letter from the tablehopper: June 26, 2007

Hey, thanks to everyone for sending NYC tips my way—I officially need to clone myself and get a cow’s stomach (i.e. four) to make this all happen. Oh, and a sugar daddy wouldn’t hurt. Anyway. I can’t wait—leaving Wednesday! So just to manage expectations, I won’t be returning emails very quickly over the next week, and hey, don’t expect a honkin’ tablehopper from me next Tuesday, if I even get one out at all—I have too much fun to attend to! Naturalmente I will be doing up a tablehopper “jetsetter” NYC recap soon after my return.

So I wanted to mention a fun new partnership I think you’ll dig: my pal Pete Mulvihill, the owner of Green Apple Books, is going to be submitting monthly cookbook reviews for the bookworm since I’m not regularly keeping up with my reading (and subsequent write-ups) these days. As an added bonus, any books he mentions are available at 20% off for tablehopper readers for two weeks following the review—simply use the code “tablehopper” at checkout (either at the store or online) for your discount. And hey, it’s a great way to support your local bookseller, especially such a fab one.

In honor of the new partnership, Pete is letting me give away a $50 Green Apple Books gift certificate to one lucky reader! You know the drill: please forward this newsletter to (at least) three pals and just cc luckyme [at] tablehopper [dot] com so I know you sent it to three folks. The deadline to enter is midnight on Sunday, July 1—I will notify you if you are the winner on Monday, July 2. Buena suerte!

Last week’s highlights? Let’s start with the spiffy drinks at Cantina after the StarChefs event (I was at one with “el poeta”). At the Taste of the Nation/Share Our Strength event at ACME Chophouse, I enjoyed meeting April Bloomfield and Ken Friedman of The Spotted Pig (yes, I am totally going to check it out in NYC!) and guess who totally knocked her chair over backwards upon rising to meet Tyler Florence?! (I’m blaming it on my heavy purse—I was barely tipsy.) The Tortoise show at the Independent was spectacular, and Pride weekend, what can I say, I was having so much fun I had to go and break my phone! So if you texted me this weekend to no avail, sorry! I am now all systems go.

And literally, I gotta go!
Ciao/meow!
~Marcia

the chatterbox: June 26, 2007

Okay, coffee fanatics, this is major, as in majorly cool—and I finally get to write about it. After searching for over a year and looking at over 50 places, James Freeman of Blue Bottle is going to be opening ~BLUE BOTTLE CAFÉ~ right off the upcoming Mint Plaza and boy, is it going to be swell. The café is going into the 800-square-foot back space of the Provident Loan building; an interesting fact is the building is an exact blueprint from a Provident Loan Society building in New York. Heck, this historic building was even reportedly mentioned in a Dashiell Hammet book. The front of the SF building was built in the 1910s and will continue to house the higher-end pawn shop/collateral lender, San Francisco Provident Loan Association, off of Mission Street, while Blue Bottle will be moving into the back area which was added in the 1920s.

Imagine this: 18-foot ceilings with period detail, incredible light, and let’s talk about the café! Plan on full coffee service plus some special coffees that will be made from some very special machines (I’ll have to get back to you on that later—James Freeman couldn’t reveal more at this point). A couple granitas will be offered—one coffee (duh) and a seasonal one. Paul Einbund of Coi is helping with the wine list—there will be four to five glasses available ($5-$12), a beer, and knowing Paul, of course there will be a Madeira.

Some of Freeman’s pals from the Ferry Building will be helping out, including Soyoung Scanlan who will be helping with some imported cheeses plus some from Andante as well, and Ryan Farr, the chef de cuisine of Elizabeth Faulkner’s new project Orson is offering some advice on the edibles (there will be perfect poached eggs and toast in the am, and charcuterie in the pm). Chris Ray, the builder, did the Miette patisserie in the Ferry Building and the confiserie in Hayes Valley—Ray will be busy adding the entrance off of Jessie Street. There will be a few tables and a long bar, but what will really beckon is the sunny plaza seating outside. If things proceed well, Freeman is hoping for an opening by Halloween. Address (for now) is 66 Mint Street, until the upcoming entrance on Jessie St. is ready.

Speaking of coffee, seems like I need one because I had no idea the ~PHIL’Z~ location at 18th Street and Sanchez in the Castro had closed until I went to get an iced coffee this weekend, to no avail. According to the Phil’z website things went kaput in the business relationship, so that’s that. You can still get your Phil’z at the original location in the Mission at 3101 24th St. at Folsom, and the new SoMa location at 201 Berry St. at 4th St.

After snagging some serious stars (try three and a half) from the Chronicle while at PlumpJack Cafe, executive chef ~JAMES SYHABOUT~ is returning to Manresa, this time as the chef de cuisine (he previously worked under David Kinch for three years in the Manresa kitchen). Rick Riess, CEO of PlumpJack Group, had the following to say, "We are disappointed to see James go and appreciate his efforts and PlumpJack Cafe, but understand his desire to get involved with biodynamic farming and wish him all the best in his career and future endeavors." Syhabout’s last day will be July 14. I had two meals there and really enjoyed his flair—now it’s yet another reason to go hit the 408 and visit Manresa.

Up in Bernal, the former Aura location is reopening sometime in early to mid July (say, maybe July 10–17) as ~TINDERBOX RESTAURANT~, “an experimental American bistro with a foundation on sustainable food and wine.” The partners want to offer a youthful interpretation of American cuisine, offering a fresh and global take on Cali dining. The project comes from Ryan Russell, who founded Hot Rod Pantry, the in-house catering outfit for 111 Minna. Russell has brought on Blair Warsham, whose resume includes working as the executive sous chef at the General’s Daughter in Sonoma, two years under Daniel Humm at Campton Place, and some gigs in Europe (you can read his entire bio here)—he will be co-cheffing with Russell, and will be a partner in both the restaurant and Russell’s catering company, which will be utilizing Tinderbox’s kitchen.

The menu will feature some playful additions, like the Tinderbox Special, a nightly deluxe appetizer that is a tasting of three items presented in a steel box with porcelain inserts, and will run $11–$12. There will also be the “Keeping It Bernal” prix-fixe menu, with a starter, entrée, and your choice of dessert or a glass of wine that will run in the mid to high $20s. One potential sample menu that floated my way included a starter of crude hamachi with summer melon ribbon, steeped prosciutto and mint oil; banana-wrapped chicken on garlic-potato whip with crispy Kaffir lime leaves for the main; and basil pudding on basil seed syrup with honeycomb for dessert.

Coming on board is Omar White from Pizzaiolo, who will be the GM and overseeing the wine list; John Ragan, now the wine director at Eleven Madison Park in New York (we lost him from Campton Place, along with Daniel Humm) will be consulting on the list, along with Peter Eastlake of Vintage Berkeley (sounds like one hell of a list). Additional elements will include a strong music focus (the host and a partner, Miles Clark, is a sound engineer around town), rotating art by local artists, and they are trying to be as green as possible, using 100% recycled fabrics on the high-backed banquettes, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified hardwoods on the large L-shaped bar, cork wall paneling, and no VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints. Russell designed the 40-seat space, giving it a clean and modern style, with suede chairs, copper-topped tables, and there is also a private room with room for 8–10 people. It will be open for dinner, 5:30pm–10pm Tue–Sun (until 11pm Fri­–Sat), and serving wine and beer until midnight and a late dining offering; there are also plans for brunch soon. 803 Cortland Ave. at Ellsworth, 415-285-TBOX (8269).

Okay, this is going to bum some folks out, because this place cracks me up every time I’ve been there: the wacky and downright rowdy ~COUNTRY STATION SUSHI~ in the Mission is closing on June 30 after ten years in that location. The landlord is rebuilding and making some drastic structural changes, so they have to close. No more mariachi sushi. The landlord offered the owners the space to eventually have their business there again, but it doesn’t seem to be in the cards at the moment. A few members of the staff can be found at Tamasei Sushi, including the owner and his wife, who opened the space about six months ago. Country Station: 2140 Mission St. at 17th, 415-861-0972. Tamasei: 3856 24th St. at Vicksburg, 415-282-7989.

~SAKE LAB~ on Broadway has been sold, and is morphing into Horizon, a bar/lounge/restaurant that will be launching in early September. The new owners are Duc Luu and Victoria La, who have brought on Ola Fendert of Oola to consult and help manage the business. More details will be forthcoming since they are still working out the concept, but gourmet burgers and a casual late-night vibe were a few things that were mentioned. Look for more details in the coming months. 498 Broadway at Kearny.

So I mentioned last week that ~CHRIS WRIGHT~ is no longer at Aqua—he is now at ~BONG SU~. Can’t wait to see what ends up getting paired with the delicious shrimp cupcakes, heh. Speaking of pairings, Bong Su has a pretty groovy private wine tasting opportunity that was previously only offered to those “in the know.” Bong Su’s beverage director, John McDaniel, hosts complimentary private tastings for guests with dinner reservations at the restaurant—simply arrange a tasting with McDaniel in Bong Su’s tasting room prior to your meal. Upon arrival, guests are shown into the wine room, which contains wines from around the world, including boutique selections from Croatia, Hungary, and the Napa Valley. McDaniel will offer a tasting of wines that pair with small bites from chef Tammy Huynh. It’s also a great time for guests to ask McDaniel about wines they might want to pair with their dinner later. Yes, it’s free. The tastings begin at 5:30pm and are for groups of up to eight people. 311 3rd St. at Folsom, 415-536-5800.

Seems the higher-end menu at ~LA TERRASSE~ just wasn’t what the public wanted (why am I not surprised?) so the menu has changed to a brasserie a la carte style. Items on the menu include moules frites with Pernod, steak frites with béarnaise, and some nightly rotating specials (Monday, cassoulet; Friday, bouillabaisse)—you can check out the entire menu on the website. Don’t forget there is also breakfast and lunch, and there are now heat lamps for the patio, bonus. 215 Lincoln Blvd., 415-922-DINE.

Out in Potrero Hill, the ~GARDEN OF TRANQUILITY~ has closed, and a sushi place is opening called Live Sushi Bar. It should be open either Sunday July 1, or Monday July 2. The owner has been managing over at Mikado, and the sushi chef is from Ebisu. Lunch is Mon–Sat 11am–3pm, and dinner nightly, opening at 5pm. 2001 17th St. at Vermont, 415-861-8610.

Meanwhile, just a hop and a skip away, ~GRAND PU BAH~ (which means “the great crazy crab”) has opened in the Potrero/Showplace Square for lunch and dinner. The menu is Thai and features some seafood specialties, the joint is open late, there is a full bar, and the look is pretty slick (you can take a peek at some photos on Yelp. Open for lunch Mon–Sat 11am–4pm, dinner Sun–Thu 4pm–12am, Fri–Sat 4pm–2am. 88 Division St. at Henry Adams, 415-255-8188.

~SUDACHI~ just opened last Thursday in the old Juni space, offering an array of sushi, sashimi, Asian tapas (like seared Hokkaido scallop with carrot mousse, apple-wood smoked bacon, shiitake mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, and shiso oil), and some specialty rolls from chef-owner Ming Hwang, and his sous chef, Liam Arroyo. You can read up on more deets from my original post back in May here. Dinner is served nightly from 5:30pm–10:30pm. A late-night menu and live entertainment (think jazz and blues) are happening from 10:30pm–1am. 1217 Sutter St. at Polk, 415-931-6951.

For those of you in the restaurant industry, there is a ~THIRD MEETING~ this Thursday, June 28, at Tres Agaves at 3pm. The agenda includes discussing the results of the recent restaurant poll, including tip credit issues, and hopefully agree upon specific action plans. 130 Townsend St. at 2nd.

One more tidbit: for those of you following the ~SF WEEKLY CCA STORY~, here’s a piece about the aftermath from the expose they did.

