ABSTRACT TABLE, A PERMANENT DINNER SERIES, OPENS TODAY AT THE GASTROPIG

Chefs Andrew Greene and Duncan Kwitkor unveil their first exhibition, “Fine Dining on Paper,” to be followed by “Blizzards” in December

OAKLAND, Calif. (October 5, 2018) – Abstract Table, a fine dining experience without boundaries or pretension, debuts tonight as a permanent dinner series at The Gastropig in Uptown Oakland. Conceptual artists and longtime friends Andrew Greene and Duncan Kwitkor, who collaborated on the menu at Duchess in Rockridge and are veterans of Naked Kitchen, have created a five-course ($50 per person) and seven-course ($70 per person) tasting menu that combines Japanese influences with unexpected global flavors.

Abstract Table will present different dining “exhibitions,” much like an art gallery but centered on food. The Abstract Table menu changes every three months to coincide with the seasons and to give Greene and Kwitkor a continually changing outlet for their creativity. The first exhibition is “Fine Dining on Paper,” where each course is presented on metal trays lined with biodegradable sandwich paper. The presentation is colorful, full of unexpected ingredients and unforeseen flavor combinations, and is beautifully executed.

Greene and Kwitkor are avid foragers and regularly comb the coasts and forests for fresh and wild ingredients for their weekly dinners. Fine Dining on Paper menu items include Ocean trout with wild arugula nage, pickled grilled cucumber and coconut; Charcoal beet, mushroom, furikake granola and fish caramel; Beef cheek with turnip, tamari onion, edamame puree and sake glaze; and Lamb breast with smoked cauliflower, fennel and togarashi honey. The beverage program includes sake from Oakland’s Den Sake Brewery and a curated list of beer and wine.

The next exhibition, “Blizzards,” beginning December 7, will take diners on a culinary journey through the winters of Japan and Scandinavia. An early peek at the menu includes Skipjack, chicharon, strawberry ice, and candied yuzu; Hamachi, blood sausage, white asparagus kimchi, and honey glass; and Confit goose, candy cap mushroom, kohlrabi demi-glacé, and blackberry powder. Reservations for this series will be available on Resy.com starting November 7.

Greene and Kwitkor met in 2004 at the San Francisco Art Institute, while both were pursuing a fine arts degree in painting. The California natives shared a deep affection for surfing, abstract art, food, and wine, which became the basis of a lifelong friendship and propelled their artistic talents into the kitchen. Abstract Table encompasses Greene and Kwitkor’s philosophy of stepping outside of fine dining norms and making fine dining fun, conceptual and approachable.

Abstract Table at The Gastropig is located at 2123 Franklin Street in Oakland. Reservations are posted one month in advance on Resy.com, with seating times offered at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. A five-course meal is priced at $50 per person; a seven-course meal is $70 per person (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity). For additional information, please visit www.abstracttable.com or join the social community at @abstracttable on Instagram and Facebook.

ABOUT ABSTRACT TABLE
Founded by chefs Andrew Greene and Duncan Kwitkor, Abstract Table at The Gastropig in Uptown Oakland is a permanent dinner series that offers conscious fine dining without boundaries or pretension. The multi-course tasting menu combines Japanese influences with unexpected global flavors every Friday and Saturday night. Abstract Table encompasses Greene and Kwitkor’s philosophy of stepping outside of fine dining norms. This sumptuous yet affordable multi-course tasting menu is served in a simple, laid-back setting and features inventive, playful, colorful fare with an emphasis on fresh fish.

ABOUT THE GASTROPIG
Founded in 2017 by Oakland entrepreneur Loren Goodwin, The Gastropig is a breakfast sandwich and brunch spot in the heart of Uptown Oakland. The popular restaurant offers an array of delicious breakfast sandwiches served all day, with additional hot lunchtime options. The Gastropig’s signature sandwich is the Baconslut, an applewood smoked bacon sandwich with an over easy egg, cheddar cheese, and Aleppo chili aioli served on a brioche roll. The restaurant is open seven days a week and is home to the twice-weekly permanent dinner series Abstract Table.

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