Global chain Burgerim to open 10 restaurants in Bay Area
An Israeli-born chain that specializes in customized burgers — with Wagyu beef, lamb and salmon as choices — has targeted the Bay Area for a major expansion.
Burgerim, which launched in Tel Aviv in 2011 and has 160 locations worldwide, has several locations in the works. The growth here and elsewhere in California will expand the company’s offerings from 19 restaurants in the state to about 95.
The Bay Area franchises will be in Concord (Todos Santos Plaza); Pleasant Hill (Monument Boulevard); Pleasanton (Rosewood Drive); El Cerrito (El Cerrito Plaza); Fremont (Osgood Road); San Francisco (Mission Street); San Jose (Branham Lane); San Pablo (College Shopping Center); Santa Clara (Mercado Shopping Center); and San Mateo (College of San Mateo).
Of those, three — Fremont, Pleasant Hill and Pleasanton — will be certified halal. Here’s how the concept works: Each Burgerim patty is what the company calls a “sensibly sized” 2.8 ounces, and customers can select “uno, duo or trio” or a party box. Customization choices range from type of patty (beef, dry-aged beef, Wagyu beef, spicy Merguez beef, Spanish beef, turkey, lamb, chicken, salmon, veggie or falafel) to the buns, sauces and toppings (cheese, jalapeños, bacon, avocado, grilled onions, fried egg and more).
Salads, chicken wings, fries, onion rings and other sides round out the offerings.
Outside the Bay Area, Burgerim has plans for locations in Santa Cruz, Monterey and Tracy and a big expansion has been set for the Sacramento region.
DETAILS » www.burgerim.com.
Chez Panisse alum Nosrat wins cookbook award
Berkeley resident and former Chez Panisse chef Samin Nosrat has won the 2018 James Beard award for her debut cookbook, “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking” (Simon & Schuster).
Nosrat is not the first Chez Panisse alum to win the prestigious award. But her story is unique in that she never went to culinary school or intended to work at Chez Panisse. It all kind of happened after one amazing meal there in college.
In 1997, Nosrat, who was a student at Cal, saved up for months to have a meal at Chez Panisse. It turned out to be a life-changing experience. Not long after, she wrote a letter to owner Alice Waters detailing her thoughts on the meal and asking for a job. She began working there, busing tables and later working in the kitchen, the day after her interview.
Nearly 20 years later, her book became an instant classic and a New York Times bestseller when it hit shelves last April, lauded by veteran chefs, including her former boss, Waters.
Combined with Nostrat’s in-
fectious joy for her subject, “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” uses these four pillars to break down the essentials of cooking and offers recipes and the whimsical illustrations of Wendy MacNaughton to bring it all together.
When she isn’t writing or teaching, Nosrat is at work on a docu-series based on the book, to be released this year. She is also a food columnist for the New York Times Magazine.
San Jose Cinnaholic’s delicious offerings
Founded in Berkeley, the build-your-own-cinnamon-roll concept got its big break when entrepreneurs Shannon and Florian Radke went on TV’s “Shark Tank” with their vegan desserts that are free of dairy, lactose, eggs and cholesterol.
In San Jose, husband-and-wife franchisees Xicayan Posadas and Lizzeth Flores caught the show and were hooked.
“The first draw was they’re vegan,” Flores said. “And they were very well received by everyone on the ‘Shark Tank,’ which isn’t always the case!”
Posadas, who is vegan, has a background in the bakery business, as has shop manager Elisa Juarez.
Their Cinnaholic rolls will come out of the oven every 15 minutes so that customers are always guaranteed a warm dessert. Along with regular-size rolls, there are Baby Buns and sheet-style Cinnacakes, which serve six, eight or 12 people.
You can customize your roll with nearly 40 frostings and toppings, including fruit, nuts and cookies.
Coffee, juices, almond milk, brownies and cookies are also served.
“We guarantee everything in these four walls to be vegan,” Posadas said.
DETAILS » Cinnaholic’s is located at 115 E. San Carlos St. at Third, San Jose. Their rolls are available via Door Dash www.cinnaholic.com.