RAMEN SHOP in Oakland is throwing a Japanese street food party on Tuesday August 20th (that’s tonight!) from 7:30pm-11:30pm. The event is to raise money for some of the restaurant staff who have never been to Japan. They’re planning an eating and researching trip in late October, and all proceeds from the party will go toward their plane tickets. Guest chefs Chikara Ono of B-Dama and Jack Lin of Hopscotch will be in attendance, making sushi and gyoza, and there will be lots of stations set up in the restaurant serving different dishes, including onigiri and yakisoba. Tickets are $50. 5812 College Ave. at Chabot, Oakland, 510-788-6370.
Also tonight (Tuesday August 20th), ADESSO chef Chad Arnold will show you how to break down a whole chicken as part of their Salumi Club. It starts at 6:30pm, and is free. No reservation required, and they’ll have some drinks specials going too. 4395 Piedmont Ave. at Pleasant Valley, Oakland, 510-601-0305.
Chowhounders report that there’s a new place for dumplings in Oakland: TIAN JIN DUMPLINGS. Early Yelp reports are also positive—sounds like it’s a husband-and-wife team doing handmade, Northern-style dumplings. They’re making small batches and it sounds like they sell out early; try to beat the rush! 989 Franklin St. at 9th St., Oakland, 510-459-6265.
In the unfortunate news department, a reader tipped us off to a Facebook post that announced the closure of DISCO VOLANTE. Their last night in business was last night, Monday August 19th. No word on why or if there are any new plans for the space or the team. 347 14th St. at Webster, Oakland.
A tip via Chowhound reports that the Hotel Durant in Berkeley has finished renovating HENRY’S RESTAURANT and brought on chef Ryan Lafferty (previously of T-Rex). They’ve now reopened for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all of it focused on classic American pub food like burgers, sandwiches, and fried chicken. There are also cocktails, beer on tap, and wines by the glass or bottle. Take a look at all the menus here. Hours are Mon-Fri 7am-10am for breakfast, 11am-2:30pm for lunch, and 5pm-10pm for dinner. From 2:30pm-5pm, they are open with a lighter bar menu, and the bar stays open until about 12am. On weekends, hours are brunch 8am-2pm and 2pm-10pm for dinner. 2600 Durant Ave. at Bowditch, Berkeley, 510-809-4132.
SLIDERBAR is continuing their expansion with a new location in Berkeley. Their grand opening is Saturday August 24th. To celebrate they’ll be giving away 1,000 of their sliders, so stop by if you like crowds of UC Berkeley students (starts at 11:30am). Look for brunch as well a happy hour special of $4 beer, as well. 2124 Center St. at Shattuck, Berkeley.
Bowls of noodles at Ramen Shop. Photo from Facebook.
