Raquel Navarro
Chef Andrew Greene,
Is no stranger to good eats. As co-chef of the hottest pop-up in Uptown Oakland, Abstract Table, Chef Andrew serves up some of the most unique and intricate menus in town. Reinvented each season, the menu is a celebration of the bounty the season has to offer while maintaining an emphasis on Japanese influences, fresh fish, and artful plating. Their current five and seven-course chef’s tasting menu, “Blue Desert,” features an incredible dish called “Seafood Cappuccino.”
“The dish is inspired by a dish I had in Santiago, Chile some years back,” Chef Andrew recounts. “It was one of those dishes where years later I am still able to taste it.” To make the dish they begin by making a concentrated stock from roasting spiny lobster tails, shrimp shells, scallops, and sole as well as aromatics all day and night. Then the next day the bisque is finished. For service, they create a foam from the actual bisque and serve it.
Eating Off Duty
As a connoisseur of good eats, we were excited to hear where he likes to go on his days off. Here are his Top Four Favorites in Uptown and Downtown Oakland:
Don’t judge a book by its cover. This place, which can only be described as “a hole in the wall,” is slinging some of the yummiest dim sum in town. Chef Andrew loves the dumplings here and says you can’t beat the price.
2) Aburaya
Which means “oil shop” in Japanese, is one of the coolest joints in town. This punk rock-influenced Japanese restaurant serves up the best Japanese fried chicken anyone this side of the Pacific has ever tasted. Chef-owner Adachi Hiroyuki creates a playful menu with many tasty offerings. But as Chef Andrew says, “Stop playing. Get the chicken!”
3) Shan Dong
Winner of the East Bay Express best Chinese Restaurant in Oakland, Shan Dong is known for noodles and dumplings. Their handmade noodles are perfect in soups, chow mein, or with their spicy sauces. Chef Andrew says “hand-pulled noodles for the WIN.”
4) Xolo
Named after the hairless dogs that Frida Kahlo used to keep, Xolo is a fun and casual taqueria in the heart of Uptown Oakland. Xolo primarily serves tacos and burritos with carefully selected combinations of meats, beans, vegetables, and sauces. There are also a few other fun items like their bacon-wrapped hot dog (aka Danger Dog), mini crispy churros, and vegan pozole. Chef Andrew recommends you get the crispy tacos.
