New tricks
Elena's, Sea Cliff, OOO, Maison Nico, best jazz lounges, Gray Malin Montecito, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Person
Mexican Joe’s
When the family from Original Joe’s (a San Francisco institution for almost 100 years) announced they’d be opening a Mexican restaurant, eyebrows raised. Maybe mine. Everybody loves Joe’s and its Californian-Italian, but after nearly a century: Mexican food? Could it be good?
The restaurant, Elena’s, debuted in February. It’s named after co-owner Elena Duggan and inspired by her eldest daughters, whose father is Mexican. Immediately, the concept clicked. Before they took reservations, waits stretched to four hours. In sleepy West Portal, no less. It’s a charming residential neighborhood at the end of the Muni tunnel, lined with cute shops and trees and (until now) wasn’t particularly known for being a dining destination. Four months in, the crowds have not dimmed.
I invited a friend born and raised in the Mission, who grew up going to Joe’s for every occasion — and who shared my skepticism. But believe the hype: We loved it. The space is stunning, a soaring dining room with tan leather banquettes, warm neutral walls, three ficus trees reaching for the rafters, and a pair of carved wooden angel wings behind the bar, supposedly saved from an abandoned tequila hacienda in Jalisco. For those willing to walk in and brave the wait — or smart enough to come early for a cocktail — that bar is a good place to start, as is its drinks menu that opens with seven variations of margarita, some standard (frozen, mezcal, spicy, skinny), others, not so much (a “High Roller,” served chilled and straight up, with a Grand Marnier floater).
Once we were seated, dish after dish delivered, from Dungeness crab enchiladas blanketed in tangy tomatillo sauce to tender pork tamales shredded into soft masa, to an icebox cake’s layers of alternating bright lime cream and biscuit-like galletas. The tequila angels must have been watching over us that night, because it was all sincerely, surprisingly good. Maybe a century in the business is really all you need. –Becky Duffett
→ Elena's (West Portal) • 255 West Portal Ave • Mon-Thurs 11:30a-10p, Fri 11:30a-11p, Sat 10:30a-11p, Sun 10:30a-10p • Reserve.
SF RESTAURANT LINKS: Noted Miami chef Brad Kilgore planning first West Coast restaurant at soon-to-reopen Transamerica Pyramid • Second SF outpost of Boichik Bagels opens on Upper Fillmore • In the Mission, Lazy Bear hosting special communal meals next month before closing for renovations • Is the Bay Area’s most glamorous new restaurant atop a furniture store in Palo Alto? • How Red Drink became the unofficial beverage of Juneteenth.
REAL ESTATE • On the Market
Sea Cliff dive
Only 14 houses sold in Sea Cliff over the last 12 months, but a handful of new listings came to market this week, all under the neighborhood’s $5.95M median price. For those seeking a statement, this 8K SF waterfront single-family also listed this month — for $26M.
For those who aren’t, there’s still plenty to like in today’s low-seven-figure trio, including manicured outdoor spaces, Golden Gate views, and refreshed interiors, all just west of the Presidio.
→ 340 25th Ave Unit A (Sea Cliff/Richmond) • 3BR/2.1BA co-op • Ask: $2.095M • new two-level reno with open floor plan and deck-onto-patio • Days on market: 4 • Agents: David & Lauren Bellings, Compass.
→ 70 25th Ave (Sea Cliff, above) • 3BR/2.1BA, 2760 SF house • Ask: $3.1M • corner lot with roofdeck, yard, and Golden Gate views • Days on market: 5 • Agent: Dana Cohen, Rivet Real Estate.
→ 297 30th Ave (Sea Cliff) • 4BR/3.1BA, 2905 SF house • Ask: $3.295M • another corner with bay windows and roomy garage • Days on market: 5 • Agent: Paul Warrin, Golden Gate Sotheby's.
SF WORK AND PLAY LINKS: Touring the remade Transamerica Pyramid • Stalled 40-story residential development One Oak may find new life • Sony Pictures Entertainment buys Alamo Drafthouse, including SF location • Whole Foods pulling back on expansion, from old Best Buy at Geary and Masonic • SF coffee vets weigh in on selling out • Tech CEOs are hiring $500/hour fashion consultants • RIP Willie Mays, the greatest there ever was.
WORK • Wednesday Routine
Pâté all day
NICOLAS DELAROQUE • chef and owner • Maison Nico
Neighborhood you live in: Sausalito
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Wednesday mornings at Maison Nico are bustling. Our pastry team is pulling out the viennoiserie from the oven, our savory team is arriving to start their day, and our front of house team is setting up to open the shop. It's Wednesday, so everyone needs a mid-week coffee and croissant pick-me-up!
What’s on the agenda for today?
