food+drink: Lost+Found

Ifinally got a chance to make a second, longer visit to Lost+Found, the new beer garden on Telegraph. On my first visit, I barely had time for a beer. This time I got to hang out with my friend Mike for a while, have a couple beers, and sample the food.

The food menu is fairly simple, but includes some vegi and vegan options so I was happy. The vegan sloppy joe was quite good, as was the definitely-not-vegan grilled cheese sandwich. Lost+Found has a great beer selection, with about 20 local and not so local beers on tap. While the beer garden is built on an old parking lot, it feels like a garden with lots of plants around the seating, plus a ping pong table and other amusements. Even though yesterday was still pretty warm (though not nearly so hot as Wednesday), the space was cool and inviting, with a nice cross-breeze.

One wall of the garden space is home to a Ernest Doty mural, though fairly tame compared with many of his works. While there's definitely a hipsterish vibe (like many new places in Uptown), it still all adds up to a lovely spot to hang out, have a beer, and a bit of food. To me the only thing missing is the presence of dogs. Someone tried to bring one in while we were there, and while I couldn't hear what was exchanged, the upshot was that the dog and its person left.

One Day in Oakland

The following is a guest post from Alden Olmstead, creator of the cool, artsy map above, and of the new blog, One Day In. Cards featuring the map can be purchased at a number of local businesses. See the list at the end of the post.

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Jack London and Oak trees, fire artists and urban blight – oops – urban renewal, sorry mayor. What to make of a town like Oakland, California depends partly on perspective, more on your stance against the world. What’s that – you don’t have a stance? You don’t thrive on challenges that everyone says won’t work? You’ve never felt like the underdog, succeeding regardless of – or even especially because of what others think? Oakland might not be for you. You might not get it. However, if you can appreciate a young man whose dreams and aspirations were so strong that he hopped a steam ship to the Yukon to pan for gold, came back more broke than when he left, sold his bicycle to buy heating gas and bread for his mother, then found success writing about his struggle amidst the elements and the hardened souls of men, Oakland might just be for you. Jack London was not the first underdog to grace Oakland and he certainly won’t be the last. From its artists to its sports teams, its beautiful Lake Merritt and skyline to the ongoing reality of urban violence, Oakland is honesty. The sweet with the sour, it’s all here. Be prepared, stay alert, and you’ll be surprised at how friendly people are. Overcoming challenges produces character. Oakland has truckloads of it.
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Basic instructions for Oakland, California:

1. Dogs can smell fear, so can people. Smile and the world smiles back – be smart and you’ll be fine.
2. Everything that’s a challenge in San Francisco is one or two notches less in Oakland. Parking, harsh weather, Toyota-swallowing potholes, baseball ticket prices, parking, etc..
3. Layers. You can start with a sweater or jacket if you like but by noon or so you’ll be shedding it faster than a 70′s streaker at an A’s game. I recommend a medium sweater, flannel, or fleece, with a favorite t shirt underneath. But that’s just me. In winter months maybe a scarf. I’ve never owned one but they sure look warm. And stylish.
4. Park at 101 Washington Street – or street parking if it’s a weekday – or BART to 12th street/ City Center if you don’t mind the aforementioned blight.

Let’s begin:

