what’s cookin’
Wow, how was that for a blast of gorgeous “SF summer” weather? What a stunning Monday, and even Tuesday was such a beaut—last week’s foggy wind was too much, too soon. (Trust, I thought about playing hooky and postponing the newsletter for a day—the beach is always calling me.) While I was writing my column Monday evening, it was fun to hear neighbors having impromptu dinner parties and gatherings in their backyards. I love the sounds of beer cans and bottles of bubbly opening. 75 degrees at 8pm is such a treat.
More parties on the patio: this Thursday September 26th, is Foreign Cinema’s Moulin Rouge-themed 25th anniversary gala, a charity gala with proceeds to benefit Hamilton Families. Get your ticket here.
Last week, we wrote about music and wine festival Groovine, happening this Friday September 27th. They’re now selling two-for-one tickets (!)–don’t miss this evening of natural wines from women-owned wineries and importers, music (including Lalin St. Juste, j’adore!), and delicious bites from an array of local restaurants, including A16, Copra, Dalida, and The Morris.
Also on Friday evening: Kantine is hosting a smørrebrød (Danish open-faced sandwiches) pop-up from 5pm–8pm.
We have even more for you in today’s newsletter, enjoy and have fun out there—it’s Folsom Street Fair weekend and Portola Music Festival, plan accordingly.
Party on!
~Marcia
the chatterbox
Pizza Dreams Are Answered with the Return of June’s Pizza in Oakland
I was so excited to see a post from June’s Pizza last week that they were reopening in a brick-and-mortar space in West Oakland, after getting shut down in October 2021 by the health department for operating without a permit out of a converted shipping container. It was such a renegade oasis, with a bountiful garden (so much basil) and chef Craig Murli’s pizzas from the wood-fired oven were epic. That naturally leavened crust!
The tight list of daily pizza specials was handwritten on butcher paper, and would hang on the fence next to their spray-painted June’s Pizza sign. You’d have to call and call and call to try to order one, or, if you were lucky to be friends with someone who worked nearby and was friends with the team, that was the ideal way to get to try these truly badass Bay Area pizzas.
Well, Murli is back, and now in a legit and lofty space (thanks to GC Cookline and Alex Spatzier Architects) with a beer and wine license and health department sign-off and errrrything. They’re keeping things simple, with two pies available (a Margherita and a special), and when the dough is gone, it’s done. (Reminds me of the early days of Una Pizza Napoletana in SoMa.) Of course, the line is long, and they have a small staff and are doing the best the can. Over the weekend, they went through 120 pizzas in 90 minutes, and ramped up on Sunday to 150 pies. So, show up early and hope for the best.
My friend went on Sunday, and here’s her report: “Arrived at around 4:30 which was peak line. Waited about an hour and 15 mins. Pizza was delicious. Very legit sourdough flavor. Uses the same starter from three years ago. Surprisingly good, light house red.” The Chronicle reported there’s one red and one white wine available, “made for the restaurant by Richmond winemaker Les Lunes,” as well as a beer and Coca-Cola.
Murli is hoping to grow in time to seven days a week, and offer lunch and dinner, but for now, it’s Wed–Sun 4pm–9pm. And: they’re hiring. Welcome back! 2408 Mandela Pkwy. at 24th St., Oakland.
Fridays Taste Better with Gelato from Gelateria di Cotogna
Just in time for our cute little heat wave...
Bottle Shop and Market Updates Around Town
There are some new wine shops and markets that have recently opened all over the City.
Parche’s New Chef Triumphs with Contemporary Colombian Fare
by Savannah Leone Bundy
Downtown Oakland’s lively Colombian restaurant Parche just launched their new fall menu under the direction of chef Juan Hormiga. Hailing from Bogotá, Hormiga has enhanced the existing menu with stunning dishes that honor his childhood favorites, the rich biodiversity of his home country, and the plentiful seasonal offerings of Northern California.
