Nosh on the Town: Brunch at Camino in Oakland

Poached eggs with chanterelle mushrooms, burdock and green garlic ($16). Brunch at Camino in February 2015. Photo: Emilie Raguso — Poached eggs with chanterelle mushrooms, burdock and green garlic ($16) during brunch at Camino in February.

With Chef Russell Moore recently named as a semifinalist for James Beard’s “best chef of the west” award, it seemed like a good time to pop in and check out what Camino is up to, in addition to switching to a tip-free approach amid regional and national conversations about how to improve equitable conditions for restaurant workers. Nosh dropped by on a recent weekend to explore the Grand Avenue restaurant’s brunch options.

Most brunch offerings change regularly. Items on the menu in February included poached eggs with chanterelles, smoked quail and grilled rockfish. The restaurant regularly has special events on Mondays. Coming up in March, “Pozole Mondays” will highlight three-course meals featuring pozole baked in the Camino fireplace. The restaurant opened in 2008, and Chef Moore, a Chez Panisse alum, cooks nearly everything over fire. Many of the vegetables and fruit used at the popular Oakland restaurant come from local farmers markets. Some of the herbs and produce on Camino’s plates and in its cocktails are grown just half a mile away. (Read more in Nosh’s November feature.)

Camino is located at 3917 Grand Ave. in Oakland. The March 2015 brunch menu is online here. If you’ve sampled the spots we feature, please let us know about your experience in the comments below. (Photographs by Emilie Raguso)

Coffee. Brunch at Camino in February 2015. Photo: Emilie Raguso — Starting the meal with coffee during brunch at Camino in February.

Brunch at Camino in February 2015. Photo: Emilie Raguso — The airy, rustic dining room at Camino on Grand Avenue.

Homemade doughnuts with roasted apples and wild huckleberries ($9). Brunch at Camino in February 2015. Photo: Emilie Raguso — Homemade doughnuts with roasted apples and wild huckleberries ($9).

Potatoes in roast duck fat ($6.50). Brunch at Camino in February 2015. Photo: Emilie Raguso — Potatoes in roast duck fat ($6.50).

Wood oven-baked eggs with herbs and cream ($8.50). Brunch at Camino in February 2015. Photo: Emilie Raguso — Wood oven-baked eggs with herbs and cream ($8.50).

Persimmon pudding with whipped cream ($11). Brunch at Camino in February 2015. Photo: Emilie Raguso — Persimmon pudding with whipped cream ($11).

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Emilie Raguso is Berkeleyside’s senior editor of news. Email: emilie@berkeleyside.org. Twitter: emraguso. Phone: 510-459-8325.