Hutch Brings Whiskey, Oysters, and Grits to Oakland's Uptown

Hutch Bar & Kitchen
2022 Telegraph Avenue (at 20th), Oakland
Phone: (510) 419-0622
Web: hutchoakland.com
Status: Open

A new restaurant devoted to the American south has just swung open its doors near the Fox Theater in Oakland, and it's called Hutch Bar & Kitchen. The place takes over the space formerly occupied by 2022, and as the East Bay Express reports, one of chef David King's main goals was to bring good grits to the Bay Area. In fact, he says, he wants to "promote grits as the new mac 'n' cheese."

The menu features fish and grits, grillades and grits (that would be veal), and the classic shrimp and grits, as well as other Southern stuff like Benton ham and hushpuppies. And on Sundays he'll be doing special prix fixe dinners with family-style entrées like Memphis-style ribs and fried chicken.

In addition to the small selection of bar bites and bigger plates, there's a raw bar with two types of oysters available nightly, and a cocktail program focused on classics, and centered on American whiskey. We also note that they're doing their own interpretation of the Trader Vic's original Mai Tai, called the Heyday Mai Tai.

King's most recent gig was as the opening chef at S.F.'s Southpaw BBQ, which was part of a wave of new Southern and BBQ-focused restaurants to open in San Francisco in 2011 and 2012.

Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m., and on Sunday (for the prix fixe), 5 to 9 p.m.

[Photo: Luis M./Yelp]

· At Oakland's Hutch, Southern-Style Grits Are King [EBX]