This Oakland Bar Is Not So Secretly a Supreme Restaurant | Eater SF

"A bar by name only, in reality it’s the second coming of the Paper Doll, the Bay Area’s first documented gay bar; it’s a vehicle for chef Gaby Maeda and her team to show what they’re made of, and a destination dinner masquerading as a post-work watering hole. Les eggs is the closest thing to a signature dish—creamy eggs dressed in bubu arare pearls and trout roe—ideal for a table of four, maybe too much for one person. The drinks are worth more than a casual perusal; the For Rei, a medley of coconut oil–washed Japanese whisky and coffee-infused Cynar, comes with a coconut water popsicle. The rice cakes, dressed in no less than three shades of green (a parade of herbs, cucumber, and green beans) when I visited, are rad, and the onigiri are one of the maybe-not-so-surprising stunners on the menu. On a sunny evening, from the front door to the back patio it’s a light and airy affair; by night, things get more sultry, and grabbing a spot at the bar—let alone one of the bigger tables in the back—will be nigh impossible during peak service. Everyone here is stylish; that said, there’s no dress code. Queer people are royalty here, but unlike some venues, all are welcome—just don’t be a jerk and don’t be weird. How queer!" - Paolo Bicchieri