Of Banchan, Ramen & Squid Innards

Photos and article by Virginia Miller

Authentic Asian cuisine of every category is one of California and the Bay Area’s strengths, with constant new openings from hole-in-the-walls to hipster hotspots. Busy dining at a slew of Asian newcomers, like the Richmond’s mellow Daigo Sushi, or Szechuan outpost Chili House, these three restaurants stand out for one (or a few) reasons.

MUGUBOKA, Inner Richmond (401 Balboa St. at 5th Ave., 415-668-6007)

Passing Muguboka many a time over the years, I meant to visit but never did until recently. What I found is a humble, all-day respite serving an impressive array of banchan (mini-dishes accompanying a Korean meal), whether kimchi or myeolchi bokkeum (crispy mini-anchovies). Free, generous banchan and bottomless tea make even upper teens-priced entrees a deal. Dining alone, I attempt to finish the banchan… and fail. There’s a plentiful selection of soups and stews featuring tofu or Korean sausage, and dishes like go dung uh gui (broiled salted mackerel), or hae-mool pajeon, those ever-fabulous seafood-green onion Korean pancakes. I finish with a complimentary, cool pour of sujeonggwa, a sweet Korean punch alive with cinnamon, ginger, peppercorns, dried persimmon.

Best dish: Muguboka serves a mean hae-mool (seafood) dolsot (stone pot) bibimbop ($16.95), the scorching stone pot arrives sizzling with rice, egg, squid, shrimp, mussels, veggies and nori on top.

Best suited for: A mellow setting with copious amounts of Korean food. Expect two meals for the price of one.

RAMEN SHOP, Oakland (5812 College Ave. near Birch, 510-788-6370)

Open just since the beginning of the year, this is an early word on Oakland (Rockridge, to be exact) hotspot, Ramen Shop, packed since day one with long waits (no reservations). A short, ever-changing menu offers three types of ramen, one dessert and a handful of appetizers so it’s possible to try the entire menu in one visit. Chez Panisse alums, Sam White, Jerry Jaksich and Rayneil De Guzman already have a hit on their hands, if crowds are any indication. Though early Yelp comments are trending towards the frustrated-to-spend-$16-on-a-bowl-of-ramen kind, this is quality ramen… house-made noodles, salt-cured eggs, ultra-fresh ingredients. Meyer lemon infuses shoyu ramen ($15) with bright dimension, while spit-roasted chashu (literally pork roast, often known as char siu) adds heft to particularly flavorful spicy miso ramen ($15).

But my favorite aspects aren’t ramen. Meyer lemon shows up again in unique kimchi/house pickled Napa cabbage ($5), to winning effect, a spirited contrast to chili. Then, wild nettle fried rice steals the show (see “best dish”). The third best element is liquor. While wine and beer work quite nicely, it’s a rarity (I can’t think of any other local example) to see cocktails with ramen. Straightforward, refreshing mezcal or rye-based punches ($10) make fine ramen companions, as does a classic hi-ball ($12) of Hibiki 12-year Japanese whisky and soda. A nutty-tasting black sesame ice cream sandwich ($5) in brown sugar cookies is the right finish.

Best dish: Easy… wild nettle fried rice ($9) interlaced with Monterey Bay squid and Llano Seco pork is as comforting as it is gourmet.

Best suited for: The joyous convergence of ramen and Japanese whisky – and for those with time on their hands.

ROKU, Castro (1819 Market St. at Octavia Blvd., 415-861-6500)

Opened in October by JapaCurry‘s Jay Hamada, Roku sits at busy Market and Octavia. Similarly bustling inside, groups of friends down Japanese beer and fried chicken in the form of karaage ($7) or chicken nan ban ($8), the latter a specialty of Kyushu, Hamada’s hometown island in southern Japan. Under warm wood walls graced with unframed, vintage Japanese posters, I opt for the likes of house-made noodles and mochi bacon yakitori (though I couldn’t help but long for FuseBOX’s supreme bacon-wrapped mochi).

During opening weeks, I went straight for dishes I’ve never tried, like shio-kara ($4): room temperature, fermented squid swimming in its own innards. Salty and gummy, it is, as the menu states,”an acquired taste.” Likewise, hotate butter ($12) topped with the vivid orange of tobiko/fish roe is unexpected. Scallops are sautéed in butter, but unlike most of our Westernized experiences with the succulent bivalve, the stomach and membrane skirt are left on around the scallop flesh. Call it umami, call it funky, the taste is more accurately both.

