Nex

Shrimp and brussel sprouts. Mushroom ragout and polenta. Quiet enough. Flexible seating. No bad attitudes. Smelled good. Nice little patio to sit with dogs. Pinot. Green beans tarragon. Fluffy gnoche. Far better than mua next door.

Not a bad place to end up, but not at the top of my return list either.
Let me first say: I hate making reservations. Reservations are the straight-​jacket to spontaneity. When I do get bulllied into making a rezzy somewhere, I almost always end up cancelling. Life is unpredictable, and I’d like to keep it that way.
So, we sauntered over for a late post-​Murmur dinner. I’d heard all the buzz about Mua and Nex and figured it would be a super cool stamp in my Uptown passport. Excitement…
It’s a small, industrial-​type space and of course they were packed, so we volunteered for an outdoor table. The indoor area didn’t look all that enticing anyway, except for the warmth factor.
Our server/​host kind of tossed us to our outdoor table — he was clearly frazzled — but then I thought back to my days as a server and how utterly not-​cut-​out for the job I was, and I decided to forgive him. Plus, I expected the food would make up for it.
Eh, not so much. Sure, the menu looked very promising: pumpkin gnocchi with brown butter, pork belly with poached egg, short ribs with hoisin glaze. But the portions were tragically small. I mean, I know what small plates are, but these were just a tease. My gnocchi must have had 7 little doughy pieces and barely a trace of brown butter. My buddy had the pork belly which he loved, but who doesn’t love a big hunk of cooked fat?
Maybe I need to come back for the indoor experience, but for now I’m sticking with my small plate faves: Plum and Hawker Fare.

all food was delish ORDER THE MAIN CHICKEN ENTRE
service was fast and engaging HOT CHICKS
the drinks were tasty and entered my bloodstream quickly DON’T DRIVE
the prices were fine I DON’T KNOW, SOMEONE PAID FOR ME. THANKS, NATHANNNN

Went with 2 friends on a Friday night and sat outside. The waiter was helpful but not a stalker. Nice sitting by lime and ginko trees in containers.
One friend and I ordered the same things — asparagus with a tarragon sauce, poached egg and chunks of some of the finest homemade bacon I’ve ever had and a brick grilled chicken with fingerling potatoes. The chicken was above average but I like the one at Bellanico better and the one at Mustards is the best I’ve ever had. Zuni’s is different but remarkable as well.
The other friend had the special shrimp with lamb appetizer. Two shrimp were coated with a rather underdone lamb mixture and looked very unappetizing to me. She also had the beef check ravioli which she reported was good. We shared 3 desserts: an excelled rum baba with a plum sauce, a sublime chocolate pot de crème and an OK poached pear torte with vanilla ice cream.
My iced tea was good though since I hadn’t thought to bring a jacket I was shivering by the time we left.
Overall the food was very tasty though it was somewhat expensive. I would return just for the bacon and pot de crème.

After attempting to go to Mua with a craving for their veggie burger, we quickly retreated after seeing the wait at 6:45 on a Friday (might’ve been the First Friday Art Murmur crowd?) since we had a somewhat abbreviated time frame to work with for dinner that evening. Looking at the neighboring restaurant, Nex, we saw there were some tables available out front on the patio, and it was a comfortably warm night, perfect for dining al fresco. We decided to check it out, without having any recommendations or guidance from Unilocal … kind of like people would do in the olden days. ;)
Well, taking risks sometimes pays off. While the menu seemed considerably more limited in breadth compared with Mua, the dishes we ordered were really delicious. We split the Arctic Char w/​Italian broccoli and the Nex pizza, topped with caramelized onions (so good), broccoli rabe and shaved pecorino. I really enjoyed the crust, and I’m kind of picky about what I like when it comes to pizza.
Nex also has some fun cocktails. The Ginger Julep is particularly refreshing.
Very happy to have stumbled upon this place!

