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Old 11-21-2013, 06:42 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
1,148 posts, read 2,993,377 times
Reputation: 857

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Hey people,

I would like to use this thread as a place for everyone to share their favorite food spots in Oakland. Oakland has been gaining a reputation as a "cool" city in a large part due to its great and blossoming restaurant scene.

I've only been living in Oakland less than a month, but have already found some favorites! Here is my list:

Ba Le Banh Mi - Their sausage and egg Vietnamese sandwich is the best Vietnamese sandwich I have ever eaten in my life. I've eaten Vietnamese sandwiches in So Cal including LA and OC, but this place is the best I have eaten by far. It practically gives me euphoria.

Boot & Shoe Service - Their margherita pizza is amazing! I think it is the best pizza I have eaten in California! It is hard to describe how good it is- the complexity and nuances of all the flavors from this simple pizza. Granted, I have not eaten many pizzas in Oakland yet, but I think this one is tops!

Sidebar - Awesome food and such a fun place to eat. We ate sitting at the bar and it was a great experience with our bartender serving up great mixes and an interesting "performance".

Grand Lake Kitchen - So awesome- and prices are pretty reasonable. I had an awesome Matzo Ball soup for the first time, and it was heaven.

Shooting Star Cafe - Their food isn't on the same level as Sidebar and Boot & Shoe Service. It isn't even the same cuisine. But I love this place because it is a really great Hong Kong style cafe and they recently remodeled. There are lots of HK style cafes in the 626 in So Cal and I grew up in high school and early college eating that stuff with friends. But there aren't any real HK cafes in the Bay Area, until I discovered this place! It is pretty clean and the menu is broad and their stuff tastes pretty good! They have really good Asian drinks including boba, desserts, and HK cafe entrees. I ordered the club sandwich with fries, a passion fruit and peach slush drink, and it brought back so many memories.

Jong Ga House - A fun place to get Korean food with friends. They have an amazing 18 dish variety of banchan (side dishes) and it is fun to eat with friends and get some soju with your food. Sure beats any Korean food I have had in SF. Their bulgogi isn't that good, it is kind of dry, but overall their food is good and it is a fun place to eat with an interior Korean decor theme.

Mijori - Great chicken udon dish- the best I have ever had. I didn't think the sushi was as good but decent for the Bay Area. Place seems to be popular with the locals too.

Naia gelato at Michael Mischer chocolates - This chocolatier also sells Naia brand gelato and I had the smores flavor on a cone and OMG, it was so good. It is up there, even comparing to ice cream in SF from the likes of Bi Rite, Mr & Mrs Miscellaneous.

Other notable faves:

Grand Tavern
Grand Bakery
Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe - Just a bit dirty (maybe from the nightlife/Fox Theater crowds the night before?) but food is good and cool looking diner

And I have to add, the Oakland Whole Foods is the biggest Whole Foods I have ever seen!

Please add your own favorites, could be one or two places, or a whole list. Either way, please share.

Last edited by mini_cute; 11-21-2013 at 07:21 PM..
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Old 11-21-2013, 06:56 PM
 
74 posts, read 149,624 times
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The Laotian sausages at Vientian Cafe at 38th and Allendale are amazing.
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Old 11-21-2013, 07:03 PM
 
Location: The Bay
6,914 posts, read 14,757,440 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbehs View Post
The Laotian sausages at Vientian Cafe at 38th and Allendale are amazing.

I 2nd that, I usually get the chili pepper beef though.
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Old 11-21-2013, 07:05 PM
 
Location: The Bay
6,914 posts, read 14,757,440 times
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And yeah, the variety of food in Oakland is incredible. I spent a lot of high school figuring out where to eat meals in Oakland for under $5, there's a lot of great options for any budget.
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Old 11-21-2013, 07:21 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
1,148 posts, read 2,993,377 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbehs View Post
The Laotian sausages at Vientian Cafe at 38th and Allendale are amazing.
Duly noted. =)
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Old 11-21-2013, 07:37 PM
 
Location: SF Bay Area
12,287 posts, read 9,820,687 times
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Thanks for the tips, I will have to try a few of these places out.

