Commis

I was attending a conference in Berkeley and decided to have dinner in the area to delay getting on the freeway during rush hour. Chez Panisse was still closed from a recent fire so I turned to Yelp to find another place to eat. I came upon Commis in Oakland--a 1-starred Michelin restaurant. This was quite a find. Prix fixe dinner of 8 courses for $75, plus $45 for wine pairing. You get what is being served that night--only choice is dessert or cheese course for $5 supplement. The dishes were amazing and some were reminiscent of Arzak. We were so impressed.

Commis is located at 3859 Piedmont Ave. I couldn't find the name on the building, just the number. Commis refers to a junior or apprentice chef position. The chef & owner apparently trained at El Bulli and Arzak, therefore the similarity in the styles.

It's a small restaurant. I think there are only 22 seats. The kitchen is open and you can see all the action. If you prefer, you can reserve one of the 4 places at the bar and watch the action in the kitchen.

 

Amuse Bouche--Herbed Toast with Trout Roe. I never had trout roe before. It was nice and briny with a tiny pop of liquid.

 

Pacific Oyster with Mustard Cream Mousse of Pea Leaves paired with Saint-Peray, Rhone Valley, Les Vins de Vienne 2011. The mousse complemented the oyster well but the wine really made the dish shine.

 

Almaco Jack Perfumed with Yuzu Citrus Leaves, Black Radish and Wild Anise paired with Rose of Touriga Nacional, Luchsinger, Clear Lake, Arnot-Roberts 2012.

 

Sweet English Pea Porridge with Artichoke and Spring Flora in a Delta Crayfish Broth paired with Semillon, Hunter Valley, De Iuliis 2011. The English pea was bright green and bursting with fresh-off-the-vine taste. The crayfish broth was so flavorful.

 

Housemade bread was served next. This was light and chewy--just the right texture. I think my husband ate a whole loaf of it.

 

Slow Poached Farm Egg with Sweet & Savory Spices, Warm Potato paired with Anjou, Rogeries, Domaine Richou, 2010. This was my favorite dish of the evening. The egg was perfectly poached and the potato soup was creamy and delicious. There was one chef who prepared the poached eggs all night long, taking the whites off the yolk without breaking them.

 

Scallop with Celeriac Spiced with Nasturtium Leaves, Black Butter with Bonito and Oxalis paired with Zibibbo, Pietranera, Sicily, Marco de Bartoli 2011. The foam of black butter and bonito was amazing. It was full of flavor and the bonito really shined through. The scallops were perfectly cooked.

 

Tisane of White Button Mushrooms. I loved this as well. The tisane really shined with delicious mushroom flavor.

 

Roast Lamb with a Pistachio and Marjoram Salt, Carrots Glazed in Carotene with Lemon Thyme paired with Mouvedre, the Prospector, El Dorado, Donkey & Goat 2011. This was another great dish. I loved the taste of the lamb with a slight smoky flavor. I generally don't like carrots but these did not taste or have the texture of regular carrots. They were so sweet and tender.

 

Intermezzo--Yogurt Sherbet with Strawberry and Coriander. The coriander seeds had been glazed with sugar and worked so well with the ripe strawberries. The sherbet was delicious.

 

Parsnip Mousse and Parsley Ice Milk, Rhubarb Jelly with Cocao Nib paired with Moscato d'Asti, Piemonte, Cascinetta Vietta 2012. I loved the Rhubarb Jelly--I wanted a whole plate of it. I was surprised that the mousse and ice milk were made with parsnip and parsley. I would not have known because they were sweet and delicious.

 

American Artisan Cheeses (Goat on right and Sheep on left) with Last Season's Apricot and Malted Barley Raisin Bread paired with Pear Cidre, Authentique, Normandy, Eric Bordelet. The cheeses were okay but the pear cider was amazing. I wish we had more cider available here.

 

Mignardise--73% Venezuelan Chocolate, Juniper & Cucumber Gelee and Coffee & Black Pepper Brittle.

 

 

The menu changes by 1 or 2 courses weekly, so every month there is a new menu. This was a great dining experience and we didn't have to fly all the way to San Sebastian. We'll be back!

 

 

2013 04 26