plum bar

comfortable chic. went there with my sister last night and dug it.

it was good

chef daniel patterson closed the restaurant for a week and reopened it as ume (japanese for plum) with a shift in focus toward california cuisine with a japanese influence.

my fiancé found the spot and we decided to go there based on all the raving review of the new restaurant in town. we got there which was immediately upon opening and  we figured as the first customers we were a shoo-in but we were sadly mistaken and were told that they were fully booked for the night but could see what they could do. it must have been our lucky night, because they were able to squeeze us in at the bar. very lucky in fact, because they people who came in behind us (also without a reservation) got turned away at the door. sitting at the bar also made the experience greater since you sit right in front of the action of the chef preparing the food. we started off with the yellowtail ceviche (was like a ceviche but not called one on the menu). it was fresh, light and the perfect palette cleanser.   then we moved onto the warm oxtail and potatoes. the oxtail was tender and tasty (although i have a liking for it to

plum is an oasis of high quality in a land of good enough for the hipsters of uptown. each dish is thoughtful, well executed and nicely presented. i eat here 2-3 times a month and have never had a clunker dish.
service is professional. sit at the chefs counter and watch it all unfold.
menu changes frequently but it's always inventive and exciting.
fish dishes are beautiful, light and elegant. meat dishes are intense and not too overwhelming. first courses are often a soup or octopus or creative vegetable dishes.
great bar next door too! so quality cocktails are available!

entertaining and very good...make sure you have money. food was creative and watching the preparation was like watching a well choreographed ballet. at the end of a mostly satisfying meal i realized, hmmm, that was kind of pricey for what we had...$150 for two people. oh well. while there was one dish that was mediocre, service was excellent all the way.
would i go again?yes, but would probably have less wine. prices for wine on many wine lists in sf/oakland are cha-ching-cha-ching.

it was a flawless clash of textures; a beautifully rich, soft patty cooked rare but with some bite, and topped with an incredible alpine concoction of caramelised onions and cheese.

flavor wizards. on my third visit to plum restaurant last monday evening, i sat at the cooks' station. it's a treat to watch the artistry of the kitchen. i was also impressed with the popularity of this uptown oakland spot, especially for a monday evening. the restaurant was bustling and had an energized vibe.

plum restaurant and bar has a new executive chef, manfred wrembel. (formerly from incanto) and he has made welcome upgrades to the menu, moving it forward in many ways. his hand made gnocci is unbelievable! we also ordered the cauliflower soup (heaven on a spoon), baked spaetzle (green goodness), rainbow trout with sunchoke (perfection!!!). all the flavors were clean and complimentary. the desserts are awesome, too. try the white chocolate parfait or the chocolate tart. the chefs at plum are flavor wizards. dishes are beautifully presented without feeling too fussy. portions are just right. i am planning my next visit!

great food, fun but beware. returned to plum recently with friends in a small party of 3. tried most of the items on the menu - or let's say a lot of them. we loved every single dish - some were superb and unique, particularly the starter plates. we had cocktails and wine and thought the wine was good and a very reasonable price. its a unique bay area feel and crowd and everyone had a great time. but, here's the big but. they include a 16% service charge for all parties - not just large ones - in the bill and didn't tell us. its so dark in the restaurant, we could barely read the bill let alone the fine print so we tipped generously on top of that. no one said a word. we ended up tipping 35% approx. and we tipped on the tip! the waiter was clearly dishonest and we have to suspect we're not the first to have had such an experience. so, go enjoy the food but watch your bill!!!


-----01 mar, 2011-----

happy addition to oakland. i went here for a special occasion and wasn't disappointed. the food is good - not always great - but fun and with a little attention to detail could be great. we were a group of 3 and shared everything. most of the dishes were very good although i got the sense that they still are working out the kinks as a couple of the dishes fell a bit flat, under-seasoned or not fully developed in concept. not bad, just nothing to remember. so, there's lots of great energy around this restaurant and i'm happy to have it here. i hope they focus some energy on really working out their dishes.

i was looking for a place close to home that was open for a late dinner and this looked like the perfect place. although the menu was small, the plates we tried were absolutely delicious and full of fresh, savory flavor. i particularly enjoyed the pepper appetizer and the cheeeseburger with gruyere. the ambiance was romantic but not stuffy and woud be good for a casual date or evening with a small group of friends. i will definitely be back here in the future and would like to try one of the cocktails next time.

plum is well worth the effort of the easy bart train ride to oakland. starter: fried smelt with mortared peas, hazelnut, and meyer lemon. plum’s oyster & potato stew with parsley, frisee, and espellete. this is a truly spectacular dish. wild nettle & green garlic soup with smoked potato and preserved lemon at plum. plum’s roasted beets with white strawberries, arugula rabe, goat cheese, and rose. another amazing dish at plum: smoked farm egg with butter beans, peas, mushrooms, and radishes.

omg-horrid. at $100 a person you can do much better. arrived with our party of 6 to a nearly empty restaurant, seated, water glasses and then nothing. after 15 minutes of wondering where was anybody who worked at the place, our waiter arrived and told us we would only be served the chefs tasting menu- we would not be allowed to order off the regular menu. huh? after some back and forth we let the waiter know we didn't really care about food timing and the chef could deliver up the food at his own pace. no deal. the waiter finally relented when we told him we really werent a party of six but really a party of four and a party of two. hmmm- separate checks? yes. chef daniel patterson and his staff should be required to watch jack nicholson's classic restaurant scene where he wants egg salad but the waitress tells him he can't because they only serve egg salad sandwiches. funny at a roadside diner, not so funny when the bill is over $600.

plum is yum...... from the sassafras soda to the onion soup....omg the onion soup!!!! it was the most beautifully fulfilling tasting soup i've ever had...the flavors meld soooo sweetly, the texture soooo creamy and good. that's something you wanna have at home with a ham panini : ) as far as the place and atmosphere...it's nothing less than date night...it has a truly sexy vibe in there...the pure deliciousness of the food makes it super sexy. i went with friends, but make sure you go with someone special and do not forget to get the chocolate dessert.....sexy!!!!!!! i will be back again, hopefully real soon!

i do know is that plum has delicious, straightforward, satiating food. and it’s worth the travel over the bridge. ’nuff said.

amazing. what a wonderful meal. the new onion soup with date paste was sublime. the beet salad amazing. the broccoli dish was salty and oily but the waiter handled it beautifully - offered an altermative and comped the dish. great sitting at the counter watching the efficient creation of each dish. great evening. thanks plum!