San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Rosh Hashanah takeout dinners
Bay Area families are likely to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year that runs Friday, Sept. 18, through Sunday, Sept. 20, differently in 2020. They may gather over Zoom or meet for a small celebration in a backyard. Laboring over a braised brisket with prunes, attempting to braid a round challah or figuring out how to incorporate apples and honey — symbolic foods to lead to a sweet new year — into savory dishes might not have as much appeal during the pandemic, when gathering is discouraged and few people can come over. Plus, many home cooks are simply tired of being in the kitchen.
This is where the Bay Area’s Jewishowned restaurants come in. This year, these six restaurants are turning to takeout and delivery — a mix of fixedprice meals and a la carte options, usually packaged cold and ready to be reheated at home.
In some cases, these restaurants are also making it easier than ever to get their food by delivering to more regions of the Bay Area or hosting popups in different cities. And if you’re only looking for the traditional round challah or honey cake, many local bakeries will carry them for the occasion — Oakland’s kosher Grand Bakery is a reliable bet and delivers to the entire Bay Area.
Canela: Spanish tapas restaurant Canela channels chef Mat Schuster’s Jewish heritage this time of year. His $58 Rosh Hashanah menu is a lighter take on the traditional meal, starting with duck consomme and a salad sweetened with dates and honey vinaigrette. White fish with chard, mushrooms and roasted red pepper is followed by a honey lava cake — and, of course, there’s challah. For something heartier, customers can add a bonus course of braised brisket ($20). The meal is available for pickup and delivery. Diners can also enjoy the menu hot on the restaurant’s outdoor patio Sept. 1720.
2272 Market St., San Francisco. 4155523000 or canelasf.com
Che Fico Alimentari: Chef David Nayfeld of buzzy Italian restaurant Che Fico is offering a few a la carte dishes to celebrate the holiday, available for takeout Sept. 1819 from the restaurant’s more casual downstairs sibling, Che Fico Alimentari. Fitting with tradition, apples appear in multiple dishes, including the chicken with green beans ($32), salad dressed in honey vinaigrette ($19) and apple honey cake ($35). Another entree option of braised brisket ($34) and Sephardicstyle challah ($9) sprinkled with sesame seeds round out the menu.
834 Divisadero St., San Francisco. 4154166980 or cheficoalimentari.com
One Market: Upscale Embarcadero staple One Market is supplying San Franciscans with an early Rosh Hashanah dinner, available for pickup and delivery Sept. 1618. The familystyle meal costs $49 per person, with the choice between two beefy entrees: brisket smoked for 12 hours over oak or red winebraised short rib. It comes with two vegetable sides, matzo ball soup, challah and apple cider honey cake. While not strictly kosher, there is no dairy in this meal.
1 Market St., San Francisco. 4157775577 or onemarket.com Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen: The Bay Area’s oldest Jewish deli, Saul’s is serving classics a la carte for pickup in Berkeley Sept. 1819. This year’s entrees are brisket in red wine with prunes ($28 for two) and braised chicken finished with figs and dukkah, a Middle Eastern blend of spices and nuts ($32 for two). The menu also features tempting ways to round out the dinner table with challah, chicken liver spread, gefilte fish, honey cake and more. All orders must be placed online before midnight Wednesday, Sept. 16, and curbside pickup is available.
1475 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. 5108483354 or saulsdeli.com
Schmaltz: Beth Needelman, the chef of San Francisco’s Corridor, started a modern Jewish popup, Schmaltz, during the pandemic as part of a restaurant incubator series. For the month of September, Schmaltz is celebrating the new year with a fivecourse meal for two ($80). It’s one of the least traditional meals on this list and can be ordered anytime on Tock for pickup or delivery in San Francisco. Delivery is also available via Feastin.com to most of the Bay Area. The challah comes with chickenskin butter while the honey roasted chicken is accompanied by caramelized onion jus. Other dishes include a smoked salmonbeer salad with whipped mascarpone, and a seasonal sorbet for dessert.
531 Jackson St., San Francisco. 4157720922 or explore tock.com/hineighborincubator series
Wise Sons Deli: The Bay Area’s most prominent Jewish deli chain is always a reliable choice for celebrating the High Holidays at home. A complete meal for four people costs $165 and includes chicken braised with apricots, shmaltzroasted potatoes, chicory salad with squash, raisin challah, honey cake and a bottle of wine. Those dishes are all available a la carte, too, along with roasted brisket with gravy ($70, serves six). Pickup and delivery are available Sept. 1820 from Wise Sons’ four San Francisco locations and two new Oakland locations — Wise Sons recently took over Beauty’s Bagels. The deli is also adding two popups: on Sept. 17, find Wise Sons at Sonoma’s Jewish Community Center, and on Sept. 18 at Palo Alto’s Jewish Community Center. Either way, preorder online.
Locations vary. wisesonsdeli.com/highholidays
Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker