November 26, 2019 - This week's tablehopper: wavy gravy.

This week's tablehopper: wavy gravy.                    

If you’re going to call your party High Ho Silver, you better have a 1977, 24-foot, silver Lincoln Continental stretch limo to put in the middle of it. Photo: Cynthia Glassell Photography.

Hey, everyone! Here I am! Sorry for the radio silence the past few weeks, but I warned ya I was going dark for a bit. I’m just emerging from one of the most intense work periods of my life! Mamma mia, someone bit off more than she could chew. Which is why you’re getting this at 7pm, ha-ha! Good evening.

So, what have I been up to? Well, I just launched the first, direct-to-consumer, luxury cannabis subscription box designed for microdosers, available for delivery statewide in California (if you’re 21!)! Meet the mymilly box from mymilligram (my microdoser media brand)! I’m so excited to feature these cutting-edge and low-dose products, which also come with educational (and entertaining!) videos on the mymilligram YouTube channel, and in-depth reviews at mymilligram.com. Take a look and learn more about the mymilly box (thanks for telling your canna-curious friends)!

You can order the mymilly box for delivery (statewide!) at mymilligram.shop. And I will be co-hosting this chilled-out holiday event with The Joss Collective on December 10th if you want to learn more!

I also just threw one helluva launch party, High Ho Silver, which highlighted many products in the first mymilly boxes, but was also to celebrate my 25th anniversary of living in SF. Check out all the fab pics over at @mymilligram! It was definitely a hellavated night—my dream canna food rave, as I was calling it. Definitely underground. It was an incredible intersection of my food life and cannabis world and all my party people and old friends and it was a special kind of magic.

We had chef Melissa Perfit rocking a raw oyster bar (thanks ABS Seafood, Drakes Bay Oysters, and Royal Hawaiian!) topped with High Ho Silver sauce (infused with Pot d’Huile olive oil) from Big Bad Wolf, paired with bubbles from Scharffenberger Cellars and Bibi Graetz (who also provided some fab Italian still wines that went so well with chef Rob Lam of 2POT’s bangin’ Vietnamese dishes, with the option to add infused XO sauce, courtesy of Sous Weed and The Congo Club). Thanks to GT’s for their Cannabliss CBD kombucha, Standard Deviant for their refreshing kolsch, and I also had a brewer make a couple low-dose, cannabis-infused beers for the party: a cannabisaison and pumpkin spice hottie! Dangerously good.

We had an ice cream bar, with Humphry Slocombe’s CBD ice cream, topped with Pot d’Huile olive oil and torched Mellows marshmallows (and glow-in-the-dark jimmies). And midnight pancakes from Hilda and Jesse! And then there were all the canna-culinary brands, from Artet making cocktails with their Italian-style, cannabis-infused aperitif, to Pot-Tails from Lightly Lifted, gianduja bonbons from Pantry, and Somatik CBD coffee with adaptogens! Plus party support from the upcoming Calexo, House of Saka Pink Infused Beverage, Level, and Eel River Organics. Whoosh!

You can see why I had to go dark—as one friend noted, “Marcia, no one said ‘no’ to you and tried to rein you in on this party, did they?” Nope, no boundaries, no brakes. Also: no time, no sleep. I like to joke that cannabis is both the problem and the solution in my crazy life right now. [cue maniacal laughter]

ANYWAY. I’m popping an ear back up, and will be posting some way-overdue content over on @tablehopper soon, from some awesome ramen to bubbles brunch to tamal cocktails. Thanks for your interest, your support, and your patience as I try to balance my two media brands! It’s tough being an army of one.

So, I may as well return to your inboxes after my absence bearing gifts, right? Be sure to check out today’s amazing sugar mama giveaway from Gabriel-Glas of Austria. Mark Bright turned me on to the “One for All” wine glass at his wine bar Les Clos many years ago (Gold Edition, of course), and so I’m so excited for you to have the opportunity to win such a special gift set! (And you get a generous discount code, share the love.) Clink clink!

Obviously, today’s issue has a bunch of catch-up news, and I’ll return with some holiday events and more in a couple weeks. Doin’ the best I can over here. (Which also means I have resigned from writing for the Marina Times, after thirteen-plus years of writing The Tablehopper column for the paper.)

The rain is finally here. Here’s wishing you all a cozy and heartfelt Thanksgiving. I know I have so much to be grateful for, and it’s all about my wonderful family and community. The rest is just gravy.

