Citron
3.3158/5 (17 reviews)
5484 College Ave
Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 653-5484
Category: Unknown
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| Updated: |
October 19, 1999 |
| Cuisine: |
American, Californian, Italian |
| Reviewer: |
Howard Fields |
Relation: |
Not Related |
| Attire: |
Anything |
Reservations: |
Required |
| Ave. Wait: |
1-5 minutes |
Payment: |
Visa |
| Facilities: |
Outdoor Dining |
Phone Orders: |
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| Smoking: |
Not Permitted |
Meals Served: |
Lunch, Dinner |
| Seating: |
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Alcohol Service: |
Beer, Wine, Liquour |
| Type: |
Fine Dining |
Entertainment: |
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| Crowd: |
Locals |
Atmosphere: |
Romantic, Normal |
| Uses: |
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Nearby Places: |
College, Shopping, BART |
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15 Reviews
REVIEW #4
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Avg. Entree: $20-30
Rating:
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July 31, 2000
0 of
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We found Citron to be way over-rated for what it was. The food was extremely expensive - you can get a similar experience and better food for cheaper prices in nearby Bay Wolf - and nothing special. My lamb sirloin was a bit tasteless, though my
husband liked his entries.
For a fuller review, see:
http://www.lacabe.com/marga/food/rest/citron.html
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REVIEW #8
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bill Y.
Avg. Entree: $15-20
Rating:
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November 9, 1999
0 of
0 people found this review helpful
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Let me cast my vote with those above who enjoyed the delighful patio dining...the imaginative entres...(appetizers.....I
love their
appetizers.....you can try really innovative taste combinations
to
your hearts content....)...but the one thing I think I will always remember...the wait staff's true dedication to their customer's
enjoyment....they really go all out to make your evening there a memorable one...(in fact, it is because of my good experience
with
the wait staff that I rate Citron 5 stars...without the great
service it is just another very good 4 star East Bay eatery...
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REVIEW #9
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Alex J.
Avg. Entree: $20-30
Rating:
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November 9, 1999
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0 people found this review helpful
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I'd really like to rate Citron higher, but the price forces me
into this position. I had a pleasant evening experience and everyone
in the party enjoyed their dinner. Let me explain...
Surprisingly, I was able to get a reservation on short notice
(called on Wednesday) for a Friday reservation at 6:45pm. My
girlfriend and I made good time from the city, excellent in fact
and got to the restaurant a full half hour too early. We figured
that we could sit at the bar or in a cafe...couldn't find a cafe.
So I apologized for arriving a bit too early and asked if we could
sit at the bar. The hostess very generously offered if we'd like
to sit at our table...how nice. We both don't drink alcohol but
did order a nice apple cider and chardonnay grape juice. We especially
enjoyed the grape juice...great for non-drinkers. While waiting,
we also ordered the seafood assortment to whet our appetite.
What an excellent assortment at the market price of $12. We all
enjoyed this because the rest of our party (total of 4) arrived
shortly thereafter. In fact, the chef added an additional oyster
to the normal three (very nice touch)! There was a nice small glass
with the lobster bisque, the raw oysters, and some rock shrimp
gratin. The lobster bisque was very well balanced in texture--in
fact the lobster nuggets were cooked to the right doneness. It
just needed a slightly stronger hint of brandy/cognac (for my
taste at least). The rock shrimp were cut into plump little bites
and served in a light tomato based sauce and had a nice little crunch
from the taasted bread crumbs--very nice. The first time I enjoyed
raw oysters was at Aqua. This was the second and it was simply heavenly.
Even my friend who lived in Seattle for a year and is also an oyster
connoisseur noted how high quality they were.
We ordered additional appetizers...my friend's wife had the
pumpkin soup ($7 & she said is was flavorful and smooth), my girlfriend
had wild mushroom phillo ($8) that was "fine, " and I shared the
lobster salad ($12) with my best friend. The lobster was very
nice, complemented by grapefruit slices on romaine lettuce.
Just pretty good--I enjoyed it.
2 of us had the rabbit two ways ($21) and 2 of us had the grilled halibut
($22). The rabbit tender was roasted and the rabbit quarter end
was braised. Root veggies (beet, carrots, radish) were roasted
with a few wax beans on top. Common comments for the rabbit dish
were, "not exactly memorable" and "tastes like chicken." I thought
the rabbit was ooh so tender and very well prepared and really
enjoyed the beets especially. But I'd have to agree that if the
rabbit was so much like chicken, would rather pay less for CHICKEN!
hehehehe
The halibut was semi-moist and a very nice generous portion.
It was sitting on top of scalloped potatos (creamy and even a bit
rich). The veggies were brussel sprouts with bacon. Now, I really
don't like brussel sprouts, but with some butter and diced into
smaller pieces (leaves instead of the whole ball) and braised
with the smokey flavor of bacon, these little darlings really
sung!!! And although it was a bit rich, I now know of a way to enjoy
brussel sprouts...BRAVO!!! I enjoyed my dish, but think the
halibut could have been marinated to infuse more flavor.
We skipped dessert because by that time we were kind of full of
food and bread. The desserts being offered that night were not
of the same variety mentioned in the other reviews...another
reason why we didn't order.
The table next to us had both ordered the roast lamb with squash.
For one, I think the portion was so small, especially after thoroughly
enjoying my portion at LaLimes. The squash did look rather interesting...forgot
what type, but sliced in half, hollowed out, filled with a chevre
custard and baked. The people didn't seem to enjoy the squash
that much but the lamb was gobbled up. Price $25. I think the portion
needed to be larger..too little meat.
The restaurant has an excellent atmosphere: soft colors, playful
wall sconces, nice prints, and curtain to separate the dining
area made of this luxurious maize-copper colored velvet. Most
importantly...it was quiet. We really liked that, compared
with the din at Aqua. Although the back wood deck was closed to
dining we explored outside...would make a lovely summer dinner
or brunch. Service was very attentive at first, but seemed to
drop off as the meal wore on...not sure why. Need to be more aware
of the levels of water and iced tea.
That's why I justify my rating of only 3. Nice meal in a nice restaurant,
with mediocre service (could've been so much better) at a much
more reasonable price. If you're willing to pay, and don't want
to travel too far, then I would still recommend Citron. Either
way, it would nice for you to experience one of the better restaurants
in the East Bay.
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REVIEW #14
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Cindy N.
Avg. Entree: $20-30
Rating:
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July 17, 1996
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0 people found this review helpful
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Muted settings in a cozy and quiet restaurant. This is typical of the
nicer East Bay restaurants that have pleasant welcoming service and
decently priced fine food. I found the staff to be efficient. The
changing menu is small (about 6 appetizers and 5 entrees), but liked
everything. Appetizer portions are large with many ingredients such
as beans, nuts, vegetables, garnishes, etc. that combine into unique
flavors. We enjoyed the house cured salmon, skewered quail, and
salads. The entrees offered are diverse enough to appeal to most
tastes.
Appetizers: $5-9 Entrees:$13-18
-This evening had rabbit, hanger steak (medium rare and so tender),
pasta, soft shell crab, a seafood combo dish.
-Definitely rustic cooking, emphasis on vegetables (corn, beans,
peppers, etc.)
-Desserts are very sweet with nice presentation.
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