by
on
under
tagged ,
∞ Permalink

Thirsty – Whiskey & Wine

Posted on by

photo: Christina Mitchell

photo: Christina Mitchell

Remember when I wrote about District, a new wine/whiskey bar?  Well, it opened last week and I was invited to check it out.  My friend was in the mood for a whiskey with a lot of smokiness, so the server brought The Peat Monster which did not disappoint. Then, she brought a taste of Midnight Moon, an aged goat cheese.  That whiskey and that cheese were made to be together.  By themselves, they were lovely, but together sublime.  Whiskey and cheese, who knew?  At this point, I realized wine director Caterina Mirabelli was a rock star.  So when we ordered the Ahi Tuna Tartare ($17, with cucumber, meyer lemon and Peruvian Rocoto Chili), I asked for a wine AND a whiskey pairing.  Both added something completely different to the refreshing dish: the wine brightened the flavors and the whiskey intensified them.  Wow – my mind was completely blown.  That was the highlight of the meal.  The Moroccan Spiced Meatballs ($11) weren’t exactly tough, but let’s just say they weren’t tender.  But, the charmoula tomato sauce served with them made me want to lick the bowl.  The Guanciale Pizetta ($14) with Cured pork cheeks, Calabrian chili, Dandelion greens and Pecorino was rich with umami flavors and it was fatty in the best way – but the crust was bland.  Still, not bad at all for the first week of service.  I will definitely go back.
827 Washington St, Oakland
510-272-9110


Take a self guided tour through 21 urban wineries, spread through 10 locations in Oakland, Alameda and Berkeley with Passport to the East Bay Vintners.  Cosecha will prepare mini tamales for Periscope Cellars and Homeroom will have mac and cheese at Stage Left, but I think I’m most excited about Zut’s oh-so-tender meatballs at Urban Legend.  For $10 extra, you can take the shuttle bus, which travels between wineries, BART and the Oakland Ferry.  If you’re interested, buy your tickets soon because the price goes up on Thursday.
Sat, 5/12, 12 – 5pm
$40 now, $50 after Wednesday, $10 for designated drivers and youth

photo: Steve Shaffer

Christina Mitchell

Christina Mitchell

Christina is the founder of East Bay Dish. Her writing has also been featured in East Bay Express, Berkeleyside, Oakland Magazine and Edible East Bay.
Christina Mitchell

Latest posts by Christina Mitchell (see all)