This week’s tablehopper: gobble time. (free)

what’s cookin’

Hey gang, we made it. Whew. Thanksgiving is almost here, and I know many of you are on planes, trains, and automobiles to head to beloved family and friends. Wishing you safe travels! (I’m so lucky that I just have to drive down to San Mateo with sis on Thursday.) Folks are prepping their stuffing and sides, defrosting their birds or buying their Tofurky (which reminds me, I wrote a piece a few years ago for Edible Seattle about Tofurky’s fascinating founder, Seth Tibbott!), and my apartment will be getting steamy (meow) while I make turkey stock in preparation for our grandma’s giblet gravy. I wish she was still here to enjoy a big ladle of it on her bountiful plate. 

If you decide you need to supplement your Thanksgiving meal with some sides, or you’re looking for a place to serve you the whole shebang, here’s a list of some Thanksgiving meals and kits I put together a few weeks ago, and I’ve added more places (and pies) in my @tablehopper Instagram story highlight. Sending much gratitude and appreciation for anyone and everyone working over the holiday.

Times remain tough for restaurants, no matter how great the accolades (just look at Daytrip, which is ending their current format on December 15th, and the Michelin-awarded Aphotic, which is closing in mid-December) or experienced the operator (Thomas Keller just announced on Instagram they’re closing La Calenda at the end of service on December 1st). Try to go out over the long weekend and support your local neighborhood restaurants and bars. They’d love to see you.

OK, so, this is completely random, but I figured, why not ask? If anyone happens to be driving from Seattle to the Bay Area this holiday season, and would have room to transport two of my grandma’s antique lamps in their vehicle (no shades, just the lamps!), I would be so damn grateful! I’m trying to safely get them to SF (I’m worried about shipping them) and my lamp schlepper would be rewarded handsomely with food and drink and a free subscription to tablehopper! Thanks for thinking about it!

I am so thankful for your readership (and I appreciate your consideration in becoming a supporting subscriber!). Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, and abundant holiday.

Gobble gobble!
~Marcia

the chatterbox

Falasteen, a Palestinian Restaurant Opening in Noe Valley, Will Pay Loving Tribute to Family, Matriarchy, and Palestinian Culture and Cuisine

Opening in Noe Valley in the New Year will be Falasteen—Palestinian Kitchen + Bar (“Falasteen” is the Arabic word for Palestine) from first-time restaurant owner Samir Salameh and chef/co-owner Lamees Dahbour (known as Mama Lamees). Salameh is following his heart to create something special and share Palestinian cuisine and culture with the neighborhood and community. He has close ties with Noe Valley—he grew up there for 15 years, and his father used to have Good News, the newspaper and magazine shop for 30 years. His family owns the building that Falasteen is opening in—the space was previously La PanotiQ bakery and café, and Global Exchange before that. It has taken a lot of time to convert the space into a full restaurant, from pandemic-related shipping delays to installing a type 1 hood. But five years later, things are getting very close.

I was thrilled to hear Salameh’s chef-partner in the business is Lamees Dahbour of Mama Lamees, a La Cocina entrepreneur who is known for her fantastic catering and pop-ups in the Emeryville Public Marketplace. It’s a wonderfully symbiotic connection—they were introduced in 2018, and it ends up they are both from the same hometown in Palestine (although she was raised in Kuwait—you can read more about this single mother and survivor’s inspiring story here). There’s a lot of overlap between the food and dishes that Salameh and Dahbour both grew up with, and Salameh says his mother and Dahbour have been chatting about their cooking and recipes. 

Salameh grew up surrounded by a huge family, a matriarchal one, centered around food and family meals “made with love and intention” by his mother, aunts, and grandmothers, who were all great cooks. He wants to offer the same feeling for the neighborhood: “I want to invite the whole neighborhood to my home!” It was a dream of Mama Lamees to own a restaurant, so this project is simultaneously fulfilling both of their dreams, together. Salameh shares, “I am so honored to be working with her. It’s so important to uplift her—everything about this feels so right.”

