These newcomers or new menus cover the gamut, from Greek mezé to dim sum. Alongside this month’s full restaurant reviews — Damansara, Rosemary & Pine, SingleThread & Little Saint, Tenderheart, Rich Table — these seven are also worth visiting, with last month’s standouts here (as always, I’ve vetted, visited or ordered from each place reviewed):
Greek Mezé & Wine Destination: Souvla Dogpatch
Since the first Souvla opened in 2014 from founder and CEO Charles Bililies, it has been a hit, now with 5 locations across SF and Marin opening early 2023. If you have been to one, you’ve been to all: modern fast-casual, order-at-the-counter Greek restaurants inspired by casual souvlaki joints in Greece, all with the same menu centered around rotisserie from naturally raised meats. But the new Dogpatch location opened this August 16, 2022, is different from the rest.
It’s housed in the former Magnolia Dogpatch, which I most miss (design and foodwise) as Smokestack under original Magnolia beer founder Dave McLean before he sold the breweries. Designed by Bililies himself, Souvla Dogpatch is bright, white and airy, embracing the space’s dramatic, 19-foot-tall ceilings. It doesn’t just look different from every other Souvla: in addition to popular salads, sandwiches, rotisserie and frozen Greek yogurt from soft serve machines at all locations, Dogpatch features an expanded food menu and lofty wine bar, heavy on Greek wines, including natural wines. It’s still order-at-the-counter or ideal for takeaway, but just as ideal to grab a table, a glass (or two) of wine and linger.
Greek mezé and small plates created by Tony Cervone (Souvla chef/partner) include a happy platter of Greek spreads (taramasalata, melitzanosalata, tzatziki) with crudité and delightful house pita crackers or irresistible, oozing manouri (traditional fried cheese) drizzled in Cretan wildflower honey with thyme and black pepper. Traditional spanakopita is as flaky a phyllo dough as one could wish for, filled with the traditional spinach and feta cheese, but a roll rather than the typical triangle shape, more like a cousin to cigar-shaped Turkish sigara borek. It’s also worth ordering classic dolmades (grape leaf dolma rolls) filled with spanakorizo (spinach and rice) in a light avgolemono-style sauce of thickened egg yolk, lemon juice and broth. The addition of chicken skin subtly amps up the flavor.
Reasonably-priced-for-its-size ($25) spit-roasted feta-brined chicken — typically an “off-menu” to-go item at other Souvlas — is on-menu here. Feta brine keeps it tender and juicy, brightened by charred lemon and tzatziki (with leftovers reheating beautifully the next day). They continue their usual robust takeout or delivery options, but the wine selection is the other reason to dine-in, sipping a vegetal, bright 2021 Santo Wines Assyrtiko from Santorini or funky, aromatic, natural orange/amber 2020 Oenops Wines Rawditis Drama from Macedonia, alongside beers from Santorini Brewing Co.
// 2505 3rd Street, www.souvla.com/location/the-dogpatch
Still Got It: Italian Perfection for 12 Years at Cotogna
Writing about Michael and Lindsay Tusk’s Cotogna just after it first opened in November 2010, I appreciated its warm, glowing hearth fires and woods, its modern-yet-rustic Italian food and farm-fresh ingredients, even if my favorite of the Tusk’s restaurants remains the great three Michelin-starred Quince. Recently returning to Cotogna, their expansive parklet lined with pumpkins, olive trees and fall cheer, is a welcome addition to the cozy dining room and made for an idyllic lunch on a gorgeous, warm October day.
My hands-down favorite dish on my first visit to Cotogna 12 years ago was their spinach sformato. They still “wow” on the sformato/savory pudding front, this time with pumpkin sformato in gorgonzola fonduta, topped with pumpkin chips and sage. It tastes gloriously of fall, reminding of the best sformatos I’ve had in Italy.
A platter of Prosciutto di Parma with house gnocco fritto is a decadent charcuterie twist. Accompanied by rich blue cheese and Lambrusco-pickled onions, all scooped into the little dough pockets of fritto, this should be the new “it” bar food. On the pasta front, their agnolotti del plin 2003 is still done as it was at Quince when it opened back in 2003: meaty pasta perfection. The season shone (again) in Fresh Run Farm sunchoke-filled tortelli accented with sunchoke chips.
Cotogna is still “bringing it”: SF halibut crudo, chicken, that tight Italian wine list and desserts, like Jenn’s dreamy house gelati (mint stracciatella!) Cotogna is a prime example of exemplary restaurants San Francisco so casually turns out and maintains that it’s easy to take them for granted. Don’t.
// 490 Pacific Avenue, www.cotognasf.com
Caviar & Champagne Break: The Caviar Co., Tiburon
Female-founded-and-run The Caviar Co. is a favorite Marin County respite and a big win for sleepy, stunning Tiburon, which doesn’t have much in the way of noteworthy food options. Reviewing it not long after it opened in spring 2021, each time I return, Caviar Co. evolves, recently with expanded dishes, including a mini-lobster roll tossed in lemon aioli and garlic parsley butter and topped with royal white sturgeon caviar, of course, or a seasonal sweet potato hummus with a vibrant array of vegetables/crudité and chips to scoop it up, plus accompanying vibrant orange roe caviar.