8:00 am Jack London Square
Oakland, Ca 94607
Speaking of the wavy-haired socialist himself, your day in Oakland begins near the water for a variety of reasons, most of which you’ll discover for yourself. Grab coffee at Blue Bottle on Webster or Autobahn (at 5th and Clay) and walk to the end of Broadway – down to the water. Put your black and white glasses on, flip your collar up on your Navy peacoat and smell the cool and salty air. See the hundreds of cranes? The port of Oakland is an international cargo hub and was one of the early adopters of container shipping. Though Lucasfilm claims to have taken no inspiration from these cranes for The Empire Strikes Back, I say let your imagination go. Besides it’s more fun to disagree with George these days.
Walk south to Jack London’s little cabin, make a note to yourself to visit his estate in Glen Ellen at Jack London State Park (one hour north) and enjoy the fountain and the many seats available. *Good luck finding a seat if this is Sunday, farmers markets here can get a little crazy.
8:30 am Eat Breakfast at Home of Chicken and Waffles (Broadway and Embarcadero) or the Oakland Grill, two blocks up and one block south, at 3rd and Franklin. Both are very good, though completely different atmospheres.
10:00 am Walk East (away from the water) up Broadway, stopping wherever you like. You might see an estate sale – at Something to Sell About, or an art or clothing store you like – if today is a first Friday check out an art walk schedule at http://oaklandartmurmer.org. Either way head up Broadway towards Old Oakland. The mornings are when your mind is fresh, let’s find some history.
Turn left, north, on Eighth St.

You can make a nice side loop and enjoy the architecture of Old Oakland by turning on 8th street, and heading north for a few blocks. Turn right up Jefferson or Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and then back towards Broadway on 12th. Great photo opportunities and light should be happening to free your mind. Stop at the Flower Mart or pose outside the Washington Inn. Very cool.

12 Noon at the Oak Tree
Oakland City Hall and Frank Ogawa Plaza – Overheard: "Dude that tree is huge!"

I know, someone should make a logo of it. Oh they have? How about a shirt? Oh really? Ok, ok – where do I get one?”

Before heading back towards the water for lunch, watch the plaza come alive with the working crowds from the Oakland Tribune, Clorox, the state building, or from the many other businesses around Frank Ogawa Plaza. Walk up to Oaklandish on Broadway to get some Oakland apparel. Don’t spend it all in one place though – the awesome shirts at lOakal back on 2nd street will make you glad you saved some dough.
Walk back towards the water to:

Lunch at Everett & Jones BBQ


Are there great places for lunch other than E&J? Of course – There are also blondes other than Marilyn but really? Eat. Wow.
*If you’re more of a chicken person, or you’ve heard so much about it, yes – it’s worth it to try out Bakesale Betty up Telegraph ave. at 51st. An ironing board might be your dining table and the chicken – yes. yes.

Afternoon:
The afternoon is yours, I recommend the following based on number of people in your party:
1. Just you? Hello you – you’re awesome! Find some peace and solace – and ridiculous views at close-by Joaquin Miller Park. Sure there are others and more secluded but we’re talking about one day. Get in your car and drive just 8 miles – 580 East to Lincoln Exit and go left up the hill, which becomes Skyline Blvd. Follow the signs.
2. Just the two of us? What a great pair you are – are you active? Of course you are, you should be hiking the East Bay’s hidden stairs? Where are they? They’re everywhere! Thanks to Julian for her amazing blog as well as Oakland Urban Paths. I recommend (esp. for one-day-ers) Grizzly Peak or Piedmont, they'll walk you through a perfect two-hour trek.
3. A small group – Jack, Chrissy, and Janet? Perfect for sidewalk shopping and strolling the streets of Piedmont, Lakeshore and Grand, or College in Rockridge. You won’t be disappointed. Just make sure you end this session on Grand near Children’s Fairyland, park and walk out to Edson Adams’ point on Lake Merritt and share your deepest secrets. Yes with the ducks.
4. Four or more? Are there kids? Go to the Zoo or to an A’s game – both are close, both are cheap, both are awesome – though the zoo might have more civilized inhabitants, and perhaps some of the fans should be in … well you get the idea. For the zoo take 580 East to Golf links exit. Lemurs are really cool. A’s game take almost any Bart south toward the airport – Orange, Green, and Blue lines – they all stop there. Moneyball hey!
6-7pm Dinner
*No you don’t have to eat at 6 or 7, but you can begin to head towards Piedmont Ave. or Lake Merritt, depending on the season.

