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.
Interior photo by John Glenn.