Creations like Frutas a La Ines (melon compressed in aguardiente syrup, pickled Toybox tomatoes, papaya-lime vinaigrette, avena granita, basil oil; $21)—paying homage to Hormiga’s grandmother and the sweet simplicity of fresh fruit—and the latest ceviche offering, El Cartagenero (furikake-crusted yellowfin, smoked calamari, beet leche de tigre, celery root and heart of palm purée, roasted Fresno pepper aioli; $28), both demonstrate a knack for perfectly balanced flavors, textures, and colors while celebrating Colombian culture and tradition.
Envuelto de Mazorca (handmade corn cake, crema, migas de hongo, basil dust; $12) features a just-sweet-enough corn cake steamed in fresh corn husk topped by crispy mushroom migas—meaning crumbs—and a cleverly concocted basil dust that resembles cotija cheese.
Hormiga’s larger plates (the menu has always offered plates grouped by size and meant to be shared) include Pesca’ Samaria (catch of the day, toasted coconut rice, charred onion salad, sea bean, shrimp tuile, coconut beurre blanc, basil oil; MP), which offers another study in texture, with its expertly cooked fish, creamy coconut sauce, delicately crisp tuile, and the briny crunch of sea beans. The Tamal Tolimense (corn-rice masa, rabbit, chicharron, spicy pickled blackberries, crispy chickpeas, aji, carrot; $35), is a a hearty comfort option with an array of strong flavors that play together, with none overpowering another.
The Parche team plans to roll out new menus each season under Hormiga’s lead, keeping crowd favorites like Salmon Salpicón (salmon tartar, black pepper aioli, jalapeño aioli, capers, crispy plantain rings; $21), Arepa de Huevo (crispy arepa stuffed with egg, mushrooms, avocado mousse, herb oil; $20), and Sancocho Parche (whole fried branzino, purple potatoes, baby corn, dashi broth: $39) in rotation. Open daily for lunch and dinner: Sun–Thu 11:30am–2:30pm and 5:30pm–9:30pm, Fri–Sat 11:30am–2:30pm and 5:30pm–10:30pm. 2295 Broadway at Grand, Oakland.
Le Colonial Closes After 26 Years
While I was on vacation in Tahoe, an industry friend texted to let me know that the French-Vietnamese restaurant Le Colonial had its last night of service on Saturday August 31st, after 26 years. Of course, my vacation brain promptly forgot the news until I saw the story run in The Chronicle last week about the closure. D’oh!
While its colonial-themed format was certainly problematic, especially with our modern lens, it was such a buzzy hotspot in the late ’90s and early aughts (it opened in 1998). There was always a line for a seat in the upstairs bar and lounge, with guests hoping to score a spot on the veranda to drink huge, boozy cocktails that were definitely going get the party started (and blurry). The parking lot was always a flurry of valets, and I loved seeing the glow of the Le Colonial neon sign peeking through the alley when I’d drive by on Post Street. But, thankfully, our sensibilities and awareness have expanded and evolved with the times, and restaurants romanticizing colonial times just don’t feel good or right.
General manager and executive chef Geoffrey Deetz (previously Temple Club in Oakland) and pastry chef Quynh Nhu, who are also husband and wife, elevated the quality of the food when they came on in 2021, but the flagging reputation of the restaurant was difficult to overcome.
The location was formerly the Tiki-themed Trader Vic’s, which opened in this location in 1951, and closed in 1994 (you can see some vintage pictures here). A friend shared an interesting historical tidbit with me: Trader Vic’s was the location of Queen Elizabeth II’s first-ever public restaurant meal. She dined there with Prince Philip and first lady Nancy Reagan in 1983, “a last minute arrangement made after the queen was forced to fly to San Francisco rather than chance stormy seas aboard the royal yacht Britannia.” The queen was also reportedly charmed by her fortune cookie at the end of the meal (some say it was her first). I mean, wow, there is so much going on here with imperialism in this story, it writes itself!
It’s such a unique location—it would be wonderful to have a brave new operator update it and (somehow) finally end the cultural appropriation and “let’s romanticize colonialism” legacy of the space. 20 Cosmo Pl. at Taylor.
the sponsor
Calling All Caterers and Food Producers: A Special Offer to Check Out the Newest, Largest, Most-Equipped Commissary Kitchen in Northern California
The holiday season is coming in hot, and if you’re a caterer or food producer, you won’t find a more spacious, affordable, clean, secure, full-service, state-of-the-art commissary kitchen than the new Chef’s Touch Commercial Kitchen in Albany!