Though I find preferred renditions of classic izakaya dishes elsewhere, it’s items like the seafood salad (see “best dish”) or rare dishes for a bold palate that make Roku interesting.

Best dish: Surprised to prefer a seafood salad ($13) in an izakaya, this one is laden with red king crab and smoked salmon, tobiko, boiled eggs, yellow bell pepper and tomatoes over romaine, bright in a yuzu wasabi dressing.

Best suited for: The hardcore who want authentic dishes they won’t find on typical menus. Also for groups of friends.

ISLAND BREEZES: Searching for Caribbean

Photos and article by Virginia Miller

Though not an island girl, I crave sorrel, that cinnamon-spiced, rosy-purple juice made from the petals of a sorrel plant, or multi-colored Scotch bonnet peppers, both common in the Caribbean and ideal together, sorrel cooling off the pepper’s scorching heat. One of my closest friends is Jamaican and we’ve been exploring local Caribbean food for years, though lacking in abundant options.

Saddened to lose Penny’s Caribbean Cafe – a tiny Berkeley dive with excellent Trinidadian home cooking – when Penny moved back to Trinidad a few years ago, I’ve trekked to San Leandro for festivals (Jamaican cornbread fritters) and curry goat at Sweet Fingers, savored the sunny patio though more Americanized food at Primo Patio Cafe tucked away in SF’s SoMa, dined at now defunct pop-up Kingston 11 in Berkeley, and appreciated Sarah Kirnon’s inventive Caribbean fusion (Jerk Cornish hen!) from her days as chef at Oakland’s Hibiscus.

Caribbean foods can also be found at Oakland grocers like Minto Jamaican Market and Man Must Wak where you can stock up on authentic ginger beers and Ting (beloved Jamaican grapefruit soda), to name a few items, and I’m curious about San Francisco-based caterer Lehi Cooks Jamaica. Thanks to my dear friend and her family who get their Jamaican food fix at this tiny haven, I’ve found my favorite Caribbean outpost in the most surprising of locales: Menlo Park.

BACK A YARD, 1189 Willow Road, Menlo Park, 650-323-4244 (also San Jose)

With squeaky front porch door and perpetual line out the door, closet-sized Back A Yard is clearly a locals’ favorite in suburban Menlo Park. The term “back a yard” refers to the way things are done “back home”, appropriate to this humble, comforting spot. Chef Robert Simpson began his cooking career in Jamaica, gained European perspective in Belgium, then cooked at various Caribbean resorts before coming to the Bay Area.

Under fluorescent lighting, crammed into a handful of tables, I down a Ting which cools off the Thursday-Saturday tender curry goat special ($12.75). Generous platters come with sides of sweet plantains, green salad, and coconut-laced rice ‘n beans, different from New Orleans’ version but equally heartwarming and moist. Another top side are warm, honey-sweet festivals, like a doughnut meets cornbread. Jerk chicken ($9.50) appropriately shines, though jerk tofu ($8.95) likewise exhibits meaty, grilled tones amidst silky texture. Friday’s special is escoveitch: it was snapper on a Friday I visited. Choose a grilled filet ($12.75) or whole fish (market price), head and eyeballs intact, not so much an immaculate fish dish as Caribbean comfort food, recalling days I’d polish off a whole grilled fish in the countryside of Vietnam.

Jamaica’s national dish, saltfish and ackee, is a must, served here only on Saturdays ($14.50). Salty cod is sautéed with Scotch bonnet peppers and subtly sweet, soft ackee, a fruit related to the lychee. This version shines compared to others I’ve had, confirmed by my friend as authentically reminiscent of saltfish and ackee she grew up with in Jamaica. Dessert ($3.25) is the one letdown, whether a blandly cold sweet potato pudding or a sliver of key lime pie lacking the tart oomph I crave in what is one of my favorite pies. Nonetheless, this hole-in-the-wall is a treasure bringing heartfelt Caribbean cooking to South Bay folk… and worth a trek for hardcore foodies.

MISS OLLIE’S, 901 Washington Street at Ninth St., Oakland, 510-285-6188

Chef Sarah Kirnon (formerly of the aforementioned Hibiscus) just opened Miss Ollie’s at the beginning of December, currently only during Tuesday-Friday lunch in a corner location of Swan’s Market in Old Oakland. Visiting opening week, lines were already long and waits for food even longer (30 minutes), not ideal for a low-key, eat-in or take-out lunch. Despite opening kinks, Oakland is clearly craving quality Caribbean, packing communal wooden tables in a spacious, spare dining room.

