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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhoods: North Oakland, Piedmont AveWed-Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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Commis is very much the vision of its Chef and very much a matter of one's taste. Outside, no sign identifies the place, you have to be one of the insiders. Inside the place is something like one of those spare art galleries, here it's all about the food. The food itself is edgy, has a point of view, and will get you to thinking. But that can be a problem as dining out is not an intellectual enterprise, rather it appeals to the base of our brain, its instinctual.
I start with a soft farm egg with potatoes and pork jowl. Release the yolk with the touch of a fork and you have a complex savory plate replete with a bit of barely cooked egg white, a texture that can challenge. Also a challenge is the pork jowl, which is nearly all fat. Somehow, however, the yolk, some fermented pepper and alliums bring the plate together.
Next guinea fowl. Two blocks of absolutely tender breast are served over wheatberries and some confit of leg from the hen. The berries add both taste and texture, the confit is not crisped but rather adds a fatty note to the plate, and the breast is perfectly succulent. I finished wanting more. In fact, I wanted a bit more of each plate so as not to leave hungry, which I did.
Dessert was white cheddar cheesecake with bits of granny smith apple that lent a bit of sweet/sour to the tart cheesecake. Nice.
I left thinking that the food at Commis can be as complex as some things you will get at Coi in San Francisco. Further, Commis springs from the vision of one person, just as the case for Canteen in San Francisco. I also suspect that the place will evolve, provide more of a comfort zone for diners, and become a destination restaurant.
Right now it is pricey particularly being in Oakland.
I'll give it 2 stars instead of 3 because 3 says "A-OK" and I don't really think it was. And, in fact, I am shocked that this restaurant would be put in the same class as Cyrus and Gary Danko by Michelin.
My experience was much the same of the other 2 - 3 star reviewers. Let me begin by stating that for a $60 pre fixe menu of 3 courses and 1 Michelin star, my expectations are high.
The pacing of the meal was frustrating. We sat for a long while after we put our menus down (between my husband and I, it wasn't hard to pick 6 out of a possible 10 things to eat). Orders were taken at other tables, amuse bouches were served, bread was delivered. But not for us. A second round of bread was served to the table next to us.... So, finally, we asked for our bread.
The service was frankly weird. The waitress alternatively bent over to whisper in my ear about my dish or stood so far away I could not hear her. The attempted pretentiousness came off as just awkward.
The bread was very tasty and the amuse bouche was delicious. Our hopes were high. However, then the rest of the meal was served.
Each dish was so overly complex and artistic that the chef seemed to forget about flavor. All of the dishes were too bland but especially the Olive Oil Poached Cod. It was so bland, even when topped with a more flavorful broth, that I had two bites and pushed it away.
While everything sounded fantastic, none of it tasted fantastic. I would not go back. For $60, I would go to Quince or Gary Danko which, in my experience, serve a much more exciting meal where the excitement is meant to be had - on the taste buds not the mind.
Underwhelmed. Something is missing in the dance. Something doesn't quite work for me here, from the decor (art gallery sterile) to the food (challenging but precious). 1 Michelin star? The likes of Gary Danko and Fleur de Lys have 1 Michelin star, so that is my measure for meaning in these matters.
The service was excellent, the wait staff attentive and fast and smooth - will the staff at Gary Danko be challenged? No, but that level of service is a bit freakish anyway.
The food, while deftly prepared, felt mannered and misconceived; novelty for novelty, too much of a good thing here, too little there, an indifferent gilding of the lily elsewhere. Nothing was offensive or badly prepared, and kudos for the efforts; but none of the dishes excited me from eye to bite to chew to swallow.
To start, a shiso infused palate cleanser - a shot of floral pink soda, basically. Fine.
The individual pieces of served bread - a good light biscuit. The butter was served room temperature and soft, a small plus for me.
The amuse-bouche was attractive - a few tablespoons of a savory and (mildly) sweet soup with an egg yolk as the item of attraction. The yolk was the color of a rich and runny yolk, more orange than yellow - but it did not break open or lose its shape. Instead, it was solid, but soft like a paste, and most interesting, almost sticky in texture - probably something 'molecular' going on. This was good but that underlying sweetness (a fruit that I forget) was not an appealing argument - I understood the argument, but it was not something I'd walk an extra mile for. [Let me also note, the sherry paired with the amuse-bouche did not excite either; felt it was a large miscalculation.]
My date's 1st course: braised lamb cheeks served with tiny radishes and an oyster based sauce. These bits of meat were actually crisp, to the point of being dry, not something I associate with a braised meat. Flavor wise, I tasted the salt and a hint of fishiness, but it was otherwise boring.
I started with the oft cited, oft tasted, and oft praised soft farm egg with potato, alliums, fermented black garlic, and pork jowl. Looked very nice and there's a lot going on in this dish - I even appreciated the scattering of edible flowers. But...and it pains me to say this, I just didn't like the gelatinous white goo from the barely cooked egg (the yolk itself was fantastic). This is my issue, because that's how a soft boiled egg is; and I finished, but I was not scraping the bowl. The pork jowl was a new experience and what usually attracts me in restaurant dining; but again, while it was fine, I found nothing inspiring about its use. The fermented black garlic tasted like the fermented black bean paste (with garlic) that you find in Asian groceries everywhere - an excellent condiment (great with noodles), but no revelation here.
