Oakland

I had the opportunity to eat with lifestyle and food bloggers at Hopscotch Bar & Restaurant back in November, and am shocked I have not shared this post sooner! I love trying out new places and lately I feel I am venturing outside of Berkeley a lot more often for delicious bites.
Hopscotch Bar & Restaurant is located in Uptown Oakland, 1915 San Pablo Ave., and only 2 blocks from 19th Street Bart Station. It is home to rising star Chef Kyle Itani, winner of Knife Fight and the restaurant “seasonally inspired cocktails and regional American food with Japanese sensibility.”

After being seated, our drink orders were taken and their cocktail menu did not disappoint! In case you are interested in trying what I had, its called the Ectoplasm Cooler, made with St. George Spirits citrus vodka, kiwi ad lemon and is nod to the Ghost Busters-inspired Hi-C flavor. Definitely living up to serving cocktails “with a twist.”

As starters, we were served a mixed green salad and yonsei oysters. The yonsei oysters were gorgeous and although they have a small shell, the oyster takes up most of the space. They were also topped with sea urchin, salmon roe, and citrus soy. I’ve only started tasting oysters towards the end of 2014, but this is by far some of the best oysters I have ever tasted. These are definitely a must-have if you visit Hopscotch.

The main entree of the evening was the buttermilk fried chicken with a side of greens & shrooms. I don’t think I can describe how amazing this chicken was. I wish I had eaten a whole bucket by myself, but we were served a couple of buckets for our table to share with one another. The seasoning was perfect and made me question everything I had known about fried chicken up until that point. It was cooked well and something I would definitely order again.
The greens & shrooms were the perfect compliment for the fried chicken, but I heard the chicken is amazing for brunch when paired with their waffles.

And finally, we came to dessert which was their donuts with butterscotch cream. The donuts are really light and almost reminded me of a beignet. They are coated with sugar and the cream takes these donuts to the next level.
The food I enjoyed at Hopscotch left such an impression on me, that I ordered the Fried Chicken and donuts to share with some of my coworkers last Wednesday through Caviar. If you are in the East Bay, Caviar can deliver some of the Hopscotch goodness to you in less than an hour. You can try it using my referral code for $5 off your first order
On the other hand, you should at least visit the restaurant if you have a chance. The ambiance is great and the food is excellent. I had dinner in their extra space, but I want to go back and experience dinner in their restaurant and potentially enjoy another classic cocktail with a twist at their bar.
Have you tried Hopscotch Bar & Restaurant? I would love to know especially if you have any other recommendations of what to order. Check out my blogger friend Aimee’s post on Hopscotch here for more foodie pictures and details of the restaurant.

On Friday I attended Fashion Friday at the Plaza in Oakland for an evening of fun and shopping. I was also very curious with the concept of mobile boutiques. I’ve become accustomed to seeing food trucks in the Bay Area, but fashion trucks!? Where have these chic stores been hiding all my life!?
This event was made possible by Popuphood. Popuphood is a small business incubator focused on revitalizing neighborhoods block by block. Oakland may be known for many things, but I wouldn’t say Fashion comes to the forefront of that list. Personally, I always think of San Francisco, but after this event it is pretty evident Oakland has style.

The trucks that were present at the event were: Go Go Glam, JasyB, Oaklandish, Stop Shop & Roll, Just Because, The Butler’s Pantry, Topshelf, and Pretty Parlor A Go Go. It amazed me that there were so many trucks related to fashion, and that there was even a mobile beauty salon. Perfect to invite to your home for a wedding or party. There was even a truck that sold for house-ware supplies (Perfect for me since I also like pretty thing in my kitchen!) Having a chic mobile boutique seems like such a great concept. Sometimes you just need the store to come to you.
The highlight of the evening was the fashion show which showcased items from the local boutiques. Here are a few of my favorite looks:

The models make their final pose.

Everyone looked chic and our MC event was very entertaining. After visiting the mobile boutiques and seeing the show, I left with the impression that Oakland definitely has some style cred.
I am hoping to see more fashion-related events in the East Bay, until then make sure to “Like” me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter to stay updated with events in the Bay Area.
Until next time,Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER |

Oakland Eats: Hopscotch Bar & Restaurant

Fashion Friday on the Plaza