The July Hit List: Mister Jiu’s, Odin, Birch & Rye, and More

Chef Brandon Jew brought home not one, but two James Beard Awards last month in Chicago, and there’s no better way to celebrate the victory than by dining at his restaurant in Chinatown. Perch up to the bar or snag a Resy for the beautiful dining room — order everything from the dumpling section, and maybe splurge on that whole roasted duck. San Francisco represent.

Take a deep dive into modern Russian cuisine at chef Anya El-Wattar’s Birch & Rye in Noe Valley. Einkorn pelmeni, house-infused vodkas, caviar galore (NB: the nine-course caviar crash course), and so much more. You’ll also find some fun and harder-to-find Georgian wines on the list, too.

Editor’s note: As of Sept. 29, 2023, Marlena has rebranded into a new concept, Foliage SF.

While the Michelin-starred Marlena restaurant undergoes retrofitting and renovations in Bernal Heights, David and Serena Fisher are popping up at Union Square’s Hotel Zeppelin for a limited time. The theme is summer camp, taking advantage of the space’s wood fire oven. You can do tasting menu or go à la carte (and get the wonderful buffalo fried chicken sandwich). 

New from the Nido team comes Odin, a cool new Oakland Tequila and mezcal-focused bar and restaurant featuring food from Tacos El Precioso. Deliciousness on the menu includes mushroom ceviche, smoked salmon tostadas with Brokaw avocados, arroz con leche topped with mezcal-macerated strawberries, and much more.

Bodega is back, this time serving up modernized versions of northern Vietnamese dishes. Take the cha ca, for example, which features a turmeric-tinged whole butterflied branzino in lieu of catfish chunks that are typically used. And if you’re thirsty, too, fret not: there’s beer and cocktails at this latest, and greatest, incarnation of the restaurant.

Eating at Shuggie’s is like tripping on acid, but in the best way possible. The colorful, psychedelic dining room features fun fare like skewered salads, and thin and crispy grandma-style squares, and funky natural wines to wash it all down. Read more here.

Find contemporary takes on Indian cuisine at Rooh with items like tandoori artichoke surrounded in a spicy, creamy nizami salan sauce; beautiful, cool compressed melon salads with tomato rasam broth; stuffed Himalayan morel mushrooms with cheese; and more. Don’t snooze on a side of saffron rice, which contains actual aromatic saffron. More info here.

There’s something so satisfying about a bowl full of shahan ful—a dish coming from East Africa made of ground favas. The version at Alem’s Coffee in Oakland is especially wonderful, topped with chopped tomatoes and onions and dried spices and feta—it’s served with warm crusty toasted bread and makes for the best breakfast possible, especially when paired with a cup of tea or coffee. More info here.

Heavy new wave French vibes are echoing from the corner of 20th and Harrison with Mijote, the new bistro from Kosuke Tada, who has cooked in wonderful restaurants all throughout Paris. He’s doing a four-course set menu that changes daily (Do yourself a favor and get the cheese supplement to make the meal a solid five). Wines by the glass and bottle are interesting and affordably priced. More info here.

Deligod Adam Mesnick’s mighty multi-layered meaty mosaics he calls sandos just might be the best sandwiches in America. No two sandwiches are ever constructed completely the same, which makes eating there always a unique and satisfying time. Careful: the fresh-baked bread come out hot. More info here.