Named after, and in tribute to, Kirnon’s grandmother, the food is decidedly more casual than in her Hibiscus days, modeled after the Caribbean one-stop shops she grew up with: affordable (under $10) daily changing dishes from curry goat to her popular fried chicken – grandma’s recipe.

Initially, dishes were uneven, whether flavorless, cold Creole ham and sweet potato salad ($7.50), or a two-note (salty and HOT) saltfish and ackee ($8), begging for more plantains and ackee to contrast Scotch bonnet peppers and uber-salty cod. But Miss Ollie’s sorrel is a superior, refreshing rendition, while lamb patties ($7) in a puff pastry evoke an Indian-Caribbean empanada, redolent of cardamom and allspice.

Daily specials are announced via Facebook, like fresh loaves of Jamaican hard dough bread or chicory coffee sweetened by condensed milk with Creole doughnuts. Miss Ollie’s fills a needed void and is certainly one to watch.

DOUGHNUTS & BAGELS in OAKLAND

Photos and article by Virginia Miller

Bagels and doughnuts in their many iterations (beignets, malasadas, bomboloni, etc…) are two of the more comforting breakfast – or any time – foods. It’s tougher than it should be to find proper bagels, but alongside notable SF sources, the East Bay welcomes a few new arrivals.  I stop first for fuel at Berkeley’s just-opened coffee and wine bar Bartavelle for a well-executed Sightglass Coffee cappuccino in the tiny-but-charming former Cafe Fanny space next to Kermit Lynch and Acme Bread.

First, bagels. Like anyone who has ever lived near or in NYC, I miss New York bagels. There’s nothing like properly boiled and baked bagels, with dense, chewy insides and cracklin’ exterior, topped with excellent schmear and lox. In Manhattan, I’ve schooled my California born-and-raised husband, The Renaissance Man, on NY bagels, journeying to different neighborhoods, from Barney Greengrass and Ess-A-Bagel, to favorites like Russ & Daughters.

Outside NYC, we get little that is comparable. In the Bay Area there’s the likes of short-lived Spot Bagel or now the excellent Schmendricks in pop-up form at Fayes Video & Espresso Bar on Wednesday and Friday mornings or by individual order. I’m impressed by Schmendricks bagels from Brooklyn native, Dave Kover, his wife Dagny Dingman, lawyer-turned-baker, Deepa Subramanian, and her husband Dan Scholnick. While I anticipate a permanent storefront for Schmendricks, Wise Sons‘ bialys, as a cousin to the bagel, fill a void.

Then there’s Montreal-style bagels, less chewy than a NY bagel, slightly thinner yet dense, with a touch of char from wood-fired baking. Beauty’s Bagel has been the rave of Oakland since opening this Summer, their bagels hand-rolled, boiled in honey water, then baked in a wood-fired oven. Yes, it’s NY prices: $9 for closed, $12 for an open-faced bagel sandwich, or $1.65 per individual bagel (in a few choice flavors like sesame, poppy, onion, or everything). But the quality is a significant step up from most. After apprenticing at a Montreal bagelry and working as a chef at Delfina, Blake Joffe and girlfriend Amy Remsen, made roughly 800 bagels a week at Addie’s Pizza Pie in Berkeley before opening Beauty’s. Serving Healdsburg’s coffee king, Flying Goat, they also craft chopped chicken liver, deviled eggs, cream cheeses/schmear and pickles in house, sourcing smoked trout and lox. It’s a fresh lox, scallion schmear, tomato, red onion and capers bagel sandwich that makes me smile, almost as if I’m back in Manhattan on the hunt for a perfect bagel and lox… including the Manhattan prices.

On to doughnuts. SF masters the best in both old school Bob’s Donuts (particularly at 1 or 2am when they’re pulling those gems out of the oven) or the newer gourmet wave at Dynamo Donuts, with their beautiful Campari or spiced chocolate donuts, to name a few. Oakland gained two doughnut newcomers this summer, Donut Savant and Doughnut Dolly.

Downtown Oakland’s Donut Savant serves essentially glorified donut holes, their Twitter feed making me crave flavors like key lime, pumpkin or an Old Fashioned with Bulleit bourbon glaze, Angostura bitters cream and a twist of lemon, which they introduced at Oakland’s Art Murmur in August. This led to disappointment when first crossing the Bay Bridge weeks after they opened only to be met with a sign during regularly scheduled morning hours saying they’d return hours later with more donuts.