Grateful for you! Marcia Gagliardi

the chatterbox

Gossip & News (the word on the street)

Ittoryu Gozu, a Wagyu-Focused Restaurant, Now Open in SoMa

Have we hit peak beef yet? Nope. Now open in SoMa is ITTORYU GOZU from chef/owner Marc Zimmerman of MZ Dining Group (previously Alexander’s Steakhouse SF), who has opened his paean to the wagyu breed with co-founder Ben Jorgensen. Look for a whole-animal approach, featuring lesser-known parts and cuts, served in a traditional kappo-style tasting menu format (which includes five different cooking techniques: raw, grilling, steaming, frying, and simmering, but the main focus is the robatayaki style of open-fire cooking). The Gozu menu ($120-$150 per person) spans two-and-a-half hours, with 15 items over 10 courses, and includes local and Japanese seafood, wild foods, and more.

There is room for 25 guests to be seated around the horseshoe counter, circling the open-fire robata grills; there’s also a private dining room for 12; the Kitchen Table, with a family-style feeling for 6-8 guests; and a lounge area. Design agency a l m project (Benu) is behind the design.

Beverage director, Lindsey Young, has created pairing menus, and the bar also has cocktails with a Japanese sensibility; a forty-bottle sake collection of nihonshu, highlighting rare female toji (master brewers); 40 whiskies (including rare and exclusive Japanese whisky, Scotch, and local distilleries); high-quality wines, beer, and more. Tickets are available on TOCK. Open Tue-Sat 5pm to close; lunch coming soon. 201 Spear St. at Howard.

New Openings: Beit Rima Cole Valley, Lupulandia, Tacolicious Chico, Bob's Donuts, Berliner Berliner, and More

There are a bunch of new openings happening, so let’s breeze through ‘em:

Now open in Cole Valley is the second BEIT RIMA in the former Burgermeister. The neighborhood should be so stoked to have Samir Mogannam’s fantastic Arabic comfort food. Crazy-delicious food. Open Wed-Mon 5pm-9:30pm, closed Tue, and lunch/brunch is coming soon. 86 Carl St. at Cole.

I received word from owner Anthony La Via (Southern Pacific) that he has just opened LUPULANDIA, a brewpub in the Mission with his wife, Marisol Gonzalez. There’s a brewery on-site, plus a full kitchen and bar. (In case you’re wondering about the name, the word for hops in Spanish is “lupulos,” so they “Spanglished it up.”)

The Baja and Mexican-American menu sounds awesome—it ends up they are partners in a similar restaurant-brewery operation in Tijuana called Tras Horizonte with the Campos brothers, Pablo and Oso, who have a little mini-chain of taquerias called Kokopelli. Chef Oso has influenced the menu here in SF, which has ceviches (including a green ceviche from Tijuana), aguachiles, Tijuana-style chilaquiles, chicharron de pargo (fried fish fillets, a dish from Tijuana), and I gotta try his menudo in crispy tacos (tacos de panza)—Anthony says, “He cooks the tripas in caldo like you would normally, but then takes it out and puts it in a crispy taco, with the reduced caldo as a dipping sauce.” And then there’s a burger with green chile, and American-style buttermilk fried chicken, but with Mexican chile and a touch of mesquite smoke. And churros. And Mexican-influenced cocktails from LaVia’s brother-in-law, Sal Gonzalez. And their beer should be ready this week: a hazy IPA, a West Coast IPA, a fruity tropical pale ale, a dark brown lager, a grapefruit lager, a sour blonde ale, and a tropical India Pale Lager. There’s an outdoor patio, plenty of tables for dining, and they’re open for lunch and dinner Wed-Sun (closing at 12am Wed and Sun, open until 2am Thu-Sat). Fun! 2243 Mission St. at 18th St.

Now open in the FiDi is TACOLICIOUS CHICO, a casual, counter-service spot specializing in tacos de guisado. Basically, dreamy, drippy tacos with stewed meats and vegetables. Selections include T-lish’s famed guajillo-braised beef, Rancho Gordo yellow eye beans and winter greens, chicken tinga, pork chile verde, and lamb birria—and everything is just $3.75! Tortillas are made by hand on-site using fresh masa brought in daily from La Finca in Oakland, and all the meats are responsibly sourced (no antibiotics, vegetarian-fed, and humanely raised). Beverages include horchata made with HighWire cold brew and hibiscus lemonade. It’s all to-go, but you can grab a seat at a few sidewalk tables. 685 Market St. at 3rd St.

This is both wonderful and dangerous: BOB’S DONUTS has opened a second location in NoPa, just blocks from my apartment, in the former Green Chile Pies. Yup, their apple fritters and famed crumb doughnuts are making the neighborhood smell really nice. There are seats where you can sit and have a coffee and hang out. Open Sun-Mon and Wed 7am-9pm, Thu-Sat 7am-10pm, closed Tue. 601 Baker St. at Fulton.

