The Chatterbox

Hello, my fellow singles who love food and wine. It’s time for y’all to meet, right? Right! I’m tired of seeing too many fabulous people without proper wingmen/wingwomen, in life and at the table. So I’m excited to announce this month brings the first tablehopper singles event! This will be the first of a series of singles events. I plan to host a variety of them in the coming months, for different age groups and sexual orientations (there’s even talk of a special industry singles night), so if you don’t fit the parameters of this first one, please sit tight!

It’s going to be on Thursday May 30th at 7pm at the recently remodeled ~E&O ASIAN KITCHEN~, in their spacious private dining room downstairs. The age range for this first event is 35-49, with room for 20 men and 20 women (who identify as hetero, just to be clear). There are, I’m afraid, no more ladies’ tickets left, but we’ve got some spots for gentlemen. Naturally. Oh, San Francisco. You will have an opportunity to meet everyone at this sit-down event, which is a bit like a mash-up of speed dating and a wine tasting and a partay. Yeah, it’s gonna be fun. This is NOT going to be a Date-A-Palooza à la The 40-Year-Old Virgin (oh hell no, although that scene is so funny).

Thanks to the CIVL (the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins du Languedoc, the joint trade council of the AOC wines of Languedoc), we are going to be tasting a variety of delicious wines, eight in all. We are also happy to welcome back the very dynamic Josiah Baldivino (he taught the tablehopper Languedoc wine tasting last year); he is currently the head sommelier at Michael Mina, and will be telling you about each wine and a bit about the Languedoc-Roussillon region, the largest wine-growing region in the world.

Chef Sharon Nahm is going to be preparing a variety of delicious bites, so you will have plenty to taste throughout the evening. Hello, lapsang souchong tea-deviled eggs, oxtail dumplings, and other tasty dishes! (We can also accommodate vegetarians.) Don’t worry, you won’t be hungry—otherwise it wouldn’t be a tablehopper event. Hello.

You can get your tickets here (tickets are $65), and details about the wines and dishes will be released in the coming week. PLEASE NOTE: There are no ticket refunds if you can’t make it to the event (unless we can fill your place, but there are no guarantees about being able to do that). This event is 21 and over only, please.

This is a kickoff to L’Aventure Languedoc, from June 1st-30th, a monthlong and citywide promotion of Languedoc wines at a variety of restaurants and wine shops in San Francisco.

Some new projects to add to your radar: first, ~PESCE~ is going to be swimming downstream from its Russian Hill location to the former 2223 Market Street/Jake’s on Market location in the Castro. Scoop mentions owners Ruggero Gadaldi and Adriano Paganini hope to reopen it as soon as August; Pesce will stay open until the new location is very close to opening. The menu will stay the same, although the number of seats will be doubling. As for the Polk Street location, stand by for what the duo plans to do in that space. 2227 Polk St. at Vallejo, 415-928-8025.

Kudos to Danny Bowien for winning Rising Star Chef at the James Beard Foundation Awards, and also for opening his next project in SF (thank you). Scoop interviewed him after his JBFA win, and he revealed he’s working with Mission Chinese Food’s SF chef Jesse Koide on a new concept. All we know is that it will be Asian, and the two of them are about to embark on some heavy R&D. Look forward to hearing what they cook up.

Local institution the ~TADICH GRILL~ has announced that they are opening a second location, this time in Washington, D.C. (Not like they are expanding too quickly—Tadich was established in 1849, so we’re looking at 164 years later.) The new spot is on Pennsylvania Avenue, between then White House and the Capitol, and is being opened by a partnership between the Buich family that currently owns Tadich, and a restaurant development firm called ICON Inc. Look for an opening in early 2014. The San Francisco location (which is the oldest restaurant in the city) will remain fully owned and operated by the Buich family. 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.

Leo Beckerman and Evan Bloom of ~WISE SONS DELI~ are keeping busy with yet another new project: they’re going to be running the operations of the Contemporary Jewish Museum’s café (which is currently closed). Scoop reports the menu will be just like their Mission location, plus there will be a takeout window (which is where you’ll be able to score Beauty’s Bagels as well). Stand by for updates on the summer opening. 736 Mission St. at Yerba Buena Lane.

A friend let me know there is currently a Kickstarter to open a café called ~CAFE ST. JORGE~ in the former Nervous Dog Coffee spot in Bernal. Owner Andrea de Francisco is of Portuguese heritage, and plans to serve Stumptown coffee along with a menu of Portuguese-inspired dishes. 3438 Mission St. at Kingston.

There’s yet another spot for ramen, this time in the Outer Sunset/Parkside neighborhood. ~RAIJIN KITCHEN~ is open as of April 26th, serving ramen in housemade broth. They’ve got four kinds of ramen: the Raijin ramen, tan tan men, curry ramen, and shoyu ramen. Also look for a large selection of Japanese-style curries, like cheese curry (hmmm) and chashu curry. Their Facebook page mentions sister restaurants Waraku and Men Oh Ramen, which have garnered quite a following. 1353 Taraval St. at 24th Ave., 415-661-8680.

And now, let’s talk pizza, the other ceaseless topic in this town. We received word on Friday that ~TRATTORIA DA VITTORIO~ is now open in West Portal. As previously mentioned on tablehopper, the new restaurant is moving into the space previously occupied for A Café for All Seasons, and will feature Southern Italian food from owner Vittorio D’Urzo and chef Filippo Cannone. They’ve got a beautiful pizza oven and a menu of classic dishes like eggplant Parmigiana, pastas, and pizzas. For now, they’re only serving dinner, but look out for brunch and lunch coming soon. Hours are Tue-Sat 5pm-10pm. 150 West Portal Ave. at Vicente, 415-742-0300.

Scoop reports that ~FORBES ISLAND~ reopened last Friday after a fire damaged one of the private dining rooms. Because the kitchen and restaurant were unscathed in the blaze, they’ve been able to get back up and running rather quickly. Ahoy! Sea Lion Harbor, H Deck, at Pier 41, 415-951-4900.

The Financial District has a new place to get lunch: try ~AMAWELE’S SOUTH AFRICAN KITCHEN~ in the Rincon Center. Eater reports that the restaurant is mostly a takeout spot, with South African specialties like chicken curry rolls, “bunny chow” (a South African-style bread bowl), and frikadella slap chips rolls (that would be meatballs with french fries in a bun—yesss); check out the full menu here. The project comes from twin sisters Pamela and Wendy Michaelson (Amawele means “twins” in Zulu/Ubuntu), and they’ll be changing the menu with some frequency to keep things interesting. Hours are Mon-Fri 10am-3pm. 101 Spear St. at Mission, 415-536-5900.

Chow chatter reveals a new Indian/Nepalese restaurant in the Tenderloin called ~RED CHILLI~. Yelpers report great Nepalese food (hello, momos) and it’s open daily for lunch and dinner. 522 Jones St. at O’Farrell, 415-658-7558.

Tipster Jason B. lets us know that on Polk Street, the former Royal Grounds Café has transformed into ~MOKA COFFEE~. There has reportedly been an extensive remodel, and Yelpers mention coffee, tea, and sandwiches, with some complaints about prices. 1605 Polk St. at Sacramento.

Owner Berk Kinalilar of ~TROYA~ and ~TROYA FILLMORE~ has hired a new chef for ~TROYA FILLMORE~: Kevin Davidson, who was a chef de cuisine at Foreign Cinema and most recently was enjoying some travel with his wife. Troya Fillmore’s previous chef, Philip Busacco, is taking some time off to pursue photography and travel for a bit. (The chef at Troya on Clement remains in place.)

Good news: ~PADRECITO~ in Cole Valley is now open on Sunday nights for dinner; look for Mondays and weekend brunch soon! 901 Cole St. at Carl, 415-742-5505.

The fine folks at ~GALETTE 88~ have expanded their hours on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, making their hours Mon-Fri 11am-2:30pm, and now Wed-Thu 4pm-9pm.

Zagat reports that ~CHARLES CHOCOLATES~ will be serving afternoon tea on Sundays and Mondays at 12pm and 2pm, starting Sunday May 26th (so if you have Monday off for Memorial Day, check it out!). Look for chocolate chip scones, blueberry ricotta custard cake, clotted cream with jam, and tea sandwiches on Panorama bread. Tea is $32.50 per person, $48.50 with a box of chocolates to take home. Reservations and details are here. 353 Florida St. at 17th St., 415-659-8770.

Wow, ~BOULETTES LARDER~ at the Ferry Building Marketplace is looking pretty gutted. The restaurant/larder has closed to make way for renovations, and the Boulettes website mentions it will reopen in July as a full-service restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and private dinners six days a week. Opening in early June will also be Bouli Bar in the former Culinaire space—mentioned previously on tablehopper here—which will have a wood-burning hearth, continuous hours (11:30am-8pm six days a week), and wine and cocktails. As for the larder, it will open in June in a “pretty window counter in the hall across from Prather Ranch.” Stand by for updates in the coming month.

As mentioned last week, the ~BACON BACON~ café location has to close for now, but it looks like once the owners install an air filtration system to keep those onerous bacon waftings at bay, the NIMBY neighbor will stop holding up the re-permitting process. You can read more about this whole thing on Uppercasing here. It’s like Ike’s all over again, although Bacon Bacon managed to get on SNL’s Weekend Update. 205 Frederick St. at Ashbury, 415-571-8516.

So it looks like the two chaps behind the ~THE BONEYARD~ truck I was the first to report on have split (Rich Mainzer bought out Mike Bradford and is now the sole operator of the truck). You’ll still be able to scarf down Mike’s excellent barbecue at some upcoming barbecue nights at 903 on Cortland in Bernal Heights (his wife is Mutsumi Takehara). Speaking of 903, they are currently running a Kickstarter to build a parklet out front, check it out.

The last day for ~PAL’S TAKEAWAY~ at Tony’s Market is May 31st. They’ll be moving down the block to ~LA MOVIDA~, which is due to open in June (recap here for those who don’t remember what the project is!). 3066 24th St. at Treat, 415-425-2392.

Last Thursday, ~WRECKING BALL COFFEE~ announced on Twitter that they are no longer serving coffee in ~FIREHOUSE 8~. An interview on Sprudge (hat tip to Eater) mentions they will continue to roast for their wholesale clients, and are looking for both pop-up and permanent locations. Follow them on Twitter for updates. In the meantime, Firehouse 8 is closed for renovations until this weekend, when Contraband Coffee will be one of their weekend pop-ups, according to a Facebook post.1648 Pacific Ave. at Polk.

Uptown Almanac adds to the list of the latest restaurant fire victims (what is going on?): ~WE BE SUSHI~ (538 Valencia St.) and ~THAI HOUSE 530~ (530 Valencia St.) both suffered a fire over the weekend and are closed for repairs. You can check out the mega flames on Mission Mission.

A report by Dana Massey-Todd: We’ve been sitting on the story of the new ~PIZZETTA 211~ location in New Orleans for a while, but now that the hopper has returned from that fair city, it’s time to spill the beans. I had a chance to sit down with owner Jack Murphy (full disclosure: I worked there for more than three years) to talk about the new project.

First things first, Pizzetta here in San Francisco will not change drastically. Murphy is currently looking for a head chef to run things while he’s gone, but he’ll also be relying on his existing staff to keep the place true to itself. The new project will be a partnership between Murphy, his girlfriend Susan Dunn, and her brother Ed Dunn, who has been a chef in New Orleans for more than 12 years. His résumé includes some pretty serious NoLa institutions, like Commander’s Palace and Emeril’s. They’re moving into a space in the Bywater neighborhood that occupies the bottom floor of a 100-year-old warehouse that used to house a sock factory and liquor distribution center, and has now been converted to a mixed-use space with loft apartments above and commercial space below. The building is called 511 Marigny, and the current owner has been working on developing the space since he purchased it in 1992—you can find some more information on the property’s development here.

