Former state senator (and Oakland mayoral candidate) Don Perata was closer to the mark last week when he was quoted saying: "I'll put our top 10 restaurants against the top 10 in San Francisco any day." He didn't list them, apparently. But when Perata's state-leased Dodge Charger was carjacked from under him in Temescal last year, he was mere blocks from Doña Tomas, Pizzaiolo, and Bakesale Betty, three superb Oakland destinations. In 2007, the Doña Tomas owners opened Flora, a New American spot in Uptown, whose neighbors include Luka's Taproom, Ozumo, and the upscale Southern place Pícan.
Pizzaiolo's Charlie Hallowell is planning a pizza spin-off in the Grand Lake neighborhood, already home to Camino, Sidebar, and Taste of Joy Southern Bistro. And Alison Barakat was hoping for a Thanksgiving opening for the Uptown clone of Bakesale Betty.
But wait, there's more! Tomorrow we'll report on developments in Jack London Square and along Piedmont Avenue.
