the chatterbox: January 30, 2007

Why does the Mission get all the love? I swear. Anyway, I am crazy jealous about this one: come spring, ~SPORK~ will be opening in the old KFC space on Valencia. The project is from the creative mind of Bruce Binn (the former chef de cuisine of Citizen Cake, who has a long resume that includes Slow Club, Delfina, Mustard’s, Postrio, and some stints in New York, including Lupa). His partner in the project is his cousin (by marriage) Neil Jorgensen, who has managed Saturn Café in Santa Cruz, and has recently been ramping up his knowledge about the back of house at Manresa, Range, and Bar Tartine.

Spork’s motto is “Tasty Food,” and they are taking the Cal-American menu seriously but having fun with it too. Think “short order fine dining.” Binn and Jorgensen want to elevate the reputation of the spork—they think it’s been misrepresented in the past. Their plan to serve amuse bouches on them is sure to help. Besides, we already had a Spoon, and Tablespoon, and Fork—now
it’s time for Spork!

Dishes being discussed: chips and fish, a composed salad layered with house-made potato chips, smoked trout and roe, crème fraîche, shallots, and black pepper, a nod to classic caviar accouterments; the inside-out burger, a fork and knife burger with two thin patties of natural beef on the outside and a soft sponge bun in the center, with a quenelle of grilled onions, organic cheddar, butter lettuce, house fries, and pulled dollops of condiments (like aioli) on the plate. Additional dishes being discussed: sticky ribs, Chinese-style fried chicken, pastas, and one of Binn’s personal faves, an open-faced turkey sandwich made with quality ingredients. Other potential touches: house-made rolls, and ground-to-order French press coffee. One definite: beer and wine will be available.

The space will have 48 seats, with a rounded nine-seat counter and booths, featuring a utilitarian modern diner/coffee shop/roadside diner look that’s more about being funky and vibey than kitschy. Eric Heid of Martin Heid Design will be tricking out the space (he also did Range). Dinner to start, with most definitely lunch and brunch to follow soon thereafter. Plus that outdoor parking lot might end up yielding some alfresco options come summer. 1058 Valencia St. at Hill, between 21st and 22nd Streets.

And then to rub it in even more, over on 16th Street will be ~BAR BAMBINO~, a café and wine bar. Even though proprietor Christopher Losa has a Spanish background, he is a total Italophile, and is putting his years of working in the restaurant biz in Boston and numerous trips to Italy to serious work. Losa took his inspiration from the numerous neighborhood bars in Italy (my friends and I used to call them “man bars”) where folks just hang out, talk about soccer, drink some wine, graze on some simple bites, and check their Totocalcio scores. In America, this variation of the “man bar” will have to morph because tons of women will be kicking back and drinking wine in there—they aren’t home doing the laundry and making lasagne, ha ha.

Bar Bambino will be open from late morning until late evening, serving an array of items off their “pane” list (panini for $8.50-$12 made on custom bread from Della Fattoria, plus crostini, tramezzini [I had no idea about the history of the name of one of my favorite Venetian snacks—check this out, and bruschetta) and all kinds of love from the “salumi and formaggi” counter. Yes, counter. There will be a variety of meats from small artisanal suppliers Losa has sourced (one is from Petaluma, another in Geyserville), some so obscure they don’t even have company names. He’s also getting some meats from the high church of salumi up in Seattle, Salumi. You’ll be able to enjoy salumi on premise, or you can get it sliced up nice and take it home. Or if you are like me, you will do both.

The menu will also include 6-7 pastas, and 4-5 entrée-style dishes, and 8-10 sides, many made with ingredients from local farmers. Lizzie Binder is heading up the kitchen. She was at Jardinière, then in Australia for five years, and most recently working as a private chef. Coffee is courtesy of Ecco Caffé in Santa Rosa—there will be two types of espresso, northern or southern style, and drip available too (this is the first place in SF to serve their coffee). The wine list will include 150 wines that are 100% Italian with no regional specificity and moderately priced, many in mid $30s to low $40s for a bottle, and $6-8 by the glass. Losa said he’d be more interested in people being able to come by once or twice a week instead of once or twice a month, hence the friendly price points. Bravo.

The 45-seat space is “crisp but textured” and “rustic modernist”—it’s being tricked out by Aidlin Darling Design, and will feature a glass storefront enabling you to see all the way to the back of the space, with two communal tables that will seat eight each, dark oak floors, chairs and casework, zinc tabletops, a large bar that will seat 15 sporting a white marble top, plus an enclosed and landscaped patio in the back that will seat 20 (this place is gonna blow up). There’s also supposed to be a pair of amazing light fixtures made by some local artists that look like suspended cases of wine with light bulb filaments in the bottles. Optimistic opening is slated for March. Open 11am-midnight, closed Monday, 2931 16th St. between Mission and South Van Ness, 415-701-VINO.

The Italian-fest continues: just across from the Transamerica Building, the old Elisabeth Daniel/Tartare space reopened this week as ~CHIAROSCURO~, an Italian restaurant and lounge from Roman import Roberto Scaccia. The name is Italian for “light/dark,” and refers to the artistic use of strong contrasts, like Caravaggio for you art lovers, or “Rembrandt lighting” for you photographers out there. Scaccia is a total cinephile, so his inspiration is the black and white films of the Italian Neorealismo movement of the ’40s and ’50s (think De Sica). He wants the room to feel like a street in Rome or a terrace from the coast—he actually bought the chairs from the now-closed Enrico’s and painted them off-white and gave them black seats—total Neapolitan style.

The eclectic contemporary style features tables made of chalkboards, poured concrete bench seating, a communal table, two big lanterns reminiscent of Roman street lights that cast an amber glow, plus iron arches with climbing figs. A rotating display of plants is behind the banquettes: this month it’s cactus, next month will be lavender, another month will be basil, or lemon, etc. My favorite detail: Scaccia will only have female servers, dressed in black Sophia Loren-style dresses and tango shoes. (The owner is Italian, what can I say?)

So enough of the set, let’s talk about the food. Both chefs, Damiano Neris and Vanessa Musella, are from Sardegna, but they will definitely be highlighting Roma (Damiano most recently was cooking in Rome—S.P.Q.R., baby!), with monthly specials that will rotate through all regions of Italy. Lunch service includes salads ($5-$10), pastas ($10-$16), and sandwiches ($7-$9) made with focaccia or there’s one piadina on the menu too (an Italian flatbread)—I can’t think of anywhere in San Francisco that serves piadina. (Anyone?) Dinner includes pastas (available in two sizes, most are $8/$13-16) like gnocchi alla romana or trofie with calamari and eggplant, mains like beef loin with grape must ($22), home-style deep-fried fish ($19), and a tasting/“degustazione” menu will be offered (either fish or meat). All the pasta and bread are made in-house. Lunch is served Mon-Fri 11am-3pm, and dinner is Sun-Thu 5pm-10:30pm, and Fri-Sat 5pm-11:30pm. 550 Washington St. at Sansome St., 415-362-6012.

Good news: Mike Selvera is back in the kitchen at ~BAR CRUDO~. I swung by the other afternoon to say hi, and it was good to find him there. Check it: he even said he has baby conch on the menu. Welcome back, Mike.

As of last week, escrow closed and everything is all set: Scott Holley of Yabbie’s Coastal Kitchen and Steps of Rome has taken over ~EOS~ in Cole Valley—he bought it from Arnold Eric Wong, who owned the restaurant for over ten years. Danny Guerinni, who was Wong’s chef de cuisine, has taken over as the executive chef (he’s been at EOS for five years) and now has the new challenge of leading the kitchen. Holley plans to focus on operations and is leaving things status quo. Wong, meanwhile, is going to be busy with three Bs: bacar, his bakery (Raison d’ Etre) and he mentioned wanting a baby at some point soon (he was recently married). 901 Cole St., at Carl, 415-566-3063.

Seems an electric car set off a fire at the ~WARMING HUT~ in Crissy Field, check out the full story here. Power and dog walkers take note: they’ll be closed for a couple weeks or so.

~MIKE YAKURA~ has left Sutra and is now cooking at ~SPARROW~ in the Gramercy Towers. Yakura has totally changed the menu (more Cal-Asian, less French Asian) and has new staff in place too. Feel free to swing by the counter at the exhibition kitchen and say yo (you may remember him as Mister Mohawk in a recent episode of Top Chef). In fact, if you are totally up a creek and trying to decide where to go for V-Day, odds are good you’d be able to snag a table here since it’s in the most random spot in the world. (Take my word for it.) At least the food will be better now. 1177 California St., 415-474-2000.

Now, I can’t believe how many stories I have “sitting in the ’hopper” that I can’t really write about at the moment, so they have to wait until I get back—but just to give you a small tasting spoon, one in particular that is going to have some info released soon is the Mint Plaza project, between Market and Mission and Fifth and Sixth Streets. There’s going to be a lot going on there, but here’s a teaser of one place that is opening: the ~CASTILLOS OF LIMON~ are opening a restaurant at 418 Jessie. More soon!

Yo, noodle slurpers: according to Chowhound, there’s a new ramen joint called ~GENKI RAMEN~ in the Richmond on Geary near 4th Ave. Check out the postings on Yelp.com for some deets on what to eat—it sounds pretty decent.

From a tablehopper reader (sorry, didn’t have time to research this before leaving, and there isn’t a phone message): “I noticed this ominous sign as a walked by ~SUSHI ZONE~ yesterday. Something cryptic like, ‘Starting Monday we will be closed until further notice’.”

Some chef changes over at ~BISTRO 1689~, one of the latest restaurants to join the Noe Valley neighborhood (it’s been open since July). I spoke with the owner, Benny Cheung, and he confirmed that chef Scott Drozd has resigned, and taking his place is Eric Kuhne, formerly the chef de cuisine at West Shore Café in Lake Tahoe. 1689 Church St. at 29th Street, 415-550-8298.

Last night I was supposed to hit the 7x7 magazine ~FIRST ANNUAL EAT + DRINK AWARDS~, but this column needed to be written instead (aren’t you glad I have my priorities straight?). With readers supplying the votes, Gary Danko cleaned up in three categories (Best Overall, Best Service and Best Maître d’), NOPA won Best Newcomer (surprise! ha ha), Delfina won Best Italian and Best First Date (Hey, why hasn’t anyone taken me there on a first date? That’s one mighty nice first date, jeez.), Absinthe won Best Restaurant Cocktails, and there are a bunch of other categories. I have to say, there are a few (slightly dubious) winners that made me think they had all their friends and coworkers stuff the ballot box, but then again that’s what it sometimes takes to get some notice in this town, so let’s just leave it at that.

Okay, the one thing about my vacation that is seriously chapping my hide is I will be in a plane somewhere over the ocean when the ~TOP CHEF~ finale airs. I can’t believe I am missing the damned finale. My money has been on the punk Ilan all along—I would have preferred the hunk, Sam, but all along I’ve been feeling the Mono monkey is gonna close it. Gail seems to have a thing for the Wolverine’s cooking, but in the end, I think Colicchio’s roots are gonna sway him to vote for Ilan in the end. Unless Marcel poisons Ilan with some foam. And Ilan recently left Casa Mono, which has tongues wagging. But enough of my observations, because TONY is in the hizzouse. Check out what Mister Bourdain has to say about the Top Chef contestants on Michael Ruhlman’s blog. Yes, yet another reason why I adore this man—he seriously cracks me the hell up. Oh, and this just in: if you want to ruin the ending and see who wins, click this link to a wicked spoiler posted on Eater LA.

Got a hot tip? You know I’d love it (and you). Just reply to this email! I’ll read it when I get back, thanks darlings!

the regular: Pizzetta 211

If you’re a true card-carrying San Franciscan gourmand, there is an unofficial list of destinations you have to visit, ticking them off the list one beignet, Irish coffee, and tamale at a time. Otherwise “they” might revoke your gourmand resident card quicker than “they” do when some fool calls The City “Frisco.”

