FOOD TRUCK MAFIA (NEWARK) - The Dog (and Burger) Days of Summer...

September.

The end of summer.  Though in California September usually brings the beginning of the hottest season of the year, it officially marks the end of our balmy, beachy out-of-school days.  The hours of daylight grow shorter as the bright blue-gold sunlight turns to amber, as though to coordinate with the papery leaves that will soon flutter down from the trees.  When I was a kid, summer meant lazy days spent boating, waterskiing the many canals and throughways of the Sacramento River Delta.

My childhood memories of summer are vivid.  The smell off the water, vaguely fishy and tinged with mud, everywhere it ran brown and murky and deep. The yellow speedboat that carried us was fast, so fast everything around was a blur, a rush of reeds, gold and green, like living sunlight as we thumped hard against the river delta.  The waves splashing up over the bow left a soft mist on my face that the sunlight and the wind would whip away as soon as it was deposited.  Those glorious trips across the open water were something splendid.  There was little speaking, just the roar of the engine churning the water, the air rushing against my ears and the constant sun on my skin.  And that glorious smell of the rich delta mud.

Hot, Crunchy Outside -
Creamy Inside -
Shrimp & Cheese Empanadas

Our final trip was always in late September or early October.  Those last days of summer carried their own kind of magic. My father called them Indian Summer, and they signaled not just a return to school from a time of what seemed like endless freedom, but a kind of communal closure as we all moved into fall together.  The drive home on our last outing always seemed to  bear a harvest moon.  It hung in the sky, large and luminous over the Delta, visible out the back window of my father’s car as we drove home for the final time.  That moon in my long-ago childhood memory still lingers in the sky, a perfect orb of yellow gold.

September begins our journey into fall, and Labor Day weekend signals the dog days are upon us.  A uniquely American holiday, this three-day weekend is more than back-to-school specials and furniture sales. It is a shared kiss goodbye to our collective summer vacation. Everyone, everywhere has fired up their backyard grill one last time.  Goodbyes are often bittersweet.

Crazy Fries.  Crazy, man.

This past weekend, the question arose in our household of how to mark this auspicious occasion and give sweet summer a proper sendoff?  An effective scout, the BH often discovers foodie-related tidbits while reading his morning paper.  Openings, events and happenings.  He happened to run across an event that sounded perfect: a gathering of the Food Truck Mafia, culinary gypsies who travel from one location to another to bring their individual brands of tasty treats to the hungry.  The Food Truck Mafia was scheduled to be at Newpark Mall on Monday.  Being Labor Day itself, this event seemed the perfect way to celebrate the end of summer.  After quickly double-checking the schedule we planned our final day off around it.

Grillstars manage a crowd of The Hungry!

The trucks set up and begin serving at 4:30, running until 9:00 pm.  We got there at five, and were immediately greeted by strains of Michael Jackson at a high volume, a heavy-set DJ playing boisterous dance tunes for the crowd.  The afternoon weather was gorgeous, more like mid-summer than September, and the crowds were diverse.  A collection of every age and color, all gathered under the Blue Top for some grub.   It felt like an oversized block party.  They had provided several tables to make eating some of the more challenging carry away cuisines easier.  Children ran from one truck to another, squealing out their choices for dinner to parents who could barely hear over the booming music.  Everywhere a variety of locals and shoppers who had wandered out of the mall to see what was going on were chowing down on a plethora of cuisines. The colorful trucks formed a big “U”, not unlike chuck-wagons circled to feed the field hands after a six-month tour on the cattle trails.  Yet there were no marauding Indians in sight.  The mood was festive and the smells welcoming.

In an attempt to be scientific in our ordering, and to make sure we sampled as much as was possible on a first visit, we walked by each of the trucks to absorb their menus before ordering.   It rapidly became clear we wouldn’t be able to sample anything close to everything, even one item per truck was overly ambitious.  We soldiered on, narrowing our choices to four savory and two sweet dishes.

Butterfly Shrimp

We began with a threesome of Shrimp & Cheese Empanadas, mini hot pockets of spicy goodness, served hot out of the fryer (and I mean hot) offered up by the first truck whose wares we sampled, Marisco's El Malecon. We found a couple of seats at a communal table and enjoyed a few bites of our empanadas.  Since it was their party, we were in agreement that we had to sample something from Grillstars and I’d selected (and ordered) a side-dish they were offering titled  “Crazy Fries”.  After placing that order, I imagined I would be handed a basket of fries and go off to sit with BH until we polished them off.  Best laid plans and all, the wait turned out to be over twenty minutes.  (Tho well worth it taste-wise, the standing around was not particularly pleasurable.  I wonder if there might be a better way to call out orders to keep people from having to stand while they wait for their meals to come up.)  Making the best of the wait, I observed a little of the food truck culture firsthand.  The salesgirl from El Malecon came over to order a burger, and Grillstars’ chef insisted that her money was no good there.  It would appear to be the custom that food trucks feed one another’s staff for free.  Like family. Classy.

 After my twenty minutes of running over to our table for a bite of empanada and running back to the Grillstars' truck to wait on my order, I was at last presented with a gimongous order of hot-out-of-the-fryer french fries, beautifully cradled in piles of smoky grilled beef, creamy nacho cheese, crumbled bacon and a lovely little dollop of fresh sour cream.  Every bite was covered with toppings, and every mouthful of the crumbled burger meat carried the lovely smoky flavor of freshly-grilled beef.  Absolutely worth the long wait. The cheese was a nice gooey consistency, sticking to the fries without being gummy, the bacon bits and sour cream coming together nicely, adding their own tasty music to the mix.  It was the best plate of “topping” fries I’ve ever had.  All for around four bucks.

