Secret Recipe: Flour+Water's Chocolate Budino

Make this at home: Flour+Water's chocolate budino.

While Flour+Water's homemade pasta is arguably some of the best, we sometimes find ourselves impatient for dessert, which always means chocolate budino. 

The decadent pudding has been on the menu since day one, and now you can DIY at home.

Chocolate Budino (Serves 10)

Ingredients:

7 oz. bittersweet chocolate

1.5 oz. milk chocolate

2 C cream

1/2 C whole milk

6 egg yolks

1/3 C sugar

Method:

1. Melt chocolates over a double boiler. 

2. Warm milk until it gently simmers.

3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together yolks and sugar, then slowly whisk in warm milk.

4. Strain yolk/milk mixture into chocolate and whisk together.

5. Heat half of the cream, bring to a simmer and whisk into chocolate/milk mixture. Once combined, add remaining cream and whisk until smooth.

6. Pour mixture into 8oz. ramekins, then bake at 300 degrees in a water bath for 40 minutes.

7. Let cool completely, then chill in refridgerator for at least two hours. 

8. Sprinkle with Maldon sea salt and top with a quenelle of espresso cream (optional, but delicious; recipe below). 

Espresso Cream (Serves 10)

Ingredients:

2 C heavy cream

1/4 C sugar 

2 T ground espresso

1. Place sugar in a pot and add about a tablespoon of water, just enough to make a wet sand consistency.

2. Brown sugar over medium high heat. Do not stir.

3. In a separate small pot, bring cream to a simmer.

4. When sugar reaches a dark amber color, add ground espresso and whisk in warm cream. Bring mixture to a simmer, whisking often.

5. Once all caramel is dissolved, strain through a chinois and cool completely. It is best to do this process the day before the cream is going to be whipped.

6. Use a whisk and whip to stiff peaks and serve.

Enjoy!

Omar Mamoon is the founder of Dough & Co.

Article and images sourced from http://www.7x7.com/eat-drink/secret-recipe-flour-waters-chocolate-budino-0

2015 Hot 20: Anna Weinberg, Empress of the SF Restaurant Scene

(photography by Aubrie Pick) 

Anna Weinberg is the life of the San Francisco party, as proprietress of Marlowe, Park Tavern, The Cavalier and, coming soon, Leo's Luxury Oyster bar.
If you’ve had a chance to perch at the bar with Marlowe’s burger, devour Park Tavern’s deviled eggs during the heady buzz of a Thursday night, or cozy into a booth in The Cavalier’s Blue Bar to nosh on lamb scrumpets, you’ve not only experienced some of the city’s most talked-about restaurants (with good reason), but you’ve likely spotted proprietess Weinberg zipping past, a flash of blonde ponytail with a mouth going a mile a minute, doling out welcome and whip-smart sass in equal measure with a New Zealand accent. Having cut her teeth as a hostess at NYC’s Barbuto, Weinberg learned from the best, but has perfected the art of hospitality here in SF as partner in the Big Night Restaurant Group. It seems there’s no stopping her.
While Weinberg will steadfastly explain that her success is not without the help of her other partners—her husband, James Nicholas, and chef Jennifer Puccio—she is no doubt the creative force of the crew, a manic dreamer of entertainment in restaurant form with seemingly endless energy. As soon as one restaurant opens, the next idea is swirling in her head. And in true hostess form, the customer is at the core of what motivates Weinberg to push the limits. “I want to do the opposite of what we just did. We need to give our regulars new experiences,” she says.
But how the hell does she manage it all? “We have a layer of four or five people we couldn’t do without, and part of retention is expansion—we keep our best people engaged and excited with new projects.” Their latest creation? Leo’s Luxury Oyster Bar, a Mad Men-esque ode to craft cocktails, raw seafood, and opulent luxury opening New Years Eve in the former Wexler’s space in the heart of the FiDi. Inspired by an episode from season one, Weinberg takes the sexiest essence of Don Draper getting schnockered at lunch and transforms it into a most anticipated new spot: “I want gorgeous men in suits, drinking martinis and eating oysters at this bar.” Yes, please.

While The Cavalier’s members only back-room bar, Marianne’s—the embodiment of Weinberg’s late-night dreams—gives a taste of what makes her tick, Leo’s may prove to be the most personal project yet: Named after Nicholas’ and Weinberg’s cherub of a son, it’s an unabashed celebration of the group’s favorite things: “Jenn will admit she doesn’t eat cooked food. And James is super healthy. More than me, it’s the food they love,” Weinberg explains.
Though her fondness for rosé and, of course, lots and lots of bubbles, are all over the wine list. Leave it to Weinberg to have a literal Champagne room—a tented space behind the dining room replete with Moroccan tile floors, leather banquettes, and table service pouring everything from Laurent Perrier to a 1980 vintage Krug. “It’s not private, but it will feel glamorous,” Weinberg affirms. With an interior modeled after a 1950s-era Park Avenue apartment, courtesy of preeminent designers Ken Fulk and Jon de la Cruz, Leo’s will have an atrium with hanging ferns, a honey onyx bar, mahogany wood panels, green leather booths, and antique mirrored walls in the dining room. “It’s nightlife meets oyster bar,” says Weinberg.
And while we probed about what’s next, she’ll tell you that right now, “The plan is to make Leo’s great.” That said, we’re betting she’ll have something else in the hopper come January 1.

