The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco food scene.
Ken Ken Ramen opens today in it's new, permanent location (3378 18th St. at Mission). We learned, via a tweet, that for now they'll only be open three nights a week (Thu.-Sat.), starting at 6 p.m.
As the year ends Namu will shutter, as Namu Gaji readies to open in 2012. Inside Scoop reports the lease on the Namu space could not be renegotiated, and the restaurant will shutter its Balboa location after Christmas Eve. Namu Gaji, the izakaya-inspired restaurant from the Lee brothers, will open in the Mission in early 2012. Today's Chronicle goes on to share that the Lee brothers (or at least one, Dennis Lee) may return to the Richmond at some point -- but not in the foreseeable future.
Food truck news: It's been a long, legality-driven process, and it isn't done yet, but Inside Scoop reports an update on SoMa StrEAT Food Park, slated for the vacant lot behind the SOMA Costco. The project director Carlos Muela plans to include structures (like those at the Proxy Project) alongside the trucks, and wants to start construction early in the new year. Fingers crossed.
There's a new liquor license and bar manager at AQ Restaurant & Bar. Eater SF discovers Tim Zohn (Bourbon & Branch) has joined AQ, and will debut a cocktail menu as early as next week.
Chef shuffles: Inside Scoop reveals Zack Freitas (Commis) is Zare at Flytrap's new chef de cuisine. The cuisine is to stay the same, but Hoss Zare and Freitas are planning to debut a new menu in January.
SFoodie hates the term "gastropub." Hates it. But this city has more and more restaurants that technically qualify. Some are brewpubs where you can eat something more substantial than potato skins and greasy burgers. Some talk up their "beer program" (SFoodie sees that phrase and looks around for our assigned seats and the popcorn stand) and employ a cicerone, also known as a beer sommelier. Whatever you want to call these beer-focused destinations, here are our five favorites:
Tired of all the parking in San Francisco? Sick of eating indoors or outside on a stupid patio? Screw all that noise, it's time for more parklets, those patches of pavement-turned-into-teensy-green-spaces! The city is accepting proposals for its third round of parklet funding until Monday, Dec. 5, at 5 p.m. Make it happen! You know you've always wanted to eat in the street, so download the permit application and design guidelines here (Warning: PDF).
Interested applications should notify them via email as soon as possible. Fine print: Community Benefit Districts, business owners, nonprofit institutions, and community organizations are encouraged to apply. Other applicants may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Good luck, you!
Historic Libations
Where: California Historical Society, 678 Mission (at 3rd St.)
When: Thursday, Dec. 1, 6 to 9 p.m.
Cost: $50 online or at the door
The rundown: The California Historical Society celebrates the rich and boozy history of the Golden State with cocktails, oysters, and of course Pisco Punch and Martinez cocktails. Dance your way back in time with the Gaucho Gypsy Jazz starting at 7:30.
Barback Olympics
Where: Mezzanine, 444 Jessie (at Mint)
When: Sunday, Dec. 4, 8 to 11 p.m.
Cost: Free with RSVP
The rundown: This Sunday, the San Francisco Bay Area's best barbacks take center stage in a series of challenges designed to replicate being deep in the weeds at the bar. Last year's competition included drinking shots of Fernet Branca, bottle relay, ice bucket race, beer restocking race, and keg changing.
Who doesn't love pie? And, sorry various "v" folks, what omnivore doesn't love bacon? Now one purveyor of each are teaming up to move from temp to perm with Bacon Bacon and Three Babes Bakeshop's new, non-portable location opening Monday, Dec. 5 at 205A Fredrick in part of the old Ashbury Market.
"We're moving in on Wednesday and we'll be baking on Thursday," says Three Babes co-founder Lenore Estrada. She also tipped us off to the opening menu for the month.
Bacon Bacon, previously of food truck only prominence, will offer an array of bacon-breakfast-bites, from cheddar bacon scones to bacon-and-egg sandwiches
What: Seoul Patch vs. Reform Club
Where: Specchio
When: Sun., December 4. Seatings 6-10 p.m.
Cost: $40, $25 extra for beverage pairing
The rundown: Eric Ehler is back, and this time he's combining both of his pop-ups into one mega pop-up! The evening will include the formal class of Reform Club, along with their four-course format and strong cocktails, but with a modern Korean-American menu.
Of the event, Ehler says,
I started Seoul Patch in September, and since then, kind of fell into the role of running the kitchen for Reform Club as well. Reform Club has been doing really well, and we're looking for more ways to keep us unique and interesting. Naturally, we thought that a mash-up of the Korean-American food of Seoul Patch, and the coursed out, cocktail paired dinner of Reform Club, would marry and be a huge hit. And since this will be the last Reform Club until next year, we have to go out with a bang.
Piling on the retailers of America, who would like all red-blooded Americans, Christian or no, to participate in Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the food media has come out with a strong message to shoppers: Buy cookbooks for Christmas.
