Mockingbird--Oakland, CA (Californian cuisine)

This restaurant and bar is a modern bistro-inspired establishment located at 416 13th Street. The space is fairly large, for downtown Oakland, with a second level for seating. The menu has classic dishes, with an updated spin, as well as very well-crafted cocktails. Everything changes based on the season. I've enjoyed the happy hour and lunch, and will be coming back for the dinner entrees soon.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

http://www.mockingbirdoakland.com/



Tough and Dirty Martini. Basil-infused gin, garden salt tincture, and a house-pickled carrot, green bean and olive gave this drink a nice character. This was a well-made cocktail with savory notes and balance.

Paradise Lost. This was a very visually-appealing drink with the big ice cube and lemon slice. Made with Vodka, pineapple, lemon, Aquavit, Vermouth di Torino, and grains of paradise. This went down very easy and satisfied a great thirst.

Hummingbird. A bright cocktail made with Tequila, hibiscus, Ancho chile, sage, lemon, and mezcal. It was mildly smokey from the mezcal and the sweetness of the simple syrup mixed with the tart of the lemon made this balanced and refreshing.

Duck Liver Mousse & Pickled Veggies. A creamy, savory mousse with that lovely minerally liver flavor that I love. The pickled grapes, carrots, cauliflower, thomcord grape jam, olives and toasted crostini made for great variety of tastes and made for a nice interactive appetizer.

House Smoked Trout Dip. The dip was salty and creamy, made with flaky trout, cream, scallions and lemon oil. The house-made old bay chips were fantastic. Every piece was crunchy and crave-able. We ended up getting another plate of just chips.

Deviled Eggs. Topped with capers, pickled jalapenos and herbs, these stuffed eggs were creamy, but were also balanced with tang and spice.

Fried Brussels Sprouts. Garlic aioli lined the bottom of this plate of crispy, fried brussels sprouts. Topped with blue cheese, saba, and thyme, I almost felt like I was eating something rich and decadent.

House Cut Kennebec Fries. For a place that takes their fries "seriously", these were pretty tasty. They smelled fresh, they were crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and stayed crispy for quite a while after landing on our table. Kudos.

I look forward to trying their entrees during subsequent visits. They change with the seasons and sound delicious.