Toast in Oakland. Photo: The Chronicle
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When Toast Kitchen + Bar opened five years ago, the plan was to bring a relaxing wine bar to Rockridge. Yet despite enjoying a successful run in the Oakland neighborhood — including an expansion back in 2013 — owners Kristen Policy and Heather Sittig Jackson have struggled to shake the perception that Toast is a breakfast place. The fact that there are two other Bay Area restaurants also named Toast (San Francisco’s Toast Eatery and Toast in Novato) certainly didn’t help matters.
Now, Policy and Sittig Jackson have decided to shake the confusion once-and-for-all. On September 18, the small plates restaurant and wine bar will temporarily close, and reopen on October 6 with a completely different concept — a laid back tacos and margaritas joint called Austin.
“Rockridge is filled with nice high touch dining experiences, but not that great place where you can get super duper tacos,” says Sittig Jackson.
So how are Austin-style tacos different from Bay Area tacos?
According to Sittig Jackson, who lived in Texas when she was a teen and has been to Austin “a gajillion times”, they are smaller and the fillings are more succulent, often featuring surprising flavors that go beyond the standard beans and cheese.
Policy and Sittig Jackson are working with their cooks, led by chef Michael Woods, to develop a sample menu of street tacos they might want to feature, but as far as exactly what kinds of tacos actually make it onto Austin’s menu, they plan to crowdsource. September 22-September 25 and September 29-October 2 (Thursday-Sunday), Austin will offer a selection of potential menu items for diners to try and then submit their feedback. (Fingers crossed the new menu will include brunch-friendly Austin-style breakfast tacos.) Hours to try the test menus will be 4-10 p.m. on Thursday-Friday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturday-Sunday.
“(We) have so many neighbors who are regulars, we want them to be involved because we’re creating it for them,” says Sittig Jackson.
When Austin officially opens on October 6, hours will be Monday-Friday from 3-10 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Austin, 5900 College Ave. (at Chabot), Oakland. (510) 658-5900. austinoakland.com