Berkeley Restaurant Worker Allegedly Drugged and Raped a Diner

A restaurant supervisor at the DoubleTree Hotel in Berkeley was charged with “felony rape by use of drugs”

Berkeleyside reports that 64-year-old San Leandro resident Isaac Amiga, a supervisor at the restaurant inside Berkeley’s DoubleTree Hotel, allegedly bought a woman dinner and drinks as she dined at there last June. Police say that one of the items she consumed at the spot (which, per the hotel’s website, is called The Berkeley Boathouse) caused her to black out, and when she awoke, the woman says Amiga was sexually assaulting her. KRON 4 reports that DNA evidence led police to Amiga, and on December 24 he was charged with felony rape by use of drugs. According to the Berkeley Police Department, Amiga has “denied any involvement” in the incident.

Oakland’s 10th annual Restaurant Week begins on Thursday

Oakland Restaurant Week runs from January 9-20, giving food fans two weekends of special menus and deals at over 110 spots across the city. A list of participating restaurants is here, its event calendar is here (that scavenger hunt on 1/12 looks especially fun), and the East Bay Express has dropped its picks for the “tastiest and best” bargains here.

Eclipse’s vegan ice cream will be served at Mitchell’s

Eclipse Foods, the Y Combinator-backed vegan ice cream startup that debuted at Humphry Slocombe last fall, will soon be served at Mitchell’s Ice Cream in SF and Milkbomb in Berkeley. Milkbomb will serve Eclipse’s vegan vanilla and chocolate flavors as of Tuesday, 1/7, and Mitchell’s will serve its espresso and vanilla bean-Oreo varieties as of 1/11. A single scoop of Eclipse at either location will run $4.50, but visitors to Mitchell’s on 1/11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. can nab a scoop for free.

A Sacramento McDonald’s is playing bagpipe music around the clock

A 24-hour McDonald’s restaurant at Broadway and 24th Streets in Sacramento has attracted the ire of its neighbors, as it allegedly plays bagpipe music all day and all night. The Scottish drone is an effort to repel homeless folks, KRON 4 reports, and the restaurant’s local management reportedly tells area residents that the decision behind the soundtrack was made at the corporate level. Efforts like this — known as “hostile sound” — have been widely employed by venues since at least 1985, when Canadian 7-Elevens began blasting classical music in its parking lots to drive teenagers away.

Souvla’s original location has temporarily closed

Fast-casual Greek restaurant Souvla opened its first location in Hayes Valley back in 2014. That spot went dark Monday for “renovations to its kitchen and dining room,” a spokesperson for the chain says. It should reopen as of 1/27, but until then, fans of Souvla’s pitas and bowls can find them at a food truck at Hayes Valley’s PROXY project, as well as its spots in the Mission, the Marina and NoPa.