We feel particularly metropolitan this week. As if lunching at Anchor and Hope on Monday wasn’t enough, we were also treated to lunch at Absinthe.

We have now experienced breakfast, lunch and dinner at Absinthe and we’re reluctant to say it, but every time we’ve eaten here we’ve been a bit underwhelmed. We’ve certainly never had a bad meal, but then we always want just a little bit more.

It was sort of like finally seeing the Dark Knight this week. Yes, it was good, yes, Heath Ledger made a great Joker, but we didn’t think he should win an Oscar and in our opinion, the movie had 4 different endings and all of the action sequences went on a beat too long.

Our dining experiences at Absinthe have been similar. Our first trip was for brunch and we remember being excited about our omelet description and we couldn’t stop staring at the house made scones. Ultimately, the omelet was good but it fell short of great and the home fries were okay, but the Rosemary went on a beat too long.

The dinner adventure was more full-blown, a sizable party, and between the 5 of us we had a comprehensive sampling of the menu. The deep fried chick peas were clever, but somewhat difficult and draining to eat and while entrées tasted as they should (we shared duck confit, a few people had the French onion soup, there was an order of beef cheeks and the day’s fish dish) and we left full, our meal was just shy of memorable. It was a 3.8 GPA student—clearly strong and bright, but missing some AP courses and not the best test taker.

Lunch was nice yesterday. We had the Absinthe burger, which was actually cooked perfectly (medium means medium and they got it right). We also enjoyed the dipping sauces with the fries and our afternoon cocktail. In fact, we’ve decided that Absinthe shines brightest for special lunches and executive meetings—it’s a nice jaunt from the Civic Center area, the dishes are standard enough for all palettes yet self conscious enough to create a vibrant and stable menu.

Absinthe [MenuPages]
Absinthe [Official Site]

[Photo: Beef cheeks at Absinthe via Adam Martin]

Nopa [Savory SF]
Nopa [MenuPages]
Nopa [Official Site]

Yes, we know that Mojo Bicycle Cafe opened earlier in the summer, but we finally snagged a menu for the little Western Addition cafe/bike shop, so we thought we'd announce it to the world.

Simply put, Mojo is a neighborhood gem and its snowballing popularity is a testament to how well it's doing the little things it set out to do: high-quality coffee and espresso, healthy breakfasts (try the granola), fresh sandwiches, sunny outdoor patio seating, a friendly environment and plenty of, um, bike-related stuff. The reviews on Yelp are nearly glowing across the board.

It's a perfect fit for the 'hood.

Mojo Bicycle Cafe [MenuPages]
Mojo Bicycle Cafe [Official Site]

Last week's article in the New York Times Travel section about the super duper coolness of the NoPa district ("Colonizing an Urban Frontier") was no exception. We've already expounded upon the newfound trendiness of the neighborhood that's known as "North of the Panhandle," but the Times takes it a step further by (probably correctly) pointing out that the 'hood's rise was sparked by the tremendous success of Nopa:

But what really put the neighborhood — and its name — on the map is the restaurant Nopa (560 Divisadero Street; 415-864-8643; www.nopasf.com).

The restaurant, which opened last year, has created quite stir, not only for its organic kitchen (a grass-fed beef hamburger is $12), but for making a point of serving filtered tap water as a greener alternative to bottled. The large space is housed in a former bank and has concrete floors, a communal table and an open kitchen that stays open until 1 a.m., a welcome anomaly in a city that goes to bed early.

In any event, there's no denying that NoPa is the next rising star neighborhood of the City. But what will its fate be? Will it become a yuppie wasteland like the Marina? Will it become stroller central like Noe Valley? Will it be a hipster depot like the Mission? Discuss.

Colonizing an Urban Frontier [NY Times]
Nopa [MenuPages]
Nopa [Official Site]
Earlier: Bar Crudo Spinoff/Sequel Coming To NoPa [MenuBlog]

[Image courtesy: Geocities]

Raw bar fans, rejoice!

According to the always-excellent Tablehopper (aka Marcia Gagliardi), Bar Crudo will be opening a second location near the corner of Divisadero and Grove:

NOPA residents, something fishy is moving into the 94417: ~BAR CRUDO~ is opening a second location, hopefully by the first of the year. Color me excited. The restaurant will be opening in the short-lived Amina Pizzeria space, just across the street from the Independent. The 60-seat space will have a mezzanine and long bar where you can savor some foamy goodness off what is sure to be a long list of ales. (The Selvera brothers have a knack for Belgians. Beers, that is.) Since the kitchen is bigger than their slip of a space on Bush Street, look for an expanded and different menu.

Meanwhile, the gentrification of NoPa continues ...

