April 30, 2008

the tablehopper | 9:02 am | April 30, 2008 | Foodie 411

Franck LeClerc of Café Claude has a couple new projects in the works. Opening in June, 2008, is Gitane (French for gypsy), which will have a fun and funky look and style. The executive chef is Lisa Eyherabide, formerly of Le Charm and Piperade in San Francisco and Côte d’Or in France, who is creating a menu inspired by regions in Southern France and Northern Spain, with hints of North Africa. The cuisine will be approachable and is described as “cuisine de ma mère” or “food from my mother.”
 

Sean Diggins, the current beverage director at Café Claude, will be overseeing the beverage and wine program: look for small, eco-friendly growers with a large by-the-glass and carafe program, and with a largely Spanish focus. And it wouldn’t be a new San Francisco restaurant without a special bar program: Dominic Venegas (Range, Cantina, Bourbon & Branch) will head up the bar program at Gitane, with plans to highlight Spanish sherries, unique Spanish brandies, and assemble a very special spirits selection, plus offer some seasonal sangrias and cocktails. Charles Doell of Mr. Important is designing the space, an amalgam of looks from three separate decades: the Euro-themed 50s, hippy-driven 60s and big bling 70s. There will be artwork from Turkey and the U.K., photography, hand-printed wallpapers, and two huge vintage chandeliers. 

• 6 Claude Ln. at Bush.

 

LeClerc’s second project in the works, and just across the street from Gitane, will be Cinque, Italian Wine Bar & Restaurant.

Basically, Claude Lane is going to become the new Belden Place. The restaurant’s name is Italian for the number five, and comes from the address, 5 Claude Lane—the former home of MAC (Modern Appealing Clothing). The menu will feature fresh pasta inspired by the Emilia-Romagna region, with a list of approximately thirty wines by the glass. Indoor seating will be counter/bistro-style tables, chairs, and counters (approximately forty seats), while outdoors in the lane there will be seating for 30. The designer is Elmer Lin of Consortium Architects, who led the design of Bocadillos. Lunch and dinner will be served six days a week. As for the opening date, let’s just say February 2009 for now.

• 5 Claude Ln. at Bush.

 

The much-adored Myth Restaurant has sadly and officially closed, and the Pascarella-Lacroix-Siegel deal has reportedly fallen through. Which means chef Ron Siegel of the Ritz-Carlton Dining Room is not leaving after all. There are other rumors circulating about who is negotiating to take over the Myth space, although nothing is confirmed just yet. Stand by.

A new restaurant style (well, new to San Francisco) will be launching in SoMa called Basil Canteen. It’s moving into the now-closed The Public space. The owner of Basil Thai, Todd Sirimongkolvit, has been looking for a space to expand for the last few years (he also owns Soi Four in Berkeley), and is thrilled to find a location so close to his existing SoMa restaurant. Basil Canteen will be like a casual Thai izakaya of sorts, serving a fun style of food called gap klaem, which are dishes designed to pair with drinking—since the historic space has a full bar, this should work nicely. There will be about ten small plates/bar snacks and a variety of noodles (four–five sautéed noodle dishes, and five–six soup noodle dishes). Basil Canteen should be opening in July after the renovation is complete. It will be open for lunch and dinner nightly, and will be serving late, until midnight or so, on Friday and Saturday nights. 

• 1489 Folsom St. at 11th St.

 

Over at the beach, the Beach Chalet Brewery and Restaurant and the Park Chalet Garden Restaurant have a new executive chef, Gregory Hutchinson, formerly of Brix in Yountville. Not only is there an outdoor barbecue, but prime rib on Monday nights has also launched at the Beach Chalet. There will be a new Park Chalet brunch buffet on Sundays with a do-it-yourself Bloody Mary Bar, great on these warmer days so folks can enjoy the outdoor space. 

• 1000 Great Highway, 415-386-8439. 

 

Chez Papa Resto in Mint Plaza has new hours: lunch Mon–Fri 11:30am–2:30pm, brunch Sat–Sun 11am–3pm, dinner Sun–Wed 5:30pm–10pm, and Thu–Sat 5:30pm–11pm. 

• 414 Jessie St., between Mission and Market near Fifth, 415-546-4134.

For folks planning to enjoy wine country in the coming months, beer drinkers will be happy to know there’s a place for them as well. Hopmonk Tavern is a new venture from Dean Biersch (of Gordon Biersch fame) that has opened in a 105-year-old California historic landmark building in Sebastopol, just at the intersection of Highway 116 and Highway 12 in Sonoma County. Hopmonk offers innovative and seasonal gastropub fare from chef Lynn McCarthy, craft beers from Europe and smaller regional producers in the U.S, including 75-plus bottled beers, 16 drafts and two cask-conditioned ales, plus a 55-seat classic beer garden to enjoy it all in, and an acoustic performance stage for music. There’s even a regional bike trail that passes through the front of the property. Located adjacent to the tavern and beer garden is The Abbey, a 200-person, 2,000-square-foot music venue. 

• 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol, 707-829-7300.

 

In the Mission and looking for a place to have lunch? Spork, a cleverly designed restaurant that moved into a former Kentucky Fried Chicken space has started serving lunch, offering some simple dishes like a good cheeseburger, a daily pasta dish, and delicious slow-roasted carnitas over a tortilla with over-easy eggs, avocado, cabbage, and queso fresco. Almost everything is around $10; take a look at the menu here. Lunch is served Tue–Fri 11:30pm–2pm.

• 1058 Valencia St. at 21st St., 415-643-5000.

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.