For the food, they’re looking to offer a similar concept as Pizzetta: a small, tight, seasonally changing menu. While New Orleans is without question one of the best food cities in the country, Murphy hopes his seasonal, ingredient-driven ethos will fill a niche in the local scene. The neighborhood is in the middle of some major growth (check out an article on its development from the Times-Picayune), and Murphy is hoping to cater to neighborhood locals looking for a lighter dining experience than the typical NoLa fare. There will likely be four starters, four pizzas, four main dishes, and four desserts each day, and all will change according to seasonal availability. Like Pizzetta, there will be an open kitchen with an intimate feel, and the staff will be trained to work every station in the restaurant, including waiting tables and working a line in the kitchen. Unlike Pizzetta, though, there will be a lot more space. They’ve got 2,100 square feet to play with and are looking forward to being able to expand their charcuterie program, do some whole beast cooking, and add a full bar.

Right now, the working name for the new project is ~PALADAR 511~. A paladar is a Cuban underground home kitchen, and 511 is the address of the new location on Marigny Street (it’s a nice tie-in with San Francisco’s Pizzetta 211 too). They’re hoping to open by the end of 2013, and when they do, we’ll let you know. 511 Marigny St. at Decatur, New Orleans.

Oh, and speaking of Pizzetta 211, they’ve jumped on the Square bandwagon and are now accepting credit cards after 12 years of a rather infamous cash-only policy. (Hold. The. Phone.)

The pop-up series Local Motion continues at ~TRACE~ with an appearance from ~ONIGILLY~ on Tuesday May 28th. The latest in the series is a benefit for La Cocina, and the dinner will be served family style, with passed apps, dishes like glazed king salmon with pickled cucumbers and carrot purée, plus some of Onigilly’s signature onigiri rice balls. For a full description of the menu and to get your tickets, head here. The dinner costs $45 per person, with optional drink pairings for $25.

The always fabulous ladies of ~THREE BABES BAKESHOP~ will be popping up in a couple of places this week. They’re giving a pie-making demonstration at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Saturday May 25th at 12pm. Plus, all week long, they’ll be serving as guest pastry chefs at ~DANDELION CHOCOLATE~ with some of their wonderful pies and other pastries. They’ll be there Wed-Sun from 10am-8pm with treats like cherry cobbler with cacao nib crumble, lemon bars with a chocolate shortbread crust and chocolate ganache, strawberry raspberry buttermilk pie, and a chocolate cream pie with whipped cream that’s been spiked with Almanac’s Biere de Chocolat. Yeah, killer. Don’t miss it. 740 Valencia St. at 18th St., 415-349-0942.

Looking for something fun to do on Sunday May 26th? Swing by ~PICCINO~ in Dogpatch to celebrate their two-year anniversary! They are closing off Minnesota Street in front of the Yellow Building and throwing a block party, with housemade sausages, beer and wine specials, and as the sun sets behind Potrero Hill, they’ll have an outdoor movie screening on the barn doors. Fun. 12pm-10pm.

As previously mentioned on tablehopper, pop-up alumni Grant Gooding, Jess McCarter, and Jeron Thomson were opening ~EASY CREOLE~ in Berkeley, and now it’s open. The small space seats 22, and they’ve got rotating daily specials of the meaty and vegetarian variety. They’re open daily 11am-9pm, but apparently they’ve been experimenting with their hours, so be sure to keep up with the hours and menu on their Facebook page. 1761 Alcatraz at Ellis, Berkeley, 415-347-5640.

~CHEZ PANISSE~ is getting ready to re-open on Friday June 21st (that would be the solstice, when else?) after a fire a few months ago that destroyed the façade. They’re throwing their new doors open with a big soiree on the 21st to benefit the Edible Schoolyard; it’s $1,000 per person for the Café and $2,500 in the restaurant. More info and reservations here.

Over in Rockridge, we received the official word that ~TOAST~ has expanded into the space next door, nearly doubling their size. Previously, chef Rebecca Boice was working out of a galley kitchen sans gas, but now she’ll have access to a full kitchen. The menu has expanded accordingly, with new options like roasted chicken, pastas, and grilled meats, with sandwiches, salads, and soup at lunch. They’ve got 20 wines by the glass, 40 by the bottle, beer, and a full bar focused on small-batch producers; check out the beverage list here. No word yet on an exact day for the big reveal, but they hope to be up and running by the end of next week, pending inspections. Hours are Mon-Sat 12pm-11pm and Sun 12pm-10pm. 5900 College Ave. at Chabot, Oakland, 510-658-5900.

A Temescal Blog mentions a new spot on Telegraph. It’s called ~KEREN CAFÉ AND MARKET~, and though details are scarce, the author mentions Ethiopian food and coffee. 3932 Telegraph Ave. at 40th St.

Hello, my fellow singles who love food and wine. It’s time for y’all to meet, right? Right! I’m tired of seeing too many fabulous people without proper wingmen/wingwomen, in life and at the table. So I’m excited to announce this month brings the first tablehopper singles event! This will be the first of a series of singles events. I plan to host a variety of them in the coming months, for different age groups and sexual orientations (there’s even talk of a special industry singles night), so if you don’t fit the parameters of this first one, please sit tight!

It’s going to be on Thursday May 30th at 7pm at the recently remodeled ~E&O ASIAN KITCHEN~, in their spacious private dining room downstairs. The age range for this first event is 35-49, with room for 20 men and 20 women (who identify as hetero, just to be clear). You will have an opportunity to meet everyone at this sit-down event, which is a bit like a mash-up of speed dating and a wine tasting and a partay. Yeah, it’s gonna be fun. This is NOT going to be a Date-A-Palooza à la The 40-Year-Old Virgin (oh hell no, although that scene is so funny).

Thanks to the CIVL (the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins du Languedoc, the joint trade council of the AOC wines of Languedoc), we are going to be tasting a variety of delicious wines, eight in all. We are also happy to welcome back the very dynamic Josiah Baldivino (he taught the tablehopper Languedoc wine tasting last year); he is currently the head sommelier at Michael Mina, and will be telling you about each wine, and a bit about the Languedoc-Roussillon region, the largest wine-growing region in the world.

Chef Sharon Nahm is going to be preparing a variety of delicious bites, so you will have plenty to taste throughout the evening. Hello, lapsang souchong tea-deviled eggs, oxtail dumplings, and other tasty dishes! (We can also accommodate vegetarians.) Don’t worry, you won’t be hungry—otherwise it wouldn’t be a tablehopper event. Hello.

You can get your tickets here (tickets are $65), and details about the wines and dishes will be released in the coming week. PLEASE NOTE: There are no ticket refunds if you can’t make it to the event (unless we can fill your place, but there are no guarantees about being able to do that). This event is 21 and over only, please.

This is a kickoff to L’Aventure Languedoc, from June 1st-30th, a monthlong and citywide promotion of Languedoc wines at a variety of restaurants and wine shops in San Francisco.

Open as of today in Civic Center is ~ELMIRA ROSTICCERIA~ from chef Marc Passetti, formerly of the Fairmont. The name comes from the street in San Francisco where Passetti’s parents and grandparents grew up, which is so sweet. The menu is all about Italian-influenced sandwiches, salads, and breakfast. In the sandwich department, look for the lampredotto (a traditional Florentine tripe sandwich), roasted pork with fennel pollen and salsa verde, and roasted eggplant with peppers and smoked mozzarella. They’ve also got farro salad, a crispy pork salad, and a chopped salad. The menu will change seasonally, with lots of items sourced from the neighboring UN Plaza Farmers’ Market, and should expand to include a few more sandwich offerings in the next few weeks. At breakfast, find housemade pastries, steel-cut oatmeal, a three-cheese omelet with herbs, and a breakfast egg sandwich with the option of either bacon or speck.

They’re serving coffee from Bicycle Coffee Co. and beer from a few local spots like 21st Amendment, Anchor, and Speakeasy, for now. There’s also a wine list coming soon, but it hasn’t been finalized yet. Once the beer and wine program has expanded and been finalized, they’ll add happy hour too. Hours are daily 7:30am-7pm, breakfast until 10:30am, then lunch until closing. 154 McAllister at Hyde, 415-551-7332.

After running ~PISTO’S TACOS~ for a couple of nights last week, owner Pete Mrabe closed the space and decided to change the concept since the space wasn’t suited for what he wanted to do there. So instead of taking tacos off the menu at nearby Don Pisto’s, he’s going to launch his raw bar menu items at this new 35-seat space instead (it’s going to be called ~PISTO’S~). As mentioned earlier in tablehopper, look for ceviche, oysters, and some cured and smoked fish. He is also going to offer a half-pound burger (to go only) for $6 and have just a couple of tacos on the menu (like suadero). The reopening is slated for this Thursday May 16th. Walk-ins only, open Thu-Sun 6pm-10pm. 1310 Grant Ave. at Vallejo.

Now open in the Mission is the second location of ~RHEA’S CAFÉ~. Like we said earlier, it was going to open in the former Deli-Up Cafe space at 20th and Bryant, and there’s a counter with seating (the original location in the market on Valencia is takeout only). Yelpers and the readers on Mission Mission are squawking over the higher prices on the menu ($10-$12 for those monster sandwiches). But yay, 30 seats. And as promised, the famed katsu sandwich is back, and there’s Korean fried chicken on the menu too. Way to work that fryer out. Open daily 11am-8pm. 2200 Bryant St. at 20th St.

Urban Daddy mentions the opening of ~PAPRIKA~ on 24th Street in the Mission, in the former El Trebol space. It joins other nearby beer-and-sausage places with European beers and traditional-style sausages. Yelpers report good sausage platters and happy hour beer prices. And apparently, they’re serving beer in the boot-style mug. Awesome. 3324 24th St. at Mission, 415-283-7941.

Due to potentially open this Saturday May 18th in the Inner Sunset is ~DRIP’D~. An earlier post on tablehopper said the project is from Chris Morell and Tae Kim, serving Sightglass Coffee (although they plan to roast their own coffee in the back later on). Initial hours are Fri-Sat 8am-2pm, Sun 9am-3pm. They’ll be expanding to six days a week very shortly after, as soon as in a couple weeks (closed on Mondays). They are also going to be hosting their first espresso workshop on June 1st, check out their events page for more. 1352A 9th Ave. at Irving.

I know some neighborhood folks will not be happy to hear ~FARM: TABLE~ has been sold to new owners. Eater reports the new owners are Tom Benson and Wendy Rouse of Duluth, Minnesota. 745 Post St. at Jones.

The latest taker for The Palace Family Steak House space is Manny Torres Gimenez (currently at Roxy’s Cafe), who is going to be opening a steakhouse in the space called ~THE PALACE~ with his wife Katerina. The chef de cuisine is Shawn Naputi (Incanto). Scoop mentions he’ll be doing whole-animal butchery, and offering both an à la carte menu and a $50 five-course tasting menu. Look for an opening around June 1st. 3047 Mission St. at Cesar Chavez.

The tenant taking over Bernal Cutlery’s spot in the ~331 CORTLAND MARKETPLACE~ will be Suite Foods. Bernalwood shares the Belgian-style waffle maker will be serving both sweet and savory waffles, plus some drinks like fresh juice, European-style hot chocolate, and more. Look for the opening of the ~SUITE FOODS WAFFLE SHOP~ on Saturday June 1st. Hours 8am-5pm daily, closed Thu.

