In this edition, a Chinese-inspired sandwich shop readies for its Tenderloin debut, a seafood-forward restaurant opens in Union Square, and the Richmond gets a poke bowl restaurant.

Tenderloin

Paper Rooster (670 Larkin St.) 

It's been four months since popular food truck The Chairman (formerly known as Chairman Bao) shuttered its Tenderloin brick-and-mortar location, after just three years in operation.

But a new kid in town, called Paper Rooster, is aiming to take over where the Chairman left off. According to its website, it's a sandwich and snack shop offering its own take on "popular Chinese flavors in classic American form." 

Paper Rooster is the first restaurant venture for owner Stanley Yee, a native of the Richmond District.

"This is something that I've always wanted to do," he told Hoodline. "I wanted to create a restaurant in the city that represented my heritage growing up." 

He plans to offer fast-casual sandwiches and salads like the "Emperor," with Chinese roast chicken, hoisin mayo and spring onions; the "Dragon's Breath," comprised of dark meat chicken, chili garlic sauce and greens; and a Chinese chicken salad with hot mustard, tomato and pickles. They'll be accompanied by housemade potato, shrimp and sriracha chips, along with housemade craft sodas. 

"It's a little playful," Yee said. "I wanted to create my own take on the shrimp chips because I found that eating them growing up, that they didn't really taste like shrimp."

At Paper Rooster, the shrimp chips are potato chips made with ground shrimp powder, "so that they actually taste like shrimp," he said. (You can check out the full menu here.)

If all goes to plan, Yee hopes to open next week. He'll start by testing the lunch crowd waters from 11 a.m.–3 p.m., with the goal of extending his hours if there's enough demand. 

Union Square

Ayala (398 Geary St.)

Meanwhile, Union Square is welcoming a new restaurant. Ayala, a new seafood-forward restaurant adjacent to Hotel G, opens tonight.

On the menu, expect to see a raw bar with a rotating selection of fresh seafood offerings like West Coast oysters; seafood charcuterie; and dishes like cioppino verde, nori spaghettini, roasted chicken and more. 

At the kitchen's helm is chef-partner Bill Montagne (Le Bernardin, Nico Osteria) and executive chef Melissa Perfit (Bar Crudo). 

Ayala will be open for dinner nightly from 5:30–10 p.m., with a "martini hour" Monday-Thursday from 4:30–5:30 p.m., and Friday-Saturday from 4–5:30 p.m.    

Inner Richmond

Mini Fish (200 6th Ave.)

Finally, Hoodline reader Misha alerted us via Twitter that Mini Fish, a self-described "Japanese fusion" eatery, is poised to take over the former Little Taqueria space in the Inner Richmond that closed last month. 

We spoke to owner Ayumi Yang, who said that the restaurant will specialize in poke bowls, but the menu details are still being worked out. She doesn't have an exact date nailed down, but she hopes to open after the new year. 

Thank you very much to Misha and our veteran tipster Al M. for the tips! If you've seen something new in the neighborhood, text your tips and photos to (415) 200-3233, or email [email protected]. If we use your info in a story, we'll give you credit.