Fellow fans of Turkish cuisine will be excited to hear about TAKSIM, a newly opened, upscale, modern Mediterranean restaurant from the Lokma team in the former Cockscomb in SoMa. (Anyone who has been to Istanbul will recognize the name, a famous square in the hip Beyoğlu neighborhood.) You can check the menu here—I’m happy to see they’re taking advantage of the former Cockscomb’s raw bar and offering oysters on the half-shell, plus flatbreads from the wood oven. There’s a full bar as well, and you’ll find some natural wines on the international wine list. Open Tue-Thu 5pm-9pm and Fri-Sat 5pm-10pm. 564 4th St. at Brannan.
Am always thrilled to hear about a La Cocina entrepreneur getting a brick-and-mortar space, and in this case, it’s MIXIOTE, opening today, February 15th, in the retail lobby of Salesforce East (this is what happens when Salesforce loves your catering). Chef-owner Alma Rodriguez is from Mexico City, and is the master of mixiotes: a slow-cooked protein marinated in a chile sauce and wrapped in maguey leaves and pit-barbecued—she adapted her family recipe and uses beef, chicken, pork, fish, or vegetables, marinating them in her family’s guajillo chile sauce, and then wraps and roasts the protein in avocado or banana leaves to give it an earthy flavor. She will be offering to-go lunch bowls Tue-Thu 11am-3pm to start. Guests can access the space through the sliding glass doors on Fremont Street. 350 Mission St. at Fremont.
Also in SoMa is a teeny-tiny new sushi spot, WABI-SABI SF, with just 12 seats (4 at the bar and 8 at 2 tables). The menu is pretty compact, to be expected, with an affordable 11-piece nigiri tasting for $42 and a deluxe chirashi for $38. There’s lunch and dinner service, with a nigiri lunch special of $22. Takeout and delivery are also available. I reached out to learn more about the owner: Toey Ti has been working at various Japanese restaurants and sushi counters in the City for the past ten years, including Umami, Ozumo, Ginza Sushi (where he was head chef), and Kuma. Open Wed-Sun 11am-2:30pm and 5pm-9:30pm. 246 Ritch St. Unit 101 at Bryant.
When you want to hail the call of carbs (awoooooooga), you can swing by the new CHADWICK’S in the Castro, serving Fun Buns (“boutique cinnamon rolls”) and Dough Boys (focaccia-style personal pies). The Original Fun Bun has cinnamon, a hint of coffee, and caramel-cream cheese icing. Meanwhile, the Dough Boy is like a cross between a pizza and olive oil pan-fried bread, available with cheese, pepperoni, or vegetarian. Open Wed-Sun 11am-3pm. 2375 Market St. at Castro.
Taksim has opened in the former Cockscomb. Instagram photo via taksimsf.