My date's main course: halibut poached in olive oil. A favored style of preparation, it was well seasoned, delicately cooked, and plated nicely with either broccoli rabe or broccolini and mushrooms that I never identified. This dish reminded me of an ordinary but handsome man - generically good looking but not about to inspire men into battle or make women go weak in the knees.
I went with the slow roasted pork loin and pork belly - of course the pork belly. Looked very nice and tasted good, though it was hard to identify the mass of veg my meat was stacked upon. There were sun chokes, which were slightly sweet; and unidentifiable greens (my guess, Swiss chard) braised into something that looked and tasted sloppy. The sun chokes were also dusted by what I believe to be a 'dried' gremolata. The pork belly was perfectly tender and delicious - the pork loin, just okay, flavored fine, but not much to excite the palate.
Finally, dessert - (1) a kind of pumpkin pie (on a graham cracker type of crust with a Dr. Pepper reduction and licorice infused whipped foam/cream); and (2) an apple tart/crisp (with cheddar cheese ice cream and a drop of caramel). I forget their 'fancy' names, but both were excellent.
The absinthe jellies as a final treat? Okay. A peck on the cheek goodbye.
This is a qualified 3.4 rounded down - clearly the food and service are far superior to some of the other places I have rated 3 and 4 stars. However, $200 for two (including wine pairings) is a lot of ducats to leave underwhelmed - I hope all goes fine for Commis, but I am not convinced it will last.
Welcome Chef Syhabout. We are glad to have you in Oakland and salut your Michelin star.
Having just eaten at Gary Danko's in September, I was thrilled to eat at Commis in October and was ready for a meal that would knock my socks off. The food was meticulous and delicious, but they completely lost us on the service and the pacing.
We arrived and were seated at 8pm on a Saturday. We ordered and were brought our wine. Then we waited and waited and waited. 45 minutes later we were brought our soda and 20 minutes after that our farm egg soup. It was a good hour and 20 minutes until we received our appetizer and pushing upwards of 2 hours before we received our entree. No explanation. We often enjoy 2-3 hour meals, but the timing of the service was so off that they completely lost us.
We joined friends at Wood Tavern 3 days later for a meal that hit it out of the park it was so enjoyable. We'll be back after they hopefully work out some of these issues.
My partner's parents gifted us dinner at Commis for his birthday and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Not only was the food delicious and the wine pairings excellent, the meal gave us a great opportunity to just relax and truly appreciate food and each others company. The staff was amazing and attentive and even had a birthday card they had all signed waiting at our table. Commis will certainly be a place we return to, especially when we need a treat.
We went last night for a birthday celebration, and it was fantastic on every level.
Food and wine pairings were tops. The staff presented very well, service was impeccable.
Recommended for a special occasion.
A very well thought out menu - not a lot of choices but they're all executed with detail and precision. As others have commented, I cannot give 4 stars due to the very slow service and awkward pacing. We waited 60 minutes until we received our appetizers and then another 45 minutes until our main dishes were served. I love that they focus on organic, locally sourced ingredients and supporting those restaurants who do is important to me. The bread and house-churned butter they serve was delicious but not enough to sustain me for a few hours.
Hopefully they'll get the service kinks worked out quickly, as this place shows a lot of promise.
Service: 5
Five stars all the way around. Sara really worked with me to get seated ahead of my reservation time. The staff was extremely friendly and warm. It totally made the experience worthwhile. Excellent service all the way around.
Food: 4
"Really Good", but I must admit, I've had better. Menu choices were extremely limited, three entrees choices. Overall, based on the cost, it was an excellent value but the benchmark is pretty high for restaurants in the Bay Area. I loved the amuse bouche, really nice wine pairings and the entree-Quail, which was perfectly cooked...succulent and juicy. Mussels appetizer and celery sorbet dessert was good but it just didn't knock my socks off!
Ambiance: 5
Perfect...nice, quaint and lovely! Not too fussy but I wouldn't wear flip flops.
Final Note:
Highly recommend. Seriously, this places raises the bar significantly for Oakland restaurants. Commis is definitely on the short list!
hm. not what I expected nor worth the $$$$$$$$. The interior came across as sterile and odd to me - not somewhere I wanted to enjoy a meal, but rather like the waiting area for a futuristic Disneyland ride. The food is very good, but very sparse. I am not a huge eater and even I was a bit baffled by the tiny portions. I find a wine list that has NOTHING under ten bucks to be silly and unreasonable. I know wine. I know that between California, France, Italy, Spain, Chile, Argentina, Portugal, Oregon and down under one can find excellent wines at reasonable if not cheap prices... There is no reason to triple the mark up- if the food is local and seasonable and from outstanding purveyors, I understand a higher price tag. The wine mark up is inexcusable- especially for the paltry, miserly pour.
Overall, I'll be at Bay Wolf for that amount of money - eating some amazing duck dish and enjoying a bottle of excellent California Zin in the warmly lit, cozy dining room- and probably spend a lot less.
Props to Commis for earning its first Michelin Star! The second shouldn't be too far away.
