Miss Pearl’s Jam House hosted a “Gumbo Throwdown” on the Saturday before Mardi Gras next to the Oakland Estuary in Jack London Square. Only the bayou was missing! Crowds in beads sipped Abita beer while judging the best gumbos from six East Bay chefs. By popular vote, top honors went to Lydia Walker and her attentive crew from The Bay Leaf Restaurant, 2000 MacArthur Blvd, in Oakland’s Dimond District.

Gumbo begins with a roux—a darkened flour paste likely to set off your kitchen smoke alarm. Chefs also use okra to thicken the rich soup, typically accompanied by rice and cornbread. The “Holy Trinity” of onions, celery and chilies also contribute to the base recipe. Variations abound with other ingredients like shrimp, crab, crawfish, Andouille sausage, and even alligator. Paper-thin jalapeño peppers garnished Chef Sosa’s gumbo (Miss Pearls). Another crowd favorite was the rich squid and fish gumbo from Henry’s Restaurant in Berkeley. Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen in Berkeley contributed a thick gumbo and tempted me with the promise of a shipment of crawfish by Fat Tuesday.

Credentials count in gauging southern cuisine. It’s easy to relax during Sunday Brunch at The Bay Leaf Restaurant. Lydia Walker and her staff bring hospitality along with side dishes. Be sure to save room for one of Lydia’s sumptuous homemade desserts.

Once again, Oakland’s diversity can be celebrated at the dinner table, without traveling to Bourbon Street.