News for Restaurants in San Francisco May 2011 Archive Search / Openings / Closings / Chef Shuffle / News Bytes / Sign up for our free, monthly newsletter / News Archive Want to know who's doing what in your city? Gayot has the restaurant news you want to read on openings, closings, special events, and more. Learn everything you need to know about the restaurants in San Francisco here. RESTAURANT NEWS Openings Nojo (Japanese for "farm") has opened in Hayes Valley, providing an intriguing new izakaya option for that neighborhood. Chef and owner Greg Dunmore (formerly executive chef of Ame) sources from local farms for the majority of the daily changing menu that includes Japanese pub food "on a stick"---skewers of chicken, pork jowl, beef heart and tongue---and "not on a stick," with small plates such as tempura, ginger braised duck, local fish and fried chicken livers. Food is complemented by a short but discriminating list of fine beers, sakés and wines. Look for lunch and brunch options in the coming months. Dinner Wed.-Mon. Nojo, 231 Franklin St., San Francisco, CA 94102, 415-896-4587.   Emeryville mainstay Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe has opened a second location adjacent to the beautiful Fox Theater in Oakland. The diner's casual menu of breakfasts, sandwiches, burgers and other heaping American plates is met by a full bar (the original location is beer and wine only) and additional perks such as an outdoor patio, ten-seat private booth within a replica "dining car," nightly dinner service until 1 a.m. and special VIP entrance into the Fox for dinner-and-a-show ticket holders. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner daily. Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe, 1805 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA 94612, 510-251-9400.   The Absinthe Group, proprietors of Absinthe Brasserie & Bar, Arlequin Café & Food To Go and Comstock Saloon, are opening Boxing Room in the Hayes Valley space at Grove and Gough formerly occupied by Citizen Cake. Helmed by executive chef Justin Simoneaux (The Moss Room), the restaurant will feature Cajun and Creole cuisine in a chic, 3,300-square-foot dining room lit by floor-to-ceiling windows by day and three five-foot-wide chandeliers into the late night. (The restaurant will be open until 2 a.m. seven nights a week.) Additional design elements include an open kitchen, a 24-seat, zinc-topped bar (beer and wine only) and raw bar, and tables made from reclaimed Monterey cypress trees. Gumbo, etouffée, deep-fried alligator, po' boys and Southern fried chicken will all make menu appearances. Lunch & Dinner daily. Boxing Room, 399 Grove St., San Francisco, CA 94102, no phone yet.   Ki, a sustainable sushi and izakaya restaurant, has opened in the South of Market nightclub complex that also houses Prana. The eco-minded Japanese restaurant is a collaboration between owner Paul Hemming and local author and activist Casson Trenor (Sustainable Sushi: A Guide to Saving the Oceans One Bite at a Time). Executive chef is Brian Beach (Aqua, Waterfront) and the sushi chef is Isamu Kanai (Deep Sushi). Sustainable sushi includes local albacore tuna and arctic char, and rolls include complex seasonal vegetable and "real" California rolls made with seasonal fish. The cooked menu features cedar plank roasted seasonal fish and kushiyaki, including yakitori, rabbit and house-made tofu. Japanese craft beers, sakés and innovative cocktails made from elements such as shochu and Japanese vodka are available. The futuristic space seats 30 and ten at the sushi bar. Lunch Mon.-Fri., Dinner Tues.-Sat. Ki, 540 Howard St., San Francisco, CA 94105, 415-278-0495.   News Bytes Summer's eVe eVe restaurant has a new cozy, al fresco lounge and bar set in a Berkeley rose garden with seating for up to 16 guests as well as standing room. The space is reserved for casual gatherings over wine, beer and a special patio menu of bites such as oysters, cheeses and charcuterie, or may be rented for private parties. eVe, 1960 University Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704, 510-868-0735.   Luchetti & Kinch Named Deans The newly established French Culinary Institute of California in Campbell has added executive pastry chef Emily Luchetti, of San Francisco's Farallon and Waterbar, and Manresa's executive chef David Kinch to the school's list of deans. Kinch and Luchetti join six other deans, including Jacques Pepin and Alan Richman, in guiding curriculum, hosting demonstrations, participating in juries and finals and serving as ambassadors also to the academy's New York and Parma campuses.   Chef Shuffle Some changes at Japanese izakaya Nombe in the Mission District: co-owner Mari Takahashi has taken over as executive chef replacing Vincent Schofield, and Pierre Mangé (Zero Zero) has signed on as chef de cuisine. Takahashi owns the restaurant with Gil Payne, who also serves as Nombe's saké sommelier. Takahashi, a Japanese native, was the former chef and owner of Izakaya Sozai, and also owns Mari's Catering. Nombe, 2491 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110, 415-681-7150.   Daniel Patterson (Coi, Plum) has ceased his involvement with the Italian rotisserie Il Cane Rosso in the Ferry Building, leaving it fully in chef Lauren Kiino's hands (Kiino and Patterson opened the eatery in July 2009). As Kiino has been chef since the eatery's inception, expect no change to the rustic, seasonal concept and menu. Il Cane Rosso, San Francisco Ferry Building, One Ferry Building #41, San Francisco, CA 94111, 415-391-7599.   Closings Breton crêperie Ti Couz closed in May after 19 years. The casual 16th Street hangout with sunny outdoor tables was a favorite with Mission District locals, particularly weekend brunchers on a budget.   CULINARY EVENTS Want to learn to cook? Try new dishes? Meet a foodie friend for fun? Check out our compilation of culinary events in your area. View our calendar of Wine Dinners & Tastings in San Francisco Discover the top restaurants in the San Francisco/Bay Area for various cuisines and categories like sushi, steakhouses, happy hours, romantic dining and even gourmet food trucks. Find the best restaurants in SF here!

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