April 16, 2019 - This week's tablehopper: Greece 2.

This week's tablehopper: Greece 2.                    

A baklava nest, part of a finale course at The Table at Merchant Roots. Photo: © tablehopper.com.

Howdy, gang. How are you? Yesterday was quite the double gut punch, watching Notre-Dame de Paris burn (utterly horrific, supremely awful) while my money flew out of my bank account to Uncle Sam (no uncle of mine). I was feeling pretty wiped out last night while writing this beast of a column—at least there’s always house music to lift me up (sorry for the heavy bass, neighbors!).

But, today is a sunny day, the cathedral is still standing, and I’m grateful for all the fun experiences I’ve had the past couple weeks. Last week was Bi-Rite Market and 18 Reasons’ spring fundraiser, Master Chefs at Home, to benefit their Cooking Matters program, which offers free cooking and nutrition education classes to more than 3,500 low-income, Bay Area kids, teens, adults, and families each year. It was such an uplifting event, honoring the many people who help run and support the program. Want to help? You can volunteer, host, or donate!

I was also so fortunate to attend the over-the-top, pre-opening party for Dandelion Chocolate (OMG, the dessert table), experience the abundant and creative Stylin’ the Saloon tasting menu at Comstock Saloon (for $55, you gotta check it out), and attended a cannabis product launch party with Eric Wareheim pouring Las Jaras in the mix as well. It helps make my writing and work weekends less onerous, I tell ya. Monday is my Saturday.

Things are about to get a little loosey goosey over here—I have a big mymilligram project I’m working on, along with a quick trip to the Midwest to do some cannabis consultation, zip back for the Hall of Flowers, and then would you believe I’m going back to Greece in the first week of May? I think Aphrodite and Athena are pulling some serious strings for me, and I am not going to question it! Thank you, goddesses!

I’ve been invited to cover the Corfu Food and Wine Festival, and am so excited to visit that beautiful island, keep learning about Greek food and wine, and practice my Greek some more! I know, my life.

So, I don’t know when I’m going to get another tablehopper out over the next month—the time to write is a bit scarce (ditto any sponsors). I’m doing my best, but there’s only so much espresso I can drink (thanks for helping, HelioRoast)! Maybe I’ll be able to put out a mini midweek hopper or something. I’m waiting to hear what the Oracle at Delphi has to say. Back atcha soon.

Thanks for reading, and here’s wishing a happy Passover, Easter, and spring to you.

Thank you Easter Bunny, bwok bwok! Marcia Gagliardi

the chatterbox

Gossip & News (the word on the street)

Dandelion Chocolate's Dreamy Factory Opens, With a Stylish Café and Tours

Last week, I had the incredible good fortune to attend the pre-opening party of DANDELION CHOCOLATE’s new factory, café, and retail shop in the Mission. It’s a staggering, 28,000-square-foot space designed by Chris Harrelson of architecture firm Gensler. The building is quite a beaut: it’s 107 years old, with exposed woodwork, master-quality masonry and brickwork, and high ceilings. There’s even a rooftop garden. It has been a long time coming, with construction-related delays and more, but it finally opens on Friday April 19th.

The factory itself has an open floor plan, so you can see the entire chocolate-making process with their cutting-edge and custom machines from around the world (there are even elevated viewing platforms). Dandelion will host daily tours of the factory and continue their popular classes, including Chocolate 101, plus advanced classes, as well as classes for children and families.

Bloom, the chocolate salon, is like a visit to a grand European café, with beveled antique glass walls and brass-finished furniture. Executive pastry chef Lisa Vega, who has been with the company since 2013, is offering all-day service, including a breakfast menu with Camino Verde chocolate granola with oats, quinoa, nibs, hazelnuts, dried cherries, Saint Benoit yogurt, and seasonal fruit; Cake for Breakfast, with chocolate chip pancake cake, vanilla cream, chocolate maple sauce; and Market Quiche with leeks, Swiss chard, Wagon Wheel, frisée, and cacao pulp vinaigrette.

Afternoon service bring a variety of experiences, including Afternoon Chocolate with classic French pastries (chocolate soufflé, Earl Grey profiterole, almond-raspberry napoleon), and hot chocolate, served in the style of afternoon tea; Tree to Bar, an eight-course tasting exploration of the cacao pod and its transformation into chocolate; and Camino Verde Intensive, a three-course, chocolate-rich tasting featuring 70-percent chocolate from Camino Verde farm in Ecuador.

