On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: French, American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Jack London SquareMon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Loading...
Service - A
Food - A+
Wine list - B+
Decor - B-
Cocktails - A
Friday night = date night around my household. Recent dates have included Wood Tavern (a favorite of ours), Oliveto, A Cote, Flora, Pizzaiolo, Dona Tomas, Marzano, Bocanova, Dopo.
Though we have been talking about it for years, we have never been to Soizic. We have had friends tell us to go there, we have parked in front and, at the last minute, changed our mind - but we have never stepped inside until tonight. I guarantee, it will not be our last time.
Here's the story:
Friday night... no reservations. We walked in, fingers crossed that they'd have space for us and they did. While they set a cute corner table for us, we checked out the menu. To be honest, after looking over the menu, we almost walked out. It's not that it looked bad, but it just didn't look that exciting. Together with the facts that we were able to walk in without a reservation and that the decor is a bit dated (really ugly 90s track lighting, a carpeted floor (!), industrial looking ceiling tiles and an ugly material on the bench seating) AND the menu didn't excite us, we were about to leave when the really friendly waiter called us over and told us our table was ready. So, we gave it a shot. So glad we did.
Okay, so then we sat and began looking over the nitty-gritty of the menu. I have to say, I was NOT happy that they were serving farmed salmon instead of wild (even if it was Loch Duart - Monterey Bay Aquarium still says "NO" to farmed salmon). The other thing I got all high-horsey about was the unagi on the menu (http://www.montereybay...). That said, I was excited about the chanterelles and the specials of the night - lamb tagine and butternut squash soup.
The wine list was interesting and the sommelier helpful in matching a wine to the food we ordered. We were also excited by the $15 corkage fee. Groovy.
Oh, and throughout the evening, the service was excellent - attentive, informative, friendly, funny. The timing of the food was good - very quick.
Cocktails - a fun and interesting list. I must say, it's pretty rare for me to order one of the house cocktails at restaurants because I find them too frequently to be overly sweet & overly complicated. This time, however, I was drawn to one that had rye whiskey and something unexpected in it (sorry I can't remember - elderflower liqueur maybe?). It was delicious. Oh, and the bar was super cute - very french feeling. I could see myself getting very cozy hanging out there for a while.
Okay, so I've covered decor, cocktails, wine, & service. Now, on to the food.
We ordered a chanterelle mushroom salad, the special of the night butternut squash soup, the special of the night lamb tagine, and the spinach ricotta ravioli. Let's put it this way - we asked for another serving of bread so that my husband and I could mop up every drop of everything on our plates. The food was divine. I must say, I can be kind of hard to please - I often find that dishes need more salt or more acid or more depth, but every single thing we ordered was perfect. Perfectly prepared, beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious. Even dessert did not disappoint - guinness ice-cream anyone? Wow.
The long and short of it is that I frequently leave restaurants thinking, "I could make that at home and it would taste better." Not tonight. Soizic's chefs would kick my butt in the kitchen. So, I will happily return to Soizic again and again.
I'm sure the food was fabulous. The problem is that they gave an observant Jew, someone who is Kosher and had SPECIFICALLY requested "no bacon" on her meal, a bowl of pasta full of bacon. I took two bites, got a mouthful of bacon, and threw up. (Yes, I know the vomiting was entirely psychosomatic. I was just that grossed out.)
There were four people in my party. They also gave the pescatarian a chicken instead of the tuna she'd ordered.
Two out of four orders completely wrong, and in ways that had these been allergies instead of preferences, could have killed us.
At that point, the rest seems pretty irrelevant to me. I won't ever go back, and if you have any food allergies or preferences of this kind, I can't recommend it either.
Parlez-vous français? Je t'aime Soizic!
*For the record, I took Spanish in high school. :)
After getting my fill of beer and ice cream at the Eat Real Fest, Markus and I needed something more substantial to eat. M recommended one of his fav restaurants, and I was happy and eager to try. This place is easy to miss as it's not exactly in the located in the heart of Jack London Square. Just a few blocks up from JLS, on Broadway, you'll find Soizic amidst the industrial and residential area.
Surprisingly, there wasn't a wait for a table as we were warmly greeted by a hostess. I loved the ambiance, which wasn't stuffy at all, and more relaxed and somewhat romantical. Diners here were dressed both casual and dressy.
Soizic's cuisine is French, with Californian, Mediterranean and Asian influences. The menu has many wonderful dishes from traditional French dishes like Coq Au Vin, Ribeye Steak, Lamb, but also other pasta and fish entrees. There's also an extensive wine selection. After perusing the menu and listening to the daily specials, we decided on:
1) Squash blossom salad - Daily special and was so delectable. I'm sorry I didn't take pics of this lovely creation.
2) Penne smoked chicken with sundried tomatoes, sautéed onions, broccoli, parmesan cheese - Ok, are you ready for this? OH Mylanta, this was absolutely one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had. It was a decent portion size, and the sauce was delish and savory with a kick to it. I loved all the ingredients, from the chicken, which was tender and moist; my fav veggies (sundried tomatoes and broccoli); cheese (enough said, as I'm a cheese freak). Seriously, what was there to NOT love about this dish? I savored every bite and my plate was practically clean (aside from the broth) when the server cleared it.