Twisted Chill serves up organic
Soft Serve

Next up was the Butterfly Shrimp & Dipping Sauces from Bigg Shrimp’n.  These kids know their shrimp— we were served large, beautifully butterflied, whole prawns fried up in a light golden almost tempura-style batter that was almost effervescent.  Closer to cotton-candy than dough.  The sauces were fresh, made in-house, and just delicious.  We tried the Sweet & Sour (reminiscent of a Thai tomato-garlic sauce, it bore no relation to the thick red sauce of my takeout-Chinese childhood) and a Seafood Cocktail Sauce.  Bigg Shrimp’n’s Cocktail mixture was mildly spicy, with fresh horseradish being beautifully blended with fresh, ripe tomatoes.  Right then I was diggin’ the fresh trend in food prep.

Next I tried the Lamb Curry offered up by Munch India.  The meat was tender and fluffy and the curry mild yet packed with flavor.  The basmati rice was aromatic and light, and served as a perfect foil to carry the thick sauce over the lamb.

Creamy Soft Serve covered
in yummy strawberries,
toasted coconut & chips

By the time we’d finished off our four savory treats we were ready to move to dessert.  We went first to the colorful blue truck with the pretty girl on the side (fun design).  Twisted Chill is run by Jesse Soares & Michael Moules and the duo serves up a non-dairy soft serve.  Now ordinarily I’m a fan of “real deal” foods, but their organic take on this American favorite was no joke.  The creamy delicious red velvet version was sweet without being overly so, the flavor unique and craveable and the mouthfeel was creamier than a teenager’s pillow.  The guys offer up all manner of fresh fruit from within the truck and an assortment of dry organic cereals, chips, sprinkles and other treats in the self serve compartment outside the truck.  In addition to serving up great desserts, the guys are affable and informative.  I think they will do very well at this.

Our last stop was at That’s Sweet! Desserts, a cupcake and assorted baked goods truck whose list of wonderful flavor combos taunted us with it’s variety.  We settled on a Coconut Chocolate, Chocolate Orange, Sea Salt and Caramel and a mini Peach Pie.  The BH and I have at this point consumed every last bite, but I was in love with my first mouthful of the Chocolate Orange.  Moist, kissed with citrus and just sweet enough, this gal can bake.  Lucky us.  We had the Sea Salt later that night and the hint of salt and finish of toasted caramel, still linger on my palate urging me to return for more.

Sea Salt & Caramel Cupcake

The experience was a delight.  I’m a fan of fine dining, but who’s the rule guy who says a great food experience can’t be found on a truck in paper containers?  Not I.  These gatherings are a perfect time to gather with friends and family, enjoy the fading sunlight as the days grow shorter until the damp months are upon us and we are forced to retreat back into our homes to shelter in place until the sun, and the trucks return.

Their schedule can be found on Facebook at the Food Truck Mafia page. Check it out.  Make a memory of your own.  Have the crazy fries, I dare you!

Among the Participants:

Phil Woodman & Patrick Clarke’s GrillStars
Food Truck Mafia - Facebook
@Grillstars - Twitter
http://www.thegrillstars.com

Bigg Shrimp’n - Facebook
@BiggShrimpn - Twitter
 http://www.biggshrimpn.com

Jose Hernandez Marisco's El Malecon
Facebook under Food Truck Mafia

Chef Diana Afroza’s Munch India
Munch India - Facebook
@munchindia - Twitter
www.munchindia.com

Jess Soares & Michael Moules’ Twisted Chill
Twisted Chill - Facebook
@chilltruck - Twitter

That’s Sweet! Desserts
That's Sweet! Dessert Truck - Facebook
@thatssweettruck - Twitter
http://www.ThatsSweetBakery.com

ZUT! On Fourth - Sunshine, Sandwiches & Cocktails



BALT - Bacony Tomato-y Perfection!

 Though I am a big proponent of Oakland and its resurgence in the culinary community, there is something to be said about the food that can be had in neighboring Berkeley. When Alice Waters first began her crusade for all things fresh and local and the abundant use of creative flavor profiles, no one could have anticipated the tidal wave of after-effects emanating from that initial splash. As the initial swells began to ripple, Alice was also among the first wave of Chefs to elevate plating to an art form. The reverberations of this movement in the Bay Area’s culinary ethos have been something akin to a sonic boom. The culture of eating that she and others with vision started has survived decades. What once was a ripple, became a pounding wake, and ultimately resulted in a tsunami of magnificent food establishments springing up all over Berkeley. 

Fourth Street contained some of the first offshoots to appear, including the Fourth Street Grill, which ironically is the site of the new restaurant Zut!.  Fact is, over the years it has seen businesses arrive and thrive — and unfortunately — falter and disappear. Nevertheless, the Bay Area continues to benefit from this constant expansion of the food industry and it expands and radiates its tasty goodness into the community.



Meatballs, Cheese & Avocado



The particular Berkeley establishment that is the topic of today’s article is one of Fourth Street’s newest additions: Zut! The owners, Denny Abrams and Rick Millikan, define their menu as regional Mediterranean. This menu is as interpreted by executive chef Jim Wimborough, who is a graduate of, among others, Boulevard & Rubicon in San Francisco, as well as Evvia Estiatorio in Palo Alto. Wimborough is a talented Chef, and the evidence of this skill is in the food.

Zut! represents the first time its owners have opened a restaurant. Though Abrams-Millikan has been at the forefront of developing much of Fourth Street’s shopping district, as well as designing the look of several of its restaurants — including O’ Chame, Bette’s Oceanview Diner and Tacubaya — this is the first time the pair has opened an eatery. One has to give them credit for moxie, since the recession has hit Fourth Street hard, closing several establishments over the past several years. Part of that may be due to the lack of any real parking. Any destination that is this difficult to reach to begin with, ultimately begins by having something to prove. It needs to be that much better than all of its competition.

