This week, SFist's food vertical called attention to new Oakland popup Journeyman, said goodbye to burger and tater tot hotspot RickyBobby, and poured one out for Amsterdam Café, a Tenderloin beer bar hit with a rent increase and seeking, eventually, a new home. We also took you on a decadent tour of the Treasury, a new FiDi bar made for the boom times, and we even piled up some of our favorite nacho spots. Remember: Together, we can make more nachos happen. Elsewhere in the food world...
A recent study comparing restaurant growth in San Francisco and New York puts us growing at a faster clip than they are. In particular, as Inside Scoop follows the report, Asian and Mexican Restaurants are popping up, especially here, while in both cities old stalwarts like French restaurants and steakhouses are dwindling.
Los Shucos, one of 33 businesses displaced by the massive fire at 22nd and Mission Streets last year, is the only one reopening in its original space (so far). Inside Scoop explains that the "Latin Hot Dog" spot across the street from the main blaze was damaged by firefighters hosing the disaster area. It returns on the 13th, but since their catering business took off while the storefront was closed, they'll have reduced hours to keep that operation going.
As was first reported last August, Belgian/Californian brewers Laughing Monk are plugging away in the Bayview. "Our equipment is all installed," they tell Hoodline, expecting that operations will begin this month, with a solid date to be given "once we get the kettle burning,"
Speaking of the beer biz, another brewery is planned for Mission Street, says Capp Street Crap, incidentally on the same block as where Citizen Fox would like their brewery to be. This one is currently the New Starlight Furniture store at 2243-2247 Mission.
As we learned in December, Hayes Valley holdout burger joint Flippers was due to close, and lo, it did just that according to Hoodline. 20 years it was there! Nextdoor cocktail den Brass Tacks will take it over.
Up in Mill Valley, Todd Shoberg has left his venture Molina after nearly two years. What's next isn't clear, but Inside Scoop says he's likely to head further in the experiential direction. For example, at Molina, chefs serve as DJs, corresponding music to their menus. That kind of thing.
SoMa StrEat Food Park is holding the vegan Super Bowl party of your animal-byproduct-free dreams this Sunday, an event also promoting homeless awareness according to Inside Scoop. As you'll be made fully aware if you go, it's nearby on Division Street where so many without homes have congregated in the past weeks, and there'll be a sock drive and some other relief efforts as part of the event.
Speaking of Super Bowl specials, you'll find some at the Bayview's Super Soul event, Hoodline writes. "We want to remind our fellow San Franciscans and visitors this week that our businesses are still here, and serve up some of the best food in the City" says one organizer of the event offering daily specials.
The Palace hotel in SoMa is getting a New York import in Flatiron Wines & Spirits. Inside Scoop had word that the second location of the 2012-opened boutique wine shop opened this week, and Hoodline added that they'll have a small menu from the Palace Hotel soon.
Ijji Sushi has opened on Divisadero for nigiri only, Hoodline reports. "I just wanted to do a simple, nigiri-only restaurant," said chef Billy Kong, explaining his no-rolls policy. 95 percent of fish served at Ijji will come from Japan, he says.
Alexander’s Steakhouse — the folks behind SoMa, Cupertino, Pasadena and Taipei locations — are in expansion mode according to sleuthing by Hoodline. At 165 O'Farrell, a $1.68 million project has been applied for, and building inspection documents indicate that the six story-brick building would house four food facilities: a bakery, a fine dining restaurant, a bar, and a bistro restaurant. Alexander's people weren't exactly forthcoming with details, so we'll have to wait until they say more on this one.
Not one but two poke restaurants are headed to the Sunset as Eater and Hoodline have it. They're both Poki Time and will serve the traditional Hawaiian style raw fish salad.
Filipino pop-up FOB kitchen has been a regular pop-up at Mission Streets's Gashead Tavern, and now Inside Scoop reports that they're taking over the kitchen there for real. Fried Filipino-style pork belly and lumpia grace the menu, and brunch will be served on Saturdays and Sundays too.
Speaking of Filipino delights, Hoodline reports that Tselogs, a popular Daly city spot for meat plates with garlic rice and homemade pies, has launched operation in the Tenderloin. It's in the former Japanese curry purveyor Kare-Ken's space.
A restaurant with a limited lease is calling itself a long-term pop-up, and sure, why not. Eater reports that the Gipsy Darling has just a year and a half on Chestnut in the Marina, but that the arrangement made it "easier to make bold decisions and be braver with things,” according to owner James Bourque. As far as cuisine, "What we really gravitated toward was late 50s, early 60s when cookbooks started coming together with tupperware parties and people stopped making aspics," Bourque says.
Eater writes that Matador is ready for action in the Tenderloin with tacos, frozen margaritas, and old Mexican movies. Sugar owner Keith Goodman, Huxley's Kris Esqueda, and Tender's Miriam Lipton put it together with Juan Martinez of Trez creating the menu.
Following delays, the Business Times assures readers that the upscale grocery and restaurant concept from Tony Riviera known as the Market Hall will arrive in Mission Bay in March. Seattle and San Diego already have their own, and now it's our turn.
The husband-and-wife team behind the pride of the Outer Sunset, Andytown Coffee Roasters, are expanding with a location at 3629 Taraval Street. That will open for all your "snowy plover" needs sometime near October according to Hoodline.
Corridor Cafe is open for offerings like shrimp po boys and croissant egg breakfast sandwiches. Eater reports that the casual cafe from the Stones Throw and Trestle team, Hi Neighbor Restaurant Group, is ready to go at 100 Van Ness.
Can 20 beers on tap from newcomers Local Tap replace Zekes? Hoodline reports. You decide.
Last, flying out of SFO gets a bit more pleasant, as Inside Scoop reports that Daly City's popular Koi Palace will open in the Terminal 3 food court for express dim sum.
This Week In Reviews
The Weekly's Pete Kane says that "VeganBurg, in the end, is essentially Chipotle for vegans." He means it in a not-nice way. Crispy Seaweed Fries are delicious, but overall "the execution is fair, at best."
His eminence Michael Bauer of the Chronicle docked the Dock at Linden Street half a star for scaling back its menu and letting the booze outshine the food. On his return visit, one dish that put it all together was "Salt Spring mussels ($16), where the seafood is bathed in a pot liquor sauce with smoked ham hock, collard greens and corn bread croutons that absorbed the liquor from the seafood." Caesar popcorn is also a "must-order." Two-and-a-half stars.
Exploring fast casual spot Little Gem Bauer gazed into his crystal ball and saw a bit of the future. "In the past decade, dining rooms have become more casual, service more relaxed," he writes. "Ingredients at even lower-priced restaurants are increasingly locally sourced and sustainable, and diet restrictions have come to the forefront." Here, he's gesturing to the dairy and gluten free menu. "Talented chefs who would only be cooking in white-tablecloth establishments in the 1990s are now willing to bring their food to a wider audience... Little Gem incorporates all of these factors into its 58-seat Hayes Valley space." Dinner is the best of the three meals served at the place, he thinks, and he doesn't expect formal dining to disappear. But Bauer clearly loves Little Gem's concept. Usual starring.