The Zeitgeist of Island Food


    How does Alameda restaurant cuisine compare with the rest of the Bay Area?
    That’s a question Oakland Magazine critic Stett Holbrook takes up in a chef’s roundtable discussion with a few of Alameda’s best chefs—John Thiel of Pappo, Saboor Zafari of Angela’s Restaurant, Rudy Duran of C’era Una Volta, Takao Minatoya of Angel Fish and Peter Kahl of Speisekammer—in this issue.
    The article, “Alameda Chefs Speak Out,” ought to generate a lot of interest about the state of fine food on the Island. Holbrook contends that the bar is being raised higher these days, and these chefs seem to agree. Even so, Alameda Magazine continues to publish restaurant features, not restaurant reviews, though the new and updated listings in the Dining Guide do offer assessments of the restaurants we visit.
    Holbrook sticks to eight questions, ranging from, “What is Alameda cuisine?” to “What do you enjoy most about what you do?” The question I most wanted to know was, “Where do you eat on the Island?” Their answers may surprise you. Could be I’m a little obsessed with where chefs and celebs go to eat in Alameda; regardless, I delighted in finding out in other articles in this issue that Café Enrico finds favored status with Octavio Guzman, owner of La Piñata, as well as with Alameda newcomer, Golden State Warriors forward Matt Barnes.
    Speaking of the Warriors, it was Alameda restaurant owner Paul Wong who got last season’s magical “We Believe” campaign going, and the movement started at his business, the Hawaiian Drive Inn. If you’re wondering exactly what motivated Wong to go to such lengths as a fan, Marcus W. Thompson II has a doozy of a tale in “He Believed.”
    It’s hard to consider Alameda food without mentioning the Island’s own Julia Child, Weezie Mott, 85, who has been teaching French-style cooking classes out of her home for decades and, until recently, led European gastronomic tours with her husband, Howard. Contributor Wanda Hennig sits down with the ever-busy Weezie for an update in Around Town.
    Another feature article in this issue looks at the Alameda social scene. If getting dressed up and going out is your thing, Mary McInerney has got you covered in “A Night on the Town,” a helpful primer on what you need to know for the perfect night out. Even better, the article includes a list of must-attend Alameda galas and benefits. Read on to plan your social events for the season.






Judith M. Gallman
judy@alamedamagazine.com