THE LIST is actually quite immense (well, my list is), but here are a few core basics: lunch at Swan Oyster Depot, an al pastor taco dorado from La Taqueria, dim sum at Yank Sing (oh those magical Shanghai/XLB dumplings), a Caesar salad and roast chicken from Zuni, a croissant from Tartine, an espresso from Blue Bottle while at the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market one Saturday or one at Ritual if you’re kickin’ it in the Mission, salt and pepper crab from Lichee Garden or R&G Lounge, a peach from Frog Hollow, burrata at A16, and let’s not forget a drink at the Top of the Mark (seriously, the view is truly magic there). Oh, and Faith’s Cheese Toast at Town Hall. And don’t forget popovers at the Rotunda. Oh my God, I have to stop. STOP!

I know, THE LIST is a yuppie foodie cluster*uck. (I promise to share it later.) And right up there is the entire pizza experience at ~PIZZETTA 211~. Every once in a while I mention this place and someone has no idea it even exists, let alone that it’s on THE LIST. So let’s fix that right now and get any of you who have never been schooled up to speed. I want to make the experience as painless as possible. To manage expectations, I’m just going to do a primer. This place gets maligned for all its quirks and even quirkier staff. You just need to know what’s the deal, that’s all. Let’s do it.

This place is hella small. Like a few precious tables and a counter inside, and a few tables outside under some heat lamps but you still freeze booty. Rainy night? Errr, not a good idea. Don’t come in a group of more than four. Not a place for the kids. Seriously. They get tres bored.

You will wait. Unless you go really early, or after the lunch rush. Don’t come when you’re super hangry because you’ll just get hangrier. Maybe some mixed olives ($2) will help.

You won’t get seated unless your entire party is there. So if you’re smart and tag-teaming (“I’ll look for parking, you go get our name down on the list”) and magically a table is available, you will not get that table until you’re done parking your jalopy and the staff can see the whites of your eyes. Don’t even think about arguing about it.

Usually you have to order at the counter. Once a server took my order at the hard-won table. See what happens. You have to get your own napkins, silverware, water. Tip however you see fit.

Cash only, babe.

You still with me? Good. You can do this. Because now it’s time to order yourself one of the scrumptious, thin-crust Neapolitan style pies made with stellar and often organic/sustainable/local ingredients. Order a pizza with the egg. Just trust me. You get two beautiful runny eggs on top. Once you taste how well yolk melds with tomato sauce and cheese it will make you see the light, Carol Ann.

The margherita ($9) is a thing of beauty—you just want to kiss her. The special pies are often fantastic. One night there was a puttanesca (yeah, I ordered it—those puttane know a thing or two) with capers, sardines, and olives with a citrus kick.

Don’t be afraid of anchovies—embrace them. Especially with pepperoni. Sounds crazy, but it’s freaking delicious. A regular there turned me on to this pizza (thanks!).

These are not big pizzas. Everyone should get their own. Especially because you’re gonna want all that egg to yourself. The place is called Pizzetta, as in “little pizza.” The pizza is not that little. But not a flying saucer either.

You might want to start with an artisan cheese salad ($8.75) and finish with the Scharffen Berger flourless chocolate cake ($5.50) with fresh whipped cream—it will make you forgive how dated a dessert it is because it just tastes so good. And with some Blue Bottle coffee, oh, purr. The saffron biscotti ($2) with some vin santo are another spiffy finish.

Go on a Monday and you will be seriously tempted by the poussin. Or some other Monday night special. Save this for another outing. You must pop your cherry with the pizza first. Poussin is for those who are more “experienced.”

If you show up and they have run out of dough, you are not the first person this has happened to. It’s nothing personal. It just is. Don’t shoot anyone or yell profanities. Just leave the car where you parked it, and get all old school and amble on over to Gaspare’s just around the corner on Geary between 19th and 20th. This is not a great pizza, and it’s not a bad one. But it’s pretty darned good. It’s more like kitschy pizza (wait until you see the booths and dusty Italian ephemera hanging overhead). Just stay away from the yucky black olives—they taste like can. Plot your Pizzetta 211 attack for another day.

Okay, staff attitude. They can be nice, or surly, or odd, or attentive (or not), or hippie freaks, or fast friends, whatever. Joey the pizzaiolo is from New Jersey—he just needs to warm up to you a little before he’ll decide whether he actually wants to talk to you. He’s actually pretty cool. And also rather busy making everyone their pizzas. I’ve had the full gamut of treatment here. Like Tartine. Sometimes the staff can be infuriatingly chilly or ineffectual, and then suddenly you get this nice barista who is on top of things and makes you a dreamy espresso to go with your warm croissant and it’s all catnip. So just remember, in the end, you are here for the pizza, and keep your boat steady, no matter what.

Unless you live next door, don’t order it to go. This pizza is meant to be hot out of the oven and slid onto a plate and promptly put into your mouth. Stat.

Don’t miss a trip to the bathroom for the munchkin theatre installation. You gotta see it. Tres charmant. This pizzeria will become charmant for you too—it’s just a fussy little car that doesn’t drive like all the others but you still totally adore it.

the socialite: Food from the Heart at the Ferry Building

~FOOD FROM THE HEART~ at the Ferry Building Marketplace kicks off on Friday, February 9th with a benefit for Slow Food. Serenade your senses with a stroll down the Nave and take in local flavors, wines, tango and music. The public is invited to stroll the candlelit Nave where the merchants and restaurateurs of the Marketplace will offer seasonal hors d'oeuvres and Slow Food will pour wine from several wine bars. Food and wine tickets will be sold in $2 denominations: $2 and $4 for food tastes and $6 and $8 for glasses of wine. Proceeds from wine bar and hors d'oeuvres purchases benefit Slow Food San Francisco.

Saturday the Marketplace and the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market will be brimming with heartfelt foods. On Saturday at 10am, Chef Russell Jackson, the “Dissident Chef” of Sub Culture Dining, will offer a cooking demonstration on how to prepare seasonal, romantic meals. Sunday the celebration continues from 11am-4pm with merchant gift ideas, farm fresh flowers and epicurean offerings. Valentine face painting and craft tables will be available for kids.

SLOW FOOD is a nonprofit international, eco-gastronomic organization that supports a biodiverse, sustainable food supply, local producers, heritage foodways, and rediscovery of the pleasures of the table.

the socialite: Mardi Gras Party at Town Hall

Town Hall announces its ~FOURTH ANNUAL FAT TUESDAY PARTY~. Guests are encouraged to don masquerade masks for the New Orleans-style party. A percentage of proceeds from the evening will go to a fund for Town Hall’s own Hector Sahagun, a bartender who was in a tragic head-on taxicab collision on January 4, 2007 after leaving work.

The evening will be a raucous, roving feast, encouraging guests to roam about the restaurant to sample traditional New Orleans’ style foods prepared by Executive Chef/Owners Mitchell and Steven Rosenthal: a shellfish boil strewn over newspaper covered tables; a raw bar with oysters, crab and shrimp; a gumbo and jambalaya station; fried chicken; jalapeño corn bread; beer, wine and Pat O’Brien’s style Hurricanes, a cocktail synonymous with Mardi Gras. Beads and doubloons will festoon the restaurant, and the feet tapping sounds of a New Orleans Dixie band will play throughout the night.

Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, also called Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday. It is a day when people eat and drink in excess in preparation for Lent, the 40-day Christian tradition of penitence from Ash Wednesday to Easter.

Mardi Gras Party
Tue., February 20, 2007

Town Hall
342 Howard St.
Cross: Fremont St.
San Francisco, CA

415-908-3900
website

5pm on

Reservations necessary

$65

the socialite: Kim Family Benefit at Incanto

I feel like this press release needed to be read in its entirety, so here goes:

The tragedy that befell the family of James and Kati Kim in the remote snowbound mountains of southern Oregon last December touched people around the world but most particularly those of Noe Valley where the Kim family lives and owns a business. Noe Valley resident and Artery owner Paula Benton and 13 Noe Valley groups created The Kim Family Fund to raise money for Kati Kim and her daughters. Launched in December 21st with a goal of raising $25,000, the Fund has raised over $8,000 to date.

To support the effort, Noe Valley resident and Four Seasons Hotel executive chef Jeremy Emmerson has created ~Chefs of Noe Valley: An Evening of Fine Dining to Benefit the Kim Family Fund~ a five-course dinner with wine pairings. “When Paula contacted me about helping Kati Kim and her girls, I knew I wanted to do something and thought immediately of organizing a dinner with all the chefs and restaurateurs in the neighborhood,” says Chef Emmerson. “I’ve traveled 15 years working as a chef and have never felt more at home than these last four years living in Noe Valley with my wife and our two daughters.”

Incanto will close for business the evening of Monday, February 26th in order to provide the venue for this benefit dinner. Each course (and wine pairing) will be created by a different Noe Valley chef. Confirmed chefs include:

Jeremy Emmerson, Noe Valley resident and Executive Chef, Four Seasons Hotel
Chris Cosentino & Mark Pastore, Chef and Owner of Incanto
Joseph Manzare, Chef Owner of Pescheria Restaurant
Ray Tobias and Galvin Gaviola, Chef and Owners of Deep Sushi
Eric Kuhne and Benny Cheung, Chef and Owners of Bistro 1689
Bridget Labus, Noe Valley resident and Pastry Chef, St. Regis Hotel

There will also be a Food Lovers Silent Auction featuring packages such as: Meadowood Napa Valley-Two Nights Lodging for Two Couples, four 60-minute Spa Treatments, in each of the guest rooms, including a chilled bottle of Schramsberg and fruit basket upon arrival; Four Seasons Scottsdale–Two Night Stay; Gary Danko–Dinner for Four; Jardinière–Dinner for Two; Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay–Brunch for Four.

“The generosity of Jeremy and the Noe Valley food community is overwhelming,” says Benton. “The chefs will donate their time, food and wine allowing almost all the money raised to go to the Kim Family Fund.”

About the Kim Family Fund
Believing that collectively people can create the community they want to live in, Noe Valley residents and business owners established the Kim Family Fund on December 21st, 2006 with the hope of finding 500 people/families to donate $50 each to reach its fundraising goal of $25,000. The KFF is a cash fund to be given to Kati Kim and her daughters. It is sponsored by Noe Valley resident and business owner, Paula Benton and 13 participating Noe Valley groups to reach out to the Kim family in a caring and financial way. For more information or to make a donation via Pay Pal go to: www.kimfamilyfund.com.

Kim Family Benefit
Mon., February 26, 2007

Incanto
1550 Church St.
Cross: Duncan St.
San Francisco, CA 94131

415-641-4500

Seatings 5:30pm–9pm

$175 for 5-course dinner

the chatterbox: January 23, 2007

First off, I just wanted to let you know last week's benefit for ~LANCE BELL~ raised a little over $10k for him, so that's great news—cheers to everyone who helped out.

So I spent all day Sunday checking out the ~NASFT FANCY FOOD SHOW~ at Moscone. I had to give myself aserious strategic talk before I went in there: I told myself only the obscure, the artisanal, and most definitely the European were fair game for tasting. It's all pretty mind-boggling: both the North and South halls are jammed with food products from all over the world, with everyone wanting you to try their wares. (I made sure to eat a good breakfast beforehand so I'd only taste what I really was intrigued with).

I swear, the market is just flooded with sauces, olive oil, and tea. (If you have an idea for any of those categories, I'd reconsider.) I'm glad I don't have a sweet tooth, because I was able to bypass a ton of stuff without a hint of remorse. It was almost kismet to run into Steffan Terje from Perbacco at the Fra Mani/Cheeseworks table—of course we were both reaching for the mortadella. (Cheers.) I met some Italians from Sardegna and Sicilia—it was great to chew the fat with them while chewing some fat, or cheese.

Some items that stood out:

• The Armenian products from Sylvia of Harvest Song blew me away, specifically the baby walnut (!!), apricot, and her tea rose petal preserves. Would love to sit back with a chunk of cheese and an array of her products.

• Thought my vegan pals would dig the vegan vegetable terrine from Trois Petits Cochons —I was also thrilled to discover their perfect cornichons that weren't overloaded in vinegar.

• Was cool to see so many of the canned seafood options from sustainable fisheries.

