Oakland’s Colonial Donuts Folds Under Uptown’s Gentrification

Oakland’s Colonial Donuts is closing on Saturday, August 12

The uptown fried dough institution of 28 years will close its doors this Saturday, according to EBX. The new owner of the building in which it operates wouldn’t renew owner Andy Ung’s lease, and gave him 30 days to vacate. It’s another blow to the small businesses on that block, which include closed Henry’s Gallery Cafe (to be replaced by Beauty’s Bagels) and Happy Burrito, which has experienced a doubled rent in recent years. “They’re just kicking out all these people who were here with their businesses when the city was down,” Happy Burrito’s owner told EBX. “I don’t think it’s fair.”

Camino ceases its beloved brunch service in two weeks

Fans of Camino’s brunch will have to hurry to catch it before it’s gone until 2018. The restaurant has decided to stop serving the mid-morning meal in order to host more private parties and some of which might be open to the public. The first one is the third annual “Piqnique Ordinaire,” a rosé-soaked, family-style lunch with Oakland’s Ordinaire wine shop on August 27. (Tickets are available here.) Don’t fret too much, though, as the brunch doughnuts will join dinner’s dessert menu for now.

In case you were wondering...

...here’s the inside of Alice Waters’ fridge, which is filled with wine and pickles.

Mister Jiu’s is hosting a Michelin dinner

When restaurants get a Michelin star, it’s not just an accolade, it’s an entreé into a fancy club of similarly elite chefs. Brandon Jew, chef/owner of Mister Jiu’s, is hosting fellow Michelin-star-havers Rupert Blease of Lord Stanley, Sara Hauman of Octavia, Jason Fox of Commonwelath and Tomoharu Nakamura of Wako. “I think the dinner will help promote those relationships [between chefs] and see what can happen when all of us have a space to show each other what we do,” said Jew. The chefs will all come up with passed appetizers for the cocktail reception and do different courses for the seated dinner ($255, including tax and service). The dinner is happening Sunday, August 13; tickets available through Tock.

SF Chef’s Compete To Represent US in next Bocuse D’Or “Culinary Olympics”

Team America took home gold this January in the Bocuse d’Or, the Olympics-style, bi-annual culinary competition held in France — but not to be caught resting on our laurels, the US selection body Ment’or is already recruiting for its 2019 US chef nominee. Jeffery Hayashi of Mourad and Matthew Kirkley of Coi are two of the three competitors for the American mantle, and the the third is Ben Grupe of Elaia & Olio in St. Louis. The final selection of a chef to represent the US in the competition will be made in Las Vegas in November.

Suntory

Technology that involves Japanese whisky is the best technology

Nihon Whiskey Lounge was one of the first bars to really embrace the impending popularity of Japanese whisky, before it reached its current levels. For this reason, Suntory considers it a “Suntory soul place,” which sounds very pleasant, and has given it the West coast’s first highball machine as a reward. The machine combines Suntory’s chilled Toki whisky and some fine-tuned carbonated water to create the platonic ideal of highballs, from the carbonation levels to temperature to the fancy clear ice. The highballs are served with shiso leaves and a spritz of yuzu oil.

SF’s chefs are influencing the country, obviously

Two SF chefs have joined the “chef’s collective” of SF-based Williams-Sonoma: Brandon Jew (Mister Jiu’s) and Deuki Hong (Sunday Bird). The chefs will do a lot of “education” around the country, and maybe even influence some of the products on the store’s shelves. The best part, though, is learning that Deuki Hong is a good knitter, and can “knit a scarf in a jiffy.”