Article and images sourced from http://www.7x7.com/culture/2015-hot-20-anna-weinberg-empress-sf-restaurant-scene

Bauer Give Mourad Three Stars, Feels the Heat at Hawker Far

Patricia Chang

Mourad 

Plus: Dosa is still pretty good, and Elmira 

Rosticceria has rustic charm.

For his Sunday review, Michael Bauer thinks 

Mourad is the bee's knees, though not yet fully 

realized: "Many diners will feel that the food is 

fantastic — and on several levels it is — but 

it’s only scratching the surface of what I 

know is in Lahlou’s soul...It feels as if the 

intent is still a little fuzzy." Additionally, he 

found that "Mourad is an ambitious project 

with equally ambitious aspirations, and seems 

destined to have national impact. But whereas 

Aziza is more modest in its ambition, it feels 

complete. Mourad is a beautiful house, but 

not quite yet a home." Three stars. [Chron]

In honor of its 10th anniversary, Michael Bauer 

updates his opinion of Dosa's Valencia Street 

location: "The food under new chef Dinesh 

Kumar is good, but I wished for a little more 

finesse. For example, the seasonal vegetable 

uttapam ($13.50), which resembles a thin 

pancake, was so doughy that the batter actually 

stuck to my teeth." Some dishes, like the lamb 

korma were winners, but must of the menu "

was hit and miss." Ultimately, Bauer concluded 

that "while it’s still a popular stop, it seems as if 

the kitchen and some of the staff at Dosa is on 

autopilot. Yet with all the components and 

complexity that goes into preparing Indian food, 

it’s hard to be truly disappointed." 

Two stars. [Chron]

For his Thursday Update, Michael Bauer 

experiences the culinary equivalent of "Fifty 

Shades of Grey" at Hawker Fare: Chef-owner 

James Syhabout's recent leap across the bay 

elicited a visit from Bauer to Hawker Fare's new 

Mission location. "At the San Francisco branch, 

he’s created a similar, but expanded, menu. 

Often with an expansion, the soul is lost, but 

Syhabout has maintained the food’s vibrant 

nature." Things got real when Bauer had a 

taste of Syhabout's authentic and liberal use of 

spice: "By the end of one of my three visits, it 

felt as if flames had scorched my tongue, a sort 

of culinary equivalent of Fifty Shades of Grey." 

Even the dishes that aren’t as spicy have an 

assertive earthiness, such as vegetables stewed 

with knobs of pork rib ($13), Thai eggplant and 

still-crunchy long beans." Three stars. [Chron]

Luke Tsai time-travels to 1982, finds vegan 

sandwiches galore at Analog: The tiny, new bar 

from owners Arianna Alcala and Sean Asmar 

(proprietor of Bender's Bar and Grillin San 

Francisco) is a cozy place where carnivores and 

vegans can enjoy sandwiches side-by-side, 

along with a selection of craft beers and a 

healthy dose of vinyl-fueled nostalgia. "You 

don't have to be vegan to bow down to the 

glory of a sandwich Asmar has dubbed 'The 

Young and the Breastless,' probably the finest 

vegan sandwich I've eaten in recent memory."

 [EBX]

Wendy Hector loves Italy, and Elmira 

Rosticceria:  "At first glance it might look like a

 café, but the food coming out of Elmira’s 

kitchen is anything but pedestrian coffee shop 

fare." In fact, "It’s obvious from every bite of 

food that an immense amount of love has been 

put into each dish, and while they might not all 

be flawless, they all exhibit thoughtfulness and 

honest, rustic charm. Fresh, flavorful ingredients 

prepared with care — sometimes that’s all it takes 

to make the day better." [SF Examiner]

Five New San Francisco Places Where You Can Get Your Brunch On

Miniature one-eyed jacks with quail egg, bacon bits, and lemon-mustard buerre blanc. Photo courtesy of 1760.

Want to change up your same-old brunch game? Here are five new places to do it (including a weekday brunch spot, handy for the next time you play hooky). 