In a rush? There’s a to-go café with leather banquettes, a custom redwood counter, and panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows letting in natural light. The café will serve Ritual Coffee and chocolate-based beverages, including Mission Hot Chocolate (foamed and spicy); and Frozen Hot Chocolate (topped with cocoa nib-infused whipped cream), as well as sweets. The retail shop will sell Dandelion Chocolate’s single-origin bars and more.

Founders, former tech-entrepreneurs, and chocolate obsessives Todd Masonis and Cameron Ring have come a long way since their beginnings in 2010—they now have additional retail locations in San Francisco, as well as in Los Angeles, Tokyo, Kyoto, Ise, and Kamakura, Japan, and Taipei. With the new factory, they’ll be able to scale up and increase production by 10 times the output of their current Valencia Street factory (which will remain open), and will be capable of making up to 1.5 million bars per year. [head exploding emoji]

The café will be open daily 8am-8pm. Bloom is open Tue-Sun 9am-6pm, starting May 14th, with a special Mother’s Day service on May 12th. 2600 16th St. at Alabama.

New Openings: Palette Tea House, Second Hinodeya, Tender Curry Co., and Two Coffee Spots

Dim sum fanatics (and Instagram stunt food aficionados) have been eagerly anticipating the opening of PALETTE TEA HOUSE (no relation to Palette in SoMa), and it’s now open in Ghirardelli Square (in the former Waxman’s space). Eater reports there are “127 seats in the main dining room, 19 at the bar, 10 in a private dining room, and an additional 100 on the patio.”

The restaurant is the latest from Koi Palace and Dragon Beaux owner Willy Ng, with general manager Dennis Leung. Look for many Koi Palace classics, along with some of the colorful and innovative dumplings from Dragon Beaux, plus upscale touches like Kurobuta pork, spot prawns, lobster har gow, and rice crepes with wagyu and black truffle from chef Stephen Nguyen, with attention paid to colorful and whimsical presentations. Check out the insane lunch menu of your dim sum dreams, while dinner adds some grilled items. There is also a bar menu from 3pm-5pm with some nice bites (bring on the sizzling Peking dumplings).

Pastry chef Lyn Manangan is putting out desserts like chocolate mochi cake with salted pastry cream. There’s even a full bar with a cocktail menu from Carlos Yturria (The Treasury, Whitecap), and John Vuong (High Treason) is behind the wine list.

The interior was updated by Sunny Tam of Studio O2 and designer Chris Ho of C&E Designs, and has a modern style that is a counterpoint to the classic brick walls. Open Mon-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-9pm. 900 North Point St. at Larkin.

There’s a second location of Japantown’s HINODEYA RAMEN BAR now open in SoMa, which opened ahead of another planned-for location at 668 Clay St. Open for lunch Mon-Fri 11am-2:30pm. 303 2nd St. at Folsom. [Via Eater.]

Yelp reveals a new, casual curry spot in the Tenderloin called TENDER CURRY & CO., serving affordable, choose-your-own rice bowls with different curries, plus some appetizer bites and Thai-style ramen. Beer and wine available. Open daily 11am-4pm and 5pm-10pm. 655 Larkin St. at Ellis, 415-757-0685.

Now, it’s time for some coffee. I’ve been driving by the location for KLATCH COFFEE for some time, and the Los Angeles import has opened its first Bay Area location (in partnership with Bay Area local Bo Thiara), with another location planned to open in the Mission. The award-winning roaster got started in 1993, and works directly with farmers around the world—they have some renowned coffees, and were the first to win the Golden Bean Award for their espresso four years in a row. You’ll find all kind of coffee drinks, plus café bites, and baked goods from Craftsman and Wolves. Open Mon-Fri 6am-6pm, Sat-Sun 7am-6pm. 1450 Franklin St. at Bush.

Hoodline mentioned a new café, THE COFFEE MOVEMENT, from Bryan Overstreet, who is bringing Aussie coffee culture to Nob Hill, while featuring beans from roasters from Michigan, SF, and beyond. Open daily 7am-4pm. 1030 Washington St. at Powell.

