News for Restaurants in San Francisco May 2012 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 Brasserie S&P restaurant and bar is set to open in early June on the lobby level of the Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco, replacing Silks, on the hotel's second level, that closed June 3. The transition comes as the hotel celebrates its 25th anniversary, for which the entire property is receiving a refresh courtesy of Michael Booth of BAMO interior design. The name of the new, 90-seat California dining room and bar comes from its location at the crossroads of Sansome and Pine streets. Executive chef Adam Mali (Nick's Cove) aims to draw the high-end hotel's distinguished crowd with expert yet informal brasserie fare crafted from local ingredients. Menu items may include baked Drake's Bay oysters with ginger and hijike butter, and roasted Liberty Farms duck breast with English peas and preserved Meyer lemon. Among the beverage program, look for a wide variety of specialty gin and tonics with house-made tonics and infusions at the white Italian marble bar. Brasserie S&P, California Center, 222 Sansome St., San Francisco, CA 94104, 415-276-9888.   News Bytes Off The Grid Food Trucks Adds Destination Bay Area street food and food truck collaboration Off The Grid has added a destination to its list of weekly gathering spots: Alameda's South Shore Center now features a Saturday daytime congregation of local food trucks including Hapa SF, CupKates, Curry Up Now and others from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Find a full list of weekly Off The Grid San Francisco and East Bay events, including vendors and location details, on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OffTheGridSF.   Build a Better Burger Recipe Contest & Cook-off in Wine Country Sutter Home Family Vineyards is hosting a burger recipe contest called Build a Better Burger, with $100,000 as the grand prize for the best all-beef burger recipe and $15,000 for the best alternative burger recipe. Finalists will be announced the second week of January 2013, and invited to a cook-off in wine country on May 18, 2013. Past judges have included Thomas Keller, Cat Cora and Art Smith. Burgers are judged on originality, creativity and flavor. To enter visit www.buildabetterburger.com.   Chef Shuffle Ame co-owners Lissa Doumani and Hiro Sone have appointed Randy Lutz executive chef. The 29-year-old Bay Area native has cooked at former spots Hawthorne Lane and Bridges Restaurant & Bar as well as Farallon, and he was opening chef de partie at Saison. He first joined Ame as executive sous. Ame, St. Regis Hotel, San Francisco , 689 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94105, 415-284-4040.   The Front Porch has a new chef. Matt Marcus has cooked at The Liberty Café, Café Kati and was chef de cuisine at RNM for seven years. In keeping with the Porch's Southern theme, Marcus has added dishes such as Dr. Pepper-braised short ribs topped with crispy Vidalia onions on locally milled grits, and there's a new emphasis on pickles, smoked and cured meats and barbecue. He will maintain the fried chicken recipe that originated from Barbadian former Front Porch chef Sarah Kirnon. In additional Front Porch news, the restaurant's sister watering hole Rock Bar opened this spring across the street at 80 29th Street, and is open daily at 4 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. until last call. The Front Porch, 65A 29th St., San Francisco, CA 94110, 415-695-7800.   Closings In existence (in several locations) since 1886, North Beach classic Fior d'Italia closed after dinner service on May 21, 2012, due to financial hardships. After 126 years of survival, including enduring two major earthquakes, its closure due to the current economy is yet another testament to the changing dining landscape of San Francisco. Several reports tout a possible reopening in the future, but for now the doors are shut. Fior d'Italia, 2237 Mason St., San Francisco, CA 94133, no phone.   Japantown's bushi-tei restaurant has closed. The high-end French-Japanese enclave marked seven years before succumbing to the economy. bushi-tei, 1638 Post St., San Francisco, CA 94115, no phone.   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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