Follow @tablehopper on Threads!
Learn more
May 20, 2013 22 min read

May 21, 2013 - This week's tablehopper: bunny hop.

May 21, 2013 - This week's tablehopper: bunny hop.
Table of Contents

This week's tablehopper: bunny hop.                    

Peaches are here! Oven-roasted white peach with lemon verbena ice cream and Marcona almonds at Cotogna. Photo: © tablehopper.com.

Howdy, fair citizens. Have some of you shaken off your Bay to Breakers hangover? I hope so, because the shame can last forever. I spent Sunday successfully avoiding my neighborhood at a garden party in the Castro, and then enjoyed the Sunday supper later that evening at Cotogna. (I saw the Devil’s Gulch fried rabbit on the menu and hopped right over.)

I’m fired up to finally visit Devil’s Gulch Ranch in Nicasio this Saturday at an upcoming (and sold-out, sorry) Outstanding in the Field dinner with Melissa Perello of Frances (I know, awesome). In case you don’t have any plans on Sunday, there is a second OITF dinner with chefs Jason Halverson of Michael Mina, Omri Aflalo of Bourbon Steak, and John Fink of The Whole Beast, and wine from Pey-Marin Vineyards and Dutton-Goldfield. It starts at 4pm, you can get more info and tickets here.

Speaking of events: next Tuesday May 28th, I will be moderating a panel about our local coffee roasting scene at the Commonwealth Club, and then on Thursday May 30th is the first tablehopper singles event. There are only tickets for men left for this one (sorry ladies!). And then on Friday June 7th, I hope you have bought your ticket for the SummerTini benefit, which I will be emceeing. This is an event and organization  very near and dear to my heart, I hope you can join us! The auction packages are amazing (jus’ sayin’!).

Am sorry to hear about the shuttering of all the non-NYC Grub Street city blogs—Jay Barmann has done a hell of a job reporting our local restaurant news. Wishing him all the best in his next gig(s). But here’s a piece of good/non-shuttering news: Esta Noche’s fundraising efforts were successful this past weekend, and that tawdry, saucy place will continue to party on! Arriba!

With the passing of Ray Manzarek, I was reminiscing yesterday about when I was really young, and my dad took out his cherished The Doors record to play it for me for the first time. He put it on the record player and said, “Honey, this is The Doors. You need to know this.” He listened to that album a lot when he was in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. My dad says he still listens to The Doors almost every day on his walks. So yeah, I grew up listening to them quite a bit. RIP, Ray! Play on! For fellow Doors fans, you gotta check out this video of Ray Manzarek talking about how the song Riders on the Storm came to be. It’s a good one.

And man, poor Oklahoma. We are all sending love, but here’s how you can also send them money and support.

XO Marcia Gagliardi


the chatterbox

Gossip & News (the word on the street)

Wine Loving Fellas, Get Your Ticket for the First tablehopper Singles Event on May 30th!

EandO-deviled_eggs.jpg

Lapsang souchong tea-deviled eggs. Photo courtesy E&O Asian Kitchen.

EandO-logo.jpg
Languedoc_adventure_logo.jpg
Minervois.jpg

Gorgeous Minervois; photo courtesy of CIVL.

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.

Coming Soon: Pesce to the Castro, Tadich to DC, Wise Sons to SoMa, Cafe St. Jorge, and More

1-pesce.jpg

Pesce exterior. Yelp photo by Kevin Y.

cafestjorge.png

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.

Wise Sons Deli            - 3150 24th St. San Francisco - 415-787-3354

Open Now: Raijin Kitchen, Forbes Island Back from Fire, Amawele's, More

01_Vittorio_Pizza.jpeg

A prosciutto, burrata, and artichoke pizza from Trattoria da Vittorio. Photo by Narbe Vagharshakian.

amaweles_interior.jpg

The interior at Amawele’s. Photo from Facebook.

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.

Tidbits: New Chef at Troya Fillmore, Expanded Hours at Padrecito and Galette 88

01_papacito_dining_room.jpg

The dining room at Padrecito. Photo: Dana Massey-Todd. © tablehopper.com.

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.

Galette 88            - 88 Hardie Pl. San Francisco - 415-989-2222

Closures/Changes: Boulettes Larder, Bacon Bacon, the Boneyard Truck, More

boulettes-gutted.jpg

A very gutted Boulette’s Larder. Photo via @mcs3000 on Twitter.

firehouse8.jpg

Firehouse 8. Photo from Facebook.

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.

SF Plus NoLa Equals Some Serious Pizza Love

511_Marigny_exterior.jpg

The 511 Marigny building in NoLa. Photo from Facebook.

pizzetta211-beef.JPG

Egg pizza with braised beef and kale from Pizzetta 211. Photo: © tablehopper.com.

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.)

Pizzetta 211            - 211 23rd Ave. San Francisco - 415-379-9880

Pop-Ups (Onigilly at TRACE, Three Babes at Dandelion) and a Party (Piccino)

Three_Babes_Chocolate_pie.jpg

Cream pie with chocolate from Three Babes. Photo from Facebook.

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.