When I was able to trek back to the humble shop and find actual donuts, I bought every one in sight. Flavors were straightforward, rather than the interesting aforementioned. Chocolate coconut donut holes won over chocolate or vanilla, though a dark chocolate donut with a light dusting of sugar was plain but more satisfying. One topped with butter cream stood out with creamy contrast and candied ginger strips.

Doughnut Dolly charms in an alley off 49th Street. Pastel-striped walls and a friendly woman graciously attending to each customer makes it feel immediately like a beloved neighborhood secret. By the bottle or glass, Jittery John’s (JJ’s) Cold Brew Coffee is bracingly strong, New Orleans’ style chicory coffee, made by a Oakland local – adding cream or milk makes one $10 bottle stretch to 4-5 glasses of iced coffee. Dare I say it’s almost worth stopping in just for this eye-opening brew that reminds me of Nola? Doughnuts are the filled kind (no holes), the strawberry jelly donut superior to a childhood favorite with fresh jam inside. On my visits, flavors were a little basic for my tastes, the “naughty cream” basically a standard vanilla, with the chocolate pudding-like vs. dark and seductive, but the donut itself has a soft, gratifying texture. When taking a few additional donuts home, a few seconds in the microwave ensured they melted warm in my mouth.

Drinking Destination: EAST BAY

It’s true: the East Bay cocktail scene is growing by leaps and bounds lately, with a slew of new bars (many opened by San Francisco bar stars) popping up from Albany to Alameda. Two comfortable, new hang-outs just debuted January 3rd serving cocktails for the geek and casual imbiber alike. Both claim noteworthy bartenders covering various shifts. I spent an evening tasting through their menus, offering an early peek at cocktail stand-outs… plus more go-to spots around the East Bay.

Honor Kitchen & Cocktails

1411 Powell Street (between Hollis & Peladeau), Emeryville, 510-653-8667

Situated in a solo building (with parking lot) not far from Emeryville’s shopping center madness (and E-ville’s other shining bar beacon, Prizefighter, which opened at the end of 2011), Honor Kitchen & Cocktails serves gourmet pub food in a room glowing with vintage signs, a Creature from the Black Lagoon pinball machine, and granite red bar, the center around which the space flows. After passing through an entrance lined with cigar signs, records, even an owl, grab a beer from a tub of ice. It’s on the honor system so ask a bartender to add it to your tab (no surprise: this is already garnering early buzz).

Cocktail menu quality was pretty much guaranteed under bar manager Alex Smith who came from Gitane in SF. I’ve written about his exquisite drinks at Gitane few times, unsurprised to find his offerings at Honor Bar more casual but nonetheless sophisticated, easily exhibiting promise at this early date to be among the best cocktails in the East Bay.

While slurping oysters with St. Germain herb mignonette or dipping Kennebec fries ($3.5) in salt and vinegar aioli or serrano ham jelly, select from cocktails (all $10) grouped under “stirred” (spirituous) or “shaken” (mixed with other ingredients). I’m immediately won over by gently smoky, spicy, bright layers of the Porfiriato. Tequila, guajillo pepper-infused mezcal, Cocchi di Torino, Licor 43, and cinnamon bitters meld in a complex yet drinkable whole.

The spirit of tiki hovers over but does not overwhelm the bourbon-based Bleeding Monarch. Passion fruit lends a tropical air, orgeat adds texture, balsamico amaro and Campari finish with deliciously bitter undertones. Black Sabbath is as badass as it sounds: Laphroiag Scotch dominates with a rough and tumble, smoky presence, given nuance by Averna, absinthe, and orange bitters.

Smith’s established skill with sherry shows in Jenkins’ Ear, highlighting oloroso sherry with aged rum, Angostura bitters and cardamom-spice properties of Hum liqueur – no element out of balance. Dessert with a savory essence can be had in a Winter Flip. Whole egg softens brandy and tawny port, while Smith’s housemade Indian pudding is a cream base (rather than a thick pudding) for layers of spice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The New Easy

3255 Lakeshore Avenue (between Lake Park & Trestle Glen), Oakland, 510-338-4911

In Oakland’s Grand Lake district, Easy Lounge closed, transforming into the New Easy. Big Easy inspiration is evident in upcoming Nola Sundays with BBQ, punch bowls (proceeds go to charities) and New Orleans tunes. The space is funky, eclectic, charming, with boozy quotes etched into one wall, stars painted on another, white lights draped over individual picnic tables. The small back patio is warmed by heat lamps and a skeleton gazing over cactus plants.

