Grand Lake Merchant News

Early this month, the owners of Ikaros confided that they were planning a "soft opening" for February 2. Long before we showed up for dinner that first night, Ikaros already had one, five-star rating on Yelp compliments of Stu Sweetow from Audio Visual Consultants who had dined there at lunch.

As we walked through the door, it was immediately apparent that any thoughts of a "soft opening" were a figment of the owners' imaginations. I should have guessed as much based on the 350 hits my photo of the restaurant kitchen had received on Flickr. Folks had obviously been champing at the bit (since the dolmas were not yet available) and the restaurant was jammed. Fortunately, there was one table still open and we ended up sitting with acquaintances on both sides which made for a family-style experience sharing food and the latest news.

I had a gyro which was quite good and we'll definitely be back for more. Most of the reviews on Yelp have been quite positive--but there were a few complaints that reflected a deluge of customers before the staff was fully acclimated.

On the other hand, a lot of times you just have to take comments on Yelp with a grain of salt. One person wrote, "there aren't any good restaurants on Grand". Methinks she hast misspoke. Or giving her the benefit of the doubt, let's assume she has not yet dined at Boot & Shoe Service, Neecha Thai, Grand Tavern, Camino or any of half a dozen other establishments that provide good food in a comfortable environment.

One group of folks who would most strenuously disagree with her conclusion are the editors of Food and Wine Magazine as they've just nominated Camino's Russell Moore as one of ten candidates for the people's choice as the best new chef on the Pacific Coast. If, like me, you've had the distinct pleasure of dining at this very special establishment, please take the time to cast your your vote on this site to honor Russell.

Last year, Mimosa Cafe on Santa Clara (just to the right of the freeway on ramp) was replaced by an Ethiopian restaurant that unfortunately survived less than a year. I just met the newest tenant who is sticking to an Ethiopian menu (heavy on vegetarian options) and he has ambitious plans that should make this a far more successful proposition. Biggest element will be their expansion into the adjacent storefront--tripling the amount of floor space. Other plus is that the new space is wrapped in windows on two sides providing tons of natural light. Look for photos and more details by next month.

Work on Kwikway is continuing at a pretty good pace as indicated by this photo of their kitchen that I shot through an open doorway. Only unfortunate thing is that the newly painted exterior has been repeatedly struck by one or more taggers who, I suspect, don't know just how grateful we (as a community) are to have this once blighted property resurrected.

At long last, Caña is opening today (Saturday, February 19) with the cabaret to follow later. Owner Yusuf Spears told me that the initial menu will be about 60% complete and, for the time being, includes coffee, expresso, cookies, pastries and Cuban sandwiches. As this photo demonstrates, the Cafe interior looks bright and inviting--particularly with the addition of original artwork by Pablo Soto.

Last month, I reported that our Grand Lake shopping district hit the trifecta courtesy of the "In the Mix" section of Oakland Magazine which profiled three businesses on Grand and Lakeshore. This month our neighborhood merchants did it again with a highly complimentary article about the Grand Tavern in the Tribune; an equally complimentary article about Good Chemistry Baking in the Contra Costa Times and the inclusion of Michael Mischer Chocolates in Sunset Magazine's Top 100 list of West Coast trends which said this: "We love his single-origin bars studded with toffee and salt."

On Lakeshore, Mezze's Maurice Darwish (who is an Egyptian by birth) tells me that he's finalizing plans for an Egyptian/Tunisian special menu celebrating the birth of the democratic movement in those two North African nations. Watch for an announcement in his front window.

Lin Jia Kitchen has introduced quite a few new items to their menu including a divine dumpling soup. If like me, you're a big fan of their honey-basted, whole fried chicken, please note that it now has to be ordered 24 hours in advance. Marcia says their special Valentine's Day dinner was quite successful and a St. Patrick's Day encore is in the works. Watch their Facebook page for details.