Dining in Summer:
#1: Portal Oakland
1611 2nd Ave, Oakland, CA 94606
(510) 663-7678

A great location, a great outdoor patio, interesting food choices and a great beer selection make this an easy choice for a one-day visit.

Dining any other time:
#1: Cato’s Alehouse Pub
Yes, there are plenty of great restaurants, but an old English vibe with a neighborhood feel, a sometimes very lively band, an ever- changing selection of interesting beers from all over, awesome pizza and salad options, together make this my first choice. Especially for the one day you might be here. You’ll want to come back.
After dinner:

Check the calendars (or just the marquee) of The Paramount historical theatre on Broadway. Whether it’s an old movie, a halloween costume contest (and showing of the original Vampire in B&W!), or a live Gospel Choir, you will enjoy this experience, as many have been doing for almost 90 years.


The Fox theatre is also nearby, as well as outdoor fire events at the Crucible, usually in mid-July.

Lake Merritt stroll Oakland, Ca Alden Olmsted Photography

Lake Merritt string of lights at sunset, Oakland, Ca Alden Olmsted Photography

Or you can just stroll around the lake, maybe ending at Luka’s Taproom & Lounge on Grand and Broadway to reflect on your amazing day, meet a few more locals, or just watch the world go by.
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If you need a true bookend to your day, head back towards the water – remember where you started? Step inside the bar next to Jack London’s tiny cabin, Heinold’s first and last chance Saloon, and imagine you just sold your first novel, a destructive, cold, hard experience that changed you forever, but you bought some gas for the furnace, you bought your bicycle back, and you bought some bread and fish for your mother. You’re a good son. Have a whiskey.

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The cards are available at:

• Walden Pond Books
• Nathan & Co.
• Urban Indigo
• Surprise!
• lOakal
• Diesel, A Bookstore
• Oakland Museum of California

food+drink: Black Spring Coffee Company

One of the latest places to open on Telegraph is Black Spring Coffee Company on the edge of Pill Hill. In what's been a mostly empty stretch of storefronts between Commonwealth Cafe and Public House and the Bee Healthy Honey Shop, it's a lively addition to the area.

Owner Ryan Stark happily serves customers his favorite coffee, Monsoon Medley, the least acidic coffee out there. It's Indian coffee roasted in Menlo Park, and is very tasty. There's a nice vibe, and although there's no wireless, there were a number of people working and talking with each other when I was there. Definitely a nice place to hang out.



One of the people working there was local (very local, as in he lives nearby) artist Keith Magruder, who has numerous watercolors of food hanging on the walls. He grew up in Washington, DC, helping his mother and grandmother bake, which regardless of the occasion helped bring joy into their lives. In Keith's words, he "paints bread because it is a modern symbol of class, status, culture and race while also being a staple food for many cultures." While I was there, he was working on a painting of another modern symbol, a pair of Air Nikes.

food+drink: Brotzeit

Yesterday on my way back from Fruitvale BART, I took the long way home and rode along the estuary. As I was riding, I remembered I still hadn't checked out Brotzeit, the new biergarten, and as it was a warm afternoon, it was a perfect time for it.

I didn't have a chance to check out the food, but they've got lots of beers on tap and in the bottle. The tap list was about 8 German or other import beers and 8 California beers. I ordered a dunkle weisse and was pleased to see it arrive in a traditional hefeweissen glass. The service was quick and friendly, and the place has a good vibe. For hot days like these, they could use more umbrellas on the patio, but they'll add those things, I'm sure. The only negative is a small thing. The building is cantilevered over the water, and in my choice of seats near the window, I could feel the floor bounce every time someone walked through. Disconcerting at first, at least here in earthquake country.

In any event, I'm looking forward to checking it out again soon, and trying some of their food, too. Next time you're looking for a cool spot to hang out and have a cold one, check out Brotzeit. It's next to the 9th Avenue Terminal, tucked behind the hotel on Embarcadero, so you can check out the site of the Oak to Ninth Project, too.

