Hop On Over to Hopscotch
The bar at Hopscotch.
Hopscotch in Oakland’s Uptown neighborhood has all the accoutrements of a diner.
There is the worn checkerboard floor, the red bar stools, and the requisite burger and sundae.
Only here, the burger comes with griddled beef tongue and sesame aioli, and the sundae comes with a scoop of green tea ice cream.
Not to mention the the aged NY strip loin is finished with ginko nut herb oil and the daily benedict at brunch is napped with miso hollandaise.
That’s because Hopscotch is a decidedly upscale version of a diner — with a Japanese slant.
It reflects Chef-Owner Kyle Itani’s heritages, which are Italian and Japanese.
The food is fun and eclectic, as evidenced by the dinner my husband and I treated ourselves to recently.
The Black Tea Birdie cocktail.
Cocktails are imaginative. Try the Black Tea Birdie ($9), made with lemon, honey, ginger and vodka that’s been steeped with black tea. The tannin comes through and is tempered by the tickle of the ginger and sweetness of the honey. It’s a drink with the hue of iced tea that goes down just as easily.