Zut! may very well rise to this challenge. It is certainly worth a trip, despite its accessibility issues. Several weeks ago, the BH and I ate at Zut! and I think we will make our way there again. Particularly now that we’ve finally gotten a dose of Spring here in our little enclave by the Bay. Zut! is uniquely designed to feature good weather, with a main dining area that features beautiful European-style windows that open onto the street, as well as a massive skylight in the ceiling that features a peek at heaven when opened. What genius decorator thought to include heaven in the mix? The design of the room itself is seriously brilliant in its wide-open and welcoming simplicity.



Our meal began with cocktails. I had a Maltese, which was a nice light combination of Grey Goose Vodka, grapefruit juice, lemon, mint, and ouzo. The acidity in the grapefruit juice and the lemon complimented the mint well, and the hint of licorice that resonated on the palate was just delightful. A subtly fabulous combination of flavors. The BH had their Sangria, which was unlike any Sangria I have experienced in the past. My guess is that this version is what was intended when the drink was originally invented, before the eighties and mixes and cheap, easy red wine bastardized an otherwise heavenly concoction. What I tasted at Zut! was a rich, vibrant red wine whose flavors had been enhanced beautifully by the essences of fruit juice without losing any of the wine’s natural body. Excellent.



Wrapped in Flavor



We share a plate of the Lamb Meatballs, a savory, moist ball of tasty that arrived with a few slices of pita, avocado and a fresh & tangy tomato sauce. The sauce was likewise flavorful, a lovely combination of well-balanced nice spices rounded out by the acidity of the tomatoes.

For our mains, the BH had the Bill Niman Roasted Turkey Wrap, which presented itself as a lovely concoction of red bell pepper, dill and creme fraiche. Ordinarily the BH will go out of his way to avoid a bell pepper, but this was so well balanced, and the pepper so subtle, he ate it mostly intact. It was a simple mixture, but nonetheless successful. I myself ordered the “BALT” which is basically a Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato with avocado. The combination of the gently toasted slices of thick ACME bread, sliced farm style at almost an inch deep, layered lovingly with healthy slabs of applewood smoked bacon, romaine lettuce, and sweet, ripe tomato. Over this was spread a house made aioli, more subtle than a mayonnaise but maintaining the necessary familiarity of oil & egg flavor that plays like nothing else against the bacon. This was nothing less than a perfect sandwich. Memorable enough that I’m still fantasizing about another bite.

Pressed for time, we didn’t linger for dessert. Perhaps that is a treat for another day. Either way, we will most certainly return, and probably while the sun is shining to take advantage of the wonderful airy decor. You should go yourself, check it out, and as always, Bon Appetit!

Zut!
1820 4th Street
(between Virginia St & Hearst Ave)
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 644-0444
www.zutonfourth.com/


Tables: adequate
Noise: moderate
Cost: moderate

REVIVAL BAR & KITCHEN - “Gimme that Old Time Religion!”

Mixology Heaven

So maybe not religion exactly, but sometimes the perfectly made drink, or brilliantly grilled sandwich can elevate my senses like a quiet moment in church. I’m more spiritual than religious, but I do believe in something.  A sense of importance in the moment at hand.  The smile of a loved one.  I can recognize whatever it is in eating perfectly prepared food or enjoying the right piece of music. I can feel these things as they resonate in a place that can only be the soul. 

Revival Bar & Kitchen is a nice open space that might echo the spirit just a bit. Certainly the food has heart, if not “soul.” We had a really nice lunch there with a good friend a month or so ago. It was a special occasion (OK, it was Friday, same thing) so we ordered cocktails. Gotta test the mixologist as well as the chef to get a feel for the place. Revival is a place that was definitely up for both tests. They appear to take great pride in the mixology skills of those tending the spacious bar that runs along the right wall of the entrance. Among other more traditional drinks, the cocktail menu had several beverages that announced they came chilled in copper cups. Curious, I ordered a Foghorn, a drink billed as a combination of gin, lime, cucumber and a spicy ginger beer. My copper cup was chilled nicely and appealing to the eye, but I could taste the metal and I think it interfered with the flavors in the drink. It was nevertheless tasty, but might have been better served in a less assertive mug. I’m not sure serving pieces should have any flavor at all. It might have been less noticeable on a hot summer day, as the copper did hold the chilll nicely. Our companion had a Pisco-blended cocktail that I sampled and found likewise tasty.

Cuban Mojo Pork

Our entrees were simple and simply delicious. I ordered the Cuban Mojo Pork sandwich, with a Gruyere Mousse & Cured Pickles. The pork was tender and moist, and fell apart easily at each bite. No unnecessary tugging at stringy meat. The addition of the creamy cheese “Mousse” was heavenly, it mingled with the richness of the pork to provide a nice tang, which balanced the flavor profile nicely. For something that is essentially a twist on the simple classic grilled cheese this was a knockout. The pickles had a good vinegar salt flavor, unique and fresh. Though I forgot to ask, I’ll bet they were made in-house.

Shrimp Burger Patty

The BH and I both had the Soup Special, which was a cranberry bean & ham soup. The broth was clear and inviting, with a nice bit of fat floating atop the broth. Soup is so often a form of riced vegetable, which can be quite delicious, but I was impressed that they took the time to develop the flavor in a broth-based version. It’s a longer process if one wants to really bring all the flavors together, there has to be an investment of time. It was honestly one of the best soups I’ve ever had. The beans were rich and it ended up being more evocative of a light summer minestrone, rather than a creamy and hearty winter soup.

