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Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sun. 4:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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For us East Bay folks, we finally have a "get your little black dress on" restaurant in downtown Oakland. The restaurant is beautiful, I recommend sitting in the red room. Not sure if they call it the red room, but it is all in red an you might feel like you are in New Orleans. Service is impeccable, not an inexpensive dining experience, but the service, quality of food are what that pays for.
We tried the chicken, and it was good, but the real winner is the Pork Chops, drinks were wonderful (especially if you are a cocktail person like me).
Being an Oakland native, Oakland has gotten a bad rap by some, please don't be afraid to journey to Pican. This is an one elegant place with security out front. Parking is a dream...they have a parking right across the street, and it is a safe situation at night, as they have lots of security. It's gets packed on Friday nights, make sure you get a reservation ....if not...there will be a loooong wait.
Ahh, long live Pican!
I came here for my parents, sister, and our boyfriends.
It was a nice place. i think I waited 10 minutes outside for a valet guy, gave up, and street parked the car and walked back 2 blocks. It was fine on a weeknight but might be tougher on a weekend.
Service was friendly, our server took the time to explain a lot of the weird phrasing in the menu.
The free cornbread I thought was yummy but most people didn't finish the little piece they were given. The biscuits at Church's is way better. There was a lot of food sharing. Let me see --
The southern classic fried chicken -- it was decided by the table that Church's was better. And a lot cheaper. Hmm... interesting pattern.
The ribs were ok
the rib eye was ok, there were a few bites that were really tender but for the most part just ok
The fish was ok, I liked it, which is impressive since I'm not much of a fish person
The duck was, well, ducky. I didn't really like it but Corey seemed to enjoy it.
I liked the collard greens, the asparagus was yummy, and I thought the mac n cheese was awesome. Gouda is good-a. Apparently Kat wasn't a big fan, but that's probably b/c her Mac and cheese is so good (she puts bacon in it!)
Probably not worth another visit because of the price. Too bad.
I can't say it was anything special. Serviced lacked. Food was ok but nothing to remember.
The appetizers were small and pretentious. When you think of the south you think of good size helpings, butter, flavor and down home cooking. Mac-n-Cheese was not gooey and lacked the umphh I was expecting. Entrees were uneventful and lacked a basic understanding of seasoning. I have had better fried chicken at the Kernel. Wasn't even interested in Dessert by the time it came around. I have to give it a One thumbs down. It wasn't terrible but it wasn't worth the money I spent.
WOW! OMG! TAKE ME BACK SOON! PLEASE!
Went here for lunch today and can't wait to go back! From the first sip of my sweet tea to the last bite of my fish and chips with fries and hush puppies, I cant think of one thing I would change. Damn, this place is great! Perfect service, great atmosphere and a menu that gives you are hard time on what to order since it all looks so good. Enjoy!
Made reservations for a Saturday night party of 4 to try this place out.
5 stars - interior design - beautiful
5 stars - bar, drinks were great and served quick
1 star - table - they put us right next to the heat lamp pick up station - I could feel the heat on the back of my head. I said something to the host as we were seated - he just smiled and left, no offer to move us although I could see open tables.
4 stars - service a bit uneven, seemed like about 5 different people served us, and we only got one miniature piece of cornbread each.
4 stars - food - appetizers were perfect (salad, prawns). Fried chicken with mac and cheese were really good. Truffle honey butter - don't do it. A weird addition of musty sweetness that overpowers the dish. Fish and bbq entrees were good, but the chicken was better.
Warning: I think they use those supersize wine glasses. I had 2 glasses of wine and was d-r-u-n-k, which generally doesn't happen.
I'd go back if I could be assured I would get a better table.
Loved it! 5 Stars in my book! When I arrived, I asked a couple of patrons if the food was good...there response "it's ok." So I was a little skeptical, but their feedback didn't stop my curiosity! I've heard rave reviews about this restuarant, so I decided to try. I order the Fried Chicken with Mac and Cheese. Loved it!
I went back a day later with co-workers and ordered the Shrimp and Grits. Loved it! The food was awesome!
The only con was the service...hopefully management reads these reviews and will think about hiring more staff or retraining the servers currently there...they are not that attentive...the food is awesome, and the service should match.
Overall, great job! Glad I have a new place to eat here in Oakland :-)
Came here over the weekend with some friends from the East Bay. Took me an hour and 15 minutes to drive here since the Bay Bridge was closed!! Grrrr... I was starving by the time I got here.
The food definitely didn't disappoint!
I opted for the small plates instead of a huge entree so I can order more.. hehe... it's just like my style. Small bites, more variety...
I ordered the following:
- Smoked Gouda "Mac 'n Cheese" - absolutely delicious! the outer layer was baked so it was crispy and the mac 'n cheese was super creamy. It was heavenly!
- Sweet Corn Bisque with Cornmeal fried oyster, smoked bacon, crushed red pepper - this was yummy. The fried oyster was great with the soup. I love corn so the corn bisque was sweet and great to eat.
- Black Pepper Seared Sea Scallops with Creamed Brentwood corn, tomato & mache salad, truffle vinaigrette - this was my favorite dish... the black peppered sea scallop was cooked perfectly. Crispy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside... the corn sauce was so good that I wanted to lick my plate clean after... haha... that's how you know it's REALLY good..
