This week's food news was pretty rich, between the closing announcement from Urchin Bistrot, the important update on Wise Sons Bagel, the taker for the Abbot's Cellar space, and our discovery of ShakeDown Ice Cream. Also, Berkeley's Pyramid Alehouse shut down suddenly after 18 years, and Luna Park officially shut its doors too.
Here's everything else you may have missed.
Acclaimed, two-Michelin-star chef David Kinch of Manresa in Los Gatos has finally gone public with the details about the casual spinoff he hinted at back in October. It's called the Bywater, and given its namesake neighborhood you may have guessed that it will be New Orleans-themed. Kinch is originally from New Orleans, and even though California's his home now, there's still a lot he misses from the town where he first cut his teeth in the kitchen. Due to open in the fall just down the street from Manresa, the Bywater will feature po’ boys, gumbo, fried green tomatoes, and a big raw bar, as well as a jazzy soundtrack, as the Chronicle reports.
Former Nombe chef Noriyuki (Nori) Sugie is taking over Tenderloin ramen spot FujiYoshi (639 Post Street) and turning it into a Japanese grill possibly called Kraft & Hitachino. As Inside Scoop reports, though details are few, there appears to be some connection with the popular Japanese craft beer Hitachino Nest.
Eater has some exciting new details about Alamo Drafthouse at the New Mission, where we learn that former Tosca barkeep Isaac Shumway has signed on to do the bar program for both the theater and their attached bar, called Bear Vs Bull. He says he hopes the bar within the theater is "a chill, neighborhood spot where people really want to hang out."
Hoodline tells us that Four Barrel Coffee looks to be opening a new Sunset location at 1226 9th Avenue.
A family-friendly diner is coming to Yerba Buena Gardens next to the bowling alley and ice rink, and it's called Pin-Up. As Inside Scoop reports, fried chicken will star on the menu, and it's a project from B Restaurant owner Kevin Best and chef Ed Scheets.
Killer Shrimp Restaurant and Bar, a SoCal chain, is taking over the Taps space at Broadway and Polk, as Eater tells us. Apparently they like their servers to be tattooed, and their signature dish involves "Killer" shrimp in a spicy sauce.
And in case you'd forgotten about it, the massive China Live, nicknamed the "Eataly of Chinese Food," is now slated for a fall opening in Chinatown (644-660 Broadway). Hoodline brings us some updated details.
Belga, having just earned three Bauer stars, is launching brunch (at last) this weekend, as Inside Scoop reports.
And finally, also in the Marina/Cow Hollow, we have the coming of Scotland Yard, a spinoff of Noir Lounge in Hayes Valley which is slated for a July 30th opening in the former Bin 38 space (3232 Scott Street), as Eater reports. It's a beer-and-wine spot with a food menu, like Noir, and features some Victorian wallpaper.
The Week in Reviews
For his Thursday review, Mr. Bauer revisited one of his longtime favorites, Bix, now that former Maverick and Bartlett Hall chef Emmanuel Eng has landed there. Bauer says they still have "adult service for an adult restaurant," and under Eng the menu is "taking on a new polish." He's adding some new dishes, like his take on General Tso's chicken, while keeping classics like the lobster spaghetti. All told: a solid three stars.
And for his Sunday review, it's all about KronnerBurger in Oakland, which goes to show that it's worthy since Bauer wouldn't normally give a casual burger spot his attention. He calls the signature burger "messy but precisely constructed," and he gives his stamp of approval to the fries and the cocktails too. The verdict: two and a half stars.
And though SF Weekly's Pete Kane called the Cafe du Nord renovation "spectacular" on the blog this week, it doesn't appear that he published a review, unless I'm missing it.