BAY WOLF - Everything old is new again

It was another Friday, maybe a week or so ago.  The Grad Student wanted to meet her father and I for lunch, so we agreed to take her out. Again.  Such a sacrifice, I know.  She had requested that we go to Bay Wolf, having recently come across its menu on line and become intrigued. Bay Wolf struck me as an odd choice for my young foodie.  It's been around forever, and I expected it to be a bit, well 'dusty.' Yet her father and I were willing to indulge her. 

I hadn't been to Bay Wolf myself since 1977 or so.  Back then, it was the place to go for special occasions.  Either there or Chez Panisse in Berkeley; there were few other choices on this side of the Bay Bridge.  Bay Wolf was a high end  destination --- too high end a place to consider eating out at very often, given my meagre secretary's wages.  But that day was a special occasion, it was a pre-bridal luncheon from another lifetime.  I think I had their Salad Nicoise.  It was good, but not necessarily magic.  Not anything particularly memorable. 

So we arrived a bit early for our reservation and they had our table ready.  It was on what once had been the deck, but is now an interior enclosure that has expanded the eating area of the restaurant.  It was securely enclosed and had heating lamps to keep it toasty in winter (which it still was).  It appears as though in summertime this area can be easily reopened into a deck again, making it a nice convertible space for year around dining.  Smart.

As we perused the cocktail list, we realized they don't have a full bar here.  But they do have specialty cocktails of liquer and various wines.  I chose a Pear mojito and it was delicious --- a complete success.  Often with wine-only substitute cocktails I am left with a feeling that my drink is missing a flavor component.  Wine just doesn't enhance a cocktail in the way that hard liquor can.  It's not as varied in taste, at least not in that way.  In this case, their bartender is a magician, because the flavors in this drink were outstanding.  I was first struck by the strong but not overpowering hints of mint and lemon ---  these flavors gave way to a lovely anise kick --- and it all finished off with a lovely, soft kiss of pear.  What a nice surprise that cocktail was.

I chose to order a Salad of Anise-Scented Beets, even though it was wintry cold.  I love beets so much it is often hard for me to resist them when they're offered.  The dish arrived with a lovely simple vinaigrette caressing the beets, avocado and tangerine, all of which were fresh, ripe and magnificent.  There was a bit of fennel in the mix, which blended nicely with the acidic fruit to create a really memorable salad.  This time my salad was a memorable home run.

We also shared as an appetizer at the table a Duck Liver “flan” which was a lovely pate-style dish, accompanied by some toasts of grilled bread, little cornichons (baby dill pickles), and some really nice olives.  The taste of the duck liver went blissfully with the pickles and the olives, tasty stuff!

While I nibbled away on my salad, our PFC had the Double Celery Soup which he said was to his liking.  It was a lovely consistency and the tapenade toasts

Our PFC ordered for his main the Petit Cassoulet which was a lovely blend of duck confit, sausage and smoked pork in a wonderful country-style stew, laced with white beans and a fablously complex herbed sauce.  C'est Magnifique!

The BH ordered their Grilled Steelhead Salmon, which was a fabulous pink steak of salmon surrounded by roasted broccoli, fried new potatoes and accompanied with a fresh salsa verde.  The meat of the salmon was buttery-soft, moist and flaky, with that lovely briny quality of fresh seafood.  The broccoli was as well,  perfectly cooked with just enough of its crispness left intact.  Too often when I think about ordering salmon, I tell myself that fish is a healthy option and therefore somehow boring.  I can end up talking myself out of it, but I gotta say, when it's done like this, it is anything but.  The perfectly crispy exterior over all that moist, flavorful fish... wow.  I am always struck by how tasty fish really is when it's cooked well, perhaps because for a very long time most of the fish I ate wasn't.

The grad student ordered the Potato Gnocchi, which arrived awash in butternut squash, chard, mushrooms and sage.  The dish was bouncy with flavors, the puffs themselves the perfect consistency, all of it well-coated with sauce.  The dish was not at all mushy and the earthy finish from the sage chips flecked over all was just the right note.

Since we had saved room we ordered three desserts to share.  The first was a Meyer Lemon Pot de Creme a creamy soft affair blending lemon and vanilla in a well-executed marriage of citrus and sugars.  Excellent.  The next was one that had intrigued us.  It was an Ice Cream Sandwich of Persimmon Ice Cream and Oatmeal cookies.  The warm cookies were layered over and under this amazingly soft, gelato like house-made ice cream, and the dense texture of the persimmon really came through.  Persimmon is a really rich fruit, with a meat similar to that of a mango, so it had the potential to be a bit overwhelming.  Yet the addition of the oatmeal to the mix kept that from happening.  The powdery crunch of the oatmeal, with its soft, nutty, texture really brought the flavors all together, and the addition of a caramel sauce at the bottom of the dish caught everything together in harmony. 

