The Chatterbox

Coming to Mill Valley in February is a new project from chef Todd Shoberg, who previously worked at Town Hall, Liberty Café, and Piatti Mill Valley. The new restaurant is called MOLINA and is built around the wood-fired Alan Scott oven that will lie at the heart of the kitchen.…

This weekend I swung by the soon-to-open SECOND ACT MARKETPLACE AND EVENTS to see how it’s taking shape. Yup, it’s very, very close. To recap, Betsy and Jack Rix have transformed the former Red Vic Movie House (they were two of the original founders) into a marketplace and…

An update for you on ~LOLO~, which is closing the doors on its 22nd Street location and moving to the larger space I mentioned awhile back on Valencia (the former Lot 7). The last night of service in their original location is Saturday January 25th, and they plan to open…

A report by Dana Eastland. Now open in the Mission is Latin American restaurant MANOS NOUVEAU, in the former home of Panchita’s 3. The owner is Manuel Montalban, a born-and-raised Mission native, who has brought on chef Gualberto Nic Camara to run the kitchen. The menu spans Latin America,…

Here’s some news on the new takers for ROXY’S CAFE, which closed earlier this month. The space has been taken over by Shawn Naputi, who was previously chef de cuisine at Roxy’s and worked at Incanto before that, and Shawn Camacho, who was the general manager at…

A name has been revealed for Traci Des Jardins’ new restaurant in conjunction with the Presidio Trust that’s due to open this spring: THE COMMISSARY, paying homage to the Presidio’s military history. The menu will be Californian with Spanish inspiration, with local seafood and ingredients from the farmers…

It looks like famed Lower Haight sandwich joint ESTELA’S has joined Three Twins Ice Cream in rising from the ashes. Haighteration reports that Estela’s reopened Monday January 20th, after closing due to a fire in September 2011. They’ve opened a location in Nob Hill in the meantime,…

As previously reported in tablehopper, beloved institution JOE’S OF WESTLAKE is closing, and will be reopened in 2015 by new owners John Duggan and his family, of Original Joe’s. The restaurant will close its doors on Sunday January 26th, though apparently employees will be protesting the closure, citing…

Eddie Lau (Dux pop-up, The Summit, Poleng Lounge, Orson) is hosting a pop-up dinner with Luis Villavelazquez (Les Éléments Patisserie) called Fortress: Solitude & SF.  It will be held on Sunday February 9th at ~20TH CENTURY CAFE~ with two seatings at 6:30pm and 8:30pm. If you attended Lau’…

The Lunar New Year is Friday January 31st, and here are a few ways to celebrate (obviously all of them involve eating). First up, welcome Chinese New Year at FANG RESTAURANT on the eve of the new year, Thursday January 30th. Chef Kathy Fang will be serving a special menu…