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Comment Archives: stories: Food & Drink
Re: “A Burger for the End of Civilization”
No son we are not bourgeois, we have been here with the ups and downs. when the streets were down...My father was not a professional he was a lumper, but you probably do not know what that is. My mom worked for Bordens and I worked for Jim at the old 76 on Mac and Harrison for a buck an hour. Many of us participated in the Civil and anti war movemensts. There would have been no Panther symbol in Oakland without Mark Comfort and us in ODAC, but then you probably do not know what that was either, and we continued to contribute and still do to the fabric of our community which by your comment you know nothing about. We were the first black family on Santa Clara Ave...my sister and brother were the second and third black students at Lakeview..you take your emoticon self and take a good look in the mirror and ask yourself where you will be inthe next four or five decades of your life. So if you want class bonafides and want to brag on the working class, I will spit back at your lumpen ass too!
Re: “A Burger for the End of Civilization”
The hamburgers are no bueno, many other choices on the street that don't charge you an arm and leg for a small burger. Unfortunately this is how the "New Oakland" has become. Silver spoon having owners selling marked up small plates to the hipsters and others who will choose to support a place like this. It is a very sad time in Oakland right now and I don't think it will ever go back to how it was. I'm glad I was born and raised in Oakland, but in five years its won't be recognizable
Re: “A Burger for the End of Civilization”
The mural controversy will keep me away. It could have and should have been saved. No worries there are plenty of hipsters in the area not concerned with our history. I will continue to go to Sparky's and Barney's, Fentons if I want a burger,as on the whole there are no shortages of eateries on the Ave.
Re: “A Burger for the End of Civilization”
I'm with Mr. Price. Shame on the Express for pandering to this vandal. There are plenty of burgers available from people who respect the neighborhood. When he puts the mural back, it might be worth considering his wares. As long as the mural is gone, that's all we need to know about his establishment.
Re: “A Burger for the End of Civilization”
Hey Luke, did you ever SEE the mural? I have lived in the Piedmont Ave are for 30 years, and the mural painted by Rocky Rische-Baird in the same style as his other mural on the Gaylord's building on 41st St. was both visually impressive and a wonderful historical record for Oakland. There are many people in the neighborhood who are more than a little amazed by the arrogance of the new tenant who took it into his own hands to rip down a distinguished piece of local historical art without bothering to consult properly with representatives of the area. I would normally welcome a new restaurant with some well-prepared offerings, but in this case, all I have is a bad taste in my mouth. Some sort of public apology and good-faith offer to try and make up for what is clearly an egregious error would go a long way to fixing the rift that exists. All I have seen so far from the owner is defensive comments about how he did all he reasonably could have, which is has not served him well in the eyes of the neighborhood.
Re: “A Minor Victory Against Gentrification in West Oakland”
EBX is our Fox News... not fair... not balanced.
Re: “A Minor Victory Against Gentrification in West Oakland”
Are not the members of Qilombo engaging in gentrification by converting a "dilapidated, needle-strewn lot" into a community garden ?
This article seems to be a bit hypocritical to me. The owner, Yi, appears prepared to sell the lot if Qilombo wish to buy it. If Qilombo do not have sufficient funds and it's considered important to the city to gentrify this land then perhaps Oakland city council could buy it from Yi using the tax money we pay, and the city could gift the land to Qilombo.
Re: “A Burger for the End of Civilization”
Everyone beware of the Mural People of Piedmont Ave -they hold an insatiable grudge.
Re: “A Minor Victory Against Gentrification in West Oakland”
It kinda seems like appropriation of other people's property. An honest journalist would ask if the development would add housing to one of tightest housing markets in the country? as in Why are people being displaced - why is housing SO so expensive and why don't we build enough? also wont the development contribute tax dollars to local schools/city programs? It really seems like these individuals are engaging in a more "grass-roots" type of gentrification but gentrification nonetheless. The title of this article shows the lack of balance reporting. I agree with Matt's comments on here... EBX is just another FOX news - Far Left.