Opening Soon: The Brixton in SoMa

Folks living in SoMa and Giants fans will soon have a new location of THE BRIXTON to dine at, due to open Friday May 3rd. The first location is on Union Street in Cow Hollow, which opened eight years ago, and is currently getting renovated. Hat Trick Hospitality (Adam Snyder, Hugo Gamboa, and Andy Wasserman) have appointed chef Banks White (Auberge du Soleil; Etoile Domaine Chandon; FIVE in Berkeley) as the group’s hospitality director, which also includes Rambler in Union Square.

His New American menu for Brixton by the Ballpark will feature quality ingredients, including sustainable seafood, and will offer an all-day menu, serving lunch and dinner, plus a game day menu. New dishes include short rib grilled cheese with caramelized onions, smoked cheddar, frisée, and wild baby arugula; Filipino fried ribs with calamansi and sweet chile sauce, birdseye chili, pickled okra, and fried garlic; and sea bream with pineapple and green papaya slaw, mint, and Malaysian coconut curry sauce.

There’s a full lineup of cocktails, with a Bloody Mary Bar, and coffee from Verve Coffee Roasters. The former Paragon space is now outfitted with a modern British tavern vibe with a touch of rock ‘n’ roll by interior designer Lori Yeomans (Rambler). There’s a 24-foot bar with communal bar tables, a lounge area, and private dining, plus cafe tables next to a retractable door that opens onto the street. Open daily 10:30am-12am. 701 2nd St. at Townsend.

I’ve been tracking the upcoming HASHIDA in Union Square, which will be a third location of an omakase sushi restaurant based in Tokyo (they just opened a location in Singapore), and it’s looking pretty close, possibly even softly open, according to Instagram. Chef Kenjiro “Hatch” Hashida started apprenticing for his master sushi chef father at the age of 14, so he’s got some chops. Stand by for more details on how much the experience costs soon. 125 Ellis St. at Cyril Magnin.

UPDATE (4/17/19): it ends up Hashida is running a deceiving Instagram account and is no longer opening in SF. A tablehopper reader received this email: “We regret to inform you that Hashida Sushi San Francisco is no longer opening due to some uncontrollable matter.” Then update your social media and say so, Hashida.

One more thing to watch: a SUPER DUPER appears to be coming to a former Lee’s Deli location in SoMa. 117 New Montgomery St. at Minna.

Prubechu and Square Pie Guys Find Permanent Homes, Plus Eko Kitchen and Picon

Some great news about local chefs and pop-ups finding permanent spaces, starting with Shawn Naputi and general manager Shawn Camacho of the Guamanian PRUBECHU, who are moving into the former Aster space (they had to leave their previous location on Mission St. when their rent got jacked up). With the departure of chef Brett Cooper from Aster, and its subsequent and swift closure, it was an unfortunate loss for our local dining scene. But with Daniel Patterson bringing the Prubechu duo into his Alta Restaurant Group (like Dyafa, Kaya, and Besharam) and supporting their growth, it’s a positive outcome. Stand by for updates on their potential May opening, menu, and more. [Via The Chronicle.]

I was also happy to see the ABC license transfer hit for SQUARE PIE GUYS, Marc Schechter and Danny Stoller, who have been popping up with their Detroit-style pizza at Vinyl on Divis. They’re moving into the former The Board on Mission, and Eater reports they’re targeting July for both dine-in and delivery service. The menu will feature around 10 pizzas, plus a burger, salads, and sandwiches with bread made from their dough. 1077 Mission St. at 7th St.

Also in SoMa, the pop-up incubator space, Joint Venture Kitchen, has made their space a permanent one for two of their pop-up regulars: PICON415 (Mexican street food, served Monday through Friday) and the city’s first Nigerian restaurant, EKO KITCHEN. I’ve been following Eko chef Simileoluwa Adebajo, and am thrilled to see her take the leap to opening her own restaurant (on May 3rd!). Read this charming piece about her viral post and her path to following her dream to open a place of her own.

Per her Instagram post, “We will open for dine in Friday evening through Sunday and handle catering and bulk orders Monday through Wednesday. My hope is to create a safe space where Immigrants and People of Color can add Value to the city of San Francisco. There are not enough of these spaces here.” Let’s be sure to support these businesses, gang. 167 11th St. at Natoma.

