camino

we went here for a special occasion and had one of the worst expensive meals we've ever experienced. we had let them know ahead that we were celebrating a special occasion, yet we were sat at a communal table. our server was surly and unfriendly, our starter was never brought, no one asked how ourmealwas or even if we wanted another drink. the food here is good, but far from amazing which it would need to be to make up for the poor service. i truly can't emphasize how bad our waitress was. i don't think she smiled at us once. we went here for a special occasion and frankly, the whole experience left a bad taste in our mouths and ruined what should have been a very special night celebrating my son's graduation from berkeley. 

we eat in every major city we visit and dine in los angeles frequently, and i've rarely, if ever, had such a bad experience in such a highly rated restaurant. there is no way this place will be around long at this rate. there are so many good restaurants in berkeley and oakland, i would recommend finding another.

never again!!!. we chose to have a special birthday dinner at camino. we chose a monday night, so that we would not have to deal with the weekend crush. there were four of us and on the whole it was a very disappointing experience.

the menu selection was much too limited and for minuscule portions, the prices were exceedingly high.

with the exception of the "stuffed trotter" the food was not very well prepared nor tasty. 

the paella was a disappointment. the dish was bland, the chicken in the paella was overcooked and dry and the sausage in that dish was undercooked. we've eaten paella in homes and restaurants in spain ... the idea is to cook the dish in one pan and have the flavors meld, it is not to assemble the improperly and separately cooked ingredients on the plate. what you served was not paella. the tomato soup was good but the serving size was tiny.

the petrale sole was bland and uninteresting, the skin was not crispy, it was soggy, not what one would expect for fish cooked over an open fire. the tastiest part of themealwas the dessert. although we had appetizers, a main dish each and 2 shared desserts, when we left we were still hungry, which was ridiculous after spending $180 on a dinner that included no frills except one half filled glass of wine.

the service was mediocre, the mainmealwas long in coming, and although we had 2 identical desserts, only one was served, and it was consumed by one couple before the other was brought to the table...we had to remind the waiter that two had been ordered.
seating was at tables in long rows, wood surface, no tablecloths. seating was next to strangers.
frankly, we will never eat there again.

give it a chance. the wood oven here dominates the menu which is limited to some but clean and simple to me. i am filled with millions of choices that i have to make and having a menu with few choices all done to perfection, a limited drink menu that encourages trying something new and a restaurant decor that helps you focus on yourmealis so relaxing to me. the brunches are fantastic, again an oven baked egg dish is devine. this is not for the uber picky sorts but for real fresh food done well. the whole octoberfest thing was marvelous and the boudin blanc specials are some of the soul satisfying meals i have had this year. these folks are craftspeople with hotpads.

in all likelihood, my life in san francisco has followed a trajectory familiar to many other recent arrivals. we came here to join that vain, preening flock cavorting in "the city". as if there were only one city by the bay. east bay crowds are not so craven. they have concluded themselves as urbane and sophisticated as the flock in "the city". they need no one else's affirmation of it. nor does camino. this unassuming storefront gives way to a space that trades on warmth. in the kitchen, pots cluster around the leaping flames of an open fire. in the dining room, unvarnished redwood pillars and old brick walls shelter long communal tables and benches that feel almost like pews. there's a sense that you're here to break bread, and experience amealin an old way. there's nothing old or fussy about the menu. locally sourced ingredients find an assured hand in the kitchen. grilled squid with faro was delicious. so was a lamb ragu. swordfish with butter beans and turnips set me afloat. robust chanterelles were paired with artichokes and sunchokes. this kitchen is one to keep an eye on. i confess the service was uneven. some elements of the decor seem incongruous. the medieval chandeliers draped with laurel boughs, for example. that said, there's an integrity to all these disparate elements that works. camino was born of one man's vision. so many of its cohorts are glossy with the telltale sheen of pr and design shops. it's refreshing to find an altar of earthiness. and where else, but in oakland!

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. goodmealbut 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!