The Chatterbox

Some ABC license activity points to a change of ownership at SWATDEE THAI CUISINE in Noe Valley, which has been a part of the neighborhood since 1987. I called in last night to speak with owner James Sawatdee, who charmingly said, “I’m 64, lady!” when I asked him about…

After his first El Viaje en Mexico dinner in October, chef Joshua Oakley Wilder of pop-up TANGO & STACHE is back with a second dinner at Naked Kitchen on Tuesday November 19th. This time, he’ll be focusing on the dishes of Jalisco, served over four courses with cocktail pairings.…

Thanksgiving can be a handful, and sometimes the best way to have a great meal is to outsource a little—especially if you have a teeny-tiny city kitchen. (It’s okay, we won’t tell.) Here are a few ideas of places that can give you a helping hand (and…

As previously mentioned on tablehopper, OSMANTHUS is the latest to join the list of new Rockridge restaurants—it just opened in the former Nan Yang spot. I was on College Avenue last week and decided to stop by and take a peek. The candlelit room has a sultry feeling, and…

Opening tonight (November 5th) in the former Luella on Russian Hill is STONES THROW. This welcoming neighborhood restaurant will feature Cal-American cuisine from chef Jason Halverson (previously Michael Mina)—some photos from test dinners looked marvy. As previously mentioned on tablehopper, he is partnering with general manager Ryan Cole, also…

After a short delay, the latest Mid-Market/SoMa project from the AQ duo (Matt Semmelhack and chef Mark Liberman) is now open as of this evening. Introducing TBD RESTAURANT, a 50-seat restaurant with a menu focused on open-fire grilling, smoking, rotisserie, and hearth-baking methods for both meats and vegetables. Unlike…

I was following up with SUSHI RAN’s owner Yoshi Tome about some ABC license activity I spotted: It looks like his executive sushi chef, Mitsunori “Nori” Kusakabe, is planning to open a place with a current DBA of KUSAKABE in San Francisco (the license points to the Machka location…

Well, it looks like this will be the last holiday season we’ll be able to spend in the ~BIG 4~ as we know it. The new owners of The Huntington Hotel, Grace International (a Singapore-based company) have announced they will be closing the 66-year-old hotel and the Big 4…

Wow, can you believe that after five years of laying dormant, that someone is restoring JULIUS’ CASTLE on Telegraph Hill? I know! I also can’t believe the damn thing caught fire last week—thank God a neighbor quickly noticed the fire on the roof and the damage isn’t…

I heard a few months ago that the talented chef Suvir Saran (previously of Dévi in New York, a cookbook author, and a contestant on Top Chef: Masters) was planning to open a restaurant in San Francisco, and now the location has been revealed. He is opening his new restaurant…