So, last night I left you with some lovely photographs of our time in Berkeley yesterday. Gosh, I love that city. So much love…so much life. We had to drop off the boyfriend’s friend who was visiting from Texas at the airport in the afternoon, so we took the opportunity to just wander around all day and eat. A few people asked me where we ate lunch and the answer is Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen.
After watching the final hour of the World Cup at an Irish pub next door, we wandered in here with high expectations. I mean, the three of us are all Southerners and when we see a menu with fried chicken and sweet tea on it 3,000 miles from home, we make a mad dash.
But first, please observe my serious soccer face:
Actually, I’m lying. This was more my it’s 1:45 and I haven’t had anything to eat since 7:30 and if you don’t feed me soon I’m going to make a scene face. The boyfriend kindly offered to go get me a biscuit to tide me over, but I had high hopes for lunch so I just ate half a larabar and a green apple now and later and held strong. Those now and laters…they get ya every time.
Finally, it was time to eat. I forced my way to the front of the crowd and out of the pub in about two seconds flat. Warning: do NOT get in my way when I’m hungry. I’m not afraid to use force.
I was immediately overjoyed when I saw the restaurant’s supreme choice of hot sauce on the table:
And scoured every inch of the menu
The restaurant had a great atmosphere and was pretty busy, but not packed. Adam’s sweet tea was PERFECT and took me straight back to Alabama football games. Seriously, it was dead on. We were under time constraint, though, and I had to make a quick decision on food. Initially, I thought perhaps the gumbo but you know how it is when you are famished….you often times lose your ability to think rationally and make strategic menu decisions.
Enter shrimp po’boy:
Sorry, but it was bad. Not just “bad”…it was pretty awful. Just a few small deep fried shrimp on a HUGE white roll with some shredded iceberg lettuce.
That’s it. I asked for no mayo (ick) but they seemed to forget the mustard, too. Since I was starving, I ate half anyways and then about an hour later, started to feel pretty sick. And that never happens. I have a stomach of steel but this was just….bad. I never actually GOT sick and recovered enough to eat frozen yogurt two hours later, but still. You know how it is sometimes.
I’m really bummed because I love the idea of this restaurant. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing? Because I have a deep love for both Berkeley and cajun food, I will go back and try their gumbo. But I have to say—not impressed.
I was impressed, however, with this lovely frozen confection (see mine on the left, his on the right)
A blend of vanilla and chocolate fro yo with caramel sauce, oreos and heath bar crumbles. My stomach sighed in contentment and all was well with the world again, post shrimp po’boy.
laura
July 12, 2010 at 12:39 pmoh my GOODNESS the sight of those yogurtland cups makes my mouth water! yogurtland is my ABSOLUTE favorite froyo place. i live in texas but go to school in california (holla southern girls living in cali!!) and yogurtland is all the rage in socal and they just brought it to texas! you MUST go back and try the red velvet and pistachio flavor. so effin good.
eatmovelove
July 12, 2010 at 12:43 pmGreat stuff Jenna. Great stuff…
Becki @ HikeBikeEat
July 12, 2010 at 12:46 pmFrozen yogurt can fix ANYTHING!
Liz @ Tip Top Shape
July 12, 2010 at 12:47 pmThat place looked so cute!! It’s a bummer that it turned out so poorly 🙁 Hopefully if you do decide to check out their gumbo it won’t be a disappointment. Loved the pictures of the boys watching soccer. I so understand the faces they were making, haha.
Karla
July 12, 2010 at 12:59 pmToo bad Angeline’s wasn’t good! I used to walk past there all the time and always wanted to go!
Yogurtland makes my day better no matter what!! I always have to try every single flavor before deciding on one. Next time you should go to Yogurt Park. That’s a Berkeley classic!
Jessica @ How Sweet
July 12, 2010 at 1:13 pmI hate being disappointed, especially when I’m starving. What a bummer.
allison @ thesundayflog
July 12, 2010 at 1:14 pmbummer!! i love all things shrimp. i’d say go for it again and chang up your order. ya just never know!! dying for fro-yo now, so thanks 🙂
Camille
July 12, 2010 at 1:15 pmBummer about the shrimp!