For dessert we had Georgia Pecan Tart with buttermilk ice cream and bourbon butterscotch. That was HUMONGOUS to eat.. the buttermilk ice cream had this weird sour taste... I wasn't a big fan of it... but the other people loved it... the tart itself was great though. Pecan's always yummy to eat.
The only downside about this place is that it takes a long time to get your food... so be prepared for a long dinner. Just come ready to enjoy good company, great food and a long wait to get your food. haha!
Will be back again but only when the bay bridge is open! :)
Went over to the bar while waiting for a table, ordered an Old-fashioned. Bartender asks me if I want the 1880's or the 1820's old-fasioned. I opted for the classic. Did not disappoint.
We were sat sooner than we expected, and began ordering. We started with the seared sea scallops and shrimp with grits. The scallops were perfectly seared. Grits were nice and creamy, shrimp was amazing as well.
Then we moved on to big plates. Bourbon and molasses duck for m'lady, blackened salmon for myself. Salmon was a little salty, fennel made up for it. The duck was AMAZING, though, again, I felt the collards were a little oversalted.
Overall great place with great decor and a friendly staff. Would definitely go back sober and give it another go.
Pican, a new twist into Uptown's Nightlife in Oakland. Can Southern Hospitality, and a plate of Honey Truffle Fried Chicken ever make a difference? Maybe, depends who you are asking right? Well quite frankly, I haven't gotten a chance to try any Georgia or Mississippi restaurants besides dying to try Commander's Palace (highlighted in a season of Top Chef located in Louisiana). This will probably be the closest taste of the south I'll have until my opportunity comes.
It was my final night in the Bay Area, and I knew I wouldn't be back for a good while so I had to make it count, somehow. It was my best friend, mother, and I to have a reservation of three all thanks to http://OpenTable.com (had a hard time getting through to the reservations number for the restaurant).
We were seated by Travis, in an area that I specified to my reservation (spacious and comfortable seating). It was as if I were sent back into the time of which Thomas Jefferson owned a plantation, but without the bigotry and pretentiousness on hand. After gazing through the menu and creating a consensus with my mini dining group these were our orders:
Drinks
Glasses of Tap Water All Around
Wild Horse; Central Coast, 2007 Pinot Noir
Appetizers/Side Dishes
Honey Buttered Cornbread (complimentary appetizer served for the entire table)
Crispy and Smoked Berkshire Pork Belly; Consists of: Hoe Cake, Pickled Peach, Farmer's Cheese, and Spiced Maple Glaze.
Gouda Mac and Cheese (part of the Chicken Entree)
Entrees'
Bourbon Lacquered Duck; consists of: California Collards (That's some special domestic vegetable for yeah), Daffy Duck (just kidding, but there's really duck of course), Chiles, Garlic, White Cheddar Fritter and Pot Liquor
Buttermilk Southern Fried Chicken; consists of: Crisp Natural Chicken with a side of smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
Pepper Crusted Salmon; consists of: Fennel Puree, Shaved Fennel Salad, Fingerling Potatoes and a Tarragon Jus
Desserts
Chocolate Lime Tart Pie (guess the Lemon Buttermilk replaced it; recently); consists of Creme Fraiche and Local Blueberries but with Lime instead of the recent Lemon
Pican's Georgia Pecan Tart; consists of: Buttermilk Ice Cream and Bourbon Butterscotch (definitely enough to share for 2-3 people)
*(Description credit to Pican and slight modification for review purposes)*
Well from the get-go before they even started providing water they specified between tap water and "premium water" (whatever, tap water is fine). The Wild Horse wasn't wild stallion in body after all, I think of it more like a tame mare in smoothness. Full bodied, but its as if a hot Equestrian chick kept it in check.
The Cornbread was on point, and the only other place that had such a good recipe was Bellanico (North Oakland, Ca.). Smooth enough that you didn't need to add more butter for gluttony purposes. The Pork Belly was definitely crispy on top with the skin peeling off, somewhat smooth, to a point. The Cheese, Peach, and Glaze were added for more elements to texture and contrast in taste. Those three were perfect except I felt the hoe cake was just excess and could have been done without. Gouda Mac and Cheese, I hate to say it but I believe my own recipe of Mac and Cheese can be modified and make this ten times better. It's refreshing to have Gouda instead of Cheddar. But they could have definitely done more with this. It was cheesy and filling but thankfully not a single noodle was wasted.
Now for the Entrees, The Buttermilk Fried Chicken was somewhat disappointing. Although the crispy texture, and somewhat tender breasts were suppose to captivate me, to prematurely add the truffle honey after the frying didn't entice me. Perhaps they could have doubled up on injecting a bit of it inside the meat, and then finishing the glaze to bring out more of the flavor. After several bites, all I tasted was buttermilk and my mother wasn't as satisfied as she expected. The Salmon was definitely smooth, pretty juicy as well thanks to the Tarragon. The various vegetables and puree was all excess but my best friend wasn't complaining on his end, since he finished his entire dish.
