the chatterbox
the word on the street
fresh meat
new restaurant reviews
the wino
in vino veritas
the socialite
shindigs/feasts/festivals
the starlet
no photos please

MAY 15, 2007 | SAN FRANCISCO This Mother’s Day, both my darling mom and my hip grandma were pretty stoked to see my mug in the Sunday paper. It was a blast to write this piece for the “On the Town” section, highlighting some of my fave spots around the City. Meow!

One quick thing is in regards to the small mistake in the photo caption referring to me as a food blogger. I also saw this quite a bit in the email forwards from those of you who entered last week’s contest (sidebar: thanks for all the nice things you said about tablehopper, so glad you dig it, sorry I can’t personally respond to each of you with my thanks for the oh-so-nice compliments!). So, about this blogging thing. To clarify, tablehopper is actually an e-column, and a website, but not a blog. It’s not an online diary, and I don’t have comments on my site (you have to email me direct if you want to parlez). I love and admire and read a ton of blogs, but FYI, tablehopper isn’t one of ‘em.

Since I have the soapbox out, I want to remind all of you that this Thursday the 17th is Bike to Work Day! I work from home, so it’s kind of anticlimactic, but in case you were thinking about MAYBE riding your bike that day, it’s really the day to try it. Lots of enthusiasm, support, and fun await you. Nervous about riding in the City? I used to be too. Get a Bike Buddy! Since I started riding my bike around town, I’d say I choose my bike over my car five times to one, and it feels great on so many levels, including the booty firming level.

Two-wheelingly yours,

~Marcia (rhymes with Garcia)

So I want to share something that makes me really grateful for all of you readers paying attention out there—because I learn important things through feedback, or at least sharpen my awareness. In last week’s missive, I returned to the topic of the ~PURSE-SNATCHER~ who has been stealing while at restaurants all over the City, and mentioned that at one locale she was “with another African American woman.” The point I was trying to make is that sometimes she has hit places solo, and other times has been spotted with accomplices, a man or a woman. I mistakenly made an assumption that people have been reading/following the story and remembered the description of the suspect I ran two weeks prior. The last thing I would ever want to do is make any woman of color uncomfortable about going to restaurants while this purse-snatcher is on the loose, and for that I am gravely sorry. My sincere apologies for my miscommunication.

What I should have done was repeat the description of the suspect that was provided to me when I first ran the item in tablehopper a couple weeks prior (to repeat: she is an African American woman, 5' 9" or 10", heavy set, braided hair, pleasant smile and nicely dressed)—and based on another report I received this week, it was amended to this: 5' 6"-5' 8", Wt: 190-210 lbs.

She pick-pocketed someone’s purse at Ame’s lounge, and also was in the Mission, hitting up Bar Tartine and Pizzeria Delfina, and in Hayes Valley, at Sauce. At Pizzeria Delfina, she reportedly, “came in [and] said she was there for a pick-up order; gave her name as Sylvia. She sat down between two people (one of them being one of my co-workers) to wait. After a few minutes she got up and offered to pay for her order because it was late and didn’t want them to have to wait for her to close out. Then fumbled around and said she needed to go to an ATM to get cash. She left and got into a car. There was a police car outside who saw her. But she got away. My co-worker was fortunate, her purse was intact. The person next to us was not as lucky. The one other thing about her was that the way she was dressed seemed a little out of place in the Mission. She had a gold lame top on.”

She also hit up the bar Elixir, so it’s not only restaurants: “Apparently she came in, asked for a soda and a minute later she was gone with X’s wallet. She was wearing a purple t-shirt style matching outfit, shirt and pants and a dark sweater.”

Ladies, I have had some readers recommend you keep your purse between your feet, while another said she keeps her purse between her chair and her back while seated. Or, if you want to invest in the Luxe Link purse hook, here’s a better link than the one I offered last week, and a representative from the site contacted me and said, “In sisterhood with all the gals who are worried about their purse while dining I'd love to offer your readers a 15% discount on the Luxe Link. You can use the code “tablehopper” through the end of May (it's also good for anything else on Delight.com).” Nice.

