Finn Town’s Rick Hamer and William Vastardis will be opening another restaurant in the Castro in November, PAPI RICO, in the former Dante’s Table. Inspired by Puerto Vallarta, the BAR reports it will be a beachy cantina, featuring Mexican playa and street food, like fish tacos, ceviche, al pastor, salads, and housemade churros. Finn Town’s new executive chef, Steve Dustin, will oversee the menu.
The location has a full liquor license, so expect both traditional and frozen cocktails, with a focus on tequila and mezcal, as well as Jell-O shots and boozy popsicles, because it’s the Castro. There’s also a nice outdoor patio and seating on the front sidewalk, with room for 90. 544 Castro St. at 18th St.
THE CHEESE SCHOOL OF SAN FRANCISCO is going to be moving from its Mission location (in the former Saison, at Stable Café) to Ghirardelli Square in late spring 2018. Owner Kiri Fisher tells me she hopes that it will be a pretty seamless transition and that they’ll only go dark for a couple of weeks, tops. The new location will be the two-story Apartment House (the space just behind the fountain on the main plaza). The expanded space means they will be launching a new culinary program, a counter service café serving cheese-centric dishes from around the world (and wines by the glass or bottle), and a retail space, with cut-to-order cheese and charcuterie counters. Classes will be held on the second floor, which will be outfitted with a catering kitchen and pizza oven, with space for 28 participants per class.
Details are a little sparse, but a kosher restaurant is coming to 6th Street, focused on “falafel, shwarma and other grilled kosher meats,” according to the J Weekly. The owners are Arik Sharabi and Roni Rotholz, and it will open in six months or so. Will keep you posted. 6th St. and Howard.
The bar at the former Dante’s Table. Photo by Juan Romero Corral via Facebook.
