Smart Alec's

I used to go to Smart Alec's in Berkeley when I first moved to San Francisco almost a decade ago. Back then I was a broke musician and teacher and could easily pass for one of the students in my midst. These days, I rarely make it to Berkeley, and when I do I feel old as dirt and mighty cynical. It's enough to kill anyone's appetite... until I see the Smart Alec's sign. Next thing you know I'm as peace, love, and happiness as can be and digging into a most delicious (and cheap!) lunch:That there is the Supreme Chef Salad. Vegans will have to order it sans egg and croutons, but you can pick from the addition of either fresh hummus (my choice) or grilled tofu. This massive pile of greens and sprouts gets topped with tomatoes, edamame, chickpeas, and wheatberries and is super huge and yummy. For $7 you can't get a better deal! Serioulsy, SA's is worth a trip over the bridge if you're jonesing for the perfect weekend lunch.

Bonus: The air-baked garlic fries at Smart Alec's are also amazing.

Happy Monday everyone! Stay tuned for lots more local eats soon....