Zatis

Sorry to report but Zatis is permanently closed.
(I have never been there, so why not give them five stars for one last hurrah)

ZATIS REMAINS OPEN: New closing date (possibly) February 28, 2013 — CALL to check !!
The transfer to new owners has been delayed, so you still have a couple of weeks, AT LEAST, to get thee into Zatis’ comfortable chairs and eat their lovely mucver, zucchini cakes; the amazing calamari salad, so much better than the ubiquitous batter-​fried calamari rings everywhere else; and their excellent pasta and fish dishes.
Soup of the day was a yellow split pea, lighter than usual and very tasty. Mucver and calamari salad, mentioned above, are the two things we always, always order. Love them! and will miss them terribly. Got the calamari steak special today — excellent! Tender, with a lovely simple sauce of EVOO, capers, lemon and peeled diced tomatoes.
Spouse had the penne with a marvelous smoked salmon cream sauce, also livened up with capers (not too many, just the right amount), and topped with a generous amount of fresh mussels in the shell, extra-​large shrimp, and cubes of fresh salmon. He absolutely loved this, said this was the best dish he’s had at Zatis.
I always finish with the Turkish coffee custard, my favorite dessert. Light, soft, delicious!
GO WHILE YOU STILL CAN !!

Great food and service when I went there several months ago. They are still open as of Feb 7, 2013. They will continue operating until the end of Feb or Mar., after which they will close and a new place will open at the same location.
Had dinner there tonight — very few people, not the bustling place that I remember. The food was excellent, though the wine list was a bit sparse.

Food was delicious, prices were okay, location amazing. Nice little place, and the open kitchen is cool. The people who work there were also very nice!

Zati’s is my favorite restaurant! I love the taste of the food. I look forward to ordering the muscles. They are so yummy. I also usually order the salmon when they aren’t out of it.
The ambiance is very enticing and warm. The servers are respectful as they bring each part of the meal at a evenly distributed pace so that the customer doesn’t feel rushed.
The wines at this restaurant are really tasty as well. Sometimes I bring my own bottle and just pay a corkage fee.
I love saving this restaurant for special occassions. It is fine dining in a smaller venue but well worth it once in a while.

Why are so many restaurants serving quality food shutting down in Oakland?
I just had a delicious Turkish paella, salad, and some Turkish beer (I forget the name). The customer service was super. This place has obviously changed owners because I’ve eaten here twice years ago. Although, the food was very good, but the customer service was no where near what I experienced today.

Like some of the other reviewers, I am here to praise the food and yet wonder why this place is so «underrated» in that on a recent Saturday night, it was less than ½ full, when you know that some places down the street are jam packed. But then, you couldn’t have a conversation there like you can at Zatis, and that is another thing I am praising it for: the quiet! After some recent cacophonous dinners in San Francisco, the serene atmosphere of Zatis was very welcome. So it passes on that front, but maybe it might have something to do with the somewhat cold atmosphere, stemming from the awkward table arrangement along the kitchen galley, the tall windows and the lack of table lighting. Even slanting those tables at an angle would change things, put small lamps over the tables or candles on the tables, something to take away the cold atmosphere (when you think Turkish and quasi-​Mediterranean, you think of more warmth). Then, perhaps even some simple, translucent cream-​colored café curtains across part of those tall windows? Maybe also not all the products on the window sills (capers and the like).
OK, now to the food: everything we had was praiseworthy, from the peppery olive oil and delicious jumbo green olives, to the appetizers: crisp cigar Borek of feta, parsley (essentially, dolmas), and the courgette cakes, to the salmon chowder, and then on to the entrees: lamb kabob, the moussaka, and, the entrée I had, the guvek, which is essentially a lamb and eggplant stew. The lamb was so tender, and there were nice, generous chunks in the delicious eggplant mixture. Also, the roasted Yukon potatoes served with each dish were noteworthy, creamy yet with a bit of a crispy skin, just the way potatoes should be. Only one of us had dessert, which was a warm fig pudding with hazelnuts and that was pronounced exceptional. As far as I’m concerned, Zatis is an under the radar gem that deserves to have more of a following. Service was a bit bumbling at first, but picked up and I have no complaints.

I had a splendid lunch yesterday, with out of town family. I had a wonderful shrimp & muscle over angle haired pasta with a cream sauce.
We used to eat at Zatis a lot years ago, its good to see they maintained there quality of food & service.