(So while I'm very often critical of the current state of Michelin Stars, it's nice to see recognition for folks who work so hard to bring us a unique vision)
*mini update*
Had dinner again last night....soda, egg amuse, squash soup (nothing like the thousands of boring squash soups you've already had), squid (again unlike any squid dish I've ever hand)...all were delicious, well executed, and most rare these days...original. Carlos' desserts were all great as well...particularly the pb&j with celery sorbet. So many chefs tackle the pb&j but fail to do more than just rearrange the sandwich...Carlos' version takes the cake. Even better than WD-50's "old school" Already, I'm seeing some distance between their cooking and that of their previous employers.
Commis is not just a great restaurant, I'm certain it will become a center of inspiration for many chefs to come.
Quietly. Confidently. Without Pomp.
That's how Commis opened last week...and how they operate…
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Still some service kinks but the food was wonderful. I would give it 4.5 stars if I could.
Delicious pork jowl with runny egg and potatoes and black garlic. I loved the flavors, everything was cooked perfectly, and it's a great dish for a cold night.
Kabosha squash soup is such a pleasure. It comes with lemongrass cream and it is really lovely and comforting.
I love the Roth Kase blue cheese with persimmon dessert (the hunk of cheese was huge) and the celery pbj dessert was unique and tasty as well.
I am truly surprised that anybody complained about the portion size. The full three-course meal is more than enough food.
The wine pairing was lovely.
My dinner at Commis was a dream.
I'd been jonesing to come here since its debut. Highly stylized, creative food...but without foams and vapors, sounded just like what the Bay Area needed. James Syhabout, the chef and proprietor, has an impressive C.V. ranging from Manresa, Coi, Fat Duck, and even El Bulli. Knowing this, I was excited to see that it opened nearby, becoming ever more proud of Oakland's burgeoning culinary scene.
Well, I finally went last week, and I was lightyears beyond impressed. My friend and I were seated in the back, and he was gracious to let me have the seat that looked out at the rest of the restaurant. We skipped wine pairings and opted for an amazing Trappist beer. We ogled the nice flatware and ambiance, the simplicity of the space seems perfect, though some have complained of its sterility.
We were first treated with a Red Shiso soda as a palette cleanser. If they bottled that for sale, I would buy a case. Then an amuse bouche which was a rich egg custard. Our appetizers were both amazing...their menu is always changing, so listing the courses may be a moot point, but I get the impression that you cannot go wrong ordering anything here! I will note that on mine (salmon tartare with lots of stuff and pumpernickel) the texture was spectacular, and every bite popped with flavor. Main courses provided the perfect amount of meat, and my duck was perfectly done. Dessert was the most visually pleasing dish I'd ever seen, served on a heavy grey slate. It was also delicious (white cheddar cheesecake with finely diced apples).
Commis uses local and natural ingredients, as most successful Bay Area restaurants do, but aren't afraid to push barriers and make creative, exciting, and innately flavorful dishes and unorthodox combinations.
Get here now! Reservations can be made on OpenTable, so there's no excuse not to try the Bay Area's best new restaurant.
Lovely, Lovely, Lovely! I was very impressed, and totally recommend Commis. It is wonderful to think this caliber of restaurant is in my neighborhood.
Everything, from the service, to the food, to the decor appears well thought out without being over done. The music wasn't too loud, the lighting was soft but bright enough that I could still see clearly what was on my plate, and the food was wonderful. The open kitchen was a treat to see; the chefs worked efficiently, precisely, and with incredible attention to detail. I even saw the tweezers come out at one point, but nothing seemed pretentious.
Our waiter was attentive and pleasant without being intrusive, and very knowledgeable about both the wine and food. I never felt rushed or ignored.
Ah, but the food! I was a little worried, having read all the reviews about the pork jowl and runny egg, that I would be locked into one set menu (it is prix-fixe), but there was plenty of choice for the three courses. I felt also that any combination of items from each course would go well together.
The shiso soda and the farm egg with the onion soup amuse bouche were both delightful. I'm not a big egg person, but this was delicious!
Our entrees and desserts were equally as nice, and the wine pairings complimented everything in exactly the right way. The portions weren't too big or small, but satisfying over the two hours we took to enjoy everything.
After remarking on the perfect quenelle of celery sorbet with my dessert, our waiter even brought the pastry chef to say thanks and wish me a happy birthday! It doesn't get better than that!
Delicious, inventive food in a very sparse setting, with some service hiccups evident.
t first we wondered if the little glass of shiso soda was the entire amuse, but then we received a small ginger blossom cocktail to accompany the delicious farm egg/date paste/onion soup amuse bouche, complete with crunchy toasted granola. Good thing we had decided not to order a cocktail.
My beet salad with horseradish was delicious and included the intriguing texture of what appeared to be shredded, toasted beets at the base. It was paired with a fairly sweet Riesling which made more sense to me once I made it to the horseradish. The guinea fowl was delicious and perfectly cooked, if a little salty, and accompanied by a sort of rillette of fowl as well, and was paired with an interesting and well-suited sangiovese. The cheesecake and apples for dessert was delectable and topped with tiny crunchy rice noodles, accompanied by a Spätlese Riesling. A tiny green apple and absinthe pate de fruits (essentially a gourmet gumdrop) finished the meal.
