Wahpepah’s Kitchen
2353 E 12th St.
Oakland
Located at a public transit plaza in East Oakland, Whapepah’s Kitchen serves Native foods with a health-focused and modern twist. And as I learned via a framed certificate on their shelves, it was a nominee for the 2022 New Chef James Beard Award.
Written in the native tongue of Kiikaapoa/Kickapoo , the small but comprehensive (or “tight,” as my friend called it) menu at Wahpepah’s Kitchen is also lovingly translated into English. Obvious care has been paid to the presentation of the food, from language and murals to plating. Vibrant colors pop in the sun-drenched space, with eye-popping hues blanketing the tall walls and a hanging backdrop sporting the restaurant’s logo in repetition, the outdoor patio just feet from the Fruitvale BART station entrance and within the larger transit plaza.
On a recent visit, a friend (a carnivore) and I went in fast and hard with our order: cornbread with berries and maple ($6) to start, sweet and white potato hibiscus taquitos ($14) to follow, an elderberry sparkler ($8) to whet our whistles, and finally a bison salad ($25, ordered medium rare) for my friend Fernando and a three sisters veggie bowl ($20) for me.
I was quite happy with our first three choices. The cornbread was ultra-rich in a salted, glob-to-itself density of crumb that manages not to coat your mouth or leave a film behind. The light drizzle of maple cream on top provided for me a necessary sweetness against the surprisingly savory slice. Its beautiful lavender-speckled color was lent by the juniper berries, but I could not detect any additional flavor to back it up. Truly gorgeous though. A strong buttermilk flavor carried through for me, which I believe is the secret to the moist but not wet texture, but it left my friend feeling like it came from a boxed mix.
The taquitos were served super hot with perfectly cracking friend shells and soft potato filling. The plate was lined with a hibiscus sauce and a pepita crema, which were nice additions when actively scraped up but were not integrated into the dish in a meaningful way for me.
The salsa verde(?) on the side we overlooked until later, and I liked it but found it without too much depth. The slight sweetness/lack of appreciable spice didn’t add to the taquitos for me, either, though the acidic undertones cut the pasty potato interior nicely. The pico de gallo included blueberries, which surprised me, and while I found them unnecessary I didn’t mind them. Maybe because they didn’t taste like much.
The elderberry spritzer had a mild soapy funk to match the tart, which I like though it may not be everyone’s preference. The berries are medicinal and have been used for immune support for a long time, not to mention the lovely deep cranberry reddish-purple they produce (aesthetic, especially when paired with the flower the glass was topped with).
The bison salad was a bed of mixed greens tossed with goat cheese and blueberries with a fairly hefty portion of juicy sliced bison sirloin atop. Truly “incredible” steak, decent but basic salad, and an opportunity to savor the sustainably harvested meat products that are not an easy find elsewhere, especially in such unassuming digs.
Given that it was named after the three sisters (corn, beans, and squash, which are traditionally grown together in staked clumps to mutually nourish each other in the field), I was expecting a flavorful and thoughtful veggie bowl. Not only are these crops famously paired, but our waitress also recommended the bowl when asked, so I figured I was good to go, but not so much so.
While lovely to look at, the bowl left me wanting: It had a preponderance of beige items. (I did not think the beans would be white ones; was that my bad?) The corn was “crackled”, which to me seemed rather like a bulgar-like texture. Thene there were the not-super-in-season berries, unseasoned quinoa, and two sauces (maple chili oil and maple dressing) that provided plenty of fat and chili-infused color but no acidic pop or flavor or salt. At first I wanted salt and vinegar, which maybe says more about me than the dish. But once I’d started working the kale, in pieces uneven and too-large to bite or integrate into the bowl of small ingredients, that wish evaporated, leaving me wanting either more kale or just like … more flavor. More love was needed for these veggies and grains, love that had clearly been invested into so many other aspects of the restaurant.
For those desirous of a rabbit pozole or bison steak (or meatballs! I Hear they’re good!) should absolutely make their way to Fruitvale Station and get them some. For those of us plant eaters, this spot is best left for group hangs or light bites, with most options boasting sweet and white potatoes and little protein. It is deeply friendly and full of bright life and people excited to be there on a sunny Saturday afternoon, and I’d guess any day they’re open. Which is most days, excluding Mondays and Tuesdays.
_________
Sit down/table service Y
Outdoor seating Y
Takeout Y
__________
Ready to go options/cafeteria style N
Less than 15 min wait Y
Under $20 w/tax and tip N
Many options under $20 N
More than 1 veg option Y
__________
Open weekdays Y
Open weekends Saturday Y/Sunday Y
Open Mondays N
Bartable Y
