Westside Organic Cafe

CLOSED 2570 9th St./Parker St., West Berkeley, (510) 845-4852. 19 B-L M-Sat, D F-Sat; $$.

interior of Westside Organic Cafe in Berkeley, California

This spacious warehouse district cafe provides comfortable seating in a large, airy, atmospheric room. Though the space has served as a contemporary-style cafe in the past, it has reincarnated into the Westside Organic Cafe and serves Himalayan/Nepalese fare. This unique cuisine is influenced by Nepal’s bordering countries of India and China. Diners order at the counter from a chalk-board menu posted above.

breakfast menu at Westside Organic Cafe in Berkeley, California

lunch/dinner menu at Westside Organic Cafe in Berkeley, California

lunch special menu at Westside Organic Cafe in Berkeley, California

The lunch special, which offers a meat and a veggie version, is a good way to sample the menu’s best. I chose the colorful, crunchy, and delicious chili chicken, with bland beef momos and fried rice as my sides. A small lettuce salad with a tasty dressing is also included. My companion had the same except for chow mein instead of fried rice.

chili chicken lunch special at Westside Organic Cafe in Berkeley, California

I’d like to return to try the breakfast menu as well as the noodle soup, which I hear is very good. Though the lunch special is on the expensive side ($13.99-$14.99), the hot chai tea that I had with it was a bargain ($1.25). Butter tea is an unusual option. Drinks are made in house, and the chow mein is made with rustic traditional hand-pulled noodles. Though the food is nicely spiced, ask for some housemade Tibetan hot sauce if you desire more heat. Big cookies make a sweet ending. I wish this place good luck. When I visited, we were the only diners at noon (one other person did come in for take-out).