Yesterday afternoon, I collared someone doing construction at the Flip Side (3401 Lakeshore) and he estimated that they would be opening in about a month as the finish work on the interior is progressing nicely. If you're a new subscriber to this newsletter (or one that hasn't been taking notes), the Flip Side is going to offer gourmet burgers with meat ground on site.

While mulling over the contents of this month's newsletter, it occurred to me that I've been focusing almost exclusively on all the new businesses that have been opening while neglecting the many established businesses that are the cornerstone of our shopping district. Since the recent influx of new restaurants and other enterprises is bound to slow to a trickle as the number of vacant storefronts dwindle, I'm planning to instead feature some of the old--or not so old-timers. This month's two choices are Ford's Fine Furniture and Neecha Thai.

Corella Ford is about to celebrate her twentieth year at 3258 Grand Avenue. Originally, this was a clothing consignment shop that eventually evolved into furniture and accessories such as those in this photo. Corella has a great eye and a wonderful design sense and her window displays have long set a high bar for the other shops on Grand Avenue. Corella says she is looking forward to the opening of Monkey Forest Road (directly across the street) as it will complement her own inventory and help create a far more vibrant retail presence on this stretch of Grand.

Neecha Thai is the second incarnation of a family restaurant that developed a devoted following in San Francisco's Pacific Heights over a period of 22 years. The SF location closed in August but the one at 3236 Grand (which opened in 2007) continues to serve the same high-quality Thai cuisine. The Calamari appetizer which is deep-fried with red onions and cooked in sweet chili paste should be banned by the Drug Enforcement Agency since it's obviously habit-forming. Neecha pointed out that they have a vegetarian version made with Tofu. The four daily lunch specials are a very good value at $7.95. Several weeks ago, I had the barbecued chicken plate which came with salad and rice which I washed down with a cold Sing Ha beer.

Last month I wrote about Sprint coming to 3199 Lakeshore and asked you to write the property owner and Sprint management to ask that they replace the existing Busy Body sign which is an incredible eyesore that is in substantial violation of current codes.

Thanks to all of you who did so. Unfortunately, we've received no reply whatsoever from Sprint nor is there any indication that the property owner is prepared to cooperate. Although interior renovations have already begun, I'm quite confident that we still have time to twist some arms and find ways to compromise. All things being equal, we'll be out at the Farmers Market on Saturday, February 26 with petitions demanding (in President Reagan's vernacular) "Sprint, tear down that sign!"

Farmers Market

Chis Washburn is currently acting as manager during Brad Burger's absence and based on his first Saturday on the job, he'll be every bit as conscientious as Brad.

Chris tells me that asparagus season is upon us and the crop is ready to come to market once the weather cooperates. Right now, it's probably too wet to get into the fields to harvest.

He also indicated that they are anticipating several new vendors to join the fold including Strauss Family Creamery and Barbary Coast Crab. Both are awaiting approval of their insurance coverage.

Upcoming Events

According to an article in today's Chronicle, David Gans will be hosting his 25th Annual Grateful Dead Marathon today with sixteen hours of Deadhead tunes beginning at 9 AM. This is a fundraiser for Public Radio station KPFA. Also earning prominent mention is Grand Bakery's Bob Jaffe who they describe as "perhaps, the world's No. 2 deadhead".

A pair of two-masted schooners which are based at the Historical Seaport in Gray's Harbor, Washington are docked in Jack London Square through this Thursday, February 24. They are open for tours ($3 donation requested) from 10-1 today and tomorrow and again Tuesday through Thursday from 4-5 PM.

The East Bay Children's Book Project will be celebrating the birthday of Dr. Seuss as well as "Read Across America" with an Open House on March 1. This event also celebrates an EBCBP milestone as their book donation total has just reached a half million books. For more details, visit the EBCBP website.

Uptown Oakland comes alive on the first Friday of every month thanks to the Oakland Art Murmur. I'm more than a bit embarrassed to admit that I attended this event for the very first time on February 4. The turnout and good vibes were a real eye-opener and despite being a good 40+ years older than the average attendee, we felt very much at ease and welcomed the opportunity to meet a few members of Oakland's hugely talented art community.