• The moist and washed curd extra-sharp "country store" cheese from Yancey's Fancy in New York was some juicy, tangy cheese.

• Got to do some side-by-side pimentón de la Vera sampling, with bright flavors that matched their incredible hues of brick red (I put this stuff on my eggs all the time)—found two of the brands online here—also tried some "mojoma" (salted and cured tuna that comes in a big hunk that you can slice).

• The coconut water and the brand-new açaí drink from O.N.E. totally invigorated me halfway through the event—I am so bringing these to Burning Man this year.

• Loved the calcium-rich and minerally water from Contrex, but was terrified by the tampon-esque packaging—no joke, the label has a heart and a pink cap. See for yourself on the site.

• The mysterious Yumberry juice was interesting—too bad the language barrier at the booth kept me from learning more.

• The wasabeans and means beans from rick's picks were feisty.

• Hanging out with some Spaniards, I enjoyed trying Avruga, a smoky caviar substitute that is made from the roe of herring off the coast of Spain, and tasting the whole Ortiz line of tuna and anchovies. Yum, fishies! Hello, cute Basque man feeding me anchovies! Meow.

• Of course I had to hang out with the Aussies—had a pleasant bite of summer with the semi-dried tomatoes from the Australian Antipasto Co.—the grilled pumpkin was kicky too.

• Yo, go Chile! The preserved carica from Tamaya Gourmet I tasted was begging to be on my Straus yogurt this morning. It was like an interesting cross between a firm canned peach, with some pear mildness and mango coloring, without being cloyingly sweet. Great texture.

• The folks from Mt. Vikos created this very unusual sweet olive jam that was swell with their feta, especially the basket feta. I also lost it over the Ines Rosales handmade sweet olive oil tortas from Spain—I've seen these before at Whole Foods, but now I know to buy these sweet/savory cracker-like rounds. Crispy, sweet, salty, with hints of anise and sesame. Hold me. My favorite edible of the show.

If Alka-Seltzer was smart, they would be out front handing out tablets at the end of event. (Although I prefer Brioschi for such matters—the Italians know a thing or two about indigestion.) It's downright wicked what you subject your palate and stomach to at this show; one minute you're eating cheese, then trying hot chocolate, then eating olives, then some genmaicha tea. Like, ick.

So, a few openings to report: Sharon Ardiana's homey pizzeria, ~GIALINA~, opened yesterday for dinner service out in Glen Park, just across from the BART station. On the menu are Neapolitan pies, antipasti, and special roasts and a fish of the day, plus ricotta cheesecake and her kooky hazelnut dessert pizza. Open nightly, Mon-Thu from 5pm-10pm, Fri-Sat until 11pm, and Sun 4pm-10pm. (The restaurant will begin serving lunch in spring.) 2842 Diamond St. at Kern Alley, 415-239-8500.

~ESSENCIA~, the Nuevo/contemporary Peruvian restaurant from Anne Gingrass and partners in Hayes Valley is not opening until February 14, when they will open for lunch and dinner, Mon-Sat. Michael Bussinger is the opening chef. 401 Gough St. at Hayes St., 415-552-8485.

~BITE~ in the Tenderloin's Crash Nightclub has also been delayed until mid or late Feb. 34 Mason St. at Turk St., 415-EXC-ITED.

It seems ~LITTLE JOE'S~ on Van Ness has closed—the building was sold, condos are coming. We'll see if Franco manages to find yet another location to serve his carbonara. 2550 Van Ness Ave.

fresh meat: The Alembic

I stopped eating in the Upper Haight a long time ago—my twenties ended, and so that was it. Meeting up with friends at Cha Cha Cha, Kan Zaman, and El Balazo (man, can their staff be icy—I had to boycott them years ago) went the way of Bruno at Aub Zam Zam (rest in peace, old guy—SF's original martini Nazi). Yes, the food at Magnolia can offer a safe haven, and breakfast at the Pork Store can function like a SWAT team on your hangover, but otherwise, the only thing that could get me to saddle up and head on over to this neck of the panhandling trustafarian woods would be the promise of bourbon and some bites at ~THE ALEMBIC~.

The Alembic is a second project for Dave McLean, who is the kind owner behind Magnolia Pub and Brewery just down the street at Masonic—he also brought on Chef Eddie Blyden to oversee both kitchens (Blyden was formerly at 21st Amendment and Sneaky Tiki). Eddie is one friendly chef—he likes to say hi and hang out with his customers (this man needs an exhibition kitchen!), and since he's lived all over the world, he always has some good stories.

I also think Eddie is hell-bent on getting you fat since the menu is an unabashed paean to cheese and pork (bacon, pork belly, you get the picture). Or perhaps he just has your best interests at heart, because he knows you'll be in need of some fat molecules in your system to counterbalance the booze you are about to consume.

Not just any booze, mind you: small-batch, artisanal, crafted booze. Hello bourbon. Yes, whiskey, I am winking at you. Hey, it's time for a cocktail. Take your pick from classics like old-fashioneds and sazeracs and Manhattans, or "new school" numbers, like a redux of the daiquiri, the mint julep, and then there's "the bone," reportedly a turn-of-the-century gambler's drink. (All are $9.) Like Bourbon & Branch, this is not the place to order a cosmo.

Suds are well represented, including some of Magnolia's brews on tap, some independent Cali breweries, and bottled Belgians. Plus a pleasing selection of wines by the glass for those who prefer the grape. And there's also sake. Oh heck, if there's something you like to drink you'll probably find it here. (Unless it's Budweiser, then they simply can't help you.)

The joint is small: the bar has room for ten or so, and there's also a bar rail up against the wall where you can sit, plus some tables in the front and back of the space. It used to be Sweet Heat and then Maroc, so for those of you who remember, yes, the place is petite. Think boîte. Don't come here with a pile of friends because you'll just get frustrated, which is not the idea. This place is about hanging out. The bartenders are happy to educate, and however long your cash (or liver) can sustain you, you'll want to kick it at the bar and continue earning credits toward your alcohol higher education.

Some highlights on the Southern-gastropub small plates menu: the jerk-lacquered chicken wings ($9) come in a pile (like six or seven), and pack some kick, almost like they're a little mad at you. Which is where the cool yogurt dipping sauce comes in. The tender lamb sliders ($10) with harissa aioli and tapenade are quite tasty—my sole regret about them is you only get two. (Some guys might also say this about breasts.)

Meanwhile, the spaetzle ($13) comes loaded with braised rabbit, Hobbs' bacon, corn, and while a bit under-salted on two visits, it's a hearty serving that's good enough for three to share. (Unless you're a big starving drunk boy who is totally hangry.)

You ready to turn that richness dial to 11? Let's do it. How about barbecued pork belly and deviled duck eggs nestled in a bath of grits ($15)? The temp on this (rather messy) dish wasn't quite hot enough despite the presentation in the Staub cast iron dish, and I actually wanted the eggs to be runny instead of deviled, but it still has appeal in its own funky little way.

Lancaster County "Cheesesteak" ($15) shows Blyden at his most sinister: oxtails are slow-braised in porter and burgundy, and served up as a two-cheese Welsh rarebit (with cheddar and Gruyere), plus thick-cut toast to sop it all up. Mwah hah hah! Pure evil.

Eddie is committed to the local/sustainable/organic trinity, so yes, the price-points are a little more than some will want to spend on small plates, especially any post-millennial hippies. Vegetarians can take their pick from goat cheese fritters ($9) to start, plus a vegetable "stack" ($9/sporting more goat cheese), and a cassoulet ($13) made with vegetables instead of the classic meat-fest. Stewed mixed greens ($6) tasted a little thin and not gutsy enough—perhaps the Niman bacon is what they needed.

I haven't made it in for the lunch/brunch service on the weekend (12pm-4pm), but the list of "prosecco pick-me-ups" (try all four, I will!) and seeing a Ramos gin fizz on there make me happy. Also seeing Daniel/Danny/Dan Hyatt (whatever you personally call him) behind the bar makes me happy too—he was formerly at Winterland, where came up with the best drink names ever, like "I Lost My Necktie." Yes, he understands.

The space has an old school and almost East Coast vibe (pressed tin ceiling, wood floors made from reclaimed food from a barn in Pennsylvania, mustard walls, suspended Edison light bulbs over the bar) and there are also some thoughtful touches, like hooks under the bar (bless), super-padded barstools for your bum, and individual hand towels (yes, real towels) in the bathroom. I love the late-night hours—it's a cozy and cool spot to hang out at after 10pm, when you just might get lucky and score a couple seats at the bar.

A small point of trivia about the bar: it's actually made from bleachers from Kezar Stadium. Oh, and trivia point number two: if you are wondering what the hell an alembic is, it's the original distilling apparatus that dates back to Persia from 800 or so—some small-batch distillers use one to this day. Feel free to impress a date with these random factoids, you can thank me later.

At the end of the night, when it's no longer allowable to serve you anything, the bartender will lower the massive chalkboard that lists all the spirits (it's rigged up with wheels and a line)—it then obscures the beautiful glimmering shelves o' spirits, like the curtain dropping at the end of a performance. Clap clap!

The Alembic
1725 Haight St.
Cross: Cole St.
San Francisco, CA 94117

415-666-0822
website

Daily 4pm-2am
Kitchen closes at 12am
Lunch Sat-Sun 12pm-4pm

Apps $5-$9
Small plates $6-$15
Desserts $7

the lush: Vessel

Okay, I have known about this joint for so long it was getting ridiculous. And then they didn't want me to write about it. For months. But now that it's getting close to the opening date, the Iron Curtain has dropped. Since some of you are curious about ~VESSEL~, the word on the street is they are opening February 8. (This could change, like many opening dates do.)

This boutique lounge is tucked away in Union Square, just across from Campton Place, and occupies 4,500 square feet of subterranean space beneath Giorgio Armani and Niketown. As the press release touts, "Vessel has been grandly envisioned and meticulously planned to take its place as a catalyst of San Francisco's new luxury nightlife scene." The release also contains terms like "ultra-premium nightlife." The in-house team includes servers, a concierge, maître d', special event planners, and valets. (If they're not careful, that scene can quickly morph into one that's just bottle service and boobs.)

This is the first West Coast project for fab Frenchie designer Stephane Dupoux, behind New York's Buddha Bar and Cielo, and South Beach's Nikki Beach. The swank space is tricked out with warm tones of red and amber, with Italian leather banquettes, teak tables, an exposed brick wall with a provenance that dates back to pre-1906, and a canopy of a distinctive replica tree and 18-foot ceilings (so don't let the subterranean factor make you feel claustrophobic—it's definitely not a bunker).

Vessel has capacity (ha ha) for 299 guests, with communal-style seating in the banquette areas. It's not just cocktails; there is also a wine list and gourmet hors d'oeuvres made with organic ingredients. From 4pm-10pm, Vessel is designed to be a pre-dinner, post-work, post-shopping refuge, and then the nightlife and dancing scene kicks in from 10pm-2am.

And yes, there will be dancing, with a raised stage that will host international DJs and live musicians for an eclectic music program of acoustic, lounge, house, and underground hip-hop formats. Strike a pose.

Partners are Sunwoo Hwang, founder of NNOO Production LLC, a Bay Area boutique nightlife consulting and promotions firm, with clients like W San Francisco, Supperclub, and Bacardi USA; and Philippe Rieser, who is also owner of New York's Cielo.

the socialite: Wine and Wishes 2007

~WINE AND WISHES~, the annual food and wine event to benefit the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation is coming up, and tablehopper readers get a special discount. Tickets are normally $150 each, but enter the discount code "treasure" for a ticket at $135 per person. Good people, good cause, good food. And one of my favorite pastry chefs, William Werner, is in the line-up, lucky you. Plus something like 60 restaurants for nibbles before dinner.

Here are the dinner chefs:

Bart Hosmer, Parcel 104, Santa Clara–first course
Quentin Topping, Tanglewood, San Jose–second course
Roland Passot, La Folie, San Francisco–third course
Xavier Salomon and Pastry Chef William Werner, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay–dessert

More on the event: one of Treasure Island's massive hangers is transformed with magical lighting and special effects into an elegant venue to taste the best of the Bay Area. Over 60 restaurants and wineries will offer signature hors d'oeuvres and wine samplings. Guests will have the opportunity to bid on exciting auction lots, mingle, and listen to music by a local DJ.

