O Chame

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james246

Joined 6 years ago

Great Udon, Nice experience. I've heard that Udon is pretty great at this restaurant and I went to check it out with a friend. We ordered salad with ahi tuna sashimi slices, green onion pancakes, and a bowl of pork udon to share. The Salad had a good balance of the (vinaigrette?) dressing that went well with the sashimi slices. The green onion pancakes were pretty bland by itself but, when you dip it in the (Miso vinaigrette?) sauce it was delicious! The Pork Udon was great, the noodles would just melt in my mouth, and the pork slices were seasoned just to my liking. The broth was light and flavorful but it take a side line when you compare it to the noodles. The waitress we had was great, she keep coming by refilling our drinks and was very friendly. Keep in mind this place is bit expensive compare to some other Japanese restaurant, since a bowl of Udon costs $12+ here but I think it?s worth it, awesome noodles.

Ok so only downside to my experience at O Chame was when I went there with my friend it was pretty busy, so they took a bit of time to get my check at the end of our meal. I guess normally people would chat for some time after they eat, but we want to leave so that we can get some dessert at some other place.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Intimate and serene, this Fourth Street gem showcases Japanese cuisine's subtle flavors and fresh ingredients.. In Short
The sedate entrance is a pleasing prelude to the Zen-like dining experience that awaits inside. A slender arm of a dining room feels natural and relaxed, evoking a casual country-style dining experience, tinged with Eastern touches. A simple menu of Japanese cuisine explodes with field-fresh California flavors. The appetizer selections include celery root and green onion pancakes and miso soup. Entrees include roasted Atlantic salmon and grilled flat iron steak.

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rsak

Joined 7 years ago

Good food, bad chairs. I don't like the chairs here because, well, I slouch and these chairs make me feel like I'm leaning forward. The food is good. The noodles are the main attraction. To me, it's not really traditional style. If it was, I would rate it lower. Since it's not, it moves higher. Anyway, both the udon and soba noodles are nice and fresh. The broth is lighter than most, almost to the point of not being flavorful enough. But only almost. I've had the udon with shrimp which I wasn't a big fan of. The pork and beef offerings are much better.

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julia13

Joined 7 years ago

Simple, pure, delicious. Friendly and professional service, a true Berkeley treasure.

The food is so clean and delicious. Menu offers amazing flavors without being busy.

Comfortable setting.

Doesn't Recommend

e_bluecat

Joined 7 years ago

unclear concept. O Chame takes the simplicity of Japanese favorites and adds a twist by injecting "Calfornia cuisine" concepts. The desired result is that traditional favorites are supposed to be elevated by the use of fancy sounding ingredients. The reality is that you get overpriced food that isn't Japanese enough to be satisfying for those who appreciate good Japanese food and bland/not different enough to be interesting. Add the high prices for very small portions and you get a disappointing experience. At least the decor is nice.

Doesn't Recommend

sushisucker

Joined 8 years ago

Oh Shame. I was very disappointed eating at a place with such a great reputation. The noodle order was very minimal, and the servings of food were small. If you go here, you are definitely helping them pay for the decor and ambience. Stay away unless you just have lots of money to blow on impressing others

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gelid

Joined 8 years ago

Creative. Its minimalistic, relaxing, smooth decor is synonymous with the food. Apptizers are the main highlight of the menu; they are a bit small yet consist of inventive blends of foods and seasonings to result in a unique take on Japanese cuisine. Great for lunch. The noodle soups are comforting, but don't expect to get completely full up.

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owenseightball

Joined 10 years ago

o chame. It is diffcult to say anything bad about this restaurant. O Chame is still one of the best. Call ahead if you want a vegetarian broth for your soup. They are accomodating. Ochame is a gem in the bay area.

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bungleboots

Joined 9 years ago

Make Reservation on Weekends. This place has fantastic food and ambiance but I disagree with the no under Make Reservations. I came here at 7:30 on a Saturday only to learn that they were booked solid through 9:30. So if you plan on going on a peak day, I recommend calling ahead Oh, consider sitting outside on a warm night (as rare as those are in this part of Berkeley) its quite a treat, despite a moderate amount of foot traffic through the courtyard.

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cbrachvogel

Joined 9 years ago

a religious experience.... my wife and i are so fond of this place, we make it a point to drop in whenever we need an uplift. the food is astonishingly delicate, an inventive combination of the new californian and japanese cuisines, served so fresh it puts your own vegetable garden to shame. i credit o chame with teaching me what some foods -- scallops, yellow beets, to name two examples -- really taste like! the steak is to die for, juicy and tender, incredibly succulent every time! i'm not a big fan of the noodle soups but always find something delectable on the menu. the wines are well-matched to the food and reasonably priced, the environment is cozy and appealingly lit, the staff unobtrusively attentive and knowledgeable and even the crowd's ok... i must have been there a dozen times already and have yet to be disappointed in any way. a singular treat!