This morning brings us a few more details and updates from Paul Canales, via the East Bay Express, regarding his aforementioned new project in Oakland’s Uptown. He’s modeling it after Royal/T in Los Angeles, which bills itself as a “playful collision of spaces,” and Canales wants to create a similar “collision” between food, art, music, and wine, with an artisan marketplace thrown in. The project still doesn’t have a name, but Canales already inked a deal for a 4,000-square-foot space in the historic Floral Depot Building at 19th and Telegraph, which is also home to Flora and Xolo. He’s now aiming for a late summer opening which sounds like it could push to early fall.
Among the updates is the news that there will, as mentioned, be a retail wine shop where restaurant customers can buy bottles before dinner and only pay a minimal corkage fee — kind of like in the heyday of Plumpjack Café.
Canales seems very interested in creating a cultural space where you can hear live music and see good art on the walls, but he does say “food will come first,” and though he doesn’t plan on doing an Italian menu, per se, “it won’t veer far from Canales’ ingredient-driven technique.” Also, price points will be lower than Oliveto.
Also intriguing: Canales, who is also a musician, is pals with members of Wilco and Cibo Matto, among other acts. So he might be bringing in the occasional name-brand talent.
We should note that not far from Canales’s project is another multi-purpose space, Era Art Bar & Lounge, where a gallery is contained in a large bar space that also plays host to DJ acts, etc., not unlike 111 Minna in San Francisco. So, think of this new project as an evolution of those concepts, but with more food and live music involved, and probably catering to a slightly more mature crowd.
Paul Canales’ Big Plans for Uptown [East Bay Express]
Earlier: New Paul Canales Place in Oakland May Include Wine Shop
Paul Canales to Open Large Restaurant in Historic Floral Depot Building in Oakland
