photo: Christina Mitchell
The former Barnes & Noble in Jack London Square has been turned into 50,000 square foot plank, a bowling alley, bocce and beer garden, and the official opening is planned for October 10. I was invited to a media preview recently and brought along my friends Brenda of Bites and Bourbon, Sandy of Food Hoe and Diane of Diane Bezucha Photography. The bowling balls look like billiard balls and the number refers to the weight. Clever, right?
photo: Christina Mitchell
We tasted some dishes from the menu, which was still being fine tuned by Chef Jason Moniz (Flora, Tres Agaves, Table 24). There will be mostly small plates, ranging from $8-14. The food was pretty good, especially at this stage – much more sophisticated than standard bowling alley fare.
photo: Christina Mitchell
We tasted refreshing Shrimp Ceviche with crispy Plantain Chips….
photo: Christina Mitchell
…and salty-sweet Watermelon Feta Salad with Tomatoes…
photo: Christina Mitchell
…along with two kinds of pizza: Pesto Veggie and another with Bacon, Sausage and Pepperoni (I liked the veggie best).
photo: Christina Mitchell
But the clear favorite was the Char Siu Taco. The the flavors were bold and the pork belly was tender and juicy. It might even be worth a trip just for this dish.
photo: Christina Mitchell
We walked around for a while after the tasting. There are full size and shorter bowling lanes, with huge screens, which would make it a great place to watch a big game. Oh, there were also pool tables and an arcade. After 10pm, options can be limited, so plank seems like a welcome addition to the town.
98 Broadway, Oakland
Sun – Thurs, 11am – midnight
Fri & Sat, 11am – 1am
Christina Mitchell
Latest posts by Christina Mitchell (see all)
- La Casita: Food for the Soul - September 28, 2018
- How To Cook Vietnamese Sausage - September 7, 2018
- Let’s get it started… - September 6, 2018
So excited to check this place out!
Be sure to let me know what you think!