Pican - Oakland, Ca

Pican 2295 Broadway Oakland, Ca 94612 Phone 510-834-1000

Pican is a Southern gourmet restaurant in the west heart of downtown Oakland known for their: Bites, Bourbon, Beats and Buzz. Located in a newly upscaled classy part of Oakland near Grand and Broadway, this landmark has risen from the bay to ignite your southern hospitality taste buds. Opened in 2009 next to the well-known Ozumo sushi restaurant is a goldmine of Southern, Cajun, Creole, and Caribbean cuisine unlike any other exerienced outside Louisiana.

Chef Dean Dupuis has worked in the Bahamas and the south part of the United States in the culinary field to establish a true understanding of Southern, Cajun, and Creole style cooking. It's his time spent cooking and learning in the Bahamas that has really brought the roots of this type of cuisine to Oakland.

Sorry to write this is only my fourth visit to this exquisite eatery. The outside is unassuming unless you're quite familiar with the area. As mentioned earlier this gem is downtown with limited parking on a busy day. In fact our visit this evening was a Sunday celebrating Jenn's Mom, Margy's, birthday dinner. Our server, Jill, was very lively. Reincarnated from every possible Southern soul I've met, she welcomed and warmed our entire evening. Even Margy was wowed when she brought a birthday greeting after our meal just to let her know she was appreciated for being a mom.

What We Ate:

I must mention the warm cornbread served with a fresh made soft sweet butter after we initialy ordered. The density was crumbly and had a fine texture of sifted corn meal with a delicate creaminess from the buttermilk batter.

Andouille and Scallion Hushpuppies - Served crispy and hot with a chili vinegar dipping sauce these hushpuppies were smoky, spicy, crisp, dense and delicious.

Low Country Shrimp & Grits - Creamy yet aldente grits bathed in a worcestershire garlic gravy were the base of perfectly grilled shrimp. The sweet flavor of the shrimp combined with the rich and creamy grits were paired fantastically well.

Fried Green Tomatoes - Served with sheeps-milk feta, radish salsa, and a spicy buttermilk ranch for dipping, these tomatoes, although out of season here in California, were sliced thick and coated in a crisp cornmeal dust reminiscent of any late summer day.

Award Winning Smoked Brisket Braised Collards - Don't even bother looking for this on the menu. Order it and thank me later. Seriously, call me and we can talk for awhile about how incredible this dish is. ($8 is an insult to pay for this dish). Save me some when you go...please!

THE SPECIAL: Pheasant stuffed with Andouille, cream cheese , and shrimp served with a shredded, braised brussel sprout salad with bacon and a pomegranate gastrique. This dish was on the sweeter side compared to the others we ordered. The pheasant breast was pounded before stuffing and actually arrived much larger than expected.

Buttermilk Southern Fried Chicken - We opted for the tableside truffle honey service which Jill said she would bring us a side of (even better!) Hands down the juiciest fried chicken I've EVER had. The sweet and rich decadence of the truffle honey made this chicken stratospheric. The crispy, seasoned skin and the hot juicy meat were unlike any fast food venture you will ever take. This dish is for the adventurers, not the ones seeking their mundane originals. Believe it or not, we almost overlooked one of the best sides imaginable, and quite unforgettable, the smoked gouda mac-n-cheese. Not too creamy, yet well seasoned, aldente elbow noodles baked in a small cast-iron skillet with the perfect crusted top made this dish epic. Go here just for this dish!

"Turbo Dog" Braised Beef Shortribs - We all couldn't get enough of this succulent braised boneless beef rib served over pimento cheese grits, brussel sprouts and topped with a truffled creme fraiche. The grits were a bit too underdone but the pimento cheese was certainly prominent and southern represented.

Cast-Iron Seared Mississippi Catfish - This is the quintessential Southern Creole dish served over a creamy andouille sausage dirty rice concentrated with crawfish and brown butter. I can not say more than get there now and eat this. WOW!

Real Banana Puddin' - Not your quick-made jello brand pudding. Served with house made vanilla wafers and large fresh bites of banana this dessert is a southern masterpiece.

Georgia Pecan Tart - With buttermilk ice cream and bourbon butterscotch, this flaky crust was filled with pecans. An excellent ratio of caramel to nuts topped with a tart buttermilk ice cream more like a sorbet in texture. We struggled to finish this after our meal and vowed to come back if just to eat this again.

Ratings:

Overall: THREE and a HALF Forks

Food: FOUR Forks

Service: FOUR Forks

Atmosphere: THREE Forks

Prices: $$$ (EXPENSIVE - $240 for 4 of us)

Why Go: Never have I experienced Southern cuisine as pure in California. Chef Dean has mastered his craft and shows the root of this wonderful culture and cuisine.

Why Not: Parking is not easy in this part of town. Bring change for the meters or cash for the valet is a must.

Rating Scale: FOUR Forks Extraordinary, THREE Forks Excellent, TWO Forks Good, ONE Fork Fair

Price Scale: $$$ Expensive, $$ Reasonable, $ Inexpensive