Lastly, I heard an update from a coordinator involved in saving the ~JOHN BARLEYCORN~: “We have secured a three-month extension of the lease, so the pub will be in business through September. We have a full slate of events planned for July and August to help publicize the situation... Our open letter/petition asking Luisa Hanson to renew the pub's lease has exceeded 3,000 signatures, and we have the backing of the district's business and neighborhood associations, as well as its politicians, so we are hopeful that we can change Ms. Hanson's mind.” For those interested in helping out, or with questions, there is a message line: 415-673-2919.

fresh meat: Essencia

It seemed a while ago everyone was trumpeting the new trend of Peruvian food, with places like Destino, then Limon and Mochica dotting various neighborhoods around the city, along with places like Mi Lindo Peru and Karamanduka, two Peruvian outposts I have yet to visit. Perhaps wave two has started, with even more openings, like Inka’s in the Outer Mission, Piqueo’s in Bernal, and now ~ESSENCIA~ cropping up in Hayes Valley. What is definitely going to differentiate Essencia from the pack, however, is its Cali approach, thanks to Anne Gingrass, formerly of Postrio, Hawthorne Lane, and Desirée, who is the executive chef and a partner in the restaurant. Gingrass has partnered with Carmen and Juan Cespedes, who are from Lima.

The menu borders on compact, but then again, the space is not exactly what I’d call sprawling—the two jive well together. It’s a corner space, with tall windows that look out onto busy Gough Street, with well-heeled shoppers strolling by on Hayes or opera-goers hustling off to a performance. (So for the record, this is not the place to dine if you are trying to have a clandestine din din with your lover—you’ll be practically on display like a “lady” in Amsterdam’s Red Light District.)

The room has a “native modern” look, with gleaming acacia wood tables, patterned banquettes, and I hate to insult the artist, but the enormous painting on the wall with the bounding deer is just not right. Is it a coincidence the leaf-patterned lampshades remind me of the upholstery on the old Hawthorne Lane banquettes? Perhaps.

To the vittles! The menu begins with three different ceviches—my pal and I started with the kampachi topped with a creamy hot yellow pepper sauce ($12). The first thing I noticed is the menu only has a few Peruvian terms on it, so what would be an aji amarillo sauce elsewhere is called a hot yellow pepper sauce here. Personally, I think San Francisco diners are cosmopolitan and curious enough to want to know the authentic names for dishes and ingredients, but then again, I understand the contemporary California perspective of the menu.

Anyway, back to that ceviche—it might be a little heavy on the sauce for some, but what a sauce it was, kicky and smooth, made with evaporated milk, lime juice, and ginger. There was more than enough to enjoy it with the accompanying salad of frisee, cucumber, yam, and giant corn.

We then proceeded to the skewers of grilled beef hearts ($7), always a fave of mine—these were cooked a la plancha, with a tangy cabernet vinegar sauce and a side of bell peppers with a hit of lime. How primal: BEEF HEARTS! You could really note the quality of the beef in this dish (from Marin Sun Farms), versus some of the less than stellar beef you tend to get at the more hole-in-the-wall/mom and pop joints.

The chilled artichoke stuffed with quinoa salad ($12) was refreshing and had swell flavor, but the ’choke had some definitively tough leaves going on. I did love the frizzled shallots and pool of huacatay sauce, which they actually call parsley on the menu—huacatay is known as Peruvian black mint, a tangy herb that I want to get to know better. Why, hello.

My friend went for the pork medallion “tacu tacu” ($19.50), a total extravaganza of flavor. The three breaded pork medallions are made of pork shoulder cooked with spices and pureed onion, and come topped with a quail egg and meow, bacon, plus there’s a scoop of lentils, and a mash of golden lentils that was almost like a dal. The entire spread was hearty, savory, and my friend ate every single gosh-darned bite. Pork has that effect on people.

I went for the chicken with pecans, coarsely shredded Parmesan, and that yellow pepper sauce ($23.50). While it came with a side of rice kept hot in a little Le Creuset casserole, this was the kind of dish I would have preferred to share instead of sit down to all by my lonesome—it was rather rich.

The menu includes some classics, like lomo saltado ($26.75), plus a leg of lamb ($25), and pure to Peruvian form, three seafood dishes, including a traditional chowder I was curious about. Oh, and feel free to ask for the house-made hot sauce if you want a little extra zing. (You like it hot, doncha?)

For dessert, the orange pisco Madeleines with homemade vanilla ice cream ($7) were the clear winner (yay pisco), although the delicate alfajores ($4.5) with their surprise filling of caramel and coconut were also tasty. I think some folks may be challenged by the dense lucuma flan ($6.50)—while authentic, it’s not like the silky custardy flans we tend to expect.

The wines pair well with all this zesty food, with a number of choices from Spain and Argentina. We liked all the wines we drank, and the by-the-glass prices are also friendly, with most hitting at $7–$8 a glass. Our server, for what she lacked in finesse on small points (like pouring the very very end of a bottle of wine in my glass until it was completely vertical over my glass), she made up for in enthusiasm. Everyone here is quite friendly and nice, in fact.

I have been curious about lunch, to wit, the roast pork loin sandwich ($11.35). (Are you surprised?) Speaking of the lunch menu, it has a number of tasty-sounding sandwiches that, while veering a bit from the Peruvian provenance (triple turkey and walnut salad with avocado?), if I was looking for a spot in the neighborhood for a bite, this place would be a good candidate. Also some soups and large salads are available too, like sea bass with a smoked paprika vinaigrette and escarole ($13). Throw in some outdoor seating and heaters, and Essencia is well poised to add some much-needed sabor to the Hayes Valley dining scene.

Essencia
401 Gough St.
Cross: Hayes St.
San Francisco, CA 94102

415-552-8485

website

Mon–Fri 11:30am–2:30pm
Mon–Thu 5:30pm–10pm
Fri–Sat 5:30pm–11pm

Apps $8–$12
Entrées $21–$26.75
Desserts $4.50–$7

the lush: Otis

~OTIS~ is going through a 2.0 kind of makeover, and how timely, it’s just on the brink of its two-year anniversary. Starting July 11, Otis will be offering a daytime café setting, with outdoor seating in the alley (about 20 seats) plus the option to sit indoors as well. The evening cocktails and parties will continue, and I also got some confirmation that the previous “members only” vibe is finito, so unless the tiny club is at capacity, there really isn’t a “list” anymore. The new attitude is also supposed to be a bit more welcoming—looks like I’ll actually consider having a drink there again. Otis is also launching a new drinks menu, with some good specials during happy hour—which includes Saturday, all right!

I just had a peek at Arielle Segal’s Mediterranean-inspired menu, and it’s a good one: there are four kinds of flatbread pizzas (one has soppressata, Niçoise olives, County Line Farms arugula, and Fontina for $12); four kinds of panini (one includes ham, Gruyere, cornichons relish, Dijon herbs de Provence aioli, $11); three tasty salads (how about organic mixed greens, Frog Hollow peaches, ricotta salata, prosciutto, and balsamic vinaigrette, $12); and a couple mixed plates, like smoked trout with buckwheat crepes, chopped egg, capers, red onion, lemon crème fraîche, large $19/small $16. Segal has worked at the Olema Inn, and is also known by some folks for her underground dinner parties (formerly known as Third Floor, and now as Clandestine), which is how owner Damon White discovered her. If all goes well, Otis might expand lunch service to Monday and Tuesday too.


Otis
25 Maiden Lane
Cross: Kearny St.
San Francisco, CA 94101

415-420-3378
website

cafe hours
Wed–Sat 11:30am–3pm

happy hour
Wed–Sat 3pm–8pm

cocktails
nightly 5pm–2am
Sun 8pm–2am

the socialite: Poleng Lounge and Eden Canyon Dinner

Okay, if you are looking for something cool to do tonight, Poleng Lounge is hosting a ~FIVE-COURSE FILIPINO DINNER~ paired with Eden Canyon Vineyard's award-winning wines. Executive chef Tim Luym’s five courses will feature Poleng favorites, such as salpicao and off-menu items only available during special events like Kinilaw and Nouveau Turon. Sounds pretty cool to me.

Eden Canyon is a Filipino owned and operated estate vineyard and winery and has recently won critical acclaim by winning a Silver Medal from the Chronicle's 2007 Wine Competition.

Poleng Lounge and Eden Canyon Dinner
Tue., June 26, 2007

Poleng Lounge
1751 Fulton St.
Cross: Masonic
San Francisco CA 94117

415-441-1710

website

seatings 5:30pm–9:30pm

$75

the socialite: Lend a Hand to Open Hand

Whatcha doing for lunch this Thursday? Since this is a fundraiser ~LUNCHEON BENEFITING PROJECT OPEN HAND~, and not the CCA, I wanted to mention it. (Students of the “Banquets and Catering” class are hosting this event.) All the supplies have been donated, and they are not charging for lunch, but assisting Project Open Hand with all accepted donations.

The menu will include a variety of salads (classic Caesar; Southwest potato salad with jalapeño-lime aioli; coleslaw with mango-orange vinaigrette; caprese salad with balsamic reduction); sandwiches (pulled pork with a choice of apricot barbeque or ancho chili barbeque sauce); skewers (pineapple-glazed chicken; teriyaki ginger beef; herb garlic vegetables); and dessert (stone fruit cheesecake; lemon bars; double chocolate brownies; assorted fresh fruit and cheeses), plus beverages (lemonade; watermelon fresca; coffee). It’s one heck of a spread. And benefits a very good cause.

Lend a Hand to Open Hand
Thu., June 28, 2007

The California Culinary Academy
Bistro 350
350 Rhode Island
Cross: 16th St.
San Francisco, CA

11am–1pm

the bookworm: June 26, 2007

This is the first of upcoming bookworm pieces from Pete Mulvihill, the owner of Green Apple Books. There are some great books at Green Apple (it’s my favorite bookstore in the city), from food to fiction. And remember, as a tablehopper reader, you get 20% off these books below! (The offer last two weeks, until July 10.) Just mention the code “tablehopper” if you’re there in person, or enter it on the website when checking out. Okay, take it away Pete!

Our shelves in the food and cooking section of Green Apple are bursting with fresh goodies. Here’s the briefest taste of what’s in season.



The most useable (for the home chef) cookbook we’ve received lately is Eric Gower’s ~The Breakaway Cook~. The recipes are almost fusion, but with a twist: they combine everyday staples with a few international ingredients to create easy recipes with zing. Rice flakes add some pop to an otherwise straightforward rock cod in reduced citrus. The Maccha Poached Eggs are also pretty simple, but delicately and scrumptiously flavored with maccha salt (easily made from salt and green tea powder). The “exotic” ingredients that give this book its angle are all available locally—most of them can be found at the Asian markets on Clement Street.

Bonus: Gower’s now a local (after 15 years in Japan), so buying his book helps keep another food-obsessed San Francisco full of pie! If he doesn’t open a restaurant or score his own cooking show soon, we’ll be very surprised. Great concept: easy recipes with international flavor that really pop!





Two brand-new books on sushi compete for your attention right now. Both are narratives, not recipe books. ~The Zen of Fish~ by Trevor Corson focuses on a master Japanese chef and his apprentices while also exploring the history and biology of sushi. ~The Sushi Economy~*, on the other hand, focuses on just how it came to be that you can safely eat raw fish in Kansas City any day of the week—globalization.



Let’s end with a little pork, shall we? Well, a lot of pork. ~Pork and Sons~ is by Stephane Reynaud, a French pork devotee/restaurateur. The book covers everything pig, from slaughter (more than we want to know?) to blood sausages, pates, and terrines to BBQ. It’s also a very beautiful book from Phaidon, an art-book publisher whose recent Silver Spoon (“the Italian Joy Of Cooking” *) was a smash hit here at Green Apple.

Thanks for reading, and bon appetit.

*Please note: Sushi Economy and Joy of Cooking are already discounted 20%, so the tablehopper discount does not apply.

the matchmaker: June 26, 2007

NOPA is seeking a line cook—like, right now. All we ask for is some skills, a great attitude, and a working brain. Please email Laurence Jossel at laurence [at] nopasf [dot] com.

the starlet: June 26, 2007

Robin Williams brought Billy Crystal to Jardinière for dinner on Saturday. Robin had the red wine braised beef short ribs with horseradish potato puree and herb salad (no word if he gave the various items their own names and voices), and Billy had the rib eye steak with fingerling potatoes, Delta asparagus, bone marrow gremolata, and sauce Bordelaise. Rounding out a full "Traci" tour, they also had lunch at ACME Chophouse before the baseball game on Saturday afternoon, and then again on Sunday. Seems like the boys like their beef?

Okay giiiiirl, RuPaul was in town working, excuse me, promoting her new film Starrbooty that screened Saturday night at Frameline31. Reportedly last Tuesday Ru “happened upon Crepe O Chocolat while wandering around Union Square. She loved it so much that she returned Wednesday and Thursday. RuPaul’s favorite? The quinoa salad and the veggie galette.” Looks like I’m not the only one nutty for quinoa!

