Food Stuff

Presenting Food stuff’s top five of 2004, in alphabetical order:

• Chicago Fire—Exquisite thin-crust pizza in an elegant, big-city atmosphere. 614 Sutter Street in Folsom, (916) 353-0140.

• Cortini—A martini created by César in Berkeley in honor of local grocer Darrell Corti. One of the few times we felt a cocktail was worth $10.50. 1515 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley, (510) 883-0222.

• Gam Lei Sig—The Singapore noodles keep us coming back to this modest Chinese neighborhood cafe. We dare you to stop before cleaning the plate. 918 S Street, (916) 446-6888.

• Peet’s Coffee & Tea—No longer must we travel to Davis, Fair Oaks Boulevard or the Bay Area to enjoy some of the best coffee and tea available. 1800 19th Street, (916) 266-2400.

• Philipp’s Bakery—We like to see neighborhood landmarks revived, even if it is at the expense of our coronary health. 3300 Folsom Boulevard, (916) 455-5535.