According to some ABC license activity, the folks behind ~THE SYCAMORE~ in the Mission are taking over the former Mercury Lounge in SoMa and opening ~THE WILLOWS~. Bonus: they will have full liquor. Stand by for more details once I hear back from the owners. 1582 Folsom St. at 12th St.

The gents of ~HUMPHRY SLOCOMBE~ are opening their second location in the Ciao Bella space inside the ~FERRY BUILDING~. Scoop mentions they won’t be able to get access to the space until October, so stand by for timing updates later this year.

A crazy number of fires have happened in recent days: first, ~FORBES ISLAND~ near Pier 39 experienced a fire in the Sea Lion Room (one of the private rooms on the main level of the island). Scoop says they hope to get back up and running soon, but will need to cut off the portion of the barge that is damaged. Stand by for updates. Sea Lion Harbor, H Deck, at Pier 41, 415-951-4900.

~LITTLE BAOBAB~, the restaurant/club in the Mission, suffered a fire, and owner Marco Senghor says it could be five or six months until it reopens (TBD). Scoop says the business will move into nearby Bissap Baobab while repairs are made. 3372 19th St. at Mission, 415-643-3558.

And over in Oakland, 61-year-old ~MERRITT RESTAURANT & BAKERY~ has tragically suffered a bad fire. Here’s a thoughtful post on SFGate about why the potential loss of this Oakland institution would be such a shame. 203 E. 18th St. at 2nd Ave, Oakland, 510-444-8680.

No more fires, okay?

Some good news: the ~BACON BACON TRUCK~ is back on the road after their truck had a nasty fire (follow the truck on Twitter). But Uppercasing has some bad news: their brick-and-mortar location at 205A Frederick St. in the Haight is going to be shut down on May 17th due to a couple of neighbors who aren’t fans of the business (the café just had a conditional use permit). If you’d like to help them stick around, you can join more than 1,500 other supporters and sign the petition here. 205 Frederick St. at Ashbury, 415-571-8516.

The fab folks at ~CASSAVA~ have closed the café for the next couple of weeks while they undergo an exciting expansion into a neighboring space. I’ll update you when they are set to reopen.

Also seems ~KITCHENETTE~ in Dogpatch has something exciting up their sleeves. Grubstreet noted they are closed for the month of May—stand by for details on what’s going on (catering is still available, FYI). 958 Illinois St. at 20th St.

And in the permanent closure file, ~MAKI~ in the Kinokuniya building in Japantown has closed. Yes, the place with the expensive but delicious wappa meshi dishes and frosty service. A business called Tenroku Sushi appears to be moving in. 1825 Post St. at Fillmore.

~LOLINDA~, the Argentine steakhouse that moved into the former Medjool space on Mission, has finally opened up one of the arguably best elements of their space: the roof deck. It officially opened last night, Monday May 13th, as El Techo de Lolinda. They’ve got a separate menu and bar program from the main restaurant, with a more casual, pan-Latin concept than the main space.

First off, getting there can be a little tricky. You go up to the fifth floor in an elevator that hasn’t been glamorous for years, but that’s okay. Once you arrive, you’re greeted by a great view of the city. To the north you can see the Bay Bridge on-ramp, the skyline of the Financial District, and the fog rolling in on the rest of the city. And if it does roll in, they’ve got some serious heated umbrellas to keep you toasty. With the Mission sunshine and distance from the loud street below, you really feel like you’re in an urban oasis. They could definitely enhance this feeling with some foliage around the perimeter, and more comfortable, loungy seating—as it is now, the space feels a little industrial and bare, more like a roof, less like a deck. It is, however, very well protected from the wind by both the kitchen structure on the western side of the roof and the major glass wall, which can withstand winds of up to 150 miles per hour. Hold on to your hats!

The special menu is casual, and focused on street food from all over South America. They’ve got grilled skewers of chicken, beef, chorizo, shrimp, or vegetables; sandwiches including their rendition of a choripán, empanadas, and patacones; or plantain chips with black beans and salsa. The food is definitely designed for sharing, and the cocktails are on the sweeter side and summery. There are Mexican beers on tap and by the bottle, and a selection of wines as well. El Techo is open for dinner Sun-Thu 4pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 4pm-11pm, and for brunch on Sat-Sun from 11am-3pm.

Some places want to feed you more around town, so take note. First up, Haighteration mentions ~RICKYBOBBY~ launched Burger Sundays, running from 11:30am-2:30pm. You can order their famed burger and a couple of specials, plus chicken drumsticks, fries, and a few other items (including beer, holla). 400 Haight St. at Webster.

Also added: ~WINE KITCHEN~ on Divis is now open on Sunday evenings from 4:30pm-10pm. But don’t run over there on Sunday May 19th, because they’ll be closed for Bay to Breakers (smart move). There’s also a new happy hour from 4:30pm-6pm daily, with draft beer for $3.50, wine for $7, and some vittles too. 507 Divisadero St. at Fell, 415-525-3485.

A small tweak: ~SLOW CLUB~ is now starting dinner service at 6pm Mon-Sat (instead of 6:30pm).

Over in Potrero, ~MARKET & RYE~ is now serving an early dinner Mon-Fri until 7pm, plus there is now beer and wine, and the dining room has expanded into a neighboring space, adding 40 seats. Check the website for nightly specials, like Sergio’s Dr. Pepper-grilled pork ribs on Thursdays. 300 De Haro St. at 16th St., 415-252-7455.

Chef David Cruz, who used to run the kitchen at Ad Hoc, Thomas Keller’s Yountville restaurant, will be popping up a few times this summer while he looks for a permanent location for a new restaurant. First up, he’ll be working with S+S Gastro Grub at an undisclosed location in Oakland on Sunday May 19th at 5:30pm (the Sunday night was added after two Saturday seatings sold out). The dinner features five courses, including a spider steak (with eight legs? no, it’s just an unusual French cut of beef) with calçot onion and potatoes, and pork belly with gigante beans and clams. Take a look at the full menu and get your tickets here. The dinner is $85 per person, including tax but not tip, and drinks are BYO.

Then on Saturday June 8th, he’ll be at ~THE TRAPPIST~ in Oakland roasting a whole spring lamb on the courtyard. There will be lots of lamb, obviously, plus side dishes like potato salad and corn on the cob. You can get your lamb on starting at 4pm, and the cost is $25 per person for food (beer can be purchased separately). All seating is first come, first serve.

He’ll be at the Trappist again on Sunday June 9th, with a four-course family-style dinner with beer pairings from the Trappist’s many sudsy offerings. There’s a barley and beet salad with grilled Little Gems, beef short rib with succotash and marble potatoes, and a stone-fruit tart for dessert. The dinner, with food and beer pairings, is $67 per person, including tax but not tip. Reservations can be made here. 460 8th St. at Broadway, Oakland, 510-238-8900.

For some food truck pop-up action, check out East Bay Express’ suggestion ~BITES OFF BROADWAY~ in Oakland. The food truck gathering is every Friday, from 5:30pm-8:30pm and includes lots of East Bay food trucks, like the Blue Saigon Truck, Streatery, and Doc’s of the Bay. In front of the Studio One Arts Center, 365 45th St. at Manila, Oakland, 510-654-6346.

Here on the city side of the bay, check out the first in a new pop-up series at ~RADIO AFRICA & KITCHEN~, called Bayview Underground Food Scene. Each dinner will be held at Radio Africa, featuring a different guest chef, and all proceeds will benefit a Bayview nonprofit organization. Up this month is Jiwon Park, the sous chef at Boulevard. On Sunday May 19th, he’ll be serving a three-course menu, with a choice of entrée, for $50 per person. Wine pairings are available for an additional $20. The menu, which is Asian-inspired, includes grilled asparagus with tatsoi and quail egg, and a bavette steak with snap peas and kimchi fried rice. Check out the full menu and get your tickets here. Proceeds for this month’s event will go to BMAGIC. 4800 3rd St. at Oakdale, 415-420-2486.

And Tuesday May 14th (that’s tonight!), from 6pm-10pm, catch ~HAPA RAMEN~ as they pop up at ~WING WINGS~. Look for black pepper-black sesame tonkotsu ramen (made from trotters); vegetarian white miso and gigante bean ramen; a lacinato kale salad with miso, mustard, and avocado; and a grilled teriyaki chicken bento box. Oh, bonus: you can BYO.

On Tuesday May 28th, don’t miss this multicourse pop-up dinner at ~BAR TARTINE~ from Sonoko Sakai of Common Grains in Los Angeles and Myoho Asari of Saiki Kojiya in Oita, Japan. The dinner will focus on koji, the fermented Japanese product that shows up in soy sauce, sake, and miso. There will be housemade soba noodles, koji-inspired goods from Bar Tartine, and lots of information about the koji-making process. The dinner costs $85 per person and includes abundant family-style courses. Beer, wine, and sake will be available for purchase. Seatings are available from 6pm-10pm and reservations can be made by calling 415-487-1600.

Looking to expand your kitchen’s horizons? Check out these upcoming events and learn some new skills, yo! Catch Filipino chef and food blogger Marvin Gapultos at ~OMNIVORE BOOKS~ on Friday May 17th as he talks about his experience as the owner of Manila Machine, Los Angeles’ first gourmet food truck, and running his blog, Burnt Lumpia. He now has a book out, called The Adobo Road, which includes stories and recipes. The event is free, runs from 6pm-7pm, and includes Filipino snacks from Seafood City and local chef Tim Luym.

Looking to preserve some spring and summer bounty? Check out this pair of classes at ~18 REASONS~. Viola Toniolo will start on Wednesday May 29th with Pickling 101: Zero Waste Ferments, where she’ll guide you through the basics of pickling. The class runs from 7pm-9pm and costs $35 for the general public and $25 for 18 Reasons members. Then, on Wednesday June 5th, she’ll follow up with Fermentation for Summer Vibrancy. This class will be all about seasonal fermented foods, and their tradition, science, and history. The class runs from 6:30pm-9pm and costs $60 for the general public and $50 for 18 Reasons members.

Here are some ways to get to know where your food comes from, and how it makes its way onto your plate. First up is an INFORUM event at the Commonwealth Club on Tuesday May 21st from 6:30pm-8pm called Eating Nose-to-Tail: The Whole Animal Movement. The event features a panel of some of San Francisco’s most well-known butchers and nose-to-tail advocates, including Ryan Farr of 4505 Meats, Tia Harrison of Avedano’s, John Fink of The Whole Beast, and Chris Cosentino of Incanto. Premium ticket holders also get to attend an after-party, complete with a butchery demonstration and samples. Tickets are $20 general admission ($12 for Commonwealth Club members), $55 premium ($40 for members), and $7 for students. Commonwealth Club, 595 Market St. at 2nd St.

There’s news in the local food movement too. ~18 REASONS~, the nonprofit and education arm of Bi-Rite Market, is merging with local food education nonprofit Three Squares. 18 Reasons will continue to offer classes, workshops, and all sorts of interesting events out of their 18th Street space, and will partner with Three Squares to offer cooking and nutrition education in low-income neighborhoods. They’ll be holding a special 18th Hour Happy Hour on Thursday May 16th to discuss the changes.

There’s a new farmers’ market in town, too, this time in the Inner Richmond. The new market is being put on by the Agricultural Institute of Marin, which runs the Stonestown market and the San Rafael Civic Center Markets. The market kicks off Sunday June 9th and will continue year-round every Sunday from 9am-2pm, and will be on Clement St. between 2nd Ave and 4th Ave.