1760

Russian Hill and Nob Hill residents who want a unique twist on brunch can stroll over and check out what’s happening at 1760, which is now open for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 2:30pm. Burrata for brunch, why not? It comes with flatbread, house-smoked maple bacon, and grilled asparagus. The menu is definitely on the savory side, with pork belly with kimchi fried rice and an egg, or rock shrimp with Anson Mills polenta, hoisin, lime, and cilantro. The cocktails are also out of the ordinary, like the green cardamom fizz (cardamom cream, lime, egg white, club soda, gin), which sounds rather amazing. 1760 Polk (at Washington)

Klyde

If you want to lay some proper brunch bedrock before a day of shopping downtown, Klyde in the new Hotel G has you covered (and they start at 6:30am, which is pretty darn early). Here you will find crab and fried green tomato Benedict, ham and eggs with green chile grits, and bacon-wrapped shrimp with cheddar-scallion grits and a poached egg. For those who like things a little sweeter, there are liège waffles and pancakes, as well as almond brioche French toast with fruit and whipped cream. Bloody Mary, check. Served until 2pm.386 Geary (at Mason)

  

Marla Bakery

Did you know that Marla added Saturday brunch service? So now you can come by on Saturday or Sunday for their incomparable bagels with herbed farmers cheese, house-smoked sable fish, pickled vegetables, or their baked egg, which comes with spiced tomato cream, red Russian kale, charred torpedo onions, and garlic oil with grilled bread. Yeah, you want that — and their English muffin, too. Embrace the carbs, folks. 10:30am–2:30pm.3619 Balboa (at 37th Avenue)

Sparrow

Okay, so weekend brunch is, of course, commonplace, but how about weekday brunch? Exactly. Stop by Sparrow Tuesday–Friday from 10am–3pm for huevos rancheros, scrambles, smoked salmon quiche, and French toast. Prefer something a little big lunchier? Then check out their hanger steak and hidden egg in a nest (which would be a fried egg in brioche), or there’s always their burger. And it’s worth noting this Upper Haight spot has a pretty spacious patio, yessss. 1640 Haight (at Clayton)

Trou Normand

One tactical way to beat the Mission weekend brunch crowd is to head downtown, and the brunch here includes the big bonus of an outdoor patio (it’s glass-enclosed, so it doesn’t get too chilly). The menu includes some of their excellent salumi (hubba), like coppa with soft-boiled egg, asparagus, and mizuna. There’s also a croque madame with country ham and Brie, or a semolina pancake with huckleberries and maple syrup. Cocktails? Oh, you know it. Served Saturday–Sunday 11am–2pm. 140 New Montgomery (at Mission)

Article and photo sourced from:  http://www.7x7.com/eat-drink/5-new-places-where-you-can-get-your-brunch

Five New Restaurants to Check Out!

Sunset Reservoir Brewing Company/Facebook

 

×

A Sunset brewpub, a Castro Asian-fusion spot, a funky Oakland burger joint, and more.

Outer Sunset: Hilary Cherniss, of the Sunset's popular Devil's Teeth Baking Company, has debuted a new brewpub, Sunset Reservoir Brewing Company. Russian River alum Aaron Weshnak is brewing the five housemade beers, which include a wheat beer made with Devil's Teeth sourdough yeast, and there's a full menu of everything from roast chicken to pasta bolognese to a burger. It's intended to be a family-friendly place, and kids are welcome. Status: Open. 1735 Noriega St.

Mission Bay: Oda, a new cafe from a Kosovo-born owner, has opened at the 1500 Owens complex at UCSF. Sandwiches, salads, pizzas, and flatbreads are among the cafe offerings, and there's wine and draft beer in the evenings until 8 pm for the after-work crowd. Status: Softly open. 1500 Owens St.

NoPa/Western Addition: Bar 821 has gotten an interior and offering refresh, with a new second bar in the back of the space and plans for the largest amaro offering in the city. They've added more seating, but promise not to overly disturb the bar's reputation as a nice place for a cheap beer. Status: Open. 821 Divisadero St.

Castro: ManDu, an Asian street-food joint, has taken over Barracuda Sushi's former home in the Castro. They specialize in fusion fare like chicken wings with pickled ginger aioli, roti with curry dipping sauce, Korean tacos, and miso-marinated ribeye with caramelized onions. They also have soju cocktails with housemade fruit purees. Status: Open. 2251 Market St.

Uptown Oakland: Ultra-retro burger stand Giant Burger has been taken over and refurbished as Space Burger, with burgers, fries, shakes, and a few new additions like pulled-pork and portobello mushroom sandwiches. It'll only be there for about 18 months, though, as the lot it's on is set to be razed and turned into housing. Status: Open. 2150 Telegraph Ave.

Article and Photo sourced from:  http://sf.eater.com/2015/2/27/8122109/new-restaurants-bars-san-francisco-february-2015

State Bird Provision's big sister opens next door

State Bird Provisions was one of the most influential restaurants to open in the last couple of years; in fact, in 2013 it won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in the nation. Chefs from around the country — and the dining public — loved the casual dim sum approach owners Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski employed for their Western-style food. Even today, there’s generally a line of 50 or 60 people waiting to get in before the doors open.

