This week’s tablehopper: take a bite. (free)

what’s cookin’

Welcome to August, which hopefully decides to shrug off its Fogust nickname for a moment. This past weekend, I got to play country mouse and escape SF’s crappy grey wind while in Guerneville for 24 hours, thanks to the kind hospitality of a dear friend who let me crash at his peaceful place (no, I didn’t go to Lazy Bear, although I’ve been once before, LOL). It was so restorative to swim in the river, warm up in the sun like a riverbank lizard, drink spritzes, and walk with my friend in his magical forest garden (with his vernal pool/grotto) and learn about so many native plants. Inhale, exhale, repeat.

This week, I’m back in city mouse mode. On Wednesday, I’m going to swing by the recently updated Beretta on Valencia (which first opened 17 years ago!), and debuted its new look and refreshed menu on Sunday—stand by for my report next week after my in-person visit.

This Thursday evening is the First Thursday Art Walk in the Tenderloin, TenderNob, and Lower Polk. Local galleries and businesses host art openings and events and stay open late—take a look at my writeup below, it’s such a cool San Francisco thang. Two months ago, my friend and I had dinner at Dacha Kitchen & Bar at the end of our Art Walk evening, so I’m including a writeup of this creative, Eastern European restaurant as well.

Last Friday, my friend and I met up for an early dinner on the back patio of La Mar (which also recently underwent a renovation and update). I highly recommend booking a 5pm table when they open so you can admire a view of the Bay, which feels like one of the last parts of the City to get hit by the fog in the early evening. Get into a happy hour frame of mind with their Del Amazonas cocktail (Pueblo Viejo tequila blanco, camu camu, lime, agave, Tajín rim) and some cebiches (the limeño with rocoto leche de tigre was a fave)—I’ll tell you more soon.

I’m happy my boss (uh, me) said I could take this Friday off to go to Outside Lands, which has my favorite lineup of all three days of the festival, with Doechii, Doja Cat, Beck playing with a symphony, Thundercat, Jessica Pratt, and Floating Points. Shockingly, the weather is looking pretty damn good as well! Fingers crossed. I took the past couple years off of OSL, so I’m fired up to return. I have a post with what’s on my list to eat and drink in today’s column.

Just a lil’ reminder that next Saturday August 16^th is the third annual San Francisco Pizza, Bagel, & Beer Festival, which you can read all about in tablehopper here. Get your ticket while you can, and you’ll have tasty access to over 65 local pizzerias, bagelries, and breweries while outside in the fresh air in the heart of North Beach. (Here’s my Reel recap from last year.)

This week’s column has a bunch of new opening tidbits, and be sure to read all the way to the end, since there’s a special giveaway of a box of gorg artisan chocolates from Shekoh Confections for one lucky supporting subscriber!

Cheers and thanks for reading,
~Marcia

the chatterbox

Brandon Jew Debuts Another Version of His Contemporary SF Chinatown Culinary Experience at Mister Jiu’s

This Week’s Itinerary for a Fun SF Night Out: First Thursday Art Walk and Dinner at Dacha

I’m so fired up to have my dear friend join me once again for First Thursday Art Walk this Thursday August 7th—it’s a self-guided walking tour of participating art galleries and businesses (and bars) in the Tenderloin, TenderNob, and Lower Polk. Check the website on Thursday for the final list of participating locations, look at the map, and plot your stroll. (Last month, there were 25 spots!) Most places begin at 6pm, staying open until 9pm, or even 10pm.

This month, I’m looking forward to the opening reception of The City at Night at Moth Belly Gallery, and I need to go say “hi” to my cousin Tony, an amazing tattoo artist at ATAK Gallery/Analog Tattoo. I’m also planning to pick up a copy of Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer’s brand-new book, San Francisco’s Transgender District, featuring 200-plus photos from the 1880s to today at the book launch block and launch party (6pm–8pm at 835 Larkin St. and Myrtle Alley, next to the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot venue)—expect some live performances, and thanks, Tenderloin Museum!