As previously announced in tablehopper, a new project called ~NEXT DOOR RESTAURANT~ was opening in the former Addie’s Pizza Pie space in the Lorin neighborhood in Berkeley. The project (from San Francisco Housing Authority Director Henry August Alvarez III and his wife, Dionne Roberts, working with chef Sharon Lorraine Anderson) is now open. Check out the menu here. Open Tue-Thu and Sun 5pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-11pm. 3290 Adeline St. at Alcatraz, 510-982-1609.

Over on San Pablo, Berkeleyside Nosh announces the opening of ~TOMO’S JAPANESE CUISINE~ from Tomo Owada, previously at Yoshi’s San Francisco the past five years, and 20 years under his belt as a sushi chef. Lunch offers rice bowls and bento boxes, while dinner brings small plates and sushi; here’s the menu. Open daily 11:30am-2:30pm and 5pm-10pm. 2026 San Pablo Ave. at University, Berkeley, 510-981-8225
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Also in Nosh: there’s a new Indian street food spot (serving Northern Indian dishes) called ~EAST BAY SPICE COMPANY~ that serves some tasty-sounding cocktails (put together by Adam Stemmler of Blind Tiger Cocktail Co. and Eric Quilty of Jupiter Olympus). Open Mon-Sat 5pm-2am. 2134 Oxford St. at Center, Berkeley, 510-774-1657.

As previously announced in tablehopper: ~BARKADA BAKERY~ is now open in Temescal. The owners Christina Bondoc and Rick Yarussi are making traditional bakery items (croissants, tarts, cakes, breads, etc.), but are very dedicated to using heirloom/heritage wheat (they also have a gluten-free flour blend for a few gluten-free items). There is also a café menu with pressed sandwiches, salads, quiches, and more; it all sounds delicious. Coffee is from West Oakland’s Scarlet City. About the name: Barkada means “group of friends” in the Filipino language. They opened Saturday May 11th. 4316 Telegraph Ave. at 43rd St, 510-239-7314, Oakland.

License activity and Yelp posts show that ~SOUTHERN CAFÉ~ has reopened in its new location, and is serving its popular fried chicken once again. 2000 MacArthur Blvd. at Canon, Oakland, 510-336-2013.

Best wishes to chef Banks White, who is leaving ~FIVE RESTAURANT~ in Berkeley to relocate to Mintons, opening in Harlem this summer.

Liza Shaw—the talented powerhouse of a chef who has worked at A16, Acquerello, and most recently consulting in Wine Country on the pizzas at Redd Wood and Pizzando—is finally ready to formally announce her next venture: ~MERIGAN SUB SHOP~. I have been hearing about (and anxiously awaiting) her project for the past couple of years, and she just got the keys this week, so here we go.

The cheeky and fun name comes from what Italian immigrants used to call Americans; the Baltimore-born Shaw is a complete Italophile but not Italian herself (a bit like her sub shop). She is taking over a 1,300-square-foot raw space in SoMa, very close to the Chronicle Books building on Second Street. And yes, only one and a half blocks from the ballpark.

The menu is going to feature 10-15 sandwiches, both hot and cold, meat and veg. While she is using East Coast hoagies and Italian delis as her inspiration (she did two intensive research tours, with a lot of time spent in Philly), everything is going to have a very handcrafted approach. Shaw is no stranger to whole animal butchery, and will be working with whole hogs from Llano Seco. A highlight on the menu will be the roast pork Arista sandwich, with house-roasted pork shoulder and loin, sharp provolone, long hot peppers, and broccoli rabe (or spring onions). Uh huh, that.

There will also be a porchetta sandwich, a terrina with coppa di testa and pork liver terrina, housemade meatballs, spicy Italian sausage, and of course a killer Italian combo (all the subs will be on the same seeded Italian roll that strikes that perfect balance of sturdy but soft). Even classics like roast beef will have touches like horseradish ricotta, and the egg salad will be made with farm eggs. A special vegetarian sandwich will be the panelle: ceci bean fritters, plus fresh ricotta, pecorino, tomato conserva, and arugula. It will all be high quality across the board, from the house-pickled peppers to top-notch seasonal ingredients.

Additional items include antipasti like bean salad or potato salad, squash agrodolce, plus a daily soup made with beans, greens, and more. Oh yeah, and fried pork skins. For dessert, there will be freshly baked chocolate chip cookies with sea salt, lemon or almond Italian ice off the Japanese ice shaver, and zeppole (!). You’ll be able to order beer and wine on tap, and brewed coffee. There will be around 35 seats, although the space will be geared for takeout. Hours will be Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, with hours running a bit later on game days. She is also discussing hosting monthly Sunday family-style suppers. Look for an opening in mid-September. Congrats Liza (Ms. Merigan!), on your new venture! 634 2nd St. at Brannan.

Brenda Buenviaje writes in with some great news: she and wife/business partner Libby Truesdell are opening a new café on Polk Street, just two doors down from the current ~BRENDA’S FRENCH SOUL FOOD~. Her blog mentions that it will be called ~LIBBY JANE CAFÉ~ after Libby (awwww).

Anyone who comes to Brenda’s for brunch on the weekend knows there’s always a wait. Well, now you’ll be able to pick up some coffee (including chicory coffee, of course) and espresso drinks from Ritual while you’re standing around, and you can also snag one of her famous biscuits if you’re really hangry. There will also be takeaway sandwiches, soups (hello, gumbo), and some canned items as well, like their jams and watermelon pickles. There’s going to be a short counter inside with room for six to eight, but otherwise it’s a grab-and-go kind of place.

They are shooting for a midsummer opening. Since their po’boy shop in lower Fillmore has hit some delays, this project will likely open before that one. Hours will be Mon-Fri 7am-3pm, Sat-Sun 8am-3pm. 644 Polk St. at Eddy.

A bunch of new projects are coming to the city, starting with ~ARTESANO~ in Laurel Heights in the former Asqew Grill space. It’s a new project from chef-partner Jeff Gambardella and owner Douglas Mathieux of neighboring Rigolo Café, which bills itself as “the most child-friendly restaurant in SF.” Their new project is casual South American comfort food. They’ll be open for both lunch and dinner, and are aiming for an approachable, comfortable vibe. Stay tuned for more details soon, like an opening date. 3415 California St. at Laurel.

Meanwhile, out in Noe Valley, we can look forward to ~LA NEBBIA~ from Massimiliano Conti and Lorella Degan of La Ciccia. The name means “the fog” (something we know well here). Scoop reports they are converting a former consignment store into a 36-seat enoteca, with a selection of cured hams and fresh cheeses on offer, plus pizza, a variety of lasagne (yes!), and of course, some great wines. While Italian wines will figure prominently, there will also be some wines from the U.S. and France. Look for a fall opening. 1781 Church St. at 30th St.

Another enoteca will be ~INOVINO~ from Claudio Villani, presently the wine director at Perbacco. I was chasing this story before I left for Coachella, but SF Magazine’s Weekly Feed got the goods while I was gone: He’ll be opening the 30-seat enoteca in the former Hama-Ko in Cole Valley. Look for wines from around the world, plus cheese and charcuterie, crudos, crostini, and more. He’s aiming for a July opening. The space will have a chic look, with a Carrara marble bar. How’s that for a lot of words beginning in “c”? And here’s two more: 108 Carl St. at Cole.

This May, ~MASON PACIFIC~, from Jay Thomson and Shannon McTiernan Thomson, will be opening in the former Lalola space that borders Nob Hill, Russian Hill, and Chinatown. Executive chef Sean McTiernan (Rose Pistola, Delfina) will be creating a menu that is on the quality neighborhood bistro tip. Sample dishes include rabbit terrine on housemade levain with grilled lettuce and pickled mustard seed, and New York strip with pickled mushroom and a lemon-ponzu reduction. Sommelier Eric Railsback, formerly of RN74, is behind the extensive wine program. Some highlights: food-friendly wines by the glass, aged wines from Thomson’s personal collection, and a carafe program with wines made specifically by Copain. Dinner will be Tue-Sun 5:30pm-11pm. 1358 Mason St. at Pacific.

Just as I was leaving on vacation, I heard word that nearby ~RUE SAINT JACQUES~ on Jackson Street had closed and Lorenzo Logoreci (Allegro Romano) was moving in. I wasn’t able to get confirmation before I hightailed it out of town, but I returned home to some permit action, and confirmation by the Scoop. The new name is ~A LA ROMANA~, and it will be a casual enoteca and pizzeria. Look for an opening in a couple of months. 1098 Jackson St. at Taylor.

File this under developing: some permit action points to ~KEZAR PIZZETTA~ at 775 Frederick St., the former home of ~NEW GANGES~ Indian restaurant. The new owner used to own Monterey Deli in Sunnyside, and apparently sold that business to get this one going. Am hoping the name on the permit is just temporary, because I am sure The Kezar Pub folks and Pizzetta 211 will have something to say about it. 775 Frederick St. at Arguello.

Lastly, fans of Southern California’s ~TENDER GREENS~ will be able to enjoy a location in the Financial District early this summer. Scoop mentions the chef is Sean Canavan, who was the opening chef at Bluestem Brasserie. 50 Fremont St. at Mission.

As previously mentioned in tablehopper, ~DANTE’S TABLE~ is now open in the Castro. For your viewing pleasure, here’s the latest copy of the lunch menu by chef Andrea Cesca. Initial opening hours: Lunch is 11:30am-2:30pm and dinner Tue-Sun 5pm-10pm. Closed Mondays. 544 Castro St. at 19th St., 415-529-2797.

Another opening reminder: as originally announced in tablehopper, Pete Mrabe’s ~PISTO’S TACOS~ is slated to open on Thursday May 2nd. The drill: street-style tacos on hand-pressed tortillas, a smaller version of the Pisto’s burger (for $4), burritos, housemade tamales, and about 40 beers (plus micheladas and potent wine-based margaritas). Hours to start will be nightly 5pm-11pm; lunch coming soon. 1310 Grant Ave. at Vallejo.

Opening Friday May 3rd is ~OSSO STEAKHOUSE~ in the Gramercy Towers (previously the historic Vanessi’s) on Nob Hill. As noted before on tablehopper, Jerry and Jennifer Dal Bozzo are behind the project (The Franciscan Crab Restaurant, The Stinking Rose, Calzone’s, and the revamped The Old Clam House), partnering with Dante Serafini. The Dal Bozzos and Serafini co-owned Boboquivari’s—the locally loved steakhouse on Lombard Street—along with Andrea Froncillo, who is now the sole owner of Bobo’s. The name of the restaurant means “bone,” which all makes sense when you see the menu specifically highlights four- to six-week dry-aged, bone-in prime beef. The restaurant has a swank, Art Deco-inspired look. Open nightly 5pm-10pm; valet is $10. 1177 California St. at Jones, 415-771-6776.

Speaking of Bobo’s, Scoop mentioned Andrea Froncillo has taken over Amigo Cantina, which was next door to Bobo’s. He’ll be opening ~BOBO’S LOUNGE~ in its place. There will be cocktails and a bar menu; look for a July opening. 1434 Lombard St. at Van Ness.

Back in January, I mentioned ~LA PALOMA CAFÉ~, which looks pretty damn close to opening (the current word is it will soft open on Friday, with an official opening Monday). As previously noted, it’s the former Top o’ the Hill Market, and they will be serving espresso from Weaver’s Coffee in San Rafael, plus soups, sandwiches, salads, gelato, and more. 1096 Union St. at Leavenworth.