My wife had the tiger shrimp appetizer (subtly delicious, served with the chef's encouragement to eat the shells, heads and all) , the pork loin (delicious, perfectly cooked, generous portion) and pork belly (not crispy enough) entree, and celery root cake - all conceived and prepared with lots of attention to both texture and flavor.
I was not as upset by the wine pairing pours or quality as some others seem to have been - they are well paired, interesting and sufficient for the amount of food, and my wife was offered the extra pour she needed to finish her meat course (which went a long way toward earning our goodwill). But I did start to wonder if there was a special on Riesling somewhere - it's also the only sparkling wine available by the glass.
The place definitely has some service kinks that the Michelin people must not have experienced. Our waitress was very professional, but our dessert order clearly got lost - we received someone else's cheese plate in error and then waited about 15 minutes for the desserts we had ordered at the outset. And the runner/busboy we had needs some prompt and thorough training in unobtrusiveness. Don't make me wonder if I need to wait to put my wine glass down because you're filling my water, or gesture magician-like at my empty plate to "ask" if it's OK to clear.
The decor is certainly Zen - I even saw the magician/busboy reach over a diner's head to wipe a smudge off the featureless white wall - and the open kitchen also makes for a lot of foot traffic, as ingredients are constantly being brought up from the back, via a single narrow hallway that also leads to the restroom. As I emerged from the loo, who but Busboy the Magician should yell "Corner!" at me as he careered down the hall at me with a full tray of something or other.
Perhaps the most distressing thing about the place is the lack of a dress code. For over $200, I'd hope to be spared the sight of cargo shorts, running shoes and flip flops, but sadly all were in appearance on my fellow guests on a Sunday evening.
Next time we go out for a special dinner, we'll spend half as much and leave much more satisfied at Corso Trattoria in Berkeley.
Review is actually 4.5 stars. I am inflating the grade a bit, because I think this place has an INCREDIBLE amount of potential.
To those that have stated (including the SF Chronicle) that the portions are too small...I would answer this : Perhaps SIR or MA'AM, your stomach is too big! Seriously. You need to eat less if this was not enough food for you.
My wife and I walked out very full and very satisfied.
My rather small gripe would be this : I am not sure why serve an Amuse Bouche that is an egg (without stating this on the menu) and then have as one of your most popular dishes the poached egg and pork jowl. That doesn't make much sense to me to be honest. Too much of a good thing, is just that, too much of a good thing. It diminished the luster of both dishes.
The food is very very rich, and the technique is SOLID. Meat was cooked perfectly and the chefs work with quiet determination towards a common goal.
A unique and shining star in Oakland's normally good, but rather casual dining scene. This restaurant with a few tweaks could rival some of the best in the Bay Area.
Congrats to James and the team for their first Michelin star. Well deserved.
Ate a second meal at Commis this past Friday evening. The place was roughly half empty on a Friday evening, but filled up by the end of the night. I don't expect this to happen very much in the future now that they have some mainstream recognition under their belt. Since the time they've opened, Commis has retained their ultra-minimalist sensibilities, but is a bit more refined on the edges now.
Two amuse courses. One was a light soda palette cleaner (flower-flavored soda, basically). Second amuse was great though, an egg in a thick broth of some sort with chives and granola. Amazingly tasty, and I would have loved to have been served this as a main course. This rocks, Commis.
First course, Slow-egg and pork jowl. Totally great. Unique flavors and textures, and the dish has been refined and presented nicer compared to the last time I had it.
For a shot of the pork/egg dish, check out my shot on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/...
Second course, lamb with beans and mushrooms. Sadly, not a winner in my book. The lamb was undercooked and a bit bloody in the center, and the beans didn't seem to really compliment it too well. The broth was great, though, and I ended up eating most of it.
For a shot of the lamb dish, check out my shot on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/...
Dessert was a simple fig tart with honey-scented ice cream. I'm not sure where the honey-scented bit comes in, as it smelled like nothing and tasted heavily of honey. I think they have their senses a little messed up. Nevertheless, it was nice, but not that amazing. It did, however, have edible flowers on it, like every course did.
For a shot of the tart, check out my shot on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/...
Overall, Commis is the same ultra-clean, unique oddity which it's been since it's open, but now a lot more people will be aware of it. I still think it's a good deal given the quality level of their food. I'd love to see those talented chefs really take on some unique stuff and mix up their menu a bit. There's time, though. This place is just getting started.
Commis is less than a week old. They don't have any sign outside, their website is completely… Read more »
We had dinner at Commis this weekend. Commis is a great addition to the Oakland landscape of wonderful restaurants.
Since my husband is a vegetarian, the chef assembled a special 3-course dinner for him. He was dazzled and delighted at every bite. My dinner was terrific too. The chef and his team make every dish with such expertise and understated flair.
We left very happy! We will be back and we can't wait to see what is on the menu next time.
This is a fantastic restaurant. We did wine pairing with the dishes served, and it was impeccably well done. The waiter was outstanding. Commis is an experience in tasting well blended foods and seasonings. It was a very enjoyable evening. We will be back for sure.
I tried to write something that really captured the experience of going to Commis, and utterly failed in my attempt. So let's try something shorter.
