The Chatterbox

North Beach was buzzing over the weekend, and I think some older folks were popping a little more Lipitor than usual before heading over to check out ~ORIGINAL JOE’S~ new home on Washington Square Park. The restaurant, which dates back to 1937, tragically closed in October 2007 after a terrible fire ripped through the Tenderloin location (on Taylor Street). The Duggan family ultimately decided to move the restaurant to the space that previously housed Joe DiMaggio’s, and prior to that, the historic Fior d’Italia.

Kudos to the Duggan family (and Anthony Fish of Arcanum Architecture) for doing such a great job in integrating the classic OJ’s elements into the new location. The signature burgundy red booths were brought over (and some of the counter stools), redwood panels, Art Deco mermaids, a vintage neon exterior sign, and the exhibition kitchen counter is also in effect. There’s a separate cocktail lounge with a piano, two private rooms, and look for sidewalk seating in the spring. NBC shot this fun segment about the reopening.

On the menu: the same classic Italian-American style of dishes, like veal parmigiana, linguini and clams, and of course Joe’s special (I like it with an egg and Tabasco on top), plus some new lighter items as well. You can view the menu here. Classic cocktails include a Manhattan, Aviation, and Vesper; check out the menu here. Hours are Sun-Wed 10:30am-10pm and Thu-Sat 10:30am-11pm. Reservations will be accepted starting in a couple of weeks.

A tablehopper reader tipped me off that after 18 years in business, ~REX CAFE~ on Polk Street is converting into a Spanish restaurant. Partners Bob DiFranco and Daniel Mougeot will close Rex at the end of February, and after a month of refreshing the space, will reopen it as ~MARBELLA~, named after the coastal town in Spain. Instead of just small tapas plates, many dishes will be designed for groups to share. There will also be a new cocktail program, featuring fresh juices. Stand by for a menu and more details in coming months. 2323 Polk St. at Union, 415-441-2244.

One of the owners of ~TROYA~ in the Richmond, Berk Kinalilar, emailed me last week to tell me Troya is opening a second location, Troya Fillmore, in the vacant Citizen Cake space. The menu will have the same Turkish focus (have you ever had their delicate and delicious manti?), but the Scoop elaborates more on the menu: “it will incorporate the entire eastern Mediterranean region. Expect mezes, small plates, and a few larger plates; it will be open for lunch and dinner daily, with brunch on the weekends.” Look for an opening in a couple months. 2125 Fillmore St. at Sacramento.

David Lynch is going full-tilt over at ~ST. VINCENT~, his upcoming project on Valencia Street (in the former Heart space). Scoop announces Lynch has hired Bill Niles (Bar Tartine) as the chef—although Chris Kronner will still be consulting on food operations. The impending food style is described as “hearty, polished California fare.”

More news: Lynch has hired cicerone Sayre Piotrkowski (previously at Monk’s Kettle) to be the beer director, although he’ll be acting as a consultant. He will be designing the beer list, and is coordinating an all-brewery-direct draft program to insure the freshest beer.

A tablehopper reader alerted me ~CAFE ALTANO~ in Hayes Valley has closed. (The owners are behind SOMA Restaurant & Bar in the Pickwick at 85 5th Street and Mission) Here’s hoping someone with some crazy-delicious food moves in there, it’s such a pretty corner space. 602 Hayes St. at Laguna.

Starting this Wednesday February 1st, ~NOJO~ in Hayes Valley is serving lunch Wed-Fri 11am-2:30pm. Dishes like the gyoza, a variety of soba dishes, a tonkatsu sandwich, and a bacon-wrapped hot dog (!) are all available. You can view the lunch menu here.

As previously mentioned in tablehopper, ~GILBERTH’S ROTISSERIE & GRILL~, from Gilberth Cab and Julia Rivera of The New Spot and Oralia’s is now (softly) open, according to the Dogpatch Howler. The Latin-fusion menu will feature dishes with Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Central American influences, like roasted pork neck with plantain mofongo, and Cuban baby back ribs with a guava glaze, fried plantains, and gallo pinto. And, of course, chicken off the rotisserie. Open daily 11am-3pm and 5pm-10:30pm. 2427-2429 3rd St. at 20th St.

Further up, ~MERCURY LOUNGE~ in SoMa is closing, according to SFoodie. The last day for dinner service is February 18th, though bar bites and drinks will continue through March 1st. Mercury chef Dominic Ainza reportedly cites the economy and competition from food trucks as contributing factors. 1582 Folsom St. at 12th St., 415-551-1582.

SFoodie brings us news of an upcoming street food destination: ~SOMA STREAT FOOD PARK~. Carlos Muela, who is behind the project, has just begun construction on the project at 346 11th Street at Division.

Inspired by Portland’s non-mobile street food scene, Muela hopes that providing a permanent street food park will make life easier for food truck vendors, who often have a hard time finding a place to situate themselves for business. The plan is for different trucks to rotate in and out of the park’s nine slots throughout the week, serving lunch and dinner (city permits allow them to serve until midnight). SFoodie also notes that “shelter for up to 200 diners, lights, and permanent restrooms” are part of the plans. The opening is still a couple months out.

Some new dishes to get you into trouble on the weekends. First, ~LAFITTE~ is partnering with Petaluma Farms to serve an all-egg brunch menu on Saturdays, starting February 4th. You can also pick up eggs to bring home. 10am-2pm.

You know that infamous Bacon Butter Burger at ~MAVERICK~? Yeah, the one that’s 70% cured Meyer chuck, 20% Oregon sweet cream butter, and 10% Nueske’s bacon. Starting Saturday February 4th, you can now only get it during brunch, and they promise to not run out. This monster comes loaded with a bacon pepper marmalade, Gruyère cheese, an onion ring, and jalapeño mayo on an Acme bun—it comes with fries, all for $13.

Eater brings word of a new pizza on Saturdays (only) at ~UNA PIZZA NAPOLETANA~, the Apollonia. Named in honor of the Mangieris’ daughter, it comes topped with salami, buffalo mozzarella, garlic, Alder Lane Farm eggs, Parmigiano, and basil. For those paying attention, this will be the first pizza on the menu with meat on it.

On Friday February 3rd, Brass Knuckle will be popping up in ~GALETTE 88~ with a four-course dinner called All Pigs Considered (click to see the menu and book your space). 6:30pm-11pm. $46. 88 Hardie Pl., off Kearny, between Bush and Sutter, 415-989-2222.

From Tuesday February 7th-Friday February 10th, ~OLIVETO~ is hosting its famous Whole Hog dinners. The menu will have “a simpler focus on the rustic ways of traditional farm families. There will still be plenty of extraordinary dishes, with the core of the menu coming from the farmhouse and time-honored preparations.” Menus will be posted later this week, but some selections include frittole (preserved Calabrian confit of skin and trim with cannellini beans, frisée, and lemon), nodino alla Veneziana (salt-cured chops marinated with chile flake and coriander, cooked under a brick), fegatelli di maiale al finocchio (Tuscan-style grilled fennel-seed-crusted pork liver and crostini), penne alla norcina (Umbrian pork sausage with garlic, cream, and Parmesan cheese), and fusilli con soffritto di maiale (Calabrian ragu of heart, liver, and kidney). Book your reservation now at 510-547-5356.

I was so sorry to read in Eater about the flue fire that broke out in between ~GREAT CHINA~ and ~RAZAN’S ORGANIC KITCHEN~ in downtown Berkeley. No word on when Great China will reopen (the damage sadly sounds pretty extensive) but Razan’s was not damaged in the fire. Razan’s, 2119 Kittredge St. at Fulton, Berkeley, 510-486-0449. Great China, 2115 Kittredge St. at Fulton, Berkeley, 510-843-7996.

Grub Street highlighted an SF Business Times article about the change in plans at Jack London Square. Instead of the Jack London Market, the Ferry Building Marketplace-esque large public market that was supposed to open, “they are now, instead, looking for food manufacturing tenants to fill the vacant space.” Stand by for updates.

I learned in a Studio Gourmet email last Friday that chef Dean Dupuis was leaving Oakland’s ~PICÁN~. More details have been officially released: Dupuis is leaving to join DC chef and restaurateur Robert Wiedmaier at Revel, an upcoming Atlantic City resort, where he will be the chef de cuisine. In the meantime, owner-founder Michael LeBlanc is going to be heading to the South to find a replacement chef.

A post on Chowhound mentions a taker for Alameda’s ~ACAPULCO RESTAURANT~. The post says, “Mike (owner of Paradise Grill and Best Burger in San Leandro and Paradiso at Willow Park in Castro Valley) has purchased Acapulcos and is revamping the interior and the food. He’s purchased the recipes, but says that, while he’ll use them as a basis, he plans to include homemade sauces, etc. Planning permits, etc. are troublesome in Alameda, but he hopes to open in March. Also, NO MORE wine margaritas. He’s working on the liqour license, too.” That was one informative post, thanks. 2104 Lincoln Ave. at Willow, Alameda.

Now open in Berkeley is ~ALCHEMY COLLECTIVE~, a teeny-tiny coop café that some will recognize as the cart that was previously in the parking lot of BioFuel Oasis. The partners are serving Verve on a La Marzocco machine (it’s on the cart they built), and be sure to check out the custom drip contraption they made as well. 3140 Martin Luther King Jr. Way at the Adeline split, Berkeley.

After checking in with Sandbox Bakery owner Mutsumi Takehara a few times this past month, I was happy to see her tweet that her new second business officially opened in the former Maggie Mudd location, ~903~. She is serving breakfast and lunch daily from 9am-3pm, and dinner will launch February 1st.

