Good news for Oakland Foodies

Picture of Uptown's popular eatery Flora
Via article in the Oakland Tribune
After the buzz died down around Flora — the Uptown District's culinary shining star that opened in November — a look of longing began to creep into the faces of East Bay food hounds and night owls looking for a new diversion to flock to. So the news that four restaurants are opening in Oakland comes as a relief, especially when the financial crisis threatened to put us all into novelty withdrawal.

1. Ozumo, scheduled to open Dec. 1, is a slick Japanese restaurant and lounge that will be located on the ground floor of the Broadway Grand condo complex ("Live life on a Grand scale" is the motto). A Japanese grill that uses high-heat charcoal briquettes to quickly sear food — called a Robata — will be the centerpiece of the restaurant instead of sushi. That way, owner Jeremy Umland said, people who object to eating sushi won't have to veto a Japanese restaurant. It will help fill out the area near the Paramount Theatre and Luka's Taproom.
2. Joining the newly opened Miss Pearl's Jam House in Jack London Square will be the refined but rustic Bracina, a 3,000-square-foot restaurant on the ground floor of the soon-to-be-complete Jack London Market in February. Bracina is the brainchild of San Francisco restaurant royalty, Daniel Patterson and Lauren Kiino.
3. Also coming to Jack London Square is a bakery by Meg Ray, co-founder of the S.F. Ferry Building patisserie, Miette. It may fill the storefront occupied briefly by MoNO on Fourth Street.
4. Meanwhile, Oakland restaurant pioneers Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky of Dona Tomas fame are reportedly opening in early 2009 a taqueria at 1912 Telegraph Ave., two doors from the duo's other jewel, Flora.