what’s cookin’
Ciao ciao! You ready for two weeks of rather sunny springy weather? It’s perfect timing, since it’s already and unbelievably the first week of March, which means it’s the First Thursday art walk this Thursday March 5th—check out the participating Tenderloin/TenderNob galleries here (the list will go live on Thursday). Hope to see you in the neighborhood! (Don’t miss the exhibit of Sylvester ephemera and more still on display at Dark Entries Records.) And if you want to dive deeper into some inside baseball about which was the first First Thursday, settle in for this long read: A Tale Of Two First Thursdays.
For me, this Thursday is a double-header, since I’m also going to be heading to The Regency Ballroom to see Franc Moody perform later that night. I saw them one year at Outside Lands and they put on such an uplifting, disco-funky show! Shake your money maker.
The stunning weather on Saturday is gonna be fantastic for the Chinese New Year parade as the 288-foot-long Golden Dragon winds its way to Chinatown (it starts at 5:15pm at 2nd and Market Street)—keep your eyes peeled for this year’s Parade Grand Marshal: Olympic gold medalist Ailing “Eileen” Gu! And bring your earplugs: Chinatown will be booming with seriously loud fireworks all night.
Here’s a private event invite/insider tip for you supporting subscribers:
This past Sunday was the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America®, a walk-around tasting event at Saluhall. It ended up being such a cool venue for the event, with chefs taking over the upstairs kiosks, like Stuart Brioza serving State Bird’s squid-pork belly-kimchi stir-fry, and I loved this creative bite from Michele McQueen (Town Fare and Lucy Blue in Oakland): blackened catfish dumpling with dashi-infused potlikker, herb oil, and Tabasco pearls. Thanks to all the chefs and spirits and wines and sponsors, what a generous evening—I really needed the bag of dark roast beans from Graffeo the next morning, LOL. Here’s a clip of me being interviewed on the fly by Liam Mayclem at the end of the night—and after a few margaritas 🍹.
So, your hopper is finally going to head out of town for her first Cherry Bombe Jubilee on April 25th, and I’m planning to extend my stay for a week in New York at the end of April. It has been toooooo long. If you have any recos or hook-ups for an empty room or apartment in Manhattan (or Fort Greene), or if you’re a New York friend who would like to escape the snow and do an apartment swap (and cat sit), hit me up!
Who knows, maybe someone from the East Coast coming out for SF’s Cookbook Week (April 21st–25th) will need a place to land! Take a look at all the special dinners, book talks, community events, and happy hours here. Friday April 24th is the marquee event, Headnotes Live at the Presidio Theatre, a theatrical variety show produced by some of the minds behind Pop Up Magazine, so it’s sure to be entertaining.
Last week, I had a blast at the preview party for JouJou, opening this Friday—supporting subscribers get all the details about this glam newcomer in today’s newsletter. And Sunday March 8th is International Women’s Day—read about this year’s Festa della Donna at A16 and more events below. Here’s to all the amazing women—past, present, and future! 🥂
Wishing you an inspiring and delicious week.
~Marcia
the chatterbox
Ooh-La-La: The City’s French Dining Scene Is Getting a Big Glam-Up with JouJou, Opening Friday in the Design District
Last week, I was invited to a preview party of JouJou, a splashy, seafood-focused French restaurant opening this Friday March 6th from Lazy Bear’s executive chef and partner David Barzelay and managing partner Colleen Booth (Lazy Bear and True Laurel). The name means “plaything” or “toy,” which hints at the festive sensibility of this project, which is designed to inspire people to abandon their Netflix queue at home and go out on the town, whether you want to meet up for a drink after working from home all day, to getting spiffed up to join friends for a sumptuous dinner. As Booth says of the concept: “It’s about creating a place that meets you where you are, but always feels like an occasion.”
