This week’s tablehopper: sending noods. (free)

what’s cookin’

Hi, fam. I know some of you have been wondering where the heck this week’s column has been hiding, and let’s just say this is an extra-hefty one that definitely required more time to bake. Kind of like my intro letter: I have rewritten this thing so many damn times—I needed to work through some feels and thoughts and then scrap 1,000 words of them, get out of my own way, and just send this week’s abbondanza of stories with you. We’re all going through a lot right now, so I hope they give you a boop of happiness.

I got so weeded with a bunch of big opening stories this week (and little ones, too) and, thankfully, I had star summer intern Olivia Casellini to help me write this all up. (5,800 words, WTF, sorry! We’ll see how my hours of editing went.)

One of today’s stories is about chef James Yeun Leong Parry’s first restaurant, The Happy Crane. I’ve been attending his various pop-ups since 2022, and have so much appreciation for all the hard work that went into his modern and elegant Chinese menus (he has such thoughtful execution and care for details). Parry has been working to bring his restaurant dream into reality for a while—and now he doesn’t have to schlep all his ceramic plates before and after his pop-ups anymore. I look forward to visiting in a couple weeks—it looks chic and gorgeous (you’ll see more in today’s column). We’re fortunate to have his contemporary vision and culinary storytelling here in SF (and I can’t wait to have his chasiu pork jowl again)!

For over a year, I’ve been sitting on the news of Lucania, a deeply considered and expansive all-day restaurant and bar concept coming to the former MarketBar space in the Ferry Building from the visionary Shelley Lindgren of A16, and now the PR team has finally let the gatto out of the bag. There’s a lot to cover about this multi-faceted Southern Italian project (which is near and dear to my half-Calabrese heart), so I’m pushing that piece out to do it proper justice. Lucania isn’t even opening its piazza until 2026, so I’m gonna take my time with this one. A presto!

Please take a moment and send some love up to Charles Phan and his family and friends—July 30th would have been his 63rd birthday. On Wednesday morning, he was honored with a plaque on a bench in Dolores Park by tennis court 1, where he loved to play, and also where he sadly left us. Go pay him a visit and pour out some hard water for him—I’ll be having a nip of bourbon in his honor as soon as I hit send on this damn thing.

Yours,
~Marcia

the chatterbox

The An Family Opens the Next Iteration of Crustacean San Francisco in the Financial District, and It’s a Stunna

Last week, I was invited to a media lunch at the new Crustacean San Francisco in the Financial District, and it was a wowza moment to finally walk into this expansive and glamorous space that has been years in the making. I wrote an update on this project in March, sharing some of the culinary history of Master Chef Helene An and House of AN, the family’s restaurant group, which started with the famed Thanh Long, the birthplace of AN’s Famous Roasted Dungeness Crab™ and Garlic Noodles®. Thanh Long was formerly a deli that An’s mother-in-law Diana bought while visiting San Francisco in 1968, which grew to become an institution in the City, drawing families and celebrities alike for its singular roasted crab and garlic noodles and hospitality.

The family’s next project was Crustacean, which opened on Polk Street in 1991, and became known for Helene An’s groundbreaking, upscale Vietnamese fusion cuisine. Crustacean expanded to a location in Beverly Hills in 1995, and then Las Vegas in the aughts, and now, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, along with other offshoots to the family business, like AnQi Shaken & Stirred in Santa Clara, and Crustacean’s An the Go food truck, a cookbook, and more. Helene An has five incredible daughters who all help run various aspects of the House of AN, along with sons-in-law, too.

You should take a moment to read the An family story on their new Crustacean SF website, which shares details about their life in Vietnam, and includes the story of how they were separated while fleeing during the chaos of the Fall of Saigon in 1975, and were eventually reunited and started anew in San Francisco. It’s such a powerful moment when you imagine everything that happened in their lives fifty years ago, and now, here they are, opening this grand restaurant in the heart of the Financial District, with roots that trace back to a 24-seat Italian deli/diner in the Outer Sunset that they were operating in their early years as refugees.

It’s also inspiring to see their belief in downtown and the comeback of San Francisco to open such a spacious and sophisticated restaurant, just half a block down Pine Street from the recently opened Wayfare Tavern 2.0, and one block away from the leveled-up Turtle Tower on California Street. This trio of restaurant sequels all play an important part in the revitalization of our downtown and the continuation of our SF culinary stories.