At least there was yogurt to make it all better 🙂
Angharad
July 12, 2010 at 1:15 pmUgh. I got food poisoning two weeks ago from a portabello mushroom wrap…I can’t even think about mushrooms at the moment. So sad.
I hate when you are disappointed with something that looks so right on paper…did the others enjoy their food?
Heather (Heather's Dish)
July 12, 2010 at 1:21 pmew, nothing’s worse than a bad po’boy! at least dessert made up for it…
Ann @ Appalchian Appetites
July 12, 2010 at 1:23 pmIck…I hate blah bread 🙁
Kelly @ Healthy Living With Kelly
July 12, 2010 at 1:31 pmUGH sorry you had a bad food experience. That totally blows! But I think fro-yo makes everything better!!
skinnyrunner
July 12, 2010 at 1:35 pmi live for yogurtland. my fav. almost makes living in pricey california worth it just for the self serve froyo.
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg
July 12, 2010 at 1:36 pmI guess that’s what happens when you try to get Louisiana outside of Louisiana…ugh!! Bad shrimp is NEVER a good thing!
Stacey @ Tipping the (Kitchen!) Scales
July 12, 2010 at 1:36 pmToo bad the restaurant was a bust but at least the fro-yo made up for it!!
Maissa
July 12, 2010 at 1:37 pmI’ve been to Angeline’s twice, their fried chicken is absolutely amazing, vanilla sweet potato mash is equally addicting.
The second time I got the gumbo, it was good, not as good as the chicken.
The chicken seriously is one of those fried foods that you just pretend doesn’t count. I want to eat it for the rest of my life.
Also the hushpuppies – OMG AMAZING.
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg
July 12, 2010 at 1:37 pmI guess that’s what happens when you try to get Louisiana outside of Louisiana…ugh!! Bad shrimp is NEVER a good thing!
Kellie
July 12, 2010 at 1:42 pmi’m impressed with your frozen yogurt restraint. I tend to load mine up with every topping they have and then proceed to eat mine and my childrens.
BethT
July 12, 2010 at 1:42 pmHello. Brenda’s is your only option for Bay Area southern food. I thought you knew this.
Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine
July 12, 2010 at 1:47 pmUgh. Bad seafood is the worst…I had an experience last week and it was not. fun. Yay for recovery froyo though!
Angela (ohsheglows)
July 12, 2010 at 1:50 pmhahah Im the same way when Im hungry. The monster comes out full force. I have choice words…lol
Daisy
July 12, 2010 at 2:07 pmso funny that when you just posted the picture yesterday i thought, that sandwich looks good. ha.
Courtney
July 12, 2010 at 2:11 pmI am the exact same way with my hunger monster. Its unfortunate for everyone involved!
Someone else mentioned your frozen yogurt restraint and, I am also amazed! Anything cold and chocolate is irresistible to me, and I just can’t stop at one!
Stacie @ Imperfectly Healthy
July 12, 2010 at 2:12 pmI’m just like you – don’t mess with me when I’m hungry!! 🙂
Sorry the sandwich was no good – maybe it was just a fluke??
Estela @ Weekly Bite
July 12, 2010 at 2:14 pmWhenever I eat yucky food frozen yogurt always feels so good on my tummy 🙂
samantha
July 12, 2010 at 2:15 pmI don’t know southern food, but Angeline’s hush puppies with sweet butter are %&*!$ insane. In a really good way. Eat them.
nicole
July 12, 2010 at 2:19 pmNot to be a creep but I’m wondering if the man on your left is the boyfriend in your soccer photos…
jenna
July 12, 2010 at 2:35 pmHaha no…he was actually the one taking the photo!
Cynthia (It All Changes)
July 12, 2010 at 2:23 pmI applaud you for waiting through the entire game. I cannot watch games out unless I have a full snack bag with me. Otherwise I’m mean.