Now for my Duck, all I have to say it was probably a pretty damn good one. The white cheddar was non-existent, but the collards, chile, garlic, and bourbon sure made one hell of a broth for my shiny 6 pieces of duck, swimming in its alcoholic vegetable spa. The duck was perfect, no complaints, juicy, tender, and went well with my Pinot Noir (thanks Travis).
Now I was really enjoying myself, good company, friendly and attentive service, so what can seal the deal? Dessert of course, with the lime being a big hit for my best friend (he enjoyed it). The Pecan Pie was super rich, enough Pecans to keep yourself in a sticky situation, but satisfying to the very last bite. All in all we spent about $150.00 plus tax and tip (first and only expensive meal in Oakland ever). Great times, hopefully when I return it will be better the second time around. Cheers!
3.5 stars.
Birthday dinner for my mom and myself here on Wednesday night. Party of 6, we had no problem getting a table. Parking was relatively easy too ... though my sister tried to valet park though no one was at the booth.
Wine: Guigal Cote du Rhone
Entrees:
-- Baby back ribs - I liked the sauce and the piece I tried was tender but some of the pieces my dad had weren't. Fred didn't care much for it either.
-- Bass - my mom like it and I thought it was really good ... probably the best entree of everything I tasted.
-- Fried chicken - with the waiter standing behind us, my dad proceeds to ask Fred "is that better than KFC?". When the waiter interrupts with "well, I should hope so", my dad laughs at him and proceeds to ask Fred again. Fred's take is that it isn't as greasy as KFC and the white meat is very tender ... but worth 20x the cost?
-- Ribeye steak - average. It seemed really fatty to me ... though maybe that's because my sister just cut me off a really fatty piece.
-- Salmon - very very fishy. Well, it's a fish so what do you expect? Again, average.
Sides:
-- collard greens - average. A bit too sour for our liking.
-- Asparagus - these are delicious. Very tender.
-- Mac and Cheese - not sure what everyone was raving about in the other reviews. Ours were dried out and nothing to write home about.
Decor was great (didn't feel like we were in Oakland) and service was friendly. I even got Banana pudding with a candle in it. I'd go back for cocktails (lots of bourbon based cocktails), but unlikely for another meal.
Went in for dinner with the misses on Friday.
We made a reservation for 5:30 on Friday night,before a show @ Fox,I received a reminder call from Pican on Friday afternoon,thought that was pretty cool.
The place was empty when we arrived,but was full by the time we left @ 7:15.
On the reccomendation of other yelpers we had the Scallop appitezer & the fried Chicken & ribs for our entrees.
The chicken had a tasty ,crunchy coating & the ribs were seasoned nicely with a heathly coating of BBQ sauce.
Both entrees were very good..
Also split the Pecan Tart for desert.
The tart was excellent,but the butermilk ice cream sucked.It had a sour milk,yogurt flavor not to our liking.
The meal with two drinks & tip was $113.90..
A little spendy,but the inside of the restaraunt is beautiful & the service was spot on.
3.5 stars
Stoped in for lunch with two of my co workers today.
Nice lush decor inside,service was prompt.…
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I ventured to Pican with my roommates for a birthday celebration dinner. Pican is one of the many up and coming restaurants of uptown Oakland, and since I live in the area, I'm baffled why I didn't try this place earlier! When you step foot into the restaurant, you're transported into a comforting and calming world (read: you forget you're in Oakland). It's cozy, but not too casual. It's has a luxurious vibe without being pretentious.
Food:
As you peruse the menu, they bring you warm cornbread and butter and it's a great way to tease your taste buds for the savory meal to come. On the menu you'll find familiar, Southern favorites with a twist on these classic dishes. We eyed a tower of onion rings at an adjacent table, but it wasn't on the menu, so without being too obvious, we inquired about the special dish to our waiter. He said they normally don't make the onion rings, but was willing to put the order in for us. They arrived fresh out of the fryer, lightly battered and crispy. Like any first timer at Pican, we ordered the buttermilk fried chicken with gouda mac n cheese. What a treat! It was crispy, well seasoned, and juicy. We also shared the grilled berkshire porkchop which was equally delicious. The use of the fresh, seasonal ingredients took the food to another level.
SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT! We had the fried peach pie with ginger ice cream. Ginger ice cream sounds odd by itself but it complements the sweetness of the peach tart surprisingly well. This delectable dessert will tantalize your taste buds. Don't think twice, just do it.
Service:
The service was great. We walked in for a late dinner on a Tuesday night and were seated promptly without a reservation. Our waiter gave some great recommendations and helped us pick out some tasty dishes. I appreciated that the staff was attentive (my water glass was promptly refilled) without being overbearing.
Pican offers traditional, but unique soulful creations that really hit home. Bite by bite, the food takes you on a journey to the South. It's a little on the pricey side, but it's great for a special night out on the town!
They've been open for almost a year now, and they still have the friendly, well-dressed gentleman opening the door for you, and he always seems glad you came. All the dishes are hearty, and the drinks are well made. Only thing causing a mild ding is the price. $20+ for friend chicken is a little painful, but it's damn good fried chicken. A good place to stop by for dessert after a show at the Paramount.