We had an absolute blast a couple months ago, starting with the latest show at Rosebud Gallery on Larkin (where I also got to try cookies from Seibert Cookie Co.), and I grabbed a fabulous loaf of Leaven Worth bread next door at the venue for the immersive Compton’s Cafeteria Riot play (which has extended its run into October, go see it!). 

We swung by the photography shows at Dark Entries Records and The Bob Mizer Foundation, wiggled through the cute throng in the narrow One & Done, and checked out the basement show at Punk Majesty. Seeing such a cool crowd (spanning all generations) spilling out from the galleries into the streets was so fun and energizing—honestly, it was taking me back to how it felt in SF in the mid-90s.

After we wrapped up our stroll, we walked into Dacha Kitchen & Bar on Sutter for a late dinner (thankfully, it’s open until 10pm) and they have a full bar. This was my second recent meal at this queer-owned, inclusive, Eastern European restaurant from business partners and married couple Katya Skye and Suki Skye, with Tanya Ivanovich, and chef Katya Pervushina. I enjoy how transportive this place feels compared to most SF restaurants—you can pretend you’ve left the country for a night.

The creative and culinary-driven cocktails make a strong impression, and highlight ingredients that took me back to my travels in Russia with my Dad, like buckwheat (in a delicious buckwheat sour), and horseradish in The Hrenotini, made with horseradish vodka and garlic vodka (plus olive juice, celery bitters, and cucumber bitters—and boy, does that thing give you the health)! Their N/A concoctions get just as much attention. I want to park myself at the bar one night and watch their bartender Nikolai Simonenko work (he’s a wizard).

On my past two visits, we ordered the spring scallop crudo ($25), featuring a bright and tangy sea buckthorn sauce (one of my favorite cold-busting ingredients), tarragon oil (my favorite herb), blueberries (unexpected and fun), with thin slices of Fresno chile. One time, the scallops tasted a bit fresher than on the other visit (and the micro greens were a bit wilted), but still, this playful dish is a good place to start.

There are crowd-pleasing, housemade, golden piroshki, stuffed with mushroom, beef, chicken and rice, or spring onion and egg ($9 each). I spied an appetizer on Dacha’s Borsch & Beats menu (their fundraiser for Ukraine held on fourth Fridays), and was glad we got to try the buns (pampushki) and salo ($14)—the salo (pork fat) was like rolled-up, thin slices of lardo, with Parker House-style buns slathered with garlic-herb butter, accompanied by horseradish and green onions on the plate. I felt like I was on a picnic. I can never resist a pickle plate ($15), which included housemade marinated tomatoes, pickled cucumbers, julienne-cut carrot, and fermented cabbage.

The presentations are colorful and whimsical, like a refreshing zucchini salad ($18) with two kinds of squash, fresh sheep’s cheese, and butter lettuce, topped with rice paper chips that were like little clouds. The vibrant mimosa salad ($20) is a layered cold salad with baked potato, carrot, baked salmon, apple, hard-boiled egg, housemade mayonnaise, and roe, which reminded me of a variation of shuba salad, or “herring under a fur coat,” but without the beets and herring. 

The space is designed to look like a summer cottage (a dacha), with rustic woven light fixtures and residential touches. It has a few different dining areas and private rooms, including a tea room (good for private events and small gatherings), and the bar/lounge area has high-top tables and friends of the staff hanging out at the bar. You’ll see solo diners, couples on a date, and large groups sharing a meal.

There are some quirks that made me feel like I was back dining in a small restaurant in Samara, from the retina-searing LED lightbulbs that need to be swapped out and dialed down, to the electronic music that is a bit Euro-trash-clubby (I actually like the upbeat energy of it, but I know others who don’t), and service can veer from wildly inexperienced to super-attentive. Enjoy the ride!

I’m glad I have Dacha nearby in my new neighborhood, bringing something unique to SF. They’re always hosting fundraisers, special events, and guest chefs, so follow Dacha on Instagram. I’m going to check out their weekend brunch next (Sat–Sun 10am–3pm). Open Wed–Sat 5pm–10pm, Sun 5pm–9pm. 1085 Sutter St. at Larkin.

