The 20-year home to Betelnut in Cow Hollow, which helped usher in the era of Asian fusion and which finally closed in September 2015 after a couple of attempts to rebrand and relaunch, has a new owner as Inside Scoop reports: Adriano Paganini. Paganini is the local restaurateur whose growing empire, under the group name Back of the House Inc., now includes a half dozen casual local restaurants (Beretta, Belga, Delarosa, Starbelly, Lolinda, El Techo de Lolinda) as well as two chain concepts, Super Duper Burgers and Uno Dos Tacos. Seeing the opportunity of a space with a full liquor license directly next door to Belga, he's grabbing it though being quiet, as he often is, about any plans he may have for it. A rep for Back of the House has revealed to SFist that the concept will be "casual and fun," different from the group's other restaurants, and "will have a front patio focus" on Union Street and serve both lunch and dinner.
Similarly, Paganini hasn't yet revealed plans for another new concept going into a ground floor space of a new building at 450 Hayes, announced almost a year ago. And his team hints that yet another new concept is on the way at an undisclosed location, which would bring the total number of brands under Back of the House to 10, and the total number of restaurants being managed to 20 (including 10 Super Duper locations), making Paganini easily the most prolific local restaurateur currently operating around the Bay Area.
Though it may be a few months before we get more information about the space at 2030 Union Street, the mantra of the growing empire that is Back of the House, per their website, is "We believe in the accessible, the affordable, the always authentic. We strive in the spirit of all substance, no bullshit."
Previously: Step Inside Belga, The New Belgian Brasserie In The Former Cafe Des Amis