OSHA Thai Express Oakland
Thai restaurant · Waverly ·
Noodle soups, curries, rice dishes, and pad thai
Noodle soups, curries, rice dishes, and pad thai
"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
"If the word “pretentious” comes to mind when you think of fine dining, Hi Felicia is here to change that. This supper club used to be a pop-up that operated out of a backyard in Oakland. And at their new Uptown Oakland brick-and-mortar, the warm, dinner party energy hasn’t changed—think handwritten name tags on each table, eclectic paintings all over the walls, and a staff you’ll be on a first-name basis with by the time dessert arrives. The 12-course menu ($195) showcases dishes that lean mostly Mexican, with a twist: you’ll eat duck confit wet burritos, sopes topped with a hefty scoop of caviar, and a cashew-based queso that we still think about hourly. It’s an experience you won’t want to end, and it’s not just because of the excellent parade of dishes that land in front of you—a meal here makes you feel like you’re a part of something special." - Julia Chen
"Hi Felicia is the Bay Area’s pandemic pop-up darling, a fine dining experience first launched in 2021 on the back deck of the Oakland apartment of chef Imana, who only goes by her first name. The vibe from the early days was more closely likened to a dinner party than the austere, modernist restaurants typically linked to that term “fine dining.” And Imana hopes that feeling of eating “at a friend’s house” will transfer over to the restaurant’s new space at 23rd near Webster Street. Inside, guests will be served 12-14 courses of what Imana calls “California comfort food” — small bites influenced primarily by Mexican culture with global touches throughout, created with California seasonal produce. Hi Felicia will only serve beer, sake, and natural wine; the vision is to keep a constantly rotating wine list of 20 selections, and it’s a who’s-who in the natural wine world. Imana named Stagiaire Wine, Iruai Winery, Everything Is Okay, Gearhead Wines, Lula, Deux Punx, Purity Wine as favorites who will make appearances on the menu. If you had any preconceived notions of what a fine dining restaurant looks like, check those expectations at the door. When asked about what they were going for with its look — a neon green exterior, followed by an all-black interior effused with punctuations of art in every corner — Imana immediately replies, “camp.” She selected “the tackiest shit you can imagine” but it’s a fun mishmash of items that evoke the smallest of smiles at each turn, with many items made by local artists or sourced locally. The level of care is also shown through the team, and when talking about them, Imana starts to tear up with pride. The constant proclamation by Imana and team that Hi Felicia will get a Michelin star, at first seems out of step with the disruptor sentiment. But to Imana, earning Michelin stars will symbolize that there’s a seat at the table for people like her, that Black and brown people deserve a place within the luxury industry, she says." - Dianne de Guzman
Gabrielle T.
1983 Mercedes B.
Nnenna U.
Kuni K.
Noelle M.
Antonella B.
Casper L.
Casburn S.
Carol W.
Ryan B.
Timothy N.
Veronica L.
Aaron P.
Celina L.
Valerie B.
Alexis M.
Tina L.
Paul A.
Jimmy Y.
Bilguun K.
Joyce I.
Grace Y.
Julianne R.
Angela W.
Victor G.
Margaret H.
Eric F.
Alan G.
Lauren H.
Daniel S.
Jack C.
Kyle M.
Leily P.
Chris G.
Court M.
Paige D.
Masha G.
Michael D.
Harnoor C.
Nae M.
Marianna C.
Charlotte Y.
Priscilla K.
Nicole C.
Shannon D.
Linda R.
Kwasi B.
Daniel K.
Benji G.
Michael H.
Saloni M.
Dave M.
Rachael M.
Rachel S.
Hayley P.
Nicole R.
Catrina S.