Cancun offers good balance of quality and quantity of food.

The burritos are the staple of the place – would recommend the chicken for the non-adventurous folks, and either a mole or carne asada if you want to try something different.

The chicken salad was very fresh and good, and they have rotating specials that can be very good (plate with veg tamales thingys with a spicy red meat sauce, rice, beans, and cactus were a repeat pick for me).

The big attraction is the salsa bar. My personal favorite was the pumpkinseed salsa, but I know lots of folks rave over the fruit salsas (strawberry, mango, pineapple). The hot salsas are HOT.

No, this isn’t “authentic” Mexican (so say my friends who are Mexican food snobs) and without the salsa, the burritos don’t stand out. But the salsas are what keep people coming back, and frankly, the burrito was just a means to an end, which was me getting my pumpkinseed salsa fix for the week.

The space is OK, but it’s crowded and noisy during busy times. It can get very busy and uncomfortably crowded when the high school kids are out for lunch at nearby Berkeley High. No free parking, though a pay city lot is right next door.

Prices are OK, though probably high (maybe a $1-2 more per burrito) compared to average mom-and-pop Mexican places. But within walking distance of the west side of the Cal campus, this was the best by far.

Prima is a restaurant with a wine shop attached to it. Or is it a wine shop that happens to serve food. Either way, this is a great destination restaurant in the burb metropolis of Walnut Creek.

The wine list is insane – something like 1600 different selections of every kind and source of wine. Unless you are extremely knowledgeable about wine, just ask your server for recommendations.

The food is excellent – quality ingredients, good preparation and presentation – and just plain yummy.

The ahi tuna appetizer is wonderful. They do an surprisingly good job with meats (the beef I’ve had there has been great). I’d also recommend the gnoochi.

Of course, if you have a full dinner for 2 (appetizer or salad, pasta, main course, split a dessert) and wine, you will be out $200 or more. But you get what you pay for.

Chow in Lafayette is the suburban cousin of Park Chow in the city.

The food is definitely a cut above the standard ‘burbs fare, but is step below great eats. The menu is diverse – regardless of your mood and/or finicky-ness – you will find something on the menu to interest you.

A nice positive is that many of the dishes come in different portion sizes (indicated by 2 or 3 different prices next to select dishes), so you can order the right amount of food.

The spaghetti and meatballs is a good sized portion, has rich sauce, and juicy meatballs. The thai-style noodles are spicy-sour and a great dish when you need to warm up.

I’d rate the food 4 stars. What takes it down a star are 3 things:

1. The wait can be obnoxiously long for comfort food. Do you really want to wait for an hour to have those spaghetti and meatballs or a pepperoni pizza? 2. For the asian-style dishes and meat dishes, the portions are on the small side. You really notice the small size if you get take out and you dump an entree out on your normal plates at home. 3. THE PLACE IS INCREDIBLY NOISY. Yes, you have to shout to have a conversation with the person sitting next to you.

With the noise, it’s a perfect place to have dinner with small kids. In most places, you’d be worried about them making too much noise. Not at Chow.

Ample parking in front of the restaurant. Tucked away in the back of a shopping center on the main street in Lafayette. Look for the Starbucks/A.G. Ferrari in front.

The restaurant has a great setting on the water on the north side of Alameda, right by the Marina. Large windows mean a great view, and it’s a very pleasant place for a business lunch, white tablecloths and all. Service is efficient and professional.

The menu is standard Italian fare, executed efficiently. Nothing inventive or edgy. Pastas are done well, though the cream sauces are very heavy. I like the puttanesca. Salads are very generous and are a good choice.

A nice touch is the bread at the table, offered with a dipping plate of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, pureed garlic, and parmesan cheese.

Not sure that I’d recommend going out of your way to eat here, but if you work in Alameda or downtown Oakland, this is a very reasonable and comfortable alternative for a business lunch, especially compared to the pricey restaurants in Oakland’s Jack London Square.

Ample parking in front of the restaurant and on the street.

La Note is a little oasis on the main drag in Berkeley – the interior is warm and homey, and it has a beautiful open-air patio out back that is great for times when you can have a leisurely meal.

Breakfasts are hearty and very tasty – eggs and omelets are particularly good. Would agree with another poster about the yummy bacon.

For lunch, the salads are highly recommended.

The only problem I’ve had is that the service can get a little spotty on the back patio and you have to be a little aggressive in tracking down someone to help you. For some reason, no problems when you are seated inside.

I know it’s in Berkeley, but this is the best Chicago style pizza, even compared to Chicago landmarks such as Gino’s.

The stuffed pizzas are the main attraction – chunky tomatoes on top, a blend of crust and cheese next, then toppings, all on a flaky, buttery crust. It is the perfect pizza.

The thin pizzas are good, especially for kids who might not enjoy the stuffed pizzas.

The space is nothing special and it can be hard to get a table during busy times. They don’t take reservations.

My recommendation – get it as take out. During busy times it can be hard to get your order in (busy signal). It is incredibly hard to drive home with a pizza in the car – the smell alone is amazing and you have to exercise self restraint!

If you’re not going to eat the pizza right away or you are going to want it during a busy time (weekends), order it early and order it half-baked. Take it home and pop it in the oven for 15 minutes when you’re ready to eat.