An early look at the menu brought instant hunger pangs. The extensive list of Mama Lamees’ mezze includes dips (like hummus, ful, and a reportedly flavor-packed muhammara), and a labneh flight, and falafel, but you’ll also find deviled falafel (open-faced chickpea fritter filled with hummus, tahini, and topped with shatta and pickles), kibbeh (deep-fried beef bulgur and pine nut croquettes), ejja (cauliflower, carrot, and cabbage fritters), sambousek (either beef and onion or cheese-filled deep-fried pastry pockets), and pickled items, like tormos (lupini beans) or m’khalal (pickled turnips). I’m a big fan of musakhan, which will be served as a roll (chicken and caramelized sumac onion wrap) or as a flavorful vegan flatbread. 

Salatat (salads) include fattoush and fatteh bedenjan (roasted eggplant layered over fried pita chips topped with garlic tahini sauce, almonds, parsley, sumac, pomegranate molasses, and seasonal seeds), which Salameh says is so satisfying. 

The Tabkhet el’ Beit (“house special dishes”) section includes makloubeh (lamb, eggplant, potato, and tomato, slow-cooked in an aromatic basmati rice, topped with roasted almonds) and sayadieh (fish of the day and jumbo prawns, caramelized onion, slow-cooked in an aromatic basmati rice, topped with spicy hot sauce), which Salameh shares “are such labors of love, taking many hours to prepare, assemble, and perfect the balance of ingredients and flavors. The hot sauce served with the sayadieh is fire, I keep a bottle in my fridge now at all times, it’s delicious on roasted potatoes or an omelette as well!” (Did someone say hot sauce? It’s one of my love languages.) 

Mama Lamees’ Mashawee section (grilled and roasted meats) include a rack of lamb, chicken skewers, and kofta skewers or sliders (beef, onion, and parsley skewers, or patties on a sesame bun). You can also order sides of khodra (cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots, green onion, radish), khubz (warm pita bread or crispy pita chips), and ruz (aromatic basmati rice).

You can see how versatile the menu is for all kinds of dining, whether you’re flying solo, out with your family, or coming in for happy hour (there will be beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks that will feature nostalgic flavors and ingredients, like rose water).

The space is also designed with the same flexibility, whether it’s date night and you want something sexy, or comfortable for groups. Salameh is behind the design of the restaurant: he owns a home staging company (Room Service), and was excited to design a commercial space instead of his usual residential projects. 

There are 50 seats in the room and at the bar (which features black Calcutta marble). Salameh admits to having a maximalist aesthetic (cheers), and wanted to add many layers and textures to the space, which include walnut cabinets and tables, quartz countertops, leather booths, paneled walls with Palestinian embroidery, antiques, and loungey seating, with a sofa in front. He wanted a full, rich, ornate look that feels elevated and modern Palestinian, something that reflects his generation, and is young and fresh-feeling. 

Outside the restaurant is a provocative mural by Chris Gazaleh decrying the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, which went up a few weeks after the attacks on October 7th, 2023. Salameh says people stop and ask about it, and has received a lot of support, but he has also had to file eight vandalism reports to the police since it keeps getting defaced (Gazaleh keeps repairing it). Salameh said the mural stands testament to Palestinian resistance, and is “tired of walking on eggshells to defend who I am and the many generations who come before me.” He shares that “it’s imperative now more than ever for me to open this restaurant, which isn’t Middle Eastern or Mediterranean—it’s Palestinian. I want to show the public and community that we are beautiful, resilient, and have a rich history and culture and traditions.” 

They are in the home stretch, hiring staff and fine-tuning after hosting a family preview party and tasting a couple days ago. The current plan is to soft-open in early January. Happy hour and dinner will be served Wed–Sun, along with brunch on the weekend. I can’t wait to experience this deeply personal and heart-full restaurant that has so much to show and share. 4018 24th St. at Noe.

NoPa Gets an Affordable Smash Burger Shop in the Former Hina Yakitori

The former Hina Yakitori on Divisadero, which closed in August 2023, is reopening soon as the Hamburger Project from owners Tan Truong and chef Geoffrey Lee of Ju-ni (just around the corner on Fulton) and Handroll Project in the Mission. This new project will be taking advantage of the kickass grill and ventilation from the space’s former incarnation as a chicken yakitori-centric concept, and will be serving three kinds of smash burgers, plus fries and shakes. 

