Owner, Jeff Mason, in the window at Pal’s Takeaway inside of Firebran Artisan Breads in Oakland.
Pal’s Take Away is evolving out in Oakland. After a few years bouncing around the Bay Area, not only does the shop have long-term residence in Oakland’s Forage Kitchen, the menu is being tweaked, and the name has transformed into Pal’s Take Away 25th St. Rotisserie and Sandwich Shop.
The menu has expanded to include half or whole porchettas with marash chile, fennel, and garlic; half or whole rubbed local chickens; and ginger-mint and lime-basted Sonoma lamb legs.
The shift at Pal’s is really just the backdrop for a bigger story — the sandwich outfit’s success earned it an extended stay at Forage Kitchen’s cafe. The original plan for that space was for it to be a rotating residency for members.
Pal’s is actually the first business to take the post and according to Forage Kitchen co-owner Iso Rabins, he’s not looking to usher it out any time soon.
“We’re just playing it by ear and it’s really going well,” Rabins said. “As far as the future goes, we aren’t putting any end date in sight.”
View of the new Forage Kitchen project on Tuesday, August 2, 2016, in Oakland, Calif.
Jeff Mason, owner of Pal’s, said the shop has always had a client base willing to seek it out. The trend is continuing at his new extended-stay Oakland space.
“In terms of where we go next, I’m looking for a small spot with some foot traffic,” Mason said. “I don’t have anything in mind at the moment.”
Pal’s is also offering up rotisserie whole fish specials along with daily lunch selections of sandwiches and salads. It’s all pulled from the Oakland farmers’ markets, along with the shop’s seasonal vegetable baskets.
Pal’s was in San Francisco for five years before moving to Firebrand in Oakland for a while. Now, Mason said the Forage Kitchen space gives him time to just work and methodically plot the next step.
“We’re just going to see what happens,” he said.
Pal’s Take Away 25th St. Rotisserie and Sandwich Shop: 478 25th Street, Oakland, palstakeaway.com