Food Network's Guy Fieri of "Guy's Big Bite" was taping a show at The Grubstake on Pine Street on Friday. The owner was reportedly very happy about the experience—they even cooked together in the kitchen.

The Medium of Tibet’s Chief State Oracle, Venerable Thupten Ngodup (“Nechung Kuten”), who is touring the U.S. for the first time this summer, dined with fellow Buddhist monks and guests at Millennium. A pal at Millennium says they were “the most appreciative and gracious private dining room guests we have ever been blessed to host.” Thank goodness, can you imagine if they were difficult guests?

letter from the tablehopper: June 19, 2007

Hola amigos. I’m here to report from the culinary beyond! Yes, I’ve been plummeting the depths. Last week was full of scrumptious discoveries, from the crostini topped with a creamy swath of pureed monkfish liver with saffron and other spices at Oliveto’s Oceanic Dinners (you MUST go next year if you love seafood—it was one of the nicest meals I’ve had all year), to the dee-vine Deutz 2000 Blanc de Blanc at Jerry Horn’s Champagne Feast at Scott Howard (next feast will be at Picco in Larkspur, stand by), and if you haven’t had a chance to visit the back garden at Blue Plate lately, you really should. A lot has grown in since I last saw it—it’s downright lush back there, and with the heat lamps it’s quite nice, even on a chilly night.

Last night was the opening of Ducca (pretty darned spiffy—I loved the Venetian bordello-esque rotunda adjacent to the bar). Tonight I’m heading to the StarChefs gala event which seems like everyone is attending (so it should be a barrel of monkeys fun). Thursday is (ladies, it’s your chance to check out Tyler Florence—tickets are still available), and Saturday is Pink Saturday, one of my favorite party days in SF. Dolores Park explodes with the ladeez. Pray for sun.

This week we’ve got the last of the trio of wino pieces about corkage from Alex Fox at Myth—it’s a long one, so I say crack open at least a 375ml bottle of something swell to enjoy while reading it. Heck, why not a Jeroboam of bubbly?

And yay, next Wednesday I am heading to NYC for a week for some business, and a whole lotta pleasure. Feel free to point me to some of your fave dining and drinkin’ can’t-miss spots! My list is scary long, but then again, I wouldn’t be the tablehopper if it was short. Word.

Ciao/meow,
~Marcia

the chatterbox: June 19, 2007

Have you ever been to the ~AXIS CAFÉ~ out at the base of Potrero Hill, on 16th Street? It’s a friendly little spot, good for a mid-week sandwich out on the often-sunny and enclosed patio. (You can check out their menu here.) It’s looking like the cafe will most likely close for a little bit in mid-July to expand the kitchen, putting in a full grill, some hood vents, and a stove and burners so they can really rock it. When it reopens, expect a bigger menu (it will keep a seasonal focus), plus a full-service dinner will be added as well. They also now have a beer and wine license. Open Mon­­­–Fri 7am–7pm, Sun 9am–3pm. 1201 8th St. at 16th St., 415-437-2947.

So I had a chance to get more details from the owner of Le Metro Cafe about the new Nepalese concept they are launching. The name will be ~METRO KATHMANDU~, serving a limited menu of Nepalese small plates with Indian influences, such as momo, which are like Chinese pot stickers filled with spicy chicken and served with chutney, plus chhoila (smoked lamb salad), a couple of curries, kebabs, plus some vegan friendly dishes. The Nepalese chef is Bishnu Chaudhary. As I mentioned last week, everything will be under $10. Drinks will include an international wine list to pair with the spicy food, plus tap beer and soju and sake cocktails. They hope to open by early July. And yes, brunch will continue to be served—the spacious back patio is a prime spot where you can enjoy it. Open Tue–Sun until 1am. 311 Divisadero St. at Page.

Seems ~FRJTZ~ will be opening its second location on Valencia (in the former Amira space) some time the week of June 25. I can’t really tell you a lot about it because no one ever calls me back. All I do know is you’ll find their Belgian fries and crepes, plus mussels will reportedly be on the menu too. Late hours and brunch are supposed to be in the works as well. 590 Valencia St. at 17th.

Changes around town in wino land:

Chris Wright is no longer the beverage director at ~AQUA~—taking his place is Aaron Elliott, formerly of TRU in Chicago and The Peninsula Chicago. I’ll let you know where Wright lands when that news is final! (Yes, that was a thinly veiled reference/pun to the Wright brothers, har).

Also, Carl Grubbs is no longer managing the beverage program at ~SCOTT HOWARD~—he is now bartending at Globe by day and working the floor at night at Quince. Busy guy! Go say hi!

After a quick renovation to the kitchen and downstairs, ~BACAR~ reopened just last week. They are also starting up the cool-sounding Sommelier Suppers, led by wine director Mickey Clevenger. He will be on hand to pour and discuss two dozen different wines for guests to sample, all informally set up in bacar's new downstairs wine salon. And with over 1,200 eclectic wines from all over the world, bacar’s collection has always been one to ogle. An intimate group of guests (say 25-30 people max) will be able to hang out and taste the wines, and then move upstairs to the mezzanine level to dig in to a family-style dinner by executive chef Robbie Lewis. Cost is $55, not including tax and tip. The next Sommelier Supper is Sunday, July 15th. 448 Brannan St. at 3rd, 415-904-4100.

Some closures to report around town:

~ANDREW JAEGER’S HOUSE OF SEAFOOD AND JAZZ~ in North Beach will be closing at the end of June. Sadly, it seems the restaurant was just hitting its stride, figuring out what the local dining public wanted and was doing some better numbers, but their rent getting raised to $25k a month, coupled with the weekend ruckus in North Beach drove their decision to close—the weekends have been having the opposite effect on their business, translating into fewer walk-ins and less volume at the bar. I hope the efforts to mellow out the weekend scene (rowdy crowds and aggressive police) in North Beach meet with some success soon, especially with Enrico’s slated to open next month, and `E Tutto Qua open just across the street. I spoke with Rhoda, Jaeger’s wife, who wanted to express how grateful they are to the SF community for teaching them so much about quality food and good service, and they look forward to bringing their learnings back with them to Louisiana; Andrew is a partner in a new restaurant project on the Amite River in French Settlement Lousiana. Best wishes and good luck to them.

Awww, after being open since 1977, the ~WELCOME HOME RESTAURANT~ in the Castro has closed. 464 Castro St. at 17th.

Owls are already rather weird birds, so I guess it follows suit that there is some serious weirdness going down at ~C. BOBBY’S OWL TREE~. I heard from a tablehopper reader someone stole all the owls from the bar, but then caught this story in the SF Weekly about some family strife and some crazy mixed in too. For now, the hutch is closed while things hopefully get sorted. Hoot. 601 Post St. at Taylor.

Another old school bit o’ news: ~LITTLE JOE’S~ is officially moved and open in its fifth location, since opening back in 1965 in North Beach. It’s moved into the Pickwick Hotel on 5th and Mission, a historical building, so that fits nicely. You can get some classics like chicken parm and pasta dishes, plus there’s a full bar, open until midnight or later. Breakfast is 6:30am–10am, lunch 11am–4pm, and dinner 4pm-11pm (open until 10:30pm on Sunday). 85 Fifth St. at Mission, 415-433-4343.

Here’s an interesting food-related project that floated into my inbox: ~REPLATE~. Some local chaps are encouraging people to leave their resto-leftovers on top of trashcans to help reduce food waste. Have questions? I did too. Here’s their FAQ. So maybe the next time you don’t finish that honking carne asada super burrito, or maybe your dinner wasn’t that good but you don’t necessarily need your leftovers thrown away, you know where to put that doggy bag.

Another interesting project starting up will be ~THE CULINARY ARTS STUDIO~, a flexible space opening across from the Moscone Center this winter that will function as a full-service rental kitchen and event space with its own show kitchen. The 2,000-square-foot rental kitchen will be able to be used by culinary professionals, catering companies, private chefs, and food and event folks, for daily, weekly, or monthly rental. The event space is 4,000-square-feet, with its own kitchen and staging area, ideal for cooking demos, cooking classes, dinners (room for 200-250 for sit down), and cocktail receptions (300+ people)—it’ll also have some tricked-out LED lighting. The project is from chef Jesse Branstetter and chef and restaurateur Chris Pastena, with an eco-friendly design by Architects II. Folsom St. between 3rd and 4th.

And now for some fun ways to keep you wined and dined (and cooking!):

I heard ~FRISSON~ is hosting some groovy Monday night menus for $30. You get three courses with a glass of wine, hello. Next Monday’s menu (June 25) has frisee and chopped endive salad with bacon vinaigrette and a fried duck egg; herb-roasted baby chicken with spinach and wild mushroom gratin; and lavender-scented pannacotta with peaches and saffron sable for dessert. Score. 244 Jackson St. at Battery, 415-956-3004.

In case you prefer to drink your dinner, Monday nights at ~AMERICANO~ would be the time to do it. Now through August 31 is Martini Mondays, when they are pouring martinis featuring a different liquor sponsor each Monday on the updated outdoor patio. There’s also an olive bar where guests can choose from a variety of olives, including goat cheese olives, almond stuffed olives, ginger olives, and bell pepper olives. Just so you don’t go totally without dinner, chef Arenstam also features a toasted brioche across the top of the martinis. 8 Mission St., 415-278-3777

Now, if you are as fired up as I am with all the fab produce in the farmers’ markets right now, but feel like you are too busy to cook, you should swing by the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market for some inspiration with ~EASY MARKET MEALS~, a new culinary program from CUESA. Every other Tuesday this summer, you can attend a free cooking demo designed for the busy home cook. Each featured dish can be prepared in about 20 minutes using the fresh ingredients found at the Tuesday farmers' market. Every attendee leaves with a sample, a recipe, and a suggested shopping list. Easy Market Meals will take place in the north side of the market on June 26, July 10 and 24, and August 7 and 21. Demos begin every 30 minutes, at 11:45am, 12:15pm, 12:45pm, and 1:15pm. Get cookin’!

the regular: South Park Café

There are some restaurants where you just can’t help but order the same thing, again and again. To wit: how can I possibly visit A16, and not order the burrata, the tripe, and the gnocchi? It would be scandalous not to. I’m normally an adventurous diner, sometimes too much, but there is one place in town where I practically act like an old fogey and always order the same damned thing, again and again and yet again: ~SOUTH PARK CAFÉ~.

You don’t even need to put the menu in front of me. I know exactly what I want. Yes, the pig salad and the steak frites, thankyouverymuch. The pig salad ($9 lunch/$10 dinner) is total piggy bliss: you get jumble of fresh greens perfectly dressed with a tangy mustard dressing, with slices of tart green apple, shallots, and glorious hunks of slow-cooked pork confit mixed in—they’re almost like a French version of carnitas! Oink.

Then the steak frites ($12 lunch/$19 dinner) means you get a juicy hunk of grilled Angus New York steak, always cooked exactly how I want it (some days rare, some days medium rare—depends upon how carnivorous I am really feeling), with a red wine sauce and substantial hot fries to sop up all the juices. I don’t care what kind of a day at work/break-up/tax day/bad hair day you’ve had; odds are good these two items for lunch or dinner will set you straight. (Or if you happen to be gay, they will just make you happy.)

I have a friend who adores the ahi tuna salad with cannellini beans ($10) for lunch, and I’ve tasted the lovely blue nose bass with pancetta and mashed potatoes and the hearty beef “en daube,” but in the end, I’m a pathetic creature of habit. Tragic.

I am quite grateful that the chef-owner, Ward Little, is also a creature of habit—he’s been holding the kitchen down here for years, since 1993. Ward is a kind man who works hard—if you get a chance, ask him about his days touring and cooking in France. He does put some racier things on the menu, like lamb tongue, so have fun being adventurous since I cannot.

This homey little French bistro is perched on the anomalous South Park (I wish we had more Euro-style residential parks like this) and for reasons besides the pig salad, it occupies a sweet little space in my heart. I remember a dreamy late afternoon lunch on a rainy day, sitting at a window table with a man I was deeply in love with, getting tipsy on a bottle of wine, with just the two of us and the server in the restaurant at that later hour. Beautiful light in this place, with cheerful yellow walls. Yup, we were madly in love, we even had a little rose in a vase on our table, but I’ll be damned if we were going to share our pig salad and steak frites—we each had our own.

