I am not quite sure what I like most about À Côté. Is it the impressive list of small-batch wines that represent all the countries surrounding the Mediterranean? Or the longest list of Belgian ales that I have seen outside of Belgium? Maybe it’s the warm, festive atmosphere created by the combination of small, intimate tables along the walls, the large communal tables in the middle, an outdoor patio area for those warm spring and summer evenings, or the comfortable bar that curves smoothly alongside the dining room? Or is it the menu of traditional Mediterranean dishes made with seasonal, local ingredients?
   

À Côté is one of my “go to” restaurants in the East Bay for all of the above reasons. They consider themselves a small-plates restaurant, but they still serve enough for a table of four to taste a reasonable portion of each dish. The mussels with Pernod baked in the wood oven alone make a visit worthwhile. Some of my other favorites include the cured salmon gravlax with buckwheat blinis, and the rabbit and pheasant terrine served with cornichons and mustard. Every time the croque-monsieur makes an appearance at the table, my wife gets a blissful look on her face and gets transported back to her time in Paris.
     

The fun, knowledgeable staff round out the experience. On several visits, our servers generously offered some different wine pairings and explained why they would work well with the dishes we had chosen.
   

À Côté: 5478 College Ave. (at Taft), Oakland; daily from 5:30 p.m.; 510-655-6469, www.acoterestaurant.com