The Other Critics

Bauer Bestows the Big Three Stars on Wee Plum

Photo: Brian Smeets/Grub Street

Judging from his having published his back-and-forth with chef Daniel Patterson the week prior to his formal review of Plum, it was clear that Michael Bauer was preparing a rave. Now on Sunday, the little Oakland restaurant with the big-boy pedigree won an official three-star review from the Chron, guaranteeing that there will be a lot of jockeying for those 48 seats for months to come. Bauer writes, “while the first impression may be minimalist, the finished product is lush and vibrant,” and he particularly praises the beet boudin noir, an artichoke terrine that has since left the menu, and a clam dish with heirloom beans and escarole. His only slight to the place is to say the “animal” dishes, like the beef cheek and oxtail burger, were “rich” and “marginally less satisfying.”

He also notes the various chef shuffling that’s gone on there, with Jeremy Fox’s aborted tenure, Lauren Kiino’s brief stint, and now the incoming Charlie Parker. “One would think with all these upheavals that the food would suffer,” he writes, “but it hasn’t.” [Chron, All earlier Plum coverage]

Bauer Bestows the Big Three Stars on Wee Plum