First Look: Peek at new NOLA-inspired Brenda's Oakland restaurant

Audibly crunchy, a touch greasy and served with hot pepper jelly, Brenda's Fried Chicken is one of several dishes drawing long lines at the new Brenda's Oakland. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
Waits are typical but not too long at the New Orleans-style restaurant. This is the first location outside of San Francisco. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
Golden shrimp and grits with spicy tomato and bacon gravy is a crowd favorite at Brenda's Oakland, which opened in October. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
You order at the counter but servers deliver your meal at the Broadway restaurant. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
Chef and owner Brenda Buenviajé is originally from New Orleans. She opened her San Francisco restaurant 12 years ago. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
Chicken and Andouille Gumbo, with its white steamed rice and scallions, was a favorite on our visit. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
The side street patio is just as crowded as the inside dining room at Brenda's Oakland. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
The line moves relatively fast at the order-at-the-counter restaurant, but plan for about a 20 minute wait, more during peak hours. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
The crawfish beignet with gooey cheddar and scallions was another sensational dish at Brenda's Oakland. (Brenda's Oakland)
Can't get enough of those watermelon rind pickles? Grab a jar on your way out. (Aric Crabb/Bayt Area News Group)

By Jessica Yadegaran | jyadegaran@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group

PUBLISHED: November 14, 2019 at 1:01 p.m. | UPDATED: November 15, 2019 at 2:36 a.m.

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Chef-owner Brenda Buenviajé’s foray into the East Bay has been an instant and whirlwind success. Open since October on Broadway, Brenda’s Oakland — an offshoot of Brenda’s French Soul Food in San Francisco — has seen lines out the door for Buenviaje’s fresh and casual take on New Orleans comfort food.

In addition to dreamy gumbo and shrimp and grits, the restaurant, which Buenviajé owns and operates with partner Libby Truesdell, offers a ton of vegetarian options — there’s even a vegan po’ boy — and an innovative menu of solos and sides that lets people try everything without exploding.

Want a side of gumbo with one fried chicken drumstick and a single chocolate molten beignet? You can have that. Here’s our experience during a typical busy weekday lunch:

THE VIBE: Bright and lively. And it’s not just the crowds. There’s a cheerful vibe to the casual restaurant, which has big windows, a large Holy Trinity Farms mural and ample side patio. After waiting in line — yes, it’s unavoidable at the moment — you’ll order and pay at the counter, get your table number and have your food delivered. Make sure to stock up on the addictive complimentary watermelon rind pickles. They’re sold by the jar, too.

THE FOOD: The lunch and dinner menu features Po’ Boys ($9.75-$15.75) including five meat, four seafood and three vegetarian options, Hot Beignets (3 for $6-$12), Fried Chicken Combos ($11.75-$25), Big Plates & Salads ($9.75-$18), Big Bowls ($11.75-$18) and a bunch of sides ($3-$6.25).

Flavor-packed Chicken and Andouille Gumbo ($11.75, bowl; $5.75, side) is an undisputed star of the menu, with its soul-satisfying blend of okra, spicy sausage and steamed white rice. We’ll also return for a 2-piece Brenda’s Fried Chicken ($11.75), which is audibly crunchy, a little greasy and comes with hot pepper jelly. So, pretty much perfect.

It was hard to pick among Brenda’s dozen po’ boys but we settled on the 1/2 & 1/2 ($15.75) and were pleased with the seasoning on the shrimp and catfish, the house chipotle rémoulade and the toasted, still-warm French roll. That said, if we had to pick one thing (OK, two) that we’d gladly wait in line for again, it’s the beignets — specifically, the crawfish (3 for $12), with its spicy, gooey, impossibly delicious blend of cayenne, cheddar and scallion. Hoo boy!

DON’T MISS: The excellent range of beverages, including Sweet Watermelon Tea ($3), Coupe de Café or espresso, chocolate and bitters ($6.50) and the spicy Creole Bloody Mary ($8).