the tablehopper | 2:10 pm | July 10, 2009 | Foodie 411, North Beach | Add a comment
Tony Gemignani’s Tony’s Pizza Napoletana opened in the former La Felce/Lou’s space on Washington Square. Here are some details on the margherita ($18), which was the 2007 World Pizza Cup winner in Naples, Italy: the dough is mixed by hand using San Felice flour and then proofed in Neapolitan wood boxes, topped with San Marzano tomatoes DOP, sea salt, fior di latte mozzarella, fresh basil, and extra virgin olive oil from Campania; limited to 73 per day. There are a variety of pizzas, including calzone, stromboli, Sicilian pizza a teglia, and pastas, plus there is a kid’s menu.
The space has about 75 seats inside, sporting a New York/Milano classic pizza place look, a bit 1950s in style. The dining room is definitely family friendly, but there is also a full bar for those who want to hang out at the bar instead. And very soon, there will be 26 seats available outside. Line for a table too long? You can also do takeout and eat it in Washington Square Park. To read past tablehopper details about the project, including the four pizza ovens in use, Tony’s unique team-building classes, and his pizza school (which has classes for the home chef or pro—and students are then able to buy the special ingredients Tony uses directly from him), click here and scroll down. Hours are Wed–Sun 12pm–10pm, with later hours Fri–Sun (it’s a little TBD at the moment since it’s the opening month).
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. Got news? Email Marcia at taste@sanfrancisco.travel.
the tablehopper | 12:17 pm | March 4, 2009 | Foodie 411, North Beach | Add a comment
A San Francisco favorite is returning to the dining scene: Washington Square Bar & Grill reopened on March 2nd. The new owners are business partners Liam and Susan Tiernan of Tiernan’s Pub in Fisherman’s Wharf. They did some major reconstruction, including replacing the floors, putting in an all-new kitchen, making the space ADA-compliant, and much more. The décor will still feel very much the same to those who remember it well (including the presence of some original “ampersand” cocktail napkins at the bar).
But there are also new touches, like portraits by photographer Jock McDonald of local characters on the walls, like Willie, Robert Mondavi, and Ed Moose. Herb Caen’s typewriter is also going to be on display. Most of the original kitchen staff is returning, plus three bartenders (Mike McCourt, Mitch Gilbreath, Mike Fraser). There will also be piano jazz nightly. The chef is Jacques Rousseau, and his dinner menu includes approachable starters like mussels, a variety of salads, and calamari, plus main-dish pastas, a flatiron steak, roasted chicken breast, a pork rack, and pan-seared sea bass.
The Washbag will be open daily 11:30am–10pm for dining, with the bar until 2am. Lunch will be served 11:30am–2:30pm, a bar menu until 5pm, and then dinner from 5pm–10pm. Look for a big block party in April or May. Welcome back.
Another opening in North Beach is Pickles in the old Clown Alley space—Tom Duffy, the former owner of Myth, took it over a couple years ago. The corner spot has undergone quite the transformation: the outdoor patio is now enclosed, with a retractable roof (sporting a million-dollar view of the Transamerica building when it’s open), a fireplace, heat lamps, and comfy booths with dotted upholstery. Inside, there are wood-slat walls and sections of the ceiling that almost feel chalet-like, plus woven chairs, striped glass-globe lights, and booths with a gold circle pattern.
The chef is Matthew Kerley, who was formerly in the kitchen at Myth. The menu sounds delicious: to start, deviled eggs, or a pot of pickles with pork rillette and grilled ciabatta, or grilled asparagus, plus five inventive salads, like the slider salad (three Prather Ranch 3 oz. beef patties, petite romaine heart, ciabatta croutons, tomatoes, shaved egg, creamy garlic tarragon dressing, and Grana Padano, for $9). The burgers feature Prather Ranch beef, plus there’s a grilled Rosie’s chicken sandwich, an ahi tuna or vegetarian burger, and Prather Ranch hot dogs, served either plain, Chicago, or taxi-style with chili. You can also get beer-battered Vidalia onion rings, or mini corn dogs on the side. Save room for dessert, because not only is there actual East Coast frozen custard on offer, but custard sundaes to boot.
Alex Fox, who worked with Duffy at Myth, put together the well-chosen wine list, with selections available by the glass, carafe, and bottle. It may be a hamburger joint, but the wine list even includes a few exclusives, like Aviemore Napa Valley cab.
Pickles is open for lunch to start, from 10am–4pm or 5pm or thereabouts, and then dinner will kick in on April 1st, with service until 10pm Tue–Thu, and until 3am Fri–Sat.
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. Got news? Email Marcia at taste@sanfrancisco.travel.
the tablehopper | 12:12 pm | February 12, 2009 | Foodie 411, North Beach | Add a comment
Moving into the short-lived Lou’s at the Square space in North Beach, formerly La Felce, will be Tony’s Pizza Napoletana. The Tony is Tony Gemignani of Pyzano’s in Castro Valley, the well-known world cup pizza cup (2007) and nine-time world pizza champion, pizza acrobat, and the first-time winner outside of Naples to claim the title of best Neapolitan pizza at the Trofeo Città di Napoli Campionato Internazionale Per Pizzaioli. He’s opening the project with partners Bruno Di Fabio, who owns pizzerias in Connecticut, and Nancy Puglisi.
During the day, it will be the International School of Pizza. Gemignani, a certified master from the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli, will be certifying chefs in Classic Italian, Neapolitan, and Roman pizza styles, plus New York, California, and Chicago styles. Gemignani is the first master instructor and U.S.-based representative of the Scuola to open a location in the U.S. Some Italian masters will fly in to teach courses as well. There will also be two-day courses for home chefs, kids, and senior citizens. As for the ovens, there will be a special wood-burning oven, a Cirigliano that Gemignani won from the Naples competition, plus a brick oven, and Italian electric oven—all three styles of oven are needed for classes at the school.
For dinner, there will be traditional Neapolitan, Italian, and American classic pizzas on the menu, plus some pastas, dessert, and there’s a full bar. It will also feature an open kitchen, with Gemignani working alongside other professional pizza makers. Ingredients will be a mix of imported and local ingredients. The owners are really excited to be opening in North Beach, and hope to make it happen by May.
North Beach Lobster Shack has closed. Owner Russell Deutsch says it was a tough location for the business, with parking issues and a lack of a big lunch scene. They do ten times the business at their Old Port Lobster Shack in Redwood City, so they plan to open another location in Cupertino or Sunnyvale.
He sold the location to two brothers who are going to be opening a Belgian fry place that will be open late into the night—stand by for more. Sounds like it will be a good match for the delicious beers on offer at Church Key on Grant—this could almost be a repeat of Haight Street’s Rosamunde/Toronado food-and-beer match made in heaven.
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. Got news? Email Marcia at taste@sanfrancisco.travel.
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