Seven Hills' Alioto Opening Mission Italian Restaurant

[Photo: Google Maps]

Since departing Seven Hills in November, chef Alexander Alioto has been looking for a new place to call his own. Now, he's announced that he'll be bringing a new Italian restaurant to the northern edge of the Mission, taking the long-empty and very large (3,700 square feet) Another Monkey/Conduit space on Valencia and 14th.

Plin is an Italian seafood and handmade pasta concept, which will seat 100 guests spread over booths, banquettes, bar seating and a 12-seat private dining room. Architects II is heading up the buildout, and Alioto's mother Joanne Alioto is handling the interior design, which will have a natural feel with an oceanic color palette (think sea glass) and walnut table tops.

The menu will have a distinct seafood focus, though it'll have a spread of meat, poultry and vegetarian options too. Alioto plans to have his signature agnolotti dal plin on the menu ("plin" is Italian for the little pinch employed to seal the pasta), along with dishes like black bass carpaccio with mussel cream, lemon and espelette pepper, and grilled Spanish octopus with bone marrow and crispy Italian butter beans.

Plin will be a true family affair, with Alioto's father Nunzio Alioto Jr. overseeing the wine selection alongside Chuck Furuya (both Master Sommeliers). There'll be a full bar as well, with Daniel Federico (formerly of LA's Harvard & Stone) designing a classically-inspired, seasonal cocktail list featuring the likes of an Americano Sour (rye, Carpano Antica, Cappelletti aperitivo, lemon, egg white) and a Dignitary (gin or vodka, elderflower liqueur, cardamom bitters, lemon and pickled ginger).

Once open, Plin will serve dinner Tuesday-Sunday, 5pm-11pm. Alioto is targeting a mid-July opening date, so stay tuned for updates.

· Alexander Alioto to open Plin in the Mission [Inside Scoop]
· Alexander Alioto Departs Seven Hills [~ ESF ~]