Restaurant Reviews: The Porch

Eat'n Park Hospitality opened a new restaurant in Oakland located in Schenley Plaza named "The Porch" on November 14.  The Porch features a seasonal menu of sandwiches, salads, and a variety of brick-oven pizzas for lunch and an expanded dinner menu that includes rotisserie items such as prime rib, porchetta, roast chicken, duck legs and sauteed salmon.  The restaurant  also has a liquor license for your alcohol needs.   The restaurant has capacity for 140 people inside and outdoor seating for 40 people. 

During the first week of business, I headed over to Schenley Plaza to try it out for lunch.  Upon entrance a hostess gave me a menu and I was told to go to the register and order my food.  I ordered a House Smoked Turkey 9 sandwich that came with a salad, paid and found a table.  While waiting for my meal to arrive I had a chance to take in the surroundings.  The restaurant has a very modern look, with plenty of windows and unique light fixtures. The Porch has a green roof, with space for an urban garden where vegetables for the restaurant will be grown during the warmer months.  My food was delivered by the waitress and I ate my first meal at the new spot.  The sandwich was good; it had cranberry sauce on it which was a different taste.  I observed many customers ordering pizza and a member of my party ordered The Roasted Pig 10 sandwich.  Looking back I wish I would have tried that, it looked delicious.....maybe next time.  The only negatives were the limited menu and prices which were a bit high for a lunch.  

Overall, I was pleased with my experience at The Porch, the service was excellent and the food was served quickly after ordering.   The Porch is a nice addition to the beautiful Schenley Plaza and is a fine addition to Oakland's eateries.