dimondites

East Bay Express Restaurant Guide

Yelp (social network ranking system)

Everett & Jones

2676 Fruitvale Ave
Oakland, CA 94601
(510) 533-0900
map

FRUITVALE  |  Referred by Brooke  |    I like the wonder bread the best (grin). Service is pretty slow though, but only annoying if you’re starving. Personally speaking, BBQ in California is not as good as the midwest or south… but I like this place. The one on Fruitvale is better than Berkeley in my opinion. But I’m a bit bias to my hood I guess. More BBQ info than you probably ever need, but check out The History of BBQ by Laura Dove.

Referred by Kristine  |  I finally had the chance to try Everett & Jones on Fruitvale. This is definitely some of the best BBQ food I’ve ever had. Their portions are HUGE. If you order the dinner, it’s more than plenty for two people. Alex and I were not able to finish our shared meal. The medium hot is true to medium hot. It was tolerable and didn’t hurt my mouth or stomach. I highly recommend this place, but as a to go only. Let’s put it this way. Their service counter is protected by bullet proof glass. And the guys serving behind the glass are pretty big and mean looking, so I hate to see what they are afraid of. Parking is also terrible, even in the green zone. So two people is ideal in case you have to double park or circle while waiting.

Rating: Best BBQ in Oakland

Blackberry Bistro 

4240 Park Blvd. (at Wellington Ave.)
Oakland, CA 94602
510-336-1088
website

GLENVIEW | This was my favorite breakfast place every weekend, until recently. After one-too- many half our waits for the check, we’ve decided that our time was more valuable than the half hour in line, the 20 minutes wait to order, and the half hour wait for the check. It doesn’t happen 100% of the time, but I would say at least 50%. The food is great. I love, love, love the banana bread pudding with creme fraiche. I would eat that first, before I eat my eggs. Of course, I’m usually almost sick by the time I leave due to over eating. Seriously though, their service is just so terrible, we don’t go there anymore.

Rating: Food very good. Service not so good.

Reader Comments (2)

 

03.14.2007 | shannon

just a quick note that the service has drastically improved and the food has stayed equally wonderful under new ownership - give them another try!

12.29.2007 | Lisa

My husband and I can’t figure out why everyone loves Blackberry Bisto so much. We gave it 4 tries and feel it’s overrated and not worth the wait. The food is mediocre at best. Everytime we ate there the eggs were over-done, the food was not brought out in a timely manner - one person had food while the other waited; and the service was not good. The last time that we ate there I stayed away from the eggs and it was okay.I’ll give credit to the male waiter (younger guy) that day, as he was best waiter/waitress we’ve had there. 1 in 4 is not a good track record.

Phnom Penh-Restaurant

3912 MacArthur Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94619
(510) 482-8989
map

LAUREL VILLAGE  |  In the Laurel Village, Oakland, exists a great Cambodian restaurant worthy of occupying a quick-dial number on my tellie. It was obvious the food was more than just decent when there’s a wait on a Thursday night at 8:30 pm.  Reasonably priced, good menu options, and good service.

I recommend the green papaya salad, charbroiled pork, chicken with green beans in chili sauce, poached salmom with black mushroom in reduced wine sauce, and a bottle of Riesling.

Rating:  Love It! 

Caffe Diem

224 MaCarthur Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94602
(510) 422-0299

DIMOND | Next door to the Dimond Post Office is this unsuspecting little cafe that serves Fair Trade coffee. The coffee is definitely some of the best I’ve ever had. I also like the flavor of the environment. Borderling bohemian-hip, Caffe Diem carries this sense of ‘real’ about it that makes the atmosphere not pretentious but comfortable. They offer free wireless internet for dial-up folks who want to spend a few hours in the speedier zone. Plus a few tables outside for sun worshippers and cigarette inhalers. Read about Fair Trade Coffee.

Rating: Love it!

Gaylord’s Caffe Expresso

4150 Piedmont Ave
Oakland
(510) 658-2877
map

Gaylord’s Caffee Expresso is owned by the same folks who owns Caffe Diem. Brooke wholeheartedly believes Gaylord’s and Caffe Diem offer the best coffee in Oakland. Gaylord’s also offers great bagels, numi tea, soup and double rainbow ice cream. Coffee is Fair Trade.