Here’s why caterers and food producers love working with Chef’s Touch Commercial Kitchen:
- There’s 17,000 square feet of prep and cook space, with over 30 prep tables that are accessible with electrical power outlets.
- We have a wide assortment of large equipment, including a double-rack Revent baking oven, a 20-rack Alto-Shaam steamer, a big bakery area, a blast freezer, and a huge walk-in refrigerator and freezer.
- We are a secure space, with an on-site guard, security cameras, security lockers, and it’s a completely fenced and monitored property.
- We know caterers work at all hours, so we’re open 24/7, with kitchen access all night.
- There’s a loading dock for receiving food and forklift access, with warehouse storage.
- We have a large commercial dishwasher, and a washer and dryer for your work towels.
Whether you’re cooking for small gigs, massive events, or multiple retail stores, we have a flexible facility schedule that can fit your needs. We start at a flat rate of $25/hr. for 2 people for a 15-hr./week rental, or $1,500/month. You can rent a dry storage rack (48” x 24” x 84”) for $200/month, refrigerator cooler speed racks for $100/month, and store all your cook and prep items in two 1,200-square-foot dry storage rooms; we also offer multi-rack cooler and freezer storage.
Our completely remodeled building sits on almost two acres in Albany, between Highway 880 and 580. We’re centrally located and can service the entire Bay Area: we’re 12 miles from San Francisco, 14 miles from Marin, and 25 miles to Contra Costa.
Read more on our site and contact us here to set up a visit (be sure to mention you saw us on tablehopper!). We also work with food trucks, bakers, food manufacturers, and restaurants cooking for big events. View pics of our facility at @chefs_touch_commercial_kitchen (follow for updates) and like us on Facebook.
the lush
Hôtel Biron Has a New Owner and Is Holding a Three-Day Grand Reopening Celebration This Weekend
This news update just came in: there’s a new owner of SF wine bar (and absolute institution) Hôtel Biron Wine Bar & Art Gallery in Hayes Valley. You can read the welcome note from Ron Ramsubhag, PhD, and he’s hosting a three-day reopening party this weekend. They have new wine, sake, beer, art from five local artists, music, and a pop-up with New Orleans bites by Gentilly (Fri–Sat). On Sunday, they will end the evening with desserts for all their customers. Each day, they are holding a raffle, giving away art, wine, fun package deals (wine classes), and more. Open Mon–Tue 5pm–11pm, Wed–Sat 5pm–12am, Sun 5pm–10pm. 45 Rose St. at Gough.
tablehopper at home
My Summertime Spritz: the Venetian Spritz
If you attended the tablehopper Bohemian Sunday bash back in April, I hope you had a chance to order a Venetian Spritz made with Select Aperitivo, who was one of our fabulous sponsors for the event. It’s what I drank when I lived in Venezia, Italy, when I was 19—so, just a few years ago! Select was created in 1920 at Pilla Distilleries in the Castello district (which is the sestiere I lived in). I remember my Italian language professor, Paolo Venerando, introduced our group of study abroad students to the spritz veneziano one day after class—it was ruby red and had a bittersweet profile, and was served in a highball with a green olive (and bowls of crackers and nibbles on the side).
Select is made with 30 botanicals, which includes juniper berries and rhubarb root, and it has some citrus notes. It’s not as sweet as Aperol, but not as bitter as Campari. It’s wonderful in a spritz before dinner (I love it with salty snacks and salumi), or at the end of a night of eating and drinking with soda.
I was thrilled to rediscover Select Aperitivo in the U.S. (you can find it at K&L), and I’ve really enjoyed having my beloved spritz veneziano back in my life for my past two summer vacations in Lake Tahoe.
Here’s how to make a Venetian Spritz:
-3 ounces of Prosecco
-2 ounces of Select Aperitivo (I do a little less)
-Splash of soda
Serve in a highball with ice (that’s how I always had it, although people serve it in long-stemmed wine glasses). Give it a quick stir. Garnish with a green olive. (Or if you’re me, two.)