Wine and Wishes 2007
Sat., Feb. 3, 2007

Treasure Island
Building 180
San Francisco, CA

415-982-9474
website

5pm-7:30pm
buy tickets

$135 for tablehopper readers

the socialite: Absinthe Brasserie and Bar's Champagne and Oyster Event

Okay, this event got cancelled (due to holiday mayhem) but now it's back. Whaddya know, I'll be gone. Drat! Anyway, here's the word: two of my faves, oysters and bubbly will be in full effect at ~ABSINTHE BRASSERIE AND BAR'S FIRST ANNUAL CHAMPAGNE AND OYSTER EVENT~. A selection of hors d'oeuvres will be passed and Hog Island Oyster Company will be on hand to shuck.

Over forty wines will be featured from the best producers in Champagne, including: A. Margaine ~ Besserat de Bellefon ~ Bollinger ~ Bruno Paillard ~ Charles Heidsieck ~ Chartogne-Taillet ~ Deutz ~ Dom Perignon ~ Gaston Chiquet ~ Gosset ~ Henriot ~ Krug ~ Laurent Perrier ~ Louis Roederer ~ Moet & Chandon ~ Nicolas Feuillatte ~ Palmes d'Or ~ Perrier Jouet ~ Pierre Peters ~ Piper Heidsieck ~ Pol Roger ~ Ruinart ~ Veuve Clicquot ~ Vilmart & Cie

10% of proceeds will be donated to San Francisco's Save the Bay.

Absinthe Brasserie & Bar Champagne and Oyster Event
Mon., February 12, 2007

398 Hayes St.
Cross: Gough St.
San Francisco, CA 94102

415-551-1590
website

6pm-9pm

$70 per person

RSVP to Vanessa Harris at 415-551-1453, or email her at vharris [at] absinthe [dot] com

the starlet: January 23, 2007

Over at Scala's Bistro, Charles Spencer, the brother of the late Princess Diana, was spotted having lunch.

DB Woodside, who plays President Wayne Palmer on 24, had dinner at Moki's in Bernal Heights on Sunday.

the chatterbox: January 16, 2007

Yay, at long last, ~MISSION BEACH CAFÉ~ will be opening January 24, from style-maker extraordinaire Bill Clarke and baker badass Alan Carter, formerly of Chow. The bakery component will be up and running (can you say pie, popovers, and pastry?), plus Blue Bottle coffee will be offered, and gourmet sandwiches will be available for lunch. In three weeks after opening, expect to see appetizers, desserts, beer and wine in the evening, a more extensive lunch, Saturday and Sunday brunch, and they will also be ringing the dinner bell. But for now, release the pie! 198 Guerrero St. at 14th St., 415-861-0198.

The ever-charming and talented Mohamed Ghaleb has found new (and bigger) digs for his restaurant, ~TAJINE~. He's moving into the Sunny Café space (1338 Polk St. at Pine St., 415-921-1338), which will be closing at the end of the month. After a couple weeks of renovation, he hopes to reopen around the last week of February, and will serve lunch and dinner daily. You can then call me Merguez mama.

Just up the street on Polk, ~LA PARRILLA GRILL~ has reopened as of today! They are moving away from the full-service format, and are actually now a bit more casual—you'll just place your order at the counter instead (although a runner will still bring your food to your table). The prices have dropped, and the presentation of the food is also less "composed." The owner, Fernando, assured me that the tastiness, however, has not changed. (Hello gorditas. Oh, and birria made with lamb!) 10am-10pm Sun-Thu, until 12am Fri-Sat.1760 Polk St. at Washington St., 415-359-1212.

Okay gourmet salad munchers: a second ~MIXT GREENS~ location will be opening downtown by this May! They are really focused on making this new location extra efficient to help cut down on wait times (hey, that lunch break is precious). To that end, the new location will have a larger salad station, with six chefs instead of the four chefs they currently have in the original location, plus three cashiers for faster checkout. They are also getting a "green" delivery truck (it's electric) to increase their catering and delivery operation. Groovy. 475 Sansome St. at Commercial St.

So here's an update on ~NUA~, the Mediterranean restaurant and wine bar opening in North Beach—looks like they are about a month out from opening… the executive chef is Anna Bautista, a CCA grad who formerly cooked at Fifth Floor, Jardinière, and was the executive chef at The Public. 550 Green St. at Jasper Place (near Columbus), 415-433-4000.

Just next door will be ~SOTO MARE~, an oyster bar from Gigi Fiorucci and Giovanni Toracca. (Long story on why the name isn't "sotto" for you fellow Italian speakers out there.) There will also be other kinds of cold seafood available, like shrimp, salads, clams, plus clam chowder. (I'm also trying to convince them to serve Gigi's mother's recipe of pasta fagioli—a girl can dream.) There will be a long marble counter with room for 22 where you can slurp some bivalves while enjoying a beer or glass of wine. Fish will also be sold retail and wholesale. Opening is looking like February or March, and the hours will be something like 6am-6pm. 552 Green St. near Columbus.

~MIETTE CONFISERIE~, the modern candy store from the ladies at Miette at the FB is opening soon in Hayes Valley, like, Saturday the 27! Hours will be Tue-Sun, 11am-7pm. 449 Octavia St. at Linden, 415-626-6221.

Okay, I love this story—this is what happens when cool chefs get married! ~DANIEL PATTERSON~ of Coi just married his sweetheart, Alexandra Foote, an environmental lawyer, on January 6. The event was held at the Headlands Center for the Arts, which sounded like a unique and dreamy site for the event (yo brides-to-be out there, check it out!). Patterson cooked the rehearsal dinner for 35 the night before at COI, and did a lot of prep and planning for the reception dinner for 130. There were fab dishes like truffled Dungeness crab remoulade with chives, La Tercera heirloom chicory salad with shaved fennel and radish, and Grimaud guinea fowl breast lined with crepinette (and yes, there was one dish with foam: scallop tartare with caviar and avocado foam). Cheeses from Soyoung Scanlan at Andante, Hervé Mons, and Rolf Beeler followed the gourmet feast. Rose Levy Beranbaum came from NYC to make the "Dark Chocolate Passion" cake, which was as Daniel said, "the best wedding cake ever!" (Served with Blue Bottle coffee, natch.) Mandy Aftel made a custom-blended perfume of black pepper, pink grapefruit, cocoa, coffee, agarwood, cedar, nutmeg, and Peru balsam as a gift for guests, and everyone rocked out to the live tunes by Scissors for Lefty. The couple then enjoyed a honeymoon kicking back and keeping toasty at Jackson Hole, where they even went dog sledding, so cool. What a blast. Congrats to you both!

Okay, or a darker note, will the awful accidents with our city's dear restaurant staff please stop!? I can't believe I have two to write about, so please be sure to read about the benefits for both… I am sorry to report that Town Hall's bartender, ~HECTOR SAHAGUN~, was in a horrible taxi accident a little over a week ago. Below is the letter from a friend of his, Tom Finan, who is spearheading a "Pay It Forward" support drive for Hector. Please read below for how you can help—I also hear Town Hall will be doing a benefit for Hector at their big annual Mardi Gras event on February 20—stand by for more details on that next week.

According to his friend Tom, Hector is home convalescing and "Hector's face still has many apparent cuts, bumps and bruises. My friend Nick sums it up best when he says, 'I hear Hector's voice coming out of his body but I still do not see Hector.'" He also has braces for his legs, and is trying to rest and recover from all the terrible trauma he has sustained. Our thoughts are with you, Hector.

*Pay it Forward with a Random act of Kindness for Hector
*Definition: the act of voluntarily helping another without expectation of payback

Dear Friends,

Our friend Hector Sahagun is in the hospital following a horrific traffic accident. The accident occurred in San Francisco in the early morning hours of Thursday, January 04, 2007. Hector, a bartender, had just gotten off work and hailed a cab to head home. On 6th and Mission an SUV made an illegal maneuver thus creating a head on collision. Hector was pushed though the Plexiglas window in the cab and ended up in the passenger seat. The police were called and ambulances arrived on the scene.

When Nick and I visited Hector he was still in E.R and still covered in blood. His face was severely affected. The Doctors had already applied multiple stitches. Unfortunately, due to the amount of blood I could not make out where the stitches started and stopped, but all in all, it looked very severe. I believe his nose was also broken. He was also complaining of pain in his knees.

I am emailing you to ask for your help with resources, specifically financially. Hector has no medical insurance and from the looks of his condition will not be returning to work anytime soon. With that said I am requesting you to "pay it forward" and contribute financially to Hectors care.

If you have never been involved in a pay it forward it is very simple. Any amount is an important amount and deeply appreciated. If you can afford a larger donation, his rent will need to be paid. One of my goals from this email is to help raise enough financially that Hector will not have to worry about rent for 6 months. Hector also has a dog, Suzy, so we need to find a dog walker. Your funds will also help make this goal happen. Or if you yourself happen to have or know a dog walker, that information could also be helpful. There of course are also additional expenses not foreseen that your contributions will help defer.

Your help in giving towards Hector's recovery efforts has already started by you reading this email. Your next choice is to dig deep and see if you can contribute.

If you cannot contribute financially please contribute by forwarding this email to your own friends on your own email distribution list to give them the opportunity to pay it forward with this random act of kindness.

You can send any checks/mail/assistance to:
Hector Sahagun
c/o Tom Finan
3250 16th Street #5
SF, CA 94103
Thank you in advance of your kindness and well wishes for Hector.

-Tom Finan/415-225-7511
tfsfca [at] yahoo [dot] com

* Pay It Forward is about Trevor McKinney, a twelve-year-old boy in a small California town who accepts the challenge that his teacher gives his class, a chance to earn extra credit by coming up with a plan to change the world for the better—and to put that plan into action. What is his idea? Trevor chooses three people for whom he will do a favor, and then when those people thank him and ask how they might pay him back, he will tell them that instead of paying him back, they should each "pay it forward" by choosing three people for whom they can do favors, and in turn telling those people to pay it forward. It's nothing less than a human chain letter of kindness and good will.

The second tragic accident is in regards to ~LANCE BELL~—please see this week's charity event in the socialite below to see how you can help.

the regular: Goood Frikin' Chicken

Like, you talkin' to me? Oh, so you got a hankering for some chicken? You want some frickin' chicken? FINE, you can have your frickin' chicken! All you have to do is get a membership at Costco for their obscenely tasty but so NOT organic crack-injected sodium-boosted rotisserie chicken, or forget all that mayhem and go hit the bizarrely named ~GOOOD FRIKIN' CHICKEN~ (and no, that extra "o" is not a mistake, nor is the new-style spelling of frickin').

This is one of those joints in the Outer Mission I've been meaning to hit for some time (I have to say, the parking out there really does my head in—I've spent 45 minutes fruitlessly looking for a parking spot on summertime El Rio Sundays, and it's a long and windy haul on my bike, Peach One). So a chef pal got me all fired up to go hit GFC (nope, no Colonel here) one night with her girlfriend, and I even got picked up and dropped off, so color me stoked. Frickin' sweet.

Since my pals are GFC pros, I was in good hands. Here's how you do it: go for the fried cheese to start (it was like the awesome Halloumi cheese you find in Greece, bliss), and eat some of the four hunks of blistered tangy cheese with your salad that you're gonna end up getting as one of the sides with your chicken (just push the out-of–season tomatoes to the side—it was wintertime when we ate there).

Yup, it's time to engage in a lip lock with your frickin' chicken: the open flame chicken is the way to go. My pro pals know to order it extra crispy (now we all know). The complete meal gets you a salad and one side dish ($8.75 for half, and $15.75 for a whole chicken). It's $6.45 for a half chicken a la carte, or $11.45 for a whole bird. Instead of opting for the pilaf or mac and cheese sides, go for the garlicky hummus or smoky baba ghannoush.

