phrases that 16-year-old-me never thought i’d say.

this hippy cafe in Mill Valley makes this chipotle dressing that I would eat on cardboard, if necessary. and everything is made with love.

the Albatross in Berkeley is as close to being the perfect bar as i could ask for. large, but compartmentalized into several rooms. old wood paneling and heavy beams, dim incandescent lighting, a comfortable collection of kitch and odd conversation pieces decorating the walls (including this strangely misspelled sign), darts, even a pool table hidden at the back. a wide selection of board games. a nice whiskey selection but beer cheap enough for the grad students who frequent this place. bottomless popcorn for a dollar. i will miss the Albatross greatly.

seemingly unable to decide, Lanesplitter embraces both motorcycle AND bowling themes, with menu items named after things like “7-10 split” and a pocketbike ridden by a stuffed dinosaur suspended over the door (i only dine at the classiest of establishments, as you can see). split personality aside, this is the ideal neighborhood pizza joint: pizza is adequate and slices are generous, salads are great, the beer is cheap, and bartenders (and resident homeless dude at the bar) are friendly. it’s also the only place in walking distance of our house open for dinner later than 9pm. we find ourselves there embarrassingly often.

sadly, i forgot to get a picture, but quite simply, this is the best ramen in the bay area. a tiny tiny space that seats no more than 20 and a line out the door any time of the day, and it’s totally worth it. forget everything you know about ramen based on the freeze dried stuff. this is the real deal. a meal costs about $8 and the bowls are so enormous that i could swear that they get bigger every time i go there. just don’t take a party larger than 4. or hope to eat anything vegetarian. or expect ambiance or non-weak japanese beer. just go for the ramen. bonus points for being open late enough to get a bite post-show (and being located directly across the street from the Geary theatre).

This wasn’t actually a stop on the tour, because we scheduled a dessert and wine date with friends for Tuesday night…only to discover that they are closed on Tuesdays!

Cioccolata Di Vino holds a sentimental place in our hearts since this is where we went out for dessert the night we got engaged. An excellent place for a glass of wine or a gooey dessert and an espresso in the gourmet ghetto of Berkeley.

embarrassing to admit, but we actually ate here twice. in a row. at a mac and cheese restaurant. it couldn’t be helped! the two groups of friends that we routinely go to Homeroom with both wanted to eat there on the same weekend. what could we do but fill our fridge with leftover mac and cheese?

It might seem ridiculous to put deep dish pizza on our farewell tour, given that we are moving to the place that invented deep dish, but we love Little Star that much. The thin pies are excellent, the deep dish is even better. On the plus side for Chicago, however, is that Ben pointed out last night that in Chicago, going out for a pizza and two beers won’t run us $50.

Tomate is 2 blocks from our house, we’re on first-name basis with the owner and staff, and there’s never a wait for a table. what more could i ask for in a brunch place??

…and thus begins our Culinary Farewell Tour of the bay area.

First stop: Sol Food in San Rafael. excellent, excellent Puerto Rican food, good for vegetarians and carnivores alike. don’t let the perpetual line out the door intimidate; i’ve never waited more than 15 minutes to be seated with my food.

you can’t miss the building on 4th street in San Rafael, the “lime green blight” — so named by a disgruntled marin resident who complained, “that sort of color is garish and might be okay for Puerto Rico but not for Marin.” what does one do with hate mail like that? naturally, you photocopy, laminate, the post the letter out front for all to see.