Over the weekend, Haighteration announced ~DA ‘PITT~ on Divis was shut down and is sporting an eviction notice. While I appreciate the legacy and importance of the location itself, Da ‘Pitt was completely da pits. When it was Brother-in-Laws, I would heed the siren song of the smoky pit more than I should have (I have been watching the smoke billow from my desk window for many years—I live just a couple of blocks away). But that was a long while ago—no one has been doing good things to meats in there since. Here’s hoping one of our local barbecuing badasses can keep that pit fired up, because it’s one of the few we have in the city, and the smoke is an integral part to the particular perfume of the Divisadero corridor. (Along with some other smoky smells from that parking lot.) 705 Divisadero St. at Grove, 415-440-7427.

The Real Restaurants group has decided to axe the Hutong concept, flip it, and reverse it (Missy style) back to ~BETELNUT~. Nothing like a two-star review from Bauer to have you eighty-six an entire concept just one day later. “Uh, never mind! We were just huffing Sichuan peppercorns, we didn’t really think this one through.” There are so many things to say about the whole head-scratching situation, but sometimes it’s better to just keep your mouth shut. Anyway, I love chef Alex Ong’s food, so I’ll sit tight for the next incarnation of his menu (and the spray paint coming off the awning).

The next time a hankering for ~HI LO~’s absolutely insane St. Louis-cut spare ribs strikes at 4:21pm, well, you’re in luck. Meatloaf sandwich for brunch? Oh yes you can. Hi Lo will now be open daily 12pm-10pm, starting this Wednesday May 1st. (Guess they were trying to synchronize their watches just in time for National Barbecue Month.)

Lunchtime also means you can take advantage of $2 canned beer specials (they’ll have Modelo, 21st Amendment Bitter American, and New Belgium Shift Pale Lager available) and $1 sweet teas with the purchase of any food from 12pm-4:30pm. Sweet. Or you can hit it a little harder and go for a wild cherry bourbon rickey. Enjoy.

~CRAFTSMAN AND WOLVES~, the design-forward pâtisserie from William Werner, is expanding some elements of their business. First things first, starting Monday May 6th they’ll be serving beer and wine at their Valencia Street location, and have expanded their hours. They’ll now be open Sun-Thu until 9pm, and Fri-Sat until 10pm. David Lynch of St. Vincent helped out with curating the wine and beer selection, and you’ll find choices like German Gilabert cava; Domaine Drouhin pinot noir 2010, Oregon; and Bavik “Wittekerke” witbier by the can. They’ve also added some savory menu choices, like a a sloppy joe sandwich with Angus beef and oyster mushrooms on a miso-sweet potato bun ($11), mac and cheese with carnitas and manchego ($11), and a verrine of trout with peas, preserved lemon, and pancetta ($6). New hours at the bakery are Mon-Thu 7am-9pm, Fri 7am-10pm, Sat 8am-10pm, and Sun 8am-9pm.

They’ve also landed a stand at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Saturdays. They’ll be out front, between the Blue Bottle kiosk and MarketBar, with savory and sweet pastries, cakes, pâte de fruit, and other rotating offerings. And yes, the Rebel Within will also be there. They’ll be at the Farmers Market Saturdays 8am-2pm.

One of my fab Twitter pals alerted me to the opening of ~FIFTY / FIFTY COFFEE AND TEA~, a new café on Geary in the Inner Richmond/Laurel Heights area. On tap: Ritual coffee, bubble tea, loose teas, tea smoothies, and baked goodies from Dynamo Donut and Devil’s Teeth. Reportedly it has a cute look, and Wi-Fi. Open daily. 3157 Geary Blvd. at Spruce, 415-684-8886.

The nixed Coffee Bar space in SoMa is going to be ~GAS LAMP CAFÉ~, according to some permit action. The website mentions Blue Bottle coffee and a May opening. 1599 Howard St. at 12th St.

Eater announced that ~FOURTH WAVE COFFEE~ on Polk has closed. 1356 Polk St. at Pine.

Oakland is going to host the largest ~BLUE BOTTLE~ location yet: Scoop mentions the upcoming location is the historic W.C. Morse building, which dates back to 1905. One bonus to the usual offering: James Freeman is hoping to create a home espresso machine showroom and repair shop. Love this. Look for an opening this year. 4296 Broadway at 42nd, Oakland.

Just in case you head out to ~SHANGHAI DUMPLING KING~ on Balboa in the Outer Richmond for your sugar egg puff fix and wonder what the hell happened to the restaurant, a post on Chowhound announces the original location is undergoing some renovations. There’s a new location in the meantime, at 696 Monterey Blvd. at Gennessee, 415-387-2088.

Also noted: ~I-WONTON~ is a new spot on Irving (mentioned on Chowhound) that’s serving pancakes, dim sum, and “appertizers.” 3925 Irving St. at 40th Ave., 415-681-9588.

Looking for a new place to brunch? Catch Amy Brown and Joe Wolf of Marla Bakery at ~STATE BIRD PROVISIONS~ three Sundays in May: the 12th (that’s Mother’s Day, if mom is into pop-ups), the 19th, and 26th. Brunch will be served 11am-4pm, with goods like rye toast with tea-smoked sturgeon, a “Mr. Croque” (that’s 4505 smoked ham, mostarda, Gruyère, and dry jack on levain with pickled ramps), and a strawberry cake parfait, plus egg dishes, housemade yogurt, and lots of breads and pastries. (That smoked brisket with greens and English muffin looks like a winner, just sayin’.) They’ll be taking limited email reservations for Mother’s Day, too, just be sure to put “Mothers Day/Reservations” in the subject line.

On Sunday May 12th, check out the ~CONFLICT KITCHEN: THE TWO KOREAS~, a Pittsburgh-based art and food project that will be popping up at the Mess Hall in the Marin Headlands Center for the Arts. The project presents food from different countries with which the United States is in conflict, and offers them to go in order to start discussion on the conflicts at hand. Previous offerings include Afghan, Iranian, and Cuban food.

For this pop-up, they’ll be doing things a little differently, with food from both North and South Korea. On the menu from South Korea: spicy braised rice cakes known as tteokbokki, beef short ribs (galbijjim), and a sweet stuffed pancake (hotteok). From North Korea, menu contenders include a stuffed squid dish known as ojingae sundae, a chilled buckwheat noodle dish (naengmyeon), and a stuffed pumpkin rice cake (hobaktteok). Tickets are $35 for general admission, and $30 for Center for the Arts members. 944 Simmonds Rd. at Field, Sausalito, 415-331-2787.

While I am stuffing my face at Jazz Fest this weekend with crawfish Monica, chef Justin Simoneaux of ~BOXING ROOM~ will enable you do the same! He’s added two specials to the menu in honor of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which also includes crawfish bread (a mixture of sautéed crawfish tails, garlic, celery, bell pepper, and mozzarella that’s stuffed into pizza dough—whoa). Meanwhile, crawfish Monica combines crawfish tails, tomato, the holy trinity, cheddar Mornay, and pasta. HELLO. Let’s get fat together this weekend!

Bwok. Actually, I don’t know the sound a guinea hen makes, but I do know it is delicious. If you are a fan of fowl, you’ll want to check out this special Bird Dinner at ~OLIVETO~ from Tuesday May 7th-Friday May 10th. Chef Jonah Rhodehamel’s menu will focus on various domestic breeds of fine game, including Liberty Farms ducks, Phillip Paine’s Sonoma pigeons, Bud Hoffman hens, and a variety of other birds provided by smaller, local farms, such as geese (in season), guinea hen, quail, and pheasant. Call for reservations: 510-547-5356.

Over at ~AME~, you can reserve a seat for a new and special kaiseki menu served on the first Thursday of each month (the first one kicks off May 2nd). Chef Hiro Sone will prepare the dishes at Ame’s sashimi bar for eight guests total each month. Seatings will be at 7pm, and reservations are taken two weeks prior. $165 per person (dinner must be prepaid when the reservation is made); $95 beverage pairing. To reserve, call 415-284-4040.

On Monday May 20th, chef Thomas McNaughton will be serving a special dinner at ~CENTRAL KITCHEN~ highlighting ingredients from Devil’s Gulch Ranch in Marin. The dinner’s five courses will be prepared tableside, with discussion from McNaughton on the ranch and its practices. There are seatings at 5:45pm and 8:30pm, and tickets are $250, and include wine pairings and gratuity.

Last week in my review of ~CAPO’S~, I mentioned how much I love the meatballs there. Well, now you can enjoy a bunch of them on Sunday afternoons at the new Spaghetti Sundays at Capo’s. Every Sunday, there will be a family-style meal (served from 12pm-2:30pm) that includes spaghetti and meatballs, Caesar salad, garlic bread, and “pasta fazool” soup. The menu serves four to six people and is available for $39.99.

Curious about the food of Abruzzo? For the month of May, ~BARBACCO~ chef Nick Kelly will be offering a menu of Abruzzese dishes, like maccheroni alla chitarra and the traditional spring soup of Termoli.

It’s no secret that the Bay Area has been engulfed in a serious third wave of coffee culture. From debates about the virtues of each different roaster to conversations on the flavor profiles of Central America versus Africa, we’re all pretty well versed on the way our coffee is sourced, roasted, and poured. For a real, in-depth look at coffee culture and production, join the Commonwealth Club on Tuesday May 28th for ~THE PERFECT CUP: COFFEE TALK WITH SAN FRANCISCO’S FINEST ROASTERS~.

A panel of some serious coffee stars, James Freeman (Blue Bottle), Eileen Hassi (Ritual), and Jeremy Tooker (Four Barrel), will be talking about their methods with yours truly, the tablehopper. That’s right, your favorite hopped-up columnist will be there, moderating the discussion. The show kicks off at 5pm with a coffee “cupping,” or tasting, and tickets are $15 for members, $25 general admission, and $10 for students. 595 Market St., 2nd Floor, at 2nd St., 415-597-6700.

Got a big hat and a mint julep ready? Excellent. It’s time for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday May 4th, and here are some places to sit high on the horse and enjoy yourself, honey.

First up is a the Second Annual Kentucky Derby Brunch at ~THE STARLIGHT ROOM~ from 1pm-4pm. The event includes a Southern-style buffet, mint juleps and mimosas, and live bluegrass. There are also prizes for the best dressed couple and the best hat, so get your finest attire ready. Tickets are $50 and include tax and tip. 450 Powell St. at Sutter, 415-395-8595.

You can score a julep at ~ELIXIR~ during its Derby Day party, where there’s an entire menu dedicated to riffs on the cocktail. Derby attire is, of course, encouraged, and there will also be a pot of Kentucky burgoo stew. 1pm-6pm. 3200 16th St. at Guerrero, 415-552-1633.

Cinco de Mayo will be going off all over town, but here’s one event you’ll definitely want to consider: on Sunday May 5th check out the third-annual Cinco de Mayo party from Tacolicious, Hecho en San Francisco. The event takes place at the ~FERRY BUILDING~, in the CUESA kitchen, and brings together lots of local food businesses, including many from La Cocina’s incubator program, to serve food and drinks to benefit La Cocina and CUESA. You’ll find food from Nopalito, Tacolicious, La Torta Gorda, El Buen Comer, and Don Bugito, to name just a few. There will also be cocktails, tequila, and plenty of beer. The event is from 1pm-5pm, and tickets are $55 per person. CUESA Kitchen, Ferry Building Plaza.

