Last year, days before the pandemic started, former Chez Panisse chef Cal Peternell passed the torch of his Old Oakland counter-serve restaurant, The Lede, to Carlo Espinas, a chef and Bay Area native who has opened such restaurants as Santa Cruz’s Assembly and Oakland’s Camino.

Espinas remained in the Old Oakland location long enough to get his pandemic bearings and feed the community through various nonprofits. The Lede closed its Washington Street location last May and re-surfaced in June as a pop-up at the North Oakland bar, Cafe Encina.

Now, that location at 308 41st Street has become the Cal-Med restaurant’s permanent home. It is currently open 4 to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, with expanded hours coming in mid-May. Until then, Espinas is having fun experimenting with the snack-centric menu and enhancing the space.

“We’re doing seasonal stuff with a high East Bay quality to the food,” says Espinas of the seafood- and veggie-centric dishes that complement the natural wines, beers and seasonal cocktails.

The focus, for now, is on snack boxes, seafood and sandwiches. A Spring Veggie Snack Box includes golden beets and oranges with turmeric; asparagus with sesame and chilli oil; and beet-cured egg. A broccoli melt features provolone, radishes, aioli and green olive tapenade; and a half-dozen fresh oysters come with a housemade green garlic mignonette.

The small, 1,200-square-foot space is a dream spot for a small, chef-driven eatery, with large windows that open outward, high ceilings and a colorful mural depicting an outdoor landscape with fantastical creatures. It was recently completed by several local artists.

At current reduced capacity seating, Espinas can only seat two tables inside, but he is hopeful for the future.

“We’re starting out slow to finish the build out, train staff and to proceed with caution with regards to COVID,” he says. But, as people become more comfortable returning to indoor dining and capacity increases, he is excited to show off his new home.

“Having a space that we’ve infused with so much creativity and getting to share that with people is exciting,” Espinas says. “This will be a great place to reconnect.”

The Lede is currently open from 4 to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at 308 41st St., Oakland. Sometime in mid-May, Espinas will expand hours to 4 to 10 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday. Check Instagram for updates.