The Chatterbox

I’m so happy to report that GARDENIAS has reopened in Lower Pacific Heights/Upper Fillmore. Chef-owners Dana Tommasino and Margie Conard (previously Woodward’s Garden) have opened for dining in their new outdoor shared space and on their charming back patio, serving their seasonal magic with dishes like scallop…

The day after I sent my previous tablehopper newsletter, one of our city’s most treasured culinary icons departed this mortal plane, our matriarch of Chinese cuisine, Madame Cecilia Chiang. What a force. She made being 100 years old look youthful—and the way she lived, it was like she…

Currently underway this week is a special online version of the annual Cochon555 event: Carryout with Cochon555, running in San Francisco from now until Sunday November 15th, with curated carry-out meals, wine, spirits, and a virtual experience. You can order meals from remaining chefs: Thursday, November 12th: chef Lorenzo Caamal…

In case you don’t follow me on Instagram or Twitter or Facebook, which is where you will find all the latest updates, I wanted to be sure you knew that HORN BARBECUE has officially opened! Pitmaster and chef-owner Matt Horn has survived the endless, hair-pulling bureaucracy and now the…

Just because you need more goodies in your life…especially NOW. A few weeks ago, I mentioned the latest project at Nico, now MAISON NICO, a French-inspired market, épicerie, and café from chef-owner Nicolas Delaroque and Paul Einbund (The Morris), offering French pâtés and terrines, viennoiserie, sweets, coffee (including Paul’…

Just a quick note to report the happy news that TOMMY’S JOYNT “is reopening Oct. 29 with reduced hours and a smaller menu,” according to this post on SFGate. The beloved hofbrau temporarily shut down, sending everyone into a tizzy that is was permanent, but thankfully they’ll be…

Ugh, writing about these closures is just the worst. I’m keeping these brief, we all know why everything is closing. How can restaurants be expected to survive this impossible business climate without federal assistance? The Senate has gone home and failed to pass the $120B restaurant revitalization fund. It’…

I wanted to let you know about a couple new ways you can stock your fridge and enjoy some tasty meals at home while helping to support restaurants. First, there’s Feastin, a new delivery platform offering a variety of restaurant meals and dishes and kits, plus groceries and cocktails.…

Boom, all of a sudden, Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of State Bird Provisions and The Progress decided to swing open the doors to their latest project, THE ANCHOVY BAR, which just opened last week around the corner in the former Fat Angel (Wylie Price is behind the new look)…

Some quick updates for you: Central Kitchen is now CENTRAL KITCHEN WINE BAR, with a more-casual experience and menu from co-chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow, offering handmade pasta from the Flour+Water Pasta Shop team (previously Salumeria), like sweet potato and ricotta tortelloni with sage brown butter, along with…