Our companion, we’ll call her The Beauty, had a Creamy Polenta with Lucky Dog Ranch Slow- Braised Beef Sugo. Curious about the term, we actually looked up “sugo’ at the table, which we soon learned is simply Italian for “juicy” and is usually used to described a thick meaty sauce that has been slow cooked until the meat is so tender it melts in the mouth. Menu terms & and iPhone = Fun Facts!

Beef Sugo

The BH had a “Shrimp Burger” which was a beautiful, tender patty, nicely grilled to add a bit of char to the flavors. He said he loved it and I was impressed by the bite I took. It came with a pickled okra tartar sauce, and some lovely gem lettuce in a pretty little side salad.

By the time we were ready for dessert the kitchen had run out of a few, so we took what they offered. The first dessert was a Vanilla Panna Cotta (an Italian version of something akin to flan, but not as eggy, and slightly more gelatinous), topped with chunks of a rich plum gelatin and served with an exquisite fresh fig. I really enjoyed the soft vanilla cream mingled with bites of the rich plum jelly and the fig.

Panna Cotta with Fresh Fig

We also sampled a really rich Pumpkin Pot de Creme. It was served in a rustic jam jar, and was incredibly creamy and were seasones with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. Stuck neatly in the creamy pudding jar was a lovely sugar cookie and more of the plum jelly. Both desserts were a success.

We all loved our meals. I was thrilled to find yet another stellar place to eat in my environment. I thought the place was pretty, the service was attentive and swift and the food excellent. I’ll definitely be back. Maybe not as regularly as every Sunday, but as soon as I can make it!

Check it out for yourself, and Bon Appetit!

Revival Bar + Kitchen

2102 Shattuck Avenue

Berkeley, CA 94704

(510) 549-9950

http://www.revivalbarandkitchen.com/

Author's Update:  Went back again yesterday (3/3/11) and it was even better than I remembered.  I had a duck leg confit with spinach salad, and both were among the best I'd ever had.  Duck meat fell off the bone, rich, fatty and not at all gamey.  Spinach was perfectly dressed, and had tangerines and a stellar dressing.  Cocktail menu's changed for the better as well.  Not super crowded, so if you want to keep it around, I say go! go! go !!

Tables: adequate

Sound: moderate & boisterous, but no trouble hearing

Cost: moderate

Pumpkin Pot de Creme

TRUE BURGER, True Love



Nuff Said.

It was a cold and windy December day. The BH and I were hungry, but the weather outside was horrible, and work was busy. (Have I mentioned we work together?) The idea of driving anywhere in the rain and chill simply did not outweigh the lost time. We fretted. What would we do for lunch (both quite hungry now, and getting hungrier). Then the proverbial lightbulb came on. A solution made itself known. We recalled that which lay just outside the back door of our office, beckoning with it’s easy goodness — True Burger!

True Burger is a newish hamburger joint on Grand Avenue in Oakland, right across from the massive glass Cathedral. It used to be a Mom & Pop Café, the sort of place that serves, breakfast, BLT’s and burgers, but one day it was just closed. Vanished. Gone. The windows gone dark and the furnishings missing or stacked forlornly against the wall. Then about two weeks later it reopened as True Burger to much buzz. Rumors that it was a West Coast version of Manhattan’s Shake Shack abounded. Talk was that the purveyors of these fine burgers had made their way to Grand via Baywolf on Piedmont. The new(ish) Oakland restauranteur dance. Noone these days who opens a restaurant doesn’t come from another one, seems like they spawn one another.

Now if you’ve never been to Shake Shack in Manhattan (a gem that is well worth the long wait in lines around the block for the cheesy fries alone) you can’t compare. But I have and I do. True Burger is definitely the real deal.

There is something universally appealing about a hamburger. Quintessentially American, the burger has been reinvented and reimagined almost to death, and yet it prevails in it’s beefy simplicity, beckoning us to partake. We all know how we like ours. Some of us have to have cheese. Others prefer none. Some like catsup, some only mustard. However you like yours, it is, for most of us at least, a ritual preference as consistent as or names. We Americans are kinda OCD about our burgers. I like mine with cheese and bacon (of course), and when the hips allow, french fries (skinny ones).

True Burger’s burgers are simple perfection. Moist beefy patties, my cheese melted like a hug over the beef and the bacon a crispy winter coat. If one desires, TB offers a plethora of side dishes like chili and (but of course) cheesy fries.

I don’t eat a lot of beef, but there are days when nothing else will satisfy. On those days, True Burger is just the ticket. Completely American, perfectly delicious. With all the trimmings imaginable, including marvelously flavored shakes. I had the toasted marshmallow, a creamy caramelized perfection. My full belly was happy for hours.



Burnt Marshmallow & Chocolate Shakes!



Check it out for yourself, if you are in the mood for a juicy slice of American history, a True Burger will definitely hit the spot.  As always, Bon Appetit!

True Burger
146 Grand Avenue
Oakland, CA  94612
(510) 208-5678
http://www.trueburgeroakland.com/

OAKLAND STORIES: And In the Beginning there was Luka’s...



Luka's bar- features amazing cocktails

 Episode 3: Rick Mitchell of Luka’s Taproom


Before there was Pican or Flora, there was Luka’s Taproom. At the time Luka’s arrived on the scene, Uptown Oakland consisted mostly of vacant storefronts and dusty sidewalks devoid of much but the occasional panhandler poised outside the ramp down to the BART station. Most of the retail was long gone, so this part of my City was a place to travel through, not a destination. But that has changed. Thanks to places like Luka’s Taproom, Uptown Oakland is a happening spot.