But hold that chicken leg for one second, because I have two caveats here. First: this chicken is pretty darned good, but still does not compare to the chicken fabulousity that is Zankou in L.A. I miss that frickin' chicken like a long-lost parent, Flying Saucer, and my now-discontinued Dior red lipstick, all rolled into one. That chicken is the straight-up chicken heavyweight champ, with a big ole shiny belt on. (Peck peck, it will kill you.)

Second: the hummus and baba g are good, but that frickin' Mediterranean Spirit has totally ruined me on both those counts. Oh, and I can't even order chicken shawerma anywhere else either. Oh, and falafel too! Fie on you, Mediterranean Spirit! Must you ruin it for everyone? And why aren't you in my neighborhood?! Criminy.

I digress. All this frickin' talk has me fired up. But for the record, GFC also has shawerma (chicken or lamb), falafel (also available in a vegetarian combo plate), and chicken or beef kebabs. Everything is like $7.25 or under, a la carte.

Okay, so this chicken was hella tasty, with an herbal marinade that it rests in overnight. I always go for dark meat, so my pieces were juicy fo sho. I loved the complimentary griddled pita dusted with zaatar and doused in olive oil. (Trust, you'll end up ordering more.) Be sure you get the garlic dip (to keep away vampires, right?), ask for the spicy sauce too, and I say dispense with the silverware and just get in there. Everything is dusted in herbs, from the chicken to the pita to the salad. You will be too.

But wait! Let's not forget the mosakhan ($6.45 a la carte/$8.75 meal)! What is this, you ask, this mysterious mosakhan? It's like the grandmaster Mediterranean mother ship: a juicy pile of chicken that has been cooked with soft golden onions, sumac, olive oil, and pine nuts, all wrapped up in lavash like a burrito and grilled to crispy perfection. Mother of God, the mosakhan is totally a goldmine of goodness, the mack, the man, the mosakhan. It was frickin' delicious. Here I am, writing this thing at 11:30pm and now I am totally frickin' hangry.

Didn't make it to dessert since we could barely finish the bounty. But I am so going back to try the kenafeh ($4.25), a dessert made with thin shredded pastry, sweet cheese, and honey syrup. I had a variation of this at Troya and loved it. There's also rice pudding ($2.25), warbaat ($1.95/phyllo dough puffs with orange blossom syrup), and two kinds of baklava ($1.65-$1.95).

The space is pretty big, lit like a doctor's office, and has some pastoral murals of the old country on the walls. But what you cannot help studying is the totally hot frickin' waitress. Can't vouch for all of them, but this one was full-on babe incarnate. Seriously, I was considering for a hot minute what a lifetime as frequent customers at Good Vibrations would look like. But then one look at the meaty mosakhan reminded me I really do prefer boys. Hey, it was fun to consider.

So, speaking of human nature, if nature calls, prepare for a fun little adventure walk out the back door and down some stairs. Perhaps it's related to their weird slogan, "Weee…do chicken best." And while I would say that's quite a bold statement, they certainly do chicken pretty frickin' well.

Goood Frikin' Chicken
10 29th St.
Cross: Mission St.
San Francisco, CA 94110

415-970-2428
website

Mon-Thu 11am-11pm
Fri 11am-12am
Sat 12pm-12am
Sun 12pm-9pm

Entrées $5.25-$15.75
Desserts $1.65-$4.25

the lush: Mercury Appetizer Bar

The divey Luau Bar & Grill in Cow Hollow is almost done transforming into the intimate ~MERCURY APPETIZER BAR~ that is one part restaurant, one part lounge, and one part bar. The space features distressed hardwood floors, a brick wall, treated metal art pieces, and a polished stainless bar with hardwood borders that seats 14.

Brandon Clements (formerly the bar manager at MECCA) is the GM; he met Mercury's chef and one of the partners, Dominic Ainza, during their time working together at Betelnut (Ainza is currently doing double duty, cooking at Poleng Lounge too). They are just ramping up, but the menu of Asian small plates includes some Filipino faves, like lumpia ($7, five dumplings of pork sausage and a whole shrimp with the tail still on) and ginger beef ($12), bites of filet mignon served over sweet potato fries. You can check out the appetizing menu here (yes, pun intended).

Drinks also feature some Asian flair, with homemade syrups made with lemongrass and ginger. There's also a lavender martini and Thai basil gimlet on the menu, plus additional composed drinks like the Chai Iced Tea, made with Phillips Union Vanilla Whiskey, Voyant Chai Cream Liqueur, Thai tea, and half & half.

In a couple weeks they will be kicking off weekend brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

Things are still getting worked out, but it sounds like it's shaping up to be a nice late-night addition to the neighborhood.

Mercury Appetizer Bar
1434 Lombard St.
Cross: Van Ness Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94123

415-922-1434
website

Bar:
Mon-Sat 5:30/6pm-2am

Kitchen:
Mon-Thu 6pm-11pm/12am
Fri-Sat 6pm-1am
Sat-Sun brunch (in Feb.)

the wino: Paul Einbund on Madeira

Poor Madeira….or should I say pour Madeira? by Paul Einbund

It's been three years since Paul Einbund moved from Los Angeles to San Francisco—he has no plans of changing locales since he is now partners with chef Daniel Patterson at COI restaurant. He had previously been at Tartare and then had a brief stint at bacar. Sake, Lambic, tea, Madeira, wine, if it's liquid then he wants to taste it! Demystifying! Emboldening! Imbibing! Paul invites you to join him in the lounge for a bite to eat or a glass of something from what is becoming one of the city's most interesting beverage programs.

In my mind there could be nothing more exciting in the entire world to drink than Madeira. When else can we experience a wine from 30, 50 or even 170 years ago without completely breaking the bank, this is exactly what we can do with… Madeira!

Most people think of this succulent caramelized elixir exclusively as a mere cooking wine, but no! Behold! Imagine the best aspects of a tawny port: caramel, toffee, and tropical fruits blended with the soft and more round characteristics of a sweet sherry.

Here's what you need to know. The four major grapes, in order from driest to more sweet, are: Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, and Malmsey (also called Malvasia/Malvazia). The drier end of the spectrum can be great as an aperitif or with foods like stews and braised meats, while the sweeter wines are the best pairing for cheese, or even in lieu of dessert. Personally, I like to end the evening with a glass of something slightly sweet once I get home (but before I settle in for cozy nighty-night time).

When it comes to pairing Madeira with food, think of it this way: we are used to cooking with the stuff, but instead of adding it to the dish before it's done, drink a glass with the finished product, and check out how it adds that extra spice that was missing before!

One of the great aspects of Madeira is that this is a "cooked wine." The wines are aged in rooms that are heated by the sun for many years, with the end result being a wine that is nearly indestructible… seriously, you could stick this stuff in your oven and once it cools down (yikes!) it will be perfectly fine.

Or more importantly, the wine doesn't degrade for at least a year after it has been opened. "Yeah, but what does that mean to me?," you may ask. Open a super expensive bottle of Madeira, but have no fear, it's not going to go bad before you finish it. It's okay, take your time. Heck, you could even save it for a special occasion (like bed time!). This indestructibility makes Madeira the ultimate wine by the glass in a restaurant because it doesn't matter when the bottle was opened, it won't go bad.

But here's the downside: in the ten years since I have been a sommelier, the availability of good vintage Madeira has dwindled from little to next to none. It's hard to find but when you see it, buy it. For most of the really old wines, you have to be on a list and when they are bottled (to order) and shipped to the US of A they call you and let you know. But sometimes you can stumble across a bottle or two. The best place to find Madeira has got to be the Rare Wine Company, though one or two other importers also bring some into the country.

The moral of the story is drink Madeira! The odds are good it will be in great condition, no matter the storage temperature or when it was opened and gosh darn it, it just tastes good!

the socialite: Benefit for Lance Bell

I received the notice about this benefit from a friend in the industry—he tells me ~LANCE BELL~ was previously living and working in New Orleans as a bartender for a Kimpton property when Hurricane Katrina devastated his home and work. My friend was managing at Scala's Bistro, and offered Lance a job and to move him to SF through a Kimpton employee transfer program. Lance loved the City and his coworkers so much that he decided to stay and make SF his new home. And now, sadly, tragedy strikes again.

Benefit Party for Lance Bell "Bring Chocolate Love Back"

On Monday, January 1st, Lance Bell, a truly generous and caring person, was taken to General Hospital after being found unconscious. He had received several blows to the head. Lance remains in the hospital still unable to speak and faces a long road to complete rehabilitation. Please come help us raise money to aid and support Lance and his family during this difficult and stressful time.

All those who attend will receive a raffle ticket to win fabulous prizes. There will also be both a silent auction and "bid for a date with a bachelor" (please no credit cards). DJ Roy Oblivion will keep the festivities hopping until 2am. We invite all those who know Lance and those who haven't yet had the chance to meet him to come out for a night of fun and excitement.

Raffle and Silent Auction donations from Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, Roy's, Tortilla Heights, Vino Venue, Cheese Steak Shop, Ceja Wines, Frascati, Southern Wine and Spirits, Pacific Wine and Spirits.

Catered dinner by Chef Michel Koenig Grgich Hills, Cafe Du Nord, Swiss Garage.

For questions or donations, email: aidlance [at] yahoo [dot] com

Benefit for Lance Bell
Wed., January 17, 2007

Gravity
3251 Scott St.
Cross: Chestnut St.
San Francisco, CA 94123

website

8:30pm-2am

$10 door donation

the socialite: Coturri Winemaker and Mushroom Dinner at Millennium

Millennium is hosting their third annual ~COTURRI WINEMAKER DINNER~, featuring naturally made wines from Coturri Vineyards and a serious night o' shrooming. Come in and meet the folks behind Coturri Family Wines and experience wine and mushrooms like never before—like five courses of 'em!


Coturri Winemaker and Mushroom Dinner
Wed., Jan. 24th, 2007

Millennium Restaurant
580 Geary St.
Cross: Jones St.
San Francisco, CA 94102

website

Call Erica to reserve your space.
Reservations are limited.
415-345-3900 x11

Sparkling wine reception 6pm-6:30pm
Dinner served promptly@ 6:30pm

$75
gratuity & tax not included

the socialite: Navarra Gastronomic Week

No, you don't need me to tell you Spain is hot. And lucky us, ~NAVARRA GASTRONOMIC WEEK~ kicks off January 27 in San Francisco, which means thirteen restaurants will be offering menus highlighting Navarra's unique traditional dishes and local wines. So prepare your palate for Piquillo red peppers and a Navarrese wine, like one from the Bodegas Inurrieta, Monjardin, Alzania vineyards to accompany a hunk of some Navarra cheese, like Roncal or Idiazabal.

NOTE: There is also a wine seminar and wine pairing dinner at the Palace Hotel on Feb. 1 and a culinary exhibition at the CIA at Greystone on Feb. 2. For more details, click here.

Participating restaurants in SF are:

AQUA, 252 California St. (bet. Battery & Front Sts.), 415-956-9662

B44, 44 Belden Pl., (bet. Bush & Pine Sts.), 415-986-6287

BOCADILLOS, 710 Montgomery St. (Washington St.), 415-982-2622

CAFÉ TARTINE, 244 Gough St., 415-553-4595

PIPERADE, 1015 Battery St. (Green St.), 415-391-2555

RUBICON, 558 Sacramento St. (bet. Montgomery & Sansome Sts.), 415-434-4100

SCOTT HOWARD, 500 Jackson St. (Montgomery St.), 415-956-7040

ZARZUELA, 2000 Hyde St. (Union St.), 415-346-0800



Outside the City:

CÉSAR, 4039 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, 510-883-0222

CÉSAR, 1515 Shattuck Ave. (bet. Cedar & Vine Sts.), Berkeley, 510-883-0222

INSALATA'S, 120 Sir Francis Drake, San Anselmo, 415 457-7700

PICCO, 320 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur, 415-924-http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.bold.gif0300

SABOR OF SPAIN, 1301 Fourth St., San Rafael, 415-457-8466



About Navarra:
The region of Navarra in the north of Spain borders the Basque Country, La Rioja, Aragon, and the Pyrenees which makes it a vital part of El Camino de Santiago, (Saint James Way). This ancient kingdom's rich history leaves its legacy within medieval villages and festivals such as the famous San Fermin in Pamplona – eight days of bull running celebrated each July and immortalized by Hemingway in The Sun Also Rises.

