Picante Cocina Mexicana
10 ratings since posting on Wednesday, October 6, 2004
Overall Rating  based on 10 ratings |
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 Picante is run by the family of Alice Waters (Chez Panisse, Cafe Fanny). Picante is probably the most kid friendly resturant in Berkeley. It's noisy, entertaining, and nobody cares if your baby does it's normal noisy baby things. The burritos, tostadas and quesadillas are excellent. It's very hard to beat the price. I love the rajas! The tortillas are made fresh The platos are good, but a bit expensive. This may sound strange, but their platos to-go are not nearly as nice as the platos served in the resturant, and are often missing some pieces. Highly recommended for families! - Stefan , posted 05/11/05 |
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Picante is fast, good, cheap - the three ideal qualities you want in Mexican food. But they don't sacrifice quality or cleanliness. Picante is a very family friendly joint, but they do serve a mean margarita. - Dan , posted 10/19/04 |
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Everything i've had at picante has been yummy. I often treat myself to their nachos because they are so good. But beware, it's not a one-person appetizer! - 24 frames per second , posted 10/19/04 |
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I don't even live in California anymore, but I make a special trip every time I'm in town because the food is so scrumdiddlyumptious! My personal favorite is the super vegetarian burrito with black beans. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. - Amanda , posted 10/13/04 |
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This place is great-- you can always find a table (it's huge), the service is fast, there's lots to choose from (even a vegetarian menu), and they have different kinds of salsa. What else could you want? Oh yeah, the food is great, too. Their burritos are huge, and very tasty, and their mole sauce is to die for. - Brody , posted 10/12/04 |
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Picante is kindof weird because you walk in, stand in a line, place your order, pay and then take your number and sit down. That makes this fast food, right? Well, whatever. The food is great. And it comes to your table pretty damn fast. I've tried nearly everything on the menu and it's all amazing. Their Sopa Azteca (chicken-tortilla soup) is a really nice present to bring your dear friend when they are sick and need comfort food (clears the sinuses too!). Picante makes their corn tortillas fresh (you can watch them if you want a thrill), have 3-5 different aqua frescas to choose from, and make strong margaritas. There's an outdoor patio in the back, a nice treat. - superbrenda , posted 10/07/04 |
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Picante is a very popular Mexican restaurant in Berkeley and there are definite reasons for that. They use higher quality ingredients and it comes across in the tastes and textures of the food. Tortillas are made by hand on premises (providing entertainment for the kiddies). Even though it's close to my workplace I don't go there that often for a couple reasons (1)Higher prices (2)Noise levels/crowds (3) Basic Mexican staples can't compare to what you could get more cheaply in The Mission or Fruitvale. My favorite Picante dishes are the ones I tend *not* to order at cheaper joints. Sopa Azteca. Chocolate Angel Food Cake. Picante Grande Salad. The absolute crown of Picante, in my opinion, are their tortilla chips. They must realize it too because the chips aren't just indiscriminately tossed in free with your order. You must pay for your chips, but they're worth the Sacajawea. Thick, wholesome and salty, they'll hijack your tastebuds and take you to high carb/high fat heaven. I'm not a fan of Mexican desserts. Generally heavy on the sugar and light on any other flavor. The chocolate angel food cake was not particularly chocolatey. But the TEXTURE! Oh my god, it really was like having a cloud in your mouth. Worth it for the texture alone. I don't believe Picante serves Mexican hot chocolate, but if they do you should definitely order the two of these for dessert. I don't really think of Picante food as Mexican food. I think of it as its own category. And it's very good in that category. But because of the higher cost and their lackluster burritos, I'll be doing most of my grazing at La Familia. - Spidra , posted 10/06/04 |
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High quality and delicious Mexican food. Vegetarian, kids and standard menus available. Enchiladas, burritos, platos, etc. all made with love and wholesome ingredients. Picante is very family friendly -- you'll always see kids running around (but that shouldn't deter the childless!) There is a really nice patio with heat lamps, for outside seating. And don't miss the fabulous Mexican breakfasts, especially the Mexican chocolate and coffee. - Tamar , posted 10/06/04 |