Tonight we went to Pican to celebrate 30 years of living together. I knew I wanted the fried chicken. Everything else was up for grabs. We found a parking space right around the corner from the entrance. We had 6:30 reservations. Happily we remembered to feed the meter, so Oakland couldn't stick us w/ a parking ticket now that they've extended meter enforcement hours from 6:00 to 8:00. Asshats.
We walked in and were greeted and seated. It's a large space and tables are arranged not only so you have space, but angled in such a way so diners at adjacent tables aren't staring at each other. The decor is in shades of brown. The pillar beside the kitchen is covered in a mosaic of long, thin pieces of tile in varying shades of brown. 2-3 inch strips of the same tile serve as an accent to the tiles in the bathrooms, which are large and attractive.
I ordered a lavender lemon drop and Alan ordered a dark beer. We both liked our drinks. Pieces of cornbread were served to us individually rather than in a breadbasket. Butter accompanied them but I didn't use it. The cornbread was excellent, not too sweet and perfectly moist. We shared an appetizer of fried green tomatoes and a Pican Magnolia salad. The fried green tomatoes came w/ chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and feta, almost like a Greek salad. The tomatoes were the incredible, perfectly cooked, w/ a tasty dipping sauce. The salad consisted of baby lettuces, toasted pecans and cornbread croutons in a white balsamic vinaigrette. It was a generous portion and was very tasty. Cornbread was replenished as needed.
When I ordered my chicken I asked the waiter whether thighs were available, as I had heard only a breast and a leg were served. He explained that thighs were used to make sauces; he may have used another term, but that was the gist. That seems to me a terrible waste. I would use the legs for that purpose and serve the thighs. But I love thighs. That being said, the chicken was terrific, meaty and fresh tasting. The crust was delicious. The smoked gouda mac 'n' cheese was flavorful, though a bit runny. Taste trumps all w/ me, though. No complaints. Alan ordered the Corvina bass, which came w/ blue crab and roasted garlic grits and a grilled asparagus salad. I didn't taste the salad, but the grits were the best I've tasted. Ever. The bass was nicely cooked and very fresh.
Service was correct, if remote to the point of inattentiveness at times. Water was refilled regularly, although Alan's request for little ice was honored more in the breach than in the observance. The busser was friendly and attentive, though, sometimes more than the waiter. The restaurant was full and pleasantly noisy. We were not rushed to leave, despite the restaurant's busyness. It was a very pleasant dinner.
Sexy. Sultry. Soulful.
Good looking people of all ages and races. Great ambiance. Good Food.
I fell in love....
I really don't understand all the rave reviews on this place. I found it pretentious without justification. The waiter copped an attitude once he found out we weren't having cocktails. And the food was really disappointing. I had the duck which lacked flavor, but most importantly the collard greens were underdone and crunchy and very difficult to chew. They needed another hour in the pot. My companion's fried chicken was good, but nothing to write home about and the famed mac and cheese tasted of flour, so I expect that the roux wasn't cooked enough. The food was mostly edible, but not good enough to warrant a second chance.
This place has no business being in Oakland. Pican is stylish, swank, has a supper club attitude. It's young, vibrant, with it. Oakland, well you know.
I start with blackened scallops that are perfectly seared and covered with some crunchy pepper. The scallops are over some nice corn and sided by an even better salad of fresh greens, tomatoes and sweet onion. Very nice indeed.
Southern fried chicken is crispy outside and moist within. While i couldn't taste the "buttermilk" of the coating, the frying was well done and the chicken was not at all greasy. The side of gouda mac and cheese is nice as well.
All is not perfection at Pican however, Service is in your face pushy and reminiscent of the worst behavior of used car salesmen. Also, the place is pricey. Chicken, even without the honey service that was being pushed on me (without mention by my waiter of the surcharge), is expensive at $23. The plate of scallops were not inexpensive or a bargain either. But Pican will do for an occasional splurge.
I wish that some foods could never be over and that I could just keep eating them into an infinity of really obese oblivion.
This fried chicken would be one of those things.
Just left Pican for lunch and I must say I was impressed. I had delayed going until it was up and running for a while, and yes I know its been open for a while. First I have to say that I'm a foodie...have even done my own cookbook. And was impressed with what I had. I had the shrimp and grits. My friend had the Chicken and dumplings. It was good. This isn't the place to go if you want a lot of food on your plate but for lunch it was enough. Nothing like sitting in an afternoon meeting trying to digest a big plate of soul food. We didn't have reservations, but were seated promptly at a good location. Service was precise, not overly friendly but good. I only had an hour for lunch and was out including key lime chess pie...good but a little sweet for me, in 50 minutes...perfect. Loved the decor...a much needed establishment for Oakland just wish it was a little closer. I hope it does well. Now the real test will be, when I go back for dinner. I'll let you know how that goes.
Went there for the first time. Valet parking is a must since the neighborhood (downtown Oakland) isn't the best. It's only $5 for valet parking and the neighborhood is really getting better thanks to Pican and Ozumo.
The restaurant is beautifully designed and decorated. Lots of earth tones, primarily browns. The service was absolutely first rate.