Odette Pollar has announced the date for her 8th Annual Free Neighborhood Plant Exchange to be held Saturday, March 26. This is a really unique event that I always look forward to and I can always count on bringing home something new and wonderful. Details are posted on the Plant Exchange web site.

Rregistration is still open for the 2nd Annual Oakland Running Festival which begins Saturday, March 26 with a twilight 5k along the Estuary starting at Jack London Square. The following day's calendar includes a Half Marathon, Full Marathon and Kids' Fun Run. If you're not going to participate as a competitor, do take part as a spectator--helping to cheer on the runners while demonstrating the hospitality that helped make last year's inaugural run such a huge success.

My photo of the Half Marathon winner that I linked to above won a third prize in last year's photo contest sponsored by the Oakland Convention and Visitors Bureau. Now renamed, Visit Oakland, they've just announced a May 1 deadline for this year's contest for which they will be awarding a $1000 First Prize and an additional $2000 in lesser awards. Contest details and previous winning entries are posted on this link.

Odd and Ends

Hopefully, you've noticed that the corner of Lake Park and Grand adjacent to the theatre is looking a bit more spiffy. Credit goes largely to Eric Hughes and his Grand Lake Improvements Committee which repaired three oversized, concrete planters that had been damaged by a vehicle that flipped over while evading the OPD. In addition, the Improvements group put in new flowers, removed the blighted news racks and pressure-washed the sidewalks. Thanks go to a number of other people who made this possible: Elida Scola (from Galleria Scola) and Arvi Dorsey for cash donations; Cal Color Growers of Morgan Hill for plant donations; Grand Lake Ace Nursery for donating planting mix. In addition, Lydia (the owner of Grand Flowers) donated additional plants; supplied the water source; and cheerfully endured some inconvenience. The Public Works Department also provided invaluable assistance--as did Smokey from Day of the Dead Cafe.

On January 17, several hundred volunteers showed up at the Lakeside Gardens in honor of the Martin Luther King Day of Service. This was the biggest and best organized landscaping project I've ever seen with workers divided up into about a dozen specific projects. The tree-planting group was coordinated by Urban Releaf's Kemba Shakur. Congratulations to Tora Rocha and all the other crew leaders who accomplished an incredible amount in just a few hours. Volunteers included a number of city employees who came in on their own time including Jennie Gerard, (Pat Kernighan's Chief of Staff)--as well as Don, a dedicated City of Oakland gardener who was laid off last year and has yet to return.

One of my neighbors (Lesley Podesta) is the Executive Director of a new Oakland non-profit called Running for a Better Oakland. Their goal is to encourage kids in 5th through 12th grades to develop a healthier lifestyle through running. Lesley's looking for one or more volunteers to help out for an hour on Saturday mornings. If you're interested or just want additional information, email her at lesley@chezpodesta.com.

Sometimes, I fall into a trap thinking that I know everything that's happening in the Grand Lake Neighborhood and then reality kicks me in the teeth. This past month, I got hit with a double whammy. The first was courtesy of emails from the Grand Lake Neighbors Steering Committee revealing that the owner of a massage parlor at 3527C Grand Avenue had been cited for soliciting and subsequently evicted.

My more recent comeuppance came via an email and photo to the Grand Lake Yahoo Group from Richard Blakely followed in short order by another from Adam Van de Water. It seems that three Doggie Diner heads had been parked in front of the Grand Lake Theatre the previous evening. Carlos Rubinstein added that they were there in connection with the showing of "Black Wave" which seems to have no connection whatsoever to the late Doggie Diner or their namesake heads. But on Grand Avenue, they're always looking for an excuse to party and, in this case, I didn't make the "A List".

Fortunately, Holly Healy (from Sarber's Cameras) did and she managed to capture this absolutely exquisite, whimsical photo.

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