Oakland’s ‘Vulgar’ Fine Dining Destination Hi Felicia Immediately Closes After Destructive Break-In | Eater SF

"I watched this breakout pandemic pop-up grow from Imana’s Oakland apartment balcony into a permanent downtown Oakland restaurant at 326 23rd Street, opening in April 2022, and attract notable guests like Alice Waters while earning strong press for its multi-course fine-dining supper-club series. Operating with a deliberately “vulgar” food and style and ambitious plans to earn a Michelin star, the restaurant did not receive a star but did earn a spot in the Michelin Guide in November 2022. After adding an a la carte option to its $120 tasting menu at the start of May, Chef Imana announced an immediate shutdown on May 24 following a violent burglary she described as a shattered front door, a broken cash register and everything left in disarray; the Oakland Police reported three suspects broke in at 3:30 a.m., attempted to take a safe and fled in two vehicles. Imana wrote, “Last night wasn’t a coincidence, it was a message to me that this chapter of my life is over,” and said she will prepare the space for her next venture, a “sleek [and] sexy” wine bar, taking lessons learned from Hi Felicia into that project." - Dianne de Guzman