On yesterday’s lunch menu: crispy shrimp ball with aioli and sweet and sour plum sauce in a challah hot dog bun, chicken tsukune burger on a potato roll, and Panang fish curry in a Bernal roll (all items $7-$9, and come with mixed greens). You have the option of getting dishes like these (and more) over rice or salad, or you can upgrade to a bento for $3 more and get rice, and your choice of two sides, like corn fritter with Kaffir lime (um, hello), soba noodle salad, or crispy kale.

In case you’re wondering about the smoker out front, Mutsumi’s husband, Mike (who did all the work for the restaurant and bakery), welded the giant smoker. His dad owns a farm in Oregon and the couple is getting some pigs from them, and then butchering and smoking them in the smoker! Today, there were some ribs and a roasted porchetta sandwich to add to the menu mix, and they also do brisket and pastrami.

There are about 20 seats total at a communal table and a couple four tops, plus some stools at a counter. The website will eventually go live here. 903 Cortland Ave. at Gates.

According to Mission Loc@l, Preeti Mistry of ~JUHU BEACH CLUB~ is trying to open her brick-and-mortar location in the (currently vacant) Quic Pic Grocery on Mission Street. Here’s hoping all goes smoothly with the change of use from the planning commission. Stand by for more in coming months. 2141 Mission St. at Sycamore.

More Mission action: SFist announces the upcoming ~20 SPOT~ due to open in mid-spring in the former Force of Habit record shop in the Mission. Further details from Eater mention the owner Bodhi Freedom (owner of Russian Hill’s Bacchus for the past 12 years) is planning to offer plenty of vino, along with well-sourced/local food courtesy of a former nopa sous chef (stand by for who that is). There will be a wood bar (seating 10), tables (seating 28), and “colored blown glass light fixtures made in a friend’s glass blowing studio in Mexico City.” June is the current target. 3565 20th St. at Lexington.

And not 24 hours after a tablehopper reader told me they spotted some activity at the former Clown Alley/Pickles location in North Beach, Scoop reveals it’s going to be yet another Basque restaurant in the area called ~BASK~. Two couples are reportedly behind the project: Sabrina and Patrick Thillard, and David and Suzanne Cot. On tap: lunch, dinner, tapas at happy hour. A quick remodel is in the works. 42 Columbus Ave. at Jackson.

I got the confirmation too late for last week’s column, but ~DOTTIE’S TRUE BLUE CAFE~ has officially opened in its new SoMa location (the former Passion Café). It’s spacious, with wood floors and a marble bar, and lookin’ good! The new location’s hours are as follows: Mon, Wed-Fri 7:30am-3pm and Sat-Sun 7:30am-4pm (which are new, extended hours!), closed Tue. 28 6th St. at Market, 415-885-2767.

Last week, a tipster alerted me that chef Sarah Kirnon had left the restaurant ~HIBISCUS~ in Oakland. After calling her up, she didn’t want to talk about it at that moment, but now that the cat’s out of the bag, well, it’s out of the bag. In a text, she did mention she is going to do a pop-up at Bar Tartine on Monday February 13th, and is going to be working with the Starline Ballroom in Oakland on some projects. She also mentioned she’s helping a friend launch a sandwich shop in South San Francisco in late February.

Hibiscus contacted the Scoop with this information: they are launching a new menu on Thursday, a “revised comfortable and family friendly menu.” No word on who the new chef is.

After tasting a very delicious bowl of bun rieu noodle soup that home chef Hung Lam (aka ~SOUP JUNKIE~) kindly served me during a dinner party in his apartment a couple months ago, I was happy to hear he’s popping up this Friday January 27th at Vinyl Wine Bar. Hung’s bun rieu is a lovingly made soup with a six-hour crab- and tomato-based broth, with the most tender crab omelet tucked inside, plus housemade pork meatballs, rice vermicelli noodles, curled water spinach, bean sprouts, and fresh herbs. The recipe is his mother’s, and even though I haven’t tried his mom’s bun rieu, I imagine he’s doing it some very fine justice. $11 per bowl. There will also be a snack of crispy pig ears that are braised in spices for 15 hours, then fried. Hung is going to have enough for 40 bowls, serving from 6pm-10pm. Depending on turnout, he will hopefully do this again. Vinyl Wine Bar, 359 Divisadero St. at Oak, 415-621-4132.

A tweet announced ~JABLOW’S MEATS~ is taking over where Wise Sons left off, popping up with Saturday lunches at ~BEAST AND THE HARE~ from 11am-2pm. Look for housemade pastrami, bacon, and corned beef sandwiches, plus housemade ginger ale. 1001 Guerrero St. at 22nd St.

Tasting Table mentioned local seafood retail shop ~NEW ENGLAND LOBSTER CO.~ has added a food trailer in their parking lot, serving a lobster roll ($15.50), and one with crab meat ($14) on weekdays 11am-3pm; both rolls come with a side of coleslaw and a bag of chips. Menu and more here. 170 Mitchell Ave. at Harbor Way, South San Francisco, 650-873-9000.

While the crew at ~CRIOLLA KITCHEN~ ramps up on their redesign, they decided to open for lunch in the meantime, serving a variety of po’ boys made with local and sustainable ingredients. Starting this Wednesday, you can swing by for a sandwich in three different sizes (shorty, full, or loaf). Choices include the Rich’Boy ($13/$20/$40) with braised American Wagyu beef and foie gras mayo; fried Louisiana Gulf shrimp ($10/$15/$30), caught and served fresh every day; and the pulled-smoked ham hock salad ($8/$12/$24) with cold ham hock, mayo, pickled okra, and Creole mustard. I know, they sound gooooood. There are 11 in all, with fried chicken, fried oysters, grilled andouille sausage, and more.

And based on the famed New Orleans sandwich’s famous history (they got their name because they were originally offered up for the striking street car motor men and conductors during the strike of 1929), Criolla is offering a 25% discount on all sandwiches to any street car and cable car drivers in San Francisco. It’s just counter service, but catering is available (yeah, I’d like to cater my office—army of one). Sandwiches served Mon-Fri 11am-3pm.

Report by Rebecca Kinney, tablehopper intern.

~U-SUSHI~ opened on Market Street last week, bringing a fast-casual and healthy option to the Financial District. From the folks behind Ozumo, u-sushi brings takeout sushi to a new level. Customers can choose from about 40 ingredients which are hand-rolled before your eyes. The process, which takes less than a minute, is assisted by state-of-the-art machines from Japan. If you’ve ever made sushi and ended up with rice stuck all over your hands, you’ll really appreciate the first machine: it spreads white or brown rice in a perfectly even layer on your choice of seaweed or soy paper. The “u-chefs” then fill your roll with your choice of fish, vegetables, sauce, and garnishes before rolling it by hand for the final machine. Dubbed the “sushi elevator,” the machine lifts your roll through some very sharp blades to give you eight perfect pieces. The roll is quickly wrapped while you grab a green tea Arnold Palmer on your way out the door.

Take a look at the menu here. [Ed. note: Unfortunately I don’t see nary a mention of sustainability on the menu or website (or press release). Great, now we can deplete the diminishing quantities of unagi even quicker!] Open Mon-Fri 10:30am-7pm. 525 Market St. at 1st St., 415-543-7655.

After speaking at a panel on Saturday, I had a mad craving for a bowl of jook from ~HING LUNG~ in North Beach. Had I read SFoodie on Friday, I would have learned the place was closed before looking for parking and walking over three blocks to discover the same piece of news. What royally bummed me out was to learn the SF Department of Health was forced to not only close the place down, but to revoke its license for six months due to repeated violations (“the inspector found several recurring violations, including a severe cockroach and rat infestation and unsafe food handling facilities”). Damn. That grosses me out so much. I don’t even really care if they reopen now. Well, unless I see a 100 proudly displayed in the window. Hell, if the El Tonayense taco truck can do it…. 674 Broadway at Stockton.

Eater brings news that Ryan Scott is discontinuing his Brunch Drunk Love at Bruno’s after this weekend (January 28th-29th). In mid-February, he will be opening his new quick-service restaurant, ~PLEASE & THANK YOU~, serving salads, soups, and sandwiches. Scoop mentions he’ll be opening a second (and more tricked-out) location at 300 De Haro St. in April. 68 W. Portal Ave. at Vicente.

Eater also mentions ~LUNA~ in the Castro has closed. And it may have been closed for a while: someone on Yelp (posted on November 29th, 2011) said, “I find it interesting that basically I believe this place has closed and no one has even noticed.” Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. Fade to black. 558 Castro St. at 19th St.

Fans of ~HODO SOY~’s products should note the kiosk at the Ferry Building Marketplace is closed for a remodel until the end of February (when they will relaunch with some new offerings). So in case you’re jonesing for some of their spicy yuba strips, you’ll have to find it at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Tuesdays and Saturdays for now.

A few deals for your radar. First, on Sunday January 29th, ~PRESIDIO SOCIAL CLUB~ is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a par-tay. There will be two signature cocktails for $5, free Roederer Estate sparkling wine, and some free bites (Gruyère cheese toasts with tomato dip, fried chicken bites with buttermilk dressing, chicken liver pâté on rye toasts, pork and kimchi sliders, and dirty dozen beignets), along with live music. 3pm-6pm. All month long, PSC is serving a couple of their classic cocktails from the opening menu for $5 (Presidio Pink Lemonade and Gun Powder Cocktail). RSVP here.

~EPIC ROASTHOUSE~ and ~WATERBAR~ are turning four, and are celebrating on Sunday January 29th and Monday January 30th with special $4 and $44 offers. On the 29th, EPIC will offer a $44.44 prix-fixe menu featuring gumbo ya ya, cedar-smoked scallops seafood paella, Schmidt Ranch beef tenderloin, and chocolate soufflé for dessert. EPIC and Waterbar will both host a $4 happy hour on Sunday (3pm-6:30pm) and Monday (11:30am-6pm), with a signature cocktail, red and white wine, and beer.

