Fall Previewing: The Moss Room and Academy Cafe

Golden Gate Park: According to the official countdown on the website, the new Academy of Sciences will open its sustainable doors in a mere 47 days, and Food & Wine gives us the most extensive preview yet of the pair of restaurant projects within the behemoth: The Academy Cafe and The Moss Room, both by the celebrated local chef duo of Charles Phan and Loretta Keller. The article touches on dozens of amenities and green features of the restaurants, including the ginormous living roof (pictured), where Phan and Keller will be probably able to harvest at least a few ingredients from the 1.7 million plants. Some of the highlights:

On the Academy Cafe, where Phan will do both tacos and noodles: "... on the main floor, [it] feels like an interactive exhibit showcasing cuisines from the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and Mexico."

On the Moss Room, below: "Walking down the stairs to the restaurant feels like entering a forest where Asian river fish dart through an illuminated aquarium tank, casting flickering shadows. Even small details advance the eco-mission: Wooden tables are bare—tablecloths require energy and water to wash—and a number of dishes are cooked and served in clay bowls, reducing the number of pots and pans that need cleaning."

The piece goes on to list some of the dishes Phan and Keller are anticipated to be serving, plus a few selections from the Moss Room's 3,500-bottle, biodynamic-and-organic-focused wine cellar. Also: the moss-lined staircase down to the restaurant from the main floor is described as "mysterious." Brace.
· Chefs Charles Phan and Loretta Keller: Recipes for Sustainability [F&W]
· California Academy of Sciences [Official Site]