Osmanthus, Sichuan Flavors in Rockridge

Osmanthus
6048 College Ave., Oakland
Phone: (510) 923-1233
Web: osmanthusrestaurant.com
Status: Open

The former Nan Yang has completed its transformation into Osmanthus, a new iteration of Chinese cuisine with a focus on Sichuan dishes. The new spot comes courtesy of Michael Chiang and chef Julia Klein, who's an alum of the Michelin-starred Terra. Joining the lineup is Misao Cooper, who'll run the front of house after a stint at Spruce.

Osmanthus' menu is described as "modern-classic Asian food," and while there are some Japanese and southeast Asian influences, dishes like ma po tofu, twice-cooked pork belly and smoked-trout fried rice point to a predominantly Chinese perspective. The menu includes small plates like dry-fried chicken wings with Sichuan peppercorns and short ribs with kabocha, plus large plates like the double-cut pork chop with kimchi apples. (Here's a PDF of the full menu.)

The new spot sports a full liquor license and attendant cocktail list, with Asian ingredients serving as inspiration. For now, they're only open for dinner, but that should change soon: current opening hours are Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday from 5-10pm, and Friday-Saturday, 5-11 pm.

· Osmanthus opens in Oakland's Rockridge [Inside Scoop]
· All Opening Alerts [~ ESF ~]