Kauff Finds Polish In Locavore's Sausage, Reidinger Has "Extraordinary" Beer Ice Cream at Beast and the Hare, More!

This week the Kauff Machine dissects newish Bernal Heights addition Locavore from former Flora chef Jason Moniz. Dinner starts out nicely with baby artichokes -- despite the restaurant's "simply righteous" approach to the locavore ethos -- but things disintegrate into a chaotic mess by the time the check comes. There's a "75-minute lull" before the main courses arrive, some of which are "slopped together;" others are missing things. So thank goodness for lunch, where house-made sausages have "all the subtlety and polish the dinner lacked" and there's even a $6 grass-fed burger. All told, Kauff deems Locavore a "neighborhood joint rather than destination." [SF Weekly]

Reidinger is first to bat at Beast and the Hare, the Mission newcomer from Hog Island alum Ian Marks. Things begin with a "satisfying arrangement of charcuterie" and the fat in a duck dish is adequately cut by its under-a-brick cooking method, potatoes and some chicory. But we don't hear the Dinger go off until he reaches dessert. The beer ice cream is "extraordinary" and he has to restrain himself from licking the orange caramel beignet sauce out of its bowl. [SFBG]

The lone Datebook review comes from Carey Sweet, who tries Sazon, a Peruvian place in Santa Rosa. And it seems there's nothing she doesn't like: The crew was sending out one plate after another of delicious, vibrantly seasoned food that matched the sort of dishes I've eaten on my visits to South America." One of her favorites is the "lunchtime pan con chicharron," but despite the raves it Sazon earns just 2.5 stars. We're now assuming the three star reviews are reserved for fancier digs. [Chron]

The Elsewhere: The Marin IJ gets romantic at Tiburon's Don Antonio, Metro SV digs First Street Pho, EBX likes the wallet-friendly Italian fare at Rockridge's Enoteca Molinari, The Merc compares Orinda's Table 24 to Chow, Bar Bites says don't miss the fritto misto at Starbelly and Bargain Bites digs in at the Mission's Mr. Pollo.

Locavore dining room. [Photo: Yelp/Thomas R.]