In other news, things continue to be busy for the Maktub Group, the group behind Chez Papa, Chez Maman, Baraka, Sutra, and now a couple more new spots. First, coming to the former Buzz 9 space in SoMa will be ~BOSSA NOVA~, a Brazilian hotspot that is going to be one part chill-out lounge, one part casual restaurant, and one part hip bar. The upstairs will be open in the middle of June, and will have a funky 70s favela vibe, with blue, green, and yellow colors, and a large communal table with room for 15-16 in the middle. (The designer is the same one who also did the swank Sutra space.) People can just hang out and drink (there will be a full liquor license), or come to munch on some Brazilian small plates, including some churrasco (BBQ) dishes—the focus is on preparing good, simple, consistent food. The chef is almost finalized, but not at the moment. It will be open on evenings Tue-Sun, with the kitchen open until 11pm or so, and the bar open until 2am. The plan is to open the downstairs area in September. 139 8th St. at Minna.

Things also continue to move ahead for the ~CHEZ PAPA DOWNTOWN~ project, which is going to be a major part of the upcoming Mint Street Plaza. Check out the site for more info about this awesome project that will be totally transforming the area—there will be lots of trees and planters, an arbor, two rain gardens, and an entirely new street and sidewalk surface. There are also plans for outdoor film nights, live music, and other creative programming. Jessie Street is due to be closed in July, and Maktub hopes to get Chez Papa open at some point between mid-August and Labor Day. There will be 150 seats, with 60-90 outside on the new plaza; lunch and dinner will be served daily, plus brunch on the weekend. The concept will truly be a downtown version of Potrero’s popular Chez Papa, with a South of France bistro spirit. Full liquor will be offered, plus valet parking, and did I tell you about all the sidewalk seating? 414 Jessie at 5th.

And now for the total unsubstantiated rumor section: it looks like ~BARAKA~ might be for sale according to this listing on Restaurant Realty. The description sounds just like it, especially the private room with space for 25. So I spoke with Jocelyn Bulow and he said “non!” but I have been hearing from other people “yes.” Anyway. In time all will be revealed.

Another group of folks who are supremely busy, like the freeway they are named after, is the A16 crew. Not only do we have babies galore over there (Shelley Lindgren is due any day now, and Nate Appleman and his wife Clarisse couldn’t be happier with their little Oliver), but there are also three more projects in the works. After an exhaustive search all over the city for a home for this new concept, coming up first will be ~S.P.Q.R.~, an osteria whose name is in reference to the initials you see all over Rome that signify “Senatus Populusque Romanus” (“The Senate and the Roman people”), and is also the stuff of many a joke, like “Sono porchi, questi Romani” (or pazzi), for you fellow Italian speakers.

S.P.Q.R. is moving into the Chez Nous space on Fillmore, which is slated to close at the end of May, and the hope is to open the new restaurant in the beginning of August. (This is the second Bay Bread property to sell in the past few months as they focus more on the Boulange side of their business—Platanos was the first to sell. More on Bay Bread following the A16 news…)

S.P.Q.R.’s Rome-centric menu will be gutsy and rustic, with a casual neighborhood enoteca vibe (no reservations). Nate Appleman will be manning the stoves alongside his best friend Daniel Holzman, who is a partner in the restaurant—the two met at culinary school back in ’98, and worked together at Campton Place under Laurent Manrique. Holzman was in L.A. for a bit, and has been in the kitchens at A16 since February; A16 hoped to have a location locked down in the Mission and had Holzman up here ready to rock, but the space ultimately didn’t work out, so fortunately this deal with Chez Nous happened quickly. 

The potential menu items inspire great pangs of hunger. There is an array of cold plates (marinated salt cod with green tomatoes and endive), hot (sardines alla piastra with a breadcrumb salsa), and fried dishes (panzarotti, or mozzarella in carozza) that you can choose from to create your own sampler for $7 each or your choice of three for $16, five for $25. Pastas will include Roman classics, like cacio e pepe, aglio e olio, all’amatriciana, or what is sure to be a killer carbonara. And since people tend to disagree about what is the most authentic pasta for each of these preparations, you can take your pick from bucatini, rigatoni, or spaghetti. (I like my amatriciana with bucatini, thank you very much.) There will also be some fresh pastas, like tonnarelli. (Grumble grumble, be quiet stomach!)

