Someone wrote: : I'm looking for a place to have dinner on Dec 21. Requirements are a : quiet place for a party of nine. The occassion will be my parents 50th : wedding anniversary. My father does not like spicy food, and our : budget in not unlimited, so we're looking for a moderatly priced quiet : place to eat. People will be coming from Hayward and Berkeley. Of course, i'm going to suggest my all-time favorite restaurant, La Belle creole in Emeryville (bad neighborhood, though). The place is gorgeous, little tables (though I'm sure he could put some together) lit by candles, with light coming from exotic/unusual lamps litting the place. He has a couple of pretty cabinest with old books in one, and exquisite china on the other. And there are hardly ever more than 1 or 2 patrons. *CAVEAT* There is a picture of the Maya Desnuda and a poster of a naked girl on the wall, so if this would offend your parents, it's not the place to go (other than the poster, the place is very causal/classy in an exotic kind of way). the food is out of this world, very elegant too. It's a Hatian restaurant and the dishes are all meat based (guinea fowl, pheasant, quail, alligator, curried goat, pork, NY steak, and a variety of seafood including gumbo). The dishes are generally spicy, but the owner is willing to cook to your specifications. You have to call him a day in advance, however, an order the food for everyone, as he has to go and buy it (it's all very fresh, as you can see :-). Anyway, I want to go now :-) Take care, Marga
San Francisco Bay Area, CA