Classic soul and Southern specialties reimagined in a sophisticated
California setting sounds like a recipe for boring, bloodless faux
food. But Pican, a striking new eatery in Oakland’s burgeoning Uptown
district, pulls it off with a menu of revitalized old favorites that
are as satisfying as they are inventive. Fried chicken is brined,
battered in buttermilk, and served with earthy truffle honey. There’s a
luscious slab of pork belly glazed in maple and served with pea shoots
and black-eyed peas. Tender, smoky barbecued ribs come with a
peanut-ribboned jalapeño coleslaw. And the she-crab soup, shrimp
and grits, mac ‘n’ cheese, and warm, feathery biscuits are not to be
missed. Sassafras ice cream and house-made pralines make delicious
meal-closers, and the wrought iron/pecan-wood setting is ideal for a
snifter of single-barrel bourbon (Picán has the widest selection
of corn liquor in the Bay Area). The restaurant also offers a sumptuous
Sunday brunch complete with beignets, crawfish biscuits and gravy, and
New Orleans Ramos Fizzes.
TRENDING:
.Best Southern/Soul Food
Picán