Navarra's unusual past and diverse topography has made it an attraction for "off the beaten" path travelers and food and wine aficionados. Graced with cool uplands and sun-drenched fertile valleys Navarra produces superb culinary products and wines of the highest quality. The old Kingdom of Navarra has preserved its royal nobility in a rich tradition of food and wine.

Navarra Gastronomic Week
January 27-February 4, 2007

Various locations

website

the starlet: January 16, 2007

Jeremy Piven was spotted outside the recently relocated Fior d'Italia. According to a tablehopper reader, it looked like he was just wrapping up lunch, and had the black chauffeured SUV ready and waiting.

So, if you were Gary Danko and were gonna throw a party for your big 5-0, this is what it would look like: a buyout of supperclub, with 170 guests kicking it in their socks (many sporting bhindis) and digging the scene (and the five-course meal). What guests, you inquire? How about Renee and Carl Behnke of Sur la Table, Connie and Andy Debbane from Zarzuela, the Ritz Carlton's Jean-Pierre Dubray, Cameron and Gerald Hirigoyen of Piperade and Bocadillos, NOPA's Laurence Jossel and Allyson Woodman, Chantal and Hubert Keller of Fleur de Lys, Tor and Susan Kenward of Tor Kenward Vineyards, Ed and Mary Etta Moose of Moose's, La Folie's Roland and Jamie Passot, Carol and John Sebastiani of Sebastiani Vineyards, Delfina's Craig and Anne Stoll, Augustin Huneeus of Quintessa winery, and Joanne Weir. You can check out pics here (be forewarned, there are 757 of 'em).

Okay, it really was the week of power gourmands: Alice Waters was spotted at Delica rf-1 over the weekend (yes, she was wearing a hat), and Ruth Reichl had dinner at Kokkari (no, she was not wearing a wig, those days are over.)

Shelley Long aka the apple of Sam Malone's eye was spotted at Allegro Romano. Uh, Cheers!

And my favorite sighting for some time: Marc Jacobs was in Lulu last week.

the chatterbox: January 9, 2007

Lovebirds take note: after almost five years of business (Valentine's Day would have been the five-year anniversary), ~L'AMOUR DANS LE FOUR~ is now closed: the building the restaurant was located in was sold and is becoming a real estate office. Partners Laurent Bornier, Adrienne Fair, and her husband, Blaise Bourdais, are sad about the closure, and are currently seeking another location. The last dinner was served on New Year's Eve, but they will be catering a Valentine's Day dinner at the Glas Kat from 7pm-9pm. That night is Bondage-a-Go-Go, so any of you latex lovers out there might want to consider this dinner option, called "Menage a Trois"—for more info and reservations, call the restaurant's old number (415-775-2134).

A couple switcheroos in pastry chef land: Ted Nugent from ~PERBACCO~ scooted over to ~SCALA'S~ last week; he has already added hazelnut panna cotta with oranges and honey to the menu, along with salted caramel gelato, and warm gingerbread with pears and sabayon. At Perbacco, Staffan Terje will be handling the desserts for now—the position might not be filled. And after three weeks at ~AZIZA~, things weren't working out for both sides, so Shuna Fish Lydon is swimming elsewhere, destination unknown.

Sommelier Shana Dilworth is leaving ~CAMPTON PLACE~ in mid February. She will take a month to prepare for the MS exam in the middle of March, and is then relocating to Europe. Good luck to her, her warmth and style will be missed!

Out in the Richmond, the owner of ~BISTRO CLEMENT~ has sold the business. It will most likely be open until the end of January. The new owner will be reopening the business soon thereafter as the ~BEEHIVE CAFÉ~; more on this as details emerge. 127 Clement St. at 3rd Ave.

Quick update on ~FARINA~ in the Mission (the Liguarian restaurant and focaccia bakery moving into the old Anna's Danish Cookies spot on 18th Street): it's looking like March for the opening. Stand by…

Noticed a new café in the Mission that is opening this Friday: ~KAPÉ~ (which is Tagalog/Filipino for "café"). The space has an eclectic colonial look, with brightly colored armchairs that look quite comfy, warm wood floors, a trio of black glass chandeliers above the counter, marble tables, and other cozy touches like plants and woven baskets. They will start serving coffee from Mr. Espresso and special Chinese teas (like the blooming flower ones), plus French pastries from Patisserie Philippe (which still has not opened). Once permits go through, they will also be making soups, salads, and sandos. Wi-Fi will be offered, and folks are sure to linger in this well-lit corner space. 6am-9:30pm daily. 16th Street at Dehon (between Church and Sanchez).

The folks at ~CAFÉ MARITIME~ have a few groovy deals in store: first up, for you boozehounds, there's a happy hour as "real as a $2 bill." Every night, from 5:30pm-7pm, you get $2 off on all drinks, every night of the week. So when you order a beer, a glass of wine, or even a Man Overboard (one of their signature cocktails), your drink will be served on a $2 bill "coaster." I wish more bars did this—I'd almost be rich. There are also some $5 bar apps that will be available, like fish tacos, plus $1 oysters (holla!).

And for you prime rib lovers (that includes me, hell yes), starting today is Prime Rib Tuesdays. For $24.95, you get your choice of house-made clam chowder or their "BLT" wedge salad with blue cheese dressing, shrimp, and bacon, plus some juicy prime rib, twice-baked potato, and creamed spinach. Mmmmm, prime rib. And if you feel like being a little more old school, you can order a $5 martini (vodka or gin) to go with the original comfort meal. 2417 Lombard St. at Scott St., 415-885-2530.

Just a few doors down in the Edward II Bed and Breakfast is ~BLOOMERS~, a small pub/café on the ground floor of the hotel that recently started serving up some rather legit English pub fare. The menu includes a variety of pasties, from Cornish to curried meat or vegetable, plus bangers and mash, and shepherd's pie, which are served with real Heinz baked beans or Batchelors Mushy Peas and mashed potatoes with Bisto Gravy (skip the side salad served with bottled dressing). There's also Cadbury's flake chocolate with vanilla ice cream for dessert. But the real standouts are the Indian specialties, like the feisty meat or veggie samosas with a refreshing raita, and the keema curry, served with some authentic heat and seasoning (the friendly owner, Jai Das, and his wife, the chef, have roots in the Gujarat region, in the south of India). The ambiance is definitely a little lacking (bright inquisition-like lights, standard issue yellow poly-blend tablecloths, weird photos of the owner with girls in bikinis, not many fellow diners), but if you're in the 'hood and you get a hankering for a pastie and a pint, they are open Tue-Sat from 11am-9pm. 3155 Scott St. at Lombard St., 415-922-3000.

A few openings to report: first, breaking all restaurant renovation speed records, is ~TWO~ (22 Hawthorne St., 415-777-9779) the restaurant formerly known as Hawthorne Lane, which is opening this Thursday. Expect a palette of earth tones with some groovy retro design elements, and a new eclectic soundtrack to boot. In the front room, a copper-clad center bar with a concrete top will be encircled with full-backed leather barstools, along with lights hanging overhead that are made of coconut. The dining room will feature tall banquettes along the perimeter, and there will also be a communal table made of solid acacia wood that will seat 14 at its long benches and two wingback chairs on the ends. At the communal table, guests can enjoy a prix-fixe two-course menu along with a terzo of wine (about 1 1/2 glasses) for $25. (The menu changes daily, and the table is available first-come, first-served.)

You can take a peek at a PDF of TWO's appetizing new menu of affordable, casual, and seasonal dishes here (wait until you try the bacon and egg raviolo with spinach and brown butter, it's illegally good). There will also be some tasty yet affordable wines available through their unique "en-vrac" wine program, presenting several house wines (two red, two white) tapped from the barrels. Custom-blended for TWO by winemaker Jim Neal of Jim Neal Wine Company, the wine en vrac, meaning "in bulk," will allow guests to enjoy perfect barrel-aged wine at approximately half the usual cost of house wine. Cheers!

~MISSION PIE~ (2901 Mission St. at 25th St.) is open and ready to greet you with coffee and treats, and ~HAYES AND KEBAB~ (406 Hayes St. at Gough St., 415-861-2977) has fired up the spits and is ready to ply you with gyros and falafel and moussaka, and oh yeah, kebabs.

fresh meat: LarkCreekSteak

The mall isn't usually on the top of my preferred dining destinations list, nor am I a fan of chain restaurants, but the meal I recently had at ~LARKCREEKSTEAK~ definitely made me reconsider my "rules" (and I really don't have many dining rules, except no fast food, which is soundly broken about once a year when I hit the drive-through, guiltily ordering up an Egg McMuffin and hash browns—blame it on the hangover).

So here we are, on the fourth floor of the Westfield Centre (don't you dare call it Center), about to enter Mister Bradley Ogden's and Mister Michael Dellar's latest venture, and I'll be damned if my nose didn't quiver. The smell of smoke and char and grill and meat was wafting through the intimate dining room, and it awakened a very visceral part of me, the one that suddenly wanted some MEAT. NOW. I felt like I was about to bust out a Teen Wolf transformation right there in the booth.

Fortunately, this place doesn't make you wait for long for some meat: after a small shot of a nonalcoholic palate cleanser (one night it was pomegranate with apple cider soda), some warm biscuits arrive at the table, with a spread of pecan butter, maple syrup, and andouille sausage. Yeah, you heard right: meat butter. I would not protest if this becomes a nationwide trend. Meat butter: it's what's for breakfast.

When you hear "mall" and "steakhouse," you wouldn't exactly expect to find an appetizer like Dungeness crab salad and cauliflower panna cotta ($12) on the menu, would you? It was a delicate layered dish, with a minute and precise dice of Fuji apple, with madras curry, chunks of crab, and a bright carrot emulsion made with crème fraîche on top. Welcome to steakhouse 2007, baby. While this isn't exactly Craftsteak or CUT, it's certainly not like our other old school carnivorous outposts around town, either. (Ruth's Chris anyone? Didn't think so.)

Splurges include the carpaccio of marbled Wagyu ribeye from Masami Farms ($17) that almost looked like salame Toscana with its luscious fattiness, offset with the tangy bite of caper berries, cool hearts of palm, peppery radish and micro arugula, and shards of rich Parmigiano. A touch too much salt on the meat, but otherwise a well-balanced starter.

Celebrate your non-Chicago residency with the foie gras ($19), served with thick sear marks (and flavor) from the wood grill and a dusting of salt flakes, plus a petite round of fruit bread pudding and a perfect poached pear that rivaled some of the poached pears I have tasted in haute restaurants—not a hint of mealiness, and the picture of the season. In fact, many dishes here highlight what's in season—it's like a modern Cal-French steakhouse.

At this point, I was like, whoa, my pinky is raising a little. The food here is seriously elegant and packing a pedigree: gastriques, mirepoix, emulsions… The gentleman behind all these classy touches and details is Chef Jeremy Bearman, who was formerly the Executive Sous Chef at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Vegas, and Executive Sous Chef at Daniel Boulud's db Bistro Moderne in New York. Yup, Bearman has chops, and he knows what to do with them, too. A chef of his caliber can't be satisfied with a menu solely of steaks and chops—so be sure to dabble around in the apps for a taste of Bearman's flair and talent.

You'll also find some Ogden classics on the menu, like a Caesar salad, and a Yankee pot roast in the $29 prix-fixe dinner. One dish that didn't measure up was the basket of fried Ipswich clams ($15)—they arrived over-breaded and lukewarm. I also have an issue with doilies on a plate, which was what the basket of oysters was resting on. Doilies should be outlawed, unless you are using one to make a Valentine.

