A few quick openings to report, including a second SALT & STRAW in SF. The Portland-based ice cream maker now has a Hayes Valley shop, where you can experience 17 of their unique flavors, including some local collaborations (like Sightglass Coffee and single-origin Dandelion Chocolate, and Teranga baobab juice and coconut in partnership with La Cocina alum Nafy Flatley).
And they are really going all out for Halloween, including The Great Candycopia (salted butterscotch ice cream and an abundance of homemade Snickers, Whoppers, Heath bars, and peanut butter cups); and for you thrill seekers, there’s Dracula’s Blood Pudding (spices and cream cooked into real blood pudding) and Creepy-Crawly Critters (chocolate-covered crickets and coconut toffee brittle-covered mealworms blended into a matcha ice cream). Eek! I laughed over Essence of Ghost, and there’s Freckle & Hyde Potion with coconut ash-coated Pop Rocks. (Also, they get kudos for all their community involvement and programs they work with.) Open 11am-11pm daily. 586 Hayes St. at Laguna.
A second location of TADU ETHIOPIAN KITCHEN has opened in Mission Bay (the original is in the Tenderloin). You can order their trademark kitfo and tibs, and there are a bunch of vegetarian options too. Open daily 11:30am-9pm. 1130 4th St. at Channel, 415-409-6649.
Remember when I told you a bunch of details about NEWKIRK’S coming to Potrero with East Coast-style BECs (bacon, egg, and cheese, aka egg on a roll, fried egg sandwiches), plus classic subs and some salads too. Well, owner Ryan Blumenthal is doing some soft opening hours, so if you’re in the neighborhood, swing by for a limited menu of BECs or subs as he ramps up. You can follow along for updates on Instagram—seems like he’s closing at 3pm, and cash only for now. [UPDATE: soft opening hours are Mon-Fri 11am-2pm for now.] Can’t wait to come by and check out the kaiser roll he had custom made for the shop! 1002 Potrero Ave. at 22nd St.
The new Salt & Straw in Hayes Valley. Photo: Steve Kepple.