Rating: Brooke feels they have the best coffee in Oakland.

Del Navio

 

Motivated by Linda Burgess’ positive recommendation, I checked out Del Navio last month… On my birthday. Talk about pressure for a restaurant to please.

And pleased it did. The food was fantastic. Both Alex (food snob) and I (accommodating food snob) were pleasantly surprised by the authenticity of the meals. I started with the bruchetta trio, which I completed by myself, though it was meant for sharing. Then the bitole, a beets salad with gorgonzola and almonds. Delicious.  My main entree was osso bucco!  The unexpected treat of osso bucco was like receiving a surprise birthday gift. I’m such a fan of osso bucco, this find made me giddy. It was simply wonderful.

Unfortunately, I did not have enough room in my tummy for dessert. I practically rolled out of the restaurant. 

Oh, for wine, I chose Moscato on ice… It was a warm evening. If you haven’t tried Moscato on ice on a hot day or warm evening, you are missing something very pleasurable.  I highly recommend it.

Del Navio
2820 Mountain Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94602
(510) 482-2500
Website

Lunch: Monday - Saturday 11:30am – 2:00pm
Dinner: 5:00pm 7 days a week
Brunch: Sunday 9:30am - 3:00pm
Bar Hours: 3:30pm until closing

Referred by Linda Burgess | My husband and I ate there this evening celebrating our wedding anniversary. We’ve been there twice and everything was wonderful. They have a varied menu with a different pastas, steak, pork, fish, chicken and a killer oso bucco. Leave room for desert. They have a children’t menu as well. They have an early bird special from 4:30 - 5:30 (I think). They also have weekend brunch and a lunch menu. I asked all these questions when I had dinner there earlier tonight. They even have a pet friendly outside patio (when it gets warmer). I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this restaurant.

Also, they offer a great selection of wine by the glass. And did I mention dessert? Save room for dessert!

Buon apetito!

 
Chez Panisse

1517 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA
(510) 548-5049 Café Reservations
(510) 548-5525 Restaurant Reservations
website
reservations policy
map

Gregoire

4001-B Piedmont Avenue (@ 40th)
Oakland
(510) 547-3444
website

user comment (1)

This was my first meal instead of hospital food when my son was born (they are very close to Kaiser). INCREDIBLE food, and an incredible husband to go and pick it up! A recommendation for all new parents

07.8.2007 | Cheri

Pearl Oyster Bar + Restaurant

5634 College Ave
Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 654-5426 

Rockridge | Somewhat new to College Avenue, it’s a welcomed restaurant by the neighborhood for its seafood offering and trendy decor. For the price, I think the food is a 3 on the scale of 1-5. The service is a bit peculiar. The service did not jive with restaurant’s image - the waitress was a bit too happy-happy for me. On Monday night, it was easy to get in. A few months ago, the wait was about an hour for Thursdays.

The sweet potato fries were excellent. The crab cakes were so-so. I don’t recommend the scallops or the rice pudding dessert. 

Appetizers are $12’ish. Entrees are $18-$24. There is a bar section that is nice. Electronica Chill background music, and it is kept to a minimal in the dining area.

I love beignet. Because the name is spoken with the French accent, you feel it’s okay to eat lots and lots these… Even knowing they’re really deep fried donuts masked under a chi-chi pretense.

Who cares. Pas moi. I still love them. Especially with a cup of hot, dark coffee.

You can get these beignet during Sunday brunch at Luka’s Taproom. (Along with my other favorite fried food, fried chicken! Yummm!). Full menu.

Luka’s Soul Brunch
2221 Broadway (at Grand Ave.)
Oakland, CA
510-451-4677.
Directions

Monday & Tuesday 11:30am-12:00am
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 11:30am - 2:00am
Saturday 5:30pm - 2:00am
Sunday 11am - 12:00am (Brunch 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.)

Lunch is served 11:30am - 2:30pm, Monday - Friday.
Dinner is served 5:30PM - 10:30pm, 7 days a week.
Brunch is served 11am - 3pm on Sunday.

