For the record, San Francisco has been named one of “The World’s Happiest Cities” by Forbes. San Francisco, which ranks seventh out of ten listed cities, is the only city in North America to be included in what the magazine calls “urban centers closely associated with unmitigated joy!” Something we should try and remind ourselves the next time we get cranky in traffic, can’t find a parking place, or have to wait to get seated at our favorite restaurant.
New Routine
Yawn, same routine every morning: alarm rings, feet hit the floor, out the door to run the dog, shower, and get off to the office. Salt House is all set to help you rethink this process. Located near second and Mission, Chef Robert Leva has elected to fire up the burners just a little earlier in the day so as to offer you something warm and tasty to get your day started. The new small menu is offered to eat there or take away and is available Monday through Friday. The jewel in the morning carte du jour is Bob’s Biscuit—sage, cheddar, scrambled eggs, and crispy chicken hash. Yum! It’s a good morning stop off for the financial set where you can actually catch up on the laptop or just have a moment of reprieve before heading off for the daily grind. Now hearing the alarm ring in the morning just might put a smile on your face!
Take Me to the Heights
Fillmore Street is just abuzz with eating activity. Watch out Mission District bohemian food snobs; it’s quite possible the Pac-Heights set just might be catching up with hip eateries. Dosa, Pizzeria Delfina, Woodhouse Fish Company, SPQR, and now comes the opening of Out the Door (OTD) from Charles Phan, of Slanted Door fame. The great thing about the third OTD is that it will be open for breakfast and serving continuously through the day. How exciting is that? As with its older sibling (Slanted Door), Olle Lundberg designed the interior; here he uses mixed raw materials, black slate floors, steel banquettes, and a large baker’s table in the front window that serves as the communal table. Wearing the chef-de-cuisine shoes is Grace Nguyen, and the pastry chef is Chucky Dugo. Some of the classic menu items will include daikon rice cakes with shiitake mushrooms and spicy soy sauce; barbecued Niman Ranch pork spareribs with honey-hoisin sauce; crispy imperial rolls with shrimp, ground pork, tree ear mushrooms, and glass noodles; and, of course, the signature chicken claypot with caramel sauce. All of this Vietnamese greatness can be found at 2232 Bush Street.
Around the corner, SPQR is debuting a new look as well as a new face manning the kitchen. After Nate Appleman hastily hightailed it to New York in July, Matt Accarrino (formally of Per Se, New York and Craft, Los Angeles) was brought in. The partnership works well because Appleman and Accarrino share similar philosophies: sourcing from local farmers and offering the rustic Roman-inspired dishes that the SPQR fan- base has come to love.
The floors, walls, and countertops have been replaced; banquettes, window counter stools, and a new convection oven in the kitchen (think house-baked foccacia) have been added.
Accarrino has marked his arrival with the menu addition of a Spuntini/Snack category featuring tasty bites, such as crispy pig’s ear, pickled jalapeno, green tomato and radish; fried cauliflower with garlic, capers, and “agliata rossi”; and spiced ricotta fritters and smoked maple syrup. Pastas include the likes of ricotta ravioli, lamb’s quarter, fontina, and burro fuso; semolina gnocchi roman style, tomato, basil, and pecorino; and, the house favorite, spaghetti “carbonara,” with soft egg, garlic chives, and pecorino. Another exciting announcement: the restaurant is now taking limited reservations on Opentable.com. Even more fun, you can follow Accarrino’s restaurant high jinx through Twitter, @mattaccarino.
Since 2003, Michael and Lindsay Tusk have been garnering local, national, and even international press about the exceptional food they have been creating over at Quince on Octavia at Bush. You could say they have grown from those early years and have graduated into adulthood with a grand new location over in Jackson Square (470 Pacific Avenue). The interior has given the Tusks a more spacious, comfortable, and elegant room.
“This move is about creating more dining experiences for our guests” says Michael. “While the menu will be very familiar to the Quince diner, with the size and scale of the new restaurant and kitchen, we are now able to offer a variety of menu options not possible at our previous location.” Interior designer Elizabeth Wakeman and architect Olle Lundberg collaborated for this project, using natural materials enriched by fabrics and textures in a palette of platinum, caramel, and cream, with black accents. Chef Tusk’s culinary team includes chef de cuisine Thomas Lents and executive pastry chef William Werner. David Lynch, Italian wine expert and award-winning author (Vino Italiano), has relocated from New York to assist Tusk with his ingredient-driven cuisine and introduce guests to small, lesser known producers from northern Italy. The new menu will offer a la carte choices, as well as a five-course and an eight-course tasting menu. For many Quince regulars, the new bar will offer the opportunity for the before dinner aperitif, classic cocktail, or after dinner libation. The Tusks have brought in Scott Baird and Josh Harris of 15 Romolo to work with Lynch in creating an Italian-inspired time-honored cocktail program.
Lounging
Suddenly, lounges and bars seem to be all the rage around town. It’s kind of a legacy that desperate times call for a good stiff drink. Two new players have come on the scene at opposite ends of town. The Parlor, located in the old Dirty Martini location within the Cannery, time travels you back to the early Barbary Coast days of the historic San Francisco waterfront. Owner Mick Suverkrubbe has stripped the old location and even added a floor. The interior throughout includes exposed brick walls, tufted plush leather banquettes, antique chandeliers, and a granite-topped bar. The Library/Whiskey Room is a continuation of the bar or can be rented for private events. The upstairs has been dubbed the Club Floor and offers up booths and bottle service, which, of course, means dancing on weekends.
Across town, the new sultry player is Eve Lounge (575 Howard Street at second). Eve is the new roaring twenties–inspired lounge with peep show movies, pinup girl artwork, and some of San Francisco’s most talented DJs. Not to go unnoticed is the all-female staff serving up a piquant cocktail list developed by the ever-so-talented Scott Baird and Josh Harris. (Are you seeing a trend here? I thought you would).
San Franciscan Steven Oliver is a restaurant manager and wine buyer.