The all-Italian wine list will have 20-30 by the glass and about 50 labels, which is rather significant considering the size of the place, and the sommelier will be acting as the bartender. (The new space will have a bar in the back that can seat around 15 people.) Expect an edgier, younger look, with a new exterior. S.P.Q.R. will be open for lunch Mon–Fri 11am–3pm, and dinner nightly 5pm–11pm, with brunch Sat–Sun 9am–3pm.

Then there is the ~DOGPATCH PROJECT~, which I have been holding off on writing about for some time now because it’s all so preliminary, but the A16 folks are currently incubating a concept that they hope to launch next year in the Esprit Park complex, a project from developer Build Inc. at 900 Minnesota. The concept is still quite up in the air (like which region they even want to focus on—I cast my vote for Calabria) and they are working out preliminary permitting matters, so stand by for more later.

The third thing is Nate Appleman and Shelly Lindgren are collaborating with Kate Leahy (who worked at A16 before pursuing her Masters of Journalism, and was the Associate Editor of Restaurants and Institutions) to write the ~A16 FOOD AND WINE BOOK~, due to be released in Fall 2008 from Ten Speed Press. Half the book will be about the food of Campania (there will be an entire chapter on pig!), and the other half is about the wines of southern Italy and the islands (Sicily and Sardinia). Lindgren will be offering an overview of the regions and the varietals, and is really excited to share how special the wines from the south are—as she said, “It’s not just about Tuscany anymore!”

Oh wait, one more thing: Nate is going to be cooking at another ~OUTSTANDING IN THE FIELD~ dinner on June 24, this time at Devil’s Gulch Ranch. It was literally one of my favorite dining experiences of the year last year, check it out.

Okay, so to pick back up on the Bay Bread topic. It looks like the ~BOULANGE~ in Hayes Valley is finally underway after some delays: construction just started last week. It should open at the end of July (at the very soonest). 500 Hayes St at Octavia St.

The other bit of Bay Bread news is chef and partner Robert Cubberly has left ~LE PETIT ROBERT~ on Polk. (It was reportedly a gentlemanly ending to the arrangement.) When Chez Nous closes at the end of May, the executive chef, Juan Romero, and the GM, Lisa Wentz, will be coming over (they have already been spending some time ramping up at Le Petit Robert). 2300 Polk St. at Green, 415-922-8100.

Yo winos—you will be seeing a new face on the floor at ~BACAR~ since Mickey Clevenger has come over from Frisson (prior to Frisson, he was a maitre d’ and wine buyer at Fleur de Lys). Clevenger just started yesterday (Monday night) but his exact role at bacar is going to be worked out in the coming weeks. A note about bacar’s upcoming renovation: they are closing from June 9-11, and two of the major changes will be that the kitchen will be enclosed, and the downstairs wine salon will be a lot spiffier. By the second week of June, the downstairs will be hosting a hip salon jazz club vibe, with live music Thu-Sat. A full menu will be offered (there are 50 seats), or you can have a drink at the bar and soak in the sounds. Groovy. 448 Brannan St. at 3rd, 415-904-4100.

On the new openings front, the nuevo/contemporary/Cali Peruvian restaurant, ~ESSENCIA~, is finally open as of yesterday. Lunch and dinner are available, Mon-Sat. 401 Gough St. at Hayes, 415-552-8485.

And just down the street, you pancake lovers should know ~STACKS~ is now open in the former Café Grillades space. Open 7am-3pm daily. 501 Hayes St. at Octavia, 415-241-9011.

Opening today is ~RESTAURANT CASSIS~ in the old Winterland space. It’s going to be an easygoing neighborhood restaurant serving authentic Niçoise dishes and some Italian numbers, too. Dinner Sun-Thu 5:30pm-10pm, and Fri-Sat 5:30pm-11pm; lunch will be launching this summer. 2101 Sutter St. at Steiner, 415-440-4500.

~DELANCEY STREET RESTAURANT~ just reopened on May 5 after a month-long renovation. The overall look got freshened up and modernized with new upholstery for the chairs and booths, a new paint job for the walls and chairs, new celadon tiles and carpeting were installed, plus a ton of “behind the scenes” touches. What’s amazing is the remodel was 100% handled by Delancey Street Foundation staff; some generous folks also offered their time and donated materials. Stanlee Gatti gave some design direction, and someone else donated equipment for the new walk-in. Read more on the site to learn how the entire operation works—it’s a good place to support with your brunch or din din dollars. 699 Delancey St. at Brannan, 415-836-5624.

