The Porch an oasis in the midst of fast food joints in Oakland

In the midst of greasy pizza shops and cheap fast food joints, The Porch at Schenley presents… In the midst of greasy pizza shops and cheap fast food joints, The Porch at Schenley presents Oakland palates with something different.

The restaurant is undeniably trendy, falling in the category of more recent gourmet fashion by making food that’s fresh, seasonal and local. It’s a trickling down of what pricier, more upscale eateries have been focused on for the past few years: green eating. Uncommon types of produce like arugula and figs round out the menu in an eco-conscious way — a trend Oakland has previously lacked.

Still, it’s an en vogue sort of restaurant and for the Porch to step up over similar locales, there will need to be a certain distinct quality that sets it apart. Fortunately, it seems that The Porch is trying to capture a sort of homemade, gourmet appeal by crafting comforting flavors with interesting ingredients and supplying as many homemade edibles as possible.

It gives the food and restaurant a quaint, French-countryside charm. As soon as guests walk in, they’re greeted by friendly and knowledgeable staff who assist in picking and pairing options throughout the meal.

From drinks to desserts, the items are a spot-on mixture of the familiar and the novel. The place prides itself on making homemade soda regularly and the blueberry-ginger is the perfect combination of refreshing flavors with just a hint of sweetness — similar to a blueberry.

Even much-loved foods get an update. The crispy taters are a modern version of Tater Tots or french fries, potatoes rounds with the skin on and completed with curried ketchup. A pickled vegetable salad — similar to a chow-chow — features the spiciness of jalapenos. It’s not so untraditional as to be considered too far out for the average college palate.

Mixing gourmet and homey is a common theme throughout the entrees as well — even if the course does come out a bit too quickly. From pizza to duck, the platters can please the most picky to those with mildly adventurous palates. Though one of the pizzas sports goat cheese, arugula and fig jam, it’s still a delectable mix of salty and sweet atop fresh, airy pizza dough. It’s the right amount of experimentation to interest the Oakland community without alienating its taste buds.

While the food might be delicious, the decor leaves something to be desired. With white walls and a wide-open floor plan, the interior is charmingly reminiscent of a barn. Unfortunately, the open space has few sound-absorbing qualities and few barriers, making for a loud and very public dining area.

But there’s something to look forward to: wide windows that can be opened in the spring and summertime and light shades of green that give the place an organic feel. It’s perfect for a central location in a park area, the idea being building to keep the  natural setting present. There seem few barriers between the grass and the restaurant’s floor.

It remains to be seen what The Porch will do, as it’s currently jumping off the springboard of a trendy, green eatery. If the owners find their niche, then Schenley Plaza might join the legions of South Oakland spaces with well-loved porches.