These newcomers or new menus cover the gamut, from classic French to a neighborhood comfort food and cocktail classic that just turned ten. Alongside my latest restaurant reviews — TIYA (modern Indian), Hed11 (Thai), 10 top brunches, KoThai (modern Thai Korean), Alora (Mediterranean) — these five are also worth visiting, with last month’s standouts here. As always, I’ve personally vetted and visited each:
At 10 Years, Better-Than-Ever Neighborhood Gem: Causwells, Marina
I’ve long appreciated Causwells’ sidewalk seating and cozy interior under the gaze of 1937 art deco Presidio Theatre, its signature (more exquisite than it sounds) house ricotta with rosemary honey on lavash crackers, and cheery brunch. But chef/owner Adam Rosenblum’s amped up comfort food and Elmer Mejicanos’ thoughtfully elegant yet fun cocktails are better than ever before. Causwells just turned 10 years old, opening in July 2014. It has aged beautifully into one of SF’s great neighborhood restaurants.
Standouts in food now include a height-of-summer cucumber melon salad deliciously graced with chilis, herbs and “everything” crunch. While a cod ceviche and vegan cheesesteak where less gratifying than hoped, plenty was gratifying: “100 layer” crispy potatoes sticks dipped in aromatic herb aioli; a spot-on crab cake, summery in corn sauce, fennel, pickled red fresno chiles and basil oil; and the “Fancy Pants” splurge burger made with Klingeman Family Farms beef and peppered pork confit, oozing under melted onions, taleggio cheese, butter lettuce and tomato aioli on toasted brioche. Ditto with dessert, especially a banana “grilled cheese” sandwich of banana bread with fluffy cream cheese in the middle, dipped in “chocolate soup.” Hell, yes.
This would be good enough but add in Elmer Mejicanos cocktails and it’s a feast. He veers smart directions, like Deconstructed Pimms Cups or Pandan Gin Daiquiris. But the two most memorable cocktails out of six I just tried? A sweet-savory Al Pastor Pineapple Highball of ancho pepper-infused Peloton Mezcal, Chareau aloe liqueur, clarified lemon, pineapple seltzer and an al pastor spicy salt rim artfully splayed on the side of a tall glass. And a delicate, spring-like Peas and Thank You mixing blanco tequila, snap peas, tarragon, elderflower and citrus, with a layer of fluffy egg white cradling drops of olive oil and edible flowers.
Get thee back to this neighborhood great and celebrate 10 years with a restaurant that has survived and thrived.
// 2346 Chestnut Street, https://causwells.com
House of Prime Rib Pop-Up Tribute: Primebird at Nightbird, Hayes Valley
Why Nightbird and ever-talented chef Kim Alter don’t have a Michelin star remains a frustrating mystery for years now. Since June 12, her new, uber-reasonable $80 prime rib dinner pop-up next door in their new private dining room is so delightful, I wish it was permanent. At the moment it’s set to end August 29 (boo!), so get in stat! It’s even better with a pre-or post-meal nightcap at her tiny, hidden Linden Room bar down the alley behind Nightbird. PrimeBird tributes the matchless House of Prime Rib (HoPR), an SF legend since 1949.
Partner, general manager and beverage director Ron Boyd works with Alter on the memorable feast that starts with choice of ice cold Martini or Manhattan, the Martini a delight with summer herbs infused in the gin and a caperberry, lemon and olive garnish. Spare but thoughtful wine pairing options carry you through the prix fixe meal. It starts with house sourdough bread and green garlic Goddess salad spun and tossed tableside on ice, just like at HoPR, but featuring Green Goddess dressing, which was created in SF at the Palace Hotel in 1923.
Then it’s the prime rib spread, featuring local, wet-aged Flannery Beef with three sauces: smoked Wagyu bearnaise, housemade A1 and herbed “horsey” (horseradish) cream, tributing HoPR’s three horseradish sauces. The meal is complete with creamed spinach, truffled Yorkshire pudding in aged cheddar sauce and a mini-loaded baked potato. It’s all ridiculously good, with unctuous rib au jus to soak that killer Yorkshire pudding in. Dessert is whipped cheesecake on graham cracker crust, topped with strawberry and rhubarb.
Primebird is happiness. Nothing can replicate the experience and 1970s time travel of HoPR but this is a winning tribute with amped up elements. While Alter may bring back joys like her pandemic-launched burger pop-up Nightburger, I’m rooting for Primebird to continue and return on the regular. Make reservations through the Nightbird website, Tuesday through Thursday, 5–8pm.
// 334 Gough Street, www.nightbirdrestaurant.com
Uber-Reasonable Prix Fixe Tasting Menus: Foliage, Precita Park
Soon after Michelin-starred Marlena closed in the same space, in October 2023, Foliage opened in the idyllic corner spot on Precita Park at the base of Bernal Heights, Mission-side. After a messy departure with husband-wife owners Stephane Roulland and Julia Indovina, Marlena chefs’ David and Serena Chow Fisher went on to open 7 Adams, which (again) just earned a Michelin star. Meanwhile, up-and-coming young chef Mo Bejar is quietly holding it down at Foliage with ever-changing, affordable $75 prix fixe menus, $55 Sunday family meal and an a la carte menu.