Oakland Food News

Just a few morsels of food news. But a chance to remind you to partake in Oakland Veg Week! Even if you don't go to one of the Oakland restaurants with specials for the week, try eating vegetarian for a change. There are lots of great restaurants in Oakland with vegi and vegan options that make it easy.

I noticed some activity at Lost & Found on Telegraph earlier this week. No update on when it might open, but activity is a good sign. The website still says "Coming Soon".

Max's Diner and Bar in City Center closed up rather suddenly. According to @dto510,"Max's up and left City Center without even telling its employees, a week ago!"

Also rather suddenly, a number of Lanesplitter Pizza employees quit mid-shift at the Temescal location. According to the East Bay Express article, one of the servers put a post that "outlined a series of grievances that included alleged misogyny, emotional abuse, and a deceptively inaccessible employee health care program." Ouch. Unsurprisingly, the company denies the allegations.

In more exciting news, Bites off Broadway is about to begin its third year. I'm a fan, so I'm very happy to hear it will be back.

The East Bay Express wasn't wild about Lungomare, "Highs and Lows at Lungomare", but liked some things and is optimistic about the future. K and I tried it a couple weeks ago, and we enjoyed it. One of the things we had and liked was the polenta, which the EBX article mentioned.

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And a few leftovers from earlier this year.

I'd heard but forgotten about Little Star Pizza planning to open on Grand Avenue, but was reminded by a recent tweet from @davidcolburn showing the new sign on "The Star" at the former site of Milano.

Thick crust not your thing? Back in January, Berkeleyside said that Jules Thin Crust was scheduled to open in Rockridge in March. Update: @davidcolburn let me know the Rockridge location is open, as confirmed by some reviews on Yelp.

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Update #2. In a good sign for Oakland beer lovers and probably a bad sign for Quinn's Lightouse, the Brotzeit Boathaus and Biergarten is aiming to open in May.

food+drink: Toast wine bar

The other weekend K and I needed to eat an early dinner before helping at an event, so we decided to try Toast wine bar on College. As you might guess from the name, they have a sizable wine list, and even have two red wines on tap. But they also have a selection of cocktails and beers, including ones from locals Oakland Brewing Company and Trumer Pils.

I had an arugula salad with mushrooms, almonds and a garlic vinaigrette, and a delicious red lentil and sweet pepper soup. K had petrale sole with brussels sprouts and potatoes. Everything was delicious and the service was great. And dessert? Mmm...chocolate. We'll definitely check it out again for a fuller wining and dining experience.

Oakland Food News

All the news that's fit to nom or imbibe. There's lots going on in Oakland with restaurant openings and a few closings, beer openings coming up, and more. The annual Oakland Restaurant Week is coming up, January 18-27, with dozens of Oakland restaurants with special $20, $30 and $40 prix fixe menus.

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The new, smaller Trappist off-shoot, Trappist Provisions, is now open on College Avenue. Thanks to Monteskewed for the tip.

Down the street, the gelato and frozen yogurt shop Miam Miam is closed with a 'for lease' sign in the window. Besides frozen treats, it served as a showroom and concept store for Miam Miam design. I'm not sure of the long-term status of that, but did receive an email saying things can still be ordered online.

Nearby, the new Ramen Shop opened on New Year's. Bay Area Bites has a post about the food, and some beautiful pictures of the food.

Further down College near the Rockridge library, I Squared has closed. I didn't even know they were there, but their website says they featured food "inspired by authentic Persian and rustic Italian cuisine (NO FUSION)."

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There were lots of food truck happenings in 2012, but it wasn't all good. The East Bay Express has the report. While Bites off Broadway had a good year, the Clay Street food pod has closed for good. Simlarly, North Berkeley Off-the-Grid has closed up, but according to the East Bay Express report, chances are good that it will re-open elsewhere in Berkeley.

