Where to Eat in October: Kin Khao, Handroll Project, More

After more than two years, Michelin-starred Thai eatery Kin Khao is finally back. Oh, how we’ve missed those classic hits. Sticky spicy hot wings. Crispy, limey, herby nam tok beans. Braised beef cheeks in creamy coconuty massaman curry. It’s dinner only for now; lunch (and khao soi!) coming soon.

The newish restaurant from the folks that brought you Ju-Ni and Hina Yakitori brings temaki to the the Mission, featuring  handrolls filled with all sorts of fish, uni, and other sea creatures.  The small 16-seat counter almost always has a line — so snag a Resy now so you don’t have to wait.

There’s so much more than pancakes and eggs at the brunch-for-dinner spot Hilda and Jesse. The chef’s adventure meal is a multi-course affair that showcases chef Kristina Compton’s fine-dining background. But if you do want eggs, you can get that too — they just comes with seven grams of caviar topped on a rolled omelette in a pool of bonito butter.

Go beyond the steaks at Michelin-starred steakhouse Niku to find starters and sides like beef tartare with a fudgy egg yolk on fried beef tendon, crispy layered potato fried in Wagyu fat with chickpea miso, and corn tortelloni with chanterelles and popped sorghum. Pro tip: Sit at the counter where you can watch the grillmaster work magic.

The dessert game is strong at Osito, Seth Stowaway’s intimate live-fire, fine dining restaurant in the Mission. The menu changes often, but a recent one included blackberry with green mole, chocolate and sesame alongside glass-coated strawberries with strawberry-infused champagne. Insert brain exploding emoji.

Consider the sandwich menu at this Divisadero gem, which features fried bologna sandwiches, spicy fried chicken, crispy corn-meal fried shrimp po’ boys, and more. But since it’s Brenda’s, don’t forget beignets for dessert.

The creativity from chef Brandon Rice and the team at Ernest knows no bounds. Persian cucumbers with yogurt, horseradish and tobiko. Chicken liver terrine with banh mi garnish.  Matcha tiramisu shaved ice. We can’t wait to see what they’ll do with fall produce.

Long time chef Eric Ehler has finally opened his very own brick-and-mortar on Larkin Street, where he’s slanging thin and crispy NY-style pizza by the slice and the pie. Don’t miss the small side boats of fruits and vegetables that showcase the pristine produce procured from the nearby Civic Center market on the weekly. No reservations. More info here.

Pasta and pizza and wood-fired vegetables are a few of our favorite things. The beautifully blackened and charred eggplant dish in particular is one of the more delicious things on the menu right now at Che Fico on Divisadero. It’s split tableside, dressed with olive oil, lemon, garlic confit, and spread over crostini. More info here.

A fish sommelier is a thing at Michael Mina’s Estiatorio Ornos, which features fare inspired from both Greece and the greater Mediterranean. You could go a la carte, but best to go tasting menu and let the chef take care of the rest— you’ll get an array of dishes from the sea, but the sea bass wrapped in grape leaves and cooked in a salt crust is the showstopper. More info here.

San Francisco sandwich institution Submarine Center has been around since 1981, and seemingly hasn’t changed much since. The sum is greater than the parts: your choice of thinly sliced turkey, pastrami, or ham (or all three); the optional-but-really-required avocado add-on; the way the mayo and mustard mingle; shredded lettuce and onions. All in between the thin and crackly crusted bread that’s almost toasted too far? Yes please. More info here.