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 Openings
Famed breakfast and brunch destination Dottie's True Blue Cafe has moved to the more-than-100-year-old South of Market building that formerly housed French eatery Passion Cafe. The move marks a switch from one questionable neighborhood to another --- from the Tenderloin to the somewhat dicey crossroads of Sixth Street between Market and Mission Streets. No doubt the lines that dutifully formed for the former location will follow chef-owner Kurt Abney to his much larger new digs, complete with a soon-to-open rooftop patio. Expect the same menu of fresh, expertly-prepared American breakfasts and brunches, along with some expanded lunch offerings down the road. Breakfast, Lunch & Brunch Wed.-Mon. Dottie's True Blue Cafe, 28 6th St., San Francisco, CA 94103, 415-885-2767.
Notable Bay Area direct wine importer Premier Cru has found an 8,000-square-foot retail home on University Avenue in Berkeley. The 1,000-bottle-strong collection includes rare aged French wines such as 1918 Château d'Yquem Sauternes and 1959 Lafite-Rothschild, along with small-production imports, with examples from every major region as well as lesser-known wine-making areas such as Slovenia and the Canary Islands. Founded in 1980, the shop has maintained an Internet-based presence since the 1990s; previous brick-and-mortar locations include Oakland and Emeryville. Premier Cru, 1011 University Ave., Berkeley, CA 94710, 510-644-9463.
Oakland had another big ticket opening when Daniel Patterson's Haven launched December 14, 2011, featuring executive chef Kim Alter (Manresa, Aqua) and pastry chef Matt Tinder (Coi, Plum). The restaurant has been in production since 2008 when Patterson secured the Jack London space for his then-named venue Bracina, which was to feature chef Lauren Kiino. Three years and many changes later, Haven is a 3,000-square-foot, clean-lined dining room and bar with vintage factory details and Shaker-inspired furnishings, and featuring Alter's seasonal new Californian cuisine. Alter's approachable menu favors whole animal cooking and "whole vegetable" seasonal preparations from roots to leaves. Tinder's dessert menu includes seasonal, shareable plates for two. An open kitchen features 12 ringside seats. Dinner nightly. Haven, 44 Webster St., Oakland, CA 94612, 510-663-4440.
Right on schedule, Ron Siegel's new restaurant Parallel 37 opened December 12, 2011, inside The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, replacing the luxury destination restaurant The Dining Room. Siegel has crafted an approachable contemporary American menu of small bites, appetizers, entrées and sides culling from the area's ingredients. Though Siegel's top-tier technique remains, dishes are straightforward and unfussy. Entrées include saffron risotto with crispy chicken leg and tomato confit; Sonoma duck breast with salsify, radishes and shiitake mushrooms; and slow-cooked pork with braised greens, flageolet beans and Madeira sauce. Fish and seafood also play a welcome role on the menu. As previously noted, the dining room has received an entire renovation and refresh, including a new bar area and chef's table; in another nod to changing times, notable bar manager Camber Lay has been charged with helming the cocktail program. Lunch & Dinner daily. Parallel 37, The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, 600 Stockton St., San Francisco, CA 94108, 415-296-7465.
Themed Monday Night Dinners at Jardinière
California-French destination restaurant Jardinière offers themed ("Country French," "Into the Wild"), three-course, prix-fixe options every Monday night for $49 per person, complete with wine pairings from Jardinière's impressive list. Executive chef Morgan Mueller's menu may include first courses such as warm calamari salad with white beans, fennel and arugula, or pâté de campagne with pedigreed greens, crostini and sauce gribiche, and entrées such as coq au vin, local fish or cioppino. Reservations recommended. Jardiniere, 300 Grove St., San Francisco, CA 94102, 415-861-5555.
It's Good to "B" Local
B Restaurant in Oakland and its sister venue B Bar in San Francisco have created local-loving specials to thank their regulars. In Oakland, the "510 happy hour" from 5:10 p.m.-6:10 p.m. nightly features Alameda wines (Dashe Cellars, Urban Legend, JC Cellars and Rosenblum Cellars) for $5.10 per glass, and one special local beer and one cocktail made from local spirits Hangar One Vodka or St. George Spirits for the same price. Meanwhile, San Francisco bar and restaurant B Bar SF at 720 Howard Street atop Yerba Buena Gardens now features a weekend locals' brunch, with $12 bottomless Bloody Marys and mimosas. B Restaurant, 499 Ninth St., Oakland, CA 94607, 510-251-8770.
