Plum Delicious

Patterson Plants a Neighborhood Vibe in Uptown

In April 2010, East Bay foodies finally got the word they’d been waiting for — that Daniel Patterson, who has earned two Michelin stars at his San Francisco restaurant, Coi, was actually, for real, no kidding, going to set up camp in Oakland. But it wouldn’t be in the Jack London Square Market, a grandiose post–Ferry Building dream reduced for the time being to a fantasy mired in delays. And it wouldn’t be called Bracina. Rather, the new plum in the Oaktown dining scene would be exactly that, Plum, and Patterson would set his sights uptown, next door to the space abandoned by the Franklin Square Wine Bar. In May, news broke that Patterson’s Plum chef would be Jeremy Fox, the ambitious founding executive chef behind Napa’s landmark vegetarian restaurant Ubuntu. By August, Fox was out.
But Patterson was not to be deterred. At the end of September, Plum opened, rather quietly it turns out, given the intensity of the buzz around the famously creative chef’s arrival on this side of the bridge. In the first month or so, walk-ins were well within the realm of possibility, at least at the beginning and end of the evenings, which extend, remarkably from 5 p.m. until 1 a.m. every night of the week. Gastronomes noticed, however. When an in-the-know colleague dropped in late on a Monday shortly after Plum’s debut, she spotted famed Danish chef René Redzepi, of Copenhagen’s two Michelin-starred Noma, Restaurant magazine’s Best Restaurant in the World, 2010.
The international set may not speak of Plum in the same reverent tones they reserve for Noma, El Bulli and the French Laundry. But that points to one of the refreshing aspects of Patterson’s Oakland debut. He isn’t trying to re-create Coi in a new location. You won’t find triple-digit tasting menus and wine pairings at Plum. The menu is foam-free, with nary a sliver of gel to test the sensitivity of your palate. The flatware is straightforward, and the bowls and plates are lovely and functional multihued ceramics rather than uniformly white. And without compromising his starkly urbane aesthetic, Patterson has captured a neighborhood tavern vibe, albeit upscale and innovative.
Before Plum opened, Madrid-based writer Lisa Abend — who’s written a book on the stagiaires system at El Bulli (The Sorcerer’s Apprentices) and spent a day in Coi’s kitchen last summer — told me that Patterson was getting more down to earth in his cuisine. The proof is in Plum. But first, let there be no doubt, Patterson is still all about precise cooking and artful presentation. He experiments with familiar and unexpected ingredients, finds and emphasizes their essence, and whether the balance is subtle or the flavors intense, his dishes are deliberately fashioned experiences, and they can change the way you think about food. Still, at Plum, he succeeds at making his art accessible. Portions are small, and servers will advise you to order from all sections of the menu: “snacks,” “to start,” “vegetables and grains,” “animal,” “cheese” and “sweet.” But prices are reasonable, from $4 to $18 or $19 per dish. And if you don’t want to spend $188 for a bottle of 2002 Burgundy or $140 for a 2000 Barolo, you can get a superb wine from more local artisan vintners featured on the list, like the addictively drinkable Banshee Pinot Noir from Sonoma at $38.
We made two visits within Plum’s first eight weeks and, with two different parties of four, tried almost everything on the 21-item menu. The stir-fry salad of charred cabbage, chile vinaigrette, Asian pear, pomegranate and herbs ($9), young carrots in brown butter with pickled garlic, breadcrumbs and purslane ($12) and the assorted cheeses ($13) will be tested at another time, if they’re still on the changing menu. Although the unusual combinations in which Patterson specializes will not be for everyone, all of our dining companions were blown away by the surprises that slowly and steadily unfolded on the tongue. One friend went so far as to ask, “What time do you open for breakfast?”
“We’re only open for dinner,” our sever replied.
“But I have to come back as soon as possible. Tomorrow morning!”
What inspired that and similar “ooh” and “aah” reactions? Falafel-like chickpea fritters drizzled with salsa verde ($4); chewy burnt-onion fig leather ($4); crunchy potato “chicharrones” ($4); a heavenly mousse-like artichoke terrine, with fresh cheese, chervil and black olive vinaigrette ($10); a rhapsodic turnip-apple-miso soup with pepper cream and shiso ($9); roasted red and yellow beets with new onions, sorrel and pistachios ($11); olive oil—braised cauliflower with bulgur, almonds and dandelion salsa verde ($12); creamy new harvest potatoes gleaming with lard and accented with shallots, chanterelles and arugula ($12); Manila clams in a white bean stew with escarole and green beans ($17); a slow-cooked farm egg nestled into farro flavored with chicken giblets ($16); a fork-tender lamb stew with sunchokes, wheatberries, grilled bread and chicories ($18); even more tender sliced roasted pork with a salad of fall vegetables and greens, a spicy squash puree that tasted of coconut milk, and vaudouvan (curry spice) vinaigrette ($18); and a lusciously fatty pork trotter burger with kohlrabi slaw and apple mustard ($14); on the next visit, the burger was beef cheek and oxtail).
I usually don’t mind being too full for dessert, but when I forced myself to join in on the goat cheesecake, the roasted white chocolate parfait and the milk chocolate cream with basil and pine nuts (all $9), I made a silent vow never to pass up anything from pastry chef Bill Corbett.
All of this was enjoyed in a gorgeous, spartan 48-seat setting of reclaimed elm tables, benches and stools, giant repeat-pattern plum graphics on black walls, a bustling open kitchen (with bar seating) and a dazzling oval chandelier that loops over almost the entire space. Patterson’s team — opening chefs Lauren Kiino and Ron Boyd, with Charlie Parker more recently brought in; front-of-the-house pros Charlie Roberts (8½ years at Oliveto) and Katie Schoen (Bay Wolf and Zza’s Enoteca) — executes his vision with friendly meticulousness. And the forthcoming next-door bar, with Scott Beattie putting his superb cocktails into the mix, will sew up the new Franklin Square gourmet triangle. Patterson now lives in Oakland, and still plans to open Bracina (with Kiino’s cooking) in the JLS Market this spring, and he hints that two more restaurants are in line, as well. It’s big news that we’ve got a chef of Patterson’s skill and repute in our midst. It’s even more significant that Patterson gets Oakland.

Plum
California. 2214 Broadway, Oakland, (510) 444-7586. Serves lunch Mon.–Fri., dinner daily. www.plumoakland.com

This article appears in the January-February 2011 issue of Alameda Magazine
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