Even before I'd completed this post (which given the number of food- and drink-related things happening Oakland, isn't that hard a target to hit), I saw this report from Luke Tsai at the East Bay Express: Finally, Off the Grid to Make Its Oakland Debut - at the Oakland Museum.

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There's lots of intriguing beer news for Oakland. First up, Simon Waddington reports on Google+ on the new place planned by the owners of Beer Revolution. It will be next door in the old train station on 3rd Street, and fittingly, be called The Old Depot Public House. It will feature vegan German- or European-themed food, and should open in February.

Christina at East Bay Dish has the scoop on the planned opening of Rosamunde in Old Oakland. Like the popup in Uptown, they'll be featuring sausage and other grillables, and have 16 beers on tap. They're having a grand opening this Wednesday, January 9.

Speaking of beer (and pizza), Simon Waddington also reports that "Forge is forging ahead, looks like they are planning for a January opening". The sign I saw still said "Winter 2012", so we'll see.

Including some of the above, East Bay Beer has info on nine beer places opening in Oakland plus others in the East Bay. Go Oakland! I'm particularly intrigued by Diving Dog Brewhouse, which is described as "Beer bar, bottle shop, and brew-on-premises (basically brewing your own beer, with help, and without having to purchase homebrew equipment). Opening sometime in March." Not only do you not need to purchase brewing equipment, but the staff do the cleanup work. From a beer-drinker's standpoint, it's a great way to be introduced to the brewing process and make some good beer. In as past life, I worked on a brew-on-premises and bar. Lousy pay, but great benefits.

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On the subject of coffee, @CoolhandLuke tweeted to keep an eye out for the Get Goes Coffee van. Various locations, including every Saturday on Lakeshore near Brooklyn.

Christina of East Bay Dish says Timeless Coffee has opened. It features non-dairy coffee drinks and vegan baked goods. Based on the address, I think that's where Rooz Cafe was. As far as I know, the Rooz Cafe on Park Blvd. is still open.

In other coffee news, Bay Area Bites has a story on CRO Cafe in Temescal Alley, just off 49th.

Also from East Bay Dish, Christina had the scoop on the cocktail menu at newly-opened Nido near Jack London Square that I reviewed last month.

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Some changes are in store in the Oakland food scene. The former Cafe 504 at 504 Wesley Avenue is now Haddon Hill Cafe. They had a grand opening this past weekend, but I wasn't able to attend. For those of you wondering about the Haddon Hill name, you can learn more on the Oakland Urban Paths walk this Saturday. H/T to @MrOakland for the info.

Another change in store is Zatis on Piedmont will be replaced with a restaurant called Homestead. Inside Scoop SF has the story. The restaurant will feature farm-to-table food and homey decor, and the ETA is some time this spring. It's being opened by a couple Fred and Elizabeth Sasson. He was most recently cooking at Camino, and she was a sous chef at Waterbar in SF.

District in Old Oakland is expanding. Again from Inside Scoop SF comes the news that they'll be doing takeout on the 9th Street side via a new space called District Carriage House.

Another change is Nick's Pizza in Bushrod (North Oakland). It's where Pizza Plaza used to be, and instead of vegan pizzas (which were very good), it has "Oakland style pizza". Get the story from the East Bay Express.

News that's been coming for a while includes Miss Pearl's in Jack London Square is shutting down. It's going to be replaced with Lungomare, which will feature northern Italian cuisine. More details from Inside Scoop SF, which says this past Sunday was the last day.

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OK, this post is way longer than I'd like, but there's just too much food-related news going on in Oakland. A great problem to have, I know.

Christina Mitchell of East Bay Dish has a report on the newly opened Victory Burger, next to Actual Cafe. I sampled the food back at the Oakland Indie awards, and more recently went in to try the veggie arepa (a new food concept for me). I'll have a review coming up soon.

A couple of different articles on Miss Ollie's in Old Oakland. I first heard about them around the time of the HellaWeen Fun Run through Oakland. There's a post from Inside Scoop SF, and one from Oakland Local. Perhaps their ascendance will help make up for the loss of Miss Pearl's which also featured Caribbean food.

