The Tablehopper
Kitchens are firing up again in Jackson Square, but sadly Huff is without one.
By Marcia Gagliardi


Not only is the culinary buzz circling around the Quince/Myth space project, but there’s more Jackson Square news: Sean O’Brien, formerly the executive chef of Myth, is opening a restaurant called Zinnia (500 Jackson St.) in the Scott Howard space. The restaurant is going to get a little design refresh, and O’Brien said fall looks like a good time for the opening. He said he’s enjoyed the six-month break, but is really looking forward to getting back in the kitchen.

It was surprising to learn Northside favorite Joel Huff of Silks (222 Sansome St.) has resigned as chef de cuisine. Huff doesn’t have any specific plans to announce, but he is looking for a new position. During the search for a new Silks chef, Joshua Nudd, the executive chef at Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco, will step in; he’s recently from Chambers Kitchen, a Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant in Minneapolis. Milan Drager, the previous executive chef at Mandarin, was promoted to food and beverage director in November 2007, but during this interim time, both he and Nudd will continue to oversee the dining experience at Silks.

Many locals have been wondering what will move into the two vacant restaurant spots in the Jewish Community Center (JCC) (3200 California St.) where (415) Restaurant & Lounge and California Street Delicatessen & Cafe were located. It seems the JCC is getting rid of the restaurants completely, and going in their spaces instead will be a series of little individual “restaurants” from local biscuit queen Joanna Karlinsky and her business partner Victoria Smiser. The lineup will include hot and cold prepared gourmet foods (eat in or carry out), a gourmet pizzeria, a pressed sandwich spot, house-made ice cream, a coffee counter (with wine and beer), a house-made dessert place, and of course you’ll be able to get Joanna’s famous Meetinghouse biscuits (aka butter transmission devices), as well as on- and off-site catering via The Meetinghouse. The JCC is doing some remodeling, and the businesses should be opening up in late September/early October. And good news – this part of the JCC is open to the public as well as members.

Things are moving along for Bacchus Management Group’s Cow Hollow brasserie that’s opening in the Prego space. The name has finally been decided on, des Amis (2000 Union St.). And the word is Skye LaTorre, formerly a sommelier at A16, is joining the Bacchus team as a lead sommelier. The opening is slated for fall.

Also in Cow Hollow, Nettie’s Crab Shack (2032 Union St.) is underway and moving into the former Palmetto space. Co-owner Annette Yang is the Nettie behind the name, who may be a familiar face from Spruce (she was the opening manager), Jack Falstaff, and Gordon’s House of Fine Eats. Yang met Nettie’s chef and co-owner Brian Leitner at Gordon’s where he was an executive sous chef. More about chef Leitner: He was at Chez Panisse for five years, and was a co-owner in Living Room Events, a local catering company. Leitner’s menu of regional seafood will not only highlight specialties from New England, but from places like New Orleans as well. And his Chez background means highlighting seasonal and honest ingredients prepared and presented in a way that they really shine – simply. Think pails of piping hot steamers, pots of bubbling chowder and fish stews made with the freshest local ingredients.

Jim Zack of Zack|deVito (Gordon’s House of Fine Eats, Globe, Bacar, Tres Agaves, and Orson) is the architect who is transforming the front glassed-in area into an actual outdoor patio, and the bar and flooring are also being changed. The dining room will have chunky, rustic wood tables covered with butcher paper, comfortable seating, and simple, but genuine decor. There will be daily chalkboard specials, plus the full bar means pitchers of house cocktails, and buckets of icy cold beer. The opening is looking like fall, perhaps late September. Nettie’s will serve lunch Monday through Friday, dinner nightly and weekend brunch.

Long Bar and Bistro (2298 Fillmore St.) has finally opened in the Fillmore Grill space. The menu includes some straightforward classics like calamari, crab cakes, salads, burgers, and the like, plus cocktails, beer, and wine.

Over in Union Square, where Caffe Kuleto’s used to be, is now Bar Norcini (225 Powell St.), a new salumi, cheese and wine bar. (Caffe Kuleto’s and the Villa Florence’s lobby wine bar have been combined into one space.) The name Norcini is Umbrian for “pork butcher” – chef Bob Helstrom of neighboring Kuleto’s is well known for his love of salumi-making, using pigs from Devil’s Gulch that are actually fed kitchen scraps from Kuleto’s. In the morning, Bar Norcini will serve Illy coffee and pastries, while lunch will bring panini, pizzettas topped with salumi, salads and cheese. The evening menu scales back to just pizzettas, salumi and cheese. There will be some well-chosen Italian wines, and eight specialty cocktails, each featuring Italian liqueurs and ingredients.

The Aroma Tea Shop in the Richmond is expanding to Russian Hill, and opening Aroma Tea 2 (1806 Polk St.) in the former Cafe Lambretta space. It was slated to open on July 19, and will not only have a tea tasting bar and tea available for sale, but they will also have brewed tea to go (including iced tea with fresh fruit), plus some tables where customers can sit and enjoy tea on their own time. The tables will mimic those common in China, with a built-in sink and heater for the kettle, so customers can sit and do their own tea service.

A bit closer to the water, Marché on the Square (900 North Point), the new two-story gourmet food market and grocer in Ghirardelli Square, has opened, offering a wine bar and restaurant, and many to-go foods including sushi, salads, sweet and savory crepes, pastries, and sandwiches made to order. All produce is organic; the majority is sourced from within 100 miles. Marché‘s Wine Bar opened July 5, and features an international selection of wines as well as many from California, with about 100 available by the bottle and 25 by the glass. Serving cheese, cured meats, light bites, sushi, and wine pairings, Marché’s Wine Bar also has views of the San Francisco Bay. Bar Marché offers seasonally changing, French-influenced bistro cuisine and a selection of international wines. The Marché is open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily; Bar Marché and Marché Wine Bar are open Monday through Friday with continuous service from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., including brunch starting August 1. Reservations can be made by calling 415-359-0365.

A few more bites: Swirl Culture (1400 Grant St.) yogurt has opened in North Beach, and after 30 years, Toraya (1914 Fillmore St.) has shuttered.

Marcia Gagliardi also writes a popular weekly e-column about the San Francisco dining scene; subscribe for free at www.tablehopper.com. She writes additionally for San Francisco and Travel + Leisure magazines, and Fodors.com.

Got a hot tip? E-mail marcia@northsidesf.com.