Berkeley Bites: Cristina Lau

Each Friday in this space food writer Sarah Henry asks a well-known, up-and-coming, or under-the-radar food aficionado about their favorite tastes in town, preferred food purveyors and other local culinary gems worth sharing. UC Berkeley graduate Cristina Lau, 23, heads up the non-profit Berkeley’s Kitchen, which runs cooking classes and hosts food events with an emphasis on affordable, ethnic eats. Check out the group’s website for upcoming activities. A former member of the Cal Cooking Club, Cristina comes from a food family. Her parents ran Chinese restaurants in Tijuana and San Diego; she grew up peeling shrimp and washing dishes. Food has played a central role in her life. She shares an apartment in North Berkeley with a roommate. 1. What’s your favorite place to eat in town? At home with my friends. I cook Chinese-Mexican fusion food. It’s what I grew up eating. I mix chillies with bok choy. I make shrimp har gow (a kind of dumpling), and I saute crab and serve it with lots of Chinese condiments like soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and oyster sauce. 2. What food store do you frequent in the community? Berkeley Bowl. The “old” one (Berkeley Bowl East), because it’s close […]