Attention arty types and restaurant industry folks: ~SUPPERCLUB~ has launched "art industry" night every Sunday with a five-course gourmet dining experience that is 50% off food and beverage for all artists and resto/entertainment industry guests! Just bring your restaurant/bar industry pay stub or your freaky art-self (true expressions of art required) and receive 50% off food and beverage! And you non-industry folks, there is the supperclub lite program, with four courses for $45 on Tuesdays (normally five courses for $60, and $70 on Friday–Saturday). 657 Harrison St. at Hawthorne, 415-348-0900.

A small correction about the piece I wrote about ~COFFEE BAR~, the new venue moving into the former Arc Café. Things were a little convoluted in the info I received, so to clarify, it is not a venture by Mr. Espresso, but is a concept developed by Jason Paul and Luigi DiRuocco of Mr. Espresso, in partnership with Mike Richardson, their managing partner. Will share more info as the project develops and more details can be revealed.

This is most likely very old news for some, but I wanted to congratulate ~TRACI DES JARDINS~ (of Jardinière), the Pacific winner of the Best Chefs in America category at the 2007 James Beard Foundation awards. Rock.

Got a hot tip? You know I'd love it (and you). Just reply to this email!

Mission Beach Cafe
198 Guerrero St.
Cross: 14th St.
San Francisco, CA 94140

415-861-0198
website

Mon 7am-6pm
Tue-Thu 7am-10pm
Fri 7am-11pm
Sat 8am-11pm
Sun 8am-10pm
Lunch 11am-3pm

Prices for lunch only
Entrées $6-$14.50
Sandwiches $9.50
Desserts $4.50-$6

MAY 15, 2007 | SAN FRANCISCO Oooooh, I think I have found the perfect place where you can meet up for a “getting to know you” first date/blind date (everyone’s favorite occasion—not!) or perhaps a coquettish pie date (my friend told me her first date with a fella was for pie, cute). It’s an ideal spot for a casual biz lunch when you want to be able to talk and not have the hustle of restaurant service all around you—it’s a chill café. ~MISSION BEACH CAFE~ to be exact, and it’s a pretty new concept for SF in terms of café culture: there is no WiFi, no dogs, no bulletin board with notices about yoga studios and housecleaning services, no dinged up café chairs, and a hell of a lot more to eat than bagels and a couple kinds of muffins and somewhat stale cookies in a basket on the counter.

Instead, what you get here is a really cleanly designed and welcoming space, like hello groovy modern 50s lights overhead and tall-backed two-tone chairs with an ultra suede feel (ditto on the padded banquettes) and gorg wood tables and beautiful natural light streaming in from the big windows (it’s on a corner) and a stunning original angular ceiling and Heath ceramics for everything and cool arty prints on the wall. Yes, it’s “Designer Café!” But not tired Design Within Reach modern design—it’s much more tasteful, and personal. How freaking civilized. I suddenly felt like I was transported to an arty designy café in L.A. on 3rd Street. If I was wearing Birkenstocks (which I wasn’t, or ever would, but I’m just saying), they would have morphed on the spot into some Louboutins. (Oh, if only.)

It feels like a good discovery when you walk in. You can tell the owners really sunk some dough (and thought) into this place. It’s spiffy. Even the bathroom has an arty wood piece in it (although I’d be happier with some toilet seat covers).

The appetizing Cali-Euro-New American lunch menu has items like a grass-fed burger ($10.50) or lemon fettuccine pasta ($11) or curry chicken salad ($8.50), but my pal and I opted to try the flax-encrusted tilapia ($11.50) with lemon and capers on a bed of spinach. Totally something I’d like to try again at home—juicy and tasty. Loved the nuttiness of the flax against the fish.

