2016 Oakland Restaurant Week is in full swing and will run through January 24th. This annual event, which brings together the community, takes place every year at this time and is a great way to kick off the cold, rainy New Year. Oakland Restaurant Week is an opportunity to try out those restaurants that have been on your list forever, but you haven’t quite gotten around to yet.
The best Oakland Restaurant Week options are the ones that entice me with a good deal that I can’t get any other time of the year. I’m looking for a compelling reason to drop my precious dining dollars. For Oakland Restaurant Week to truly be a community event that pulls people in, the prix-fixe menu needs to be a win-win for everyone.
Oakland Restaurant Week Criteria
Because so many places participate, the Oakland Restaurant Week list can be overwhelming. As I pondered what my own Oakland Restaurant Week itinerary might be, I set a few criteria.
- Something new that sounds good or has good buzz. (To hedge, I cross-reference with reviews.)
- I want to be blown away by a creative menu and good value, even if it’s not a new restaurant for me.
- A great deal that I just can’t pass up.
- An opportunity I can’t get any other time of the year.
- A well-thought out vegetarian or pescatarian menu, that isn’t an after-thought.
- I don’t want to be constrained by a prix-fixe menu that I can get any other time of year.
- Bonus Points: A menu that doesn’t force me into an obligatory dessert course.
Oakland Restaurant Week Top Picks
After scouring the Oakland Restaurant Week list, I was a little disappointed to find that only two new restaurants (Juhu Beach Club and Venga) emerged based on this criteria. Here are the restaurants that I’m considering for my Oakland Restaurant Week itinerary as my best value options (See Oakland Restaurant Week site for full details).
* Denotes my itinerary prioritization (photos are not from Oakland Restaurant Week and intended to give a sense of the place).
A16
THE MENU: $20 Lunch. Appetizer: Winter Citrus Salad; Main: Choice of Pizza or Meatballs (tomato, basil, grana padano).
THE VALUE: Lunch seems to be the better value and a good deal ($30 dinner includes dessert). A16 has a great dining room and tasty Italian food, featuring a wood-fired oven.
Vegetarian Options: Yes
Online Reservation: Yes
Neighborhood: Rockridge
Public Transit: Rockridge BART + about a 6 block walk
Bonus Points: Great southern Italian-focused wine list, with over 40 wines by-the-glass.
Cons: Wine will cost you extra.
The Cook and her Farmer
THE MENU: $10 Lunch: Daily Soup and Arugula Salad, with Crispy Cheese Toast. Arugula Salad-with shaved fennel, watermelon radish, dry jack, and breadcrumbs, champagne vinaigrette. $20 Dinner: Steamers-Penncove Mussels and Clams in a tarragon butter-beer broth, with grilled bread and choice of Linden Oakland Glow Beer on tap or a glass of house red OR white wine.
THE VALUE: The light lunch sounds like a simple, but good deal. But the dinner option sounds particularly interesting with interesting flavors with the shellfish, and I particularly like that it comes with an adult beverage option. I’m generally a fan of TCAHF’s luxurious grilled cheese sandwich on country brad with cranberry mostarda. TCAHF makes food that seems casual, but tends to have many layers of complexity.
Vegetarian Options: No – Pescatarian option. Regular menu offers vegetarian options.
Online Reservation: No reservations. Order at the counter and take your number to your table to wait for your food.
Neighborhood: Old Oakland
Public Transit: 12 St BART, exit 11th St + about 3 block walk
Bonus Points: Good opportunity to check out the Swan’s Market scene. Swan’s is an upscale food hall that will allow you and your dining companions to divide and conquer and check out other restaurant week offerings. See Also: Swan’s Market’s Cosecha on this Recommendation list.
*Cosecha
THE MENU: Dinner – $10 = 2 Fish Tacos + a pint of any beer on tap
THE VALUE: Great value for these really delicious Fish Tacos, not be mention you get a beer as well. Set in vibrant Swan’s Market food hall. Chances are you will want to grab a bowl of Cosecha’s amazing guacamole as well, so you can nosh while you wait for your tacos to arrive. Don’t be deceived by the food hall format – this is not fast food. They are making your food to order.
Vegetarian Options: No – Pescatarian option. Regular menu offers vegetarian options.
Online Reservation: No reservation – Order at the counter and take your number to a table.
Neighborhood: Old Oakland
Public Transit: 12 St BART, exit 11th St + 3 block walk
Bonus Points: Offering a beer with the Taco menu.
Cons: No vegetarian option on the Restaurant menu offering. Cosecha is super popular and line get long and move slowly. Plan strategically or bring patience.