I was happy to learn my neighborhood usual ~GREEN CHILE KITCHEN~ is offering half-off all regular breakfast burritos Mon-Thu (9am-12pm) and half-off all appetizers and drinks (excluding guacamole and Pacifico beer) for happy hour Mon-Thu (4pm-6pm) until the end of February. Why the deals? They’re celebrating their six-year anniversary. Maybe this will help make up for the sometimes cranky service and mixed-up to-go orders I seem to encounter there each month. Two new items to look for on the menu: stuffed sopaipillas (filled with meat or vegetables and topped in red or green chile) and carne adovada (pork marinated for 24 hours in red chile and spices). 1801 McAllister St. at Baker, 415-440-9411.

Truffles. Crab. Nope, neither suck. At all. From January 23rd through February 5th, ~SPRUCE~ will have a Périgord black truffle menu for dinner service, including potato gnocchi, oxtail ravioli, and more. $125 per person, exclusive of tax and gratuity; $50 optional wine pairing.

~AMERICANO~ at Hotel Vitale is hosting a Crab and Champagne Dinner on Friday January 27th in the tented patio (and since the rain went away for the week, it should be a nice setting). Guests will enjoy local Dungeness crab served family-style with drawn butter and housemade sourdough bread, accompanied by Champagne and wine selections. Also on chef Kory Stewart’s menu: heirloom chicory salad with winter citrus, avocado, and ricotta salata, and apple-huckleberry pie with housemade vanilla ice cream for dessert. 6:30pm-8:30pm. $65 per person for three-course dinner, inclusive of tax and gratuity. Reservations must be booked by January 26th: call 415-278-3777 or book a 6:30pm reservation through OpenTable by visiting AmericanoRestaurant.com and noting “Crab & Champagne Dinner” in the Special Requests box.

According to a tweet from ABC7 News, I learned the ~NOBLE CAFE~, reportedly the country’s first 100% carbon-neutral coffee shop, is now open in The Grand apartment building in Oakland. Although I’d like to shoot their website designer who makes me feel like I’m having an eye exam every time I click something on their website, the site mentions that the coffee is from Blue Bottle, with tea from Rishi. You can get French press, pour over, or siphon coffee, plus espresso drinks. There are pastries and some breakfast items, but an all-organic lunch menu will launch later. Open Mon-Fri 7am-7pm. You can read more about the café’s green practices on their Facebook page. 100 Grand Ave., Suite 111 at Valdez, Oakland, 510-444-3800.

And it’s already underway, but the second annual ~OAKLAND RESTAURANT WEEK~ is on now through Sunday January 29th. You can try a bunch of special prix-fixe menus priced at $20, $30, and $40, with drink specials often included. Check it out!

An article in Berkeleyside mentions the opening of ~GREEN EARTH CAFE & BAKERY~, with a menu around macrobiotics, and what they are calling “L.O.V.E.S.” (local, organic, vegan, ethical, sustainable) principles. (Cough.) The menu includes soups (like “cream” of broccoli soup), salads, sandwiches, wraps, pizzas, and more—plus desserts. Chef Ciren Zhuoga “has cooked at Manzanita Restaurant in Oakland where she specializes in weekend brunch menus.” Breakfast, lunch, and Saturday brunch for now, and dinner is launching soon. 2124 Center St. at Shattuck, 510-981-8404.

And fans of cooking classes might want to swing by the opening party for the new and second location of ~KITCHEN ON FIRE~ in West Berkeley this Saturday January 28th (7pm-9pm). The mission of founder-chefs Olivier Said and MikeC. is “make great food accessible to everyone by demystifying kitchen and entertaining skills in a fun, technique-driven, empowering environment.” At the party, you can check out the space, sample some breads and pastries, and see what’s in store for the new spot. 2940 7th St. at Potter, Berkeley, 510-548-2665.

The Oakland location of ~B RESTAURANT & BAR~ has a new 510 Happy Hour, and it’s very much what it sounds like: locally focused with lots of 5s, 1s, and 0s. Tuesday to Friday between 5:10pm-6:10pm, all Alameda wines on the menu will be $5.10/glass, rotating cocktails with Hanger One or St. George will be $5.10, and a selection of local beers will also be $5.10. Local wines on their menu hail from Dashe Cellars, Urban Legend, JC Cellars, and Rosenblum Cellars. 499 9th St. at Washington, Oakland, 510-251-8770.

~BOCANOVA~ also has a new happy hour gig, which they’re dubbing Late Nite Boca Bite. Between 9pm-10:30pm Thursday to Saturday, you can get cocktails and Bocaditos at happy hour prices, like yucca and cheese fritters ($4), fried plantains with cilantro aioli ($3), oysters on the half shell ($1.50), Dungeness crab deviled eggs with chipotle aioli ($1.75), a daily taco with pickled cabbage ($3.50), and pork ribs with guava barbecue sauce ($2). Drink specials include special cocktails ($5), select wines ($6), and seven-ounce Linden Street beers ($2.50). Holla for late(r)-night eats! Their regular happy hour runs Mon-Sat 3pm-6pm. 55 Webster St. in Jack London Square, Oakland, 510-444-1233.

I love how I was complaining in my annual rant, the bore, just a few weeks ago about the lack of a decent souvlaki place in this town. Well, well, well, what have we here? A new concept called ~SOUVLA~ from Charles Bililies, which is going to make its debut in San Francisco! The “souvla” is literally the rotisserie rod/roasting spit—and will be playing a major part in this modern take on a souvlaki/gyro joint. Bililies explains Souvla is going to have a Bay Area approach to ingredients, and mark the end of “the mystery cone meat and out-of-season tomatoes—the gyro hasn’t changed in America since the 1970s!”

For about $9, you’ll be able to have pieces of spit-roasted “lamb porchetta”—which is lamb loin wrapped in lamb belly—plus spiced yogurt, salad, Greek cheese, and a variety of sauces to choose from, all tucked into a pita. There will also be some other larger cuts of meat available, from goat to chicken to pork—just depends what’s on the spit that day (larger entrées are also possible). There will be a vegetarian option with roasted vegetables as well. Sides will include a few dishes like roasted potatoes and a dessert or two.

The restaurant will be fast casual (you order at the counter and take a seat or get it to go), but there will also be some tap-based beers and wines (Greek and domestic) that you can have by the glass or carafe. Bililies explains it’s going to be a bit like a Greek taqueria, serving lunch, dinner, and late into the night. And no white walls and blue accents here—Souvla is going to be a modern adaptation of a Greek concept, not a direct facsimile of something you’d find in Crete.

Bililies, a Greek American, has quite the impressive background: an associate’s degree in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales, a bachelor’s degree in hospitality administration from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, then culinary assistant at The French Laundry, followed by a position as manager of Bouchon. He then moved to the Michael Mina Group, working for Michael Mina restaurant and eventually as operations manager for RN74.

Now, here’s the catch: Souvla is still seeking investors and a first location. The concept is intended to be scalable, with locations throughout the Bay Area (I’m sure we’d all like that). Interested in getting on board? Check out the site for more information, and I’ll of course keep you posted on how this is taking shape! Color me excited.

According to some exciting liquor license application activity, ~BURMA SUPERSTAR~ reveals plans to open a location in the Mission in the former Bodhi (very close to Zeitgeist). Stand by for updates on timing and more. 211 Valencia St. at Duboce.

Over in North Beach, Gianni.TV confirms ~GEPPETTO~ is opening later this week, possibly tomorrow. To review, a couple weeks ago I mentioned this new salumeria in North Beach is from the owner of Trattoria Pinocchio (which is just next door). Details via Gianni are good: a Sicilian focus with dishes like marinated octopus, scungilli (conch), and other prepared dishes, plus imported salumi, cheeses, and other products. He also mentions the GM and man behind the counter, “Steve” Leone, spent 17 years at Molinari. 658 Vallejo St. at Columbus, 415-291-8811.

After an original post on Chowhound followed by many delays (including a shattered gelato case that had to be re-shipped from Italy), the ~ICE CREAM BAR~ is finally due to open in Cole Valley on Saturday January 21st. Owner Juliet Pries says the mostly organic menu will focus on sweets at first and savory items will follow after they open. There will be a dozen ice cream flavors such as roasted pineapple.

If the thought of eating ice cream in this weather gives you the chills, not to worry. The Ice Cream Bar is seeking a beer and wine license to warm you up with a little alcoholic refreshment such as raspberry lambic floats, prosecco sorbet floats, and caramel ice cream floats with lager. As reported in Eater, Pries brought on Russell Davis of Rickhouse to help develop the drinks. Bartenders will be behind the soda fountain creating daily specials and custom drinks from more than 75 herbs, spices, and tinctures. In addition to traditional milkshakes and malts, Ice Cream Bar will serve an old-fashioned drink made with cream, flavoring, ice, and a whole raw egg—but no ice cream!

Pries (who received her first ice cream maker at age six) studied pastry at the California Culinary Academy. So expect to see candies, cookies for ice cream sandwiches, and ice cream cake by the slice. Her savory menu will include items such as grass-fed hot dogs and grilled cheese sandwiches made with local cheeses. Take a look at Ice Cream Bar’s beautifully remodeled interior—it’s like stepping back into the 1930s (Eater has some fun details about the history of the bar). Open daily 12pm-10pm. 815 Cole St. at Frederick, 415-742-4932.

