Just visited 900 Grayson @ Seventh in Berkeley with pal J. Lo. I wanted to find a nice place for us to have a birthday brunch before heading over to the massive sale they’re having at Jeremy’s on College & Ashby. MASSIVE sale.
My usual choice when trying to find a nice lunch spot in the East Bay is La Note on Shattuck, but we weren’t in the mood to wait an hour for a table. (It is one of my favorite brunch spots of all time, though.)
We wanted to try something new and I turned to the Chowhound boards to see what I could find. As I suspected, they suggested La Note, but there was also strong mention of 900 Grayson. And after checking out their menu, it was a no brainer.
Man did this place live up to the positive reviews! There was plenty of parking in the area and there was only a 10 minute wait upon our arrival on a late Saturday morning at 11:45am. First good sign of things to come.
The restaurant itself is incredibly cozy. It’s basically a house! The staff was so nice and welcoming (that ALWAYS makes things better) the minute we walked in. But once we sat down and got the menu, we got excited.
There were several items on the menu we wanted to try, like the “American Idol” (their version of a reuben sandwich), “Miss Piggy and the General” (pulled pork sandwich), and the “Tom Boy” (corned beef hash), all of which we hope to try on another visit soon. But in the end, I got the “Demon Lover” and J. Lo got the “Time-Life Cookbook” which was the egg omelette w/gouda cheese and gourmet hash browns.
Pic by J.Lo
J. Lo’s dish was masterfully prepared. The eggs were perfectly light, fluffy, and delicious. It had just the right amount of melted gouda in the center, and it didn’t overpower the almost delicate texture of the eggs. The accompanying hash browns were perfect. They were fried in a single sheet to a crisp golden brown on both sides with a soft tender center of potato. And the fuji apple salad made a perfect light accompanyment to the plate.
Pic by J.Lo
My dish, however, was the complete opposite. But J. and I both agreed it was the more yummy of the two. It was also the more unhealthy of the two, unfortunately. 😦 Chicken and waffles is basically what the “Demon Lover” is, but much more sophisticated. This fried chicken had the perfect light crunch to its skin, and the single buttermilk waffle the two pieces of chicken rested on was delicious. The slight sweetness of the waffle with the perfectly cooked chicken was a true tasty delight. The chicken wasn’t oily or greasy (yuck) and the meat was perfectly tender, juicy, and moist (yum). There’s nothing worse than dry chicken breast when going out to eat. And the cream gravy was perfect with its flecks of paprika. A truly decadent dish that’s not for the faint of heart. But their version was truly impeccable.
And the peach and pineapple aqua frescas we had with our dishes were super yummy, too!
There’s no doubt the food at this place is superb, but it was the cozy setting, affordable prices and unexpectedly friendly service that make a dining experience here one to remember. And one we hope to relive, soon!
900 Grayson – Berkeley – 510.704.9900
Virgo in Wonderland 
You said it girl! Thanks again for brunch and shopping!!!