In early October of 2004, Luka’s Taproom opened its doors. The building that currently houses Luka’s is the site of the former Hof Brau, an eatery that my father referred to as a “joint.” A “joint” was any smoky refuge with a full bar and a sandwich. The sort of place my dad might have dropped into for a drink and a bite to eat, before heading to his favorite bar for a night of trivia and cocktails. The Hof Brau sat at the corner of Broadway and Grand Avenue in Oakland, a narrow, dark restaurant with a smoke-filled bar to the left, the rickety stools along its weathered counter top usually filled with one or two of Oakland’s slightly more colorful citizenry. Old men mostly, perhaps war veterans, each with a cigarette and a glass of whiskey, neat. To the right of the bar was a steam table featuring all the specials of the day— and a massive turkey. They never failed to have turkey at the Hof Brau, all day, year round, a permanent Thanksgiving feast. Though it was decent turkey, this joint was little more than a cafeteria. A leftover of another time, another type of dining — a place where the food was fast and cheap, and the ambiance left a good deal to be desired. Hof Brau was long past its prime, as stale as the day old bread wrapped around its sandwiches.



Pomegranate Cocktail

 So when the rumors began that there was to be a renovation of the site by new management, it was exciting news. Those of us who listen intently to Oakland’s heartbeat heard bits and pieces of the goings on at the old Hof Brau. Over time the new restaurant began to take shape. It appeared that the new management planned extensive renovations, which would effectively turn the dusty and unappealing interior into a slick new gastro pub. Rick Mitchell is a savvy businessman, smart enough to ease Oakland into the idea of change with a nod to the past--- he retained bits of the original Oakland memorabilia that had for years adorned the walls of the HofBrau. Past and present would come together in the new Luka’s decor.

Details continued to leak out, providing glimpses into the menu. They had plans to feature mussels, and would also do a magnificent high-end burger. Soups, seafood, Belgian style fries in a cup with several kinds of dipping sauce. They had an actual chef, which was a big step up from the old guy at the steam table with a knife. And so the rumors continued for almost a year. It was heady stuff.

In 2004, the corner of Grand and Broadway was a wasteland of empty storefronts and office buildings. Six years later this area of Oakland, now labeled "Uptown," has a plethora of high-end restaurants. Luka’s Taproom was the turning point. When Oakland’s citizenry embraced fine dining with the advent of Luka’s it paved the way for others to get in on the game, and Oakland has reaped the rewards of their efforts. Endless hum-drum hamburger stands and mediocre sandwich joints have slowly been replaced with white table cloths featuring everything from sushi to foie gras. Those of us who worked in Uptown and who had found a significant absence of decent places to eat lunch were anxious to experience all this change first hand. Granted, there had been a few family style restaurants closer to Downtown that had come and gone, but they were modest little efforts, nothing like the restaurants that come to mind these days when we think of modern dining. Certainly all this new hustle and bustle signaled something good: with the smells of food cooking everywhere, Uptown had suddenly gotten our collective attention.  We collectively asked what's in store? To that end, I sat down with Rick Mitchell, the genius and driving force behind Luka’s Taproom, to ask him a few questions about his enterprise.

Q: Your restaurant is Luka’s Taproom and Lounge. How did the name come about?

RM: After my dog, Luka. She was famous around here.

Q: When you opened, what was your goal?

RM: I wanted to create a space that would be reminiscent of a couple of places I’ve seen [that] I liked. To put those together for an informal, bar-type atmosphere and also open [...] a hip-hop nightclub. I thought that [this would be] something that people in Oakland could identify with [...] So I just cobbled together the different pieces that I wanted.

Q: With all kindness to the memory of the HofBrau, I have to say this is definitely an improvement.

RM: (laughs) Yeah, well the thing about the HofBrau is that they made money the whole time and they were serving very pedestrian food. So, I figured if they made money here with that model, then I figured that I could make some money and perhaps do a bit better on that end.

Q: Why Oakland?

RM: I love Oakland.

Q: Are you from here?

RM: Well I [am now. I] live on the other side of the Lake. I moved here in 1992. I grew up in Culver City.

Q: So, you’re a native Californian?

RM: Yeah I love Oakland. I was working in San Francisco because I was practicing law, very briefly. Commuting every day to San Francisco. I just felt really disconnected from my home and my family, working in San Francisco, I felt I didn’t have anything in common with those people.

Q: Particularly for you kind of neighborhood business, when it’s your own neighborhood, it’s got to be more meaningful. I think that would come through in what you do.

RM: Yes. It’s my neighborhood. My dog was one of the most famous dogs in Oakland. I used to love to walk down the street with her. Nobody ever knew me, but they all knew Luka. Everyone I passed was like “Hey Luka!” It was great.

Q: Is she still around?

RM: No, she passed away about two years ago.

Q: So, how did you come up with your menu, and how would you describe your cuisine?

RM: Well technically, we call it California Brasserie Cuisine. We were trying to create something that was a little bit more beer focused.

Q: Like a Gastro Pub?


Mussels in savory broth


RM: Yeah, that’s accurate. But we started with the idea of the French or Belgian Brasserie which, well, they’d actually be very fancy. They’d have the Grand Plateau or the Oysters Half Shell or Choucroute Garnis. So rather than starting by borrowing from the English Pub or the German Beer Hall, we [tried something new]. We felt like those had been done. This was definitely designed to be sort of a more upscale French / Belgian take on things.

Q: That would account for your fantastic selection of Belgian Ales.

RM: and the frittes, and the mussels...

Q: So did you collaborate with Jacob [Alioto] to develop the menu?

RM: Well, In the early days we used to get together [for[ everything. I drafted up the first menu, and showed him what was in my mind, and he gave me his thoughts and opinions. But over the years he’s learned he doesn’t have to ask me questions to do anything. He’s pretty much got free rein now.

Q: So you know each other so well that he knows what you’ll like and dislike?

RM: Well, sure, but more importantly, he knows what our customers will like.