The next time you walk into Dennis Leary’s ~CANTEEN~ on Sutter, you’re going to do a double-take. Designer Charles de Lisle of Charles de Lisle Workshop has given it an extensive remodel, which includes a lot of floor-to-ceiling plywood. He explains, “We started with the idea of sheathing the room in plywood, to make the character of the space still feel humble, but add some depth and pattern to bring it to an even more intimate and cozy level.” Noting the apple-green counter was gone, he wrote to me, “Dennis was looking three-five years down the road and felt that, just like the style of the ever-changing menu, the interior should have a bit of flexibility to it.” You’ll notice a big “carnival light box” over the counter, with a bright red, powder-coated, perforated steel trough—and now a matching maroon counter. The tables were refitted with cherry red, high-gloss laminate and thick metal banding, plus plywood wine racks were installed, and instead of the bolted-down diner stools at the counter, you’ll now find simple workroom stools from Grainger Industrial Supply. Looks like the kind of place where I’d like to go to work on some of Leary’s eggs Benedict and Parker House rolls.

~DUMPLINGS & BUNS~ in Pacific Heights has expanded its menu with a new section of entrées, soups, and combination plates, like 24-hour Kwan pork sliders, Pau Pau Lee’s tomato beef plate, teriyaki beef skewers with rice, and spicy and sweet “XO” dragon wings made with Cognac, plus three kinds of soup (wonton, Burmese-style chicken noodle, and egg drop), salad wraps, and more. Don’t forget some dessert dumplings to go. Open Tue-Sun 11am-8pm. 2411 California St. at Fillmore, 415-292-6209.

In the Sunset, Eater mentions there’s a new café called ~DRIP COFFEE BAR~ across the street from Sunrise Deli. The house coffee and espresso is from Sightglass, and there are some items to eat, plus free Wi-Fi. 1916 Irving St. at 21st Ave.

LiveSOMA reports a third location of ~PALIO CAFFÈ~ will be opening today. There are panini, soups, and more. Hours are Mon-Fri 5:30am-6:30pm. 163 2nd St. at Natoma.

It’s that time of the year, when ~POGGIO~’s bollito misto is back! Offered Mon-Wed in the evenings, the bollito carello (cart) will wheel up, serving slowly simmered meats such as housemade cotechino sausage, beef tongue, brisket, veal breast, and oxtail, all carved tableside. $19 (dinner only) and available until spring.

Spork may have closed last month, but after a couple tweets I learned ~RICE BROKER~ has opened in its place. It’s a temporary concept from Neil Jorgensen that’s built around rice bowls topped with combinations like panko-breaded chicken breast, shaved Brussels sprouts, and Korean-style barbecue sauce (check out the menu here). You can follow updates on Twitter. Open Wed-Sun for dinner; cash only. 1058 Valencia St. at 21st St.

Tipster Jason B. let me know downtown’s Crêpe o Chocolat has closed, and ~BIO~ has opened in its place. Nope, no more crêpes, although there is housemade yogurt in the mornings and sandwiches for lunch on the menu. 75 O’Farrell St. at Stockton, 415-362-0255.

Weird, after closing in August, it looks like ~JASMINE TEA HOUSE~ in Bernal is reopening—according to ABC files, there is some new activity with the permit (the licensee and officers are new, so maybe there are new owners). A couple Yelpers report it’s reopening. 3253 Mission St. at 29th St.

More Chinese restaurant mysteries: a tablehopper reader wrote in, asking what was going on with ~BIG LANTERN~ in the Mission after espying a sign in the window that said “closed for remodeling.” A Yelper has this to add: “Closed for remodeling until January 27th they told me when I called on January 15th.” 3170 16th St. at Albion, 415-863-8100.

The Richmond notices ~YET WAH~ has gone from closed to remodeling, based on a sign in their window. 2140 Clement St. at 22nd Ave.

And in SoMa, you’ll be able to make kinky jokes about your coffee grind since ~WICKED GROUNDS~ has reopened, according to a post on LiveSOMA. 289 8th St. at Tehama, 415-503-0405.

Looks like Charles Phan has already reopened ~THE MOSS ROOM~ for lunch, according to Scoop. It’s open from 11am-3pm, and you can look at Slanted Door chef de cuisine Justine Kelly and Phan’s new menu here, featuring salads, imperial rolls, and some larger dishes like fried chicken with sriracha butter and a burger on focaccia. Expect more changes and news in coming weeks.

Scoop also brings word of changes to the menu at ~TXOKO~. Chef Ian Begg’s new menu has shifted to more of a traditional appetizer/entrée format, although you can still order his small bites/pintxos at the bar. I really enjoy Begg’s refined food and flavors but had some issues with the original format, so I never reviewed Txoko for tablehopper. Am happy to see the menu additions and changes—I think it’s going to help fill that big space up more (and diners’ bellies). Can’t wait to try the wood oven-roasted chicken.

After a tip-off from this job listing on Craigslist, I learned ~PARK TAVERN~ will be launching brunch soon. Owner Anna Weinberg confirms brunch will served on Saturdays and Sundays, with savory dishes like wood-fired eggs. Weinberg and chef-owner Jenn Puccio just finished a whirlwind brunch trip of New York for inspiration, hitting something like four brunches a day—go ladies! Look for a soft launch the last weekend of February (the 25th-26th). I’ll have a menu for you soon.

And Mission Loc@l resports ~MR. POLLO~ is now open for lunch. Yeah, Manny’s amazing arepas can be yours during the day! Mon-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm. 2823 Mission St. at 24th St., 415-374-5546.

Food and bikes? Of course I’m all over it. On Friday January 27th, Bespoke bicycles (who make custom bikes by hand) and Vélo Classic Tours are hosting A Night of Cycling/A Taste of Italy with food and wine provided by Bar Bambino. Swing by from 6pm-9pm at Bespoke’s sleek new showroom in Pacific Heights. It’s free, all you need to do is RSVP by Monday January 23rd to attend. 2843 Clay St. at Scott.

Take meatless Mondays a step further to Tuesdays with either of these vegetarian/vegan-focused events. The ~MUSEUM OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA~ invites you to a book party to celebrate Bryant Terry’s new book, The Inspired Vegan. You’ll be celebrating the author’s birthday too! Enjoy entertainment from The Marcus Shelby Trio, Renee Wilson, and DJs Max Champ and Ellen Choy, and food and drinks by Roger Feely and Soul Cocina, featuring recipes from The Inspired Vegan, and SLO Down Wines. Tuesday January 24th, 7:30pm-9pm. $15, or $30 with signed copy of the book. Tickets online. 685 Mission St. at 3rd St.

And for another inspired vegetarian event, food tour startup ~DISHCRAWL~ is hosting a tour they’re calling Vegetarian for Carnivores in the Mission. On January 31st, 7pm-9pm, explore four Mission restaurants famous for vegetarian offerings (not all restaurants are vegetarian). Restaurant locations are secret until 48 hours before the event, but you can get hints on Twitter. $39; only 9 spots left.

~CAÑA~ in Oakland, a Cuban-Cali café to the right of the Grand Lake Theater, has now opened the Parlor side to their business, a full-service restaurant. You can check out the Parlor menu here, with dishes like plantain-crusted fish and asopao (Cuban risotto with braised ham hock, chorizo picante, green peas, and carrot), and there are also rum and agricole cocktails, plus an in-house cane press and boutique Spanish wines. Dinner 5pm-9:30pm. 530-2 Lake Park Ave. at Grand, Oakland, 510-832-1515.

Folks wondering where the Oakland location of ~UMAMI BURGER~ is opening can now look forward to it opening at 2100 Franklin St., just around the corner from the Paramount. Scoop reveals the location will have about 100 seats. The rep for Umami Burger says timing for the opening of this location has not been determined yet, but it will be before the end of the year. 2100 Franklin St. at 21st St., Oakland.

A post on Chowhound mentions ~BABETTE CAFE~ has moved into the Remedy space at the Berkeley Art Museum, serving breakfast, housemade pastries, lunch items, Ritual Coffee, and snacks. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm. 2625 Durant Ave. at Bowditch, Berkeley, 510-717-8984.

~MANRESA~ in Los Gatos has announced Bobi Adle as the new GM—diners who frequent Frances will recognize him (he has been there since the opening).

Grub Street reveals chef Max DiMare has left ~WOOD TAVERN~ for a gig in Los Angeles. Owner Rich Wood has promoted Yang Ping to chef de cuisine—she has been working with DiMare the past four years and since the beginning of the restaurant.

Lots going on north of the city: first, after 40 years when it first opened, the new location of the historic ~SWEETWATER MUSIC HALL~ is opening Friday January 27th, thanks to investors that include Bob Weir, famously of the Grateful Dead. It’s a state-of-the-art nightclub and café opening in the first floor of the 107-year-old Masonic Lodge No. 356 in Mill Valley; after an extensive renovation, it now has a cutting-edge Meyer Sound system and streaming video technology to broadcast live events. There’s a full-service restaurant led by Gordon Drysdale (Pizza Antica, Café des Amis). Diners will order at a counter and will be served by staff, but subsequent orders can be placed tableside. Look for breakfast, lunch, patio dining, and musical Sunday brunches in the spring. 19 Corte Madera Ave. at Lovell, Mill Valley, 415-388-3850.

One more project from our dear Deadheads: bassist Phil Lesh is behind ~TERRAPIN CROSSROADS~, a restaurant and concert space opening in February in San Rafael in the former Seafood Peddler location. The Bay Citizen reports it will “double as performance space featuring music, poetry and lectures covering everything from ‘cosmology to history to environmental issues to building team spirit.’” Dood. Entertainment is due to begin in March. For many more details, check out this piece in the San Anselmo-Fairfax Patch. 100 Yacht Club Dr. at Francisco, San Rafael.

Eater notes ~BLUE BARN GOURMET~ is going to open a location in Corte Madera in the now-closed Bryan’s Market in Town Center Corte Madera. There will reportedly be around 30 seats and room for 10 at the bar, where there will be wines and beers on tap. Partners Sam Josi, Nate Valentine, and Stryker Scales plan to open in October. (And for those wondering about the upcoming Polk Street location, timing is still TBD.)