3) Halibut - Daily special, which M ordered. This fish was so light and delicate, but bursting with flavor. I forgot what the accompanying sides were, but M's plate was similar to mine at clearing time!
The desserts looked fabulous, but after eating dessert first (at the Eat Real Fest), we weren't feeling like ordering anything. However, the only exception would be if they had creme brulee, which they didn't. Hopefully, they'll have it next time!
We had an outstanding, friendly, and attentive server, Roland. Thank you for chatting with us and Soizic is very lucky to have you.
Bravo Soizic! I will return to this quaint French restaurant for more savory entrees, desserts, and wonderful service! BTW, prices aren't astronomical. OUI! OUI!!
Je t'aime Soizic!
I went back to Soizic a second time - I'm giving them another star for consistency. I had yet another DELICIOUS and reasonably priced meal, and this time around the service was spot on. This has become one of my favorite dining spots!
Soizic isn't the most visible restaurant...I've lived in the Jack London Square area of Oakland for… Read more »
What a find in industrial downtown Oakland. This place is owned by the folks who opened Mua, and you can totally see the resemblance you walk in the doors. Rustic, eclectic French decors is charming and relaxing without being pretentious.
The service was really nice, and the servers generally knowledgeable about the wines (a nice selection of affordable French whites), and lovely.
I did have an initial subpar pour of wine, I have to be frank, but I think our careful and relentless scrutiny of the glass and general lack of bonhomie caused the waiter to raise the bar on pour deux.
Also, what's with the no- bartender on Friday nights? You can't advertise designer cocktails and then expect your already beleagured wait staff to prepare a gimlet in between their job. Either 86 the spirits and pay someone to mix them.
The service attention, play fullness and sincerity deserve 4.5 Yelp stars. The food is just 3 stars.
Food: Compared to the French cuisine of Liaison Bistro on Telegraph in Berkeley; Soizic is not as richly flavored. Compared to my favorite French style bistros on my home turf in Sonoma County like: Underwood cafe in Graton, K & L Bistro in Sebastopol, or Bistro des Copain in Occidental, Soizic cooking and presentation is pretty weak.
Soizic Wine list is unusual. Offers wine labels not seen elsewhere. Cocktails are good. I had a Laphroig with lemon juice , grapes on the skewer drink. Interesting and strange combo of flavors.
Old building has charm. Room is decorated nicely. Again the servers are wonderful. They pamper without smothering.
If you're in Jack London Square and want french style food and aren't too fussy, this will do.
3 course meals for two with cocktails and wine = $133
This is a fantastic small to medium sized french restaurant that seems to still be a little under the radar, they way I like it. Soizic has a nice variety of french american cuisine, a decent wine list and a very cozy dining environment. I came here with my parents and my dad's old high school buddy. He even liked it. And he is a long time SF Telegraph hill, name dropping aristocrat who is used to dining at places like Fleur de Lys. And Soizic held up nicely.
The food is french, fused with california cuisine. I had the soup puree. It was absolutely delicious. If you come here, try their soup du jour. Also I had the penne chicken pasta. It was very well prepared. Others had the filet mignon which was also quite good. I only deducted one star for the slow pace. But it was the end of the evening, and they patiently waited as we were the last to leave.
They are passionate about good cuisine at Soizic, and it shows. We all had a nice meal and left happily into the night. Soizic has survived the times (dot com boom and bust), and still remains a great Oakland restaurant.
Okay... So, wow. This place is amazing! What did I eat? What did I drink? Hmm.... So much to list... so little space.
All I know is that I left this place wanting MORE and MORE! Okay, let me focus... what did I have?
Appetizer: CRABCAKES
A-MAZING! I hate crab and I was talked into getting this, but I was very happy happy that I did. They were great!
Dinner: COQ AU VIN and LAMB FILET MIGNON
My friend had the Coq Au Vin (Chicken) and it tasted DIVINE, but... not as divine as my Lamb Filet. Wow! I loved loved it! Dude whats up with the double word usage? Whatever!
Dessert: Flourless Chocolate Torte and Chocolate Pot de Crème
My friend had the Chocolate Torte and I had the Chocolate Pot de Creme. His Chocolate Torte was just OKAY and my Chocolate Pot de Creme was PERFECTION! I am getting turned on just thinking about it.
Drinks: Now this is where it loses one star. They were just okay drinks. I would definitely go back here but not for the drinks, but for everything else though!
Service: A+++++++++. I wish to Haysoos that I can remember the server's name, but it was a sexy French name and well it was hard to remember. Anyway, it was GREAT service!! GREAT GREAT GREAT.
I was quite happy with my muscle soup, served with fennel, taters and spinach in a saffron broth. The bowl is huge, so expect a lot.
Did not like the duck confit salad at all. In fact, it was kind of disgusting. I was sucked into ordering it because of the bacon, but the different ingredients--including duck, red cabbage, spinach, pears and almonds--just didnt work well together.
The Australian ginger beer was quite yummy, and the chocolate dessert, which was the texture of a dense mousse was lovely.
Service wasnt bad, but we came in at the end of lunch, so I think the wait staff was looking forward to closing up shop until din-din.
