camino

disappointed again but some hope?. so, i've been several times now. i did a review earlier but i wanted to see if they were listening...dinner is still a great disappointment. i, unlike other reviewers, love the huge tables (yes, the chairs are uncomfortable) but the wood is lovely and each time i've been, they make an effort to space our party so we are no closer than we'd be if we were in separate tables jammed in like so many other places. the bright spot is brunch on the weekends. it too is a small menu and not for everyone...very limited choices but if you want a change, each item was delicious and the space was quiet - not full - so we had a relaxing morning. the food was excellent but again only a few choices. the baked eggs with cream and the grilled bread made me very happy. coffees - cappuccino's are small - like european size so some people grumbled but they were perfect - strong and rich. so, camino, if you are listening. please do some re-evaluation of your dinner menu...add one or two more items but mostly make them more interesting!!!!!


-----31 jul, 2008-----

disappointment. i really wanted to love this restaurant. it's in my neighborhood and i've been waiting a long time for a real destination restaurant to make it here.
but, sadly, the food was just o.k. everything i ate, except the lovely chicken was bland or uninspired. i had a halibut salad with "crushed herbs" that should have sparkled with the freshness of the herbs but instead was flat. all the sides to the chicken (blanched greenbeans and polenta) were also bland and just like a side you'd get at a million restaurants. dessert was promising - a honey creme fraiche mousse with roasted plums - but again bland. no discernable flavor of honey - just a mouthful of cold creme. there were 4 small halves of plums that should have elevated the dish but were too few to flavor the mousse and also too sweet (not tart) to balance the dish. so, my review is this. good meal but with such a limited menu, each dish should be perfect. attention needs to be paid to the details if you want to rely on the fresh taste of the ingredients!

camino is a restaurant in the grand lake area of oakland, california that opened in 2008. this restaurant is run by chez panisse alumni and has ever changing menu with only 3 entrees. food depends on what is in season and available that day. focus is on o

i've tried really hard to like this place. the menu is too limited, the seats uncomfortable, the service was pretentious, the food was good. why they aren't serving pizza's....because the chef/owner has been there and done that. i had high hopes, but two tries, and both times adequate, not outstanding. so unless someone takes me i won't be back.

i went to camino, expecting an interesting interior with
fabulous food; it was disappointing on all accounts.
just because the chef has worked at chez panisse does not make it a great restaurant. i noticed the tables were family style. i got there with reservations,to dine early and the hostess would not put me on the end as i did not want to be part of another's
dining experience. she declined. i felt stuck!

the seating is horrible!!! the tables are unusually
wide which puts you far across the table from your
dining partner. if you are unlucky to sit on the bench
you must strain across the table to talk, in addition,
the benches are hard with not possibility of sitting
comfortably back . besides that the diners next to you are very close which makes getting out of your seat difficult and awkward. the noise level is deafening

the food is okay, not great, given the incredibly uncomfortable seating arrangements. it is just not
noteworthy. yes, the oven is attractive and so are the
brick walls. that is not worth the prices and discomfort one must endure to dine. if you want great
food go to a'cote.

my friend vee and i met for cocktails. sad to say no olives for our drinks? very disappointed. i understand the goal of be all organic. no ketal one vodka second and fatal disappointment. i cannot recommed as the experience was not good.0

we met mank and cdr for dinner after work last friday. i walked from the oakland 19th st bart station, taking a nice leisurely stroll along lake merritt where we lived once upon a time. there were herds of fluffy canadian geese patrolling the grass - i ju

the new york times does not usually review oakland's new restaurants. but they made an exception for camino, a new lake merritt restaurant that opened for business on may 18th. camino has impressive parentage -- it is the baby of russell moore, a fomer ch