Pizza fanatics around the city are going to be really thrilled with this piece of news: Jon Darsky—the original pizzaiolo known for his fantastic pizzas when he was part of the flour + water opening team—is now releasing details about his upcoming project, ~DEL POPOLO~. Nope, it’s not a brick-and-mortar spot in the Mission—-it’s going to be a one-of-a-kind mobile pizzeria, the likes of which you have yet to see anywhere. Darsky has been working with fabricators and designers to transform a deconstructed transatlantic shipping container that’s 20’ long and 8’ wide into a mobile unit that will house a 5,000-pound, Stefano Ferrara wood-burning oven that’s welded to the floor with a steel pedestal. Not only that, but the exhibition kitchen is enclosed by three glass doors, so you’ll be able to watch your pizza being made. Yeah, this is gonna be fun.

The name means “of the people,” and the pricing is definitely going to be that: all pizzas are 12” with the vegetarian options going for an accessible $10, and meat pizzas will be $12. Darsky will be doing his trademark thin-crust, Neapolitan-style pizzas made with organic ingredients sourced from small producers, both domestic and Italian. On offer will be three kinds a day, and the oven is capable of producing 72 pizzas an hour. There will even be an on-board dough mixer! The truck will be in operation for both lunch and dinner. Oh, and another innovation: the pizza boxes will be a lot slimmer than you are used to seeing—hey, it’s a thin crust, so why use such a big box?

He’s been hard at work for the past 18 months getting this all figured out—there’s nothing like being an original case study, especially when Mies Van Der Rohe is one of your inspirations. Since Del Popolo is a mobile operation, some special considerations had to be made for how to transport the brick pizza oven safely, like the industrial airbags that inflate around the support arms of the container to minimize vibration to the oven during transit (they had to call in some specialists to figure that one out). There will also be a step-down feature of the truck, so instead of customers craning their necks up to place an order like at a food truck, they will be eye level with employees. Darsky worked with a local designer on fine tuning some of the project details, and McLellan Industries in Hanford, California, handled fabrication and production.

There will be some test runs coming up, so be sure to follow @pizzadelpopolo on Twitter. The truck will take up less than two parking spaces, but there’s no word where exactly it will be parking around town just yet. The launch is scheduled for February 2012, possibly on the later side of the month.

I first learned about chef Noriyuki “Nori” Sugie from chef Joel Huff, a former (amazing) chef at Silks, who said Sugie was a huge influence on his cooking (Sugie was at Asiate at the Mandarin Oriental in New York). Sugie has some serious chops, cooking in France’s Michelin-starred L’Aubergade, Sydney’s Restaurant VII, and Chicago’s Charlie Trotter’s. (He also roasts some delicious coffee.) Back in 2008, I posted a story about Sugie’s project at the Spencer House in the Haight, but that didn’t pan out. And now he is officially up from Los Angeles to be the executive chef of Mari Takahashi and Gil Payne’s ~NOMBE~ in the Mission.

A simultaneous announcement in the Scoop and a press release mention he will start with lunch service, adding his specialty ramen to the menu starting today, Tuesday January 10th. While running his pop-up ramen night at BREADBAR in LA, he became known for his beef ramen, which will is now appearing at Nombe, with additions like cheek, short rib, oxtail, and beef tongue. Each base is $10, with several additions plus rice dishes also available. He will also be adding a few dishes to the dinner menu, until his entirely new menu launches in February. Nombe is open for lunch Tue-Fri 11am-2pm, dinner Tue-Sun beginning at 6pm, brunch Sat-Sun 11am-2pm.

According to this piece in The Bay Citizen, Café Gratitude has resolved the lawsuits that threatened to close their locations, and now some of the group’s restaurants will stay open (it’s not clear which locations will stay open). You’d think they would mention the good news on their Facebook page; instead, there is just an ad for a line cook at the Berkeley restaurant—guess that bodes well for that location. I reached out to a representative for the organization, we’ll see what they say. The whole thing is as clear as a bowl of live almond hummus. I Am Intrigued.

As previously mentioned on tablehopper, the partners behind ~SONS & DAUGHTERS~ have now opened ~SWEET WOODRUFF~, their new carry-out spot. Items include onion brioche soup, suckling pig sandwich, and a roasted mushroom sandwich; check out the full menu here. Opening hours are Tue-Sat 11am-3pm to start. 798 Sutter St. at Jones, 415-292-9090.

Opening this Friday January 13th is ~O3 BISTRO & LOUNGE~ in the former CPK on Van Ness. There are about 45 seats in the contemporary dining room, with a spacious bar and lounge with room for 35 (you can check out photos in their Facebook album). Chef Joseph Villanueva’s (previously at Le Colonial) pan-Asian dinner menu includes braised oxtail tacos with a jicama cabbage slaw in a wonton shell ($9) to larger plates like seared scallops, lobster garlic noodles, baby bok choy, uni XO sauce ($27). Lunch has fried chicken, a burger, and glass noodle salad ($7-$13). Cocktails range from $11-$12, and are made with fresh juices. Hours will be Mon-Wed 11am-11pm and Thu-Sat 11am-2am (kitchen closes at 11pm). A late-night bar menu may launch later. There will also be pre-show service for those attending the symphony and opera house nearby—and it should also be a handy spot for lunch when you’re in the neighborhood for jury duty. Ugh, jury duty. Hope I didn’t just jinx myself. 524 Van Ness Ave. at McAllister, 415-934-9800.

Tipster-about-town Jason B. let me know there was some activity at the old Beautifull! space at Gold’s in the Castro, and it looked like the folks from Bistro SF Grill on California were opening something. A call to SF Grill confirmed they are going to be opening a hot sandwich and panino place, ~BISTRO SF GRILL CASTRO~, using some of the meat they use for their burgers (like their merguez burger), in addition to offering classic panini, like prosciutto and mozzarella, and more. Hours will be 11am-10pm, possibly later on the weekends. Look for an opening at the end of January. 2301 Market St. at Noe.

Jason also let me know “Caffe Bella Venezia is officially gone on Post and has recently been replaced by … ~ITHAI~. iReally?” Yup, iReally. 720 Post St. at Jones, 415-345-9999.

A reader at Eater mentioned displaced ~ESTELA’S FRESH SANDWICHES~ is reportedly now open in the former Cafe Prima Fila space in the Lower Nob Hill. Estela’s will be making their sandwiches here until they can move back into their Fillmore Street location that was burnt in the September fire, which could be quite a while. No number available yet. 891 Bush St. at Taylor.

More New Year casualties: Eater notes ~MEXICO DF~ in SoMa has closed, although “owners Victor Hugo Juarez and company are hanging on to their other Mexican restaurant, Chilango in the Castro.” Inside Scoop chimes in that the owner of Unicorn Pan Asian Cuisine in the FiDi, Kiet Trong, will be opening a restaurant called Region, serving “comfort Asian food with California style and techniques” this spring. 139 Steuart St. at Howard.

For those who travel on the 101, you may be familiar with the looming ~RUSSIA HOUSE~, which Grub Street reports is closing in four months. Back in December, a reader alerted me to a lawsuit filed by Alex Gershteyn versus Russia House, which stated: “Complaint for negligence and premises liability. Defendant Russia House did not provide enough security to prevent systematic acts of violence. The plaintiff was a bystander to a fight in which he was pushed in the back, fell to the floor and broke his wrist.” I guess there’s an ugly side to the vodka-fueled fiestas over there. 2011 Bayshore Blvd. at Hester.

Oh, and a quick update on the whereabouts of chef Michael Morrison, previously at the now-closed ~THE MOSS ROOM~. He got back to me after last week’s column had already posted, informing me he will now be shifting his focus full time to COCO500. Ends up he was spending time at both kitchens, but now he’s going to be able to dedicate more time to a whole-animal program and other projects at the restaurant.

Bartenders and late risers: you should know ~DEAR MOM,~ in the Mission now has their bartenders’ brunch up and running. What this means is you can shake the Fernet out of your hair and come by for brunch on Sundays from 11:30am-5pm. This coming Sunday January 15th will be round two for guest chefs Josh DeClercq and Ken Cazenas, two local cooks who are cooking together as B.G.’s Brunch. On the menu: warm mushroom salad, poached egg ($12); smoked salmon, bagel, cream cheese, pickled red onion, caper, dill ($11); roasted Brussels with lardo, fried egg, lemon-horseradish crème fraîche ($10); and more.

The last two Sundays of January will be brought to you by the folks who run the Fogcutter truck. For their menu, options may be toad in the hole, pork belly hash, and pancake soufflés (all $6-$12). 2700 16th St. at Harrison, 415-625-3362.

Adding to the already plentiful breakfast options at the Ferry Building Marketplace, ~GOTT’S ROADSIDE~ will now be serving some breakfast, like a Southern sandwich of buttermilk fried chicken tenders, scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, and charred jalapeño mayo ($5.99). Yeah, a food coma is imminent with that bad boy. There will also be some egg and soft corn taco options, plus French toast, and non-fat yogurt with granola and fresh fruit for you Lululemon-wearing types. Served daily 7am-11am. Breakfast will be served strictly to-go from Gott’s takeout window in the main market hall. 415-318-3423.

After a quickie post-holiday closure, ~QUINCE~ has made some adjustments to the bar and 16-seat lounge area, offering new seating and dining-height tables. The new bar menu features an array of fish crudos, ordered individually or as a tasting ($24), such as a halibut with pink grapefruit, fried nettle and lime ($14), or hiramasa with puntarelle, blood orange, and olive ($16). My favorite development: you can now order caviar by the spoon, instead of just the ounce (but it’s still not cheap: for $25, you get a 5-gram spoon of Royal Osetra Caviar—yeah, it’s almost as expensive as other bad habits that get weighed by the gram). There will also be a prosciutto tasting ($18), a Sonoma foie gras torchon with caramelized persimmon salad ($24; well, for the next six months), some cheeses from the infamous cart ($6 each), and desserts.