Re: “Oakland's Miliki Offers Nigerian Food for Beginners”
Wow, this article was extremely insulting from beginning to end. It was "challenging" this and "adventurous" that. You need better adjectives. Yea Nigerian food isn't made for the "american" pallet, meaning its not covered in salt fat and sugar. But just because it isn't, doesn't mean it has to be seen as an "adventure" to eat it, geez. Do better next time, its not hard.
Re: “A Burger for the End of Civilization”
Serving hamburgers in a drought? Nothing short of criminal! End of civilization indeed! Mold in a drought? Unheard of! Mold needs water to survive! Hmmm...
Re: “Lanesplitter Workers Quit in Protest”
This sounds a lot like people expecting more from their part-time job than is realistic. If these former employees went to Domino's making pizzas of dough powder A and pizza sauce B -would they be better off? If so, then go fill out an application. Honestly, and this is coming from someone who started working at 15 and did so all through school, I don't expect a pizzeria to provide what these former employees expect it to. I worked hourly in retail and restaurants until my last year in college and, wow, I had some bad, bad bosses. One boss was so mental I quit right in the middle of my rush hour shift -no one called the newspaper over it. As a professional I still have had to change jobs because my bosses were nightmares. I feel for these people, and then I totally don't.
Re: “A Minor Victory Against Gentrification in West Oakland”
I should also add that I am all for community gardening and food education. There are examples of parcels where developers could have allowed the community to use the open space pre-development, but opted against it noting that they would encounter unwanted attention and potential battles over displacement ONCE the development was ready to get off the ground. I resisted believing that, but that argument rings true to me now. I am neither for or against the actions, I just think the reporting was far too tilted - as if meant to be a persuasive narrative rather accurate.
Re: “Breakfast of Champions”
Fabulous review.
I am a local and am very happy with Sequoias.
There was much buzz about this place in the neighborhood before they opened up and I wondered if they could meet expecations.
They definitely have.
The homefries are unsurpassed.
Re: “A Minor Victory Against Gentrification in West Oakland”
If we had squatters rights for taking over derelict and neglected property we would have owners investing in maintaining them. Also there would be incentive for owners to collaborate with community agriculture groups. Cuba has laws that anyone can farm unused and neglected land and it works. Havana has some of the most productive urban ag on the planet
Re: “A Minor Victory Against Gentrification in West Oakland”
Ah yes, the old G-word.
"We want these troubled neighborhoods to rise up, clean up their streets, add more businesses and food options, fix their blighted property, generate more tax revenue for the city, increase their safety, chase out the drug dealers, repave the roads, and provide a bounty of new public spaces and services. Also, gentrification is the enemy and we should fight it at all costs."
To be clear I don't take issue with the community garden's victory. This is a great thing and a worthwhile use of the land. I do take issue with Gentrification being the automatic "bad guy" in every scenario. It's more nuanced than that, and I would urge the Express to consider both sides of the issue. Gentrification can take many forms — it's not always greedy scheming developers and rich 'uncultured' white people squeezing out the natives like Chris Columbus.
Re: “This Hole-in-the-Wall Is Doing What No Other Restaurant in Oakland Is”
Can't wait to check it out! But East 23nd St and 10th Ave is Clinton, not Eastlake. https://localwiki.org/oakland/Clinton https://localwiki.org/oakland/Merritt
Re: “Pass the Bourbon, Hold the Beef”
This review nailed it.
We don't usually go to high-priced places, but my partner and I decided to try this place on my birthday. It was a terrible experience: the server paid little attention to us and when she did, she tried twice to rush us to a bill, the seafood my partner got was overcooked, the rib eye I ordered took an hour-and-a-half to get (medium) and was lukewarm when I got it.
I highly recommend NOT wasting your money here. There are plenty of places in Rockridge that are a far-better investment.
Re: “A Burger for the End of Civilization”
Bougie Piedmont creeps obsessed with a moldy mural need real problems to complain about. This restaurant IMPROVES your neighborhood much more than the mural ever did!