We sat at the tables facing the kitchen. The chefs were a pleasure to watch - efficient, precise, and attentive to their work, while also charming and warm. The waitstaff was informative, prompt and friendly. The food was astonishing.
I've eaten at my fair share of great restaurants - and the food at Commis is excellent, and an absolute steal at the price. Worth it alone for the egg dish and the melon soup, and as a complete meal, extraordinary.
This is exactly the restaurant I've been waiting for - and I hope to go back again and again. Fantastic.
Just ate here tonight, intending it to be our last nice dinner out for a long time, as we are expecting a baby with a due date in 3 days.
However, we loved it so much that we decided to come back again tomorrow night, with friends. We booked the reservation before we left the restaurant. I am already daydreaming of what we'll have tomorrow.
The flavors were so clean and precise, the presentation so beautiful, and the service so warm yet unintrusive that this feels like an instant favorite go-to. The food had the warmth and familiarity of Chez Panisse, yet still had the edge, modernity, and pleasant surprise of the chef's influences from Manresa.
The $59 prix-fixe menu was a bargain for the quality of the food. I only wish I had asked for the full tasting menu. I didn't see it listed on the menu, but I trust the other yelper who said it was an option.
A great place to go when you don't want all the pretentiousness that comes with a gourmet meal. Service is very attentive (a tad on the "too attentive" side but better than being ignored I guess...) and all the staff were very friendly.
Before the meal they bring you a little flavored soda (not sure what was in it) but I found it to be very refreshing and a nice start to the meal. Than they bring over some rolls and butter. I could have eaten those all night. The roll is soft, fluffy, and buttery. The butter was outstanding.
For appetizers, I had the soft farm egg and the gf had the early girl tomatoes. Now I know everyone raves about the eggs and no doubt it was delicious but the early girl tomatoes had to be a close second to the soft eggs. If you're not into runny eggs or fatty pork, you will not be missing out by going with the tomatoes. The tomatoes are perfectly seasoned and juicy.
For entrees I had the beef sirloin cap and the gf had the cod. These both were outstanding - perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked and well thought out.
To finish the meal off we ordered the white cheddar cheesecake and the fig tart. The tart was decent but let me tell you the cheesecake was amazing. Sweet and tart. Creamy and crispy. With beautiful cubes of apples sprinkled on top. It was an excellent end to the meal.
Right before the check they will also bring you a pleasant surprise - a soft fruit jelly. Similar to as another yelper described a sunkist fruit jelly. Just like everything else, it was delicious.
Commis serves great food and delivers it with excellent services. And its nice to have the chefs who prepared your great meal wave goodbye to you as you walk out. I will definitely visit again!
COMMIS.....
Thank you...
Even though I miss Jojo's.... You have added another wonderful dinning exp. on the ave....
First Mich... star you deserve it. I will be back sooner than later...
YEAHHHHHHHHHHH
I have been blessed with a fantastic Commis experience - it being everything that the good reviews here have said - but I think I understand the negativity of some. It's sort of like a twisted, backwards version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. You remember how Goldilocks found the Mama Bear and Papa Bear's various possessions to be off-putting (as they were all "too this" or "too that"), but liked all of Baby Bear's stuff? And so it is that there are three types of food lover.
Mama Bear:
This is the gourmand who frequents all of the best restaurants, and this diner must hold everything to the highest critique and comparison. Of course the food is good (that was known going in) - but is it THE BEST?
Papa Bear:
Papa just wants to eat, goddamn it. And why the hell are the portions so small? Sometimes you want to eat A LOT of good food, not just be teased by a large expanse of white plate .
Baby Bear:
Without the slightly extreme needs of Mama or Papa, Baby Bear is excited to be at a great restaurant, and is impressed by the unique, amazing flavors, the delicious wine pairings, and the exquisite plating.
If you identify with either of the first two profiles, you may possibly find Commis lacking in some way. I am a Baby Bear Diner, and that is why, for me, Commis was just right.
After all the hoopla of receiving a Michelin 1 star, I had to try the restaurant!
I must admit, I was a bit underwhelmed. That's not to say that the food wasn't good - but it wasn't in the same league as Gary Danko's in San Francisco.
Firstly, the restaurant look was 'clinically' white (looked like a hospital). They could have spruced up the joint with a splash of color, some flowers, or a few paintings. I went twice to the restaurant (JoJo's) that preceded Commis in that space & it was far more ambient.
My biggest gripe was the abysmally slow service. The servers were extremely friendly, but everything was soooooo slow. Our 3-course meal took us 2.5 hours - - and it wasn't because of our choosing.
The food was good. Although, I didn't find it anything to rave about. Sure, there were a few neat foams, sauces and preparation-styles (e.g. fermented garlic paste on the side of a plate), but I wasn't captivated by any of their dishes. I felt that the entree - a pan seared cod was slightly underdone; and my blue cheese dish for dessert was forgettable.
Granted, my partner loved his dishes. So, it could've been my dishes or my taste buds that evening.
I hope Commis does well. I'm sure we will give it another try. They are a local joint afterall.
I went here for my birthday, and completely loved it, I can't wait to go back. I was worried that it would be too expensive for what you got, and the that the food would be too experimental and precious, but that couldn't have been farther from the truth -- I think that this is the best value fine dining restaurant in the Bay Area.