Some pop-up action for you this month. First, since ~NAMU~ in the Inner Richmond is closed, and the upcoming ~NAMU GAJI~ is a month or so away, the brothers are going to be doing a series of late evening pop-up dinners at ~FOUR BARREL COFFEE~ the next few Fridays. You’ll be able to swing by for okonomiyaki, ramen, and their famed Korean fried chicken. Click here for info and tickets.

Have you had a chance to sample the very fine barbecue from ~SLOW HAND~? Well now you’ll be able to at ~THE DOCTOR’S LOUNGE~ (previously mentioned in tablehopper here), starting this Friday January 13th. Look for brisket (delicious!), ribs, pulled pork, and more. Dinner service starts at 6pm. Future dates TBD. 4826 Mission St. at Ocean, 415-586-9730.

Over in the East Bay, ~LOCAL CAFÉ~ on Oakland’s Piedmont Avenue is hosting the first in a series of wine-pairing dinners with certified sommelier Ian Burrows. He and chef Colin Etezadi (formerly of Boot and Shoe, Camino, Pizzaiolo) will be hosting a special four-course dinner on Wednesday January 25th at 6:30pm, paired with wines for $72. For reservations, email or call 510-338-3319. 4395 Piedmont Ave. at Pleasant Valley, Oakland.

Yeah, yeah, we all resolved to work out more this year, so how ‘bout working out the ol’ palate with any of these groovy events? The next New Taste Marketplace is the place for local food grooves, and it’s coming up this Saturday January 14th, noon-5pm. Try the vegetarian Chinese puff pastries, sweet and savory, handmade by Blissful Pastries, or the creative hard candies from Confounding Confections in flavors like orange marmalade, chai spice, and tea with lemon. Enjoy live music too throughout the afternoon, including Lauren Strum and Bill Hansel. Don’t forget, this community-minded market is a fundraiser for The Food Pantry. St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church, 500 De Haro St. at Mariposa.

Did the mention of Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil in the ‘hopper’s holiday guide pique your interest? Find out more when ~PURCELL MURRAY~ hosts author Tom Mueller for a tasting, discussion, and book signing—plus Middle Eastern luncheon of mezze with Anissa Helou—on Wednesday January 18th, 11am-1pm. Jane Goldman will moderate the discussion, and Mueller will lead a tasting of extra virgin olive oils from Palestine, Italy, Spain, California, and Australia. $50. Reservations: 415-330-5557. 185 Park Ln. at Valley Dr., Brisbane.

Beer and chocolate pairing—this is gonna be an interesting palate workout. Put aside Tuesday January 31st, 7pm-9pm, for Taste and Savor Chocolate: Palate Development Class from Dandelion Chocolate (you can read about their upcoming Valencia Street project here) and ~18 REASONS~. Pete Slosberg will talk about the process of making chocolate from bean to bar, then take you through taste comparisons between major brands and local chocolatiers, tasting white, milk, and dark chocolates. Finally, taste Dandelion’s chocolate and end the night with a beer and chocolate pairing. $25 members, $35 general public, purchase tickets online.

It’s a new year, which always brings a bunch of news about post-holiday closures. Inside Scoop broke the news that Loretta Keller’s ~THE MOSS ROOM~ abruptly closed January 1st, and Charles Phan is taking it over. Phan, who runs the Academy Café at the California Academy of Sciences, is reportedly “going to do something completely different in the space, but hopes to revamp and have it back open within ‘a month or two.’” No word on chef Michael Morrison’s next steps.

Over in the Mission, ~THE SUMMIT~ (aka LAPTOP CITY) released the news that it’s closing on January 31st, 2012. The plan is to reopen elsewhere soon; we’ll have to see what chef Eddie Lau does with his Dux dinners in the meantime. No word what I/O Ventures has in store for the space. 780 Valencia St. at 19th St.

Over in Chinatown, bad news for dim sum lovers. Chowhounders posted news that ~GOLD MOUNTAIN~ has closed. Yelpers mention Gold Mountain’s lease ended, and so the owners decided to close up and travel. 644 Broadway at Stockton.

After 16 years in the Castro, ~2223 RESTAURANT~ closed after service on New Year’s Day, and now the transformation into ~JAKE’S ON MARKET~ with chef Erik Hopfinger will be underway. Jim Maxwell of Architects II is leading the remodel, adding booths, a marble bar top, a new color scheme, and more. The opening is scheduled for the end of January. 2223 Market St. at Sanchez.

Scoop reported ~MISSION ROCK~ in China Basin is closing for a remodel, and new owner Peter Osborne (MoMo’s, Pete’s Tavern, Pedro’s Cantina) will be opening Mission Rock Brewery and Oyster Bar in its place, potentially by the summer. 817 Terry Francois Blvd. at Mariposa.

Over in North Beach, Scoop announced owner Scott Holley has closed ~STEPS OF ROME TRATTORIA~ (not to be confused with Steps of Rome Caffe, which remains open). 362 Columbus Ave. at Vallejo.

Grub Street noted some ownership and menu changes at ~CRIOLLA KITCHEN~ in the Castro, and one of the new partners in the venture got in touch with me to share an update. One of the original managing partners is moving on, and Hans Purohit (Ristobar) and Adam Wilson (Beretta, Zeki’s) are joining chef-partner Randy Lewis in the venture. Lewis and Purohit are old friends from their days at Mecca down the street, and have always wanted to do a project together but the timing was never right, until now.

Criolla will be closing very briefly for a quick facelift, potentially at the end of the month (the timing depends on permits). As for what’s in store for the menu, the intention is to take Criolla into the direction that Randy originally wanted: a neighborhood restaurant showcasing his Southern roots and time spent cooking in wine country, while using local ingredients. Click here to see the interim menu, which includes Natchitoches meat pie ($7), grillades and grits ($16) with stone-ground grits, and the chicken and waffles ($15) remains on the menu. There are also daily specials.

Some examples of dishes that Randy is working on for after the remodel include smoked ham hock rillettes, pickled okra, Creole mustard; New Orleans barbecue shrimp, slow-poached hen egg, speckled whole grain grits; and olive oil-poached tuna and “muffuletta” bread salad. Stand by for updates in coming weeks. 2295 Market St. at 16th St., 415-552-5811.

Just before the holiday break I received an email from Manhal Jweinat, the owner of ~MANZONI~ in Glen Park, telling me he was due to open at the end of the week. Poor guy, I tortured him for months with check-ins and questions about his opening (since 1998, to be exact). This family-style Italian place is now open in the old Bird & Beckett bookstore location. 2790 Diamond St. at Chenery, 415-334-2251.

A tipster informs me the former Beautifull! location in the Inner Sunset is becoming another location of ~SHENG KEE~ bakery, which has locations all over the Bay Area. It’s slated to open this Thursday January 5th. Hours will be daily 8am-9pm. 816 Irving St. at 9th Ave., 415-242-9200.

And in Oakland, ~FAZ OAKLAND~ opened on New Year’s Eve. Faz is open for lunch and dinner; you can peek and the dinner menu here. Open Mon-Fri 11am-9pm, Sat 5pm-10pm. 1111 Broadway at 11th St., Oakland, 510-272-1111.

The day after Christmas, local pop-up ~CATHEAD’S BBQ~ announced they are moving permanently into the Big Nate’s BBQ space, opening on Wednesday January 4th. The space is getting a remodel, with new touches like reclaimed wood and fresh paint. On the menu: owners Richard Park and Pamela Schafer’s own take on barbecue, with dishes like sweet tea BBQ chicken, Coca-Cola smoked brisket, and for the non-meat eaters, cornmeal-crusted BBQ tofu. Hours will be Sun-Mon 11am-8pm and Wed-Sat 11am-9pm. 1665 Folsom St. at 12th St., 415-861-4242.

Exciting news from the ~LOCAL MISSION EATERY~ crew (Jake Des Voignes and Yaron Milgrom): Grub Street broke the story that they are expanding in the neighborhood with Local Mission Market and Local’s Corner. The market will feature handcrafted and local products, and the Local newsletter shares more: “Every pasta, jam, pickle, spread, bread, cracker, hot sauce, spice rub, extract, marinade, cured meat, smoked fish, sausage, and more would be made on-site, in an open kitchen, using the same ingredients—and only the ingredients—available on our shelves. By ingredients, we mean local vegetables, fruit, grains, fish, meat, cheese, beer, wine, and spirits.” Grub Street adds there will be a “cheese counter, butcher, dry goods, and fresh produce, all either made in-house or sourced from Northern California farmers and producers.” Construction is beginning in February in a historic industrial building on Harrison Street (at 22nd St.), just a few blocks from the restaurant. The plan is to open in the summer.

Local’s Corner (2500 Bryant St. at 23rd St.) is two weeks into construction, and the plan is to convert a Mission corner market into a restaurant (pending approvals by the city) with outdoor seating and serving beer and wine. Breakfast will be served, and the evenings will feature a menu dedicated to local, sustainable, head-to-tail fish and seafood, plus several draught beers and wines by the glass. Stay tuned for more details—the current targeted opening is spring.

Slated to open in the new ~18 REASONS~ space on 18th Street is the 18th Hour Café, happening every Thursday evening. From 5pm-9pm, you’ll be able to swing by for wine, beer, cheese, charcuterie, and other snacks (like Tartine bread and butter), all chosen and put together by the Bi-Rite team (the cost will range from $3-$16). Guests will be able to gather around the communal table, whether they are waiting for a pizza at Pizzeria Delfina or just want a place to hang out. There will also be music and rotating art exhibits. All proceeds from the café will support 18 Reasons’ programming and community service work. The opening is planned for Thursday January 12th, come on by.

