Brown Sugar Kitchen--Oakland (Soul food)

Memorial Day weekend was a big eating weekend for me. One of the places I visited was Brown Sugar Kitchen at 2534 Mandela Parkway in Oakland. This is definitely a popular place, and they do not accept reservations. But, in my opinion, the food is worth the wait. After a one-hour wait, my friends and I were seated and greeted warmly by our server.

One of my favorite items here is their Cornmeal waffle. It's not like a typical waffle, which is usually thick and fills you up after three bites. This one is light as a pillow inside but has a nice crispy cornmeal texture on the outside. This is not a carbo-load type of waffle. It may not be for everyone, but it is one of their most popular items. They also serve them with homemade apple cider syrup, which is absolutely a winner in my book.

Something I never thought to try was their BBQ Shrimp & Grits. The presentation was unexpected, as it came in a huge bowl that almost looked like soup. The creamy grits were on the bottom, with this ridiculously savory and amazingly delicious sauce on top covering about 12 shrimps. My eyes grew wide after one little taste. I could have drunk a bucket of that sauce. The flavor was so complex and well balanced, I could only decipher a few ingredients. Sadly, this is not a dish that I can easily reproduce at home. Oh well. I'll just have to enjoy it here over and over again.

Lucky for me, we finished our breakfast right as noon was rolling around, and I decided to take home a couple lunch items. Below is their Oyster Po-boy sandwich. Four giant and super fresh oysters were lightly coated with cornmeal, fried till just done and encased in a toasty roll with a slightly sweet, vinegar-based coleslaw (my favorite kind, as I do not enjoy mayonnaise-based coleslaws). The oysters were very hearty, were not rubbery or chewy and tasted like they just came out of the water.

On the side, I ordered the mac & cheese. Nice, toasted, buttery breadcrumbs were placed atop some creamy, macaroni noodles. The cheese sauce tasted like it had at least three different kinds of good-quality cheeses. Nothing processed here. A very nice side. 

One would not expect to find a hidden gem of a restaurant in this industrial part of Oakland, but I would say Brown Sugar Kitchen is a destination spot for breakfast, brunch or lunch. Also, since they incorporate the local, sustainable ingredients mindset, it also makes me feel good about supporting them. Just make sure you're not in a rush.