We sat at the chef's counter, which is absolutely the place to sit in this restaurant, at least the first time. Watching them cook really added to the experience, they were so slow and calm the whole time, and it felt like a very zen approach to cooking.
The best things: that farm egg with pork jowl dish, I could eat it every day; the incredible duck with chanterelles; the roast sirloin cap of beef and rib (though I didn't love the pearl barley that went with it); the incredible house made dinner rolls and butter; the pink pearl apple and white cheddar cheesecake. Everything was delicious, but those were the standouts. I can't wait to go back when the menu changes some to see what they do with other ingredients.
We got the wine pairings, and the staff was great about explaining each wine, and why it was paired with that dish.
All in all, wonderful meal, and I would highly recommend it particularly to those celebrating an occasion, the staff definitely tried to make it a special night. But I'd recommend it to anyone, it was just that good. I'm so excited that this amazing restaurant came to Oakland.
1st Michelin star and barely open 4 months! Go Chef Syhabout!!
I would urge everyone to make reservations for Commis as soon as is practicable, and before they… Read more »
came here again - INCREDIBLE. The farm fresh egg was amazing, and the deserts were actually the highlight of the meal for me - crazy talented pastry chef.
shortest review i've ever written: this is the best meal I've had in the bay area, hands down.
Once upon a time (ahem, recently) I went on this amazing date . . . which left me all sorts of smiling & giddy for about a week.
I found myself daydreaming & fantasizing about my friend at all hours of the day. And for 1 week, I was completely distracted & useless at the job.
Eating at Commis brought all those feelings back about my friend.
All sorts of smiling began with the amuse-bouche & continued onto to the last delightful nibble. Chamomile tea infused sparkling Riesling with chamomile blossom? Yes . . . so hot.
I was frankly giddy, distracted & useless at the job for about a week. I still think about it from time to time. I must go back.
5 Stars for Sounding Delightfully Familiar.
I went there for my birthday, hoping it would be a big culinary experience. Food was okay to good. My main problem is the portion size is very small.
The ambiance was also bit dull and cold.
It's worth going once to experience, but I probably won't go back.
My girlfriend and I moved to Piedmont Ave in the Spring and we can't decide whether it is gourmet or gourmet ghetto. Less exclusive than College Avenue, yet surprisingly close to Broadway and Autorow, it is less family and more hep. Adesso opened shortly before we came and Commis simply makes things weird. Obviously, we are the gentry and places like Commis are the tell-tale portents. We apologize. If it's any consolation, Commis is a fine way to be trendy and good eats to boot ...if you can afford it. Unlike the umpteen, hyper-designed restaurants on College Avenue with well-wrought signs yet surprisingly bland reviews, this place actually offers up something worth having. Our tab, with wine pairings, aperitif, and tip, came to $250.
The space is intimate. So, the owners have done a good job of removing everything superfluous. The tables are well-spaced and the lighting is subdued.
I can't say anything more about the food than has already been said. It's good, crisp, sparkling. I would like to agree with many: the portions are sufficient. The dinner rolls fill in the gaps and are spectacular. How can you be American (New) and not have an awesome dinner roll with your service. I don't know.
Best meal of the year so far.
Hell, best meal of recent memorable history.
Vivid flavors. Perfectly seasoned. Sensationally presented. New tastes. Incredibly high-quality ingredients. They're doing everything right. Anyone who doesn't rate Commie 5 stars doesn't get it. This place is about amazing food. These chefs have pedigree, and it shows. For City folks, I've seen some people compare Commis to Dennis Leary's Canteen. In the sense that they're both small operations run by passionate chefs at the height of their game, they are similar.
Nothing on the menu could be bad, but here's what I had:
-Carrot salad: Actually meant to order the cod, but it was a happy mistake. I went to Ubuntu recently, the buzz-saturated vegetarian mecca up in Napa. This vegetarian dish was better than any dish I tasted there. (sorry Ubuntu, still loved you, but I'll stay closer to home and eat at Commis). The carrots looked like multi-colored heirlooms and were served over turnip puree with a seaweed topping mixed with toasted finely ground hazelnuts.
-Soft egg with potato, black garlic and pork jowl: I'm just sitting here shaking my head. I don't even know what to say. It was that good. Get it.
-Lamb with white beans and mint: I got the wine pairings, and this course came with my favorite pairing of the night... what I believe was a Spanish Tempranillo.
I sat at the counter, and if you're into watching the actual cooking like I am this is an amazing place to counter-dine. The chefs really know what they're doing, and they'll answer questions if you want to know what the mystery ingredients in front of you are. Commis has only been open 6 weeks now, and it deserves to be discovered. If you haven't been and you appreciate good food, you deserve to discover it. The cost may seem a bit steep to folks in the East Bay most inclined to pick up a pizza at Zachary's, but at $59 for 3 courses and $29 for wine pairings, I felt like I was eating better than I did at Cyrus last year for at least 3 times that cost.
Great food. Cool ambiance. Fun time!
And who's the aloof pastry chef?! Cutie potutie!
