After making a splash in Duboce Triangle, Beit Rima softly opened the doors on its second location in Cole Valley on Saturday night.
Like the original Beit Rima, the new location is taking over a former Burgermeister space (at 86 Carl St.). Burgermeister founder Paul Mogannam has been slowly handing over the reins of the business to his son Samir, who has transformed the restaurants into fast-casual eateries serving Arabic food inspired by the family's heritage.
Since it opened earlier this year, Beit Rima's 138 Church St. location has been wildly successful. It made the Chronicle's Top 100 Restaurants list, and draws lines out the door at prime hours.
"It's kind of surreal," said Samir as he made hummus for family members prior to Saturday night's opening. "But we are just going to open to the neighborhood in a relaxed, fun, casual soft opening, just to get our rhythm down."
The restaurant's designer, Fadi Almumani, was also on hand, touching up some of the exterior design and sprucing up the interior, which features blue accents and colorful motifs.
"He did an amazing job and total transformation to what the space looked like before," said Mogannam, noting that Almumani is already at work on Beit Rima's third location, which will take over for the Daly City Burgermeister early next year.
Almumani said that location will have the same motifs and general design, but with pistachio-colored accents. Since the ceilings are higher there, he feels that will lighten things up.
"I'm excited, because I feel like I brought a little bit of Beirut flavor to San Francisco," Almumani said.
The menu items on Carl Street will be similar to those on Church Street, which were largely inspired by the home cooking of Samir's mother, Rima. (Beit Rima means "Rima's house" in Arabic.)
Casual mezze, like fattoush, baked halloumi, shakshuka, and hummus, run $7 – 12. Larger plates include a braised lamb shank with peppers and hand-rolled couscous ($28 or $50, depending on size) and a chicken shish tawook plate ($18).
To drink, there's a selection of Palestinian beer, Lebanese wine and tea.
Mogannam said the Cole Valley location is currently set to fully open this Wednesday, November 20. Once it does, its hours will be 5 - 9:30 p.m. daily (except closed on Tuesdays), with lunch/brunch service coming soon.
For updates on the new Beit Rima, follow its Instagram account.
