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Oakland Magazine »  Dining »  Restaurant Guide

Restaurant Guide

Encuentro

Categories:
  • Vegan, Vegetarian

Essential Information

202 Second St.,
Oakland, CA

510-832-9463

Rejoice, vegans and vegetarians: This is the place for you and serious eating. “Encuentro” means to “encounter” or “gather,” and this new JLS cafe and wine bar has already established itself as a local hangout sporting a superb vegetarian and vegan menu in tapas style. In the corner of a modern industrial loft building, Encuentro feels unfussy and informal, a slight contrast to its sophisticated cuisine. The founding owner/chef partners Eric Tucker, Lacey Sher and Linda Braz do wonders with salads, small plates and sandwiches. They work magic with celery root, beets, mushrooms, beans, cauliflower, potatoes, cheeses and seasonings. (Watch for an explosion of green veggies and tomatoes as the seasons turn and the bounty in local markets expands.) They don’t go out of their way to emulate pork, chicken or beef — although there’s tempeh bacon, seitan sausage and tempeh sausage — because they know how to achieve richness and heartiness with ingredients that never had to confront the business end of a meat cleaver or boning knife. Recent tempters: Uncle Eddie’s wild hen deviled eggs, a farro and smoked goat cheddar salad, crispy smashed potatoes, truffled mushroom pecan pate and portobello mushroom bocadillo. There is an intriguing list of boutique local and Old World wines, a good selection of microbrews, non-alcoholic “grown-up” sodas and ice tea and press pot coffee and special teas. The fare exhibits enough confidence and panache to assure that Encuentro can be just about anything it wants to when it grows up. Serves dinner Tue.–Sat. (Reservations 5 or more.)

Additional Information

Area: Jack London Square / Waterfront

Price: $

Features:
Beer And Or Wine
Credit Cards Accepted
Reservations Accepted
Wheelchair Accessible

Website: http://www.encuentrooakland.com