Take 2: Chop Bar

Facade

Last Saturday, I had planned on going to Oakland to pick-up my laptop from the office, just in case there
was a BART strike the following Monday, so I could work from home. To take advantage of the trip, we'd pass by the Tokyo Fish Market to check out what they sold. I've never been to the place, and I've heard the quality of seafood is really good. If you wanted sushi grade fish, I was told this was the place to go.

We started the day rather late. My wife had made plans for a mani/pedi at 2pm and couldn't reschedule. I didn't want to rush my first trip to the fish market, so we cancelled. But I still needed to go to Oakland. The only other thing we could do was to have lunch in the area. And the task of identifying a good place to eat proved to be more complicated than I thought.

My wife craved for hot pot, so we headed to a "popular" one in Chinatown, per Yelp. When we got there, the place wasn't inviting to the eyes, so we didn't bother to stop and just drove off. I had to come up with Plan B quickly because we were running out of time. I recalled going to a hip place near Jack London Square with my co-workers awhile back. I suggested Chop Bar.

Chop Burger

If you haven't been to Chop Bar, this place is neatly tucked amidst commercial/industrial buildings and warehouses across from Jack London Square on 4th Street. You'd never know it was there. The first and only time I was there a few months back, I wasn't blown away by the experience. It was OK but nothing great. I guess I just ordered the wrong food. The lamb burger just didn't work for me that day. I love lamb cooked in any way, but definitely not as a burger. It just didn't work.

When we got there, it was almost noon and street parking was full. We had to circle the block twice before we chanced upon a car pulling out right in front of the restaurant. We came at the right time because we were seated right away. A few minutes later, the place reached capacity, and people had to wait to be seated. The front side of the restaurant sort of opened up to street, which gave it a feel of dining al fresco minus the umbrella and the sun. Temperature was hovering in the mid 80s, but the light breeze made it quite comfortable.

Grilled Pork Banh Mi

I didn't realize they had brunch. As I scanned the menu, I didn't see the dreaded lamb burger. Good. Nothing caught my fancy, so I settled for the Chop burger, served on a kaiser roll with aioli, bacon, avocado, tomato,  and a side of baby arugula salad. My wife had the classic Vietnamese grilled pork banh mi sandwich, with cilantro, chilies, Thai basil aioli, and a side of picked vegetables, while James had homemade chorizo, with scrambled eggs, home fries, and pico de gallo on the side. To share, we tried the almond french toast, which was challah with caramelized apples, honey almonds, and whipped cream.

The burger was a tiny bit smaller than your typical. However, this burger was packed with flavor. I've had my share of burgers, but this one, I think, is probably the most flavorful I've ever had without really trying to stand out. It never claimed to be one in its menu so I am particularly happy with this one. You could taste the real flavor of the quality meat that was used in this patty, and it wasn't masked by any unique spice or the usual grill taste you get from any burger. No need for catsup, mustard, or anything of that sort. My wife and son took a bite and both agreed. And it was served hot (temperature, not spicy). I don't recall having a burger served that hot. The accompanying baby arugula salad, with its light dressing of what looked like olive oil and lemon, was just perfect. Despite the slight bitter taste, arugula is one of the (very) few salads I love.

Chorizo & Scrambled Egg

My wife enjoyed her banh mi. She's had her share of banh mis as well, but she definitely liked this one. It was simple, yet flavorful. The pork was marinated well and was grilled to perfection. Tender, light. And the Thai basil aioli was an excellent compliment to the crunchy baguette. My son had a bite of it, and was convinced he needed one to go for his snack later in the day.

James went through his chorizo and scrambled eggs like he hadn't eaten in days. He wasn't too particular about chorizo and would skip it as his first choice of breakfast meat. He didn't need convincing when I suggested that he try it. He simply enjoyed it and wanted more. The side of home fries had a light crusting and looked yummy. But other than your regular french fries, he isn't a potato kind of guy. And the side of pico de gallo was a refreshing twist to this dish.

My only disappointment was the french toast. Although the caramelized apples and honey almonds complimented the dish, I wasn't too happy with the challah. It was a little bit firm for my taste. So far, nothing beats my all-time favorite french toast at Left Bank. Their challah is so soft and super moist that it literally melts in your mouth. Chop Bar's version wasn't bad. The 2 rather large slices of challah, and the toppings that came with it, were filling and tasty. But I like it a little more moist than that.

Almond French Toast

Coffee was perfect. Rich. Strong. Fresh. Characteristics of an EXCELLENT coffee. I have coffee everyday. I prefer a dark roast, and take mine black -- just like what we had. We had a couple of cocktails, too, but I just could not remember what they were. They were good, though. Light and refreshing. Great for a summer brunch.

My second visit to Chop Bar totally changed my initial skepticism of the place. It was a fun, little place in an unlikely location. Great experience. I would surely come back. And I certain would like to try coming for dinner. I might be in for another surprise.

Chop Bar is located at 247 4th Street, #111, Oakland, CA 94607 (4th & Alice).  510-834-2467.