Chef-partner Alexander Alioto departed Seven Hills at the end of last year, and he has a new solo project in the works, PLIN, due to open in the Mission in late July. He’s moving into the former Conduit/Another Monkey space on Valencia, and will be highlighting Italian seafood and handmade pasta. A fourth-generation chef and now restaurateur, Alioto—whose family opened Alioto’s in 1925—will be recruiting the family to help with the restaurant. He says, “I’m excited to have a larger kitchen now to allow for different cooking techniques and to incorporate my family—my mother is overseeing Plin’s design and my father is lending his expert wine knowledge.”
The menu will include his famed “raviolo uovo” (hopefully without the truffle oil this time around), as well as some namesake agnolotti dal plin stuffed with organic chicken, lemon zest, brown butter, and crispy chicken skin. Some seafood highlights include black bass carpaccio with mussel cream, lemon segments, Espelette pepper, and bread crumbs, and grilled Spanish octopus (almost a mandatory menu item these days) with confit tomatoes, bone marrow, crispy Italian butter beans, lemon juice, and sage.
The wine program will be under the direction of Master Sommeliers Nunzio Alioto Jr., Alexander’s father, and Chuck Furuya—look for some special reserve wines from Nunzio’s own cellar. Since there’s a full liquor license, bar manager Daniel Federico of Harvard & Stone in Los Angeles will be creating cocktails with fresh juices, housemade infusions, and herbs, fruits, and vegetables from the kitchen.
The restaurant is getting quite the makeover by Architects II. The gay-prison design (as a friend hilariously called the dining room’s style) will be no more—Scoop reports the conduit that was installed by designer Stanley Saitowitz is (finally) coming down. There will be 100 seats, with booths, banquette seating, a communal table, and a private dining room (for 12). Alioto’s mother, Joanne, will be integrating some elements that play on earth and sea themes, so look for walnut tabletops, a color palette with shades of blue, and some custom art pieces and unique light fixtures.
Dinner will be served Tue-Sun 5pm-11pm. 280 Valencia St. at 14th St.
Alexander Alioto. Photo via Facebook.
