SF Weekly treats you to the 7-Day Dish
The proprietors of SOMA’s impeccable Thai restaurant Basil (1175 Folsom at Eighth St.) recently opened up a new place just a few blocks away. Basil Canteen (1489 Folsom at 11th St.) sits in the landmark brick building that once housed the Jackson Brewery when it was built in 1912 and most recently was home to restaurant The Public.
“It was a conscious choice when this spot came up to do Basil Canteen,” owner Todd Sirimongkolvit says. “What we have here is a very concise menu of mainly noodle dishes. It’s something we wanted for many years to do at Basil, but you just cannot do everything in one kitchen, obviously. Basil is fun, but a bit formal, and here is essentially a noodle bar with snacks to go with cocktails. We are trying to achieve something very simple and focused on the neighborhood.”
Basil Canteen’s rotating menu is an inventive fusion of Bangkok street food and San Francisco ingenuity, with unique creations like sakhoo sai moo (pork dumplings encased in tapioca) and kao soi neur (tender grilled skirt steak with noodles in piquant lime-coconut curry). And with several offerings priced at $10 or less, the restaurant is a thoughtful addition to 11th Street, which remains an epicenter of the city’s nightlife, with clubs like Slim’s, DNA Lounge, and Fat City within one block. Basil Canteen serves dinner seven days a week, and is open for lunch on weekdays. 552-3963
Cherokee purple, green zebra, brandywine, hillbilly, big rainbow – while these might sound like the names of some new-fangled psychedelics, they are actually just a few of the seemingly infinite varieties of the blessed heirloom tomato. And Heirloom Tomato Week – which is actually a proper 10 days long – is still in full swing and continues through Sunday, August 24. More than 50 local restaurants of all persuasions, from Acme Chophouse (24 Willie Mays Plaza at Third St.) to XYZ (181 Third St. at Howard), are offering unique stamps of creativity on those vibrant oddities we wait all year to devour. Hosts San Francisco Chefs. Food. Wine. have more tantalizing events planned, including Dungeness Crab Week in January and Strawberry Week next April. Make reservations at participating restaurants via www.opentable.com.
Two of life’s finest edible pleasures converge in “Bubbles and Cheese,” a special tasting event on Sunday, August 24, at Bar Bambino (2931 16th St. at Bryant). Classic sparkling wines and cheese, all hailing from Italy, will be paired for maximum indulgence and romance. Specific details have so far been kept under wraps, but rarely do you encounter an unfriendly Italian wine or cheese. Admission is $45 per person and reservations are required. Call 701-8466 or e-mail reservations@barbambino.com to secure your place.
A recent addition to the JW Marriott San Francisco, Level III (500 Post at Mason) is now offering a happy hour. The special half-price menu of red and white wines, signature cocktails (including the Emperor Norton’s Mistress, made with Maker’s Mark, strawberries, Navan, and Cointreau), and bar nibbles such as Kobe sliders and a sinfully rich version of mac and cheese with Gruyère, mascarpone, and Parmegiano-Regianno offer a bite of luxury for less. Happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m.; call 929-2087 or visit www.levelthreesf.com.
It’s time once again to make the rounds of new joints in town, starting with Urban Tavern (333 O’Farrell at Mason), a gastropub in the Hilton San Francisco operating under the direction of Laurent Manrique. He famously helmed local seafood restaurant Aqua when it earned a coveted two stars from the Michelin Guide in 2006 and 2007, so hopes are high for this new venture. Denizens of Polk Gulch now have a bit of Richmond District charm in their midst with the opening of Aroma Tea Shop 2 (1806 Polk at Jackson), the recently opened sister to the original Clement Street location. Sip the finest in leaves with their free tea presentation (no purchase required, really) at the granite tasting bar or enjoy a more deluxe afternoon or early evening tea service.
(Originally published as SF Weekly’s 7-Day Dish dining newsletter, August 19, 2008.)
