Openings: Urchin Bistrot in S.F.
With Urchin Bistrot, the latest newcomer to the bustling Valencia Street corridor, a bit of Paris has come to the Mission.
The restaurant, set in the original Slanted Door space (most recently Wo Hing General Store), comes courtesy of Lissa Doumani and Hiro Sone. Their resume speaks for itself: They are the folks behind Napa Valley’s 26-year-old Terra and San Francisco’s Ame, both which have held Michelin stars for years.
But unlike its older siblings, Urchin is a more casual undertaking, taking its cue from the French bistro genre. Accordingly, the menu is full of familiar classics: cassoulet, duck confit, steak frites, ratatouille.
It’s not museum food, though, as Sone and Doumani put their own accents on the dishes. Aseasonal nectarine compote accompanies the liver mousse, fried oysters give some texture to the tartare, and the namesake urchin makes cameos in a caviar-topped deviled egg rendition and a spaghettini entree. And there are some playful touches, like the Hiro Sandwich (meatballs and roasted marrowbone) and a sweet take on baba au rhum, where diners receive a mini-bottle of rumto pour over the cake.
Urchin Bistrot: 584Valencia St. (near 17th Street), S.F.; (415) 861-1844. www. urchinbistrot.com. Dinner nightly. Snacks and appetizers, $4-$16; main courses, $18$29; desserts, $8-$9.