GREAT FOOD prepared with care and refinement. This is a nice, quiet restaurant of unusual calm and breathing space where you can have a personal conversation while enjoying a good meal.
The night I went, there were only two people working there — a young guy that did minor food prep, took patrons’ orders and delivered them to the chef and owner, bussed tables, etc., and the chef and owner himself, Zati. Zati actually talked to some of the regulars, cooked, did the dishes with the other guy, served dishes, and then some. Maybe this is customary for smaller mom-​and-​pop cafes, but I’m not accustomed to encountering this quality of food preparation and calm service at this level of dining.
I’ve been to Turkey and fell in love with the whole approach to fresh food with simple ingredients (this is not necessarily what we get here, since most Americans think Turkish food is almost identical to Greek food aside from things like Doner Kebabs and Iskender kebab, which we never ate the entire two weeks we were there) and while there are Turkish items on the menu, my dining companion was not inclined to sample any of that fare. Even before I went to Turkey, I had been regularly preparing Turkish bean salads and a Turkish eggplant dish (I know there are hundreds/​thousands of those).
We had the duck confit with apricots and sausage; a beautiful dinner salad (see photographs) for me of mixed greens (including one of my favorites, radicchio), crushed pistachios, cheese, baby carrots, and a balsamic vinegar; a hot lentil soup for my dining companion; and for dessert, chocolate mousse pâté with raspberry sauce (go for this alone!!! my dining companion practically licked the plate!). We are not big eaters and so by sharing a single entrée and having two appetizers, we were stuffed pretty full.
I found my salad to be exceptionally well-​prepared and the ingredients not only fresh and artfully arranged, but the combination of textures and tastes almost perfect. I find this to be an uncommon experience. Most salads are good, but deficient for me in some areas like containing true greenery or over-​confectionary with too many sweet dried fruits, or perfunctory presentation, or too many high-​calorie treats like crumbled blue cheese and bacon putting the salad practically on the same «Richter scale» as a 1000-​calorie burger. I prefer a little less carrot and in smaller portions and a little less vinegar, but that is a matter of taste as opposed to a fault of the dish.
The lentil soup was simple but very tasty. I have a problem with using too many beans when preparing bean dishes and this soup had the perfect amount of lentils to liquid and the soup kept surprisingly hot, considering that the room was well-​ventilated and cool enough so that I kept my winter coat on while we were dining.
I forgot to mention that I ordered hot tea and when I scrunched my nose at the bagged tea selections — Breakfast tea, Green tea, Earl Grey tea (what the?! not even the basic Turkish tea?! there’s such a HUGE variety of tea served in Turkey and none of these were even Turkish teas!) — the young server offered me a fresh mint tea. This was exceptionally well-​prepared, too. In some Middle Eastern countries, this is close to what’s called White Coffee, a kind of herbal tea with orange blossom water. Here it was simply very fresh mint leaves steeped in really hot water. It’s technically a tisane and I was in tea-lover’s heaven. Mediocre mint leaves just can’t produced such a fragrant, refreshing tea over several steepings.
[A side note about the young server. I know a lot of Unilocalers are pickier about service than I am so I’ll just mention that this guy was well-​intentioned, but not superb in terms of efficiency and multi-​tasking. So don’t say I didn’t warn you that you would get the best service ever. It’s good service by my standards, but I’m not picky as long as the staff are trying as opposed to texting and disdainful of the patrons.]
I have to say something about chocolate. I have a friend that once said if she was asked to describe chocolate in words, she’d be too embarrassed to describe it in public because she could only choose erotic analogies. Such is this dessert. I have this thing about rich, complicated flavors that aren’t just in-​your-​face one level of taste. This chocolate dessert was worth savoring and eating slowly. It was worth sharing with a good friend that cooks better than most high end restaurants just to watch him truly enjoy a thing of beauty.
I’m impressed with how much the chef and owner is at peace with the pace of owning a business, running it, being the primary provider of its product (preparing the food), and then serving it. The average person would be tense and slightly coming apart at the seams. Zati offered seamless service and quality food. I’d definitely come back.
The price is amazingly low for what you’re getting.

Mm, peering through the windows everytime I walked by, always wondering why it seemed to home like, yet always empty. The exuberant noises of Piedmont Ave fill up around the stone building, yet as you walk by and stop to read the lunch special, a feeling of home in the motherland washes over you. For a moment, everything is silent and you’re thinking about some warm bread– or at least I was.
I get this feeling every time I pass by to Gregories and finally decided to come as a post birthday lunch with my co-​worker. We walked in and just lingered around before we got seated. The waiter was dressed casually and didn’t bring us menus for a while. He was the only waiter, seeming distracted and busy with other things. We finally got settled, he listed things not on the menu giving up different options and served us up some super mimosas with more champagne and some pulp OJ! We wine and dined as we waited over some freshly toasted bread and olive oil as garnish (no butter here). Our food came and it was fresh. The wait seemed worth it. I had the pan seared salmon over basmati rice, which was creamy and tangy, while the salmon was perfectly seared and flaky which melted in every bite ever so buttery. The beef kebabs with basmati rice and arugula (13), which was a well done skewer with about 5 cubes of cube cooked well done, but it was really chewy and actually juicer than I would have expected. (She let me have a piece, I wasn’t eating alone and pretending to have a meal for two, haha!)
The dishes filled us up and we received complimentary salad which was decked with some garnish that glistened over the leaves and they had whole pickles, which I found really adorable. The portion sizes were good and the rice was really packed together. Finishing off with a piece of pecan pie and some a la mode, it really hit the spot. The pie was crumbly and premade, where it was reheated in the oven. The a la mode did the work and the last of our mimosas sealed the deal.
Lunch seemed to be a good time to swing around. It’s not crowded and a relaxing environment. The 5 dollar mimosas you can’t beat and all you need are those dungeness crab cakes I’m looking forward to!

