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Franck LeClerc’s businesses on Claude Lane have some changes to report: first, Bridget Batson (TWO, Hawthorne Lane) is the new executive chef of ~GITANE~; she will be working alongside opening chef Lisa Eyherabide and will assume the reins completely by June 1st, when Eyherabide will head back to France.…

As you may already know, the Calvo-Perez family, known for the local Fresca restaurants, took over the former PJ’s Oysterbed location in the Sunset. But instead of opening a fourth Fresca location, they’re opening a new restaurant called ~PASIÓN~. As son and chef Jose Calvo-Perez told me, the…

There’s a new chef at ~OTTIMISTA ENOTECA-CAFÉ~, Daniele Volpi of Vivande Porte Via on Fillmore Street, as Glen Tinsley heads back to Italy to run the kitchen at the La Parrina wine estate after his stage there last summer. Volpi was raised in Denmark, but spent two months every…

According to some reviews on Yelp, TERRA BAKERY AND CAFÉ is now open in Hayes Valley in the former Essencia space. Two of the partners are Philip Roland and Jennifer Westmoreland, formerly of Roland’s Bakery, which unceremoniously closed in the Lower Haight after a landlord dispute. You’ll still…

Members of ~18 REASONS~, and those who attend their cool events, will be happy to learn they are moving into a larger space, the former Jivano’s Cutlery space, just a couple of doors down from Bi-Rite Creamery. The new venue will not only be twice as big, but will…

I was pleased to learn ~331 CORTLAND MARKETPLACE~ in Bernal Heights is currently in its soft opening phase. Contained within the solar-powered building are six vendors (some Bernal neighbors), including: El Porteño Empanadas (organic Argentine empanadas); ICHI Lucky Cat Deli (a neighborhood Japanese deli specializing in market-fresh fish, sushi to-go,…

A tablehopper reader tipped me off that the Pasta Pomodoro space on Union Street was getting a new tenant: UNWIND. Fortunately the owners, Kai Vance and Todd Slosek, respond to their email on their website (how novel). They will be offering Cal-Med and American dishes in a casual atmosphere, ranging…

Richie Nakano, a sous chef at nopa and well-known blogger, is now adding ramen-making badass to his list o’ talents. On Saturday May 8th is the public launch of HAPA RAMEN, a pop-up evening event at Coffee Bar. Nakano’s partner in the venture is Kitty Gallisa, a bartender at…

A couple places have launched lunch service. First is ~FARMERBROWN~, with dishes like broccoli and cheddar soup, a Cobb salad ($10.95), and a variety of sandwiches, like pressed herb-roasted turkey and pimento cheese with smoked paprika mayonnaise on multi-grain toast ($9), a fried catfish or fried chicken po’ boy…