Also tried one of the sandwiches (there are five offered, all $9.50)—we went with the house-made roast beast (it’s roasted each day) with caramelized onion, cheddar, and horseradish. It could have used more kick from the horseradish, but overall it was a very satisfying sando—meaty and cheesy, and the hearty Della Fattoria wheat bread held up well. Also pleased with the super-fresh mixed green salad that came with it—the produce was quite good, not a nasty leaf in the bunch. Just needed a touch more s+p. And I recommend trying a side of the seasoned house fries ($3.50). Why? Because fries taste good. Especially with sandwiches.

As you’re partway through your meal, you’ll start hearing the catcalls from the pastry case. The coffee caramel cheesecake ($6) hissed, “Hey, baby, why doncha hop in my ride?” and the raspberry coconut cream pie ($6) offered an even friskier time. Whoa, I totally blushed. Chocolate pecan pie ($5) totally tried to make a move, and strawberry mousse cake ($5.50) actually tried to pinch me, but I ultimately fell for the banana butterscotch cream pie ($6) with a big dollop of whipped cream that was plopped next to it. The delicious pie was served a bit too chilly for my taste—next time I’ll just order dessert first and let it sit out and flirt with it while I eat my sandwich. Hopefully it will warm up a little.

Alan Carter (formerly of Chow) is the charming man behind the wild array of pastry—don’t miss his über-crusty canneles with their custardy center, and he has all kinds of other wicked treat in the case—just follow your sweet tooth (or whatever is winking at you the most). You can also buy entire pies. (I won’t tell if you buy one all for yourself.) For the record, everything in the case is made with organic ingredients. And they use Blue Bottle coffee, which makes for a lovely accompaniment to any of the sweet treats. There are also dessert wines offered, my kind of café.

I am curious about dinner—I kind of like this upper-scale café/not a restaurant vibe. Would be an easy place to bring your book and have a cozy solo meal. Pretty place to catch up with a friend, whether it’s over a glass of wine off the interesting wine list or for more shameless flirting with dessert, like the white and dark chocolate angel food cake. With chocolate sauce. Excuse me, what did you say? Slap!

MAY 15, 2007 | Chris Wright on Mosel Rieslings

Chris Wright is a native of San Francisco. He has been in the pursuit of all things beautiful for as long as he could remember, this is the very quality that has led him led him through an exciting career as a sommelier into his current position as the beverage director of Aqua Restaurant.

I am going to tell you a secret… but do you promise not to tell anyone? Some of the most profound, exciting, versatile, age-worthy wines in the world are also some of the most affordable and accessible wines to acquire. I’m talking about Riesling. To be more specific, the kind that grows along the banks of the Mosel River in a little country called Germany.

Riesling is made in many styles and many places in the world. However, really good Rieslings have several things in common. For one, they come from extremely cool areas that encourage a bright acidity, keeping the wine fresh and lively. They also tend to come from steeper slopes with well-draining soils that make the roots journey deep into the earth in order to find water. The best of these wines tell beautiful stories about where they come from. The worst of these wines have little or nothing to say to us.

Since Riesling is typically grown in very cool climates, the challenge lies in getting the grapes to ripen. In 1971, the Germans established a system to identify their wines based on sugar levels at the time the grapes are picked, called the Prädikat system. From driest to sweetest the order is: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eisewein, and Trokenbeerenauslese. The first three levels could all be considered table wines, while the last three are most definitely dessert wines.

It is the Mosel Valley in Germany where we find the world’s most dangerously steep vineyards, covered in slate that sends the vine roots chasing water deep into mineral-saturated water tables. The wines produced here have a freshness and delicacy unmatched by any other wine in the world. Just from smelling the wine you may be attacked by white peaches and flowers, green apples or ginger, tangerine blossoms and lime. As the wines get older (and they can live a long time), they shed off their baby fat and reveal an aesthetically perfect body previously unimaginable. But it the brightness of these wines which keeps them from becoming heavy or cloying no matter how much sugar they might be hiding within them that is truly amazing.

With a naturally low alcohol, high acidity, and no oak, the food and wine pairings are infinite. These wines cut through foie gras like a Ginsu knife, and without carrying the extra weight of Sauternes. At the same time, they’re perfect wines that won’t interfere with the simplicity of a bowl of fruit or a salad. Let Riesling battle with your spiciest Thai food (the sugar is going to help) or have it like I do: by itself and all the time.