OMG!! Bout time Oakland had a place to be proud of. This is not a flashy place, but a place that has been really thought out. The food was exceptional and the service was top rate. Have to say the group that works there is top notch. Attentive and friendly.
Loved the Famous Soft Farm Egg dish. Yes it was runny in the middle, but that's how it should be. Don't get it, if you can't hang;)
The amuse bouche was duck liver with apples. SOOO GOOD!
Hubby had the tuna to start and the duck as the main. Tuna dish was crisp and light. Duck was served two ways. Confit and Seared. Both were yummy. Hubby really liked like it.
I had the Soft Farm Egg and the Beef. Yums to both.
Will definitely go back.
Commis is a great restaurant, but I am a bit conflicted on the rating. There were moments where the quality and innovation of the dish hit it out of the ball park, but other moments where, through probably no fault of the chef, the dish fell flat.
The staff was very attentive. You never have to ask for another roll of bread here. It is a small spot, so watching them skillfully maneuver between tables is part of the entertainment for the night. Onto the food...
The menu is pre-fix $59 + $29 wine pairing (which I highly recommend)
We started with a Amuse Bouche of shiso soda. It was quite refreshing and a greater starter.
- smoked/cured sardines = 4 stars. For the most part, the dish was pretty tasty. My only complaint is that the slight smoky flavor overpowered some of the other flavors. It reminded me of smoked salmon.
- soft poached egg with pork jowls = 5 stars. Awesome and different. The egg was cooked perfectly. One word of caution - if you're not into fat, you might not like it much since the jowl is basically bacon...lots and lots of delicious fatty goodness..mmm.
- lamb loin = 3 stars. Nice balance, but the lamb itself was a bit chewy. You would think the main protein of the night should be perfect, but alas, the cut wasn't as tender as I would expect from a fine dining place. It was cooked perfectly, so it wasn't any fault of the chefs...thus my conflict.
- duck = 3.5 stars. Same issue relating to the chewiness of the protein. Chewy duck? There was a broth that was UBER tasty. The pairing was wonderful here. The wine was very complex and paired perfectly with the mellowness of the duck. Too bad I can't remember the name of the wine.
- melon soup = 4.5 stars. The person without a sweet tooth would love this dish. It's very refreshing and not too sweet. It's not your typical dessert of chocolate or creme brulee.
- chocolate cake = 4 stars. OK, this is your typical chocolate dessert. Although it's typical, it does have an interesting combination of fluffy yet dense at some parts. It's basically a deconstructed molten lava chocolate cake.
All in all, dining at Commis was worth the $$. Although the entrees fell short, it wasn't any fault of the chefs. Perhaps they should change suppliers..haha.
btw - a commis chef is an apprentice chef (interesting fact for the day).
Besides the douchebags sitting next to us who couldn't keep their eyes off our plates or their loud conversation off how cool and rich they were, Commis was a pretty nice place to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday.
The carrot dish was AMAZING. blew us away.
the famous soft egg was unfortunately very undercooked and runny...we were looking forward to it, but it had too slimy a texture (especially the whites) to enjoy. our bad for not sending it back.
the melon soup dessert was also a stand out.
house-made butter a stand out.
the fatty bone of lamb meat was very interesting, unexpected and enjoyable.
nice service - oh, and I loved the silverware! it looked shiny brand new!
Our friends chose Commis the other night and we wanted to go there since they opened. I'm not adding description of the restaurant because others have covered that in detail as well as the same food we had the evening we dined. Our group of four, all enjoyed each and every course. Their choices of flavors and textures were well balanced, served at the proper temps and beautifully plated. We were very pleased with the food. Though noticed the small portions for a three course dinner. You get a better value flying or driving down to LA to "The Bazaar" in the SLS hotel for molecular gastronomy delights (get the tasting menu).
The staff at Commis was very friendly and polite. We were quite dismayed by the fact that the restaurant was empty and have a few recommendations from our personal experience that evening. Especially after learning they raised their prices by $10 for the three course dinner from when they first opened.
Food - NO changes needed it was perfect. We love the molecular gastronomy preparations.
Food price - We did not have issue because it was good. BUT suggest slightly larger portions, or more high profile ingredients at this level of pricing (foie gras, lobster, truffle, etc) please compare to other fine restaurants in SF (Gary Danko ($66) for high end ingredients and larger helpings even of dessert) for 3 course at this price level. We realize that at Manresa (One of Commis' exec chefs past restaurant) four courses is $95. We usually have the Chef's Tasting Menu there $160 and never leave hungry. The setting and service here is much much different.
Wine - THIS was our biggest issue with the restaurant. We do not mind $30 for a three course wine pairing. We pay the same on average in many of the restaurants we enjoy the wine pairing at (Cyrus $89 for 8 courses). BUT Commis has to give a tasting portion of better wine or give full glass size pour when you are serving a well under $20 bottle of wine as a pairing. We knew the wine pairing price was a rip off for what we had that evening. Based not only on the fact that in the end we had less than one full glass of wine for $30. But that one bottle in particular.
http://corkd.com/wine/...
That review refers to an $11 retail cost, but the current retail cost
(based on my limited search) seems to be in the $14 range. You have
that bottle on your menu for $48, in the neighborhood of a 4x markup
over retail. If you consider that the pairings were at most two ounces
(and again, that's being generous -- these were /very/ small pours),
you've gone to more than 10x markup over retail. That crosses line the
line from "a little on the high side" to "highway robbery."
