Teni East Kitchen
LOCATION
4015 BROADWAY
OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510)-597-1860
HOURS
Open Everyday
Lunch 11:30a–3p
Dinner 5p–9:30p
**no reservations but email for inquiries about hosting private events
WHAT WE HAD:
Roti w/ dip 8
Signature pea shoot salad 9
We just want to start off by saying that we have enjoyed sharing all these amazing bites with the TPH audience. Together, we have braved the rain, atrocious parking, a man yelling at us for parking illegally and so much more to pursue our love of eating good food, sharing great stories and meeting together once an issue. Our meet me @’s are now no longer, but hopefully the act of meeting a friend or two and just sharing a wonderful meal will always continue. -Mira & Skyler
We decided to explore Teni East Kitchen after multiple friends recommended the restaurant to us. Arriving in the mid-afternoon on a Friday, we found the restaurant fairly empty. The only other customers were two couples, enjoying a lazy, warm afternoon date. The dark, rich colored walls and small lights strung around the bar create an elegant, yet accessible atmosphere–perfect for a date night or a celebratory lunch.
Their menu contains a nice variety of light, fresh salads and hearty, spice-laden Burmese bowls and curries. The impressive drink selection features a mouth-watering variety of teas and lassis. In addition, if we would have had room for dessert, Teni offers a wide-range of exotic ice cream flavors such as ube (purple yam) and buko (young coconut). We decided to try their signature salad, the pea shoot salad, which is comprised of pea shoots sprinkled with peanuts, shallots, chickpeas, garlic, lime and fish sauce (vegetarian option is available). The flavors complement each other harmoniously and the ingredients are all very fresh. However, we found the sauce a little overpowering and the price too steep for a salad ($9).
Along with the signature salad, the roti with dip that we ordered came out very quickly. Teni serves a roti that is more like roti canai, an Indian-influenced flat bread with a crispy but soft texture. The roti came with a side of light curry that highlighted the chewy nature of the bread and was not overpowering. We found the dish to be overpriced at eight dollars, but we highly recommend that everyone try different Southeast Asian breads like roti, although hopefully for cheaper.
Overall, we found Teni to be too expensive for a casual lunch, but it is a perfect location for a celebratory meal. The fresh flavors will please a variety of tastes and will be a change for most taste buds. Located near Piedmont, Teni is a fun kitchen to explore, although if you decide to go, bring your credit card or lots of cash.