The Chatterbox: August 13, 2007 [Tablehopper]
Bar Crudo [MenuPages]
Bar Crudo [Official Site]

Gary Danko and Aqua alum Andy Kitko heads the crew at Palmetto, Union Street's newest restaurant. The menu is Mediterranean centric, with dishes from Southern France and Italy, Spain's Mallorca region, and the northern tip of Africa. This means that diners will be treated to a cornucopia of light, summery fare such as stuffed dates, melon soup and puttanesca. In traditional Mediterranean fashion, fish litters the menu, but there's plenty of hearty meats for carnivores (e.g., Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder with Creamy Polenta and Fig-Haricot Vert Salad).

Zagat Buzz has the scoop on Nickie's, the Haight Street bar that has gone from danky to swanky:

Nickie's, which was once a sweaty Lower Haight hole-in-the-wall, has been spruced up with wooden tables, banquette seating and stylish Japanese-style stools; a comfort-food menu is served until 10 PM, after which DJs spin funk, reggae, mash-ups and more...

Have experiences with the aforementioned places? Share them!

Palmetto [MenuPages]
Palmetto [Official Site]
Nickie's [MenuPages]
Nickie's [Official Site]
Nickie's in the Lower Haight Gets a Swank Remodel [Zagat Buzz]

See, not all professional athletes spend their time at trendy lounges, surrounded by San Francisco's, ahem, finest. According to the always-excellent Madame Tablehopper, All-Star Game MVP and Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki spent the majority of his San Francisco visit dining at the Michelin-starred Quince:

Ichiro Suzuki ate at Quince two nights in a row last week. He celebrated his MVP status and his home run at the All Stars Game late into the evening, feasting on risotto with squash blossoms stuffed with lobster, local halibut carpaccio, risotto with petrale sole and extra vecchio balsamic. He was reportedly very gracious.

The starlet: July 17, 2007 [Tablehopper]
Quince [MenuPages]
Quince [Official Site]
Earlier: Where The Ballplayers Partied, Or, That Macy Gray Is So Hot Right Now [MenuBlog]

[Photo courtesy: Seattle Times]

As for Cafe Majestic, here's what Signore Bauer had to say:

One of [25-year-old chef Ian] Begg's strengths is the way he is able to come up with new ways to present popular items, such as foie gras. He sears the liver and places it on brioche over shavings of caramelized Brussels sprouts, which have the same earthy effect as truffles. He finishes the dish with a golden raisin sauce and splashes of vivid parsley oil.

When the waiter realized how much we liked the dish, he brought out one of the chef's experiments: foie gras ice cream with a small glass of sweet dessert wine. The glistening scoop looked like vanilla and had a similar creamy sweetness; the taste of foie gras hit at the end, the sensation cleared by a sip of wine.

It was an example of how servers go out of their way to enhance the experience. They're unobtrusive, but always there when you need them.

It's high time to discover the redone Cafe Majestic [SFGate]
Cafe Majestic [MenuPages]
Cafe Majestic [Official Site]

[Photo courtesy: SF Survey]

And thus we present Yogurt Bar, nestled in Cow Hollow off the corner of Octavia and Union. According to its website, this will be the flagship of an entire armada of yogurt eateries around this Bay of ours. The menu even has a decidedly San Francisco tilt, with the three sizes dubbed The Rock, Union Square and Golden Gate.

Just on down the road, at Chestnut and Fillmore, lies Laiola, a quaint Spanish-Californian wine bar (ish) restaurant with a leaning towards Catalan fare. The main finds here seem to be the cured meats, but with all the other traditional and fun menu items (like braised octopus and slow-roasted piglet), you'll wish you had room to try more stuff.

Yogurt Bar [MenuPages]
Yogurt Bar [Official Site]
Laiola [MenuPages]
Laiola [Official Site]

Here at MenuPages, we are constantly updating our vast menu database. Every morning, we'll highlight five or so menu updates to bring you the latest in San Francisco culinary upheaval.

Today's updates: Restaurants in and around Pacific Heights.

• Annie's Bistro, 2819 California St (At Divisadero St), 415-922-9669

• Chouquet's, 2500 Washington St (At Fillmore St), 415-359-0075

• Elite Cafe, 2049 Fillmore St (At Pine St), 415-346-8668

• Florio, 1915 Fillmore St (Btwn Pine & Bush St), 415-775-4300

• Sociale, 3665 Sacramento St (Btwn Locust & Spruce St), 415-921-3200

This morning, we took a look at the iPhone commercial that depicts said electronic appliance directing its calamari-craving user to a San Francisco restaurant that doesn't actually serve calamari.

Well, things done changed, and it's a bit creepy how much influence the iPhone already has.

