Quality Food in Berkeley

Vik's Chaat House on Allston @ 5th, is the best Indian chaat, or "junk food"/snacks, this side of the Indian Ocean. It's almost always crowded, and the line can run out the door of the warehouse-like building at noon some days. The alloo tiki and bhatura cholle (or a "number nine") are to die for; make sure you spend an extra dollar and order and mango lassi.

Stop by on a weekend -- or Sundays at least -- and the menu changes: check out the masala dosas. They also have an Indian Grocery next door to the restaurant, where you can get all the best Garam Masala and a healthy selection of basmati rices.

The Thai Temple on Russell Street @ MLK, near the Berkeley Lending Libary and Ashby BART has a brunch every Sunday from 10am or so until 3pm (I'm guessing; peak seems to be noon, best times are 10:30 or 2:30 to miss the rush).  There is usually a huge crowd, and you can tell where it is by following the foot traffic leading up to the gilded buildings.  You change your money for little silver "donation" tokens that you then trade for a wild assortment of Thai foods, from the usual Pad Thai and other noodles, and then there's these deep fried wraps with tofu or chicken, basil spring rolls, and a wide variety of Thai desserts, which would make it worth showing up all by themselves.

There is also a stage where there was singing and Thai-sounding music, which we only noticed as we were leaving.  Check it out, it's a big event, every week.