Mama Helene An, the current matriarch of the family (who is a stunningly youthful and luminous 81), is a pioneer of fusion cuisine—when she tailored her interpretation of Vietnamese food for the American palate, it also reflected her privileged upbringing in Vietnam (which included meals from private chefs who cooked Vietnamese, Chinese, and French cuisine), as well as integrating principles of Eastern medicine and Buddhist cooking, all fueled by her creativity and innovative spirit and drive to be successful and support her family.

She went on to be honored by the Smithsonian Museum with a Pioneer Award in Culinary Arts in 2019 for introducing Vietnamese cuisine to mainstream America, and was inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame in 2023, and the California Hall of Fame in 2024, the first Asian female chef to receive this honor.

At the luncheon, I met Helene’s third daughter, Monique An, who is overseeing this latest reimagined Crustacean project with her husband, Kenneth Lew, who managed the construction with JH2; as well as the effortlessly chic Elizabeth An (daughter number two and the CEO of House of AN), who was very involved with the design of all the Crustacean locations, and now this one, working with Mercan Studio in Turkey. 

The elegant restaurant is such a looker—as soon as you walk through the 18th century carved wood doors from an old palace in China that have been lacquered 16 times (!), you’ll note the dramatic bar, with rose gold elements (including the hexagonal motif under the bar for good luck) and shelving that goes up to the ceiling. The bar has seating on two sides, with custom-made bar stools that have lime green–velvet seat cushions, with a shape that looks like a black lacquered waterfall flowing into the floor on one side. 

Elizabeth walked me through the restaurant, pointing out some feng shui principles in the design, and shared that they wanted to integrate the best elements from their other Crustacean locations, while creating a unique atmosphere for San Francisco, which is a bit more approachable and fun.

There are multiple environments, like the curving, high-backed booths at the rear of the main dining room, to corner tables for four with settees and patterned chairs, to a large table for group dining made of reclaimed wood from fallen Carpathian elm trees on Folsom Street (a collaboration with Street Tree Revival and West Coast Arborists, Inc.).

The design is meant to echo the style of the food, which is about highlighting Vietnamese elements and heritage in a modern way. Some of the dining room chairs have two shapes of baskets on the seatback—I was told they are inspired by rice baskets you’d see in the Sapa region of Northwest Vietnam, where indigenous women carried round baskets, and the flat ones were for men.

There are custom-made service stations parked throughout the restaurant that look like black lacquered Deco rickshaws with drawers for silverware and napkins, and there are pendant lights that resemble straw hats. The room is full of texture, from the herringbone floors, to the rattan walls that curve like bolts of paper, and elegant screens that pivot, upholstered with silk fabric from Arte depicting cranes in flight that looks like an obi belt.

There are Asian antiques throughout the space, and many of the pieces were discovered on Elizabeth’s travels with her husband, Gordon—I love how she mixes the old with the modern, like the ceramic glazed pedestals with a thick lucite slab on top to make a console.

You will also note artwork from Vietnam, including a collection of lacquered pieces that Elizabeth procured in the early ’90s (and has kept all these years), when Vietnam first opened up after the Communist regime—she said her uncle wanted to help their community there, and some of their family members are artists. 

Just wait until you see the three bathrooms: each one has a different style, and they are some of the most dramatic loos in the City. One features flying cranes, while another is reminiscent of Hạ Long Bay, and the third is like a dark red and gold lacquered box (for luck!). Each one has its own custom wallpaper, tiles, light fixtures, and flower arrangements. Be sure to take a peek at all three. 

There is so much natural light that comes in from the huge windows, so I’m hoping to see this become a busy lunch spot (it’s time to go back out for lunch, people!). I look forward to returning in the evening, which is sure to have a warm and glowing vibe from the amber lighting—the high ceilings are covered with varying levels of sound panels, so I imagine it won’t be very loud.

The menu also balances the old and the new: of course, there are Thanh Long and Crustacean classics, like the charbroiled royal tiger prawns, roasted Dungeness crab (picked for you—just look at all that claw meat), and the iconic garlic noodles (so famous that only family and chefs who have worked for them for over 10 years know the garlic noodle recipe—the noodles are made in a private and secret kitchen within the kitchen, which we got to take a peek at).

