Darn Good Food's "Nice, Healthy" Fast Casual to the FiDi

Darn Good Food is a new healthy weekday quick-service food operation gearing up to open in the former Lee's Deli on Kearny, right across from Paladar. Founder Ron Henoud has brought on a consulting executive chef and dietitian to create breakfast, lunch and dinner entrees featuring locally sourced meats, lots of vegetables, and nutritional information listed for everything on the menu. Henoud tells Eater the space is a large one, at 3400 square feet, and it'll be divided up into bar seating, a main dining area and a lounge and communal table in the mezzanine upstairs. He's designed the space himself to be a cozy and inviting respite, with large windows looking into Belden Place in back, reclaimed live-edge wood counters, lots of metal, brick and bamboo chairs. Diners will have the option to eat-in, order on-line or grab something to-go from a prepared food case or the take-out window.

Perusing the formative menu on the website will give a solid idea of what to expect: things like an unfried chicken sandwich with spicy coleslaw, vegetarian Thai tofu mushroom soup, and blueberry "power muffins" for breakfast. Henoud is particularly jazzed about the build-your-own salad option and the "DG boxes," a riff on the bento box allowing you to choose the meat, and two sides that you want. There will be two entrances: one at the listed address on Kearny, the other via a back door onto Belden Place (right by Plouf). He's also got a beer and wine license, so he'll do "healthy happy hour" from around 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. with local wines and beer and a separate happy hour menu. The plan is to eventually and gradually sprout off additional DGF outposts near Spear and Steuart Streets, by MoMa, in Mission Bay and even in the airport. This Kearny street location has a huge prep kitchen downstairs that will serve as the commissary for all of them. When DGF opens in three or four weeks, hours shall be Monday through Friday from around 6 a.m. to around 8 p.m., depending on staffing, etc. Check back for more as the opening nears.

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