I also remember celebrating a dear friend’s birthday here one night, a perfect setting for a four-top of friends to get together—the vibe is relaxed enough so you can share a joke and no one really cares if your whole table is suddenly cracking up. The servers also tend to stay in the background, only appearing when you need them—casually efficient.

This place also draws quite the lunch crowd—the days of table service at lunch are gone, however. After dot bomb went off, the whole South Park area became quite sedate, and if I remember correctly, South Park Cafe’s lunch service went away entirely. But things picked up, and hurrah, they reopened for lunch. Now you simply order at the counter, grab your silverware, and your PIG SALAD will be brought to your table rather expeditiously.

A citron presse at lunch is also recommended, or if you are my kind of diner, go for some vino—the list has plenty of bistro-friendly choices on there. And bonus, they have a full bar in case you need something stronger. While they don’t take lunch reservations, things always move pretty quickly. It can get quite boisterous, FYI, so don’t plan on a quiet tête-à-tête—that’s more likely during a Tuesday night dinner.

Next time you’re wondering where to go for a dinner date, and would be happy with some rustic bistro cuisine, this place is the ticket. Or if you’re a miss(ter) lonely-hearts, you can easily dine at the bar here solo. Parking is usually pretty painless, and the $32 prix-fixe dinner (your choice off the menu, you know what mine would be!) is a nice deal if you plan on tucking into some dessert too.

While new is nice, dependable places like this are a big part of what San Francisco dining is about to me. I’m grateful to have this place be a part of my time living in the City. And viva the pig salad!

South Park Café
108 S. Park St.
Cross: Jack London Alley
San Francisco, CA 94107

415-495-7275
website

Mon-Fri 11:30am–2:30pm
Tue-Sat 5:30pm–10pm

Apps $7–$12
Entrées $18–$22

Prix-fixe $32

the wino: Corkage Unplugged by Alex Fox

Alex Fox is the Wine Director for Myth Restaurant in San Francisco. The focus of Myth's wine list is small production wines from California and archetypal wines from Europe. Myth's corkage policy allows for a maximum of two bottles corkage per party at a fifteen-dollar fee per bottle. In addition, for each bottle purchased from Myth's list, one corkage fee will be waived.

Corkage Unplugged by Alex Fox

The last time I went to fill up my car with gas I left annoyed. I made it to the pumps using the few fumes I had left in the tank and did a double take when I saw that I would be paying close to four dollars for a gallon of gas. I pulled out my abacus and, after a few movements of the beads, realized that it was going to cost me around sixty dollars to fill up my gas tank. This seemed outrageous.

What angered me most was not the actual price of the gas—I am all for gas taxes as long as the money goes to improving infrastructure/building better forms of public transportation—but rather that my money was going directly to pad the profitability of the gas and oil industries. I am not stupid. I can see that the cost of a barrel of crude oil plus the cost to refine that oil does not add up to the price at the pump. It is also apparent that I am held hostage to this pricing because I don’t have many other options other than dusting off my 1987 Schwinn.

So what does this have to do with bringing corkage into a restaurant? The answer is plenty. After working in the restaurant industry for the past several years it is clear to me that there is a disconnect between restaurants and their patrons regarding the costs and prices of wines on a wine list. This has led to consumers bringing in pleasant, but frankly ordinary wine to restaurants, in part to save money but also to avoid feeling ripped off. Nobody wins in this scenario because the restaurant loses a sale and the patron misses out on the potential of being introduced to a wine that will more fully enhance his or her dining experience.

In all fairness to the consumer, this has a lot to do with a history of price gouging by restaurant ownership. Wine for too long was regarded as a luxury rather than a dining staple and, as such, one was expected to pay top dollar for even the most pedestrian of wines. The consumer being ill informed shelled out the cash and then when they bought the wine at a retail venue was ticked off at the difference in price. The restaurants dug in their heels and countered with the argument that price was determined by the internal costs of running the restaurant, fixed margins on food, and the holding, service, and storage of the wines. None of this rang true to the consumer, especially in restaurants where service and storage seemed like a joke. This brings us to where we are today.

The landscape has changed dramatically. Restaurants and their patrons are much more sophisticated in terms of wine. However, the residual effects of past mistrust and misunderstanding remain.

In an attempt to clear this up, here are few tips to help determine when and when not to bring corkage into a restaurant.

There are several things I look for in determining the overall quality of a restaurant’s wine program. First, the wines on the list should complement the restaurant’s menu. Secondly, there must be a range of different styles of wine offered. Big bonus points go to the lists that search out unique regions or grape varieties and small, artisanal producers. There should also be wines available in a range of different price points to accommodate different budgets. These prices must reflect reasonable but not excessive mark-ups relative to the size and depth of the list. Finally, there must be a knowledgeable person on staff to assist in helping to make a selection from the list.

If all these criteria are met, then bringing in a bottle of wine should be the exception rather than the rule. This is because ordering a wine from a conscientiously chosen wine list will greatly enhance your meal. And, honestly, no matter how good the bottle of wine you are planning to bring happens to be, it is a known entity to you. Shouldn’t you be as excited to try a new wine as you are to taste a dish you have never had before? I think so.

With that said, if a restaurant fails you on any of these counts, bringing in a bottle of wine is not only okay but also a way of voting with your wallet. Believe me, restaurateurs are quite aware of consumer opinion concerning all aspects of their business. Letting them know that something is amiss will at the least give the restaurant food for thought and at best may lead to significant changes for the better.

Another reason to bring in a bottle of wine is that you may have had the patience and resources to procure and hold a special bottle of wine from a great producer in a particularly strong vintage. Most restaurants can’t and won’t hold many bottles like this because the goal is to keep total inventory costs low and to sell what inventory it has as quickly as possible. In this scenario, if the wine list is good and you plan on having more than one bottle, consider bringing in only that one bottle and ordering something from the list. Do you really need that special white Burgundy or vintage Krug to go with your simple green salad?

Be aware as well that there are more and less prudent ways to bring your wine in to a restaurant. Some personal pet peeves, in no particular order are listed below.

Hiding the bottles under the table until the server or sommelier has already gone through his or her spiel is really annoying. It is better to give the wine to the hostess or leave it sitting on the table so that the staff can prepare for the type of wine service you need i.e. an ice bucket, decanter, stemware, etc.

Avoid bringing in wine at grossly wrong temperatures. This applies primarily to bubbles. When you bring in warm Champagne, you end up having it with dessert—which is fine, but kind of defeats the purpose, don’t you think?

When you offer a taste of your wine, please don’t ask the person to taste out of your glass. I don’t know where your lips have been and you certainly don’t want to know where mine have been.

When you bring in your trophy wines don’t make a big deal about them. Don’t ask me what I think about them because, while I’ll probably tell you how delicious I think they are, I am really thinking, right or wrong, that I have twenty wines on my list that offer the same or better quality at a much lower price.

What it boils down to is this: the ability to bring wine from home into a restaurant is a good thing. However, be aware that the choices you make regarding which restaurants to bring wine to have an effect on that restaurant’s wine program’s bottom line. If you like the restaurant’s list, do your best to support it with your dollars, as well as your words of praise.

the socialite: Sake Brewer's Dinner

For this special ~SAKE BREWERS DINNER~, ANZU executive chef Barney Brown will be pairing six courses with six sakes. There will actually be two different brewers in town from Japan for this event: from Chikurin in the Okayama Prefecture, Master Brewer Niichiro Marumoto presents his special sakes made from acclaimed Yamada-nishiki rice, since 1986; and from Wataribune in the Ibaraki Prefecture, Master Brewer Takaaki Yamauchi from the Huchu Homare Brewery presents his heirloom rice sakes that have earned them cult status in Japan.

And, you get four free hours of validated parking, sweet. Just be careful not to drink too much, eh?

The menu includes:

AMUSE
Tempura of Morel Mushrooms
stuffed with fava bean purée and chèvre
Chikurin Karoyaka Junmai Ginjo

FIRST
Toro Tartare
yuzu-soy gelée, yamaimo, caviar, and wasabi
Wataribune Junmai Daiginjo

SECOND
Ankimo-Bamboo Steamed Monkfish Liver Pate
momiji oroshi and ruby grapefruit ponzu
Wataribune Junmai Ginjo 55

THIRD
Smoked Misoyaki Black Cod
braised furofuki daikon and roasted chili miso
Chikurin Fukamari Junmai 55

FOURTH
Pearl Rice Cracker Crusted Sweet Prawns
Matcha green tea risotto and uni butter sauce
Taiheikai Tokubetsu Junmai

SWEET
Coconut Tapioca Pudding Tart
caramelized bananas
Chikurin Hou Hou Shu Sparkling

Sake Brewer’s Dinner
Thu., June 28, 2007

ANZU
Hotel Nikko
222 Mason St.
Second Level
Cross: O’Farrell St.
San Francisco, CA 94102

415-394-1108
website

6pm

$75
(tax and gratuity addl.)
Reservations required.
A valid credit card is required to make a reservation.

the socialite: Pinot Days

More than 150 of the world’s top pinot noir producers will participate this year for the finest comprehensive tasting of the hottest grape around, pinot noir, at the third annual ~PINOT DAYS~ event. Every region of California and Oregon will be represented during the many events over the course of the festival. With three days of tasting events, you’ll be able to try wines you have sought but could not find, and will be able to meet winery owners and winemakers.

Corks from more than 400 current release and barrel samples will be popped and ready to taste, along with delicious bites from specialty food purveyors.

Check the site for all the events, here are a few:

WINEMAKER'S DINNER AND CHARITY AUCTION

Friday, June 29
6pm–10pm

Fort Mason Officer's Club
Fort Mason, San Francisco

$150
Limited Tickets Available
Enjoy a five-course dinner, specially designed for pairing with pinot, while seated with the featured winemakers. Dinner will be prepared by Jeff Mall, owner and chef at Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar in Healdsburg.

GRAND FESTIVAL

Sunday, July 1
1pm–5pm

Festival Pavilion
Fort Mason, San Francisco

$50

Sunday’s Grand Tasting will showcase 170+ producers of pinot noir. This will be San Francisco’s largest single gathering of pinot producers ever. Consumers will be able to sample up to 400 pinots from every important region in California, Oregon, New Zealand, and Burgundy.

Pinot Days
Fri. June 29–Sun., July 1, 2007

Various locations

website

the matchmaker: June 19, 2007

Parties That Cook, as seen in The NY Times and Gourmet Magazine, stages hands-on cooking parties and corporate teambuilding events in homes and rented kitchens around the Bay Area. Our events are perfect for corporate team building, client entertaining, birthday parties—any event you want to make deliciously fun! We are seeking high-energy, professionally-trained, charismatic service-oriented leaders with dynamic presentation skills for our fast-growing company. Chefs present lively cooking demonstrations, facilitate group cooking, plate food, and clean-up. Ideal candidate would live in San Francisco and would drive. Please send your resume to Info [at] PartiesThatCook [dot] com and list CHEF in the subject line.

letter from the tablehopper: June 12, 2007

I successfully survived last week’s onslaught of fabulous living—the highlight was the ridiculously fantastic LCD Soundsystem show at Mezzanine, which gave me faith in how many cool, fun people live in this city and still know how to rock it, hard. The Golden Glass event on Saturday featured some swell swill—followed it up with an impromptu dinner at the gleaming new Farina on 18th Street. Like, wow, what a gorgeous gorgeous space. Nothing like it in the City, that’s for sure. Our dinner had some highs (supple mandilli al pesto, the almond semifreddo) and lows (chewy octopus salad)—but it’s the first week, to be expected. People are lovin’ the BYOB/no corkage until the liquor license kicks in.

This week holds Hot Chip at the Fillmore tonight (my boogie sessions continue—I consider it exercise), and on Wednesday, a trip across the Bay gasp (!) to Oliveto for the Oceanic Dinners (they go through Saturday). Can you say octopus soppressata, tramezzini of sand dabs, and triglie? I am soooo there.

Okay, this is one of those moments when I have to share a good laugh with you at my expense: let’s call this particular episode “Lost in Translation.” Remember those strawberries I was raving about last week from my family’s farmer friend? Well, whaddya know, the city slicker misunderstood farmer Dominic’s thick Italian accent—while I thought the name “chandelier” was such a groovy name for those candy-sweet strawberries, ends up they are called Chandlers. Ha! Thanks Janet and Tana for keeping me on track.

