Happiness Is A Lazy Sunday Afternoon In Berkeley When…
Boiled gyoza afloat in a spicy miso-pork broth at Ippudo.
When the traffic gods cooperate so that Interstate 880 isn’t a nightmare…
When you find parking off bustling University Avenue easily…
And when there is no line at Ippudo, so you can stroll right in for a seat immediately.
Because, I mean really, is there any better way to spend a rare relaxing Sunday afternoon than slurping up a big bowl of ramen?
Surely not.
A column in the center of the dining room.
A few weeks ago, I was fortunate to enjoy all of that when my husband and I waltzed into one of the Bay Area’s hottest new ramen joints just before 5 p.m. to enjoy an early dinner, which we paid our tab for at the end. Normally, there would be a line out the door. But we managed to beat the crowd. And this place can fill up fast because it’s not very big. A nice touch are the black boxes underneath the table to stow a purse or backpack so you don’t have to just drop them on the bare floor.