Have a look at the dinner menu here—it’s designed for a family-style experience, with à la carte and prix-fixe options for business and lunch diners. You can see how they’re continuing their House of AN style of reinterpreting classic Vietnamese dishes, making some upscale, or lighter, or modern, or playful, as well offering entirely new creations, like riffing on Chinese dumplings with Vietnamese flavor profiles, while some dishes from Thanh Long get a glow-up, like the shrimp toast is made with a farce of langoustine here.

Some new dishes include tuna “cigars” served from a smoking cigar box (with caviar on one end to mimic ash), as well as a crispy langoustine roll with Royal Kaluga caviar, which is like an upscale chả giò tôm (fried Vietnamese egg roll with a whole shrimp) with a sweet chile-citrus sauce.

I really enjoyed the creative and refreshing kohlrabi Caesar salad (with Parmesan “snow”), and the vegan “crab cake” made with hearts of palm is so ingenious (the eye-catching plate it’s served on is like a brim of a sun hat that is half flipped up). Master Chef Helene is very focused on healthy ingredients, cooking methods, and light preparations—you take one look at her and you know she’s doing things right.

The pan-seared “bò kho” dumplings ($20) have a golden and crisp base, filled with Snake River Farms wagyu and bone marrow in a lemongrass-tomato jus that is a fun and flavorful spin on spicy Vietnamese beef stew.

A favorite of our table was the turmeric and lemongrass seared branzino ($46), with a bright, punchy, lemongrass-garlic-lime sauce—I was told it was inspired by a dish their grandmother used to make at home (it’s a winner). 

While some things can feel a touch dated, like a dessert of coconut tapioca chè chuối that was served in a martini glass, it’s also part of that era of their fusion style and keeps things from feeling too formal or stuffy. 

Cocktails from their bar menu highlight Asian ingredients (which includes a Saigon 75 and Turmeric Mule; $16–$18), plus there are a few N/A options ($12), and a list of wines by the glass that spans familiar Napa and Sonoma names along with some international selections ($14–$20). Considering the upscale environment, the pricing feels very approachable.

Over lunch, we were offered the tropical N/A Lychee Cloud (lychee, yuzu, coconut, and pineapple), and I felt restored by the zingy Turmeric & Spice, with ginger, fresh orange juice, and club soda.

Whether you want to book a business lunch or special occasion dinner, the dining room is well-suited for all occasions. Lunch is Tue–Thu 11:30am–3pm and dinner Sun–Thu 5pm–9pm and Fri–Sat 5pm–9:30pm. 195 Pine St. at Battery.

The Happy Crane, an Upscale Modern Chinese Restaurant, Is Set to Open in Hayes Valley

By Olivia Casellini

James Yeun Leong Parry (previously of Benu, Palette Tea House, and multiple acclaimed restaurants in Hong Kong and Tokyo) is opening his first modern Chinese restaurant, The Happy Crane, in Hayes Valley on Friday August 8th. (In June of last year, tablehopper covered the closure of the space’s previous occupant, Monsieur Benjamin.) The restaurant will celebrate authentic Chinese flavors through a blend of Parry’s high-end culinary training and his passion for creating comforting, nostalgic dishes, as well as his Chinese heritage and his English background.

Open Tue–Sat 5pm–9pm. 451 Gough St. at Grove.

Updates on Bar Bibi and News of a Daytime Collaboration Happening There

By Olivia Casellini

On Sunday morning, I stopped by the super-soft opening (the paper was still on the windows!) of Joshua Kaplowitz’s Better Half Coffee and Luis Villavelazquez’s Bellaria, which will be operating in the morning and early afternoon in the upcoming Bar Bibi from Bahman Safari. 

Back in January, tablehopper broke the news about the upcoming opening in the former Ristorante Milano. To recap, Safari is moving his pop-up wine bar Habibi (which began its long-term residency in Bacchus Wine Bar in August 2020), as the new Bar Bibi in the Ristorante Milano space in Nob Hill. The restaurant is just about ready for a soft opening, and is slated to open at the beginning of August. For now, follow Bar Bibi on Instagram for updates and stay tuned for more details from us soon.

