This week we learned that Cafe Des Amis in Cow Hollow will be becoming a Belgian-style brasserie, and we learned that Lark, a New American bistro is headed for the former Brandy Ho's in the Castro. But here's the rest of what's been happening in the food sphere.
As we heard in January, longtime vegan favorite Millennium is set to shutter at its Tenderloin location at the end of April. We also heard that chef Eric Tucker and partner and general manager Alison Bagby were committed to reopening in the East Bay, and as the Business Times reports, they are getting closer to securing the former Box & Bells space in Rockridge. They've also launched a Kickstarter campaign that has already raised well over its goal of $50,000, clocking $63,000 so far with 25 days to go. There's obviously no word on a timeframe for reopening just yet.
SoMa's Radius (1123 Folsom), which we heard last month was set to close and become something new, now has a new concept. El Capitan will be that concept, and it will be a Latin-Caribbean restaurant from former Broken Record chef Marc Furr, as Eater reports. Furr wants to add a dozen draft beer lines to the bar area, and will be doing things like roast suckling pig and whole roasted fish as well as "small plates like ceviche, grilled octopus, and frybread tacos." Meanwhile the daytime cafe next door is being rebranded as Carafe, which will become a wine bar at night.
Game, the restaurant that took over the former Masa's space on Nob Hill in mid-2014, is closing this weekend after some less than stellar reception from critics. Owner Sachin Chopra explains to Inside Scoop that he will be turning it into a second location for his successful South Bay Indian spot All Spice, which has a Michelin Star.
Frog Hollow Farm is adding some outdoor seating at its Ferry Building cafe, facing the Bay, which will be opening on March 10, as Inside Scoop reports.
Beloved Korean fusion spot HRD Coffee Shop (521A 3rd Street), beloved primarily for things like their Mongolian beef cheesesteaks and kimchee burritos at lunch, will now be serving dinner. As Tablehopper reports, on weeknights only, you can get dinner from 5 to 8:30 p.m. with nightly specials like short rib bibimbap and loco moco.
Over in the Marina, Circa is rebranding itself as Remodel, "We’ve had a very successful run for 10 years, celebrating thousands of birthdays, bachelorette parties and bridal showers," says owner Guri Walia to Inside Scoop. "It's time for something new." The change won't be happening until later this summer.
In the Mission, as Uptown Almanac reports, "Grub (758 Valencia), the forgettable mac-n-cheese and whatever restaurant, is officially out of business and its Valencia Street space is undergoing a complete renovation." New owners, the people behind Toast, might be keeping the name Grub? And they say it will be "your local diner," post-renovation.
And in Inner Sunset news, beloved 26-year-old neighborhood fave Irving Street Cafe has closed. As Hoodline reports, the extra-cheap little diner will become another restaurant as yet unnamed.
Week in Reviews
For Mr. Bauer's mid-week update review he hit Napa to re-review Solbar at the Solage resort. Both resort and restaurant have had a makeover, and he's in love with the new look. But not so much the food. He finds a duck breast billed as "lightly smoke" that tasted "like kissing a heavy smoker," and mushy sounding lemongrass-poached petrale sole laden with coconut milk. He notes some nice appetizers though, and gives the place two and a half stars overall.
In his weekend review, Bauer covers "luxe" and "refined" Mission Mexican restaurant Californios, where "every dish on the menu is precisely rendered, but the experience seems to be missing any fun and whimsy." After repeated demands for more passion and emotion from the food (not touching that one), MB deems Californios worthy of three stars.
Anna Roth loves the "bold" Thai flavors at the new Hawker Fare in the Mission, calling it a "vivid assault on your senses." She loves the spicy seasoned peanuts, imported from the Dock at Linden Street, one of chef James Syhabout's other restaurants. And she notes that there are some "more challenging" dishes like a "gnarly" beef tartare that's mixed with tripe, shallots, mint, and beef bile.
And it should be noted that Friday was Roth's last day at SF Weekly. She departs the paper amid what sources tell Eater is "an increasingly toxic environment."