Does anyone have any suggestions for quality bbq?
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Old 11-21-2013, 07:55 PM
 
Location: Boulder Creek, CA
9,197 posts, read 16,843,125 times
Reputation: 6373
Quote:
Originally Posted by mini_cute View Post
Huh? When and where do you have these cookouts? Are they open to the public to buy and try? Because you can't tempt us and then not let us try!!! After reading about whole pig BBQ in a book called "Cooked" by local food author Michael Pollan, I have a whole new respect and appetite for the BBQ art form.

Btw, you win the prize for most curses I have seen in a single blog post. Must be that good, huh? =)
While discussing quality eats, it is good to refrain from feeding trolls.
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Old 11-21-2013, 09:38 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA USA
337 posts, read 733,340 times
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Okay let's get back on topic. I'll stick to my budget choices.

One of my favorite spots for Mexican in Oakland is Tacos Sinaloa - a very good taco truck that is open late (until 2am). This place is a favorite for A's and Raiders fans before and after games. I usually get tacos al pastor here (marinated pork tacos).

I also like Mariscos La Costa (seafood) and Santo Coyote (a sit down restaurant that has excellent huarache).

I tried out Miliki a Nigerian restaurant in the Laurel District over the summer. It's a hidden gem. I had goat stew and fufu which is a yam that looks like a ball of mashed potatoes - very different.

A very good budget Japanese place (and it's actually owned by Japanese people NOT Koreans or Chinese) is Geta on 41st Street and Piedmont Avenue. The place is extremely small and cramped and there's usually a line out the door. Almost everything is under $8 and is good.

I also like Rio California in Preservation Park for its feijoada - the national dish of Brazil. They only serve it a few days a week. Most Brazilian places in the Bay Area are Brazilian BBQ places owned by Americans. Not this place - extremely friendly Brazilian owner with no BBQ on the menu just dishes.

Last edited by athleticsfan72737489; 11-21-2013 at 09:49 PM..
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Old 11-21-2013, 11:48 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
1,148 posts, read 2,993,377 times
Reputation: 857
Quote:
Originally Posted by athleticsfan72737489 View Post
Okay let's get back on topic. I'll stick to my budget choices.

One of my favorite spots for Mexican in Oakland is Tacos Sinaloa - a very good taco truck that is open late (until 2am). This place is a favorite for A's and Raiders fans before and after games. I usually get tacos al pastor here (marinated pork tacos).

I also like Mariscos La Costa (seafood) and Santo Coyote (a sit down restaurant that has excellent huarache).

I tried out Miliki a Nigerian restaurant in the Laurel District over the summer. It's a hidden gem. I had goat stew and fufu which is a yam that looks like a ball of mashed potatoes - very different.

A very good budget Japanese place (and it's actually owned by Japanese people NOT Koreans or Chinese) is Geta on 41st Street and Piedmont Avenue. The place is extremely small and cramped and there's usually a line out the door. Almost everything is under $8 and is good.

I also like Rio California in Preservation Park for its feijoada - the national dish of Brazil. They only serve it a few days a week. Most Brazilian places in the Bay Area are Brazilian BBQ places owned by Americans. Not this place - extremely friendly Brazilian owner with no BBQ on the menu just dishes.
I've been hearing good things about this Tacos Sinaloa place. I am going to get some this weekend!

Thanks for your contributions!
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Old 11-22-2013, 01:10 AM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
28,226 posts, read 36,871,835 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shooting4life View Post
Thanks for the tips, I will have to try a few of these places out.

Does anyone have any suggestions for quality bbq?
In general California BBQ sucks. I did like b-side BBQ on San Pablo. The pulled pork was very tasty and Carolina style...


On an autocorrecting iDevice.
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