So I thought I’d put this out there: tablehopper is getting ready for version 2.0, and I need to find a CMS (Content Management System) guru out there. If you know someone talented yet affordable, please send them my way and I’ll pass along my RFP. Thanks for helping with the quest!

Catch ya on the flip side,
~Marcia (rhymes with pizzeria)

the chatterbox: June 12, 2007

Okay, before we dive in here, did you happen to see the article about the evils of the CCA in the most recent issue of the SF Weekly? No? You gotta read it—it’s pretty ugly to read about the crippling debt aspiring chefs are racking up by going to school there. Here’s a link.

Things are getting close for ~LAÏOLA~, the pet project from Joe Hargrave who partnered up with Andrew McCormack of Frisson, where Hargrave was formerly the GM (but is still involved in the restaurant). This new Spanish-inspired eatery will have some definite Cali flair, taking its inspiration from afar, but sourcing quality local ingredients as much as possible. Executive chef Mark Denham is putting together a menu that sounds downright delish and has a definite nose-to-tail sensibility: there will be all kinds of charcuterie and house-made sausage, like dry-cured chorizos, wild boar, fuet (a Catalan-style dry-cured pork sausage), lomito (a pork sausage that’s kind of like coppa), plus suckling pig, and whole roasted lamb from Don Watson of Napa Valley Lamb Company. Seafood will also be highlighted, like sand dabs, petrale a la plancha, and other local stars, like sardines. The plates will range from smaller to bigger, basically whatever is the right size to serve something at, and will take their cue from Spain’s sizing styles, from tapas to “raciones” (larger platefuls); expect 20 or so dishes in all. Denham has some serious chops—many will remember his savory cooking from 42 Degrees; he has cooked at a vast array of local spots, including Chez Panisse, Postrio, Manresa, and Elisabeth Daniel.

The 45-seat space will have a long 18-seat all-copper Spanish-style counter (it’s where you will find me parked with my hazards on) and will encourage a fun and casual vibe—starting with no uniforms for the wait staff. It’s a smaller space (it was formerly Pizza My Heart) and the design was a collaboration with Tim Murphy, who was the architect behind Frisson. The rustic look is more Old World than New World, with a stained concrete floor the color of a deep mahogany, with rich rosewood and copper hues.

The wine list has 100 bottles that are all from Spain, many from the south, except a white and red from Lodi. Most will cost between $20-$45, with a by-the-glass program that will actually be based on 250ml carafinas, which comes out to a glass and half (most will hover around $10, with one at $13). There will also be a house blend, part of the new Bodegas Laïola line—the first will be Borracho y Loco, a custom blend made with fruit from Sonoma. The boys are gunning for a grand opening to the public by early July. Dinner will start at 5pm nightly, staying open until 10:30pm, and until 11:30pm Fri–Sat. 2031 Chestnut St. at Fillmore, 415-346-5641.

In the Lower Haight, ~BAGHDAD 1,001 NIGHTS~, an Iraqi restaurant, is opening August 1, just next door to Zuzu Petals. The owner of the building, Husain Nasir, has dreamed for the past 12 years of having his own place that would serve Iraqi-style Arabic cuisine, so he’s beyond excited. The chef is coming from Iraq, and will be preparing authentic dishes like biryani and one called snobar with lamb, pine nuts, and walnuts, plus okra with lamb and tomato sauce. Many dishes will come from the tandoori, including some naan breads. The two-level will have 49 seats. It’s meant to be spacious, comfy, and casual, with an exotic and colorful look. Dinner to start, with lunch later on. Beer and wine will be available. And expect some belly dancing shows. 682 Haight St. at Pierce.

More changes in the 94117: ~LE MÉTRO CAFÉ~ on Divisadero served their last Frenchie dinner on Sunday night, June 10. They are closing for a (hoped-for) two weeks, and when they reopen, according to my source, it will be called Kathmandu, serving small plates of Nepalese food for $10 and under, with plans to stay open late, until 1am. (Owner Roshan and his wife Sharadha are from Nepal.) I see some future confusion with the tiny family-run Kathmandu Café, just a few blocks away, on Fulton and Divis. 311 Divisadero St. at Page, 415-552-0903.

Another dueling business arrangement on Divisadero will be happening when a ~yet-unnamed Texas-style BBQ joint~ opens on Divisadero at McAllister, just two blocks away from Lilly’s-Bar-B-Que (formerly known as Brother-In-Laws, AKA the pit that I can smell from my apartment when the wind is right). I have to say, my mouth began to water when I started hearing the line-up: slooooooow-smoked brisket, pork ribs, chicken, and links made by someone specially chosen for the task, so the casing will be less tough/more refined. There will be 20 seats, with a long banquette and tables—the space is being designed by Architects II (who also recently did Mexico DF—more on that in a sec). The project is from Regional Burrell and Al Bourges, friends who met playing racquetball some 20 years ago. Beer and wine will be served, and the plan is to be able to phone/fax in orders for take-out. Opening is slated for September. 853 Divisadero St. at McAllister.

I had a chance to catch up with ~EDDIE BLYDEN~, the former executive chef of The Alembic in the Haight, who just returned from some world travels, including an extensive trip to Sierra Leone (where his 90-year-old father lives and is from). Blyden has some exciting plans brewing for a new space in the Mission, at 18th St. and Treat. These details are VERY preliminary, but he is opening a restaurant/café with some serious global vibe, cooking personal food from the numerous places he’s traveled (expect some inspiration from Sierra Leone to figure prominently). The space will feel tropical and funky, with some fun details, like a terrace for Saturday night barbecues (here’s hoping!). He’s considering communal tables, and there’s a potential spot for a movie screen—and of course there will be plenty of music. It’s all taking shape for now, so expect a detailed update from me come August or so.

A temporary closure: the ~BIG 4 RESTAURANT~ in the Huntington Hotel is closing from July 2–August 1; they have to replace the aging and erratic freight elevator that transports practically everything up five floors from the street below, from linens to food and liquor. They also might try to get the bathrooms renovated to be more ADA-compliant as well during the closure. The Big 4 bar, however, will remain open, so you can still enjoy your cocktails with some piano on the side. 1075 California St. at Taylor, 415-771-1140.

Over in Noe Valley, ~BISTRO 1689~ has closed. The word is that it will turn into a casual Indian joint, but I haven’t been able to confirm this part of the news yet—will keep you posted. 1689 Church St. at 29th St.

Folks in Bernal are going to be pretty stoked with a new market and butcher shop opening in July called ~AVEDANO's HOLLY PARK MARKET~. The project comes from Tia Harrison, the executive chef and partner in Sociale, along with Angela Wilson, of Divine Chai Tea company, and Melanie Eisman, who is part of the staff at Sociale. The space was historically the home of a butcher shop, since 1901. The most recent incarnation was as Cicero’s Meat Market; Harrison named it Avedano’s in honor of her Italian grandparents who emigrated from Asti. The market will have meat and fish, with a focus on organic, local, wild, and sustainable products. Harrison is also excited about showcasing the best of seasonal produce, offering access to some producers that normally only sell to chefs There will be a variety of take-out items for sale, like house-made sauces, fresh pastas, soups, and panini. They are also launching a line of quick and healthy baby food, like fresh purees and gourmet Spaghetti O’s, along with a totally decadent line of cookies (I got an “advance taste” of a couple—in a word, yum). In three months or so, expect to see some house-cured meats, too. Opening hours will be 11am–8pm, Tue–Sun. 235 Cortland Ave. at Bocana.

Opening this week:

~Mexico DF~, the new Mexico City-style restaurant in SoMa should be open by this Thursday! For a refresher on the project, check out my write-up from April here. Hello carnitas by the pound. 139 Steuart St. at Howard, 415-808-1048.

~DUCCA~ starts lunch tomorrow (for hotel guests only), June 13, and dinner on June 21. 50 Third St. at Market, adjacent to The Westin San Francisco Market Street, 415-977-0271.

Lastly, listen up winos, for the fifth year in a row, every bottle on every wine list at each of Lark Creek Restaurant Group's Bay Area restaurants (excluding Yankee Pier SFO) will be offered at half price for brunch, lunch, and dinner throughout the entire month of July—that’s more than 800 different labels in their all-American wine collection. Restaurants in the group include The Lark Creek Inn in Larkspur; One Market Restaurant and LarkCreekSteak in San Francisco; Lark Creek Walnut Creek; Yankee Pier in Larkspur and at Santana Row in San Jose; and Parcel 104 at the Santa Clara Marriott (Friday and Saturday only). Drink up!

fresh meat: Spork

God is in the details. (I also think he’s hiding out in sublime peppery olive oil, Hog Island Kumamotos, Old World reds, the ankimo at Sebo, hot coppa, and the black magic cake my mother makes me for my birthday.) Anyway, before I get too lost playing the “what I want for my last meal on earth” game (and I love that game), it still shocks me when some folks open restaurants and didn’t seem to think very much about the details inherent in what they were creating. I mean, come on, you want people to visit your (hopefully) special restaurant, get turned on, talk about you, and come back again and again, but you opened before you even figured out your wine program. It’s like some folks are hoping for a restaurant god to come down from the sky (or pop out of a bottle of chartreuse) and help write their menu, launch their website, crunch some numbers, and train their staff. Boggles the mind.

Then you have a place like ~SPORK~, created by people who obviously thought a great deal about what they were doing. The concept is creative and the whole look and brand are tight, kind of the way Range struck me the first time I saw it—it was like, “Hey, some people with taste made some decisions!” And if you are going to open up a restaurant in a former KFC, like Spork did, you better have some vision. Like, X-ray vision, and maybe some “I can see the future like Christopher Walken in The Dead Zone” vision wouldn’t hurt either. It’s no coincidence that the talented Eric Heid of Martin Heid Design did both Spork and Range’s spaces—he’s also slated to do the new Slow Club in Dogpatch.

Spork’s style is kind of blue collar-hipster cafeteria-meets-modern industrial-prefab chic. I dug it. The 50-seat room is all open (so yes, there is definitely some room buzz), with banquettes and low-backed booths outfitted in a soothing dove grey, a row of four old-school fans whirring above the kitchen, a curving bar/diner counter outfitted with pegboard, fun two-tops along the window with Edison-esque bulbs on poles, and punches of color from the Herman Miller fiberglass orange and yellow stacking school chairs and the bold propaganda-feeling art on the walls (it was originally a vintage service station billboard that was cut down into pieces). Speaking of service stations, one thing I feel like someone forgot was the bathrooms—votive candle or not, I felt like I was suddenly on the I-5, taking a pit stop in Coalinga or something.

The room’s light is glowy, the music is eclectic cool (from Tricky to Beck to hip hop), and the servers are all cuties with outfits reminiscent of hot mechanics (the dudes) or cheeky flight attendants (the chicks)—and yay, our server was totally on her game.

The compact Cal-American menu is clever, with little nudges and winks, Lindy (hip) Hopping between comfort and au courant. Start with the tender dinner rolls and honey butter ($3) for an example of “retro is now.” Ditto on the supple gnocchi gratin ($8), which was like a grown-up mac 'n' cheese, rich with bacon and béchamel—it came with a spork, handy in scooping up the decadence.

I was told the plan is to have dishes rotate fairly frequently, so we were happy to play guinea pig to a couple new dishes, like hamachi with a dollop of yuzu sabayon ($11) that totally did a fun little prickle in your mouth once the wasabi sidled up to the citrus. We also played around with the goat cheese croquettes ($8) resting on thin slices of mango, with sprigs of watercress, and a few drops of sherry vinaigrette. The disparate texture-temperature game in this dish one divided our table: 2-liked it, 1-not so much.

There are just five mains to choose from, which included the mussels avec spork ($15). Unfortunately the provided spork didn’t prove to be very useful when eating this gutsy-flavored dish—one of those moments when the concept/cute name tried to trump common sense. I just wanted a fork and knife. The bread proved to be the best device to sop up the smoky Anchor Steam broth (it usually is). This dish was actually a little clunky to me—the carnitas pork was mostly in a big hunk, while I wanted to enjoy pieces of it with each bite of mussels. The cilantro also needed to be de-stemmed—otherwise it’s only as good as garnish.

