Ex-Wente chef opening Pleasanton restaurant
Dining Scene
He’s back: What’s Matt Greco been up to since leaving the post of Wente’s executive chef in Livermore? Planning his next move — a chef-driven restaurant not too many miles away, in Pleasanton.
His Salt Craft, a casual spot, is scheduled to open downtown this summer in a 1930s home that’s being transformed to include an open kitchen and patio seating. Look for housemade everything: breakfast pastries, upscale sandwiches with cured meats (maybe that lamb pastrami from his Wente menu?), seasonal entrees. California wines, craft beers and sodas (yep, housemade) will anchor the beverage menu.
Greco cut his culinary teeth in New York at Cafe Boulud and Cafe Gray before launching the Southern-inspired Char No. 4, which New York Magazine named one of the best new restaurants of 2009. Two years later, he took over the top job at The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards. You can follow the progress on the new 377 St. Mary St. restaurant at www.saltcraft pleasanton.com.
To Bay Meadows: One of the darlings of the San Francisco burger scene, Roam Artisan, is expanding south of the city. (They’ve already gone east, to Lafayette.) The first Peninsula outpost for the company co-founded by Josh Spiegelman and Lynn Gorfinkle will open this fall in San Mateo, at the Bay Meadows’ Town Square development. The center at the former racetrack will also house Fieldwork Brewing Co., Tin Pot Creamery and Blue Bottle Coffee. Roam specializes in burgers of grass-fed beef, all-natural bison or free-range turkey, and the customization options go way beyond the basics to include Gruyere, oil-and-vinegar slaw and cremini mushrooms. www. roamburgers.com. Speaking of horse racing: Head to Los Gatos or Pleasanton for your May 6 Derby Day fix. Culinary fix, that is. The Bywater will host a daylong party with freshly shucked oysters, smoked brisket, fried chicken, Woodford Reserve mint juleps — and a hat contest. Post time is 3:34 p.m. Buy your buffet tickets online at www.thebywaterca.com. At Sabio on Main, chef Francis X. Hogan always serves that classic Louisville sandwich, the Hot Brown (BN Ranch turkey, applewood-smoked bacon, Mornay sauce), on Derby Day. His mint juleps are made with Bulleit Rye and Persian spearmint grown in Sunol. Imbibe, then head out for the horse race, as Sabio is TV-free. Reservations: www. sabiopleasanton.com.
Ciao: We’re down to the last two days for Italian combo sandwiches at AG Ferrari, the nearly century-old deli and import stores. The last four locations close at the end of business May 1. Although the company was founded in San Jose in 1919, the family relocated the original store to Berkeley’s Elmwood district just two years later, and Ferrari became an East Bay institution. You can say ciao in Oakland (Montclair Village, Piedmont Avenue) or San Francisco (Laurel Village, SoMA).