Formerly The Grove—flanking the roundabout at One Henry Adams Street in the Design District—the space has been massively transformed by Jon de la Cruz (DLC-ID), architect Heidi Liebes (Liebes Architects), and Black Creek Builders. When you approach the venue, you can peek through the street-side windows into the busy kitchen. I had a meowza moment walking through the front door and stepping over the jaunty tiled JouJou logo into the 6,500-square-foot space that is so far beyond the scale of our usual 49-seaters. It’s invigorating to see such an expansive and well-appointed restaurant open after so many have closed in recent years.
The bar and raw bar will open at 4pm, and the full dining room will be open Sun 5pm–9pm, Wed–Thu 5pm–10pm, and Fri–Sat 5pm–11pm; closed Mon–Tue. Reserve here. 65 Division St. at Henry Adams.
Upcoming Projects Include the Return of a Cheese Shop at the Ferry Building and a Taker for the Former Eureka Lounge
Later this summer, the folks behind the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant (owners Peter Granoff and Debbie Zachareas, with operational support from GM Sarah Knoefler) will be opening Ferry Plaza Cheese Shop just next door. The market-style shop inside the Ferry Building Marketplace will highlight local cheeses, small U.S. producers, and international selections, with seasonal and artisan cheeses, along with items to pair with them. There will be cheese platters, grilled cheese sandwiches, panini, and lunch options built for takeout, as well as larger-format cheese boards for office lunches, entertaining, and catered events.
Great news: the long-closed Eureka Lounge (since 2019) in the Castro is going to reopen as NOVA, a cocktail-forward restaurant and bar from Colm O’Brien, a former Lookout bartender who opened Bar 49 in 2024 at 2295 Market Street—looks like he’s out to reverse all the cursed spaces! The Bay Area Reporter spoke with O’Brien, who said, “NOVA will have two full bars, an outdoor patio, and a kitchen. A menu will be announced in the coming months.”
The two-level building will be renovated over the next six months, and O’Brien is hoping to open in the fall. It’s a quirky space, but it used to be so much fun to have crispy chicken livers and a steak downstairs by the fireplace, and head to the upstairs bar for Manhattans before (and after) dinner. It was such a vibey little date spot, so I’m curious to see what the next incarnation will feel like. 4063 18th St. at Hartford.
The End of an Era: We Be Sushi Closes Their Last Location in the Mission
Awwww, Valencia Street old-timer We Be Sushi has closed its last location, after 39 years in the Mission. Mission Local reports owner Andy Tonozuka finally decided to retire (at 76!). The restaurant first opened in 1987 at 538 Valencia Street, and this location opened 30 years ago at 1071 Valencia Street (in 1996). I remember there was always a long line for its affordable, well-made sushi and hot sake, with folks jockeying for a table in such a teeny-tiny, personal space. Thanks for all the long hours and cold beers, chef! 1071 Valencia St.
Women to the Front: March Is Women’s History Month
March is Women’s History Month, and here are some events where we can uplift the badass women in our lives, especially on Sunday March 8th, which is International Women’s Day. It’s one of my favorite annual traditions to head to A16 for Festa della Donna, an event Shelley Lindgren has been lovingly celebrating for years, and the dining room is always full of amazing women in food and drink. This year, they will be hosting jamón cortadora Jen Herman (the only registered female Cortadora Profesional de Jamón in the United States), cheesemaker-owner Audrey Hitchcock from Ramini Mozzarella, as well as highlighting products on the menu made by women, including Liberty Farms duck, plus a fun giveaway from the sister-owned The Caviar Co.
Shelley curates a special selection of wines from women winemakers in Italy and California, including Tansy Wines, the project founded by Shelley and Kitty Oestlien. Since it falls on a Sunday, you can make a reservation all day for lunch or dinner, or just swing by the bar; 12pm–9:30pm. 2355 Chestnut St. (A16 Rockridge and A16 Napa will also be celebrating.)
