The inside of the restaurant is a giant u-shaped bar.  Not a drinking bar… but a food bar – like in real diners.  There were pretty many people there too – I got there around noon.  Everyone inside was talking to each other and there was an Asian woman taking orders and another woman cooking.  It was pretty cozy inside and I felt right at home.  The place had a nice campy feel – kind of like a jersey diner meets a California chinese restaurant meets diner food… I loved it, and I didn’t mind being alone!

I ordered grilled cheese and fries.  I actually ordered hot ham and cheese but I don’t think she heard me say ham because I got only cheese.  It was ok though because it was a bangin sandy.

This was the best grilled cheese sandwich I’ve ever had.  Seriously… it was so cheesy and with every bite warm cheddar came stringing out… amazing!  I ordered it on wheat which was good but I think it would be even better on sourdough.  The fries were really good too – full of potato and fried perfectly… not too crisp, not too undercooked.  …I almost licked the plate clean!

Pretty Lady Restaurant
1733 Peralta St
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 832-1213

[ratings]

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(Yes, I live in West Oakland). For those of you who don’t know anything about West Oakland, it is very industrial and not quite the developed picture-perfect neighborhoody kind of place you’d imagine when you think of “neighborhood”. I like it for convenience, but there’s nothing to do… no bars, restaurants, shops… it’s the “untouched” part of Oakland.

Anyway, so when we got there, it was really crowded. We ended up standing there and waiting about 20 minutes for a table which wasn’t very fun, but eventually we got a table. Brunch on the weekend ends at 3pm and we got there around 2:30 so we just made it!

My friend said they had fried chicken and waffles at this place so I decided that’s what I would have even before we arrived. I’ve never had this dish before and I’ve always wanted to try it, so this was perfect. It’s funny because just a few days before I was watching the Food Network about chicken and waffles, mmm so I think it was destiny that we had to come to this place.

Check it out:

Now, this picture is just alright… I took it with my iphone because I didn’t bring my good camera… but you can get the idea. Yes, that is a big scoop of butter on top of the waffle and there is a little thing of cider syrup above the chicken.

Like the organized eating Leo that I am, I ate the waffles first, then the chicken. The waffles were good but definitely not substantial enough. They were interesting because they were actually really “light” tasting, vs. other waffles I’ve had, and also slightly crispy. Actually, I wasn’t even close to feeling full after I finished this plate of food… I’m not sure if that’s good or bad. The cider syrup was good and light and it wasn’t so thick and gooey like other syrups, it was more viscous and “thin”, if you know what I mean. I guess I’m used to eating softer, thicker, more substantial waffles, that’s all.

The chicken was good. It was well seasoned and skin was thin and crispy and had a slight bite to it. Yum. It was fried just right and the meat was tender and juicy.

Lastly, I do have to mention that although the food was awesome, it was a really loud inside. For sound/ambiance, it was one of the loudest places I’ve ever been to that wasn’t a bar. They should throw some carpets up on the walls or something… I felt like I was screaming across the table to my friends.

Be warned: OVERPRICED. I understand you’re paying for a meal from an award-winning chef, but really… we live in the Bay Area where amazing food is everywhere. The place is loud and overpriced. It’s good every now and then though.

Overall, I liked this meal and had a decent experience. I want to give it a 3.5 but I can’t do half fries. It set me back about $14 though for the meal plus $2 for the syrup (doesn’t come with the waffle), but it’s ok, I will probably return to the Brown Sugar Kitchen.

Brown Sugar Kitchen
2534 Mandela Pkwy
(between 26th St & Campbell St)
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 839-7685
www.brownsugarkitchen.com

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