Limited bar menu all day until 12:00am.

Read the full restaurant review at EastBayExpress.com.

Chez Panisse

1517 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA
(510) 548-5049 Café Reservations
(510) 548-5525 Restaurant Reservations
website
reservations policy
map 

BERKELEY  |  I returned to Chez Panisse after eight years, and the food remains excellent. I have yet to try the Cafe, but I assume it is just as good as the main restaurant. I had the lamb, and it was cooked to perfection (I watched the chefs, and the trick is to cut it after you grill it.). We brought our red wines, as we were allowed two bottles for $20 cork fee each. The Silver Oak 97 was perfect with the lamb. I do recommend this restaurant, but I’m conflicted. It is difficult to get reservations there, and the staff are snooty. (They are very serious about their reservations policy, so you should read it before you call. I think that is just crazy.) The wait staff was very nice,  especially after we ordered more wine (that’s where they make their money). They were very knowledgeable, which is always nice. It is also very expensive. Not including the two bottles we brought, the tab still came out to $125 per person. Alice Waters *is* the mother of California Cuisine though, so I think maybe paying that price is a little like paying respect. I think I’m okay with that.

Rating: Love it! (with guilt)

 

Gregoire

4001-B Piedmont Avenue (@ 40th)
Oakland
(510) 547-3444
website

Open 7 days a week, 11am - 9pm. 

Gourmet sandwiches and entrees made using classical French cooking techniques with all natural and organic ingredients. Eat-in is available, but the restaurant is very small. Voted top 9 take-out spots by San Francisco Magazine.

Brooke recommends the Cod Sandwich.

Ba Le 

1500 International Blvd. (at 15th Ave.)
Oakland, CA 94606
510-261-9800
[Map]

6:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. 7 days a week

EAST OAKLAND | A tiny, cramped Vietnamese sandwich shop where the line stretches out the door. Ba Le’s number one sandwich, banh mi thit, packs a crisp French roll with pickled vegetables, cilantro, and four kinds of pork: a black peppercorn-studded steamed pork; star-anise-scented ham; thin slices of gelatinous, meaty headcheese; and a buttery pork-liver paté. Other variations, like meatball or roast chicken, are creditable. Cash only. Very inexpensive.

^{Via East Bay Express (June 2nd 2004)}

 

Pho 84

354 17th Street
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 832-1338

DOWNTOWN  |  Mike Nisperos took me here for lunch a few weeks ago, because it was one of his hang outs when he worked downtown. I didn’t expect much, but upon arrival, the place was packed for lunch. It is a popular restaurant, especially for those who work downtown. I didn’t try their Pho, but I did try one of my favorite dishes, cat fish. They had quite a few options of cat fish though, and most of them I do not recognize as Vietnamese. Oh well. The name 84 is for the year owner Sang Nguyen first opened the restaurant. It is impressive, as they were one of two Vietnamese restaurants at that time. They’ve lasted this long, which speaks to the popularity of the food. Unfortunately, both Mike and I had cat fish, so I am not able to review any other dish. I ordered the cat fish with the soy-based sauce because it is the closest to the traditional cat fish in clay pot dish I love so much. It was pretty tasty, but still, not my cat fish in clay pot (pout). Very reasonably priced. Generous portions.

Rating: I need to try a different dish before making judgement. Nice atmosphere. 

Pho Saigon

2045 MacArthur Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94602
(510) 530-8968

DIMOND  |  I go here at least once a week for Vietnamese Sandwiches, Charbroiled Pork over Vermicelli (#46), Crab Paste & Tomato in Vermicelli Soup (#30 and I only recommend it to those who like fishy dishes.), and Fish in Clay Pot (#76 but only order if you are hard core Vietnamese-esque, because it’s made with a tad too much fish sauce). It’s four blocks from my house, so I can’t ask for more inconvenience. I think the downside is they don’t offer alcohol, but they do let you bring in wine purchased from the 2 Star Market across the street. I like the people who run this restaurant. They’re genuine, hard-working folks. Their pho is decent, and the items I order are fine. I also order the coconut drink religiously.

Rating: Good for quick take-outs