morlin@bayareanewsgroup.com

When a restaurant that’s been around for two decades closes, it’s big news in the food world. It’s even bigger news when it leaves San Francisco and heads across the bay to Oakland. And when that eatery is the leader in vegan — ahem, plant-based cuisine — the reverberations are felt throughout the foodie universe.

Millennium has been a pioneer on the San Francisco vegan scene since opening in 1994, and it moved into that city’s Hotel California in 2003. But a change in hotel ownership pushed out owners Alison Bagby and executive chef Eric Tucker. Instead of shuttering, they brought their plant-based menu to Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood in June.

Now, Millennium has moved into the space vacated by Box and Bells. Bagby and Tucker not only brightened up the room, they eschewed the white tablecloths and fancier decor of previous incarnations. The vibe is modern and a bit edgy. Wood tables, metal finishes and wood accents are illuminated by sleek pendant lights. A gorgeous maple communal table ﻿was custom-made by one of Bagby’s friends, as were the minimalist bar stools. Out back, you’ll find an expansive patio with about 20 tables.

A whiff of pine forest

Behind the L-shaped bar, Chief Cocktail Editor — his official title — Mateo Hoke mixes up seasonal craft cocktails, including a Redwood Martini ($12), made with St. George Spirits’ Terroir Gin, distilled with botanicals from Mount Tamalpais. Here, the gin is spiked with a house-made simple syrup, infused with redwood branch tips, yielding a strong evergreen aroma — think forest fresh, not Pine-Sol fresh — and a clean citrus flavor.

Tucker has brought popular Millennium dishes, but he also has found inspiration in the East Bay, which plays out in dishes such as a red lentil-crusted cauliflower served over tomato-carrot tagine. And each plate is a visual feast.

House-made pickled vegetables ($7) included cucumber, squash, zucchini and mushrooms, each pickled with a different spice, the cucumbers earthy and the squashes sweetly briny. We practically inhaled the fresh peach salad ($12.25) with tomatoes and crunchy cabbage. Chiles lent a hint of spice, while the fresh peach-turmeric dressing added a yin-yang, sweet-earthy flavor.

Tucker’s sesame and arborio-crusted king trumpet mushrooms ($12.75) reminded us of a fritto misto with its lightly battered mushroom strips — a good option for carnivores who might miss meat.

But we found the red-tinged gochujang sauce, made from Korean chile powder, miso, sesame seeds and agave nectar, a bit too sweet. And though we enjoyed the tangy, saffron-accented burnt-orange aioli on the beet tartar ($12.50), the heavy red lentil crisps felt out of place on the plate.

At this point in our meal, service became an issue. Granted, it was our server’s third day on the floor, but she was out of her depth. She had difficulty answering questions about dishes and ingredients time and time again. Our starter plates sat empty for a good 15 minutes before we asked another server to step in and clear them. He saved the day with his warm smile.

Among the main dishes, our favorite was the Burmese Red Lentil Lemongrass Coconut Curry ($16.95). Rich, creamy curry-napped spinach kohlrabi and snap peas were topped by a crispy jasmine rice cake. The Brik Purse ($23.95) reminded us of a beggar’s purse — bite-sized pastry bundles stuffed with goodies — on a much larger scale. Here, a paper thin, dairy-free pastry offered a cornucopia of grilled portobello mushrooms, summer chard and roasted maitake mushrooms. The savory package rested on a bed of whole spelt grain with a green olive relish. The result felt overworked, with too many ingredients competing for palate attention.

More molé, please

A corn tamale ($19.95) was filled with a chunky, fresh corn masa topped with a jicama, avocado and mezcal salsa. We loved the guacamolelike garnish, though it overpowered the delicate masa filling. We could have used more of that savory, nutty molé sauce, but the bitter amaranth greens were a new, delicious taste for us, dressed with pungent epazote and sweet caramelized onion.

Pastry chef Ariana Goldschneider doesn’t use butter, cream or eggs in her creations. A trio of lemon balm and pluot-plum ice creams and peach Armagnac sorbet ($7) was amazingly rich and creamy. The grilled peach cheesecake ($10) looked stunning but tasted less inspired. But the maple tuile and pistachio-basil-orange crust made up for that with their balance of texture and flavor.

From the packed dining room, it’s clear Millennium’s move to Rockridge is a welcome addition to Oakland. The restaurant had a few misses — we’d like to see better server training, and the abundance of flavors in some dishes didn’t always come together. But two months in, the future looks bright.