Your new all-day café and wine bar is here: LES ARCEAUX is now open in Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto, a stylish and well-appointed space from owner Mikha Diaz and chef Alana O’Neal (previously of San Francisco’s Two Sisters Bars & Books). A lot of the inspiration is from O’Neal’s year in Montpellier in the South of France—the name means “the arches,” a reference to the location of a favorite farmers’ market under an old stone aqueduct.
The menu includes breakfast dishes (served until 3pm), including housemade English muffins and eggs and porridge. Lunch is seasonal and is where you can see the French influence more prominently, with dishes like pistou with fresh shelling beans and olive bread croutons, and a quiche of bacon, chard, and Comté in whole-wheat pâte brisée, plus a fun spin on a salade niçoise—it’s chopped.
Happy hour is from 3pm-5pm, with bites like fried socca batons with harissa aioli, plus draft beers for $4.25 and some wine selections for $7.50 by the glass.
The evening wine bar service features many small plates, plus some heartier ones like mussels poached in white wine with fennel and baby turnips, socca flatbread, chicken drumsticks in mustard and white wine sauce with purple potato paillasson, and a Marin Sun Farms bavette, which is the costliest item at $22.50. Seasonal desserts are also in the mix.
There’s coffee and tea service (featuring Intelligentsia Coffee and Kilogram Tea), a selection of more than 25 wines by the glass, three beers on tap, and house spritz cocktails
The 49-seat space was designed in collaboration with Mikha Diaz and Rocket Restaurant Supply and Turn Key Builders. There are soft wool banquettes in a punchy teal, a cherrywood bar and front counter with a white, hammered-tin bar face, Carrara marble countertops, and brass light fixtures. It’s the kind of look that works for everything from a breakfast meeting to a dinner date. Open Tue-Sat 7:30am-10pm (breakfast 7:30am-3pm, lunch 11am-3pm, happy hour 3pm-5pm, dinner 5pm-10pm). 1849 Shattuck Ave. at Hearst, Berkeley.
I mentioned not too long ago that THE KON-TIKI was opening in the former Longitude in Oakland, and cheers, it’s now open. To recap, it’s from Christ Aivaliotis (of SF’s Holy Mountain) and Matthew Reagan, with food from Manuel Bonilla, previously at Hawker Fare Oakland. Tropical drinks and bites and kitsch galore, check it out. Open Tue-Wed 5:30pm-12am, Thu-Sat 5:30pm-1am. 347 14th St. at Webster, Oakland.
East Bay folks, you want to get in on some burgers and BBQ from SF’s 4505 BURGERS & BBQ before they open in the Laurel District this spring? Yeah, because that’s a way off. Thanks to Caviar, you can enjoy a 4505 delivery pop-up until the Oakland location opens, with dinner delivered Thu-Sat (5pm-9pm) to Oakland residents. You can order their special/secret menu Big Mac (double cheeseburger with a Frankaroni), or Roger Style (add a quarter pound of sausage to any meat sandwich, oy), or you can stick with their brisket, chicken, pork (plate or sandwich or large format), sausages, classic sides and sauces, and Frankaroni. First-time Caviar user? Use my code for $20 off your first order!
A reader tells me Albany residents are happy with the dinner service at the new JUANITA & MAUDE from Scott Eastman (previously Corso). His seasonal menu has Mediterranean and European influences, and he practices whole animal butchery as well. Plus, craft cocktails! Open Tue-Thu 5:30pm-9:30pm, Fri 5:30pm-10pm, Sat 5pm-10pm. 825 San Pablo Ave. at Solano, Albany, 510-526-2233.
Looking for a new brunch spot? HONOR KITCHEN & COCKTAILS in Emeryville is now serving brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10am-2:30pm. Chef Christian Adlawan’s menu includes ricotta beignets, fried chicken and bacon-stuffed waffles, smoked pastrami hash, mushroom frittata, Honor eggs Benedict, a Maine lobster roll, and the Honor burger. And warm bacon biscuits with honey butter—don’t miss those. The bar will have plenty of eye-openers for you, and wines too. 1411 Powell St. at Hollis, Emeryville, 510-653-8667.
And a few things to look forward to:
ROAM ARTISAN BURGERS is expanding to Uptown Oakland this December at 1951 Telegraph Avenue, offering their burgers, sides, shakes, and sodas.
Opening next door to CLOVE & HOOF BUTCHERY AND RESTAURANT in Oakland will be THE FOUNTAIN AT CLOVE & HOOF, an old-fashioned ice cream and soda fountain! Think milkshakes, sundaes, cones, phosphates, and soda. Clove & Hoof’s building was once a pharmacy and soda fountain, so it was kind of meant to be. They’re hoping to open by the end of the year. 4001 Broadway at 40th St., Oakland.
C CASA taqueria at Oxbow Public Market in Napa will be opening a location in Public Market Emeryville. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and cocktails will all be available (from huevos rancheros to rotisserie duck tacos)—look for an opening in January 2018.
The bar at Les Arceaux. Photo: Kelly Puleio.
