The Chatterbox

East Bay Express reports that TROUBLE COFFEE now has a location in West Oakland. The tiny, original Outer Sunset location of Trouble Coffee kicked off the $4 toast trend and received national media attention for owner Giulietta Carrelli’s fascinating personal story. This is the third outpost for the shop,…

ABC license activity can be such a fascinating thing! I was so intrigued when I saw this one ripple across the wires, a project that mentioned Kraft & Hitachino as the name and Noriyuki Sugie, aka chef Nori, whom some of you may remember from his days cooking at Nombe.…

A report by Dana Eastland. Last week we mentioned that Bernal brewery and chili spot OLD BUS TAVERN was getting ready to open with a series of test dinners, and now we’ve got an opening date: Thursday July 23rd. The project, from partners Jimmy Simpson, John Zirinsky, and Bennett…

Last month we covered the impending opening of the MINA TEST KITCHEN in the former Café Claude Marina space, where Mina Group chefs will be hosting pop-up dinners while exploring cooking styles from around the world and experimenting with new techniques. The first pop-up series, Middle’terranea, is with Adam…

We reported in February about an Italian restaurant changeup in the Outer Richmond. At the time, neighborhood staple MESCOLANZA closed and Luna Rossa opened in its place. We mentioned that Mescolanza had secured a new location in the former Ichiraku in the Inner Richmond, and Eater reports that the new…

It sounds like all is not well at BDK, the restaurant managed by Kimpton Hotels in the Hotel Monaco that opened earlier this year. Apparently, the hotel is no longer managed by Kimpton and is now going by the name The Marker. According to Scoop, there are even more changes…

The Luckyrice Festival returns to San Francisco on Friday August 7th with a feast of Asian flavors, presented by sponsor Bombay Sapphire East. The sixth annual party is hosted by none other than local chef and restaurateur Charles Phan and takes place from 8pm to 10pm at the Bently Reserve…

In news we’re not at all happy to report, Oakland Mexicatessen LA BORINQUEÑA is closing after 71 years in business, Scoop reports. The shop and restaurant has been family-owned since 1944, when Natividad Ramos’s parents founded it. Now, Natividad’s daughters, Tina Ramos (of La Snackeria) and Isabel…

Last night, I cohosted my first event with EatWith, Aperitivo Time in Rimini, at THE ITALIAN HOMEMADE COMPANY in North Beach. Campari America and Rye on the Road made sure we got into an aperitivo frame of mind quickly, with plentiful Aperol spritzes (click these links for recipes!), Negronis, Negroni…

We have a bunch of quick updates for you on some projects around town, starting with LITTLE GEM, coming to Hayes Valley this fall from Thomas Keller Restaurant Group vet Eric Lilavois and partners John DiFazio and Dave Cruz (former chef de cuisine of Ad Hoc). This “quick Californian” project…