Wood Tavern – Already Wanting to Return

During a spontaneous visit to Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood, I randomly decided to have lunch at Wood Tavern. What a wonderful surprise it turned out to be! I thoroughly enjoyed the restaurant’s scrumptious food and warm Californian bistro/bar atmosphere.

Peach & Burratta with Prosciutto di Parma – I loved the soft and luscious burratta cheese with the sweet peaches and salty prosciutto. Everything tasted so fresh, and the flavors of each component shined. The dish didn’t even need the balsamic vinegar.

“Surf N’ Turf” Sandwich (Oregon sweet shrimp, prosciutto di parma, English cucumber, garlic aioli) – the flavors were great with the interplay of sweet shrimp with cool, crisp cucumber and rich prosciutto. However, the bread was too thick and was too hard to get through, overpowering the delicate components inside. The bread had a nice crunchy texture and would have been better served as an open-faced sandwich. I was surprised by how much I liked their bright and zesty Tavern slaw (I usually detest coleslaw!)
Fresh Pappardelle with Okra, Sweet Corn, Zucchini – absolutely delightful! The pasta was PERFECTION. Everything was beautifully cooked. The vegetables tasted fresh and light, while the sauce also felt hearty. I couldn’t get enough of this dish.
Wood Tavern is a fantastic neighborhood restaurant, and I’ll definitely be back even though it’s not my neighborhood. Heck, I was already talking about what I wanted to eat next time before I even left the restaurant! Now that’s a sign of a quality place with an enticing menu.

BITE METER: Wood Tavern – 4.0 bites (out of 5.0)