Your guide to the tastiest foodie happenings going down this week. Bon appetit!
Nightbird Opens in Hayes Valley
Chef Kim Alter (formerly of Daniel Patterson Group) opened the doors to her long-awaited restaurant Nightbird last Thursday. The restaurant is named after Alter's love for owls (which thankfully won't be on the menu), and will have a rotating $125 multicourse tasting menu that reflects fine technique, whole animal cooking, and support of local farmers. Highlights include hearts of palm, chanterelle, and summer truffle and rabbit with peach, summer squash and vadouvan. Also open is a small 6-seat cocktail lounge, the Linden Room, adjacent to the restaurant. // Open Tuesday-Saturday, 5pm-10pm, 330 Gough St. (Hayes Valley), nightbirdrestaurant.com
4505 Launches New Line of Chicharrones
4505 just got a lot more delicious. The meat company recently launched two new flavors of their crispy chicharrones— jalapeño cheddar and smokehouse bbq. The new flavors will be worked into dishes and specials at the restaurant, and will be available for purchase at local groceries such as Bi-Rite and Whole Foods. As the great AC Slater once said, "oink oink, baby." // Open daily, 10:30am-10:30pm, 705 Divisadero (NoPa), 4505meats.com
(Courtesy of Homestead)
Sunday Supper BBQ at The Homestead
Ready to get your barbecue on? The Homestead in ushering in fall with a Sunday Supper BBQ for Labor Day weekend. Expect heaping amounts of brisket, baby back ribs, corn on the cob, Texas toast, strawberry shortcake, and more. Children's half portions are half price and sodas, fresh lemonade, ice tea, beers and wine, will be available for an additional charge. // $55, Sunday, Sept. 4, 4:30-8:30pm, 4029 Piedmont Ave. (Oakland), homestedoakland.com
Labor Day BBQ at Hog & Rocks
Didn't get enough at Homestead? Hog & Rocks bids farewell to summer with a Big Ass BBQ Brunch this Labor Day. As a final installment of his weekly BBQ series, chef Pierre Tumlin will offer various styles of barbecued alongside the regular brunch and dinner menus until they run out. The $45 special for two will include a tray with barbecued chicken, beef, pork, sausage, house-made BBQ sauce, pickles, and bread; along with a side of baked beans. Yum! // Monday, Sept. 5, 11am-2:30pm, 3431 19th St. (Mission), hogandrocks.com
(Zejian Shen)
Old Bus Tavern Launches Brunch
Old Bus Tavern celebrated its one year anniversary this summer by officially launching brunch service. Headlining the menu is oatmeal-maple pancakes with brown butter syrup, seasonal berries, praline, and oatmeal crunch, pulled pork eggs Benedict with poached eggs, English muffins, and brown butter hollandaise, plus cured salmon on house toast with citrus mascarpone, pickled fennel, red onion, and watercress salad. Where do you even begin? // Saturdays, 11am-2:30pm, 3193 Mission St. (Bernal Heights), oldbustavern.com
Two New Chefs Take the Helm
Desco in Old Oakland introduced Joey Rachel as the restaurant's new Chef de Cuisine last week. He will maintain the restaurant's signature ingredient-driven regional Italian menu while introducing additional offerings. Prior to joining the Desco team, Rachel was the Chef de Cuisine at Dopo in Oakland. // 499 9th St. (Oakland), descooakland.com
Bluestem Brasserie's new Executive Chef John Griffiths is also stirring things up on Market Street. Chef John recently joined the team from The Advocate in Berkeley, where he was the opening executive chef, and didn't hesitate in unveiling an entirely new menu, including the most delicious cauliflower we've ever tried. // 1 Yerba Buena Ln. (Mid-Market), bluestembrasserie.com
Grazing at the Kitchen Table Fundraising Dinner
Kitchen Table Advisors, an Oakland-based non-profit that provides business expertise to small-scale farmers, is partnering with some amazing Bay Area chefs for a fundraising event. Get your ticket to a night of drinks and bites from Cala's Gabriela Camara, Nick Balla and Cortney Burns from Bar Tartine, Sophina Uong from Calavera, and others. Produce will come from Fifth Crow Farms, JSM Organics, Ground Stew Farms, and more. // $150, Thursday, Sept. 22, 6:30-9:30pm, 2455 3rd St. (Dogpatch), Get tickets here.
La Cocina's Voices from the Kitchen Tickets on Sale
Tickets are now on sale for La Cocina's latest storytelling series F&B: Voices from the Kitchen at the Swedish American Hall. The theme is brains, and will feature La Cocina's Nite Yun and Maria Del Carmen Flores, foodwriter Kat Kinsman, and Three Twins Ice Cream's Neal Gottlieb. At just 250 seats, tickets will definitely sell out, so act now. It's a no-brainer. // $45, Friday, Sept. 30, 6pm-8:30pm, 2174 Market St. (Duboce Triangle). Get tickets here.
