Issue #13: Cupid’s Guide to Bay Area Restaurants and Homes

Love is in the air this month with my favorite Bay Area restaurants to book for special meals and nearby homes to fall in love with.

The Silvert Lining is a place where I talk about real estate, cool homes for sale, things I’m looking forward to, and how I’ve been spending my time. In addition to this newsletter, I also post regularly on Instagram. You can follow me at Dan Silvert Homes.

Let me begin this week’s newsletter by leaning into my curmudgeonly contrarian side to acknowledge that Valentine’s Day is a silly commercialized fake holiday. But then February 14 arrives and I’m out to dinner canoodling and exchanging gifts with my girlfriend, and I must admit that I like good food and presents. Perhaps I am more of a lover than I let on after all.

If you need some inspiration for your Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart or your Galentine's Day with your best friend, consider me your personal Cupid of cuisine and real estate. I’ve paired my favorite restaurants for a special meal with nearby homes for sale. Table for two and keys to a new home…let’s get ready to fall in love!

Ramen Shop + 475 65th Street, Oakland

Home: 475 65th Street in North Oakland is a 1905 Craftsman that was extensively renovated in 2021. The home has 3 bedrooms/3 bathrooms and is listed at $1,395,000.

Restaurant: As I write this newsletter from my cozy home office, it is raining outside. My favorite food to eat on cold rainy nights is a hot bowl of ramen. No one does ramen better in the Bay Area than Ramen Shop, located in Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood. I am partial to the shoyu ramen, dumplings, and Toki Highball cocktail.

Mama + 3400 Richmond Boulevard, Oakland

Home: 3400 Richmond Boulevard near Oakland’s Lake Merritt is a 1922 French Revival home whose architecture was inspired by Silvert Lining favorite Julia Morgan. The home has 5 bedrooms/4 bathrooms and is listed at $1,398,000.

Restaurant: I have professed my love for Oakland’s Grand Lake Theatre multiple times in this newsletter. When I am seeing an evening movie at that theater, I like to start my night out with dinner at Mama. The Italian restaurant located in Oakland’s Lake Merritt neighborhood has a daily seasonal three-course menu for $39.95. I love that I do not have to read an extensive menu and make a big decision when ordering as there are only two options for each course – and every dish is always delicious.

Odin + 309 4th Street Apartment 107, Oakland

Home: 309 4th Street Apartment 107 in Oakland’s Jack London Square neighborhood is 1+ bedroom/1 bathroom listed at $579,000. The building was constructed in 1929 as the Oakland Plumbing Supply Co. and P.E. O'Hair & Co. and later converted to modern condos with an industrial aesthetic.

Restaurant: If I’m in the mood for Mexican food and a mezcal cocktail, I head to Odin in Oakland’s Jack London Square neighborhood. The Mexican restaurant and Mezcalería is owned by the same group that owns Nido’s Backyard, which is located down the street. My favorite time to go is during their happy hour (Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 7 PM) as there are discounts on food and cocktails. I always order the guacamole, tacos, and empanadas.

Saltbreaker + 538 Pacific Avenue, Alameda

Home: 538 Pacific Avenue in Alameda’s West End is a 1906 cottage-style shingled home with 3 bedrooms/2 bathrooms listed at $1,195,000.

Restaurant: I was introduced to Saltbreaker by a friend that works there as a bartender. The restaurant is located in Alameda on the Alameda Point side of the island. I like to sit at the bar when eating dinner at Saltbreaker so I can be close to the action. When ordering, I gravitate toward the seasonal specials (the porchetta entrée I ate there recently was exceptional). I also enjoy their salads, desserts, and cocktails.

Chez Panisse Cafe + 1628 Euclid Avenue, Berkeley

Home: 1628 Euclid Avenue in North Berkeley is a beautiful 1926 Mediterranean home with 4 bedrooms/3 bathrooms listed at $1,595,000.

Restaurant: Including Chez Panisse on a list of a restaurants for special meals feels like the ultimate Bay Area cliche. And yet, here I am professing my love for this classic and influential culinary mecca. The service at the Chez Panisse Cafe is best in class, and every meal there feels like a celebratory occasion. Unlike Chez Panisse Restaurant’s prix fixe menu, the Chez Panisse Cafe has an extensive à la carte menu and more casual vibe.

Let me know if you are looking for a new home, and I can create a customized search based on your wants and needs that will email you homes that meet your search criteria. You can schedule time with me to discuss your search for a new home or selling your current home by emailing me at DanSilvertHomes@gmail.com. DRE #01963734