A Spotlight on Recent Openings

By Marcia Gagliardi and Olivia Casellini

New Openings Happening This Week

By Marcia Gagliardi and Olivia Casellini

Vegetable-Forward, Asian-Inspired Bowls Coming to Rincon Hill This Fall

By Olivia Casellini

An Asian-inspired bowl restaurant, Yuja, is coming to Rincon Hill this fall in the former Nommo. Owner Jackie Shao’s experiences growing up in Indiana with a Chinese family are at the root of her culinary projects, and her family’s love for food sparked her passion for cooking. After moving to the Bay Area, she took the leap to create something that reflects her background in a mash-up of cuisines, from eating Chinese food with her family and American food at school while growing up, to discovering the range of food offered in the Bay. 

About a year and a half ago, she launched her meal delivery service, Jackie’s Supper Club. At first, she wasn’t sure if she should fully lean into her heritage because she grew up in America and had never cooked Asian food professionally before, but as her business grew, she noticed people gravitated toward her meals with Asian influences. Yuja will spotlight the top-hitters from the Supper Club.

Although she’s Chinese, Shao is drawing from cultures across Asia, with a focus on fresh California produce. One bowl she is excited about is her take on teriyaki chicken, which will have lemongrass-grilled chicken, creamy teriyaki sauce, grains, cabbage radish slaw, cucumbers, and a bean curd salad. She wants to create bowls that will speak to her American customers while also introducing them to some possibly unfamiliar ingredients. There will also be a shaking beef bowl with garlic pepper–marinated steak, scallion-roasted broccoli, pickled onions, cucumber-tomato salad, fresh herbs, served with a nuoc cham sauce.

Moving into a large (almost 4,000 square feet!), permanent space allows Shao to focus on community (yuja means “to join together” in Sanskrit). She’s making changes to the former bar, so she can host community events and play on the “supper club” idea. Muralist Jennett Liaw is designing an installation. Yuja will be open for dine-in, takeout, and delivery for lunch and dinner. Shao is hoping for a late October/early November opening, so stay tuned for updates. 396 Harrison St. at Fremont.

Boulettes Larder Unexpectedly Closes, Plus Domo Sushi, and More

the socialite

What’s Cookin’ on This Year’s Always-Massive Taste of the Bay Area Lineup at Outside Lands

Back in May, I did my writeup of the food lineup this year at Outside Lands (Taste of the Bay Area), which features 18 new restaurants and pop-ups, including Smokin Woods BBQ with smoked brisket mac and cheese; Mezclá Eats (Colombian smoked brisket arepas); Michoz (a Peruvian-Eritrean concept from Oakland, serving Peruvian choripán sandwiches and Eritrean spiced nachos with huancaina sauce); and Lebanese-Californian Ilna is making serving Lebanese kafta smash burger crunch wraps, five-spice duck fried rice, chips and caviar, and baklava rice krispie treats. I’m also intrigued about the Afghani loaded mac and cheese from Sisters.

Other newcomers include Inner Sunset French bistro Caché, with Parisian sausage sandwiches; Indonesian street food from D’Grobak; San Mateo’s Kajiken will offer two kinds of aburasoba (one is vegan); butter chicken rice bowls from Tiya; Brenda’s French Soul Food will be serving shrimp and grits with bacon gravy (!) and their crawfish beignets; and The Caviar Co. will be in the mix with all kinds of caviar-bumped dishes.

I always pay a visit to my homie at Merkado (serving adobo chicken tacos, slow-braised beef birria tacos, and more this year), and I’m a fan of the quesabirria tacos from El Garage. Returning faves include fried chicken sandwiches from Fowl + Fare; Abacá has crispy pork lumpia, sisig fried rice with poached egg, and Carioca mochi donuts; Gumbo Social is bringing their chicken and sausage gumbo, and their gumbo ramen will hit the spot when the fog rolls in—ditto the massaman beef curry from Kitiya, El Huarache Loco’s pozole, and the Jamaican beef patties from Peaches Patties will warm you up from the inside. Fuel up with Bodega SF’s Vietnamese pho dip sandwiches and Vietnamese iced coffee, and My Friend Fernando’s pork milanesa tortas. The lineup is so insane.

