I’m starting up my travel series again! Who’s excited?! 😀 This time I focused on some of the smaller cities in the Golden State (with some larger cities sprinkled in) and went from top to bottom. First stop Oakland…
Now when you think of Northern California you probably don’t think of Oakland as your first travel destination; however, if you’re looking for something off the beaten path and some really awesome locale fare you should bookmark the Lake Merritt area (aka “The Lake”). Grand Lake Kitchen is a popular brunch joint and for good reason. The wait time was a good hour and a half! Luckily the area has some great attractions to help pass the time AND they text you when your table is ready. Sweet!
Right across the street is Lake Merritt and the Lakeside Park, a great place to just take a stroll and enjoy the beautiful scenery. The landscape is breathtaking and my photos don’t do it justice. Just imagine yourself walking your dog or going for a leisure jog.
Across the Lake there’s a small area called the Cleveland Cascade – the ideal place to complete all your staircase workouts. I saw a number of individuals in fitness gear running up and down the staircase. I wasn’t quite prepared for a workout, but my friend and I did one round before heading back to the restaurant.
After perusing through the menu, I ordered their signature Savory French Toast ($14) as it came highly recommended. Served with Rye bread, two poached eggs, fresh arugula, and assorted mushrooms this unique take on a brunch classic is a home-run. The bread was a perfect base for the runny egg yolk to soak into and the greens complimented the dish perfectly. Perfect way to start my morning and I highly recommend getting this dish!
I read some reviews on their orgasmic Pork Belly Hash dish, but heard that they no longer served it. *gasps* So my friend and I decided to try the next best thing – Pork and Polenta with an overeasy egg ($16). It was certainly a tasty dish with complex flavors but I can’t wait to try some of their other offerings!
Overall this area is a great family friendly one and I can’t wait to come back! What are some other Oakland destination must see and/or eat?
XOXO,
Rockstar
You may not recognize her name, but she’s a household name in the Taiwanese food community as she’s written countless cookbooks and partnered with movie director, Ang Lee on a number of his productions. She was his food stylist for the movie Eat Drink Man Woman and the catering director for Life of Pie. Now she travels the world and works with local restaurants in promoting Taiwanese cuisine.
Insider Irene 