Relegated to the status of “healthy” toast option at the local greasy spoon, or — worse yet — weird pasta dishes that “real” Italians snub their noses at, whole wheat has long been an awkward stepchild of the health food movement: a boon for school cafeterias and diabetics, perhaps, but for finicky gourmands? Whole wheat just didn’t seem to have a place.
Here’s what Bob Klein, the owner of Oakland’s Oliveto Restaurant (5655 College Ave.), wants you to know: Most of what’s marketed as “whole wheat” isn’t really whole wheat at all. What’s more, he argues, once you’ve eaten, say, a pizza or pasta made from the real stuff, it’ll put to rest the notion that you need any other reason beyond sheer deliciousness to make whole wheat a regular part of your diet.
Red winter wheat penne pomodoro at Oliveto. Credits: Luke Tsai 
“Whole grain” is defined clearly on all Community Grains products. Credits: Luke Tsai