We finished off our dessert trio with a Chocolate Souffle Cake sitting atop a plate lightly slathered in creme anglaise.  Each bite of cake was soaked it the bottom with the light vanilla flavored creme, so that the dark, bitter taste of the chocolate just popped.   Well done.
 
Oddly enough, I was both surprised and thrilled to find out that Bay Wolf hasn't missed a step in the past twenty plus years.  But it would appear that they have.  Check it out for yourself, and Bon Appetit!
 
Bay Wolf Restaurant
3853 Piedmont Ave
Oakland, CA 94611-5378
(510) 655-6004
http://www.baywolf.com/

Table size: adequate
Noise Level:  TWO BELLS = Can talk easily
Dining Time: easily out in an hour if skip dessert
Service: excellent, just attentive enough

ADESSO ~ Salumi, Sopresato & Cheese, OH MY!

A few weeks ago on a Tuesday night, the Bh and I were finally convinced to try out the scene at Adesso, a happening little gem of a restaurant that has modeled itself after the Italian osteria.  Cured meats and wine, and a lovely spread in the late afternoon. Free. Yes, you heard me correctly.  When we walked into the Happy Hour at Adesso in Oakland, I knew I was definitely not in Kansas anymore. 

The space is small, the food is varied yet simple, and the bar is well-stocked. This little gem reminded me of Italy in a big way.  Situated as it is at the tip of Piedmont Avenue, the parking is tricky.  Street only, and not a lot of it, but it can be done.  They offer the free aperitivi every night from Monday through Saturday. They put platters out right at five o'clock and again at six.  I believe they put them out just before closing as well, which varies from 10:30 to 11:30 depending on the night of the week.

I do not know the names of everything they served on the buffet wall.  The pictures will, on this occasion, have to suffice.  In addition to the free aperitivi, I ordered a platter of their sopresato, which is a thick salami like meat that was delicious.  Various sausage-y meats and cracked pepper were all I could readily identify.  I believe all the meats are prepared on site.  Adesso has a full bar, and makes really tasty drinks as well.  One of us had a Grapefruit Gimlet, and I had this spicy ginger beer & tequila affair that tasted home made. I've never tasted home made ginger beer before, and I loved it.  It complemented the tequila perfectly. 

This isn't the sort of meal I can wax prolific about.  This column is more of an amouse bouche.  A party of any size could fill up on their buffet, or augment it with some of their fantastic house meats and cheeses.  Essentially, the place reminded both my husband and myself of our first night in Venice.  We'd taken the taxi-boat into the heart of the City, and walked from our hotel looking for food. It was five o'clock there too, and in Italy, that is nobody's dinner time.  We were jet-lagged and hungry and so Francesco at the hotel had suggested we try a local osteria, where he was sure we could get meats, cheese, and a glass of wine to quell our appetities.  It was the BH's first meal in Italy and it really stuck, so eating here, at Adesso, woke up that adventure for him in a palpable way.  But isn't that what dining is all about?

I believe that just about anyone can find something here they will enjoy.  If you haven't been yet, do take the time to check it out.  Being free, the food goes quickly, so I would suggest you get there on time (either right at five or six when they set out the trays) Bon Appetit!

Adesso Oakland
4395 Piedmont Ave
Oakland, CA

510-601-0305


Note:  We arrived at about ten-to-five, and were not admitted.  They weren't ready. When they say they open at five, they mean it, and not a moment sooner.  As promised, they did open their doors promptly at five.  Be there on time, and be ready for a treat.

Table size: we ate at the bar, so no idea but they looked adequate.  The bar was spacious and it had lovely little purse hooks underneath it which made a nice place to stick my bag, which is big.  Ladies will appreciate this feature.

Noise Levels:  As of today I will be using the SF Chronicles rating system for noise, for purpose of standardization.  They rate noise as follows:

ONE BELL = Pleasantly quiet; TWO BELLS = Can talk easily; THREE BELLS = Talking normally gets difficult;  When in full swing, Adesso is noisy folks.  It's a bar. FOUR BELLS = Can talk only in raised voices; BOMB = Too noisy for normal conversation.

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.

NINNA - Checking up on an old favorite

Years ago the BH and I used to walk with a co-worker to a place we liked on Piedmont avenue. The co-worker was ahead of the foodie curve, and she was always finding the latest yummy place to eat somewhere, as well as encouraging my BH to take long healthy walks. Needless to say, when she moved to Indianapolis, I was bummed big time to lose a valued eating buddy.

Their trademark is that they prepare food with a primarily mediterranean style, and fuse their dishes with hint of various traditional Thai spices.

The other day I had a doctor's appointment nearby, so the hubby and I walked over to Ninna to see if it was still as good as we remembered. We have always enjoyed the food there, so we were looking forward to a treat.

When we arrived at the early portion of the lunch hour it appeared just as we remembered. The pleasant woman who greeted us must be Ninna. We have always assumed she was the owner. She has the intimate presence of a person who is more than an employee and seems to care if you have a pleasant experient. She was very attentive, but we were the only patrons in the restaurant for most of our stay. One other patron arrived eventually, though it remained just the two tables for the better part of the meal.

