New on Resy: Coi, Nyum Bai, Fish & Bird, Verjus, and More

At his two-Michelin-starred Coi, chef-owner Daniel Patterson continues to be at the forefront of creative cooking in San Francisco. On the ever-changing tasting menu ($250), you may happen upon courses like grilled seaweed bread or a perfectly cooked cylinder of black cod. Coi remains one of the most influential fine dining restaurants in the country, and it’s worth the price. (Pro Tip: The restaurant is now doing monthly wine dinners, including one on Feb. 25 that focuses on Burgundy.)

Go to Nyum Bai for the kuy teav — a quintessential noodle soup straight out of Phnom Penh — which you’ll slurp to the psychedelic beats of 60’s Cambodian rock as you fall under the spell of this Oakland gem. Chef-owner Nite Yun tells the story of her Khmer heritage one treasured recipe at a time, so arrive hungry — you’ll be filled in more ways than one. Nyum Bai is one of the Bay Area’s most critically acclaimed restaurants of the last two years; skip the wait with a Resy. 

There are wine bars, and then there’s Verjus, a bona fide haunt that’ll whisk you to the Left Bank, courtesy of the team behind nearby Quince and Cotogna. Like its most esteemed European counterparts, Verjus mixes a casual vibe with excellent wines and tantalizing bites. We’re talking pét-nat and orange pours sipped alongside the best conservas and cheeses. In the mood for more than a bar snack? Check out the full menu from chef-owner Michael Tusk. 

Don’t expect your run-of-the-mill yakitori here: Fish & Bird doesn’t blend in with that crowd. Rather, chef Asuka Uchida (also of Oakland’s B-Dama) looks to the Japan of today for her zippy, modern izakaya menu, which also throws her French training and Cali produce into the mix. The result? A fresh approach through which duck tataki and fluffy chawanmushi both stun in their simplicity. 

Inspired by Guam and fresh off a glowing Chronicle review, Prubechu offers the city’s only Chamorro experience. The indigenous cuisine is a buoyant one best sampled with the fiesta table menu: a blown-out, family-style feast, that has sweet bread rolls slathered in tuba butter brush up against kelaguen malok (barbecued chicken) in tortilla-like coconut titiyas and a mixed meat board that tops all others.

For Champagne celebrations big and small, plan a trip to The Riddler. Owner Jen Pelka loves a good high-low combination — like a glass of bubbly paired with popcorn — and it’s that whimsical touch that makes this Champagne bar shine. There are 150 bottles, at every price point, on the list, and though caviar service is optional, the tater tot waffle is required eating.

You better be armed with a Resy before heading up: Over Proof is reservations-only. Nestled above ABV, this luxe cocktail den is as intimate as they come, with some of the city’s most exciting concoctions. Sip your way through the cocktail tasting, a flight, or the à la carte selection, and order some seafood, whether it be tinned or fresh.

Aziza, the Cal-Moroccan stalwart that catapulted acclaimed chef Mourad Lahlou to fame, is back with a fresh new look. Moroccan tiles, palm leaf wallpaper, and wicker basket lights set the tone for Lahlou’s inimitable cuisine. Every meal should begin with the flavor-packed spreads and end with the sticky date cake.

At this brunch institution, chef-partner Brenda Buenviaje dives into her Nola upbringing to feed the weekend crowds — and now you can snag a Resy to get in on the action. Brenda’s French Soul Food is a winning mixture of Southern, Creole, and French cuisines, and the most tables are piled high with beignets. Pro tip: Brunch gets the crowds, but dinner is worth a trip, too. 

Do you like your pint with a side of crispy wings or a plate of duck confit cassoulet? Pacifica Brewery does both. With a French chef in tow, the Rockaway Beach gastropub is rethinking beer-drinking foods in a menu where a Kolsch and lobster custard go hand in hand. 

After a career spent in fine-dining kitchens, from Denmark’s Noma to San Francisco’s Saison, chef Marco Cerruti went to San Carlos to open a casual Italian restaurant. Tratt dishes up pizza with a bubbly sourdough crust, topped with only the market’s best. Not in the mood for pies? Twirl your fork around the house-made pappardelle.

Contra Costa hitmakers Esin and Curtis deCarion (Esin, Revel Kitchen & Bar) are back at it again. Social Bird, which expands their Danville footprint to Lafayette, serves thoughtful foods and well-made drinks. Get in on Korean fried chicken wings, avocado bruschetta and chile-glazed pork belly.