The permanent collaboration of Better Half Coffee and Bellaria is an extension of Kaplowitz and Luis Villavelazquez’s previous weekend pop-ups in Habibi, and is designed to encourage connection over coffee and elevated breakfast fare.

Villavelazquez is bringing over items from his dessert tasting menu he offers at Bellaria. Pastries and desserts will rotate regularly, but expect a quick bread (like his chocolate-beet cake baked in the style of carrot cake), a couple pastries, and a cookie. Some items will be available to take to-go, like the quick bread, but most of his offerings will be available for dine-in only. In the later afternoons, he will offer a more-substantial, French-inspired dessert like a cake, cheesecake, or éclair. 

They plan on having a soft opening this week and an official opening in early August, so follow Better Half and Bellaria on Instagram for updates. Open Mon and Wed–Fri 8am–2pm and Sat–Sun 8am–4pm. 1448 Pacific Ave. at Larkin.

Upcoming Projects: SŌHN in Dogpatch and Staten Island–Style Slices in the Mission

Three Openings and Updates Around the Bay

After closing Perle Wine Bar in Montclair Village back in March of this year, chef Rob Lam of Lily on Clement (a personal friend of mine) is going to be opening a different version of Perle in the same space, now known as Perle Bar, on Wednesday August 6th. It will be more of a neighborhood bar with casual and bar-friendly Vietnamese dishes, like Lam’s famed beef phở (along with a weekly rotating bowl of noodle soup), dishes like chả cá Lã Vọng (fried catfish) will be available in banh mi and bowls ($22), combo dinners for two ($39), and a BBQ grilled pork and chicken dac biet broken rice plate ($26). They’re putting in some giant TVs, so there will be sports to go with your shaking beef salad and Scharffenberger sparkling rosé. Takeout is going to play a big part in their service, and it’s a pretty extensive menu, so get excited. Hours to start will be Wed–Sat 5pm–9pm, and they will start opening at noon within a couple weeks. 2058 Mountain Blvd., Oakland. ~MG

Last week, we had an in-depth feature about the beautiful and delicious Tiya in the Marina from Sujan and Pujan Sarkar. We just received news that the pair, backed up by Akash Kapoor (the CEO of Curry Up Now), are opening Khaki, a new Indian bar and canteen in San Ramon this Thursday July 31st.

Bottles & Bites Brings Sandwiches, Salads, and Smoothies to Cow Hollow

By Olivia Casellini

Coffee News in the Mission and the Ferry Building

By Olivia Casellini

A tablehopper reader sent us a tip that it looks like a Double Shot Coffee is opening in the former El Nuevo Frutilandia in the Mission. There are three other locations in the city, including at 400 Parnassus St. at UCSF, 4587 Mission St. in Excelsior, and at 550-D, Gene Friend Way in Mission Bay. Stand by for more details. 3077 24th St. at Treat. 

the socialite

Support Bay Area Immigrants at BBQ Without Borders, This Saturday in Oakland

By Olivia Casellini

BBQ Without Borders, presented by No Immigrants No Spice, is returning this Saturday August 2nd at the Oakland Museum of California. The event celebrates immigrants and has a mission to raise $50,000 in direct mutual aid for East Bay immigrants. This year’s theme, “Toward a Greener Future,” will highlight the valuable sustainable practices that immigrants have contributed to the culinary community, like eco-friendly farming, no-waste cooking, and an inherent respect for nature. 

Chef Tu David Phu will MC the brilliant lineup of Bay Area immigrant chefs offering their regional takes on BBQ, including Andrew Salguero of Popoca, the team at Café Colucci, and Maria Marquez of Tacos Mamá Cuca. Additionally, there will be desserts from Third Culture Bakery. James Beard Award–winner Preeti Mistry will host a pani puri party with a live cooking demo and tasting (fun!). There will also be live performances, kid’s activities, art exhibits about the chefs’ families, and more.

General admission tickets ($85) include dinner, dessert, and one drink ticket. VIP tickets ($175) include dinner, dessert, two drink tickets, and a VIP swag bag. Children’s entry (ages 2–12) is $20. Add-ons include admission to Preeti Mistry’s pani puri party ($35) and an additional drink ticket to skip the line ($12); drinks will also be available for purchase at the event. 3pm–7pm. 1000 Oak St., Oakland.

the archivist

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