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News • California • United States • 2012-10-04

Food & Drink Newsletter in Oakland,

Feasting at Fall Festivals

Enjoy the late summer weather at Oakland\'s fall food festivals such as Rockridge Out & About on October 7, with plenty of treats and entertainment for the whole family. Celebrate Octoberfest Oakland-style with Oaktoberfest in the Dimond, including craft beer & food, entertainment and a traditional Biergarten. Kids won\'t be left out - there will be a Root Biergarten for the little ones to enjoy. On October 6-7, head to West Oakland for the Peralta Junction Grand Opening, a pop-up creative space in West Oakland featuring art, food trucks, pumpkin carving and other carnival-related activities. Or head to the Oakland Black Cowboy Parade & Festival, celebrating the memory of the black cowboys who settled the American West with food vendors and entertainment. Experience the Armenian Food Festival on October 5 at St. Vartan Armenian Church, including authentic Armenian cuisine, music and dancing. Koreatown Northgate will also host its annual Culture Fest on October 5, including live music, martial arts demonstrations, and of course great food. For more fall food festivals, see visitoakland.org/calendar.

Bagel Fever

Oakland has often been compared to Brooklyn, and now there is another reason why. Over the past few months, the city has welcomed three new bagel shops - Beauty\'s Bagel, Old Brooklyn Bagels & Deli, and Authentic Bagel Company. Near Temescal, Beauty\'s Bagel Shop emulates Montreal-style wood-fired bagels, meaning that the bagels are hand-rolled and then boiled in honey water, and finally baked in a wood-fired oven. Patrons can choose from a lengthy list of bagel sandwiches, or opt for one of many toppings and cream cheese flavors. Old Brooklyn Bagels & Deli in Rockridge also boils and bakes their bagels daily. And to add to the Brooklyn/Oakland connection, the bagel sandwiches are named after Oakland and New York neighborhoods. At Authentic Bagel Company near Jack London Square, two East Coast brothers have come together to create an East Coast meets West Coast bagel, blending West Coast sourdough with East Coast texture. For more Oakland bagel offerings, see visitoakland.org/foodanddrink.

Oakland Gears Up for Restaurant Week

This January 18-27, 2013, Visit Oakland will host the third annual Oakland Restaurant Week, held in correlation with Visit California Restaurant Month, a statewide program celebrating California cuisine. Oakland has been lauded in the news for its thriving culinary scene, including praise from The New York Times, Boston Globe, VIA, Food & Wine Magazine, and more. This ten day celebration invites visitors and locals to enjoy some of the best cuisine in the Bay Area. Participating restaurants will offer a prix fixe menu for lunch or dinner at $20, $30, or $40. Some restaurants may include a glass of wine or beer with a meal, or an additional appetizer or dessert. Be sure to mark your calendars and keep an eye out for the latest Restaurant Week news. If you are a restaurant interested in participating, please email pr@visitoakland.org.

Recreate Chop Bar\'s Grilled Veggie Mojo

Looking for the perfect recipe for your next get-together? Look no further - Chop Bar shares their secrets for the delicious Grilled Veggie Mojo dish, ideal for dips, sandwich spreads, or as a sauce for meats and veggies.

Ingredients:

- 4 red bell peppers

- 4 ripe Roma tomatoes

- 4 cloves of garlic

- 1 medium yellow onion

- 1/2 cup to 1 cup of olive oil

- 1 bunch of cilantro, coarsely chopped

- Pimenton de la Vera or Paprika

- A little bit of sherry vinegar

- Salt

Directions:

First, coarsely chop, oil and season the veggies. Char on a grill or griddle if possible, or just roast in a hot oven until soft. Then, put the veggies into a food processor with the sherry vinegar. Turn on the processor and slowly drizzle in the oil (add oil to your discretion). It is recommended to stop pouring once the color begins to lighten.

