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| - They say that this place is part of the Eat n' Park diner chain, but you wouldn't know it when you walk in. It's rather upscale inside, but you also get the feel like you're on an organic farm or something, too. The windows are very big, so the place gets a lot of light, which is nice.
I've been there for lunch a few times, and I have to say that you could feed two people down the street at Pamela's for less than it costs for one person here (entrée, salad, drinks), and the food would be a little more normal. However, the clientele at the Porch seems more suited to its dishes; everything is sophisticated (and complicated), and I was a bit taken aback at first because I ordered a turkey sandwich and it came all done up with sauces and fancy cheese and whatnot. Be warned, they don't seem to have full service at lunch; you order at the counter and they give you you're drink and bring you your food, but that's it. You have to get your own refills and go back up to get more food. So for lunch, I'm not feeling the love, especially if you're on a college budget.
I went there last night for dinner, though, and The Porch redeemed itself. I met my mum and we started with the cheese plate appetizer. It comes with provolone, goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, blue cheese, drops of olive oil and honey, nuts, apple and pear slices, and bread of course. That was delicious. I had a generous Caesar salad, which was also pretty good. Then for our main course, we both had the ribeye with "crispy taters." The steak was big and juicy, and although I was skeptical at first, the curry ketchup was excellent. The potatoes were whole little potatoes that were fried I guess, and they were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They were playing a good bit of classic rock, so we both really liked the atmosphere. Our waitress was excellent. uThe downside; it was $75 for the two of us, without including the tip. It is a fancier place, though, so we expected it. I always like to see new places open, so if you're looking for an upscale dinner in Oakland, give this place a try.
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