Spring is here, and it is time to par-tay! Did you know that CUESA’s ~FERRY PLAZA FARMERS MARKET~ is turning 20 this year? Hard to believe. They’ll be throwing a birthday party to celebrate, of course, and you’re invited. On Saturday May 18th from 9am-12pm, you have a couple choices on how to party down. You can go to the market and attend one of their free events, like a treasure hunt and special presentation, or you can buy tickets to their reception, which features a standing breakfast bar and a mimosa and juice counter. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for kids. You can also check out some of their other celebrations, like a cocktail party and Sunday Supper, here. Ferry Building Plaza.

On Wednesday May 1st, test out your palate with Blind Tasting Bingo from ~EDIBLE SF~. The bingo features 12 “mystery bites” from Locanda chef Anthony Strong that you’ll try while blindfolded. Whoever can identify the most flavors from descriptions on their bingo card wins! The event takes place at the San Francisco Cooking School from 7pm-10pm, and tickets are $50 per person. 690 Van Ness Ave. at Turk.

Catch another bourbon and chocolate pairing event from Lisa Gallinger of Dandelion Chocolate and Michael Lazar of Hog & Rocks. The tasting takes place on Saturday May 11th from 3:30pm-4:45pm at ~HI LO~ and features three of Dandelion’s single-origin chocolates paired with three bourbons from the Hog & Rocks repetoire. Tickets are $40. 3416 19th St. at Mission, 415-874-9921.

Okay, folks, here are some rockin’ ladies starting their own badass businesses, and it would be great for us to lend a hand (and some cash money).

First up is the ever-wonderful Michelle Polzine, whose new project, ~20TH CENTURY CAFÉ~, is going to bring her excellent baked goods to us. All. The. Time. Could not be more excited for her. She’s launched a Kickstarter campaign to get her totally ready to go. You have to watch her silent movie video—it’s one of the most endearing Kickstarter videos I’ve seen. Pledges start at a reasonable $5; for only $25 you get a pastry and beverage once the café opens. You know you want to donate. You do, you do!

Tricia Tracey, a chef who previously worked at Momo’s and Roti and is known by many folks in the industry, is opening a new gastropub in San Francisco called ~MYRIAD~. Check out a great guest blog piece she wrote for Michael Ruhlman about the project here. She’s been doing pop-ups to get ready, and now has an ambitious Kickstarter campaign of $60,000. She’s less than $10,000 away, and has until Sunday May 5th to get the last of her funding. Let’s make sure she gets there!

Next Monday May 6th, the Marin Country Mart in Larkspur is getting an exciting new addition: ~FARMSHOP~. Chef and owner Jeff Cericello (once culinary director for the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group for a decade, ahem) is bringing the Los Angeles restaurant to the Bay Area, with a full bar, seasonally focused menu, and outdoor patio. The spacious restaurant (6,500 square feet) features a wood-fired oven and open-hearth grill, which will form the basis for the menu; look for grilled and roasted meats, pizzas, and fresh vegetable sides and salads to balance it all out. I am totally clearing my plate of burrata cheese with crispy artichokes, cracked green kalamata olives, fried capers, and grilled mustard greens in my mind. Mark Hopper (I like him already, ha) is the executive chef at the Marin location, and you can take a look at the current menu here.

The beverage menu from restaurant director Michel Darmon will, of course, be seasonal and local. They’ll be mixing up classics, and adding in some of their own twists too. The wine program will focus on local and domestic wines, with a rotating list of local wines available on tap. To start, they’ll just be serving dinner and keeping the bar and lounge area open, but weekday lunch and weekend brunch will be added in the summer. Open daily 5:30pm-10pm. 2257 Larkspur Landing Circle at Old Quarry Rd., Larkspur.

Newly open as of this weekend is ~PUERTO 27~ in Pacifica. As originally reported in tablehopper, this is a project from Jose Calvo-Perez of the Fresca and Pasión family of restaurants (the chef de cuisine is Hector Diaz). The menu features a variety of piqueos (small plates) to share, like Peruvian-style fried rice with sea urchin sauce (um, yes), empanadas, and a variety of causas (I love those lil’ potato buggers). There’s also a full ceviche raw bar, lomo saltado, and more. Check out the menu here. It’s the kind of food you’ll dig after a day at the beach, or if you go for a coastal drive, with weekend brunch as your destination.

The 140-seat restaurant has two levels, ocean views, and an outdoor patio. Cocktails by Enrique Sanchez (previously at La Mar Cebichería Peruana and Limón, currently at Rose Pistola) highlight pisco (naturally), and there’s also an international wine list. Oh yes, and there’s happy hour from 3pm-6pm. Open for lunch Mon-Fri 11am-3pm (starting soon), dinner nightly from 5pm onward, and brunch Sat-Sun 10am-3pm. Pacifica Beach Hotel, 525 Crespi Drive, just off Highway 1, Pacifica, 650-733-7343.

The weekend is here, and there are all kinds of tasty food and drink options for you to consider. Here’s a quick roundup in case you want to squeeze something in:

Tonight (Friday April 26th) is Wine Luxury’s Soirée at City Club of San Francisco, with a bunch of excellent wines, plus hors d’oeuvres and more. Main event tickets are still available at the door, $95. 6pm-10pm. 155 Sansome St. at Bush.

Catching up on my mail, I was sorry to read that Boris Portnoy of Satellite Republic is moving to Melbourne, Australia. But he sure did pick one hell of an awesome city to move to. He is hosting his final pop-up at ~THE PUNCHDOWN~ tonight (Friday April 26th). In addition to offering their $50 tasting menu inside the restaurant (make your reservation here), you can experience an à la carte menu at the bar and outside on the patio (first come, first served). Best of luck to you, Boris! I’ll miss your laugh, talented cooking, and always inspired projects. 2212 Broadway at West Grand, Oakland.

On Saturday April 27th, ~SF WINE TRADING CO.~ is hosting APS Presents Bovio Barolo from 2pm-5:30pm. Swing by for some fab Barolo, Barbera d’Alba, and more, plus other Italian gems—like Riccardo Bruna Wines from Liguria—and Peter Temkin will be grilling up some Machine dogs. Woof. $10 per person for wine. 250 Taraval St. at Funston, 800-681-WINE.

Also on Saturday April 27th is the ~BLUXOME STREET WINERY~ Meet Market, with a bunch of tasty food vendors you can check out like Love & Hummus, Jablow’s Meats, and Bar Jars while drinking some vino. Cheers! 12pm-5pm. 53 Bluxome St. at 4th St., 415-543-5353.

Love homemade pasta? Swing by ~GOURMET & MORE~ on Saturday afternoon and stock up on the wonderful artisanal pastas made by Mattarello. I loooove their tortellini sold with a container of brodo ($12), and don’t pass up their ragù ($8) and lasagne ($9). 1pm-4pm. 141 Gough St. at Oak, 415-874-9133.

And just because Monday will get here too damn early, maybe this will help with your transition. Monday is Super Duper Day, which means the first 100 people to fall in line at any of Super Duper’s five burger spots beginning at 3pm will enjoy a free mini burger (four-ounce, all natural Niman Ranch beef patty with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, and Super sauce on a toasted sesame bun). Yes, fo’ free! Locations include the Castro, 2304 Market St.; Union Square, 721 Market St.; Metreon, 783 Mission St.; Marina, 2201 Chestnut St.; and Mill Valley, 430 Miller Ave.

The Four Seasons is getting a new bar and restaurant this in June: ~MKT BAR AND RESTAURANT~. As mentioned in the Scoop, the new spot will feature an updated interior, expanded bar program, and a new menu. Chris Aguirre will serve as the restaurant’s chef, under the direction of Mark Richardson, and the menu will include steaks and small plates to share. The focus of the new space will be on the large, L-shaped bar, with a collection of specialty cocktails including the Back to the Bank Exchange, with pisco, pineapple juice, gum syrup, lime, and Hum liqueur served in a retro punch bowl. As the opening gets closer, we’ll share more details. Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco, Fifth Floor, 757 Market St. at Grant.

A quick update on upcoming projects in the Mission: first, Scoop reports on ~URBAN PUTT~, an urban golf course, 70-seat restaurant, and bar (with cocktails by the Bon Vivants) in the former Driscoll’s Mortuary space. Former PC World editor Steve Fox is behind the project, with architect Matt Hollis (who did Mission Bowling Club). Look for an opening in late 2013 or early 2014. 1096 South Van Ness at 22nd St.

Bernalwood mentions that ~BERNAL CUTLERY~ is leaving its 331 Cortland space to open up in the former Pot + Pantry space. The opening is planned for next month. 593 Guerrero St. at 18th St.

Just at the border of Mission and Bernal will be ~TIERRA MIA COFFEE~, moving into the former Way Out Cafe. Scoop mentions owner Ulysses Romero is bringing the concept from Southern California, serving Latin-inspired coffee drinks. The opening should happen within a couple of months. 3188 Mission St. at Valencia.

Fans of ~RICH TABLE~ will be happy to know the restaurant will be open seven nights a week starting June 1st.

Note that ~BAKER & BANKER~ will not be open for brunch on Sundays for a while. Owners, chefs, and husband-and-wife team Lori Baker and Jeff Banker are expecting their second child in May, so they’re taking a break from Sunday brunch. The bakery will remain open on Sundays, and the restaurant will still serve Sunday dinner. Look out for special pop-up brunches on special days like Father’s Day too.

Starting April 23rd, ~OUTERLANDS~ will start to take dinner reservations! You can thank Eater for the catch.

Joseph Manzare tells the Scoop he is closing ~GLOBE~ for a remodel over the next month, but will still be open (in a limited capacity) on Friday and Saturday nights from 6pm-1am (the rotisserie and grill will be in operation). 290 Pacific Ave. at Battery, 415-391-4132.

It also looks like ~DINO’S~ on Fillmore got a new face-lift according to this post in the New Fillmore. The inside has been streamlined and updated with dark granite and leather banquettes, and Dino has added his son’s name, Santino, to the sign. The menu remains largely unchanged, with the addition of a few Greek appetizer and dessert specialties. 2102 Fillmore St. at California, 415-922-4700.

As previously reported on tablehopper, the former Johnny Rockets space on Fillmore is turning into ~GLAZE TERIYAKI~. This is the first San Francisco location of the New York import, whose owners are from Seattle, and bill their offerings as “Seattle style.” They offer lots of appetizers, combo dishes, and salads, all with their charcoal-grilled meats (and vegetarian options like tofu and vegetables). You can check out the full range of menu choices here. Bonus: they are partnering with Devil’s Teeth Baking Company in the Outer Sunset on desserts. Glaze is opening for business on Thursday April 25th, and they’ll be open daily 11:30am-10:30pm. 1946 Fillmore St. at Pine, 415-590-2199.

Looking for a good spot for Sunday Supper? Head to ~MARLOWE~ to try out their new Sunday dinner service. In addition to the regular dinner menu, they’ll also be trying out some new dishes on Sundays. Chef Jennifer Puccio and owner Anna Weinberg are working on some projects, the S+R Lounge and Cavalier, and are using Sunday nights as a chance to test some new dishes and menus.

Ready for some SF Chefs action? They’ve announced the Spring Dinner Party Project lineup, and it’s looking good. First up, on Monday April 22nd, is a dinner with Acquerello chefs Suzette Gresham and Mark Pensa. They’ll be joined by Adam Tortosa, who will be the chef at Acquerello’s new project, 1760, so this should be a great way to check out some of the new things the team’s been working on. Then, on Sunday April 28th, head up to St. Helena for a lamb butchery demo and alfresco dinner. Wrapping things up is a pizza, pasta, and pastry party at Una Pizza Napoletana with Anthony Mangieri plus Michele Belotti and Gary Rulli of Ristobar on Monday May 20th. Tickets start at $120; more details and tickets can be found here, and don’t forget that Visa Signature cardholders get a nice discount. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Blessing in a Backpack, an organization that helps feed underserved elementary school children.

