This week around the Bay we learned of a new Austrian-style wine bar in North Beach called The Salsburg, saw a bit of controversy over the Museum of Ice Cream and its ice cream shop "partners," learned of a new deli-bakery type thing moving into the former Grand Fare in Oakland from Boot & Shoe guy Charlie Hallowell, and got word of RN74's final night of service, which is next weekend. Here's what else has been going on:
First up, after 20 years in North Beach, Caffe Roma is closing. Some new owners take the keys this weekend, and they'll be keeping it as-is through the end of the year, as Hoodline tells us, with plans to reopen it as Gypset Cafe after that.
Over in Ghirardelli Square, following the abrupt shuttering of Waxman's, from star New York chef Jonathan Waxman, the operation allegedly left behind $116,000 in unpaid bills to vendors and the landlord. As the Chronicle reports, Jamestown Premier GHRSQ, the landlord, posted a notice of overdue rent totaling over $71,000, and the restaurant also reportedly owes over $45,000 to a janitorial service.
Eater reports on some litigation coming out of Saison, with the Michelin three-star restaurant now suing two former employees in separate suits claiming theft of trade secrets and more. One suit against former director of hospitality Matthew Mako, claims that Mako co-opted parts of Saison's proprietary "Handbook" in opening his restaurant RTB Fillmore with former Saison chef de cuisine Rodney Wages. The other suit has been brought against former bar director Anthony Keels, who's now at Eight Tables and Cold Drinks. That suit alleges theft of trade secrets as well as claiming that Keels altered recipes and attempted “to serve a substandard substitute to customers” before he left Saison. Both suits are seeking $500,000 in damages.
A Mano, the new and popular Italian spot in Hayes Valley, launched lunch service yesterday. As they tell us in a release, they're serving most of the regular menu in addition to two rotating paninis at lunch, and some low ABV cocktails.
In the TenderNob there's a new "Chicago-style" taco spot called Chisme (882 Sutter Street near Leavenworth), and it is now softly open with a grand opening planned for October, as Hoodline reports. They offer chicken, steak, shrimp, and several vegetarian tacos using special tortillas flown in from a Chicago shop, and they serve beer and wine too.
Popular Filipino spot SB40 on Pier 40 along the Embarcadero is closing next month after six decades, and as the Examiner reports, the Port of San Francisco has put out an RFP for a "family-friendly" restaurant to take its place.
Mealmade, the delivery startup that's been operating out of the former McDonald's at 16th and Misison, is pivoting to become an all-paleo operation called Kitava. As Hoodline tells us, renovations are underway, and the plan is to open to the public in November.
Also in the Mission, a sleek new laundromat-cafe has opened called Laundré (2401 Mission Street at 20th), serving healthy pre-made meals, Sightglass coffee, and baked goods from Vive la Tarte. As Eater reports, the washing machines are all super efficient, too, and a wash and dry can be completed in 45 minutes.
And over in Oakland, one of the Bay Area's pioneering craft beer operations, Pacific Coast Brewery, is closing in early November after 29 years.
This Week In Reviews
The Weekly's Pete Kane takes a trip to Oakland to review Shinmai, the new izakaya-and-ramen spot that debuted over the summer at 1825 San Pablo Avenue. He says that it's "probably the best restaurant to debut in Oakland this year," and raves about the chicken karaage, the mizuna salad, the fried potato salad, and the "stunning" ribeye.
The Chronicle's Michael Bauer gives us his take on Barcino, the new Barcelona-inspired Spanish spot in the former Boxing Room digs from the Absinthe/Bellota team. He's a bit disappointed, and draws a number of unfavorable comparisons to Bellota, but he loves the "brilliant reinvention" of the crispy potato boats filled with romesco sauce and topped with charred scallion aioli. He also likes the lamb meatballs, and a squid paella, but was less pleased with other dishes, and found the raw bar selection "dull and one-dimensional." The gin and tonics are just as good, and so is the service, so all told: two and a half stars.
We continue not to get formal update reviews from Bauer, as has been his habit in the Thursday paper for many years, and instead we're getting briefer columns that are half-updates, like this one dissing Scala's new renovation, and this possibly online-only update on Maven, which just got a new chef, and where he says it still "feels like a party."
At the Mercury-News we have a review from Jennifer Graue of Uma Casa, former Tacolicious chef Telmo Faria's Noe Valley Portuguese spot. She likes the salt cod fritters and raves about the short rib, but the review sounds like it was based on just one visit, and: two and a half stars.
And Eater's Rachel Levin is charmed by Hook Fish Co., the new sustainable "seafood shack" in the Outer Sunset. She loves all the tacos, and really loves the blackened fish sandwich, but says you can skip the Fisherman's Stew, which tasted like "mild minestrone." The verdict: two stars.
