News for Restaurants in San Francisco September 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 Since opening in 1999, the Metreon has endured as one of downtown San Francisco's most prominent centerpoints --- albeit one in constant conceptual flux, from storefronts to eateries. As the city's first Target store moves into the property in October, the modern complex and AMC movie theatre overlooking Yerba Buena Gardens and steps from Moscone Convention Center has freshened its dining options. New offerings include Creperie Saint Germain, featuring sweet and savory buckwheat crêpes, which joins a long list of fast, fresh, family-friendly eateries such as Freshroll Vietnamese, La Boulange Bakery & Café, Sanraku at Metreon, the San Francisco Soup Company, Split Bread sandwiches and Super Duper Burger. Creperie Saint Germain, 135 Fourth St., San Francisco, CA 94103, 415-369-6000.   Borgo Italia has opened in the former B Restaurant space inside an historic 1876 building at 9th and Washington in Old Oakland. Backed by Paul Ferrari, president of the A.G. Ferrari Italian specialty shops, the restaurant is helmed by chef Franco Camboli, a native of Tuscany where his family owns a bakery, and gm Fabio Dalle Vacche, whose family owns a trattoria in Borgotaro in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region. The casual, comfortable restaurant features approachable, Italian cuisine predominantly from Liguria, Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, along with light breakfast and lunch fare and wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas. Thirty-five Italian wines comprise the list, with about half served by the glass, and there is a full bar. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner daily. Borgo Italia, 499 9th St., Oakland, CA 94607, 510-251-1008.   The international Chinese restaurant group Hakkasan will open Hakkasan San Francisco, its first American West Coast venture, on the second floor of the One Kearny building at Kearny and Market in November. The 170-cover restaurant will feature modern Cantonese cuisine under chef Ho Chee Boon, including dim sum, late-night dining, broad wine and saké programs, a 25-seat bar and elaborate 50-seat lounge area. General manager will be notable luxury hospitality veteran Amgad Wahba, known most recently for overseeing The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton for six years, including its transition to Parallel 37. Lunch & Dinner daily. Hakkasan San Francisco, One Kearny St., San Francisco, CA 94104, phone not available.   Sugoi (pronounced su-go-ee) Sushi has opened in the Mission District in the space that formerly housed Spork and, temporarily, Rice Broker. The restaurant is from Hong Kong native Roy Louie (Akira, Morpho Sushi, Blowfish Sushi to Die For) and Cyrus Shen, a 24-year-old sushi chef who has already spent eight years training in Japan. Along with crowd-pleasing maki and sashimi, there will be a selection of Japanese small plates. The interior features room for 55 and a six-seat sushi bar; an outdoor patio will open soon. Dinner nightly. Sugoi Sushi, 1058 Valencia St., San Francisco, CA 94110, 415-401-8442.   Napa Valley chef Cindy Pawlcyn (Mustards Grill, Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen) has opened Cindy Pawlcyn's Wood Grill & Wine Bar. (The restaurant will replace Pawlcyn's now closed project, Brassica.) Cindy Pawlcyn's --- nicknamed "CP's" --- will showcase the chef's classic American cooking, sometimes called Wine Country comfort food, and feature an easygoing, family-friendly atmosphere complete with live music, dog-friendly patio, kids' menu, pitchers of cocktails and, of course, lots of wine. Lunch & Dinner Wed.-Sun. Cindy Pawlcyn's Wood Grill & Wine Bar, 641 Main St., St. Helena, CA 94574, 707-963-0700.   News Bytes Happy Hour at Bistro Boudin The flagship Bistro Boudin complex --- demonstration bakery, restaurant, museum, café, great Bay views --- is always a worthy stop on Fisherman's Wharf. But what locals and visitors may not know is that the main bar and recently opened Oyster Bar now feature $1 oysters at a weekday happy hour. More options on the happy hour bar menu include Boudin sourdough sliders ($5 for two), fried calamari, garlic fries and other nibbles, with $5 well drinks and house wines, $4 drafts and other drink specials. Happy hour runs Mon.