Across the Bay Bridge, a fresh batch of Oakland restaurant openings is giving us serious hunger pangs.
Point your sextant towards Uptown for Captain & Corset, the new American bistro from the guys behind Ike's sandwiches (Paul Fitzpatrick and Sam Patel) and chef Sophina Uong, of Pican fame. It's a narrow open space with a casual yet fun vibe – due in part to the large and rather stylish cement bar. Cinephiles can gaze at the film being projected on the back wall. Menu musts include day boat scallops, cast-iron mussels (simple, smoky, and appropriately salty with butter sauce), lamb tacos, and crazy fresh asparagus with lemon honey and hazelnuts. The space formerly housed 2212 and before that, Punchdown. 2212 Broadway St.
To the theater we shall go: in the Grand Lake / Grand Avenue area, meaty matters are tended to at Modigliani Cafe, where the fresh sandwiches include meatloaf, a recent daily special, porcine Cubans, or meatball panini. Should your tastes be more garden variety (literally), the veggie sandwich with pesto is the ticket. Shake it up over a thick milkshake in fun flavors: caramelized pecans or peanut butter cup, etc. The Modigliani space was formerly the Day of the Dead coffeehouse. 3208 Grand Ave.
Roll with it: Natty Cakes recently popped up on 9th Street near Broadway with a one-person (one-woman) fresh and delicious rolling cart stocked with small batch sweets: cookie 'wiches, cupcakes, cookies, and cinnamon rolls. The treats from this baking outfit can also be ordered online via Good Eggs and the business kicked off with a farmers' markets presence one year ago. According to a Natty Cakes blog post, the search for an Old Oakland storefront is underway.
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