News for Restaurants in San Francisco April 2008 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 Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastopol officially opened April 17. It's a restaurant designed to reintroduce craft beer to wine country, and was created by Dean Biersch, co-founder of the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants and Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. Hopmonk Tavern is located in a 105-year-old California historic landmark building, offering an array of local and international craft beers paired with seasonal gastropub-inspired cuisine. Look for a lineup of craft beers from Europe and smaller regional producers in the U.S., including 75-plus bottled beers, 16 drafts and two cask-conditioned ales. There is also an 85-seat classic outdoor European beer garden lined with trees, a fountain, plus an acoustic performance stage and an outdoor bar. Adjacent to the tavern and beer garden is The Abbey, a 200-person capacity, 2,000-square-foot music venue, regularly showcasing local and national talent. Hopmonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol, CA 94572, 707-829-7300.   Franck LeClerc of Café Claude's new project, Gitane, is now slated to open in June, and the key staff players have been finalized. The chef is Lisa Eyherabide, formerly of Le Charm and Piperade in San Francisco and Côte d'Or in France, who will design the menu that's inspired by regions in southern France and northern Spain, as well as with hints of North Africa. Sean Diggins, the current beverage director at Café Claude, will be overseeing the beverage and wine program, and will concentrate on small, eco-friendly growers with a large by-the-glass and carafe program. The wines will be largely Spanish focused. Dominic Venegas (Range, Cantina, Bourbon & Branch) will head up the bar program at Gitane, specializing in Spanish sherries, unique Spanish brandies, and a very special spirits selection. He will also incorporate a variety of seasonal sangrías and cocktails. Charles Doell of Mr. Important has taken the helm of the design elements, pulling from the Euro-themed '50s, hippy-driven '60s, and big-bling '70s. Gitane, 6 Claude Ln., San Francisco, CA 94108, 415-392-3505.   Local stalwart Moose’s recently underwent a big remodel, but now it’s becoming something else entirely. Joseph Manzare (Globe, Tres Agaves, Pescheria, Zuppa) and his business partner Eddie Maiello bought the North Beach landmark, and are transforming it into their dream East Coast-style Italian restaurant, Joey & Eddie’s. Look for old-school classics like pastas with red or white sauce, stuffed artichokes, shrimp scampi, spaghetti and meatballs, and veal saltimbocca. The goal is low prices, but more food—and to create a place where you can eat with your family without spending a lot of money. Joey & Eddie's, 1652 Stockton St., San Francisco, CA 94133, 415-989-7800.   Wendy Brucker and Roscoe Skipper of Berkeley's Rivoli are opening Corso Trattoria on May 7 in the former Phoenix Pastificio space. The 50-seat restaurant will be a casual Italian trattoria, specializing in Florentine cuisine, with pizza, a full bar, and an all-Italian wine list. Elaine Rivera is the chef de cuisine under Brucker---she was formerly at Oliveto. Dinner will be served in the beginning (only large groups can make reservations), then lunch begins one week later, and weekend brunch will be available a week after that. Corso Trattoria, 1786 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94709, 510-848-7100.   News Bytes Spring Fling Bushi-Tei is celebrating spring with the launch of its annual cherry blossom menu, a new lunch service, and dinner on Monday night. Through the end of April, a supplemental cherry blossom menu will be offered à la carte and in three courses, showcasing the blossoms, fresh and dried cherries, and cherry leaves. For example, the first course features cherry leaf-wrapped scallops ($15) with hearts of palm, dried Bing cherries, and an ume coulis. The new lunch service is offered Mon.-Sat., offering a casual menu of Bushi-Tei's French-Californian fusion cuisine, including anise-marinated Artic char ($13.50), baby romaine with house-cured sardines ($12.50), and mizuna with rock shrimp and fennel ($11.50). Sunday brunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., lunch Mon.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., dinner Mon.-Sun. 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Bushi-Tei, 1638 Post St., San Francisco, CA 94115, 415-440-4959.   Chef Shuffle Kolin Vazzoler, a former sous chef (five years) and executive sous chef (three years) at Gary Danko, is now the executive chef of Marché restaurant. Marché, 898 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025, 650-324-9092.   Closings Check back soon for more news. 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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