Oakland, CA, near the train station--where to eat

[azurite]

I'm going to be in Oakland, CA, near the Amtrak station (Jack London Square, 245 Second St.) near the end of July. I'm taking the train back to the PNW but will have several hours (or more, depending on how on time the train is) after my meeting ends and before the train is scheduled to arrive. From about 6pm to 9:15pm or so (or 10 or 10:30pm . . . ). I won't have a car, I don't know Oakland, but it'd be nice if I could find a place to eat dinner not far from the train station. Even nicer if the food is fairly good.

I don't eat much meat, but I do eat it. I like many kinds of food, i.e., Greek, middle Eastern, Indian, Chinese (although I'm not familiar with all the different types of regional cooking), Thai, Italian . . .. and probably others I've never had opportunity to try.

Any suggestions? Recommendations?

[MarketStEl]

My cousin treated me to a decent lunch at a classy-but-casual place in Jack London Square called Kincaid's when I visited the Bay Area back in April. It has great views of the port and a glimpse of the Bay as well as good food. Not terribly ethnic, though: the menu tends more towards classic American comfort-food favorites and seafood.

Edited July 3, 2007 by MarketStEl (log)

[PamelaF]

Lots to do around Jack London Square

Scott's Seafood has some Bay Area classics like Shrimp Louis and Petrale Sole, if you like seafood.

More info

If I recall correctly, Jack London Square is just across the street from the Amtrak station.

I assume you are taking the Coast Starlight. I haven't had the opportunity myself, but I hear that the scenery is incredible, dining onboard the train is pretty good and the wine-tasting car is a lot of fun.

Have a great trip!

Edited July 4, 2007 by PamelaF (log)

[azurite]

Hey, thanks to you Market St. El and Pamela F. for your suggestions.

Pamela F, yes, I am taking the Coast Starlight to and from Oakland and thanks for your good wishes. I took it from Eugene, OR, to Oakland (was going to SF) and back years ago. don't remember that much about the trip except that it was dark when we went by Mount Shasta. Am looking forward to this trip (I'll have a sleeper instead of riding in coach) except that the CS's on time performance has not been good for the past few years. Apparently there are some physical bottlenecks near the OR/CA border and other issues. It's been on time the last few times I've ridden it from Portland to Albany (OR), and while those stations are not far from the start of trip south (Seattle) it's an improvement all the same.

Right now, the Empire Builder (Seattle/Portland to Chicago) is the "flagship" train of Amtrak, it's got full dining car service (sleeper car passengers can have their meals brought to their sleeper), plus a wine & cheese tasting, refurbished cars. The menu usually includes some kind of steak, fish, chicken and a pasta dish for the "vegetarians." The food can be fairly good and eating while looking out the window at the scenery near Glacier Park while a light snow falls is an experience. The wine & cheese tasting is often fun, the WA wines pretty good (you can usually buy a bottle or two while on the train), the cheeses ok and from WI. I wish they'd include some cheeses and wines from OR, but not so far.

The other routes, if they provide meal service, are being gradually changed over to a kind of streamlined food service. More reconstituted stuff, less food actually cooked. Amtrak did some trial runs earlier this year of a remodeled dining/cafe car, complete w/an updated menu. People who took trains where this car was running, said the food was pretty good. More finger food stuff which seems to be pretty popular and the food will be available for longer periods of time (not just premade sandwiches, etc, as is true now on long distance cars when the dining car is closed).

The switch to a "streamlined" service is per Congressional order--Amtrak is supposed to eventually do what the airlines were unable to do, make a profit on their food service. The changed service decreases labor costs (among other things). Amtrak's food service wasn't in good shape (in terms of cost overruns) but I think Congress' edict goes too far and is another way of trying to destroy Amtrak.

I believe that first class on the Acela now includes a free meal (and a drink?) brought to passengers at their seats via a food cart. I've heard the food's supposed to be quite good. The Amtrak Cascades (the line I ride most frequently) has a Bistro car that (from what people from other parts of the country tell me) has the best cafe/quick food of all the lines. My quibble is that the Bistro car has only a microwave, so if you order a bagel and want it heated/toasted, they can't toast it, just microwave it (yuck).

Amtrak's also going to haul privately owned luxury rail cars (the name of the company is something like DeLuxe Rail travel), and for various prices, you can ride in those cars in, well, luxury. You can pay to have a chef prepare your meals, have cocktails before your dinner, etc. You don't buy your tickets from Amtrak though (at least, I'm pretty sure you don't). Amtrak's worked with private rail car businesses before--some people rent them to travel to sports events in style or just as a leisurely and very pleasant way of traveling, celebrating an anniversary, whatever. The owner of the rail cars contracts w/Amtrak to have Amtrak trains pull the cars. I think this new service is planned (hoped) to be more regularly available/running.

azurite

[s_sevilla]

Yoshi's jazz club just got a new chef, who used to cook at Ozumo when it was better, so their food just got a big lift. They have fine drinks as well. I'd say this is probably the most upscale place in Jack London Square right now.

[PamelaF]

Azurite, you certainly have a lot experience with Amtrak!

A couple of years ago when I was travelling frequently between the Bay Area and Sacramento for business, I rode the Capitol Corridor trains quite a few times. Since those are commuter lines, there was no meal service, just a snack bar with the microwaved and packaged snacks.

It was nice to be able to relax with a glass of wine as the train made it's way around the edge of the bay on the evening ride though.

Hope you enjoyed your time in the Bay Area.

[azurite]

Pamela F.

I did have a good time. After the meeting, three of us took a Capitol Corridors train to Davis, where one person lives (I live in OR). I thought the CC car was pretty nice for a commuter train (nicer than the Long Island Railroad cars--they have no food at all). We ate at a Nepalese restaurant in Davis--we could walk there from the station. I like being able to walk to where I want to go. If I've ever been to Davis before, I don't remember. Dinner was good, both the company and food. Afterwards, we walked around Davis some more. Unfortunately, Amtrak's Coast Starlight train, that I took to and from CA (to/from OR) was about 1 1/2 hours late to Davis and Union Pacific freight train delays eventually made the train 7 1/2 hours late to my destination (Albany, OR). Amtrak's Cascades line is usually more on time (it's runs over a shorter distance than the CS) although summer is often a time of delays as that's often when the rail corporations do alot of their repairs.

[Pan]

Lots to do around Jack London Square

Scott's Seafood has some Bay Area classics like Shrimp Louis and Petrale Sole, if you like seafood.

More info

If I recall correctly, Jack London Square is just across the street from the Amtrak station.[...]

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No, it's a few blocks from the station.

I had dinner at Scott's a few days ago, cup of New England Clam Chowder and a Crab Sandwich, IIRC. The ambiance and location were very pleasant, and the jazz pianists were excellent. The food was just OK. I really got the feeling the place was not about the food.