Yesterday we went for a late dinner to Fenton’s Creamery on Piedmont Ave in Oakland. I’ve been to Fenton’s many many times, usually against my will and end up eating way too much fried greasy stuff that I just can’t resist. This time was no different.
Fenton’s is a classic diner/ice cream shop that has withstood the test of time and is still chugging along. Parking is a nightmare and unless you wait for one of their 8 or 9 spots, you’ll be circling around the block and up and down the street looking for a spot, especially if it’s a warm night out when everyone and their mother wants a scoop of ice cream.
We usually sit at the counter because it is faster and our friend goes there so often that she knows all of the cooks by name so she likes to chat it up… It does not surprise me that every time we go there I eat way more than I planned. This time I thought I was under control by agreeing to share an appetizer sampler and eat only the smallest sundae, but I ended up eating half of an deviled egg sandwich which was ordered by mistake, ate a handful of onion rings, the jalapeno poppers and 2 chicken fingers from the appetizer sampler and a small cup of mocha almond fudge ice cream.
This egg salad sandwich was good. I can’t remember ever ordering an egg salad sandwich anywhere ever in my lifetime, and I’m not really a huge egg salad person, but this sandwich was good. I credit most of it to the bread – perfectly toasted sourdough. Leave out the olives next time, too many!!
These are some killer onion rings. You know, the regular frozen kind in a bag – so good… cooked perfectly golden brown and comes with ranch dipping sauce. YUM!! I also like how the onion inside is soft enough so that you don’t have to really gnaw on it when you take your bite… don’t you hate when the whole onion slice comes out of the breading?
Alas, the appetizer sampler for $8.99. Included are mozzarella sticks (the fat kind), zucchini sticks, jalapeno poppers (with cream cheese), chicken fingers and 3 dipping sauces. When I come to Fenton’s I’m notorious for ordering poppers and chicken fingers, so this platter is good for sharing the other stuff (and cheaper than ordering each item individually). Can’t complain here, it’s fried and FRIED = GOOD.
Lastly, my dessert. A “petite” scoop of the Mocha Almond Fudge ice cream. All of the ice cream is hand made in small batches right at Fenton’s. It’s all very good. I think I prefer this flavor over the Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch because the almonds are chopped up in small pieces whereas the peanuts in the CPBC are whole, and it’s just too much peanut!
Fenton’s is a classic and I’m sure I’ll be back there soon.
Fenton’s Creamery
4226 Piedmont Ave
Oakland, CA 94611
(510) 658-7000
www.fentonscreamery.com