Marcia Gagliardi

I had a chance to catch up with Michael Mina about his plans for the former AQUA space at 252 California Street. His return to the space, where he was named chef de cuisine at the young age of 21 and worked for 13 years, is certainly a personal one.…

I got particularly hungry looking at the menu of ~THE AMERICAN GRILLED CHEESE KITCHEN~, due to open this Wednesday for lunch in South Park. The project is from Heidi Gibson, a seven-time winner of the National Grilled Cheese Invitational (yup, she must make a mean grilled cheese sandwich), and…

Dennis Leary, chef-owner of Canteen and The Sentinel, has a new baby (but this space is quite a bit bigger than his usual MO for spaces): the century-plus-old HOUSE OF SHIELDS SALOON, which is just next door to The Sentinel. Leary, who has adored the historic space…

Aom Phanthong of local SoMa Thai favorite Koh Samui and the Monkey is opening ~ANOTHER MONKEY~ in the former Conduit space on Valencia—the soft opening for dinner is this Thursday. Phanthong is installing a number of Thai furnishings (the container just arrived from Thailand ten days ago) to warm…

After months of delays and inspections and the like, if everything goes according to plan, ~ZAYTOON~ is finally opening in the former Bistro Annex space in the Mission. This casual Mediterranean place from owner Christopher Totah will serve falafel wrapped in lavash ($6.95, or $7.95 with potatoes and…

With the transformation from Acme Chophouse to the new ~PUBLIC HOUSE~ and MIJITA restaurants, executive chef Thom Fox has left his position to cook at Oracle, taking a different job within the Bon Appetit Management Company family (the parent owner of Acme, and now the new establishments). I caught up…

A tablehopper reader tipped me off to a new sandwich place called LUNCH GEEK, now open in the former Broaster Cafe (how many times did I ride my bike past that place and wonder who ate there). The new concept sounds much more up my alley: a range of sandwiches…