after my great experience at mua, I made a mental note to check out nex for dinner. my birthday just passed, so I figured I would do a local, low key dinner at nex.
our party of 5 received excellent service and had an awesome meal! since I knew I would be drinking way too much later in the evening, I opted to stick with water, but my mom said their margaritas were very good. for starters, we ordered the bone marrow, asparagus with bacon, polenta, and escargot. this was my first time trying escargot and it was surprisingly very good! kind of like mushrooms. the bone marrow was very good, and the asparagus was drizzled with green goddess dressing and had a little poached egg. polenta didn’t disappoint either. we shared everything family style and all of us raved about how good it was.
for our entrees, we had the beef cheek ravioli, duck confit, rib eye, free range roasted chicken, and blood sausage. the duck was cooked perfectly, and the chicken had very good flavor from the herb/​olive oil/​lemon marinade. it was also cooked to perfection. once again, we all shared, and we all raved about our food.
I love that Oakland is coming up with all these amazing restaurants, and nex is definitely on that list! I don’t remember our server’s name, but he was a younger gentleman who was very friendly and polite. thanks for the awesome birthday dinner!

First off… After I was told that they were closed by the staff i headed out the door. As I left the Chef was coming in and notified me that he would cook for us anyway. We headed back inside and ordered cocktails.
We had the Marrow, Asparagus w/​bacon and an egg, the duck confit and a few other things that seem to be slipping my mind right now. Everything was amazing and the service was impeccable. Eat here.

I’ve now been to Nex twice — once for dinner with S_​, and last Friday for drinks and simple pre-​fare with C_.
The atmosphere is so much more bearable than crazy Mua, even on Art Murmur eve, for which I’m thankful. The portions are much bigger than their neighbour, but just as good for the tongue to make oneself happy. Curtis was a lovely ‘tender Friday eve, and he attended every patron with a smile. He served our drinks well, even going so far as to add a little extra to the rum ratio in C_’s cocktail.
A lovely place I will enjoy coming back to time and again, without all the hipster craziness of next door. Meet me there and I’ll buy you a cocktail.

Five stars– no doubt–
The duck confit was the best I have ever had– and I’ve had it in NYC, SF and other cities…
excellent service– friendly and warm– not too pushy or attentive– just perfect.
great gnocchi–
excellent steak frites–
a free glass of «grape» juice brought for my pregnant daughter– NICE!
a WONDERFUL restaurant on the edge of the new Oakland.
Can’t wait to go back.

Soizic was my favorite Oakland restaurant. It still will be, irrespective all the others that have come since it closed. The fine gentleman who championed Soizic opened Mua a year (two?) ago and this year, right nex door, he’s done it again.
At first I wondered. Why? It’s right nex door. This is silly. So I didn’t go. I went to Mua instead. Last night, after the Creative Growth wonderful opening and party, B & G suggested we go here.
Omg. It’s so delicious! Seriously. I’m not just saying this. Thanks to a Unilocaler I had the beef cheeks ravioli and split the green beans with bacon and egg appetizer. Immediately to heaven. Rapture comes a week early. God wanted to get his appetizer on.
Mua is yummy and fun and a scene sometimes. Nex a little more subdued, but classy and delicious. Tables in a little fenced garden thingy out front for when it gets warm. Like that’s ever going to happen.

My Recommendations
Appetizers:
— Gnocchi with Mascarpone Cheese & Italian Porcini Cream
— Escargot with Garlic Herb Butter & Toast
— Marrow Bones with Crusty Bread, Gremolata, Parsley, & Cornichon
— Crab Bisque with Fennel Confit & Truffle Foam
Entrees:
— NEX Pizza with Pork Belly, Caramelized Onion, Broccoli Rabe, & Pecorino
— Piedmontese Beef Cheek Ravioli with House Made Pasta, Tomato, Red Wine, & Parmigiano Reggiano
Desserts:
— Funnel Cake Fries with Spicy Chocolate & Raspberry
— Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Lingonberry Sauce & Candied Kumquat
Their food is delicious, especially their appetizers.
I would definitely recommend Nex.