The welcoming neighborhood joint focuses on farmers market ingredients. Each Saturday they create a new menu of cocktails using ingredients from the big Grand Lake Farmers Market a block away. Summer-Jane Bell not only created the menu but was hands-on in space design elements, painting stars as she crafted the menu. Her winning bartender team includes Yael Amyra (Circolo, Burritt Room), Ian Adams (15 Romolo, Orson), David Ruiz (Mr. Smith’s), and Morgan Schick (Nopa, Michael Mina).

Bell’s menu is decidedly playful, reminiscent of American childhood… with booze. The festive theme starts as you receive Chinese take-out boxes of fresh-popped popcorn, while bites of mini sliders and grilled cheese sandwiches are passed around. I had the most fun with Mad Hatter ($10). Sailor Jerry rum and a spicy ginger soda are obvious mates, but the bright orange, creamy drink surprises with golden raisin puree and carrot juice. Bright and healthy, spice and sweetness (but not too much) make it a delightful alternative to an orange creamsicle.

Gift Horse ($9) was probably the most balanced, making fine use of Hayman’s Old Tom gin, which I haven’t seen much on cocktail menus in awhile. Dolin Blanc vermouth and Bell’s winter bitters made with a tequila base, unfold in floral, dry layers with notes of cranberry and fennel from the bitters. Winter Sideshow ($11) offers the spectacle, even if I prefer the former two drinks. The drink will change with the seasons, a base of Beefeater gin and pür Spiced Blood Orange liqueur the backdrop for Angostura-flambeed kumquats, flamed before you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cocktailing Around the East Bay

Oakland boasts the biggest concentration and range for East Bay cocktails, some of its consistent best at Adesso, casual drinks with bocce ball at Make Westing, elegant classic-style at Flora, pizza with cocktails at Marzano and Boot & Shoe Service, Miel for tequila/mezcal drinks, Conga Lounge and divey Kona Club for tiki kitsch.

Berkeley keeps it real with organic drinks at Gather, and artisanal cocktails at Revival Bar & Kitchen. The little island of Alameda hosts the beloved tiki gem, Forbidden Island, launched in part by tiki/rum expert Martin Cate who went on to open SF’s Smuggler’s Cove. Here, cheesy B movie nights, and live bands flow with Banana Mamacows. As mentioned above, Emeryville now has two destination-worthy bars for cocktail lovers: Prizefighter and Honor Bar.

Albany is blessed with three old school classics merely blocks from each other along San Pablo Ave.: the musty, tiki vibe of Club Mallard, the mid-century, retro swank of Kingman’s Ivy Room, and the edgy comfortability of Hotsy Totsy Club. Though none of these three are exactly craft cocktail bars, Hotsy Totsy comes closest, with house cocktail sodas, gracious bar manager Jessica Maria, and stellar guest bartenders like Scott Baird of The Bon Vivants, who bartends here weekly.

They’ve kept on longtime bartender Chet, in his 70′s, who has been tending there the better part of a couple decades. Their gorgeous, restored Wurlitzer jukebox is a treasure of rare and popular 45s, which you can play for free to your hearts content.

Hotsy Totsy encourages lingering with friends under pressed tin ceilings, rocking out to excellent tunes hand-selected by staff. Funky ’70′s garage sale paintings line the walls and hilariously creepy movies (like For Your Height Only starring Weng Weng) play silently on the flat screen, add to the edgy, blissfully divey, convivial spirit.

THREE NEW COCKTAIL DESTINATIONS

Article & photos by Virginia Miller

These three bars (or restaurant bars) are all new openings within the last 1-3 weeks. I’ve visited those in SF a couple times each, while catching a sneak peek of the Oakland bar. Tasting through a number of drinks on these menus signifies all three as bars to watch.

AQ, SoMa
1085 Mission Street (between 6th & 7th), 415-341-9000

New restaurant AQ takes on the dodgy stretch of Mission between 6th and 7th street with class, warmth and amaro/vermouth-based cocktails (more eventually to come from me on their food). Just opened and waiting on their full liquor license, AQ’s killer bar staff already serves delightful cocktails.

Working collaboratively vs. “top down”, Timothy Zohn appropriately utilizes the talent around him compiling menus and running the bar as a team. Both Ethan Terry and Brandon Josie, who he worked with at 15 Romolo, plus Karly Pearson from The Alembic, have all joined Zohn here. It’s safe to say we can expect quality cocktails from this gifted group of bartenders.