Sorry the po boy stunk and made you sick. Bad southern food is no fun.
kelsey@snackingsquirrel.com
July 12, 2010 at 2:23 pmi think bad seafood of any kid is yuckieee!! i had bad sushi.. EEL SUSHI to be specific!! made me sick for a couple days. not fun!
xoxo <3
amanda
July 12, 2010 at 2:27 pmUgggh sorry to hear you got sick from the food. I noticed if I check Yelp.com before going to place it helps me determine if I wanna eat there. Maybe check it out and see what other people have been saying about that place and it might help determine if you wanna give it another try.
Annie@stronghealthyfit
July 12, 2010 at 2:29 pmSo disappointing when you have a bad meal in a restaurant 🙁
Lisa (bakebikeblog)
July 12, 2010 at 2:31 pmBad shrimp = not fun
Fro Yo to make it all better = FUN!
Suzanne de Cornelia
July 12, 2010 at 2:32 pmI thought found an amazing FroYo place here in Carmel (not the chain you mentioned) and went about twice a month for a large. Aft about a year, I asked for an ingredient list and researched them online. FULL of Aspartame–might as well eat rat poison. Very upsetting because I am almost totally organic and this stuff is one of worst additives can consume—and in summer the yogurt shop is overrun by children. http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/aspartame-side-effects.html
So now, every few months get an organic pint of sorbert at Whole Foods and eat that for treat. I like FroYo–but the brain cancer, etc caused by Aspartame–not so much.
The Wife of a Dairyman
July 12, 2010 at 2:44 pmOooh, bad shrimp could be Really Bad. Glad you didn’t become more sick than you did. Yogurt always helps 🙂
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin
July 12, 2010 at 2:53 pmAw what a bummer about your meal! I’m always iffy about fried foods because they tend to give me stomach aches.
Thank goodness for fro yo though! 😉
Krystina
July 12, 2010 at 2:57 pmAt least you made it look pretty!
Jil @ Peace, Love & Munchies
July 12, 2010 at 3:07 pmOhh – that yogurt looks aaaamazing!
S @ extremebalance.net/blog
July 12, 2010 at 3:41 pmI’m usually choked to be allergic to seafood until I hear stories like this… glad you didn’t fully get sick!
Alyssa
July 12, 2010 at 3:47 pmHey Jenna!
Just wanted to let you know that I am hosting a Food Should Taste Good giveaway at my blog! Winner gets 5 FREE BAGS OF CHIPS!!
~Alyssa
Anna
July 12, 2010 at 3:49 pmSuch a bummer!!!! I’d definitely give it at least one more shot, though. Especially since it’s probably not too easy to find grub like that around where you are! That fro yo looks awesome.
hlo
July 12, 2010 at 3:54 pmI love Angelines! You should have tried the fried catfish or the vodoo shrimp…. delicious!
kath
July 12, 2010 at 3:58 pmYou should try Yogurt Park sometime, it’s a Berkeley institution. The stores on Shattuck tend to turn over very frequently (Angeline’s is only a few years old) with a few exceptions.
Oh no, though, sad update: the founder of Angeline’s passed away at the end of June. I’d say definitely give it another try sometime. Although I must admit I never ate there when I lived in Berkeley.
tamar
July 12, 2010 at 4:00 pmHey Jenna,
Sorry to hear about the bad experience! I once got food poisoning from bad shrimp too – at a high end restaurant no less. I have read and heard that shrimp is one of the most common foods that people experience food poisoning from. Before I became vegan, I was very discerning when ordering seafood because of that…
Rebecca @ How the Cookies Crumble
July 12, 2010 at 4:24 pmUgh, glad you didn’t get sick-sick from your poboy! I love Yogurtland! Especially their pistachio flavor! Yum!
Amy
July 12, 2010 at 4:30 pmDon’t give up on Angeline’s just yet! My personal opinion is that the Po’boys are the worst thing you can order off the menu. I’ve had the oyster Po’boy and yup, it’s not good at all.
Definitely try the buttermilk fried chicken next time you’re there. This dish stole my heart and I am tempted to order it every single time I eat at Angeline’s. I have branched out though, and I can also vouch for the excellent voodoo shrimp, crawfish etouffee, and the shrimp creole. Always order the hushpuppies and sweet tea.
