text: Not gonna lie, I'm super shocked that this place is owned by Eat'n Park, which is one of my least favorite eating establishments on the face of this earth. But I'm definitely glad that this place popped up in Oakland rather than the traditional Eat'n Park that was rumored to be planned for the location. I'm also thankful that the building is well-designed and doesn't look like an ugly eyesore in the middle of Schenley Plaza. So while I wish that the space had been left empty and full of nice green grass, it is what it is and at least The Porch has some pretty decent food to show for it.\n\nIt is an odd location. I don't think the average broke college student is going to be too excited about $8 margaritas and $20 duck drumsticks. Questionable business plans aside, I really enjoyed my dinner here. The calamari with zucchini straws was perfect! Tentacles included (my fav, I'll fight for those!) so you know it's the good stuff, and it came with lots of lemon wedges and a homemade marinara sauce. It's like they read my mind! I also was in love with the pork belly with pumpkin and fennel...so autumnal! The dish was pretty greasy but hey, it's a chunk of pure animal fat, so what's a little bit of extra grease, really? Other than that it was ridic tasty. The homemade soda was also fabulous though it would definitely taste better with vodka (why do they only have two cocktails on the menu? and one is tequila-based? bummer).\n\nThe one part of my meal that fell short was the Rieger Pork Soup. The concept is perfection--french onion soup with pork. Where could that go wrong? Unfortunately, the soup was completely devoid of flavor. Once I dumped half the salt shaker in it, it became edible, but the main problem was that the onions were not caramelized at all. Topped with a bland slice of cheese, it was the only disappointment of my meal.\n\nI do have to say, all the raves about the atmosphere are kind of off. I could imagine it being a great lunch spot with all the natural light coming through the windows, but at dinnertime, the lights were WAY too bright. The cheap cafeteria vibe (or should I say, Eat'n Park vibe) was totally offputting and an inappropriate match for the sophisticated food. Otherwise, the space is cute, cozy, and well-utilized. Install a dimmer on the lights and I'll be back for sure!