Not only is there a seasonal focus to the menu, the bar top and glassware are seasonal, too. Vintage glasses emblazoned with autumn leaves evoke fall, while the current copper bar top will transform to Italian marble in winter.

I have been waiting to see a local bar lead in the ever-increasing trend of amaro (low alcohol, Italian herbal liqueurs), even as many all over the city have been crafting elegant amaro cocktails for some time. AQ showcases amaro and vermouth-based cocktails quite nicely. Zohn says they will also offer boozier drinks, like classic cocktails alongside seasonal variations of those classics. They eventually plan on opening a downstairs cocktail lounge (with additional restaurant seating) sporting a whiskey and gin focus. Currently, cocktails are $10 each.

The Squash Flip is the ultimate fall cocktail. Carpano Antica sweet vermouth lays the base, roasted butternut squash puree delivers savory fall spice, while a whole egg gives it those creamy overtones typical of a Flip. The Palanquin is for beer drinkers: 21st Amendment IPA, Lillet blanc, lemon and honey forms a zippy refresher, with subtle floral whispers from lavender bitters. Churchill’s Bane works in place of gin with gin botanicals infused in dry vermouth. Reminiscent of a classic martini, orange bitters and twist of lemon tie it together. Another fall-spirited imbibement is Permanent Record, with a base of cream sherry and toasted pecan-infused white port, balanced by barrel-aged bitters and garnished with a flamed orange peel.

I’d call this the bar to watch at the moment. In AQ’s open, comfortably chic space, pulling up to this bar hints at changing delights in talented hands.

WO HING GENERAL STORE, Mission
584 Valencia St. (between 16th & 17th), 415-552-2510

Wo Hing General Store is the latest venture from Charles Phan, in the original Slanted Door space, no less. I miss my regular lunches there many years ago so it’s heartwarming to see the space revived.

In opening weeks, I’m hearing mixed reviews of the food, but I initially find it similar to his other Chinese venture, Heaven’s Dog: the food is good, well-prepared, if overpriced compared to the dearth of Chinese food in SF. And just like Heaven’s Dog, the highlight is the cocktails.

The drink menu is a thoughtful spirits line-up, with a fine wine list plus a couple beers (like local Magnolia Pub’s New Speedway Bitter) for good measure. Cocktails (all $10) come from bar manager Brooke Arthur who put the bar at Range on the map and most recently managed the bar at Prospect. Here she goes for classics-with-a-twist and relaxed cocktails offering an unfussy good time, complimentary to Phan’s refined Chinese comfort food.

Let’s just get this out of the way: the early “word on the street” is true. Arthur’s Pina Colada is about the best I’ve ever had. It’s what I wish Pina Coladas ordered on a tropical isle tasted like. Her’s improves upon the standard with white rum, lime, pineapple, soft with coconut cream, and a gentle shave of nutmeg. It’s the Colada of your dreams.

Both the Brooklyn (rye, dry vermouth, Amer Picon, maraschino) and Jimmy Roosevelt (cognac, Angostura-soaked sugar cube, sparkling wine, green chartreuse float) are boozy and elegant. The latter exhilarates on ice, hitting first with herbal chartreuse notes, then slowly-dissolving sweet layers from the bitters-laced sugar cube.

Mezcal por mi Amante shows off mezcal’s soft, summery side infused with strawberry. Lemon, agave nectar, Angostura bitters, and egg white froth round it out. A slightly pink (with grapefruit juice) Iceberg Daiquiri is as refreshing as it sounds, additionally mixed with white rum, lime, maraschino, vanilla, bitters.

Besides the Pina Colada, my favorite may be Laughing Water. Rye whiskey spice melds with a dose of cinnamon, dry vermouth, pineapple juice and lemon into one lush whole, evoking fall by way of a breezy Indian Summer.

Non-alcoholic sips ($6) are no afterthought. As more old fashioned soda drinks appear on menus, a Wild Cherry Phosphate (wild cherry bark, cherry juice, soda, acid phosphate) is a robustly tart example of how to do phosphates right. There’s also a Ginger Rickey with lime, and Don the Beachcomber’s Soda with cinnamon syrup and grapefruit.

PLUM BAR, Oakland
2216 Broadway (near Grand Ave.), Oakland, 510-444-6600

They had me at the high-ceilinged, skylight-punctuated bar with walls lined painstakingly with pages of American poetry books. The deal was sealed with cocktails from Scott Beattie and a bar helmed by Michael Lazar, who helped create the book Left Coast Libations.