By looking at it's exterior, I never knew that this place could be so beautiful and comforting inside. I just loved the ambiance. The noise level was very low which made it a comfortable setting for a small group and audible conversation.
I think the only negative would be the food was just below par to me. The menu selection wasn't very eye catching.
I would go again, hopefully, their menu changes with the season.
I'd been here a couple of times for holiday lunches, where the food and service were good and the prices were decent, but I'd never been here for dinner.
Finally, after many not-so-subtle hints (and making the reservation myself because if you want something done right, you have the wife do it), the hubby and I went to Soizic for our anniversary dinner. Everything was wonderful, from the second we walked in the door until the moment we left and the illusion of being in a French bistro disappeared. (Hello, Jack London Square!)
The generous portion of the mussel soup appetizer was absolutely delicious, as were our steak and lamb dishes. Service was just attentive enough without being overly bothersome. All the hubby had to do was tilt his head *just* so, and our waiter was at our table side.
We loved everything about that evening and will definitely be back!
Pretty good bread and butter. I ate almost an entire dish... and that's a compliment since I don't normally eat bread and butter at restaurants.
I had the Rib-Eye steak, medium-rare, while my boss had the scallops special. The steak was very tender and cooked perfectly. I didn't really dig the Stilton cheese on top and I don't know if I consider the pistachios on top of the steak a very good compliment to the overall dish. I think I would have preferred the steak without those extras. The sides were decent, and the potatoes it was served with were pretty good, too. Again, there's something missing in the savoriness that makes the dishs not exactly "hit the spot" ...maybe it's the healthiness they are more conscious of.
The scallops were deliciously seared, but could use more flavor, as with the rest of the items on the plate. They had this cool broccoli-cauliflower hybrid vegetable... but it just tasted like a lighter version of cauliflower. We also had the squash soup, which was decent, but could also use more richness in flavor.
Overall, nice looking and pretty delicious dishes but pricey for the portions.
The decor and ambiance are very charming . I tried the rib eye steak, and it was cooked perfectly. My girl friend ordered the chicken coq au vin, and she loved it. The price is reasonable, and it is the perfect place to go for a special occasion or for no occasion at all. It good to see a good restaurant in Oakland. Overall it was a good experience.
We have been here three times now, and have yet to be disappointed. However, after reading y'all's reviews I learned two new things: 1) They have a Michelin star (how did I miss that???) and 2) I have been saying "soy-chick". eeek!
Let me qualify by saying my boyfriend is extremely picky and hard to please. Of late, his increasing dissatisfaction with restaurant meals had led us to cook more at home and go out less. After a bit of insight, we decided we were simply in a rut, going to the same places again and again, and decided to explore a bit more. With this in mind, we ate at Soizic a few weeks back, on a last minute whim.
Even though it was last minute, and the height of the dinner hour on a Saturday, we had no trouble getting a table. In fact, the place seemed rather empty, which we discussed with some concern after we left, as we would hate to see this place become another casualty of the crappy economy. Anyway....
We are in the habit of ordering several appetizers/salads to start, then splitting an entree. It saves us both money and calories in the long run, and definitely served us well here, as Soizic's portions are quite generous. No thimbleful of food with a few dots of sauce will arrive at your table here... the bowl of soup was a REAL bowl, the salads overflowed their plates and the steak was more than enough for both of us.
We started with the white corn soup. I love corn soup and I was not disappointed. It was flavorful without being heavy and sweet without being cloying. Also had the exact right amount of black pepper and my partner and I fought over the dab of creme fraische swirled delicately on top.
Next up was the belgian endive and grilled peach salads. (When we were there, the grilled peach salad was available as an appetizer; now I see it on their menu as a dinner entree.) The endive salad was perfectly dressed and complemented by the pear/cheese combo. The grilled peaches were done to a turn, served warm with smoky grill accents but still firm and sweet. We fought over this one too, dabbing up the dressing with pieces of soft sourdough.
Then came the rib eye steak. We asked for it medium rare and that's how it came. Dizzyingly delicious with a small blob of Silton balanced nicely and melting into enticing little rivers down the nooks and crannies of the steak. We ate slowly, savoring every bite, but it was gone all too soon.
We finished up with the ginger custard, selected for ginger's purported digestive benefits. It was smooth and mild, but I would have liked just a little more ginger kick.
Neither of us drink wine so we could not comment on Soizic's extensive wine list. However I would like to say that we shared each dish, the waiter always set us up with fresh plates and silverware, and yet we were never charged a "split plate" fee. It's our custom to simply place the plate of food in the middle and we each eat off the same plate (bourgeois? probably but it works for us). Some people have posted trouble with the service, but it was exemplary for us, and we have found it to be a function of how busy the restaurant is. At New Year's Eve they were mobbed and the service was definitely not as good as it was this time, but still not bad enough to be offensive or off-putting.
We had liked to think of Soizic as one of our little secrets for when we want across-the-board good, fresh, sustainable food creatively conceived and flawlessly executed. But from the looks of it our secret is out. Great date place, and within walking distance of several clubs. Check it out, you won't be sorry.