Piccino            - 1001 Minnesota St. San Francisco - 415-824-4224

510 Openings and Expansions: Easy Creole, Chez Panisse, Toast, and Keren Café

Easy_creole_gumbo_peterBruce.jpg

Chicken and sausage gumbo from Easy Creole. Photo by Peter Bruce; photo via Facebook.

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. And good news: they are now open for business. 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.

Chez Panisse            - 1517 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley - 510-548-5525

Marin_Greek_Scraper_120x600-2013.jpg
Marin_Greek_Scraper_120x600-2013.jpg

the sponsor

This Round Is On Me... (hey, thanks!)

(Sponsored): Food of the Gods ~ Fruit of the Vine

Food of the Gods ~ Fruit of the Vine is a unique Greek dining and California wine-tasting experience over Memorial Day weekend (May 24th-26th).

The Food: Unparalleled! Delectable, Old World family recipes passed down from generation to generation, prepared especially for this event. The most authentic food outside of Greece, like mouthwatering moussaka, braised lamb shank, marinated pork skewers grilled in the traditional Greek way, authentic gyros, fresh Greek salads and hearty Greek soups—all topped off with a Greek coffee and a fabulous array of homemade pastries. Don’t miss it! Find the complete menu here.

The Wineries: V. Sattui Winery, Thomas George Estates, Mahoney Vineyards, Suacci Carciere, Fotinos Vineyard, Kendric Vineyards and fine Greek wines from Mani Imports.

The Time: Friday May 24th, 5pm-10pm (wine tasting: 5:30pm-8:30pm), with the festival over the weekend.

The Price: $15 wine-tasting ticket. Food is à la carte, with suggested pairings. Enjoy wines by the glass or order by the bottle from the wineries at a one-night-only 20 percent discount.

The Place: Nativity of Christ Church (1110 Highland Dr., Novato). Parking and free shuttle service at College of Marin Indian Valley Campus.

The Extras: Live music, dancing, folk dance performances, all celebrated in the Old World ambience of our Greek village on the hill.

This one-of-a-kind event is truly a rare opportunity to savor amazing Greek cuisine with beautiful wines! More details online and on Facebook.


the lush

Bar News & Reviews (put it on my tab)

The Alembic's New Cocktail Menu (and Savoy Cocktail Night Returns!)

alembic_1_large.jpg

Photo: © tablehopper.com.

THE ALEMBIC has a new cocktail list to check out, and we’ve got our paws on it so you can start plotting which one you want to try before your clock strikes bourbon o’clock. Check out new choices like the 30-Day Notice, with Flor de Caña rum, banana cordial, yellow Chartreuse, lime juice, and chile tincture, or the Lava Lamp, with Lillet rosé, Combier, nocino walnut liqueur, and a touch of porter foam. They’re also continuing with a lineup of classics, like the Vieux Carré and, of course, the Sazerac. Check out the full list here.

You can also try a little something special at Alembic this Sunday May 26th, when Erik Ellestad will be hosting one of his Savoy Cocktail Nights. All cocktails (eight in all) will be $11, and include options like the Seventh Heaven cocktail, with bitters, Luxardo maraschino, caperitif, and gin.

The Alembic            - 1725 Haight St. San Francisco - 415-666-0822

Wine Dinners, Wines of Mendocino, and Palate Development with Oliver McCrum

mezzaluna.jpg

Photo courtesy of Mezzaluna.

taste_of_mendo_2012.jpg

The Taste of Mendocino event in 2012. Photo © Marc Fiorito, Gamma Nine Photography via Facebook.

Looking for something to do this Thursday May 23rd? My family friends at MEZZALUNA RESTAURANT in El Granada are hosting an event that is near to my heart, a Serata Veneziana (Venetian night). The guest of honor is Lucio Gomiero, the owner of both Vignalta Vineyards (Veneto) and Royal Rose Radicchio Farms (Salinas), so the menu is going to be featuring a number of radicchio-based dishes paired with his wonderful wines. 6pm, $75 (includes gratuity). Reservations: 650-728-8108. 459 Prospect Way, El Granada.

Looking to taste some of the wines from the lesser-known wine region of Mendocino County? Look no further than the TASTE OF MENDOCINO wine event on Tuesday June 11th at the Golden Gate Club in the Presidio. The event, which runs from 5pm-7pm, includes pours from lots of Mendocino County producers, including Navarro Vineyards, Edmeades, and Elke Vineyards. You can get a full list of participating wineries (plus some beers, coffee, and more) and tickets here. Tickets to the event are $25 in advance and $35 at the door. 5pm-7pm. 135 Fisher Loop at Sheridan.

And I have a feeling this 18 REASONS class will sell out quickly, so I’m letting you know about it now: learn about palate development and how to taste wines with wine importer and expert Oliver McCrum in June. You’ll also learn how to identify flaws in wine. The class is on two Mondays: June 17th and 24th, 6:30pm-9pm. Tickets are $100 for 18 Reasons members; $120 for the general public (tickets are for both classes).