Q: Right now, your favorite dish on the menu would be?

RM: I guess I’d have to say the Rib Eye Steak. We seasonally change it up, but we’ve always got a rib eye, even though we change up the way we put it together.

Q: Your all time favorite Luka’s Taproom dish [would be]?

RM: My favorite thing that we ever did here? Jake’s best dish? Hard to say, but I think among Jake’s most brilliant ideas was the “Twice Cooked Egg with Tartare” or the “Avocado Tempura” which was a really nice foil for a lot of flavors. But the Twice Cooked Egg was something that most people had never seen before, so it was a nice touch.

Q: Can we discuss how the recession has affected your business? Either directly or indirectly.

RM: Well, I don’t mind talking about it. Really, definitely people have been laid off in the neighborhood and people don’t have the same kind of credit. People aren’t feeling as rich and spendy, so that much is certain.

Q: So less foot traffic?

RM: It’s hard to say. We still get a lot of traffic, but people might spend a bit less. It’s difficult to gauge, because there’s been so much change in the landscape of the industry in this area. So it’s hard to say how much the recession affects things, how much the changing landscape affects things. Maybe you have a lot more seats on the one hand, but you’ve also got the Fox Theater on the other hand. All these things are kind of new, so over the six years we’ve been here change [has been] the rule of thumb. The recession might have an impact, but lots of other factors can have an impact. There’s been so much change and all of it happens so fast. But we’re doing well. It’s nice that we’re established. I think other places that are trying to establish themselves may be having a harder time.

Q: Do you mind talking about Franklin Square, (a sister restaurant that has been shuttered since early this year)?

RM: Well I have a choice to make, and I’m not sure what to do. I can either reopen it, but I would have to spend less (on labor). It would have to be a simpler concept. I’ve also got three different groups who want to operate it. They’re all young people.

One wants to open basically a very similar concept, a wine bar with a simplified menu. Energetic young kids, they’d just live there and do all the work. I’ve got a young lady who wants [to do] flatbread sandwiches. She’s been selling them at all the Farmer’s Markets. [S]he was thinking about taking it over and doing basically lunch sandwiches, office catering. Maybe opening it up early and doing breakfast.  She’s got an existing business and she’s reasonably successful selling at the Farmer’s Markets. Then I've also got a guy interested in taking it over and having a Carribbean place. So I don’t know which one to do.

Q: How do you see food service evolving in the 21st Century?

RM: Oh, I don’t know. I feel that for the forseeable future, you’re going to see continued growth of the locavore ethic, and you’re going to hear a lot more about sustainability, even though we hear a lot about it now. Basically, you know, green trends, local trends. They’re the only thing that has any momentum in terms of food philosophy. And there’s money in it. At least that’s where we are in food right now. Something else could come up.

Q: Any other future plans?

RM: I’d like to get the wine bar squared away. And I want to open a steak house in Oakland. I feel like there’s a place for a nice steak and seafood place somewhere in Oakland.



Victory Cocktail -
Deserving winner
of the all-female
bartending competition!

 What do we say to that?  We say "bring it on."  Anything Rick Mitchell opens in Oakland is gonna first and foremost have amazing food.  I can still taste Chef Lori Hurlebaus' day scallops and those cakes of sweet corn that were almost a pudding...

Luka's Taproom & Lounge
2221 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94612-3009
(510) 451-4677
http://www.lukasoakland.com/

CAFE CLAUDE - Mais Oui ...please have another drink?

Black Friday. Shopping day from hell. But such great sales, right? So how does one get the hubby to come with? Ahhh-hah. Offer him lunch at Cafe Claude. So my grad student and I did, as part of our evil plan to get him (and thus, his wallet) into the City with us.

Seriously, the Grad Student and I both love Cafe Claude so we thought it would be a fun family outing. I must admit that the Better Half loves it there too, so it was the perfect place to top off our day-after-Turkey festivities. Food was definitely going to be the highlight of the day, particularly given the fairly obnoxious crowds slugging about the city streets making walking around enjoyably near to impossible. (But the sales!) People are sooo rude these days. We made reservations for 1pm ish and arrived at the restaurant right on time, and starving.

The restaurant itself seems worth a note here. It is a charming, intimate, very authentic European-style little bistro in an alley in San Francisco that transports its clientele, in spirit at least, right to the heart of Paris. The bar is rich wood, the interior long and dark and intimate. It's tiny, but with such an abundance of genuine charm that one doesn't feel packed in like a sardine. I love the place.

Started with a cheeseboard featuring (from what I can remember) a Chevre goat, a soft brie and a lovely French cow's milk. They change out their cheeses constantly and I didn't write much of the cheese course down what with the cocktail in one hand. I remember only that they were delicious and we enjoyed them with cocktails. There's a story about the cocktails, but more about that later. I ordered the Mousse D'Amerique, a lilting combination of rum, lime juice, pineapple and sugar cane. Foamy on top. Yum! The BH had the French 75, a fruity mix of gin and sparkling wine, Double Yum! Our grad student had one as well.

It was about this time that we noticed the bartender was tall, dark and French. As an aside, I should mention that the wait staff at Cafe Claude is often French and almost always pretty. Male & female alike. Young, attractive people abound here. I think I notice because I used to sit on a casting panel for theatrical productions and I can't help but evaluate people a little bit for their stage-worthiness. I think my 24-year-old daughter notices because she is 24 and single. So anyway, the Grad Student and I both commented to one another that our bartender could give Gilles Marini a run for his money, and there might be flirting. Fun Times!

Back at the meal, the BH and Grad Student both love a good French Onion Soup and Cafe Claude's is one of the best. At least as good as Absinthe over in Hayes Valley. A lovely hot mess of golden-kissed cheese over an oniony puddle of perfect broth. Nothing heartier to warm the bones from an outdoor chill.