Also in the neighborhood, a new sandwich shop has opened that is making locals happy: inside the recently upgraded MCBAKER MARKET (it got a new owner last year) is now a deli counter, serving a variety of sandwiches, from creative deli combos to meatball sandwiches, plus housemade hummus and baba ghanoush. 1800 McAllister St. at Baker.

There’s a new plant-based Filipino restaurant that opened: NICK’S ON MISSION, a second location of the original in Daly City. Partners Reina Montenegro and Kenny Annis are serving breakfast and lunch in the heart of San Francisco’s Filipino Cultural Heritage district: ​SOMA Pilipinas​. This “turo-turo” restaurant (Filipino for “point point”) is hofbrau-style, where guests survey the counter for what they want. Look for vegan lumpia, pancit, sisig, and kaldereta (stew), plus ube pancakes, leche flan, and some packaged foods—it’s to-go to start, with seating coming later. Open Mon-Sat 7am-3pm. 996 Mission St. at 6th St.

The Castro has been having a rough go of restaurants lately, but the new BHOGA RESTAURANT is hopefully going to help elevate things, serving progressive, upscale Indian cuisine. Chef Mel Oza (previously Copper in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Mantra in Palo Alto) is serving dishes like Cauli Lollis (battered and fried cauliflower florets, soy-chile-ginger glaze); Pondicherry Escargot (Burgundy snails, Indian “mirepoix,” tamarind-peanut ketchup); Duck Leg “Bhoona” (slow-roasted duck leg, spiced cashew-roasted onion purée); Black Masala Pao Bhaji (mashed vegetable medley, Mumbai-style black masala, buttered pao); and large plates like King Mackerel Rechado (Goan-style spicy rub, root vegetable sukka); plus Shrikhand “Cannoli” and Cacao-Walnut “Kulfi” for dessert. One of each, please.

There’s a full bar—with cocktails created by Brian Howard (August (1) Five)—along with house-brewed beer, and Oza has quite the background in wine, so the list features 12 wines poured by the glass, with a focus on Old World wines. Bhoga is right by the Castro Theater, and the late hours will make it a good spot for pre- and post-show dining. Open Sun-Thu 5pm-11pm and Fri-Sat 5pm-1am. 468 Castro St. at 18th St.

Over in the Lower Haight, BERLINER BERLINER has opened in the former Rosamunde Sausage Grill from employee Christine Blunck (she was born in Berlin). You’ll still be able to enjoy sausages (from a new Kringel bratwurst to vegan sausage), Tuesday burgers, plus some new additions. Hours: 11am-10pm. 545 Haight St. at Fillmore. [Via Hoodline.]

Over in North Beach, Pete Mrabe continues his restaurant musical chairs, and has now moved CHUBBY NOODLE into his former Pete’s on Green. Look for a new menu (with Chubby classics) and full liquor. Open for dinner 5pm-11pm; 12/1 marks the beginning of bottomless brunch (Sat-Sun 10am-3pm, and then dinner 5pm-11pm) and hours will shift to Mon-Fri 11am-11pm. 570 Green St. at Grant.

This Month in Shitshows: Noosh Tragically Implodes

Damn, we really can’t have nice things. I was so dismayed to see how things have completely imploded over at NOOSH, with a terrible conflict between the owner (John Litz) and the two executive chef-owners (Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz). Litz is suing them, has locked them out, temporarily closed the restaurant, installed Emily Luchetti as culinary advisor, and employees don’t know what to do and what’s next.

Meanwhile, the talented Laura and Sayat allege they have been wrongfully accused (and locked out) and claim that Litz has threatened them in the past. There is a fundraiser for them to get help with legal representation, and for now, they have retained control of the @nooshsf account as their mouthpiece.

You can read the whole sordid mess in these pieces in the Chronicle, and on Eater. So sad to have one of the most delicious restaurants in the city suddenly fall apart like this. Stay tuned. 2001 Fillmore St. at Pine.

Opening and Coming Soon: Reem's and Le Dix-Sept to the Mission, Fiorella, Seven Hills Reopening, More

A few quick updates on projects that are opening soon: while it was incredibly disappointing to have Mission Pie close, it’s amazing to hear that Reem Assil of Reem’s is going to be opening a second REEM’S and creating a full Arab bakery and more in the location. The opening is targeted for late February 2020, and she’s excited to be able to offer the breakfast and expanded bread/pastry menu she originally envisioned for her business. She’s also going to serve her popular mana’eesh (flatbreads) and wraps, as well as offer dinner service, and beer, wine, and coffee. She’s going to be in the location soon to support her catering business. Congrats on the expanded vision and space, Reem! 2901 Mission St. at 25th St. [Via Hoodline and Eater.]