Once you try it, you can tweak the ratio of ingredients to your taste for future spritzes. Cin cin!
the socialite
This Saturday: Over 20 Black Food and Craft Makers Will Be at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
Saturday September 28th is Pop-Ups on the Plaza: Fall Kickoff from Foodwise at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, showcasing Bay Area Black-owned businesses. From 9am–2pm, there will be 20-plus Black food and craft makers, highlighting a variety of foods, from hot sauces and local honey, to Creole cuisine and Trinidadian street food, plus a craft market presented by the Fillmore-based In the Black. Market-goers can enjoy family-friendly activities and cooking demos with Evolution Hot Sauce’s Kaliva Morgan at 11am and That Hausa Vegan’s Sitalbanat Muktari at 12pm at the Foodwise Classroom.
ALSO: be sure to pop inside the Ferry Building Marketplace to check out the newest kiosk, Palmvy, a gourmet California hot dog stand from Bayview born-and-raised chef Tiffany Carter, formerly of Boug Cali, a California-inspired Creole kiosk at the La Cocina Municipal Marketplace. There are also salads, Dungeness crab nachos, and juices. Suite K5. Open Mon–Sat 11am–5pm.
the archivist
This issue of the archivist was kindly sponsored by Boudin Bakery.
It’s not every day that an iconic San Francisco business (and most well-known product!) turn 175. Did you know that Boudin Bakery, home of The Original San Francisco Sourdough™, is the oldest continuously operating company in San Francisco?! And someone else is also celebrating this big birthday: Boudin’s original “Mother Dough,” which has been replenished with flour and water every day for 175 years!
Lucky for San Francisco (and sourdough bread lovers everywhere), in the beginning of the Gold Rush, Isidore Boudin—who hailed from a family of master bakers in Burgundy, France—came to San Francisco with gold in his eyes. It’s believed that Isidore was given the mother dough/starter from a fellow 49er, so there’s some deep Gold Rush history in every bite of Boudin bread.
In 1849, the Boudin French Bakery was established (the population of San Francisco was 20,000). In 1852, Boudin French Bakery moved to 319 Dupont (now Grant Avenue) in North Beach.
In 1873, Boudin bread was home-delivered in San Francisco by horse-drawn wagons. Customers added a nail to their front door and the baker would slam the loaf onto the nail, thus announcing the bread had arrived. Good morning, here’s your loaf!
When Isidore died in 1887, his wife Louise and their daughter Lucie continued to run the bakery, moving to a new location at 815 Broadway to meet the bakery’s ever-increasing popularity.
In 1906, during the Great Quake and Fire, Louise Boudin scooped the mother dough into a bucket, thankfully, and saved the bakery’s legacy. Boudin then moved to its 10th Avenue location.
Enter the next guardian of the mother dough: after working as a baker at the Boulangerie Hugo in Toulon, France, Stefano (Steve) Giraudo returned to his place of birth—San Francisco—and was hired by the Boudin family. His exceptional skill quickly became apparent and he was promoted to the rank of Master Baker. In 1941, just at the tail-end of the Great Depression, Giraudo purchased the bakery from the granddaughter of Isidore and Louise Boudin.
In 1997, with the passing of Steve Giraudo, Fernando Padilla (who started at Boudin at 17) became the Master Baker for Boudin Bakery, continuing the skills and traditions he learned from his mentor, “Papa Steve.” Boudin Bakery is now owned and operated by Papa Steve’s grandson, Dan Giraudo.
“In 1849, there were two great discoveries in San Francisco.
I hear the other one was gold.”
- Fernando Padilla, Boudin’s Master Baker for the past 45 years
Boudin Bakery’s history is synonymous with San Francisco’s history, surviving major fires and earthquakes, recessions, and the pandemic. Throughout its 175 years, Boudin has continued the same baking methods and traditions, while remaining resilient and constantly innovating. Here’s to almost two centuries of rich history, culinary innovation, and dedication to the craft of baking its iconic sourdough bread.
Thank you to Boudin Bakery for sharing their amazing history with us for today’s archivist.
