Oakland, California Restaurants: Pizzaiolo and Plum, Brunch

Brunch at Plum restaurant, Oakland, California

Plum was suggested to me by several friends. On my first visit, I was inspired by the ambitious menu for both the brunch, and dinner which I attended on a visit later in the week.

A great dish of fried pork hash with a slow cooked egg, grilled squash, zucchini and avocado slices and dressed with a romesco sauce. I loved this dish, which is why i chose to return for dinner.

Smoked and roasted fingerlings with a garlic, cayenne pepper aioli accompanied by fresh heirloom tomatoes.

Braised, double smoked, thick cut bacon was amazing and nicely crisp.

Beet salad, apricot, smoked goat cheese, arugula and hazelnut.

Sweet Anson Mills corn bread was light as a feather and arrived with a great tasting, lightly smokey bacon butter. One of the best corn breads I have experienced, so light, with a wonderful moist crumbly texture and a sweet corn flavour, as advertised.

Pizzaiolo Restaurant, Oakland, California

Pizzaiolo and it's sister restaurant, Boot and Shoe Service, are suggested as being 2 of the top 4 pizza places (the others being Cafe Panisse and Olivetto) in the Berkeley/Oakland area to enjoy pizzas made in a wood burning oven.

Hog Island manila clams on a plancha, cooked in a wood burning oven with saffron, tomato and white wine, accompanied by grill toasted country bread. 

Wild nettle , red onion and pecorino pizza. Terrific, crispy, nicely flavoured thin crust.

Spaghetti with wild nettles, chanterelle mushrooms and creme fraiche.

Pizza with summer squash (thin, green and yellow zucchini slices), pounded garlic and parsely and grana padano cheese. Another crispy, thin crust pizza with wonderful ingredients and a crust with good flavour.