FiDi
Tin Cactus (56 Belden Pl.)
Mexico-influenced concept Tin Cactus (a creation from the Toy Soldier team, whose restaurant is located next door at 52 Belden Pl.) has announced its opening date. The restaurant, which first projected an October 18th debut, will open its doors on November 8th.
Housed in the former Sauce space, it will offer indoor seating for 60 in a newly designed space, and additional seating outdoors for 30.
Menu items will consist of small plates such as Dungeness crab & endive Caesar salad (with radish, pumpkin seeds, spicy croutons, Manchego cheese), hamachi crudo “Aguachile” (with avocado, Fresno peppers, radish, citrus, plantain chips) and shrimp cocktail tostadas (with tomato, onion, celery, and guacamole). For larger dishes, customers can expect offerings such as a signature chicken mole, with grilled half heritage chicken and house-made Tin Cactus mole.
“We’ll provide quality food from the freshest ingredients at a reasonable price adaptable for visitors and approachable for locals,” Executive Chef Fred Turner said in a statement.
The restaurant will also offer a full bar, with 6 Mexican lagers on draft and a selection of bottled beers, 20 mezcals and 36 tequilas, wine, and specialty cocktails including The Coyote (mezcal, Aperol, passionfruit, lemon and mole bitters) and the Hibiscus Margarita (tequila, lime, agave and homemade hibiscus simple syrup).
Hours will be:
Mondays through Fridays, lunch from 11:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., happy hour from 2:30 p.m – 6:00 p.m.
Mondays through Saturdays: dinner from 4:00 p.m. to close, late night happy hour from 9:00 p.m.– 1:00 p.m.
Openings
SoMa
Ittoryu Gozu (201 Spear St.)
Restaurant Ittoryu Gozu, which is slated to open in SoMa at 201 Spear St., will debut on November 12. After much anticipation, it is now accepting reservations.
The restaurant will feature a meat-centric tasting menu created by Chef Marc Zimmerman (formerly chef at Alexander's), and it will focus on exclusive cuts of Japanese beef, as well as some seafood options.
But Zimmerman said that his new spot will not be a “steakhouse.”
“If they come here thinking this is a steakhouse, they’re going to be disappointed,” Zimmerman told the Chronicle. “We’re trying to showcase the versatility of the Wagyu breed and the nuance of the breed, which is something a steakhouse doesn’t do.”
The kitchen will not use gas to cook its meats; instead, they will be cooked over open flames, simmered over low heat, or served raw.
Menus will range in price from $95 to $150, and options will includes 15 items spread over 10 courses over a 2 1/2 hour sitting. Diners can expect to see dishes such as a slice of Wagyu served with a white corn puree, local uni, and shoyu sauce made with koji and trimmings of beef.
For diners who would like a shorter dining experience (1 1/2 hours with five courses), a Mezu menu will be offered.
Reservations can be booked on its website here.
Updates
Design District
Niku (61 Division St.)
Japanese-inspired American steakhouse Niku is now offering a special “early evening lounge menu.”
In the bar from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. seven days a week, diners can now order a Niku Burger ($15) made with a blend of 50% domestic Imperial Wagyu and 50% Japanese A5 Wagyu, seasoned with Niku’s steak rub and served on a homemade brioche bun toasted in Wagyu butter, with accoutrements changing every month.
This month's burger is topped with mayo, melted leeks, crispy mushrooms, raclette cheese, and bordelaise sauce.
The bar will also serve food items that range from $5 to $10, which include oysters, A5 & imperial Wagyu meatball skewers and Niku’s signature crispy potatoes with furikake ranch.
A selection of happy hour-priced beer ($5) and wine ($10) is also available, as well as rotating cocktails.
In addition, Niku’s bar will hold whiskey socials every Thursday, which will highlight a different whisky producer each month.
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