Oakland restaurant named among the top best new restaurants in U.S.
Oakland restaurant Pomet was ranked #2 in Yelps list of top new restaurants in America. (Yelp/Neeracha T. )
OAKLAND, Calif. - An Oakland restaurant has been named one of the best new eateries in the U.S. in a new list by business review site Yelp. Pomet, on Piedmont Avenue, was listed as number 2 on Yelp's inaugural ranking of the top 25 new restaurants and was the only Bay Area establishment to make the list.
With a 4.5 star rating on Yelp, the "New American" cuisine on Pomet's menu was hailed for its fresh ingredients. And the restaurant boasted of giving patrons "the purest sense of the farm to table dining experience!"
"At Pomet (#2) in Oakland, California, more than half the menu features fresh-picked fruit from owner Aomboon Deasy’s K&J Orchards," Yelp wrote as part of its review.
SEE ALSO: Grand Lake Kitchen lends helping hand to struggling SF Mexican restaurant
Yelp quoted Deasy as saying, "The fruit that we pick is tree-ripened for optimum taste and texture… It’s the truest definition of farm-to-table because I am the farmer."
The restaurant’s offerings were described as Asian-influenced, "hyper-seasonal," and subject to change, predicated by the season and farmers’ market availability.
"Think Kampachi Crudo with pickled Asian pears (in season January through March), Liberty Duck with pomegranate jus, or persimmon salad," Yelp wrote.
Only two dishes have remained on the menu since the North Oakland restaurant opened in March 2022: the popular Ugly Mushroom Filled Pasta, which one Yelp user described as being so tasty, restaurant goers will find themselves slurping up the sauce with a spoon.
The other constant was the Salt and Pepper Quail. "Amazing—so many flavors that worked perfectly together," said another Yelp user.
SEE ALSO: BBQ truck stolen in Oakland, brewery closing over crime
Despite being less than two years old, the restaurant has been garnering a lot of buzz in the culinary world.
Earlier this year, Pomet received recognition from the highly regarded Michelin, which gave it a "green leaf" rating.
"The phrase ‘farm-to-table’ is by now undoubtedly well-worn, but here the cliché takes on a literal dimension," the restaurant review site wrote, as it raved about the top-notch ingredients used by Pomet's head chef Alan Hsu.
"His menu is unsurprisingly ingredient-driven, proudly proclaiming the myriad local farms that supply it (in addition to Deasy's own)," Michelin wrote, adding, "Simplicity is a virtue when ingredients are this good."
Yelp said it made its rankings based on factors including the total volume and ratings of reviews from January 1, 2022 to August 7, 2023. Yelp's trend expert, Tara Lewis, also weighed in to identify popular spots among the site’s users.
Only three other California restaurants were recognized on Yelp's list: #3 Manzke in Los Angeles, #21 San Laurel, also in Los Angeles, and #24 California English in San Diego.
After receiving word of the recognition, Pomet took to social media and expressed its gratitude. "What an amazing honor and privilege to represent California in the culinary industry!" the restaurant shared. "We are honored and proud of the achievement."