Super food, super wine, super atmosphere. Very romantic and not too loud so you can have a nice conversation and look into eachother's eyes without some guy yelling obnoxiously next to you. (However, there was a customer who would burp/hiccup every time he walked by our table?)
We started with some champagne because we were celebrating a birthday and I mentioned this to our waitress. This actually went really well with our creamy mussel soup. The bread was perfect for dipping as well. Delicious.
For our entrees, coq au vin and warm duck confit salad. Very satisfying and wonderful. I had the Soivic Syrah with the salad and it was really good.
The flourless chocolate torte came with a candle on top because our waitress remembered the birthday. This was the fluffiest flourless torte I have ever had--it tasted just like a cake but richer. Sooo good.
Definitely a new favorite.
Loved it! Loved everything about it!
See you there, darlings!
This place is very good. It's cozy and the service is good. They let you eat at a leisurely pace... The bread is the bomb, and I had a wonderful portabello mushroom and goat cheese sandwich. I'll definitely need to come back soon!
This is the third time we've had dinner here and we've never had a bad one. Last night we were seeing Billy Cobham and Friends (Kenny Barron, Randy Brecker and John D. Williams...some friends!) at Yoshi's and wanted to eat elsewhere for a change. We were greeted and seated by the hostess, who morphed into our server. She was a busy woman. I saw her mixing cocktails at the bar and we overheard her chatting w/ the couple at a nearby table about her plans for travel and education. She did a great job. We arrived about 6:15 to a restaurant w/ a few tables along the front wall filled. As we ate the place gradually filled, the 4 top next to us w/ rather loud, but interesting people. If you're going to be forced to listen to others' conversations it's nice if they're interesting, at least.
But the food. Oh, the food. Well, I started w/ a Limoncello mojito and it was yummy!! Could have had another, but I had to walk. I ordered a spinach salad w/ goat cheese, cucumbers, red bell peppers, red onions, kalamata olives and sliced and toasted almonds. It was a marvelous blend! Alan had several bites and agreed. He ordered eggplant layered w/ oyster mushrooms, ricotta and goat cheese, roasted tomatoes and chard. It was accompanied by polenta but he substituted potato gratin as he doesn't like polenta. It was very good. I ordered the wild caught salmon which had a soy/sake sauce and was accompanied by nappa cabbage, Chinese eggplant, the tiniest vermicelli I've ever seen and carrot salad. I feel a wave of pleasure just writing the description, it was that good, perfectly done and beautifully balanced.
It was an easy walk back to Yoshi's for the show.
Great service. Good food. Good dessert =)
The atmosphere is interesting, with lots of things to look at. I had the Spinach-Ricotta Ravioli. Delicious; light and flavorful yet quite filling.
The flour-less chocolate dessert was scrumptious, my only complaint is I wish I had it for dinner AND dessert...!
The waiter was accomodating and swift.
Yet another nice restaurant to have a party at. I handled arrangements in 2001 for a company party we had here. The boss pointed me in the direction of Soizic and pushed.
I leaped.
Did not fall.
Soizic picked me up and held my hand as I nervously hammered down details on big night for a new employee. Wonderful people to work with, yummy food, and private room.
I've since handled another party there and been back for bites over the years. I've always had quite a pleasant experience and would definitely eat here again.
I took my momma here for her birthday. One, because it's near my hood, and two, because it's in my hood and it's not fast food/chain. It's unexpected to see a pretty nice place inside after seeing the exterior. The crowd was mostly 40's, a mix of Asian and white for the most part.
Here's what we had to eat:
Appetizer:
SMOKED TROUT SALAD with Belgian endive, oranges, dried cranberries, and aoli
This was flavorful, but skimpy on the trout, to the point that we forgot what we had ordered until I finally got a piece of trout halfway through!
CRABCAKES: pretty normal crabcakes
Main course:
RIB-EYE STEAK (naturally raised) with mustard sauce, stilton cheese and pistachio; served with potato gratin and vegetables
Very good, but a tad heavy on the mustard when eaten with the stilton. They cook it the way you like and it's not overdone, which I appreciate.
LAMB FILET MIGNON with Madeira sauce, potato gratin, grilled shiitake mushrooms and watercress. Really tender, very nicely done.
Dessert:
Some chocolate cake thing. I would pass on this. I expected more in the area of dessert excellence from a French restaurant.
Good bread though! Soft and warm.
I would go back again for sure.
I've been coming here on and off since it opened. We'll go here when we are with our friends from Alameda as it's very convenient for them.
We've never had a bad meal at Soizic. The food has always been well prepared, with fresh ingredients. It's been mostly good, but just not terribly memorable or outstanding. The worst part of any meal here has been the service. It has been great... and awful. Luck of the waitstaff draw.
Enjoy.
Update* 8/12/08 I went here tonight, and the grilled peach and frisee salad was slamming. What's not to love about the hot peach, prosciutto, goat cheese, frisee and kale pesto mix? The mussel soup was delicious, surprising, unusual. I love Soizic. They're weird and good. Food I can't, and wouldn't think of making myself; that is, food I want to pay for.
********
I must be getting old, because one of the things I loved about the place was that our dinner party could actually, gasp, talk without having to strain to hear or be heard. I loved the whimsical, art-sy interior, which doesn't seem take itself too seriously. Our waitperson was perfecto--not pushy, but present, helpful and not snobby.