We nursed our tiny glasses of wine so that we would have it through each course.
Dessert - Wonderful! Different and delicious. Not enough restaurants offer high end exotic dessert options. We truly enjoyed the melon soup and the black sesame cake offered that evening .
The wine pairing alone is our reason to never return. We wish Commis good luck and hope they do well. If we hear they have made changes (especially in wine pairing portions or choices) we may dine again.
Dining at Commis tonight was a delight. The concept is refreshingly minimalistic, with very few decisions to be made. You don't have to puzzle over the wine menu because the wines chosen to accompany the meal are superb. In this way, the dining experience was unusually relaxing. I understand why I had read that dining at Commis was like being at a friend's house (albeit one who is a very good chef!).
We sat at the counter and were touched, awed, and delighted in turns at how the minimal kitchen staff executed flawless and divine morsels. First, it's a misnomer to call this tranquil and pristine setting a "kitchen." It truly feels absurd to call it so!
It's more like a laboratory, with the chef and owner (an Oakland native, graduate of Oakland Tech, no less) meticulously appointing each dish with dainty sprigs of unusual (and unusually fresh, perky, and lovely) edible flowers carefully chosen from what appeared to be a plastic fly fishing sorting tray which the staff would retrieve from under the counter with a kind of reverence. They would choose the flowers and arrange them poetically or jauntily in just the right aspect. The artistry was breath-taking.
It seemed very little "cooking" was occurring, yet somehow delectable creations kept arriving.
The timing was impeccable, the staff warm and professional. It was fun to have my wine glass refilled without worrying about having to buy another glass. It was refreshing to be catered to in such a meticulous manner.
At Commis, I found myself ruminating over the fine line between focused and detail-oriented and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). Whatever character trait it is that allows the chef (whose name is slipping my mine this minute: famous chef of Manresa in the South Bay) to display such a high level of care and attention is welcome.
Visit Commis! It's quite an experience.
Superb drinks, service and staff. Since it is very expensive, this is a place you want to go with people who love food and like to taste and learn. Also great place to feel pampered.
We arrived early, and were invited to sit at the bar, and watch the chefs prepare the food (the kitchen is in the middle of the restaurant). It was awesome watching their precision. They even used pointed tweezers to pick out tiny blossoms from a sprig of something.
The decor is somewhat sterile, white, clean, ordered. But the service was super friendly and told you a little something about all the food items. The butter is house made and the chef churns it himself. The rolls are never ending, and are the best I've ever had (esp with the fragrant butter).
The drinks from the pairing and the ginger aperitif are on the sweet, clean and light side, which I prefer. I thought they were very thoughtful and well chosen.
Appetizers: We had the egg and pork belly, and the sardines. They were very delicious.
Entrees: The chicken was the best. The poaching rendered it very soft and tender, while the skin was very crisp. The sides were perfectly complementary. The lamb is good if you really love lamb- it had a very strong lamb flavor. The fish was very buttery, but the flesh could have been better seasoned- only the skin was salted.
Desserts: The melon soup was very refreshing and unique. The chocolate puffy thing was good, a bit more on the standard tasting.
The staff is warm and inviting, as well as informative and attentive. I think that their attentions was what made the night exceptional. It makes you feel special and as there are limited seatings, you can take your time. We were there for about 2 hours, leisurely eating, talking, particularly discussing and sharing our food.
Put down your laptop and pick up your mobile and call Commis for a reservation, now. Yes, I am talking to you.
Commis is serving excellent delicious food with well sourced ingredients, a nice ambiance and very professional service. The food is presented beautifully, the plating is spot on, but even more importantly the flavors work.
The egg dish is one of the better things I have eaten in a while. The chicken was also a highlight of the menu. There are only 4 appetizers, 3 entrees and 2 desserts, but our party of 4 tried them all and found no clunkers.
They have 6 seats at the counter in front of the kitchen - all the better to watch the 3 cooks work their magic. Not inexpensive but a good value.
Actually 4.5 stars out of 5 but since yelp doesn't allow you to assign 1/2 stars and I don't believe in grade inflation; I had to give it only 4. Outstanding cuisine in a somewhat sterile modern room which serves as a gallery for the food and performance of the chefs in the open kitchen. A true gem for foodies. Service was excellent, professional, attentive without being intrusive. This is at the top of the list for East Bay fine dining. Enough has been said about the food, suffice to say we are hard to please and we discussed how much we like the experience for days after our meal.
We spent over 2 hours enjoying our evening. The pacing was perfect for us, but some might find it a bit slow. Portions were also perfect except we were longing for a bit more dessert. Some will find the portions small and thus not such a good value.
The price for 2 with wine & tip; $230.
The only minus would be the wine list. While having some very good selections, the markup and stingy pours by the glass make wine pairings a poor value. We ordered a bottle which is probably a better value than the by the glass pairings. Wine is such an important part of the meal for us that this alone whacks of the 1/2 star.
There are probably better overall values for this type of cuisine and wine pairings in the Bay Area but Commis is not to be missed.
Great New Openings within the last Year…
