MARINA/COW HOLLOW
The Mina Test Kitchen will open its third pop-up, The Company (2120 Greenwich Street) on March 2, featuring Indian cuisine (with a particular inspiration from Northern India) by guest chef Vikrant Bhasin, who worked previously as a sous chef for Michael Mina Restaurant in 2008. The multicourse (7, 9, or 11) meal features dishes like pakora chaat (cauliflower, onion, and English peas); spiced crab salad with anardana over papad; kakori kebab (black cardamom, mint, coconut, and tamarind); kashmiri kofta, (Sonoma lamb simmered in yogurt, cloves, ginger, red chilies, stinging nettles); and mango saffron kulfi for dessert, along with traditional sides and additions like raita, chutneys, and roti. As with the previous pop-ups, tickets ($49–$69 with optional beverage pairing $29–$40) are required and available at minatestkitchen.com. Wednesday–Saturday 5:30–10 p.m.
Fans of Smitten ice cream will be happy to know another location is coming to the former Judy’s Cafe (2268 Chestnut Street) this summer. Founder Robyn Sue Fisher is excited to be moving into the space, and in an interesting twist, Eastman Ice Cream operated there in the 1930s and ’40s.
FILLMORE
Cue the bagel excitement: Wise Sons Bagel & Bakery (1520 Fillmore Street, 415-872-9046), the 2,200-square-foot commissary kitchen, production bakery, and shop from Evan Bloom and Leo Beckerman opened at the end of February.
Find several bagel sandwiches, like the West Coast Veggie (house hummus, roasted seasonal vegetable, pickled onions, market green mix on a poppy seed bagel) and an egg and cheese (cage-free egg omelet, chicken-pastrami breakfast patty, and melted Tillamook cheddar on a bialy) as well as classic schmears, baked goods, an array of smoked fish (lox and sable), and a chilled case for grab-and-go items. Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–2 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 8 a.m.–3 p.m.
FINANCIAL DISTRICT
In a speedy turnaround, Daniel Patterson Group has reopened Alfred’s Steakhouse (659 Merchant Street, 415-781-7058). As we mentioned last fall, the closing was about preserving the 88-year-old classic San Francisco steakhouse’s history and continuing the legacy of the Petri family, which ran it for the past 42 years.
The restaurant has been refreshed with new flooring and paint, and the bar area has a more loungy vibe (and barrel-aged cocktails), but it looks and feels like the Alfred’s you know and love with some new artwork by John Ricca photography commemorating San Francisco.
The steaks are now from California (aged for 15 and 30 days) but still cooked over mesquite/open fire, and with chef Charlie Parker, you can expect some quality vegetable sides. They are integrating a whole animal program, so you’ll find dishes like oxtails and pork shoulder, too. Tableside salads and cocktails remain, and the wine list is expanded and updated with many California and old-world classics.
And for you Alfred’s regulars, the Buckaroo Luncheon Club deal is back on Thursdays (11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.), with the School Night Special dinner ($58, three courses and wine). Sunday–Thursday 5:30–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 5:30–11 p.m.
Now open in the former Wexler’s space is Leo’s Oyster Bar (568 Sacramento Street, 415-872-9982) from the Big Night Restaurant Group (Park Tavern, The Cavalier, Marlowe). It’s a looker, which is what happens when Ken Fulk is the design director. The custom floral wallpaper, hanging ferns, gilt scallop shell sconces, and bamboo-caned barstools lend an air of sultry, tropical glamour. There’s a “conservatory,” hand-waxed mahogany paneling, a hammered brass raw bar, banquettes, an uplit onyx cocktail bar, and a 40-seat Champagne bar.
The heavily focused seafood menu by executive chef Jenn Puccio includes oysters (raw or hot, including a “carbonara” version with pancetta); crudos, toasts topped with fried shrimp and bacon (a spin on the classic Chinese shrimp toast) or urchin; Louie salad with rock shrimp, crab, or both; seafood bisque; clam chowder; a lobster roll; and mussels en papillote. House-made Tater Tots, gougères, and some variations of french fries (like the burger fries, topped with cheddar cheese sauce, aioli, bacon, caramelized onions, and crisp shredded lettuce) are properly built for Champagne. Finish the night with desserts by pastry chef Emily Luchetti served in vintage glassware.
Cocktails (many low alcohol) and bites start at 3 p.m., followed by dinner service. The Champagne list is extensive, and includes some local and international sparklers. Monday–Wednesday 3–10 p.m., Thursday–Friday 3–11 p.m., and Saturday 5:30–11 p.m. (subject to change); lunch will be added soon.