The meal highlights:
* butternut squash salad--crazy mix of frisse, squash, kale pesto, cheese and pomegranate;
* warm duck confit salad--nice mix of endive, spinach, duck, red-vinegared-red-cabbage;
* lamb filet mignon--PERFECTLY pink-rare perfection, with potato gratin, delicious grilled shitakes, some greens and a really nice sauce
* scallops--sauce a teeny, tiny bit salty, but scallops done to perfection
* butterscotch pudding with cookies--shockingly not too sweet
Relaxed ambiance, not too crowded, no hipsters in sight(!) and good sized portions. Not stuffy at all. Pretty decent prices. Could space the tables differently. Even though the portions were pretty huge, I ate every single scrap of food and plan to go back for more!
First off, the address says Broadway, but the entrance is actually on 3rd street.
I came here with my coworkers (party of 12). Not everyone arrived until an hour after our reservations but they seated everyone as we came trickling in. The restaurant is a little small, but comfortable enough for our big party.
For my appetizer, I had to mache salad. I was really looking forward to the white truffle oil but sadly when the salad came, it was bland and the only thing that gave the salad any flavor was the cheese. As for my entree, I had the eggplants (some yelpers gave it good reviews) but I wasn't that impressed. The cheeses were a bit overwhelming but the polenta... big sad face! The polenta had no taste to it.. it's almost as if they used nothing but water and maybe a little bit of butter. And for dessert, I tried the ginger custard. the cookie that came with it was good. I also tried a bit of white pepper ice cream. Let's just say, white pepper and ice cream does not mix. I really don't get the idea behind that.
One thing I didn't feel so comfortable with was when the waitress was taking our orders, whenever one of my coworkers wanted to skip on an appetizer or dessert, she goes, "are you sure? everyone else is having it." which was not true. so it feels as if you're forced to order more than you want to just to make it easier for them.
All in all, I wasn't impressed with the food, but it may be because I ordered all the wrong things so I'm willing to go back and give it another try.
I went with a group of friends for a birthday, we came to Soizic and was surprised by the food for value at this restaurant, typically I am familiar with the common pattern of restaurant creates good food, gets recognized by the zagat or Michelin guide, prices go up and they rest on their laurels and the food goes down. I am pleased to say that my experience to Soizic avoids that pit fall. The prices for the dishes was reasonable and the flavor and execution in the dishes were spot on.
The warm duck confit salad has a nice piece of crispy duck, good amount of fat and meat to the dish. The bitterness of the crisp greens and the salty warm bit of bacon offers a strong contrast to the vinaigrette. The pears paired well with the other elements in the dish, clean simple flavors, every ingredient served a purpose.
Their eggplant main dish had oyster mushrooms, ricotta and goat cheese; this vegetarian dish tasted heavy, rich and meaty, and was not overcooked to a slimy mush. The polenta was to die for. I could just eat polenta all night and be happy with that....
The lamb filet mignon was cooked perfectly to a medium rare, flavorful and not gamy at all, the potato gratin was good, but I liked the polenta more...
Chocolate torte, was decadent and rich, the creamy mocha sauce helped break up the decadent chocolaty flavor of it.
The ginger custard was really rich, almost spicy in flavor, not like a cinnamon spice more like a biting into garlic spicy, the cookies were OK to, a little too much powdered sugar.
The pecan tart was good, but most people were horrified by the thought of a white pepper ice cream, I was more intrigued. The cold mouth feel along with a subtle peppery backbone created a interesting experience and worked with the pecan tart.
Their cocktails are good as well, they do offer a weekly special cocktail as well. I had a great time dinning here, the servers were at the careful balance of being attentive but not overbearing where they would interrupt the conversations we were having to fill our water glasses after every sip. I thought it was a nice balance of being trendy but not comfortable, I'll definitely be back soon!
I very rarely find food at restaurants that fits my need of fresh, quality ingredients well prepared. I am happy to find Soizic as a place to get multiple vegetables in one dish prepared so well. The veggie ragout is heavenly! Never in my life have I frequented a place and ordered the same thing. I secretly dream of making this dish at home, and have tried, but nothing really comes close.
They are now open for lunch and I look forward to seeing what options they offer. The ambiance is great, location a little tucked away but convenient enough and well worth the trip.
The desserts are consistently offering what is seasonal and I must say I still salivate at the persimmon cake and the bread pudding options.
EXCELLENT FOOD, very creative & well-presented dishes.
also, if this were in a diff. oakland neighborhood or in the city, they could def jack their prices up. as it stands, i'm glad it's still somewhat under the radar.
best value i've found in the east bay!
every meal has been uforgettable!
For years I drove past this place and never went inside, which is too bad, because when I would drive past it was usually on the way to a pre-movie meal at some crappy Jack London Square chain restaurant.
Why did it take me so long to try this little gem?
Perhaps it was the name.
"SOY-ZICK? Why would I want to eat at "SOY-ZICK?"
Rhymes with "Coy prick!" or "Oy, sick!" or "Toy dick!"
