Almond and Oak -- Oakland, CA (Californian cuisine)

I don't tend to follow chefs around, but Chef Rico Rivera is one chef that is worth following around. I first fell in love with his style of cooking, restraint in fussiness, and simple but elegant presentation when he worked at, now defunct, Flora. 

To my delight, the Oakland native now has his own restaurant, located at 3311 Grand Avenue. It took me a little while to try it out, but now that I have, this will definitely be one of my regular spots whenever I visit Oakland. The large space may look like something out of an old Western, but the food is all class, the service was attentive and friendly, and I was thoroughly pleased with my experience. 



https://almondandoak.com/

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

Cappuccino. A well balanced and tasty brew to go with my brunch on this day.

Bourbon Barrel Aged, Midnight Awakening Imperial Stout. I detected notes of dark chocolate and dates. This thirst-quenching beer was medium bodied, with a light mouthfeel and a clean finish. It was difficult to just have one.

Fried Chicken Sandwich. I love sandwiches that are large enough to be satisfying, but also small enough that I can take the whole thing down in one sitting. Rather than a behemoth that requires a hose-down and a doggy bag where everything is a soggy mess the next day. This was the perfect size and the proportion of crunchy, juicy chicken, tangy, fresh slaw, aioli, and the house-made pain de mie bun was just right. The salad on the side was also very fresh and had just enough of a tangy vinaigrette to cleanse the palate nicely.

Pork Belly Sandwich. Once again, the perfect size and ratio of soft house-made focaccia, soft pork belly, crisp celery root and fried caper slaw, whole grain mustard remoulade, peppery arugula, aioli and a nice side helping of crunchy matchstick fries. 

Beignets. These were pieces of fried dough, covered in powdered sugar and served warm with a side of strawberry jam. They were fluffy, just sweet enough and hit that little sweet pocket right on target.

The menu is focused and thoughtful, with a nice selection for most types of eaters. I will definitely return to try out the other brunch options as well as the dinner options.