Cho Veggie House

I went for bimbimbap at Berkel Berkel today, but was sad to see that it was closed. (RIP Berkel Berkel!!)
The menu here is mostly Thai, but the noodle dishes veer towards pan-​Asian (Singapore noodles, Indian peanut curry). It’s not unreasonably priced overall — $ 8 for most dishes — but expensive for lunch, especially when compared with Green Papaya’s $ 6 lunch special. I had the «Gravy Sexy Noodle» (gross name, yummy dish) which was flavorful but the portion size was small.
Pros: Upscale, modern atmosphere; fast, friendly service; organic, tasty veggie dishes; 15% off for a limited time (grand opening special).
Cons: Slightly pricey for lunch; large tables mean you’d have to share with others at peak times (could be a pro too, depending on your p.o.v.); small portion size.
Overall, it’s a decent place (and less oily than Thai Noodle), but with so many great Thai places in Berkeley, I don’t think I’ll be making a return visit anytime soon.

We had lunch at Cho Veggie House today. We both enjoyed what we ate: Indian Curry Noodles, Spicy Thai Basil Noodles and taro root appetizers. The sauces were very tasty, but nothing was very spicy, despite it’s name. The table-​provided hot sauce took care of that. The ambience is nice, sturdy community style wooden (veneer) tables, friendly, prompt and attentive wait staff. We definitely want to return when we’re in the area, but wouldn’t consider it our «destination». There’s lots on the menu for vegetarians and vegans, but vegans beware that the tofu-«meats» have egg in them (we asked the staff). Their plain tofu is vegan.

This place used to be Berkel Berkel, an old Korean restaurant, but it recently was sold/​renovated and now it’s completely different (in a good way!).
Food:
1) Tea leaf salad: Very generous with the peanuts and cashews (YUM!) and filled with a lovely variety of veggies! I loved the sauce they poured over the salad! It was so flavorful! Great salad!
2) Pad Sew You: This was made differently than any pad sew you I’ve ever had, but then again, this place is vegetarian, so I guess they are entitled to do that. The noodles they used were thin, like pad thai noodles. There was broccoli, cauliflower and tofu in the dish. It was a nice new spin to the dish, even though I’m not super fond of the thin pad thai noodles, this dish was still flavorful and very enjoyable!
Ambiance:
RENOVATED indeed! In comparison to Berkel Berkel, this place got a major FACE LIFT! All new interior décor, all new silverware, chairs, tables, etc! Very classy and looks super upscale! It’s so nice that it looks really out of place being on ghetto Telegraph like that. But none-​the-​less, it’s still a very presentable place to eat! I loved the cute new modern edgy feel they have put to this place!
Service:
All the waiters were SUPER nice and very good about refilling water/​tea.
Price:
VERY cheap for Thai food! The whole meal cost about $ 20 tax and tip included. It would have been cheaper but I ordered tea which was $ 4…that was the only BIG rip off, but otherwise, all the dishes are super presentable, good portions, and very reasonably priced! I felt like we ate at a nice restaurant but paid a fast food price. That’s a GREAT feeling :)
Overall:
It’s right next to Thai Noodle and I think as this place starts getting more noticed it’s going to give Thai Noodle a run for it’s money! Totally recommend trying this place! It’s worth your time and money! Oh, and there is 15% for grand opening right now! :)