Also rhymes with "Boy, lick!"
as in:
"Boy, if you don't lick the rest of this sweet corn puree residue from the soup bowl, I sure as hell will!"
or
"Boy, don't lick that saffron cream off your fingers like that! Here, use this piece of bread."
or
"Boy, keep ordering me these icy cold cosmos and when we get home I'll lick--."
Okay, so you get the picture.
Soizic has excellent food. In addition to the sublime corn soup and the succulent mussels in saffron cream, we had an unagi salad with tobiko, caramelized endive, and horseradish cream--best unagi I've ever had in my life! I had a wonderful eggplant dish which was layered with meaty oyster mushrooms and creamy goat cheese and served with a fresh tomato sauce that was almost like jam. The "boy" had the lamb tenderloin and raved about it.
I had a really nice cosmopolitan which was served in a frosted glass. I don't often order cosmos because they tend to be too sweet, but this one was tart and full of fresh lime, and a lovely rose-quartz color.
The service was very attentive and polite.
My only complaint was the less-than-tidy restroom and the bottle of Febreeze that I saw in there. Come to think of it, the restaurant smelled a little too Febreeze-y as well. But in my opinion, the rest of my experience here was so nice that none of that warrants the loss of a star.
One final note: when I called to make my reservation, I learned from the hostess that I'd been pronouncing the name wrong all along. Duh, it's francais. It's pronounced "SWA-zeek".
Now what the hell rhymes with that?
Soizic has got to be one of the strangest restaurants I have ever been to. Well, maybe not THAT strange, but it's certainly up there. The exterior is uninviting to say the least. Situated in a rundown looking old warehouse, Soizic is some type of European cuisine (I can't tell if it's French or Italian). It's not the kind of place I would venture into on my own free will, but since I was invited for a fellow Yelp member's birthday party, I had to give it a try.
Here's the breakdown:
Decor: Well, they did what they could considering the dilapidated warehouse setting. The faux European design is somewhat warming, but the ceilings are way too high, and it just doesn't feel cozy. To top it off, they have some of the weirdest pictures on the walls. A couple of the highlights include a wolf or Tasmanian devil having its milk sucked out by four little cubs, and a smiley cherub with two "you know whats." Furthermore, the paper thin replica paintings used in the attempt to block out the warehouse windows really don't help the cause.
Staff: Of all the waiters I have been to, Soizic probably has the least "wait staff looking" wait staff I have ever seen. Apparently, they must have just peeled off the orange jumpsuit after a hard day's work along the California highways, and headed straight for their night job. One of the servers reminded me of a younger version of Danny Trejo. They are also a bit loopy at times, taking forever to finally come around to take our order, but are quick to refill water and bread.
Management: I believe this European restaurant is run by or at least partly owned by a Korean family, which is very odd. In addition, while we were dining, I could hear and see a bunch of the daughters causing a ruckus, laughing and screaming as if they were in a soju bar. One of them even brought a dog into the restaurant. That certainly destroyed what little ambiance there was in the first place.
Food: Not being an expert on this type of cuisine, I can't provide any detailed commentary on it, but what I can say is that it filled me up, and I have no complaints. The fare is nothing to whoop and holler about, but I suppose for the price of around $12-20 for entrees, which is equivalent to what you would pay at most chain restaurants, it's more than adequate. Actually, let me restate myself. The portions do actually tend to be a tad on the smallish side, so if you are even the slightest bit larger than this slim, buck fiddy Asian dude, you might want to load up on the complimentary bread or order an extra appetizer. Also, be warned that the menu is quite sparse, but most of your typical meat items and salads are covered.
Location: It's right on Broadway, highly visible to all passers by along the street. Unfortunately, as stated before, with the unattractive exterior, even the bright blue neon sign isn't enough to draw people in. Luckily, if you manage to be sucked in, there is ample, safe parking all around. Remember, it's all free after 6 pm!
In closing, other than the fact that it has an identity crisis, coupled with the bland exterior and oddball decor, Soizic isn't half bad. Maybe it's not so strange after alI. I don't really mind the work release wait staff, as it adds more character to an otherwise vanilla experience. Would I come again? Sure, but probably not on my own though.
I really want to cry that our almost 3 years of reimbursed nightly restaurant dining is almost at an end, especially because now Soizic is going to be out of our price range, except for special occasions. Au Revoire, mes Amis!
Gorgeous surroundings, lovely food, somewhat uncomfortable banquette seating. Really gracious servers. They're even nice to my 11 year old, but then she's a pro at fine restaurants by now.
Less than two weeks to go until our eviction--oh, hell.
Every visit I have made to Soizic has been a dining experience like no other. Consistently five star dining.
Unpretentious outside decor, warm eclectic atmosphere inside.
Menu that takes your tastebuds to a place that you savor for days after....most memorable meal experience. Anything on this menu will not disappoint. Wine list that fits all types.
The owner is very friendly and there is a gal there that is a tiny blond who is the best server. Very attentive to customer request making my guests evening very enjoyable.
Please keep doin what your doin...
So the coveted FIVE stars, from an O.G. Star Belly Sneech!!!
It was a Saturday night so the place was packed. I HIGHLY recommend reservations, and you still may wait a bit, but that is what the bar is for!
