John Paluska beta tests sophisticated acoustic technology that can be controlled with a swipe- and could make loud restaurants a thing of the past.  

With a touch on an iPad screen, Comal’s management can maintain the desired level of energized “buzz” throughout the space while still allowing intimate conversations, all regardless of occupancy levels.

The menu here also serves the vegetarian and carnivore equally, and the rustic and sophisticated vibe dovetails with the food.  

“Many people start out with a neutral palette and then stop, producing a space that is modern but not dynamic. Just adding a few more textures and colors—burlap, copper, an amber glow, turquoise blue glass—added layers of dynamism to make this environment sparkle and come to life.”

There’s “great energy” in the air at this “bustling” Mexican in Berkeley’s Arts District, where chef Matt Gandin presents an “upscale”, Oaxacan-focused menu that’s “tasty” and “not formulaic”

Berkeley Design Advocates Bienniel Award Winner “The interior of Comal is a joyous symphony of line, space, technology, and materials, designed and built in a sustainable and authentic manner.”

The tone is set by the meticulously designed 3,000-square-foot interior, which incorporates reclaimed tables, concrete walls accented with lathe siding, scarred Douglas fir floor from the original 1924 building that originally housed two retail shops, and an open-beam ceiling hung with drumlike copper mesh chandeliers.

Paluska and Meyer Sound, a world-renowned audio engineering company in Berkeley, teamed up to test a relatively new technology that controls reverberation levels with the press of a button.