~OFF THE GRID~ is bringing the Picnic at the Presidio back after a winter hiatus. The picnic, which focuses on offerings from established restaurants, takes place every Sunday from 11am-4pm on the Main Post lawn. You’ll find vendors like Nopalito, Wexler’s, Del Popolo, and Namu, plus “blanket-side” cocktail service. This year they’ll also have a retail market set up, hawking picnic-friendly wares ranging from flowers by Thomas Flowers to pastries from Marla Bakery. You can also rent or purchase outdoor game supplies, like frisbees, bocce ball, and, of course, extra sweaters in the event of fog (that darn Karl!). The picnic starts back up Sunday April 21st and continues until October. Main Post Lawn, The Presidio.

American Bao Bar is now popping up on Fridays and Saturdays at ~LOT 7~ in the Mission (except on May 11th!). The menu is focused on the street foods of Taipei and Singapore, with a bit of California flair—just wait until you try the red curry/chicken coconut “XLB”-style soup dumpling, ohmagerd. The dinners have been selling out, so curious diners are encouraged to reserve a spot anytime between 7pm-10pm by emailing here (although you can walk in if you decide you wanna check it out last minute). Everything is served in a family-style prix-fixe menu format, and at $37 a head, it’s quite a spread. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter to get updates on the latest news. 974 Valencia St. at 20th St.

Over in Hayes Valley, the newly open ~NOIR~ is now hosting a lunchtime sandwich pop-up during the week called ~THE LUNCHPAD~. You can take a look at the sandwiches here, which range from an Italian beef to the A-Bomb (roasted turkey with habanero candied bacon, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and a smoked pepper aioli); look for soups and salads soon. They are open five days a week (this week was their soft opening, but they’ll be open Mon-Fri 11am-2pm starting Monday April 22nd); they will additionally start serving breakfast in the next couple of weeks. You can keep track of ‘em on Twitter. 581 Hayes St. at Laguna.

On Tuesday May 7th, check out the ever-exciting food scene in Temescal with an Oakland Dishcrawl. The crawl begins at 7pm, costs $45 per person, and includes stops at four different Temescal restaurants. The specific spots are a secret until the crawl begins, and you’ll be notified of the meeting spot 48 hours beforehand.

Enjoy some unlimited oysters on Saturday April 27th at ~B RESTAURANT~. They’re throwing their second annual Oyster Bash, with oysters galore. You’ll find the bivalves raw on the half shell, passed around as shooters, fried into po’boy sliders, and steamed. There’s also an oyster shucking contest, truffle fries, and plenty of beer. Tickets are $45 in advance and $65 at the door (if available). 720 Howard St. at 3rd St., 415-495-9800.

Mark Bittman, the hilarious and deadpan New York Times columnist and author of the new cookbook Vb6:Eat Vegan Before 6:00pm to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health will be in town on Tuesday May 7th. He’ll be at Book Passage at 12:30pm, signing books and discussing his methods for delicious vegan dishes. Then, in the evening, catch him at The Commonwealth Club in conversation with Joey Altman. The talk begins at 6pm, and tickets start at $15 for Commonwealth Club members, $25 general admission. Fairmont Hotel Gold Room, 950 Mason St. at California.

For a break from all things vegan and healthy, try this one: on Saturday April 20th (that’s tomorrow), Janet Fletcher will be at the Pasta Shop Rockridge, talking about her new and fabulous book, Cheese & Beer. Mmmm, cheese. Mmmm, beer. The event will run from 1pm-4pm, and books will be available for purchase. 5655 College Ave. at Shafter, Oakland, 510-250-6005.

Fabio Viviani of Top Chef infamy will be in town Friday May 3rd-Saturday May 4th, promoting his new cookbook, Fabio’s Italian Kitchen. On Friday, catch him at Book Passage in the Ferry Building at 6pm. Then, on Saturday, he’ll be at ~OMNIVORE BOOKS~ at 3pm.

Make your way to ~LIMONE~ in San Carlos on Thursday April 25th for a special dinner with guest chef George Morrone, whose food can be hard to hunt down. You won’t want to miss this one, with menu choices like a Delta asparagus gratin and a grilled quail salad. The dinner costs $65. You can check out the full menu here, and make your reservations by calling the restaurant. 617 Laurel St. at San Carlos, San Carlos, 650-486-1479.

On Friday April 26th, head to Marin for a special dinner with guest chef Scott Howard at ~MAIN STREET WINE BAR~ in Tiburon. The dinner include five courses and wine pairings (yes, his carrot soup will be there!), plus a bubbly and passed appetizer reception to start. Check out the menu and make reservations here. The reception begins at 7pm, and seats are $100 per person, and include tax, gratuity, and beverages. 84 Main St. at Tiburon Blvd., Tiburon, 415-889-8998.

Open as of Saturday April 13th is ~COQUETA~, the stylish new Spanish concept from chef Michael Chiarello on Pier 5. The former Lafitte now has a rustic-chic look by architects Alberto Rivera and Michael Guthrie (complete with cowhide rugs and leather banquettes), views of the water, and an outdoor, glass-enclosed terrace room (called Bar 5) that is reserved for walk-ins hungry for tapas and cocktails. The primary space allows for bites at the 10-seat tapas bar, or groups can enjoy family-style dining in the main dining room (called the “cocina”), either at the communal table or regular tables (which are a bit taller than usual so you can enjoy the views). There are also 16 seats on the patio. I had a chance to speak with Chiarello’s wife, Eileen, who mentioned they were looking for the right spot for a couple of years.

The open kitchen includes a custom wood-fired grill that will be put to use to prepare hot tapas like grilled razor clams ($14), duck albóndigas ($11), and calçots (which Chiarello is having grown especially for the restaurant). Chef Ryan McIlwraith is also making larger family-style dishes like fideuà (vermicelli pasta cooked like paella with shrimp and lomo Iberico, $24) and fabada Asturiana (fabada bean stew from Asturias with chorizo, pork belly, and morcilla, $24)—look for regional dishes from Madrid, Catalonia, the Basque country, and beyond. Take a look at the menu (and cocktail list) here!

The wine list has plenty of Spanish and California selections, plus an extensive small-production sherry collection. There’s a lot of buzz about the inventive cocktail list—created by Joe Cleveland (who previously worked for José Andrés)—with selections ranging from gin and tonics to sangria. Open nightly for dinner; Coqueta will launch their bar menu and hours this Saturday (from 3pm-5pm) and lunch starts on Monday (hours will be 11:30am-3pm) .

So there is some action going down on 24th Street in the Mission that we’ve had to keep under our hat the past month, but now we can release the hounds. Not only is ~PAL’S TAKEAWAY~ moving, but it’s joining a new project at a new location: ~LA MOVIDA~, a restaurant and community kitchen serving small plates and wine. The project comes from Michael Meadows and will be taking over the former El Delfín space, whose owners decided to retire and move to Mexico to enjoy their golden years. The food, which comes from consulting chef Larry Piaskowy of 15 Romolo and Bar Jars, will be seasonal and designed to share, with a focus on some of the neighborhood’s unique offerings. Tamales will be made in-house with masa from La Palma and bread pudding made from ingredients by Jelly Donut (fingers crossed that means day-old donut bread pudding). During the day, lunch will be from Jeff Mason and Pal’s Takeaway, which will be able to stretch out into the larger space and expand their menu, plus offer seating for dine-in customers.

The beverage program will focus on wines from California, with some Oregon and Washington bottles in the mix, as well. There will be 12 wines on tap, with an additional 50 available by the bottle. For beer, you’ll find 3 local brews on tap, plus 15 by the bottle.

The space, which is currently under construction, is designed by Carolyn Rubuffel and will include plenty of space for new, start-up businesses to utilize the community kitchen. Eventually, they hope to offer classes through neighborhood organizations out of the kitchen, in addition to pop-up meals and events. Right now, they’re aiming for a June 10th opening, though construction can be tricky. We’ll keep you updated! 3066 24th St. at Treat, 415-425-2392.

As noted in the Scoop: ~NICO’S TACOS~ has shuttered. What they didn’t report is who is taking it over: none other than the very busy Pete Mrabe of Don Pisto’s. He will be opening ~PISTO’S TACOS~ in its place on Thursday May 2nd, and taking all but one or two of the tacos off the menu at Don Pisto’s. He said it’s getting too hard for the busy upstairs kitchen to keep up with the taco orders along with everything else—look for a new “taqueria” section on the Don Pisto’s menu, which will have one or two tacos, and other dishes, like street corn. There will now be a raw bar, with more oysters, ceviches, and cured and smoked items as well.

At the new 35-seat taqueria, Mrabe will be serving small, spicy, street-style tacos with charred meat, about 10 meats in all, from lengua to grilled chicken to suadero (brined and braised brisket) to al pastor. Most of the tacos will ring in at $2, with a few at $2.80. All the tacos will come with two hand-pressed tortillas, and there will also be a smaller version of the Pisto’s burger (for $4), burritos on handmade flour tortillas for $5.50, housemade tamales, and about 40 beers (plus micheladas and potent wine-based margaritas). Hours to start will be nightly 5pm-11pm; lunch coming soon. 1310 Grant Ave. at Vallejo.

More North Beach news: owners of Vicoletto, Francesco Covucci and Peter Fazio, are taking over the Steps of Rome Caffe location, according to the Inside Scoop. They will be opening ~IL CASARO PIZZERIA AND MOZZARELLA BAR~ (casaro means “cheesemaker/dairyman” in Italian), serving Italian mozzarella, burrata, plus pizzas and panuozzo, a sandwich made with pizza dough. 348 Columbus Ave. at Grant.

In case you live under a rock (or just love the molecular makeup of rocks), the Exploratorium has reopened in its new digs on Pier 15. A lot has been written about the move, including an article in The New York Times, but we’re here to tell you all about the eating and drinking that can be done in the mecca to all things science.

For your consideration: ~SEAGLASS RESTAURANT~, which, like the rest of the food at the museum, comes from local chef Loretta Keller and her partner, Clay Reynolds, of COCO500. The food is approachable and family-friendly, as is to be expected, but includes some great touches that adults can enjoy too. The space is situated in the back of the museum space, right on the water, and has pretty fantastic bay views. There is a long raw bar where you can slurp down some oysters, plus a cocktail or two, and the bar itself contains a watery exhibit you should definitely check out.

In the food department, there are a variety of sandwiches, salads, quesadillas, and tacos made with seasonally changing ingredients, plus Keller’s fried green beans and “living foods” like kimchi, sauerkraut, and Japanese pickles will make for scientifically interesting accompaniments. The restaurant has the same hours as the museum: Fri-Tue 10am-5pm, Wed 10am-10pm, Thu 10am-5pm and 6pm-10pm.

Now open in FiDi is ~HEYDAY~, a breakfast and lunch takeout place formerly mentioned here as Almanac—eventually you can even swing by for take-home dinners. Grub Street announces the chef is Jeremy Scheiblauer, who was at Chez Panisse Cafe for the past two years. Hours are Mon-Fri 7am-3pm for now (until 7pm soon). 180 Spear St. at Howard, 415-284-4515
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~THE JUICE SHOP~, which already has a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it location on Union Street, has expanded with a new adorable outpost in the Financial District. The new spot opened Monday April 15th, serving organic, unpasteurized, cold-pressed juices out of the new location, which is a revamped old flower stall. There are also packages to help with juice cleanses and delivery options too. 353 Pine St. at Montgomery, 415-834-5161.

