Food Worth The Wait Indeed

I don't know what's more difficult - getting a table in under 2 hours or enough light to take a proper photo?

After a dozen visits to the temple of wood-fired flour+water, I finally got both. And once again, when this showed up at my table, I was reminded why no one seems to care about the wait. If it's Neapolitan-style pizza you gotta have - with toppings like potato, pancetta, fontina & rosemary, this is the place you gotta go.

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Well, you can also go to this place, the sister restaurant and start of it all - but the line will not be any shorter. Michael Bauer declared it worth it back in 2005, and here we are 8 years later still willing to wait, and wait some more.

You can't chalk those crowds up to newcomer buzz either. Pizzaiolo has been open for 8 years and Boot & Shoe for 2. There's a line out the door every night for one reason - consistency. Consistency in top-notch ingredients, consistency in artisan cocktails, consistency in the über-hip crowd and last, but certainly not least - consistency in that incredible pizza dough. 

There's lots of emphasis on pizza here because that's what this guy really perfected after an 8 year stint at the famed Chez Panisse, but the rest of the menu is equally perfect. The asparagus and burrata with black olive tapenade will have you hounding every cheese shop in town for details on their burrata delivery.

The antipasti, the pasta, anything roasted in that wood oven - beef short ribs with cannellini beans, baby leeks and salsa verde, and the incredible desserts - Straus vanilla soft serve with burnt caramel sauce and sea salt. Like I said, it is all consistently delicious.

But you do not have to take my word for it. Those crowds tell you what you need to know.

And speaking of need to know, Inside Scoop SF tells us there's another Hallowell outpost in the works. Add it to the wait list.

Gather

While it's true Gather not only accommodates vegetarians and vegans - they celebrate them - there is something here for everyone.

Some real stand outs include - raw local halibut mixed with minutina, grapefruit, radishes and hot green garlic oil, house-made meatballs served over creamy polenta, seared cod on a bed of artichoke fava bean puree, baby artichokes and wild mushrooms and a burger made with Prather Ranch beef.

The only thing more appealing than the plating of their food is well, the plates themselves.

Things look even tastier artfully arranged on this beautiful tableware. I love everything about Heath Ceramics – the color palette, the classic yet modern design and it’s all still crafted in Sausalito as it has been since 1948.

It even makes paying the check easier to swallow - no, not really. It just makes the presentation warmer - and that is how I would describe everything else at Gather - warmer.

Toast - Drink More Wine

Well, cheers to that - gotta love a restaurant name and tagline that direct! 

Speaking of love, as I was preparing to write this post and trying to figure out exactly what attracted me (apart from everything) to this place, there it was in the food section of their website - Chef Peter Jackson's "wine country cuisine" menu.

I love the wine country and Toast has done an excellent job bringing a bit of it to me. First, there's a generous selection of wines of course - by the glass, tap and bottle. The atmosphere is cozy, contemporary and so is their music selection, and the sunny patio complete with olive trees is very inviting.

Then there's that "wine country cuisine" menu. Do NOT miss the white bean spread with roasted garlic and toast - featured here. It is rich, creamy and bursting with freshness all at the same time. I cook white beans a lot and could not figure out exactly what that fresh taste was. But now I know - a tiny squeeze of Meyer lemon just before serving. Genius!

The spicy lamb meatballs with shaved pepato, burrata and fennel pollen with olive relish and asparagus salad with piquillo pepper vinaigrette and mimosa rounded out my first visit very nicely. And then I noticed something that might warrant another visit sooner rather than later - a few items on the menu listed as "kid's favorites".

Wow, talk about researching and catering to your target audience. This is another great addition to the already awesome restaurant scene on College Avenue.

And to that I say Toast - drink more wine!

Hawker Fare

Definition -  hawk·er /Noun/ ˈhôkər/  - A person who travels around selling goods, typically advertising them by shouting.

Well, that pretty much sums up how I feel about this latest addition to the ever-burgeoning restaurant scene in Uptown Oakland. And judging by all the rave reviews, I am not the only patron shouting.

To be fair, I must say that I REALLY like Thai food - the curry, the coconut milk, the bright flavors of the fresh herbs and spices. Add the famed Michelin star chef, James Syhabout of Commis, to the list of ingredients and now we're talking ADORE Thai food.

But it's not just the food here. It's everything. Everything that is straight-up Oakland - hip, vibrant, low-key and top-notch all at once. I read one review that said "at Commis you taste the genius; at Hawker Fare, you taste the soul - and hear the song - behind the smarts". Yep - spot on. For me, what sets Oakland restaurants apart is always about the S.O.U.L.

Time your dinner here with a stroll through Oakland's Art Murmur on the first Friday of each month - don't miss this exhibit, and you'll be hawking this area louder than me - and that is saying something.

Tamarindo

The stage – historic Old Oakland location, minimalist décor with exposed brick and oversized art, a semi-open kitchen, dozens of tea light candles and wooden tables so beautiful you would never consider covering them with tablecloths.

The star – some of the finest regional Mexican cuisine this side of Oaxaca. The menu consists mostly ofAntojitos or small plates that are artfully presented and perfect for sharing.

Everybody raves about the tacos and they are delicious, but I love the tostaditas.

Tostaditas de Tinga Poblana - three tiny tostadas spread with black beans, topped with chipotle chicken, cabbage, fresh avocado and crema. If you like mole you'll love the Rocky range chicken topped with a tamarind mole over Mexican rice. Then there's the tamales, and the carnitas and the empanadas...

Far too many outstanding dishes to mention here, plus I need to elaborate on the cocktails now.

Read On.