While I continued to consume my own drink with more cheese, I let the soup divert the attention of both my dining companions. The family was enjoying our environment and the food at Claude quite a bit, so we lingered over these prefatory courses.

When our mains arrived, we ordered a second round of cocktails. My lunch was a lovely special, described as a Veal Stew but which arrived in the form of a rich and creamy (ivory colored,
almost stroganoff-looking) dish. I had anticipated something more traditional --- perhaps a thick brown sauce with a wine reduction --- but this was a nice twist. It had mushrooms and garlic and veal, all tumbled together beneath this aromatic but delicate blanket of cream, au jus and herbs.

My better half and our daughter had their steak and fries. The steak arrived perfectly cooked, rare, as requested. The fries, are well, Cafe Claude's. They are among the best fries ever, anywhere. I have a few places I go just for the fries and this is one of them. The others are Cesar's on Piedmont Avenue (Cesar's may still be absolute number one, but it's close) and Luka's on Grand Avenue. When they are done to perfection, fries can be a real treat. Here they are light, thin and well-seasoned. Hints of garlic. Salted well. Ahhhh. yes!

By now the grad student and I are getting a little liquored up. We've noticed that the very smokin' bartender has taken to deliver her drinks (oh, to be young again) and it's amusing. So she has another. He brings it, but refuses a tip. Politely. Hmm.

We decide that the meal won't be complete without dessert. GS thinks the Tarte Tatin sounds appetizing, so we go for it. What's not to love about upside down apple tart with caramel sauce and whipped cream? I know, right? As we gently drape our bites of hot gooey caramel and apple with fluffy tongues of whipped cream we continue to ogle the hot bartender. My daughter decides she needs him to come back, so she orders, yes, another drink. By the time we leave there is chatting, marginal flirting. He tells her it is his birthday. She says "Happy Birthday" instead of what she is thinking, which is, bien sur, way more Sex & the City. Quel dommage, it was time for us to leave.

It was a lovely afternoon, and as we step out into the brisk post-Thanksgiving crowds once again, we are full, slightly drunk and alive. It's a beautiful world.

I cannot recommend Cafe Claude enough for this sort of an afternoon, or any sort at all. Check it out, and Bon Appetit!

Cafe Claude

7 Claude Lane

San Francisco, CA 94108

415-392-3505

http://www.cafeclaude.com/

Dining Time: leisurely

Table size: small, cramped, European-style

Noise level: It's noisy but intimate enough that I don't have trouble hearing.

Price: moderately expensive

CITRON - a little Class on College

A week ago Thursday we met our youngest again for lunch on College near her school. On this occasion she had suggested we try Citron, an established white tablecloth joint between Taft and Lawton. It was as described. Very old-world looking, but light and airy at the same time. Personally, I found the retro style somewhat charming. While I love the new 'slick' wood and metallics of most of the newer places, I found this just as inviting as any other establishment.

Our daughter had been there once for a function as an intern at a big law firm and really enjoyed the food. She said some of her young friends found the place too "dated." I would disagree.

We began our meal with drinks. Hubby and I both ordered something called an Eloise Gin Blizzard, a lovely and complex blend of Hendrick's gin, fresh grapefruit juice, Diablo Elderflower Syrup all topped with a champagne float. It tasted like bubbles and light and had the nice bite of a grapefruit taste without the bitter. This was another really successful cocktail. I have had great success with fruit gin goodness and this was no exception. The BH and I both really enjoyed them. They came with a lovely little 'amuse bouche' of creamed humus and olive oil over toast. Delicious.

We began our lunch with a first course of cheeses. I have become a total cheese hound in recent years. The sampler boards one can order now offer such a variety of so many good blends and types of cheese that it's really opened my eyes to a world of flavor. We ordered a Petit Basque (menu described it as farmy - rich, semi-hard) and a Truffle (soft truffled goat). They came accompanied by a lovely nutty fruit bread toast (delicate, not overly chunky candied fruit or anything of that sort) and some fresh apple and jam.

While we munched on our cheeses, my BH also had a soup course. It was a splendid Maine Lobster Bisque, slathered in tarragon creme fraiche.

For our main, BH and the kid had the Grilled Hangar Steak and French Fries, which come with a lovely helping of romano beans, fresh carrots and beef jus. It also came with a healthy stack of some really tasty french fries. They were billed as the "best anywhere" and I have to say that though they were good, they were not as good as Cesar's garlic fries. There is definitely a war of good fries on around here, and so far Cesar is still King of the Kitchen in that respect.

I had the Spinach Gnocchi with wild mushrooms and white corn. It was perfection. The gnocchi were light as air and so was the sauce, a sage brown butter blended with heavy corn creme, toasted pinenuts and regianno cheese. The mushrooms were so meaty and flavorful, this was a delicious dish.

We finished the meal with a Pear Huckleberry Tarte. It had a light, flaky crust, and was filled with the softest ripest pears imaginable. Party in my mouth & dessert perfection. We were all in agreement on this one. It was so good in fact, that it was gone before I remembered to take a picture~!!

If you like a meal with a slight old world presentation, and by old I mean classy and clean, with a strong sense of leisure and comfort in dining, then this is your kind of place. I found the flavors and menu well thought out and the mixologist was first rate. Check it out!

Bon Appetit!

