"Smelly’s Creole Catering—also known as Chef Smelly’s—serves the best garlic noodles in Oakland. They lean sweet and are thick and extra chewy, drenched in what we can only assume is an entire stick of butter. The Creole soul food spot excels at other staples, too, like the Dungeness crab submerged in minced garlic, golden-brown fried catfish, and plump blackened shrimp. You’ll also want to make room for the hot honey chili chicken tenders, which are fried until deliciously craggy on the edges and juicier than most overripe fruits. Smelly’s currently operates semi-permanently out of Au Lounge in Uptown Oakland, but keep an eye on Instagram for updates. photo credit: Brit Finnegan photo credit: Brit Finnegan photo credit: Brit Finnegan photo credit: Brit Finnegan Food Rundown video credit: Taylor Gomez Garlic Noodles There are a lot of garlic noodles in the Bay Area, but none so buttery and gloriously breath-ruining as these. They’re non-negotiable here. photo credit: Brit Finnegan Hot Honey Chili Chicken Tenders Think about the best chicken tender you’ve ever had. Now bulldoze the memory from your brain, and replace it with these sticky-spicy-sweet stunners. You’ll never be the same. Lobster Po'boy This is good, but you won’t be planning a return visit for it. We wish it was saucier." - Julia Chen
