San Francisco's culinary scene is set for a luxurious expansion as partners David Barzelay and Colleen Booth, the creative minds behind the celebrated, Michelin Two-Star Lazy Bear, prepare to launch JouJou, a grand French dining establishment in the heart of the Design District at 1 Henry Adams St. This project, sure to be sought after by foodies both domestic and abroad, promises to blend classic French cooking with an air of exuberance reminiscent of iconic American dining landmarks.
According to the SF Chronicle, JouJou is poised to open this summer in a sprawling 6,000-square-foot space, delivering a sense of "grandness" that Barzelay feels has been missed, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. This new venture will showcase elaborate seafood offerings and table-side service, including dishes such as local king salmon almondine with dill beurre blanc and duck à l’orange. With a focus on classic French cuisine, JouJou aims to present guests with familiar but refined flavors, steering clear of the avant-garde trends prevalent in modern fine dining.
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The restaurant will occupy the former Grove space and offer seating for about 120 patrons, featuring a raw bar, a main bar, semicircular booths, and a large outdoor patio enclosed in a design evoking a Victorian-era greenhouse. Renowned designer Jon de la Cruz is at the helm of JouJou's aesthetic, tasked with merging the grandeur of a "belle époque" resort with a hint of the 1970s.
This grand opening aligns with a broader resurgence of French cuisine in the city, catering to diners seeking both opulence and variety. As noted by the SF Chronicle, the menu will accommodate a range of tastes and budgets—from simple, elegant omelets and wine to lavish seafood towers accompanied by Champagne. For those with a sweet tooth, desserts like bananas foster and canelés promise to delight.
Per Eater San Francisco, Lazy Bear itself recently underwent a notable renovation, temporarily revisiting its communal dining format before its temporary closure. After two months, the restaurant reopened with a more intimate dining setting, disposing of the communal tables while enhancing its atmospheric interior. These changes signal a shift in the restaurant's approach, aiming to attract diners back into the now-renovated setting. JouJou, therefore, serves as a complementary counterpoint to Lazy Bear's introspective journey—a vibrant, outward-looking dining experience set to captivate the city's gastronomes.
The choice of location at 1 Henry Adams St. not only ties into the partners' vision but also honors the historical significance of the Design District, which was largely shaped by the vision of the late Henry Adams. As documented by SFGate, Adams was a pioneer who spearheaded the transformation of an industrial wasteland into a vibrant hub for creativity and design, ultimately being memorialized by the street's naming. His legacy continues to influence the district's evolution, cementing its status as a key cultural and commercial location in the city.
With Barzelay and Booth's track record of culinary innovation and venue transformation, as seen in their journey with Lazy Bear, the team is well-poised to make JouJou a dazzling addition to the city's repertoire of dining destinations. As the culinary landscape in the area evolves, this new venture promises not just a meal, but an experience—a nod to the past wrapped in the flavors of France.
Editor's Note: A previous iteration of this article misstated a recognition that the restaurant received.