You have to try their desserts too! Their bananas foster bread pudding makes me swoon. Their beignets aren’t bad, but I still love Cafe du Monde’s beignets the most.
I’m really sad to hear about Angeline’s founder passing away. Mr. Volberg seated us on just about every visit to Angeline’s and he was always so kind and friendly.
Rachael
July 12, 2010 at 4:52 pmAngeline’s isn’t the greatest. If you want good Southern food, you’ve got to head to Oakland – Lois the Pie Queen on the border of South Berkeley and Oakland is indeed the queen of her trade, and don’t get me started on Sweetie Pie and Poppy Down Home…..we’re talking deep-South style goodness.
Have you read/met/know of Novella Carpenter? She’s an urban farmer who just put out a book, and she’s an amazing Bay Area foodie/local foods resource.
Happy Monday!
Jess @ NZ Girl Runs
July 12, 2010 at 4:53 pmMy pet hate is bad/disapointing restaurant food. There is nothing worse then having to pay for food that sucks. But frozen treats make everything better!
Faith @ LovelyAsCharged
July 12, 2010 at 5:28 pmAw, that’s a bummer. It seems like the fro yo made up for it though!
Megan (Running Foodie)
July 12, 2010 at 5:31 pmThree cheers for Yogurtland! The best cure for disappointing food 🙂
Alyssa @ bride to be fit
July 12, 2010 at 5:49 pmWhat a bummer… There is nothing worse then when your really excited for food that ends up disappointing! Glad to see the yogurt made up for it though 😉
Faith @ LovelyAsCharged
July 12, 2010 at 5:50 pmBoy is that a bummer! When I ate seafood, I got taken on a first date to a N’Awleans style seafood restaurant and had a similarly disappointing shrimp Po Boy…I think they’re really hit or miss!
Cara
July 12, 2010 at 5:52 pmMan, that sucks! Especially when you have such high expectations!
Laura (Starloz)
July 12, 2010 at 6:11 pmFrozen yogurt is the solution to many life issues. its pure perfection!
Staceyhttp://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/
July 12, 2010 at 6:14 pmAt least the fro yo was delicious.
Susan
July 12, 2010 at 6:21 pmWell, it must have been bad! because it’s not often you say something negative about a meal, and you not picky or fussy or “high maintenance” I love that you are so open minded about trying everything.
Kristin (Salty Tooth)
July 12, 2010 at 6:29 pmFrozen yogurt always helps!
KatieTX
July 12, 2010 at 6:36 pmThe only way you can be sure to get a good shrimp po boy is to go to N’awlins to get one..just saying….
ida
July 12, 2010 at 6:41 pmlove the his and hers fro yo cups!!
Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman
July 12, 2010 at 6:43 pmHm, sounds like a boring sandwich. But the fro yo? Mmm…caramel!
Diana @ frontyardfoodie
July 12, 2010 at 6:53 pmSeafood done wrong is always the worst of wrongs. Something about screwing it up makes it worse than screwing up chicken or potatoes.
Glad the frozen yogurt healed you!
Lauren @ louisianagrown
July 12, 2010 at 7:00 pmUh oh… sorry Angeline’s did a bad job of representing us. Poboys will just never be as delicious anywhere else as they are in New Orleans.
Jessica @ The Process of Healing
July 12, 2010 at 7:05 pmHaha that’s SO me when I’m hungry… watch out!! that’s so dissapointing though 🙁
Katherine
July 12, 2010 at 8:09 pmI LOVE Yogurtland!!!
Kelly
July 13, 2010 at 7:25 amSome people don’t get southern food..it has to be fresh and it has to be generous. Anything less can’t hold a candle. Bad seafood is nothing to mess with, but frozen yogurt heals all. 🙂
Shelley
July 13, 2010 at 11:20 amJenna, are you an Alabama fan? If so, Roll Tide!! I went to college and law school at Alabama, and was pretty much born a Bama fan. I’m also a big fan of your blog- keep up the wonderful work! Best wishes from Selma, Alabama-
Shelley