There is also a pan-roasted sweetbread ($15) that might give some folks pause—you read it correctly, you get one big sweetbread. It was a spotlessly clean one, mind you, and quite a refined dish, with accompanying players of roasted endive, parsnip puree, and grapefruit segments that all had their part in the performance. But unless you've been eating in a bouchon recently, you may find the big ole sweetbread is definitely unabashed in its presence, unlike other places around town that tend to serve them at a more diminutive size.

Another honking presentation was the pork chop ($25)—what arrives is a Fred Flintstone-sized bone-in chop. Like, wham, there it is. Wiillllma! Granted, this hulking piece of meat is an Eden Farms Berkshire chop that has been slow-roasted for three hours, but whew, it cuts a serious form. Like, dude, you been working out lately?

Our server mentioned some folks are put off by how pink it is, thinking it's underdone, not knowing that pork doesn't have to be lifeless and grey to be done. Think pink, people. It's totally delicious, with a jasmine rice, pecan, and dried cranberry pilaf underneath, and a drizzling of whole-grain mustard that completes the porky portrait. (This is the pork that shows up in the Cubano sandwiches at lunch.)

So, where's the beef? Oh, it's here, let me assure you. The menu features prime across the board, from New York strip (9 oz. $26/14 oz. $36) to bone-in ribeye (16 oz. $35/dry aged 16 oz. $42) to a 28 oz. porterhouse for two ($39). All sorts of purveyors were sourced for each cut of meat—the best purveyor for each cut would win, so what you're getting is straight-up beef perfection that is then grilled masterfully over fruitwood and charcoal embers.

I tried the bone-in ribeye, and the smoke on it was subtle, savory, on pointe. The steak was ridiculously juicy and tender, and fully delivered on the promise of the meaty fragrance when I first walked in. I think I have found my perfect steak in SF. It's moments like these that really remind me why I eat meat, and crave meat. The side of grilled chicory and red onion was a nice touch that reminded me of a good spinach salad made with bacon drippings—I didn't even consider the complimentary side sauces, like the signature sauce, béarnaise, garlic butter, horseradish, Maytag blue cheese butter… talk about gilding the lily.

Since the steaks and chops are served a la carte, of course there are a ton of sides, like beer-braised Brussels sprouts, creamed spinach, mascarpone polenta, and six other options from which you can choose two, for $7. The sprouts and spinach didn't particularly send me—I'd rather save my calories and precious space for the starters instead. (Like I’m really counting calories, har.)

In case you haven't gathered this already, the menu is pretty huge: there are also salads, soups, seafood, poultry, and oh yeah, let's not forget the dessert cart. Yeah, there's a big ole cart piled high with treats that looks like something out of Willy Wonka. And Pastry Chef Chona Piumarta is out to get you.

The chocolate hazelnut napoleon is four layers of pure evil, including a crispy bottom layer that put me over the edge, made with salt, praline paste, dark and bittersweet chocolate, and yes, crunched Rice Krispies. Other unexpected elements include sprinklings of candied carrot with the scrumptious carrot-pineapple cake, and the Meyer lemon cheesecake comes with spiced pistachios.

I haven't had desserts with these kinds of touches in a while, and all of them are well composed—it's about the balance of all the flavors converging together, from the salty layer with the chocolate, to the acidity of the lemon with the cheesecake. And all of them are only $5 (a nice respite after what you just coughed up for that steak, even after opting for the smaller 9 oz. size).

The wine list is all-American, with a number of good choices by the glass that won't break the bank, and others worth spending a little more on. Service can appear a little scattered or disjointed at some moments (getting a glass of wine may prove to be a lengthy process), but it was also friendly and knowledgeable.

The main room is actually quite small, with only room for 68 under the wood-beamed ceiling that gives it a barn-like quality, along with the pastoral artwork featuring hay bales that appear Thiebaud-like (if he wasn't so obsessed with cakes) and a playful room divider of flowers and grass made of glass and steel. There is also a spacious private room that just opened, the Larkspur Room, which can seat 36.

The crowd is casual, made up of a hodgepodge of power shoppers, families, couples out on a date, and post-work types unwinding in the bar area. Personally, I think the ringside seats at the (amazingly quiet) exhibition kitchen are the way to go—you could pick up some top-notch grill tips, and lord knows this is the place to do so.

LarkCreekSteak

Westfield Centre
845 Market St.
4th floor/Suite 402
Cross: 5th St.
San Francisco, CA 94103

415-593-4100
website

Lunch
Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm
Sat-Sun 11am-2:30pm

Dinner
Sun-Thu 5pm-9pm
Fri-Sat 5pm-10pm

Apps $9-$19
Entrées $19-$43
Desserts $5

the socialite: North Berkeley Wine Tasting at the W Hotel

Photo courtesy of North Berkeley Wine

Winos, here's a playpen for you: ~NORTH BERKELEY WINE~ is hosting an exclusive wine tasting at the W Hotel. They import from France, Italy and South America from small production winemakers, artisans really, who generally own their vineyards, hand harvest and create handcrafted, quality wines. Six of their top producers are making the trip for this event and will be available for questions, discussion, and tasting with over forty wines presented, from affordable table wine to Grand Cru Pinot Noir to top-end Châteauneuf-du-Pape to pre-release Barolo, among others. The tasting will be catered by XYZ restaurant.

Present at the event will be:
• Frederic Magnien, Morey-St.-Denis: Magnien is undoubtedly one of the top winemakers in Burgundy today. The fifth generation of a long line of Burgundy vignerons, Magnien not only makes wine under his own label, but also is the winemaker for his father's domaine, Michel Magnien.

• Jean-Laurent and Jean-Dominique Vacheron, Sancerre: A dynamic team from Sancerre, these two cousins craft some of the finest, terroir-driven, organically produced Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir in the Loire Valley.

• Sylvie Vacheron and Bruno Gaspard, Châteauneuf-du-Pape: A leading domaine in the southern Rhône, Domaine du Caillou crafts noble Châteauneuf wines and outstanding Côtes du Rhône cuvées that are consistently praised every vintage by the wine press.

• Marco Parusso, Piedmont: An uncompromising artist, Parusso is a terroir specialist—his many holdings in Piedmont are some of the finest vineyards around. World-class Barolo, classic, vibrant Barbera, terroir-driven Nebbiolo—there is nothing that Parusso can't do.

• Andrea Crocenzi, Le Marche: Proprietor/grower Andrea Crocenzi has pushed winemaking to new heights at this Italian winery that overlooks the Adriatic, with lower yields and more natural vinification. You'll be dazzled by his juicy Montepulciano and his zesty Verdicchio cuvées.

• Sergio Reyes, Chile: From one of the premier organic/biodynamic estates in Chile today, Reyes is an expert in natural winemaking processes and represents a new wave of artisans dedicated to crafting quality, terroir-driven Chilean wines.

North Berkeley Wine Tasting
Wed., Jan. 10, 2007

W Hotel
181 3rd St.
Cross: Howard St.
San Francisco, CA 94103

Reservations required
800-266-6585

6pm-9pm

$125 per person

the socialite: Slow Food on Film San Francisco

~SLOW FOOD ON FILM SAN FRANCISCO~, joined by Berkeley filmmakers Emiko Omori and Jed Riffe, present the documentary, "Ripe for Change." This fascinating film explores the intersection of food and politics in California over the last 30 years. It illuminates the complex forces struggling for control of the future of California's agriculture, and provides provocative commentary by a wide array of eloquent farmers, prominent chefs, and noted authors and scientists. We will begin to look for answers to questions like, what are the hidden costs of "inexpensive" food? And, how do we create sustainable agricultural practices?

Slow Food on Film
Sat., Jan. 13, 2007

California College of the Arts
San Francisco Campus
450 Irwin Street
San Francisco

6pm screening & panel
8:15pm wine reception

Tickets through Brown Paper Tickets

Slow Food SF site

$10 for Slow Food members
$15 non-members

the starlet: January 9, 2007

Chris Isaak was spotted last week at Foreign Cinema.

And this is in the "why not" category: Andy Garcia was spotted at Destino a couple MONTHS ago. Yeah, that's seriously old news. But it's how we roll here in SF.

the chatterbox: January 02, 2007

>So some of you know I truck around the city on my bike unless it’s raining or I’m in heels (that’s when the red Italian with four wheels comes into play). So I was more than thrilled to discoverDivisadero will soon have its own bike shop-meets-café this year, ~MOJO BICYCLE CAFÉ~. The Tang-colored building on Divis was everything from a TV repair shop to a beauty parlor over the years, but is being completely gutted to make room for this totally cool concept from Remy Nelson and John McDonnell. Mojo will start serving coffee early in the morning, and plans on having some tasty pastries to offer as well. In the back you’ll find a bike shop, and at last, a cool place to repair your bike that isn’t in the Mission. So if you pop a flat or just get thirsty for a drank while pedaling “The Wiggle,” you’ll soon have a nearby spot to chill. They will also have a well-crafted beer and wine list, plus some daily specials, from sandwiches to stews. The shop is slated to open by February, and the café portion will be soon thereafter. 639-A Divisadero St. between Hayes and Grove, 415-440-2338.

~PAUL EINBUND~, formerly the sommelier at bacar, was originally going to embark on a project of his own, but since that fell through, you’ll find him at COI, where he is now a partner. He started mid-December, and is busy boosting the wine list to “awesome” status, and getting the service really tight. (Einbund is also a big fan of Madeira—look for a growing collection there.) They are also aiming to pump the lounge business, which I personally think is one of the best deals in the city.

Just to put a rumor to rest that keeps popping into my inbox: Dennis Leary is not leaving or closing ~CANTEEN~ anytime soon. The only change is Canteen has closed for breakfast during the week, and Leary is taking a couple days off this first week of January. But as the man himself said, “That's about the only time my restaurant will be dark for the next three years” (which is how long the option is on his lease).

A couple more things to put to bed: for the record, I tend not to write about things until the deal is done. So that wine and panino shop some of you thought ~A16~ was going to open on Chestnut? The deal didn’t work out, so for now we’ll need to sit tight until they find a new location on that project. As for Calvin Schneiter selling ~ANDALU~, well, unfortunately that deal didn’t pan out either. He said he has mixed emotions about it—it’s been five years since he opened Andalu, so while he was excited to take a break from the restaurant, now that his baby is remaining to be his, he’s geared up to make some tweaks and fine-tunings.

Some of you Lower Haight denizens have probably been wondering what’s up with ~THE GRIND~. After ten years of business, the owner decided a remodel was in order. Shiny new kitchen, new counter, new chairs, floors, paint job, the works. Here’s the funny thing: I never knew this place has such an extensive menu! Tons of sandwiches, salads, and even breakfast! And I thought it was just a coffee shop. It’s set to reopen on January 8. 783 Haight St. at Scott St., 415-864-0955.

Sausage alert: ~UNDERDOG~ has opened in the Inner Sunset. This organic sausage joint also has a bunch of vegan and vegetarian options, with organic condiments, buns, the whole nine yards. Plus tater tots. And salads. Oh, and bonus points: the utensils and packaging are biodegradable. 1634 Irving St. at 17th Ave., 415-665-8881.

The French have been busy this December: ~LA TERRASSE~ opened in the Presidio (215 Lincoln Blvd. at Graham St., 415-922-DINE) and ~AMELIE~, the wine bar on Polk St. has also opened (1754 Polk St. at Washington St., 415-292-6916). ~PRESIDIO SOCIAL CLUB~ has also opened for dinner—they will expand to all-day dining in February. Oh, and bonus—you’ll find Thad Vogler acting as Colonel Drink over there (yes, that’s his title), and Zoi Antonitsas (of Bovolo in Healdsburg, and the former Bizou) as Commanding General de Cuisine. Ten hup! Presidio’s Lombard Gate at Lyon St., Building 563, Ruger St., 415-885-1888.

the regular: My Tofu House

Man, this week was freaking cold. My icebox, excuse me, my Edwardian
apartment was chilling me to the marrow. I can’t believe I actually
had to go to bed with socks on. Wooly ones. I could do double duty
and turn this place into a meat locker, seriously. “Oh, hey, mister
cable man. Yeah, just move that side of beef aside and you’ll find
the cable box. See, right there. Yeah, sorry about the smell.”

