ALX Gastropub

SOMA

Next month, the team behind Alexander’s Steakhouse (which has locations in San Francisco, Pasadena and Palo Alto) will open a new casual restaurant, ALX Gastropub, on Folsom Street. The 80-person space is designed by D-Scheme Studio, the team behind Réveille Coffee Co. and members-only cocktail bar, Modernist. Chef Jessie Lugo (former mentee of chef Suzette Gresham, of Michelin two-starred Acquerello) will serve hearty-casual pub fare like chicharrones, beer can chicken with dirty rice, pickles and yogurt, and a “foie-gyu burger”—a mix of foie gras and wagyu beef served with sun-dried tomato jam. Expect a wide range of Bay Area beers, seasonal craft cocktails and Napa wines.
680 Folsom Street, Suite 125., (415)-266-1111

Hina Yakitori

Alamo Square

San Francisco-native chef Geoffrey Lee and business partner Tan Truong―owners of the one-Michelin-starred 12-seat omakase sushi restaurant jū-ni on Fulton Street―will join chef Tommy Cleary (alum of Berkeley’s Michelin-recognized Ippuku) to launch a new omakase restaurant, Hina Yakitori. Cleary previously ran a restaurant of the same name in Temescal, Oakland, which closed after receiving Michelin recognition in 2017, citing plans to relocate elsewhere. While Lee will continue to run culinary operations at Ju-Ni, Cleary will helm the 16-course yakitori omakase menu, featuring wagyu and uni, as well Emmer & Co. pasture raised heritage chickens halved and broken down into 12 distinct courses. Leading beverages is Justin Chin, also beverage director at Ju-Ni, who will focus on wine, sake and shochu pairings. 
808 Divisadero St.

Last Rites

Belcampo

Ramen Nagi

Palo Alto

The popular Tokyo-bred ramen chain finally opened its first U.S. outpost in Palo Alto, featuring its signature, richly-colored black squid ink and red pork broths which stew for over 20 hours before selling. The chain has over 35 outposts abroad and has gained fandom for its varied flavor profiles, and highly customizable bowls, allowing visitors to choose among factors like level of spiciness, “strength of flavor,” desired “richness in oil,” cut of pork (chashu- “sliced loin” or kakuni- “belly”), noodle thickness and noodle firmness. Diners can also elect for chef’s choice dishes like the “Red King” (Akao) bowl—a velvety broth made of garlic, chile oil and cayenne pepper, which is then topped with a ball of miso-infused minced pork, select Nagi cayenne and tender chashu. San Francisco-garnered fans can expect a second California location in San José to open later this summer. 
541 Bryant St.

Tsuta

SOMA

This fall, Japan’s master chef Onishi Yuki will debut the first American outpost of his Tokyo-based ramen restaurant Tsuta in San Francisco’s downtown shopping mall, The Metreon (as of last week, the Metreon said no lease has yet been signed). Chef Yuki first served his signature truffle-oil-infused shoyu soba noodles and dashi-shoyu broths in a Tokyo suburb in 2012. Three years later, in 2015, the Tokyo outpost received one Michelin star, which led the team to open two new locations in Singapore and now one in the United States. The team has its eyes set on additional locations, including in Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland and a possible second location in San Francisco (set to debut in Stonestown Galleria). 
135 4th St., (415) 369-6000 

Curio

Mission

In June, The Mission District’s dedicated live-music venue The Chapel welcomed a new bar and restaurant called Curio. San Francisco-native chef Mario Tolentino, culinary director at The Market who trained under chef Michael Mina, helms the kitchen. Tolentino’s menu features dishes like whole-smoked beer can chicken and daily Little Neck clams, along with a cocktail menu with drinks named after mythical creatures like “phoenix” and “griffin” (as well as “mermaid” and “leprechaun”) from Darren Crawford.
775 Valencia St., (415) 551-7306

Hero image courtesy of Nicola Parisi. 

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