Need help deciding what to eat and drink in the city this week? We've rounded up our favorite new dishes and happy hours, including the anniversary party of a local legend, a killer salmon dish and a Napa harvest party. Hope you're hungry!
Unsung hero: Jardiniere turns 20
Over the weekend, pioneering chef Traci des Jardins celebrated the 20th anniversary of Jardinière with a series of events, including a dinner and panel with other powerful Hayes Valley women (like Sarah Rich, Patricia Unterman and Elizabeth Falkner). Also spotted at the festivities were chefs and bar managers who have worked at the legendary restaurant over the decades, including Douglas Keane (Cyrus), Richard Reddington (REDD), Thad Vogler (Trou Normand, Bar Agricole) and Brian MacGregor (Edrington Group). In terms of current talent, keep an eye on chef de cuisine Audie Golder, who has been cooking at Jardinière since 2011. He’s bringing fresh life to the menu with dishes like Carolina Gold rice and mushrooms and halibut crudo marked by sea beans, avocado crema and guajillo chile oil.
Dish of the week: Mourad’s applewood smoked salmon
If you can't wait for chef Mourad Lahlou's new Moorish-Mexican restaurant, Amara, to open in the former Aziza space next year, we suggest heading back to Mourad this week for another look at the chef's classic and tasty dishes. Right now we're obsessed with the applewood smoked salmon, so silky and smoky it nearly dissolves on the tongue, accented by fennel, blood orange, olive and z’hug (a Middle Eastern hot sauce).
It’s no secret: San Francisco has long been in love with Burgundy. One of the most venerable Burgundy wineries, Château de Pommard, has only sold its wines from its Chateau in France for years, but the winery just relaunched with new packaging in the U.S.! You can now purchase bottles of their stunning Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs via their website—email their wine advisors here for available bottles and prices (they offer 20% off a case). Local restaurants and wine shops will soon start carrying Pommard as well.
Cool pop-up: Trick Dog’s Chef Series with KronnerBurger and more
Trick Dog just launched a chef pop-up series, running a few days all month. Featured chefs include Chris Kronner of Kronnerburger (September 11, 12, 24, 25), David Nayfeld of Theorita (September 17, 18) and Joey Elenterio formerly of Cadence (September 27), from 5pm to 1am each night. Kronner is cooking up his namesake KronnerBurger, a vegetarian Impossible Burger and a Mangalista pork burger (pair with pickle-brined chicken wings FTW). Nayfeld's menu is a preview of Theorita, opening next year, with dishes like braised oxtail on Belgian waffles, jalapeño butter veggie chili and bourbon chocolate walnut pie. Elenterio’s menu is yet to be revealed but he’ll be doing creative vegetarian dishes. Best of all? You can eat all this with Trick Dog cocktails.
Wine Country happenings: Harvest party at Ram’s Gate Winery
It’s harvest time in Wine Country and scenic Ram’s Gate Winery in Carneros is kicking things off with a party on Sunday, September 24, 4-9pm. Guests can shuck oysters, taste free-run grape juice off the crush-pad before it’s fermented, fill up on a whole pig roast or don a beekeepers' suit. This is one of the few Ram’s Gate events with tickets available to the public, so don't hesitate! Tickets ($150/person) here.