*Downtown Wine Merchants
THE MENU: $30 Lunch and Dinner. Appetizer: Trio of Crostini of Prosciutto & Pear, Olive Tapenade, and House Ricotta & Local Honey; Main: Roasted half Cornish Hen OR Flatbread of Mushroom, Kale & Chickpea-Truffle puree; Dessert: Elderflower Crème Brulee; French Wine Flight Pairing: (3 – 2 oz pours) of Saint-Bris Sauvignon 2013, Chablis, Vin Sentier d’Aix Rose 2014, Provence, Domaine du Seminaire Grenache 2014, Rhone (this detailed menu is taken from the DTWM Newsletter).
THE VALUE: I’m a regular at DTWM, so I was happy to see that 1) there are items on this prix-fixe menu I haven’t yet tried; and 2) it’s a really good value. If you haven’t yet checked out this warm, inviting wine bar, this is a good opportunity to get an overview of their style with the tasty trio of Crostini that appears on their Happy Hour Menu, seasonal changing flatbreads, inventive specials, and a wine pairing of their changing Wine Flight.
Vegetarian Option: Yes.
Online Reservation: No Reservations. Be strategic – this spot is popular with the local after-work crowd.
Neighborhood: City Center
Public Transit: Easy access right at the 14th St exit of the 12th St BART station.
Bonus Points: Super friendly and attentive service and takeaway wine option.
Duende
THE MENU: $40 Dinner. 1st Course: Glass of Cava; 2nd Course: Ensalade de Duende & Patas Bravas; 3rd Course: choice of Paella; 4th Course: choice of dessert. Rules: 2 person minimum; All guests at table needs to do the menu. Additional Option: $15 a person for 2nd – 4th course.
THE VALUE: Duende does a modern take on Spanish food. This prix-fixe is probably only a good deal if you enjoy Cava and the 2nd course does allow you to sample two of their typical menu tapas. Duende food tends to be consistent and tasty, and sometimes inventive. I assume that the strict rules for participating in the prix-fixe menu are due to the Paella main course, which on the regular menu serves a minimum of 2 people for $40. The Spanish wine at Duende tends to be very good, so the wine pairing may be a nice touch, depending on what they offer.
Vegetarian Options: Yes, with adjustments.
Neighborhood: Uptown
Public Transit: 19th St BART. Exit 19th and walk ½ block
Con: Negative points for strict prix-fixe, which penalizes solo diners from participating in the restaurant week option and requires all guests in a party to participate. Duende is popular and can get crowded, so plan ahead. Also, Duende service can be spotty.
*The Half Orange
THE MENU: $20 Lunch & Dinner. Appetizer and Main Course options from across their regular menu, Dessert, and soft drink (OR discounted beer).
THE VALUE: The Half O serves delicious casual food and is a great craft beer spot. This restaurant week menu is a good deal that allows you to sample from a wide range of their usual menu items.
Vegetarian Options: Yes
Neighborhood: Fruitvale
Public Transit: Only a couple block walk from Fruitvale BART
Bonus Points: Ability to substitute any draft beers for $3.65. Good chance to check out the Fruitvale neighborhood. Outdoor terrace.
*Hawker Fare
THE MENU: $30 Dinner. Appetizer: Thai Style Papaya Salad; Main: Green Curry with lobster dumplings, shrimp, eggplant and basil. Choice: Sticky OR Jasmine Rice; Dessert: Thai Banana Split of grilled bananas, peanuts and palm sugar caramel, condensed milk soft serve ice cream.
THE VALUE: Appears to be a good deal for what you get for the cost compared with their regular menu. The Salad appears on their Mission venue menu. The Green Curry and the Banana Split dessert don’t appear on Hawker Fare’s current website menu, so could be an opportunity to try something not normally on their menu.
Vegetarian Option: No – Pescatarian option. Regular menu has vegetarian options.
Online Reservations: Yes
Neighborhood: Uptown
Public Transit: 19th Street BART, exit 20th St + 5 block walk
*Juhu Beach Club
THE MENU: $20 Dinner. Appetizer: Bhel Salad of persimmon, Asian pear, purple potato, pickled onion, puffed rice, peanuts, chutneys; Main: Curryleaf Coriander Shrimp Curry OR Tamarind Coconut Curry; Beverage: Choice of Linden Street Beer
The VALUE: I haven’t been yet, and I’m intrigued by the idea of elevated Indian street food with a local twist. Yelp reviews are mixed and seem to be run the range of inconsistent food to expensive prices. However, TripAdvisor reviews tend to be excellent. Expectations are probably high after JBC was featured on Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown.” Also, many people may expect street food to come at a lower cost. All that said, $20 sounds like a great deal to check it out.
Vegetarian Option: Yes
Online Reservation: Yes
Neighborhood: Temescal
Public Transit: MacArthur BART Station + 11 block walk up Telegraph
Bonus Points: Offering an interesting Linden Street beer rather than requiring dessert.