Add the cilantro for the last 20 seconds or so, leaving the pieces fairly large. Taste, and adjust the flavor with the salt, vinegar, and Pimenton or Paprika. Make a double or triple batch, it lasts a week or more and is good to have on standby in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Catch Bites Off Broadway\'s Last Hoorah

Food trucks have become a coveted attraction in Oakland. Oakland was even one of the first cities in the country to permit a mobile food vending program. The summer season of Bites Off Broadway will end on October 12, so be sure to frequent a food truck before the pods are gone for the winter. The main Bites Off Broadway is in front of the Studio One Art Center, but you can also find the trucks in eight different locations, including Clay Street (between 14th & 16th), Webster Street (between 2nd & 3rd), and Splash Pad Park. Sample delicious treats from Fist of Flour, Tina Tamale, Doc\'s of the Bay, Nom Nom and more. Check the website for details on operating dates and times.

In This Issue

Fall Festivals

Bagel Fever

Restaurant Week

Chop Bar\'s Veggie Mojo

Bites Off Broadway

Culinary Events

Calendar of Events

Check out the latest festivals, markets and culinary happenings at Visit Oakland\'s Calendar of Events.

Neighborhood Maps

The

Visit Oakland interactive

Neighborhood Maps let you explore the streets, helping find cafes and restaurants near other businesses.

Oakland Recipes

Find inspiration for dinner tonight at Visit Oakland\'s Recipes section. You\'ll find favorites from local restaurants, cafes and bars.

New Arrivals

Borgo Italia (Old Oakland) - 499 9th Street

Donut Dolly (Temescal) - 482 B 49th Street at Telegraph

Donut Savant (Uptown) - 1934 Broadway

Hopscotch (Uptown) - 1915 San Pablo Avenue

Nido (Jack London Square) - 444 Oak Street

Portal (Lake Merritt) - 1611 2nd Avenue

Sobo Ramen (Chinatown) - 388 9th Street

Coming Soon

Camber (Downtown) - 1540 Broadway

CommonWealth Cafe & Pub (Reopening) - 2882 Telegraph Avenue

Feezy (Uptown) - 1707 Telegraph Avenue

Forge (Jack London Square) - 66 Franklin Street

Loring Cafe (Uptown) - 37 Grand Avenue

Next Door (TBD)

Old Depot (Jack London Square) - 464 3rd Street

Ramen Shop (Rockridge) - 5812 College Avenue

Sweet Bar Bakery (Uptown) - Broadway

Township (Uptown) - 1545 Broadway

Tribune Tavern (Downtown) - 409 13th Street

Umami Burger (Uptown) - 2100 Franklin Street

Culinary Events

Camino Oktoberfest - Grand Lake, October

Savor Oakland Food Tours - Jack London Square, Ongoing

Umami Mart Ramen Shop Noodle-Making Demonstration - Old Oakland, October 5 Gangnam Style Dishcrawl - Downtown Oakland, October 10

Dia de los Muertos Festival - Fruitvale; October 28

ONGOING:

Arctic Tours: Fenton\'s Creamery

Tuesdays: Free cuppings at 2 p.m. - Blue Bottle Coffee

First Wednesday of the Month: Wine Wednesdays - JC Cellars

Fridays: Free tastings at Oakland Starbucks Coffee Company from 2 p.m. - close

Fridays: Old Oakland Farmers Market - Old Oakland

Fridays & Saturdays: Weekly Wine Tastings at Farmstead Cheeses & Wines

Fridays & Saturdays: Dinner, a Movie and the Universe - Chabot Space & Science Center

First Saturday Tastings: Taste the latest releases at Stage Left Cellars 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturdays: Grand Lake Farmers Market - Grand and Lake Park Avenues

Sundays: Montclair Famers Market- La Salle at Moraga Avenues

Sundays: Temescal Farmers Market- 5300 Claremont

Sundays: Jack London Square Market - Broadway and Embarcadero

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