Kane Says The Dorian is a Reason to Go to the Marina; Bauer Raves About Petit Crenn

Watch out Marina haters. Peter Kane says The Dorian, the latest project from the team behind Palm House, might change your feelings about the often reviled ‘hood. "Under the food column, there's a lot to like," he reports, saying even the hummus was "conspicuously excellent." Of the Royal Dorian, a $40 burger with Dungeness crab and black truffles "served under a silver cloche from not one but two servers," Kane says he wanted to regard it "as a harbinger of the apocalypse," but that "it's a very tasty burger." Those looking for a new bar scene will also be happy. Kane reports, "The cocktails were strong, in every sense of the word" and "aesthetically, the bar is the better half" of the space. [SF Weekly]

Michael Bauer didn't have a great experience when he visited 1760 on Polk Street in 2013, but things change as he thinks new executive chef Carl Foronda has helped 1760 find "its center" thanks to "a more precise execution" that ensures the global menu and ingredients "now fit together." Bauer found the squash blossom tempura to be "rustic and ethereal" and said one of the most popular dishes on the menu, the fried duck sandwich was "rich and indulgent" and "comes together beautifully." One low point was the cocktails, which he described as "hit or miss, depending on who's behind the bar," but the service fares better with "more of a refined edge than expected" that "elevates the entire experience." The restaurant remained a popular spot despite Bauer's 2013 impression, but good news for diners who await his stamp of his approval: after his last three visits, he says 1760 now deserves its popularity. 2 ½ stars. [The Chron]

Bauer also visited Petit Crenn, Domique Crenn's new Hayes Valley restaurant and he in love, saying the food touched his soul. He raves about the beautiful, homey dishes inspired by Crenn’s grandmother and Brittany, the coastal region in France that her family hails from saying, there's "a soulful connection to what she's is cooking." Though diners can order a la carte dishes, Bauer recommends going for the family-style five-course menu for $72 (gratuity is included) as "you can sense passion and purpose in each course." 3 ½ stars. [The Chron]

Anna Roth would like you to know that the Rincon Center's automated restaurant Eatsa "is not as interesting or dystopian as everyone wants it to be." In fact, she says, "Beneath its screen-heavy veneer, it's another fast-casual spot like so many throughout FiDi and SoMa." But did she like it? "The menu's eight signature bowls are satisfying enough" and says if she worked nearby, she'd "probably eat one a week" though "a few fell short." However, she points out "people aren't lining up every weekday for the bowls as much as the novelty of the ordering process." One of her orders (two bowls and three drinks) did not fit into the delivery cubby and she was forced to pick it up from a concierge. About that she says, "The disappointment I felt was real, and my lunch suffered for it." [The Chron]

Luke Tsai thinks Salsipuedes is "the most enigmatic new restaurant in Oakland" in part because "it's the only dining establishment in a several block radius" (save for one burrito shop) and in part because he had a difficult time figuring out how to categorize the restaurant which is "named after a pristine stretch of Baja California coastline near the city of Ensenada." If you're thinking of fish tacos, don't. "The menu consists of about a dozen somewhat pricey small plates," several of which feature a more refined and delicate take on "surf and turf." Most dishes, however, are what "Bay Area diners would recognize as a version of California cuisine, in its use of local produce and high-quality meat and seafood." Fried chicken sandwich lovers will want to run, not walk, to the new spot as Tsai says the fried chicken torta is "one of the best, most distinctive fried chicken sandwiches" in Oakland. Hopefully diners enjoy communal seating since the restaurant "takes that approach to an extreme: The only seating is at the large communal table in the middle of the room, or at the counter that winds around the perimeter of the restaurant's open kitchen." All in all, Tsai says, "It's some of the most interesting food in town." Just go expecting an adventure. [East Bay Express]