At the end of the Commonwealth Club panel I moderated last week, I was very pleased to meet Yuko Hayashi, the owner of the forthcoming ~IZAKAYA YUZUKI~, due to open in the former Ebb & Flow space on the corner of 18th Street and Guerrero. (I was doing some serious online stalking of the poor woman—was great to meet her in person.) This will be her first restaurant project, and the Osaka native is looking forward to offering Japanese dishes that are a bit different from what we have seen here in San Francisco (she travels to Japan frequently).
While it has izakaya in the name, she says the menu will have an emphasis on traditional and healthy dishes, including yakitori (a lighter dish), handmade tofu, and many vegetable dishes. The chef is Takashi Saito, whose background includes working at Ame and Kyo-ya—he is currently in Japan right now on a research tour. The restaurant will have 49 seats, and will be open for dinner Mon-Sat. She is currently hoping to open by October. (With the Namu brothers opening Namu Gaji in January, the neighborhood is going to be gaining some serious izakaya density.) 598 Guerrero St. at 18th St.
Exterior of the soon-to-be Izakaya Yuzuki.