Wow! Cheaper rents and experienced chefs equals top notch cuisine at reasonable prices. My daughter and hubby just moved to East Bay from SF and were excited to show us some of the local ‘flavor’.
Gnocci and mussels for apps and ribeye, pork chop, lamb steak and duck confit for mains. Check the menu for the details. All were stellar! The gnocci were pillows and the sauce dreamy. Mussels were spicy and the sauce wicked (more bread!). The Duck confit on white beans made the S.U. very happy. Ribeye/​frites were perfect. Always a good sign when the fries are done perfectly. My pork chops on spaghetti squash had an incredible salsa verdi. They should bottle it. Speaking of bottles, a nice light nebbiolo went well with everything.
Very impressive. We’ll be back on the next visit, for sure!

Crab bisque, NEX pizza, piedmontese beef cheek ravioli & potato wrapped salmon. Will be going back again!!!

I ate here last night and was extremely pleased to find such a quality high-​end restaurant in the heart of Oakland. The marrow bones attracted me to the restaurant’s menu. I had a bone marrow dish at Blue Ribbon in NYC which was to die for. Those of you that have eaten at Blue Ribbon know that it’s packed at 3am in the morning and rightfully so with it’s great food.
Nex’s marrow bones are not quite up to par with Blue Ribbon but they are quite tasty and a must have if you are dining at the restaurant. It’s scrumptious! The crab bisque is also delicious. It’s a little heavier than the crab bisque at the Cracked Crab in Pismo Beach but it’s quite savory. It’s got the froth on top of it which was sublime. The escargot was a delectable dish.
We also enjoyed the Nex pizza which has pork belly and caramelized onions. The duck confit was palatable. I loved the crispiness of the duck and the flavor was divine.
Despite being extremely full, we ordered a dessert to share. We had the chocolate pot de crème. I wasn’t expecting much but it was very tasty. You could taste the quality of the bittersweet chocolate and I enjoyed it thoroughly. If you’re in the Oakland area, this restaurant is highly recommended.

Since reading about the marrow bones on sfgate, having the marrow bones at Nex was long-​awaited. So, the anticipation might have been its downfall. The parsley and onions for topping were too overpowering, instead of enhancing the natural flavors of the marrow. The escargot was okay in its garlic herb butter on toast.
My mushroom ragout with polenta wasn’t exactly what I expected. The polenta resembled grits — a bit like cream of wheat. Not exactly the consistency of my preference. I like mine less watery. The ragout was very very salty. I would always choose blandness rather than have overly salty food.
Everyone else in my group all agreed on the 3 stars. They ordered the brick chicken (which was over-​cooked) and the lamb (which was over-​seasoned with rosemary). Whoever in the kitchen was bit heavy-​handed with the seasoning that day.
The service was great, with our waiter coming back to check on us when we were ready to order and refilled our water glasses as needed.

Breadsticks = yum
Lemon drop (cocktail) = yum
Grilled green beans = yum, yum. Anything goes good with bacon.
Bone marrow = too fatty for my taste
Caramelized Fig & Prosciutto = yum, yum
Oxtail (special of the day) = yum. Very tender.
I’d go back and sample the rest of the menu.

For today’s special, we have ‘fried lamb brains.’
Pardon? [ it was just what I thought she said ].
Walking into Mua, a New American, industrial-​size, art-​studio-​style restaurant, my expectations were pretty level. When our server said ‘fried lamb brains’ I was intrigued.
Not feeling adventurous to try these brains, we did have the grilled asparagus with cubes of crisp bacon topped with a poached egg and the roasted heirloom squash. Both were delicious, especially the asparagus.
For the main, we had the margherita pizza. Good dish to split. Comfort food. Complimented the two sides we ordered. Note, Nex is right door to Mua.

