The Chatterbox

So you love cheese. Duh. Want to watch cheesemongers from all over the country compete on their cheese knowledge and cutting technique? (The desirable kind of cheese cutting, however—not the kind your kid brother does.) Then check out the 2014 CHEESEMONGER INVITATIONAL on Sunday January 19th from 5pm-8pm at…

Some tidbits for you in the North Bay. First up, Eater mentions the opening of LUNA BLU in the former location of The Boathouse in Tiburon. The owners are Renzo and Crystal Azzarello, and while lunch and dinner will showcase Renzo’s Sicilian background (think lots of seafood), during the…

We first broke the news about VICTORY HALL & PARLOR opening in the former 330 Ritch back in September. The project just swung its doors open on New Year’s Day, and is from Deanna Sison Foster (co-owner of Little Skillet and farmerbrown) and Mia Weening (Mission Bowling Club, Mini…

Here are some updates on upcoming projects in 2014, starting with some news about Corey Lee’s plans for his Hayes Valley location, ~MONSIEUR BENJAMIN~. Scoop reports he is targeting spring for the opening of his modern (yet casual) bistro, with chef Jason Berthold (previously RN74) leading the kitchen—they…

I know I’m not the only one getting excited for the opening of the upcoming KIN KHAO from Pim Techamuanvivit (working with chef Michael Gaines). I thought you’d like to know the menu is up on their newly launched website, and the new targeted opening is early February.…

Castro Biscuit reports that Vietnamese restaurant ZADIN has closed, according to a note on their website. But apparently there is already a new taker for the space: another location of Urban Picnic, currently a Financial District lunch spot with Vietnamese-inspired healthful lunches like quinoa bowls, whole-wheat wraps, and banh mi…

Just before I signed off for the holidays, I noticed a Craigslist ad that mentioned the PIZZAHACKER, aka Jeff Krupman, was looking for an employee for his pizza restaurant around La Lengua/Bernal. Well, my query went unanswered (I guess he only wanted an employee and no press) but his…

After spending too much money on old SF restaurant menus and postcards at the Vintage Paper Fair in Golden Gate Park this past weekend, a friend and I were strolling up Ninth Avenue in the Inner Sunset, and lo and behold, there was some staff training under way at the…

After a fire in September of 2011 put their San Francisco scoop shop out of business temporarily, THREE TWINS ICE CREAM has reopened their doors. They opened softly today, January 7th, and will be having an official grand opening in the coming months. They’ve been able to make some…

~COMSTOCK SALOON~ just rolled out a lunch counter in their new second bar area, with a variety of sandwiches (including a fried chicken sandwich, rabbit currywurst, and the Comstock burger), some salads (beets or Brussels sprouts), and more (like potato leek soup) from chef Ronnie New. Check out the current…