Ever tried a collard salad?
Town Fare by chef Michele McQueen sits inside of the Oakland Museum of California’s complex of buildings, walkways, and gardens. The museum restaurant reopened under her management last summer, and the space has hosted a number of previous establishments over the years.
The interior is a huge, bright open space, with views of the museum, koi pond, and garden terraces full of sculptures. I spotted a handful of tables with coworkers, a group of seniors, and some young families, and was disappointed to see that the outdoor seating does not have food service — no big deal, just not ideal when handing several plates solo.
And one section, where I ended up sitting, does not have children either. Why?
The menu is limited but not small, a combination of flavors and cultures colliding into Cali-fresh soul food. After ordering the collard green salad (“Great choice!”) I asked where said greens were from, and the cashier, unsure, asked a coworker.
“The earth!” She cried.
Well, yes, but more specifically they likely were grown on the property in the chef’s personal garden.
The greens were treated somewhat akin to a kale salad — they were fresh, vibrant green, sliced in long slivers, and appearing gently massaged. Raw collards, at least to my knowledge, are not a common offering, so I was stoked to give them a shot. The strong leaves felt and tasted a bit like a mix of kale and full-grown spinach, with enough bite and fight to keep it interesting to chew but not so much as to slow you down or hurt your jaw. The pecans provided a toasty crunch and the finely shredded cheese a depth of earthy umami and slight stank I found vital. The dressing was my least favorite part, with good flavor but too sweet and heavy handed of a coating without enough acidity or brightness to balance it out for my taste. I found it missing just that extra bit of juiciness too. Especially in the heat of summer and height of glorious juicy fruits and veg, it felt like a missed opportunity. That said, as I did not finish my food in that sitting, the salad did travel well and I can imagine it would make a great to-go/desk lunch.
Next up, the corn bread — a good-sized hunk served with jalepeño jam for the reasonable price of $4. The bread was not warm, which I wished it was, nor was it served with butter (it did not claim to be, just again, my wishes), but the soft, dense crumb, good corn flavor, and sticky honey glaze were all great. As I don’t have a strong sweet tooth the jam was a bit treacly in combination for me, but the gentle heat from the peppers was a nice combo.
The blackened jackfruit tacos were a lovely sight to behold, and a generous portion too (still over $5 each, but truly a good amount of food). Layers of shredded jackfruit, slaw, and spicy crema filled the soft corn tortillas fully, and the flavors melded with each bite. I wished the tortilla had been charred more (just a few spots visible and too soft still/not enough flavor for my liking) and wondered which part of the taco they were claiming to be blackened. The fruit was wonderfully textured with just the right amount of moisture and no real chew, very soft, while the cabbage slaw gave enough crunch to keep things interesting and the crema also just enough kick to assuage my zest for, well, zest. The overall textural experience was a bit too uniform and the flavors skewing just slightly too much towards acidic without a sweet or earthy counter for my taste, but I am nitpicky. They were good.
After consuming my fill for the moment I grabbed a box for the remainder and took a stroll through the large terraced gardens. I have been a few times before, but not of late, and was pleasantly surprised to find a new entrance on 12th St. facing Lake Merritt, as well signage stating it to be a public space.
I was also happy to learn that one of the newer additions to the space are these benches scattered throughout, made by Black artisans from locally harvested wood.
Sculptures of all sorts dot the space, some speaking to me far, far more than others. Some plant life stood out, like these bare grape vines, a few California wildflowers, and some old oaks, but I was more struck by the number of empty beds, feeling their browns and tans to be a bit of a bummer.
As I walked back toward the 10th St. side, I finally caught sight of some collards! They were in a bed right by where I’d eaten, along with several dino kale plants and loads of mint.
I was then waylaid further by the koi, transfixed by the psychedelic sun dappled water, tranquil sound of a fountain, and gentle gulp-sucks of the fish as they surfaced to snack on the edges of their pool.
In all, a peaceful place to enjoy your lunch of local fare, with art to boot.
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Sit down/table service Y
Outdoor seating Y
Takeout Y
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Ready to go options/cafeteria style N
Less than 15 min wait Y
Under $20 w/tax and tip N
Many options under $20 Y
More than 1 veg option Y
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Open weekdays Y
Open weekends Saturday Y/Sunday Y
Open Mondays N
Bartable Y
Town Fare at Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St., Oakland, CA.
