C
I T R O N
5484 College Ave
Oakland
510.653.5484
A classy and beautiful storefront bistro on Oakland’s gourmet ghetto
of College Avenue prepares fresh, French food. Three of my Top Ten came from
this three- block section of College Avenue. The style of cooking at Citron
is reminiscent of simply prepared California cuisine, but it is French in
its combinations all the way. The menu changes season to season, but on a
most recent spring visit the selections were some of my favorites. Appetizers
are full of first class offerings such as house cured salmon layered with
buckwheat blini, fromage blanc, micro greens and herbs. The salad that evening
was baby spinach with fried Liberty duck livers, roasted mushrooms and a mustard
dressing. A soup that you wished you could go directly to the kitchen and
serve up another bowlful was a spring asparagus soup with green garlic and
crispy prosciutto.
Thankfully Citron narrows down the selections for you by also offering a prix
fix menu in addition to ordering a la carte. The three course dinner is $40.00,
four courses for $46.00 and a five course for $50.00. Main course selections
are not overpowering as traditional French cooking can be sometimes. For example,
sautéed day boat scallops were served over a summer corn supreme sauce
with matchstick potatoes (and yes, unlike Chez Panisse, you can get some tomato
ketchup for your fries). The Pacific grouper filet was expertly paired with
a "forbidden" black rice, baby fennel and a pink peppercorn beurre
blanc. For the meat eaters, Citron cooked a really great pork loin saltimbocca
with prosciutto, broccolini, buttered noodles and a wild mushroom sauce.
With so much good food, I think sharing a dessert is in order here. But if
you are ready for your own dessert, by all means dig in and order one just
for yourself. In addition to classic crème brulee, we shared a beautiful
and tasty strawberry napoleon with lemon curd cream.
Bon Appetit!
M Y T O P T E N
1.
Chez
Panisse - Berkeley
2. Rivoli - Berkeley
3. Oliveto’s - Oakland
4. Chez Panisse Café
- Berkeley
5. Baywolf - Oakland
6. Citron
- Oakland
7. Soizic
- Oakland
8. Garibaldi - Oakland
9. Dona
Tomas - Oakland
10. tie:
Liaison
- Berkeley
Le Cheval - Oakland
HONORABLE MENTIONS