A Bunch of SF Old-Timers Sadly Closing, Including Elite Cafe

Yup, it’s another week of reporting on classic SF establishments that are closing. Gah, the San Francisco I knew just keeps shuttering. The latest casualty is ELITE CAFE, which is closing after service this Sunday April 21st, after 38 years on Fillmore. Owner Andy Chun (Schroeder’s, Press Club), who took over and renovated the space three years ago, reached out to thank all the friends and neighbors who have supported the restaurant. You can read this piece in The New Fillmore about the location’s fascinating history, which goes back to 1919. Thanks for all the memories of spicy oyster shooters and Bloody Marys on Sunday mornings while sitting at the oyster bar in the front window.

(Small positive sidebar: The New Fillmore reports Fresca is reopening.)

In Hayes Valley, ARLEQUIN CAFE suddenly threw in the towel, with Absinthe Group owner Bill Russell-Shapiro citing the high cost of doing business in SF, which the casual café couldn’t survive through, even after numerous tweaks and adjustments. They are going to keep the space and reconcept; stand by. [Via The Chronicle.]

After more than 20 years in business, BLOWFISH SUSHI TO DIE FOR has closed. (Oh, the hazy memories of consuming monster-sized maki rolls and Cosmos there in my twenties, with all the loud music and anime videos.) Owners Jason Teplitsky and chef Ritsuo Tsuchida have been busy with multiple locations of Iza Ramen and now Hell’s Ramen, no word what is next for the space. 2170 Bryant St. at 20th St. [Via Eater.]

SFWeekly reports two locations of ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK PIZZA are closing: their Mission location on 22nd Street and Polk Street. Their other locations remain open, so their pesto and potato slices are safe for now—the first location on Haight opened in 1986.

Okay, that’s it, I’m closing the coffin lid!

New Brunch, Special Menus (Plus Deals!), and Revamps

Looking for a brand-new brunch spot (which is conveniently starting on Easter Sunday, April 21st)? The recently opened ABRAZO in Russian Hill is launching brunch on Sundays throughout the summer months from 11am-3pm, and then opening back up at 5:30pm for regular dinner service. Here’s a sample brunch menu. 2000 Hyde St. at Union, 415-872-9239.

Have you been wanting to visit the elegant EIGHT TABLES BY GEORGE CHEN? They are now offering a seven-course menu, starting at $175 per person, available Tuesday through Thursday; for reference, the 10-course tasting menu starts at $225 per person.

Looking for a chic, midweek lunch? Michael and Lindsay Tusk’s stylin’ wine bar, VERJUS, is now serving a Menu à Toute Vitesse, a fixed-price, three-course lunch menu with optional wine pairings available by the half-glass. $31, with an additional $12 for wine pairings. Available Tuesday through Friday, 11:30am-4:30pm.

On Monday nights, FOXSISTER in the Mission is serving $1 wings and $1 soju shots. Pace yourself. 6pm-10pm.

GIBSON has a new Chef’s Table with Cocktails experience from now operations director Adam Chapman—it’s a customized menu with up to 14 sessionable cocktails (with food pairings) specifically tailored to your tastes. His cocktails are quite exquisite, so this would be quite the night. Parties of two to four will be seated in view of the kitchen, which has a new “Boisson Station,” a cocktail station situated in the kitchen that will focus on dim-sum style drinks at a lower alcohol level. $180 per person.

And over at HITACHINO BEER & WAGYU, chef Nori has switched to an izakaya format instead of a tasting menu, offering a more informal and affordable experience, and a larger menu. Look for sukiyaki with Hitachiwagyu, a burger, donburi bowls with A5 wagyu, sourdough corn okonomiyaki, and more new dishes. There are new sake cocktails and beers too, like a sansho pepper ale called Pirika. 639 Post St. at Taylor.

Three Fantastic Events That Deserve Your Support

There are some upcoming events from important SF organizations that could use your support—and you’ll have a great time being there. Thanks for taking a look.

You feeling some spring fever? You won’t want to miss First Bloom: Spring Cocktails of the Farmers Market on Wednesday April 24th. Edible flowers, herbs, and ripe spring berries will be in full force at this cocktail party from CUESA and the United States Bartenders Guild at the Ferry Building. Expect innovative craft cocktails from 13 of the Bay Area’s hottest bartenders highlighting the freshest picks from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, and bites for you to enjoy too (from 15 Romolo, 25 Lusk, Far West Fungi Kitchen, Horsefeather, Oyna Natural Foods, Precita Park Cafe, Waterbar, and more).