What many people don’t realize is that State Bird was the warm-up act to their larger restaurant, the Progress, which is next door. The Progress embodies their dreams coming to life in the meticulously designed interior and in the food.

The food is served in a six-course fixed-price menu ($65). Diners are  given a sheet with about 17 dishes and the table collectively chooses the six they want, which are then served family-style.
It’s a great experience, and one that will no doubt rival State Bird in popularity.

To read Michael Bauer's review on www.sfchronicle.com, click here.



Article and photo sourced from:  http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2015/02/16/the-progress-the-follow-up-to-state-bird-provisions/#30467-1

25 New Restaurants to Try in the Bay Area

By Virginia Miller
October 24, 2014

Photo by: Virginia Miller

Where and what do we eat tonight? That's the never-ending question on everyone's mind. We're here to help answer that with a roundup of the latest openings you need to know around the Bay Area. Here are the 25 newest spots in order of opening — East Bay openings start at 22. Check back every Friday for an up-to-date list.
1) The Hall
Opened by Scott Peterson and Ted Wilson with AQ's Matt Semmelhack, The Hall is the latest step forward in the revitalization of Mid-Market. The hip, spacious food hall and market features six local food vendors and a bar, which means you can find breakfast, lunch, happy hour drinks and an early dinner all in a single space. Vendors cover a wide range of culinary styles, each using a heavy amount of sustainable and organic ingredients. Here's our walk-through of dishes and drinks to try (bonus: everything under $15). 1028 Market St.; 415-558-8293
2) Les Clos
Imagine your dream cafe, one with impeccable food, world-class wine and robust coffee. Lucky for SoMa, such a place exists: Les Clos, a new wine bar and café hybrid from award-winning sommelier Mark Bright. The Saison alum has brought on board two cohorts from the acclaimed restaurant, chef Shawn Gawle and cellar master/sommelier Cara Patricia Higgins. Modeled after the wine bars of Paris, Bright's Les Clos feels like the ideal French cafe, boasting both high-quality food and drinks. Despite the humble setting, chef Gawle's Parisian-inspired dishes certainly can wow. 234 Townsend St., 415-795-1422

Les Clos' Parisienne gnocchi gratinée  [Photo credit: Virginia Miller]
3) Lazy Bear
Lawyer-turned-chef David Barzelay launched his underground pop-up Lazy Bear last year, throwing imaginative tasting-menu dinners that gained a huge cult following (and long waiting lists). In late September, Barzelay finally rolled out a brick-and-mortar location in the Mission's former Hi Lo space and we had a First Look at some of the food just before the grand opening. The beautiful bones and feel of the interior are still there, complete with the vaulted, rafter-lined ceilings and charred, barrel-like wall. On the second floor, there's a chic lounge overlooking the dining room that's perfect for pre-dinner cocktails and small bites. Reservations go the Alinea and Next route: an online ticketing system of prepaid, nonrefundable (but transferable) tickets are released monthly — purchase them here. 3416 19th St.; 415-874-9921
4) Bistro L'Aviateur
The latest addition to the recent resurgence of French bistros is the Mission's L'Aviateur, opened mid-September by husband-and-wife duo Maha and Vincent Laforge (Vincent a former pilot, hence the aviation-themed name and decor). The cafe/bistro fare is rife with Mediterranean influences, namely from Maha's native Tunisia. Though the menu changes daily, it follows a format of salad and soup, two appetizers and two entrée options for lunch or dinner, with initial offerings like traditional Tunisian bread or quiche. Call ahead for hours which are still in flux. Here's our take on the cafe in opening weeks. 2850 21st St.; 415-757-0272

Tunisian pastries at Bistro L'Aviateur [Photo credit: Virginia Miller]​
5) Charin
Dinner in a changing, undisclosed location in the Mission/Bernal Heights/Noe Valley area? This is the setting for a rather unique concept that's may feel like a pop-up, but is actually a new restaurant that's always on the move. Charles-C Onyeama launched the concept, having staged at high-profile places like Benu, SPQR and Manresa. Here is our early take and course-by-course photos from the first week. The eight-course tasting menu will generally range from $95-$135 per person with the maximum reservation size for four people given the few tables (just 15). Sign up for dinner alerts on their site directly. The exact location is announced once reservations are made.
6) Hecho
Jesse Woodward and Dana Gleim (Hi Tops) — with consulting from Top Chef alum chef Jamie Lauren — launched this sit-down restaurant in the Castro focusing on modern interpretations of Mexican classics. On the menu, you'll find a variety of tacos (duck confit, crunchy picadillo, al pastor), along with entrees like beer-steamed clams and whole fried snapper. Naturally, drinks are heavy on tequila and mezcal cocktails. Read up on our early recommendations for dinner and brunch here. 2200 Market St.; 415-926-5630

