Oakland's B Restaurant (or just "B," apparently), promised to be such a place. Since the establishment's doors opened across its refurbished 120-year-old mosaic tile floor in 2005, reviewers have unanimously noted the New American-style restaurant's inventiveness, use of fresh local organic ingredients, occasional odd substitutions on plates -- made without comment, and UNANIMOUSLY praised one dish: The Duroc Pork Chop.

But, lo, on this night at the B, there was no pork chop to be had, Duroc or otherwise. Why? Chef Saman Javid (formerly of Fork in San Anselmo) explained to us that when he took over the menu in January 2007, like any good chef he wanted to make it his own. Plus seasonal means seasonal, meaning change happens, people — get on board with it. Javid says the chop may reappear at some point.

Chop or no chop, we still had to eat. To start we ordered a selection of raw oysters ($2 each), Skookums, Hama Hamas, Miyagis, and Kumamotos, fresh salty-sea delightful, though the accompanying blood orange granita was tasty but a smidge overpowering for the delicate bivalves.

By Julie, contributing