And tablehopper readers get $5 off with code: tablehopperfriend. Tickets are $60 (through April 19th), and then $65. 5:30pm-8pm. San Francisco Ferry Building.

City College of San Francisco’s (CCSF’s) Culinary Arts and Hospitality Studies Department is holding their 19th annual fundraiser, now called City Cooks, on Sunday April 28th from 4pm-7pm. Join students, faculty, and Bay Area chef alumni (including Francis Ang of Pinoy Heritage, Samantha Kharma of Champañeria Kharma, Juan Torres of Lolinda and El Techo de Lolinda, and Luis Villavelazquez of Les Elements Patisserie) for small bites, wine, and live jazz, plus an online auction. It all goes to help educate our future chefs! Tickets: $85. 

City College of San Francisco, Ocean Campus, Statler Wing 50 Frida Kahlo Way (Phelan Avenue).

And then on Thursday May 2nd is the 15th annual CHEFS Gala fundraiser (6:30pm-10pm), held at Bespoke, atop Westfield Centre. Chef Martin Yan is the emcee, with Foodie Chap Liam Mayclem as auctioneer, so it’s going to be a lively night!

Many generous Bay Area restaurants, wineries, and breweries are rallying behind ECS and its mission to help homeless San Franciscans. CHEFS is an organization very near and dear to my heart. Guests will enjoy bites from top San Francisco restaurants, including Sorrel, Octavia, Nopa, Louie’s Gen-Gen Room at Liholiho Yacht Club, Smitten Ice Cream, Boulevard, Delfina, Rooh, and more. Cocktails will be provided by Tonic Beverage Catering, as well as Maven, Petrichor Wines, Bonny Doon Vineyard, and Pond Farm Brewing.

CHEFS Gala seeks to raise awareness of ECS’s vital programs, including the marquee CHEFS program. This 10-12 week culinary training program provides people impacted by homelessness and poverty with technical and professional skills through classroom instruction, hands-on kitchen training, and a local food service internship. Since its founding, over 1,000 formerly homeless and very low-income students have participated in the CHEFS program.

Tickets start at $170, and be sure to visit the auction. 845 Market St. at 5th St.

510 Updates Include Town Square Eats, Songkran Festival, Special Bread Event

Over at Oakland’s Jack London Square, there’s a new restaurant that has opened in Crooked City Cider Taproom called TOWN SQUARE EATS. My friend Rob Lam and Helen Chandra (Perle Wine Bar) have partnered with their friends James and Lea Yu (Great China) to build out the kitchen and create a menu of elevated snacks, sandwiches, pizzas, and salads for Dana Bushouse’s taproom. I went over for a tasting last week, and anyone who loves sandwiches is going to be pleased with the lineup.

You can come in for a bite and a beverage (there are over 25 cider taps and 10 beer taps!), like truffle chips topped with crema and two kinds of caviar (it’s my new favorite party snack), or Esther’s warm pretzels with a cider cheese dip.

There’s a fully loaded vegan corned beet sandwich with a spicy kick of horseradish on a pretzel roll, and the turkey sandwich comes with the added bonus of fried chicken skin, plus provolone and lingonberry (it’s a riff on one of Lam’s favorite sandwiches, the turkey sandwich from Arguello Market). There’s also a version of a muffaletta, inspired by Central Grocery’s benchmark sandwich. Impossible Burger with onion au jus, check.

Meanwhile, the pizzas are made with Liguria Bakery’s focaccia, and feature extra-special ingredients, from guanciale to housemade meatballs. The Fun Guy is especially luxe, with Brillat-Savarin, truffles, and mushroom duxelles, with mushrooms from Far West Fungi. The lineup of four salads includes a Chinese chicken salad with a spicy ginger vinaigrette. Everything is well-sourced (thanks to Lam’s love of finding the best, whether it’s an avocado or pretzel) and fresh, so the menu over-delivers for being such a casual spot. They’re gearing up for lunch business and delivery (on Caviar), and many items can be made gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan—they understand many people who drink cider can’t handle gluten.

The casual space has board games, TVs, trivia nights, a dog-friendly front patio, and more. The full menu and extended service hours launch Wednesday April 17th: Sun-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm. 206 Broadway at 3rd St., Oakland.

Also in Jack London Square: FARMHOUSE THAI is holding its first-ever Songkran Festival on Saturday April 27th from 9:30am-10pm, with all kinds of activities and dancing. Read more on their Facebook page.