Bay Area’s own Bejar comes from the likes of Bird Dog, Lucia at Bernardus Lodge and Madera, keeping it Bay Area typical with a heavy seasonality and sustainability focus, working with local farmers, having grown up in Salinas where he owns and operates a ranch. He has a heavy insider knowledge of farming and ingredients, foraging and maximizing the season. This means menus are ever-shifting, with French technique grounding Asian and beyond flavor profiles.
I appreciated touches like lacto-fermented pineapple with amberjack crudo in rayu (Japanese chili oil) with coconut and rice crisps, or dreamy Dungeness crab salad with pickled white cabbage and peanut satay sauce. Ft. Bragg sea urchin was playful on a tiny waffle with mango in soubise (French onion sauce). Akaushi Japanese beef was cooked in brisket form accompanied by tomatillo, pickles and white sauce, giving it American BBQ spirit with Alabama white sauce influence, touched with Japan and Mexico. So very SF Bay Area. A tight wine list of small, family-owned, sustainable wineries rounds out what is a quality neighborhood restaurant with chef Bejar’s promising flavor combos.
// 300 Precita Avenue, www.foliagesf.com
Classic French & Classic Cocktails: Le Parc BistroBar, FiDi
Opening in the Galleria Park Hotel on July 8, 2024, in the former Gaspar Brasserie, Le Parc Bistrobar comes from French chef Bruno Chemel. I miss the inspired fine dining menu at chef Chemel’s two Michelin-starred Baumé in Palo Alto, though glad to have him back in SF. This is classic French bistro fare done with care, whether a goat cheese onion tart, a simple but pure salade de fenouil, aka fennel salad with avocado, strawberries and cucumbers, or a delightful escargots “pot pie” heavy with garlic and parsley.
A hearty queues de boeuf is red wine-braised oxtail with carrots and potato puree, fall apart and tender. Medium-rare saumon roti or skin-on, roasted salmon is on-point with olives over a bed of ratatouille (eggplant, zucchini, garlic, tomato, basil). The most gratifying dessert I tried was oeufs à la neige, aka snow eggs or “floating islands” of small poached meringues, floating in anglaise sauce and caramel. I’m not a sweet tooth and even less into meringues, yet toasted almonds add nutty depth, while this is the best French “floating island” I’ve had in years.
A surprise is very affordable wines by the glass ($8–10!?) and an extensive classic cocktail menu. Though any cocktail bar worth its salt should be able to make these classics, there are over 50 listed, including a welcome six-cocktail Chartreuse section and forgotten delights, like the darkly-named Necromancer with Lillet Rosé, absinthe, St. Germain elderflower and lemon.
The 130-seat space hasn’t changed dramatically since Gaspar, which is good, since from downstairs lounge area to upstairs restaurant and sleek wood bar room (Gaspar’s old Cognac Room), the inviting space exudes brasserie style with red leather banquettes, dark woods and brass. This will be an ideal weekday lunch spot once that kicks in this fall.
// 185 Sutter Street, www.galleriapark.com/eat-drink/le-parc-bistrobar
Spritzes, Pizza and Pasta: Fiorella Noe Valley
Fiorella Noe Valley just opened its fourth San Francisco location on June 26, 2024. I’ve been a fan since the first Outer Richmond location opened in 2016, with Russian Hill (2019) and Inner Sunset (2021) following. Inner Sunset has the best setting with the benefit of a retractable roof upstairs and hidden Bar Nonnina. Let’s get out of the way that this is maybe the least best location environment-wise. The space feels more narrow and loud at times with noisy babies one would expect in Noe Valley, surrounded by the “stroller set.”
Thankfully, the food is still the quality of the other locations, while differences include a 12 spritz cocktail menu from bar director Daniel Burns, with my standout being the Chonditum Spritz of Lambrusco wine, honey, mastic, black peppercorn, saffron and bay leaves. Another worthy sip is on wine director Chris Tarbell’s value-driven wine list: Fiorella house label’s new O-Ran Cini natural orange wine made with Alex Pomerantz of local Subject to Change Wine Co.
Fiorella’s beloved wood-fired pizza is cooked in a custom Italian pizza oven, with a six-seat pizza bar gazing over the pizza-making fun. The Spicy Florence Pie is unique to this location with super hot roasted Italian long hot peppers, provolone, ricotta and salmoriglio sauce — you know you want the addition of mortadella. Starters also shine, like a summer-perfect stone fruit and stracciatella cheese salad with cherries, peaches, nectarines and hazelnuts. There is a convenient takeout window for those ordering to-go.
// 4042 24th Street, www.fiorella-sf.com