The grits and shrimp appetizer was quite good. Never thought that a savory sauce and grits would be so tasty. The Pican salad featured seasonal greens and candied walnuts which was also nice.
The cornbread was OK, not as good as Nellie's Soulfood Restaurant in Oakland. The porkchop was brined and featured a sweet topping. It was juicy, but parts of the chop seemed a bit salty. It was topped by pork belly slices which wasn't that big of a deal. I wasn't a big fan of the red beans and rice. The fried chicken was good, although the breast piece seemed a bit dry. Again, I think Nellie's fried chicken was better. I think Kraft has ruined my taste for mac and cheese because I wasn't overwhelmed by Pican's own mac and cheese.
The fried apple pie was very good. I'm not a ginger fan, so I substituted the ginger ice cream with vanilla ice cream and it made the dish a hit for me.
I noticed that there was a large private room available for large parties.
I'd go here again. It was over $50 a person, not including booze.
Brunch was fabulous! A delicious meal in a beautiful setting with excellent serivce. My biscuits with crawfish gravy were heavenly and the mint julep was a perfect acompaniment.
However, dinner last Thursday evening was a tad disappointing. We had 8:30 reservations and arrived at 8:30 on the dot. We were told it would be a 15 minute wait. So we waited, and waited, and waited. After 30 minutes we are getting a bit antsy. We wait. After about 35 minutes the manager came over to apologize and gave us a round of drinks on the house. A nice gesture but doesn't quite make up for the eventual 45 minute wait we had to be seated.
When we were finally seated the food arrived quickly and was delicious. Our waiter was great and we ended up having a very nice meal. The only other draw back was that the fellow waiting to bus the table was hovering and pounced on our dishes the moment we got up to leave.
Would I return? Definitely. Would I expect to be seated at the time of my reservation? Definitely as well.
Now if you're looking for fried, greasy, unhealthy, trans-fatty southern cooking, then ignore my 4 star review. However, if you're anything like me, i.e. a Bay-area native who loves fresh ingredients and has stayed away from most BBQ/southern food due to its "rock-in stomach" feeling, then you'll really like Pican.
I went here for my friend's 30th bday last week (and as a non-Southern cooking lover, I really give it 3.5 stars, but I'm taking my picky-ness into account), and I went with low expectations. I mean, over 30 bucks for friend chicken? Hmm, I thought, suspect.
But I have to say I was very surprised. I got the pan-seared corvina bass and it was DELICIOUS. Seriously, one of the most flavorful fish dishes I've had in a while. Though expensive, it was well seasoned. The steak was apparently slightly overcooked, but well-portioned. The chicken was yummy too (as long as you like fried chicken - if you don't, you still may think it's average). And the smoked gouda mac and cheese in the cute little iron skillet was delish.
Highlights (besides my fish) - the scallops!! Expensive, but cooked perfectly. The wine list - they have solid 20 buck wines. Finally, the Caesar with fried grits and the chicken livers were yummy.
I think the desserts were just so-so - we got some banana pudding - eh, not too memorable. But we were stuffed too. Bloated minds tend to drift off.
As for the service - it was interesting. It was super "in your face," like super friendly (maybe too friendly?) - like our waiter did a tequila shot with the bday girl. The manager and owner also came by to say hi, which was nice but strange,etc.etc. I think some people would love that kind of service. I'm more of a "blend in so you have no idea I'm here but I'm serving you like crazy" sort of person myself.
All and all, an expensive, but memorable experience. I'm not sure if I'd go back soon because southern food isn't my favorite cuisine, but I highly reccommend it if it's YOUR favorite!
Thank Heaven for refined Southern comfort food. This place is da bomb....
MAKE RESERVATIONS! lol....because I went on a Friday night, and had to wait 45 minutes for a table. It was worth the wait thou...My friend and i decided to wait outside on the patio and have a drink because it was such a nice night.
Service was on point, restaurant was clean with real nice ambiance.
I had the Bourbon Molasses Lacquered Duck w/ greens and cheese fritter. It was so good...I had an orgasm at The table ;) so embarrassing!!!
My friend had BBQ pork ribs, that was equally delicious...and she ordered some hoppin john (I'm not sold on this item).
Overall a great experience, I will be going back to eat here again! Hope to see you there!
Best vegetarian plate in town.... But at 21 dollars a pop I can only afford it every few months. Lavender martinis were tasty too. Beautiful interior, nice wait staff. I like the bar/lounge are. Would give it 5 stars but it's so dang expensive!
Superstar 2009 Yelp MVP Gill C recommends Pican.
I trust her opinions and she is always right on. But I am fried chicken snob. You will never catch me at KFC or Popeye's and after reading Gill C's review and later discussing it in person I had some lofty expectations for Pican.
Over the past several weeks in attempting to score a reservation we finally were able to secure a 8:30 table which would be the final stop of the evening. We arrived early and in time to have a drink at the bar. The bar is very sleek, modern and inviting. We took a seat on one of the comfortable black leather chairs and were greeted by a friendly hostess who took our drink orders. My wife went with the Revolver which is a bourbon based drink which she LOVED. I went off the menu and asked if the bartender could make a caprihina. Not only could he make one, they carry Leblon cachaca which is my favorite!
