After 10 years of serving the best fried chicken and waffles in West Oakland, Tanya Holland has officially closed her famed and beloved BROWN SUGAR KITCHEN at 2534 Mandela Parkway. It just wasn’t profitable, in spite of its popularity, and the maintenance and upkeep (trash, graffiti) was expensive. [Via Eater.]
She’s focused on her two upcoming locations (2295 Broadway in Uptown Oakland and the San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace), and news just came out that she created a menu for Whole Foods Market Oakland’s Floodcraft Taproom (at 230 Bay Place). You’ll find snacks like yam wedges with Creole spice and sweet corn and jalapeño hush puppies, small plates like jerk pork belly sliders with pineapple-cabbage slaw, and larger plates like a Creole BBQ burger on a Firebrand bun and a fried chicken sandwich (it was all designed to pair with Floodcraft’s beer list). Best wishes to Tanya on her new projects, we’re all looking forward.
Over at FLORA RESTAURANT & BAR in Oakland, Rebecca Boice (previously Zuni Cafe) is the new executive chef. She’s integrating some Italian influences on the menu—look for comforting “cucina della nonna” and dishes inspired by her travels, like calia e simenza ( a Sicilian street food snack of crispy chickpeas and pumpkin seeds), housemade focaccia, market-driven salads, pasta, grilled meats, braises, and meatballs. 1900 Telegraph Ave. at 19th St., Oakland.
There’s a second location of BEAUTY’S BAGEL SHOP now open in Uptown. Open Mon-Fri 7am-3pm for now. 1700 Franklin St. at 17th St., Oakland.
Whoa, over in Berkeley, SPENGER’S FISH GROTTO unexpectedly and abruptly closed after being open since, oh, 1890. Jamestown, the investment and management company that owns Spenger’s, along with the Fourth Street development it’s part of (as well as Ghirardelli Square) announced this: “”We look forward to repositioning Spenger’s with an innovative concept that makes the most of the DNA from the pre-1950s.” You can read more in this Berkeleyside post. 1919 4th St. at University, Berkeley.
BSK’s impeccable waffles (at its original location). Yelp photo by Pei K.
