Sequoia Diner
3719 MacArthur Blvd [map]
Oakland, CA 94619
Ph: (510) 482-3719
Hours: Closed Monday-Tuesday; Tue-Sun 8am-2pm
Facebook: Sequoia Diner
Twitter: @sequoia_diner
Price Range: $$ Entrees ($11-$17)

Carnitas hash at Doña Tomás (Shelby Pope)

There are plenty of reasons to love Temescal’s Doña Tomás. A wallet-friendly happy hour. An incredible amount of seating, making it both group and family-friendly. And, for the brunch crowd, a menu full of intriguing Mexican twists on standard brunch fare. Their beautifully presented carnitas hash was the most unusual one on this list. Instead of a concentrated mass of meat and potatoes, it was souplike, with pork and a selection of vegetables--zucchini, corn, tomato and okra-- in a rich, salty broth. The carnitas are wonderful, falling-apart tender, but the highlight is the vegetables, a rare sight on too many brunch menus. Unlike many dismal vegetable soups, the vegetables are properly cooked, maintaining their flavor and crunch. It’s a wonderfully messy dish, but thankfully they provide you with housemade corn tortillas, tender and chewy, to mop every delicious last bite.

Doña Tomás
5004 Telegraph Ave [map]
Oakland, CA 94609
Ph: (510) 450-0522
Hours: Closed Monday; Tue-Thu 5:00pm-9:30pm; Fri 5:30pm-10pm; Sat 9:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-10pm; Sun 9:30am-2:30pm
Facebook: Dona Tomas
Twitter: @DonaTomasOak
Price Range: $$ Entrees ($11-$17)

Smoked pork hash at Brown Sugar Kitchen (Shelby Pope)

Ask anyone in Oakland: the thing to get at Brown Sugar Kitchen are the waffles. It’s the West Oakland institution's signature dish, and the recipe has since made its way around the internet. And sure, they’re excellent. But although it may sound treasonous, the smoked pork hash is worth cheating on the waffles. If you’re not a fan of aggressive smoke and heat, order the beignets. But if you like to start your morning with a zippy burn, order the hash. Chunks of smoky pork maintain their tenderness even while transformed into a crispy browned patty. A slash of red, dairy-based sauce adds color and a moment of relief from the hash’s subtle, consistent heat. Liberally seasoned with cayenne, black pepper, red peppers and green onions, it's complex, layered and altogether satisfying.

Brown Sugar Kitchen
2534 Mandela Pkwy [map]
Oakland, CA 94607
Ph: (510) 839-7685
Hours: Closed Monday; Tue-Sat 7am-3pm; Sun 8am-3pm
Facebook: Brown Sugar Kitchen
Twitter: @BrownSugarKitch
Price Range: $$ Entrees ($11-$17)

Pork belly hash at Grand Lake Kitchen (Shelby Pope)

The waits are long, the restaurant tiny, with tables squeezed almost on top of each other (when will the promised expansion next door finally begin?). Yet there’s a reason while the faithful line up for brunch at Grand Lake Kitchen every weekend. The wide ranging menu from that miniscule kitchen produces an eclectic mix of breakfast and lunch fare, dishes that balance the decadent with piquant bites of acidity. One such dish is the pork belly hash. From the first taste, it’s salty, fatty and rich. A drizzle of hollandaise almost--but not quite--pushes it over the the edge into depravity. A welcome sprinkle of chives helps cut through the richness.

Unlike many hashes, the potatoes don’t lose their identity, disappearing into a starchy base layer. Instead, a variety of whole small potatoes--yellow, red and purple--are slathered with tangy, slightly sweet grainy mustard. Lightly smashed, they’re folded in with with the crispy pork belly, with large chunks of the pork and potato competing for your affection. And although rushing out of bed to eat this decadent-yet-balanced dish might might seem like the antithesis of a lazy brunch, get there early: the menu warns that quantities are limited.

grand lake kitchengrand lake kitchen

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