April 1, 2008

the tablehopper | 12:13 pm | April 1, 2008 | Foodie 411

To add to the “cute new little corner restaurant” category is L’Ardoise, a charming French bistro from Thierry Clement, formerly the executive chef of Fringale. This 38-seat bistro in the old Los Flamingos space on a quiet tree-lined street on the outskirts of the Castro, and was designed by Michael Brennan, an in-demand designer for the local restaurant scene. The petite menu will have dishes rotating on and off the blackboard (that’s what the name means), but for now, some dishes include seafood raviole, some salads, charcuterie, duck confit, barramundi, hanger steak and frites, and osso buco.

Open Tue-Sun for dinner, 5:30pm–10pm. 151 Noe St. at Henry, 415-437-2600.

New Yorkers aren’t strangers to the dessert bar/lounge concept, and finally San Franciscans will be able to say the same. Opening any day now in the up-and-coming Western Addition (or the Nopa/North of the Panhandle area, a nickname gaining in popularity due to the ever-busy Nopa restaurant on Divisadero) is Candybar from owners Derek Chan and Tan Truong. This dessert and wine bar/lounge will have a four-course tasting menu of gourmet desserts for $14 from pastry chef Jake Godby (Fifth Floor Restaurant, Tartare, Boulevard, Coi). There will be two lists of innovative and seasonal treats, like blood orange baked Alaska with candied fennel and honeycomb, or chocolate brioche with balsamic caramel ice cream and spiced yogurt. The à la carte lounge menu will feature simpler desserts, such as a bourbon Coke float or tin roof sundae (vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, frosted peanuts, and Maldon sea salt). All ice creams and sorbets will be made in house, and with organic ingredients.

There are also wine pairings available for each dessert selection, courtesy of Paul Einbund (Coi) who consulted on the list, with a focus on dessert wines from around the world. There will also be some non-dessert wines available, plus micro-brewed beers, loose-leaf teas, and Blue Bottle Coffee. There are also specialty drinks, like the Dreamy Night (Toro Albala Pedro Ximenez sherry, Carnegie Porter, and vanilla ice cream).

There are savory offerings as well, from savory chef Jason Edwards (Coi, French Laundry, Hawthorne Lane, Enrico’s), like jumbo asparagus with curry remoulade, plus some larger plates like pork and pistachio terrine, and braised lamb shanks with seasonal vegetables.

You’ll be able to hang out in the 20-seat lounge area in the front (vintage board games are available) or take a seat in the 16-seat dining room toward the back. Look for wine and chocolate seminars and special wine salons on weekend afternoons.

Hours are Tue–Thu 4pm–10pm, Fri–Sat 4pm–midnight, Sun 4pm–10pm. 1335 Fulton St. Ste 101 at Divisadero, 415-673-7078.

When the whistle blows, there are a few new happy hours that have been added to the after-five scene around town. First is Sens, which just launched a new mezze bar in conjunction with the opening of their 30-seat outdoor patio, which overlooks the Ferry Building. In short, it’s a spectacular view. The menu features food with Turkish and North African influences, and is available Mon–Fri, from 3pm–7:30pm. There is also an affordable cocktail list (all $7) that includes locally sourced liquors, ouzo, absinthe and wine grape juices such as pinot noir juice and gewürztraminer juice, which are used to add complexity to some cocktails. Look for the interesting list of wines by the glass, many of them from under-explored winemaking regions, such as Algeria and Turkey. Since the patios at Epic and Waterbar don’t open until April, Sens is one of the few places near the Financial District where people can enjoy a drink and a bite to eat outdoors (weather permitting, of course). If it’s a rainy spring day, there’s always the long indoor bar and lounge.

Another happy hour is at Brick, in the Lower Nob Hill area, and how handy, it’s every day! Chef Alex Marsh has put together a special happy hour bar menu, including country-fried maitake mushrooms, lamb sliders, and herbed fries. Hours are 5pm–6:30pm daily, and then there’s a similar late–night menu on Thursdays from 10pm–midnight, and Fri–Sat 11pm-1am. Ryan Fitzgerald (Bourbon & Branch, Tres Agaves) has also designed a new bar menu so you have something to help you put the happy in happy hour.

1085 Sutter St. at Larkin, 415-441-4232.

Ottimista Enoteca-Cafe\'

For fans of the grape, the ever-popular Ottimista Enoteca-Café in Cow Hollow has launched 2-for-1 Tuesdays! Every Tuesday in March from 5pm–7pm, all wines by the glass (of equal or lesser value) are two-for-one. Salud!

1838 Union St. at Octavia, 415-674-8400.

Down in SoMa, COCO500 has started a new happy hour with the uncommon hours of 3pm–5:30pm Mon–Fri. Guests can snack on afternoon tapas, a rotating menu of six options priced at $3 each, and savor COCO500’s trademark inspired cocktails for $6. In case the restaurant name sounds familiar, chef de cuisine Jennifer Biesty is one of the contestants on this season’s Top Chef on Bravo.

500 Brannan St. at 4th St., 415-543-2222.

Some big closures around town include the shuttering of Myth Café, another location with a Top Chef contestant, Ryan Scott. The details surrounding the sale of its parent restaurant, Myth, and who the new owners are and what they are doing in the space are still being revealed, but the closure date has been set for the restaurant on March 29. The former executive chef, Sean O’Brien, a Food & Wine Best New Chef of 2007 winner, is working with Joe Hargrave and Andrew McCormack on a new project in the frisson space. Just a few blocks away, Scott Howard Restaurant has also closed. And then Moose’s over in North Beach has been sold to Joseph Manzare (Glove, Tres Agaves, Zuppa, Pescheria) and Eddie Maiello, who will be transforming the concept into Joey & Eddie’s, a family-style restaurant serving hearty and casual Italian fare.

Marcia Gagliardi writes a popular weekly e-column about the SF dining scene, “the tablehopper.” Subscribe for free at www.tablehopper.com and get it in your inbox every Tuesday.

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