Last night, San Carlos-based Creole and Cajun restaurant CreoLa opened the doors on its new San Francisco location (900 Stanyan St., at Frederick).
The space, formerly the 21-year home of Bangkok 900, has been closed for a year and a half after former owners Wanida and Jetsada Jirasub decided to wind the business down in 2018.
CreoLa announced that it would move in back in October, and has spent the intervening months brightening up the space, with white walls, wood floors, velvet upholstered bench and chair seating, and two full seating nooks on the mezzanine level.
Founded in 1996 and owned by Edwin Caba, CreoLa offers a Bay Area twist on traditional New Orleans fare like fried okra, jambalaya, shrimp-and-crawfish étouffée, and fried chicken. (Caba did not respond to multiple requests for comment.)
Offerings at the Cole Valley restaurant will be slightly pared down from CreoLa's San Carlos operation. Menu items range from crispy boudin balls ($6) and Dungeness crab hush puppies with remoulade ($13) to cornmeal-crusted Louisiana catfish ($23) and barbecue shrimp and grits ($24). There's also beer, wine and cider to drink.
CreoLa is a welcome addition to a neighborhood with no Cajun and Creole offerings — and a city with very few. The nearest full-service traditional Southern eatery to Cole Valley is Brenda's Meat and Three, on Divisadero Street.
CreoLa is currently accepting reservations for dinner service. Hours are Tuesday and Wednesday from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 5:30 to 10 p.m.
