All stories about "Dominique Crenn"

Since Dominique Crenn's prior restaurant stop down in Los Angeles officially shuttered over the weekend, we thought it only appropriate to check in with her new project, Luce. Now open for a little over a month in the (also new) InterContinental Hotel in SoMa, Luce has largely flown in under the radar in its pre-review phase (check out sneak peek of the space here). Precious little about it can be had on food boards, local blogs and media outlets, a fact that pessimists may interpret as an ominous lack of buzz and turnover for an already tough location, but we suppose that's something only time will tell. In any event, here's the buzz on Luce so far:

1) Bad News: "Let's just get this out of the way: it's a terrible location ... The hotel is designed to defend itself against the very same kind of homeless people we encountered in the parking lot. You have to enter through the main door; there are security people every 10 feet. So this is not a trip for the faint-hearted, including GoingOutAgain, who was beginning to question our last minute decision to try Luce, despite the lack of reviews" [Chowhound]

Click the image above to view the full photogallery.

Here we have a little preview of Luce and Bar888, the restaurant and bar tandem opening tomorrow in the (also new) InterContinental Hotel. Located in 130-seat, blue glass-walled space directly on the corner of Fifth and Howard, the main dining room of Luce is divided into three distinct areas, with grappa specialist Bar888 in the adjacent space, deeper inside the hotel. At Luce, the spacious, subdued vibe is somewhat reminiscent of typical hotel dining, especially when you note the booths in the back, but the decor does add a touch of unique sophistication. The real test for executive chef Dominique Crenn and her team, of course, will be luring the locals to Luce. Bar888 seems to have carved out a nice niche with its grappa angle, but we'll be curious to see if Crenn—who, we're told, is definitely skilled— can create a buzz that reaches beyond the hotel guests.

Further reading on Luce can be here and here; Thrillist has the deets on Bar888.

SOMA—Even though Elizabeth Falkner stopped by the festivities in South Beach over the weekend (including among others, Paula Deen's Poker Party, of all places), this week will finally see the unveiling of Orson. The ambitious and much-anticipated "Edgy California Cuisine" project by Falkner and Sabrina Riddle will toss a soft opening affair tonight, and will officially debut tomorrow night (Tuesday). Perhaps even more importantly, the reservation lines will open tomorrow as well, so if you're stuck at a desk all day filling out TPS reports, it might a good idea to try to score some seats, if there are even any left. More info on Orson, like the resy hotline number, can be had at the official site. [EaterWire Inbox]

Welcome back to the Plywood Report, your all-encompassing chronicle of the next generation of restaurants and bars to grace our fair city. See some plywood going up in your neighborhood? Do let us know; bonus points if you include photos.

1) Nopa: Above is the first look at the long-awaited, much-anticipated sequel to Bar Crudo. Located at 655 Divisadero (off Grove, across from the Independent), the space—and kitchen—is notably larger than the original location/closet of BC 1.0, but work hasn't started yet. Once the permits are acquired, late spring is still the aim. [PLYWOOD]

2) Polk Gulch: Emaileth a tipster, "There's this restaurant that's painted lime green on Geary Blvd. near Polk Street. Maybe you've already posted about them. I think it's called Cilantro Grill? It says opening soon but it's been like that for months, it seems." Rest assured the Plywood Photo Squad has been dispatched. [Eater Inbox]

SOMA—The second half of February will see the new InterContinental San Francisco opening at 888 Howard Street; with its arrival will come a new restaurant within called Luce. Headed by chef Dominique Crenn (most recently of Abode in Los Angeles), Luce will be a "casual-elegant Californian-Italian brasserie." Since leaving Abode back in October, Crenn spent some weeks in Tuscany, studying the cuisine and the wine. The dining room will seat 130, plus a private dining room, bar and lounge. As required by San Francisco law, the fare will emphasize the farm-to-table connection, and she's already gotten friendly with several local farmers. Wine will also be a concentration at Luce. Elsewhere in the InterContinental will be a bar called Bar 888, where Crenn says there will be a focus on grappa, a full cocktail menu, among others. [EaterWire]

SOMA—The Laurent Manrique era is ready to dawn on the Fifth Floor, with the restaurant slated to close for a month: "Fifth Floor is getting ready to close for renovations on January 21st. The eatery is slated to reopen on February 18th with a completely new concept under the auspices of consulting chef Laurent Manrique (Aqua) and his culinary team." [ZagatBuzz]

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