She seated us quickly and brought us each a menu. I'm not sure if it was my memory, or if my food tastes have just outgrown this place, but the menu seemed to be lacking many of the previous dishes I had enjoyed. Most of the choices seemed uninspired and bare-bones. We were hungry so we tried to go with it.

The BH had the Fisherman's soup, a variation on a sort of bouilliabase, consisting of mussel's calamari and shrimp. He asked that they prepare it mild, and they said they could comply, though when it came it was visibly laden with red pepper flakes. He ate around them. I ordered the Grilled Chicken Breast with peanut sauce and spring mixed salad. My husband enjoyed his soup, but he didn't seem overly impressed. I found my chicken breast a bit dry and the sauce was ordinary. The salad was also a bit underdressed and notably unremarkable in its flavors. Remembering the delicacies of flavors enjoyed here in the past made it all the more unimpressive.

It seemed a bit of a shame, as this had been a place we had kept on the top of our favorite places to eat list for such a long time. I don't know if the restaurant has failed to keep up with current food trends, remaining true to is former self and being left in the dust by the natural passage of time, or the quality has actually slipped a bit. Either way, it was a disappointment. Nothing was terrible, it was an adequate meal, and the prices were reasonable, so no harm done.

Sometimes a walk down memory lane brings back experiences or tastes we can treasure. Sometimes it is just a walk. But a walk isn't necessarily a bad thing. Maybe it's just me. If you want to prove me wrong, check it out. This is a tough industry and maybe they were just having an off day.

Bon Appetit!

Ninna Restaurant

4066 Piedmont Avenue

Oakland, CA 94611

510-601-6441

http://www.ninnarestaurant.com/

Tables - cramped

Price Range - Moderate - Lunch entrees $8 - 12

Dining Time - in and out in easily under an hour over lunch time

DOPO - A Paper Thin Slice of Perfection

Last week my BH talked me into going back to Dopo, which is a popular and very small little Italian Pizzeria and Wine Bar located on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. When it first opened it was maybe four - five tables. After undergoing a fairly lengthy expansion into the space next door, the restaurant is positively cavernous at fifteen tables or so, with several more available outside when weather permits. And the place is always bustling, if you want a table at lunch, get there before noon.

There is a reason for its popularity. Dopo's does a limited menu of pizzas, salads and soups, and though the menu is not extensive, what they do, they do very well. The meal we ordered on this occasion began with a slice of Pistichio, which looks like a variety of frittata or quiche. It seemed a bit heavier and more rustic than the frittata I grew up with. Today's version was a combination of zucchini and parmesan and egg. It was filling, but not quite as flavorful as my grandfather's egg dish. I was trying to avoid eating too much pizza, but it was a mistake. That's really the reason to come here. After my husband downed a bowl of the Tomato Corn soup, which is quite tasty, we moved on to the main course.

We had ordered two pizzas. The first was a Mozzarella di Bufala. It arrived piping hot, with the cheese bubbling on the surface of the ever so perfectly thin layer of tomato sauce. This pizza is unusual in that it isn't the standard doughy bread slathered in Contadina (that's a tomato paste folks). Everything about it is delicate. It's flavors are much more delicate and well thought out. This may be the best thin crust pizza on the planet. We followed that standard with an new variety on the menu, a blending of Proscuitto, Speck and Potato.

This pizza was well-done, although in my opinion not quite as good as the simple but delicious di Bufala. Speck is apparently a kind of juniper-flavored Italian smoked ham that is generally served in thin slices. Isn't surfing the net while eating so much fun?? The mixture of this ham and the baby red roasted potatoes was pleasant and I thought pretty good. My BH really enjoyed the combination, but our PFC really preferred the di Bufala. I enjoyed both, but have to say I did prefer the first. There is something crispy and simple about it, the way they always do it just so, that makes it one of my favorite dishes.

We completed the meal with a few glasses of wine. I had a nice red Montepulciano, and our PFC enjoyed a rose, also from Montepulciano. No dessert or coffee today, although I will say that when I have had their lattes in the past, it is really unique. They serve the hot drink in a glass mug, which makes it almost impossible to hold. It also seems to cook the milk further into the coffee, in a way that without adding any sugar, brings out the sugar in the milk and sweetens the drink naturally. It may or may not be deliberate, but once I had wrapped the burning hot mug in my napkin so I could get it to my lips, I found it delicious.

All in all, this is a completely reliable restaurant. What they do is consistently tasty, with little variation in presentation and no big mistakes.

Bon Appetit!

DOPO

4293 Piedmont Avenue

Oakland, CA 94611

510-652-3676

no website as of this writing

Price: Moderately expensive

Dining time: Pizza takes awhile to cook, so typically a bit more than an hour

Table size: Cramped