Smorgasbord

Something Old, Something New

    The aqua exterior suggests there might be something fishy going on inside Maritime East in Berkeley, the site of the former Zax Tavern. And sure enough, sustainable seafood (meeting Seafood Watch standards) is the focus at this restaurant, an expanded offshoot of San Francisco’s Café Maritime (2417 Lombard St., 415-885-2530). Same as in the city, Maritime East offers full-
service dining until midnight most days. A recent menu offered wild Hawaiian ono for $23.25, petrale sole for $21.50, and (meat lovers are well catered to) grilled hanger steak for $23—each entree served with a different vegetable accompaniment. Decor-wise, the clean lines and creative use of metal creates a mood that is at the same time sophisticated and casual. Speaking of Maritime East’s bar, it has both full-menu service and an extensive list of signature cocktails (all $8) with names like Man Overboard (rum-based) and The White Out (with vodka, Cointreau and cranberry juice). There is also a raw bar (oysters and clams).
    Maritime East, 2826 Telegraph Ave., 5 p.m.–midnight Tue.–Sat., 5 p.m.–10 p.m. Sun., closed Mon.; (510) 848-9299; watch the Web site for future weekend brunch and lunch options: www.maritimeeast.com.


    Meanwhile, in Montclair Village, the quirky 30-year-old Egg Shop, long a favorite for breakfast, lunch and unusual decor (a train set, a motorcycle in a glass case and other eccentricities), secured a license to serve beer and wine and, for the first time since the mid-1980s, is open for dinner. Owner-manager Miguel Barron reassured fans that all the daytime favorites would remain. He has added what he describes as a simple seasonal dinner menu, with a focus on comfort food, devised by chef Luis Olvera, who once did a stint in the kitchen at Oakland’s Bay Wolf and more recently was executive chef at Enrico’s in San Francisco’s North Beach.
    The Montclair Egg Shop, 6126 Medau Place, open for dinner 5 p.m.–9 p.m. Tue.–Sat.; breakfast and lunch 7 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Mon.–Fri., 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Sat.–Sun.; (510) 339-9554.