By Christina Mitchell
Bites is Berkeleyside Nosh’s round-up of restaurant, bar and food-related news in the East Bay. To stay up-to-speed with all that’s going on locally, read our daily Nosh Wire, and check out previous editions of Bites. We always love receiving food-related tips at nosh@berkeleyside.com.
Freshly served…
MISS OLLIE’S After months of build-out work, Miss Ollie’s opened last week in the former Jesso’s space on Washington Street in Oakland. Chef-owner Sarah Kirnon, formerly at San Francisco’s Front Porch and Oakland’s Hibiscus, named her new restaurant after her grandmother, and is serving Caribbean dishes including fried chicken, curry goat and plantains. Right now, it’s only open for lunch, Tuesday to Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with expanded hours soon. Miss Ollie’s, 901 Washington St., Oakland, 510-385-6188.
THE BUREAU Tablehopper alerts us to the fact that The Bureau just opened on Hollis Street in Emeryville. James Sansangasakun, owner of Summer Summer Thai across the street, brought on Edward Higgins (chef de cuisine at Quattro Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel in Palo Alto) to consult on the menu. There are burgers and sandwiches with global influences including the Chips n’ Salsa Burger (jalapeño, tortilla chips, roasted tomato salsa, lettuce, nacho cheese), and Tempura (fried rock shrimp patty with wasabi mayo served on a rice “bun”). The Bureau, 5800 Hollis St., Emeryville, 510-595-1000.
Coming soon…
DUENDE Former Oliveto chef Paul Canales is almost ready to open Duende in Uptown Oakland, according to Diablo, a collaboration with restaurateur/impresario Rocco Somazzi. The restaurant, which is right next door to Flora, will serve Spanish-inspired cuisine, such as tapas and platas familiars (shared meals like steak or whole fish or paella) and expect sweet treats from Canales’ wife, Ici Ice Cream owner Mary Canales. The space will also have a café, wine shop and performance space. Duende, 468 19th St., Oakland.
ASSEMBLE Richmond’s BoilerHouse has closed and will reopen as Assemble in late January. Richard Mazzera (Cesar, Chez Panisse) and his wife Terumi Shibata-Mazzera (Downtown Restaurant, Corso) will run the new restaurant as co-general managers. The eatery is part of the Eddie Orton-developed Craneway Pavilion. The name comes from the fact that the original building was a Ford assembly plant, the largest on the West Coast, which opened in 1931. “It’s going to be New American cuisine with all kinds of regional classics, from New Orleans to cioppino, Hog Island oysters and Dungeness crab. The crab boat can pull up next to the building. Oh my god, we were looking for a place with a view in the East Bay and look what we got,” Mazzera says. A garden partnership with Richmond schools is also in the works. Assemble, 1414 Harbour Way South, Richmond.
NEW BAKERY Diablo also has news that Christina Bondoc and Rick Yarussi are working on a “neighborhood café and bakery” to take the place of Remedy Café on Telegraph Avenue which closed in July. We hear housemade pastries, salads, sandwiches, and quiches will be served, and, while there’s no name yet, but the plan is to open in January. 4316 Telegraph Ave., Oakland.
TRIPLE ROCK Triple Rock Brewery & Alehouse on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley is planning to expand. Triple Rock and its engineering firm neighbors are teaming up to put a building in the empty space next to the beer joint, we hear from East Bay Beer. The engineers will have the top floor and Triple Rock the bottom. Plans and layouts are subject to change, but there’s talk of a brewery and kitchen expansion, some upgrades, and more space. Expect completion in 2014, so something to look forward to. Triple Rock, 1920 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, 510-843-2749.
BROTZEIT LOKAL We told you about Chop Bar, the new Italian restaurant near Jack London Square, in November. Owner Lev Delany is far from finished with openings. He is also working on a new German style eatery called Brotzeit-Lokal, according to the East Bay Express. “Brotzeit” is German for “snack,”so expect traditional German dishes like sauerkraut and housemade spaetzels served with beer in bottles and on tap. Launch time is next spring. Brotzeit-Lokal, 1000 Embarcadero, Oakland.
NEW MEXICAN Chris Pastena, also of Chop Bar, as well as Tribune Tavern, and Lungomare, is now embarked creating a upscale Mexican restaurant in the Broadway-Grand project in Uptown Oakland. According to Eater SF, here will be over 200 tequilas and at least 40 mezcals available in a restaurant-bar will span 2,500 square feet plus a 1,000-square-foot patio.
What else is going on…
STOMPING GIRL TASTINGS Winemakers Uzi and Katheryn Cohen of Stomping Girl Winery are hosting complimentary tastings on Zut’s patio for the next two Saturdays. There isn’t an official tasting room so this is a good opportunity to check out their three Pinot Noirs: 2009 Unhinged, Sonoma County, 2010 Russian River Valley and 2009 Corona Creek, Petaluma Gap. The Cohens are also offering 2-Bottle Gift Packs, which include Barlovento fleur de sel chocolates. Zut restaurant, 1820 Fourth St., Berkeley, 707-317-6617, Sat, Dec. 15 & 22, 2:30–4:30pm.
