We saw the debut of small but anticipated Tenderloin bistro Huxley this week, and we got word of the closures of Luna Park, Brandy Ho's (in the Castro), Burmese Kitchen, and Pasta Pomodoro (in Noe Valley).
But in other opening news, today marks the opening of Brenda's French Soul Food spinoff Brenda's Meat & Three (919 Divisadero Street between McAllister and Golden Gate). As Tablehopper and Hoodline show us, the new Southern food spot is modeled Southern diners where you'd pick a meat and three sides. Signature dishes will include fried chicken, gumbo, Natchitoches meat pie, and shrimp and grits, with pancakes and all kinds of egg dishes available at brunch, too. Also, at lunch, they'll be serving po'boys with your choice of fried shrimp, fried oysters, or fried catfish. Just in time for fattening up this winter. See the menus here.
And over at the Ferry Building, five new permanent stalls are going to be coming to the outdoor arcade area on the Embarcadero side of the building. As Socketsite explains, the area that's currently being used for storage for the farmers' markets will transform into "five little retail kiosks constructed of steel, bronze and glass [that] are slated to be approved by San Francisco’s Historic Preservation Commission."
As Zagat tells us, there are two new vendor stalls now open at Second Act Marketplace in the Upper Haight: Burma Bear and Crepe La Vie. The former is a Burmese food stand, and the latter should make all former fans of Ti Couz happy they specialize in Brittany-style buckwheat crepes.
The saddest food-world news item of the week is the connection that this young woman, Randi Salmon, who fell to her death at Land's End had to Polk Street restaurant Verbena. She had been a server there since August, after moving here from Seattle.
Week In Reviews:
Michael Bauer swung back to Per Diem, the FiDi restaurant he trashed with a 1.5-star review when it first opened two years ago. He says they've made an "impressive turnaround" and gives them 2.5 stars.
Also, in his Sunday review, he took on Shakewell in Oakland, which has now been open several months, also giving it 2.5 stars. He was disappointed in a couple of dishes, but sounds overall pretty pleased with the tapas and the drinks.