OaklandWire: Commis Open Now, Now, Now! (Update)

Oakland: Yesterday's Chronicle noted that James Syhabout's much-anticipated Commis would be opening "next month." Turns out that's not entirely accurate. Commis hosted a friends-and-family night on Wednesday and was open to the public last night. Now, Syhabout was last seen as the chef de cuisine under David Kinch at the Michelin two-star Manresa, and before that, getting 3.5 stars on his own at PlumpJack, so he's obviously doing very serious cooking (and that's not even counting his stints at El Bulli and Fat Duck). The old Jojo space has been converted to a sleek room with only 32 or so seats, including six at the counter overlooking the two-man kitchen (see some shots by Ms. Pim). The menu is a choose-your-own three-courser for $49; Commis is open for dinner only, but seeing as how it's a small restaurant and technically no seats are reserved for walk-ins (though they obviously take walk-ins), calling ahead is recommended. And the locals are excited. 3859 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland; (510) 653-3902; website

Tonight's menu, to give an idea of the fare:

SOUP OF RONDE DE NICE SQUASH
roasted lipstick peppers perfumed with green lemon

SALAD OF BRAISED GEM LETTUCE WITH SUMMER ROOTS
sweet shallots and capers

MACKEREL, LIGHTLY CURED AND SMOKED
green tomato confit in rhubarb juice, wild anise

MORRO BAY COD WITH ENGLISH PEA PORRIDGE
delta crayfish, young ginger and flowering coriander

PASTURED CHICKEN ROASTED IN SUMMER SAVORY
golden rice cooked in malted ale with cepes

AGED LOIN OF BEEF, SORREL AND HORSERADISH
cranberry beans enriched with brown butter, natural renderings

CHILLED STRAWBERRY-WATERMELON SOUP
fino basil, black pepper ice cream

CRÈME-FRAICHE, SEMI-FROZEN
bitter almond, blueberry, lime thyme