The Chatterbox

After realizing the lease was most likely not going to be renewed in a couple years’ time, Bay Bread decided to pull out of ~PLATANOS~ in the Mission, and an amicable deal was struck. (It really wasn’t a core business for them.) The restaurant closed on Sunday the 18th.…

Folks have been wondering about what was moving into the former Winterland space; it will be reopening soon as ~RESTAURANT CASSIS~, focusing on Southern French and authentic Niçoise cuisine with Italian flair (remember, they are in fact neighbors). This casually upscale space will be serving pasta, pizzas (there is a…

So the big buzz on the circuit is whether ~ROBBIE LEWIS~, formerly the executive chef at Jardinière, is the new executive chef at bacar. While he has been in the bacar kitchen since this past weekend, Lewis is still very much “in play.” A potential bacar contract is being discussed,…

The changes continue at ~BACAR~: after two years in the kitchen, Executive Chef Adam Timney is no longer there, and the new executive chef will be announced this Saturday the 10th when he/she begins. Supposedly not even the staff knows who the new chef is going to be—all…

So just three days after getting home, I shook off my jet lag like a wet dog and scooted down to Carmel for the ~MASTERS OF FOOD AND WINE~, which felt like my preferred version of the Oscars©. The cooking demos with Rick Tramonto of TRU and Michael Mina were…

Why does the Mission get all the love? I swear. Anyway, I am crazy jealous about this one: come spring, ~SPORK~ will be opening in the old KFC space on Valencia. The project is from the creative mind of Bruce Binn (the former chef de cuisine of Citizen Cake, who…

First off, I just wanted to let you know last week's benefit for ~LANCE BELL~ raised a little over $10k for him, so that's great news—cheers to everyone who helped out. So I spent all day Sunday checking out the ~NASFT FANCY FOOD SHOW~ at…

Yay, at long last, ~MISSION BEACH CAFÉ~ will be opening January 24, from style-maker extraordinaire Bill Clarke and baker badass Alan Carter, formerly of Chow. The bakery component will be up and running (can you say pie, popovers, and pastry?), plus Blue Bottle coffee will be offered, and gourmet sandwiches…

Lovebirds take note: after almost five years of business (Valentine's Day would have been the five-year anniversary), ~L'AMOUR DANS LE FOUR~ is now closed: the building the restaurant was located in was sold and is becoming a real estate office. Partners Laurent Bornier, Adrienne Fair, and…

>So some of you know I truck around the city on my bike unless it’s raining or I’m in heels (that’s when the red Italian with four wheels comes into play). So I was more than thrilled to discoverDivisadero will soon have its own bike shop-meets-café…