Doh! First time I’ve eaten at the wrong restaurant. We had planned to go to, had ressies for, and thought we were in – Mua. Turned out we ate Nex door (sorry, you know I had to do it). We should have been clued in that we weren’t in Mua anymore when they asked us if we would be so inclined to try their special lamb brains appetizer. .. and when the food did not feel Asian fusion-​y. The asparagus with poached eggs & bacon bits was delicious, and the one-​dimensional squash was good as well. The margherita pizza was tasty light fare. Nice, strong drinks.
Nex is a great option when you’re in the Uptown and want to stay away from the scene at the impersonally large happening restaurants in the area. It turned out perfect for our pre-​Fox Theater meal — American bistro comfort food in an unpretentious, relaxed, and easy conversation setting.
Hope you make the same mistake we did and eat Nex door to Mua.

Last night my husband and I intended to go to Mua for a late night dinner. I’ve been wanting to try Nex since they opened, so we momentarily paused to look a the menu. We had no intention of going to Nex that night as it was near their closing time (9:45). But then the tall (and yes, oh so fine looking), french waiter/​manager came outside and asked if we would like to eat. When we said we felt rude coming in right before closing he said ‘no, no I insist.‘
First off, the interior of this place is stunning. It’s similar to Mua (same owners), but a very different vibe. Much more cozy, more serene. Mua is a great place for cocktails and small plates, but it’s a scene. Nex is it’s cozy and intimate big brother that you can take your date too and actually hear a conversation.
For starts we had the escargot (on special). Holy crap. How is it possible something as gross as snails could taste so good. Like the most perfectly roasted mushrooms you’ve ever had. Our tall, french waiter (hence forth known as Yul Brynner because that’s exactly who he looks like) brought us extra toasties for the snails without us even having to ask. Love that.
So the next thing we got was bone marrow. As a very recently reformed vegetarian this turned out to be too much for me. Don’t get me wrong, the tiny bit I had was incredibly delicious, but my husband had to scrap it out of the bone for me and I had to close my eyes while eating it. I guess I still have my limits with meat. My husband, however, devoured every bit and literally sucked the bones dry.
Our entrée was the brick Chicken. Yul Brynner brought it out and told us it was the best chicken in the east bay. I thought ‘I’ll be the judge of that.’ I’m a serious, serious chicken connoisseur. Some meat eaters think chicken is boring, but lemme tell ya, if chicken is prepared well it can be better than any filet mignon. Yul Brynner did not disappoint. This is hands down the best chicken I’ve ever had. The skin was a perfectly seasoned, crunchy and golden and oh so deliciously salty (but not too salty). I LOVE me some good chicken skin. I wanted to cover my body in this chicken skin and then eat myself. The meat was moist and perfect.
For dessert we had the pot de crème which was delicious, but to be honest I still had the taste of the chicken in my mouth and nothing could compare. Next time I think I’ll try the funnel cake sticks. Or maybe just a side of chicken skin.
Oh, and at the end of our meal Yul Brynner brought us two glasses of muscat dessert wine, on the house. Yul Brynner, we love you.
Our total bill for 2 cocktails, an appetizer, 1 small plate, 1 large plate and dessert was $ 70. SUPER reasonable if you ask me. Especially considering the quality of food and service.

When organizing a group for dinner that spans multiple social networking sites, it’s hard to decide on a place.
At the suggestion of Matt R, I decided that the group (forced the group) to come here. And was pleasantly surprised.
Sure, it reminds me a lot of Sidebar in terms of food and nifty drinks, without the pretentious hostess. They say on their website that they don’t take reservations, but when I called earlier that evening to tell them we would be descending on them and consuming their booze, they were more than accommodating.
There were a number of starters and meals that were sampled– I got the gnocchi which was to die for– it seems that each gnocchi I have gets better than the last. The steak frites were perfect, and I was ogling the brick chicken.
Great food, great booze, great service, great friends (who don’t come on the menu) — what more can you ask?
I really do love this place, and will definitely come back– on a date or otherwise. I hope it doesn’t get too packed– I need my bacon asparagus fix!