I know some folks who are diggin’ the “between the sheets” ($16) dish, which reminded me of an upscale vegetarian Stroganoff, with mushrooms, truffle cream, and cheese. It was too much pasta for me—call me a purist, but I would have preferred regular noodles instead of the thick swaths of pasta sheets—I’ll save the sheets for beddy-bye later, thanks.

Now for another “re/constructed” dish: the much buzzed about in-side-out burger ($14) with “smashed fries” (they are cooked, then smashed and fried up crispy-like). You totally have to fork and knife this one, so no sporking here, although you’ll definitely be porking it. You get two juicy and perfectly cooked patties that sandwich a half of a grilled burger bun in the middle—there’s a dollop of caramelized onion and melted cheddar on top, and a thick slice of tomato and crisp butter lettuce underneath the tower of power. It’s beefy and big and messy and mighty delish, but as a chef once told me, you can’t be a restaurant known for your burger. (Well, unless your name has burger in it and that’s all you sell.) On the burger tip, the Lilliputian chocolate and sesame burgers that come with the check are also mighty cute.

Other items we didn’t try were a sea bass dish ($19) that looked rather refined, and then the homey turkey ($18) with mashed potatoes and gravy. See how the menu feels like a family with a few random stepsiblings, but it’s still a family? When executive chef and partner Bruce Binn originally told me about the concept, he called it “short order fine dining.” One minute you’ve got a sabayon, and the next you have smashed fries.

Binn hails from all kinds of SF faves, like Slow Club, Postrio, Citizen Cake, and most recently, Delfina. He also worked in NYC at Batali’s Lupa and David Bouley’s Upstairs. His background has bred some confidence about making pasta, so I’m sure a few kinds will continue to have their place on the menu.

Dessert included the pot brownie ($6)—duh, of course we were going to try it. It was pretty much what it said it was: a brownie in a petite-lidded pot, topped with vanilla gelato. We also had some exquisitely fresh strawberries ($6) with a hint of balsamic resting in a cloud of boozy mascarpone. NOW would have been a perfect moment for the spork!

The wine list is as edited as the menu: six whites, ten reds, with four by the glass each; the most expensive bottle tops out at $46, a Cali Zin from Neyers. The crisp Cristalino cava comes in individual splits, cute. Six bottled beers, including a Chimay Grande Reserve (750ml) are also available. Neighborhood denizens will appreciate the Ritual Roasters French press on offer, but my favorite coffee-related detail was the usage of old-school orange-lidded decaf coffee pots as water pitchers.

Spork feels like a natural addition to the neighborhood, nestling right in with its retro vibe and friendly price point, with enough quirk to keep people interested; it could easily become hipster HQ. I plan on returning and checking out what dishes get rotated in next—my ears are pricked. I wonder if some chicken will ever make a (rather poignant) appearance?

Spork
1058 Valencia St.
Cross: 21st St.
San Francisco, CA 94110

415-643-5000
website

Tue-Thu 6pm–10pm
Fri-Sat 6pm–11pm

Apps $7–$11
Entrées $14–$19
Desserts $5–$6

the lush: Nickie's

image from Nickie’s website

The former Nickie’s BBQ on Haight has gone through major changes: new ownership (Shay Lyons and Noel Morgan, their first project together), new sleek yet cozy look (yay, the nasty bathrooms are gone), and a new simplified name: ~NICKIE’S~. It just reopened last Monday, June 4, after being closed since September.

The concept is an easygoing resto-lounge, with an intimate neighborhood vibe. There is a smattering of padded Naugahyde banquettes with tables, and nice materials, like the bar made of mahogany. DJs will be playing nightly, with a mixed format of funk, soul, house, hip hop, and other beats—the music program will take more shape in the coming weeks. You can carve out a small space to boogie if the need to shake your tail feathers takes over.

Eats are affordable—most range from $7–$12, and include a fried fish basket with hand-cut fries, a trio of sliders (each one can be different, like cheddar-avocado, Swiss and mushroom, and/or blue cheese and bacon), and mac and cheese with ham and peas. The chef is Eric Adams, who has cooked at Moose’s, Fifth Floor, and Calzone’s—this is his first time running his own kitchen. It’s beer and wine only, so there are some reasonable wines and bubbles that range from $6–$12. The chilled glasses and a special glycol system for the draft beers means nice, cold beers, about 15 in all. There are also some premium soju cocktails.

Nickie’s
466 Haight St.
Cross: Fillmore St.
San Francisco, CA 94117

415-255-0300
website

Mon–Fri 4pm-2am
Sat–Sun noon–2am

(until 10pm for food)

the lush: O'Neill's Irish Pub- Ghirardelli Square

image from O'Neill's website

Eoin O’Neill is one busy bloke—he’s gearing up to open his third ~O'NEILL'S IRISH PUB~, this time a 3,000-square-foot space in the Fairmont Heritage Place development at Ghirardelli Square. He’s keen on creating an authentic Irish pub with a good neighborhood vibe, serving traditional pub fare for lunch and dinner. O’Neill is considering offering breakfast service too, so if that ends up happening, now you know where to go for a good Irish breakfast. Traditional music is also in the works.

The look will be classic, with small tables, beer barrels, and my favorite element is the series of murals O’Neill is commissioning: one is going to picture JFK, Bono, Sinead O’ Connor, Enya, and himself having a pint (or an Irish coffee) together. Brill! Speaking of Irish coffees, look for a unique take on the SF classic at O’Neill’s—should be interesting considering the famous Buena Vista is just blocks away. Look for a grand opening in October.

O'Neill's Irish Pub—Ghirardelli Square
900 North Point St.—H 104
Cross: Larkin St.
San Francisco, CA 94109

website

Daily 8am-2am

the socialite: Share Our Strength: Taste of the Nation

Okay, I know some of you out there have some serious ducats, and this is one fab event to consider attending because 100% of all sales go to fighting hunger. Coming up is ~SHARE OUR STRENGTH'S TASTE OF THE NATION —SAN FRANCISCO~, hosted by Food Network’s Tyler Florence, honoring the indomitable industry pioneer, Chuck Williams.

There will be a reception and a delectable six-course dinner prepared by some seriously exciting chefs, including:
 2007 James Beard Award winner Traci Des Jardins, 2007 Food + Wine Best New Chef April Bloomfield of The Spotted Pig,
 Iron Chef Chris Cosentino of Incanto, 2007 Chronicle Rising Star James Syhabout of PlumpJack Café,
 and many more, like Loretta Keller of COCO500 and Stuart Brioza of Rubicon.
 Bid on fantastic food and wine experiences in silent and live auctions while Chef Joey Altman's Back Burner Blues Band provides the music. Space is limited.

Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation raises millions of dollars to help the more than 12 million children who face hunger in their communities and around the country.

Please note there is also an event in Napa, on July 18.


Share Our Strength
Taste of the Nation
Thu., June 21, 2007

Acme Chophouse
26 Willie Mays Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94107

website

6pm hors d'oeuvres
7pm dinner

$250
buy tickets

the matchmaker: June 12, 2007

Enrico's Sidewalk Cafe—an SF landmark restaurant/bar is now accepting resumes.

We are re-launching this 48-year-old institution with a commitment to quality food, an exceptional beverage program, impeccable service and live music daily. Our American bistro menu with French and Italian influences will be served throughout lunch and dinner daily, with brunch soon. The wine list favors domestic, French and Italian producers and other Mediterranean regions. Our cocktail program will continue to impress cocktail aficionados, with emphasis on historically relevant spirits and recipes.

The ideal employee has been employed by fine dining establishments in SF and is now seeking to apply those standards in a dynamic, casual setting. There are many opportunities for growth within all management positions. Interested candidates please forward your resumes by email only (no attachments, text must be in the body of email) to reza [at] enricossf [dot] com.

Positions available:
Assistant Manager
Maitre' D
Host/Hostess
Bartender
Server
Busser
Barback
Line and Prep cooks

the starlet: June 12, 2007

La Stone was at the St. Regis bar last week with a couple girlfriends. Reportedly looked amazing, why am I not surprised?

Krist Novoselic (the bass player from Nirvana) was spotted by a server at Bambuddha Lounge on Wednesday. The server was a huge Nirvana fan and recognized Krist despite the big beard he's currently rocking. Krist must have liked the food because he and his wife were back on Friday night for a second visit.

letter from the tablehopper: June 5, 2007

I already know my life is quite charmed (and I hope to keep it that way), but this past weekend was definitely extra-special. My sis finally returned from Australia, just in time for my cousin’s fab Italian wedding on Saturday—we feasted on arancine (fried rice balls with cheese, ham, and peas) and other treats at the reception, like tender gnocchi (I also got to try some fava bean ravioli, mamma mia) at Mezzaluna, our family friends’ restaurant in Princeton By the Sea.

Sunday we visited our Calabrese friend Dominic Muzzi’s farm in San Gregorio—he’s the one who does that incredible corn maze each year. Dad, sis, and I hand picked some rapini (man, was my Monday night dinner of sausage and tender, garlicky greens sheer heaven) and also left with fresh peas, favas, and the most exquisite strawberries, called Chandeliers. (You can buy direct from Dominic at his farm: 950 La Honda Road, just east of the San Gregorio Store—follow the strawberry signs.) We then scooted north to Sam’s Chowder House for my first-ever clambake—the checkered table was overflowing with clams, mussels, Maine lobsters, andouille sausage, potato, and corn. Add some crusty bread and a glass of Txomin Etxaniz and we were set. (Ends up you can host your own clambake there as a private event—how’s that for a swell party idea?)

This week is shaping up to be pretty fab (going to try Essencia tonight, Wednesday is the Uncorked Events party, Thursday my friends are cooking a swell dinner, Friday I rock out to LCD Soundsystem, and Saturday is the Golden Glass—check it out in the socialite! On Sunday, the tablehopper needs to do some yoga. And chill out.

Hey, want to win a pair of tickets to the StarChefs Gala on June 19? You know the drill: to enter, first, you have to be a tablehopper subscriber, and second, you have to forward the tablehopper newsletter to at least five pals—just be sure to cc luckyme [at] tablehopper [dot] com on the email so I know you forwarded it to five folks. (Their emails will stay private—I just need to keep track of how many folks you forwarded it to.) The deadline to enter is by midnight, on Thursday, June 7. I will be randomly drawing the winner and will email you to let you know you’ve won on Friday, June 8.

Lastly, this week marks round two of the wino pieces on corkage. I am also launching the matchmaker, a section with classifieds ads for the restaurant and bar industry. If you’re interested in learning more about running a classified ad, you know where to find me—just reply to this email!


Hoppingly yours,
~Marcia (rhymes with Garcia)

the chatterbox: June 5, 2007

I’ve always has a soft spot for Buca Giovanni in North Beach—it was the site of one of my earlier childhood dining memories, and I tasted rabbit for the very first time there. (No Thumper trauma here.) Anyway, I was very excited to find out that by mid-July, it will be opening as ~LA TRAPPE~, named after a Dutch Trappist brewery, and the only Trappist beer produced outside of Belgium. That hopefully gave you a hint about what is going to be going on here. Let’s just say that beer will be served, Belgian and Trappist beers to be exact, with pub-style food sporting some continental flair and designed to pair with the brews, like coq au vin cooked with wine and Belgian ale; braise of short ribs with cherry Belgian beer reduction, served with potato cakes and vegetable du jour; mussels and fries with a variety of sauces, like butter, wine, and garlic, or curried with lemongrass, or with a tomato-based bouillabaisse sauce, plus hand-cut fries with dipping sauces. The chef is Darrell Simon, who has cooked in NYC, Baltimore, and Louisiana—look for some touches of old-style Creole on a few dishes. Partners in the venture are Mike Azzalini, whose family has owned the building since his great-grandfather bought it in 1928, and John Lawton. (Three generations of Azzalinis have also worked at Liguria Bakery—how’s that for some SF provenance?) For those who can recall the Buca Giovanni space, the upstairs will now have windows on the Mason Street side, and will feel really open, with lots of seating and an Art Nouveau look. Downstairs will have a fountain, and the curved ceiling will be dramatically lit. Groups will be able to plunk themselves into a pew (which will be the seating at the larger tables) and there will be a loungier vibe, with hopes for acoustic music and DJs down the road. La Trappe will be open for evenings to start, but eventually the plan is to be open continuously from 7am-10pm, and until midnight on the weekends. Breakfast, brunch, and lunch will be coming, with smoked meats, fish, crepes, and Belgian waffles on the brunch tip, and all-day pub grub like fish ‘n’ chips, curries, BIG burgers, sandwiches, and artisanal pizzas for lunch. 800 Greenwich at Mason, San Francisco.