Just opened last week, it promises to be one of Oakland’s great bars, not because of flash or even experimentation, but because of the effortless elegance of recipes from experts who know how to craft them (here’s hoping all bar staff are trained to prepare them accordingly). There’s also wine on tap, beers and bar bites from Chef Ron Boyd (of neighboring Plum), like grilled cheese sandwiches and beef tendon chicharrones. I haven’t sampled the bar food yet but did taste a few of the cocktails.

Besides cocktails ($10 each), they are building up a fine selection of Scotch in particular, though have a notable range of spirits, plus a private lounge area (space for 12) behind a greenhouse cabinet stocked with herbs and produce used in the drinks.

How could I not fall in love with the Rose Aprium Sour? Infusing a special batch of St. George’s fabulous gin with rose apriums (an apricot-plum hybrid) results in a softly tart-sweet juice balanced with honey syrup, lemon and maraschino liqueur, made absolutely silky with egg white.

The ultimate refresher? A B3 cocktail. Evan Williams single barrel bourbon gets an obvious perk from lime and ginger beer, but gains that “something extra” with the subtly bitter, herbaceous properties of Bonal quina. I am happiest to see one of Beattie’s best recipes from Spoonbar, where he bartends in Healdsburg: John Chapman. It tastes like fall magic with St. George’s whiskey and Pear Eau de Vie, plus lemon, apple, ginger and a Thai coconut foam. It goes down all too easy.

NOTE: After only a couple weeks (though these guys were involved well over a year before opening), both Scott Beattie and Michael Lazar are no longer with Plum Bar. My favorite recipes there being their recipes, I can no longer vouch for the quality level of cocktails here.

Cuban Delights in Oakland

There’s not enough Cuban food in the Bay Area. No, this is (thankfully) not Miami with its close proximity to Cuba and, therefore, plethora of Cuban food. But I wouldn’t trade the vibrant cuisines we are swimming in for anything.

It’s with joy I speak of a new Cuban cafe, Cana, in Oakland. Pretty much a walk-up counter with one table inside plus patio seating, Cana scratches the Cuban itch with winning pastries (try a flan-like, guava tart – Pastry de Guayaba, $4.50 – or a Chocolate Ancho Chile Cookie, $2) or lunch and dinner items, like a hefty Cubano ($8.50), loaded with pork, ham, Swiss cheese, crunchy with pickle, contrasted by hot mustard.

It’s satisfying, affordable food, filling a needed niche. They custom-grind beans for coffee and espresso. I ordered a classic Cafe Cubano ($2.50), robust but ultra-sweet, as tradition demands. It accompanied a read-through of one of their books on Cuba (I enjoyed one on Havana’s heyday of bar, cocktail and music culture pre-Castro).

In the other half of the space, currently papered over, they are preparing to open a parlor, or essentially a bar/lounge focused on rum & agricole cocktails, with an in-house cane press (!), cigars, their cafe menu, and live music. If it’s as good as it sounds, this will be one special cafe.

OAKLAND

Drink

A couple recent Oakland nights included drinks at the relaxed, new Dogwood (with decent but not stand-out cocktails or atmosphere), and the following return visits:

ADESSO, OAKLAND (4395 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, 94611, 510-601-0305) - You last heard me talk about Adesso in the Guardian and here in 2009. It has been one of Oakland’s best bars since opening with a truly killer happy hour.

On a recent return, I was served the earthy, subtle Scottish Witch ($10): Old Raj 110 Gin, Strega, house coriander beet syrup, lemon, with an orange twist. A house Barrel-aged Martini is made with Karlsson’s Gold vodka, a sophisticated, layered vodka martini.

A simple, gorgeous dessert was a special for the day: Citrus Granita ($10) with biscotti and a pour of Gran Classico to douse the granita with. Sigh. Sheer goodness.

WINE on PIEDMONT, OAKLAND (4183 Piedmont Avenue, 510-595-9463) -   One of the best liquor stores I’ve seen in the East Bay is Wine on Piedmont. It’s small but well-curated from all over the globe.

Though wine is the predominant focus, the small spirits section is impressive. Locally-made favorites are well represented from Old World Spirits to Germain Robin. Proprietors Brian Goehry and Susan Sieggreen’s eye for the best means you’ll hardly find a throwaway selection on the shelves. Connoisseurs will be pleased but the proprietors’ knowledge means the novice can also find new treasures.