I received word from the ~BLUESTEM BRASSERIE~ team that executive chef Sean Canavan has left the restaurant. He is going to pursue a new opportunity that will allow him to spend more time with his family. The Jeds are in the final interview stages and will be announcing the replacement in a few weeks. James Ormsby will be staying on as consulting pastry chef.

A few bites for you nightowl types: ~DOBBS FERRY~ is serving a $5 meal-in-a-bowl inspired by the daily staff meal. Past meals have included pork confit and an apple-Brussels sprout salad, or fish and chips with fries. It’s served from 10:30pm-12am (Sunday starts at 9:30pm). Updates on the daily dish can be found on the Dobbs Ferry Facebook page. FYI, the bar is now open until 1:30am nightly, and there’s a late night snack menu from 10:30pm-12am.

Eater brings word ~QUICK FIX~ has opened in the Little Bird space, serving 4505 Meats sausages in Acme rolls, chili, Frito pie, and more. The project is from Jeff Pytel (a bartender next door at Whiskey Thieves) and former Little Bird employee Sam Enciso. Look for more items to be added in coming weeks. And yes, you can eat your bite at Whiskey Thieves. Open Sun-Mon 5pm-10pm, Tue-Thu 5pm-11pm, and Fri-Sat 5pm-2am.

A few cool dinners for your radar: first up, while chef Joseph Humphrey gets ready to open ~DIXIE~ in the Presidio very soon, he is hosting a series of sneak peek pop-up dinners at Guest Chef in Oakland from January 3rd-15th. It’s a simple two-course prix-fixe menu, with choices for each course plus a few extras for $35 per person. The menu will change every few days, so take a look at the menus here and decide when you want to go. There will also be wine pairing available, selected by Dixie’s wine director Matthew Turner. 5337 College Ave. at Manila, Oakland.

~REFORM CLUB~ is back on Sunday January 15th, with new chef/partner Eric Ehler working with Nick Rappoport. Look for more of a Korean-inspired direction; you can check out the menu online ($40), along with the wine pairings ($25) from Becky Pezzullo and Dion Jardine. Reservations are between 6pm-10pm, and guests can book through their website.

Don’t forget: ~JUHU BEACH CLUB~ pops up this Thursday at La Victoria!

The fine folks at ~THE PIZZA PLACE ON NORIEGA~ are hosting their next Farmer’s Market Dinner on Wednesday January 18th at 7pm. There will be three-four courses with fresh-from-the-market ingredients; no substitutions, so this isn’t for fussy eaters (although there is a vegetarian option available). Limited to 20 people. $50 cash, $65 with wine. Email to reserve your spot here.

And on Tuesday January 24th, chef Greg Dunmore of ~NOJO~, sea forager Kirk Lombard, and TwoXSea will be putting on a dinner to celebrate local seafood that is underutilized and underappreciated. The goal of this dinner is to raise awareness for these wonderful (and obviously delicious) creatures and to showcase their potential on Bay Area menus. The four-course menu includes rock crab fritter, chawanmushi, agedashi monkey-faced eel, and the famous Nojo sundae, plus wine pairings for each course. $125 all inclusive; tickets here. Dinner (6:30pm-8:30pm) will be followed with a musical performance by Rube Waddell at 8:30pm. F.O.C.B. Educational Center, 350 Harbor Dr. at Gate 5, Sausalito.

Yo yo yo and ho ho ho! Have you finished your holiday shopping? I know, I haven’t either. Just in case you’re stumped on what to get the gourmand in your life, I have a few last-minute holiday gift ideas for you that are quick and fabulous. Let’s do this.

How about my book?! Duh! And it’s less than $20. You can get a signed copy of The Tablehopper’s Guide to Dining and Drinking in San Francisco in my online store (I’m around this week, so we could even arrange a pick-up time), or you can swing by so many fabulous local bookstores who carry it. Buy local, and support your local author! We all thank you.

I was at the Arlequin annual Champagne party a couple weeks ago and was introduced to the maker of this amazing Metro Wine Map of France, David Gissen. For anyone trying to figure out the geography of the French wine regions, you will totally dig this map. It’s so clever and cool to look at. ($24.95 plus shipping.) You should look at all the other neat wino stuff on the De Long site, including more wine maps and tasting notebooks.

For the Italophile in your life: have you seen the new edition of The Silver Spoon that’s out? It’s considered the bible of Italian cooking, now with over 2,000 revised recipes and 400 brand new, full-color photographs. It’s all in there, really (and wait until you pick it up—it’s one heavy mofo). Page after page of totally authentic Italian cooking. It will totally inspire you to try new dishes. (Hopefully the person you bought it for will be inspired to cook something and invite you over!)

Do you understand the joy of having olio nuovo (“new oil”) in your house? It’s one of my favorite things about winter. I swear, I drizzle it on everything, from soups to bread to eggs. The bright, grassy, peppery flavors of this unfiltered oil don’t last long—just a few months—so you have to act (and eat it) quickly. If you want to buy local, the McEvoy Ranch olio nuovo is a favorite, and it’s super fresh ($22/375ml)—it’s also in a limited quantity this year, so no big bottles for you. A really elegant and fruity imported olio nuovo I have been using the past month is the Frescobaldi Laudemio First Pressing 2011 Extra Virgin Olive Oil—what a dream. I got mine from The Pasta Shop at Market Hall in Rockridge ($24.75), or if you want to purchase it online, you can get it for $28 on OpenSky.

While you’re at it, why not pick up a copy of Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller? There’s been a bunch of buzz about this very revealing book. So much that it’s actually out of stock all over the place and on back order—although as of today, the Booksmith in the Haight has two copies!

It’s fun to style folks (especially out-of-state friends!) with locally roasted coffee, whether it’s a bag from my beloved Sightglass or a special holiday blend from Equator, featuring two coffees from small co-ops Equator has worked very closely with the past few years (like the El Batan co-op in the remote Andean region of Loja, Ecuador). Available at: Atlas Café, SF; Mokka, Berkeley, and online.

Wouldn’t it be fab to have a box of edible treats arrive at your home each month? Yeah, that’s what I call good mail. The folks at Liga Masiva have expanded their offering from direct trade coffee to creating the Liga Box, full of specially sourced ingredients direct from farmers in Latin America. The first box, Dulces de Mexico, is $30 (plus $10 for shipping if outside the NYC area) and includes chocolate de metate (hand-ground chocolate), flor de jamaica (dried organic hibiscus), ate de guayaba (guava paste), and a full-sized print magazine filled with recipes, photos, and stories from the farmers. This is a trial box for them, and there are plans to release more in the future! Please support them in their efforts

Another option is to sign someone up for a Tasting Box subscription from Foodzie.com. It’s a monthly delivery of treats from independent producers, whether it’s a Seasonal Tasting Box, a Themed Tasting Box (like “Don’t Be So Jerky”), or a Cooking Box which comes with ingredients and recipes (all are $29.95 each). Subscribers enjoy free shipping, and each subscriber can choose a box of choice each month or opt to accumulate credits for future months.

There are so many new online gift certificate companies out there, making it much easier to buy someone a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant, or bookstore, or bar! Take a look at Treatful, Giftly, and Gift Rocket.

What about some cocktail classes or wine classes? It’s exactly the kind of thing I’d love to receive, but wouldn’t necessarily buy for myself. You can treat someone to classes from The Barbary Coast Conservancy of the American Cocktail at the Boothby Center ($65-$95, look at upcoming classes and get tickets here), Beretta has ongoing cocktail classes (usually $85, email or call 415-695-1199), and I really enjoy the classes at the SF Wine Center, taught by some serious pros (usually around $60).

I am always very grateful to receive a holiday card every year from a dear friend, telling me she made a donation to our local food bank on my behalf. You can hunt down your local food bank and donate, like the SF Food Bank, and there’s also this site, Give a Meal, which will allow you to donate from two weeks to a year of meals to someone in need.

Want more inspiration? I adored this page of local and lovely gift suggestions on the Ciao Samin blog.

Over the weekend, I swung by ~STATE BIRD PROVISIONS~ to see how things were progressing and to get a look at the space. Chef-owners Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski are currently gunning to open on New Year’s Eve—there are still a couple contingencies, so it’s not totally confirmed as of right now. They will announce the opening on their website, so keep checking back early next week!

The space wasn’t quite in a photo-ready state, so I just snapped some detail shots for you—for now, you’ll need to rely upon my writerly powers of description, heh. When you first approach the restaurant, the front window will look onto a prep and pastry station, so you’ll be able to see Nicole doing her delicious magic. The open kitchen (which is designed to crank, complete with two planchas and a fryer) runs along the wall, delineated by a long butcher block counter, all made of Boos Block; under the counter, the plywood was stained the color of Mediterranean blue, and the backsplash and walls in the kitchen feature light grey subway tile.

As you walk past the kitchen, you’ll check in with the host, who will either direct you to wait in the small bar area with an eggshell-colored concrete bar by the taps, or if you’re lucky, to a table! There will be 12 tables total, with room for about 44 guests or so in all (the seating was designed to be versatile). Nice feature: the restaurant is using Urbanspoon’s Rezbook, so if there’s a wait, you’ll get a text when it’s time to claim your table.

The dining room features a few skylights, a cement wall, and some rusted/distressed I-beams that are lacquered. The majority of the walls and some of the ceiling in the space are covered in peg board, really bringing the “workshop” concept of the kitchen to life—and creating a very cool pattern.

There are many mid-century elements the duo painstakingly sourced, like the groovy lights, vintage speakers, and the school-ish chairs that came from an auditorium. The tables were custom made, with a Masonite top, plywood edges with more of the aqua blue, and my favorite feature: there’s a small board stashed under each table. You will take out the board, and on one side you’ll discover the menu, while the other will hold the tally sheet for your order (remember, it’s going to be like a dim sum format, with your server keeping track of how many dishes you order as you go along). I got a look at the two custom-made carts that will be wheeling around the room with dishes on them, featuring reclaimed wood from an old boat and powder-coated orange detailing, in addition to custom trays in a soft, early-1960s palette.