I can’t get enough of marcona almonds blissfully heavy with olive oil, lemon zest and aromatic lavender, or Humphry Slocombe black sesame ice cream dotted with candied pistachios, poached pears and (yes, please!) hackleback caviar. The lobster roll’s accompanying potato chips drizzled in dill dressing, plump roe and pickled red onion was maybe my favorite taste of all with Champagne.
As always, order caviar flights with standout wines from their Champagne and sparkling wine menu (like sustainably grown Frances Orban Blancs de Noir from the small village of Leuvrigny, France) or mini-bottles from their rare Moët & Chandon Champagne vending machine. This is a delightful sunny sidewalk lunch or afternoon respite on Tiburon’s charming, tiny main street.
// 46 A Main Street, Tiburon; https://thecaviarco.com/pages/tiburon
Oakland Michelin-Listed Thai: Bird & Buffalo
Open at the beginning of 2018, Bird & Buffalo is a welcome Oakland Thai spot in the Temescal neighborhood. The intimate, hip but casual little spot holds just a few bar stools and tables, so ideal for takeout. Being listed in the Michelin Guide as of November 9, 2022, ups the humble restaurant’s reputation. Green papaya salad som tum comes in Thai or Laotian versions, while Northeastern Thai dishes line a menu heavy on grilled meats with a few noodles and bowls.
They turn out lovely larb salads in chicken, steak, tofu and mushrooms or, my pick all the way (I wish others would offer this version): catfish. Flaky catfish larb sings with chili, shallots, cilantro, scallions, mint, roasted rice powder and lime juice, accompanied by butter lettuce cups to hold it all. Medium spicy drunken noodles is a style of Thai noodles I find better locally (in pad see ew noodles and beyond): here, the noodles stuck and clumped together, with a minimal number of contrasting flavor ingredients, and a fried egg that would have been better tossed with the noodles. However, we’re back on again with delightful braised chicken in yellow curry on buttery, flaky roti bread. Listed as a “taco-style,” it’s one of the more unique Bird & Buffalo dishes, a fun way to serve Thai curry.
// 4659 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland; https://birdandbuffalo.net
Cricket or Antelope Tacos & More: Sacred Taco
Cow Hollow’s Mexican newcomer since August 2022, Sacred Taco, was opened by Kristian Cosentino (Rusted Mule, Dirty Water, Press Club), an intriguing newcomer for the neighborhood. They don’t have a website, although they deliver via Uber Eats, so you can see the menu here. At first, their salty chicken mole enchilada threw me off. As a mole negro and Oaxaca lover for over 15 years, I’ve eaten countless mindblowing versions around the world, the best in Mexico and California. This mole didn’t have the earthy-sweet-spiced-savory balance the best have and hit initially as too salty. But further bites revealed complexity, making me wish to talk to the chef about inspiration and style intended. From braised antelope to traditional Oaxacan cricket/chapulines tacos, Sacred’s range is broad and fun, different from most taquerias. An oozing cheesesteak taco isn’t so much excellent as it is comforting. There are many versions of ancient Mayan sikil pak (pumpkin seed and tomato dip) I’ve preferred over the years, especially at their super pricey $19 for a dip. But I could taste the care in each dish, intrigued enough to try more.
// 1875 Union Street
Cow Hollow Dim Sum: Dumpling Union
Opening April 2022 in Cow Hollow, Dumpling Union is far from the best (out of hundreds) in town for Chinese dishes like kung pao chicken or dan dan noodles and dim sum, including a colorful array of xiao long bao soup dumplings. I was disappointed in rosy beet-skinned Thai tom yum xiao long bao with its subtle coconut and lemongrass notes (Dumpling Time, now a Bay Area mini-chain with the original in SF, has a much better version with more vibrant tom yum soup flavors). But colorful blue and gold design and chill servers, along with a better-than-expected kung pao chicken and solid dishes in general, make it a worthy option for or when in the neighborhood, though not worth crossing town for.
// 1809 Union Street, https://dumplingunionsf.kwickmenu.com/index.php
Lebanese Newcomer: Mezze and Mooore
At the northernmost edge of the Mission, new Mezze and Mooore opened June 2022, that extra “o” in the “more” just a bit annoying. But the food isn’t. Granted, the chicken shawarma wrap was a bit bland, and had me craving the more lively (harmony between hot and garlic sauces, etc.) shawarma wraps at Truly Mediterranean or Troya. However, M&M’s eggplant moussaka starter in garlicky tomato sauce is sheer comfort, while their fattoush salad gains from the addition of mint and pomegranate dressing. I welcome more Lebanese options and see the potential here.
// 198 Guerrero Street, www.mezzeandmooore.com