FOOD

HIBISCUS, OAKLAND (1745 San Pablo Ave at 18th, 510-444-2626) – Hibiscus has settled into downtown Oakland’s dining scene as a destination restaurant for creative Caribbean food. I wish there were more experimenting as Exec Chef Sarah Kirnon is with island flavors of Barbados and Jamaica.

It’s a pleasure to return to Hibiscus, where I find I’m still a fan of the salty excess of Salt Cod & Ackee ($8.50), hot with scotch bonnet peppers. Cool off with house-made Sorrel ($3.50) or a Leeward Mai Tai ($10): Couer de Canne Agricole rum, Cointreau, lime, orgeat (almond syrup), orange peel.

This visit, my love is heaped upon Dungeness Crab Cornmeal Porridge ($18). Creamy, grits-like porridge is laced with chunks of crabmeat, butternut squash, carrots, King Richard leeks, and Bird’s Eye chili for a little heat. Sophisticated comfort food, this is the one I’m craving again.

Vegetarians aren’t left out with dishes like Kirnon’s Market Plate ($16). This particular night it was chana (garbanzo beans), braising greens and potato in a flavor-rich cauliflower curry, with a mini-radish salad and gorgeous tamarind sauce.

Plantains are grilled to perfection in garlic oil ($4), while a starter of Phoulourie ($7.50) shows playful possibilities: split pea and wild nettle fritters are bound together in cornmeal and flour, with kumquats, arugula, shado beni providing contrast.

Intriguing bites and openings in other parts of the Bay Area? All Spice is a new, upscale Indian restaurant in San Mateo. Though still working out kinks with some dishes not yet fully realized, the space is romantic and service engaging in a cottage I adored in its former iteration.

Oakland’s Camino is a space I love for different reasons: rustic, glowing, like a hall of an old English home with modern-day spirit. Returning after a year’s absence yielded an imperfect meal with sometimes small portions of dishes I’ve tasted better versions of elsewhere. Still, the overall package holds merit, particularly the drinks.

San Mateo

ALL SPICE - The magic of the enchanted cottage housing All Spice, enhanced by delightful husband-wife owners,  Sachin Chopra and Shoshana Wolff, is truly the highlight of this Indian gem. Promise radiates in almost every aspect, while service is professionally warm. I anticipate seeing how they evolve.

Without a liquor license yet, I partook of unusual drink offerings like sweet tea masala-infused water ($2), grapefruit-rosemary punch ($5), and, my favorite, a light but creamy passion fruit mint lassi ($2.50).

A starter of lavender cumin scallops ($12), may not have been mind-blowing but the trio of scallops were generous in size, while bacon bits over black cardamom pureed potato are inspired accents. Farro Chaat ($8) is aesthetic, shaped in a circle of wheat over purple Peruvian potatoes and cauliflower with chaat masala vinaigrette. Despite it’s beauty, it was served cold, tasting just a little bland.

Bacon-wrapped rack of lamb ($23) in sundried tomato red chile sauce with mushroom marmalade was a solid, savory dish. Poached black cod ($23) was a little salty but had the right texture while rutabaga puree and spiced southern greens underneath were downright addictive.

Chili mango bread pudding ($7) with ginger creme anglaise disappointed without a hint of the chili I was hoping for and dried mango bits rather than fresh, warm mango. Presentation stole the show with blackberries dotting the surface. A few tweaks and it could be memorable.

Faring better was a trio of house-made ice creams ($6). A bed of nuts and dried fruits under the scoops were a bit of a taste and texture distraction from the flavors of coconut curry, lemon thyme, chocolate anise, but overall it’s a winning finish, particularly the anise kick of the dark chocolate.

Oakland

CAMINO - The main stand-outs at my last visit to Camino were the small but well-prepared drinks. A simple Cocchi Americano on the rocks with a twist of orange ($7) is fine way to get the appetite flowing – a sweetly bitter aperitif. I can’t help but love a Camino Negroni ($9), made with with Gran Classico instead of Campari. This has been done all over SF for awhile, yet remains a lush version of a Negroni.

Mezcal works twice: light and fluffy with egg white, lemon, honey and rosemary in Mezcal Drink ($10); smoky and slate-like in the Oaxacan Old-Fashioned ($10 – reposado, mezcal, agave, Angostura bitters). It all flows with dishes like grilled rabbit and pig’s head with pig trotter fritters,  sauerkraut and fresh horseradish ($11), the best dish of the night.