The NY Times has an article on the surge of bagel makers in Oakland, with a focus on Baron Baking.

Luke Tsai of the East Bay Express has an extensive review of Destino on Grand.

Ellen Cushing of the East Bay Express has a review of Portal in Eastlake.

Michael Bauer has an extensive review of Hopscotch on SFGate.

SF Eater has info on a "high-end Mexican" restaurant coming to Uptown near Broadway and Grand.

Not far away, Duende had a sneak peek back in December, according to a post on Uptown Place Homes.

Still in Uptown, Oakland Local has an overview of nearby sandwich options.

Last and certainly not least, the Crossroads Collective Cafe has opened at 942 Stanford, and is having a special brunch on Sunday (1/13) to raise funds. It features food from Phat Beets Produce, the Oakland-based CSA. K and I have subscribed to Phat Beets since 2011, and we love it.

Oakland Food News

It's been a while since I posted any Oakland food news, so some of these tidbits aren't as fresh as when I first noted them. As usual, hat tips to Luke Tsai of East Bay Express and Christina Mitchell of East Bay Dish for lots of this news.

First up, Luke Tsai reports that it's now possible to get an authentic bialy in Oakland. This lesser-known cousin of the bagel can be found at Beauty's Bagels, the relatively new home of Montreal-style bagels on Telegraph.

Speaking of bagels, Luke Tsai also reports that Scream Sorbet is expanding its menu to include breakfast with bagels, featuring Manhattan-style bagels, other house-made baked goods, and coffee and tea. The change is to help them weather the winter slow-down that comes for sales of sorbets and ice creams.

Jack London Square restaurant Miss Pearl's (Miss Pearl's Jam House before that) is going to be replaced. Miss Pearl's has been in Oakland since 2008, but the SF Business times reports that Chris Pastena of Chop Bar is going to open another restaurant, Lungomare. It will feature food from the north coast of Italy and Tuscany.

The long-awaited Victory Burger is now open for lunch, Wednesday through Saturday, with more hours to come soon. Congrats to Sal and the crew!

East Bay Dish reviews the new "teany tiny teahouse" in downtown, Tea Here Now. Besides tea, they also have a food menu which includes a tasty-sounding grain salad.

Luke Tsai reports that the Sweet Bar Bakery near the Y is now open. Besides a variety of organic and locally-sourced sweet and savory baked goods, they also serve lunch from 11am-3pm. The sweets look amazing—I'm definitely looking forward to trying them.

Inside Scoop SF reports that Cesar on Piedmont is continuing to evolve. K and I ate there earlier this year, and it was good but uneven. Hopefully the new menu will be consistently good.

It's fairly new, but there's some buzz about Grand Lake Kitchen. Christina Mitchell of East Bay Dish says, "my neighborhood was in serious need of a deli." Read more about it from Luke Tsai in the East Bay Express.

Apparently Chop Bar is going to open a beer garden, probably around April. From the picture, it looks to be near the water. Another place along the estuary to enjoy beer? Count me in!

Speaking of beer, I heard that James Syhabout of Hawker Fare is partnering with Linden Street Brewery to open a restaurant in the building where Linden Street's tap room is. It's an unusual brick building (which was originally a factory producing cables), so the engineering and architecture will be a challenge. Look for it some time next year.

And speaking of James Syhabout, another new creation for him will be opening soon on College Avenue. In the space formerly occupied by Somerset will be a restaurant named Box and Bells. Read more on Grub Street, Inside Scoop SF, and Rockridge Patch. I first reported on it back in September, but things are coming together. Look for a popup-preview at Hawker Fare in January.

Speaking of the former Somerset, East Bay Dish reports that the former owner of Somerset has opened Destino Bar & Restaurant next door to Camino. More places to try...a good problem to have.