I’m thrilled to see Roederer Estate will be back at Wine Lands—this lady needs her bubbles! 🥂 If you see Idlewild (new this year!) pouring their Flora & Fauna rosé, get it, and RYME is also known for many of their wines made from Italian varieties in California. Over at Beer Lands, be sure to say cheers 🍻 to Dave McLean, who will have something from his new Hidden Splendor project on tap.

the lush

A Dog-Friendly, Biodynamic Wine Bar Is Opening This Month

By Olivia Casellini

tableshopper

Shekoh Confections Is Shaking Up the World of Chocolate

by Savannah Leone Bundy

I recently had the opportunity to visit a brand-new chocolate workshop from master chocolatier Shekoh (pronounced “shay-koo”) Moossavi. Though she began her career as a scientist and comes from a family of academics, Moossavi eventually gravitated towards her true passion: food. With decades of experience in pretty much every culinary avenue, she ultimately found her way to the art of chocolate-making, earning the highest honors in her studies in Canada and France, eventually landing in San Francisco to share her chocolate vision with the Bay Area.

Shekoh’s company Shekoh Confections is a true testament to her passion, her love of food, and her roots. Hailing from Iran, she uses high-quality ingredients that celebrate Persian culture and cuisine. Rose, saffron, pistachio, honey, spices, and pomegranate are seen throughout her menu of hand-crafted confections, with her dreams and memories inspiring the recipes. Her Persian rose bonbon has rose petal marmalade (a tart and floral treat that makes a fantastic accompaniment to cheese and charcuterie) and white chocolate rose water ganache encased in a dark chocolate shell, and the Persian nougat is rose-infused and chock-full of pistachios. She also makes a milk and cookies bonbon with milk chocolate ganache, coriander seed, cinnamon, clove, and cardamom. 

Shekoh’s creations don’t stop with Iranian influence, though—she’s got an arsenal of goodies that will appeal to anyone with a sweet tooth. From mezcal and white chocolate, to black currant and dark chocolate, there are dozens of flavors to choose from. I was especially fond of the espresso (espresso-infused dark chocolate ganache, dark chocolate shell), honey lavender (lavender and wildflower honey, dark chocolate shell), and orange blossom (dark chocolate ganache infused with dried orange blossoms, dark chocolate shell) bonbons. I was able to try about 15 before I considered my dentist and bowed out, but each and every component was proof of her dedication to the process. 

Making the perfect bonbon takes about four days: first, you have to paint your mold with colored cocoa butter, let it dry, and then painstakingly pour tempered chocolate (luckily Shekoh’s got a machine for that because tempering is a whole other beast) and let it drip to create a thin coat (think about one millimeter); next, you have to make your fillings—which could range from caramel, to ganache, to jam, to marshmallow, etc.—and fill the shell once it’s set; after the fillings are placed, you cap off what will be the bottom of the piece with another super-thin layer of chocolate and wait a day before unmolding, then allow another day for conditioning. The whole process is a labor of love and Shekoh and her team are glad to do it. 

Each velvety ganache, chewy caramel, and perfectly shiny piece of chocolate that comes from Shekoh Confections is composed by hand in Moossavi’s Dogpatch warehouse. Her assistant chocolatiers, Maria and Joshua, exude the same reverence for the craft and told me that they’ve each worked for years towards perfecting their art. Everyone in the workshop does a little bit of everything, making not only chocolates, but also pȃtes de fruits, caramels, marmalades, and marshmallows from an impressive stock of local and imported ingredients.

The full menu is available for purchase here, along with an archive of informative blog posts about the history, science, and benefits of chocolate. Be sure to stay tuned, because Shekoh is adding chocolate-making classes, and also plans on collaborating with local chefs and fellow chocolatiers throughout the fall, so we can expect a whole new lineup of chic and innovative flavors. When I asked Shekoh what she’d put in a bonbon inspired by her personality she said, “Something classy…like something Hubert Givenchy would like.”