-Fri. from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. Bistro Boudin, Boudin at the Wharf, 160 Jefferson St., San Francisco, CA 94133, 415-928-1849.   Michael Mina Launches Start-Up Chef Michael Mina has joined forces with entrepreneur Tanya Melillo and singer-songwriter Michelle Branch to form the digital media company Cook Taste Eat. Co-hosted by Mina and Branch, the company aims to expand the knowledge, culinary skills and repertoires of curious foodies and home cooks with free daily emails, a website and culinary videos and menus from chefs across the country. Subscribers follow the development of a meal over the course of a week, with Mina and Branch presenting content on different components daily. Visit www.cooktasteeat.com for details and to sign up for daily emails.   Off the Grid: Picnic at the Presidio The Presidio Trust and Off the Grid street food organizers will collaborate to host Off the Grid: Picnic at the Presidio every Sunday in October. Starting Sunday, October 7, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., the lawn at the Main Post in Presidio National Park will open to picnickers who can choose to purchase food in individual or family-size portions, then benefit from "blanket-side service" --- cocktails, craft sauces, pickles, fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods and other items will be provided by wandering vendors, as well as newspapers, kites and other picnic-friendly accoutrements. Games such as bocce ball and croquet will be available to rent, or guests can simply enjoy the unparalleled views of the Golden Gate Bridge and bay. Visit www.offthegridsf.com/presidio for more.   Happy Hour at Viognier Viognier's happy hour provides an inviting, upscale weeknight option for San Mateo locals from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Specialty cocktails in the lounge area of the restaurant are $7, and a dedicated menu includes house-made Kobe pastrami on rye with sauerkraut, Comté and truffled fries, and roasted summer squash flatbread with duck confit, broccolini, crescenza cheese and caramelized onions. Viognier, 222 E. Fourth Ave., San Mateo, CA 94401, 650-685-3727.   Jardiniere Turns 15 The atmosphere at Traci Des Jardins' upscale French-Californian restaurant Jardiniere will be even more festive than usual as the venue celebrates 15 years in September. To mark the anniversary, Jardiniere's menu under executive chef Morgan Mueller has a new look and layout, with larger variety for first courses, à la carte sides and some new, deconstructed entrées, all while keeping the seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and top quality and flavors that make the restaurant sparkle. The chef's tasting menu will remain, as will the Monday night prix-fixe menus. Cocktail, beer and wine lists for the restaurant's glamorous downstairs bar and lounge have also been expanded and updated. Look for a grand anniversary dinner in November featuring a star lineup of chefs who have contributed to Jardiniere's 15 years of success, with proceeds benefitting Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry Campaign. Details to follow. Jardiniere, 300 Grove St., San Francisco, CA 94102, 415-861-5555.   Chef Shuffle Shawn Gawle has been named pastry chef at Saison. His previous post was at Corton in New York. Saison, 2124 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA 94110, 415-828-7990.   Closings Upscale sushi restaurant Kyo-Ya at The Palace Hotel's closing date has been extended. (The original closure was set for September 21, 2012.) The new date is still to be determined. Kyo-Ya, The Palace Hotel, 2 New Montgomery St., San Francisco, CA 94105, 415-546-5090.   The Palo Alto location of Trader Vic's has shuttered after ten years, leaving one final Trader Vic's (Emeryville) in the Bay Area. The Palo Alto space won't be dark for long, however --- the replacement restaurant has already been announced, a high-end seafood venue called The Sea from the team behind Alexander's Steakhouse. Look for a November opening. Trader Vic's, 4269 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94306, 650-849-9800.   China Village in the East Bay city of Albany has been temporarily closed since March due to a kitchen fire. The restaurant is due to reopen under the same management in October 2012. China Village, 1335 Solano Ave., Albany, CA 94706, 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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