My family’s neighbor is a gruff woman. She’s a whole head taller than I am and wears Carharts head to toe. She can saddle a horse in a matter of seconds and collects eggs each morning from the chickens she keeps in the barn. There’s more Colorado in her than I’ll ever have–and I’m a native–but we manage to get along.

The other day I was kicking through a field of horse shit and yucca with her when the Bay Area came up in the conversation. I told her I went to Berkeley and the first thing she mentioned, before the Bomb, before the Free Speech movement, before Ginsberg or Didion or Judith Butler, was the food. Having spent most of her 20s in SF, my neighbor’s most salient memories of that decade were the meals, which, if it reveals a side of her that I overlooked, also speaks to the quality and draw of the Bay Area’s dining scene.

“I’ll never not miss that food,” she said as she half-tackled a haflinger trying to fit a bit in its mouth. That got me thinking, Shouldn’t I take advantage while I still can?

The restaurants in the Bay Area rank with the best in the world, but as students we are not really set up to take advantage of them. There’s the BART ride, which can be a hassle, but more than that there’s the wallet issue. Half-way through the week mine is getting so thin I’m scrapping pennies together to buy a falafel, so a three course meal on Friday night is usually out of the question. But in these next two weeks, if I dig extra deep, it might be possible because between January 15th through the 31st, a wide array of SF restaurants are offering a three course prefix for $31.95.

It’s called Dine About Town , two weeks of cheaper (although not quite cheap), three-course dinners at some of the City’s finest establishments. While the biggest names like Michael Minna and Jardiniere have opted out, the list of participants is long nevertheless and you’re bound to find something to your liking. Just be aware that not all the prefixes are created equal. 1550 Hyde lets you choose your appetizer, entree and dessert from their regular menu while other restaurants offer only one option. Which is to say that you should do a little research to find the restaurant best for you.

If you’re just arriving at Berkeley or, like me, are overstaying your welcome, the next two weeks are the time to soak up the Bay Area’s food scene without putting too big a dent in your pocket.

Image Source: OpenTable.com

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