Lalime's, Berkeley

Sample Menu

• Appetizer: oysters on the half shell
• Entree: roasted leg of lamb with spring vegetables
• Dessert: blood-orange white-chocolate panna cotta
• Cocktail: Yellow Bicycle made with Yellow Chartreuse, St. Germain, and prosecco

When to Go: Every Tuesday night, Lalime's sets aside its regular menu for its experimental Against the Grain menu. Specialties include duck wings served with peanut-ginger sauce, local halibut, and chocolate-almond tarts.

While You’re Waiting: Marvel at the eye-catching paintings and tile work done by local artists Michael Shemchuk and Keeyla Meadows.

Inside Tips

• The restaurant uses organic and locally grown ingredients as much as possible, so be prepared for a different menu each season.
• You can BYOB, but there’s a $20 corkage fee per 750-milliliter bottle.
• You can also BYOC (bring your own cake) for a $2 fee per person.
• Intimate parties can be arranged in the private dining room that seats 12 humans or unlimited imaginary friends.

Vocab Lesson
Mignonette: a sauce usually made of shallots, cracked pepper, and vinegar that’s often served over raw oysters.
Panna cotta: a silky, custard-like Italian dessert, made with cream, milk, sugar, and gelatin and often served with caramel, chocolate sauce, or fruit coulis.

While You’re in the Neighborhood: Make a special-occasion dinner even more special by picking up a bouquet beforehand at Ana Flowers and Gifts (1302 Gilman Street).