TRULY MEDITERRANEAN has been holding it down at 16th Street and Valencia since 1992, and now they have opened a second location in Mission Bay, also on 16th Street. You can order their trademark halal lamb or chicken shawarma (wraps, plates), kebabs, falafel, combo plates, and more. Plus you’ll find a lot more seating—at actual tables. Hours are daily 9am-8pm. 900 16th St. at 7th St., 415-829-3119.
More shawarma love: after endless delays, ZAYTOON has finally opened another location on Divisadero, next door to Bean Bag Cafe. The menu is just like the Valencia location, with wraps and platters of their quality lamb shawarma, chicken shawarma (did you know you can get a combo of the two if you can’t decide?), plus kebabs, falafel, burgers, dolmas, and salads. They will be adding some specials too. There are about 30 seats, and owner Chris Totah tells me they have a parklet coming soon. Welcome to the neighborhood. Hours are daily 11am-10pm to start. 605 Divisadero St. at Hayes.
Now open in the Castro in the former Mekong Kitchen is INDO RESTAURANT, an Indonesian restaurant based in Palo Alto, from owner Bryan Lew, with executive chef Thomas “Tommy” Charoen and chef de cuisine Diana Anwar leading the kitchen. The dinner menu features starters like martabak (stuffed roti, $11), Bali ribs ($15), and black pepper mussels ($14), plus larger dishes like lamb korma and balado short ribs (both $28) and a seafood green curry for $29. These prices are not fast-casual, but at least the servings look hearty. You could, of course, stick with some noodle dishes for $16 and call it a night. Beer and wine are also served. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-9pm. 4039 18th St. at Hartford.
A tablehopper reader let me know that “the unfortunately named Adventure in Food and Wine (previously Rustic Pizza) is closed.” Yes, unfortunate. Now open in its place is the just as awkwardly named BEER NERDS, but what are you gonna do? Scoop reports the first-time owners will be pouring craft beer from 20 taps (in an approachable style, no snobbery here) and making pizza. There’s also a garden in progress in the back. Open Mon-Wed 2pm-12am and Thu-Sun 12pm-2am. 3331 24th St. at Bartlett.
A shawarma platter at Truly Mediterranean Mission Bay. Photo via Facebook.
