The sociopathically anticipated opening of Saison, Joshua Skenes'' acclaimed restaurant, will happen on Friday. And we're thrilled. Everyone is thrilled. You should be thrilled. The new joint, moving away from the Mission, will be a superb fine dining option in the area, which is now laced with such questionable choices as Tres, Subway, and McDonald's. (Though, yes, Saison is much more of a destination spot than a regular place for hungry locals.)

Inside Scoop's Paolo Lucchesi (who posted highly entertaining gallery of the new place, showing its progress over the last few months) has the details:

For the last few months, Scoop has been stopping by the new location regularly and chronicling the build-out of the raw space. The building, which dates back to 1888, features raw timber and bricks throughout, and boasts 35-foot ceilings. There are no walls between the 18-seat dining room and Skenes’ kitchen, designed with a little help from Tim Harrison, the kitchen designer who did the French Laundry and Per Se. In that kitchen, Skenes brought over his Molteni stove; it’s alongside new toys like a 8-foot hearth and a wood-fired Miwe deck oven (see above). On the end opposite from the kitchen lies a 12-seat bar and lounge area, with a full liquor license.

As for dining, it's going to cost you. The 18-20 course menu offered nightly will come in at $248 per person with optional wine pairings available for $148.

Saison: 178 Townsend (at Third Street), SF; 415-828-7990