Bread lovers, don’t miss this special collaboration between Zachary Golper, chef-owner of Brooklyn’s Bien Cuit, and Matt Kreutz of Firebrand: Fermentation Invasion: A Mashup between Bien Cuit and Firebrand Bread on Sunday April 28th.

In an effort to promote the value of regenerative agriculture, they will be presenting a selection of six breads that highlight slow fermentation and grains that support crop rotation. The breads will be paired with accompanying spreads and packaged in limited edition tote bags for $25 each. Bags can be pre-purchased at this link, and a limited quantity will be available for walk-ins as well. The guys will also be available to discuss the positive, nutritional impact of slow fermentation and techniques. 11am-4pm. Firebrand Artisan Breads, 2343 Broadway at 24th St., Oakland.

the lush

Bar News & Reviews (put it on my tab)

New Bars Include Peacekeeper, Rooftop Bar Everdene, and Breck's, a Wine Bar

tablehopper media researcher Rebecca Kinney noticed some big changes in her neighborhood at the former Bacchus Kirk: it’s now PEACEKEEPER. The formerly dark bar is now filled with light from an overhead skylight (which opens!), and a tropical Mexican style—it’s full of plants. Here’s a peek at the cocktail menu. Eater reveals it’s from the team behind Harper & Rye (Nate Valentine, Jamal Blake-Williams, and business partner Rob Kashian), and designed by Britt Hull of Tide Design Co.—there’s also a pool table. Open Mon-Fri 3pm-2am and Sat 12pm-2am. 925 Bush St. at Taylor.

One Tenderloin door opens, and another closes: the divey HIGH TIDE COCKTAILS, known for its overflowing martini glass sign and $1 bills stapled everywhere, has closed, according to Broke-Ass Stuart. The city’s baseline cost for a cocktail just went up a couple bucks. 600 Geary St. at Jones.

Switching gears: SF now has another swanky rooftop bar, EVERDENE, which has opened on the 12 floor of the new Virgin Hotels San Francisco, an urban oasis (designed in partnership with Gensler San Francisco) with nearly 360-degree views of the city skyline. You’ll find craft cocktails (including large-format options for groups), bites from chef Adrian Garcia, a lively custom soundtrack (and live DJs), and a 25-foot wraparound bar. Open Tue-Sat 5pm-1:30am. 250 4th St. at Folsom.

Over in the Inner Richmond, there’s a new wine bar and shop called BRECK’S, serving wine on the weekend and Verve coffee service in the mornings (owner Will Eagle is ramping up hours and the offering in coming weeks). It has a stylish look, courtesy of ROY (previously Hannah Collins design), with indoor and outdoor seating. 2 Clement St. at Arguello. [Via Eater.]

the socialite

Shindigs, Feasts, & Festivals (let's party)

Taste of Potrero Returns May 2nd, with Over 60 Restaurants, Bars, and More

Event Info

Thursday May  2, 2019 7pm–10pm (VIP 6pm) $150 and up Info                        The Midway 900 Marin St., San Francisco

Taste of Potrero returns for its ninth year on Thursday May 2nd, a night of unlimited bites and beverages (open bar!) from over 60 San Francisco top restaurants and bars, including The Slanted Door, Uma Casa, ALX by Alexander’s Steakhouse, August 1 Five, Nopa, School Night, The Commissary, and 25 Lusk. TOP returns to The Midway in Dogpatch, and special thanks to NonPlusUltra for generously donating the venue this year.

Tickets are $150 for general admission (7pm entry) and $250 for VIP (6pm entry) and can be purchased here (VIP is going fast!).

One hundred percent of the proceeds benefit Daniel Webster Elementary public school in Potrero Hill. Since 2011, Taste of Potrero has raised over $760,000 for Daniel Webster Elementary. However, budget shortfalls continue. Taste of Potrero ticket sales make up over 75 percent of the Daniel Webster Elementary PTA’s budget and help fund arts enrichment programs, classroom supplies, computer instruction, and literacy professionals.

the starlet

Star Sightings in Restaurants (no photos please)

John C. Reilly Has Great Taste in Suits and Hummus

John C. Reilly came in to the recently opened BEIT RIMA, looking fly in a three-piece suit, with a pocket watch and fedora, and basically showing us he is always living his best character life. He was in town for the showing of The Sisters Brothers at the nearby Castro Theatre for the SF International Film Festival.