What do I get and where do I get it? Get on BART, your bicycle, in the car or whatever you want to use to take you to Pier 19. Inside this not at all commercial-looking pier you will find a place called Dee Vine Wines. The first time I found myself there I thought I had found the pirate ship in the Goonies. The place is stocked with beautiful Kabinett wines (which are a great place to start), largely under $20 a bottle, as well as the rarest and decadent dessert wines from the early 1900s, which might cost you slightly more. Look for wines from Fritz Haag, Egon Müller, Reinhard Knebel, Maximim Grünhaus, Willi Schaefer, J.J. Prüm or just ask anyone there, they won’t steer you wrong. And to tell you another secret, these treasures can be enjoyed just as much with your cheese course as with your Cheerios. So fret not, drink up, and most of all, cheers!

San Francisco Cocktail Week
May 14–May 21, 2007

Various locations
website

MAY 15, 2007 | SAN FRANCISCO Get your liver ready, because ~SAN FRANCISCO COCKTAIL WEEK~ is here, and it means some business. Take a look at the site for a list of participating bars and their cocktails (each bar is serving a classic and an original), 22 bars in all, ranging from Alembic’s Mint Julep (it even comes in its own special mint julep cup) and Benedictine-touched Vow of Silence, to the newly opening Cantina’s Pisco Punch and Marmalade Cooler. How convenient, NOPA is serving two kinds of Sidecars—I can stumble home after having two of each. Support and celebrate your local bars and try to visit some places this week! If you hit three a night, you could almost visit all of them during these special seven days!

And because I love you, tablehopper readers get a special discount at the Absinthe Brasserie & Bar finale event that will bring the week to a close on Monday, May 21, from 6pm–9pm, with tickets for only $40 instead of $45. To RSVP, please contact Absinthe Private Dining Manager, Vanessa Harris at 415-551-1453 or email her at vharris [at] absinthe [dot] com. When calling for tickets, just mention “tablehopper” for the $5 discount. 398 Hayes St. at Gough.

At the event you’ll be able to hang with some of the city’s best bartenders and their dedicated fans, while enjoying some light apps and of course swilling some swell cocktails. Gary Regan, author of “The Joy of Mixology,” and San Francisco Chronicle's cocktail column, "The Cocktailian," will mix Sazeracs as the event's featured bartender. 15% of the evening's proceeds will be donated to Tales of the Cocktail, an organization which assists in the revitalization of New Orleans' hospitality industry, and is putting on an awesome event in New Orleans from July 18–22 that I really hope to attend.

Latin American Cooking Class
Wed.,  May 16, 2007

La Cocina
2948 Folsom St.
Cross: 25th St.
San Francisco, CA

415-824-2729

website

6pm-9pm

$100

MAY 15, 2007 | SAN FRANCISCO In case you are looking for something scrumptious to eat (and make) this Wednesday, check this out: ~LA COCINA~ and Chilean-born Chef Guisell Osorio invite you to experience the warmth and flavors of Latin American cuisine. Guisell formalized her business two years ago and since then has built an impressive list of clients for her catering services and opened a stand at Alemany Farmer’s market featuring fair-trade coffee, her empanadas, and delicious alfajores (a South American shortbread cookie filled with dulce de leche). Her alfajores, which will soon be available in stores, have been written up in Diablo Magazine and will be featured in 7X7’s June 2007 Best of San Francisco issue.  

During the class we will learn how to make Mexican-style cheese and basil empanadas, pastel de choclo (a Chilean-style corn and meat casserole), and brazo de reina, a delicious dessert rolled with dulce de leche. Afterwards, we will sit down to dinner and enjoy the fruits of our labor paired with Chilean wines. The minimum suggested donation of $100 will cover the cost of putting on the class and help support La Cocina, a nonprofit kitchen incubator that helps women start and grow their businesses into livelihoods. (Your donation, minus $25, will be tax deductible.)

RSVP to valeria [at] lacocinasf [dot] org

MAY 15, 2007 | SAN FRANCISCO Thomas Keller and a guest were spotted at the counter at Pizzeria Delfina.

Barry Bonds was at Levende last week doing Rose Champagne bottle service (Perrier Jouet Fleur and Moet vintage 1999). There was also a bunch of Dallas Mavericks there too.  

Oh, and one more Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson sighting: they were also at Tartine Bakery.