Our table was ready right at 8:30 and were seated. Our waitress arrived within minutes and took her time explaining the menu and then sent over the sommelier who gave us some suggestions on what wine to order and would pair the best with our main dishes.
As we were making decisions they brought over some delicious corn bread. And I mean DELICIOUS! corn bread. Warm, soft, melts in your mouth, so good it didnt even need any butter. This is dangerous as it is so good and they will bring you more, so trust me on this and be careful stuffing yourself with it because the best was yet to come.
We decided to split the fried green tomato starter. Perfectly prepared and breaded, topped with a lightly grilled cucumber and onion combination and served along side with a mildly spiced sauce. There were only three slices, but it was certainly enough for two to share and felt the portion size was perfect.
For the main event I went with the fried chicken which is served alongside gouda mac n' cheese. UNBELIEVABLE! I have never had better fried chicken EVER! Perfectly crispy on the outside and super juicy on the inside. Each bite was amazing! The mac n' cheese was mind blowing. I also felt the portion size was more than enough, one full break and a drumstick. There is an option for $2.00 where they will drizzle your chicken with truffled honey. I asked the server and she suggested I not order with it as she felt the chicken was so good that it didnt need it. I am curious and may have to try this out next time.
My wife went with the ribs. The rub they used was mouth watering, I am not completely certain but it tasted as if there might be a little bourbon in in the sauce. I also appreciate the fact that they made sure to prepare it in the Southern tradition and they pulled it off! And once again a nice sized portion. We were able to take home the leftovers and had it again for dinner the following night.
Dessert? sureeeee why not?? We were at Pican, so obviously we had to have the pecan tart! And let me tell you, what a perfect way to end the evening! Absolutely amazing dish and I mirror what Gill C said in her review. It was the best pecan tart I have ever had!
There is no question that we will be back here soon!
Thanks to Gill C for recommending this awesome restaurant!
PS. If you are a fan of Bourbon they have an amazing list.
How do I start? We went there for dinner for my birthday last night. I had read 2 great reviews in Diablo Magazine and knew a few friends who had already been and raved about it. One such friend took us out to dinner there to celebrate my birthday. Thanks, Patti!!
The bourbon cocktails are great (especially the Old Fashioned). Everything we ordered was delicious (we all shared bites) from the Foi Gras, and the Fried Green Tomatoes, to the shrimp and grits, the fried chicken, the mac n cheese, all the way to the fried peach pie with ginger ice cream .
I really wanted to try one of everything on the menu but I am going back in a few weeks so no worries.
Our server was a wonderful addition. She was friendly, upbeat and knowledgeable about the menu.
We did a bourbon tasting about half way through that was very nice, as well.
The place is decorated beautifully and has a rich and warm feel to it.
I couldn't have picked a better place and planning on spreading the word about this gem!!
Went back to Pican for a bday celebration and I'm afraid nothing has really changed.
The service is professional, but the food service is still as slow as a Forty Niner pass rush. People say the service is slow so you and your party can take the time to conversate and not rush during the meal.
I say that's bs!
There's no reason for restaurant of Pican's caliber to take over 85 minutes to serve an appetizer. I'm even more puzzled why Pican advertises its "mouthwatering cornbreard" as a free appetizer but only give each patron ONE piece!!!
One single, measly piece!!!
I still think Pican is overrated for the prices they charge, but at least there is plenty of eye candy for you to look at during your 90 minute wait for food. lol
In my opinion, if you want to try a REAL soul food kitchen, try FARMERS BROWN in SF.
Pican holds on to its "Three-Star" rating from me... But just by a thread..... lol
Pican is the "new" upcoming restaurant for the Eastbay African-American set. The venue is nice, but… Read more »
Came here for a 'co-worker going away lunch.' I love the high ceilings and the decor. There is something so relaxing about this place. Let me tell you what's not relaxing about this place...having to wait 10-15 minutes for your server to come back to the table and refill your water glass. Or having to wait another 10-15 minutes for the server to walk by again so that you can ask for a clean fork because you accidentally dropped it on the floor. There is no excuse for service like this when 1. you have a party of 10 and 2. the resto is not even at 1/2 capacity.
The menu seemed a bit small/limited but it was probably b/c it was the lunch menu and it's definitely higher end southern food. I did enjoy my pork sandwich though. The bun was yum delish and apparently brought in from NOLA. Not sure if the server was just messing with us but that was a good bun! The catfish po-boy was just meh. It could have been better. Co-worker said the shrimp with grits was amazing. The desserts...now that's something to write home about. The banana pudding, fabulous and you can taste some rum in it. The pecan tart was surprisingly good. I thought it would be extremely sweet like pecan pie. The chocolate bread pudding was just ok. I would come back for their dessert and maybe to try their mac n cheese but the service and the prices were such a disappointment.
Delicious!
For apps we ordered:
Fried green tomatoes: I would skip and get something else.
Scallops over creamed corn: Must have
Shrimp bisque: If you like a little spicey with butta, get it. YUM
Grits with shrimp: Must have
Entrees
3 of us ordered the fried chicken and 1 other person ordered the bass. Very tasty. Chicken was so juicy and delicious with the table truffle honey service for 2 bucks more. The mac and gouda cheese, I would use smoked gouda for more flavor, I found it a tad bland.