As for the team, the GM and wine director is Mary Christie, who has worked with Stuart and Nicole at Rubicon, in addition to Spring in Chicago, and she opened Sel Gris in Portland. When tablehopper returns in your inboxes on January 3rd, I’ll have images of the space and menus for you. Hours will be nightly 6pm-12am. For now, if you want to keep in touch with State Bird Provisions updates, follow the restaurant on Twitter and Facebook.

Opening right around the corner from State Bird Provisions is ~THE SOCIAL STUDY~ (site not live) from Harmony Fraga. It was originally going to be The Library from Jay Foster and Deanna Sison (Farmerbrown and Little Skillet), but Foster put me in touch with Fraga, who was a manager at Farmerbrown for five years and has taken over the space with a silent business partner.

Fraga envisions the project as a cozy meeting space and neighborhood living room: a place to study people, and also like a study at home, where you can contentedly read a book. But it’s not all about being studious: there will also be films, a live DJ on Fridays (Doc Fu), and a house band on Saturdays, Hot Pocket. The daytime vibe will feature mellow vinyl being played on a turntable.

There will be a communal table in the middle of the room, and there’s a groovy, bright blue padded wall unit with seats and tables, plus a bar, with room for about 30 in all. The house coffee will be provided by Four Barrel, and there will be beer and wine available (plus seasonal sangrias), along with sandwiches, and custom bar snacks, like jerky and chocolate-dipped bacon. There really isn’t a place to hang out at like this in the neighborhood, so it’s sure to be a welcome addition. Hours will be daily 8am-11pm to start. Look for the opening on Tuesday January 3rd. 1795 Geary St. at Fillmore, 415-292-7417.

Opening tomorrow evening in the former RNM location is ~MAVEN~, a project from David Kurtz (Saison, COI, Michael Mina, Gary Danko, Bacar) and Jay Bordeleau (Beretta, Bacar, Mecca, Laïola). The team envisions Maven as a neighborhood hangout, whether you’re coming by for a drink and some snacks, a casual meal, or going for a full-on paired meal. Kurtz’s edited menu has 10 modern American dishes, from scallop crudo ($12) with shiso, Granny Smith apple, and hazelnut, to Chinatown duck sliders ($9), to butternut squash agnolotti ($11/$17) with Brussels sprouts, pomegranate, and Parmesan (click here for the PDF). Kurtz is also a certified sommelier, and will be incorporating drink-oriented ingredients into dishes, including juniper salts, vermouth reductions, and whiskey brines. His sous chef is Matt Brimer (Maverick, COCO500).

The menu has a strong focus on pairing with beverages, whether it’s a cocktail or a glass of wine or a pint of beer. Bordeleau is working with lead bartender Kate Bolton (Michael Mina, Wexler’s), running a bar that features 10 specialty drinks designed to be very food-friendly, plus housemade bitters, sorbets, tinctures, purées, syrups, and some serious ice (spheres and the like). The International Mistress ($11) features amaro, lemon, mezcal, orgeat, grapefruit, while New Boy Valentine ($11) has aged rum, spiced walnut liquor, orange. Interesting, very few spirits and liqueurs are name checked on the cocktail list. You can look at the cocktails, beers, and international wines by the glass here.

Gi Paoletti is behind the new interior with its urban-natural look. There’s a living wall with over 700 square feet of foliage, three tall communal redwood tables, and sculptural light fixtures from shaved wood and stained bold red. There are 60 seats total, with a 9-seat, 18-foot bar fashioned from a single slab of redwood, an 8-seat kitchen counter overlooking the open kitchen, and a fireplace-lit mezzanine with low lounge seating and cocktail tables (it looks great), plus a redwood bar rail with bar stools that overlook the room. Hours are daily 5pm-12am (they are hoping to get later hours in time), and brunch will launch in January. And for those who remember the valet parking at RNM, well, it’s now street parking, people. Am very much looking forward to checking this one out.

The next time you’re gettin’ your suds on at the recently expanded ~CITY BEER STORE~ on Folsom, you’ll also be able to get your sausage on (I know, that sounds kind of wrong), thanks to ~CITIZEN’S BAND~. Chef Chris Beerman (it was fate that he’d be doing this partnership) is now serving a variety of sausages, like a housemade pork sausage with molasses and sage and a pork and bacon kielbasa, plus partnering up with local sausage-makers, like Peter Temkin at Showdogs, who will be providing an all-beef hot dog, while Ryan Farr at 4505 Meats will be making a sour berry ale cotechino with rosemary and black pepper. There will also be wild boar, smoked duck, and a bratwurst available.

All the sausages will be served on grinder and torpedo rolls made by Cheryl Burr of neighboring Pinkie’s Bakery, and will come with whole grain mustard and cider vinegar-pickled onions. The cost will range from $5-$7, and the sausage service will run Tue-Sat 5pm-10pm. All you do is place your order with the folks at City Beer Store, and then you’ll need to swing by the bakery kitchen at Citizen’s Band/Pinkie’s Bakery (it’s just a few doors down) about 10-15 minutes later to pick up your order. You’ll be able to eat it at City Beer Store, just like the Toronado/Rosamunde style you have probably become accustomed to. Enjoy! City Beer Store, 1168 Folsom St. at 8th St., Suite 101, 415-503-1033. Citizen’s Band, 1198 Folsom St. at 8th St., 415-556-4901.

Last week I mentioned the opening of Precita Park Café, and Bernalwood brings the news of ~CAFETO~ that just opened in South Bernal. Lots of reclaimed wood, free Wi-Fi, it’s dog friendly, and there are things to eat like sandwiches and pastries. 111 Richland St. at Mission.

This was very dangerous news for me to learn: ~LITTLE STAR PIZZA~ on Divisadero is now open at noon Fri-Sun. Yup, pizza and wings and cheesecake for lunch, it’s a scary proposition. 8416 Divisadero St. at McAllister, 415-441-1118.

And The Richmond mentions the opening of ~FIREHOUSE PIZZA~, a mostly takeout place featuring East Coast-style pizza (i.e. thin crust), plus garlic knots, and something that gave me serious pause: a spicy bacon cheeseburger pizza with garlic butter, extra ground beef, jalapeños, bacon, and cheddar. It’s located in the back of the Appel & Dietrich market. Open daily 4pm-10pm. 6001 California St. at 22nd Ave., 415-221-7603.

And next Wednesday December 28th, another ~LA BOULANGE~ location is opening: it’s a new downtown location inside the Merchants Exchange Building. Online ordering and office catering will become available in the new year. 465 California St. at Leidesdorff.

In the unsuccessful comebacks department: a tablehopper reader informed me ~LETICIA’S~ in the Castro has a sign on the door stating that it’s closing December 31st. 2200 Market St. at Sanchez, 415-864-5384.

Eater notes that ~MORPH~ has closed in the Richmond. 5344 Geary Blvd. at 17th Ave.

Chowhound mentions that ~FA-LA-LA~, the falafel place on Durant that made amazing pitas, has closed. 2518-B Durant Ave. at Telegraph, Berkeley, 510-704-0454.

And this is not a closure, but just a reminder that ~LA TAQUERIA~ will be closed for their annual break until January 8th, reopening on Monday January 9th. 2889 Mission St. at 24th St., 415-285-7117.

Over in SoMa, chef Jessica Gorin of ~THIRSTYBEAR~ is moving to Illinois (her husband got a job at the University of Illinois), and she might be starting her own thing there. Best of luck, Jessica! Her replacement will be Laurance Gordon, who has been her sous chef for almost two years, and he previously worked at Absinthe and The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco.

Chef Preeti Mistry of ~JUHU BEACH CLUB~ is going to be popping up on Thursday nights at La Victoria Bakery in the Mission, starting on January 5th. She is doing a prix-fixe menu for the first dinner (four courses for $35), but there will most likely be à la carte nights as well. The menu includes dahi puri (black chickpeas, potato, chaat masala, Straus yogurt, tamarind water); shoulda, coulda, vada chaat (crispy fried mashed potato, winter greens, chutneys); mung ne dal (warming mung bean soup, toasted cumin croutons); your choice of Holy Cow (smoky black cardamom short rib sandwich with cucumber raita) or Sloppy Lil’ P (saucy, spicy, buttery veggie sloppy joe with pickled red onion, aka pav bhaji!).

You can buy your ticket in advance here (the $5 seating reservation will go towards your total bill), but there will be a few spots left for walk-ins. And it’s BYOB! Can’t wait to check this one out. Pav bhaji!!

Last week, I got a note from owner Tanya Holland that she has opened ~B-SIDE BBQ~ in the Yardie Jerk space on San Pablo. She’s doing a few different kinds of barbecue, ranging from Memphis to Texas, with some of her own flair as well. Click here for the current menu, which lists smoked brown sugar-rubbed brisket, pulled pork, jerk-spiced baby backs, St. Louis ribs, smoked chicken, and salmon, plus a tofu option for you vegetarians that miss barbecue. Lots of sauces and sides. Open Tue-Sat 11am-4pm for takeout for now. 3301 San Pablo Ave. at 34th St., Oakland, 510-595-0227.

I was very happy to learn that one of the CHEFS graduates (from the ECS program) Virginia Robertson is the chef for a new East Bay restaurant, ~TOUCH OF SOUL~. She created the recipes, and reviews and a photo on Yelp reveal a menu with chicken wings, oxtails, po’ boys, and other soul food classics. Listed hours are Tue-Sat 11:30am-10pm, Sun 11:30am-9pm. 4336 San Pablo Ave. at 43rd St., Emeryville, 510-595-1227.