Citron
5484 College Avenue
Oakland, CA
510.653.5484
http://www.citronrestaurant.biz/

Dining time: a bit leisurely, but probably possible without desssert or drinks
Noise level: well padded and not at all echo prone -LOW
Table size: adequate

CESAR ~ Fanny's tale comes to Piedmont Avenue

Anyone familiar with Alice Waters' original undertaking, Chez Panisse, knows that the restaurant she began and those restaurants that followed in her path inspired by her desire to feed people in a new and spectacular way --- all conjure up high expectations. For well-prepared and plated food, for a unique and impressive ambiance, and more generally, for excellence. In 2006, Chez Panisse's neighbor, a tapas establishment started by some former employees of Chez Panisse and aptly named Cesar (now distinguished from the Piedmont establishment as "Cesar Shattuck"), opened a second storefront, branching out to a Piedmont Avenue locale. My little band of food vagabonds was among the first to try it out back then. We were amazed, both with the quality of the food, and of course, the prices. But when something is world class, once expects to spend dearly for it, or so I'm told. If you're going to charge a lot, you better be prepared to bring it, day in and day out.

Recently we had occasion to revisit the restaurant on the birthday of our PFC (Partner in Food Crimes, for those of you who don't read regularly). He could pick anywhere and this was where he asked to be taken. Birthday rules. We got there right at noon, not sure how crowded it might be, and they don't take reservations. As an aside, about a year after opening, Cesar Piedmont threw us a curveball. They changed up their menu to serve breakfast, but only until noon. This meant that arriving early to secure a table in lieu of a reservation was complicated by not being able to order (unless one wanted breakfast) until after noon, leaving this weird gap while they changed out the kitchen. It was a confusing alteration to what had previously been a pleasant experience.

But on this particular day, it was not a problem. We got there a bit early and were both allowed to be seated, and to begin ordering from the lunch menu. It seemed that they had relaxed their restrictions from our previous encounter. We began by ordering drinks. The BH and my daughter had the Apricot 76, which was a mixture of (Bombay Gin, Apricot Liquer & Champagne). Rather than being overly sweet, it was a strong drink, but with an airiness to it that I found really appealling (I get to taste everything, since I write the blog -- it's really just my evil plan to eat from the plates of others without fearing rebuke). I myself ordered something called a Tequila Love (a combination of a Herradura Silver Tequila, Moscato & Pressed Pineapple Syrup). This drink was also outstanding. I am a huge fan of the new "mixology" and have gotten so spoiled that ordering a "gin and tonic" seems like punishment, am no longer able to request such a boring cocktail, at least not without running the risk of boring myself to death.

We followed the cocktails rapidly (so much so as to be concurrent) with apps. We began with two meat platters, their Jamon Iberico and their Serrano. The cuts were great and the portions generous enough. We ordered also their Spanish Cheeses, which today were an Urgelia (cow), a Murcia al Vino (goat) and a Tronchon (blending of sheep, goat and cow). I love cheese. These were good, but I was annoyed at the waiter because he sent a busboy over to just drop the platter and disappear. No one introduced which cheese was which. Frankly, the wait staff was a bit disappointing overall on this visit. We were attended well enough, and we didn't lack for food for any length of time, so it was not a major flaw, but when one is paying through the nose, there is a certain 'presentation' that is expected. That is reasonable. We did not receive that level of attention. Someone should have tended to the cheese, guys.

Along with these various meats and cheeses, we ordered their French Fries. Theirs is variety on this 'dish' that may be among the best interpretation of a fried potato anywhere on the planet. If you are a french fry connoisseur, then you have to try these. They are thin, flat slices of crisply fried potato, perfectly infused with just the right levels of garlic and salt. They are more addictive than a potato chip and twice as good.

Next we had several dishes to share. The first we'll discuss was the Paella Cangrejo y Gambas (consisting, according to the menu, of fresh blue crabmeat & large gulf shrimp in a lobster broth with peas & piquillos). Generally I love a paella. Spicy, crunchy on the bottom, flavorful, right? Not on this occasion. It was a wet and sloppy hot mess. Really not up to their standard. It tasted like boiled white rice with a little canned tomato. The prawns were lovely and well cooked, but nothing else about this dish was memorable. It was a huge disappointment.

Next we'll talk about the Canelones de Catalunya (Canelones stuffed with braised beef, bacon and vegetables). In my mind, this dish was as good as the other was watery and unmemorable. It was layered with a delicious creamy sauce, the beef tender and seasoned to perfection. Absolute perfection.

When the Canelones arrived, they also brought us our Roasted Heirloom Tomato (stuffed wtih chanterelle mushrooms & rice). It was, I'm sorry to say, stuffed with the same soggy mess that apparently came in the paella. I really don't know what was going on in the kitchen that day, but I sincerely hope it was an anomaly, and not typical for their new chef. They used to have the best paella anywhere, and this wasn't remotely close to the quality one should expect at an establishment that considers itself this high end.

Then we had the Pollo Asado a la Costa Brava with Grilled Scallions (grilled chicken with garlic & herbs). The grilled chicken was as perfect as the paella was lacking. It is one of their specialties, and the reputation is well-deserved. The meat is moist, and all the flavoring is cooked deep into the meat. Garlic, herbs, the smoke of the grill, all of these things pervade every moist, perfectly-cooked mouthful.

Since this was a birthday celebration, we also ordered dessert. Two. The Bread Pudding with Orange Caramel Sauce (pic: above) and the Cesar Sundae (pic: below). The former was a magnificent concoction of milk, bready goodness and a die-and-go-to-heaven-good caramel sauce. The latter was a bowl of chocolate-y gelato and steaming hot-out-of-the-oven-fresh churros made on the spot. Both were excellent. Seriously, if you order nothing else, come on in here and have yourself a Cesar Sundae. There are just some things worth an extra workout (or two).

Bon Appetit!

Cesar
4039 Piedmont Avenue
Oakland, CA 94611
510.985.1202
http://www.barcesar.com/

Table size: Adequate
Dining time: don't be in a rush, can't be done.
Noise level: moderate

Cost: Arm and a leg, maybe both legs.