Sides:
John something with black beands: YUMMY, but ours was a just barely warm, wish it were hot.
Mashed potatoes: YUM, must have. Super creamy
Greens: YUM, must have.
Deserts:
Banana Pudding: must have
Pecan Pie: must have
Although pricey (24 bucks for 2 pieces of chicken and mac and cheese) it was worth the taste. Next time I go I'd like to try the ribs. Our waiter was awesome too. Super friendly and knew his menu well.
I'm a seafood lover. The Covina bass was among the best fish dishes I've ever had. While not inexpensive ($24), it was a large portion of very a tasty fish, served on a bed of blue crab flavored bits which blended together very well with the bass. My wife had the same dish and loved it too. Our friend had the duck. She liked it, but not as much as she loved her husband's pork chop. We also had a pecan salad which was just perfect with candied pecans and cornbread croutons. We were all too full for desert.
Service was gracious and efficient. The dining space is very comfortable and interestingly decorated. Tables not too close together. Noise level was ok.
I asked the waiter what Pican meant. It's a novel way of spelling pecan. Apparently, if you google pecan, a lot more comes up than if you google pican, so they chose pican.
The area was well lit and, although it was "uptown" Oakland, it did not feel unsafe at night. This place is right next door to the new restaurant Ozuma. Both are located in a brand new apartment building about 3 blocks from the new Cathedral on Lake Merritt.
I'd go back here any time for excellent food, athosphere and service.
Okay, so I just came back from New Orleans, so I had some expectations. First, it took us like 2 hours to get seated, they were packed, took days to find parking. As we got seated, the wait staff new whats up, very friendly and the experience began. Brought us cornbread with honey butter (yummy). We ordered ribs, my wife ordered the chicken. I wasn't sure about the ribs, little expensive, but it was well worth it. The chicken was good, they offered a table side, honey drizzle, but didn't get it. Overall, the ambiance was nice, the waiter did a good job in detailing the menu, and I will definitely return - but will make reservations and make time to find parking.
Went back for dinner and it seems they have straightened things out in the kitchen. The food was really great and not overseasoned. I'm still not sold on the smoked gouda mac n cheese but all else was delicious. The fried chicken was divine as was the sea bass. My favorite of the evening was the southern caesar salad. The beautiful romaine hearts were perfected dressed and accented with fried okra and hushpuppies. Easily the best caesar salad I've had in a long time.
In addition to the food, the restaurant is gorgeous and lively and always teeming with a wonderfully diverse crowd. Looking around, I could see that everyone was having a wonderful time. In these gloomy times, just being around this energy is worth more than the meal itself.
We had a fantastic time at Pican. There were seven of us at the bar and we ordered several dishes to… Read more »
so, i'm generally opposed to sexy soul food (see my forthcoming review of farmer brown's)
though i'm a fervent believer that all kinds of traditions are worthy of a remix now and then, sexy soul food usually works out to be something excessive and experimental in all the wrong, flavorless ways (food as art is one thing, but i think it's a failure if it doesn't taste good. but that's just my apparently ridiculous opinion).
pican surprised me. it's totally a date joint, so i thankfully went there on a date-ish thingy. i was excited to know that the place was not only black owned but primarily black-staffed, and as shi-shi as the place is, the young ladies hosting were super sweet and made you feel familiar (or maybe that was just because they'd recognized my 'date' from a couple weeks before having visited with another woman. right.)
anyway: the food. expensive but actually REALLY tasty! a little salty, but the fried chicken was very flavorful and juicy and the gouda macaroni and cheese was a pleasant surprise to this macaroni and cheese connoisseur/enthusiast. i even tried to make gouda mac and cheese at home after that! the cornbread is nothing to write home about and the table service was decent. the art and overall ambience though was really nice.
i'd return...
I have been here a few times and each time I go, I am not disappointed. I have had the Fried Chicken and Gouda Mac-n-Cheese. YUMMY. I have also had the Shrimp and Grits. WOW!! There were so good, and I don't usually eat grits. Another good plate is the Caesar salad with grits croutons. Everyone that I have gone with loves this place.
My girlfriends and came here for drinks and dessert on a Friday night..and it was def. worth it! We haven't seen each other in awhile and wanted to talk and catch up; the other restaurants in the surrounding facility were too noisy or quiet, but Pican was the perfect medium.
Make sure you order the Strawberry Basil refresher. It comes in a large wine glass with FRESH chopped strawberries and thin snippets of basil. And, I barely tasted the alcohol, which is a good thing since I always pucker at the taste of alcohol. My friend order the peach breezer...very, very strong. Order that if you like the taste of alcohol. My other friend ordered a dessert wine, which was oddly not as sweet as the refresher.
Dessert: Banana pudding and key lime pie! Both are excellent choices. Light, thick, and oh-so yummy! If you pick one, go with the pudding. =]
Came here for a bday. Good ambiance. Great 1st date and game day location. The bar itself will lure you back if the Fried chicken doesnt.
Fabulous food! Fabulous Ambiance! Fabulous service! A must for your dining experience. Try the fried chicken and grits!!!!
