Oakland Focus News | Oakland News Online Blog

I created this video at the specific request of Tyson Chandler at CNN's iReport. The idea is to give viewers a look at the secret places in your town, so I made this one for Oakland:

'A Soul Food Experience' is the name of the new restaurant that just opened in East Oakland. The area to which the restaurant opened is known to be somewhat drab . With a renovation plan of the neighborhood staring next year, it looks like A Soul Food Experience is getting a head start on bringing change and new flavor to the community. I found this article from the Oakland Tribune, you can read the full story below. Soul food the new flavor in East Oakland By Kamika Dunlap Oakland Tribune Article Last Updated: 09/07/2008 05:30:44 PM PDT OAKLAND — Rubie Daniels is looking to add a new flavor to East Oakland with the old delights of Southern-style African-American cuisine. Daniels is the owner of the recently opened A Soul Food Experience, which serves rib and chicken dinners, black-eyed peas, peach cobbler and other recipes that capture the culture and spirit of the black tradition. "This place is one of a kind," said Daniel, 68. "We're the bright spot in...

The familiar, long time home of Oakland Kosher Foods at 3419 Lakeshore Ave suffered a fire two weeks ago, causing about $30,000 of damage. " Jewish and Breaking News " Reports: The Shabbat afternoon fire at Oakland Kosher Foods two weeks ago caused more damage than was initially estimated, co-owner Yuval Atias said this week. The Oakland Fire Department originally estimated the damage at $30,000, but it’s a great deal higher than that with a lot of repairs in the offing, Atias said. “We’re trying really hard to finish two weeks before Rosh Hashanah,” Atias said. “So that would put it around Sept. 10 or 15, somewhere in there.” Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown Sept. 29. While repairs are being made, Oakland Kosher Foods is storing meat and other products in a San Leandro warehouse, but also offering delivery. Some meat-cutting, as well as catering preparation, will be done in the kosher kitchen at Beth Jacob Congregation, which is located about a mile from the damage...

Steve Heimoff says Oakland has five cool places to hang out in: Bay Wolf Olivetto's Vine Paul Marcus Wines Nan Yang Just five? Five? I'll add The Alley at 3325 Grand Avenue. Cafe Van Kleef on 1621 Telegraph. Flora, the new restaurant up the street from Cafe Van Kleef on Telegraph. The Gingerbread House on 741 5th St. Lake Merritt itself -- one doesn't always have to spend money. The Oakland Museum on 10th Street. Cesar's on Piedmont Avenue. George Kaye's on 41st and Piedmont (a plug for Dave). Le Venende East on 9th Street and Washington in Old Oakland. Come to think of it, Old Oakland itself. There's Zachary's Pizza on College. Crogan's in Montclair. How about Dona Tomas on Telegraph near 51st? Or Cafe Roos on Piedmont. There's Girabaldi's on College Avenue, too. How about Luka's between 5 PM and 8 PM? And then on Tuesday night after 10 PM (I can't deal with the crowds there, because of the occasional knuckle-head fac...