.Chef Nora Haron Is Back in Oakland as a Pop-Up

Ever since Drip Line closed last summer, my weekends have been spent mourning the absence of chef Nora Haron’s cooking in the East Bay. At the West Oakland cafe, Haron, who was born in Singapore and is of Indian and Indonesian descent, served up California-infused dishes inspired by her upbringing, such as Singapore chicken rice, coconut cream shrimp and grits, and koji fried chicken and waffles.

I’m sure I’m not alone in this sentiment, but for East Bay fans of Haron’s food, there’s good news: Haron is returning to Oakland in pop-up bakery form. The pop-up is entitled FYUB (Fuck-You-Up-Bakery) and will feature a range of mainly Southeast Asian-inspired baked goods, many with tongue-in-cheek or profanity-filled names.

This Saturday’s menu will include “Karen from Finances” Kaya Buns (baked buns stuffed with caramel kaya, a coconut butter), “No Bullshit” Banana Nut Bread (gluten-free and vegan), chicken curry turnovers (made using her grandfather’s curry recipe), chocolate mini loaves, moringa cloud cake, and “Conscienceless” pandan-coconut-butterscotch cookies with Maldon sea salt. Prices range from $3 to $9. “It’s something different — I guess it’s another side of me,” Haron said. “I’m kinda funny sometimes like that.”

The inaugural pop-up will take place at Orbit Coffee and Doughnuts (1225 Seventh St., Suite C) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, July 20. The newcomer West Oakland specialty coffee and doughnut shop, which has only been open for three months, will be serving “Drano Drip” coffee from Red Planet Roasters, along with a selection of teas. Free RSVPs on Eventbrite are suggested but not required.

Future pop-up dates will take place approximately every other week, with locations likely alternating between Oakland and San Francisco. For future FYUB pop-up locations, dates, and hours, follow FYUB on Facebook @theFYUB or on Instagram @the_fyub.

Meanwhile, Haron is also back in the kitchen serving up some of the savory dishes she was known for at Drip Line — but for now, you’ll have to cross the Bay in order to get a taste. In May, she became executive chef at Local Kitchen in SoMa (330 First St., #1, San Francisco) where she’s serving favorites from the Drip Line menu like Singapore chicken rice, gado gado salad, and her shiitake-beef blended burger.

Soon, though, Haron plans to open another restaurant in Oakland. Haron told the Express that her new restaurant will be named Bijan, which translates to sesame. The menu will be a scaled-down version of the Southeast Asian-inspired fare she’s serving right now at Local Kitchen, along with baked goods.

“I love Oakland, and I live in West Oakland. This opportunity [in] San Francisco came first, which is why I left,” Haron said. “But I’m back.”