First Look: Cool beans' gets new meaning at Berkeley's charming Bar Panisse

"Bar Panisse is the new little sister to Berkeley's legendary Chez Panisse. Located next door, it's a little hipper, a little cheaper and a lot of fun. Alice Waters, the chef responsible for so much of America's farm-to-table philosophy, is not doing the cooking. That would be Amelia Telc, who's worked at Mission Chinese Food in New York and operated pop-ups in Sonoma County."

"Telc keeps her focus on uncluttered, surgically sourced recipes that are quietly creative and quite delicious—channeling her inner Waters, perhaps, though it's indisputably her own show. The restaurant is open five days a week and does not accept reservations. That can lead to a logjam at the door, with people arriving before opening and then still waiting for indeterminate times."

"The popularity of Bar Panisse perhaps dispels one fear the restaurateurs might've had—that the place would be shunned by the community, after Waters terminated the lease of longtime tapas restaurant Cesar to make space for her new endeavor. There is no sign of grief inside, however, where throngs of people enjoy cocktails, Dungeness crab and plates of herby butter beans."

Bar Panisse is a new restaurant in Berkeley operating as the sister establishment to the legendary Chez Panisse. Located next door, it offers a hipper, more affordable dining experience. Chef Amelia Telc, who previously worked at Mission Chinese Food in New York and operated pop-ups in Sonoma County, leads the kitchen with a focus on uncluttered, surgically sourced recipes that are quietly creative and delicious. The restaurant operates five days a week without reservations, resulting in frequent wait times and crowds at the door. Despite initial concerns about community backlash following the closure of longtime tapas restaurant Cesar to make space for Bar Panisse, the new establishment has proven highly popular. Patrons enjoy cocktails, Dungeness crab, and celebrated herby butter beans, with the dining atmosphere treating the space more as a restaurant than a traditional bar.

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