by Andrew Chalk
The ‘dirty little secret’ is that Oak’d is a front operation for a fine dining restaurant. The tradecraft that keeps it under wraps is prices that are half what you would spend at one of those places that charges you for valet parking and has finely woven white tablecloths.
Executive Chef/co-owner Michael Lane trained at the Culinary Institute of America, worked at Robert Del Grande’s Café Annie in Houston, and other high end gigs, including for Dean Fearing.
Yellow Tomato Gazpacho Soup, Pan Seared Trout with Saffron Jasmine Rice, Smoked Bacon Sea Scallops, and Spanish Almond Cake are not the fare you expect to see at a barbecue place. The secret code for when they are served is “wine dinner”.
All this was on show at Oak’d last week at their sold-out Mediterranean Wine Dinner at which I was an invited media guest. Add to the food wines from Trinchero Family Estates, with commentary from sommelier Joel Dicharry, and a good time was assured.
Feast your eyes below…
Smoked Bacon Sea Scallops was the Dish-of-the-Meal in my book. The smoking of the scallops is a treatment that really embellishes them. Plus, its a change on the usual sautée treatment.
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