Charles Phan, best known for his efforts in Vietnamese cuisine at The Slanted Door in the Ferry Building, is set to open his newest project this week at Hayes Valley's own SFJAZZ Center.

South at SFJAZZ (201 Franklin, at Fell) puts a posh spin on traditional dishes of the creole persuasion. The spirited flavors shine from meticulously attentive presentations, mimicking the sounds of jazz that reverberate through the brand new venue. Phan has again paired with Olle Lundberg of Lundberg Design - the firm behind The Slanted Door, as well as The Moss Room at the California Academy of Sciences. Among our favorite elements here are the somewhat novel windows at either end of the space. The kitchen on the west end faces the street, and is protected from the outside by a floor-to-ceiling window. The hustle and bustle of chefs and servers are in plain view of the public and patrons. On the other side, behind the end of the bar, another enormous looking glass is designed to show a direct view of the stage in the main auditorium. South at SF Jazz boasts a full bar, with both an impressive cocktail menu and wine list. A notable selection is their take on the Old Fashioned – a concoction of Buffalo Trace Bourbon and absinthe, dubbed the Battle of New Orleans. Keeping in theme, a few others are the State Street Cocktail, the French 75, and the Vieux Carre – all for $10 a piece. The fare consists of all small plates, from local and sustainable ingredients. These New Orleans-influenced dishes cover all the staples: corn bread, fried oysters, black-eyed peas, and alligator. There are plenty of surprises here, too. The alligator actually comes in sausage form, and spicy beef jerky and celery root remoulade lettuce cups also grace the menu. Beginning tomorrow (Wednesday) tonight (Tuesday), dinner service will run from 5:30pm to 10pm. Coming in April, we can look forward to breakfast and lunch, from 8am to 2:30pm. While you don't need tickets to enjoy bites or a cocktail, don't forget to check out all of the upcoming events at SFJAZZ. South at SFJAZZ takes an already incredible cultural experience and puts the icing on the cake – er, the honey butter on the cornbread. Bon appétit, Hayes Valley! Update 3/5/2013: The exact opening date has floated around a bit, but SFJAZZ just confirmed that the restaurant will in fact be opening tonight, 3/5, at 5:30pm.