Top Hatter--San Leandro, CA (Contemporary American Fusion)

A modern take on internationally-inspired cuisine, this restaurant is the amalgamation of two food trucks that I dearly loved. Located at 855 MacArthur Blvd., the atmosphere does not necessary match the location, with a well-designed, soothing plant-filled back patio against the backdrop of the 580 freeway in a mostly industrial part of San Leandro. The modern interior is lined with a wall of windows looking out to this peaceful patio. Location aside, however, the quality of food, drink and service puts all minds at ease.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

https://tophatterskitchen.com/



Vesper Shako. A spirit foward cocktail made with Haku Japanese Vodka, Broker's Gin, Lillet Blanc, and orange bitters. This was boozy but well balanced. The floral notes and citrus aromas from the gin and vermouth tickled my nose, in a most pleasant way, with each sip.

Oakland United Hefeweizen. A light, 5.2% abv german-style beer made with 50% malted wheat and 50% pilser malt, German noble hops, and a German yeast strain that produces notes of banana and clove. Crisp in the middle with a short finish, this was a refreshing beer that paired well with the diverse menu.

Oxtail & Grits. The dish that made their first food truck famous, this entree was given an upgrade in size and included creamy, rich grits, sweet roasted carrots, an orange gremolata that was light on the garlic but heavy on the parsley and lemon zest. An absolute winner.

Grilled Octopus. Tender octopus was beautifully plated with creamy potatoes, briny green olives, crunchy pistachio and charred onion pesto. The contrasts of tastes and textures made this a very enjoyable and interesting plate.

Grilled Beef Sausage Bites. Inspired by south Asian flavors of Thailand and Vietnam, these bite-sized morsels of seasoned beef sausage were individually wrapped in shiso leaves, then dressed with fresh lettuce, fresh herbs, scallion oil and topped with peanuts and bacon. The dipping sauce was packed with umami from fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and chili peppers.

Lemon Ricotta Zeppole. These delightful fried balls were so popular, they forced the opening of the second food truck to keep up with demand. The Italian-style lemon ricotta doughnuts were served warm with just the right amount of sweetness and were dusted with powdered sugar and lemon zest. The optional vanilla bean creme fraiche was creamy with a gentle sweetness and slight tang, and the earl grey chocolate ganache was rich and full of chocolate flavor.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta. A lovely presentation of mildly sweet and creamy panna cotta. This was served with crumbles of short bread made from tallow and granita made from grapefruit and nasturtium. The fresh cherries were sweet and the granita was tart. Every bite had a different texture and taste combination. This was a great dessert.

I'm very happy that the food trucks were successful and now I'm very hopeful that the brick and mortar location is successful as well so I can taste these delicious items again and again.