               Tuesday Jun 11, 2013 5pm-7pm $25 in advance, $35 at the door more info

18 Reasons            - 3674 18th St. San Francisco

Wine Riot Paints the Town Red (and White and Rosé) June 7th-8th

wine_riot_temporary_tattoos.jpg

Temporary tattoos and cheeky wines at Wine Riot. Photo courtesy Wine Riot.

Did you miss last year’s international wine mania that is WINE RIOT? Not to worry, they’ll be returning to the Concourse Exhibition Center Fri-Sat June 7th-8th, pouring more than 250 wines from all over the world. They’ve also added the Bubbly Bar this year, which offers plenty of the sparkling stuff. There are three different events: the opening night on Friday from 7pm-11pm, Riot One on Saturday afternoon from 1pm-5pm, and Riot Two on Saturday evening from 7pm-11pm. They are all intended to be approachable for wine newbies, but also interesting for more experienced drinkers, with seminars and classes for a range of oenophiles. You’ll also find a photo booth, live music, and food trucks on hand to purchase the vittles you’ll need to keep going. Tickets are $60. 635 8th St. at Brannan.

Marin_Greek_Scraper_120x600-2013.jpg

the socialite

Shindigs, Feasts, & Festivals (let's party)

The Making of a Charitable Food Movement at SFMOMA May 31st

SF_Food_Bank.jpg

The San Francisco Food Bank. Photo courtesy Mission Street Food.

Event Info

Friday May 31, 2013 11am–6pm Food $5, Gift Certificates $50 SFMOMA Schwab Room 151 3rd St. at Howard

As part of “The Making of…” series from the Kitchen Sisters at SFMOMA, Mission Street Food will be organizing a charitable food event called The Making of a Charitable Food Movement on Friday May 31st. The event is part of a larger series that brings various makers together for live demonstrations at the MOMA. This particular event is the vision of Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz of Mission Street Food and is all about creating a charitable food movement that is deeply invested in giving back to underserved communities. You can read more about the inspiration and ideas behind the event here. In this case, the proceeds will be going to the San Francisco Food Bank.

The event includes 30-minutes demonstrations from local chefs like Chad Robertson (“The Making of Bread”), Thomas McNaughton (“The Making of Pasta”), and Jason Fox (“The Making of Ice Cream”), and a variety of tasty food items available for purchase at $5 ($1 goes to the food bank) and $50 gift certificates from a wide array of San Francisco restaurants ($5 goes to the food bank). The gift certificates will also be available online here. The event runs from 11am-6pm in the Schwab Room at the SFMOMA. 151 3rd St. at Howard, 415-357-4000.

StarChefs Gala on June 13th at AT&T Park

StarChefs_Group_Photo.jpg

The StarChefs! (Not pictured: Colby Barr, Ryan O’Donovan, Ryan Farr, Evan and Sarah Rich.) Photo by Antoinette Bruno, courtesy StarChefs.

Event Info

Thursday Jun 13, 2013 6:30pm $95 general admission, $150 VIP AT&T Park 24 Willie Mays Plaza

On Thursday June 13th, catch a veritable galaxy of San Francisco culinary stars at the STARCHEFS RISING STARS awards night. The evening will begin at AT&T Park with an awards ceremony at 6:30pm on home plate honoring the winners, and will be followed by a walk-around tasting gala (7pm-9:30pm) at the ballpark. Tickets are $95 general admission and $150 for VIP, which includes a sparkling wine and caviar reception at 5:45pm. A portion of the proceeds from the evening will go to La Cocina, and be sure to check out this impressive list of winners (and hey, they managed to scrounge up a few women, imagine that):

Chefs Nick Balla, Bar Tartine; Brett Cooper, Outerlands Café; Jacob des Voignes, Local Mission Eatery; Jason Fox, Commonwealth; Jessica Largey, Manres; Duncan Holmes, Sons & Daughters; Mark Liberman, AQ; Evan and Sarah Rich, Rich Table.

Artisans Ryan Farr, 4505 Meats; William Werner, Craftsman & Wolves.

Community Richie Nakano, Hapa Ramen.

Sommeliers Esteban Brunello, Oliveto; Bobby Conroy, Benu.

Mixologists Scott Baird and Josh Harris, Trick Dog; Matt Conway, formerly of Absinthe Brasserie & Bar.

Brewer Adam Lamoreaux, Linden Street Brewery.

Pastry Chefs Matt Tinder, Coi; Stephanie Prida, Manresa; Juan Contreras, Atelier Crenn.

Hotel Pastry Chef Mellisa Root, Madera.

Sustainability Chef Sean Baker, Gather.

Fresh Concept Yigit Pura, Tout Sweet Pâtisserie.

Restaurateur Matt Semmelhack, Mercer Restaurant Group.

Roaster Colby Barr and Ryan O’Donovan, Verve Coffee.

VIP Chef Robbie Lewis, Bon Appétit Management Company.

Featured Guest Chefs Ian Farrell and Alex Olson, Bon Appétit Management Company.

Great! You’ve successfully signed up.
Welcome back! You've successfully signed in.
You've successfully subscribed to tablehopper.
Your link has expired.
Success! Check your email for magic link to sign-in.
Success! Your billing info has been updated.
Your billing was not updated.