The Cooperage boasts favorites like grilled fish tacos and chicken and waffles.
The Cooperage and the Hideout Kitchen coexisted for years in Lafayette but in different lanes. The Cooperage served as a mature, all-purpose community hub, dishing up classic American bar and grill fare in the heart of the city’s high-profile La Fiesta Square. A few blocks down, tucked out of sight off Mt. Diablo Boulevard, the Hideout thrived as a kind of laid-back younger sibling, with a popular weekend “boozy brunch” and a menu of more bombastic comfort food (see: a waffle sandwich with country fried steak, sausage gravy, and fried egg).
That all changed last fall when word broke suddenly that with its lease up, the Cooperage was moving to Walnut Creek’s Broadway Plaza, with the Hideout taking its place. By January both were settled in their new venues. You could be forgiven for suffering from a bit of culinary whiplash at the speed—at least in restaurant terms—that it all went down. With the two now inevitably linked in the minds of Contra Costa diners, we checked in to see how each is faring at the new digs.
The Cooperage’s location offers a sleek and inviting interior.
The Cooperage: Onward and Upward
Managed by veteran local restaurateur Jeff Dudum, the Cooperage comes off as a well-oiled machine. Put simply, you feel like you’re in good hands, which is why management decided to preserve the brand—and nearly the entire staff—in relocating to Walnut Creek. The move makes a lot of sense: The restaurant has retained many of its nearby regulars, according to manager and partner Amanda Crammer, while operating in a bigger city in a marquee shopping center that has been systematically upping its food game.
The Cooperage is serving its bar-and-grill fare in a new location.
Sleek and contemporary with lofty ceilings, the new space offers a different, less cozy vibe than the restaurant had in Lafayette but still presents well—particularly in warmer weather when a garage-style bank of windows can be opened up to the street. Crammer describes the restaurant’s philosophy as providing “a place where everyone can find a dish they can love.” That rang true on our visit, as the interior bustled with multiple generations, from families with young kids and grandparents to couples and solo diners parked at the horseshoe bar. The kitchen, meanwhile, didn’t put a foot wrong, expertly executing what could have been a run-of-the-mill menu with enough skill and panache to keep things interesting. An ample round of Burrata was cool and creamy and accented by sweet marinated chopped tomatoes, a swirl of balsamic vinegar, and a pool of delicious garlicky homemade pesto sauce. The cylinder of tender, toothsome tuna tartare was flavored by sweet chili sauce. The chicken sandwich didn’t disappoint: The fried dark meat was melt-in-your-mouth tender, with each bite delivering a sweet hit of honey mustard and tangy-creamy slaw. A penchant for classic French treatment was revealed in the luscious citrus beurre blanc sauce enrobing the roasted winter veggies that served as a base for a rich fillet of seared salmon.
Verdict:
Same smooth sailing, different vessel. thecooperagewc.com.
The new Hideout Kitchen has additional space for diners.
The Hideout Kitchen: Coming-Out Party
In many ways, the Hideout’s transition has been the more difficult one. Not only did it need to scale up operations for the significantly larger location, but—fairly or not—it has to grapple with direct comparisons to the restaurant it replaced. If anyone can do it, however, it’s JB Balingit, a passionate chef, seasoned restaurateur, and live wire of culinary energy.
First of all, he has inherited a terrific space that sports a generous covered front patio and attractively lived-in interior split between a bar section with high-top seating and a more intimate dining room. Balingit’s team nails the atmosphere, which feels younger and sharper than the general all-American bar and grill theme of its predecessor. That’s also true of the food, which distinguishes itself from the Cooperage’s classic approach with more maximalist dishes featuring a broader range of ingredients.
Sample the Hideout’s smoked salmon crudo while sipping wine.
The signature honey-fried chicken, for example, displays a crackly, crispy panko crust that’s drizzled with honey and spiked with candied orange peel. It’s a terrific version, with the flavorful dark meat flattened to a near Japanese katsu–style thinness and tenderness.
The blackened salmon is also very good: The generous portion of fillet is cooked perfectly moist with the smoky spice-rubbed crust balanced by refreshing pesto verde and crunchy wonton strips. A rustic bed of brown rice and quinoa, spiked with chopped mushrooms, broccoli, tomatoes, onions, and other veggies, serves as a hearty base.
And the tavern-style burger is an absolute mouthful: An eight-ounce patty comes smothered with Havarti cheese and draped with an over easy fried egg.
The kitchen did have its sloppy moments. On our visit, the burger’s accompanying fries were under-seasoned and over-fried. The chicken’s side of brothy braised kale should have been delicious but was too salty, while the overdressed Lafayette salad sported wilted greens, tired chunks of brie, and tasteless pecans that needed toasting.
Verdict:
A bright start with some growing pains. hideoutkitchen.com.