After hitting a few delays, the team behind SHAKEWELL in Oakland are happy to announce they are officially opening on Thursday July 10th. In our original piece, we noted that owners Jen Biesty and Tim Nugent are opening their eclectic Cal-Spanish concept on Lakeshore Avenue in Oakland. You can look at a preview menu here; we’ll have more for you next week, including details on the cocktails and the space (designed by The Bon Vivants Design+Build). Open for cocktails at 4pm, dinner at 5:30pm, closed Mondays. 3407 Lakeshore Ave. at Trestle Glen.
Oakland institution FENTONS CREAMERY is celebrating their 120th anniversary this year, can you believe it? They are celebrating with a big party on Sunday July 20th from 12pm-3pm in their parking lot. There will be free barbecue, free scoops of some of their signature flavors (did you know they invented toasted almond?), and the junior size of their Black and Tan sundae will be available for $1.20 (normally, it’s $9.25). Plus, 4-H, their community partner for July, will be on hand with animals to meet and greet, and the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse will be leading craft activities. Oh, and there will also be a raffle with lots of ice creamy prizes and a DJ playing nostalgic music. Happy birthday, Fentons! 4226 Piedmont Ave. at Entrada, Oakland, 510-658-7000.
As previously reported in tablehopper, Jay Porter has taken over the former home of Taco Grill near the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland. The new place is called THE HALF ORANGE and is opening today for lunch. The menu is small and focused, with a burger made with Marin Sun Farms beef, a housemade sausage sandwich, and some Mexican-inspired plates like Ensenada-style beef tongue. For now, hours are only Mon-Fri 11:30am-2pm, with dinner hours (and a beer and wine license) coming soon. 3340 E. 12th St. at 33rd Ave., Oakland, 510-500-3338.
Eater snagged some additional details on Chris Pastena’s newest venture, a Mexican restaurant in Uptown Oakland’s new development, The Hive. Pastena has partnered with Michael Iglesias and Jessica Sackler, both of Coqueta, on the Mexican project, which is called CALAVERA and should be opening in early 2015. The menu will be focused on traditional cooking methods and high-quality ingredients, prepared in house, including flour and corn tortillas. There will also be a wide selection of mezcal and tequila, with a bar run by Joe Cleveland of Coqueta. 2337 Broadway at 24th St., Oakland.
Starting Monday July 14th, OFF THE GRID is offering a new place for Monday dinner in Uptown Oakland. From 5pm-9pm there will be eight food trucks at the corner of William and Telegraph, with a rotating lineup of trucks that includes El Porteño, Doc’s of the Bay, and Roderick’s BBQ. William St. at Telegraph Ave., Oakland.
Squid salad at Shakewell. Photo: Devon Miller.