Due to the overwhelming demand for calamari created by the ad, Pacific Catch has found a place for calamari on its permanent menu:

Turns out, Cox says, that calamari was only an occasional special at the Corte Madera branch (133 Town Center). When the calls -- up to 100 a day -- started coming in, executive chef Aaron Noveshen quickly put it on the menu. Now, spicy fried calamari is a hot item at the Marin and San Francisco (2027 Chestnut St.) locations.

Earlier: See, The iPhone Isn't That Smart [MenuBlog]
Pacific Catch [MenuPages]
Pacific Catch [Official Site]

False advertising? Flawed research? Inconsequential hiccup en route to Apple world iDomination? Discuss.

Pacific Catch [MenuPages]
Pacific Catch [Official Site]

In addition to the 64-seat dining room and 40-seat bar, there's a newly refurbished patio with about 20 tables surrounded by a fence, stands of bamboo and delicate Japanese maples set against a hillside planted in vines. Although it's just been landscaped and the vegetation is still trying to take hold, it promises to be one of the best outdoor spots in the city.

The food created by Korkhieola and her team is as stylish and well presented as the modern interior. Beef wasabi rolls ($10), arranged on a long white plate with sticks of celery and carrots protruding from one end, look like lollipops, wrapped with grilled steak on green puddles of wasabi sauce. The sinus-clearing combination shows that the kitchen isn't afraid to season liberally.

Sophisticated interior meets stylish food at Osha Thai [SFGate]
Osha Thai Restaurant [MenuPages]
Osha Thai Restaurant [Official Site]

[Photo courtesy: Flickr]

Here at MenuPages, we are constantly updating our vast menu database. Every morning, we'll highlight five or so menu updates to bring you the latest in San Francisco culinary upheaval.

Today's updates: Restaurants in the PlumpJack Empire.

• Balboa Cafe, 3199 Fillmore St (At Greenwich St), 415-921-3944

• Jack Falstaff, 598 2nd St (At Brannan St), 415-836-9239

• MatrixFillmore, 3138 Fillmore St (Btwn Greenwich & Filbert St), 415-563-4180

• PlumpJack Cafe, 3127 Fillmore St (Btwn Filbert & Greenwich St), 415-563-4755

A pair of restaurants removed the plywood from their windows this week.

Cassis opened on Tuesday on Sutter and Steiner. The restaurant advertises itself as "Southern French Cuisine with an Italian Flair" and looks to be an Nicoise-inspired take on bistro fare. Cassis' menu includes some surprising dishes, like pizza and pasta (hence the "Italian flair" which Nice is known for), but for the most part, the brothers behind the eatery--native Frenchmen Jerome and Stephane Meloni--stick to the basics: tart tatin, duck confit, pissaladiere (traditional Niçoise onion tart) et al.

Stacks also opened recently. The Peninsula chain unveiled its first San Francisco branch, in the former Hayes Street space of another Peninsula transplant, the fated Cafe Grillades. In all likelihood, Stacks will churn out the same delicious brunches as its Burlingame and Menlo Park locations.

Cassis [MenuPages]
Cassis [Official Site]
Stacks [MenuPages]
Stacks [Official Site]

S.P.Q.R.’s Rome-centric menu will be gutsy and rustic, with a casual neighborhood enoteca vibe (no reservations). Nate Appleman will be manning the stoves alongside his best friend Daniel Holzman ... The potential menu items inspire great pangs of hunger. There is an array of cold plates (marinated salt cod with green tomatoes and endive), hot (sardines alla piastra with a breadcrumb salsa), and fried dishes (panzarotti, or mozzarella in carozza) that you can choose from to create your own sampler for $7 each or your choice of three for $16, five for $25. Pastas will include Roman classics, like cacio e pepe, aglio e olio, all’amatriciana, or what is sure to be a killer carbonara. And since people tend to disagree about what is the most authentic pasta for each of these preparations, you can take your pick from bucatini, rigatoni, or spaghetti. (I like my amatriciana with bucatini, thank you very much.) There will also be some fresh pastas, like tonnarelli. (Grumble grumble, be quiet stomach!)

This is all proving to be exciting ... very exciting.

The Chatterbox [Tablehopper]

Here at MenuPages, we are constantly updating our vast menu database. Every morning, we'll highlight five or so menu updates to bring you the latest in San Francisco culinary upheaval.

Today's updates: Restaurants in Pacific Heights and the Marina.