Another female-owned business who just found a space in the Mission is Michelle Hernández of LE DIX-SEPT PÂTISSERIE, who will be opening in the spring at 18th Street and Mission. She’s known for her pop-ups, serving unique pastries that unite French classics with creative, botanical flavors. She just launched a Kickstarter to raise funds for equipment and buildout of the space—please take a look and support this woman of color, solo entrepreneur, and Bay Area native. The shop will be open Tue-Sun, serving brioche love knots, her popular cannelés, banana cake, almond tarts, quiche, macarons, meringue clouds, and Le Dix-Sept nougat, plus celebration cakes in slices and full cakes, and more, of course. 3376 18th St. at Mission.

Just around the corner, look for PRUBECHU to open in the former Commonwealth on December 3rd, with a new Fiesta Table dinner format, expanded kelaguen menu, and more. If you’re looking for a place for a fun holiday gathering and meal, take a look. 2224 Mission St. at 18th St.

According to some ABC license activity, FIORELLA is opening a third location in the former Park Chow in the Inner Sunset. I reached out to owner Boris Nemchenok about timing, but haven’t heard back yet on when you can expect their tasty pasta and pizzas in the neighborhood. UPDATE: I heard back from his PR, and he’s targeting a summer 2020 opening date. 1240 9th Ave. at Lincoln.

I received an invite to check out the new SEVEN HILLS location in Russian Hill next week from owner Alexis Solomou, which means things are close (it opens December 5th)! The restaurant has moved into the former Stones Throw, and chef Anthony Florian is going to have more room to make more pasta, run a whole-animal program, and Eater reports they will be adding breakfast and brunch. This is also around the time of year I start praying Florian puts their osso buco back on the menu—I’m still dreaming about the time I had it last winter. As for the original space (at 1550 Hyde), it’s reportedly going to be a more-Californian concept opening in 2020, with chef Christopher Ratcliff (who, like Florian, also came through Quince and Cotogna) leading the helm. 1896 Hyde St. at Green.

Closures, from Marla Bakery to InnerFog, and More

Well, shoot, closing this Wednesday November 27th is the beloved MARLA BAKERY in the Outer Richmond. At least it’s not another “we tried but SF is too awful for restaurants” tale. It ends up owners Amy Brown and Joe Wolf are moving up to Santa Rosa in order to have a more-balanced life with their two kids and dial down the work grind. They plan to do some pop-ups in Wine Country until they find a brick-and-mortar location, and will continue with their catering business. No word on who is going to buy their space yet. Thanks for all the wonderful breads and vermouth and pop-ups and moments these past five years in your cozy space, Amy and Joe! 3619 Balboa St. at 37th Ave. [Via The Chronicle]

A longtime tablehopper reader and fellow writer (love you, dude) let me know INNERFOG, a neighborhood wine bar, has closed in the Inner Sunset. Owner John Nettesheim posted this on their site: “It is with a heavy heart that I close the doors to InnerFog. The people of the Inner Sunset welcomed us with open arms, and we have proudly served the community for the last 10 years, for which we will be forever grateful. We have developed many friendships and loyal customers over the years, and shall miss you all, but the time has come for me to pursue other endeavors and say goodbye. The climate of San Francisco has dramatically changed over the last 3 to 5 years and with the rapid changes in the cost of doing business in San Francisco, it is just not feasible to stay in business.” Best wishes, John! You tried! 545 Irving St. at 7th Ave.

And in Cow Hollow, my neighborhood tipster the Hamburglar let me know HOLLOW COW has closed. They posted this farewell note on their Facebook page: “After just three years in business, Hollow Cow, located at 1875 Union Street has permanently closed. After facing the challenges that come with owning a restaurant on Union Street (labor costs, over-regulation, declining foot traffic, high rent, difficult neighbors, and the growing popularity of the food delivery services), Hollow Cow was forced to close its doors. Despite best efforts of launching a new menu and an interior refresh just two months ago, the business could never overcome the challenges it faced and never achieved profitability.” You can read more here. Tough times. 1875 Union St. at Laguna.

