22 January, 2009

Wine Bar Wednesday, 2.2009, Miss Pearl's Jam House, Oakland

Okay, so at least I am in the East Bay. I had to write up this fun, new incarnation of Miss Pearl's Jam House in Jack London Square in Oakland. Formerly located in the Phoenix Hotel in the heart of San Francisco's Tenderloin, they are now in the space Jack's Bistro used to occupy in Jack London Square. The ambiance is upscale kitschy with a strong seaside motif and lots of interesting things everywhere you look. Divided into a large bar area as well as a nice dining room, Miss Pearl's Jam House brings luscious takes on Caribbean inspired snacks, exceptional rum cocktails and a very tasty wine list with a lot of interesting things by the glass. Xandria and I went with my party specialist Janesta to do Wine Bar Wednesday research. We perched on the comfy bar stools and ordered sweet potato fries and "Miniskirts with Nice Buns" delicious little flank steak sliders on brioche mini buns. Heaven! While I did succumb to the lure of the cocktail, I was also seduced by a lovely '05 Cline Mourvedre. Beautiful color, blackberry fruit, balanced acidity. Niiice! Ever since I wrote that good Mourvedre-Monastrell-Mataro is hard to find, nice selections have been popping up everywhere I turn! You can thank me for manifesting Mourvedre into the Bay Area! As an added bonus, they also carry by the glass, Cline Late Harvest Mourvedre, which I have to try when I return. Our server was exceptional, attentive, fun and cool.
So if we apply Xandria's Wine Bar criteria:

Affordability - Lovely water view, elegant location, tasty selections and validated parking. Would we expect less of the East Bay? Also, there is a whole schedule of live music. Great QPR.
Wine list - Interesting. Many different selections arranged by characteristics of the wines, so you can easily identify something you are in the mood for.
Wait staff- The menu is so detailed, we did not get to test the server, however every time I have visited, I have found the service to be attentive, pleasant and extremely efficient.
Food: Very good. Those sliders are so very tasty! I can't wait to try more. I hear there's a brunch. Which of course plays into my new obsession: Wine with Breakfast
Miss Pearl's Jam House
1 BroadwayOakland, CA 94607
P: 510-444-7171

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

ooooh, we have the 05 Cline old vines mouvedre on the shelf in the shop that I've been eyeing for some time but didn't want to pay the 13 quid. now though, I have to give it a go! I'll be sure to do a post

Anonymous said...

Wow! Those Cline Old Vines sure get around! Let me know how you find it!