Camino

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I've been so busy tackling the 2013 7x7 100 Big Eats list that I just noticed that I haven't had any crab this crab season!  Camino has been on my list of restaurants to try since it open way back when.  Every crab season, Camino does a roasted crab dish as well as a Monday crab prix fixe menu of 3 dishes for $34.  I almost thought I missed it, but, lucky me, they extended it out till the end of February!

Camino has a large open space with long communal tables.  The small tables by the bar are first come, first serve.

Tasty munchies of crunchy, pickled carrots are dropped off to the table to start of the meal.  They are very similar to the spicy carrots served up in taquerias, but without the spiciness.

My primary purpose of coming to Camino was for the crab, but I couldn't help but be tempted by the pig's head fritters.  The crust is extremely hard and crunchy, but its worth it after you finally bite into it.  The pig's head is fatty and flavorful. 

Large chunks of sweet crab meat in a soup mixed with burdock, wild nettles, and chiles started off the pre fixe menu.  The soup had a surprisingly strong fresh crab flavor.  I was pleased to see that the soup wasn't a creamy based soup, which would fill me up too fast and leave no room for the roasted crab!

Seafood rarely fills me up so I feel obligated to get another dish.  Camino's speciality dishes are anything made in their wood fired oven.  Oven roasted mushrooms, grits, and an oven baked egg (!).  An absolutely yummy dish because it had all my favorites in one:  egg and mushrooms.

The prix fixe menu comes with half a roasted crab, but an additional half crab can be added for $13.  The full crab was a no brainer choice for me.  The crab is roasted in their restaurant fireplace, which is a can't miss when you walk into the restaurant.  Its served up with potatoes fried in duck fat and a carrot, beet & rutabaga salad.  The potatoes had a light crunch and were incredibly tasty.  The salad had a nice crunchy texture and tangy flavor.  Of course, I can't forget the crab!  I've read that some people considered this crab one of their best dishes of the year.  I was surprised and delighted to find that the seasoning on the crab seeped into the crab meat so it created a grilled, smokey taste.  Not the best crab of my life, but its a well cooked roasted crab that hits the spot.

I order another dessert because two desserts are always better than one.  Blood orange sorbet with sparkling wine and benne seed wafers.  Tart, but not too tart.

The pre fixe dessert of the evening was a yogurt-sesame pudding with blood orange and pomelos.  Citrusy and light.  It was a refreshing way to end the crabby meal.

For the month of March, Camino is roasting up a pre fixed menu of kabobs on Mondays.  Although its not crab, you can still taste up some of Camino's oven roasting goodness. 

Address:                  Camino
                                 3917 Grand Ave.
                                 Oakland, CA
 

Type:                        American

Popular chomps:      brunch
                                  roasted crab
                                  baked eggs
                                  oysters

Chomp worthy:         roasted crab