As previously mentioned on tablehopper, a Mexican spot was opening in the former Jersey’s Sandwiches in the Inner Richmond. The Richmond blog announces the name is ~LA CIUDAD DE MEXICO~, and it’s now open. As we mentioned, owner Luis Bolanos was previously a manager at La Torta Gorda, so there’s a menu full of ‘em, plus other dishes. Check out the menu here. Open Mon-Fri 7am-5pm, Sun 8am-4pm. 200 6th Ave. at California.

Update on ~DANTE’S TABLE~ in the Castro for you: owner Francesco D’Ippolito informed me there has been a chef changeup. The new chef is Andrea Cesca, previously the pizzaiolo at Cotogna. They are hoping to open next week. (Previous posts here and here.) 544 Castro St. at 19th St.

Sean Lackey, who works at Prather Ranch and is a rockin’ home cook, is starting a pop-up. His first one (called Bite Me) will be at ~TRUCK~ on Thursday April 18th from 6pm-10pm, with plates like brined soft-boiled egg with homemade Sriracha, fried lemon, and garlic aioli, and pork and black-eyed peas with jalapeño relish. Check out the full menu here. 1900 Folsom St. at 15th St., 415-252-0306.

This Friday April 19th, head to Brisbane for a neat event with author and Greens original chef Deborah Madison. She’ll be in conversation with Margo True, the food editor at Sunset Magazine, talking about her newest book, Vegetable Literacy. After the talk, lunch will be served, highlighting some of Madison’s recipes. The event is from 11am-1pm and tickets are $45. Purcell Murray Showroom, 185 Park Ave. at Valley, Brisbane, 415-330-5557.

~NAKED KITCHEN~ is back, this time with a pop-up dinner from chefs John Paul Carmona and Andrew Burnham on Saturday April 20th. The pair worked together at Manresa, and now Carmona is busy working on his new project on the Peninsula, so this is a pretty great opportunity to check what he’s been up to. The menu features six courses, and there are two seatings, one at 6pm and the other at 9pm. The event is BYO, and tickets are $125 (includes tax and gratuity). For menu details and tickets, head here.

So Schmendricks will no longer be selling its bagels in the city, but starting next Monday April 22nd, you will be able to experience the delicious bagels from Baron Baking (did you read about them in the New York Times?) at ~SHORTY GOLDSTEIN’S~. 126 Sutter St. at Montgomery, 415-986-2676.

So this is pretty far afield for my usual tablehopper coverage, but I had to mention the legendary ~AL’S BEEF~ from Chicago is in fact coming to San Jose—in fact, it opened yesterday (Monday April 15th). Get your Italian beef on. 71 Curtner Ave., Ste. 80, San Jose, 408-380-4876.

A slew of closures happened while I was away the past couple of weeks; please excuse if any of this is old news for ya. First, Charles Phan has closed ~WO HING GENERAL STORE~. 584 Valencia St. at 17th St.

Also in the Mission, Eater posts that ~LOT 7~ has closed. 974 Valencia St. at 21st St.

Just as I was taking off to New Zealand, an industry friend let me know ~GUNG HO~ was closing, in spite of its can-do name. Look for Eric Ehler to pop back up with Seoul Patch soon. 680 8th St. at Brannan.

Over at the base of Potrero, Scoop noted ~PIZZA NOSTRA~ has closed. The latest update is the next incarnation will be ~KITCHEN MOJO~, with David Yeung of HRD Coffee Shop and HRD Smokin Grill coming on board. Look for an opening around May 1st, with an eclectic menu of Asian, Mediterranean, Latin, and American influences. 300 De Haro St. at 16th St.

Eater announced ~TAI CHI~ on Polk has shuttered. My ex-boyfriend was obsessed with their green beans; am sure he’s not happy with the news. Permits show the same owners of Country Sky Chinese on Steiner are taking it over (who happen to be my favorite delivery for desperation dim sum and wor wonton soup when I am sick). 2031 Polk St. at Broadway.

Also noted by Eater, ~BISTRO UNIQUE~ in Cow Hollow has closed. 1849 Union St. at Laguna.

Lastly, Chowhound mentions ~BOMBAY BAZAAR~ has left its location on South Van Ness. 245 S. Van Ness at 13th St.

A report by Dana Massey-Todd. As previously noted on tablehopper, partners Chris Pastena, Temoor Noor, and Tom Henderson are bringing food and drink to the former Oakland Tribune building. The new spot, appropriately named ~TRIBUNE TAVERN~, opened Wednesday April 10th in the former “Local Room,” i.e., where local reporters used to work (but now it’s a nice tie-in to our local food ethos). The menu, from Huw Thornton (previously of A16 and SPQR) runs the gamut from seasonal small plates to T-bone and rib-eye steaks, with a lot in between. Look for smaller plates like grilled ox tongue, Monterey sardines, and fried sunchokes, and larger plates like buttermilk fried chicken, a burger, and the sausage platter (for four to five good eaters—it comes with a pitcher of beer). There’s also a special section of the menu devoted to charcuterie; take a look at the full menu here.

Paul Christensen (of Haven, Lungomare, and Plum Bar) heads the cocktail program, which sounds pretty exciting. He’ll have access to an entire, separate kitchen, which will allow for tons of housemade flourishes like sodas, bitters, tonics, and barrel-aged ingredients. There are also four white and six red wines on tap, plus 60 bottles on the wine list, with a focus on California small-production wineries. In the beer department, you’ll find eight local choices on tap, and two are exclusive cask beers from Linden Street Brewery.

The space was designed by Jim Maxwell of Architects II and focuses on highlighting the building’s rich history (it was built in 1923). Many of the space’s new details came from local designers and artisans, while others like the marble bar are original to the building and have been restored. There’s room for 150 diners inside, with a 28-seat bar and room on the patio for 14. To start, they’ll be open for dinner Sun-Thu 5pm-10:30pm and Fri-Sat 5pm-11pm. Lunch and happy hour are coming soon. 401 13th St. at Franklin, Oakland, 510-452-8742.

Opening today in Berkeley is ~BUILD PIZZERIA ROMA~, by Lisa Holt and David Shapiro of Rustic Restaurants LLC (Milliken Creek Inn & Spa in Napa, Hotel Yountville). (This is the project that previously had the name A90, until that confusing/derivative/copycat name got shut down. Although now looking at the new goldenrod Build branding, all I can think of is Pizzeria Delfina. Like, a lot.) Anyway, the concept is build-your-own, Roman-style, thin-crust pizza; there are also side dishes, craft beers (curated by Brandon Borgel), 12 Northern California wines on tap, and cocktails by Scott Beattie. The chef is Brian Langevin, most recently the executive chef at Tony Gemignani’s Pizza Rock in Sacramento. Open daily 11:30am-late; lunch coming soon. 2284 Shattuck Ave. at Bancroft, Berkeley, 510-898-1839.

Since we’re on the topic of pizza, ~A16 ROCKRIDGE~ is looking like a late May opening for now; stand by. You can refresh your memory with the project details here. 5356 College Ave. at Hudson, Oakland.

Opening this Thursday at 5pm in Berkeley is ~MOXY BEER GARDEN~, serving burgers and beer. You can read details in the former tablehopper post here. 3136 Sacramento St. at 66th St., Berkeley, 510-547-6699.

Preeti Mistry’s new ~JUHU BEACH CLUB~ has added lunch to its lineup, so now you can score some major flavor during the day too. They’ve expanded the selection of “pavs,” which are ideal for lunch because of their sandwich-y-ness. There are also salad, soup, and pav combos—check out the full lunch menu here. Lunch hours are Tue-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm.

We received a pretty amazing email this week from Manny Martinez, one of the sous chefs at Twenty Five Lusk, who has a heartbreaking and amazing story to share. He’s only 23 years old and has been fighting cancer for the last nine months. After going in and then back out of remission, Manny is in hospice and is planning a celebration of his life this Sunday April 21st from 1pm-8pm. His own words say it better than we can: “Here is the real reason why I am reaching out to you. Not for pity but for you to attend a day to celebrate life…to bring everyone who has made a difference in my life, for those who stood behind me in my darkest hour and the strangers who now are friends for life that have shown me the best in humanity. I welcome you, your colleagues to join us to celebrate life.”

Manny also says that he wants to hold this barbecue to raise awareness about the many young people who face cancer every year, and “to inspire them, to let them know that a diagnosis of a few days, weeks, months, should not stop you from living the life you want to live.” Read more about Manny’s story here, and check out some details about the barbecue on the event’s Facebook page, where you can also chip in to bring something and RSVP. Stay strong, Manny, and thank you for sharing your story with us! Speedway Meadows, Golden Gate Park.

As previously mentioned on tablehopper, there’s another spot to get your baked goods on: this time, it’s ~FLOUR + CO.~ from Emily Day, who used to run operations over at La Boulange (that’s in the pre-Starbucks era), and her husband, Ryan. For some cool details on the building and remodel of the space, check out Day’s blog.

The spot is absolutely darling (but not too twee), with turquoise walls, lots of sunshine, and a plethora of fresh flowers. It’s pretty much the perfect place to enjoy a spring afternoon, especially since they’ve got Stumptown coffee and some rockin’ baked goods. Day is all about using what she calls “the good stuff,” like real butter, flour, eggs, and produce, to create simple but delicious pastries. Each of these ingredients has taken on a bit of a personality, which you can see in the graphic design at the location. The wonderful graphics, from Rubber Design feature personifications of milk, eggs, and flour, and appear not only on the walls but also on the to-go cups.

As for the menu, look out for cookies, fruit bars, buttermilk biscuits, and seasonal specials (a recent one was strawberry pie with Straus ice cream, can you say springtime?). There are also sandwiches and salads for lunch, plus a potpie. For lunch, check out granola and yogurt or, for a savory option, try the biscuits and gravy. They’ve also got cakes, pies, and loaves of bread, so it’s a great place to pick up something on your way somewhere fabulous. They’re currently open daily 6:30am-6pm. 1030 Hyde St. at Pine, 415-992-7620.

As mentioned previously on tablehopper, ~NOIR~ (music alert on that website) from owner Brian Cassanego is bringing a new place to Hayes Valley. After some chef drama, it softly opened on April 2nd, with Joanna Karlinsky (of Sweet Jo’s Chili and Bicuits) as interim chef. Look out for her chili and famed Meetinghouse biscuits, of course, plus other American-style classics coming soon, like mac and cheese, tater tots, and pulled pork.

The beverage program features a wine list of 55 choices by the bottle and more than 20 by the glass from sommelier Gianna Gaudini. There are also eight beers on tap, including choices from New Belgium, Pine Street Brewing, and Dogfish Head.

The space, from designer Gi Paoletti, includes a screening room in the back for classic noir films, or important sporting events. Now that it’s baseball season, that means you can enjoy Giants’ games with a nice glass of wine, which is always a good thing. The ceilings are arched to give the whole place an Art Deco grandness, with low amber lighting to keep it all, ahem, intimate. There are two bars: the L-shaped one in front, and the back one with a classic noir scene. Both feature sexy backlit amber onyx. The space is set up with modular screens, so different parts of the restaurant can be closed off to accommodate private groups too. There’s a communal table between the two bars, plus lounge areas with tufted seating in addition to tables.

It’s open daily, with a weekend brunch coming in May, though hours are subject to change during the soft opening phase, so a call ahead isn’t a bad idea. Mon-Thu 3pm-10pm, Fri 3pm-12am, Sat 1pm-12am, Sun 1pm-9pm. 581 Hayes St. at Laguna, 415-431-6647.