Nobody does chicken sandwiches better than Bakesale Betty! So hearty and delicious is her signature dish, that owner and chef Alison Barakat has become a local celebrity thanks to her quirky, blue-haired alter ego that has been crafting and selling their baked poultry sandwiches for almost two decades. Located on the corners of 51st and Telegraph Avenues, so popular and closely identified with the city of Oakland that Bakesale Betty has become since opening in the Temescal neighborhood in 2005 that one can argue that it ranks right up there with what fellow institutions Fenton's and Homeroom have managed to accomplished in their respective fields. Of course what has brought Bakesale Betty to the heart of every lover of good food is the fact that they make one of the best fried chicken sandwiches in the region, as it all comes down to the preparation, which was inspired by a fried chicken recipe that Barakat learned as a line cook at the iconic Chez Panisse, as their ethereally crispy chicken patties are marinated, hand-dredged and fried, then served on an Acme bakery roll and topped with crunchy housemade slaw.A warm weekend morning is what brought me to Bakesale Betty on a recent visit to Temscal, and thankfully there were no major lines queuing outside that I have seen when driving by in the past. After finding parking on a street nearby, I approached Bakesale Betty's location, their pitch black awning and storefront you cannot miss, but what makes this trip most interesting is that currently Bakesale Betty is taking all orders outdoors. Everything is being made indoors but outside along makeshift counters is where you order and pay for your meal to take with you. Everything seems so temporary as even their menus are all written in black marker on poster boards taped to their windows. None of this was going to deter me from ordering the menu item that I came for: Bakesale Betty's Fried Chicken Sandwich, which costs $13.60 before tax. Although I also came for their signature strawberry shortcake, I suppose it was seasonal as for the dessert that they had for sale was Bett's Bread Pudding with Bananas. For $7.03 before tax this dessert was served warm in a plastic container and with caramel, and a side of whipped cream and walnuts. Although they also sell pies by the whole pie or pie slice and Betty's signature cinnamon rolls, it was their cookies that caught my eye, as they have no fewer than six different types of cookies for sale at a cost of $2.75 each.After ordering a ginger molasses cookie to go with my chicken sandwich and banana bread pudding, my total bill would be $25.49 before gratuity was added in. It wouldn't take too long for my order to be brought in a brown paper bag, as they have a pretty efficient system on creating their sandwiches inside and presenting them to customers in a reasonable amount of time. Of course, I would return home to unbox my treats for the day and overall it was a lot of food. From the warm savory sandwich to the massive cookie to the abundant dessert that was filled with so much caramel that I wanted to dive right into it right then and there. But I decided to take my time and enjoy each bite on its own and I am happy to report that their signature dish tastes as good as ever, juicy, warm and bursting with flavor, this was as good as advertised. The real surprise were my sweets as their banana pudding was better than expected and didn't have me missing that strawberry shortcake dessert at all, and that cookie was as delicious and chewy as any specialty cookie shop would produce. After enjoying my meal at Bakesale Betty, it just proves that good things come in small packages, in this case small menus, as all they have is a sandwich or salad made with their signature main dish. Along with some of the best desserts, Bakesale Betty proves why they have become such a local institution in Oakland.
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