Penrose
THE MENU: $30 Dinner. Appetizer: Winter citrus with spring onions, black olives & cilantro; Main: Penrose Merguez (sausage), farro salad, & flatbread with sauces; Dessert: Chocolate pot de creme with pimenton pistachios and whipped cream OR Glass of house white or red wine.
THE VALUE: Penrose serves delicious food in a beautiful and vibrant, loft-like space. Unfortunately this is not a vegetarian friendly prix-fixe, but the food is so good that I highly recommend if you haven’t been.
Vegetarian Option: No. Regular menu has vegetarian options.
Online Reservations: Yes
Neighborhood: Grand Lake
Public Transit: 19th BART St Station, exit 20th St – Take the 11 or 12 AC Transit Bus
Bonus Points: Allowing guests to choose a glass of wine over dessert.
Cons: No vegetarian option.
Plum Bar
THE MENU: $40 Dinner. Appetizer: Fried Brussels Sprouts OR Charred Broccoli; Main: Plum Burger OR Falafel Burger; Dessert: Butterscotch Pudding OR Sticky Toffee Soft Serve Sundae; Alcohol: Beer On Tap + Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon OR Glass of Champagne + Glass of Cabernet.
THE VALUE: While the $40 is one of the more pricey of the Oakland Restaurant Week offerings, including two alcohol drink options is a nice touch since alcohol can quickly drive-up you dinner price tag. And after all, it is a bar. Plum Bar serves tasty, inventive casual food. Like most of Daniel Patterson’s restaurants, the service is almost unerringly friendly.
Vegetarian Options: Yes.
Online Reservations: Yes
Neighborhood: Uptown
Public Transit: 19th Street BART, exit 20th St + 2 block walk.
Bonus Points: Includes 2 glasses alcohol into the mix.
*Salsipuedes
THE MENU: $30 Dinner. Choice of a variety of Appetizers & Mains from the regular menu, Dessert, Agua Fresca (OR substitute discount alcohol: $4 Draft Beer; $6 any wine).
THE VALUE: The short-live and amazing restaurant is now gone. Oakland Restaurant Week had provided a great reason to get off-the-beaten-path to this cool spot in the Longfellow neighborhood, juxtaposed to Temescal. It may have been too far off the main path. I was one of the lucky patrons in its less that a year life who got to experience this amazing concept. Compared with the regular menu, this special prix-fixe menu offers a good value that allows you to sample a range of their stellar regular offerings. Salsipuedes offered inventive food with a fusion of interesting world influences from creative chef Marcus Krauss (formerly of the Restaurant at Meadowood) and Wine and Beer curated by Bradford Taylor of Ordinaire and Jay Porter of The Half Orange, respectively.
Vegetarian Option: Yes
Neighborhood: Longfellow
Online Reservations: No. It’s a fairly small spot, so be prepared to wait in line.
Public Transit: MacArthur BART, exit toward 40th St. + 6 block walk
Bonus Points: Dessert of housemade Churros and Roasted Almond Ice Cream. Nice discount on excellent wine and beer list. Outdoor front beer garden.
Venga
THE MENU: $30 Dinner. Appetizer: Tapas Sampler; Main: Choice of Paella; Dessert; Beverage: Sangria, Beer, House Wine, or Soda.
THE VALUE: Venga is a classic Spanish restaurant, focusing on Paella. This would be a new restaurant for me. Reviews on Yelp are mixed and run the range from 3 to 5 stars. Service seems to get good reviews. Venga has been open long enough to get the kinks out, but I like the idea of the individual paellas and that the prix fixe offers a sampler platter so that you can try a range of dishes. Photos of the restaurant look inviting, and chance to check out an off-the-beaten-path neighborhood. The value of the prix-fixe seems like a good opportunity to give it a whirl.
Vegetarian Options: Yes
Neighborhood: Embarcadero-Jack London Square Area
Public Transit: 12th BART, exit 11th St. – Take the free Broadway Shuttle, exit 3rd St + 6 block walk
Bonus Points: Individual paellas and including alcoholic beverages.
Cons: Mixed Yelp reviews and that it is a trek if you don’t have a car.
[bctt tweet=”Top Value Picks for 2016 Oakland Restaurant Week”]
The Oakland Restaurant Week site also has a handy filter system where you can narrow by food genre and neighborhood. Another bonus to experimenting during restaurant week is than many of these places are set in cool areas where you can also pop by for a drink before or after dinner, to check out other lively establishments.
There are so many interesting spots in Oakland these days that Oakland Restaurant Week can provide a strategic opportunity to expand your horizons. My strategy will be to try those places that lure me in with a good deal and something I can’t get during the rest of the year.
What is your Oakland Restaurant Week itinerary?