Whole fried red snapper in chiles, lemon and garlic at Hecho [Photo credit: Virginia Miller]
7) Urchin Bistrot
Husband-and-wife duo Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani (Ame, Terra) opened Urchin Bistrot at the beginning of August in the former Wo Hing General Store. Running in partnership with Ame's Michael Morrison and chef/GM Susan Naderi Johnston, this on-trend bistro offers excellent escargot-style mussels along with other California-meets-France hits. Also: a Frenchy bar program from Rafael Jimenez Rivera (Ame, Comal, A16, Plum Bar), plus a mural highlighting Mission landmarks like the Roxie Theater warms the space. Our early recommends here. 584 Valencia St., 415-861-1844
8) Plin
Alexander Alioto's Plin breathes new life into the former Conduit/Another Monkey space with modern Italian small plates, including crudos, handmade pastas and a heavy focus on seafood. After tasting through the gamut, here are the menu items you shouldn't miss. The whole space looks fresh and new again thanks to a sleek redesign by Alioto's mom. 280 Valencia St.; 415-655-9510
9) Beso
The group behind Bisou in the Castro opened Beso (Spanish for “kiss”) in late August — another in the recent spate of new tapas spots. The open kitchen is run by Bisou Group’s executive chef and co-owner Nicolas Ronan and consulting chef-partner Anthony Lemortellec from NYC’s Boqueria. Here are our menu recommendations. 4058 A 18th St., 415-801-5392

Tamarind margarita slushie at Loló​ Cevicheria [Photo Source: Virginia Miller]
10) Loló​ Cevicheria
Now open in the former Loló​ space on 22nd Street, this new Peru-meets-Mexico concept from the same owners is a mellower alternative to the bustling relocated Loló​ on Valencia Street. A few of the cult-followed dishes of yesteryear are available at the Cevicheria, namely the taco tropical and tuna tacon. The rest of the menu has a decidedly Peruvian slant, overseen by chef-owner Jorge Martinez and chef Alberto Pitman, who cooked at famed Pujol in Mexico City. Amid toucan wallpaper, toy parrots and beach towel-lined banquettes, fill up on Peruvian ceviche and causas and Mexican tacos and sopes, while drinking sangria or margarita slushies. More early recommendations are here. 3230 22nd St.; 415-913-7898
11) Ferry Plaza Seafood
This long seafood counter, serving fresh crab and chowder, recently relocated from the Ferry Building to a light-filled space just off Washington Square Park in North Beach. It's still heavy on shellfish, but now offers a range of seafood on an expanded menu. Chef Joey Ng, who worked for years at the original location, cooks "with love," as she says, and one can taste it in the clean, but heartfelt, lines of the seafood-dominant dishes. 653 Union St.; 415-274-2561
12) Mason
TV personality and chef Ryan Scott hits Potrero Hill with a new restaurant called Mason, opened at the end of July serving “American pub food.” A pizza oven churns out pies like Maui Me with tomato sauce, ham, Maui Gold pineapple, jalapeño and rosemary. Of course, there's also a classic Margherita. Bites like house-cured olives in citrus and lavender and grilled artichokes dipped in remoulade round out the menu. Our recommends here. 338 De Haro St.; 415-255-9335