And speaking of former spots, A16 is supposed to open on College in the former Hudson location, near McNally's. No word on the timeline yet.

Luke Tsai reviews Rio California Cafe, in the lovely location of Preservation Park. It features tasty-sounding Brazilian dishes.

Fans of European-style beers will soon get a new hangout in Rockridge: Trappist Provisions. It was supposed to open the week after Thanksgiving, but according to @akondrake it was not open yet as of Saturday, 12/1.

Last but not least, there's news of a new food tour of Oakland. Savor Oakland is doing food tours of a variety of Oakland restaurants and food producers. Read more at East Bay Express and East Bay Dish. I'm definitely hoping to try them, when time and finances permit.

Oakland Food News, second course

Normally it's about a month between my Oakland Food News posts, but since my food news post yesterday I've found out about another bunch of new food and drink things happening in Oakland.

I noticed a new Mediterranean food place, Mediterranean Express, in the Rotunda Building on Frank Ogawa Plaza. They were closing up for the day, so I didn't have much time to check things out, but they said they've been open about a month. Mmm...falafel. (Yelp)


Over on 14th Street is a new bar, Halftime Sports Bar. They've got hella TVs (folks were watching the A's when I looked in), a pool table, and a good beer selection. Their food menu is short, but does include some vegi options. A review on the Yelp page speaks highly of the roasted veggies side dish. They've been open less than two weeks.


Almost next door is Aria, which will feature Afghan and Mediterranean food. The owner was working on the sign when I passed, and said he's planning to open this Friday. (Yelp)


@dto510 pointed out this story on SF Eater about the Tribune Tavern, a new restaurant and bar which fittingly will be in the Tribune tower. It's a project of Chris Pastena, co-owner of Chop Bar. Oaklandish is working on their branding, so it promises to be stylish, too. They're aiming for a mid-March opening.

@eatdrinkoakland tweeted that Oakland is in Bloomberg Businessweek's top 50 U.S. cities, in part because of the great restaurant scene here. Speaking of which, check out the Eat Drink Oakland website. Paula Wirth has it filled with great food and drink photos from places around Oakland.

And last night was the launch party for Farmigo in Oakland, but that deserves a post of its own.

Oakland Food News

Time again for some Oakland food news, with updates on recent openings, upcoming openings, and more. All the news that's fit to nom.

First up, the Oakland Tribune reports that Borgo Italia in Old Oakland that I reported on last month is now open. I'm looking forward to trying it.

Diablo Magazine reported that Somerset, a restaurant on College Ave. in Rockridge, closed suddenly in August. And they note the liquor license has been transferred to a new restaurant called Destino at 3909 Grand Avenue. That's the former location of Taste of Joy BBQ, and another restaurant (or two) before that.

The same article also reports that the Trappist Provisions beer store/bar in the works by Chuck Stilphen from The Trappist (and ØL beer cafe and bottle shop in Walnut Creek) won't open before November. The space is near Wood Tavern, a ways up College from the former Somerset location. The windows were covered in paper when I went past today.

And speaking of the former Somerset location on Collage, Inside Scoop SF reports that James Syhabout's next restaurant will be in the Somerset location. Syhabout is behind both Commis and Hawker Fare, two Oakland restaurants I haven't yet tried but have heard nothing but good things about.

The above Dialog Magazine article also has updates on Forge, the pizza place planned for next to Bocanova in Jack London Square.

Shoutout to @jameane of Oakland 411 for the info on these next two items.

First, College Ave. is getting another noodle shop at 5812 across from Zachary's. Though I guess technically Noodle Theory is on Claremont, and it's known for soba noodles versus the ramen that this application specifies.

@jameane also directed me to this news from sf.eater.com about Township, an "uber-locally sourced" restaurant moving into 1545 Broadway. Read more on the City Girl Farms / Township Kickstarter page.

