Sample global cuisines from within Oakland's city limits. Asmara offers a rainbow of West African flavors, with particularly good options for vegetarians. El Huarache Azteca in Fruitvale near BART stretches your idea of what Mexican means with simple and rare dishes. Papuseria San Salvador serves delicate corn flour pockets stuffed with cheese, chicken and other fillings and served with salsas and hard boiled eggs. At Addis Ethiopian, you sit on basket-woven stools as you eat injera flatbread with vegetable stews, sauteed beans, marinated meats and traditional sauces. Across from Mills College, Old Weang Ping Thai dishes up home-style Thai food such as pumpkin curry. For more information, click on the Culinary Tourism and Neighborhood Maps areas at Oaklandcvb.com. - Serena Bartlett

Good weather and good food are always a good match. Oakland's Jack London Square offers many options for alfresco dining and drinking.  A favorite watering hole of Jack London, Heinhold's First & Last Chance Saloon will make you thirsty for his books. Miss Pearl's Jam House gives a taste of the sounds, food and cocktails of the Caribbean. In addition to fine dining at lunch and at night, Scott's Seafood serves up Champagne Jazz brunches on Sundays.

Set in a 1920s art deco supper club at the Lake Merritt Hotel with a panoramic view of Lake Merritt, Terrace Room Executive Chef James Dame has created a familiar American bistro with sophisticated updates.

Eight 4-oz servings
1 qt      Cream
8oz      Sugar
8           Egg Yolks
1/2        Vanilla Bean,  Scraped
1 pint   Fresh Berries (Such as Raspberries, Blueberries or Black Berries)