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Subscribe to tablehopper and discover why it’s a must-read, insider newsletter for anyone who lives to eat in San Francisco, for 19 years and counting. Every Tuesday, columnist and curator Marcia Gagliardi serves up the latest SF Bay Area restaurant and bar news, events, culture tips, travel guides, and more.

The Regular

Fifth Floor

I know, I know, everyone is saying fine dining is over. While places with $21 entrées, communal tables, no tablecloths, open kitchens, and “nice jeans” as the dress code may the norm more and more, there’s something to be said for going to a restaurant with refined service, luxe…

Marcia Gagliardi • May 05, 2008

The Chatterbox

April 29, 2008

I was hearing rumblings last week, and it seems that ~NUA~ in North Beach has closed. Things weren’t looking good with the diminished dinner hours (Wed–Sat only). Some rumors have owner David White involved in a potential project elsewhere in town—will report back if I hear anything…

Marcia Gagliardi • Apr 29, 2008

The Lush

April 29, 2008

Guess what? ~JAZZ AT PEARL’S~ is NOT closing! A couple tablehopper readers told me Kim Nalley, the (now-separated) wife of the owner, got on stage a few days ago and announced she ended up getting the club in the divorce settlement, and some new backing money came through,…

Marcia Gagliardi • Apr 29, 2008

What’s Cookin’

April 29, 2008

So glad I made it home from Chicago in time to enjoy the gorg weather over the weekend. My trip to Chicago was super-short, with no time to play, really, but I did manage to wiggle a dinner in at Blackbird (freaking delicious), and Frontera Grill (lucky for me…

Marcia Gagliardi • Apr 28, 2008

The Socialite

9th Annual Oyster Fest

The largest oyster festival on the West Coast is coming up, ~SAN FRANCISCO OYSTERFEST 2008~, which drew over 15,000 people to the park last year. This ninth annual event centers on the unique combination of oysters and stout, plus a bunch of live music. A wide variety of other…

Marcia Gagliardi • Apr 28, 2008

The Socialite

Bourbon and Bacon Dinner at Orson

©2008 frankenyimages.com If there ever was a custom-made meal for me, I think this would be it. Bourbon. Bacon. Like, where do I sign? This special ~BOURBON & BACON DINNER~ is during San Francisco Cocktail Week, and will feature spirits from the Beam Family portfolio, and piggy vittles…

Marcia Gagliardi • Apr 28, 2008

The Regular

Los Rosales

It was an errand-loaded Saturday afternoon, and while waiting for Mauricio the wonder shoe repairman on Guerrero to fix my canary yellow high heels, it was time to snag some lunch. It was too late in the day for me to get my lunch on at Mission Beach Café…

Marcia Gagliardi • Apr 28, 2008

The Chatterbox

April 22, 2008

A couple weeks ago I was hearing rumblings that the Pascarella-Lacroix-Siegel deal for ~MYTH~ fell through, and it has been confirmed that chef Ron Siegel of the Ritz-Carlton Dining Room is not leaving after all. There are other rumors circulating about who is negotiating to take over…

Marcia Gagliardi • Apr 22, 2008

The Lush

April 22, 2008

I heard ~PEARL’S JAZZ CLUB~ is closing on Sunday, April 27th, with Barry Lloyd as the final performance. I couldn’t get a straight answer why it’s closing—it appears there’s something personal going on with owner Kim Nalley. Here’s a letter from Nalley posted on…

Marcia Gagliardi • Apr 22, 2008

The Starlet

April 22, 2008

Tommy Lee and crew dined at Scala's last Thursday night. They were pretty mellow for a party of ten, and left just after midnight. Tommy signed a couple of autographs, but for the most part, they were a quiet, rather chill group. (Hmmm, maybe they were tired from…

Marcia Gagliardi • Apr 22, 2008