On Wednesday March 11th, Flour + Water Pizzeria in North Beach is hosting a meet-and-greet event to celebrate The Diaspora Spice Co. Cookbook launch with founder Sana Javeri Kadri and co-author Asha Loupy. Diaspora Spice Co. is a woman-owned, single-origin spice company that sources directly from regenerative farms to create a more equitable spice trade (I love their Pragati turmeric, masala chai, and aromatic Aranya black peppercorns). The cookbook is filled with recipes inspired by home-cooked meals that Kadri has enjoyed over the years on her annual visits to partner farms in India and Sri Lanka. 532 Columbus Ave.
All F+W Pizzeria/Pizza Shop locations will be featuring a special collab pizza inspired by a recipe in the book (ham hock + haakh pizza with Kashmiri-braised greens) for the month of March in honor of Women’s History Month. FWHG is also doing Diaspora-inspired specials at Penny Roma and Flour + Water—a portion of proceeds from all three dishes will benefit CHIRLA (The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights).
On Tuesday March 17th, Merkado in SoMa will host top local chefs at the third My Taco, My Choice!, a taco competition to raise funds and awareness for women’s health and reproductive freedom. Chefs include Kirsten Shaw (formerly Sorrel, Atelier Crenn), Lori Baker (Waterbar), and Monique Lopez Feybesse (chef-owner of Tarts de Feybesse) returns as a judge (you’ll also get to cast your vote for the People’s Choice taco, which will be added to Merkado’s Taco Tuesday menu), with Dulce du Leche as emcee.
Tickets on Resy ($50) or at the door ($55); each ticket includes one taco from each chef, plus a dessert from Nan and Zoe at My Bakery, My Choice. Proceeds will go to Reproductive Freedom for All California. 5pm. 130 Townsend St.
More Special Events: Indian Restaurant Week and The Anti-ICE Supper Club
This week is the second Indian Restaurant Week in San Francisco (March 1st–7th), this time featuring special prix-fixe menus inspired by Holi at TIYA, New Delhi Restaurant, Bombay Brasserie, Amber, Rooh, and Copra.
Next week, Roads & Kingdoms is bringing The Anti-ICE Supper Club to the Bay Area, a series of fundraising dinners in support of local organizations defending communities under attack. On Sunday March 8th, Nelson German is hosting an evening at his Oakland social club, Sobre Mesa (passed bites and one drink for $65). The March 9th dinner with Reem’s is sold out, but chefs Val M. Cantú of Californios and chef David Yoshimura of Nisei are pairing up for a big-ticket dinner at Californios on March 10th! Net proceeds from all events benefit Bay Resistance.
the lush
the socialite
At Culinary Clash, Enjoy a Three-Course Dinner in Support of the CCSF Culinary Arts & Hospitality Studies Program
It’s that time of the year when you can show support to the City College of San Francisco’s Culinary Arts & Hospitality Studies program, which provides training for students pursuing careers in hospitality. For years, the department supplies the Bay Area hospitality industry with highly skilled graduates who shape our dynamic food and beverage community. Past alums include Sam Mogannam of Bi-Rite Market and Jeff Hanak of Liholiho Yacht Club.
Book your table for Culinary Clash, their annual fundraising event and competition held at Bistro 888 at InterContinental San Francisco. Over three Sunday evenings, six rising culinary talents from CCSF take over the hotel’s kitchen under the leadership of Director of F&B and Culinary Operations Norma Whitt, presenting original menus to the public and a panel of local chefs, media, and industry leaders. Students gain real-world restaurant experience while competing for cash prizes; winners will be announced in late March.
For the next two Sundays (March 8th and 15th), you can taste a three-course menu from a two-student team for $78 per person, with optional Kivelstadt Cellars wine pairings for $20. Review the menus and reserve your spot via OpenTable under the “Experiences” section here—be sure to look for March 8th (night #2) or March 15th (night #3). Please note menus are subject to change. Proceeds from each dinner are donated to CCSF Culinary Arts & Hospitality Studies Department. 888 Howard St.
