East meets west, with Vegas flair, at Mongolian BBQ

May 17, 2007

The legions of vegetarian-friendly restaurants in Berkeley must make room for another tofu peddler. Herbivore is opening on Shattuck in the next few weeks. With two locations in San Francisco, the philosophy of this vegan spot is that "plant-based food with the right preparation and spices can provide an enriching eating experience." Entrees include macaroni and "cheese," ceviche made from lime marinated oyster mushrooms and a classic veggie burger. Numerous postings at the smart, sometimes snippy Web site yelp.com rave about the vegan German chocolate cake. Others, however, recommend that diners stick with traditional vegan entrees and, according to one yelper, to steer clear of anything "too ethnic sounding." Many note that chronically bad service plagues the current locations. Still, Herbivore is nothing if not affordable. The menu tops out at 10 bucks at this casual, seat-yourself restaurant. Herbivore Earthly Grill

Vegan Restaurant, 2451 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, (510) 665-1675, http://www.herbivorerestaurant.com (set to open later this month). A jigger for all It's said that San Franciscans spend more per capita on alcohol than residents of any other city in the world. ( Fraggle? ) The proof is in the jigger this week. In conjunction with The Museum of the American Cocktail's World Cocktail Day, several of San Francisco's top mixologists have organized a weeklong celebration of their vibrant cocktail scene that culminates on May 21 at Absinthe Brasserie & Bar. Until then, a slew of bars, restaurants and lounges across San Francisco will participate in the inaugural San Francisco Cocktail Week. Each spot will feature two limited-edition cocktails: one classic recipe and one original cocktail, each created by that bar's "Cocktail Champion." Participating locations include: Elixir,

Cantina, Bourbon & Branch, Rye, Alembic, Range, Eastside West, Citizen Cake, NOPA, Slanted Door, Tres Agaves, Le Colonial and Presidio Social Club. Tickets to the grand finale at Absinthe are $45. Absinthe Brasserie & Bar, 398 Hayes St., San Francisco, (415) 551-1590, http://www.absinthe.com. Peter H

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