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 Bar

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 Bar 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.

The Palanquin: a refreshing beer & Lillet cocktail at brand new AQ

THREE NEW COCKTAIL DESTINATIONS

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.

Best Restaurant Openings 2010,

Bay Area

In Top Tastes I list the top ten new restaurant openings of the year in San Francisco. Here I list an additional four best new Bay Area openings: one in the South Bay, two in the East Bay, one in Wine Country. In the midst of Oakland’s continued proliferation as a dining hotspot and the new downtown Napa reign of celebrity chefs from Tyler Florence to Morimoto, here are a few that rose above, in alphabetical order.

BAUME, Palo Alto
In the realm of all-senses-engaged gastronomy temples like Chicago’s Alinea or the whimsical decadence of Jose Andres The Bazaar in LA, San Francisco is shockingly lacking. We have the talent and creativity here of the best food cities in the world. But it seems at times there can be a fear of getting too experimental. Thankfully, in 2010 Chef Bruno Chemel (formerly of Chez TJ) opened Baume in a non-descript, ’70’s-looking Palo Alto building.

Yes, it’s crazy expensive (tasting menus), special occasion dining, but it stands out with well-orchestrated service and a simple but striking dining room of elegant orange and warm browns. You are teased with ingredients, like liquid nitrogen, curry, leek, seaweed, endive, then await the presentation like a gift. The best part is that Baume is not merely molecular showmanship… dishes are rich with flavor and heart. Don’t miss Chef Bruno’s 62-degree sous-vide egg. I had it with wild mushroom and Noilly Prat dry vermouth foam paired with shots of fresh celery and lime juice punctuated by roasted rosemary stalks. Currently, he’s serving the egg with lichee, lilikoi, espresso, chocolate. I’m intrigued.

GATHER, Berkeley
A December 2009 opening, Gather is the best thing to come along in Berkeley in ages. It reads typical Bay Area at first glance: local, sustainable, organic everything, from meats and veggies to spirits, wine and beer. The rounded corner room, with bustling, open space in full view of the kitchen is holistically casual and urban.

And, yes, everything you have heard about the raved-about vegan “charcuterie” is true. Decidedly non-vegetarian, I marvel at this artwork array of vegetables on a wood slab, five delicately-prepared (and delicious) combinations for $16. You might have roasted baby beets with shaved fennel, dill, blood orange, horseradish almond puree and pistachio as one item, then King Trumpet mushroom crudo with parsnip-pine nut sea palm risotto as another. Exec Chef Sean Baker and team do meat right, too. Whether sausage pizza with pork belly and chiles, or house-cured ham topped with crescenza cheeze and cardoon-walnut salsa, carnivores will leave happy. Gather displays an ethos and presentation one can only dream of being a standard everywhere.

PLUM, Oakland

Easily the best new opening in Oakland in 2010,, Daniel Patterson’s long-anticipated Plum delivers his impeccable technique in heartwarming food. Despite communal seating on uncomfortable wood stools, one is warmed by skillfully prepared food under $20. Chef Charlie Parker recently took the reigns, serving impeccably nuanced soups like ham hock & brussels sprouts or turnip apple soup with miso. Deviled eggs benefit from caperberry tarragon relish, while a rich beef cheek and oxtail burger welcomes the contrast of accompanying Autumn pickles. Patterson’s power continues to be used for gourmet good, and this time Oakland is the recipient.

FARMSTEAD, St. Helena
Farmstead may not be the most exciting restaurant to open in Wine Country in 2010 but I find it among the most satisfying. Part of Long Meadow Ranch, a welcome package of winery, poultry farm, herb garden, grass-fed beef ranch, and olive press, it’s in a modern, converted barn with fireplace, tractors and chairs on the outdoor patio. Inside it’s funky light fixtures, cavernous ceilings and leather booths.

Their grass-fed beef is, in a word, exemplary. It makes for a decent steak, but my money goes towards the meltingly-good cheeseburger. On a house potato bun, it’s lathered with addictive mustard (they don’t skimp on the horseradish), cheddar and arugula. Order “potted” pig: tender, shredded pig packed in a mason jar with a layer of lard on top, served with toasts and that fabulous mustard. Another humane, locally-sourced restaurant, Farmstead brings a casual playfulness I don’t see often enough in Wine Country.

PLUM, Oakland

Easily the best new opening in Oakland in 2010, Daniel Patterson’s long-anticipated Plum delivers his impeccable technique in heartwarming food.

After a handful of visits both for dinner and lunch (and a preview dinner back in September), I come away with a sense of being enveloped, not by the communal seating or uncomfortable bar stools, but by the warmth of food wearing a simple guise yet prepared with a craftsman’s skill. Lunch is just a few bucks less than dinner, while everything is under $20 (note that 16% service charge is added to your bill already so tip accordingly).

I have eaten at Plum when both Patterson and chef Charlie Parker (of Bonny Doon and Manresa), were behind the stove. The pass-off of chef duties to Parker appears seamless.

Soups are a impeccable and nuanced. At lunch, the option for 1/2 an order ($4.50-$6) is welcome, especially as large bowls are hefty ($9-12). Favorite soups include Ham Hock & Brussels Sprouts, rich with heirloom beans, onion, turnip, and lardo. On the creamy side (though silky with puree, not cream) is Turnip Apple Soup with miso and a dollop of sweet pepper cream. On a rainy night, I could have left happy with that.

At lunch, Grilled Cheese ($10) is filling with creamy mountain cheese, dandelion salsa verde, an addition of fabulously meaty bacon and a side of Sweet Potato Chips. Beef Cheek & Oxtail Burger ($13 lunch; $15 dinner) is more molded, braised beef patty than actual burger. It’s ultra-rich, though not overwhelming in size. Autumn pickles come as a side but I add them on for a needed contrast to the burger’s fatty richness.

At dinner, “Snacks” ($4) kicj the appetite into gear. Try dehydrated potato strips reminiscent of chicharrones or Deviled Eggs with caperberry tarragon relish. Though the Cauliflower dish ($12) was a small in portion, it was gracefully prepared over bulghur with almonds and dandelion salsa verde.

Desserts are straightforward but two left a sweet impression: an ice cream special of Toasted Almond Apple ($6 for three mini-scoops), subtle on the apple.

The second, a mason glass of Buttermilk Panna Cotta ($7) layered with quince compote, thyme and a crispy brittle.

The wine list pleases and though only listed by glass, flask or bottle, our waiter graciously offered half pours allowing us to sample more. The best pour I had was Sean Thackrey’s 2009 Pleiades ($12 by the glass), a gorgeous blend of Sangiovese, Pinot, Viognier, Petite Sirah, Mourvedre, pleasant with the burger, perfect on its own.