1760, Acquerello's Approachable Spinoff on Polk

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After months of anticipation, tonight is opening night for 1760, the casual new sister spot of Acquerello. Housed in the former Parrilla space on Polk Street (it's named for its address), it's intended to be a relaxed weeknight alternative to the more formal Acquerello, with an innovative menu, cocktails, and wine. Gianpaolo Paterlini, the son of Acquerello co-owner Giancarlo Paterlini, spearheaded the project, and is behind the wide-ranging wine selection, which will clock in at nearly 250 bottles.

For food, Paterlini brought on newly transplanted chef Adam Tortosa, who's cooked in Japan and was last seen at Ink. in Los Angeles. His menu spans Japanese, Italian, and Spanish flavors, with small plates like konbu-cured fluke sashimi, fried squid with salsa verde aioli, and grilled avocado with shrimp, lime, and red onion. Pastas include bucatini with uni and garlic and corn ravioli with baked potato butter, and there's also a fried duck sandwich with pickles and aioli. Riccardo Menicucci, an Italian native, is handling the small pastry menu. Here's the full menu.

On the drinks side of things, Christopher Longoria (Aziza) is mixing up some innovative cocktails like the signature 1760 (a gin and tonic with mezcal, mint, and cumin) and the fairly self-evident Pineapple Coffee Cocktail (with pineapple, coffee, and rum). Check out the full cocktail menu here. On the wine side, Gianpaolo Paterlini is specializing in vino that's "time and place-specific," with a global selection of vintages.

The 60-seat space was completely gutted, with more windows added on the Washington Street side. The revamp was spearheaded by John Wheatman, who did Acquerello's interior refresh in 2010, and it's fairly spare, with lots of gray and black and some wood accents. There are a handful of booths, a long leather banquette, and a communal table with stools in the front. Initial hours will be daily from 5-11 pm.

· SF's 10 Most Anticipated Fall Restaurants [~ ESF ~]
· Acquerello's New Project 1760 Has Chef, Targets April [~ ESF ~]
· 1760 [Official website]