A few blocks away, the now-shuttered ~AVENUE G~ space is now on the sales block, with $350k as the asking price. 1570 Stockton St. at Union.

And now for a round up of changes to existing places around town:

The classic “neighborhoodie” ~REX CAFÉ~ just reopened last Friday after a ten-day remodel, and has a new chef on board: executive chef John Pauley, who hails from the fancy La Folie across the street—he was there for more than eight years, starting as a sous and then worked his way up to chef de cuisine. Pauley is taking a break from four-style style, and is having fun with the menu he has crafted for Rex Café, whose style he is currently calling San Francisco contemporary cuisine. The menu is designed to be easy to pick and choose from, with many smaller plates, and is arranged from lighter to heavier dishes, starting with beet carpaccio ($7) and an Asian-inspired tuna tartare ($10), and then in the fun camp (or should I say fat camp?), you’ll find a catfish corndog ($8) and a twist on chicken and waffles: Southern-fried poussin with a Belgian waffle ($12). There are dishes like rock shrimp linguine ($11) with a fresh pea tarragon sauce and Parmesan, while the most expensive dish is baked scallop ($18) in puff pastry. The winning brunch, however, is staying exactly the same. The remodel included refinishing the floor and fresh paint on the ceiling and walls. Banquettes were added throughout, the bar was gutted and enlarged, and the top of the bar was refinished—overall the restaurant now feels more open and welcoming. 2323 Polk St., at Green, 415-441-2244.

There have been some major changes to the menu at ~JACK FALSTAFF~—executive chef Jonnatan Leiva has constructed an appealing new menu that is sure to make a number of people happy (and hungry). Overall, the style is a lot more laid-back and graze-friendly, with Leiva adding some raw and charcuterie selections, like Pacific halibut with ruby red grapefruit, mint, horseradish, chives, and local Delta asparagus; and house-cured duck breast with pickled wild ramps and baby arugula. There are also some pasta options in half or full portions, and some wicked-sounding sides, like duck fat fries, and braised kale with guanciale. Mains include cassoulet with duck leg confit, butter beans, pork belly, and a poached egg (meowza!), and there’s even an ahi dish I’d consider ordering: pan-roasted with Catalan-style spinach, sweet peas, and saffron soubise. Leiva’s focus on seasonality is still front and center, but the menu has broken out of the standard “choose one appetizer and your main course” format. Definitely one to check out. 598 Second St. at Brannan, 415-836-9239.

Over in lower Potrero/China Basin, ~THEE PARKSIDE~ recently got a new owner, Malia Spanyol of Pops Bar in the Mission, and now has a new chef: Cynthia Morrison, who was at Universal Café for two-plus years. Morrison is totally revamping the menu, adding a local/fresh/organic approach with some American and Southern flair. The new menu just started last week, with offerings like hand-dredged buttermilk fried chicken with house-made pickles, and smoky pulled pork quesadilla. There is a curry cauliflower fritter that is part samosa and part pakora, with a cilantro verde sauce, and it’s both vegetarian and vegan-friendly—Morrison says there will always be a few vegetarian and vegan options. There are also nightly bar menu specials, with grilled items like chicken and burgers. Charcuterie is in the works, and they even use local meats, and butcher in-house. The “It’s a Free Country Sunday” all-you-can-eat BBQ (it ranges from $6-$10, depending on what’s being served) is going strong, with quality meats to go along the free music. Come July, Thee Parkside will be open for lunch, with a to-go window for local businesses. (They are hiring for all kinds of positions if you’re interested.) 1600 17th St. at Wisconsin, 415-252-1330.

For those wondering what Nick Fasanella (previously of Nick’s Crispy Tacos and Nicky’s Pizzeria Rustica) has been up to, he’s been a consulting GM at ~TORTILLA HEIGHTS~. He’s made some good changes, too: the kitchen is now using Niman Ranch meats (makes for some killer carne asada) and Fulton Valley Ranch chicken, the margaritas are now made with fresh-squeezed lime (no mix here), and there’s almost an entirely new (and well-trained) staff. I had a chance to swing by last week, and was happy to see crispy tacos “Nick’s Way,” plus his awesome Baja-style tacos are on the menu (three for $12.50). There’s also the “street treat” with mango, orange, and jicama with chile and lime. Perfect spot if you’re looking for a place for groups of 12 or more—they have some generous fiesta menus ($15-$21 per person). I’ll be back for “heads or tails Tuesday,” when you flip for your meal. The buckets of beers are also pretty spiffy. 1750 Divisadero St. at Bush, 415-346-4531.

Some unexpected changes are happening at ~MECCA~, which had a kitchen fire towards the end of service on Sunday night. The fire department responded extremely quickly, but let’s just say the dining room’s velvets and leathers are not quite going to be the same. So the restaurant is taking this opportunity to close, renovate and redesign, and plans on a grand reopening in hopefully a couple weeks. I’ll have more details in next week’s installment. 2029 Market St. at Dolores, 415-621-7000

Some news in Maktub land: chef ~DAVID BAZIRGAN~, who has been at Baraka for a bit, will be the opening chef for Jocelyn Bulow’s new Chez Papa Downtown, which is gunning for a Labor Day opening. It made me wonder how this is affecting the gastropub project, Baz, that he was slated to be doing with Sean and Isabel Manchester (of WISH Bar and Mighty). Ends up the western SoMa location the Manchesters were hoping would be the site of the restaurant unfortunately fell through. So while they keep scouting for a location, Bazirgan will continue working with the Maktub Group. Will let you know what develops, naturally!

As for ~BARAKA~, it seems it’s no longer for sale. In fact, Maktub just hired a new chef, Chad Newton—he is formerly from Boston, where he was at Spire with the Kimpton Group, and at Postrio while in SF. He just started a couple weeks ago—I will keep you posted on any menu changes. 288 Connecticut St. at 18th St., 415-255-0387.

One Maktub spot that does seem to be up for sale is ~SUTRA RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE~, unless I am totally reading this listing wrong, which is possible.

Another ever-growing empire is Charles Phan’s—he will be opening another ~OUT THE DOOR~ concept in the Fillmore neighborhood by early fall, right across from the Unitarian church for those of you who pay attention to details like that. The space was formerly a silk flower store, and was originally a firehouse—it’s supposed to be quite stunning. The current status of the space is “in the middle of permit hell,” but it may end up having 50 seats, or perhaps a little more. The Vietnamese menu is still in development, but an interesting component of this specific project will be what to pair with the dishes—it looks like the Slanted Door’s precedent of having no Californian wines on the list may now expand to include some local wines, as long as they make the flavor-profile cut. Another potential offering is the range of take-home cooking kits may be expanded (Have you ever tried them? The daikon rice cakes rock. Hard.) and takeout will also be readily available. 2232 Bush St. at Fillmore.

Opening this Wednesday for lunch and dinner is the long awaited ~FARINA~ on 18th Street. This Genovese/Ligurian restaurant under executive chef Paolo Laboa is downright snazzy, with room for 90 guests and a private dining room on the second floor, and outdoor seating to boot. However, they won’t be accepting reservations until the 18th—they are trying to start things off slowly. Release the focaccia. 3562 18th Street at Dearborn, between Valencia and Guerrero.

I just noticed Bar Crudo and Globe are now on ~OPENTABLE.COM~.

Hey, some of you have expressed curiosity about the ~TASTE3~ conference I attended last month up at COPIA. Ends up some of the amazing 20-minute talks have been posted on the site. Take a peek and see what interests you—the ones from Ben Roche of Moto in Chicago, the honeybee expert, and the wine fraud expert, David Molyneux-Berry, were three of my faves.

And folks, the ~WHITE BOOT BRIGADE~, an awesome group of New Orleans-area sustainable shrimpers, is coming to the Bay Area this week and doing demos all over town—you can try the brown shrimp at various Kimpton restaurants, and the brigade will be at Williams Sonoma AND the Golden Glass on Saturday. Definitely try to catch one of their demos.

the regular: Sociale

The City is full of hidden and tucked-away restaurants. One of my favorite late-night haunts is the subterranean Ryoko’s; there’s Bix, down its lonesome jazzy alley, and don’t forget Chez Spencer, an industrial cool Frenchie oasis on a gritty stretch of 14th Street. And then there's ~SOCIALE~, a nice restaurant that’s actually hidden off an even nicer street (so don’t worry, no one is going to hotwire or key the Beemer).

You feel like an (upscale) alley cat, slinking down the flower-laden alley to an enclosed Euro-style courtyard, which is a primo spot for an alfresco lunch, especially if you are there with your mom—it’s beyond ideal for mom lunches. The c-u-t-e patio is outfitted with umbrellas and heat lamps, making it quite a cozy spot for dinner, even on a typical rainy/foggy/misty/my hair is getting frizzy night.

The interior of the intimate dining room is warm and well appointed in a way that would make a WASPy in-law proud, with cheerful red and white striped banquettes (complete with a little circus dog in the fabric), while the white tablecloths signal refinement. The lighting is flattering, and the room, while lively, isn’t loud. Service is knowledgeable on a variety of subjects and gracious, just like a good debutante.

Tables are filled with (mostly) moneyed couples on dates, both young and polished and photo-ready for Gentry Magazine (Peninsula edition), or a bit older and from the neighborhood. I also saw a young couple out with her parents (it looked like the guy got along with his in-laws, good going, dude), and there were a few tables of ladies out to indulge with their gal pals. It’s all so, uh, pleasant. Which is exactly what makes this place ideal for functions like family dinners, when the aunt is in town, for first, second, or third dates, and where to take your prissy friend from Nashville (or Walnut Creek). It would also be a primo location for a bridal rehearsal dinner buyout.

Speaking of dates, there are dishes for two offered on the weekend (monogram not included), but I also saw plenty of solo diners perched at the back bar, and some strangers sitting together at the tall communal table with room for six, seated on the high stools.

Executive chef Tia Harrison is now a partner in the restaurant, and has put together a rustic Italianate menu with a sprinkling of some spunky flavor pairings. Almost everyone starts with the classic dish of fried olives ($7), salty and juicy green olives that are breaded and stuffed with oozing, molten Fontina cheese. Even the “ladies who lunch” indulge in these puppies—the fried olive tractor beam really is that strong.

Harrison also has some decadent duck meatballs ($10) on the menu, resting in a smooth sauce of tomato with undertones of sweet cherry from dried cherry mostarda. The meatballs were served a tad lukewarm, and I missed the juiciness you get from pork in meatballs, but the gaminess of the duck with the cherry was a good pairing.

Okay, vegetarians, the asparagus lasagna ($17) is for you, but you know what? It was so good it was totally for me, too. A large square features layers of fresh pasta, asparagus, and spinach, plus a cheese-a-rama of béchamel, ricotta, and aged provolone, and is topped with a nicely browned layer of Grana Padano, plus a roasted tomato. It was a little crusty on the edges too, just the way good cheesy pasta should be. Purr.

There are four other pasta dishes, including pappardelle ($18) with braised duck, porcinis, and peas that was sadly doused with truffle oil, overwhelming the dish. That damned truffle oil, when will she leave the City for good? Brazen hussy, messing up dishes up all over town. I wish her pimp would just retire her, she is seriously tired.

We tried the whole roasted branzino, a special that night—you also get the option of having it de-boned for you after they present it. Uh, yes please. I love the simplicity of a perfectly roasted fish with lemon and olive oil. It came with a tasty parchment paper present (For me, really? You shouldn’t have!) stuffed with leeks, cherry tomatoes, and Yukon Golds—however the leeks were stringy and the potatoes needed a serious salting. What was on pointe was the juicy brick chicken ($20), which comes de-boned and with a crispy exterior, plus smoky pancetta and red chard. Killer, that chicken. Buh-wok.

There is a strong focus on local and organic ingredients, especially regarding the meats, but a few items were out of step with the season, like the tomato soup, or the cherry tomatoes in the veggie parchment package (this was in April).

