Chef Robin Song, who earned accolades for some of his earlier work at Hog & Rocks several years back, now has a new stage from which to display his talents, and that's the new restaurant Gibson, debuting this week. The Chronicle broke the news late last week and Tablehopper brings some more details of the Thursday, October 5 opening in the under-renovation Hotel Bijou (111 Mason Street at Eddy).

The menu will be focused on open-fire cooking, much like Saison, Charter Oak and other trendy high-end restaurants utilizing flames to bring out flavor. With that in mind, as Tablehopper tells us, he's got Sonoma duck on the menu ($23) "smoked over the grill with beetroot and blackberry," as well as grilled heritage pork and "a dish of carrots cooked in embers with sunflower, Medjool date and Moorish spices." There's also a dish of charred cucumber with "uni bagna cauda," according to the Chronicle.

As you can see in the Instagram shot above, he's also doing scoops of duck liver mousse that come served with house-made grilled sourdough bread.

Cocktail-wise, you can expect multiple spins on the classic Gibson (a martini served with a cocktail onion). And beverage director Adam Chapman will also be doing some culinary stuff like a Clarified Japanese Bloody Mary (sochu, aged sake, heirloom tomato water, vinegar, spice).

Song tells the Chron he has not given up on his previously announced, Korean-influenced solo project Junju, but he decided to take the hotel gig first after a year or two of floating, seeking some stability. "The reality is San Francisco is a tough place,” Song says. "It’s hard to stand out. It’s damn near impossible. But I’ve always loved the smoke and fire and being able to manipulate it in a restaurant."

He says that Junju will still come together somewhere down the road, but for now, it will be good to find him cooking somewhere again.

Gibson - 111 Mason Street at Eddy - Opening Thursday at 5:30 p.m.