The biggest food news of the week was the Michelin Guide release, with San Francisco finally (finally!) getting its first three-star restaurants in the city proper: Saison and Benu. This is very good news for both restaurants and guarantees them more steady reservations from the international foodie set you remember these people, right?
Also, as I'm sure you heard, the Lexington Club is closing, and whatever bar or restaurant might be moving in there is sure to piss absolutely everyone off. Stay tuned for that.
We told you earlier about the deal in the works in which drag queen bee Heklina, of Trannyshack fame, was set to take over the former Oasis/Club Caliente space at 11th and Folsom with several partners. Well, the deal is done, and the team is now gearing up for a New Year's Eve opening, rechristening the place The Oasis, albeit without that club's famous indoor pool. As Tablehopper reports, performance events at the space will range "from drag to theater to cabaret," and will of course include Trannyshack events or whatever the club's rebranded new name will be come next year.
As Eater reports, huge Asian megachain Crystal Jade is opening their first U.S. location at Embarcadero Center Four on November 18. It's a huge, 200-seat space with a design from Ken Fulk, and should hopefully pack some people in during FiDi lunchtime. Crystal Jade already has Crystal Jade over 100 locations across Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, and elsewhere. Also, there will be a full bar.
Also, a sure-to-be-popular ramen spot, Orenchi Ramen, is on the way next week to 174 Valencia Street. It's set to open on October 28, as Eater reports, and it's a spinoff of a very popular Santa Clara location which will have just 42 seats. Expect crazy long waits, if the original location is any example.
And a new izakaya has come to Oakland's Temescal neighborhood by the name of Kushido (4828 Telegraph Avenue). As Inside Scoop reports,