All the desserts are house made, and my spoon was at one with the jiggly wiggly vanilla bean pannacotta ($7)—it comes with candied kumquat on the side, and where Harrison adds her fun little twist is the drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, plus a hit of black pepper. Exquisite play of flavors. The coffee and doughnuts ($8) with the decadent espresso milkshake didn’t totally turn my crank—the concept is cute but the doughnuts were a little too chewy. I leave the donuts to Bob’s on Polk.

Co-owner and GM David Nichols really has a passione for Italian wine. The list has some lovely and special selections (there are also a few Cali wines here and there) but overall all that special-ness translates to a list that can veer on the spendy side. Be prepared to splurge on the good stuff, you will be tempted. Your wineglass is primed here, something you may know from Maverick (Michael Pierce, the GM/wine director/co-owner of Maverick was part of the opening team at Sociale).

A fun component to the by-the-glass program (there are 19) is most are also offered at a 3 oz. or 6 oz. pour, so you can actually pair to your courses without averaging $9 or $10 a glass, if you are so inclined and not so loaded. There is also a nice half-bottle selection for those who don’t want a full vino commitment. Although that nice girl you bought here for dinner might want a full commitment of another kind.

Sociale
3665 Sacramento St.
Cross: Spruce St.
San Francisco, CA 94118

415-921-3200
website

Lunch Tue-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm
Dinner Mon-Sat 5:30pm-10pm

Apps $7-$12
Entrées $16-$26
Desserts $5-$8

the wino: To Cork or Not to Cork by Gillian Ballance

To Cork or Not to Cork by Gillian Ballance

Gillian Ballance, wine director for the PlumpJack Group, views the selection and enjoyment of wine in a manner entirely in keeping with the philosophy that inspired the original PlumpJack Wine Store: expertise without pretense, with an emphasis on the fun and excitement of exploration and discovery. Ballance believes that the job of the wine director is "to keep the list interesting, with fun, new wines for guests to try and for the staff to learn about.”

There has been so much debate lately about bringing wines into restaurants. As Wine Director for PlumpJack Group, I am constantly barraged with questions on this subject. Though there is no "right" answer to this debate, I do feel that I can put forth some coherent thoughts on the matters surrounding the topic, and perhaps offer a little bit of sound advice to the consumer on the best way to bring wine to a restaurant.

Let me start off by saying that the number of wines being brought to restaurants has tripled in the last ten years, having a definite impact on a restaurant’s bottom line. I feel that there are a number of reasons for this: the prices of wines in restaurants can be exorbitant, as some restaurateurs will mark wines up from the wholesale or retail prices as many as three or four times. As consumption increases (by 2010 the US will lead all other countries in wine consumption), so does pricing awareness. Consumers may think that they are being taken advantage of. On the contrary, the margin on markups goes to support the restaurant’s bottom line, as well as buying stemware, wine education for staff, wine storage, and other components of running a wine program.

What many PlumpJack guests don't realize is that our markup on wines is only 1.7–2 times the bottle cost, which is usually only $5–$10 above retail. This supports PlumpJack’s core ideology that consumers should learn about wines in a friendly, helpful atmosphere, where they could feel free to ask questions, where the selection is large and the prices fair, and where, in homage to the store’s Shakespearean namesake, wine is once more associated with the spirit of fun and adventure.

With increased consumption comes more internet purchasing and savvier wine collectors. Most people who collect wine use the dining occasion to share their cellar with friends and loved ones. It may just so happen that people who began collecting 10 or 20 years ago have beautifully cellared and aged wines that many restaurants can no longer afford to have. For many, especially in the Bay Area, the expense of running a restaurant is at an all-time high due to city initiatives such as the minimum wage increase, paid sick leave requirement, and mandatory healthcare ordinance, to name a few. Gone are the days of being able to buy wines from classic regions and hold them until they are ready. There are several great wine lists in the city that do offer amazing selections of older wines, but in many instances, they are priced way beyond average spending limits.

In defense of the restaurants, many are staffed with one to four sommeliers whom are dedicated to providing a memorable wine and food experience which, along with the ambiance, must all be outstandingly coordinated and played out like a symphony. It is an arduous task and ever-evolving process to fuse a wine list and menu together. Each year provides new sets of challenges for wine selection. Vintages change, wineries are sold to big companies, new labels appear everyday, and it is the job of the sommelier to tailor-fit your experience and provide you with the best of the best.

When bringing in wine to a restaurant, you should do so because you’d like to enjoy a special bottle, one you’ve been saving, or to enjoy something not on the wine list—not to save some money on your end. First and foremost, check that it is not already on the list. If there is a special bottle or two that you want to bring to a restaurant, why not help support the loss of wine revenue (which provides around 40% of the restaurant’s income) and purchase a wine from the list? You may find that some places will often waive a corkage fee when you also purchase a bottle.

Several months ago, there was heated debate about some restaurants over not allowing people to bring wine in, or charging an enormous fee. I can see their logic, but I don't agree. After all, are you promoting wine consumption, or not?

the socialite: Golden Glass

The fourth annual ~GOLDEN GLASS~ wine event is coming up, a lively gastronomic and educational event that brings a line-up of Italy’s most talked-about wines to the Bay Area’s press, trade, Slow Food members, and general public. The Golden Glass, a fundraiser for Slow Food USA, is organized by Slow Food San Francisco, under the direction of Lorenzo Scarpone, convivium leader and founder.

In keeping with the Slow Food movement’s goals of encouraging biodiversity and the continuity of local traditions and products, the 2007 Golden Glass event will highlight Italian wine producers who strive to protect, nurture, and revive the indigenous and classic Italian varieties. The wine tasting will feature a number of these rare, indigenous varieties, alongside emerging newcomers and familiar favorites, from distinct regions all across Italy.

Slow Food SF has invited local Californian and Italian artisanal producers to complement the wines with savory culinary delights and sweet treats. Participating restaurants and producers for this year’s event will include (in alphabetical order) Acquerello, A16, Bacco, Blue Bottle Coffee, Bodega Goat Farms, Café Rouge, Chez Panisse, Delfina, Emporio Rulli, Foreign Cinema, Gelato Massimo, Harley Farms Goat Diary, Il Boccalone/Incanto, La Ciccia, Michael Mina, Miette Patisserie, Perbacco, Picco, Quince, Slanted Door, Stella Cadente Olive Oil, Swanton Berry, and many more.

There is also a gala dinner on Sunday, June 10, at Perbacco Restaurant, with cocktails at 6pm, and dinner following at 6:30pm. Take a look at the menu at the link above. Cost will $100 per person. Seating is limited and on a first come, first serve basis, so please reserve ASAP at info [at] slowfoodsanfrancisco [dot] com. 230 California St. at Front, 415-955-0663.

Golden Glass
Sat., June 9, 2007

Fort Mason
Herbst Pavilion
San Francisco, CA

650-873-6060

website

media 1pm-2pm
public 2pm-6pm

$50
$45 for Slow Food members

includes entrance to Golden Glass event, engraved wine glass, and Terra Madre book

the socialite: Champagne Feast at Scott Howard

This event feels almost custom-made for me: Jerry Horn, AKA Dr. Champagne of Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant (he just wrote this wino piece last week on corkage) is hosting a ~CHAMPAGNE FEAST AT SCOTT HOWARD~ for 25 guests. The dinner includes five courses of Scott’s fully loaded cuisine, paired up with five fab Frenchie shampoos. There are about ten spaces left (which are rapidly filling up) so I’d reserve a spot sooner rather than later.

Here’s the deeeelish menu:

Course One: Trio of Fish: Ahi Tartare–scallions, avocado; Hamachi Crudo–pickled cucumber, curried mayonnaise, ponzu, herbs; Smoked Trout–truffled egg salad, crostini, herbs, with Pierre Peters Blanc de Blancs Millesime 1998 Mesnil-sur-Oger.

Course Two: Duck Confit Salad–frisee, soft egg, pancetta vinaigrette, with Deutz Blanc de Blancs Millesime 2000 Ay.

Course Three: Wild Mushroom Risotto, smoked bacon, Madeira jus, with Jean Vesselle Rose de Saignee 100% Bouzy Pinot Noir.

Course Four: Lamb Loin–braised greens, spring onion, truffled jus, king trumpets, with Pol Roger Brut Rose 1999 Epernay.

Course Five: Selection of Artisanal Cheese or Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta–olive oil, sea salt, fresh berries, with Billecart Salmon Brut Rose NV Mareuil-sur-Ay.

Payment is required in advance to reserve your seat(s). Sorry, no credit cards. Please mail your check ASAP to: Jerry Horn/Dr. Champagne, 60 Corte Ortega #10, Greenbrae, CA, 94904. Wines featured this evening will be available, modestly priced, for delivery at a later date. Questions? Email him direct at drchampagne [at] comcast [at] net.

Champagne Feast
Sat., June 16, 2007

Scott Howard
500 Jackson St.
Cross: Montgomery St.
San Francisco, CA 94133

415-956-7040

website

8pm

$185 per person, including gratuity

the socialite: StarChefs Gala

Coming up is the ~STARCHEFS.COM SAN FRANCISCO RISING STARS GALA~—a walk-around tasting event showcasing San Francisco’s hottest culinary talent complete with wine pairings, Champagne, and cocktails.

The event is a walk-around tasting gala featuring two signature dishes from each chef, as well as premium wine pairings, spirits, and entertainment. tablehopper readers get $10 off the $95 ticket price—simply enter “table10” as your code. VIP tickets are $150 and include a pre-Gala Champagne and caviar reception featuring Nicolas Feuillatte 1997 Palmes d’Or Champagne.

The StarChefs 2007 San Francisco Rising Stars include Chef Nate Appleman of A16, Chef Jennifer Biesty of Coco500, Chef Mark Dommen of One Market, Chef James Syhabout of Plumpjack Café, Chef Mourad Lahlou of Aziza, Chef Jonah Oakden of The Blue Plate, Chef Seiji Wakabayashi of Bushi Tei, Pastry Chef Belinda Leong of Gary Danko, Pastry Chef Nicole Krasinski of Rubicon, Hotel Chef Peter Rudolph of Campton Place, Sommelier Becky Swenson of Delfina, Sommelier Michael Garcia of XYZ at the W Hotel, Bar Chef Jonny Raglin of Absinthe, Sustainability Award Chef Laurence Jossel of NOPA, and Host Chef Thomas Rimpel of Westin St. Francis. The Mentor award winner, selected personally by the San Francisco Rising Stars winners and candidates, will be announced the night of the Gala.

StarChefs Gala
Tue., June 19, 2007

Westin St. Francis
335 Powell St.
Cross: Geary St.
San Francisco, CA
http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

7pm–9:30pm

$95 per person
$85 for tablehopper readers
$150 VIP

Purchase tickets
or call 212-966-3775

the matchmaker: June 5, 2007

Spruce Restaurant accepting Kitchen and Dining Room resumes for opening

Spruce restaurant, the newest restaurant of the Bacchus Management Group and the sister restaurant of The Village Pub in Woodside, is accepting Kitchen resumes for the late July opening. Spruce is located at 3640 Sacramento St. in Presidio Heights.

We seek dedicated and experienced candidates that are inspired by food and technique for the following positions:

Kitchen:
Prep Cook
Line Cook
Garde Manger (Pantry) Cooks
Pastry Cooks

We seek professional candidates that are inspired and committed to hospitality for the following positions:

Dining Room:
Server
Busser
Bartender
Host-ess
Runner
Barista

Please send your resume to william [at] sprucesf [dot] com and good luck in your search. We look forward to meeting you. Be sure to tell us you saw the ad on tablehopper!

.........................................................................

Laïola is hiring for ALL POSITIONS
A new Cal-Spanish restaurant from the guys behind Frisson and Executive Chef Mark Denham, is opening soon at 2031 Chestnut St. (at Fillmore).

We will be accepting resumes for all positions, including prep cook, line cook, dishwasher, busser, server, bartender, and food runner.

You can swing by 2031 Chestnut St. Mon-Fri from 11am-3pm. Please bring your resume and references that demonstrate your experience in restaurant/hospitality excellence. There is no email in response to this notice—we want to see you in person. Thanks, we look forward to meeting you. Be sure to tell us you saw the ad on tablehopper!

the starlet: June 5, 2007

Francis Ford Coppola came into Presidio Social Club for dinner, accompanied by his wife and two younger folks. He ate the Sloppy Joe, but with artichoke instead of fries (I should follow his example). The cute chocolate cupcakes were also spotted at the table.