New GM for Manresa
David Kinch has hired Bobi Adle as the new general manager for Manresa. Adle, a twenty-year industry veteran, served as general manager for Merchants NY wine bar in New York City and Water Grill, Murano Restaurant & Bar and Bistro 45 in Los Angeles, and was part of the opening team at San Francisco's Frances. Manresa, 320 Village Lane, Los Gatos, CA 95030, 408-354-4330.
Continuous Service at Cotogna
Michael Tusk's Cotogna is now open for continuous service from 11:30 a.m. until closing Monday-Saturday (with the restaurant's special "Sunday Supper" event only on Sundays). The full menu is available throughout the day at the counter, bar and main dining room, and walk-ins are welcome. Cotogna, 490 Pacific Ave., San Francisco, CA 94133, 415-775-8508.
Happy Anniversary, Mark!
The InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel, home of the landmark Top of the Mark bar and restaurant, celebrates 85 years this holiday season with guest specials through January 31, 2012. Patrons can opt for the 1926 nightcap, featuring window seats, Prosecco for two and four chocolate-covered strawberries for $19.26, or the 85th year package that includes preferred window seating, a bottle of Moët & Chandon Imperial Champagne, dessert and a fruit and cheese plate for $85. Top of the Mark's annual holiday festivities will remain, including afternoon tea service from 2:30 p.m.-5 p.m. from December 26 through December 30, 2011. Top of the Mark, InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel, 1 Nob Hill, San Francisco, CA 94108, 415-616-6916.
Brunch at Boxing Room
Chef Justin Simoneaux has created a new brunch menu at Boxing Room in Hayes Valley, available every Saturday and Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. New Orleans-inspired fare includes beignets with chocolate-espresso cream and pain perdu with fruit preserve. Larger dishes include shrimp rémoulade; crab-and-artichoke cakes with poached eggs, hollandaise, spinach and bacon; and crawfish and tasso omelets with brabant potatoes. Don't miss the kicky menu of down-home brunch libations, such as a "bayou beer" made with Abita IPA, Bloody Mary mix and pickled vegetables. Boxing Room, 399 Grove St., San Francisco, CA 94102, 415-430-6590.
Nombe has a new executive chef in Noriyuki (Nori) Sugie, who comes to the Bay Area from Los Angeles. Sugie most recently ran a pop-up ramen eatery within Breadbar, but has formal Japanese and French training and has worked at L'Aubergade in southwestern France, Restaurant VII in Sydney and Asiate in New York City. He is also a designer and entrepreneur, and his eponymous line of products and projects can be found at http://www.ironnori.com/. Nombe will now be open six days a week. Nombe, 2491 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110, 415-681-7150.
Zack Freitas (Commis) is now chef de cuisine at Zare at Fly Trap. Zaré at Fly Trap, 606 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA 94017, 415-243-0580.
Longtime hotel dining standout Silks in the Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco, is undergoing significant changes. The venue's MO Bar on the lower level of the hotel lobby has closed completely in preparation for a new drink and dining area to open in April. Silks on the second floor will remain open during construction, but will be incorporated into the new venue once renovations are complete. Details on the new concept and chef to come. Silks , Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco, 222 Sansome St., San Francisco, CA 94104, 415-986-2020.
Many closings to report with the start of 2012. Namu in the Richmond has shuttered to make way for a larger, upcoming project in a Mission District location from the same team. Chef Loretta Keller's big-ticket opening from 2008, The Moss Room, located inside the California Academy of Sciences, closed on January 1. Steuart Street's upscale bastion of Mexican cuisine, Mexico DF, has closed up shop, and the Castro's notable 2223 ("no name") Restaurant closed New Year's Eve weekend. Over in South of Market, Big Nate's Barbecue has closed and has become CatHead's BBQ from an entirely new owner and team. And on the waterfront, popular tourist destination Teatro ZinZanni has been forced to fold up its spiegeltent and relocate --- expect a reopening at the end of 2012.
After less than a year, Elizabeth Falkner's second incarnation of Citizen Cake on Fillmore Street will close at the end of 2011. This marks the second closure for Falkner in 2011 --- her SoMa outpost Orson closed for regular business in October, but remains open for private events only until the venue has a buyer.
After two years in business, "neo-Californian" restaurant eVe in Berkeley will close at the end of 2011 after New Year's Eve dinner service. Husband-and-wife chef team Christopher and Veronica Laramie aim to transform the 28-seat space into a casual rotisserie. Meanwhile, there are talks in the works of a second, more ambitious project from the notable chefs, one more in line with the high-caliber cuisine that got eVe noticed. Look for more in 2012. eVe, 1960 University Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704, 510-868-0735.
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