Cocktails at ABV [Photo credit: Virginia Miller]
13) ABV
Cocktail experts Todd Smith, Ryan Fitzgerald and Erik Reichborn-Kjennerud soft-opened ABV in the former Tokyo Go Go this week, featuring a 16-cocktail menu organized by spirit. Chef Kevin Cimino, formerly of St. Vincent, is playing with his Southern roots and many other global inspirations in the likes of a pimiento cheeseburger and a ma po sloppy Joe. Most of the finger foods and cocktails are priced at $10 or less. Bonus: hours are 2 PM-2 AM daily. Our favorite initial dishes and cocktails here. 3174 16th St., 415-400-4748
14) The Tradesman
In what was a sausage-smoking plant near Trick Dog and Flour + Water, The Tradesman opened 7/18 from Harrison Woodworking + Design owners, which means custom woodworking everywhere, from cabinets to tables. Scott Youkilis (Hog & Rocks) and chef Bryan Baker have helped put together a drink-friendly menu that offers the likes of peanut butter cheddar burgers and a strong wine and beer list. Our early recommends here. 753 Alabama St.; 415-814-2276
15) South
Charles Phan's South at SF Jazz was just completely changed and reopened under the same name as a Mexican small plates and cocktails bar for pre-show or any-time dining and drinks. Chef Rymee Trobaugh (of Zuni Cafe) serves affordable small plates ($5-$19) like shrimp sopas, beef tongue, albondigas, clam ceviche and entrees like rabbit in yellow mole, alongside cocktails with an agave spirits focus, naturally. Our early favorite dishes and cocktails here. 205 Franklin St., 415-539-3905
16) PABU
Sushi master and chef-owner of long-beloved Hana Japanese Restaurant in Rohnert Park, Ken Tominaga joined forces with Michael Mina to open PABU at the beginning of July, along with The Ramen Bar, which opened June 30. Expect izakaya and robata grill dishes alongside cocktails and Japanese whiskies from Mina Group head bartender Carlo Splendorini and lead bartender Nick Jones. Also: a fantastic nigiri tasting menu with sake pairings from master sake sommelier Stuart Morris. Here are our early food and drink recommendations. They recently added on lunch service. 101 California St.; 415-668-7228
17) Causewells
Owners Alvin Garcia and Tom Patella join forces with chef Adam Rosenblum, a former sous chef at Flour + Water, to serve a list of trendy greatest hits, including deviled eggs and kale Caesar. There are also playful turns like Allstar Donut bread pudding. The Bon Vivants Design+Build updated the 1930’s deco space and an outdoor patio space is on the way if they can raise Kickstarter funds to open it. PS: this too is a welcome late night option, serving food until 1 AM. Here are our initial food and drink recommendations. 2346 Chestnut St., 415-447-6081
18) The Ramen Bar
From Chef Ken Tominaga and The Mina Group, The Ramen Bar opened June 30 serving Tominaga’s signature Tokyo-style ramen bowls utilizing ingredients from local farms and purveyors, ethically-sourced meats and fresh fish. Drinks include Japanese beers, sake, cold-pressed juices, Los Angeles’ LAMILL Coffee and non-alcoholic “Tea-Tails,” like Hong Kong Milk Tea or Masala Chai Tea on tap. The space is meant to evoke a Japanese fishing village marked by shipping sails, rope and reclaimed wood. 101 California St.; 415-684-1570

Nigiri tasting menu at PABU [Photo credit: Virginia Miller]
19) Marla Bakery
Husband-wife team Amy Brown and Joe Wolf — who met working at Nopa and started Marla Bakery as a popular takeout window in the Mission — opened Marla Bakery, the restaurant, on June 20. It's an all-day affair, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch. Of course there's also a bakery attached. Check out our early picks here. A custom, two-tiered wood-fired oven centers the room, marked by wood cabinets and pottery, and a back garden and patio designed by Paxton Gate. There's also a wine, beer, cider and sherry drink menu from Chris Deegan, also formerly at Nopa. 3619 Balboa St.; 415-742-4379

20) Aveline and The European
Consider it a two-for-one deal: Aveline is a chic new restaurant from Top Chef alum Casey Thompson and The European is its equally classy neighboring bar, overseen by Adam Wilsom, formerly of Beretta. Both opened in tandem on June 6th in The Warwick hotel, central for theater- and gallery-goers, downtown shoppers and tourists. The bar serves fun bites like house Spam and black grape jelly with Texas toast paired to a menu of low-alcohol and Champagne cocktails. See our top items here, including visionary, gratifying yolk beignets wrapped in lardo and wagyu beef. 490 Geary St., 415-292-6430
21) Chubby Noodle Marina
With a soft opening on May 29, the long-fantastic original North Beach location of Chubby Noodle in the back of Amante bar has spawned a new Marina outpost. This Asian fusion gem from Don Pisto's Pete Mrabe and Nick Floulis serves creative noodle dishes, dumplings, poke, crudo and more with 13 wines on tap as well as a beer, sake and a low-alcohol cocktail on draft. We tried the entire menu and here are our favorites. 2205 Lombard St., 415-655-3335