Some tablehopper readers also let me know RED HILL STATION (803 Cortland Ave.) has closed on Bernal, and DIM SUM CLUB (2550 Van Ness Ave.) has also closed, bummer.

the lush

Bar News & Reviews (put it on my tab)

Book a Table and a Cocktail Tasting Menu at the New Over Proof at ABV

Just before I went down the rabbit hole of pure work insanity for a month, I had a farewell to my life night of cocktails at the new incarnation of OVER PROOF, the intimate bar above ABV in the Mission. You may recall the owners kept rebooting the theme and décor to explore different spirits and global locations, which was fun, but proved to be way too much work.

Owner Ryan Fitzgerald and partners Todd Smith and Erik Reichborn-Kjennerud decided to make things permanent for the space and offer a reservations-only experience, with a cocktail tasting menu, rare spirits, and a seafood-forward menu. The current space has 18 seats, with a four-seat bar, and a classic look that has some mid-century simplicity, groovy wallpaper, touches of gold and light wood, and shimmering bottles of whiskey on display. It’s both nice but laid-back at the same time, and the reservations format is perfect for those nights when you want to go out and drink but would like a slower-paced experience, and don’t want to deal with a busy bar or have to jockey for seats. Two words: date night.

The menu is like their think-tank, featuring creative cocktails, rare spirits, flights ($25-$35), and tasting menus ($40-$75)—you can also order cocktails à la carte. I say try the tasting menu, so you can get wowed with cocktails like The Sauna Cocktail (whisky, pu-erh, cedar, steam), Not THAT Celery Drink (apple brandy, gin, celery shrub, hopped soda), and the Tamal Coctel (corn- and tortilla-infused mezcal, cacao, habanero). The flavors and presentations are really fun, delicious, unexpected, and it’s an immersive experience. You’ll also find some well-chosen wines, rare booze, and more.

The menu highlights some refined seafood dishes from chefs Collin Hilton and Nick Salazar, from raw oysters to “affordable” caviar service to chawanmushi (Santa Barbara uni, salmon roe, oxalis, $14), but the unexpected winner was the grilled lamb ribs (recado blanco, charred brussels, herbs, $26), which are exactly what you want after you’ve been drinking some fancy booze.

Meet your new clubhouse. Open Wed-Sat, reservations available 6:30pm-11:30pm. 3174 16th St. at Guerrero.

the sugar mama

Giveaways (get some)

(Sponsored): Enter to Win a Gabriel-Glas Decanter and Set of StandArt Glasses!

It’s the season for drinking holiday cheer, so do it in high style. Gabriel-Glas of Austria is the universal wine glass that is revolutionizing the way we drink wine. The “One for All” glass is ideal for every type of wine, and designed to allow the full expression of aromas and flavors of any style of wine to emerge in the glass. The Gabriel-Glas is elegant, affordable, and because it’s seamless, it’s much more durable than many other stems on the market. The “One for All” wine glass makes an ideal gift for wine lovers and gracious hosts.

The glass is produced in two qualities: the StandArt glass is molded, and the Gold Edition is painstakingly mouth-blown by skilled European artisans. The Alpha Decanter is a stunning complement to your wine service. All products are lead-free crystal, and dishwasher safe.

You deserve a holiday treat! And this is a special one! tablehopper readers can enter to win a Gabriel-Glas decanter and set of StandArt glasses (two glasses)! Retail value: $375.

To enter to win, all you need to do is:

1) Like this post on Instagram.

2) Follow @Gabriel_GlasInternational.

3) Tag someone you want to click glasses with 🥂 in the comments!

One lucky winner will be randomly chosen on Monday December 2nd (at 10am, Cali time). Winner must live in the continental U.S. Good luck!

Don’t want to wait and see if you’ve won? You already know you want to make someone’s holiday special? tablehopper readers can enjoy Gabriel-Glas and take advantage of a one-time, 20-percent-off coupon at gabriel-glasinternational.com, code: ENJOY. (Or, if you’d rather have free shipping, you can use code GOODNEWS for free shipping between now and December 15th.) Cin cin!

the starlet

Star Sightings in Restaurants (no photos please)

No Carb Left Behind at Outerlands

Granted, this was a month ago, but I thought you’d like to know Julia Roberts had lunch at Outerlands, and even took home a loaf of their bread and some chocolate chip cookies (her character in Eat Pray Love would have approved). [Via Eater.]

the matchmaker

Classifieds (let's get it on)

(Matchmaker): Tavern for Sale

Mad Men-meets-Barbary Coast, beautifully designed tavern with a San Francisco feel available in the Castro/Upper Market area for sale. 47 liquor license, 2 bars, seats 89 patrons, two-level kitchen area, hand-crafted wood details, and so much more.

Turn-key operation ready to start with very little effort required. Please contact Rick Hamer for more information.