TEMESCAL FOOD TOUR Edible Excursions is adding Temescal to its roster of food tours in February. Every Sunday, groups, some led by former Berkeleyside food writer Sarah Henry, will be led through tastings at several stops which might include Scream Sorbet, Beauty’s Bagels, Croc Café, Sacred Wheel Cheese Shop and more.
NICK’S PIZZA Nick’s Pizza has been serving seasonal pizzas since last spring. But after chef/owner Nick Yapor-Cox, an Arizmendi Bakery alum, offered sourdough loaves and rolls for Thanksgiving, he had so much fun he decided to “add a café/bakery aspect to the shop.” Starting some time in the spring or summer, the plan is expand hours and serve coffee, housemade pastries and bread. Nick’s Pizza, 6211 Shattuck Ave., Oakland, 510-658-3903.
GRAND LAKE KITCHEN Grand Lake Kitchen opened last month, as reported on East Bay Dish. Since then, they’ve added brunch (chilaquiles!) and a Hanukkah Dinner series inspired by tradition and Jewish ingredients: Latkes with sour cream and Jean’s applesauce, Chicken soup with egg noodle or Mixed crostini of oyako, mushroom paté, and liver, Caraway brisket with horseradish and potato or Black cod, roasted grapes, artichoke, harissa, and cous cous, spiced ginger cake and cream and coffee, $50. On Sat, 12/15, Risa of Foods by Risa and Sunday Supperings will serve Latkes with Grandma Helen’s Red Hots applesauce with crème fraiche, Deli salad trio: house-smoked sablefish with cream cheese, creamy farm egg salad, walnut and eggplant paté, “Sweet cheeks & celery” – pomegranate braised beef cheeks, celery root purée, buttered root vegetables, Persimmon sufganyah and coffee, $50. Grand Lake Kitchen, 576 Grand Ave., Oakland, 510-922-9582, Dec. 8-15 (closed Tues, 12/11), 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
PLUM BAR Plum Bar is now serving lunch, Mon – Fri starting at 11am. In addition to the Happy Meal, there are also other delicious-sounding dishes on the menu including Chicken Barley Soup (brassica, turnip, braised bacon, $7), Little Gem Salad (chicken , apple, walnut, quinoa. $6/11) and Pork Stew (root vegetables, watercress, toast, $11).
THE TRAPPIST The Trappist is celebrating its five-year anniversary with Kerstfest 2012. Admission includes “a festival glass and a tasting flight of four six-ounce samples of the best Christmas beers available this side of the Atlantic.” Here’s a partial list: Opprigards Winter Ale, Trois Dames Winter Sour, Nightcap Christmas, Nogne Winter Ale, To Ol Snowball Saison, Kerkom Bink Winter, Serafijin Angel and Mikkeller Hoppy Loveing Christmass. Watch out also for news of the opening of The Trappist’s new tap room and beer store on College Avenue next to Southie — the signage is up so an opening can’t be far behind. The Trappist, 460 Eighth St., Oakland, 510-238-8900, Dec. 14-15, 6 p.m.
COOKBOOK SIGNINGS The Pasta Shop is hosting The Cooks’ Holiday Book Fair this weekend with ingredient tastings, book signings and discounts. It could be a good opportunity to cross a few gifts off that holiday shopping list. Plus, it’s not everyday that all of these authors get together:
- Bruce Aidells, GREAT MEAT COOKBOOK, Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Cook Today’s Meat, newly revised;
- Shelley Lindgren and Matt Accarrino, SPQR, Modern Italian Food and Wine;
- Alice Medrich, SINFULLY EASY DELICIOUS DESSERTS, Quicker Smarter Recipes;
- Cheryl Sternman Rule, RIPE, A Fresh, Colorful Approach to Fruits and Vegetables;
- Laura Werlin, MAC & CHEESE, PLEASE! and GRILLED CHEESE, PLEASE!
The Pasta Shop, 1786 Fourth St., Berkeley 510-250-6004, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2-4 p.m.
RAIDERS’ TAILGATE East Bay Loop’s Industry Day As reported on East Bay Dish, there will be a grand tailgate including a BBQ Cook Off and Mixologist Throwdown before the Raiders’ game on Dec. 16. Confirmed chefs and restaurants include Double D BBQ, Smoke Berkeley, Chef Lamont Perriman, Chef Janelle Ryder from The United States Coast Guard and Chef Aaronette King from Eat-Play Oakland. Linden Street Brewery and E.J. Phair Brewing Company will also be there and proceeds go to the Take Wing’s Foundation. 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland, 510-780-3104, Sunday, Dec. 16, 11 a.m. to 1:20 p.m., $40–$55.
Christina Mitchell is the founder of East Bay Dish.
Bites is Nosh’s round-up of restaurant and bar openings and closings in the East Bay. Got a tip or scoop? Send it our way to nosh@berkeleyside.com.
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