• Alive, 1972 Lombard St (At Webster St), 415-923-1052

• Ella's, 500 Presidio Ave (At California St), 415-441-5669

• Harry's Bar, 2020 Fillmore St (Btwn Pine & California St), 415-921-1000

• Pita Pit, 2257 Chestnut St (Btwn Scott & Pierce St), 415-674-8288

Michael Bauer broke some big news on his blog this morning. Chez Nous has reportedly been sold to the people behind A16:

News travels quickly. Even though I'm 2,000 miles away at the William Inge Theater Festival in Kansas, I've heard that Pascal Rigo, who pioneered the small plate concept at Chez Nous, has sold the Fillmore Street restaurant to the folks of A16, who are pioneers of San Francisco's regional Italian trend. Both the seller and the buyer have exciting plans in the works. We'll give you the full scoop in Wednesday's Food section.

If anyone has news, feel free to tip your favorite MenuPagester. Or leave some predictions in the comments field.

Juicy news that can't wait [Between Meals]
Chez Nous [MenuPages]

• Tomorrow night is Wine Night at Circa, where the wine list consists of over 300 bottles. With any $20 food purchase, you get your second bottle of wine for $5.

• Speaking of vino, Nectar Wine Lounge will feature several special wines from the Justin Vineyard tonight.

• And don't forget to continue to make your reservations for Thursday's Dining Out For Life! Over 75 restaurants are participating; you have to like at least one of them.

• It's Southern Fried Night at Maverick. In the grand tradition of southern diners, chicken fried steaks, fried chickens and biscuits will be flowing at 17th Street this evening. There's still some space left, but the small Mission eatery/wine bar is filling up fast, so pounce on the final few reservations.

• The Fat Tuesday Band and Edna Love will be playing Biscuits & Blues tonight; also on sale for $30 are Friday night tickets for Elvin Bishop and Little Smokey Smothers.

• This isn't tonight, but we just discovered that one of our favorite soul food spots, farmerbrown, offers Happy Hour all day on Sundays and Mondays. That's a lot of joviality sure to cure your weekend blues. Or make them worse, depending.

• There's a garden party at Bistro Yoffi tonight. It's advertised as "the best hippie hangout in yuppieland." What? There are yuppies in San Francisco? And they congregate in the Marina? Someone call the mayor!

• Finally, tonight marks the debut of supperclub's "supperlite four-course Tuesdays." The basic premise of the hip dining experience will persist, albeit in a shorter, $45 four-course form.

As you probably know, Kurt Vonnegut died last night. Needless to say, his dark humor and strong moral vision impacted countless readers, including this blog's editor. What you might not know is that Vonnegut was a big jazz fan. In fact, in a Rolling Stone interview, he proposed that jazz, along with Alcoholics Anonymous, is the only American invention that has made the world a better place. With that in mind, we've decided to dedicate this edition of The Promo Department to the jazzy offerings around the city this weekend, because well, so it goes: "I will say too, that lovemaking, if sincere, is one of the best ideas Satan put in the apple she gave to the serpent to give to Eve. The best idea in that apple, though, is making jazz." (Vonnegut, "Timequake")

• Kim Nalley, "a swinging and sassy vocalist," will spend the weekend at Jazz at Pearl's. Don't miss Nalley; her blues style has been described as a cross between Louis Armstrong and Jessica Rabbit. Seems like must-see jazz to us. More info is available on the official website or by calling 415-291-8255.

• One of our favorite haunts, Rasselas, is the scene of tonight's YMCA community support campaign. For $50, you get a drink, Ethiopian hors d'oeuvres and performances by Swoop Unit and Oriente, not to mention the satisfaction of helping the Y. RSVP is necessary.

• West African Mission standby Bissap Baobab will host a Senegalese independence party on Friday the 13th, with lots of African-jazz fusion fun. On Saturday, its sister East Bay restaurant Taxi Brousse will host Geah, an African harp-double bass-percussion trio.

• For your traditional jazz fix, the Bill "Doc" Webster Band will be playing nostalgic swing from the '30s and '40s at Les Joulins Jazz Bistro on Saturday and Sunday.

Continue reading "Making A List: Unearthing Japantown's Gems" »

• And so it begins. The Presidio Social Club opened to some fanfare earlier this month (our review post is coming up). The PSC, as it's been dubbed by "those in the know" (um, us?), serves up traditional American plates and some with a modern Californian flair. The fusion between modern and traditional is not unlike the City itself. In fact, the PSC, sitting in the midst of the Presidio, really does some like a San Francisco institution already. Here's hoping it survives the opening jitters.

• One of our favorite cuisines just got another restaurant. Karamanduka, a new Peruvian restaurant in the Richmond, represents the South American staples quite well. Tthe cool thing about Karamanduka is the story behind the restaurant's inception and naming. It's a good little read. We recommend.

• Jovino, a charming little wine bar/coffehouse amalgam, opened in Cow Hollow. Finally, just what the Union/Fillmore area needs: another place to drink!