It’s in times like these when a space heater, mittens, earmuffs, and
a scarf (you’re indoors, mind you) just don’t cut it, and you have
to turn to some serious spice to warm yourself up (hey, you can’t drink hot toddies all day, but you certainly can try). Hello Korean food. There is always the option to hit one of the Korean barbeque places and leave smelling like a campfire girl, but ~MY TOFU HOUSE~ is entirely another animal.

The place itself is actually quite chilly—bright lights, uncomfortable
seats, and kind of drafty. There’s also a back room that is literally
Siberia—on the ambiance scale, I’ve seen waiting rooms at SF General with more
personality. And joy, whaddya know, a long line of people too!
(I know, I am really selling you on this space, huh!) But the tables
turn quickly so the line moves along; watch everyone’s dining techniques
while you’re waiting, because dinner will require some interaction. (Stand by for more.) The place is also packed with Koreans, from families to young hipsters to middle-aged guys having dinner together. That’s about all the stamp of legitimacy I need.

The primary dish to order here is the soon dubu, the soft tofu
soup ($8.76—and what is up with that weirdo pricing?). The name “My Tofu House” is deceiving because it makes you think you’ll be seeing a bunch of vegetariandishes, but in actuality, no sir. Four of the five soups have meat in them, like beef or pork and mushrooms; we tried the seafood version, with clams, shrimp, and oysters.

It comes out in this little stone bowl, boiling furiously like a witch’s cauldron (hold the eye of newt, thanks). One can’t help but wonder how many accidental soup-in-the-lap incidents have occurred over the years. Let’s just say your nether regions would end up approximating a botched gender reassignment surgery—the soup is wicked hot. Anyway. You end up getting a separate bowl with an egg in it—as soon as your soup arrives, crack the egg into your bubbling little bowl and mix it in. The soup comes in not spicy, mild, medium, or spicy—medium hit the perfect note for me.

While your soup cools its jets, have fun sampling the pan chan, the small dishes of appetizing bites like cucumber, a small fried fish, bean sprouts, pickled daikon, kimchee, and tasty little sweet-salty fish—they were total fish candy. Munch munch. Don’t be afraid—they were delish. If you end up demolishing some of the dishes, a server will ask you if you’d like more… totally
gracious touch. Everyone working here was quite nice, in fact.They seemed happy to answer questions for the novices, so have no fear.

Another complimentary item that comes out with your order is a stone bowl
with rice, plus some peas in there too—your server will scoop it into a smaller bowl for you, and the rice that remains in the stone bowl gets quite crispy. Then a server will come back
and pour water into the stone bowl and put the lid on. Within moments the mini hot tub starts churning (pass the Courvoisier), and once it’s done, you have a kind of smoky rice soup. Not for everyone, but definitely a funky little ritual.

The stone bowl makes another appearance with the bibimbop/bibimbap ($12.22, again, weirdo pricing scheme). The texture and flavors of this dish just rule: rice, nori, pickled vegetables, spinach, bean sprouts, beef (or you can order it with seafood, or mushrooms, or just tofu) and again, a raw egg that you mix in with the rice-a-rama. Fire-eaters can add hot sauce to the mix too. The stoneware bowl is so hot it crisps everything up and keeps it nice and toasty.
Scoop some out and place it on top of your bowl of white rice (I’ve also seen people scoop tofu out of their soup and place it on top of their rice).

Oh yeah, the soup. It’s probably cooled down by now. Take a sip. Mmmm, hot and good and slightly fishy. (Don’t touch that bowl, however. Just don’t.) The tofu is tender and silky, and hey, there are some little morsels of the egg you cracked in, tasty. We found the prawns end up getting totally overcooked by the time the soup cools, so take them out and put them on your rice to save them from a death-by-boiling fate if you plan on eating them.

Two bowls of soup and one order of the bibimbap was more than plenty for two people—we got out of there with tip for $40, and totally stuffed. Other popular dishes are the kalbi (short ribs, $15.21) or the bulgogi (sliced rib eye, $13.37)—both come out on sizzling platters and smell heavenly. There’s not much else on the menu. There really doesn’t need to be. Oh, except beer. I really wanted a beer. No beer. You’ll have to content yourself with tea or a soda. And for dessert, you get a slice of melon gum. Pay up, pop the complimentary gum into your mouth, and you’re officially armed and toasty enough to head back out into the foggy SF night. Take no prisoners.

the wino: Family Style Wine Pairing by Peter Greerty

Peter Greerty was raised in the heart of the Napa Valley in St. Helena, California. His restaurant career has led him to such places as Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Yountville, and the Ritz-Carlton Boston, where he was the Director of Wine & Spirits for the hotel. He currently is the sommelier of Bong Su, a new Vietnamese restaurant in SoMa. Bong Su was recently named one of the twenty “Best New Restaurants” by John Mariani of “Esquire” magazine, and the restaurant also just received the Wine Enthusiast Grand Wine List Award.

Family-style dining is about sharing the company of family and friends while sitting around the table eating dishes that are comforting. Bottles of wine are poured freely without care or reason. It’s about the conversation, not perfect food and wine pairings for each course; for the average diner, these are often minor details of little concern or consequence.

However, over the past several years, restaurants have started to downplay
the emphasis on design and the white tablecloth. Concepts are more
focused on what are the changing desires of today’s diner, with an emphasis on regional cuisine, seen in both the menu and the wine list.

Restaurateurs have designed menus and wine lists to complement each other.
An Alsatian Pinot Gris will be placed on a wine list because
you can drink it with a cod brandade and a fresh melon salad,
while a Mendoza Malbec can go with roasted sea bass with fennel
and a rotisserie rosemary leg of lamb.

Anybody who tells you the rule is white wine with fish and red wine with meat should be publicly flogged (only verbally, of course!).

While I don’t purposely pair white wine with a grilled steak to prove some senseless point, I do, quite often, pair fish with red wine depending on the preparation of the fish. And there are definitely wines that can bridge the gap between fish and meat.

Bridging the gap of dishes with a common wine is not as mainstream as
we may think—we just need to think outside of the box. A table with Vietnamese crab and garlic noodles and aromatic spiced Kobe beef pho can be bridged
by a Russian River Pinot Noir with its bright red cherries and
delicate allspice aromas and flavors. A dish of Andalusian shrimp
with sherry and another of braised oxtail with piquillo peppers
can be complemented by a Sicilian Nero d’Avola, loaded with spicy roasted tomato aromas and ripe plum flavors. And let’s not forget how amazingly a nice dry brut Champagne can tie together a fresh Dungeness crab salad with celery and tarragon, accompanied by a classic steak tartar with red onions, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce.

There are, of course, the more common and well-known pairings: for example,
Alsatian and German Rieslings pair well with Asian cuisine. Napa
Valley Cabernet and Zinfandels pair well with grilled meats and
vegetables, and Burgundian Pinot Noirs pair well with most mushroom dishes.

There are many criteria for judging which wines will work well for
multiple pairings. For me, the best wines for food pairings are
always wines with good balance and structure. The wine should
hit you in the front palate, the mid palate and on the finish.
The finish should be long, and the wine should be better 20 minutes
after it has been opened. There should also be a good amount of
acidity to bring out the flavors of the dish you are eating. A
good food wine should never have so much of one component that
it overpowers the dish. And finally, a good food wine should complement
the food you’re eating—they should play nice, and bring out the best in each other.

As a restaurateur once told me in Beaune, “Always choose your wine
before your food.” I don’t stick to this rule necessarily, but it does work pretty well.

Happy eating and drinking!

the socialite: ZAP Festival

Okay, so I went to the ~ANNUAL ZINFANDEL ADVOCATES & PRODUCERS TASTING~ a couple years back, and it was quite a sight to behold, let me tell you. Upon arrival you are armed with a baguette and a wine glass and sent off to do battle with table after table of zinfandel producers. A mind-boggling number of producers are there, like, more than 250 wineries. By the end of the event, you have loads of people with purple teeth grinning at you, and let’s not forget the gaggles of cougars wobbling precariously in their pointy boots. Baguettes are jauntily poking of back pockets or purses, some folks gnawing on them animalistically instead of ripping off a piece (true, it’s almost impossible to do so with a glass of zin in your hand). It’s seriously a scene. Can’t wait to witness more mayhem this year.

There are other events as well, so here’s the full line-up:

January 24: Flights: A Showcase of California Zinfandels, 2pm–4pm,an afternoon of panel discussions and tastings-seminars led by Zinfandel winemakers and experts which concludes with Terroir & Zin, a walk around tasting reception from 4:30pm–6pm, showcasing 37 Zinfandels from many growing regions of California. Students from the City College of San Francisco Culinary Arts & Hospitality Program have designed hors d’oeuvres which will accompany the seminars as well as the walk-around reception. City College of San Francisco, Culinary Arts & Hospitality Studies Program,Ocean Avenue Campus (50 Phelan Avenue, San Francisco, 94112, 415/239-3000); tickets are $95 for ZAP members and $125 for non-members. Tickets must be purchased in advance; none will be available at the door.

There will be two seminars; they will run concurrently and both can be attended. Zinfandel: Defining Quality will be moderated by Laurie Daniel, wine columnist for The San Jose Mercury News. Panelists are winemaker Paul Draper (Ridge Vineyards), known as a pioneer in the production of long-lived, complex Zinfandels; winemaker Jerry Seps (Storybook Mountain Vineyards), known for the intensity and longevity of his Zinfandels and winemaker Bill Easton (Easton Wines), respected for the power and finesse of his Zinfandels.

Flavors of Zinfandel: Tasting Outside the Box will be moderatedby Barbara Haimes, Wine Buyer, Cafe Rouge and Wine Instructor,City College Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management. Panelists will be winemaker Joel Peterson (Ravenswood) and Master Chef Tony Lawrence (Chef For You, Philadelphia).

January 25: Good Eats & Zinfandel at Herbst Pavilion at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco (Marina Blvd. at Buchanan, 94123, 415/441-3400), a lively walk-around food and wine tasting which pairs Zinfandel wineries with restaurants, 6pm–9pm. Tickets are $80 for ZAP members and $105 for non-members. Tickets must be purchased in advance; none will be available at the door.[I will tell you, there are a ton of restaurants and wineries participating—check out the site for the line-up.]

January 26: Evening with the Winemakers Benefit Auction and Dinner at The Fairmont Hotel (950 Mason Street between California & Mason, 94108, 415/772-5000). A reception with Zinfandel wineries, including a taste of the 2005 Heritage Vineyard Zinfandel (made by Bill Knuttel of Dry Creek Vineyard), on to an auction and then dinner. Tickets are $200 for ZAP members and $250 for non-members. Tickets must be purchased in advance; none will be available at the door. For more information on the unusual silent and live auction lots, please go to http://www.zinfandel.org/festival/default.asp?cid=1&n1=14&n2=0

January 27: The 16th Annual Zinfandel Advocates & Producers Tasting at the Festival and Herbst Pavilions at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco from 2pm–5pm. Tickets are $45 for ZAP members, $55 for non-members and a limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the door at $65. (There will be a separate trade tasting from 10am-1pm.) The 16th Annual Tasting will welcome more than 250 Zinfandel wineries. Wines to be tasted will be primarily the 2004 vintage as well as 2005 barrel samples. The Tasting is the only place where Zin aficionados can purchase the Heritage Vineyard Zinfandel; in 2007 the 2004 vintage will be available (made by Kent Rosenblum of Rosenblum Cellars). Each attendee receives a commemorative wineglass (to use and keep)as well as a baguette upon entering. Logo’d merchandise and mixed cases of Zinfandels are available for purchase as well. Water, coffee, cheeses, breads and fruits are available throughout the two pavilions. Parking is limited; ZAP recommends public transportation. New this year: Ft. Mason is charging $8 for parking. There will be a complimentary shuttle to the parking lot at Marina Middle School, Bay & Webster (a $10 charge there supports the school).

the starlet: January 02, 2007

Gotta love this: Bob Saget was spotted at Umami. Was it during a full house?

Nemesis,the gay twins pop/rock duo, was at Asia de Cuba.