Summation: There's no excuse for inattentive, sloppy service, especially at astronomical prices.
Pluses:
Great looking space - hurrah to the owners for being part of the Uptown revival. I'm proud to be an Oaklander and Pican is a great addition to the mix
Great looking crowd - upscale, beautiful, multi-culti mix of politicians, workin' folks and starlets (or girls who looked like starlets)
Nice wine list - well chosen but small - highlighting African American winemakers
Food - for the most part, the food was well-prepared and well seasoned.
Minuses:
Service: My Dad, Cheesemonger Senior, is deathly allergic to wheat, and we patiently explained this to the waiter, who proclaimed that he was "intimately acquainted with the menu", because he's worked " there "since opening day."
We let him know that the allergy could cause my dad to DIE and that wheat of any form, - bread, gluten, in a sauce, in a gravy could kill him. He told us not to worry.
After a while, we ordered our starters, and Dad ordered a Tomato and Peach Salad. "Is this dish alright?" "Yes". Forty minutes later (yes, it took forty minutes to plate three apps!) the salad arrives with two toast points practically covered by the tomatoes and peaches.
I politely point out this to the waiter and ask him to be sure that my dad's next dish doesn't contain any wheat, as (I point out again) any wheat can kill him.
Does he take away the salad and replace it with a wheat free salad? No he goes away, returns in a few and tells me that "bread is made from wheat" as if it's a fact he's just learned!
Did he take the charge for the salad off the bill? Nope.
He overpoured all of the wine (6 oz is waay too big a pour). He hovered when he shouldn'tve and ignored us when he should have been attentive. My Water Glass was unfilled for 20 minutes.
The appetizers took nearly forty minutes to arrive after ordering.
Food: Three tiny (26-30 count) shrimp, three tablespoons of grits and a small bunch of oversalted and oily arugula for $11? Don't get me wrong, the combo tasted great, but that was about 75 cents in food cost, that's what over 1000%?!?!
Mrs. Cheesemonger's Fried Green Tomatoes were amazing, but again $11 for two small slices of tomato and a handful of greens. Food cost? 30 cents?
My chicken was good, but it was a small half breast and a stringy drumstick, and NOT from an organic, sustainable or cool named farm. (It was just labeled "chicken" on the menu.) Food costs? $3 at most, cost on menu? $23 without the highly recommended truffle honey (hmm, if it's so recommended, then make it part of the dish, not an add-on to make those who don't order it feel shitty).
In other words the restaurant is long on flavors and really, really shockingly, embarrassingly short on value.
Noise: I could barely hear my wife who was seated next to me. Why can't acoustic designers be consulted during the build out of a space? this is a newly constructed restaurant - there's no excuse for this level of din...
We'll be back though - not to eat - probably for cocktails at the beautiful bar. We'll eat at Luka's across the street - whose grits are only $3.
I want to make sweet, sweet love to their pork chop. It's a damned good, thick-cut chop served medium over black-eyed peas and rice, drenched in a savory brown soy-based sauce and a green tomato relish.
Pican is the place you take a date you really really like.
OR, you take your husband or wife on date…
Read more »
Wow. Welcome home, South City Kitchen, welcome home.
There is a much adored restaurant amongst my friends in Atlanta where I was raised: South City Kitchen. Pican's chef comes from this famed restaurant, and I couldn't be happier about it. It's is wonderful to find a touch of the ATL in Oakland.
Between the two of us we had:
fried chicken: boneless breast and leg served too hot to eat, very good but slightly salty
mac n' cheese: OMG. Can we say bacon-infused? The best mac n' cheese of my life
fried green tomatoes - good, wonderful dipping sauce
shrimp and grits - I am a southerner and I want to kidnap the chef to figure out how to make grits like this - totally different texture than any grits I've ever had before, wow
duck - I did not sneak a taste of this but the hubby seemed happy
fried pie - FRIED PIE, do you really need any more info than that?
cornbread - best of the best
Note: I had to bring home half of the chicken and mac n' cheese - not sure where the complaints about portion sizes are coming from! I used to live near the Tyson chicken plant in GA, where we'd get these chicken breasts the size of turkeys... same thing here, that was the biggest chicken breast I've had since I moved away from Tyson plant!
We also had two wonderful cocktails.
Bottom line for two drinks, two appetizers, two dinners, and a single dessert: $104. HOLY CRAP. That is a STEAL.
Reservations recommended. I am thrilled to see this place packed on a friday night (even at an early hour, we were there at 6 pm.).
The restaurant itself is beautiful. A well dressed man warmly greets you at the door. The place is fairly dressy but they no longer turn away people in jeans. You will however feel extremely out of place in jeans, so I don't recommend it.
My only complaints, and they are super minor: hostess attire. One was very dressy, but in a dress that was inappropriate (too tight, too short). One was not dressy enough. Given the classy service (we had a great French waiter), classy attire, classy food - the front desk didn't give off the right impression or vibe. Second, the chicken was slightly salty but I tend to be sensitive to such things.
Bottom line: A great addition to uptown. Although we have a list of restaurants we want to try, I think I might end up here very often!
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