The Chatterbox

The rumors are true: ~COI~ has brought on Bill Corbett (formerly at Michael Mina) as the executive pastry chef. Corbett will also consult on the pastry menu at ~IL CANE ROSSO~, and he will serve as the executive pastry chef of Bracina, which will open in Oakland in spring 2010.…

Dave Sha and his partner Danel de Betelu recently took over ~BAKER STREET BISTRO~ in Cow Hollow. Danel (who is a Basque from Biarritz) started as the executive chef there last year. The space has been redecorated (it’s now a bit more homey) and the menu is largely the…

~CAFÉ LA TAZA~ has opened a third location in the city, this one in the Castro in the former Bullshead and Tallula space on 18th Street (dang, I miss Tallula—it was the best date place ever). The breakfast menu is full of options, from bagels to omelets to scrambles…

A tablehopper reader tipped me off to a unique concept that opened in Berkeley: the restaurant is called GREEN PAPAYA and features Thai vegetarian cuisine. It’s reportedly friendly, tasty, and affordable. Open lunch and dinner daily. 2016 Shattuck Ave. at University, Berkeley, 510-845-1658.…

After doing their best to fill a huge restaurant during a nasty recession, owners Sean O’Brien and Patricia Hughes-O’Brien have decided to close their restaurant ~ZINNIA~ after dinner service on New Year’s Eve. With the infamous slow months of January and February looming, and tax time coming…

The revolving door at ~BACAR~ continues: Douglas Bernstein, previously at the now-closed Eccolo, is the new chef  (a sous chef and pastry consultant also came over from Eccolo). Chef Bernstein has been overseeing Bacar’s kitchen for two months, finalizing the dinner, brunch, and bar bites menus. Many of his…

Those evil geniuses at ~HUMPHRY SLOCOMBE~ have introduced the latest in savory-sweet wonders: duck fat pecan pies. Yup, that’s Muscovy duck fat rendered for your pie-stuffin’ pleasure (that would be your face). These little mini wonders of badness are $5 a hit. Call it the Christmas miracle: ~GRACIAS MADRE~…