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CHOW NOW
Opening Wed/8 in the landmark Presidio Officers’ Club is Arguello (Main Post, 50 Moraga Ave, SF. www.ArguelloSF.com), from chef Traci Des Jardins. The 188-seat restaurant will feature Des Jardins’s heartfelt and homestyle Mexican cuisine — have you had her albondigas? — and there will even be an outdoor comal (griddle) for making tortillas. The restaurant has outdoor dining (it’s a heated patio!) and a bar too, under the direction of Enrique Sanchez, with more than 50 different types of tequila. Whether you’re in the area for a quick lunch or dinner (open Wednesday through Saturday), or Sunday brunch, Arguello has you covered. Drinks outside by the fire pit, also a good idea, right? Reservations will be available for dinner only.
Another spiffy opening: the rather spacious new home for Marlowe (500 Brannan, SF. www.marlowesf.com), which moved from its SoMa digs on Townsend into the nearby COCO500 space. The first big upgrades? There’s now a full bar, and the seating has doubled. There’s also a charming little enclosed patio, so I wish you luck scoring a table during these sunny Indian summer days and warm evenings (lunch and dinner are served, sweet). The décor theme continues with inspiration from butcher shops — it’s crisp and clean, with lots of tile and whitewashed walls — plus a bit of a bistro vibe with a banquette in tobacco and tables topped in marble and wood. And yeah, there’s that gleaming bar. You’ll find a new menu packed with bar bites (the warm deviled egg is pure evil), spiced jumbo Gulf shrimp, some seasonal soups and salads. Of course, the famed Marlowe burger is available. Speaking of, look for a late-night burger window to open soon. Yeah, that’s good stuff right there.
The ever-elegant Quince (470 Pacific Ave, SF. www.quincerestaurant.com) has reopened after an extensive two-month renovation by Douglas Durkin. No, you’re not confused: The doorway is new, and the bar and lounge area has moved into a more intimate space (you can enjoy choice selections at the Champagne Bar from Jai Wilson, tableside cocktails, and hors d’oeuvres or order á la carte off chef Michael Tusk’s tasting menus — and bonus, walk-ins are welcome). If you dream of hosting a private event at Quince, we can’t help you with the bill, but there are two new 12-seat private dining rooms (they moved into the former bar area). And if you get fired up at the idea of ringside seats, there’s a chef’s counter, with room for two (you also get a kitchen tour, a special menu, and lots of interaction with chef Michael Tusk). One more bonus: Cotogna, the casual sister next door, now has a private dining room in its working kitchen, with room for 12. Yup, just in time for holiday parties.
It’s also worth noting that Wise Sons Deli (3150 24th St., SF. www.wisesonsdeli.com) now offers dinner service at its 24th Street location, Thursday through Saturday nights. Look for dinner plates like braised brisket, smaller dishes like kasha varnishkas (toasted buckwheat, caramelized onion, and shmaltz tossed with bowtie pasta, yes!) but you can also take advantage of breakfast all day: Hello pastrami and eggs, you know you want it. Here’s your chance to get the hefty pastrami burger, and if you need to go to bed afterward, that’s OK. And one more thing: You won’t have to stand in a line at the register — there will be actual table service. How grown-up!
Marcia Gagliardi is the founder of the weekly tablehopper e-column; subscribe for more at www.tablehopper.com. Get her app: Tablehopper’s Top Late-Night Eats. On Twitter: @tablehopper.