At the moment, we’re prepping for our quarterly Pâté Club at the end of the month. Each month we put together a special package for club members including pâté en croûte, traditional pâté terrines, typically a house made confiture or seasonal pickles, and some accompaniment from our pastry department. It's a fun way to discover and share new pâtés before they’re in the shop.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Not tonight, but we had dinner earlier this week at the modern Thai restaurant Nari in Japantown, and highly recommend a visit.
How about a little leisure or culture?
We typically find some time to ski in the winter months. Our family went to Whistler this year and had a great time. The snow wasn't perfect, but it's such a nice place to visit that it makes it fun no matter what. Right now, I'm training for the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon. The training gets me out on the bike, in the bay, and all over the area for the runs. I go out early in the morning so it's pretty peaceful.
Any weekend getaways?
Our typical weekend getaway is up to Sonoma. It's a quick drive, but feels completely different, and in the summer, it's a warm reprieve.
What store or service do you always recommend?
Olivier's Butchery in the Dogpatch. Olivier is a true French butcher, both in technique and temperament. His products are all responsibly and intentionally sourced, and it’s some of the best meat you can find in the Bay Area. We use his products at Maison Nico and at home.
RESTAURANTS & BARS • The Nines
Jazz lounges
Dawn Club (Union Square), stylish reboot of historic 1930s jazz venue in Monadnock Building
Mr. Tipple’s Recording Studio (Civic Center), artsy, laidback, spacious enough for dancing when the mood strikes
Bix (Jackson Square, above), classy supper club serving foie gras, caviar, and classic cocktails, with nightly jazz
Sheba Piano Lounge (Fillmore), jazz and Ethiopian food at cozy mainstay in historic Fillmore live music district
Black Cat (Tenderloin), swanky, subterranean lounge with weekly rotating musicians-in-residence
Keys Jazz Bistro (North Beach), quiet “listening room” showcasing local talent that once hosted biggest names in jazz
Local Edition (Downtown), upscale cocktail bar with speakeasy style and in-house jazz orchestra
Stookey’s Blue Room (Lower Nob Hill), low-key vibes with local musicians and a tightly edited cocktail list
Top of the Mark (Nob Hill), sweeping city views, plus a menu of 100 martinis, for impressing out-of-town guests
Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@itsfoundsf.com.
WORK • Office Life
OOO
I’m writing this from my backyard. The sun’s shining, there’s a cool breeze, and the birds are chirping. Summer Mondays on the patio, one of the many luxuries of remote work.
Another luxury work setting: the salon, reportedly the new coffee shop among a certain set. “Everybody brings their laptop and does their work, especially when they get their colour done,” a London hairdresser told the FT. [I’ve] had a couple of people do a Zoom meeting when they’re here with the camera on.”
And another: the golf course, where dealmaking on the fairway is aggressively back in vogue, per the WSJ. Weekday rounds have almost doubled since 2019, and some firms are targeting low handicaps in their recruiting efforts.
It’s a little much, maybe. (Fucking lawnmowers. I’m going inside.) It’s also likely contributing to the so-called “coordination tax,” a recycled term now being used to convey the difficulty in finding co-workers, who are almost definitely not at their desks.
At the same time, those desks used to sit atop giant computers that definitely couldn’t fit into backpacks for the commute home, nevermind load Slack.
Now if you’ll excuse me, the birds are calling. –Josh Albertson
CULTURE & LEISURE • The Cup
Bill Burr • San Jose Civic Center (San Jose) • Fri @730p section 106 • $88 per
Ecuador vs Venezuela • Copa America 2024 • Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara) • Sat @ 3p • section 115 VIP, $217 per
Dom Dolla • Frost Amphitheater (Stanford) • Sun @ 6p • GA, $75 per
GETAWAYS • Montecito
Butterfly effect
On the shores of Butterfly Beach, a 1965 four-bedroom rental in a coveted Montecito neighborhood has been transformed by photographer Gray Malin.
Malin bought the place after his own family’s stay there in 2020, then enlisted Santa Barbara firm Madison Nicole Design for interiors and decor. The finished product shares the soothing tones and comforting setup of Malin’s living-room friendly photography.
The home is outfitted with colorful wallpaper, custom furniture like window seats and bunk beds, and several outdoor spaces for dining and entertaining. There’s laundry on-site, three and a half bathrooms, a great room, formal dining room, and large, central kitchen. Picture yourself there? It’s available for booking as of last week. –Caitlin White
→ Gray Malin Getaway House (Montecito) • $22K for one week in July.
GETAWAYS LINKS: At SFO, ribbon is cut on final phase of Harvey Milk Terminal 1 upgrades • Dog-centric airline BarkAir debuts SJC routes to Chicago, NYC • In Yountville, Thomas Keller pivots his caviar and champagne bar into RO Restaurant and Lounge • Kimpton to revive long-shuttered Coco Palms Resort on Kauai for 2026 debut • Hotel check-in/check-out times are broken.
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