Melissa Reitz In As Bar Agricole Chef-Partner

[Photo: Jennifer Yin]

There's new blood at Bar Agricole, as owner Thad Vogler has hired Melissa Reitz to take on executive chef duties at the SOMA cocktail spot. Not only that, but Reitz will also become a partner in the restaurant, bringing experience from Quince, Zuni Café, Pizzaiolo and Camino to bear with an ingredient-focused menu and an emphasis on simplicity and excellence.

Reitz's new opening menu includes a selection of oysters on the half shell, snacks like falafel with yogurt and cilantro and beef tongue with lovage salsa verde, and appetizers such as raw local halibut with meyer lemon, puntarelle, and steelhead roe, and smoked duck breast with blood orange, cauliflower and dukkah. Larger plates will include manila clams steamed with smoked black cod and wild nettles, roast pork loin with green lentils, English peas, and fava greens, and farinata with maitake mushrooms, sheepsmilk feta and salmoriglio.

Reitz's addition comes as Bar Agricole is on the verge of launching Trou Normand, their spinoff in the shiny 140 New Montgomery building. To ease the transition amidst all that activity, Bar Agricole will be closed through Wednesday, March 12 and will reopen on Thursday March 13, with Reitz presiding over the kitchen.

· Melissa Reitz named chef-partner at Bar Agricole [Inside Scoop]
· Whiteside Company Becoming Trou Normand [~ ESF ~]