I had the SPINACH-RICOTTA RAVIOLI with shiitake mushrooms, leeks, white corn and tomatoes in a vegetable broth, topped with grilled prawns - it was AMAZING, and that is an understatement. It was an oral seduction of my palette....yeah I said it.
Might I add the martinis were SPOT ON!!! Service, some of the best I'd had in Oakland- even on an off night. (They ran out of napkins and proper wine/martini glasses) This is the spot to have your dinner before walking around the corner to Yoshi's for your show! This is a GREAT date spot, the dim lighting with a french boudoir feel. Ask for a spot in one of those sneaky little corners.
I have been wanting to try this place since i moved into the area. I always saw this warehouse looking building with this blue neon sign in the window. It was calling my name for a visit....
So I finally went for a friends birthday....
Great Looking place...the set up the art work the bar, all look fantastic. Very clean and comfortable....but something that ruined this towards the end of the meal was the owner had friend or family come in with a dame dog in a purse...that threw me for a loop...i almost said something because I work in health care, but it was a friend's party....
Food was good and the price was perfect for what you got..I have the Cesar salad with chicken...tasty, so tasty in fact I had two other people eating off my plate....A friend had the penne pasta which was I liked..not to heavy, right amount of spices....
Drinks, were ok. There selection was not huge, but the drinks that we ordered were strong and consistent. Everyone was sharing drinks also.....
I would of liked to given this bistro a higher rating but the dog killed it for me and then when we first go there some of the waiters were not nice........Started to fell like we did not belong in this establishment....I guess they don't like for us to ask questions.....
Will I go again........probably not...but the food was good.
I think something that a lot of people overlook about a restaurant is its ability to provide cost-value in their menu, as well as still maintain a certain quality of food. For example, some restaurants have fantastic food, but charge astronomical prices, and some restaurants charge astronomical prices but don't have the corresponding quality of food - I can think of a couple places already, but we won't go into that. All I have to say is, just because its EXPENSIVE, does NOT mean its good...
With that said, what I can say about Soizic is that I think they are deserving of their ZAGAT Rating and their Michelin Star, and the cost-value and quality of their food corresponds. The menu generally doesn't change but I think has a good variety of staples with one or two rotating entrees, which is completely fine by me. The entrees are amply porportioned and have simple, clean tastes - not too much "frou-frou-ness" or confusing flavors. I think some restaurants try too hard to do "fusion" and yeah, it just DOES NOT work sometimes. Simple and not too confusing is welcomed at times and can be quite refreshing! :)
I had the opportunity to sample a large variety of dishes, but I'll only briefly go into the dishes I sampled....still, this is going to be a long review, because I tend to do that, but ...bear with me, and here goes:
Belgian Endive Salad
A little oily, but nonetheless tasty with a good mix of pears, greens, walnuts, and just enough cheese to give a good salty flavor. Pears brought back a little sweetness and the greens gave it a good refreshing crunch. I'd choose this over Truffle Oil Salad.
Truffle Oil Salad
A little too much cheese for my tastes but the truffle oil was tasty and, what can I say, I really like salad, so this was good.
Grilled Rib-Eye Steak
This was a very very nicely done steak; not too tough or chewy, but not so tender that it didn't have any texture. Cooked medium rare - I could have had it a bit more RARE, but its alright because restaurants usually cook it a little more medium anyways...just the right amount of veggies and potatoes in a nice sauce. The cheese sprinkled on top enhanced the flavors. I really liked this one.
Daily Special - Seared Daybot Scallops
A lot of companions had this one, and everyone seemed to like it. Nicely seared with a good chewy, meaty texture.
Chicken With Porcini Mushroom Sauce
This was surprisingly good; I have a tendancy to think "Meh, Chicken, it all tastes the same." However, maybe it was the sauce but the chicken was tender and the sauce was neither too salty nor too bland. Just right.
Three Flavors of Sorbet
The scoops could have been bigger, but I liked this because it wasn't too sweet as some sorbets tend to be. They were more on the icey side, but I tend to like less extreme tastes, this was refreshing though. Served with pears.
Ginger Custard w/ Cookies
Didn't have much ginger taste, but the custard was smooth, and again, not too sweet. The cookies were crunchy and tasty and overall was good. I liked the candied ginger (i think) but I would like to taste more of the Ginger flavor, which is what the custard is named after! :)
Other Dishes:
Penne Pasta, Eggplant, Pastoral Salad, Lamb Filet Mignon
These were all pretty good too. The standout here has to be Lamb Filet Mignon and the Eggplant. The Lamb had no aftertaste, which is a mark of nicely cooked lamb, and the eggplant was just tasty :)
Overall, a four stars. However, I went with a big party and was told by companions (I arrived late) that service was a bit curt towards the beginning. However, the time I was there I thought service was alright but that may be something they would like to work on. Nonetheless, I had a fantastic night, and the food was deserving.
Nicely done Soizic, I'll be coming back again!
It has been a rough week, meeting after meeting, long days and painful travel; the Director and I needed a treat. We needed something easy, so we walked down the street to Soizic. It was nearly perfect, I am giving it five starts based on this visit, but we have eaten here a half-dozen times and never been disappointed.
