The 411 on Standard Fare #

Address: 2701 8th St Berkeley, CA
Website: https://www.standardfareberkeley.com/
Phone: 510-356-2261

The Vibe: This ingredient-focused eatery has been going strong since 2014. Though I've been on the foodie scene here for about that long, somehow, I had not heard of Standard Fare until recently. But it sounded like the perfect spot for lunch on an errand day in Berkeley.

I was surprised by how busy they were for lunch on a Wednesday. That's always a good sign in these "post"-pandemic days. The line went from the front door to the corner by the time I was done. The brick building is attractive, and I respected that single seats were available both in their outdoor space and their indoor bar. Lots of sun is also always a plus.

My Take on Standard Fare #

The Food: I opted for a half carnitas-and-daikon sandwich and a bowl of carrot soup. The ingredients change daily as to what features in the soup, sandwich, and salad offerings but various half & half pairings are usually available. I also went for a glass of rosé, because why not?

On this day, the sandwich was long-cooked Becker Lane pork, pickled daikon, chile crisp aioli, and a cabbage and radish slaw on Acme pizza bianca bread.

It offered a great mix of bitter, sweet, salty, and crunchy from all the ingredients. Half a sandwich is filling and a good deal.

The carrot soup came with a dollop of ginger-kashmiri crème fraiche. Robust carrot flavor, and the dollop of ginger gave it just enough punch to keep it exciting. I'd have liked more acid, but I did find it seasoned well and nicely balanced as is.

I ended the meal with a rye TCHO brownie for $5.75.

It was a nice change from the extraordinarily rich, batter-like brownies with thick chocolate chunks that have been the mainstay in recent years—by recent, I meant probably like 15 years. I'd say the brownie was a similar richness to those, but this one had more of a cake-like density. I couldn't taste rye, per se, but I appreciated the lighter texture.

Would I Go Back? For sure, though the rosé was nothing to write home about. I came close to ordering the veggie trio instead of the half sandwich and soup combo on this trip, and if I'd had someone to share it with, I would have added it on. The veggies and dips on offer vary, but they sound so fresh and crisp no matter what they are. I trust Standard Fare with celebrating natural flavors, and that's a big plus.

Reviewed 21 August 2024