DYAFA 44 Webster Street Oakland, CA 94607 510.250.9491
TEAM OAKLAND
Chef Reem Assil (Reem’s California) has opened Dyafa in partnership with Daniel Patterson’s Alta Group. The James Beard Best Chef: West semifinalist now offers lunch and dinner at her second Oakland restaurant, located in Jack London Square. Named after the Arabic word for hospitality, Dyafa is inspired by Assil’s Palestinian-Syrian heritage.Â
MEZZE + MORE
Dyafa’s menu explores the warmth and diversity of the Arab region. At lunch, Assil offers snacks, salads and flatbread wraps featuring bread baked on the saj, a traditional Arab convex griddle. With the debut of dinner this week, guests gather for mezze such as muttubal (charred eggplant with garlic, lemon and tahini) and zidbiyat gambari (a shrimp tomato claypot stew) as well as shakriah (braised lamb shank) and other options meant to share. Weekend brunch service begins in May with dishes such as shakshuka and um ali (sweet phyllo milk porridge). To drink, cocktails from Alta Group beverage director Aaron Paul are rooted in traditional Middle Eastern flavors, while a concise wine list includes selections from Lebanon and California.
THE DY-SIGN The restaurant is punctuated with splashes of color that capture the celebratory vibe. A rich walnut bar invites guests to linger over drinks, while striking indigo paneled partitions, lush planters and vibrant, geometric floor tiles brighten the lounge and main dining room. An exposed wood-frame ceiling showcases an intricate canopy of ivy + grape vines and suspended bamboo light fixtures.
Dinner: 5:30pm to 10pm, Tuesday – Saturday Lunch: 11am to 2pm, Tuesday – Friday Weekend brunch to follow.