Speaking of College Ave., Diablo Magazine again has the story on the long-empty space at 5634, the former home of the Water Lounge. Rumor has it it will be French bistro-style, but a major renovation means it won't be ready any time soon.

Luke Tsai at the East Bay Express reports on a novel idea from the 25th Street Collective: rent a food cart. The start up costs and permits needed can be fairly substantial, so this would be a way for more people to try the market. The idea is still in the planning stages.

Shelly Butcher at Examiner.com reports a new Mexican restaurant called Nido is scheduled to open in Jack London Square sometime in October.

The above article and GrubStreet SF both report that right next to it will be a PieTisserie pie window. Yum!

Some updates on some of the new o-shaped foods in Oakland. SFoodie has more on Doughnut Dolly in the Temescal. They sound tasty, but sell out fast. More o-shaped food news, Inside Scoop SF has a report from opening day at Beauty's Bagels on Telegraph, which features Montreal-style bagels.

Here's a fun video on Art Is In Coffee which was at Park(ing) Day.

I rode past Commonwealth Cafe and Pub last week and heard they're aiming for an early October reopening after the fire several months ago. This nice story from Oakland North about Oakland businesses helping Commonwealth get back in on its feet confirms the early October timeline.

Finally, there's a piece focusing on Arbor Cafe in Oakland Local, as part of their Small Business Month feature.

Oakland Food News

All the news that's fit to nom. And then some. As an added bonus, there's a bit of news about retail in Oakland, too.

News from East Bay Dish is that Doughnut Dolly is finally open. Pepples Donuts, then Donut Savant, plus all the new bagel shops I mentioned last month...is Oakland becoming an o-shaped food capital?

Speaking of bagels, Luke Tsai at the East Bay Express reports that Beauty's Bagels is finally going to open. Beauty's will be at 3838 Telegraph and feature Montreal-style bagels.

The latest from Victory Burger is that they're wrapping up construction and are doing some hiring. Also exciting is that the parklet for outside Victory Burger and Actual Cafe has final permits, and they'll be starting construction for it soon. Word is that the parklet for outside Manifesto Bikes on 40th has its permits, too, and Farley's East isn't far behind.

The Jack London District reports on Google+ that a new pizza and beer place, Forge, is scheduled to open this winter, at the old El Torito location.

I don't know the timeline for Loring Cafe and Pasta Bar on Grand, just down from Farley's East, but they were working on the build-out for the interior the other week. Read more on Grub Street.


Finally got around to trying Ike's Lair around the corner near Plum. Fun space but noisy, and definitely a young, hipster crowd. Most importantly though, the sandwiches are really good, at least the one I had.


I haven't tried it yet, but Rosamunde in Uptown is open for business. They've got a rotating beer list and menu, and said they've always got a vegi option. They're open 2pm to dusk on Saturdays, and during First Fridays. Read more on Grub Street.


I heard from a Laurel resident that Tratoria Laurellinos is closing and a taqueria is moving in. I haven't verified it yet myself, but I hope it's not true. I've only eaten at Laurellinos once, but enjoyed it and was looking forward to trying it again.

East Bay Dish has the story on Portal, now open on 2nd Avenue in Eastlake. Interesting food? View of Lake Merritt? Sounds like I'm going to have to try it soon. Update: Check out the great pictures from Eat Drink Oakland.

Some would call it generous to include in the category of food, but the McDonald's in Temescal has re-opened after being rebuilt. The new design is more pedestrian and neighborhood friendly, which is thanks in part to work from neighborhood activists.


The replacement for B Restaurant in Old Oakland, Borgo Italia, seems to be going full speed ahead. They've got a lovely painted metal sign up, a nice rustic interior set up, and there was a sign regarding staff applications up on the door.


Added retail bonus: just down from Loring's and Farley's East, Owl N Wood has opened. They apparently had a great grand opening, so hopefully they'll be successful going foward. Owner/designer Rachel Konte gave us a brief rundown when we snuck in on Sunday.