Went here tonight for dinner. They had cassoulet~ with duck~
Sooo happy we decided to go here tonight. Cassoulet was wonderful, Husband’s mushroom & shallot ravioli was tender and delicious, and I had *lovely rice pudding* for dessert – with cinnamon & pistachios. Yum.
Pecan pie needs work. But the service was great.

Had dinner here this evening for the first time ever, even though I live and work near Piedmont avenue. I’d never chose to eat at a place like this typically, because it’s super quiet and usually pretty empty (two things I don’t like) — but I was with somebody who wanted to try it out and I’m glad we did! The atmosphere is strange, quiet and kind of an awkward dining room set up, but if you can get past that the food and service are worth it!
We had two menus, one of Turkish specialties and one of «traditional» favorites. I had the beet salad off of the starter menu, it was a typical nice tasting beet, goat cheese and spinach salad. I ordered the dolmas off of the Turkish menu and they were delicious, our server even brought out some yogurt to cool them down. YUM!
The service was great, really attentive server and super friendly. The prices are amazingly cheap for how delicious the food is too. Definitely will be back!

Imagine an Italian place serving Turkish food, with waiter as quintessential Euro boyman in cool T-​shirt and jeans (gregarious, friendly), and you’ve got this place.
The food is great, really. Get the Turkish dumplings: a real pleasure. The Turkish wine ain’t bad either.
The atmosphere is not unpleasant but a little… unsure of itself. Not hip. Not refined or classy. But relaxed without being at all divey.
Prices entirely reasonable.
Great place with the wife and her mom.
So the food is 4.5 stars and the rest is 3.5. Washes out to a 4. Good enough to have all the tables filled at night for sure. I’ll be back!

In February, my Toni had knee replacement surgery at Oakland Kaiser. Being the only child, and a bit of a worrier to boot, we met here for lunch the day before her surgery and after her pre-​op appointment.
Toni and my Dad arrived before I did and when I sat down, I ordered some hot tea that was delicious. For my meal, I had a small pizza with chicken, pine nuts, feta and some kind of pesto type sauce. The nuts and sauce I could never get away with ordering with Kevin but with my folks, I felt more adventurous and it paid off. The pine nuts gave the whole pizzette a nice unexpected texture and it was really good. The bites I had of what the folks had was tasty as well and service was fantastic.
We were all pleased and it made for a nice lunch and a nice place to connect before a big surgery was taking place the next day.

Today, after my pre-​surgery class at Kaiser Oakland Alan and I met Tam here for lunch. It was our last chance to get together before my knee surgery tomorrow and probably the last time I will be eating out for a while. Alan chose the place. We had thought about Bay Wolf, but they were closed for lunch and I’m delighted this is where we ended up.
We arrived before Tammy and were greeted by the owner, I think, who is having spinal surgery tomorrow and who warmly and teasingly welcomed my own limping self. As I looked over the special menu I grew excited at the sight of the Anatolian yogurt soup. I have not had Turkish food since my beloved Bosphorus closed a few years ago. I loved it and miss it. I wanted that soup. We were brought bread, an assortment of olives and olive oil for dipping the bread. Delicious and enough to stave off hunger until Tam arrived.
I ordered the soup and Alan ordered courgette cakes to start. We decided to split crab cakes from the special menu and lamb kabob and kofte from the regular menu. Tam ordered a small pizza w/​chicken, pine nuts, feta and other delicious seasonings. The soup was warm, which surprised me. It was a generous portion, w/​a subtle yogurt tang and rice and carrots to add substance. I was very pleased. The courgette cakes were good, but the soup captured most of my attention. The crab cakes came w/​a salad, as did the courgette cakes. The kabob and kofte came w/​lentils, a yogurt sauce and some greens. I loved the crab cake, the lamb and the kofte. Each was different and each was tasty. The salad was lightly dressed and flavorful. The taste I had of Tam’s pizza was good. I have no doubt we will return, although not as often as we would if it were closer to us. Service was warm and friendly. Per Nobbi’s review from last January it was probably the owner’s nephew. I was sorry I wasn’t able to say goodbye to Zati and wish him well in his surgery tomorrow. He had left by the time we were leaving, but I sent him my best wishes.

