Your guide to the tastiest foodie happenings going down this week. Bon appetit!
Bar Tartine Debuts Motze Mondays
On Monday nights beginning August 15, Nick Balla and Cortney Burns will tease Bar Tartine guests with a taste of their next restaurant, Motze, named for a 5th Century Chinese philosopher. Dinners ($58) will showcase Old World culinary techniques and crazy-delicious flavors—look for such unique bites as salmon belly in chrysanthemum sauce; chicken fat dumplings with egg and shiso; and quince steam cake. // Mondays 5:30pm to 10pm, 561 Valencia St (Mission), bartartine.com
Tamarind Hall Thai Street Food & Bar Opens in North Beach
In the old King of Thai Noodle space in North Beach, Tamarind Hall is the first venture from Bangkok-born restaurateur Salisa Skinner. The menu consists of Thai comfort food prepared with local and seasonal ingredients. Go for Yam Makua Yao (eggplant salad) and Gai Yang Som Tum (Thai-style roasted chicken). Yum. // 1268 Grant Ave. (North Beach), tamarindhall.com
The Grill Pop-up Goes Permanent
Cooking by the hearth is so played out these days. At the St. Regis, executive chef Franck Depslechin is doing things the backyard way—the hotel's pop-up restaurant, The Grill, is becoming a permanent fixture. Pull up a chair for a three-course menu ($65) of freshly charred dishes, such as Colorado lamb chops with braised artichokes, and roasted salmon with fava beans and yellow peaches. // 125 Third St. (SoMa), stregissanfrancisco.com/grill
Jacques Pépin Comes to the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
Culinary icon Jacques Pépin will make a special appearance in the CUESA Classroom this Thursday for a cooking demo with some of the Ferry Building's freshest seasonal ingredients. Pépin, of course, is one of the world's most renowned chefs and has authored 25 cookbooks. Don't miss your chance to see this class act firsthand. // Noon to 1pm, Thursday Aug. 11, 1 Ferry Building (Embarcadero), cuesa.org
Pintxo Happy Hour @ Aaxte
To celebrate the Basque tradition of bar-hopping prior to dinner, Aaxte is shaking up happy hour with $1 pintxos and $4 cañas (small beers). This (along with a siesta) is a Spanish tradition we can get behind. // 5:30 to 6:30pm daily, 2174 Market St. (Duboce Triangle). aatxesf.com