We walked in and were seated immediately, it was not that busy, I had the mixed green salad, with the special porkchop, accompanied with a glass of Medoc. I could feel the stress of the week melting away. The Director had the asparagus soup, which I tasted and was fantastic, then the ravioli. We split the fruit crisp, which was good, the crisp part was not crisp enough, but the fruit was perfect. It seems most Bay Area restaurants treat dessert as an after thought and Soizic is little better than most.
This is my favorite restaurant in Jack London Square, by far, and is one of the best in Oakland. The wine and desset pushed the bill up fairly high but it was a tough week.
My boss Rhoda and my webmaster Kitty and I went to lunch at Soizic Bistro after a business meeting. I had once arranged an engagement party at this restaurant several years ago, and I found the owner very difficult to work with in making plans. If the owner ever decided to answer my calls, he would be curt and obnoxious. He would never, ever return a phone call and his attitude was consistantly that he could not be bothered. And I have heard complaints from others who have tried to arrange a party for one of our senators. I do not recommend private parties at this establishment in any way. After having to deal Mr. Rude Snotty Pants, I vowed to never step foot in his restaurant again.
Unfortunately, I was out numbered at choosing where to dine, and I wasn't in the mood to make a fuss. We arrive at the restaurant, and Mr. Rude Snotty Pants sat us down at a table immediately. It is the middle of August and Mr. Snot Pants was wearing black knee high leather boots with his pants tucked into them, oh so avant-garde. What an idiot. Have you ever seen old episodes of SNL and there is the guy who holds his thumb and pointing finger up in front of his face and puts the view of random people in the background between his fingers and "crushes" them?? This is what I want to do to Snotty Pants; but I don't because I'm with mentally mature co-workers, and they would think I'm crazy. But, inside I already pinched off my arched enemy's head 10 times.
Any way, I look around and the decor is what I remembered, very eclectic and I'd hate to say it, but interesting. There is unusual artwork everywhere and bits of this and bits of that all over the place. It is not sophisticated, and it is not cohesive in any way, but there is always something different to look at in every corner.
Our waitress is quick and efficient and we have menus in hand right away. There are about five or six entrees to choose from and about three or four salads. The soup of the day is white corn chowder. I chose the chowder and a simple pasta dish of chicken and broccoli with roasted dried tomatoes. Rhoda and Kitty order some kind of salad.
My corn chowder came, and it was sweet, rich and very tasty. Snotty Pants has hired a great chef and the cooking from the kitchen is what saves this restaurant. My Penne pasta comes and it is light, tangy and delicious. The pasta had the perfect consistency. To show my appreciation, I should have burped in Snotty Pant's face. Rhoda and Kitty enjoy their salads that looked to be smothered in slivered almonds. Girls eat differently than boys.
We leave satisfied, and I mentally "crush" the head off Snotty Pants one more time before we exit. So go ahead and eat there, pinch off you know who's head there, but don't plan big parties there because you'll have to deal with an A-hole.
Speaking of A-holes, the owner of Everette & Jones, across the street is a work of art as well (biotch). I will never eat at Everette & Jones again, the owner is racist, and if you are not African American there, you don't count. It must be that area that brings out the worst in restaurant owners.
Another underrated star of the Oakland Restaurant scene.
Inventive dishes, fast pleasant and competent service in a nice atmosphere.
I had a interesting eggplant and goat cheese dish stuffed with oyster mushrooms that was served with polenta and chard. Very good.
Only complaint was that the cocktails were a bit pricey, but, hey what isn't these days!
Sometimes I get really bitter about places that have frou frou food that's too cute to eat; Soizec isn't one of those places. The food was pretty but also demanded that you consume it!
We both had fish as our entrees and it was exceptional.
The interior is so much prettier than you imagine from the blue neon sign. My only complaint is that I find the place a bit stuffy- literally- not just full of old folks, which it also is.... and now I'm an * !
This is a weird place. What kind of food is it? Asian fusion? Continental? All of the above? And what's with the decor? Potted trees in the balcony made me think of the Amazon rain forest, and the paintings seem to be in the greco-roman genre, but there doesn't appear to be any unifying theme. And the waiter was a totally wacked-out middle-aged guy with a lazy eye who kept mumbling nonsequitors when we ordered.
That weirdness aside, the food was decent, but all the dishes were just a little off the mark. Except for the butternut squash appetizer with feta and pesto and a few other ingredients that sounded like an odd combination but turned out to be the highlight of the meal. The salmon in teriyaki sauce was a little too salty, and the sauce on my friend's steak was a little overpowering. We finished on a high note with the chocolate torte for dessert was pretty great, but it wasn't quite enough to totally redeem the meal.
Great endive salad! Love the bar and great service!
Neighborhood: Jack London Square
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Jack London Square
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Jack London Square
Category: Latin American
Berkeley, CA
Category: Caterers
Neighborhood: Jack London Square
Category: Italian
Where to go with the one who makes your heart go…
So what are the very best places in the Bay Area?…
These are the joints, places and things that I dig…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Ethnic restaurants within a 10 or 15 mile radius…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
what can i say? i like eating with friends! *…
I am a San Francisco kind of guy but I have been…