Rye Parker House rolls at Causwells [Photo credit: Virginia Miller]
EAST BAY
22) Taiwan Bento
Soft opening at the end of August for Oakland's daytime lunch crowd, Taiwan Bento is from husband-and-wife team Stacy Tang and Willy Wang. They offer a range of Taiwanese-style bento dishes in various meat and vegetarian options, each with rice, pickled vegetables and a soft-boiled egg. For the moment, they are open Monday-Friday, 11:30 AM-2:30 PM. 412 22nd St., 510-250-9858
23) Jack's Oyster Bar & Fish House
Opened August 19, in Oakland’s Jack London Square, Jack’s Oyster Bar & Fish House is the second restaurant from Rick Hackett and Meredith Melville of next door Bocanova. Hackett crafted a seafood-dominant menu, ideal in Jack's waterfront setting with spacious outdoor patio gazing out at docked boats — pictured above — alongside Executive Chef Peter Villegas (Campton Place, La Mar, La Folie).  East and West Coast oysters flow and the house clam chowder ($9 bowl) is luxuriously creamy and smoky with bacon. Here are our initial recommends at this welcome new Oakland seafooder. 336 Water St., 510-271-7952
24) Shakewell
Top Chef alums and former Scala's Bistro chef Jen Biesty and pastry chef Tim Nugent opened their Oakland restaurant, Shakewell, on July 11. The airy space features Cal-Med cuisine with a Spanish emphasis, like boquerones, chicken albondigas, deviled quail eggs, lamb kefta. Nugent also puts forth some dreamy desserts and there are classic and seasonal, rotating cocktails, to boot. Our early standouts and recommended dishes and drinks here. 3407 Lakeshore Ave., 510-251-0329
25) alaMar, Oakland
Open May 1, alaMar, from chef-owner NYC-native Nelson German, is all about seafood. There’s a Louisiana-style crawfish boil and peel-and-eat Gulf shrimp, alongside playful seafood like coconut shrimp lollipops in champagne gastrique, dipped in Thai basil cocktail sauce. Cocktails by Rob Wertheimer continue in the playful spirit with punch bowls, sno-cones and house sodas. Our initial favorite items here. 100 Grand Ave.; 510-907-7555

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The newly relocated Marlowe opens Thursday in SoMa

Thursday is opening day for the new version of Marlowe.

The Marlowe team — led by Anna Weinberg, Jennifer Puccio and James Nicholas — closed their little Townsend Street restaurant two weeks ago, and shipped everything a few blocks away to the former address of Coco500.

Marlowe 2.0 features double the number of seats as its original version, jumping from 40 to 80. The other major changes are the new patio with room for 15-20 seats and a full liquor license, which allows for cocktails. And don’t forget: Emily Luchetti is on desserts at Marlowe, as well as at sister restaurants Park Tavern and the Cavalier. And despite the new location, Marlowe regulars will recognize plenty about the look and feel of the place (not to mention the menu), as designer Ken Fulk carried over plenty from Townsend Street.

Hours to start:

• Lunch (starting 10/6): Monday to Friday, 11:30am to 2:30pm.
• Dinner: Nightly, 5:30pm-10pm and until 11pm on Thursday to Saturday. Bar open with limited menu on weekday afternoons between lunch and dinner.

http://marlowesf.com/ 

Artile and Photos Sourced From:  http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2014/10/01/the-newly-relocated-marlowe-opens-thursday-in-soma/#27189-3 

Michael Mina, Ken Tominaga on a roll with Pabu

Ken Tominaga has developed a cultlike following for his sushi at Hana, his small restaurant in a Rohnert Park strip mall. Since it opened 24 years ago, it’s been the insider place to go. On any night you might find a half-dozen chefs there, including Michael Mina.

Mina, who has been a fan for more than a decade, wanted to give Tominaga a prominent stage in San Francisco to showcase his work. That partnership became a reality with Pabu, Mina’s newest restaurant, along with the more casual Ramen Bar next door (see the accompanying review).
The Japanese style is a departure for Mina, whose more than two dozen restaurants include RN74, Bourbon Steak and the new Bourbon Steak and Pub in Levi’s Stadium.

It’s also a career-capping move for the Tokyo-raised Tominaga. Pabu, which seats up to 220 as opposed to Hana’s 65, allows him to expand his vision as well as to blend old and new traditions. His wife has taken over the bulk of the duties at Hana, while he divides his time between the properties.
The design of the restaurant capitalizes on the high-rise venue, which includes a dining room, sushi bar, patio, private room and lounge. Soaring ceilings and three-story-high columns create a dramatic setting for the modern lanterns centered over the five-sided bar. The impressive installation is surrounded by burgundy wool banquettes, along with modern sofas and cocktail tables. A see-through partition separates the lounge from the main dining room, which also includes an open kitchen and sushi bar. Wood-framed booths opposite the kitchen mimic tatsumi rooms and help break up what could be a cavernous space. There’s also a glassed-in greenhouse-style patio that overlooks the building’s pedestrian plaza.

Each area seems to create a different mood, but it’s all upscale — relaxed and bustling at the same time. The fact that the restaurant is packed every night shows that if the concept is right, crowds will follow.

Tominaga’s menu is extensive. On any night, the sushi and sashimi selections might include 25 different fish and 20 maki rolls. There are also more than 40 other dishes designed to engage all the senses, whether it’s octopus ($13) bathed in sweet miso with cucumber, slightly chewy giant clams and seaweed, or Monterey squid ($13) marinated in soy, quickly grilled and dusted with togarashi, or red chile pepper, that makes it pop. It’s sliced into rings and served with shoyu kewpie, Japanese mayonnaise sauce.

His omakase menu, at $95, is one of the best deals around. If you want to see the kitchen at its best, this is the way to go. The preparations don’t have the subtlety or precision of what’s served at nearby Kusakabe, but the combinations are unique.

