First Bite: Citizen's Band is All American

First Bite: Citizen's Band is All American

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With an appealingly ramshackle, if cultivated, sense of funk, there's something very NYC LES about Citizen's Band, the latest SF SoMa restaurant to enter the scene. If ironic trucker hats were still en vogue, this would be the place to wear them.


Americana is the theme: vintage postcards cover the walls; old, metal tractor seats made into stools (something bare legs can't recommend) are parked at a counter overlooking an open kitchen. The whole space opens up to Pinkie's Bakery which opens up to Icon, a small dance club. There's a progressive dinner in here somewhere.

Situated catty corner to Bloodhound, Citizen's Band makes a well-paired one-two punch. The whimsical design of the two establishments has the mark of young, local designer Lauren Geremia. The food, by chef and co-owner Chris Beerman, is the kind you sink into: crisp fried chicken with greens, fried green tomatoes, salmon with succotash. The burger looked great, but I didn't have the stomach for it after wolfing down all of the above. Co-owner Boris Nemchenok of Uva Enoteca is there to pour you a nice glass of red wine to help keep you from getting a heart-stopping blood clot and proceed on to the good desserts, courtesy of Pinkie's (and third CB owner) pastry chef Cheryl Burr.

Citizen's Band seems like the kind of place that would be open late-late night but at this point they're open until 11 pm. (You'll just have to make it your pre-Slim's concert stop instead of post.) With the coming-soon addition of Bar Agricole and Una Pizza Napolitana, the future for this part of SoMa is looking up. 1198 Folsom St., (415) 556-4901

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