While burgers are a detour from their seafood-focused businesses, Lee and Truong are both big burger buffs—over the summer, chef Lee was making smash burgers for his family, and started geeking out on them. The duo wanted to open a business in the Hina space that would be affordable and accessible, so the lightbulb clicked on for them to do burgers. Truong shares, “With the economic difficulties for restaurants and the vibe of the world right now, we wanted to offer something comforting and fun. We want to see more people out in the neighborhood.”

The pricing is really kind: you can get a classic cheeseburger (single for $6.89, or double for $8.89), the Oklahoma (with fried onions and the awesome addition of Peppadew peppers; $9.49 or $11.95), or the Wisconsin butter burger, with sautéed onions and whipped butter on top ($9.49 or $11.95). Chef Lee is using a 73 (lean)/27 blend, so the high fat gives the patties the crispy edges you want in a smash burger. All the burgers come with American cheese, HP sauce (a classic burger sauce, but they make it with Kewpie mayo), and some form of onion, from diced white onion to sweet to sautéed, served on Martin’s potato rolls. You can also add a shake of their Ju-ni yuzu-Tabasco-esque sauce.

There are seasoned fries ($4)...

I’m happy to see they’ll be open late: Mon–Fri 12pm–12am, and Sat–Sun 11am–12am. They’re staffing and training right now, and gunning to open in early December; I’ll keep you posted on the opening date. 808 Divisadero St. at Fulton.

Expansions Around Town Include Mezze & Mooore and Joyride Pizza

Mezze & Mooore, the friendly and cheerful Lebanese restaurant at the corner of Guerrero and 14th Street, is expanding after two-and-a-half years, and opening a second location in the Inner Sunset. The new location is opening in the former El Rancho Grande taqueria, and they hope to finish and open by mid- or late December. Their menu of fresh, homestyle mezze (hot and cold), abundant salads (seriously, they are big), wraps, pita, and plates, plus their baked goods and desserts will be coming over, with a bit more of a focus on small plates at this new location. Beer and wine will be offered. The team is also hatching plans for a third location, stand by. I’m happy to see this warm and welcoming neighborhood restaurant expand their SF footprint. 627 Irving St. at 7th Ave.

Joyride Pizza, known for their Detroit-style pizza (and tasty vegan options!)—with locations in SoMa, the Lower Haight, Financial District, the Mission, and a recently opened spot on the Embarcadero—is expanding with another address: this time in Cow Hollow, just next to Equinox. The 49-seat location will feature their signature Detroit pizzas, as well as chicken wings, a lineup of Italian natural wines, along with local artisan wine, and soft-serve ice cream will be coming in the spring. They’ll be opening at 7am on weekdays and 8am on weekends for espresso, coffee, tea, and pastries. The opening is slated for a couple weeks from now. 2055-B Union St. at Webster.

Kolapasi South Indian Cuisine Joins the Ever-Growing Lineup of South Indian Restaurants in the Mission

Glen Park Will Have a Southern French Restaurant in 2025

Glen Park is going to be getting a new French restaurant in mid-2025, La Cigale, from talented chef Joseph Magidow (previously Noosh, Tawla, and Delfina) and Daisy Linden. Glen Park Association reports this neighborhood restaurant is going into the former ModernPast location, and will “feature cuisine of Occitanie, the region spanning southwest France and the Spanish Pyrenees. La cigale means the cicada and is a regional symbol of hope, music and rebirth.” It sounds like it’s quite the extensive buildout and conversion—they’re working with Boor Projects and Mizen Construction. Stand by for updates next year. 679 Chenery St. at Diamond.

Members Only Has Gone Dark in Lower Nob Hill

A tablehopper reader let me know that Members Only, a supperclub and cocktail lounge that opened in 2022 in the former The Saratoga in Lower Nob Hill, appears to have suddenly closed about three weeks ago—their Yelp page says: “Members Only is temporarily closed. Scheduled to reopen on May 31, 2030.” That is quite a ways off. I reached out to their PR contact to find out more from owner Phil Chen, and he says it’s in the process of being sold right now, but the space is still available for events for the time being. Stand by for what’s next. 1000 Larkin St. at Post.

the archivist