SoMa's Mechanical Bull, Critics' Favorite Dishes, More!

BIG REVAMPS - Not five months after we passed on word that Decks took over Kelly's Mission Rock, Inside Scoop learns that Peter Osborne—he of MoMo’s, Pete’s Tavern and Pedro’s Cantina fame—will be scooping up the huge (eyesore of a) space: "At this early stage of planning (still subject to change), the goal is to reopen it during the summer as Mission Rock Brewery and Oyster Bar." Meanwhile he's putting six bowling lanes and a mechanical bull into the basement below Pete’s Tavern and Pedro’s Cantina. How much does a mechanical bull run these days? [ISSF]

CRITICS PICKS - Today SFBG's Virginia Miller rounds up her favorite winter dishes around town. She loves the handmade egg noodles at Bushi-Tei in Japantown, egg yolk-and-ricotta ravioli at Russian Hill's Seven Hills, Chestnut Soup at the Nob Hill's new Bouche, and the "healthy" fried chicken at LYFE in Palo Alto. Give 'em a try? [SFBG]

CRITICS PICKS EXTRA - And what a coincidence, SF Weekly's Jonathan Kauffman also weighs in with his favorite dishes of 2011 today: Locanda's veal tongue salad, Butter Love Bakeshop's apricot-cherry pie, Ma's Dim Sum Cafe's clay pot rice with Chinese bacon and spareribs, Piccino's semolina gnocchi with roast summer squash and a farm egg, and Bar Tartine's smoked mullet roe on toast. So maybe you should try all of that too. [SF Weekly]

POP-UPS - Mr. Seoul Patch himself, Eric Ehler has joined forces with the Reform Club pop-up at Specchio to take it "in a more Korean-inspired direction." And don't you just love it when two pop-ups make love and have babies? The new partnership will debut at the next dinner event on January 15. We've procured a menu for your perusal. As always wine wizards Dion Jardine and Becky Pezzullo will be on hand pairing everything with the proper juice. Reservations here. [EaterWire]