All stories about "Dolce Vita"

1) 66 Mint Street: Brace, San Francisco: the opening of the Blue Bottle Cafe is less than a week away, as the guys down there say that a Wednesday opening is a strong possibility. Next week will bring further updates, but it would appear that Blue Bottle will be the first opening at Mint Plaza. The front door (above) is newly-installed, and the interior space can be seen their Flickr page. There will be two menus—night and day—that will change on a weekly basis, though they will more or less stay static at the onset. Sunday brunch will see French press service. We've seen the food menus, and they seem rather glorious and nothing short of the hotness expected from Blue Bottle. Be very excited.

Welcome back to the Plywood Report, your regular, all-encompassing look at the city's next generation of restaurants and bars. See some plywood in your 'hood? Drop us a line, would you? Extra credit and a gold star if you include pretty photos.

1) Hayes Valley: According to a Hayes Valley tipster, things have been busy at Domo, the upcoming sushi joint from Luke and Kitty Sung on Laguna and Linden (pictured). It's still unclear if they are going to keep the bright blue bath tiling adorning the facade, but as you can tell from the photo, they've been doing plenty of upheaval. As mentioned earlier, the traditional place will be small (20-25 seats) and full of wood, lending a casual vibe. [PLYWOOD]

2) Bonus Hayes Valley: Just up the street, the training wheels are nearly off at Bar Jules at 609 Hayes. Friends and family night has come and passed, five-star reviews have been purchased on Yelp, orchids are scattered about, and a preliminary menu is written on the chalkboard. And yes, for the most part, the paint job made it too. [PLYWOOD]

There has been plenty of action down on Jessie Street lately, and as they hurtle towards the grand opening, we have a feeling things shan't be slowing down anytime soon. Have some Mint Plaza juice? Lay it on us, would you?

Chez Papa: sofas, chairs front and center; bar area to the right

1) As expected, Chez Papa did not open this past weekend. The target date is still the Newsom-led grand opening ceremony on November 16th. They are hoping—hoping!—to have debuted before then. Odds that it's open when Gav cuts the plaza ribbon: 5 to 1. Place your bets!

2) A peek inside the Chez Papa space (above) reveals that an opening within a fortnight just ... might ... be plausible, depending on how the back of house things are going. Some burnt orange paint was spotted in the entryway. The flooring is finally done and the furniture is ready to roll out. But don't worry: there's still plenty of finishing work to be done.

Interesting restaurant/bar job openings are highlighted by Eater Headhunter. If you happen to stumble upon something noteworthy, do share.

Earlier this week, massive news was levied on the Mint Plaza front when Jocelyn Bulow, head of the Maktub Group, announced that Sushi Groove had been eliminated from the project in favor of a Tuscan trattoria called Dolce Vita. The Chron report states that "Bulow plans to center the 60-seat restaurant around an antipasti counter, with the kitchen headed up by a chef he's recruiting from New York." Apparently, what he really meant to say was "a chef he's recruiting from Craigslist":

Maktub Group Seeks Executive Chef
Reply to: job-465112530@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-10-31, 10:50AM PDT

The Maktub Group is seeking an experienced Executive Chef for their latest venture - A Tuscan inspired Trattoria - in the heart of San Francisco on the newly renovated Mint Plaza.

We are seeking an individual with vision and passion and a commitment to excellence. An excellent opportunity for growth with an expanding company. Competitive salary and benefits for the right candidate.

Please include position and your name in the subject of your email, paste your resume in the body.

Exit Sushi Groove, Enter Dolce Vita. Welcome to the Good Life.

MINT PLAZA—Sometimes, the shutter hits before restaurants even get off the ground. Such is the case with Sushi Groove, which has now been canceled. From the Inside Scoop: "Restaurateur Jocelyn Bulow has decided to forgo that concept - "bad timing," he says - and open the Mint Plaza space as Dolce Vita, a Tuscan trattoria." No word on how this change will affect the December opening date, but well ... you know. [Chron]

THE MISSION—As reported by the Tablehopper, 24th Street's Roosevelt Tamale Parlor is back after a brief hiatus, with its new owners hailing from Don Pico's and Pancho Villa. The menu is apparently the same and the interior only has some minor changes. [TH, EaterWire]

THE SUNSET—By now, you may have heard about the rash of McDonald's armed robberies, but we thought we'd inquire about one curious aspect of the case: "After the suspect entered through the [drive-through] window ...The suspect fled through the window as police fired at the escaping person." Now really, how in the world does one enter and exit (amidst gunfire, mind you) through that little drive-through window? Who is this guy, Spiderman? [Examiner]