More Information

Overall: 3 STARS
Pabu
Food: 3 STARS
Service: 3 STARS
Atmosphere: 3 STARS
Prices: $$$$
Noise rating: BOMB
101 California St. (at Front Street) San Francisco.
(415) 668-7228.
www.pabuizakaya.com.

Lunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday. Dinner 5:30-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, until 10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

Full bar. Reservations and credit cards accepted. 3% S.F. surcharge. Difficult street parking; paid lots nearby. Valet $10.

Those include Ken’s Roll ($20). Each of eight pieces is domed with a slice of spicy tuna centered with a pine nut and a sprinkling of furikake, a seasoning made with dried fish. The molded rice below encloses a thin sheet of nori, crab tempura and avocado; the roll is flanked by a ball of wasabi and a mound of pickled ginger, all on a puddle of eel sauce. It’s truly an over-the-top combination.
The tasting menu kicks off with an equally explosive combination called the Happy Spoon, stacked with Kusshi oyster, uni, tobiko and ponzu creme fraiche. Next are two slices of kampachi arranged on a shallow pool of yuzu ponzu and topped with tobiko, pine nuts and fried shallots.

The sushi courses progress from lighter to more robust, which makes for some interesting comparisons. It almost goes without saying that the fish is expertly cut, marinated and seasoned to bring out its best qualities before being draped over a modest pad of rice where the grains are tender but remain distinctive.

The first sushi course, called Geta, features sea bream, sea robin, scorpion fish and fluke fin, which is lightly seared and seasoned with sudachi, a pungent citrus fruit that stands in for vinegar. The Dari presentation includes three kinds of mackerel — horse, Spanish and Japanese — along with young gizzard shad that only needs a little soy to bring it around.

Variations of tuna come next: bluefin, big eye and two fatty bluefin cut from different parts of the fish. The sommelier paired it with Take No Tsuya Junmai sake, and then brought out a bottle of water from the underground springs on the producer’s estate in Honshu used to make the sake. It was a revelation to taste the water’s purity and delicacy.

Up next are more assertively textured and flavored offerings: surf clam, snow crab, geoduck and sea urchin boosted by salmon roe. This leads to shabu shabu — slices of Wagyu beef designed to be quickly cooked in kombu broth with chunks of tofu, mushrooms and onions. This course was paired with warm Honjozo sake that has a rich mineral quality to stand up to the intensely flavored beef.
The dinner concludes with cherry sorbet served next to chunked slices of nectarines and cherries, with sparkling sake fizzing around it.

The wine pairings ($50), which I highly recommend, include a flute of Iron Horse Cuvee Michael Mina sparkling wine. The rest of the selections come from the extensive sake selection. Explanations are provided on the menu, and the sommeliers on the floor can talk extensively about each one.
If diners want to venture away from sushi on the a la carte menu, offerings include fried chicken ($11) with a thin golden coating. It’s served with spicy mayonnaise that helps to bring it alive, but a more generous hand in seasoning the meat would have improved it a bit. There’s also excellent tempura, especially the maitake mushrooms ($13).

The menu also features nine skewers, including chicken thigh with scallions ($7); tender chicken meatballs ($6) with an egg yolk and togarashi for dipping; and chunks of chicken breast ($7) with shisho and umeboshi. The chef’s skewer tasting ($26) might include beef tongue, skirt steak and pork belly.

Other hot small plates worth considering: sake steamed clams ($12); chawan mushi ($15) with shrimp, scallops, shiitakes and salmon roe; and pork gyoza ($12) with the filling barely visible within a very thin leathery/tender wrapping.

Shabu shabu can also be made with hamachi snow crab and scallops ($42); American Wagyu ($38 for 3 ounces) or Japanese A5 Wagyu ($32 per ounce).

Larger plates include a crisp flounder ($24), where the double-fried carcass serves as a basket to hold the fried fish fillets and tempura-battered shishito. The basket’s golden bones have a potato chip-like crunch so diners can break off pieces and eat them. Other choices include black cod ($32) assertively flavored with miso and mustard seeds, accompanied by summer beans; and duck ($32) with glazed plums and mountain yam dumplings.

Dessert includes a fine-crumbed sake roll cake ($8) wrapped around yuzu curd, with strawberries and coconut; soy caramel custard topped with sesame candy and cubes of coffee jelly; and green tea/white chocolate pudding ($8) with plum and sake jam. The best is the simplest: cherry sorbet ($6), a light, vibrant way to end the meal.

From start to finish, the preparations follow tradition, but with enough departure points to please the widest variety of diners. Even someone like Willie Brown, who says he doesn’t eat raw fish, can find something to love at Pabu.

Article and Photos Sourced From:  http://www.sfgate.com/restaurants/article/Bauer24-Pabu-5701894.php