Went there last night with the missus & we both loved every bite. Excellent food for the money. The portions do tend toward quality over quantity, so if you’re the type to pout over not getting a full loaf of bread with your enormous plates of oversalted food, don’t bother going to Zatis; there’s a table waiting for you at Outback.
As for me, I couldn’t have been happier with my piping hot cassoulet of duck (a nice meaty leg with deliciously crispy skin) & andouille (where do they get theirs? I have to find out), with perfectly roasted potatoes & grilled zucchini on the side. Dessert was great as well. Hers: farina and pine-​nut cake soaked in a light lemon syrup and covered in pistachio cream. Mine: warm pear, apple & berry crisp with vanilla gelato. We left full & happy to have found a new favorite spot on Piedmont.

I liked this place a lot, went here with my lady friend a few days ago. We were looking for a place to eat, and when we saw the menu, we decided to have a go around. I was not disappointed.
My girlfriend had stake slices with pita bread. Very juicy, very tender not too dry. I had something called a Turkish pizza, and after eating it, I wish there were more pizza places that served this stuff. Yum. The bread was also really good, if you like it salty.
The ambiance is great. It looks really classy inside, and though it looks small inside, there’s actually a lot of space. Service was also really good. Our server was genuinely nice, and also very funny. I’ll be coming again sometime soon!

I’ve walked by so many times and peeked through the huge windows, but never went in until today. I was on my way to Gregiore’s, but the aroma coming from Zatis convinced me to stop and check out their menu. Their salmon chowder caught my eye so I went in.
Décor-​spacious, and cold.
Service-​friendly. The staff gave the cold room a warmer feeling. The chef was chatting with the regulars.
Food:
we were greeted with their awesome olive oil (they sell it in bottles and also coffee mills and honey). It was served along side some garlic herb infused olives and delicious wheat pita.
Salmon chowder-​not thick like clam chowder, but had nice chunks of salmon and potatoes.
Cabbage wrapped beef, lamb, & rice-​It was definitely comfort food for a nice rainy day. The cabbage rolls was served in a sea of a tomato based broth and topped with some cumin? The cabbage was transluscent, but held the stuffing firmly. The lamb was a bit overpowering where I couldn’t really tell that there was beef. The rice gave it a nice contrast in texture.
Steak iskander-​it had red onions, yogurt, topped with spices, and tender steak. The sauce was savory and was contrasted by refreshing yogurt. The plate was cleared!
Baklava-​served warm, topped with french vanilla ice cream and two blueberries. I love the crunchy top layer, creaminess of the ice cream, and the sweet honey in each bite.

I’m not generally much for Turkish food, though my husband’s lived in Turkey, so he’s constantly hankering for some. We found ourselves on Piedmont today, and decided to check out the restaurant my husband had read reviewed in the East Bay Express. And while we’d gone in thinking we’d grab a quick bite, the ambiance and the food kept us in there for quite some time.
I had the lamb skewers with rice (good), and my husband had the manti (awesome!). It’s not, as my husband tells it, authentic Turkish cuisine, but it’s very, very good. The server also custom made an Ayran (a traditional Turkish yogurt drink) for my husband, which made him a very happy camper.
The server, however, forgot to bring me my diet coke and I had to ask for it, and he forgot my husband’s rice pudding. Apart from that, the service was very good. I am definitely going back!

I am happy to report that both the interior temperature and service were quite warm when my friend and I had dinner at Zatis recently. After our usual coffee at Caffe Trieste, we decided to venture up the street for dinner, rather than making a reservation in advance (we had a reservation at Bay Wolf for several weeks and then I re-​checked the menu… we canceled). Zatis was one of the first places we checked, and since the food and atmosphere looked inviting, we gave it a try.
We shared the arugula, grilled calamari, caper salad and it was good. I did add a bit of salt, which is really unusual for me, but it wasn’t quite as seasoned as I would have liked. I asked for bread, not knowing that this is a bone of contention for so many diners, and when I asked for more, was given one more piece. Our server did offer more, so I didn’t feel that they were being stingy, but honestly, most bread ends up being wasted, so I can see why they hand it out carefully.
I couldn’t decide between something Turkish or a regular item on the menu, and opted for the angel hair pasta, sea scallops, and pesto. Oh my goodness, it was delicious!!! Just the right portion and very tasty. My friend had the salmon with greens and potatoes.
Wanting something sweet, I tried the Turkish Rice Pudding, and it was good. The rice had a bit of bite to it, and the lemon zest added a nice layer of flavor. I did chuckle as it was served in a small clear plastic ‘glass’ rather than real glass. ???
Zatis was a pleasant dining experience as my friend and I had much to talk about. The food was good and the service warm.