This week we saw Showdown shutter, Ginger's Trois return, A Mano prepare to open, and Dolores Outpost do whatever it is that they do. Tartine Manufactory won an award, Aatxe closed, Lucky 13 lost its murals (but remains, for now), and RN74 made way for BBQ. Some local places got James Beard recognition, a Mediterranean/Mexican place made FiDi plans, and here's what it's like inside Three Twins. And that's not all! Let's proceed...
Cultivar, the wine bar we had word of in March, softly opened this week, Hoodline reports. Located at 2379 Chestnut Street, a press release boasted of a "unique beverage experience—including wine on tap and both wine by the bottle and by the keg for sale—along with a hyper-seasonal, small plates menu."
Hoodline also has word of a place called Crown & Acre which is expected to open in the old Jeanty at Jack's space at 615 Sacramento Street. It looks like it's owned by Arash Ghanadan, who's also part owner of Barbarossa Lounge and Novela, and will reportedly open in about two weeks.
The Lers Ros Thai folks are opening a place called Esan Classic just across the street at 743 Larkin Street. Hoodline says diners should expect Northeastern styles of Thai food, which include "soups and curries with clear broths, rather than ones with coconut milk bases, as well as grilled or roasted fish, meats and sticky rice." They're shooting for an opening this summer.
FiDi luncheonette City Counter is expected to open Monday, and Eater has a look at the menu designed by Blue Plate chef Sean Thomas. Look for fancy deviled egg salad, a tuna melt, and more at their 115 Sansome Street location.
Moving from openings to closings, put La PanotiQ in that column. The Bay Area chain has closed all both of their SF locations, yes, even the Noe Valley one that just opened in August, Hoodline reports. Don't worry,you can still get their wares in Burlingame, Campbell, Livermore and Mountain View.
Longstanding Larkin Street Vietnamese joint Mangosteen has also bit the dust, Hoodline reports, after over a decade in business. A Thai noodle bar is expected to take over its space.
Less a closing than a change for Corridor, Inside Scoop reports, as they have "absorbed its sibling neighbor, Corridor Cafe, and has put plans in place to expand its breakfast menu, add Saturday brunch service and perhaps most notably, subtract the counter-service component from its dinner equation." The whole thing where the neighboring restaurants had different offerings and policies confused diners too much, co-owner Ryan Cole says, and making them into one super restaurant is an attempt to refine the experience.
This Week In Reviews
SF Weekly's Jeffrey Edalatpour heads to Navi Kitchen. They're still only serving what they call "brekkie," so his items to review are limited -- basically pastries and a couple sandwiches. He saves his loudest raves for the chutneys, which he suggests chef Preeti Mistry bottle for sale.
Meanwhile, the Weekly's Pete Kane went to China Live's ground-level Market Restaurant. He braved some "structurally deficient" xiaolongbao and a a limp-porked sheng jian bao, but found their Cantonese half-chicken "stunning." He closed the meal with one of the "best panna cottas I’ve ever had." In the end, though, he called out the place for being a little too try-hard, as " I kept coming back to the sense that China Live isn’t so much effortless as airtight. By that, I mean that there’s an emphasis on wowing and impressing above all else."
Then there's the Chron's Michael Bauer. For his mid-week review, he ventured to the wilds of Belmont to revisit Divino, which he last reviewed a decade ago. While he shades the decor as "not the type of interior that makes much of an impression," Bauer says the meal "made me wish that something this good would open in my Potrero Hill neighborhood." High marks for the pasta, meatballs, and service, leading to 2.5 stars.